cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controls on the δ 13 C DIC and alkalinity budget of a flashy subtropical stream (Manoa River, Hawaii)

Abstract Hawaiian streams are flashy in nature because watersheds are small and steep and receive intense and unevenly distributed rainfall. As a result, stream chemistry is characterized by considerable spatiotemporal variability. To examine how rainfall and streamflow affect the solute content of the Manoa River in Hawaii, time-series geochemical data collected during 17 sampling campaigns in spring-fall of 2010 were evaluated in a coupled δ 13 C DIC /major ion inversion model. Spatially, the stream is characterized by a distinct shift from a low HCO 3 (43 mg/L), low pCO 2 (3760 ppmv) and heavy δ 13 C DIC (−6.5‰) fingerprint in the upper reaches to a high HCO 3 (91 mg/L), high pCO 2 (8961 ppmv) and light δ 13 C DIC (−11.7‰) signature in the lowlands. These trends are attributed to (1) progressive weathering of exposed aluminosilicates, and (2) downstream enrichment in CO 2 from organic matter decay in the soil zone. Solute (i.e., nitrate) yields from nitric acid weathering are generally low ( 13 C DIC and rainfall rates in the mid-stream section of the river which is consistent with an atmospheric CO 2 dilution effect during high rainfall events. This dilution effect needs to be accounted for to reliably describe the role of volcanic island river systems in global assessments of silicate weathering and CO 2 degassing.
Ruhetag. Im Garten und im Dorfe

Heut’ ist Sonntag. Das ist ein Ruhetag fur die grosen und kleinten Leute. Auf den Feldern wird nicht gearbeitet, und auch zu Hause wird nur das Nothtgste besorgt. Die Leute ziehen ihre besten Kleider an, gehen in die Kirche und singen und beten. Der Grosvater geht auch in die Kirche und predigt auf der Kanzel vom lieben Gott. Da horen alle Leute andachtig zu, dann singen und beten sie wieder, und wenn der Gottesdienst zu Ende ist, gehen sie heim in ihre Hauser. Wir werden heute auch in die Kirche gehen; wenn wir dann zum Papa und zur Mama kommen, wollen wir ihnen Alles erzahlen, was wir gehort und gesehen hahen. Einen groseren Spaziergang unternehmen wir heute nicht. Die Luft ist schon am Vormittag sehr schwul; der Grosvater sagt, wir wurden wol am Nachmittag Gewitter bekommen. Wenn es nicht regnet, so unternehmen wir mit dem Grosater gegen Abend einen kleinen Gang um und durch das Dorf, auch den Schlosgarten und den grosen Teich werden wir besuchen, das hat uns der Grosvater versprochen.
Human Heart Coronary Arteries Segmentation

The volume information extracted from computed tomography angiogram (CTA) datasets makes them a valuable tool for cardiologists to diagnose various types of diseases. In this paper, an approach is developed to segment the coronary artery trees from CTA datasets. And the segmented coronary artery trees can be visualized with triangle surface mesh in three-dimensional space.
DNA replication and mismatch repair safeguard against metabolic imbalances

During DNA replication, the major DNA replicative polymerases Polδ and Pole introduce noncomplementary nucleotides approximately once in every 100,000 polymerization events. Proofreading properties of these polymerases improve their fidelity by 10- to 100-fold, and postreplicative DNA mismatch repair (MMR), which acts as a spell checker to remove mismatches that escape polymerase proofreading, improves this fidelity even further, resulting in mutation rates as low as 2 × 10−10 substitutions per base per cell division (1). Mutations in genes encoding MMR proteins and DNA polymerase proofreading activities are linked to elevated mutation rates and diseases such as cancer, and these rates are synergistically increased in double mutants (2, 3). In PNAS, Schmidt et al. (4) describe work in which they screened for defects in genome stability in genetic backgrounds where processes that limit mutagenesis were compromised. Their work provides new insights for how cellular metabolism and nucleotide pool homeostasis interact to avoid mutation and maintain genome stability. They also provide evidence that DNA polymerase fidelity and MMR functions are sufficiently robust to compensate at least partially for defects in cellular metabolism (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Removing the buffering capabilities of DNA replication and DNA MMR uncovers new factors that contribute to nucleotide pool homeostasis. Multiple mechanisms contribute to the overall fidelity of DNA replication. For example, each of the four mechanisms outlined in this figure can compensate for defects in the others. ( i ) A homeostasis mechanism responds to cellular metabolism to regulate the biosynthesis of dNTP and dNTP precursors to maintain a balanced concentration of dNTPs. ( ii ) DNA polymerase proofreading activities: During eukaryotic DNA replication, the major replicative polymerases Pole and Polδ both contain proofreading activities that enable them to excise misincorporation errors. However, Polα, which initiates DNA synthesis at origins and at Okazaki fragments, does not contain such a function. … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: eea3{at}cornell.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Non-Foster Matched Antennas for High-Power Applications

