cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Cancer Syndromes: Clues to the Origin and Nature of Cancer

More than 20 different hereditary cancer syndromes have now been defined and attributed to specific germline mutations in various inherited cancer genes. Collectively, the syndromes affect about 1 percent of cancer patients. An individual who carries a mutant allele of an inherited cancer gene has a variable risk of cancer that is influenced by the particular mutation, other cellular genes, and dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Though hereditary cancer syndromes are rare, their study has provided powerful insights into more common forms of cancer. Somatic mutations in sporadic cancers frequently alter the inherited cancer genes, and the functions of cell signaling pathways have been illuminated by study of the affected genes. Further investigation of inherited mutations that affect susceptibility to cancer will aid efforts to effectively prevent, detect, and treat the disease.
Corporate codes of conduct: A collective conscience and continuum

This paper discusses the vast continuum between the letter of the law (legality) and the spirit of the law (ethics or morality). Further, the authors review the fiduciary duties owed by the firm to its various publics. These aspects must be considered in developing a corporate code of ethics. The underlying qualitative characteristics of a code include clarity, comprehensiveness and enforceability. While ethics is indigenous to a society, every code of ethics will necessarily reflect the corporate culture from which that code stems and be responsive to the innumerable situations for which it was created. Several examples have been provided to illustrate the ease of applicability of these concepts.
Hydrogen transport in thin nickel films by forward recoil spectroscopy

Etude experimentale dans les couches multiples Ti/Ni preparees par evaporation, d'epaisseur respective 100 nm pour Ti, et 40 et 175 nm pour Ni. Les echantillons sont charges electrolytiquement en hydrogene dans une solution de NaOH. Explication des resultats par la microstructure des couches minces
A Statistical Model of Light Scattering in Biological Continuous Random Media Based on the Born Approximation

A comprehensive three-parameter statistical model is presented for the refractive index fluctuations in continuous homogeneous random media, and the light-scattering properties of these media are investigated in the Born (or single-scattering) approximation. Because biological media are usually weakly scattering, the results are applicable to many biomedical light-scattering problems. A rigorous error analysis is presented for the scattering coefficient under the Born approximation in a biologically-relevant, albeit more simplified geometry. The finitedifference- time-domain (FDTD) computational electromagnetic analysis is used to obtain the exact solutions for this error analysis. The ranges for the correlation length and the refractive index fluctuation strength under which Born approximation is valid are clearly identified.
A Mass Culture Bioassay Method for Caenorhabditis Briggsae Using Population Growth Rate as a Response Parameter

A bioassay method for C. briggsae using population growth rate as a response parameter is described in which the nematodes are rotated at 1.0 rpm in 5.0 ml medium in 18 mm tubes on a tissue culture rotator. This method permits higher peak populations of nematodes than a previous mass culture method and also allows nephelometric monitoring of population growth. Population growth rate during the initial phase of growth is an effective index of growth and avoids the variations due to inoculum size and accumulation of metabolites associated with use of direct population counts at fixed time intervals.
Nonlinear Diffusion Problem Arising in Plasma Physics

In earlier studies of plasma diffusion with Okuda-Dawson scaling ($D\ensuremath{\sim}{n}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$), perturbation theory indicated that arbitrary initial data should evolve rapidly toward the separable solution of the relevant nonlinear diffusion equation. Now a Lyapunov functional has been found which is strictly decreasing in time and bounded below. The rigorous proof that arbitrary initial data evolve toward the separable solution is summarized. Rigorous bounds on the decay time are also presented.
Long-term effects of hormone therapy on skin rigidity and wrinkles.

Objective To evaluate the effects of long-term hormone therapy (HT) on skin rigidity and wrinkling. Design Single blinded cross-sectional analysis. Setting Academic medical center. Patient(s) Sixty-five long-term HT users who underwent menopause at least 5 years before evaluation and who have either consistently used HT or have never used HT. Intervention(s) Visual assessment of severity of wrinkles at 11 facial locations using the Lemperle scale by a plastic surgeon blinded to HT use. Measurement of skin rigidity at the cheek and forehead with a durometer. Main Outcome Measure(s) Lemperle wrinkle score and skin rigidity. Result(s) Twenty women met inclusion criteria. Eleven women who had not used HT were compared to nine long-term HT users. Demographics including age, race, sun exposure, sunscreen use, tobacco use, and skin type were similar. Rigidity was significantly decreased in HT users compared to nonusers at both the cheek (1.1 vs. 2.7) and forehead (20 vs. 29). Average wrinkle scores were lower in hormone users than in nonhormone users (1.5 vs. 2.2). Conclusion(s) Long-term postmenopausal HT users have more elastic skin and less severe wrinkling than women who never used HT, suggesting that hormone therapy may have cosmetic benefits.
Particles Above the Tropopause: Measurements and Models of Stratospheric Aerosols, Meteoric Debris, Nacreous Clouds, and Noctilucent Clouds

