cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential accumulation of heavy metals in muscle and liver of a marine fish, (king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla cuvier) from the Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA.

Levels of heavy metals such as lead, copper, cadmium, andzinc in marine ﬁsh have been extensively documented inthe primary literature (e.g., Juresˇa and Blanusˇa 2003;Rome´o et al. 1999; Zauke et al. 1999). These metals tend todistribute differentially in liver and muscle, most likelybecause of metal-binding proteins such as metallothioneinsin certain organs of ﬁsh (Atli and Canli 2003; De Smetet al. 2001; Hamilton and Mehrle 1986; Roesijadi 1992).These proteins bind copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc(Zn), but not lead (Pb), allowing organs such as the liver toaccumulate higher levels of metals than other organs suchas muscle.Only a few monitoring studies have measured heavymetals in ﬁsh species found in the Northern Gulf of Mexico(Feldhausen and Johnson 1983; Hanson 1997; Vazquezet al. 2001). The current study measured Pb, Cu, Cd, andZn levels in muscle ﬁllet and liver of king mackerel(Scomberomorus cavalla), a large (>1,500-mm fork length)reef-associated ﬁsh that inhabits subtropical and tropicalwaters throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The S. cavalla is avery common sport and food ﬁsh (McEachran and Fech-helm 2005).Materials and MethodsMuscle ﬁllets and livers of nine king mackerel (S. cavalla)were collected June 2003 from the Alabama Fishing Rodeoheld at Dauphin Island, Alabama, and sponsored by theJAYCEES of Alabama. All samples (ﬁllet and whole liver)were placed in plastic freezer bags and transported to theUniversity of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama. Theywere immediately frozen at –80 C.Methods for extracting heavy metals from tissue sam-ples were derived from the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) standard method 3051 (U.S. EPA 1994).Approximately 0.5 g of wet tissue was placed in a 45-mLTeﬂon insert with 5 mL of ultra pure nitric acid. A separate0.5-g section from each tissue sample was oven driedovernight at 65 C for determination of dry:wet weight ra-tios. Teﬂon inserts were capped, placed into Parr micro-wave digestion bombs (Parr Instrument Company, Moline,IL, USA), and heated in a microwave. Tissues were di-gested for 3 min at 700 W. The digestate was diluted to10% of the original volume by adding 45 mL of deionizedwater.To monitor the extraction efﬁciency of the precedingtechnique, 0.25-g dry weight samples of one of two Na-tional Institute of Standards and Testing standard referencematerials, #2976 mussel tissue or #1566b oyster tissue,were digested as described. The percentage of recovery forall metals exceeded 85% of certiﬁed values. Levels of Pb,Cu, and Cd were analyzed using a Varian SpectrAA220graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer(Varian Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA). Levels of Zn wereanalyzed with a Perkin-Elmer ﬂame atomic absorptionspectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer, Waltham, MA, USA)because this metal tends to be high in biologic samples.Student’s t-tests (df = 16;
Beweglichkeit in kristallinen und amorphen Hochpolymeren aus kalorischen Messungen

Die beiden hauptsachlichsten Bewegungsarten in Hochpolymeren sind Oszillationen und gehemmte Rotationen. Oszillationen haben haufig Zeitkonstanten von 10−12 bis 10−13 sec. Messungen der spezifischen Warme gekoppelt mit theoretischen Berechnungen des Schwingungsspektrums ermoglichen eine Diskussion der Bewegungszustande kristalliner und glasiger Hochpolymere.
Temporal acceleration of the human papillomavirus life cycle by adeno-associated virus (AAV) type 2 superinfection in natural host tissue.

Epidemiologically, certain human papillomaviruses are positively associated with cervical cancer, while adeno-associated viruses (AAV-2) are negatively associated with this same cancer. Both HPV and AAV productively replicate in differentiating keratinocytes of the skin and interact with each other. However, AAV has a relatively fast life cycle, generating infectious progeny by the third to fourth day of an organotypic epithelial raft culture. In contrast, HPV is slow, generating infectious progeny only after 10-12 days. As earlier studies indicated that these two skin-tropic virus types significantly affect each other's life cycle, we investigated if the temporal kinetics of the slow HPV life cycle was affected by the fast AAV in raft cultures. Here it is shown that the presence of AAV-2 at a variety of multiplicities of infection (m.o.i.) resulted in early onset HPV-31b DNA replication. Using plasmids which each expressed only one of the four rep proteins, an enhancement affect was seen for all four rep proteins of AAV, with Rep40 having the highest activity. Furthermore, AAV (m.o.i. of 5) also resulted in a temporally accelerated production of HPV infectious units, seen as early as Day 4, with high levels of viral progeny being produced by Day 6.5. Like earlier studies at Day 12, histological differences were seen at Day 6.5 between AAV-infected and mock-infected HPV/rafts. These data suggest that under specific conditions the AAV rep trans-factors can positively regulate HPV gene expression in addition to the usual negative regulation that has been consistently observed by the rep proteins. These data also suggest that AAV has a significant effect upon the temporal kinetics of the HPV life cycle in natural host tissue. However, it is unclear if or how this AAV-induced fast HPV life cycle mechanistically correlates with lower rates of HPV-associated cervical disease.
THE MODE OF DEATH OF PIG KIDNEY CELLS INFECTED WITH COWPOX VIRUS IS GOVERNED BY THE EXPRESSION OF THE CRMA GENE

