cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X chromosome inactivation: recent advances and a look forward

X chromosome inactivation, the transcriptional inactivation of one X chromosome in somatic cells of female mammals, has revealed important advances in our understanding of development, epigenetic control, and RNA biology. Most of this knowledge comes from extensive studies in the mouse; however, there are some significant differences when compared to human biology. This is especially true in pluripotent cell types and, over the past few years, a significant amount of work has been dedicated to understanding these differences. This review focuses specifically on recent advances in the mechanism of Xist spreading, the role of Xist in cancer, the effects of reprogramming on X chromosome inactivation in human induced pluripotent stem cells, and new tools for studying X chromosome inactivation.
Fabrication of MIS-Schottky diodes with thermal nitroxide film

Abstract We report a thermal nitridation process which is used to produce nitroxide films ranging between 15 and 50 A in thickness. Fabricated MIS-Schottky barrier diodes with various turn-on voltages show an improvement in breakdown voltage.
Improving Tele-robotic Navigation through Augmented Reality Devices

Navigation is an essential element in many telerobotic operations especially those that involve time pressure and complex terrains. This study demonstrates that properly designed augmented reality interfaces can significantly aid human operators in the task of land based tele-robotic navigation. Participants in this study were assigned to one of three experimental conditions (control, sonification interface, visual interface). All participants were trained in tele-robotic landmine detection and navigation, the groups performed these tasks first with augmentation (session one) and then without (session two/transfer task). The results show that participants in the sonification interface group outperformed the visual interface and control group in terms of primary task sensitivity, the number of sectors cover and the number of sectors repeated. The results further indicated that a well designed AR navigation interface could serve as an effective training tool.
Sump syndrome as a complication of choledochoduodenostomy.

Case Presentation and EvolutionA 71-year-old man initially underwent open cholecystec-tomy for biliary colic in 1990. Since then, he had been welluntil new symptoms began in 2009, when he presented to acommunity hospital reporting intermittent epigastric pain;ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scans revealedcholedocholithiasis.Because an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancrea-tography (ERCP) and stone extraction at that hospital wereunsuccessful, the patient underwent exploratory laparot-omy with common bile duct (CBD) exploration, duringwhich a CBD stone was removed and a side-to-side cho-ledochoduodenostomy (CDD) was performed.Several months following temporary postoperative reliefof his symptoms, the patient developed recurrent episodicright upper quadrant and epigastric pain, but withoutassociated jaundice or fever. He was referred to StanfordUniversity Medical Center, where he was seen by a gas-troenterologist for evaluation and further management.His past medical history included atrial ﬁbrillation,hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus type II, and vestibularneuritis. Drug history included metoprolol, atorvastatin,metformin, dabigatran, dronedarone, and diltiazem. Thepatient had no known drug allergies. Socially, the patientdid not smoke and enjoyed only occasional alcohol. Therewas no family history of biliary tract disease.On examination, the patient appeared well and com-fortable, was slightly underweight, and had a soft and non-tender abdomen. The subcostal incision from his originalsurgery was visible but appeared well healed. Laboratoryﬁndings, including liver function tests, were normal (WBC7.9, Hb 13.4, Hct 39.4, Plts 257, Na 139, K 3.9, Cl 104,CO2 23, BUN 12, Cr 0.9, PT 15.4, INR 1.3, PTT 48.5, TBili 0.7, ALT 39, AST 16, Alk P 143, Glu 113, Ca 9.2). Anechocardiogram revealed mild mitral, aortic, and tricuspidvalve regurgitation, with an ejection fraction of 54%.Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)revealed a grossly dilated and tortuous CBD, as well asdilated common hepatic and intrahepatic ducts (Fig. 1a). Aﬂuid–debris level was also seen in the CBD (Fig. 1b).Endoscopy revealed a patent side-to-side CDD anasto-mosis that could be entered with the gastroscope (Fig. 2).Moderate amounts of vegetable debris were seen in theCBD, and were removed using a rat-toothed forceps(Fig. 3). Using a duodenoscope, the CBD was also cann-ulated through the ampullary oriﬁce and contrast injectionshowed an 18-mm-wide CBD with contrast extravasationthrough the stoma. Filling defects revealed further debris inthe distal CBD, which were cleared using a balloon cath-eter through the CDD.Following ERCP, the patient was immediately relievedof his symptoms. However, within a few days, the symp-toms recurred, and, again, included epigastric pain withoutjaundice or fever. Multiple further ERCPs were necessary,each revealing similar ﬁndings of vegetable debris withinthe CBD. Despite clearing the CBD during each procedure,the debris re-accumulated and symptoms always recurred.
40Ar / 39Ar geochronology and provenance of detrital K-feldspars, Ordovician, Upper Mississippi Valley