An outline is presented of the present status of knowledge of stratospheric aerosols, meteoric debris, nacreous clouds, and noctilucent clouds. Considerable progress has been made in studies of these particles during the previous decade and it is appropriate to synthesize the information to provide a background for studies planned for the 1980s. Numerical models of the formation, growth, and evolution are considered and a description is given of the physical processes involved, taking into account aspects of nucleation, coagulation, condensational growth, sedimentation, and questions of dynamical transport. A schematic outline of the physical and chemical processes included in a model of stratospheric aerosols is provided.
Accurate construction of photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) images for quantitative measurements.

Localization-based superresolution microscopy techniques such as Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) and Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) have allowed investigations of cellular structures with unprecedented optical resolutions. One major obstacle to interpreting superresolution images, however, is the overcounting of molecule numbers caused by fluorophore photoblinking. Using both experimental and simulated images, we determined the effects of photoblinking on the accurate reconstruction of superresolution images and on quantitative measurements of structural dimension and molecule density made from those images. We found that structural dimension and relative density measurements can be made reliably from images that contain photoblinking-related overcounting, but accurate absolute density measurements, and consequently faithful representations of molecule counts and positions in cellular structures, require the application of a clustering algorithm to group localizations that originate from the same molecule. We analyzed how applying a simple algorithm with different clustering thresholds (tThresh and dThresh) affects the accuracy of reconstructed images, and developed an easy method to select optimal thresholds. We also identified an empirical criterion to evaluate whether an imaging condition is appropriate for accurate superresolution image reconstruction with the clustering algorithm. Both the threshold selection method and imaging condition criterion are easy to implement within existing PALM clustering algorithms and experimental conditions. The main advantage of our method is that it generates a superresolution image and molecule position list that faithfully represents molecule counts and positions within a cellular structure, rather than only summarizing structural properties into ensemble parameters. This feature makes it particularly useful for cellular structures of heterogeneous densities and irregular geometries, and allows a variety of quantitative measurements tailored to specific needs of different biological systems.
On Rate Adaptation for Video Multicast with Layered Coding over Multirate Wireless Networks

Video multicast over multirate wireless networks imposes great challenges in designing efficient rate adaptation schemes due to the multi-layer hierarchical video coding and heterogeneous fading across multicast receivers. We propose a cross-layer framework for rate selection in video multicast, where different video layers have diverse loss-rate QoS requirements and thus may employ different transmission rates varying with the channel state information (CSI). Specifically, we first propose an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) - code division multiple access (CDMA) based scheme to avoid feedback collisions while efficiently identifying CSI from all multicast receivers. Second, we develop a queue management strategy such that the transmissions for different video layers can be synchronized. Third, we design the rate adaptation scheme to control receivers' loss rates at each video layer not to exceed the thresholds specified by upper protocol layers. Also conducted are simulation results to show the effectiveness of our designed rate-adaptation scheme.
Dynamic Decision Support and Automated Fault Accommodation for Jet Engines

The development of a dynamic decision support (D2S) system for real-time assessments of system health and fault contingency planning for jet engine is presented. The goal of the proposed D2S system is to increase engine operation autonomy level by bridging the gap between onboard prognosis & health management (PHM) system and baseline control systems. The D2S system consists of two major functions: real-time system health identification (RT-SHI), and automated contingency management (ACM). The RT-SHI modules enhance on-board PHM functions with a dynamic system identification algorithm that is capable of detecting and isolating faults/failures with a continuously updated dynamic model. Particularly, a real-time strong tracking system identification module that is robust to low-excitation conditions was developed to track time-varying parameters and sudden changes in plant dynamics. In addition, a realtime, self-tuning Kalman filter and a probabilistic neural networks based fault classifier are combined to provide accurate health estimation. Based on the inferred health condition, mission requirements and flight regime information, the on-board ACM module automatically makes decisions regarding control reconfiguration and change of control strategies. The presented D2S architecture and modules have been applied to a generic turbofan engine model. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the approaches.
Muscle performance in a soft-bodied terrestrial crawler: constitutive modelling of strain-rate dependency

Experimental data on the passive mechanical properties of the ventral interior lateral muscle of the tobacco hornworm caterpillar, Manduca sexta, are reported. The stress–deformation response of the Manduca muscle is shown to be nonlinear pseudo-elastic, capable of large deformations and subject to stress softening during initial loading cycles. The muscle passive mechanical properties also depend on multiple time-dependent processes. In particular, we show new experimental data from cyclic loading tests of an unstimulated muscle with constant maximum stretch and different, constant engineering strain rates. Then, on the basis of these data a constitutive model is derived to reproduce the main characteristics of this behaviour. In formulating the constitutive model, we consider the muscle as a complex macromolecular structure with fibrous components at numerous size scales. The model uses a phenomenological approach to account for different mechanisms by which passive force changes during applied deformation and how the muscle properties recover after unloading.
Vascular expression of polycystin-2