Pig kidney cells (LLC-PK1) were infected with one of three viruses: wild-type cowpox virus (Brighton red strain) expressing the crmA gene; recombinant cowpox virus A602, lacking the crmA gene; or cowpox virus A604, a revertant of virus A602, expressing the crmA gene. The wild-type virus and virus A604 produced identical cytopathic effects consistent with death by necrosis. In these cells, the structural features of the plasma membrane, the nuclear membrane, and the chromatin were maintained until lysis of the cells. In contrast, cowpox virus A602 produced cytopathic effects consistent with death by apoptosis. These effects included loss of microvilli on the cell surface, margination and condensation of the chromatin, progressive convolution of the nuclear membrane, release of dense chromatin masses on disintegration of the nucleus, fragmentation of the DNA, and the generation of apoptotic bodies. These results suggest that the crmA gene is necessary to inhibit processes of apoptosis induced in LLC-PK1 cells by infection with cowpox virus. Thus in cells of certain types, the crmA gene can act with other viral genes to control the mode of death of the virus-infected cell. This capability may be advantageous to virus replication in vivo, potentially facilitating both virus trafficking and interference with antiviral immune defenses.
Vector fields on riemannian spaces with boundary

Non-existence of harmonic andKilling rectors on a Riemannian space with boundary. Our statements are more detailed than some previously given byK. Yano.
Isolation of signaling mutants of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum).

As a first step towards developing a genetic system for investigating signaling processes in plants, we have developed a screen for signaling mutants deficient in a wound response. We have isolated two mutants of tomato that lack detectable production of proteinase inhibitors induced systemically in leaves by wounding. The mutants are deficient in the induction of both proteinase Inhibitor I and proteinase Inhibitor II but can be induced to respond at near wild-type levels by methyl jasmonate, a known elicitor of inhibitor production in tomato. While completely deficient in systemic production of proteinase inhibitors, both mutants produce some proteinase inhibitor in wounded leaves. This evidence suggests the existence of two signaling pathways, one local and one systemic, that regulate the induction of proteinase inhibitor snythesis in response to wounding.
Non-Linear Intracranial Dynamics of Shunt Siphoning

Siphoning is commonly associated with shunts, a treatment used in patients suffering from Hydrocephalus. Siphoning is known to have a negative effect on intracranial dynamics. In this paper, a model will be developed for the intracranial dynamics in the presence of siphoning based on the assumption of pulsatile intracranial dynamics as a forced non-linear van der Pol oscillator. This non-linear model is used to simulate how various degrees of siphoning can effect intracranial dynamics and create an understanding of painful side effects, such as vascular headaches. The model suggests that vascular headaches are due to an increase in the amplitude of arterial pulsations caused by the force exerted on the cranium by siphoning rather than due to volume shifts of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).© 2003 ASME
The physical limits of grafting in two‐phase polymerization reactions

When rubber-reinforced thermoplastics are produced, conversion of monomer to glassy polymer takes place in two thermodynamically incompatible phases. Regardless of the chemical nature of the grafting process, monomer which is converted in the glassy phase can never be grafted to rubber simply because it is never in contact with rubber. A simple model has been developed which describes quantitatively the upper limit of grafting arising from the physical nature of the process as a function of conversion and monomer-to-rubber ratio in the charge.
Adaptive estimation of the intensity of inhomogeneous Poisson processes via concentration inequalities

In this paper, we establish oracle inequalities for penalized projection estimators of the intensity of an inhomogeneous Poisson process. We study consequently the adaptive properties of penalized projection estimators. At first we provide lower bounds for the minimax risk over various sets of smoothness for the intensity and then we prove that our estimators achieve these lower bounds up to some constants. The crucial tools to obtain the oracle inequalities are new concentration inequalities for suprema of integral functionals of Poisson processes which are analogous to Talagrand's inequalities for empirical processes.
Effect of Seat Angle and Lumbar Support on Seated Buttock Pressure

