cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B01: Body fatness throughout life and the incidence of endometrial cancer

Background: Although adult obesity is known to increase endometrial cancer (EC) risk, evidence for the role of childhood obesity is limited. We prospectively examined the association between body fatness throughout the life-course and EC risk. Design: Participants, 47,289 members (527 cases) of the Nurses9 Health Study (NHS), and 105,386 members (130 cases) of the Nurses9 Health Study II (NHS II) recalled their body fatness at ages 5, 10, and 20 using a nine-level pictogram. Childhood and adolescent body fatness were the average between ages 5 and 10, and ages 10 and 20, respectively. We obtained weight from biennial questionnaires and calculated relative risks (RR) of EC using Cox proportional hazards models. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: In the NHS, body fatness was associated with EC at age 10, adolescence, age 20, and adulthood, but not at age 5 or childhood (RR for EC comparing most overweight to least overweight in adolescence was 1.51, 95% CI 1.08-2.11, Ptrend 0.02). For NHS II, the associations were stronger (RR, comparing most overweight to least overweight in adolescence was 2.91, 95% CI 1.83-5.98, Ptrend Conclusion: These findings indicate that body fatness in early life is not independently associated with endometrial cancer risk. Citation Format: Marcelle M. Dougan, Immaculata De Vivo, Shelley S. Tworoger, Susan E. Hankinson, Karin B. Michels. Body fatness throughout life and the incidence of endometrial cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr B01.
Изследване На УстойЧивостта На Земеделските Стопанства в България (A Study on Sustainability of Bulgarian Farms)

Bulgarian Abstract: Оценката на устойчивостта на фермите е сред актуалните академични и практични (ориентиран към фермата, агро-бизнеса, политиката) въпроси. Въпреки това практически липсват изследвания върху общата, икономическата, социалната, екологическата и т.н. устойчивост на Българските стопанства в процеса на прилагане на ОСП на ЕС. Тази разработка предлага адекватен за условията на развитие на българското земеделие холистичен подход за оценка на равнището на устойчивост на фермите и резултатите от първото по рода си широкомащабно изследване на интегралната, управленческата, икономическата и екологическа устойчивост на ферите от различен юридически тип, размери, специализация и разположение. English Abstract: Evaluation of sustainability of agricultural farms is among the most topical academic and practical (farm, agri-business, policies forwarded) issues. Despite that there are practically no studies on overall, economic, social, ecological, etc. sustainability of farms in general and holdings of different type in Bulgaria during EU CAP implementation. This paper presents a holistic framework for defining and assessing sustainability of farms for the specific conditions of Bulgarian agriculture as well as results of the first large-scale study on integral, governance, economic, social, and environmental sustainability of Bulgarian farms. Initially, a framework for assessing farm sustainability is outlined which is based on incorporation of the interdisciplinary methodologies of New Institutional Economics, and Sustainable Development. That holistic framework includes a system of appropriate principles, criteria, indicators, and reference values for evaluating the individual aspects and the integral sustainability of farms in the specific Bulgarian conditions. After that an assessment is made on the overall, governance, economic, social, and environmental sustainability levels of Bulgarian farms in general and holdings of different juridical type, size, specialisation, and location.
Deliberating in the presence of manipulation

According to deliberation compatibilism, rational deliberation is compatible with the belief that one’s actions are causally determined by factors beyond one’s control. This paper offers a counterexample to recent accounts of rational deliberation that entail deliberation compatibilism. The counterexample involves a deliberator who believes that whichever action she performs will be the result of deterministic manipulation. It is further argued that there is no relevant difference between the purported counterexample and ordinary doxastic circumstances in which a determinist deliberates.
Hold firm or adapt? An empirical examination of the institutional appeal implications of maintaining the Liberal Arts College identity

ABSTRACTThe institutional appeal implications of organizational strategy decisions to hold firm or to adapt on key tactical factors are analyzed in a cross-sectional analysis of the top 100 Liberal Arts Colleges, compared against a similar analysis of the top 100 Research Universities in the United States. This analysis is motivated by the well-documented declining student interest in Liberal Arts Colleges. Building on theory related to the benefits of identifying, maintaining and emphasizing one’s own core organizational identity, Liberal Art Colleges are predicted to experience increased institutional appeal from pursuing such a strategy. Practically, this prediction implies that the predominant industry practice of Liberal Arts Colleges to consistently evolve and change form in response to their shifting environments may be misguided and thus detrimental to the long-term viability of the institution. Evidence is found for significant advantages to holding firm on certain aspects of the Liberal Arts Col...
Brain cortical structural differences between non-central nervous system cancer patients treated with and without chemotherapy compared to non-cancer controls: a cross-sectional pilot MRI study using clinically-indicated scans.