The expression of polycystin-1 in the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) of elastic and large distributive arteries suggests that some vascular manifestations of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) result directly from the genetic defect. Intracranial aneurysms have been reported in PKD2, as well as in PKD1 families. To determine whether the vascular expression of polycystin-2 is similar to that of polycystin-1, the expression of PKD2 mRNA and protein in cultured pig aortic VSMC was studied and immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to study the localization of polycystin-2 in cultured pig aortic VSMC, pig ascending thoracic aorta, and normal elastic and intracranial arteries and intracranial aneurysms obtained at autopsy from patients without or with ADPKD. Tissues derived from Pkd2 wild-type and Pkd2 null mice were used to confirm the specificity of the immunostaining for polycystin-2. Northern blots of VSMC revealed the expected 5.3-kb band. Western blotting detected a 110-kb band in a 100,000 x g fraction of VSMC homogenates. Cultured VSMC as well as VSMC between the elastic lamellae of pig thoracic aorta were positive for polycystin-2 by immunofluorescence. The staining pattern was cytoplasmic. Treatment of the cells before fixation with Taxol, colchicine, or cytochalasin-D altered the pattern of staining in a way suggesting alignment with the cytoskeleton. The immunohistochemical staining for polycystin-2 was abolished by extraction with 0.5% Triton X-100, indicating that polycystin-2 is not associated with the cytoskeleton. Weak immunoreactivity for polycystin-2, which was markedly enhanced by protease digestion, was detected in formaldehyde-fixed normal human elastic and intracranial arteries. Immunostaining of variable intensity for polycystin-2, which was not consistently enhanced by protease digestion, was seen in the spindle-shaped cells of the wall of the intracranial aneurysms. The similar expression of polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 in the vascular smooth muscle is consistent with the proposed interaction of these proteins in a single pathway. These observations suggest a direct pathogenic role for PKD1 and PKD2 mutations in the vascular complications of ADPKD.
Biophysical approaches to membrane protein structure determination.

Abstract Recently, there have been several technical advances in the use of solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy to determine the structures of membrane proteins. The structures of several isolated transmembrane (TM) helices and pairs of TM helices have been solved by solution NMR methods. Similarly, the complete folds of two TM β-barrel proteins with molecular weights of 16 and 19 kDa have been determined by solution NMR in detergent micelles. Solution NMR has also provided a first glimpse at the dynamics of an integral membrane protein. Structures of individual TM helices have also been determined by solid-state NMR. A combination of NMR with site-directed spin-label electron paramagnetic resonance or Fourier transform IR spectroscopy allows one to assemble quite detailed protein structures in the membrane.
Shear zones in the Proterozoic lithosphere of the Arabian shield and the nature of the Hales discontinuity

Abstract Seismic velocity discontinuities are commonly found within the upper 100 km of the mantle lithosphere, with great variability in their depth, lateral extent, and the polarity of velocity jump. Among the more commonly observed is the ‘80 km’ or Hales discontinuity, identified in a variety of tectonic environments, and sometimes associated with seismic anisotropy. Teleseismic receiver functions for Global Seismographic Network station RAYN on the eastern edge of the Arabian Shield contain a strong converted-phase P H s that we believe arises from the Hales discontinuity at the depth of 70 km. On the basis of the polarization, azimuthal behavior and frequency dependence of P H s, we characterize the Hales discontinuity as marking an upper boundary of a zone of depth-dependent anisotropy within the upper mantle. The RAYN receiver functions indicate a similar zone at the crust-mantle transition at 40 km. Forward modeling in simple one-dimensional anisotropic models indicates that the receiver functions require, assuming hexagonal anisotropy, an inclined symmetry-axis with N–S strike. In our preferred model there are two anisotropic zones bounded, respectively, by the sharp Moho and the Hales discontinuities on the top. Smooth gradients of anisotropic properties extend beneath the discontinuities. Within both zones the anisotropic symmetry axes, indicative of systematic fabric in the olivine-dominated upper mantle material, are oriented along the N–S direction (±10°), and are tilted from the vertical 50° toward the south. We propose that these regions of coherent fabric within the upper mantle represent shear zones developed during late Proterozoic continent–continent collision, when the Ar-Rayn tectonic block underwent northward ‘escape’ along the northern flank of the Najd fault system.
Educational disabilities of neonatal intensive care graduates