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a lumbar support at two seat angles (0 degrees and 10 degrees of posterior tilt) on the area of highest buttock pressure. Twenty able-bodied subjects were seated on a pressure-sensing transducer incorporated into an adjustable chair (ischiobarograph). A video camera on the underside of the transducer detected changes in light levels in direct relation to pressure application. The camera output was processed by a microcomputer system that converted the signal into nine colors, each representing a distinct pressure interval in the range of 0 to more than 500 mm Hg. The microcomputer determined the area of each pressure interval before and after a 10-degree posterior tilt of the seat and lumbar support placement. The results demonstrated high test-retest reliability for each position (r = .95). A significant decrease in the six highest pressure intervals occurred when the lumbar support was used in both the upright and reclined positions (p less than .05). The results of this study have implications for wheelchair-dependent individuals.
A Call to Arms: The Imperative for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health crisis. The prevalence of drug-resistant organisms, such as the emerging NAP1 strain of Clostridium difficile, now highly resistant to fluoroquinolones, Acinetobacter species, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing organisms, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is increasing nationwide. The sources of antimicrobial resistance are manifold, but there is a well-documented causal relationship between antimicrobial use and misuse and the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. As the development of new antimicrobial agents is on the decline, the medical community, across all specialties and in conjunction with public health services, must develop and implement programs and strategies designed to preserve the integrity and effectiveness of the existing antimicrobial armamentarium. Such strategies are collectively known as antimicrobial stewardship programs and have the potential to minimize the emergence of resistant pathogens.
Terror without Deterrence Reassessing the Role of Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear deterrence may be a useful political strategy, but it may not provide an effective empirical description of the behavior of nations faced with the prospect of major war. This evaluation is based on two tests. Empirical analysis of extreme crises since 1945 fails to detect substantial changes in interaction between nuclear and non-nuclear nations. Further, there is no evidence that nuclear weapons have added stability to the relation between the three nuclear giants. The terror created by nuclear devastation cannot, in sum, be directly linked to the preservation of peace.
Novel Technique of Sampling the Urinary Bladder for Urothelial Carcinoma Specimens

Sampling of the urinary bladder (UB) in radical cystectomy specimens is usually performed by obtaining sections through the lesions taken in rather random planes. The technique is hindered by the difficulty in identifying the anatomical relationship of the tumor with the remaining urinary bladder. Fifty radical cystectomy specimens were bisected in the horizontal plane at the middle portion of the UB then fixed without tissue stretching in 10% buffered formalin for at least 24 hours. The UBs were serially sectioned in parallel horizontal planes from the UB neck to the dome into rings of 3 to 10 mm thickness. The sections were orderly arranged and photographed. At least one ring of tissue was entirely submitted along with areas of interest or representative areas. Our proposed technique of transverse sections results in a mild increase in the number of sections submitted for microscopic examination. The advantages of our methods are (a) consistency and ease of sampling that help the microscopic-macroscopic correlation, (b) suitability for gross examination and for determining depth of invasion and largest tumor diameter, (c) improved identification of satellite lesions, and (d) suitability for neoplastic mapping and suitability for reexamination. The technique was validated by comparing with results of current technique.
Validating the confluence model.

Several recent articles (Galbraith, 1982; Grotevant, Scarr, & Weinberg, 1977; Page & Grandon, 1979; Rodgers, 1981; Steelman & Mercy, 1980; Svanum & Bringle, 1980; Velandia, Grandon, & Page, 1978) claim to have tested the confluence model (Zajonc, Markus, & Markus, 1979), and many of them report having disconflrmed it. This contention is based on discrepancies between the data of these studies and what might be expected from the predictions of the confluence model. These discrepancies are invariably of two kinds. On the one hand are discrepancies between aggregate and individual data. Thus, when aggregate data are analyzed, the variables considered by the confluence model are found to explain a substantial amount of variation in intellectual performance. How
Fast converging digital MPPT control for photovoltaic (PV) applications

In order to compensate for their cost, photovoltaic (PV) systems need to be operated in a manner that ensures the optimum use of the available solar energy. This is achieved by means of a Power Conditioning Unit (PCU) which in most cases consists of a dc-dc converter connected between the PV source and the load. The role of the dc-dc converter control is to ensure operation of the PV array at its maximum power point (MPP) regardless of atmospheric conditions and load variations. This thesis presents a fast converging digital maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control that is based on analysis of the PV module characteristics and determination of the short circuit current. The proposed method allows convergence to the MPP in a single step. This method was simulated in Simulink and implemented using DSP microcontroller, TMS320F28035.
Oligosaccharyltransferase Isoforms that Contain Different Catalytic STT3 Subunits Have Distinct Enzymatic Properties

Oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) is an integral membrane protein that catalyzes N-linked glycosylation of nascent proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Although the yeast OST is an octamer assembled from nonhomologous subunits (Ost1p, Ost2p, Ost3p/Ost6p, Ost4p, Ost5p, Wbp1p, Swp1p, and Stt3p), the composition of the vertebrate OST was less well defined. The roles of specific OST subunits remained enigmatic. Here we show that genomes of most multicellular eukaryotes encode two homologs of Stt3p and mammals express two homologs of Ost3p. The Stt3p and Ost3p homologs are assembled together with the previously described mammalian OST subunits (ribophorins I and II, OST48, and DAD1) into complexes that differ significantly in enzymatic activity. Tissue and cell type-specific differences in expression of the Stt3p homologs suggest that the enzymatic properties of oligosaccharyltransferase are regulated in eukaryotes to respond to alterations in glycoprotein flux through the secretory pathway and may contribute to tissue-specific glycan heterogeneity.
Intercountry Versus Transracial Adoption: Analysis of Adoptive Parents’ Motivations and Preferences in Adoption