Background Cognitive deficit associated with cancer and its treatment is called cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). Increases in cancer survival have made understanding the basis of CRCI more important. CRCI neuroimaging studies have traditionally used dedicated research brain MRIs in breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy with small sample sizes; little is known about other non-central nervous system (CNS) cancers after chemotherapy as well as those not exposed to chemotherapy. However, there may be a wealth of unused data from clinically-indicated MRIs that could be used to study CRCI. Objective Evaluate brain cortical structural differences in those with various non-CNS cancers using clinically-indicated MRIs. Design Cross-sectional. Patients Adult non-CNS cancer and non-cancer control (C) patients who underwent clinically-indicated MRIs. Methods Brain cortical surface area and thickness were measured using 3D T1-weighted images. An age-adjusted linear regression model was used and the Benjamini and Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) corrected for multiple comparisons. Group comparisons were: cancer cases with chemotherapy (Ch+), cancer cases without chemotherapy (Ch-) and subgroup of lung cancer cases with and without chemotherapy vs C. Results Sixty-four subjects were analyzed: 22 Ch+, 23 Ch- and 19 C patients. Subgroup analysis of 16 lung cancer (LCa) patients was also performed. Statistically significant decreases in either cortical surface area or thickness were found in multiple regions of interest (ROIs) primarily within the frontal and temporal lobes for all comparisons. Effect sizes were variable with the greatest seen in the left middle temporal surface area ROI (Cohen's d -0.690) in the Ch- vs C group comparison. Limitations Several limitations were apparent including a small sample size that precluded adjustment for other covariates. Conclusions Our preliminary results suggest that, in addition to breast cancer, other types of non-CNS cancers treated with chemotherapy may result in brain structural abnormalities. Similar findings also appear to occur in those not exposed to chemotherapy. These results also suggest that there is potentially a wealth of untapped clinical MRIs that could be used for future CRCI studies.
Cell Migration and Bone Formation from Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids in Alginate Hydrogels Are Regulated by Adhesive Ligand Density.

The adhesion and migration of cells entrapped in engineered materials is regulated by available adhesive ligands. Although mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) spheroids injected into damaged tissues promote repair, their transplantation in biomaterials which regulate cell migration from the aggregate may further enhance their therapeutic potential. Alginate hydrogels were modified with Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic acid (RGD) at increasing concentrations, and osteogenically induced human MSC spheroids were entrapped to assess cell migration, survival, and differentiation. Cell migration was greater from MSC spheroids in alginate modified with low RGD levels, while the osteogenic potential was higher for spheroids entrapped in unmodified or high RGD density gels in vitro. Upon ectopic implantation, microCT and immunohistochemistry revealed extensive osteogenesis in unmodified and high RGD density gels compared to low RGD density gels. These data suggest that restriction of MSC migration from spheroids correlates with ...
Functional trait heritability and local climatic adaptation among grasses: a meta-analysis

Variation in climate has been demonstrated to be a powerful driver of selection and local adaptation among plant populations. Variation in functional traits among populations can also be indicative of the drivers of local adaptation. However, it is not clear to what extent species exhibit consistent patterns of local adaptation as revealed by common, heritable trait–environment relationships among populations. To address this, we conducted a meta-analysis of common garden studies of grass populations to quantify the degree of heritability of several commonly measured functional traits, and whether demonstrated heritability was driven by climate. We found that leaf size, specific leaf area (SLA) and total biomass all displayed strong broad-sense of heritability. Both leaf area and SLA decreased significantly with increasing temperature seasonality among populations within species, while total biomass increased with increasing annual and dry season precipitation, and decreased with increasing precipitation seasonality. These results indicate similar, consistent drivers of local adaptation among species of grasses. Further information on trait–environment relationships within species could greatly improve our ability to predict broad scale patterns in functional diversity across multiple levels of ecological organization. Expanding the range of traits and regions incorporated in common garden research, in the present case by incorporating root traits and Southern Hemisphere taxa, will provide even greater benefits to the fields of restoration, conservation, and global change ecology.
Differentiation/Maturation of Centers in the Brain Regulating Reproductive Function in Fishes

Publisher Summary This chapter reveals that in all vertebrates, the integrative components controlling reproduction are represented in a finely tuned physiological system called the brain-pituitarygonad (BPG) axis. Receptor organs of environmental signals along with internal physiological signals transmit information, which acts as timers or triggers on specific neuroendocrine centers in the brain which produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This neuropeptide is commonly released into the bloodstream at the median eminence of the hypothalamus, whereupon, it then travels to the adenohypophysis of the pituitary gland and stimulates specific endocrine cells to secrete the gonadotropic hormone (GTH). GTH then acts on the gonads to affect gametogenesis and the production of sex steroids. The sex steroids act back on the pituitary gland and the GnRH centers in the brain, establishing, via negative feedback loops, the homeostasis of hormone levels.
Light-charged-particle emission in the spontaneous fission of 250Cf, 256Fm, and 257Fm

