cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How redesigning AD clinical trials might increase study partners' willingness to participate.

Background: Timely recruiting and retaining participants into Alzheimer disease (AD) clinical trials is a challenge. We used conjoint analysis to identify how alterations in attributes of clinical trial design improve willingness to participate: risk, home visits, car service, or increased chance of receiving intervention. Method: A total of 108 study partners of patients with very mild to severe stage AD rated willingness to allow their relative to participate in eight clinical trials that varied combinations of the four attributes. Results: The highest utility was for home visits (0.89) which essentially compensated for the disutility of high risk (−0.85). The combination of home visits and car service was redundant, with almost no increase in utility over home visits alone. Seventeen percent were willing to participate in a trial with no amenities; the addition of home visits increased predicted willingness to participate to 27%; low risk, home visits, and higher chance of active treatment increased predicted willingness to 60%. The value of reducing the hassles of travel correlated well with measures of AD severity (activities of daily living r = 0.41, p Conclusion: Clinical trials that reduce travel inconvenience may offset the disincentive of study features such as the risk of intervention and may also increase willingness to participate. Redesigning trials may also help recruit patients with more severe Alzheimer disease. Shorter recruitment periods and increased retention rates may offset costs of these changes. GLOSSARY: AD = Alzheimer disease; BLUP = best linear unbiased prediction; RAQ = Research Attitude Questionnaire.
Abdominal cryptococcoma in aids: A case report

Cryptococcosis is a recognized opportunistic pathogen in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Although central nervous system infection and disseminated cryptococcosis is common in acquired immune deficiency syndrome, localized infection is rare. We present a case of massive retroperitoneal and mesenteric adenopathy in a male homosexual patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome with clinical and radiologic features suggestive of lymphoma. However, this was proven pathologically to represent cryptococcal infiltration of the lymph nodes. Our experience indicates that Cryptococcus neoformans should be included in the differential diagnosis of massive abdominal adenopathy in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
Chaotic dynamics of spin-valve oscillators

Recent experimental and theoretical studies on the magnetization dynamics driven by an electric current have uncovered a number of unprecedented rich dynamic phenomena. We predict an intrinsic chaotic dynamics that has not been previously anticipated. We explicitly show that the transition to chaotic dynamics occurs through a series of period doubling bifurcations. In chaotic regime, two dramatically different power spectra, one with a well-defined peak and the other with a broadly distributed noise, are identified and explained.
Within-tier cooling and thermal isolation technologies for heterogeneous 3D ICs

Thermal management in 3D ICs not only requires cooling, but may also require thermal isolation in scenarios in which high-power chips (e.g. logic chips) are stacked along with low-power and temperature-sensitive tiers (e.g. memory or silicon nanophotonic chips). A hybrid thermal solution combining within-tier microfluidic cooling for the high-power tier and within-tier thermal isolation for the low-power tier is proposed for the first time. In this paper, we report 1) within-tier microfluidic cooling in a processor-on-processor stack 2) TSVs with 23:1 aspect ratio integrated in the microfluidic heat sink, and 3) the integration of air/vacuum cavity in the low-power tier to `protect' it from the temperature variation and nonuniformity of the high-power chip. Thermal modeling shows that the low-power tier temperature only increases by 4 °C when the power density of the processor tier increases from 50 W/cm2 to 100 W/cm2, compared to 22 °C temperature increase without thermal isolation.
Comparison of step-down and binary search algorithms for determination of defibrillation threshold in humans

Determination of DFT is an integral part of ICD implantation. Two commonly used methods of DFT determination, the step-down method and the binary search method, were compared in 44 patients undergoing ICD testing for standard clinical indications. The step-down protocol used an initial shock of 18 J. The binary search method began with a shock energy of 9 J and successive shock energies were increased or decreased depending on the success of the previous shock. The DFT was defined as the lowest energy that successfully terminated ventricular fibrillation. The binary search method has the advantage of requiring a predetermined number of shocks, but some have questioned its accuracy. The study found that (mean) DFT obtained by the step-down method was 8.2 ± 5.0, whereas by the binary search method DFT was 8.1 ± 0.7 J, P = NS. DFT differed by no more than one step between methods in 32 (71%) of patients. The number of shocks required to determine DFT by the step-down method was 4.6 ± 1.4, whereas by definition, the binary search method always required three shocks. In conclusion, the binary search method is preferable because it is of comparable efficacy and requires fewer shocks. (PACE 2004; 27:218–220)
Pipunculidae (Diptera) of the 1934 Swedish Expedition to Burma