A non-Foster matching network has been designed for a small cylindrical slot antenna, and its broadband matching capability has been examined at varying signal power levels. It has been observed that the non-Foster circuit (NFC) impedance changes considerably as the signal power increases, thus reducing its matching capability as well as introducing stability problems. To analyze its true advantage in transmit applications, the third-order intermodulation output intercept point (OIP3) and the gain-bandwidth product of the non-Foster matched antenna have been compared with the unmatched antenna, when both are attached to the same power amplifier. Simulations show that the unmatched antenna has a higher OIP3 and gain-bandwidth product, despite being more poorly matched. Although the OIP3 can be slightly improved by increasing the bias current of the NFC, improved linearization techniques should be studied to offset distortion effects in NFCs.
Time-Series Analysis of the Impact of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on Heroin Treatment Admissions.

Background: Prescription drug abuse has become a major issue in the United States in recent years. Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are designed to help health care providers to preven...
Teaching Decision-Making in Multiple Dimensions:

In all areas of human activity, decision-making based on data analysis is very important. As the availability of data grows, it becomes critical to educate not only traditional students but also those individuals who are now in the workforce, as many of them are expected to manage the complex data streams and to provide evidence and guidance for organizational action. We consider several technological tools that prepare the learners with data analytic skills. Among them are data analysis and visualization tools, Six Sigma, and operations research methods. We provide a survey of respective software systems suitable for a broad audience.
Epstein-Barr virus-associated smooth muscle tumor involving the spine of an HIV-infected patient: Case report and review of the literature

Within the last two decades, there have been multiple reports of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated smooth muscle tumors in immunocompromised patients. This includes HIV-infected patients, post-transplant patients, and patients with congenital defects of their immune systems. Here we report the case of a 24-year-old African American female with congenital HIV presenting with progressive lower extremity weakness, constipation, aching pain in her shoulders, and subcostal anesthesia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large circumferential lesion extending from T1-T3 and a smaller left paraspinal lesion at C6-C7. The T1-T3 mass was excised via a right-sided costotransversectomy with laminectomy and fusion from T1-T3. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was started postoperatively, and adjuvant radiotherapy was initiated but patient was lost to follow-up. Surgical pathology demonstrated a smooth muscle tumor diffuse nuclear positivity for EBV-encoded small RNA 1 by in situ hybridization. Although eight studies have reported HIV patients with EBV-associated smooth muscle tumors of the spine, to the author's knowledge, this is the first review comprised solely of patients with spinal involvement with the addition of our patient case.
On Decomposability and Interaction Functions

A formal notion of a Boolean-function decomposition was introduced recently and used to provide lower bounds on various representations of Boolean functions, which are subsets of decomposable negation normal form (DNNF). This notion has introduced a fundamental optimization problem for DNNF representations, which calls for computing decompositions of minimal size for a given partition of the function variables. We consider the problem of computing optimal decompositions in this paper for general Boolean functions and those represented using CNFs. We introduce the notion of an interaction function, which characterizes the relationship between two sets of variables and can form the basis of obtaining such decompositions. We contrast the use of these functions to the current practice of computing decompositions, which is based on heuristic methods that can be viewed as using approximations of interaction functions. We show that current methods can lead to decompositions that are exponentially larger than optimal decompositions, pinpoint the specific reasons for this lack of optimality, and finally present empirical results that illustrate some characteristics of interaction functions in contrast to their approximations.
Sleep Deprivation and Pain

Problematic sleep is one of the most common comorbidities for chronic pain patients. The association between pain and sleep has long been recognized but the nature of the relationship is not well understood. The current consensus is that the relationship is likely bidirectional, both reciprocally influencing one another. In this review, we discuss the available evidence from the epidemiological, clinical, and human as well as animal laboratory data on how poor sleep impacts experimentally induced as well as clinical pain, effects of opioids on sleep, and therapeutic relationship between sleep improvement and pain reduction. Generally, the literature supports the positive relationship between poor sleep and pain. Sleep deprivation also seems to attenuate analgesic effects of medications and behavioral pain management techniques. Sleep disturbance may worsen with the use of chronic opioids. Sleep is a highly relevant parameter in pain problems, although research delineating the causal or associative relationship between sleep and pain is still preliminary at this time. Continuing efforts in both experimental and clinical research are needed to develop translationally meaningful understanding of how poor sleep impacts pain.
Metrics and Rhythmics

Metrics and rhythmics are an excellent elementary test-case for global structures in music. We shall critically review two commonly known approaches: the Riemann and the Jackendoff—Lerdahl theories. We then develop the concepts of global time structures and their topologies, including associated weight functions.
B Cell ADAM10 Controls Murine Lupus Progression through Regulation of the ICOS:ICOS Ligand Axis