We have measured the energy spectra for the emission of long-range \ensuremath{\alpha} particles from the spontaneous fission of $^{250}\mathrm{Cf}$, $^{256}\mathrm{Fm}$, and $^{257}\mathrm{Fm}$, and for tritons and protons from the spontaneous fission of $^{250}\mathrm{Cf}$ and $^{256}\mathrm{Fm}$. We have determined \ensuremath{\alpha}, triton, and proton emission probabilities and estimated total light-particle emission probabilities for these nuclides. We compare these and known emission probabilities for five other spontaneously fissioning nuclides with the deformation energy available at scission and show that there is a possible correlation that is consistent with a one-body dissipation mechanism for transferring release energy to particle clusters.
Films of the Year, 2010

This article presents reviews of the author's selection of the best films released in the U.S. in 2010: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives; Mysteries of Lisbon; Carlos; The Strange Case of Angelica; Everyone Else; Vincere; Winter's Bone; I Am Love; Sweetgrass; Inside Job .
The Information Content of Standard & Poor's Common Stock Ranking Changes

This study examines the information content of Standard & Poor's common stock ranking changes. Since prior studies find Standard & Poor's common stock rankings provide investors with a measure of risk, a ranking change may signify a change in risk. Common stock ranking changes made by Standard & Poor's may provide investors with a low-cost means of predicting the direction of future market risk. Internal memoranda containing ranking changes from June 1985 through May 1987 were obtained directly from Standard & Poor's. Using a sample of 191 upgrades and 582 downgrades, results indicate that mean portfolio betas change following Standard & Poor's memorandum dates for ranking changes.
Quantifying choriocapillaris hypoperfusion in patients with choroidal neovascularization using swept-source OCT angiography.

Author(s): Keiner, Cathrine M; Zhou, Hao; Zhang, Qinqin; Wang, Ruikang K; Rinella, Nicholas T; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Duncan, Jacque L; Schwartz, Daniel M | Abstract: Purpose:To compare choriocapillaris flow voids (FV) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with age-matched normal controls using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Patients and methods:Eleven eyes of 11 subjects with neovascular AMD and 11 eyes of 11 age-similar normal subjects were imaged using SS-OCTA with a 6x6mm scanning pattern. Choriocapillaris FV, defined as a percentage of regions determined to have flow deficits divided by the total scanned region, was measured using a one standard deviation thresholding algorithm developed from a database of age-similar normal subjects. Results:Choriocapillaris FV was more extensive in patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) compared to age-similar normal subjects (FV: 20.56±4.95, 95% CI: 17.64-23.49 vs FV: 10.95±2.08, 95% CI: 9.73-12.18, respectively; P=0.0001). FV within a two-degree margin surrounding CNV in wet AMD subjects (FV: 35.04±9.34; 95% CI: 29.52-40.56) was increased compared to normal subjects (Pl0.001). FV of the region outside the two-degree margin surrounding CNV (FV: 19.61±6.08, 95% CI: 16.02-23.20) was increased compared to age-similar controls (P=0.0002). In neovascular AMD eyes, FV was greater within two degrees of the margin of CNV than in the remainder of the macula (margin: 35.04±9.34; outside: 19.61±6.08; P=0.002), and CNV lesion area was positively correlated with FV (correlation coefficient =0.84; 95% CI: 0.49-0.96; P=0.001). Conclusion:Choriocapillaris flow deficits were significantly greater in wet AMD subjects than age-similar normal subjects, suggesting that choroidal hypo-perfusion likely plays a role in the pathogenesis of neovascular AMD. Recognition of choriocapillaris flow deficits in patients with AMD may facilitate earlier diagnosis and identify alternative therapeutic targets for this multifactorial disease.
Cytological sampling of fallopian tubes using a hysteroscopic catheter: A multi-center study.

Abstract Objective To assess the feasibility of a novel hysteroscopic catheter to collect fallopian tube cytologic samples and to correlate cytologic findings with histopathology. Methods This was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm pilot study. Women undergoing salpingo-oophorectomy for a pelvic mass suspicious for malignancy or for prevention of cancer for BRCA mutation carriers were recruited from 3 gynecologic oncology centers (October 2016–August 2017). Cytologic samples were collected from the fallopian tube using a novel FDA-cleared hysteroscopic catheter and evaluated by a pathologist blinded to surgical or pathologic findings. The correlation between cytologic results and final surgical pathology was assessed. Results Of the 50 patients enrolled, 42 were eligible. Hysteroscopies were completed in 40 patients with 78 fallopian tubes, of which 65 ostia (83%) were identified. Of these, 61 (72%) were successfully catheterized resulting in 44 (68%) cytology samples adequate for further evaluation: 5 were classified as positive (3 neoplastic and 2 malignant) and 39 as negative (34 benign and 5 reactive/atypical). A comparison of cytology results with fallopian tube histopathology showed a concordance rate of 95% (42/44). Of the two samples with discordant results, both had positive cytology but negative tubal pathology, and both were stage I ovarian cancers with malignant ovary histology. Conclusions Deployment of the device yielded an evaluable cytologic sample in 68% of cases with a high rate of concordance with histopathology. Further evaluation of the device's ability to detect malignancy in high risk populations is warranted.
Possible Future Architectures of Global Governance: A Transnational Perspective/Prospective