Abstract The Upper Ordovician strata of the Upper Mississippi Valley contain numerous thin, shale layers. Eighteen of these shale layers were previously thought to be altered volcanic ash beds, known as K-bentonites. Radioisotopic geochronology of six of the multiple shale-bed-partings throughout the Upper Ordovician indicate a non-volcanic origin and provide clues for clastic sediment provenance and dispersal, and depositional environments on epeiric seas. The shale-bed-partings occur throughout the Tippicanoe I supersequence; all but one are within carbonate units. One hundred thirty-six 40Ar / 39Ar Single Crystal Laser Fusion analyses of K-feldspar derived from these beds yield apparent ages that range from 754 Ma to 3.1 Ga. The age distributions of the K-feldspars show distinctive populations when the data are plotted according to their stratigraphic position. Samples from the Glenwood Shale and Platteville Group show an age distribution clustering around 850 Ma and 1.0 Ga respectively. Shale samples from four beds within the Galena Group show an age distribution expanding from 754 Ma to 3.1 Ga. The Glenwood and Platteville clusters correspond with the ages of nearby basement rock and Cambrian–Ordovician sandstones, while the shale-bed-partings of the Galena are interpreted to have been sourced from a broader region. These differences suggest that the Glenwood and Platteville samples were sourced from local rocks, whereas the Galena shale samples correspond with flooding of the local region area and connection to a new and complex source region. These shale-bed-partings can be interpreted in two ways: as pulses of terreginous material entering the system and overwhelming carbonate deposition, or as background sediment, accumulating during pauses in carbonate deposition. While the older Glenwood and Platteville samples can be interpreted in either way, the samples from the Galena are better interpreted as condensed background sediment.
Effect of Ligand Steric Properties and Halide Identity on the Mechanism for Oxidative Addition of Haloarenes to Trialkylphosphine Pd(0) Complexes

The oxidative addition of PhX (X = I, Br, Cl) to the complexes Pd(P(t)Bu(3))(2) (1), Pd(1-AdP(t)Bu(2))(2) (2), Pd(CyP(t)Bu(2))(2) (3), and Pd(PCy(3))(2) (4) (1-Ad = 1-adamantyl, Cy = cyclohexyl) was studied to determine the effect of steric properties on the coordination number of the species that undergoes oxidative addition and to determine whether the type of halide affects the identity of this species. The kinetic data imply that the number of phosphines coordinated to the complex that reacts in the irreversible step of the oxidative addition process for complexes 1-4 depends more on the halide than on the steric properties of the ligands. The rate-limiting step of the oxidative addition of PhI occurred with L(2)Pd(0) in all cases, as determined by the lack of dependence of k(obs) on [P(t)Bu(3)], [1-AdP(t)Bu(2)], or [CyP(t)Bu(2)] and the inverse dependence of the rate constant on [PCy(3)] when the reaction was initiated with Pd(PCy(3))(3). The irreversible step of the oxidative addition of PhCl occurred with a monophosphine species in each case, as signaled by an inverse dependence of the rate constant on the concentration of ligand. The irreversible step of the oxidative addition of PhBr occurred with a bisphosphine species, as signaled by the zeroth-order or small dependence of the rate constant on the concentration of phosphine. Thus, the additions of the less reactive chloroarenes occur through lower-coordinate intermediates than additions of the more reactive haloarenes.
Pride in task completion and organizational citizenship behaviour: Evidence from the ethnographic literature

Abstract Pride in task completion has been observed to be consistently important to workers, although these self-conscious emotions have received little attention as a construct worthy of investigation in the workplace. Organizational ethnographies provide a unique opportunity for an in-depth look at pride and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB), An analysis of the existing set of published book-length workplace ethnographies (n = 108) reveals that both job satisfaction and pride in task completion are significantly associated with OCB. Associations between pride and OCB appear to be stronger than associations between job satisfaction and OCB. Workers' characteristic mood states, such as the pleasurable emotions created by pride in work and unpleasant feelings of shame from perceptions of chronic failure, appear to be highly relevant to the promotion of desirable outcomes for organizations. The results of this study illustrate the value of ethnographic data in the study of workplace emotions, cogni...
Thermal effects on skeletal muscle tensile behavior

The effect of temperature on the mechanical failure properties of rabbit skeletal muscle (tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus) was examined. For all tests, one leg was maintained at 25°C and the contralateral leg at 40°C. Muscles were pulled to failure according to assignment into one of three groups: 1) passive failure at 10 cm/sec, 2) passive failure at 1 cm/sec, or 3) active (muscle is stimulated to contract as it is pulled) failure at 10 cm/sec. Load to failure was higher in the cold muscle for all groups tested. Total deformation was the same except in Group 1, when the warm muscle had a greater deformation. Energy absorbed before failure was greater in the cold muscle in Groups 2 and 3. Stiffness was higher in cold muscles for all muscles except the extensor digitorum longus in Group 1. In this study, temperature had a significant effect on the tensile properties; these thermal effects were de pendent on both loading rate and contractile state. Comparing loading rates, warm muscle tested...
Monomorphic Ornamentation Related to Oxidative Damage and Assortative Mating in the Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)

