cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electro-optical platform for the manipulation of live cells

Abstract : The advent of the genome facilitated by the advances in micro- and nanotechnology has revolutionized our understanding of living systems. DNA microarrays, catalytic RNA arrays, and protein arrays are all a consequence of innovations in engineering at the micro- and nanoscales. Here, we extend this paradigm to the fabrication of live mammalian cell arrays that can be used to investigate the state of the cell at the level of an integrated system. Specifically, we describe an electro-optical system that utilizes physical properties of mammalian cells (charge, dielectric permittivity) rather than receptor-mediated adhesion to rapidly pattern and manipulate cells in a microarray format. The platform we describe is an electro-optical method that employs two complementary methods of cell manipulation: (1) electrophoretic arraying of cells in a dc field due to their intrinsic negative surface charge and (2) remote optical manipulation of individual cells by vertical-cavity surface emitting laser driven infrared optical tweezers. The platform is optically transparent and thus enables monitoring of fluorescent reporters of cellular events (e.g., expression of green fluorescent protein) and allows remote optical manipulation of arrayed cells without risk of breaching the aseptic environment. In addition to the experimental manipulation of mammalian cells, we also present a theoretical framework to establish the limitations of the platform we describe. The ability to probe dynamic cellular events in parallel may offer insights into unforeseen biological mechanisms of cellular function and find applications in drug discovery, functional genomics, and tissue engineering.
A general solution of the equations of hydrodynamics

Consider a fluid of constant viscosity μ. If the fluid is incompressible, we suppose it to move in a conservative field in which the force per unit mass is - ∇Ω. If the fluid is compressible, we suppose the field of force to be absent. Both cases are included if we write V = eρΩ, where e = 1 for an incompressible fluid, and e = 0 for a compressible fluid. The equation of continuity
Structural and biological mimicry of protein surface recognition by α/β-peptide foldamers

Unnatural oligomers that can mimic protein surfaces offer a potentially useful strategy for blocking biomedically important protein-protein interactions. Here we evaluate an approach based on combining α- and β-amino acid residues in the context of a polypeptide sequence from the HIV protein gp41, which represents an excellent testbed because of the wealth of available structural and biological information. We show that α/β-peptides can mimic structural and functional properties of a critical gp41 subunit. Physical studies in solution, crystallographic data, and results from cell-fusion and virus-infectivity assays collectively indicate that the gp41-mimetic α/β-peptides effectively block HIV-cell fusion via a mechanism comparable to that of gp41-derived α-peptides. An optimized α/β-peptide is far less susceptible to proteolytic degradation than is an analogous α-peptide. Our findings show how a two-stage design approach, in which sequence-based α→β replacements are followed by site-specific backbone rigidification, can lead to physical and biological mimicry of a natural biorecognition process.
Modal analysis of turborotors using planar modes—theory

The generalized dynamic equations of motion have been obtained by the direct stiffness method for multimass flexible rotor bearing systems including the effects of gyroscopic moments, disk skew, and rotor acceleration. A set of undamped critical speed mode shapes calculated from the average horizontal and vertical bearing stiffness is used to transform the equations of motion into a set of coupled modal equations of motion. The modal equations are coupled by the generalized bearing coefficients and the gyroscopic moments. An analysis using only undamped critical speeds or decoupled modal analysis assuming proportional damping may lead to erroneous results. This paper presents a rapid method of calculating rotor resonance speeds with their corresponding amplification factors, stability and unbalance response of turborotors. Examples of the application of this modal approach are presented and results are compared to those of other methods such as matrix transfer analysis.
Working-class women revolt: gendered political economy in Morocco

The discourse centring on reforms in Morocco has been largely shaped by the sources of power, namely the palace and its allies. Since Mohammed VI's accession to the throne, women's rights have consistently been framed within this neoliberal discourse. Pointing to various measures, such as the personal status code law reforms, the dominant narrative describes Morocco as a ‘progressive’ country with regard to the treatment of women. Additionally, following decades of neoliberal policies initiated under King Hassan II, the liberalisation of both the political and economic system has led to a series of consequences for the Moroccan working class, especially women. Within the past two years, in light of the demands for democratic reforms, the plight of working-class women has gained greater attention, especially following the self-immolation of single mother Fadoua Laroui and the suicide of Amina Filali, a young rape victim forced into a marriage with her rapist. Looking back on years of neoliberal economic po...
Rigid Plastic FEM Model of Fast Solution to Strip Rolling