The United States is one of the major baby-receiving countries in the world. Relatively little research has focused on why there is such a high demand for intercountry adoption. Using in-depth qualitative interviews with adoptive parents, the authors explored the reasons why Americans prefer to adopt foreign-born children instead of adopting minority children domestically. Other than infertility reasons, concerns about domestic adoption, and the uneven domestic supply and demand of “desirable” children, the authors’ findings suggested that there was a perception that American children available for adoption presented difficult problems whereas foreign children presented interesting challenges. The “problems” inherent in children from American foster care were confounded with race differences. Studying adoption motivations will not only help us better understand the domestic adoption situation, especially why so many Black children are left behind in foster care, it may also reveal important insights into ...
Reconfigurable and fault tolerant digital phase shifted modulator for luminance control of LED light sources

This paper presents a digital phase shifted modulator (PSM) for luminance control of high brightness light emitting diode (HB-LED) based light sources. The design of the modulator is optimized to meet the growing demand for flexible, fault tolerant and hardware efficient dimming capability for LED lamps with a large number of series LED strings. Depending on the LED lamp specifications, the modulator can be configured to generate an arbitrary number of time synchronous as well as uniformly phase shifted output pulses. In case of LED string failure, two different online fault recovery techniques are introduced. After a fault event the modulator maintains the total LED lamp luminance by scaling the duty cycle of the control outputs, {ci} or the forward current through the operating LED strings, Iref. The desired resolution (dimming ratio) is achieved by performing Sigma-Delta modulation of the input command and using a single high resolution DPWM module. Experimental results are presented for a system with 8 strings of series LEDs and an input command of 10-bit resolution.
Urban social movements and the struggle for democracy: the Citizens' Movement in Madrid*

La crise urbaine en Espagne et la crise politique de la Dictature franquiste ont suscite dans la plupart des villes espagnoles, entre 1971 et 1977 des associations de quartier qui groupent des centaines de milliers de citoyens et qui representent l'un des mouvements sociaux urbains les plus importants dont on a connaissance a l'heure actuelle. Sur la base d'une enquete sociologique effectuee en 1977 dans les quartiers de Madrid, cet article tente de degager les composantes essentielles du mouvement, d'etablir une typologie des situations urbaines ou il surgit et d'esquisser des hypotheses sur les rapports entre mouvements urbains et action politique.
Effects of platelets and certain platelet components on growth of cultured human endothelial cells.

INTRODUCTION The recent successful growth of human and nonhuman endothelial cells in tissue culture in several laboratories 1-6 has opened the way for a study of factors that may influence the rate of replication of these cells. One laboratory has reported that the presence of platelets in the nutrient medium enhances the growth of endothelial cells. 1 We have confirmed this report and have extended these observations to include the effects of certain platelet components on endothelial cell replication. The importance of these studies lies in the fact that platelets and certain of their components might influence the rate at which endothelial cells grow in vivo as well as in vitro. METHODS Growth of Human Endothelial Cells in Tissue Culture. Techniques for recovery of endothelial cells from human umbilical cord vein by use of collagenase have been reported. 2 Isolated endothelial cells were washed once in modified (Ca++ and Mg++ free Tyrode's solution (MT'S)) and twice in medium 199 containing 20% fetal calf serum. Isolated cells were 83 to 96% viable by the erythrosin B dye exclusion test. Cells were isolated from umbilical cord vein under strict sterile conditions. Cell cultures were carried out in polystyrene culture flasks (Falcon Plastics, Los Angeles, Cal.) with a growth area of 25 cm. 2 Culture flasks were seeded with approximately 500,000 cells per flask with the cells at a final:concentration of 500 per mm3.
Point-based VR visualization for large-scale mesh datasets by real-time remote computation

High speed interactive visualization of large-scale mesh datasets for desktop VR facilities is still a challenge because of the slow geometry setup and rasterization for huge number of small triangles. This paper presents a point-based virtual reality (VR) visualization pipeline for large-scale mesh datasets in a client-server architecture. Remote server computation which samples the triangle mesh into discrete 2D grids is steered by the client-end interactive frustum request. A point-based geometry is built up incrementally during run time for both server and client. By organizing the point model into a multi-resolution octree-based space partition hierarchy, the client-end visualization ensures fast view reconstruction by splatting the available points onto the screen with efficient occlusion culling and view-dependent level of detail (LOD) control. The combination of the high-priority client side local splatting and server side low-speed view updating decreases the dependence on remote computation performance and network requirements for an interactive VR visualization.
Fundamentals of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing Research: Part I

