cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of the Safe-sun Program on Patrons' and Lifeguards' Skin Cancer Risk-reduction Behaviors at Swimming Pools

The 'Safe Sun' program had the goal of increasing patrons' and lifeguards' skin-protective behaviors and involved informational, prompting, feedback and goal-setting and incentive components coupled with pool lifeguards modeling protective behaviors such as wearing shirts, hats and sunglasses or staying in shaded areas. During two phases of a project involving 27 pools, it was found that while the program increased patrons' and lifeguards' protective behaviors, the largest changes were found at one pool where lifeguards were required to participate in the program. Patrons' protective behaviors at this pool increased from 30.7 percent to 52 percent, and lifeguards' protective behaviors increased from 40.8 percent to 95.7 percent. Social marketing, environmental change and institutionalization processes are needed to make skin-cancer prevention programs more effective.
Investigation of OH X 2 Π collisional kinetics in a flame using picosecond two-color resonant four-wave-mixing spectroscopy

Time-resolved two-color resonant four-wave-mixing spectroscopy was used to investigate collisions affecting the ground electronic state of the hydroxyl radical. Picosecond laser pulses provided adequate time resolution for measurements in an atmospheric-pressure methane-air flame. The grating spectroscopy technique used a combination of double resonance, time-delayed probing, and independent control of the polarization of each of the four fields involved in the wave-mixing process to enable measurement of the decay of laser-induced population, alignment, and orientation, as well as state-to-state transfer of these three moments. Results are presented for individual rotational levels of OH in X Π3/2(v=1).
Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine depletion of tissue serotonin levels on extracellular serotonin in the striatum assessed with in vivo microdialysis: relationship to behavior.

Effects of i.c.v. administration of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) on biochemistry and behavior were studied in awake Sprague-Dawley rats. It was found that 5,7-DHT depletion of striatal tissue levels of serotonin (5-HT) does not diminish extracellular levels until substantial depletions occur. This finding is similar to those observed after 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the brain dopamine systems. Although varying amounts of 5,7-DHT produced serotonin depletions in striatal tissue, decreases in extracellular levels were only observed at tissue depletions greater than 60% compared to saline-injected control subjects. Thus, the effects of serotonin lesions which produce only moderate depletions may not be the result of decreased extracellular serotonin, but instead may be the result of compensatory changes in remaining neurons which maintain normal extracellular serotonin concentrations. Different degrees of striatal serotonin depletion were associated with opposite behavioral effects. Moderate levels of serotonin depletion (50-75%) produced evidence of increased anxiety, while these effects were no longer seen in rats with more severe 5-HT depletions (.75%).
National Reported Patterns of Driver Cell Phone Use in the United States

Objectives: To obtain detailed information on patterns of driver cell phone use, including how often drivers talk and text, the extent to which they use hands-free devices, and knowledge of and reaction to state cell phone laws. Methods: Telephone surveys were conducted with 1219 drivers in the 48 contiguous U.S. states and the District of Columbia, using random samples of landline and cell phone numbers. Results: Forty percent of drivers reported talking on phones at least a few times per week. The percentages were highest for males (49%) and drivers ages 25–29 (66%). The percentage of drivers who reported never talking on phones was higher in states with all-driver bans on handheld phone use (44%) than in states without a ban applying to all drivers (30%). The percentage of drivers who talk on phones and always talk hands-free was higher in states with all-driver handheld phone bans (22%) than where such bans are not in effect (13%). Thirteen percent of drivers reported some texting while driving, and t...
Nitrogen-doped graphene and its electrochemical applications

Nitrogen-doped graphene (N-graphene) is obtained by exposing graphene to nitrogen plasma. N-graphene exhibits much higher electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction and H2O2 reduction than graphene, and much higher durability and selectivity than the widely-used expensive Pt for oxygen reduction. The excellent electrochemical performance of N-graphene is attributed to nitrogen functional groups and the specific properties of graphene. This indicates that N-graphene is promising for applications in electrochemical energy devices (fuel cells, metal–air batteries) and biosensors.
Using Eye Tracking to Evaluate Alternative Search Results Interfaces

Surveys have shown that 75% of users get frustrated with search engines and only 21% find relevant information. Inability to find relevant results can be partially attributed to cluttered results pages and failure in constructing Boolean queries. This research used sixteen subjects to evaluate two types of search results interfaces using four tasks while measuring performance and studying their ocular behavior using a Tobii 1750 eye-tracker. The two interfaces used were list interface, commonly seen on many search engines and a tabular interface presenting information in discrete categories or elements of the result's abstract. Quantitative comparisons of two interfaces are made on performance metrics such as time and errors, process metrics such as fixation durations, number of fixations, and eye movement transitions from one element or category of the abstract. Subjective data was collected through post-task and post-test questionnaires. The results did not show any significant difference in performance...
Synthesis and Characterization of Neutral and Cationic Layered Materials Based on Heavier Group 14 Metals: BING-5, -6, -9, -10

