cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The assembly of laminin-5 subunits.

Laminin-5 is a heterotrimer composed of α3, β3, and γ2 chains, produced by keratinocytes and the human squamous cell carcinoma line (SCC-25), and is one of the candidate proteins for the genetic lesion in junctional epidermolysis bullosa. Two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (first dimension, nonreducing conditions; second dimension, reducing conditions) revealed that the immunoprecipitated laminin-5 from a SCC-25 cell fraction consisted of α3, β3, and γ2 monomers, a β3γ2 heterodimer, and an α3β3γ2 heterotrimer. The presence of the β3γ2 heterodimer, but not heterodimers containing an α3 chain and any of the other chains, was suggestive of assembly of laminin-5 proceeding from a β3γ2 heterodimer to an α3β3γ2 heterotrimer. We showed, by cotransfection experiments using full-length recombinant β3 and γ2 chains in a human cell line devoid of endogenous laminin-5, that stable heterodimers can be formed in the absence of α3 chain expression. In the SCC-25 cell fraction, the α3 monomer pool was the smallest of the monomers. Pulse-chase experiments using the cell fraction also indicated that the heterotrimer was assembled after a 10-min pulse and was nearly absent after a 24-h chase. These results are consistent with the synthesis of α3 being limiting for heterotrimer assembly, with rapid association of the α3 chain with β3γ2 heterodimers to form complete heterotrimers. Treatment with tunicamycin reduced the size of each of the laminin-5 subunits, indicating that all chains are glycosylated, but that N-linked glycosylation is not necessary for chain assembly and secretion.
The 1971 Soviet Central Committee: An Assessment of the New Elite

On March 30, 1971, as the Twenty-fourth Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union opened, the prediction was widely voiced in the West that no surprises were in the offing. Basing their judgments on the aura of “business as usual” which had emanated from the Soviet leadership in the months prior to the Congress, Western specialists predicted a dull gathering, keynoted by signs of stability and ostensible unity—a far cry from the lively Congresses, full of unanticipated developments, over which Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev had presided.
An evolving web of signaling networks regulated by Cripto-1

Over the past few decades, our understanding of the embryonic gene Cripto-1 has considerably advanced through biochemical, cell biology, and animal studies. Cripto-1 performs key functions during embryonic development, while it dramatically disappears in adult tissues, except possibly in adult tissue stem cells. Cripto-1 is re-expressed in human tumors promoting cell proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and tumor angiogenesis. This diversity of biological effects is dependent upon interaction of Cripto-1 with an extensive array of signaling molecules. In fact, Cripto-1 modulates signaling of transforming growth factor-β family members, including Nodal, GDF-1/-3, Activin, and TGF-β1, activates c-src/MAPK/Protein Kinase B (AKT) pathway in a Glypican-1 and GRP78-dependent manner, and cross-talks with erbB4, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, Caveolin-1, and Apelin/putative receptor protein related to Angiotensin-type I receptor (APJ) pathways. This article provides an updated survey of the various signaling pathways modulated by Cripto-1 with a focus on mechanistic insights in our understanding of the biological function of Cripto-1 in eukaryotic cells.
Investigating Cases of Jump Phenomenon in a Nonlinear Oscillatory System

A two degree-of-freedom (DOF) nonlinear oscillatory system is presented which exhibits jump phenomena where the period of oscillation jumps to an integer multiple of its original period when the state changes by a small amount due to damping. The jump phenomenon is investigated within the framework of Catastrophe theory where the abrupt change in the response characteristic of the system is explained by the interaction between its invariant manifolds. The authors recently presented an approach based on the concept of the Instantaneous Center Manifold (ICM), where, the center manifold of a conservative nonlinear system was replaced by an equivalent set of ICMs as two-dimensional invariant manifolds of the system that contain all of its periodic orbits. This study attempts to explain the sudden change in the response of a slightly damped oscillator as its response decays, based on the ICMs of its underlying undamped system. Such abrupt changes in the response of the system are explained based on the orientability properties of the local ICMs of the undamped system. This study also presents a bifurcation analysis of periodic orbits of the undamped system to illustrate the evolution of different types of periodic orbits, orientability of their local ICMs and their effect on the transient response of the damped system. These effects are expounded in cases of jump phenomena observed in numerical simulation of the free response of the damped system.
Aortic arch enlargement and coarctation repair through a left thoracotomy: significance of ductal perfusion.