Abstract. The Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) is a monomorphic seabird characterized by its muted plumage and bright red feet, which it prominently displays during courtship. Foot color and oxidative stress were analyzed in a Black Guillemot colony at the Bay of Fundy during the 2006 and 2007 breeding seasons. While no relationship between red intensity of feet and carotenoids was uncovered, the level of plasma oxidative damage was negatively correlated with foot color. Additionally, red intensity of male feet was significantly correlated with the red intensity of their mates' feet, suggesting the possibility of assortative mating by foot color in this species. Further experimental work is necessary to determine whether foot color is used in this species as an honest signal to relay information on the ability of an individual to manage oxidative stress.
Exploiting congestion information in network and higher layer protocols in multihop wireless ad hoc networks

With most routing protocols for ad hoc networks, shorter paths are generally considered more desirable, making some areas of network more prone to congestion and decreasing overall network throughput. We examine the use of congestion information to avoid these network hotspots. By locally monitoring the network interface transmission queue length and MAC layer behavior at each node, a node can establish an approximation of the degree to which the wireless medium around it is busy; this measurement reflects not only the behavior of the node itself, but also the behavior of other nearby nodes sharing the wireless medium. We suggest a number of uses of such congestion information in an ad hoc network, in the network, transport, and higher layers, and we evaluate a set of such uses through simulation. Our results based on modifications to the dynamic source routing protocol (DSR) and TCP demonstrate substantial performance improvement in terms of scalability, packet delivery, overhead, and fairness resulting from this use of congestion information.
Voices of hope. Hearing and caring for Haitian adolescents.

Although much research has been conducted on the effects of migration on the psychosocial evolution of various ethnic groups, only limited information exists about the meaning of migration for Haitian adolescents. Haitian adolescents, in addition to experiencing the trials of adolescence, often feel a sense of loss and confusion when they are forced to leave their homeland. This phenomenological study focuses on the experience of being a Haitian adolescent living in South Florida. Six Haitian adolescents were both interviewed and asked to produce writing about their experiences and perception of self-identity. Their responses evaluated in light of Piaget, Erickson, and Sullivan illustrated eight themes defining the adolescents’ senses of identity: pride, isolation, prejudice, parental strictness, nostalgia, belonging, familism, and career vision. The insights acquired through this study have practical applications in designing more effective caring strategies, in advocating for clients, and in delivering ...
The Threat of Nonresponse Bias to Survey Research

Mail and telephone surveys have become the major research tools of social scientists, yet low response rates and the resulting nonresponse bias continue to be major detractors and concerns. This study quantifies the impact of nonresponse bias associated with a community survey. More specifically, an intensive restudy of nonrespondents to an earlier contingent valuation method survey was undertaken that increased the response rate from 59 to 87 percent. Traditionally used methodologies for assessing nonresponse bias are presented, followed by some newly proposed and more comprehensive procedures for determining differences among respondents and nonrespondents. On the basis of these new procedures, “willingness-to-pay” values were recalculated and then compared to the original estimates. The results indicate that nonresponse bias can be quantified and that, contrary to much of the present literature, nonrespondents can have valuations for a particular resource that are higher than those of respondents. Poss...
A study of in vitro estrogen biosynthesis and production rates in normal pregnancy, hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma.

ABSTRACT The in vivo conversion of 3H-dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (3H-DHEA-S) to estrogens has been demonstrated in women with choriocarcinoma. However, only 4 of the 12 women with malignant trophoblastic disease studied showed this conversion, whereas the incorporation of 3H-DHEA-S into estrogens was readily demonstrable in normal pregnancy and benign molar pregnancy. This conversion, therefore, appears to be characteristic only for benign trophoblast. Simultaneous measurements and comparisons of estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3) production rates were made in normal early pregnancies and trophoblastic disease. These indicate that the reduced E3 production in hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma may provide a basis by which trophoblastic disease can be distinguished from normal early pregnancy.
Loss of Function Mutations in NNT Are Associated with Left Ventricular Noncompaction

Background— Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is an autosomal-dominant, genetically heterogeneous cardiomyopathy with variable severity, which may co-occur with cardiac hypertrophy. Methods and Results— Here, we generated whole exome sequence data from multiple members from 5 families with LVNC. In 4 of 5 families, the candidate causative mutation segregates with disease in known LVNC genes MYH7 and TPM1 . Subsequent sequencing of MYH7 in a larger LVNC cohort identified 7 novel likely disease causing variants. In the fifth family, we identified a frameshift mutation in NNT , a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein, not implicated previously in human cardiomyopathies. Resequencing of NNT in additional LVNC families identified a second likely pathogenic missense allele. Suppression of nnt in zebrafish caused early ventricular malformation and contractility defects, probably driven by altered cardiomyocyte proliferation. In vivo complementation studies showed that mutant human NNT failed to rescue nnt morpholino-induced heart dysfunction, indicating a probable haploinsufficiency mechanism. Conclusions— Together, our data expand the genetic spectrum of LVNC and demonstrate how the intersection of whole exome sequence with in vivo functional studies can accelerate the identification of genes that drive human genetic disorders.
Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) and Mass Spectrometry (MS)