Hardy, D. E. (Department of Entomology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hi., USA.) Pipunculidae (Diptera) of the 1934 Swedish expedition to Burma. Zool. Scripta 1(3–4): 121–138, 1972.–The collection of Pipunculidae made in Burma by Rene Malaise contained approximately forty species in five genera and four subgenera and is probably a thorough sampling of the species which occur in the Kambaiti area of N.E. Burma. Eleven new species are being described: Dorylomorpha latifrons sp.n., D. stenozona sp.n., Pipunculus (Cephalops) dolosus sp.n., P. (Cephalops) fimbriatus sp.n., P. (Cephalops) validus sp.n., P. (Cephalosphaera) reduncus sp.n., P. (Cephalosphaera) tingens sp.n., P. (Eudorylas) burmanicus sp.n., P. (Eudorylas) colossus sp.n., P. (Eudorylas) giganteus sp.n., and P. (Eudorylas) malaisei sp.n. Several other species, probably new ones, are indicated but not being described until further specimens can be studied. The majority of the species are new records for Burma.
Application of a nonconformal FETI-DP method in antenna array simulations

A nonconformal dual-primal finite element tearing and interconnecting (FETI-DP) method is formulated to extend the two-Lagrange-multiplier-based FETI-DP algorithm to deal with nonconformal interface meshes. Robin-type transmission condition is implemented at the subdomain interfaces to preserve the fast convergence of the iterative solution of the global interface problem in a high-frequency large-scale three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic analysis. Numerical results for simulating of finite antenna arrays are presented to demonstrate the application and efficiency the proposed nonconformal FETIDP methods.
Sequences of substance use among American Indian adolescents

ABSTRACT Objective To determine whether the predominant pattern of the sequence of use of different classes of substances among a large sample of American Indian (AI) adolescents is consistent with Stage Theory [i.e., (1) alcohol, (2) marijuana, (3) other illicit drugs, and (4) cocaine]. Method Data came from surveys completed by 1,562 AI high school students in 1993. Pairwise comparisons of age of first use for alcohol, marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, and other illicit drugs were examined, as were the prevalence rates of specific sequences of substance use. Results Thirty-five percent of the AI youths who had used both alcohol and marijuana reported using alcohol first. Seventy-five percent of youths who had used three or more substances reported a sequence of first use that was inconsistent with Stage Theory. However, a general pattern of using alcohol, marijuana, and/or inhalants prior to the use of cocaine and other illicit drugs was observed. Sequences of first use varied by gender, age of first substance use, community, and number of classes of substances used. Conclusions To enhance the validity of Stage Theory for AI adolescents, the authors recommend its revision to include alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants as initiating substances.
Autophobicity-Driven Surface Segregation and Patterning of Core−Shell Microgel Nanoparticles

Core-shell microgel (CSMG) nanoparticles, also referred to as core-cross-linked star (CCS) polymers, can be envisaged as permanently cross-linked block copolymer micelles and, as such, afford novel opportunities for chemical functionalization, templating, and encapsulation. In this study, we explore the behavior of CSMG nanoparticles comprising a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) shell in molten PMMA thin films. Because of the autophobicity between the densely packed, short PMMA arms of the CSMG shell and the long PMMA chains in the matrix, the nanoparticles migrate to the film surface. They cannot, however, break through the surface because of the inherently high surface energy of PMMA. Similar thermal treatment of CSMG-containing PMMA thin films with a polystyrene (PS) capping layer replaces surface energy at the PMMA/air interface by interfacial energy at the PMMA/PS interface, which reduces the energy barrier by an order of magnitude, thereby permitting the nanoparticles to emerge out of the PMMA bulk. This nanoscale process is reversible and can be captured at intermediate degrees of completion. Moreover, it is fundamentally general and can be exploited as an alternative means by which to reversibly pattern or functionalize polymer surfaces for applications requiring responsive nanolithography.
Phosphorus solubility mechanisms in haplogranitic aluminosilicate glass and melt: effect of temperature and aluminum content

The solubility behavior of phosphorus in glasses and melts in the system Na2O-Al2O3-SiO2-P2O5 has been examined as a function of temperature and Al2O3 content with microRaman spectroscopy. The Al2O3 was added (2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 mol% Al2O3) to melts with 80 mol% SiO2 and ∼2 mol% P2O5. The compositions range from peralkaline, via meta-aluminous to peraluminous. Raman spectra were obtained of both the phosphorus-free and phosphorous-bearing glasses and melts between 25 and 1218 °C. The Raman spectrum of Al-free, P-bearing glass exhibits a characteristic strong band near 940 cm−1 assigned to P=O stretching in orthophosphate complexes together with a weaker band near 1000 cm−1 assigned P2O7 complexes. With increasing Al content, the proportion of P2O7 initially increases relative to PO4 and is joined by AlPO4 complexes which exhibit a characteristic P-O stretch mode slightly above 1100 cm−1. The latter complex appears to dominate in meta-aluminosilicate glass and is the only phosphate complex in peraluminous glasses. When P-bearing peralkaline silicate and aluminosilicate glasses are transformed to supercooled melts, there is a rapid decrease in PO4/P2O7 so that in the molten state, PO4 units are barely discernible. The P2O7/AlPO4 abundance ratio in peralkaline compositions increases with increasing temperature. This decrease in PO4/P2O7 with increasing temperature results in depolymerization of the silicate melts. Dissolved P2O5 in peraluminous glass and melts forms AlPO4 complexes only. This solution mechanism has no discernible influence on the aluminosilicate melt structure. There is no effect of temperature on this solution mechanism.
Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change on the Water Resources of the Columbia River Basin