Our research involves the solvothermal synthesis and characterization of new 3D open-framework and low dimensional inorganic materials. We focus on heavier group 14 elements to prepare structures that are analogous to aluminosilicate zeolites, but the main emphasis is to obtain cationic materials, a feat not possible with silicon oxides. We have successfully synthesized a series of novel compounds with Pb as building block: a cationic layered lead fluoride material (BING-5, Pb3F5NO3); a neutral, layered lead phenylphosphonate pyridine (BING-6); and a layered lead metamethylphenyl-phosphonate (BING-9). A molecular solid, tetrafluorodipyridine-germanium (BING-10) was also obtained. These structures are characterized by a variety of solid state techniques, including: powder X-Ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-Vis spectroscopy and NMR. Our BING-5 material can exchange its interlayer NO3 - for a variety of other anions. It is also stable to 450°C, which is far superior to organic resins that are still the standard for anion-exchange.
Bipolar Disorder Patient Care Opportunities: Let's Answer the Call

Bipolar disorder is a brain illness with complexities in its composition and treatment. Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication study estimate the lifetime prevalence of bipolar spectrum illnesses to be 4.5%. These patients were also reported to have their illnesses frequently treated suboptimally and to be at risk of suffering extensive disability. Pharmacists are in a key position to deliver important pharmacy care services to patients who have bipolar disorder and receive treatments in need of close monitoring. Described here are the results of this study and opportunities for pharmacists to support this important patient population.
BRIT1/MCPH1 is a DNA damage responsive protein that regulates the Brca1–Chk1 pathway, implicating checkpoint dysfunction in microcephaly

BRIT1 [BRCT-repeat inhibitor of hTERT expression], a repressor of human telomerase function, is implicated in cellular immortalization. Here, we find that BRIT1 acts as a regulator of both the intra-S and G2/M checkpoints. When BRIT1 expression is depleted, cells lose the ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cell cycle arrest and become IR sensitive. BRIT1 is a chromatin-associated protein that forms irradiation-induced nuclear foci that colocalize with γ-H2AX foci. BRIT1 is also required for the expression of both BRCA1 and the checkpoint kinase Chk1 and phosphorylation of Nbs1. Thus, the checkpoint defects in the absence of BRIT1 are likely to result from its regulation of Nbs1, BRCA1, and Chk1. BRIT1 is identical to the recently discovered MCPH1 gene, found mutant in patients with primary microcephaly. The ataxia telangiectasia mutated-Rad3 related (ATR)–Chk1 pathway is defective in Seckel syndrome, another microcephaly disorder. We propose that the microcephaly observed in patients with MCPH1 deficiencies is due to disruption of the ATR–BRCA1–Chk1 signaling pathway that is also disrupted in Seckel syndrome patients.
Evaluation of Oxidative Stress Response Related Genetic Variants, Pro-oxidants, Antioxidants and Prostate Cancer.

Background: Oxidative stress and detoxification mechanisms have been commonly studied in Prostate Cancer (PCa) due to their function in the detoxification of potentially damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and carcinogens. However, findings have been either inconsistent or inconclusive. These mixed findings may, in part, relate to failure to consider interactions among oxidative stress response related genetic variants along with pro- and antioxidant factors. Methods: We examined the effects of 33 genetic and 26 environmental oxidative stress and defense factors on PCa risk and disease aggressiveness among 2,286 men from the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility project (1,175 cases, 1,111 controls). Single and joint effects were analyzed using a comprehensive statistical approach involving logistic regression, multi-dimensionality reduction, and entropy graphs. Results: Inheritance of one CYP2C8 rs7909236 T or two SOD2 rs2758331 A alleles was linked to a 1.3- and 1.4-fold increase in risk of developing PCa, respectively ( p -value = 0.006-0.013). Carriers of CYP1B1 rs1800440GG , CYP2C8 rs1058932TC and, NAT2 ( rs1208GG, rs1390358CC, rs7832071TT ) genotypes were associated with a 1.3 to 2.2-fold increase in aggressive PCa [ p -value = 0.04-0.001, FDR 0.088-0.939]. We observed a 23% reduction in aggressive disease linked to inheritance of one or more NAT2 rs4646247 A alleles ( p = 0.04, FDR = 0.405). Only three NAT2 sequence variants remained significant after adjusting for multiple hypotheses testing, namely NAT2 rs1208, rs1390358, and rs7832071. Lastly, there were no significant gene-environment or gene-gene interactions associated with PCa outcomes. Conclusions: Variations in genes involved in oxidative stress and defense pathways may modify PCa. Our findings do not firmly support the role of oxidative stress genetic variants combined with lifestyle/environmental factors as modifiers of PCa and disease progression. However, additional multi-center studies poised to pool genetic and environmental data are needed to make strong conclusions.
Measuring the effects of interruptions on task performance in the user interface