METHODS: Ten neonates with coarctation, severe arch hypoplasia and a persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were subjected to arch repair through a left posterior thoracotomy. Nine of these patients had associated significant intracardiac anomalies; three of them received pulmonary artery (PA) banding. After exclusion from circulation, the roof of the intervening arch between left carotid and left subclavian was enlarged using a patch. After adequate reperfusion, a classic resection and extended end-to-end anastomosis was performed. Median age and weight were 5.5 (1–10) days and 3.3 (2.2–4.1) kg respectively. The median preoperative arch diameter was 1.07 (0.75–1.32) mm/kg body weight. RESULTS: All patients could be successfully operated with this approach. The non-ischaemic and ischaemic aortic clamp times were 40 (15–68) and 23 (18–32) min, respectively. The median postoperative arch diameter achieved was 1.43 (1.06–1.46) mm/kg body weight. None of the patients had significant gradient early postoperatively. Two patients with recurrent stenosis were successfully treated with balloon dilatation (1) or surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (1). One patient has a corrected gradient of 16 mmHg in the proximal arch which is being observed. The remaining patients are free from stenosis at a median follow-up of 30.1 (13.2–57.8) months. CONCLUSIONS: Use of PDA for lower body perfusion allows complex reconstruction of the arch without incurring lower body ischaemia. The extended resection could then be performed without excessive stretch. This modification saves these patients from undergoing a complex arch reconstruction with CPB in the early neonatal period.
Crystallographic Evaluation of Enamel from Carious and Noncarious Teeth

Powder X-ray crystallographic study of enamel from a sound and a carious deciduous tooth revealed interesting differences.
Shill bidding in multi-round online auctions

The online implementation of traditional business mechanisms raises many new issues not considered in classical economic models. This partially explains why online auctions have become the most successful but also the most controversial Internet businesses in recent years. One emerging issue is that the lack of authentication over the Internet has encouraged shill bidding, the deliberate placing of bids on the seller's behalf to artificially drive up the price of the seller's auctioned item. Private-value English auctions with shill bidding can result in a higher expected seller profit than other auction formats (W. Wang et al., 2001), violating the classical revenue equivalence theory. The paper analyzes shill bidding in multi-round online English auctions and proves that there is no equilibrium without shill bidding. Taking into account the seller's shills and relistings, bidders with valuations even higher than the reserve will either wait for the next round or shield their bids in the current round. Hence, it is inevitable to redesign online auctions to deal with the "shiller's curse".
Alternative definitions of disability: Relationship to health-care expenditures

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between different definitions of disability and health-care expenditures in the working aged population in the United States using the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES). Five different definitions of disability were identified and the health-care expenditures for each group were compared using descriptive analyses. Results reveal that estimates of the prevalence of disability vary dramatically by the definition of disability. A more than three-fold difference in average total health-care expenditures is observed using different specifications of disability. These results suggest that estimates of health-care expenditures should be interpreted cautiously, since the definition influences the magnitude of estimates. Researchers and policy-makers should consider the standardization of the term ‘disability’.
Non-invasive cardiac output measurement.

Abstract A sound beam in the 2-MHz frequency range can be shown down from the suprasternal notch or across through an intercostal space to look along the lumen of the aortic arch, thus returning a Doppler-shifted frequency which measures instantaneous velocity of flow. Circuits are described for continuously graphing indicated flow distribution, including the direction of flow. The rate of increase of velocity (acceleration) is a measure of myocardial contractility. In combination with a radiographic or ultrasonic determination of aorta diameter, the integrated curve of velocity as a function of time gives stroke volume, with apparently useful accuracy. Possible errors are discussed, and a combination of standard commercial items is described for producing these results.
The Effect of Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Disease Progression and HIV RNA Load among Injecting Drug Users