Objective. To determine the relationship between perinatal and sociodemographic factors in low birth weight and sick infants hospitalized at regional neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and subsequent educational disabilities. Method. NICU graduates born between 1980 and 1987 at nine statewide regionalized level III centers were located in Florida elementary schools (kindergarten through third grade) during academic year 1992–1993 (n = 9943). Educational disability was operationalized as placement into eight mutually exclusive types of special education (SE) classifications determined by statewide standardized eligibility criteria: physically impaired, sensory impaired (SI), profoundly mentally handicapped, trainable mentally handicapped, educable mentally handicapped, specific learning disabilities, emotionally handicapped, and speech and language impaired (SLI). Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of placement in SE for selected perinatal and sociodemographic variables. Results. Placement into SE ranged from .8% for SI to 9.9% for SLI. Placement was related to four perinatal factors (birth weight, transport, medical conditions [congenital anomalies, seizures or intraventricular hemorrhage] and ventilation), and five sociodemographic factors (child9s sex, mother9s marital status, mother9s race, mother9s educational level, and family income). Perinatal factors primarily were associated with placement in physically impaired, SI, profoundly mentally handicapped, and trainable mentally handicapped. Perinatal and sociodemographic factors both were associated with placement in educable mentally handicapped and specific learning disabilities whereas sociodemographic factors primarily were associated with placement in emotionally handicapped and SLI. Conclusions. Educational disabilities of NICU graduates are influenced differently by perinatal and sociodemographic variables. Researchers must take into account both sets of these variables to ascertain the long-term risk of educational disability for NICU graduates. Birth weight alone should not be used to assess NICU morbidity outcomes.
A new and accurate way to identify elite athletes

A simple thought experiment and web search tools are brought to bear on conventional notions of disability. A Nobel Prize winner weighs in.
Wavevector-resolved monochromatic spectral imaging of extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength aperture arrays

A technique for wavevector-resolved spectroscopic imaging of extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) is developed and tested. The approach allows a large fraction of the first Brillouin zone to be mapped at a single wavelength, thereby greatly increasing the efficiency of sensitivity mapping experiments. An axially opposed, matched pair of microscope objectives constitutes the core of the apparatus. The condensing lens defines a broad range of wavevectors incident upon the sample, while the second objective with a higher numerical aperture collects all of the light transmitted through the sample. In this way, information related to transmission efficiency over a broad range of in-plane wavevectors is preserved at different spatial coordinates in the final image. A periodically structured gold film, consisting of a square array of cylindrical pores, measuring 90 x 90 pores, 100 nm in diameter, with a lattice constant of 1.1 microm, was chosen for detailed study. Direct imaging of the EOT efficiency simultaneously across the range 0 < kx < 0.001 nm(-1), or 20% of the first Brillouin zone, was accomplished, although this was not the limit of the instrument. The experiment was repeated across 21 values of the wavelength and 7 values of the refractive index, to construct a 4-dimensional data set of transmission efficiency with respect to lambda, kx, and n. This technique is compatible with any of the subwavelength aperture array-based chemical sensing methods reported in the literature, however it offers faster transduction of the full spectrum of plasmonic resonant shifts.
Morphology hypothesized to influence aerosol particle deliquescence

The deliquescence phase transitions of populations of internally mixed particles of solid ammonium bisulfate and letovicite, having overall extents of neutralization between 0.60 and 0.75 and diameters between 15 and 60 nm, were studied using a hygroscopic tandem nano-differential mobility analyzer (HTnDMA). Populations having particles sufficiently small or large, as well as particles sufficiently acidic or neutralized, behaved as expected, with prompt transitions of all particles at a single relative humidity. Populations having particles of simultaneously intermediate diameter and acidity, however, behaved differently and unexpectedly. Subpopulations of individual particles did exhibit prompt deliquescence but did so over a broad range of relative humidity (RH) for the entire population. For example, some particles of 20-nm diameter and an extent of neutralization of 0.65 deliquesced promptly at as low as 38% RH, whereas some particles in the same experiment deliquesced promptly at as high as 59% RH. Across this 21% RH span, prompt deliquescence of particle subpopulations was observed, which resulted in the continuous deliquescence of the population as the aerosol progressed from dominantly solid to dominantly aqueous particles for increasing RH. Morphological differences among particles in different subpopulations that drive variable rates of water uptake, such as coatings of letovicite of varying thickness, porosity, and hence water permeability on cores of ammonium bisulfate, are hypothesized to explain these observations.
Bacterial communities of tyre monofill sites: growth on tyre shreds and leachate.