The basics of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing research are discussed in a three-part article series. In Part I, the first six steps of the research process, including the research problem, literature review, theoretical framework, variables, hypotheses, and sampling, are explained. Parts II and III will appear in the July/August and September/October 1989 issues respectively. Highlighting each step of the research process are examples from published nursing research in the areas of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing.
Genetic and functional analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the β2-neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNB2)

The beta2-neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNB2) is a logical candidate for influencing smoking behavior and nicotine dependence. We discovered six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CHRNB2 gene by surveying 15.4 kb of genomic sequence including a previously undescribed 3' untranslated region that extends 4.0 kb downstream of the coding region. One of the SNPs causes an amino acid substitution in exon 5, one occurs in the promoter region, one changes an intronic base, and three occur in the 3' untranslated region. The ethnically dependent allele frequencies and the marker-to-marker linkage disequilibrium patterns of five of these polymorphisms were determined. The SNPs were assayed in 743 individuals for whom information on smoking history and lifelong nicotine dependence was available. No significant associations of the individual markers or their haplotypes to smoking behavior or level of nicotine dependence were found.
Impact as a General Cause of Extinction: A Feasibility Test

Large body impact has been implicated as the possible cause of several extinction events. This is entirely plausible if one accepts two propositions: (1) that impacts of large comets and asteroids produce environmental effects severe enough to cause significant species extinctions and (2) that the estimates of comet and asteroid flux for the Phanerozoic are approximately correct. A resonable next step is to investigate the possibility that impact could be a significant factor in the broader Phanerozoic extinction record, not limited merely to a few events of mass extinction. Monte Carlo simulation experiments based on existing flux estimates and reasonable predictions of the relationship between bolide diameter and extinction are discussed. The simulation results raise the serious possibility that large body impact may be a more pervasive factor in extinction than has been assumed heretofore. At the very least, the experiments show that the comet and asteroid flux estimates combined with a reasonable kill curve produces a reasonable extinction record, complete with occasional mass extinctions and the irregular, lower intensity extinctions commonly called background extinction.
Wave Interferometry Applied to Borehole Radar: Virtual Multioffset Reflection Profiling

Based on wave-interferometry principles, we describe a procedure to synthesize monostatic and multioffset borehole radar reflection data from cross-hole radar tomography data. The procedure is equivalent to placing multiple transmitting sources in the receiving hole and conducting wide-angle reflection and refraction surveys. The procedure is illustrated using transmission and reflection data generated by numerical simulation of electromagnetic waves for a simple fracture model. The numerically simulated reflection data compare favorably with the reflection data synthesized using the wave-interferometry method. An experimental test of this procedure is also applied to a piece of field data from a pair of boreholes in crystalline igneous bedrock. The results demonstrate the potential of practical use of wave-interferometry methods for extracting reflection information from cross-hole radar tomography data.
Toward the Framers' Understanding of Advice and Consent: An Historical and Textual Inquiry

Some proponents of current judicial nominees, including President Bush himself, suggest that the Senate is obligated to act on judicial nominations, either confirming them or explicitly rejecting them. In this essay, I consider whether the Framers would agree with such an assertion (leaving aside the question of whether the Framers' understanding of "advice and consent" comports with the objective "original meaning" of "advice and consent"). My analysis focuses primarily on two long-overlooked pieces of evidence: First, I consider the actual practice of "advice and consent" in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the example cited by Nathaniel Gorham, the original proponent of "advice and consent," at the Constitutional Convention), by examining Massachusetts state records from the 1780s. Second, I look for insight into "advice and consent" by considering James Madison's failed alternative proposal, the discretionary Senate majority veto. Both of these inquiries suggest the same conclusion: "Advice and consent," as likely understood by the Framers, did not include an implicit Senate obligation to act on judicial nominations.
Commentary On "Beyond Time-on-Task: The Relationship Between Spaced Study and Certification in MOOCs"

In Miyamoto et al. (2015, this issue) the authors looked to substantiate the presence of the spacing effect, referenced from the Psychology literature, in several MOOCs. Their secondary analyses constituted a robust, empirical finding on the correspondence between session distribution and certification but with only a coarse, analogous relationship to the theory of distributed practice. This article underscores the difficulty of validating theory and inferring causation from data produced in the wild but also the resultant rigor necessitated by this difficulty.
Update on Experience with Natalizumab Use, JCV Antibody Testing & Treatment Decisions at the University of Southern California MS Center - Including Sex Differences (P01.213)