Rigid plastic finite element method (RPFEM) is one of the most efficient numerical methods during the rolling process. Realizing FEM online application has been main target for many researchers. The influence of compile method, elements number, compressible parameter, friction factor and convergent criteria were investigated and RPFEM model of fast solution to strip rolling was proposed in this work. Compile method and compressible parameter have less influence on calculated rolling force. However, the iteration steps are reduced and computational efficiency is improved greatly with compile method of release and compressible parameter 0.01. The change of calculated rolling force becomes less but iteration steps become more and more with the increment of elements number. Both accuracy and efficiency is satisfying with the change of elements number from 50 to 200. In addition, the typical rolling schedule from a certain plant has been solved with the developed program FFEM-2D by FORTRAN. The predicted rolling force has a good agreement with the measured value. The iteration steps change from 12 to 36 and computational time is less than 200(ms) with the model in one pass rolling. Therefore, the accuracy is satisfying and computational time fully meets the basic requirements of FEM online application. Keywords: Rolling; RPFEM; Fast solution; Computational time
Adiabatic invariants of a gyrating charged particle

In order to examine the adiabatic invariance of the magnetic moment of a charged particle gyrating in electromagnetic fields, Kulsrud (1957) studied the following problem: $\frac{{d}^{2}x}{d{t}^{2}}+{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{2}(\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{t})x=0$, $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{t}=\ensuremath{\epsilon}t$, $\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ensuremath{\ll}1$. Here, a systematic procedure is adopted and a different choice of independent variables made, giving better results. This systematic procedure involves a combination of the method of multiple scales and Poincare-Lighthill-Kuo method to treat this problem.
Nonlinear Additive ARX Models

Abstract We consider in this article a class of nonlinear additive autoregressive models with exogenous variables for nonlinear time series analysis and propose two modeling procedures for building such models. The procedures proposed use two backfitting techniques (the ACE and BRUTO algorithms) to identify the nonlinear functions involved and use the methods of best subset regression and variable selection in regression analysis to determine the final model. Simulated and real examples are used to illustrate the analysis.
Clinical utility of wireless motility capsule in patients with suspected multiregional gastrointestinal dysmotility.

Patients with gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility often experience overlapping upper and lower GI symptoms suggestive of multiregional involvement. Wireless motility capsule (WMC) provides a full GI tract transit profile and may be able to detect and diagnose multiregional dysmotility. To determine the clinical utility and diagnostic yield of WMC in patients with upper and lower GI symptoms suggestive of multiregional GI dysmotility. Retrospective chart review of all patients who had undergone WMC testing for suspected multiregional GI dysmotility from January 2009 to December 2012 at our institution was performed. Information regarding demographics, symptoms, medication use, prior diagnostic studies, and results of WMC testing was collected. A total of 161 patients were included in the analysis. Mean age was 43 ± 15 years, and 83 % were female. WMC was abnormal in 109 (67.7 %) subjects. Of these, 17 (15.6 %) patients had isolated delayed gastric emptying, 13 (11.9 %) patients had isolated delayed small bowel transit, and 25 (22.9 %) patients had isolated delayed large bowel transit. Multiregional dysmotility was diagnosed in 54 (49.5 %) patients. There was no significant difference in past medical or past surgical history between patients with isolated regional versus multiregional involvement. The presence or absence of various patient-reported symptoms by history did not predict an abnormal WMC study. Patients’ symptoms are poor predictors of GI dysmotility and its anatomical extent. WMC can be a useful diagnostic test in these patients as it provides a comprehensive evaluation of the motility profile of the entire GI tract and provides objective evidence of multiregional involvement.
A randomized comparison of two regimens of misoprostol for second-trimester pregnancy termination.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and side effects of two different misoprostol regimens for second-trimester pregnancy termination. Study design We performed a randomized clinical trial in patients who were at 14 to 23 weeks of gestation and who were admitted for medical termination of pregnancy. All patients received 800 μg of vaginal misoprostol and were assigned randomly to 400 μg of oral misoprostol or 400 μg of vaginal misoprostol every 8 hours. Efficacy and side effects were compared. The mean induction time of the study group was compared with that of an historic control group that had received 400 μg vaginally every 12 hours. Results Forty-three women were assigned randomly, 22 women to vaginal misoprostol and 21 women to oral misoprostol. Induction time and hospital stay were slightly shorter for the oral group; however, the differences were not significant. Side effects were similar for both groups. Conclusion After an initial 800 μg dose of vaginal misoprostol, a regimen of 400 μg of oral misoprostol every 8 hours is as effective as the same dose of vaginal misoprostol with no additional side effects, which provides a convenient alternative for midtrimester pregnancy termination.
Autoacetylation of the Histone Acetyltransferase Rtt109