As users continue offloading more control and responsibility to the computer, coordinating the asynchronous interactions between the user and computer is becoming increasingly important. Without proper coordination, an application attempting to gain the user's attention risks interrupting the user in the midst of performing another task. To justify why an application should avoid interrupting the user whenever possible, we designed an experiment measuring the disruptive effect of an interruption on a user's task performance. The experiment utilized six Web-based task categories and two categories of interruption tasks. The results of the experiment demonstrate that: (i) a user performs slower on an interrupted task than a non-interrupted task, (ii) the disruptive effect of an interruption differs as a function of the task category, and (iii) different interruption tasks cause similar disruptive effects on task performance. These results empirically validate the need to better coordinate user interactions among applications that are competing for the user's attention.
StarBase: a firm real-time database manager for time-critical applications

Previous work in real-time database management systems (RT-DBMS) has primarily focused on simulation. This paper discusses how current real-time technology has been applied to architect an actual RT-DBMS on a real-time microlevel operating system. A real RT-DBMS must confront many practical issues which simulations typically ignore: race conditions, concurrency, and asynchrony. The challenge of constructing a RT-DBMS can be divided into three basic problems: dealing with resource contention, dealing with data contention, and enforcing timing constraints. We discuss approaches to each problem.
Species limits and phylogeography of North American cricket frogs (Acris: Hylidae)

Cricket frogs are widely distributed across the eastern United States and two species, the northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) and the southern cricket frog (A. gryllus) are currently recognized. We generated a phylogenetic hypothesis for Acris using fragments of nuclear and mitochondrial genes in separate and combined phylogenetic analyses. We also used distance methods and fixation indices to evaluate species limits within the genus and the validity of currently recognized subspecies of A. crepitans. The distributions of existing A. crepitans subspecies, defined by morphology and call types, do not match the distributions of evolutionary lineages recovered using our genetic data. We discuss a scenario of call evolution to explain this disparity. We also recovered distinct phylogeographic groups within A. crepitans and A. gryllus that are congruent with other codistributed taxa. Under a lineage-based species concept, we recognize Acris blanchardi as a distinct species. The importance of this revised taxonomy is discussed in light of the dramatic declines in A. blanchardi across the northern and western portions of its range.
Altered UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase and Sulfotransferase Expression and Function during Progressive Stages of Human Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) and sulfotransferases (SULTs) represent major phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes that are also responsible for maintaining cellular homeostasis by metabolism of several endogenous molecules. Perturbations in the expression or function of these enzymes can lead to metabolic disorders and improper management of xenobiotics and endobiotics. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a spectrum of liver damage ranging from steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Because the liver plays a central role in the metabolism of xenobiotics, the purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of human NAFLD progression on the expression and function of UGTs and SULTs in normal, steatosis, NASH (fatty), and NASH (not fatty/cirrhosis) samples. We identified upregulation of UGT1A9, 2B10, and 3A1 and SULT1C4 mRNA in both stages of NASH, whereas UGT2A3, 2B15, and 2B28 and SULT1A1, 2B1, and 4A1 as well as 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate synthase 1 were increased in NASH (not fatty/cirrhosis) only. UGT1A9 and 1A6 and SULT1A1 and 2A1 protein levels were decreased in NASH; however, SULT1C4 was increased. Measurement of the glucuronidation and sulfonation of acetaminophen (APAP) revealed no alterations in glucuronidation; however, SULT activity was increased in steatosis compared with normal samples, but then decreased in NASH compared with steatosis. In conclusion, the expression of specific UGT and SULT isoforms appears to be differentially regulated, whereas sulfonation of APAP is disrupted during progression of NAFLD.
Optimizing diversity gain using uncoupled impedance matching with coupled antennas

This paper provides a method for designing a lossless, reciprocal, and uncoupled matching network that optimizes the diversity gain of a receive antenna diversity system. It is found that the matching network behaves as a beamforming network that can achieve improved performance relative to more traditional uncoupled matching networks for channels in which the received power is directionally biased. The beamformer is shown to exhibit mild superdirective characteristics for close element spacing.
Crestal alveolar bone change in patients with periodontitis as observed by subtraction radiography: an overview.