The role of ICOS and its ligand (ICOSL) have both been shown to be essential for proper humoral responses as well as autoimmune Ab development in mouse models of lupus. In this paper, we report a specific role for the metalloprotease ADAM10 on B cells in regulating both ICOSL and ICOS in a mouse model of increased humoral immunity using B6mir146a-/- mice and a model of lymphoproliferative disease using the well-characterized lpr model. B6lpr mice lacking ADAM10 on B cells (A10Blpr) have decreased nodal proliferation and T cell accumulation compared with control B6lpr mice. Additionally, A10Blpr mice have a drastic reduction in autoimmune anti-dsDNA Ab production. In line with this, we found a significant reduction in follicular helper T cells and germinal center B cells in these mice. We also show that lymphoproliferation in this model is closely tied to elevated ICOS levels and decreased ICOSL levels. Overall, our data not only show a role of B cell ADAM10 in control autoimmunity but also increase our understanding of the regulation of ICOS and ICOSL in the context of autoimmunity.
BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS AND STRESS TEST FINDINGS AS PREDICTORS OF CARDIOVASCULAR AND CANCER MORTALITY

Some baseline characteristics and stress test findings are predictors of cardiovascular (CV) mortality; however, they are not as well-studied for cancer (CA) mortality. We reviewed our stress test database from 1993 to 2010. Patients with baseline cancer or cardiovascular disease were excluded.
Evolution: Bedbugs Evolved before Their Assumed Ancestral Host.

It has long been assumed that human-parasitic bedbugs evolved from the ectoparasites of bats. However, new fossil-calibrated phylogenetic analysis places their appearance at ∼115 million years ago; before the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction and ∼30 million years prior to fossil records of the first bats.
It Won’t Happen to Me: An Examination of the Effectiveness of Defensive Attribution in Rape Victim Blaming:

Defensive attribution posits that victim blame results from one's underlying perception of vulnerability. The resulting blame is believed to reduce perceived similarity to the victim and vulnerability to victimization, though extant research has neglected to examine its effectiveness in men and women. The current study employed multigroup analysis structural equation modeling with 618 male and female undergraduates exposed to fictional police reports of a reported rape. The theory was partially supported; among women, defensive attribution of blame effectively reduced perceived vulnerability to sexual victimization, whereas among men, blame had no effect on perceived similarity or vulnerability. Recommendations for interventions to target perceived vulnerability are discussed.
Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Nicotine Pharmacology and Dependence

Tobacco dependence is a leading cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Nicotine, the main psychoactive component in tobacco cigarettes, has also been garnering increased popularity in its vaporized form, as derived from e-cigarette devices. Thus, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying nicotine pharmacology and dependence is required to ascertain novel approaches to treat drug dependence. In this chapter, we review the field's current understanding of nicotine's actions in the brain, the neurocircuitry underlying drug dependence, factors that modulate the function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and the role of specific genes in mitigating the vulnerability to develop nicotine dependence. In addition to nicotine's direct actions in the brain, other constituents in nicotine and tobacco products have also been found to alter drug use, and thus, evidence is provided to highlight this issue. Finally, currently available pharmacotherapeutic strategies are discussed, along with an outlook for future therapeutic directions to achieve to the goal of long-term nicotine cessation.
Practicing Critical Decolonizing Family Therapy

In this chapter I invite family therapists to consider how we might integrate critical decolonizing perspectives into our everyday work. I explore the application of critical decolonizing theory to family therapy arguing that third-order, transformational change is a central, trans-theoretical goal in the practice of critically informed family therapy. I suggest some guiding principles for critical decolonizing family therapy and apply these principles to a case example.
Innovations in the Memory System

This is a tour through recent and prominent works regarding new DRAM chip designs and technologies, near data processing approaches, new memory channel architectures, techniques to tolerate the overheads of refresh and fault tolerance, security attacks and mitigations, and memory scheduling. The memory system will soon be a hub for future innovation. While conventional memory systems focused primarily on high density, other memory system metrics like energy, security, and reliability are grabbing modern research headlines. With processor performance stagnating, it is also time to consider new programming models that move some application computations into the memory system. This, in turn, will lead to feature-rich memory systems with new interfaces. The past decade has seen a number of memory system innovations that point to this future where the memory system will be much more than dense rows of unintelligent bits.
Debilitating Consequences Resulting from an Undiagnosed Case of Lyme Disease

A 32-year old male experiencing extreme fatigue and low-grade fever payed a visit to his general practitioner weeks after his initial symptoms. He assumed it was stress related due to working the night shift. His physician ordered routine blood work. The results were negative including a Lyme ELISA screen. It was recommended that he take it easy and try and get more sleep. Despite getting more rest, his symptoms continued and several months later began to experience neurological symptoms including migraines, blurred vision and Bell9s palsy. Physicians ruled out stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus. Despite multiple visits to various physicians, no definitive diagnosis was made. Finally, after 9 months, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lyme disease and was treated with IV Rocephin for three weeks. Although IV antibiotics were administered, he continued to experience neurological symptoms for years as well as cardiac involvement including a mild heart attack. Unfortunately, six years later he discovered a tick embedded in his chest which was sent to the CDC and tested positive for Lyme disease. Once again, he was placed on IV Rocephin for 6 weeks. The initial misdiagnosis and the progression to Stage 3 Lyme disease plus becoming infected a second time with Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) resulted in irreversible clinical manifestations. As a result, he continues to suffer from neurological, cardiac, gastrointestinal, bladder, prostate and pulmonary issues in addition to arthritis and osteoarthritis. This case report will follow the patient9s disease progression over the course of 28 years and will emphasize the need for a quick, accurate diagnosis in order to eliminate the devastating, irreversible consequences associated with Stage 3 Lyme disease.
Does teacher quality mean the same thing across teacher candidates, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors?