To examine the relationship between latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression, two studies were done among a cohort of HIV-infected injecting drug users. First, the decline in CD4 cell count after baseline tuberculin skin testing was prospectively compared for 37 tuberculin-positive (induration > or = 5 mm) and 284 tuberculin-negative (induration or = 1 member, the HIV concentration was higher for the case in 4 and for the control in 10 (P = .18). These findings suggest that unlike active tuberculosis, latent M. tuberculosis infection does not hasten HIV progression.
Child Nutritional Status by Rural/Urban Residence: A Cross-National Analysis

Purpose: Rural children in developing countries have poor health outcomes in comparison with urban children. This paper considers 4 questions regarding the rural/urban difference, namely: (1) do individual-level characteristics account for rural/urban differences in child nutritional status; (2) do community-level characteristics account for rural/urban differences net of individual-level characteristics; (3) does type of residence alter the influence of individual characteristics; and (4) does the rural/urban difference vary across national contexts? Method: Analysis is based on Demographic and Health Survey data from 35 developing countries. Multilevel regression is used to examine rural/urban differences in nutritional status net of individual, community and national determinants of health status. Findings: Rural children have a substantially higher risk of poor nutrition. Much of this disadvantage is because of socioeconomic disadvantage, reproductive norms favoring early and more rapid childbearing, and lack of access to modern medicine. Rural residence also structures the nature of the relationships between socioeconomic status, access to medical care, and nutrition. Finally, the rural/urban gap declines as countries develop. Conclusion: Rural/urban differences in child nutritional status are substantial, and some—but not all—of the differences are attributable to socioeconomic status, access to medical care, and reproductive norms.
Accessible autogenous vascular access for hemodialysis in obese individuals using lipectomy.

Abstract Background Arteriovenous fistula are created less frequently in obese individuals, and fewer of these access procedures become functional. The authors review their experience with the excision of subcutaneous tissue (lipectomy) overlying upper arm cephalic vein arteriovenous fistulas in obese patients. Methods Consecutive vascular access patients undergoing lipectomies for difficult access cannulation due to vein depth were reviewed. Cephalic vein depth was measured by ultrasound at 3 sites before lipectomy and again before the first cannulation. Results Thirty patients were reviewed, with a mean body mass index of 40.2 kg/m2 (range, 28–57.7 kg/m2). The mean age was 52 years. Seventeen patients were women, and 19 had diabetes. The mean preoperative vein depth of 15.8 mm (range, 6–30 mm) was reduced to 4.1 mm (range, 3–8 mm) (P ≤ .01). All fistulas were functional, and only 1 failed during a follow-up period of 2.2 to 53.2 months. Conclusions Lipectomy offers a relatively simple and successful method of extending direct autogenous vascular access to obese individuals.
Environmental stress alters native-nonnative relationships at the community scale

The invasion of natural habitats by non- native species is affected by both native biodiversity and environmental conditions; however few tests of facilitation between native community members and nonnative species have been conducted along distur- bance and stress gradients. There is strong evidence for an increase in facilitation between native plant species with increasing levels of natural environmen- tal stress, however it is unknown whether these same positive interactions occur between nonnative invad- ers and native communities. I investigated the effects of natural stress on community interactions between native heathland species and nonnative species with two field studies conducted at the landscape and community scale. At the landscape scale of investiga- tion, nonnative species richness was positively related to native species richness. At the community level, nonnative invaders experienced facilitation with natives in the most stressful zones, whereas they experienced competition with native plants in the less stressful zones of the heathlands. Due to the observa- tional nature of the landscape scale data, it is unclear whether nonnative diversity levels are responding positively to extrinsic factors or to native biodiversity. The experimental component of this research suggests that native community members may ameliorate stressful environmental conditions and facilitate inva- sion into high stress areas. I present a conceptual model which is a modification of the Shea and Chesson diversity-invasibility model and includes both facilitation as well as competition between the native community and nonnative invaders at the community level, summing to an overall positive relationship at the landscape scale.
Growth of Valley Oak (Quercus Lobata Nee) in Four Floodplain Environments in the Central Valley of California