Several (normative-analytic) images of (future) global governance architectures are identified. If realized, any of these images would indeed be preferable to the current world (dis)order, as they all fulfill certain core progressive values. Hence, a synthetic transnational per spective on world dynamics over the twentieth century and its impli cations for understanding current and possible future global governance architectures are needed. The article concludes with some cautious prospective and prescriptive thoughts on future global governance architectures for a transnational world. Keywords: globalization, transnational dynamics, global governance architectures, world orders, networks, states, nation, nation-state system, imperialism, sovereignty, civil society.
Early Puerto Rican cinema and nation building: national sentiments, transnational realities, 1897–1940

For generations, scholars of Puerto Rico have dedicated countless pages to the concept of the nation. The colonial reality of the Caribbean archipelago has been fertile ground to think about and th...
Percutaneous Removal of Retained Metallic Ureteral Stent with a Looped Polytetrafluoroethylene-Coated Guidewire

Background: Ureteral stricture disease is a troubling urologic issue that can be managed with surgical reconstruction or, more conservatively, with chronic nephrostomy tubes or ureteral stents. The...
Valuation of Work-from-Home Jobs: Selection, Preferences and Gender

This paper characterizes remote work or work-from-home (WFH) jobs and quantifies the welfare gain from these work arrangements. Using data from the ATUS and CPS, I develop a measure of locational flexibility at work. Motivated by the patterns of sorting in the data, I then develop and estimate a generalized model of sectoral choice with amenities. The structural estimates point to differences by gender in the returns to education and experience, compositional differences as well as preferences. I also find that the gender wage gap persists in remote work at 3.9 dollars (without controlling for selection), most of which is determined by differences in the returns to observable characteristics. With the help of this framework, I estimate the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for these jobs. I find that women have higher valuation (WTP) of these jobs than men. On average, women are willing to pay 3.8 percent of the average hourly wage for locationally flexible jobs whereas men have a low willingness to pay (0.6 percent of hourly wage) for these jobs. Further, college graduates (both men and women) value remote work more than workers without college education. College educated women in particular value remote work the most at 4.3 percent of the hourly wage. The estimates also suggest that there may be specialisation within the household. Mothers who have more children have a higher valuation for remote work whereas fathers have a lower valuation.
Type III-A CRISPR immunity promotes mutagenesis of staphylococci

Horizontal gene transfer and mutation are the two major drivers of microbial evolution that enable bacteria to adapt to fluctuating environmental stressors1. Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) systems use RNA-guided nucleases to direct sequence-specific destruction of the genomes of mobile genetic elements that mediate horizontal gene transfer, such as conjugative plasmids2 and bacteriophages3, thus limiting the extent to which bacteria can evolve by this mechanism. A subset of CRISPR systems also exhibit non-specific degradation of DNA4,5; however, whether and how this feature affects the host has not yet been examined. Here we show that the non-specific DNase activity of the staphylococcal type III-A CRISPR–Cas system increases mutations in the host and accelerates the generation of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. These mutations require the induction of the SOS response to DNA damage and display a distinct pattern. Our results demonstrate that by differentially affecting both mechanisms that generate genetic diversity, type III-A CRISPR systems can modulate the evolution of the bacterial host. In Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, non-specific DNase activity of the type III-A CRISPR–Cas system increases the rate of mutations in the host and accelerates the evolution of resistance to antibiotics and to phage.
THE VALUE OF IDEOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AMONG UNIVERSITY FACULTY

Conservatives in the United States have grown increasingly critical of universities and their faculty, convinced that professors are ideologues from the political left. Universities, for their part, have increasingly adopted a mantra of diversity and inclusivity, but have shown little interest in diversifying the political and ideological profile of their faculties. This essay argues that the lack of political diversity among American university faculty hampers the ability of universities to fulfill their core mission of advancing and disseminating knowledge. The argument is advanced through a series of four questions: Is it true that university faculty are not ideologically diverse? Why might it be true? Does it matter? How might it be fixed.
Antibody-Free Mass Spectrometry Identification of Vascular Integrity Markers in Major Trauma

Antibody mediated strategies for protein biomarker detection are common, but may limit discovery. We hypothesized that the use of antibody-free proteomics is feasible for detecting protein biomarke...
Enhancing Passwords Security Using Deceptive Covert Communication