This study examined the factor structure and evidence of measurement invariance of a programme completer survey for pre-service teachers in the teacher preparation programme. The 33-item survey ass...
Brain lipid peroxidation and alzheimer disease: Synergy between the Butterfield and Mattson laboratories

Brains from persons with Alzheimer disease (AD) and its earlier stage, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), exhibit high levels of oxidative damage, including that to phospholipids. One type of oxidative damage is lipid peroxidation, the most important index of which is protein-bound 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal (HNE). This highly reactive alkenal changes the conformations and lowers the activities of brain proteins to which HNE is covalently bound. Evidence exists that suggests that lipid peroxidation is the first type of oxidative damage associated with amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), a 38-42 amino acid peptide that is highly neurotoxic and critical to the pathophysiology of AD. The Butterfield laboratory is one of, if not the, first research group to show that Aβ42 oligomers led to lipid peroxidation and to demonstrate this modification in brains of subjects with AD and MCI. The Mattson laboratory, particularly when Dr. Mattson was a faculty member at the University of Kentucky, also showed evidence for lipid peroxidation associated with Aβ peptides, mostly in in vitro systems. Consequently, there is synergy between our two laboratories. Since this special tribute issue of Aging Research Reviews is dedicated to the career of Dr. Mattson, a review of some aspects of this synergy of lipid peroxidation and its relevance to AD, as well as the role of lipid peroxidation in the progression of this dementing disorder seems germane. Accordingly, this review outlines some of the individual and/or complementary research on lipid peroxidation related to AD published from our two laboratories either separately or jointly.
Transaction Costs and Congressional Careers: Evidence from Flight Disruptions

How do the transaction costs of office holding affect congressional careers? These costs may influence the kinds of people who select into public office and therefore the representativeness of democratic institutions. Gaining causal leverage on this question has been difficult given that many costs associated with office holding are endogenous to characteristics of legislators. We examine the effect of exogenous changes in transaction costs in the U.S. Congress caused by changes in the availability of direct flights from home districts to Washington, D.C. We find that the elimination of an airport that provides a round-trip direct flight to Washington, D.C. is associated with a 0.92 percentage point decrease in the probability that a member runs for reelection. One implication of these results is that members more sensitive to office holdings costs---such as moderates or members of underrepresented groups---may be less likely to seek and maintain political careers.
A Qualitative Exploration of Individual Experiences of Environmental Virtual Reality Through the Lens of Psychological Distance

How to increase public engagement in environmental issues is a central question in environmental communication and environmental psychology literatures. Psychological distance (PD) is one potential...
Nutritional markers for predicting lower extremity free tissue transfer outcomes in the chronic wound population.

BACKGROUND Optimizing nutritional status is critical to maximize flap success and healing. Prealbumin and albumin have been utilized as easily obtained proxies for overall nutritional status. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these markers are correlated with healing time and overall flap healing after lower extremity (LE) free tissue transfer (FTT) in the chronic wound population. METHODS A retrospective review of LE chronic wound FTT patients treated by a single surgeon at our institution from 2011 to 2020 was performed. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, flap characteristics, and perioperative labs. The outcomes of interest were flap healing (FH) and time to flap healing (TFH). RESULTS We identified 69 patients undergoing LE FTT for limb salvage meeting our inclusion criteria. When using a threshold of <3.5 g/dl for low albumin and < 20 mg/dl for low prealbumin, no significance was found between FH or TFH and preoperative albumin or preoperative prealbumin. With low albumin defined as <2.7 g/dl with the prealbumin threshold unchanged, TFH was significantly increased, and FH was significantly decreased compared with the defined normal preoperative albumin group. CONCLUSIONS Low preoperative albumin, when defined as <3.5 g/dl, and prealbumin did not correlate with TFH or FH. Contrarily, when defined as <2.7 g/dl, low preoperative albumin correlated significantly with increased TFH and decreased FH rates. Further investigation into validated biomarkers and their thresholds is needed to assess the effect of nutritional status on wound healing and guide perioperative optimization.
Primary Education and the French Army During the Algerian War of Independence