Although there have been numerous studies of California upland oak regeneration and growth there has been no research investigating oak sapling growth in riparian environments. This study looks at the growth response of young valley oak Quercus lobata Nee, a dominant late successional riparian species in California, across environmental variation on a floodplain. Growth was measured over the course of three years at four different sites. The sites were chosen to represent the range of successional stages and surface age. Growth was significantly higher on younger, unforested sites. There was no difference in growth rate in the two forested sites early successional cottonwood willow forest and late successional mature oak forest. Herbivory was highest in the cottonwood willow forest, where density of young oaks was also highest. The impact of flooding was measured on the youngest floodplain surface, an open floodplain restoration site where acorns were planted the year our study began. There was a significant negative impact of flooding on sapling growth in all but the first year of growth. Taken together these results suggest that existing forest trees and flooding both inhibit the growth of valley oaks on the floodplain, and that restoration in open sites may be more successful than restoration under an existing canopy.
Tendinopathy of the long head of the biceps tendon: histopathologic analysis of the extra-articular biceps tendon and tenosynovium

Background: Bicipital tendinitis is a common cause of anterior shoulder pain, but there is no evidence that acute inflammation of the extra-articular long head of the biceps (LHB) tendon is the root cause of this condition. We evaluated the histologic findings of the extra-articular portion of the LHB tendon and synovial sheath in order to compare those findings to known histologic changes seen in other tendinopathies. Methods: Twenty-six consecutive patients (mean age 45.4±13.7 years) underwent an open subpectoral biceps tenodesis for anterior shoulder pain localized to the bicipital groove. Excised tendons were sent for histologic analysis. Specimens were graded using a semiquantitative scoring system to evaluate tenocyte morphology, the presence of ground substance, collagen bundle characteristics, and vascular changes. Results: Chronic inflammation was noted in only two of 26 specimens, and no specimen demonstrated acute inflammation. Tenocyte enlargement and proliferation, characterized by increased roundness and size of the cell and nucleus with proteoglycan matrix expansion and myxoid degenerative changes, was found in all 26 specimens. Abundant ground substance, collagen bundle changes, and increased vascularization were visualized in all samples. Conclusion: Anterior shoulder pain attributed to the biceps tendon does not appear to be due to an inflammatory process in most cases. The histologic findings of the extra-articular portion of the LHB tendon and synovial sheath are similar to the pathologic findings in de Quervain tenosynovitis at the wrist, and may be due to a chronic degenerative process similar to this and other tendinopathies of the body.
Robots as dogs?: children's interactions with the robotic dog AIBO and a live australian shepherd

This study investigated the interactions of 72 children (ages 7 to 15) with Sony's robotic dog AIBO in comparison to a live Australian Shepherd dog. Results showed that more children conceptualized the live dog, as compared to AIBO, as having physical essences, mental states, sociality, and moral standing. Based on behavioral analyses, children also spent more time touching and within arms distance of the live dog, as compared to AIBO. That said, a surprising majority of children conceptualized and interacted with AIBO in ways that were like a live dog. Discussion focuses on two questions. First, is it possible that a new technological genre is emerging in HCI that challenges traditional ontological categories (e.g., between animate and inanimate)? Second, are pervasive interactions with a wide array of "robotic others" -- increasingly sophisticated personified computational artifacts that mimic biological forms and pull psychologically in mental, social, and moral ways -- a good thing for human beings.
The recent revision of the AGU index set

Index terms are those keywords attached to journal articles and geophysical abstracts in press (GAP) that facilitate their categorization and consequently allow for rapid searches of the published literature by topical areas. AGU published an index set in 1973 that became a standard in the geophysical sciences in that other organizations also incorporated this set into their index schemes.
International Financial Accounting Standards And The Continent Of Africa

In response to the increased globalization of both commercial and financial markets and increased frequency of corporate scandals, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has spearheaded an international initiative to standardize corporate financial reporting. This effort involves setting the standards, creating a process of adopting the standards that is tailored to the needs of each nation, overcoming the challenges of implementation that many countries face and ensuring continued observance of the standards once they are adopted. This paper focuses on the implementation of IFAC standards in the African Continent. An examination of IFAC’s mission, its membership requirements and ongoing compliance program, and its assistance to developing nations will illustrate the current status of African nations in the standardization process. The countries representing the African continent possess many promising opportunities for growth and prosperity in the global economy and also present many distinct obstacles in their effort to embrace and implement the IFAC initiative. The approach used in this paper is to examine broadly the challenges faced by the different regions within Africa. This approach takes into account political, economic, cultural and religious differences found in distinct regions within the continent.
Mental Health Issues: Child Physical Abuse and Neglect