The potential effects of climate change on the hydrology and water resources of the Columbia River Basin (CRB) were evaluated using simulations from the U.S. Department of Energy and National Center for Atmospheric Research Parallel Climate Model (DOE/NCAR PCM). This study focuses on three climate projections for the 21st century based on a `business as usual' (BAU) global emissions scenario, evaluated with respect to a control climate scenario based on static 1995 emissions. Time-varying monthly PCM temperature and precipitation changes were statistically downscaled and temporally disaggregated to produce daily forcings that drove a macro-scale hydrologic simulation model of the Columbia River basin at 1/4-degree spatial resolution. For comparison with the direct statistical downscaling approach, a dynamical downscaling approach using a regional climate model (RCM) was also used to derive hydrologic model forcings for 20-year subsets from the PCM control climate (1995–2015) scenario and from the three BAU climate(2040–2060) projections. The statistically downscaled PCM scenario results were assessed for three analysis periods (denoted Periods 1–3: 2010–2039,2040–2069, 2070–2098) in which changes in annual average temperature were +0.5,+1.3 and +2.1 °C, respectively, while critical winter season precipitation changes were –3, +5 and +1 percent. For RCM, the predicted temperature change for the 2040–2060 period was +1.2 °C and the average winter precipitation change was –3 percent, relative to the RCM controlclimate. Due to the modest changes in winter precipitation, temperature changes dominated the simulated hydrologic effects by reducing winter snow accumulation, thus shifting summer streamflow to the winter. The hydrologic changes caused increased competition for reservoir storage between firm hydropower and instream flow targets developed pursuant to the Endangered Species Act listing of Columbia River salmonids. We examined several alternative reservoir operating policies designed to mitigate reservoir system performance losses. In general, the combination of earlier reservoir refill with greater storage allocations for instream flow targets mitigated some of the negative impacts to flow, but only with significant losses in firm hydropower production (ranging from –9 percent in Period1 to –35 percent for RCM). Simulated hydropower revenue changes were lessthan 5 percent for all scenarios, however, primarily due to small changes inannual runoff.
A procedure for the preparation of [32P]phosphatidic acid

The phosphorylation procedure of F. Cramer, W. Rittersdorf, and W. Bohm [(1961) Chem. Ber. 654, 180] using bis(triethylammonium) phosphate and trichloroacetonitrile was shown to be effective in the synthesis of [32P]phosphatidic acid. From diacylglyceride and 0.5 mCi H(3)32PO4, 25-50 microCi of labeled material (sp act = 1 mCi/mumol) can be prepared in 2 h. The product was shown to be radiochemically pure by both TLC and HPLC. L- and DL-[32P]dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid prepared using this procedure were shown to be hydrolyzed by rat liver microsomes at approximately the same rates.
Imaging Chronic Tuberculous Lesions Using Sodium [ 18 F]Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography in Mice

Purpose Calcification is a hallmark of chronic tuberculosis (TB) in humans, often noted years to decades (after the initial infection) on chest radiography, but not visualized well with traditional positron emission tomography (PET). We hypothesized that sodium [18F]fluoride (Na[18F]F) PET could be used to detect microcalcifications in a chronically Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected murine model.
Low dose rate irradiation and halogenated pyrimidine effects on human cervical carcinoma cells.

Abstract The response of two human cervical carcinoma cell lines to the combination of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporation and low dose rate irradiation (LDRI) was assessed. Survival curves were generated following both acute (67.2 Gy/hr) and low dose rate (0.11–0.62 Gy/hr) 137 Cs gamma-ray irradiation. The two cell lines exhibited markedly different radiation responses, but for the chronic irradiation, there was no significant difference in response between the low dose rates for either cell line. In all cases, the low dose rate radiation response could be described using a single exponential y = e −αD . The sensitizer enhancement ratio (SER) at 10% survival was determined and for the first cell line the low dose rate slope (α) was ∼0.7 Gy −1 with an SER of 1.3–1.5 and an SER of ∼1.6 for the acute response. In contrast, the second cell line had a low dose rate slope (α) of ∼0.4 Gy −1 , an SER of 1.3–1.5, and an SER of ∼1.7 for the acute response. The similarity of the SER's is notable in light of the marked differences between the intrinsic radiation response of the cells. As the concentration and/or time of exposure to BrdUrd increased, both cytotoxicity and the degree of sensitization also increased. This study demonstrates that SER's with BrdUrd and LDRI are comparable to those obtained for acute exposures in two cervical carcinoma cell lines. The results suggest that this combination of modalities may have clinical applications.
Recent results on mixed conductors containing hydrogen or deuterium