This chapter approaches the history of children and childhood in Algeria through the history of education. Using archival sources and testimonies from For the French military, investing in the primary education of Algerian children fulfilled the double objectives of dissuading Algerian support for the nationalist revolution and engaging in human development initiatives designed to keep Algeria under French rule. Sources for the study of Algerian childhood include colonial administrative documents regulating children’s daily lives, oral interviews, and written testimonies. School attendance figures prominently in autobiographical memoirs of individuals who grew up in Algeria during the period of the revolutionary war, as evident in the literary sources used in this chapter. This chapter demonstrates the detrimental effects of the French military's educational strategy in three phases: the conflict over school buildings; the French military’s efforts to break the general strike of January 1957; and the organization of primary education in regroupment camps of forcibly displaced Algerians. The final section explores the conflicts that arose between civilian and military instructors. Studying the primary education provided by the French military is crucial to a better understanding of children’s experiences of a militarized society during the Algerian War of Independence.
Application of a Simulation-Based Interprofessional Teamwork Assessment Tool (SITAT) to Individual Student Performance in a Team-Based Simulation

There are a very limited number of instruments to assess individual performance in simulation-based interprofessional education (IPE). The purpose of this study was to apply the Simulation-Based In...
Global behaviors, perceptions, and the emergence of social norms at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries and over 100,000 respondents between late March and early April 2020 to study beliefs and attitudes towards citizens’ and governments’ responses at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most respondents reported holding normative beliefs in support of COVID-19 containment measures, as well as high rates of adherence to these measures. They also believed that their government and their country’s citizens were not doing enough and underestimated the degree to which others in their country supported strong behavioral and policy responses to the pandemic. Normative beliefs were strongly associated with adherence, as well as beliefs about others’ and the government’s response. Lockdowns were associated with greater optimism about others’ and the government’s response, and improvements in measures of perceived mental well-being; these effects tended to be larger for those with stronger normative beliefs. Our findings highlight how social norms can arise quickly and effectively to support cooperation at a global scale.
Cancer Prevention Practices and Continuing Education Needs of Primary Care Physicians

We surveyed 1,500 primary care physicians in Massachusetts regarding their current attitudes and practices, as well as their interests and preferences in regard to a continuing education course, in cancer prevention and screening. Thirty-three percent (n = 488) of physicians returned questionnaires, with equal distribution among internists, family practitioners, and gynecologists. Our findings are based on physicians’ self-report: 80%-92% of physicians routinely perform or order breast, cervical, skin, prostate, and colon examinations (with the exception of proctoscopy) for asymptomatic patients 50 years of age and older. Perceived barriers reported were as follows: for mammography, patient age older than 75; for sigmoidoscopy, cost; for counseling, lack of educational materials. Ninety-one percent of physicians rated a comprehensive course on cancer detection and prevention emphasizing practical matters and offering opportunity to upgrade clinical skills in physical exam and in counseling as somewhat to very useful. Specific topic preferences varied by specialty, but first preference for all three primary care groups was a course in improving their office management of cancer prevention and screening activities. Most appealing to practitioners was a one-day course leading to accreditation in screening and prevention and to reduction in malpractice premiums.
Timing jitter in a 1.35-GHz single-ended ring oscillator

In this paper, we have simulated the timing jitter due to device noise in a three stage single-ended ring oscillator, and a methodology to efficiently simulate timing jitter has been developed. Simulation result shows the variation of absolute jitter due to flicker noise has t dependence, while for white noise, it is t/sup 0.5/ dependence, which are consistent with accepted theory. Two important parameters cycle jitter, and cycle to cycle jitter used to describe jitter performance can be obtained from simulation. The methodology described in this paper is also applicable to other types of oscillators such as differential ring oscillators and LC oscillators, as well as other kinds of noise sources as power supply and substrate noise.
FOXO1 Mediates RANKL-Induced Osteoclast Formation and Activity

We have previously shown that the transcription factor FOXO1 is elevated in conditions with high levels of bone resorption. To investigate the role of FOXO1 in the formation of osteoclasts, we examined mice with lineage-specific deletion of FOXO1 in osteoclast precursors and by knockdown of FOXO1 with small interfering RNA. The receptor activator for NF-κB ligand (RANKL), a principal bone-resorbing factor, induced FOXO1 expression and nuclear localization 2 d after stimulation in bone marrow macrophages and RAW264.7 osteoclast precursors. RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and osteoclast activity was reduced in half in vivo and in vitro with lineage-specific FOXO1 deletion (LyzM.Cre(+)FOXO1(L/L)) compared with matched controls (LyzM.Cre(-)FOXO1(L/L)). Similar results were obtained by knockdown of FOXO1 in RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, FOXO1-mediated osteoclast formation was linked to regulation of NFATc1 nuclear localization and expression as well as a number of downstream factors, including dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein, ATP6vod2, cathepsin K, and integrin αv. Lastly, FOXO1 deletion reduced M-CSF-induced RANK expression and migration of osteoclast precursors. In the present study, we provide evidence that FOXO1 plays a direct role in osteoclast formation by mediating the effect of RANKL on NFATc1 and several downstream effectors. This is likely to be significant because FOXO1 and RANKL are elevated in osteolytic conditions.
China's Coal Production Goes West: Assessing Recent Geographical Restructuring and Industrial Transformation

China's coal industry has been plagued by fragmentation among thousands of producers, low productivity, environmental damage, and high accident rates. Coal-industry reforms have sought a “strategic westward movement” through which to achieve resource consolidation under larger firms and upgraded production in northern and western China. This article examines Ordos Municipality and Yulin Municipality to assess the role of differently scaled political and economic processes that have driven a regional coal boom. It finds that the regional coal boom in north-central China discloses persistent difficulties in controlling producers and modernizing the sector.
Closed hollow-fiber bioreactor: a new approach to retroviral vector production.