In a media of finite viscosity, the Coulomb force of external electric field moves ions with some terminal speed. This dynamics is controlled by ‘mobility’ – a property of the interaction potential between ions and media molecules. This fact has been used to separate and characterize gas-phase ions in various modes of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) developed since 1970. Commercial IMS devices were introduced in the 1980s for field detection of volatile traces such as explosives and chemical warfare agents. Coupling to soft-ionization sources, mass spectrometry (MS), and chromatographic methods in the 1990s had allowed IMS to handle complex samples, enabling new applications in biological and environmental analyses, nanoscience, and other areas. Since 2003, the introduction of commercial systems by major instrument vendors started bringing the IMS/MS capability to broad user community. The other major development of the past decade has been the differential IMS or ‘field asymmetric waveform IMS’ (FAIMS) that employs asymmetric time-dependent electric field to sort ions not by mobility itself, but by the difference between its values in strong and weak electric fields. Coupling of FAIMS to conventional IMS and stacking of conventional IMS stages have enabled two-dimensional separations that dramatically expand the power of ion mobility methods.
Forensic evaluation of multiple cracking of a concrete test cell built over an open graded aggregate base

In August 2011 a test cell of 6 inch thick concrete surfacing placed over of special open graded Limestone aggregate base predominantly 8 inches (203 mm) thick was constructed at the MnROAD research facility. The two layers overlaid an existing 6 inch (150 mm) of MnDOT non–drainable aggregate base that overlaid a clay/silt sub–grade. In July 2012, an extensive cracking pattern was observed. This paper discusses data analysis, semi–destructive testing investigations and design re–examination to ascertain cause(s) of the premature distress. The litany of test results suggested possible loss of support from the special Open Graded Aggregate Base (OGAB).
Dealing with Difficult Differences: Reflexivity and Social Class in Feminist Research:

This article explores the impact of difference within the research process. First, it looks at the difference my working-class history has made to the experience of conducting feminist research. Second, it examines how that class difference has affected both my relationships with the women that I inter-viewed and my reading of their accounts. Drawing on both my own and the women s stories of growing up working class, I have attempted to map out some of the psychological complexities that are invariably overlooked in academic accounts of either-the research process or working-class experiences of mother-ing and childhood. Finally, I have tried to pull out some of the threads still linking educated, working-class, feminist academics with their class backgrounds and explore the fragility and strength of those connections in the light of my own social trajectory.
IMITATION FICTION: PIRATE CITINGS IN ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON'S TREASURE ISLAND

When Charles Dickens tried to lobby for American support of an international copyright agreement during his wildly popular 1842 tour of the United States, the English author was famously shocked to find himself lambasted as an elitist who dared expect payment for what Americans believed they had the right to read for free (McGill 109–40; Claybaugh 71; Pettitt 152). Dickens encountered in the practice of literary piracy, or what was called in the United States, the culture of reprinting, a deep fissure in capitalist democratic culture between individual ownership and public access, an ideological divide that forms the backdrop for the creation and circulation of nineteenth-century print. If the legal privatization of intellectual property hovered in the imagination of so many Victorian writers, it formed the happy ending of a long nineteenth-century struggle over literary piracy, a contention of goods that shaped the Victorian stage as we well as the transatlantic literary marketplace.
Remediation and Bioremediation of Selenium- Contaminated Waters

Selenium (Se) is a trace element that occurs naturally in soils, water, biota, and food. It is nutritionally required, but Se in excess is toxic to aquatic-associated wildlife such as fish and birds. Exposure to Se primarily occurs through the diet, not by direct exposure to water; therefore it is vital to account for the “biogeochemistry” of Se—the complex paths by which it moves from contaminated water up the foodweb. As a consequence, waterborne Se is an inappropriate focus for remediation, and this entry illustrates how such a focus can inadvertently misguide major remediation efforts. In fact, there is no fixed “target concentration” for remediation to achieve, as universally accepted water or tissue threshold concentrations for the protection of wildlife are likely to remain controversial for some time to come. This can stymie the traditional remediation strategies of containment, removal, or treatment. One approach to Se remediation that functions under changing regulatory limits is mitigation of wildlife impacts through “alternative” and “compensation” habitats. Also, strategies that take advantage of the natural biogeochemistry, such as algal volatilization of Se, may provide cost-effective management of contaminated water; however, this approach must be combined with foodweb interruption to prevent Se bioaccumulation. 1. General and Historical Background
Track-to-track fusion with dissimilar sensors

An analysis is described of a kinematic state vector fusion algorithm when tracks are obtained from dissimilar sensors. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that two dissimilar sensors are equipped with nonidentical two-dimensional optimal linear Kalman filters. It is shown that the performance of such a track-to-track fusion algorithm can be improved if the cross-correlation matrix between candidate tracks is positive. This cross-correlation is introduced by noise associated with target maneuver that is common to the tracking filters in both sensors and is often neglected. An expression for the steady state cross-correlation matrix in closed form is derived and conditions for positivity of the cross-correlation matrix are obtained. The effect of positivity on performance of kinematic track-to-track fusion is also discussed.
Immunologic targets for breast cancer1