Subtraction radiography is a highly sensitive and useful technique for detecting crestal alveolar bone changes in patients. Utilizing this technique, researchers have demonstrated that 9% of crestal sites lose bone over a six-month period in untreated subjects with periodontitis. On the order of 10-13% of crestal sites were found to lose bone three months post-periodontal therapy which included surgery. Non-surgical therapy resulted in 0.5-2% of crestal sites with bone loss. Subtraction requires radiographs which have closely approximating projection geometry. Presently available technology for taking standardized radiographs based on an occlusal stent system is adequate for obtaining interpretable subtraction images.
Promotion of exon 6 inclusion in HuD pre-mRNA by Hu protein family members

The Hu RNA-binding protein family consists of four members: HuR/A, HuB, HuC and HuD. HuR expression is widespread. The other three neuron-specific Hu proteins play an important role in neuronal differentiation through modulating multiple processes of RNA metabolism. In the splicing events examined previously, Hu proteins promote skipping of the alternative exons. Here, we report the first example where Hu proteins promote inclusion of an alternative exon, exon 6 of the HuD pre-mRNA. Sequence alignment analysis indicates the presence of several conserved AU-rich sequences both upstream and downstream to this alternatively spliced exon. We generated a human HuD exon 6 mini-gene reporter construct that includes these conserved sequences. Hu protein over-expression led to significantly increased exon 6 inclusion from this reporter and endogenous HuD. Studies using truncated and mutant HuD exon 6 reporters demonstrate that two AU-rich sequences located downstream of exon 6 are important. RNAi knockdown of Hu proteins decreased exon 6 inclusion. An in vitro splicing assay indicates that Hu proteins promote HuD exon 6 inclusion directly at the level of splicing. Our studies demonstrate that Hu proteins can function as splicing enhancers and expand the functional role of Hu proteins as splicing regulators.
Rectification of the chordal axis transform and a new criterion for shape decomposition

In an earlier work we proposed the chordal axis transform (CAT) as a more useful alternative to the medial axis transform (MAT) for obtaining skeletons of discrete shapes. Since then, the CAT has benefited various applications in 2D and 3D shape analysis. In this paper, we revisit the CAT to address its deficiencies that are artifacts of the underlying constrained Delaunay triangulation (CDT). We introduce a valuation on the internal edges of a discrete shape's CDT based on a concept of approximate co-circularity. This valuation provides a basis for suppression of the role of certain edges in the construction of the CAT skeleton. The result is a rectified CAT skeleton that has smoother branches as well as branch points of varying degrees, unlike the original CAT skeleton whose branches exhibit oscillations in tapered sections of shapes and allows only degree-3 branch points. Additionally, the valuation leads to a new criterion for parsing shapes into visually salient parts that closely resemble the empirical decompositions of shapes by human subjects as recorded in experiments by M. Singh, G. Seyranian, and D. Hoffman.
Evaluation Of Computed Tomographic Units

This paper reports the results of the physical survey of more than twenty-five computerized tomographic scanners. Comparisons are made of noise, low contrast detectability, high contrast resolution, and radiation dose.
Status of AIDA and JAS 3

Abstract The goals of the AIDA project are to define abstract interfaces for common physics analysis objects, such as histograms, n-tuples, fitters, IO etc. The adoption of these interfaces should make it easier for physicists to use different tools without having to learn new interfaces or change all of their code. JAS is an interactive analysis application, written in Java, with a rich GUI and ability to work in client/server mode as well as a stand-alone application. JAS3 uses a highly modular component based framework, into which various analysis modules can be plugged. This paper describes the current status of AIDA and JAS.
Fast electrical-thermal co-simulation using multigrid method for 3D integration

In this paper, a fast electrical-thermal co-simulation method based on multigrid approach is proposed for simulating 3D systems. Using the proposed approach, accurate voltage/current distribution with temperature effect as well as temperature distribution with Joule heating effect can be obtained efficiently. By ensuring smoothly stretched gridding between die region and package region, fast convergence of multigrid method can be reached for both DC voltage drop and thermal simulations. The effect of nonuniform gridding on the convergence of multigrid is studied. The temperature effect on voltage drop and Joule heating effect on localized hotspot are discussed.
Changing Definitions and Off-loading Responsibility in Alberta's Post-Secondary System

The introduction of a performance-based funding mechanism by Alberta's provincial government alters the public definition of "educational quality" and fully shifts the responsibility for declining educational quality from the provincial government onto institutions. This article outlines the process by which the provincial government has compelled institutions to accept this redefinition and transfer despite the substantial loss of institutional autonomy it entails. The implications of this change are explored and possible reasons are suggested.
Groucho binds two conserved regions of LEF-1 for HDAC-dependent repression

Background Drosophila Groucho and its human Transducin-like-Enhancer of Split orthologs (TLEs) function as transcription co-repressors within the context of Wnt signaling, a pathway with strong links to cancer. The current model for how Groucho/TLE's modify Wnt signaling is by direct competition with β-catenin for LEF/TCF binding. The molecular events involved in this competitive interaction are not defined and the actions of Groucho/TLEs within the context of Wnt-linked cancer are unknown.
Essential Role for TRPC5 in Amygdala Function and Fear-Related Behavior