Rtt109 is a yeast histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that associates with histone chaperones Asf1 and Vps75 to acetylate H3K56, H3K9, and H3K27 and is important in DNA replication and maintaining genomic integrity. Recently, mass spectrometry and structural studies of Rtt109 have shown that active site residue Lys-290 is acetylated. However, the functional role of this modification and how the acetyl group is added to Lys-290 was unclear. Here, we examined the mechanism of Lys-290 acetylation and found that Rtt109 catalyzes intramolecular autoacetylation of Lys-290 ∼200-times slower than H3 acetylation. Deacetylated Rtt109 was prepared by reacting with a sirtuin protein deacetylase, producing an enzyme with negligible HAT activity. Autoacetylation of Rtt109 restored full HAT activity, indicating that autoacetylation is necessary for HAT activity and is a fully reversible process. To dissect the mechanism of activation, biochemical, and kinetic analyses were performed with Lys-290 variants of the Rtt109-Vps75 complex. We found that autoacetylation of Lys-290 increases the binding affinity for acetyl-CoA and enhances the rate of acetyl-transfer onto histone substrates. This study represents the first detailed investigation of a HAT enzyme regulated by single-site intramolecular autoacetylation.
Dialysis grafts arterial plug: Retrieval using the tulip sheath device in vitro

The “arterial plug” is a resistant thrombus that frequently persists at the arterial anastomosis of clotted hemodialysis grafts following thrombolytic therapy. We studied the physical and morphological characteristics of the plug and determined the feasibility of transcatheter removal in vitro using the tulip compression thrombectomy system. Sixteen thrombus plugs were recovered during surgical thrombectomy of clotted human dialysis grafts. The physical and gross physical characteristics of all plugs were analyzed. Eight specimens were evaluated microscopically. Transcatheter compression thrombectomy of eight plugs was attempted in vitro. Each plug was embedded in a polyvinyl tube filled with newly clotted blood and connected to a flow circuit. First, balloon-assisted aspiration thrombectomy (BAT) of soft thrombus was performed, while sparing the distal-most segment containing the plug. The tulip sheath was then introduced facing the “arterial end” of the tube. The thrombus segment containing the plug was pulled back into the tulip mesh using either a 3 Fr Fogarty balloon catheter or a self-expanding rake. The tulip was closed to compress and remove the trapped plug. Near-complete thrombectomy of soft clot was achieved in all tested tubes. Compression and retrieval of the entire arterial plug was successful in all except one, where only partial compression of the plug occurred, presumably due to fibrotic changes. No fragmentation or embolization occurred in the remaining procedures. Spongy consistency was noted in 94% of the specimens. Microscopic evaluation showed organized layered thrombus with compaction in five plugs. Transcatheter removal of a thrombus plug is feasible in vitro using the tulip compression-thrombectomy system.
THE EFFECT OF LOW TEMPERATURES ON THE SENSITIVITY OF RADIOMETERS.

The behavior of radiometers at low temperatures, besides being of some interest to the theoretical physicist,(2) is of considerable importance to one desiring to carry radiant energy measurements to an extreme limit. Various workers have already pushed the sensitivity of such instruments as the thermocouple, radio micrometer, and radiometer into the region in which Brownian movement begins to mask observations so that any great gain in the sensitivity of existing instruments must come from some change in technique rather than from mere refinement of our instruments.
Histomoniasis and reticuloendotheliosis in a wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in North Carolina.

A moribund wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) died shortly after it was discovered in Martin County, North Carolina (USA). The 4.3-kg female turkey appeared in good condition with no visible external lesions or evidence of injury. There were 2- to 5-mm yellow-white plaques on the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity and mid-esophagus. The liver had large, multifocal, irregular pale areas on cut and uncut surfaces. The spleen contained multifocal, pale, hard, nodules. Microscopic changes in the liver consisted of large multifocal coalescing areas of necrosis. Occasional spherical 10 to 15 μm in diameter organisms consistent with Histomonas meleagridis were present in the necrotic areas. Viable hepatic parenchyma contained multifocal infiltrations of numerous mononuclear cells interpreted as neoplastic cells resembling lymphoblasts and plasma cells. Similar neoplastic cell infiltrates, consistent with the lymphoproliferative disease reticuloendotheliosis, were present in spleen, lung, and esophageal and oral ...
Specific insulin binding sites in human ovary.

Abstract The strong association between hyperinsulinemic states of insulin resistance and ovarian hyperandrogenism has led to the suggestion that insulin might directly influence the function of the ovary. To assess this possibility, we have attempted to directly measure insulin receptors in the ovarian stroma of three patients who were operated upon for polycystic ovarian disease. 125I-insulin binding was easily detectable in fragments of ovarian stroma in each case. Specific binding was totally inhibited by pre-treatment with serum containing specific anti-insulin receptor autoantibodies (B-2). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that insulin can directly influence ovarian function. Further studies of insulin receptors and insulin action in human ovarian tissue could lead to a better understanding of the link between insulin resistant states and ovarian hyperfunction.
The inhibitory action of FR 34235 (a new Ca2+ entry blocker) as compared to nimodipine and nifedipine on the contractile response to norepinephrine, potassium and 5-hydroxytryptamine in rabbit basilar artery.