OBJECTIVE: The JCV antibody test is a tool utilized in evaluating potential risks of therapy, specifically in relation to the use of natalizumab - we interpreted sex differences in the results of early testing via clinical trial, prompting us to evaluate whether males tested positive at a higher rate than females and to ask if this might be reflected in treatment decisions. BACKGROUND: A positive antibody status indicates prior exposure to JC virus and a detectable immune response to an otherwise asymptomatic virus. Patients who are anti-JCV antibody positive are thought to have a higher risk for developing PML. The risks and benefits of continuing treatment with natalizumab are carefully considered in the context of other potential risk factors. DESIGN/METHODS: Over 220 JCV Ab tests were done on over 175 unique patients at our center, noting greater than 120 patients were on natalizumab at the time of initial antibody testing, and more than 50 were not. We separated the patients based on sex, male or female, and categorized the testing and whether patients were subsequently treated with natalizumab. RESULTS: At time of abstract submission, over 50% of patients were noted to test positive for JCV antibodies upon initial test and we saw a greater percentage of males than females test positive, while noting fewer were tested or treated with natalizumab. CONCLUSIONS: How to utilize this test and how it may be most effectively used may be different for individual patients, potentially with regards to sex - we believe the presentation of this data and our interpretation of it may help others as they make complex treatment decisions. Disclosure: Dr. Williamson has received personal compensation for activities with Genzyme as an advisory board member. Dr. Williamson has received research support from the National MS Society and Biogen Idec. Dr. Aparicio has nothing to disclose. Dr. Buckbinder has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burnett has received personal compensation for activities with Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Biogen Idec, Genzyme Corporation, Novartis, Serono, and Teva Neuroscience.
The distribution of Mg-spinel across the Moon and constraints on crustal origin

A robust assessment is made of the distribution and (spatially resolved) geologic context for the newly identified rock type on the Moon, a Mg-spinel-bearing anorthosite (pink-spinel anorthosite, PSA). Essential criteria for confirmed detection of Mg-spinel using spectroscopic techniques are presented and these criteria are applied to recent data from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper. Altogether, 23 regions containing confirmed exposures of the new Mg-spinel rock type are identified. All exposures are in highly feldspathic terrain and are small—a few hundred meters—but distinct and verifiable, most resulting from multiple measurements. Each confirmed detection is classified according to geologic context along with other lithologies identified in the same locale. Confirmed locations include areas along the inner rings of four mascon basins, knobs within central peaks of a few craters, and dispersed exposures within the terraced walls of several large craters. Unexpected detections of Mg-spinel are also found at a few areas of hypothesized non-mare volcanism. The small Mg-spinel exposures are shown to be global in distribution, but generally associated with areas of thin crust. Confirmation of Mg-spinel exposures as part of the inner ring of four mascon basins indicates this PSA rock type is principally of lower crust origin and predates the basin-forming era.
Public Access to Experimental Drug Therapy: AIDS Raises Yet Another Conflict Between Freedom of the Individual and Welfare of the Individual and Public

With tens of thousands of human immunodeficiency virus (HlV)-infected persons facing the prospect of a relentlessly fatal illness, there is understandable impatience with any apparent delay or restrictions in making effective therapeutic measures available quickly and widely. However, it is critical to understand how important the word "effective" is in this formulation. Urgency and hope have prompted patients and physicians to pursue treatments with alternative therapies and unproven experimental drugs. These include megavitamins, psychospiritual exercises, and pharmaceuticals of all levels of sophistication.
Melothria pendula Plants Infected with Watermelon Mosaic Virus 1 as a Source of Inoculum for Cucurbits in Collier County, Florida

Watermelon mosaic virus 1 (WMV-1) spread rapidly from Melothria pendula L., a week host, into spring-grown cucurbits in Collier County where infected M. pendula plants were concentrated close to plantings. WMV-1 infection increased from 0 to 88% in 4 weeks in a zucchini squash planting surrounded by infected M. pendula plants. At the same time, virus spread much slower in fields where external virus sources were limited, or where they were so situated that vectors did not encounter them before migrating over the crop planting. In one case, WMV-1 was transmitted from a high concentration of infected M. pendula plants to nearby watermelon by very low populations of flying aphids, but spread was limited to 125 ft.
Comparing the Blackboard Architecture and Intelligent Water Drops for Spacecraft Cluster Control

The contemplation of the use of smaller spacecraft for planetary science missions dictates the consideration of approaches to maximize the value of a more limited (due to lower transmission power and smaller antenna size) communications capability. The focus herein is on autonomous control (as opposed to human teleoperation) which serves to increase science returns via the reduction of command data traffic (and the transmission of the imagery needed to make command decisions) and decreased time spent in a waiting state for controller instructions. This paper presents and contrasts two methods for the control of a cluster of spacecraft: one based on a Blackboard architecture and one based on the Intelligent Water Drop method. It presents data characterizing the two approaches, which shows that the Blackboard approach outperforms the IWD approach in terms of phenomena detection. However, the IWD approach minimizes communications and outperforms with Blackboard approach in terms of the level of exploration conducted.
Peroxidase deficiency in familial goiter with iodide organification defect.