Abstract A number of experiments have been undertaken to determine whether there is a significant difference in thermal effects when deuterium, rather than hydrogen, is inserted into palladium by the use of electrochemical techniques involving extremely negative potentials. They involved the measurement of heat inputs and outputs using careful calorimetric techniques, and employing experimental conditions for the two systems as comparable as possible in order to reduce the possibility of a major thermal influence due to chemical or metallurgical effects. These experiments have shown not only a different behavior in the case of the hydrogen-palladium system and the deuterium-palladium system, but also the generation of true excess power in the deuterium case. The magnitude of the effects observed, of the order of one to two Watts of excess power per gram of palladium, are comparable to those which were reported earlier by Fleischmann and Pons.
Cationic lipid-mediated delivery of proteins enables efficient protein-based genome editing in vitro and in vivo

Efficient intracellular delivery of proteins is needed to fully realize the potential of protein therapeutics. Current methods of protein delivery commonly suffer from low tolerance for serum, poor endosomal escape and limited in vivo efficacy. Here we report that common cationic lipid nucleic acid transfection reagents can potently deliver proteins that are fused to negatively supercharged proteins, that contain natural anionic domains or that natively bind to anionic nucleic acids. This approach mediates the potent delivery of nM concentrations of Cre recombinase, TALE- and Cas9-based transcription activators, and Cas9:sgRNA nuclease complexes into cultured human cells in media containing 10% serum. Delivery of unmodified Cas9:sgRNA complexes resulted in up to 80% genome modification with substantially higher specificity compared to DNA transfection. This approach also mediated efficient delivery of Cre recombinase and Cas9:sgRNA complexes into the mouse inner ear in vivo, achieving 90% Cre-mediated recombination and 20% Cas9-mediated genome modification in hair cells.
Adriamycin and cisplatin for hepatoblastoma.

Four consecutive infants and children with hepatoblastomas were treated with a combination of Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and cisplatin. Three patients had unresectable tumors and in each there was a dramatic decrease in tumor size and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. The tumors of two of these patients, including one with pulmonary metastases which cleared, were rendered resectable. The third patient's tumor remained unresectable but his AFP level returned to normal following radiotherapy. All three patients are disease-free, and both without metastases are off therapy from 9 to 24 months. A fourth child received the combination as adjuvant therapy following resection of an embryonal hepatoblastoma and he remains disease-free 7 months after its discontinuation. Therapy was tolerable in all patients and its principal toxicities were myelosuppression and magnesium wasting. Adriamycin and cisplatin in combination were very effective in these patients and deserve further trials, especially in unresectable and metastatic hepatoblastomas. Cancer 56: 1926-1929, 1985.
Endovascular repair of peripheral aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, and arteriovenous fistulas.

Endovascular repair of peripheral arterial lesions was performed in 10 patients including two iliac aneurysms, two iliac anastomotic pseudoaneurysms, one subclavian pseudoaneurysm, one axillary anastomotic disruption, two prosthetic pseudoaneurysms, and two posttraumatic arteriovenous (AV) fistulas. The indications for repair were aneurysm size in five cases, massive hematoma in one, threatened prosthetic dialysis graft in two, venous hypertension with nonhealing ulcer in one, and arm pain in one. Vascular access was obtained through surgical cutdown in all cases, via the femoral artery in five patients, the proximal brachial artery in three, and a prosthetic graft in two. Stented prosthetic grafts were used in five cases (1 polyester and polytetrafluoroethylene 4 [PTFE]), and PTFE-covered stents in five cases. Concomitant procedures were done in four patients including two open repairs of a common femoral artery aneurysm, a transluminal dilatation of a proximal aortic anastomotic stenosis, and an iliac artery transluminal angioplasty. Eight of 10 cases were technically successful. Completion arteriography revealed complete exclusion of all lesions, except for one minimal proximal stented graft leak in a pseudoaneurysm, and an incomplete obliteration of an AV fistula. No complications occurred. Operative time ranged from 45 min to 5 hours. Postoperative hospital stay was 1 day in five patients, 2 days in three patients, and 4 days in two patients. Follow-up contrast CT scan, arteriography, or duplex scanning demonstrated complete exclusion of all lesions except an AV fistula, and decrease in size in three aneurysms. The proximal leak initially present in a stented graft resolved. All grafts and covered stents remained patent at 2–19 months of followup. Endovascular exclusion of peripheral arterial aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, and AV fistulas can be done with a high degree of technical success, low morbidity, and short hospital stay. Shortterm follow up is encouraging, however, long term follow up of these procedures is warranted to assess durability of the repair and absence of complications.
Using transformative learning theory to develop metacognitive and self-reflective skills in pharmacy students: A primer for pharmacy educators