Breast cancer is an immunogenic tumor. Over the last decade, investigations have shown that patients with breast cancer have pre-existent immune responses, both humoral and cellular, against a variety of proteins expressed in their tumors. Researchers using genomic and proteomic techniques have defined dozens of proteins that may serve as immunologic targets in breast cancer patients. In addition, other investigators focusing on a more directed approach of evaluating well-defined breast cancer proteins that are immunogenic have begun to translate some of the candidate antigens into human clinical trials of immune-based therapies in breast cancer. Immunogenic proteins associated with breast cancer are abundant. The major experimental question now facing breast cancer immunologists is how to prioritize these many candidate antigens for further evaluation for clinical use.
URETERAL OPENING PRESSURE: A NOVEL PARAMETER FOR THE EVALUATION OF PEDIATRIC HYDRONEPHROSIS

AbstractPurpose: The antegrade nephrostogram is an important tool in the evaluation of the upper urinary tract. However, the information currently provided by a nephrostogram is largely limited to anatomical details. To establish a meaningful pressure-flow parameter that may be incorporated into a routine nephrostogram, we evaluated the ureteral opening pressure (defined as the pressure at which contrast material is first seen beyond the suspected site of obstruction) and correlated these findings with the results of pressure-flow studies performed with an external infusion and/or furosemide induced diuresis.Materials and Methods: A total of 52 renal units were studied under a prospective pressure-flow study protocol. All patients had grade 3 or 4 hydronephrosis (Society of Fetal Urology classification) and patient age range was 0.2 to 12 years (median 1.1). The suspected sites of obstruction were the ureteropelvic and ureterovesical junctions in 42 and 10 renal units, respectively. With the patient under...
Re-evaluation of species allied to Mithrax hispidus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea: Mithracidae) based on three mitochondrial genes

Mithrax hispidus, M. caribbaeus, M. pleuracanthus, and M. tortugae are closely related shallow-water crabs that are difficult to distinguish by morphology alone. This led to recent synonymy of the four species under M. hispidus (Herbst, 1790). The use of three mitochondrial genes (12s, 16s, and COI) nevertheless provides evidence for three distinct species (M. hispidus, M. pleuracanthus, and M. tortugae) and the synonymy of M. caribbaeus with M. hispidus. Morphological features of the merus and carpus of the chelipeds serve as characters to separate the three species.
Intangible Cultural Heritage

In the i-Treasures project educational paths have been created collaboratively by a group of experts.The adoption of new technologies for education in the ICH field is a novelty.The i-Treasures project aims to integrate new technologies and tradition.Pedagogical planning allows to design, describe and re-use educational paths.Pedagogical plans are aimed at supporting ICH transmission. The paper discusses how to design innovative educational interventions in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). This field is peculiar, as it is characterized by the urgency to preserve and disseminate some of the most peculiar intangible artistic expressions, especially those at risk of disappearing; so far these cultural expressions have been passed down mainly through imitation and oral tradition, so now technologies can play a role in fostering their preservation and documentation. Drawing on the discussion held in recent years in the field of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), the paper describes a web-based tool aimed to support the collaborative design and planning of innovative ICT-based learning/teaching activities in ICH education. While providing an overview of the main functionalities of such a tool, the paper solicits some reflections on how TEL approaches, techniques and tools can fruitfully be employed to sustain ICH education.
Longitudinal Effects of Acculturation on Alcohol Use among Vietnamese and Cambodian Immigrant Women in the USA

Aims Recent studies indicate that alcohol use is increasing among Asian American populations and that acculturation impacts alcohol use among immigrants in the USA. We investigated the longitudinal relationship between three domains of acculturation (traditionalism, biculturalism, assimilation) and alcohol use among 302 Vietnamese and Cambodian women in Washington State. Methods Data were obtained from the Cross Cultural Families Project (CCF), a 5-year longitudinal investigation of a random sample of Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrant families living in Washington State. Alcohol use was measured with a three item scale assessing frequency and quantity of use, and binge drinking. Acculturation was measured with the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale. Linear mixed effects regression models were estimated to assess the impact of acculturation on alcohol use among the overall sample and among a sub-sample of only women who consumed any alcohol. Results A majority of the sample, 73.2%, reported no alcohol use. In the overall sample, none of the three acculturation domains were significantly associated with drinking. Among a sub-sample of only those who reported any alcohol use, however, a greater degree of traditional cultural identification ( β = −0.94, SE= 0.44, P = 0.03) and a greater degree of biculturalism ( β = −1.33, SE= 0.53, P = 0.01) were associated with lower levels of use. Conclusions Our findings suggest that acculturation did not impact alcohol use prevalence but that it did affect the drinking pattern among alcohol consumers. Clinicians should be cognizant that certain aspects of cultural identification are important contributors to drinking behavior among alcohol consumers in these populations.
Comparative Error-Free and Error-Prone Translesion Synthesis of N2-2′-Deoxyguanosine Adducts Formed by Mitomycin C and Its Metabolite, 2,7-Diaminomitosene, in Human Cells