Abstract: A 16-year-old girl with euthyroidism and normal hearing had had a goiter since the age of six. Her 21-year-old sister also had goiter with identical clinical findings, suggesting a geneti...
Ingenious Solution of Exhaust in the Automotive Brake System

In order to solve the problem of exhaust method in the pipe of original brake system,such as:long distance of brake stroke,low efficiency of exhaust and the potential safety hazard etc.By experimental verification,a method of negative pressure exhaust is proposed;it provides an ingenious solution and obtains the desired good results.
Rigid spine syndrome (vacuolar variant). A quantitative electromyograhic study.

Background: Quantitative electromyography (EMG) using different needle techniques was performed as part of a complete systems review on 9 patients diagnosed with the vacuolar variant of rigid spine syndrome (RSS). Purpose: To establish statistically: (1) correlations between clinical features (patient age, disease duration, degree of weakness) and quantitative EMG; (2) correlation between different EMG parameters; (3) differences in quantitative EMG comparing patients with a healthy control group; and (4) correlate EMG with muscle pathology findings. Methods: Nerve conduction studies and needle EMG (motorunit analysis, MacroEMG, SFEMG) were performed on Mm. triceps brachii and tibialis anterior according to standard techniques on 9 RSS patients. Results: Nerve conduction studies were normal. Overall, clinical parameters did not correlate well with motorunit analysis and MacroEMG results. Motorunit analysis and MacroEMG results were significantly different comparing patients with controls. Motorunit analysis and MacroEMG correlated well with muscle biopsy findings. SFEMG results were within normal limits. Conclusion: Comprehensive EMG study results were compatible with a benign myopathic process. Results were consistent amongst patients within the study group, but differed significantly from the control group. Stable neuromuscular junction physiology did not accurately reflect evidence of muscle fiber degeneration and regeneration observed on muscle biopsies.
Length divergence of the lattice thermal conductivity in suspended graphene nanoribbons

Thermal properties of graphene have attracted much attention, culminating in a recent measurement of its length dependence in ribbons up to 9 $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ long. In this paper, we use the improved Callaway model to solve the phonon Boltzmann transport equation while capturing both the resistive (umklapp, isotope, and edge roughness) and nonresistive (normal) contributions. We show that for lengths smaller than 100 $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$, scaling the ribbon length while keeping the width constant leads to a logarithmic divergence of thermal conductivity. The length dependence is driven primarily by a ballistic-to-diffusive transition in the in-plane (LA and TA) branches, while in the hydrodynamic regime when $10\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}lLl100$ $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$, the contribution from the in-plane branches saturates and the out-of-plane (ZA) branch shows a clear logarithmic trend, driven by the nonresistive normal contribution. We find that thermal conductivity converges beyond $Lg100$ $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ due to the coupling between in-plane and flexural modes. This coupling leads to renormalization of ZA phonon dispersion in the long-wavelength range, preventing further divergence of thermal conductivity. We also uncover a strong dependence on sample width, which we attribute to the interplay between nonresistive normal and diffusive edge scattering in the Poisseuille flow regime. We conclude that normal processes play a crucial role in the length and width dependence of thermal transport in graphene in the hydrodynamic regime and dictate the relative in-plane (LA+TA) to out-of-plane (ZA) contribution to transport.
Analytical Study of Suspension Bridge Flutter

A systematic procedure for investigating suspension bridge flutter is presented. As a prerequisite for flutter analysis the free vibration problem is considered first. The bridge is idealized as an initially stressed space structure and the natural frequencies and modes of oscillation are obtained as the solution to the eigenvalue problem associated with the system. The results of the free vibration problem are then used in connection with the results of recent wind tunnel techniques to investigate the flutter problem. The flutter equations of motion are formulated in terms of the flutter derivatives and the normal modes method is used to solve the resulting eigenvalue problem. The effect on the bridge stability of changing the major design parameters is investigated and the critical flutter velocity is plotted against the variation in the parameter investigated for each case.
KvAP Gating States Probed by Electron Spin-Echo Envelope Modulation (ESEEM) Spectroscopy

During a gating event, the voltage gated potassium channel KvAP undergoes a conformational change in the voltage sensor (helices 1-4), causing the opening of the pore domain (helices 5-6). Throughout this conformational change, the extracellular portion of the pore remains relatively immobile. However, the environment surrounding this part of the pore domain may be altered through changes in lipid packing or tertiary contacts within the channel. In this study, model membranes were used to stabilize KvAP in different gating states and the environment surrounding the pore were probed with ESEEM both in the presence and absence of the voltage sensing domain.
The Effectiveness and Potential Unintended Consequences of Caps on Municipal Taxation and Expenditures

In this paper, I examine how municipalities are affected by tax and expenditure limitations (TELs). The main goals of TELs are to reduce the property tax burden of local residents and reduce the size of government. I find that these goals are generally met in the short run, however expenditures do not seem to be reduced over the long term. I also examine a potential unintended consequence of TELs, a shift in the balance of service and administrative expenditures. I find signs that municipalities may increase service expenditures just before TEL implementation, followed by significant reductions just after. This study also finds that over the long term, service ratio is significantly lower for municipalities operating under tax and expenditure limitations.
The Role of Cholesterol in Viral Spike Glycoprotein-Mediated Membrane Fusion