Aims: To investigate bacterial communities of tyre monofill sites, colonization of tyre material by bacteria and the effect of tyre leachate on bacteria. Methods and Results: Culturable bacteria were isolated from buried tyre shreds and identified using fatty acid methyl ester analysis. Isolates belonged to taxonomic groups such as Bacilli, Actinobacteria, Clostridia, Flavobacteria, β and γ-proteobacteria. For tyre material colonization experiments, Bacillus megatarium, Bacillus cereus, Hydrogenophaga flava, Janthinobacterium lividum, Cellulosimicrobium cellulans, Arthrobacter globiformis (isolated from tyre shreds or leachate at the study site); Escherichia coli and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were used. Beakers containing tyre shreds and artificial rain water were inoculated with a given bacterial culture, incubated at room temperature and sampled at regular intervals. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining followed by epifluorescent microscopy was used to enumerate bacteria in samples. Of the bacteria tested, B. megatarium, J. lividum, E. coli, C. cellulans and A. globiformis exhibited the most extensive colonization of the tyre shreds. However, the extent of colonization varied among bacteria. Response to tyre leachate was also examined using B. cereus and J. lividum. Both bacteria increased in abundance due to the addition of leachate. Conclusions: Bacteria associated with buried tyre shreds were identified and found to include typical soil and freshwater organisms. The majority of indigenous isolates grew on tyre material (or leachate) suggesting that they play an active role in the ecology of these sites and that their potential role in tyre degradation should be explored. Significance and Impact of the study: This study provides information on bacterial communities of tyre-waste disposal sites, explores the interaction between tyre material and bacteria and identifies bacteria that could be involved in or employed for recycling tyre-waste.
Expanding n-gram analytics in ELAN and a case study for sign synthesis

Corpus analysis is a powerful tool for signed language synthesis. A new extension to ELAN offers expanded n-gram analysis tools including improved search capabilities and an extensive library of statistical measures of association for n-grams. Uncovering and exploring coarticulatory timing effects via corpus analysis requires n-gram analysis to discover the most frequently occurring bigrams. This paper presents an overview of the new tools and a case study in American Sign Language synthesis that exploits these capabilities for computing more natural timing in generated sentences. The new extension provides a time-saving convenience for language researchers using ELAN.
Anti- inflammatory effects of thymoquinone in LPS- stimulated BV-2 murine microglia cells (730.2)

Thymoquinone (TQ) is one the main pharmacologically active constituents of the black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa) believed to be responsible for therapeutic effects on chronic inflammatory conditio...
Building the Homes of the Poor - One Brick at a Time: Housing Improvement Lending at Mibanco

The microfinance of housing is an emerging and promising practice among microfinance institutions. Housing microfinance merges elements from microenterprise finance and traditional housing finance. This InSight publication summarizes the results of a case study on the largest housing loan program in the ACCION Network, Mibanco's Micasa product in Peru.
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Metastatic to the Pituitary: A Case Report and Discussion of Potential Diagnostic Value of Magnetic Resonance Elastography in Pituitary Tumors

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an exocrine gland tumor accounting for approximately 10%-15% of all epithelial salivary neoplasms and occurs most often in the parotid and submandibular glands. Metastatic pituitary tumors are rare, and there is only 1 previously reported case of parotid ACC metastatic to the pituitary. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based technique that measures the propagation of mechanically induced shear waves through a particular tissue to determine stiffness and offers a method to evaluate tissue consistency. We present the case of a 72-year-old woman with a remote history of parotid gland ACC and subsequent lung metastases presented after a fall that resulted in facial trauma. A non-contrast head computed tomography scan revealed a sellar/suprasellar mass, and follow-up MRI revealed a well-defined, enhancing 3.8-cm lesion. MRE showed the tumor to be firm. The tumor was resected through a transsphenoidal approach and was consistent with the MRE findings. Pathology returned as metastatic ACC. We report the second case of ACC metastatic to pituitary and the first firm pituitary tumor found by MRE and discuss the potential diagnostic value of MRE in pituitary lesions.
Trypanosome transmission by Corethrella wirthi (Diptera: Chaoboridae) to the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea (Anura: Hylidae)

Seventy-two percent of 215 male green tree frog, Hyla cinerea (Schneider), captured in Alachua and Levy counties, FL, between April and mid-September 1978 and 1979 were infected with an undescribed Trypanosoma sp. None of the 31 female frogs captured concurrently was infected. Periodic sampling of the peripheral blood from the infected male frogs showed that the trypanosomes were present in high numbers only at night. Conspecific trypanosomes also were found in the mid and hind guts of female Corethrella wirthi Stone flies collected on or near male frogs in the field. Transmission of the parasite to uninfected frogs was demonstrated by exposure of male and female frogs to naturally infected flies and to parasites injected subdermally. This is the first report of parasite transmission by a species of Corethrella.
Harmonic and Broadband Separation of Noise from a Small Ducted Fan