Mitomycin C (MC) is a cytotoxic and mutagenic antitumor agent that alkylates DNA upon reductive activation. 2,7-Diaminomitosene (2,7-DAM) is a major metabolite of MC in tumor cells, which also alkylates DNA. MC forms seven DNA adducts, including monoadducts and inter- and intrastrand cross-links, whereas 2,7-DAM forms two monoadducts. Herein, the biological effects of the dG-N(2) adducts formed by MC and 2,7-DAM have been compared by constructing single-stranded plasmids containing these adducts and replicating them in human embryonic kidney 293T cells. Translesion synthesis (TLS) efficiencies of dG-N(2)-MC and dG-N(2)-2,7-DAM were 38 ± 3 and 27 ± 3%, respectively, compared to that of a control plasmid. This indicates that both adducts block DNA synthesis and that dG-N(2)-2,7-DAM is a stronger replication block than dG-N(2)-MC. TLS of each adducted construct was reduced upon siRNA knockdown of pol η, pol κ, or pol ζ. For both adducts, the most significant reduction occurred with knockdown of pol κ, which suggests that pol κ plays a major role in TLS of these dG-N(2) adducts. Analysis of the progeny showed that both adducts were mutagenic, and the mutation frequencies (MF) of dG-N(2)-MC and dG-N(2)-2,7-DAM were 18 ± 3 and 10 ± 1%, respectively. For both adducts, the major type of mutation was G → T transversions. Knockdown of pol η and pol ζ reduced the MF of dG-N(2)-MC and dG-N(2)-2,7-DAM, whereas knockdown of pol κ increased the MF of these adducts. This suggests that pol κ predominantly carries out error-free TLS, whereas pol η and pol ζ are involved in error-prone TLS. The largest reduction in MF by 78 and 80%, respectively, for dG-N(2)-MC and dG-N(2)-2,7-DAM constructs occurred when pol η, pol ζ, and Rev1 were simultaneously knocked down. This result strongly suggests that, unlike pol κ, these three TLS polymerases cooperatively perform the error-prone TLS of these adducts.
Evaluation of bleeding sites with a tissue-specific sonographic contrast agent: preliminary experiences in an animal model.

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and usefulness of using an ultrasonographic contrast agent to enhance the sonographic detection of bleeding sites in a canine model. SH U 563, an ultrasound contrast agent that elicits acoustic emission (i.e., random transient Doppler shifts produced by contrast particle rupture) even when stationary, was used. Acoustic emission is identified as a mosaic pattern on color Doppler imaging. A total of 13 active bleeding sites were created within intraabdominal organs (kidney and spleen, n = 3), the urinary tract (n = 3), and the gastrointestinal tract (n = 7) in three canine models. Gray scale and color Doppler imaging studies were performed prior to and after each of 13 individual intravenous contrast agent administrations. Imaging results were compared to gross pathologic findings. After contrast agent administration, pooling of contrast medium-containing blood in the regions adjacent to bleeding sites could be detected with color Doppler imaging as regions with the characteristic acoustic emission color display. After injection gray scale imaging failed to demonstrate the location or extent of hemorrhaging adequately. A linear relationship existed between the blood loss due to gastrointestinal tract bleeding and the amount of acoustic emission detected (r2 = 0.81). SH U 563 combined with color Doppler imaging improves the detection of bleeding sites in a variety of locations throughout the body.
Geotherms from the temperature-depth–constrained solutions of 1-D steady-state heat-flow equation

We use the Curie depth derived from spectral analysis of near-surface magnetic anomaly data to constrain the solution of a one-dimensional (1-D) steady-state heat-flow equation. The method, in addition to anchoring the geotherm at deep levels in the crust, yields the ratio of radiogenic heat production to thermal conductivity. We evaluate the utility of this constraint in two granitic regions in the United States where radiogenic heat production, thermal conductivity, and heat flow are well determined. We also examine the results of this method in the context of previous research in the central Red Sea and coastal Saudi Arabia. In a test case using data from New Hampshire, USA, the steady-state approximation applies, and we calculate heat-production values (∼8 μW/m3) that agree with measurements on samples of Conway granite in the region. In the second example, our Wyoming geotherm is hotter by ∼200 °C at the Curie depth, possibly reflecting the 15 km thicker crust (as observed from the dense EarthScope USArray stations in comparison to only two earlier refraction profiles) and the consequent greater radiogenic heat production in the lower crust. In the Colorado Front Range, our radiogenic heat-production value is somewhat higher than predicted from previous heat-flow studies and may reflect heat advected by intrusions. Our results indicate that basal crustal temperatures in northern Colorado may be close to solidus of rocks of felsic composition, a scenario that is consistent with the geological history of the region and has important implications for crustal rheology. Our estimates of depth-integrated heat production from the crustal columns (25 and 55 mW/m2 Wyoming and Colorado, respectively) also agree well with estimates from previous studies.
Quality Control Testing of Dose Calibrators