Abstract In isolated basilar arteries, FR 34235 (FR), a new Ca2+ entry blocker, inhibited the contractile response to potassium, norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in a dose-dependent manner. The potency of the inhibitory action of FR was in the following order: potassium > 5-HT norepinephrine. Nifedipine had a similar inhibitory action on the responses. Nimodipine had no inhibitory effect on the response to norepinephrine but suppressed the responses to potassium and 5-HT.
Correlation of the AD8, an informant-based dementia screening tool, with amyloid imaging and CSF biomarkers of Alzheimer disease

contrast sensitivity (mean deviation, MD; pattern standard deviation, PSD), 110 threshold measures from 55 retinal regions of each eye, and demographic and cognitive performance variables were compared between groups using ANCOVA, covaried for age at exam, gender, and years of education. The relationships between global GMD, MD, and PSD were assessed using SPM5. Results: Significant differences across groups were detected in FDT-2 measures of overall and local contrast sensitivity, including both MD and PSD, and in 36 right eye retinal regions and 48 left eye retinal regions (p < 0.05 to p < .0001, Figure 1). AD and MCI patients demonstrated the greatest reduction in contrast sensitivity relative to HCs, with CC participants showing an intermediate level of impairment. MD and PSD were significantly related to hippocampal GMD in the left and bilateral hippocampi, respectively (p < 0.01 (unc.), Figure 2). Conclusions: Contrast sensitivity, as measured by the FDT-2 system, is reduced in patients with AD and MCI and may represent a novel and complementary biomarker for detecting and monitoring AD-related neurodegeneration. IC-P-007 CORRELATION OF THE AD8: AN INFORMANTBASED DEMENTIA SCREENING TOOL WITH AMYLOID IMAGING AND CSF BIOMARKERS OF ALZHEIMER DISEASE
Parallel monotonicity reconstruction

We investigate the problem of monotonicity reconstruction, as defined in [3], in a parallel setting. We have oracle access to a nonnegative real-valued function f defined on domain [n]d = {1,…,n}d. We would like to closely approximate f by a monotone function g. This should be done by a procedure (a filter) that given as input a point x ∈ [n]d outputs the value of g(x), and runs in time that is highly sublinear in n. The procedure can (indeed must) be randomized, but we require that all of the randomness be specified in advance by a single short random seed. We construct such an implementation where the the time and space per query is (log n)O(1) and the size of the seed is polynomial in log n and d. Furthermore the distance of the approximating function g from f is at most a constant multiple of the minimum distance of any monotone function from f. This implementation allows for parallelization: one can initialize many copies of the filter with the same short random seed, and they can autonomously handle queries, while producing outputs that are consistent with the same approximating function g.
Dose response curves for some immunosuppressive agents

Many immunosuppressive chemotherapeutic agents act largely through impairment of cell reproductive integrity. Using the Jerne's plaque assay, the inhibitory effect of nitrogen mustard, melphalan, 5-fluorouracil and 6-thioguanine on antibody formation was studied. It was observed that manipulation of the dose, frequency of administration and its timing in relation to immunization altered the magnitude of immunosuppression. In other experiments, the role of reticulo-endothelial system, thymic function and nutritional factors was found to be critical. For corresponding degrees of progressive immunosuppression, the dose of alkylating agents was increased in an arithmetic fashion and by log increments in the case of antimetabolites. There findings have relevance in formulating maximally effective therapeutic schedules with minimal toxicity.
A decision-making framework for justifying a portfolio of IT projects

Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive decision-making framework for evaluating a portfolio of IT projects. A problem of IT project selection with and without project interdependencies is considered. The problem is subject to maximum project funding budget constraint. When IT project portfolio contains independent projects, a dynamic programming (DP) solution procedure is proposed to efficiently solve the portfolio of IT projects' problem. However, when IT project portfolio contains project interdependencies, a mixed integer programming (MIP) approach is needed to solve the problem optimally. Experiments and results using simulated data using Monte Carlo simulation are provided. The results indicate that a large set of project selection problems containing up to 60 projects can be solved easily using the proposed decision-making framework.
Abundance and dispersion of the invasive Mediterranean annual, Centaurea melitensis in its native and non-native ranges

In general, invasive plants are assumed to behave more aggressively in their invasive ranges than in their native range, and studies of the mechanisms of invasion often assume these differences. However, comparisons of abundances between native and invasive ranges are rarely carried out. We compared density and dispersion of the invasive plant, Centaurea melitensis (Asteraceae) in its native range and two invasive ranges of similar mediterranean-climate type. The objective was to quantify the differences in its abundance among three distant regions. We surveyed six sites in the native range (Spain) and in each of two invaded ranges (California and central Chile) for population density, relative dominance and spatial distribution of Centaurea. Centaurea occurred at higher densities in invasive sites than in native ones, with a median of 100 plants per m2 and 70 plants per m2 in California and Chile, respectively, compared to only 4 plants per m2 in Spain. Centaurea was more dominant in both invasive ranges than in the native range. Centaurea density and relative dominance were highly variable within regions. Plants in Spain were randomly dispersed, while those in both invasive ranges were more aggregated. Annual precipitation and mean annual temperature were the best predictors of Centaurea density. In California sites, density was negatively correlated with soil nutrients. The presence of at least one high-density population with near total dominance in Spain suggests that there might be ecological mechanisms for invasiveness in Centuarea that are not unique to invaded ranges.
From 2D images to 2.5D sprites: a layered approach to modeling 3D scenes