Nationally, child maltreatment is at epidemic proportions. In 2006, the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) noted approximately 6.0 million children were referred for alleged maltreatment to child protective services (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Of the 3.3 million that were assessed, 30% of the investigations concluded that at least one child had been victimized (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Although in the last 5 years there has been an increase in the number of investigations by CPS, there is a slight decline in the number of substantiated reports of abuse and or neglect (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Of the 905,000 youth who were documented as being victimized in 2006, the vast majority were found to have been neglected (64.1%), followed by physical abuse (16%), sexual abuse (8.8%), psychological or emotional abuse (6.6%), and medical neglect (2.2%) (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2006).
Design considerations for high power density/efficient PCB embedded inductor

This paper presents the design and implementation of high power density and highly efficient air-core embedded inductor onto Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for 280W-5A/240nH, 280W-12A/150nH and 280W-18A/50nH. The toroidal structure due to its better performance on interfacing electromagnetic fields (EMI), is investigated. In addition, thermal restrictions are considered at high current capacity by reducing the inductor size. This will bring the advantage of lower resistivity and consequently the conduction loss. Other challenges such as temperature rise optimization of high current (18A) on the PCB is also investigated. First, parameter calculation for design consideration of an embedded inductor are presented, then JMAG simulations are used to observe precisely the temperature rise profile distribution in different sections of the inductor. An optimized design to achieve high efficient inductor and simultaneously high power density is proposed and several experiments and accurate designs are shown. The primary results show an acceptable temperature rise for high current (18A) inductor without the heat sink.
Phenology and Development of the Yellow Rose Aphid, Acythrosiphon porosum (Sanderson), in Northern Florida and Southern Georgia

The yellow rose aphid, Acythrosiphon porosum (Sanderson), is a cosmopolitan pest of roses and strawberries. Acythrosiphon porosum is one of only a few arthropod pests of roses occurring in northern Florida and southern Georgia. Hybrid roses are widely planted around the city of Thomasville, GA, which is known as the Rose City. Three ‘Grandiflora’ rose cultivars ‘Queen Elizabeth’, ‘Roundelay’ and ‘Spartan’ were used to determine cultivar and location effects on A. porosum seasonal abundance and natural enemies. Developmental rate, longevity and nymph production of A. porosum were also investigated at 4 temperatures, 10.0, 15.5, 21.1, and 26.7°C, in environmental chambers using cut leaf discs of ‘Queen Elizabeth’ on agar plates. Acythrosiphon porosum occurred throughout much of the year except for the coldest winter and warmest summer months and reached highest populations during the cooler weather of spring and fall. Cultivar differences were statistically significant at all locations where ‘Queen Elizabet...
Religion and State: An Ecclesiological Perspective

In January of 2007, John Finnis published a paper arguing that the state has not only the right, but, in the name of public order, has the obligation to name the true religion. My fascination with this theory led me to analyze his paper in the light of Catholic Church teaching on her relationship with the state and to consider the compatibility between that teaching and Finnis' philosophical presentation. The first half of the paper considers Finnis' work in detail, describing his philosophical method and evaluating his premises. I spend detailed attention, more words than he spends, in fact, because his argument is complex and compact. The second half of the paper follows relevant papal documents on how the state should understand its role in the history of salvation. I began with the Syllabus Errorum of Pius IX and finished with Fides et Ratio of John Paul II. This is not meant to be an exhaustive treatment of Church doctrine or even of papal documents on the subject. It is a survey of the teaching of the Church over the last 150 years and a culmination of the previous 1800 years.
Preparation of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-x powders by a solution technique