SUMMARY The transient receptor potential channel 5 (TRPC5) is predominantly expressed in the brain where it can form heterotetrameric complexes with TRPC1 and TRPC4 channel subunits. These excitatory, nonselective cationic channels are regulated by G protein, phospholipase C-coupled receptors. Here, we show that TRPC5 � /� mice exhibit diminished innate fear levels in response to innately aversive stimuli. Moreover, mutant mice exhibited significant reductions in responses mediated by synaptic activation of Group I metabotropic glutamate and cholecystokinin 2 receptors in neurons of the amygdala. Synaptic strength at afferent inputs to the amygdala was diminished in P10-P13 null mice. In contrast, baseline synaptic transmission, membrane excitability, and spike timing-dependent long-term potentiation at cortical and thalamic inputs to the amygdala were largely normal in older null mice. These experiments provide genetic evidence that TRPC5, activated via G protein-coupled neuronal receptors, has an essential function in innate fear.
Interplay between Field Measurements and Soil Behavior for Capturing Supported Excavation Response

Instruments are installed during the construction of urban excavations to monitor ground response at discrete locations to various construction activities, to verify design assumptions and to effectively apply the observational approach. Inverse analysis approaches are often used to develop improved soil models suitable for representing soil response during excavation from these measurements. We propose that through the integration of inverse analysis and instrument measurements, it is possible to provide information on excavation performance at locations where no instrumentation is available. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between various instruments typically used on an excavation project and the quality of information that can be extracted for excavation modeling. A synthetically generated set of instrument measurements that include inclinometers, surface settlement points, extensometers, heave gauges, piezometers, and strain gauges, using an idealized soil profile are initially used. The analyses show that in addition to the measurements of lateral wall deflections and surface settlement, inclinometers placed some distance behind the wall and measured forces in the struts significantly improve the quality of the extracted soil behavior. These findings are further demonstrated with a well instrumented deep excavation case study in Taipei. The inclinometers at the wall and at farther distance from the wall are used to extract the soil behavior. The extracted soil model used in a numerical analysis provides a good prediction of excavation behavior elsewhere around the excavation including surface settlements.
Fixed Effects, Random Effects, and Hybrid Models for Causal Analysis

Longitudinal data are becoming increasingly common in social science research. In this chapter, we discuss methods for exploiting the features of longitudinal data to study causal effects. The methods we discuss are broadly termed fixed effects and random effects models. We begin by discussing some of the advantages of fixed effects models over traditional regression approaches and then present a basic notation for the fixed effects model. This notation serves also as a baseline for introducing the random effects model, a common alternative to the fixed effects approach. After comparing fixed effects and random effects models – paying particular attention to their underlying assumptions – we describe hybrid models that combine attractive features of each. To provide a deeper understanding of these models, and to help researchers determine the most appropriate approach to use when analyzing longitudinal data, we provide three empirical examples. We also briefly discuss several extensions of fixed/random effects models. We conclude by suggesting additional literature that readers may find helpful.
Metallothionein Expression in Rat Bone Marrow Is Dependent on Dietary Zinc but not Dependent on Interleukin-1 or Interleukin-6

The comparative influence of dietary zinc status and recombinant human interleukin-1 alpha (rhIL-1 alpha) and recombinant human interleukin-6 (rhIL-6) on metallothionein (MT) gene expression was examined in rat bone marrow and liver. Growing male rats were fed a diet with 5 (restricted), 30 (control), or 180 (supplemented) mg Zn/kg for 14 d. On d 15, rats were injected with 5 micrograms of rhIL-1 alpha or rhIL-6. Marrow metallothionein responded directly to dietary zinc but did not respond to these cytokines. Significantly less zinc accumulated in marrow from the zinc-restricted rats compared with control or supplemented rats. Analysis of metallothionein isoform mRNA expression showed MT-1 is the primary gene expressed in marrow. A significant interaction between dietary zinc and cytokine treatment was observed in the liver. Hepatic metallothionein induction following both rhIL-1 alpha and rhIL-6 injection was directly related to dietary zinc intake. Expression of hepatic metallothionein isoform mRNAs suggested MT-1 responded to zinc and MT-2 responded to cytokines. These results indicate that metallothionein gene expression in both the marrow and the liver responds to dietary zinc status. In contrast, liver metallothionein expression can be altered by these cytokines, which are known to act on many cell types. Furthermore, these results suggest that bone marrow metallothionein could be of importance in the development of marrow cells.
Historicism or Providentialism? Pushkin's History of Pugachev in the Context of French Romantic Historiography

The evolution of Aleksandr Pushkin's ideology and poetics in the 1830s has long been the most controversial issue of Pushkin studies, the greatest stumbling block to biographers and literary critics. Grigorii Gukovskii's simple scheme, which construes Pushkin's "path" as a steady progression from romanticism toward realism and historicism, though not yet totally refuted, is gradually falling out of favor, for it ignores, contradicts, or misinterprets obvious "archaic," retrograde trends in Pushkin's late writings. Repudiating and subverting contemporaneous romantic codes, Pushkin, as a number of recent studies have shown, does not replace them with innovative prerealist or realist ones but tries to rejuvenate certain outdated eighteenth-century systems.
Studies on mammary tumor inducing virus in mice (Bittner virus).