The use of deception to enhance security has shown promising results as a defensive technique. In this paper we present an authentication scheme that better protects users’ passwords than in currently deployed password-based schemes, without taxing the users’ memory or damaging the user-friendliness of the login process. Our scheme maintains comparability with traditional password-based authentication, without any additional storage requirements, giving service providers the ability to selectively enroll users and fall-back to traditional methods if needed. The scheme utilizes the ubiquity of smartphones; however, unlike previous proposals it does not require registration or connectivity of the phones used. In addition, no long-term secrets are stored in any user’s phone, mitigating the consequences of losing it. Our design significantly increases the difficulty of launching a phishing attack by automating the decisions of whether a website should be trusted and introducing additional risk at the adversary side of being detected and deceived. In addition, the scheme is resilient against Man-in-the-Browser (MitB) attacks and compromised client machines. We also introduce a covert communication mechanism between the user’s client and the service provider. This can be used to covertly and securely communicate the user’s context that comes with the use of this mechanism. The scheme also incorporates the use of deception that makes it possible to dismantle a large-scale attack infrastructure before it succeeds. As an added feature, the scheme gives service providers the ability to have full-transaction authentication.
Sinusoids, Phasors, and Impedance

This chapter describes how real sinusoids are represented using complex quantities called phasors; how circuits containing resistors, capacitors, and inductors are represented using complex quantities called impedances and admittances; and how phasors, impedances, and admittances are used for analyzing sinusoidally excited circuits. This is a long chapter because it extends methods treated in several previous chapters to sinusoidally excited circuits.
Comparison of water column [CO2aq] with sedimentary alkenone‐based estimates: A test of the alkenone‐CO2 proxy

[1] The stable carbon isotopic compositions of alkenones have been used to interpret the long-term history of the partial pressure of atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO2). Although extensive water column and culture studies document the potential utility and limitations of this approach, to date the accuracy of pCO2 values derived from sedimentary alkenones remains untested. For this study we establish Holocene-aged, alkenone-based CO2aq estimates ([CO2aq]alk) from 20 sites along a central Pacific Ocean transect and compare them against both observed modern water column CO2aq and estimated preindustrial concentrations at the depth of alkenone production at each site. Although the [CO2aq]alk track measured water column values, they are conspicuously lower than modern values across the subtropics. This offset likely reflects the contributions of anthropogenic CO2 in modern surface waters relative to preindustrial concentrations at the time of alkenone production. When a model-based estimate of anthropogenic CO2 is removed from the modern observed values, a majority (84%) of [CO2aq]alk falls within 20% of modeled preindustrial values. Consistency between the modeled and alkenone-based estimates of preindustrial CO2 levels points to the relative accuracy of the alkenone-CO2 method across a wide range of ocean and biogeographic regimes, provided that phosphate concentrations, at the depth of haptophyte production, are reasonably constrained. It further suggests that light-limited growth and/or active carbon uptake, if they occur, have a negligible effect on reconstructed [CO2aq].
The roles of receptor-associated protein (RAP) as a molecular chaperone for members of the LDL receptor family.

Members of the LDL receptor family mediate endocytosis and signal transduction of many extracellular ligands which participate in lipoprotein metabolism, protease regulation, embryonic development, and the pathogenesis of disease (e.g., Alzheimer's disease). Structurally, these receptors share common motifs and modules that are highlighted with clusters of cysteine-rich ligand-binding repeats. Perhaps, the most significant feature that is shared by members of the LDL receptor family is the ability of a 39-kDa receptor-associated protein (RAP) to universally inhibit ligand interaction with these receptors. Under physiological conditions, RAP serves as a molecular chaperone/escort protein for these receptors to prevent premature interaction of ligands with the receptors and thereby ensures their safe passage through the secretory pathway. In addition, RAP promotes the proper folding of these receptors, a function that is likely independent from its ability to inhibit ligand binding. The molecular mechanisms underlying these functions of RAP, as well as the molecular determinants that contribute to RAP-receptor interaction will be discussed in this review. Elucidation of these mechanisms should help to clarify how a specialized chaperone promotes the biogenesis of LDL receptor family members, and may provide insights into how the expression and function of these receptors can be regulated via the expression of RAP under pathological states.
A protein domain-centric approach for the comparative analysis of human and yeast phenotypically relevant mutations