In the study of noise from propellers and ducted fans, rigorous signal decomposition into harmonic and broadband components is essential for the development of high-delity predictive models. Current spectral methods and phase averaging techniques lack the temporal resolution to compensate for uctuations in operating condition intrinsic to real world experiments. In this paper we use a Vold-Kalman lter to extract the tonal and broadband content of noise from a small ducted fan simulating the conditions of an ultrahigh-bypass turbofan engine. The fan operated at pressure ratio of 1.15 and tip Mach number of 0.61. The investigation includes time traces, narrowband spectra, one-third octave spectra, and overall sound pressure level. The energies of the tonal and broadband components are similar at low frequency, while the broadband component dominates at high frequency. In addition, there are distinct dierences in the directivities of the two components. The trends are in general agreement with NASA large-scale fan tests at transonic conditions.
CO2 Mitigation via Capture and Chemical Conversion in Seawater

A lab-scale seawater/mineral carbonate gas scrubber was found to remove up to 97% of CO2 in a simulated flue gas stream at ambient temperature and pressure, with a large fraction of this carbon ultimately converted to dissolved calcium bicarbonate. After full equilibration with air, up to 85% of the captured carbon was retained in solution, that is, it did not degas or precipitate. Thus, above-ground CO2 hydration and mineral carbonate scrubbing may provide a relatively simple point-source CO2 capture and storage scheme at coastal locations. Such low-tech CO2 mitigation could be especially relevant for retrofitting to existing power plants and for deployment in the developing world, the primary source of future CO2 emissions. Addition of the resulting alkaline solution to the ocean may benefit marine ecosystems that are currently threatened by acidification, while also allowing the utilization of the vast potential of the sea to safely sequester anthropogenic carbon. This approach in essence hastens Natur...
Self-association of the adenoviral L4-22K protein.

Human adenovirus (Ad) is an icosahedral, double-stranded DNA virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract, urinary tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Assembly of virus particles requires condensation and encapsidation of the linear viral genome. This process requires sequence specific binding of two viral proteins, called IVa2 and L4-22K, to a conserved sequence located at the left end of the viral genome, called the packaging sequence (PS). IVa2 and an alternatively spliced form of L4-22K, called L4-33K, also function as transcriptional activators of the major late promoter (MLP), which encodes viral structural and core proteins. IVa2 and L4-33K bind to identical conserved DNA sequences downstream of the MLP, called the downstream element (DE), to activate transcription. To begin to dissect how the IVa2, L4-22K, and L4-33K proteins simultaneously function as transcriptional activators and DNA packaging proteins, we need to understand the thermodynamics of assembly of these proteins on DNA that c...
Fine and Gross Motor Ability in Males with ADHD

Both fine and gross motor abilities were evaluated in 10-year-old males with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and compared to a group of control children at the School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.
Ventricular Arrhythmias, Part III: Benefits And Risks Of Antiarrhythmic Therapy

In Parts I and II of this series, clinical significance, prevalence, and special concerns in the evaluation of patients with ventricular arrhythmias were reviewed. We now examine the categories of antiarrhythmic drugs and offer indications for their use. Reasons why a patient may not respond to antiarrhythmic therapy, end points of therapy, and the benefits and drawbacks of measuring serum drug levels are addressed. Use of newer drugs and additional treatment modalities are discussed in the final installment.
Genetic assimilation: a review of its potential proximate causes and evolutionary consequences

Background Most, if not all, organisms possess the ability to alter their phenotype in direct response to changes in their environment, a phenomenon known as phenotypic plasticity. Selection can break this environmental sensitivity, however, and cause a formerly environmentally induced trait to evolve to become fixed through a process called genetic assimilation. Essentially, genetic assimilation can be viewed as the evolution of environmental robustness in what was formerly an environmentally sensitive trait. Because genetic assimilation has long been suggested to play a key role in the origins of phenotypic novelty and possibly even new species, identifying and characterizing the proximate mechanisms that underlie genetic assimilation may advance our basic understanding of how novel traits and species evolve. Scope This review begins by discussing how the evolution of phenotypic plasticity, followed by genetic assimilation, might promote the origins of new traits and possibly fuel speciation and adaptive radiation. The evidence implicating genetic assimilation in evolutionary innovation and diversification is then briefly considered. Next, the potential causes of phenotypic plasticity generally and genetic assimilation specifically are examined at the genetic, molecular and physiological levels and approaches that can improve our understanding of these mechanisms are described. The review concludes by outlining major challenges for future work. Conclusions Identifying and characterizing the proximate mechanisms involved in phenotypic plasticity and genetic assimilation promises to help advance our basic understanding of evolutionary innovation and diversification.
OFDM Multitone Signal Generation Technique for Analog Circuitry Test Characterization