Summary1). Zone electrophoresis of high-speed centrifugal pellets from virus-containing defatted and decaseinated strain A milk has led to good recovery of mammary tumor-inducing activity and to its localization in electrophoretic pattern. Nucleic acid determinations have shown presence of considerable quantities of RNA in pellets from similarly treated A strain milk and absence of DNA. High-speed centrifugal pellets from defatted and decaseinated strain A milk treated with either ribonuclease or cold 75% ethanol retained tumor-inducing activity. 2) Characteristic particles of 700 A average diameter, have been observed in sections of high-speed centrifugal pellets of agent-harboring RIII and A strain milk which have shown high tumor-inducing activity. They have also been found following treatment of pellets with fluorocarbon. Similar particles have been observed in considerably smaller number in pellets of Af strain milk without tumor-inducing activity. The relationship of these particles to the origin of...
Observation of Macroscopic Quantum Effects in YBCO Thin Film Microbridge Rings

Thin film rings with microbridge were constructed using high Tc Y-Ba-Cu-O super-conducting thin films which were made by laser ablation on the single crystal MgO(100) substrates. The thickness of the films is 5000 A. The weak links were biased with an AC induced current. The resulting electron pair charges on the weak links were monitored by an output voltage. The charge stored on the link (as a function of the input bias voltage) is consistent with that of a “macroscopic quantum pendulum”.
Heat Unit Requirements for Emergence of Overwintering Tobacco Budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.) , in Arizona

Emergence of overwintering tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), was monitored in Arizona, and the corresponding thermal accumulations were determined. Nondiapausing pupae emerged after the accumulation of ca. 176 centigrade heat units (CHU) when a threshold temperature range of 12.8 to 30°C was used. An accumulation of ca. 173 CHU from 1 January (5-cm soil depth) was required for emergence of first moths from overwintering pupae. Heat unit accumulations were less rapid with air temperature data. These data suggest that the physiological processes associated with diapause are nearly complete by early January. Alternate hosts are expected to play an important role in the early season since most, if not all, spring emergence occurs before the availability of cotton as a host plant.
Role of renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure in the pressure diuresis response

The present study examines the role of renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) in the pressure-diuretic and -natriuretic response. The relationships between RIHP, sodium excretion, and renal...
A review of the epidemiology and treatment of Peyronie's disease

Introduction Peyronie's disease (PD) has significant effect on patients and their partners. We provide a current review of the epidemiology as well as the nonsurgical and surgical treatment of PD. Materials and methods Review of literature pertaining to PD with focus on epidemiology and treatment options. Conclusion PD is common and likely underreported. The availability of new and highly effective treatment options will catalyze patient awareness and subsequently the prevalence of disease.
Gestural Economies and Production Pedagogies in Deaf West’s Spring Awakening

In Deaf West’s Broadway revival of Spring Awakening , embodied gestures expose and challenge representational and infrastructural norms that drive commercial musical theatre. The company’s blend of ASL and spoken text extends the overarching message about failed sociocultural ideals to the realm of deaf culture. Micro-practical actions and interactions function tacitly to denaturalize audio-centric standards that guide theatrical reception, internal cueing, and technical production.
Effect of Generic Competition on Atorvastatin Prescribing and Patients’ Out-of-Pocket Spending

Importance In November 2011, the cholesterol level–lowering medication atorvastatin calcium became available in the United States as a generic drug. However, only a single generic form (from a manufacturer that qualified for market exclusivity by challenging several of Pfizer’s patents) and an authorized generic form (a brand-name drug sold as a generic) were available for the first 180 days. Objective To describe trends in the prescribing of generic atorvastatin after expiration of market exclusivity for the brand-name medication and the effect on patients’ out-of-pocket spending. Design, Setting, and Participants A US population-based study used commercial claims data from the Optum Clinformatics research database (UnitedHealth Group) from December 1, 2010, to May 31, 2013. Participants were 1 968 709 adults with commercial insurance who had been prescribed 1 or more statins (13 285 223 statin prescriptions). An interrupted times series model was used to examine the effect of limited and full generic competition on brand-name and generic atorvastatin prescriptions. Data were analyzed from December 1, 2010, to May 31, 2013. Exposures Prescription of brand-name atorvastatin, generic atorvastatin, and authorized generic atorvastatin were distinguished using National Drug Codes. Main Outcomes and Measures Total number of prescriptions dispensed per month and out-of-pocket expenditures for a typical 30-day supply of 20-mg atorvastatin during the periods of brand-name availability only, limited generic competition (lasting 180 days after market exclusivity ended), and full generic competition. Results Of the 1 968 709 beneficiaries, 1 483 066 (58.8% male and 41.2% female; mean [SD] age, 55.6 [10.2] years) received a prescription for a single statin and were included in the analysis. The introduction of the first generic competitor was associated with a reduction in monthly brand-name atorvastatin fills by 20 896 prescriptions (level change, P = .001), an 18.1% change compared with the month preceding loss of exclusivity. Full generic competition reduced brand-name fills by 54 944 prescriptions (level change, P Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with commercial health insurance, delays in generic uptake and high levels of out-of-pocket spending during the first 180 days after atorvastatin lost market exclusivity slowed changes in drug prescribing and decreases in patients’ out-of-pocket costs.
The Role of Interests and Ideas in Policy Change