The body of disease mutations with known phenotypic relevance continues to increase and is expected to do so even faster with the advent of new experimental techniques such as whole-genome sequencing coupled with disease association studies. However, genomic association studies are limited by the molecular complexity of the phenotype being studied and the population size needed to have adequate statistical power. One way to circumvent this problem, which is critical for the study of rare diseases, is to study the molecular patterns emerging from functional studies of existing disease mutations. Current gene-centric analyses to study mutations in coding regions are limited by their inability to account for the functional modularity of the protein. Previous studies of the functional patterns of known human disease mutations have shown a significant tendency to cluster at protein domain positions, namely position-based domain hotspots of disease mutations. However, the limited number of known disease mutations remains the main factor hindering the advancement of mutation studies at a functional level. In this paper, we address this problem by incorporating mutations known to be disruptive of phenotypes in other species. Focusing on two evolutionarily distant organisms, human and yeast, we describe the first inter-species analysis of mutations of phenotypic relevance at the protein domain level. The results of this analysis reveal that phenotypic mutations from yeast cluster at specific positions on protein domains, a characteristic previously revealed to be displayed by human disease mutations. We found over one hundred domain hotspots in yeast with approximately 50% in the exact same domain position as known human disease mutations. We describe an analysis using protein domains as a framework for transferring functional information by studying domain hotspots in human and yeast and relating phenotypic changes in yeast to diseases in human. This first-of-a-kind study of phenotypically relevant yeast mutations in relation to human disease mutations demonstrates the utility of a multi-species analysis for advancing the understanding of the relationship between genetic mutations and phenotypic changes at the organismal level.
Interactive approximations for a cavitating fluid around a floating structure

Abstract A method is investigated for determining the response of floating structures to underwater explosions strong enough to cause bulk cavitation. In such problems the difference between the actual and free field pressures on any surface surrounding the structure and cavitated region is related to the corresponding velocity differences by a linear functional relation. In this paper, it is proposed that approximate functionals, called interactive approximations, be applied on these surfaces, called interaction horizons. In the limit, the interaction horizon can be taken as the wet surface of the structures, eliminating the consideration of fluid field equations. The technique is applied to the two-dimensional problem of a rigid rectangular structure, floating on a fluid with a bilinear constitutive relation, subjected to a plane, exponentially decaying wave having an angle of incidence. First the exact solution of the nonlinear, steady state, free field problem, including determination of the cavity, is obtained by the method of characteristics. Then the interaction problem is solved by finite differences, using both plane wave and doubly asymptotic interactive approximations, at interaction horizons and on the wet surface. When an interaction horizon is used, Lax's one-dimensional scheme is modified to discretize the fluid equations. It is found that, for this example, the plane wave approximation applied directly to the wet surface is sufficiently accurate to determine structural response.
Bcl-xL protects adult septal cholinergic neurons from axotomized cell death

Bcl-xL suppresses apoptotic cell death induced by diverse stimuli in cell lines in vitro. To examine the mechanism by which axotomized cholinergic neurons die in vivo, lentiviral vectors expressing Bcl-xL, human nerve growth factor (hNGF), or green fluorescent protein were injected into the septum 3 weeks before transection of the fimbria fornix. Three weeks after transection, Bcl-xL- and hNGF-injected animals showed significantly higher numbers of spared cholinergic neurons compared with control (green fluorescent protein) injected animals. These results provide evidence that adult axotomized cholinergic neurons die of apoptotic death that can be prevented by local delivery of hNGF or intracellular delivery of Bcl-xL.
Cellular automaton modeling on the corrosion/oxidation mechanism of steel in liquid metal environment

Corrosion and oxidation of structure material in liquid lead alloys, which have been strongly associated with the nuclear industry, are specific but important areas of corrosion in liquid environments. In high temperature liquid metal environment, the corrosion rate of stainless steels is controlled by the solid diffusion of iron along grain boundaries in the oxide layer and a duplex oxide layer is formed with the inner layer growing by infiltration of corrosive solution along oxide micropores and the outer layer growing by the diffusion of metal ions. To interpret the role of diffusion and reaction process in the process of oxidation, a cellular automaton model, which combines the surface growth and internal oxidation, was created to explain the oxidation mechanism of steels in high temperature corrosive liquid metal environment. In this model, three main processes, which include the corrosion of the substrate, the diffusion of iron species across the oxide layer and precipitation of iron on the oxide layer, are simulated. The diffusion process is simulated by random walk model. Mapping between present model and experimental data has been created. The gross features concerning the evolution of the involved process were explored.
Situating Psychological Well-Being: Exploring the Cultural Roots of Its Theory and Research

Psychological well-being is a seminal concept in counseling and yet it is seldom discussed, researched, or critiqued; this article examines the cultural values and assumptions underlying its theory and research. Contemporary understandings of psychological and subjective well-being are placed in cultural and historical context to illuminate their Euro-American cultural roots. Approaches to psychological well-being are shown to presuppose ontological and liberal individualism as notions of the self and as normative prescriptions for the good or ideal person. It is argued that culture-free theories or measures of well-being are unattainable; all understandings of psychological well-being are based on moral visions.
Uptake, biotransformation, and elimination of rotenone by bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus)