Multitone test is an effective technique in many wideband circuit test applications. However, the traditional multitone test signal generation methods are complex and/or time consuming. In this brief, a new approach utilizing orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing technique is developed, which can effectively produce multiple frequency tones concurrently with fine resolution and low design overhead. For validation, filter test characterizations are performed and demonstrated.
Analysis of distribution and drug resistance of Shigella and Salmonella in 2007 in Haiyan County

Objective:To find out the distribution and resistance of Shigella and Salmonella,and to provide the scientific basis formulation of effective prevention measure and clinical reasonable medication′s Instruction.Methods:Examing Shigella and Salmonella according to GB16002-1995、GB17012-1997,The medicine sensitive experiment uses the K-B law,and judgmentting result based on NCCLS.Results:Shigella detected in 2007,B crowd occupies the 60.0%,D crowd occupies the 40.0%,non in A and C,flexneri 2a get the advantage of B crowd,constituests a ratio of 58.3%;Salmonella detected,A crowd occupies the 4.8%,B crowd occupies the 47.6%,C crowd occupies the 19.0%,D crowd occupies the 19.0%,E crowd occupies the 9.5%,Salmonella serotype Agona and Enteritis serotype Agona accounts for the proportion to be slightly high,constituests a ratio of 19.0%.Drug sensitivity test showed Shigella to tetracycline,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,ampicillin,and nalidixic acid resistance rates were 95.0%,90.0%,95.0%,95.0%;Shigella to Tetracyclin,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,ampicillin,and nalidixic acid resistance rates were 28.6%、33.3%、19.0%、42.9%.Conclusion:Flexneri 2a and Shigella advantages other fungus,and no obvious advantage of Salmonella serotype Agona in HaiYan of 2007.Shigella and Salmonella serotype are very serious in drug resistance,bearing the medicine to 1 kind or many kinds of antibiotics,there was no significant difference between Shigella and Salmonella serotype in Shigella and Salmonella strains resistant.Clinical treatment should be selected norfloxacin,cefotaxime,ciprofloxacin as the preferred drug.
Leucoreduction of blood components: clinical and molecular evidence

Transfusion of blood products is a life-saving intervention for millions of patients around the world. Significant strides have been made during the last 100 years in relation to sample collection, processing and storage technologies. One relatively recent innovation is the introduction of leucoreduction strategies which, through the use of filters, enable as much as a 3.5 to 4 log removal of white blood cells from a given blood component. As detailed in the most recent “National blood collection and utilization survey report” (World Health Organization, 2011)1, leucoreduction practices have been shown to reduce the risk of febrile non-haemolytic reactions, transmission of cytomegalovirus infection and human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alloimmunisation, which may lead to platelet refractoriness. However, such technology has not been universally adopted by national blood services. For example, only 55.7% of total component units processed in the USA in 2011 (14,758,000), including paediatric aliquots, were leucoreduced by blood centres and hospitals collecting blood1. However, there was a 4% increase in this practice in the USA from 2008 to 2011, when ~85% of all whole blood units/red blood cell concentrates, and ~87% of apheresis platelet concentrates were leucocyte reduced either before or after storage1. Overall, the increased frequency of leucoreduction practices in the USA from 2008 to 2011 was mainly attributed to hospitals collecting blood (+26%), while the number of leucoreduced units produced by USA blood centres declined in the same time window by 15%1.
An Investigation of Teaching and Learning Programs in Pharmacy Education

Objective. To investigate published, peer-reviewed literature on pharmacy teaching and learning development programs and to synthesize existing data, examine reported efficacy and identify future areas for research. Methods. Medline and ERIC databases were searched for studies on teaching development programs published between 2001 and 2015. Results. Nineteen publications were included, representing 21 programs. Twenty programs were resident teaching programs, one program described faculty development. The majority of programs spanned one year and delivered instruction on teaching methodologies and assessment measures. All except one program included experiential components. Thirteen publications presented outcomes data; most measured satisfaction and self-perceived improvement. Conclusion. Published literature on teacher development in pharmacy is focused more on training residents than on developing faculty members. Although programs are considered important and highly valued by program directors and participants, little data substantiates that these programs improve teaching. Future research could focus on measurement of program outcomes and documentation of teaching development for existing faculty members.
Computation of dynamical correlation functions for many-fermion systems with auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo

Quantum Monte Carlo simulations provide a powerful tool to compute static properties of quantum many-particles models and realistic systems. A vast array of ground-state energies and properties defined by equal-time correlation functions can be computed with high accuracy. On the other hand, the extensions needed to study time-displaced correlation functions, which provide access to excited states, have been challenging, especially for fermionic strongly correlated systems. The authors present a methodology that allows a high-accuracy calculation of the dynamical Green functions of many-fermions systems in the framework of the auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo method. They extract the the charge gap of the repulsive two-dimensional Hubbard model at half-filling as a function of the interaction strength and propose strategies for applying their methodology to more realistic systems.
A Critical Review of the Linde Plaintiffs’ Framing of the Role that Financial Institutions Played in the Rise of Hamas, 2000 to 2014