We propose a framework for modeling the appearance and geometry of 3D scenes as a collection of approximately 2D layers. Each layer corresponds to a view-based representation of a portion of the scene whose disparity across the given set of views can be approximately modeled using a planar surface. The representation of each layer consists of the parameters of the plane, a color image that specifies the appearance of that portion of the scene, a per-pixel opacity map, and a per-pixel depth offset relative to the nominal plane. The layers are recovered by analyzing the pixel disparities across the input images. Depth and color information can be integrated from multiple images even in regions that may be partially occluded in some of the views. New views of the scene can be generated efficiently by rendering each individual layer from that view and combining the layer images in a back to front order. Layers from different scenes can be combined into a new synthetic scene with realistic appearance and geometric effects for multimedia authoring applications.
CXCR6 Plays a Critical Role in Angiotensin II–Induced Renal Injury and Fibrosis

Objective— Recent studies have shown that angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of hypertensive kidney disease. However, the signaling mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of CXCR6 in Ang II–induced renal injury and fibrosis. Approach and Results— Wild-type and CXCR6-green fluorescent protein (GFP) knockin mice were treated with Ang II via subcutaneous osmotic minipumps at 1500 ng/kg per minute after unilateral nephrectomy for ≤4 weeks. Wild-type and CXCR6-GFP knockin mice had virtually identical blood pressure at baseline. Ang II treatment led to an increase in blood pressure that was similar between wild-type and CXCR6-GFP knockin mice. CXCR6-GFP knockin mice were protected from Ang II–induced renal dysfunction, proteinuria, and fibrosis. CXCR6-GFP knockin mice accumulated fewer bone marrow–derived fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and produced less extracellular matrix protein in the kidneys after Ang II treatment. Furthermore, CXCR6-GFP knockin mice exhibited fewer F4/80 + macrophages and CD3 + T cells and expressed less proinflammatory cytokines in the kidneys after Ang II treatment. Finally, wild-type mice engrafted with CXCR6 −/− bone marrow cells displayed fewer bone marrow–derived fibroblasts, macrophages, and T cells in the kidney after Ang II treatment when compared with wild-type mice engrafted with CXCR6 +/+ bone marrow cells. Conclusions— Our results indicate that CXCR6 plays a pivotal role in the development of Ang II–induced renal injury and fibrosis through regulation of macrophage and T-cell infiltration and bone marrow–derived fibroblast accumulation.
Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Few studies have prospectively examined characteristics of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients as predictors of postimplant outcome. In this study the authors considered the association between preimplant psychological characteristics, ICD shocks, and postimplant quality of life at short- and long-term follow-ups, controlling for age and ejection fraction (N=88). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that history of depression, trait anxiety, optimism, social support, and ICD shocks accounted for 41.8% to 64.5% of the variance in quality of life indices at 8- and 14-month follow-ups, depending on the outcome assessed. Further, psychological variables were as strong as, or stronger than, age, ejection fraction, and ICD shocks in predicting quality of life outcomes.
Do response modality effects support multiprocessor models of divided attention

Some studies have suggested that dual-task interference is greatly reduced when tasks requiring very different types of responses (e.g., manual and vocal) are combined. However, in those studies, the order of stimuli varied unpredictably. In Experiments 1 and 2, variable stimulus order greatly inflated interference between two manual tasks, whereas interference between a manual and a vocal task was only slightly exacerbated. However, central interference (the psychological refractory period) persisted even with the manual/vocal combination. Selection of 2 manual responses with unknown stimulus order may require a special strategy to preclude intertask intrusion errors. Experiment 3 demonstrated that such errors could be provoked with speed stress. Together, these results reconcile response modality effects with the response selection bottleneck model for dual-task interference (once it is suitably amended). Language: en
Common Use of Prescription Off-Label Acne Therapy in Children Younger Than 12 Years Old

Acne is occurring more frequently in younger age groups, but most available treatments are considered off-label in young children. As the epidemiology of acne has changed to include younger children over the past 20 years, neither regulators, pharmaceutical companies, nor clinicians have understood the need or value of obtaining regulatory sanctions for problems physicians have managed using clinical judgment. The objective of this study was to analyze the frequency of off-label acne treatment according to age and other demographic factors. We searched the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 1993 to 2010 for visits in children younger than 12 years of age for the diagnosis of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, code 706.1. We tabulated leading acne treatments and assessed factors associated with off-label prescribing. Off-label but appropriate acne treatments were used in 29% of acne visits for children younger than 12 years of age. Dermatologists were more likely than pediatricians to prescribe off-label treatment (p < 0.001). The most frequently used off-label treatments were topical retinoids, followed by oral antibiotics. There was no significant trend in the rate of off-label prescribing over time (p = 0.40). Off-label treatment is well within the standard of care for young children with acne. More data on the use of topical retinoids in young children will improve our understanding of their use, which may help optimize treatment outcomes for children with acne.
The activation region of the Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 functions in yeast