Background The ability to obtain high-titer and large quantities of retroviral vector production in a ‘closed’ system would have profound implications in clinical and experimental gene therapy. Methods We studied the cell growth and vector production of three retroviral packaging cell lines in a variety of conditions using hollow-fiber bioreactors designed as an ‘artificial capillary system’ (ACS) and enhanced with the application of a hermetically sealing device for sterile welding of connecting plastic tubings. Vector titer, fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentration, volume and the duration of productivity were assessed to optimize vector production. Results In this pilot study, we observed that retroviral vector production (frozen-and-thawed) from cultures containing as low as 2.5% FBS yielded titers up to 2.2×107 cfu/ml, 14.4-fold higher than titers obtained from control dish cultures. Up to 3 liters of vector supernatant were generated during a 2-month large-scale production run. There was a potential to double this volume of higher-titer supernatant by increasing the frequency of harvest. It seemed that a lower metabolic rate (i.e. lactate production) in the packaging cell culture was associated with higher vector producing ability. Conclusions These data demonstrated the feasibility of producing retroviral vector with enhanced titers and clinically useful quantities in a ‘closed’ ACS. Thus a new approach for large-scale retroviral vector production is developed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fate of bacteria injected into naive and immunized larvae of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta

Abstract The susceptibility of Manduca sexta larvae to infection by several Gram-negative bacteria has been examined. Injected Escherichia coli D31 caused no mortality at any dose tested. Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 were moderately pathogenic and caused low mortality at long times after injection of doses exceeding 10 6 bacteria/insect. P. aeruginosa P11-1 was quite virulent, killing all injected insects at doses exceeding 10 3 bacteria/insect. The period between treatment with P11-1 and death was dose-dependent. The fate of injected viable cells of P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and P11-1 and of E. coli D31 was examined in naive (nonimmunized) larvae of M. sexta (bacterial clearance). The concentrations of viable cells of all three bacteria were reduced significantly during the first hour following injection at all doses tested. This initial reduction in concentration was followed by a strain and dose-dependent multiphasic outcome. Immediately after the initial reduction there was a period of no change in bacterial concentration followed by either complete elimination of viable bacteria or bacterial multiplication and host death. The fate of viable cells of P. aeruginosa (P11-1 and ATCC 9027) was also examined in larvae immunized with bacterins of both strains of P. aeruginosa and of E. coli D31. In these immunized insects, the initial reduction in concentration of viable bacteria of all strains was followed by subsequent reductions to low levels of bacteria which were maintained for at least 24 hr. Viable cells of E. coli D31 were comparable to homologous bacterin as an immunogen against P. aeruginosa P11-1. It is hypothesized that the initial reduction in bacterial concentration observed with all strains was a result of nodule formation at or near the injection site. Subsequent control of bacterial multiplication in naive and immunized larvae may reflect efficient phagocytosis by hemocytes and susceptibility of bacteria to induced humoral bactericidal factors. The pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa P11-1 in naive insects may be due to relative resistance of this strain to phagocytosis resulting in multiplication prior to the appearance of bactericidal factors and the accumulation of cytotoxins excreted by the bacterium.
An inevitable dilemma: Prenatal testing for mutations in the brca1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility gene**

The BRCA1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility gene was identified recently. Germline mutations in BRCA1 may be responsible for as many as 5% of breast and ovarian cancers. Inherited alterations confer up to a 94% risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer by age 70. With the discovery of BRCA1, there will be a heavy demand for genetic testing. Because of the large size of the gene and the distribution of reported mutations, scientists face considerable technical problems in developing widely available screening tests; clinicians will face even greater ethical problems in applying them. In the context of research programs, women with BRCA1 mutations are already being identified, and their physicians are confronted with a number of complex medical, ethical, legal, and social issues. Obstetricians will be faced with counseling parents regarding prenatal testing for specific BRCA1 mutations. Although it is difficult to formulate straightforward guidelines regarding prenatal BRCA1 testing, clinicians and health care providers must be familiar with the nuances of the debate so that these issues can be discussed wisely with patients. As with many ethically challenging problems in medicine, individual clinicians and their patients will have to work together to determine the course of action with which they are most comfortable. Although elective termination of a pregnancy with a germline mutation in BRCA1 is an option, experience with other adult-onset diseases suggests that only a minority of parents will choose this option.
Effect of the liquid-like ionic structure on the electron-ion energy relaxation timescales in dense plasmas