This chapter provides readers with a postcolonial analysis of how the lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Linde et al. v. Arab Bank, PLC cases used these terrorist-financing cases as a rhetorical vehicle for commenting on the causes of Middle Eastern terrorism, the origins of the Second Intifada, and the perfidy of Hamas. For more than a decade Gary Osen and other attorneys for the plaintiffs used the rules of discovery, civil procedures, the rules of evidence, and expert witness testimony to put on display selective interpretations of dozens of “Palestinian” terrorist incidents in order to convince American jurists that the Arab Bank knew that it was helping bankroll terrorists.
Gene expression profiles among murine strains segregate with distinct differences in the progression of radiation-induced lung disease

Molecular mechanisms underlying development of acute pneumonitis and/or late fibrosis following thoracic irradiation remain poorly understood. Here, we hypothesize that heterogeneity in disease progression and phenotypic expression of radiation-induced lung disease (RILD) across murine strains presents an opportunity to better elucidate mechanisms driving tissue response toward pneumonitis and/or fibrosis. Distinct differences in disease progression were observed in age- and sex-matched CBA/J, C57L/J and C57BL/6J mice over 1 year after graded doses of whole-thorax lung irradiation (WTLI). Separately, comparison of gene expression profiles in lung tissue 24 h post-exposure demonstrated >5000 genes to be differentially expressed (P twofold change) between strains with early versus late onset of disease. An immediate divergence in early tissue response between radiation-sensitive and -resistant strains was observed. In pneumonitis-prone C57L/J mice, differentially expressed genes were enriched in proinflammatory pathways, whereas in fibrosis-prone C57BL/6J mice, genes were enriched in pathways involved in purine and pyrimidine synthesis, DNA replication and cell division. At 24 h post-WTLI, different patterns of cellular damage were observed at the ultrastructural level among strains but microscopic damage was not yet evident under light microscopy. These data point toward a fundamental difference in patterns of early pulmonary tissue response to WTLI, consistent with the macroscopic expression of injury manifesting weeks to months after exposure. Understanding the mechanisms underlying development of RILD might lead to more rational selection of therapeutic interventions to mitigate healthy tissue damage.
Observation of the linear response of a laser to an externally incident probe

Investigating the optical response of a lasing cavity to a probe signal not coinciding with the lasing wavelength can give rise to paradoxes. We address this question experimentally along with steady-state ab-initio laser theory.
Nano-Computed Tomographic Measurements of Partially Decomposed Ammonium Perchlorate Particles

High performance solid rocket motors typically contain ammonium perchlorate (AP) particles as the oxidizer. Ammonium perchlorate provides good performance, but thermal decomposition leads to safety concerns for handling and storing solid propellant. Computed tomography is shown to allow for visualization of the AP decomposition process, providing in-situ, quantitative data. The current work demonstrates the use of nano-computed tomography (nano-CT) scanning to elucidate aspects of AP decomposition by studying partially decomposed 400 μm diameter AP particles after isothermal heating at 200 °C. Data provides insight into shape and location of the pores. Analysis shows that the porosity developed within the particle begins approximately 15 μm below the particle surface and moves inward as well as outward towards the surface as the heating time increases. No substantial heating time dependence was observed on the pore size distribution. The size and location distributions of decomposition sites forming below the AP particle surface were quantified for the first time. Comparisons to previous work are discussed.
Covariates of Identified Stress and Depression among Seasonal Farmworkers

Many noted difficulties of farmworker life result in increased risk for stress and depression. To date, limited research has focused primarily on seasonal farmworkers; much of the prior research examines migrant farmworkers or both groups collectively. This study aims to: (1) describe levels of stress and depression among a sample of seasonal farmworkers; and (2) identify if covariates (age, gender, marital status, education level, years of residency, problems obtaining healthcare due to documentation, language barriers, transportation, costs, medical insurance, and stress level) are significant predictors of depressive symptoms. Survey data were collected from 150 Latino seasonal farmworkers. A hierarchical binary logistic regression was conducted to identify significant covariates. The results indicated that the only statistically significant covariates were health insurance coverage (p = 0.025) and stress (p = 0.008). Those farmworkers without health insurance were 1.8 times more likely than those with health insurance to possess depressive symptoms, while those demonstrating higher stress levels were over 7 times more likely to demonstrate symptoms of depression. The implications of the results are discussed in the manuscript.