Abstract The N-terminal 48 amino acids of the Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus type (HIV)-1 constitute its activation region. This region can autonomously activate transcription when targeted to the HIV-1 long terminal repeat or certain heterologous promoters either through DNA binding sites located upstream of the transcription initiation site or via downstream RNA binding sites in mammalian cells. To determine whether the Tat activation region can function in yeast, we have assayed the effect of a chimeric gene (GAL-Tat48) expressing the DNA binding domain of the yeast transcription factor Gal4 (residues 1-147) and the activation region of Tat on GAL1 promoter-directed expression of the lacZ reporter gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our results indicate that the Gal-Tat48 fusion protein can induce significant activation of the GAL1 promoter. Analysis of a number of Tat mutants located within the activation region indicate that the amino acid residues of Tat essential for trans-activation in mammalian cells are also required for transactivation in yeast. Our results suggest that Tat-mediated transcriptional activation may involve a mechanism conserved among yeast and mammalian cells.
Contributors to assessments of risk in intimate partner violence: How victims and professionals differ

This article explores what factors contribute to victims' vs. victim advocates' assessments of risk of repeat intimate Partner violence. A sample of 169 court-involved victims and the advocates who conducted intake with them were asked to rate victims' risk of repeat abuse. Significant contributors to victim assessments were her level of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, the batterer's general violence, whether she had been living with the batterer at the time of the offense, and the level of psychological abuse in the relationship. For advocates, significant contributors were the batterer's drug use, whether the batterer and victim had children in common, and the level of physical and psychological abuse in the relationship. Implications of these differences and directions for future study are discussed. Language: en
Effect of Carrier Gas on the Growth Rate, Growth Density, and Structure of Carbon Nanotubes

We attempt to understand the fundamental factors that determine the growth rate of carbon nanotubes. In a series of experiments on growing multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by thermal chemical vapor deposition, we found that the addition of carrier gas and the type of carrier gas can change the growth rate, growth density, and structures of MWNTs. We explain these results based on the dissociative adsorption of C2H2 on Fe nanoparticles and the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth model. Finally, high-density, vertically aligned MWNTs were grown when decomposition and segregation rates of carbon were balanced.
CANCER IN ADULTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE COMPARED TO THE GENERAL POPULATION

Exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation from repeated imaging procedures may increase the risk of malignancy in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. We aimed to compare the prevalence of cancer in adults with CHD vs. the general population. The Quebec CHD database and Cancer Registry
Mutagenicity screening of reaction products from the enzyme‐catalyzed oxidation of phenolic pollutants

Phenol-oxidizing enzymes such as peroxidases, laccases, and mushroom polyphenol oxidase are capable of catalyzing the oxidation of a wide range of phenolic pollutants. Although the use of these enzymes in waste-treatment applications has been proposed by a number of investigators, little information exists on the toxicological characteristics of the oxidation products. The enzymes chloroperoxidase, horseradish peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, and mushroom polyphenol oxidase were used in this study to catalyze the oxidation of phenol, several mono-substituted phenols, and pentachlorophenol. Seventeen reaction mixtures representing selected combinations of enzyme and parent phenol were subjected to mutagenicity screening using the Ames Salmonella typhimurium plate incorporation assay; five selected mixtures were also incubated with the S9 microsomal preparation to detect the possible presence of promutagens. The majority of reaction mixtures tested were not directly mutagenic, and none of those tested with S9 gave a positive response. Such lack of mutagenicity of enzymatic oxidation products provides encouragement for establishing the feasibility of enzyme-catalyzed oxidation as a waste-treatment process. The only positive responses were obtained with reaction products from the lignin peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of 2-nitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol. Clear positive responses were observed when strain TA100 was incubated with 2-nitrophenol reaction-product mixtures, and when strain TA98 was incubatedmore » with the 4-nitrophenol reaction mixture. Additionally, 2,4-dinitrophenol was identified as a reaction product from 4-nitrophenol, and preliminary evidence indicates that both 2,4- and 2,6-dinitrophenol are produced from the oxidation of 2-nitrophenol. Possible mechanism by which these nitration reactions occur are discussed.« less
Second-Harmonic Rayleigh Scattering from a Sphere of Centrosymmetric Material