Abstract Objective The objective of this article is to provide a review of Transformative Learning Theory and identify its application to pharmacy education. Background The pharmacy profession continues to struggle with the transition from product-centered to patient-centered service delivery. Revised Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) learning outcome requirements, as well as new technology, government regulations, and reimbursement models, may soon mean obsolescence for pharmacists who do not possess the necessary introspective and metacognitive abilities that can lead to mature patient-centered skill sets. Method Snowball method was used to review Transformative Learning Theory and find strategies to apply to teaching in Pharmacy. Conclusion Pharmacy educators can use Transformative Learning Theory or aspects of the theory to develop specific self-awareness and metacognitive skills needed by all health care professionals. In addition, transformative teaching can provide a powerful context not only for professional education but also for lifelong learning. Transformative teaching is a pedagogy that makes use of Transformative Learning concepts.
THE FULLY FORMED CHONDROCRANIUM OF MABUYA WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE ADULT OSTEOCRANIUM1

It has been our intention to describe as far as possible completely the anatomy of a lizard, just as it has been done for the frog, so that students studying the order Lacertilia may have a comprehensive account of all the systems of a lizard easily at hand. The anatomy of Calotes, the Indian garden lizard, has been described in some textbooks but Catotes is not selected for study in the north where Unman:ix is taken ri3 the. lacertilian type. The. house-gecko, Hermidactylusy is small and more¬over, for seuth»ental reasons, the lizard is tabooed and cannot be procured in numbers for class purposes. It was thought, therefore, that a description of the artaomy of an ubiquitous form like MaIntya would be very useful.
Glucose exchanges in a salt marsh-estuary: Biological activity and chemical measurements1

Spatial changes in concentrations and uptake rates of glucose in a Spartina aZternij&wa salt marsh estuary (Duplin River, Sapelo Island, Georgia) were determined to assess the source and fate of glucose in the system, Concentrations were highly variable along the length of the river and over several tidal periods, with high values (5-20 pg*liter-r) in March and low values (l-10 pg*liter-‘) in August. Glucose was rapidly cycled in the headwaters as indicated by uptake rates and turnover times. Respiration of added [14C]glucose was relatively constant within the system and temporally. Two striking features of this system were a glucose gradient from Doboy Sound (high glucose) water toward the transitional zone (low glucose) and another one from the headwaters (high gluc,ose) toward the transitional zone, and a decrease in activity in the 3-pm size fraction from Doboy Sound toward the transitional zone and an increase in activity from this zone toward the headwaters. Conclusions based on various hydrological and biological time scales indicate that glucose exchange associated with the tides (i.e. glucose mixing between zones) is small compared to recycling within the system.
Efficacy and application considerations of selected residual acaricides against the mold mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae) in simulated retail habitats.

ABSTRACT The mold mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), is a stored product pest of economic significance that commonly infests many types of food and animal feed products. There is limited information regarding pest management tactics, including residual acaricides for managing this pest in retail store habitats. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of commercially available acaricides that could provide a protective barrier near susceptible food packages destined for consumer use. Mite mortality at 24 and 48 h was measured after exposing mites to acaricide residues applied to a nonporous surface. Two additional factors included in the study were humidity and the presence of an adjuvant to facilitate spread of acaricide on nonporous surfaces. Increasing humidity levels generally decreased acaricide efficacy. Use of the adjuvant itself did not appear to affect efficacy, but the type of application (wet or slurry, or dry) of dust acaricides significantly affected efficacy. The potentia...
Effect of Low Concentrations of Dihydrostreptomycin on Drug Resistance in Enteric Bacteria

Beagle dogs were fed a diet containing 0, 2, or 10 μg of dihydrostreptomycin (DSM) per g of feed. The 2-μg/g level was selected to represent a residue level of the antibiotic. In both treatment groups, medicated feed resulted in a shift from a predominantly streptomycin (SM)-susceptible coliform fecal population to an SM-resistant population. The proportion of resistant organisms was significant ( P Escherichia coli K-12 recipients.
Synthesis of intermetallic NiAl and Ni3Al fine powders through organometallic precursors

Fine powders of intermetallic NiAl and Ni3Al were synthesized through organometallic precursors, which were coprecipitated from aqueous solutions of NiCl2 and AlCl3 by the addition of ammonium benzoate and hydradinium monochloride as precipitants. Ni3Al and NiAl were synthesized by a two-step heat treatment of the precursors. The initial step was the thermal decomposition of organic groups to form homogeneous mixtures of Ni3C, amorphous Al2O3, and free C below 1000 °C. The other step was the reaction above 1300 °C to form the intermetallics. Single phase powders of NiAl and Ni3Al with the particle size less than 3 μm were obtained above 1300 and 1400 °C, respectively.
Measuring Advertising Effectiveness In Destination Marketing Strategies