The foregoing chapters have been concerned with the central issue of the political consensus which was built around Keynesianism in Australia, and, more pertinently, the collapse of this consensus which occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been argued that the problems which are ascribed to Keynesianism have been wrongly ascribed, at least insofar as the Keynesianism which took form in the 1950s and 1960s was considerably limited vis-a-vis an otherwise more authentic Keynesianism (particularly with regard to the politically economic problems that the latter could have been called upon to address in the 1970s). In showing that these ascriptions have been without foundation, the aim is to refute the more general claim that Keynesianism was abandoned simply because it was based on weak theoretical foundations or that its economics was bound, sooner or later, to encounter its own internal contradictions.
Adverse Disease Features in Gleason Score 3 + 4 “Favorable Intermediate-Risk” Prostate Cancer: Implications for Active Surveillance

Abstract Background According to a recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines update, patients with Gleason score (GS) 3 + 4 prostate cancer (PCa) and "favorable intermediate-risk" (FIR) characteristics might be offered active surveillance (AS). However, the risk of unfavorable disease features and its prediction in this subset of patients is not completely understood. Objective To identify the risk of unfavorable disease and potential predictors of adverse outcomes among GS 3 + 4 FIR PCa patients. Design, setting, and participants The study included patients with biopsy GS 3 + 4 and otherwise fulfilling the NCCN low-risk definition (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Complete information on PSA, PSA density (PSAD), clinical stage, percentage of positive cores, percentage of maximum surface specimen involvement, and RP pathology were available. GS upgrade and downgrade, non–organ-confined and non–specimen-confined disease, unfavorable disease (pT3–T4 and/or pN1 and/or a pGS ≥4 + 3) were the outcomes. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. Results and limitations A total of 156 patients (13.1%) experienced GS upgrade; 201 (16.9%) were downgraded. Overall, 205 men (17.2%) harbored non–organ-confined disease, and 295 (24.8%) had unfavorable disease. Age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.06), percentage surface involvement (OR: 1.01), and PSAD (OR: 1.83) were the only significant predictors of upgrade. Age (OR: 1.05), clinical stage (OR: 1.74), percentage of positive cores >50% (OR 1.57), percentage of surface area (OR: 1.02), and perineural invasion (OR: 1.89) were significant predictors of unfavorable disease at RP. The retrospective design is a limitation. Conclusions AS is a possible option for a subset of men with FIR GS 3 + 4. However, clinical models alone have a limited role in GS upgrade prediction, and alternative tools warrant further investigation. Patient summary Patients with Gleason score 3 + 4 at biopsy, low prostate-specific antigen, and low stage might consider the option of active surveillance, but the use of clinical information alone might be not adequate for thorough risk-adapted counseling.
Rewiring MAP kinases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to regulate novel targets through ubiquitination

Nature has evolved a number of ways to link signals from a cell’s environment, like the concentration of a hormone, to the behavior of that cell. These new connections often form by reusing certain common signaling components, such as mitogen-activated protein kinases. These enzymes – referred to as MAPKs for short – are activated by specific signals and alter the activity of target proteins in the cell by adding a phosphate group to them: a process called phosphorylation. These connections thus dictate how cells respond to their environments – and consequently, disruptions to the connections are a common source of disease. Groves, Khakhar et al. set out to understand how connections can be made between a MAPK and a new target protein to gain insights into how these links emerge through evolution and how they might break in disease. Their approach focused on one of the ways that phosphorylation can alter the activity of a target protein: marking it for degradation. Experiments with budding yeast showed that a MAPK could only achieve this if two conditions are met. First, the target protein and kinase need to bind to each other. Second, the target needs to contain a site that when phosphorylated is subsequently recognized by the cell’s protein degradation machinery. By engineering proteins so that they fulfilled these two criteria, Groves, Khakhar et al. created new connections between a yeast MAPK called Fus3 or a human MAPK called ERK2 and a variety of targets. The results showed that the parts of the proteins involved in the interaction step could be completely separate from the parts that are involved in the phosphorylation step. This suggests that connections between kinases and their targets can be rewired simple by mixing together parts of other existing proteins. Finally, Groves, Khakhar et al. confirmed that engineered connections between kinases and targets could predictably change how yeast cells responded to a hormone that normally controls the yeast’s reproductive cycle. Together these results bring us one step closer to understanding how cells assemble the signaling pathways that they use to process information. However further work is needed to see if these findings can be generalized to other signaling components, and if so, to explore if new connections can be built to yield more complicated cellular behaviors.
High affinity phosphate binding protein (PBP) for phosphorous recovery: Proof of concept using recombinant Escherichia coli