The analysis presented here reveals the leading-order contributions to SHRS arise from two sources: nonlocal excitation of an electric-dipole moment E1 and local excitation of the electric-quadrupole moment E2. The presence of these two sources and their distinct radiation patterns cause the SHRS process to differ significantly from that of LRS. In this Letter, we examine the nature of the radiation pattern for SHRS and present new selection rules, including the prohibition of nonlinear scattering along the forward and backward directions. From this analysis of the radiation process, we are able to give protocols for determining, as completely as possible, the surface nonlinear susceptibility tensor for the sphere. Consideration of the SHRS efficiency compared with that for a planar surface allows us to estimate the minimum particle size (radius a 5 nm) for which SHRS scattering is expected to be readily observable. With respect to spectral characteristics, the basic variation of the scattered power in SHRS is found to scale with the frequency as v 6 , in contrast to the classic v 4 dependence of LRS. In addition, we predict new resonances for metallic particles arising from excitation of both dipole and quadrupole surface plasmons. The problem of SHRS is described schematically in Fig. 1. We wish to determine the SH radiation in the far field for nonlinear scattering from a sphere of radius a much less than the optical wavelength l. We treat the nonlinear response of the sphere as a thin layer localized at the surface of the sphere and represented by a surface
Community Crises: An Exploratory Comparison of the Characteristics and Consequences of Disasters and Riots

Some social science literature conceptualizes disasters and riots together, treating the two phenomena as involving but one relatively homogeneous type of social crisis. This is only valid if the pre-, trans and post-impact behaviours in such consensus and conflict occasions are roughly the same. This assumption is examined by comparing the similarities and differences between what occurs in community disasters and riots as these have been reported in empirical studies, looking at behaviours appearing at the individual, organizational and community levels. Significant differences have been found supporting the notion that consensus-type crises such as disasters ought to be conceptualized as a different social category than riots.
Hyperspectral imagery: clutter adaptation in anomaly detection

Hyperspectral sensors are passive sensors that simultaneously record images for hundreds of contiguous and narrowly spaced regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Each image corresponds to the same ground scene, thus creating a cube of images that contain both spatial and spectral information about the objects and backgrounds in the scene. In this paper, we present an adaptive anomaly detector designed assuming that the background clutter in the hyperspectral imagery is a three-dimensional Gauss-Markov random field. This model leads to an efficient and effective algorithm for discriminating man-made objects (the anomalies) in real hyperspectral imagery. The major focus of the paper is on the adaptive stage of the detector, i.e., the estimation of the Gauss-Markov random field parameters. We develop three methods: maximum-likelihood; least squares; and approximate maximum-likelihood. We study these approaches along three directions: estimation error performance, computational cost, and detection performance. In terms of estimation error, we derive the Cramer-Rao bounds and carry out Monte Carlo simulation studies that show that the three estimation procedures have similar performance when the fields are highly correlated, as is often the case with real hyperspectral imagery. The approximate maximum-likelihood method has a clear advantage from the computational point of view. Finally, we test extensively with real hyperspectral imagery the adaptive anomaly detector incorporating either the least squares or the approximate maximum-likelihood estimators. Its performance compares very favorably with that of the RX algorithm.
GENE FREQUENCY CHANGES AT THE α-AMYLASE LOCUS IN EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA

The frequencies of alleles at the α-Amylase locus of D. pseudoobscura were followed in both large and small experimental populations. No evidence for balancing or directional selection was found, although our ability to detect weak selection is limited. The gene frequency changes in our experimental populations were consistent with the hypothesis of selective neutrality and genetic drift due to sampling error.
Hyperacute allergic encephalomyelitis: a single determinant.

HEAE cannot be induced in either guinea pigs using 1010 or 20x1010 organisms of B. pertussis or in rabbits using 4x1010 organisms of B. pertussis and basic protein from the following species: guinea pig, Lewis rat, human, bovine, porcine, monkey and rabbit. The only encephalitogenic region for Lewis rats which also produces HEAE in Lewis rats is not encephalitogenic in either rabbits or guinea pigs. Therefore it seems highly probable that there is only one HEAE determinant for all species which are able to express HEAE.
Immune thrombocytopenia exacerbated by nivolumab in a patient with non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract Introduction Nivolumab is a programmed death 1 (PD-1) immune-checkpoint inhibitor antibody currently approved for second-line therapy of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PD-1 inhibitors including nivolumab are associated with a unique spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), though hematologic irAEs are rare and have not been previously reported in patients with NSCLC. Presentation of case Here we report a patient who experienced an exacerbation of underlying immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) while receiving nivolumab for NSCLC. The patient's ITP was successfully managed with romiplostim during nivolumab therapy, allowing for 7 months of clinical benefit and a partial tumor response. Discussion Using this case as an example, we provide a brief review of irAEs associated with PD-1 blockade, with particular attention to hematologic events. We also describe our approach to the use of nivolumab in this patient with underlying autoimmune disease. Conclusion Patients with NSCLC and underlying autoimmune disease may experience a flare of the autoimmune condition while receiving immune checkpoint inhibition. As illustrated by this case of ITP exacerbated by nivolumab, careful management of the autoimmune disease may allow for the safe administration of PD-1 directed agents in these patients.
Multiresolution Aircraft Guidance in a Spatiotemporally-varying Threat Field