Viral spike glycoproteins such as influenza HA, HIV gp120/gp41, and Ebola virus (EBOV) GP1/GP2 undergo major conformational transitions to facilitate cell entry of these viruses by membrane fusion. Moderately hydrophobic fusion peptides [or fusion loops (FL) in the case of EBOV] are protected by these proteins in their pre-fusion states, but become exposed and insert into cellular target membranes during fusion. We have solved the structures of the EBOV FL, membrane proximal external region (MPER) and transmembrane (TM) domains in membrane environments by NMR and studied their molecular interactions by NMR and fluorescence. A structural model of how these domains cooperate to open a fusion pore emerges from these studies.Viral membrane fusion is modulated by cholesterol in the viral and target cell membranes. Interestingly, in the case of HIV gp41-mediated fusion, membranes that consist of co-existing liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) bilayer domains are more fusogenic than either pure Ld or Lo lipid bilayers and lipid bilayer phase co-existence in both the viral and the target membrane synergistically helps fusion. Single particle experiments on supported bilayers and giant unilamellar vesicles show that the boundaries between the Lo and Ld regions are the sites of virosome and pseudovirus docking and fusion. It appears that line-tension that characterizes lipid phase boundaries is a major driving force of membrane fusion in cell entry of HIV and perhaps other enveloped viruses. Although these studies were performed using model systems with optically resolved lipid phase separations, it is plausible and likely that similar mechanisms operate in cell membranes that are also heterogeneous in lipid and protein composition and therefore also contain domain boundaries that are more frequent, finer grained, and more transient than in our model systems.
Annealing of Complementary DNA Sequences During Double-Strand Break Repair in Drosophila Is Mediated by the Ortholog of SMARCAL1

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) pose a serious threat to genomic integrity. If unrepaired, they can lead to chromosome fragmentation and cell death. If repaired incorrectly, they can cause mutations and chromosome rearrangements. DSBs are repaired using end-joining or homology-directed repair strategies, with the predominant form of homology-directed repair being synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA). SDSA is the first defense against genomic rearrangements and information loss during DSB repair, making it a vital component of cell health and an attractive target for chemotherapeutic development. SDSA has also been proposed to be the primary mechanism for integration of large insertions during genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9. Despite the central role for SDSA in genome stability, little is known about the defining step: annealing. We hypothesized that annealing during SDSA is performed by the annealing helicase SMARCAL1, which can anneal RPA-coated single DNA strands during replication-associated DNA damage repair. We used unique genetic tools in Drosophila melanogaster to test whether the fly ortholog of SMARCAL1, Marcal1, mediates annealing during SDSA. Repair that requires annealing is significantly reduced in Marcal1 null mutants in both synthesis-dependent and synthesis-independent (single-strand annealing) assays. Elimination of the ATP-binding activity of Marcal1 also reduced annealing-dependent repair, suggesting that the annealing activity requires translocation along DNA. Unlike the null mutant, however, the ATP-binding defect mutant showed reduced end joining, shedding light on the interaction between SDSA and end-joining pathways.
System Dynamics Approach to Urban Planning

Forrester employs a system dynamics technique for modeling complex, multiloop, feedback systems—a technique which he claims bridges the gap between engineering and the social sciences—to transform his theory of the economic and demographic growth and decay of a city into a computer model. In this paper both the modeling technique and its specific application to an urban area are considered. Forrester uses the urban dynamics model to describe the natural evolution of a city and to test the effects of various public policies on the urban system. Simulation results and the disconcerting policy recommendations Forrester extracts from them are considered. It is concluded that although the urban dynamics model is not itself an accurate representation of a city, the potential of systems analysis in social simulation is great.
Segmental Yttrium-90 Radioembolization versus Segmental Chemoembolization for Localized Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results of a Single-Center, Retrospective, Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Abstract Purpose To compare segmental radioembolization with segmental chemoembolization for localized, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not amenable to ablation. Materials and Methods In a single-center, retrospective study (2010–2015), 101 patients with 132 tumors underwent segmental radioembolization, and 77 patients with 103 tumors underwent segmental doxorubicin-based drug-eluting embolic or conventional chemoembolization. Patients receiving chemoembolization had worse performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0, 76% vs 56%; P = .003) and Child-Pugh class (class A, 65% vs 52%; P = .053); patients receiving radioembolization had larger tumors (32 mm vs 26 mm; P P = .01), and more vascular invasion (18% vs 1%; P Results Toxicity rates were low, without significant differences. Index and overall complete response rates were 92% and 84% for radioembolization and 74% and 58% for chemoembolization ( P = .001 and P P P = .002 and P = .35; censored by transplant PS-adjusted P P = .064). Conclusions Segmental radioembolization demonstrates higher complete response rates and local tumor control compared with segmental chemoembolization for HCC, with similar toxicity profiles. Superior progression-free survival was achieved.