Phosphorus (P) is a critical, non-renewable nutrient; yet excess discharges can lead to eutrophication and deterioration of water quality. Thus, P removal from water must be coupled with P recovery to achieve sustainable P management. P-specific proteins provide a novel, promising approach to recover P from water. Bacterial phosphate-binding proteins (PBPs) are able to effectively remove phosphate, achieving extremely low levels in water (i.e. 0.015 mg-P L-1). A prerequisite of using PBP for P recovery, however, is not only removal, but also controlled P release, which has not yet been reported. Phosphate release using recombinant PBP-expressing Escherichia coli was explored in this study. Escherichia coli was genetically modified to overexpress PBP in the periplasmic space. The impacts of ionic strength, temperature and pH on phosphate release were assessed. PBP-expressed E. coli demonstrated consistently superior ability to adsorb more phosphate from liquid and release more phosphate under controlled conditions relative to negative controls (unexpressed PBP E. coli and E. coli K12). Lower pH (3.8), higher temperature (35oC) and higher ionic strength (100 mM KCl) facilitated increased phosphate release, providing a maximum of 2.1% P recovery within 3 h. This study provides proof of concept of the feasibility of using PBP to recover P.
Hematopoietic Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Abstract Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide an unprecedented opportunity for modeling of human diseases in vitro as well as for developing novel approaches for regenerative therapy based on immunologically compatible cells. In the present study, we employed an OP9 differentiation system to characterize the hematopoietic differentiation potential of seven human iPSC lines obtained from human fetal, neonatal, and adult fibroblasts through reprogramming with POU5F1, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28 and compared it with the differentiation potential of five human embryonic stem cell lines (hESC; H1, H7, H9, H13, and H14). Similar to hESCs, all iPSCs in coculture with OP9 generated all types of colony forming cells (CFCs) as well as CD34+ cells that can be separated into distinct subsets based on differential expression of CD43 and CD31. CD34+CD31+CD43− cells obtained from all iPSCs expressed molecules present on endothelial cells and readily formed a monolayer when placed in endothelial conditions, while hematopoietic CFC potential was restricted to CD43+ cells. iPSC-derived CD43+ cells could be separated into three major subsets based on differential expression of CD235a/CD41a and CD45: CD235a+CD41a+/− (erythro-megakaryocytic progenitors), and lin-CD34+CD43+CD45− (multipotent), and lin-CD34+CD43+CD45+ (myeloid-skewed) primitive hematopoietic cells. Both subsets of primitive hematopoietic cells expressed genes associated with myeloid and lymphoid development, although myeloid genes were upregulated in CD45+ cells, which are skewed toward myeloid differentiation. Cytogenetic analysis demonstrated that iPSCs and derived from them CD43+ cells maintained normal karyotype. In addition short tandem repeat analysis of CFCs generated from IMR90-1 cells has been performed to confirm that blood cells are in fact derived from reprogrammed IMR90 cells, and not from contaminating hESCs. While we observed some variations in the efficiency of hematopoietic differentiation between different iPSCs, the pattern of differentiation was very similar in all seven tested iPSC and five hESC lines. Using different cytokine combinations and culture conditions we were able to expand iPSC-derived myeloid progenitors and induce their differentiation toward red blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, macrophages, ostoeclasts, dendritic and Langerhans cells. Although several issues remain to be resolved before iPSC-derived blood cells can be administered to humans for therapeutic purposes, patient-specific iPSCs can already be used for characterization of mechanisms of blood diseases and to identify molecules that can correct affected genetic networks.
UN Security Council: Future Prospects for a Compromised Hegemon

The Security Council has unlimited legal authority to impose itself on the world and it is guided by the interests of the P-5. The combination of absolute legal authority and the substantive goals of the Great Powers gives the Security Council an imperial character. But it is fractured by the requirement for P-5 consensus. The SC is therefore a compromised hegemon. To international interventionsts, liberal or otherwise, the paralysis that comes from Great-Power disagreement looks like a defect of the Council that impedes its ability to rule the world. But to people who see centralized global power structures as a problem rather than a solution, Council inactivity may be a respite from being ‘governed’ from above.
The Mineralization of Organic Materials under Aerobic Conditions

Mineralization is the process by which the carbon and associated nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur of organic matter are returned to inorganic form. Under aerobic conditions, this means their most oxidized form (CO2, NO3-, and S04-2). Because the origin and general composition of organic carbon and the early stages of decomposition of organic polymers have been discussed recently (Burns, 1982; Krumbein, 1983; Ericksson and Johnsrud, 1982; Bolin, 1973), and because the discussion of cycling the organic forms of nitrogen and sulfur are best treated in other contexts, these will not be discussed here.