We consider the problem of generating an optimal aircraft reference trajectory in a horizontal plane, where the objective is to minimize exposure to a spatiotemporally varying scalar field. We consider a special case, where this field is timeinvariant, and we discuss optimal trajectory generation for an aircraft kinematic model based on firstand second-order necessary conditions of optimal control. Next, we consider the general case, with the additional assumption that the knowledge of this field is available in vehicle-centric multiresolution detail. For this general problem, we propose a hybrid algorithm that combines (continuous) trajectory optimization with a (discrete) geometric path-planning method. This path-planning method uses wavelet-based multiresolution cell decompositions to find a path to the destination through regions where the field intensity is known with lesser detail. The results of this geometric path-planning algorithm provide a terminal penalty function for the trajectory optimization problem. We provide illustrative numerical simulation results for the proposed algorithm.
Symptomatic Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion in Pituitary Apoplexy: A Case Report and Literature Review

ABSTRACT Objective: We present a case and a review of relevant literature demonstrating that pituitary apoplexy rarely presents with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)-induced hyponatremia. We discuss management strategies, including consideration of pituitary surgery in the absence of visual disturbance if conservative management fails to control profound hyponatremia. Methods: Case report with literature review. Results: A previously healthy, 32-year-old female with a history of regular menses presented with fatigue, lethargy, severe headache, and intractable nausea with emesis. At presentation she was clinically euvolemic with intact visual fields and had hypoosmolar hyponatremia with serum sodium 109 mmol/L, serum osmolality 232 mOsm/kg, urine sodium 114 mmol/L, and urine osmolality 374 mOsm/kg. Her thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration was low normal, with a free thyroxine concentration of 0.6 ng/dL and a random serum cortisol measurement of 8.7μmg/dL. Pituitary magn...
Towards Inverse Estimation of Properties, Process Parameters and Residual Effects for Friction Stir Welding

Forward and inverse modeling of the friction stir welding (FSW) process is an important endeavor that can be used to optimize process parameters that play a significant role on achieving manufactured part specification requirements. One such requirement is the minimization of permanent deformation induced by the plastically deformed zone close and inside the stirred zone. However, at the same time modeling FSW requires the estimation of process parameters that are not directly measurable. In this work we present a computational framework for applying an inverse approach for the heat conduction equation with experimentally guided volume heat source term that can be used to identify such parameters and subsequently use them for solving the associated forward coupled thermo-plastic problem in a Lagrangian frame of reference. We demonstrate the versatility of our framework by determining the feasibility of determining plastic (and hence residual) deformation.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Bearing Vibration Analysis and Solutions for LP Rotor of Steam Turbine Model N200

Through the analysis of a certain power plant a steam turbine vibration of the start-up process data,think that main reasons of low-pressure rotor bearing vibration big is rotor mass unbalanced.By using method of high-speed balancing,In up speed over critical and down speed over critical and 3000r/min,bearing vibration of low-pressure rotor achieves high standards.
Research on the Data Manage Technology of Saa S Service Platform Based on Open Architecture

To solve the problems of data security and distributed data management that existed in Saa S platform, the paper puts forward a system application framework based on open Saa S service platform architecture. On the basis of this architecture, the paper gives abstract modeling on data application, which uses the idea of optimizing cache management strategy to solve data access problem in network environment. Combining with traditional LRU arithmetic and SIZE arithmetic, the paper gives a LRU-SIZE arithmetic which is effective on the management of data access of the open Saa S service platform. The combination of open Saa S service architecture and LRU-SIZE arithmetic can solve the problems of data access and data management of enterprise effectively. Meanwhile, it can improve the application experience of users.
Explaining sense perception: A scholastic challenge

A l'encontre des commentateurs contemporains, l'A. explique la theorie de la perception chez Aristote d'apres l'analyse des scolastiques. Il montre comment l'âme peut percevoir une forme sans matiere, et comment la perception releve a la fois de la physique, de la psychologie et de la physiologie. La seconde partie de l'article, realisee par un autre A., reprend les theses precedentes de maniere critique, et s'appuie sur les textes d'Aristote pour nuancer toute affirmation trop categorique
Operative management of fractures of the shaft of the radius and ulna.

SUMMARY Diaphyseal fractures of the radius and ulna usually can be managed by closed reduction and immobilization in a long arm cast. Open fractures may benefit from pinning if the reduction will be difficult to maintain. Fractures that cannot be reduced or for which satisfactory alignment maintained are best managed operatively. Our preference is for intramedullary fixation. Operative management will be necessary most frequently in children older than age 10.
Domestic diversion: selective targeting of minority out-groups

Domestic political use of force is a strategy for political leaders to divert the public’s attention away from economic instability and rebuild political capital. But, diversionary incentives are n...