Abstract Yearling bluegills ( Lepomis macrochirus ) were exposed to sublethal concentrations of [ 14 C]rotenone (5.2 μg/l) for 30 days in a continuous flow exposure system and then transferred to clean, flowing water for an additional 21-day depuration period. Rates of uptake and elimination and profile of the rotenoid metabolites in head, viscera, and carcass components were evaluated by 14 C counting and by high performance liquid chromatography. Total [ 14 C]rotenone derived activity was relatively uniform in all body components within 3 days after initial exposure and remained constant during the ensuing 27 days of exposure. Initial uptake rate coefficients were highest in viscera ( K u = 80 · h −1 ) and were nearly identical for head ( K u = 14 · h −1 ) and carcass ( K u = 10 · h −1 ). Analyses of tissue extracts by high performance liquid chromatography confirmed the presence of at least six biotransformation products of rotenone. More than 60% of the activity extracted from viscera was present as a single peak which represented a compound that was extremely soluble in water. Rotenone composed only 0.3% of the extractable activity in viscera taken from fish exposed to rotenone for 30 days; however, rotenone accounted for 15.4% of extractable activity in the head and 20.1% in the carcass components. Rotenolone and 6′,7′-dihydro-6′,7′-dihydroxyrotenolone were tentatively identified as oxidation products in all tissue extracts. Elimination of 14 C activity from all body components was biphasic; both phases followed first-order kinetics. The rate of elimination was nearly equal for all body components during the initial phase but was most rapid from viscera during the second phase of elimination. Bioconcentration factors for the head, viscera, and carcass were 165, 3,550, and 125, respectively, when calculated on the basis of total 14 C activity but only 25.4, 11, and 26 when calculated as the concentration of parent material.
The probability of an undominated central voter in 2-dimensional spatial majority voting

Place a voter v in the plane and scatter additional voters at random about v. What are v's chances of being undominated? When the number of voters, n, is even, this probability is known to be nonzero [5]. Here we prove that the exact probability is 2−(n−2).
Demonstration of interactions among Myxococcus xanthus Dif chemotaxis-like proteins by the yeast two-hybrid system

The Myxococcus xanthus dif locus encodes several bacterial chemotaxis homologues that are crucial for fibril exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, social gliding motility, and fruiting body development. In primary sequence, DifA is homologous to methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein, DifC to CheW, DifD to CheY, DifE to CheA, and DifG to CheC. In this study, the interactions among the Dif chemotaxis-like proteins were investigated using the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system. DifC was found to interact with both DifA and DifE. Using a modified Y2H or a “three-hybrid” system, it was demonstrated that DifC is capable of mediating the formation of DifA, DifC, and DifE ternary protein complexes. The conserved domains of DifE, based on sequence analysis, likely reflect functional conservations of CheA-type kinases, because its P2 domain interacts with DifD, P5 with DifC, and the P3 domain appears to dimerize. Similarly, C-terminal regions of DifA appear to dimerize as well. In addition, DifG was found to interact with DifD, which is consistent with the hypothesis that DifG is a phosphatase of DifD-phosphate. These findings support the models in which Dif proteins constitute a unique chemotaxis-like signal transduction pathway with central functions in regulating EPS production in M. xanthus.
Most probable producing ability of ewes in relation to early growth traits

Data on 8586 lambs from 930 Rambouillet, 936 Targhee and 630 Columbia ewes were studied to determine the relationship of the ewe's own birth weight (BW), 60d weight (60W) and 120d weight (120W) with her subsequent most probable producing ability (MPPA) for these traits in lambs. Ewe/year of birth, age of ewe, lamb sex type of birth, rearing of lamb and regression on birth date affected BW, 60W and 120W (P < 0.01). Year of birth of ewe, ewe breed and the interaction of ewe year of birth × ewe breed affected MPPA-BW, MPPA-60 and MPPA-120 (P < 0.01). Effect of years of birth of ewe, breed of ewe and type of birth and rearing of the ewe, although statistically significant, were very small in magnitude. Residual correlations among growth traits and subsequent MPPA were small in magnitude but positive. Correlations between year of birth for BW with MPPA-BW, 60W with MPPA-60 and 120W with MPPA-120 were 0.47, −0.03, and −0.45, respectively. Similar correlations for age of the ewe's dam subclasses for early growth traits of ewe with the MPPA's were −0.76 between BW and MPPA-BW, −0.42 between 60W and MPPA-60 and −0.95 between 120W and MPPA-120. Correlations of the type of birth and rearing means for MPPA-BW with BW was −0.83, for 60W with MPPA-60 was −0.92 and for MPPA-120 with 120W was −0.99. Results of this study indicate that early growth traits are not a good predictor of subsequent ewe productivity as measured by MPPA for growth of lambs to weaning. Repeatability estimates for BW, 60W and 120W, respectively, were 0.29, 0.22 and 0.24 for Rambouillet, 0.30, 0.17 and 0.17 for Targhee and 0.36, and 0.19 and 0.18 for Columbia.
Too Much Information: Two applications reveal the key challenges in making context-aware computing a reality.