Abstract In a recent publication [J. Daligault, D. Mozyrsky, Phys. Rev. E 75 (2007) 026402], we derived a general expression for the electron–ion energy relaxation rate in plasmas which, as a result of the small electron–ion mass ratio, expresses the relaxation rate in terms of the low-frequency electronic density fluctuations. Here we propose a practical model for the electronic density fluctuations in dense plasmas and apply this model to the calculation of the electron–ion energy relaxation rate. We find that the rate is only scarcely affected by the underlying liquid-like ionic disorder typical of dense matter. Relaxation rates obtained are systematically slightly larger than those predicted by the Fermi Golden Rule formula, in contradiction with the coupled-modes' theory that predicts values an order of magnitude lower. We also find that the discontinuity of the rate at melting is tiny, in contrast with the sharp increase of the electrical conductivity.
Specific adsorption of halide and pseudohalide ions at electrochemically roughened versus smooth silver-aqueous interfaces

Abstract The differential capacitance of electrochemically roughened silver surfaces in mixed perchlorate electrolytes containing chloride, bromide, iodide, thiocyanate, or azide anions has been measured as a function of electrode potential and anion concentration. These results are compared with corresponding data for electropolished silver in order to ascertain the influence of surface roughening on the double-layer structure and composition of polycrystalline silver-aqueous interfaces. The surface concentrations of specifically adsorbed anions were obtained from these capacitance-potential data using a “Hurwitz-Parsons” type of analysis. Although electrochemical roughening by means of a conventional oxidation-reduction cycle in chloride media is a prerequisite to the appearance of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) for these adsorbates, it yields only moderate (ca. 1.5- to 2-fold) increases in the actual surface area and has a relatively minor effect on their average surface concentration. However, roughening does induce noticeable changes in the morphology of the capacitance-potential curves which are traced to alterations in the surface-crystallite structure. Comparisons between the potential dependence of SERS with corresponding capacitance-potential data indicate that anion coverages close to a monolayer are necessary for stable SERS. This is attributed to the stabilization of Raman-active silver clusters by surrounding adsorbed anions.
Urban wet deposition nitrate: A comparison to non-urban deposition

The concentration of nitrate in both wet and dry deposition has both increased historically and currently, and recently parallels emissions in NOx. Since NOx is produced in amounts comparable to SO2, it is an important contributor to acid deposition, and is produced in higher amounts in urban areas due to concentrated sources. Prior to this study, national acid deposition monitoring networks in the United States have been and remain established in non-urban areas. This research study consisted of a comparison of precipitation sampling and analysis of wet deposition nitrate and pH for each deposition event in each of two urban sites over a 15 mo period. Also, a comparison of urban data and data generated at a nearby non-urban NADP site was made by examination of both monthly and seasonal data. This research suggests that national monitoring programs should consider inclusion of urban and non-urban monitoring sites in order to achieve a more representative regional assessment.
Lithium, Compression and High-Pressure Structure

Lithium is found to transform from a body-centered cubic (bcc) to a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure at 6.9 gigapascals (69 kilobars) and 296 kelvin. The relative volume of the bcc structured lithium at 6.9 gigapascals is 0.718, and the fcc structure is 0.25 percent denser. The bulk modulus and its pressure derivative for the bcc structure are 11.57 gigapascals and 3.4, and for the fcc structure are 13.1 gigapascals and 2.8. Extrapolation of the bcc-fcc phase boundary and the melting curve indicate a triple point around 15 gigapascals and 500 kelvin.
Scraping the bottom of the barrel: are rare high throughput sequences artifacts?

Abstract Metabarcoding data generated using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are overwhelmed with rare taxa and skewed in Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) frequencies comprised of few dominant taxa. Low frequency OTUs comprise a rare biosphere of singleton and doubleton OTUs, which may include many artifacts. We present an in-depth analysis of global singletons across sixteen NGS libraries representing different ribosomal RNA gene regions, NGS technologies and chemistries. Our data indicate that many singletons (average of 38 % across gene regions) are likely artifacts or potential artifacts, but a large fraction can be assigned to lower taxonomic levels with very high bootstrap support (∼32 % of sequences to genus with ≥90 % bootstrap cutoff). Further, many singletons clustered into rare OTUs from other datasets highlighting their overlap across datasets or the poor performance of clustering algorithms. These data emphasize a need for caution when discarding rare sequence data en masse: such practices may result in throwing the baby out with the bathwater, and underestimating the biodiversity. Yet, the rare sequences are unlikely to greatly affect ecological metrics. As a result, it may be prudent to err on the side of caution and omit rare OTUs prior to downstream analyses.
Barriers to increasing native Hawaiian, Samoan, and Filipino nursing students: perceptions of students and their families.