We have reviewed quality control testing of dose calibrators and have analyzed the potential for error. The uncertainty in half-lives of reference sources can lead to inaccurate assessment of the accuracy and constancy in dose calibrator performance. Molybdenum-99 contamination of 99mTc used as a reference source can appear as a nonlinear response of the dose calibrator. The useful life of a reference source and the tolerable amount of 99Mo contamination are examined.
Transmitter coil design for resonant wireless power transfer

The paper discusses the Tx coil design for resonant wireless power transfer. Resonant power transfer has attractive features over inductive power transfer i.e. multi-device charging and spatial flexibility, both require large coil size. However, the coil size cannot exceed a certain limit to guarantee efficient power transfer. The Tx coil design impacts the whole system performance, we show how it impacts the PA behavior, the system reliability, and the design space. The power coupling for planar coils takes place through the normal magnetic field component H z , hence, that field component should be uniform as we are going to show. Based on field uniformity a Tx coil synthesis process is introduced, where the coil turns shape are optimized to produce the minimum field variation, only low computational burden magnetic equations can be used to permit the high number of iterations, the final design is verified using a 3D Full wave EM tool.
PI Control with Anti-Windup in a Nonlinear Phase-Locked Loop

Abstract A simple PI controller with anti-windup (PIAW controller) has been developed to control the relative phase between the vibrations of an adaptive tuned vibration absorber (ATVA) and a primary mass to which the ATVA has been attached. The controller and dynamic system combination acts as a phase-locked loop (PLL). This paper compares the PIAW controller with a traditional PLL. In both cases, the forward loop contains a static nonlinearity in series with a linear plant. A benefit of the PIAW controller is that if high gains are used to achieve rapid response times, stability is still guaranteed. While PIAW controller usage has so far been restricted to the ATVA problem in the area of adaptive-passive vibration control, it is anticipated that the controller will have further application in other areas of vibration and motion control research.
Sex-Role Orientation of Perceivers and Targets As Variables in the Person Perception Process

Sex-role orientation operates both as a perceiver variable and a target variable in person perception and attribution processes. The present study investigates the effects of sex-role orientation on these processes in young men making judgments about women peers. Data are presented which show that the sex-role orientation of perceivers is moderately important in determining attributions of perceived similarity to a phantom other and to attributions of adjustment and self-confidence but has no effect upon actual or attributed interpersonal attraction. Sex-role orientation of targets effects interpersonal perception and attraction processes in young men in proportion to the degree that target persons are seen as possessing masculine attributes. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the theory of psychological androgyny.
Air filter diagnostics & prognostics in naturally aspired engines

Air filter diagnostics/prognostics are needed to determine the condition of the intake air filter in internal combustion engines and to indicate the need for maintenance. Monitoring air filter health helps saving on operational costs, maintaining optimal fuel economy, and planning for service/maintenance before failure. In the present paper, we propose an air filter diagnostics/prognostics method that relies on air flow models and control volume approach to assess filter health and estimate downstream pressure. The development is needed for non-boosted applications where a pressure sensor is generally not present downstream the air filter. Real data validation is conducted using engine data from an experimental vehicle. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach to monitor air filter health.
In situ shrinking fibers enhance strain hardening and foamability of linear polymers

Abstract The strain hardening behavior of polymers has important roles in processing such as foaming, film formation, and fiber spinning. The most common method to enhance strain hardening is to introduce a long-chain branching structure on the backbone of a linear polymer, but this method is costly and challenging to tailor the behavior. We hypothesized that in situ shrinking fibers can increase the strain hardening of linear polymers, and the degree can be efficiently controlled. In this study, we show that heat-activated shrinking fibers compounded in linear polypropylene enhance strain hardening and foamability. Moreover, changing processing conditions, such as temperature, can amplify the degree of enhancement. Rheological measurements and physical foaming tests are shown to support our hypothesis.
Type C virogenes: modes of transmission and evolutionary aspects.

Extensive evidence has demonstrated that type C RNA viruses are active agents in the causation of naturally occuring cancers. Type C RNA viruses are a distinct class of vertebrate viruses which share a common morphology, protein composition, and viral life cycle. They are spherical particles containing a large single-stranded RNA as their viral genome complexed with a RNA-directed DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) in a central, symmetric, electron dense core surrounded by a unit membrane. During viral replication the nucleoid condenses beneath the surface of the cytoplasmic cell membrane with subsequent “budding” of the virus from the cell surface.
A History of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540

This chapter seeks to provide an original account of the origins and purpose of resolution 1540. The account builds on the author’s experience, first-hand accounts, and interviews with former government officials, including Stephen Hadley, John Bolton, and Robert Joseph. It seeks to generate insights into the intended purpose of the resolution, its drafting, the diplomacy surrounding its passage, and the effects that this had on the text which was adopted by the Security Council. In doing so, the chapter also seeks to situate the resolution amongst other non-proliferation and counter-WMD-terrorism tools and initiatives.
Is the Updated Kidney Allocation System Working