The use of true experiments is advocated for testing destination advertising effectiveness in causing visits. Examples of A-B ad copy split tests in other industries are described and the value and limitations of advertising conversion research studies are reviewed. A hypothetical example in tourism advertising effectiveness research of an A-B-C split is presented, C being a control group of subjects not exposed to advertising. A call for travel and tourism industry action to test advertising 's influence on causing visits and revenues concludes the article.
Gene Conversion and DNA Sequence Polymorphism in the Sex-Determination Gene fog-2 and Its Paralog ftr-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Gene conversion, a form of concerted evolution, bears enormous potential to shape the trajectory of sequence and functional divergence of gene paralogs subsequent to duplication events. fog-2, a sex-determination gene unique to Caenorhabditis elegans and implicated in the origin of hermaphroditism in this species, resulted from the duplication of ftr-1, an upstream gene of unknown function. Synonymous sequence divergence in regions of fog-2 and ftr-1 (excluding recent gene conversion tracts) suggests that the duplication occurred 46 million generations ago. Gene conversion between fog-2 and ftr-1 was previously discovered in experimental fog-2 knockout lines of C. elegans, whereby hermaphroditism was restored in mutant obligately outcrossing male–female populations. We analyzed DNA-sequence variation in fog-2 and ftr-1 within 40 isolates of C. elegans from diverse geographic locations in order to evaluate the contribution of gene conversion to genetic variation in the two gene paralogs. The analysis shows that gene conversion contributes significantly to DNA-sequence diversity in fog-2 and ftr-1 (22% and 34%, respectively) and may have the potential to alter sexual phenotypes in natural populations. A radical amino acid change in a conserved region of the F-box domain of fog-2 was found in natural isolates of C. elegans with significantly lower fecundity. We hypothesize that the lowered fecundity is due to reduced masculinization and less sperm production and that amino acid replacement substitutions and gene conversion in fog-2 may contribute significantly to variation in the degree of inbreeding and outcrossing in natural populations.
Citrus and the state: factions and class formation in rural Belize

This article examines local-level politics and their effect on class formation in two neighboring Belizean villages. Charlestown and More Hope exhibit differing degrees of patronage-based factionalism, which is related to the state's differential involvement in local politics. This involvement is in turn governed by the perceived political value of individual rural constituencies. The effects of factionalism on class structure in Charlestown—a community heavily contested by the governing party and its rivals—are illustrated in the context of an expanding export-oriented citrus economy.
Gene, stem cell, and future therapies for orphan diseases.

There are an estimated 7,000 “orphan diseases,” but treatments are currently available for only about 5% of them. Recent progress in the advanced platforms of gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gene modification, and gene correction offers possibilities for new therapies and cures for rare diseases. Many rare diseases are genetic in origin, and gene therapy is being successfully applied to treat them. Human stem cell therapy, apart from bone marrow transplants, is still experimental. Genetic modification of stem cells can make stem cell–based products more effective. Autologous induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, when combined with new classes of artificial nucleases, have great potential in the ex vivo repair of specific mutated DNA sequences (zinc-finger proteins and transactivator-like effector nucleases). Patient-specific iPS cells can be corrected and transplanted back into the patient. Stem cells secrete paracrine factors that could become new therapeutic tools in the treatment of orphan diseases. Gene therapy and stem cell therapy with DNA repair are promising approaches to the treatment of rare, intractable diseases. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2012); 92 2, 182–192. doi:10.1038/clpt.2012.82
Automatic incremental state saving

We present an Incremental State Saving technique for which the state saving calls are inserted automatically by directly editing the application executable. This method has the advantage of being easy to use since it is fully automatic, and has good performance since it adds overhead only where state is being modified. Since the editing happens on executable code, the method is independent of the compiler, and allows third party libraries to be used. None of the previous incremental state saving methods have both of these features. We find that it is beneficial to use Automatic Incremental State Saving if less than 15% of the state is modified in each event as compared to copy state saving. This technique allows us to efficiently parallelize existing simulations, and makes Time Warp more accessible to non-Time Warp experts.
Transformation‐Range Behavior of Li2O‐(Al, Ga)2O3‐SiO2 Glasses

The transformation-range viscosity and the glass transformation temperatures were measured for three series of Li2O-R2O3-SiO2 glasses containing varying alumina-to-gallia ratios. The results indicate that these properties vary linearly with the alumina/gallia ratio. These results suggest that these glasses are isostructural and that no “mixed intermediate oxide” effect occurs.
All-SAT Using Minimal Blocking Clauses