As mobile computing devices and a variety of sensors become ubiquitous, new resources for applications and services - often collectively referred to under the rubric of context-aware computing - are becoming available to designers and developers. In this article, we consider the potential benefits and issues that arise from leveraging context awareness in new communication services that include the convergence of VoIP (voice over IP) and traditional information technology.
Self-Assembly of Frayed Wires and Frayed-Wire Networks: Nanoconstruction with Multistranded DNA

New types of self-assembled 2-D and 3-D DNA networks are presented and characterized using scanning force microscopy. The building blocks of these networks are guanine-rich DNA sequences, d(A15G15) and biotinylated-d(A15G15). These sequences self-assemble into high molecular weight structures, frayed wires, that are composed of a multistranded guanine core with single-stranded adenosine tracts emanating from the core at ∼6 nm intervals. Avidin peroxidase was attached to the biotinylated frayed wires with retention of activity, demonstrating that these structures can be used as scaffolds to support multiple copies of non-DNA molecules. Finally, the frayed wires were linked together with CT15 or T15 to form large 2- and 3-dimensional networks.
Seasonal variability of salinity and circulation in a silled estuarine fjord: A numerical model study

Abstract A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model is used to study seasonal variability of circulation and hydrography in Hood Canal, Washington, United States, an estuarine fjord that develops seasonally hypoxic conditions. The model is validated with data from year 2006, and is shown to be capable of quantitatively realistic simulation of hydrographic variability. Sensitivity experiments show the largest cause of seasonal variability to be that of salinity at the mouth of the fjord, which drives an annual deep water renewal in late summer–early autumn. Variability of fresh water input from the watershed also causes significant but secondary changes, especially in winter. Local wind stress has little effect over the seasonal timescale. Further experiments, in which one forcing parameter is abruptly altered while others are kept constant, show that outside salinity change induces an immediate response in the exchange circulation that, however, decays as a transient as the system equilibrates. In contrast, a change in the river input initiates gradual adjustment towards a new equilibrium value for the exchange transport. It is hypothesized that the spectral character of the system response to river variability will be redder than to salinity variability. This is demonstrated with a stochastically forced, semi-analytical model of fjord exchange circulation. While the exchange circulation in Hood Canal appears less sensitive to the river variability than to the outside hydrography at seasonal timescales, at decadal and longer timescales both could become significant factors in affecting the exchange circulation.
Making money selling content that others are giving away

Attempts to protect existing business models will only serve to delay, or even prevent, the arrival of new content-delivery approaches.
ANALYSIS OF URANIUM-ZINC ALLOYS

Abstract Zinc can be determined in zinc-uranium alloys by titration with Versene (ethylcnediaminetetra-acetic acid), using Murexide as the indicator. Carbonate is added before the titration to mask the uranium.
Cavernous hepatic hemangioma simulating metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract A case of cavernous heinangioma of the liver resembling a metastatic deposit is reported in a patient with renal cell carcinoma. The clinical and angiographic features that distinguish hepatic hemangiomas from metastatic renal cell carcinoma are discussed. The importance of this distinction in patient management is emphasized.
Relocation or reallocation: Impacts of differentiated energy saving regulation on manufacturing industries in China

Unilateral tightening of environmental regulation is often considered to cause regulated industries to locate at places with lower compliance cost. The pollution haven effect may be offset, however, when endogenous technical change and factor reallocation can compensate increased compliance cost. This paper identifies the overall effects on industrial activities from provincially differentiated regulation of energy saving in China. Econometric specifications take into account the workings of different policy instruments, quantity and revenue-based measurement of output, policy-induced price effects, and alternative measurement of productivity and competitiveness. Results indicate that an introduction of energy-saving policies leads to loss of output and productivity in energy-intensive industries initially, which is passed on to other industries via markets of capital and energy-intensive goods. Under higher regulation, energy-intensive industries become more capital-intensive, regain productivity more quickly, and increase export rates; other industries become more labor-intensive, recover more slowly, and decrease export rates. Through capital investment and factor reallocation, China's policy has been effective in improving industrial energy efficiency without causing competitive loss or carbon leakage. An incentive-based instrument of differential electricity prices leads to similar effects on industries, implying the possibility for more efficient policy-making.
Effects of pen bedding and feeding high crude protein diets on manure composition and greenhouse gas emissions from a feedlot pen surface

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations vary by stage of production and management practices. The objective of this research was to study the effect of two dietary crude protein levels (12 and 16%) fed to beef steers in pens with or without corn stover bedding. Manure characteristics and GHG emissions were measured from feedlot pen surfaces. Sixteen equal-sized feedlot pens (19 × 23 m) were used. Eight were bedded approximately twice a week with corn stover and the remaining eight feedlot pens were not bedded. Angus steers (n = 138) were blocked by live weights (lighter and heavier) with 7 to 10 animals per pen. The trial was a 2 × 2 factorial design with factors of two protein levels and two bedding types (bedding vs. non bedding), with four replicates. The study was conducted from June through September and consisted of four ˜28-day periods. Manure from each pen was scrapped once every 28 days and composite manure samples from each pen were collected. Air samples from ...