In December 2014, the current kidney allocation system (KAS) was implemented after over 10 years of development by the OPTN Kidney Committee. The Kidney Committee noted several limitations with the prior kidney allocation schema and sought to improve many of these limitations. This review will discuss those goals and the available results at a 2-year review. Two-year results of the new kidney allocation system: This system increased the allocation of allografts with longer expected function as estimated by the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) to those patients with longer expected post-transplant survival as estimated by the recipients’ EPTS score or the estimated post-transplant survival score. A large increase in transplantation to those who are highly sensitized, calculated panel reactive antibody (CPRA) 98% or greater has also occurred as planned. Redefining the start of waiting time to the start of chronic dialysis time resulted in a great increase in minority transplantation and to those with a long time of dialysis. There was a small increase in transplantation to blood type B candidates. Challenges: Organ discards have still increased compared to before the implementation of the new KAS, likely due to factors not addressed by the KAS such as the regulatory concerns (performance metric flagging) and financial costs of transplanting higher KDPI organs and higher EPTS candidates. There was a large “bolus” effect in the first year, and possibly still ongoing, regarding increased access to very highly sensitized patients and those with very long dialysis waiting time. These last two patient populations, along with increased cold ischemic times due to 10% more of all transplants being non-local transplants, likely resulted in the slight decrease of 1-year outcomes and increase in DGF compared to pre-KAS, as well as decrease in the 0-ABDR mismatch transplants by 57% at the first year. Two-year results of the new KAS show that most of the intended goals of the policy are being realized, namely longevity matching, equitable access to transplantation for ethic groups and for those with equivalent dialysis time, and sensitized patients. Policymakers are still following the long-term outcomes from increased transplantation of the highly sensitized and outcomes from the higher DGF rates likely from increased cold ischemic time of non-local transplants and from transplant into patients with very long dialysis times. The hard decision-making process is still in play, balancing equity in access compared to utility: long-term successful graft and patient survival, particularly in a system that has much greater demand for deceased donor allografts than supply.
Love and Money: Reducing Stress and Improving Couple Happiness

A love and money curriculum was developed to guide couples through conversations about the role money plays in their relationships. Thirteen couples participated in the 5-week study. Physiological ...
An RNA chaperone activity of non-specific RNA binding proteins in hammerhead ribozyme catalysis

We have previously shown that a protein derived from the p7 nucleocapsid (NC) protein of HIV type-1 increases kcat/Km and kcat for cleavage of a cognate substrate by a hammerhead ribozyme. Here we show directly that the increase in kcat/Km arises from catalysis of the annealing of the RNA substrate to the ribozyme and the increase in kcat arises from catalysis of dissociation of the RNA products from the ribozyme. A peptide polymer derived from the consensus sequence of the C-terminal domain of the hnRNP A1 protein (A1 CTD) provides similar enhancements. Although these effects apparently arise from non-specific interactions, not all non-specific binding interactions led to these enhancements. NC and A1 CTD exert their effects by accelerating attainment of the thermodynamically most stable species throughout the ribozyme catalytic cycle. In addition, NC protein is shown to resolve a misfolded ribozyme-RNA complex that is otherwise long lived. These in vitro results suggest that non-specific RNA binding proteins such as NC and hnRNP proteins may have a biological role as RNA chaperones that prevent misfolding of RNAs and resolve RNAs that have misfolded, thereby ensuring that RNA is accessible for its biological functions.
Farrell Cohomology Theory

Let Γ be a group such that vcd Γ < ∞. If Γ is torsion-free, then we know from Chapter VIII that cd Γ < ∞, so that Γ has no high-dimensional cohomology. In the general case, one might hope to “explain” the high-dimensional cohomology of Γ in terms of the torsion in Γ. (This is analogous to the situation of Chapter IX, where we tried to explain the non-integrality of χ(Γ) in terms of the torsion in Γ.)
Morphological and syntactic paradigms: Arguments for a theory of paradigm linkage

A paradigm is a set of cells; each such cell is the pairing of a word form with the set of morphosyntactic properties which that word form realizes. Thus, the paradigm of the Latin noun amicus ‘friend’ is the set of cells in (1).
Inventories and Stock-out Costs in the Price-Setting Newsvendor: An Economic Interpretation

According to the Lerner rule, a firm’s profit-maximizing price under certainty can be characterized with just two parameters: marginal cost and the elasticity of demand. Salinger and Ampudia (Salinger, M. A., & Ampudia, M. (2011). Simple economics of the price-setting newsvendor problem. Managament Science, 57, 1996–1998.) showed that in the most basic version of the price-setting newsvendor (i.e., with no inventories or stock-out costs), the Lerner rule applies with suitable modifications to the definition of marginal cost and the elasticity of demand. This chapter extends that result to the more general version of the price-setting newsvendor problem that allows for stock-out costs and for unsold output to have some residual value as inventory. This extension suggests that the Lerner rule characterization can be a unifying framework for a wide variety of extensions to the price-setting newsvendor problem.