The All-SAT problem deals with determining all the satisfying assignments that exist for a given propositional logic formula. This problem occurs in verification applications including predicate abstraction and unbounded model checking. A typical All-SAT solver is based on iteratively computing satisfying assignments using a traditional Boolean satisfiability (SAT) solver and adding blocking clauses which are the complement of the total/partial assignments. We argue that such an algorithm is doing more work than needed and introduce new algorithms that are more efficient. Experiments show that these algorithms generate solutions with up to 14X fewer partial assignments and are up to three orders of magnitude faster.
Culture dependent and independent analysis of bacterial communities associated with commercial salad leaf vegetables

Background Plants harbor a diverse bacterial community, both as epiphytes on the plant surface and as endophytes within plant tissue. While some plant-associated bacteria act as plant pathogens or promote plant growth, others may be human pathogens. The aim of the current study was to determine the bacterial community composition of organic and conventionally grown leafy salad vegetables at the point of consumption using both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods.
Resiliency of Intelligent Transportation Systems to Critical Disruptions: An Eigenvalue-Based Viewpoint

Identification of important nodes/links is critical for understanding the resiliency of transportation networks in response to disruptions. Envisioning an intelligent transportation system requires effective monitoring of different components of a transportation network, such as nodes and links. For example, identification of critical nodes/links for placing different monitoring devices (e.g., cameras) is an important task of an intelligent transportation system. This paper is focused on identifying important nodes of a given transportation network based on a novel approach that minimizes the largest eigenvalue of an adjacency matrix of a transportation network. We tested the proposed approach on the Guam road network. Our results suggested that if capacities of 15% of the critical nodes are reduced by 50%, the connectivity of the entire network drops by 50%, which is significant performance degradation. The proposed approach is more effective than existing popular metrics (e.g., betweenness) in identifying a subset of critical nodes/links.
High prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii oocyst shedding in stray and pet cats ( Felis catus ) in Virginia, United States

Background: The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, with complications varying from mental disease to death. While human infection can occur via ingestion of tissue cysts from infected meat, most human infection comes from oocysts. Cats are the only definitive host, and thus shedding of oocysts by cats provides the ultimate source of toxoplasmosis. Methods: While most studies in the area use seroprevalence to monitor Toxoplasma incidence in cat populations, this provides only a history of infection. This study used PCR detection of oocysts from cat feces to more accurately estimate the numbers of cats producing oocysts and thus posing an active health risk. DNA sequencing was use to confirm the identity of the PCR products. Results: Of the 49 cats tested, 9 yielded PCR products of the expected size. Six of the nine were determined by sequence analysis to be false positives, while three products were true positives. Overall, 6% of cats examined were found to be actively shedding oocysts. Conclusions: The incidence of oocyst shedding in the cat population studied was significantly higher than expected and higher than found in most cat populations world-wide. Of equal importance, the primers tested were shown to produce PCR products of multiple sizes and non-target products of expected size. We detected false positives at a higher rate than true positives, emphasizing the need for confirmatory analysis. Further research may produce better protocols for Toxoplasma detection from cat fecal samples.
Skill in Black and White: Negotiating Media Images of Race in a Sporting Context

This article discusses the results of a unique research design that collected data regarding college students' perceptions of race in a sporting context. We address a gap in the literature that exists between the well-documented patterns through which sports announcers construct race while commentating during games and the lack of studies assessing the impact of this commentary on audience members. Our findings indicate that members of this sample often expressed the idea that Blacks and Whites possessed different physical and mental skills related to sport, including some who felt these differences were directly attributable to race. Analysis points to the influence of both exposure to television and personal experiences in the formation of these responses, indicating a process of audience—content negotiation.
The public health risks of cervid production in the United States of America.

Summary Cervid species represent a growing livestock enterprise In the United States of America (USA). The zoonotic threat of bovine tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) is the only significant public health risk posed by this alternative livestock industry. This paper examines the potential sources of tuberculosis exposure as related to public health and compares and contrasts the status of tuberculosis in Cervidae with the situation in the cattle industry in the USA. Based on the existing prevalence of the disease and the limited potential of human exposure to infected meat or meat products, bovine tuberculosis in Cervidae poses a minimal threat to public health. The only significant public health concern is exposure to infected free-ranging cervids of hunters who field-dress carcasses and may unknowingly incise tuberculous lesions. This risk is mitigated only by the small size of the cervid population at risk when compared to the general population of cervids hunted yearly.
Kidney function in ANF-transgenic mice: effect of blood volume expansion