Abstract This article presents the results of an innovative approach to increase the numbers of native Hawaiian, Samoan, and Filipino students who enroll in and complete the bachelor of nursing in science degree. The approach used 2 methods to obtain input. The first was a series of focus groups comprising current and potential students in the nursing program. The second method was a survey of community elders, parents, and high school students in schools with large enrollments of native Hawaiians, Samoans, and Filipinos. The results made clear that Asian Pacific Islanders are composed of distinct groups that have many diverse concerns that need to be addressed in the recruitment and retention phases. One surprise was the low interest in incorporating traditional healing into the curriculum. It was clear that high school students should be given information on nursing early and effectively because this is a key component of their interest in a nursing career. Nurs Outlook 2003;51:25-30.
Photochemical Formation of Copper(I) from Copper(II)-Dicarboxylate Complexes: Effects of Outer-Sphere versus Inner-Sphere Coordination and of Quenching by Malonate

Copper(I) quantum yields are reported for Cu(II) complexes of aliphatic dicarboxylates in aqueous solution (N_2-purged), based on steady-state illuminations. For Cu(dicarboxylate)^0, the Cu(I) quantum yields at 313 nm (Φ_(Cu(I),CuL)) exhibit the following trend (25 °C, ionic strength = 0.10 M): malonate (0.15 ± 0.07) > succinate (0.10 ± 0.02) (Sun, L.; Wu, C.-H.; Faust, B. C. J. Phys. Chem. A 1998, 102, 8664−8672) > glutarate (0.054 ± 0.005) > adipate (0.042 ± 0.004) ≈ pimelate (0.046 ± 0.009). The systematic decrease in Cu(I) quantum yield observed for these Cu(dicarboxylate)^0 complexes parallels the increasing degree of outer-sphere coordination of the complexes. Free uncomplexed malonate species quench the photoformation of Cu(I) from Cu(malonate)^0 in a way that cannot be explained solely based on the Cu(II) speciation. An interpretation based on the quenching of the intermediate [Cu(CH_2C(O)O-)^0] by H(malonate)-/H_2(malonate)^0 is proposed. Evidence is presented for Cu(I) photoformation from Cu(malonate)^0.
Bacterial DNA Induces Murine Interferon-γ Production by Stimulation of Interleukin-12 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α

Bacterial, but not mammalian DNA, can induce interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in murine splenocytes. To elucidate the basis of this activity, we have assessedin vitrocytokine production by C3H/HeJ splenocytes stimulated with either DNA fromEscherichia colior a synthetic oligonucleotide containing an active palindromic sequence identified from DNA. Both DNAs induced IFN-γ production, with the requirement for intact DNA shown by sensitivity to DNase digestion. Fractionated cell populations were evaluated to determine direct or indirect cellular effects of the DNA. Although bacterial DNA failed to induce IFN-γ in the nonadherent cell population, supernatants from adherent cells stimulated by DNA induced IFN-γ production by these cells. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) was detectable in supernatants from DNA-stimulated splenocytes before IFN-γ, and neutralizing antibodies directed against IL-12 markedly inhibited the induction of IFN-γ. Anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) antibodies also inhibited IFN-γ production, and the combination of both anti-IL-12 and anti-TNF-α could totally inhibit production of IFN-γ. Taken together, these results indicate that the stimulation of IFN-γ production by bacterial DNA is mediated by IL-12 and TNF-α and point to macrophages/monocytes as targets of action of this macromolecule.
Simultaneous optical comb frequency stabilization and super-mode noise suppression of harmonically mode-locked semiconductor ring laser using an intracavity etalon

Using an intracavity Pound-Drever-Hall technique, simultaneous optical frequency comb stabilization within /spl plusmn/3-MHz range and super-mode phase noise suppression were demonstrated for a 10-GHz harmonically mode-locked semiconductor ring laser. Together with an additional phase-lock loop, timing jitter integrated from 10 Hz to 10 MHz (5 GHz) was 63.5 fs (161 fs).
Quantity commitment, production and subcontracting with bargaining

This paper considers a firm that can make products in-house but also can purchase from a unique qualified supplier. The firm contracts to buy a guaranteed minimum quantity from the supplier and the supplier and the firm then establish their respective production quantities. Once the firm realizes its demand, it may contact the supplier for further units beyond the committed quantity, and a renegotiation ensues. Of particular interest is the role that in-house production capabilities and post-demand negotiation power plays in determining how firms set prices and make production decisions. It is shown that “bargaining power” may actually hurt the buyer beyond a certain point as it may lead the supplier to underproduce. The situation for which suppliers would be willing to speculate and produce beyond the contracted quantities is explored. A four-stage, game-theoretic model is proposed to explore these issues and characterize the structure of optimal production levels, prices and commitment levels. Manageria...
'Aniticipatory Self-Defense' and Other Stories

Utilizing the theoretical tools of anthropological structuralism, our analysis examines the rhetorical use of the anticipatory self-defence to veil hidden agendas of domination and conquest.