Transgenic mice, created from inbred C3HeB/FeJ embryos, were used to overexpress selectively in the liver a fusion gene comprising mouse transthyretin (TTR) regulatory and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) structural sequences. Animals were anesthetized, and kidney function was studied before and after blood volume expansion. Baseline urine volumes and electrolyte excretions were not significantly different from those of non-transgenic littermates, despite a markedly lower arterial blood pressure in the experimental group. A slightly lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in transgenics was not different statistically. Plasma ANF levels measured by radioimmunoassay were approximately 10-fold higher in the transgenic animals, compared with their nontransgenic siblings. After acute blood volume expansion, the diuretic, natriuretic, kaliuretic, and chloruretic responses were markedly enhanced in the transgenic group. Arterial pressure was increased as a result of hypervolemia, although it remained relatively depressed relative to the controls. GFR again was not different. We conclude that transgenic mice overexpressing ANF can maintain normal excretion of salt and water, possibly via ANF-induced reduction of renal perfusion pressure. After acute blood volume expansion, an increase in pressure may allow full renal expression of the chronically elevated ANF levels.
A Reduced-Intensity Conditioning Regimen for Patients with Dyskeratosis Congenita Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative option for progressive marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndrome, or leukemia associated with dyskeratosis congenita (DC). HSCT for DC is limited by a high incidence of treatment-related mortality, thought to be related to underlying chromosomal instability and sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation. We report our experience in 7 patients with DC who underwent allogeneic transplantation using a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) preparative regimen that contained chemotherapy only (no radiation). This RIC regimen, designed specifically for patients with DC, contained alemtuzumab, fludarabine, and melphalan (with melphalan at 50% reduced dosing), with the goal of decreasing toxicity and improving outcome. All 7 patients engrafted, with none developing mixed chimerism or rejection. Two patients experienced acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and 1 went on to develop limited chronic GVHD of the skin. Five patients remain alive and well at a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 14 to 57 months). We conclude that a radiation-free RIC regimen results in durable engraftment, acceptable toxicity, and improved overall survival in patients with DC undergoing allogeneic HSCT.
Impact of Fluorescence Tracers on Combustion Performance in Optical Engine Experiments

For applications of planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) to measure the fuel or equivalence ratio distributions in internal combustion (IC) engines it is typically assumed that the addition of a fluorescence tracer to a base fuel does not alter the combustion performance. We have investigated the impact on combustion performance through the addition of various amounts of 3-pentanone or toluene to iso-octane fuel. Correlations between equivalence ratio for a range of fuel/tracer mixtures and engine parameters, like peak pressure, location of peak pressure, indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), and peak burn rate are discussed for data obtained in a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) gasoline engine operated with near homogeneous charge. For typical tracer concentrations the impact on combustion performance is mostly negligible. PLIF imaging for operation with fuel/tracer mixture of the same equivalence ratio (iso-octane with 3-pentanone or toluene) show identical behavior for flame propagation within scatter.
Image-Measurement Segmentation:

Product positioning studies for both new and established products generally involve consumers’ perception of the current product space in terms of the salient product attributes. Perceptions per br...
An Application of Analytics in Green Electricity Markets With Cap-and-Trade Programs

Abstract:New cap-and-trade (CT) programs (e.g., Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) to mitigate climate change have created the need for decision support in investment, bidding, and oversight in electricity markets. This need is critical for practicing engineering managers in restructured electricity markets operating under market-based competition. In this research we develop a bi-level game-theoretic model to obtain optimal bidding strategies for power generating companies in restructured markets under a CT program. We demonstrate the applicability of our model on data from Northern Illinois electricity market and discuss managerial implications. Detailed sensitivity analyses show how CT programs can impact electricity and allowance prices.
CILIATED EPITHELIAL CYST OF THE ESOPHAGUS ASSOCIATED WITH CARDIAC ABNORMALITIES: Report of Two Cases

SUMMARY Ciliated epithelial cysts of the esophagus, though comparatively rare, are being recognized with increasing frequency. Reports of 49 cases have been found in the literature. Even rarer are reports of cardiac symptoms associated with mediastinal tumors. We were able to find only 4 such cases in the literature. Two cases of ciliated epithelial esophageal cysts with associated cardiac abnormalities treated surgically are presented. The anatomic proximity of the cysts to the heart and the electrocardiographic reversion toward normal, following excision of the cysts, suggest an etiologic role of mediastinal tumors in the production of cardiac abnormalities.
Failure to clear elevated lactate predicts 24-hour mortality in trauma patients.

BACKGROUNDLactate clearance is a standard resuscitation goal in patients in nontraumatic shock but has not been investigated adequately as a tool to identify trauma patients at risk of dying. Our objective was to determine if trauma patients with impaired lactate clearance have a higher 24-hour mort
Creep Fracture by Finite Element Method

Creep fracture is an important consideration for structural components operating at elevated temperature or under high stresses. In the propose creep fracture procedure, the appropriate crack fracture relationship is inserted directly into the finite element model. Hence, the stress analysis, the creep analysis and the fracture analysis may all be taken into account in a single finite element computation. The fracture model employed introduces a “damaged” region adjacent to an actual crack or notch. The only material fracture parameter required is the critical stress intensity factor. Standard creep laws are assumed for the creep analysis. The finite element analysis is then able to predict under creep, actual crack initiation, crack growth, and ultimate failure of the component. The procedure and several example problems will be discussed.