Bulk superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−x powder has been synthesized by a solution technique using a mixture of Ba-ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA) and [Y, Cu]-citric acid complexes. A light-blue, molecular-level, homogeneously mixed precursor was prepared, and transferred to powder form through vacuum drying. The vacuum-dried powder was decomposed at 800 °C for 4 h under flowing oxygen, then heat treated at high temperature from 850 to 950 °C for 6–12 h. The results ofTc measurements and X-ray analysis show that the orthorhombic, superconducting phase can be formed at temperatures above 850 °C following low-temperature annealing. A sharp transition (ΔT≃2 K) and high density can be achieved after 930 °C heat treatment. The 930 °C heat treated sample shows aJc value of 510 A cm−2. It is concluded that this solution technique provides better stoichiometric control and lower reaction temperature than the conventional solid-state sintering process.
4-O-(1-carboxyethyl)-d-galactose. A new acidic sugar from the extracellular polysaccharide produced by Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strain 49

The structure of a new acidic sugar from the extracellular polysaccharide of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strain 49 was determined as 4-O-(1-carboxyethyl)-D-galactose on the basis of 13C-n.m.r. and 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy, m.s. and chemical degradation studies.
New drugs for reducing cardiovascular risk in women

Atherosclerosis is largely preventable in women. Clinicians need to appreciate the gender-associated risks of cardiovascular disease and emphasize to their women patients that life-style changes can reduce cardiovascular risk. However, newer oral agents for diabetes and the statins for hyperlipidemia are important pharmacological adjuncts.
Mechanical Design of Thermally Invariant Mirrors Coated by Atomic Layer Deposition

Thermal expansion mismatch between the layers of an optical coating and its substrate can cause changes in the shape of a mirror or optical element. It is shown that with knowledge of the linear stress-temperature relationship for each film, one can design coatings to have a specific thermal deformation characteristic, although the requirements for thin film repeatability are high. Such coatings are demonstrated using atomic layer deposition (ALD), and thermally invariant ALD coatings are investigated through optomechanical simulation.
How the Good Obligates in Hegel's Conception of Sittlichkeit: A Response to Robert Stern's Understanding Moral Obligation

Abstract In Understanding Moral Obligation: Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Robert Stern argues that Hegel has a social command view of obligation. On this view, there is an element of social command or social sanction that must be added to a judgment of the good in order to bring about an obligation. I argue to the contrary that Hegel's conception of conscience, and thus the individual's role in obligation, is more central to his account than the social dimension. While agreeing with Stern that Hegel's conception of Sittlichkeit does preserve a role for obligation, and that the social plays an important part in that account, I argue that there is no extra social component that converts the morally good into obligation. Rather, Hegel's conception of Sittlichkeit as the “living good” means that judgments of the moral facts are simultaneously judgments of obligation.
Microfluidic cell chips for high-throughput drug screening

The current state of screening methods for drug discovery is still riddled with several inefficiencies. Although some widely used high-throughput screening platforms may enhance the drug screening process, their cost and oversimplification of cell–drug interactions pose a translational difficulty. Microfluidic cell-chips resolve many issues found in conventional HTS technology, providing benefits such as reduced sample quantity and integration of 3D cell culture physically more representative of the physiological/pathological microenvironment. In this review, we introduce the advantages of microfluidic devices in drug screening, and outline the critical factors which influence device design, highlighting recent innovations and advances in the field including a summary of commercialization efforts on microfluidic cell chips. Future perspectives of microfluidic cell devices are also provided based on considerations of present technological limitations and translational barriers.
Methane and Coal-Fired Combined Cycle Power Generation

Several existing modes of biomass power generation were summarized,and the method of combined cycle power generation of methane and coal was proposed. With this kind of power generation,the capacity choose of methane power generation can be flexibility according to the biomass resources around the plant,and the methane residue can be sold to local farmers as organic fertilizer. The combined cycle power generation has higher power generation efficiency compared with the pure biomass combustion power generation,and can obtain national high electrical price subsidies compared with cofiring power generation. So the combined cycle power generation has more obvious comprehensive advantages. Meanwhile,the methane produced in the fermentation of biomass can replace the oil consumption of ignition and combustion supporting,which can further improve the economic benefits of plant.
Models for Portfolio Revision with Transaction Costs in the Mean–Variance Framework

The contribution of the mean–variance framework by Markowitz more than a half century ago cannot be understated. Since that time, the framework has been extended in several ways. One extension has been to consider the practical application of the framework when an existing portfolio of securities must be revised by changing the composition of the portfolio rather than the initial deployment of cash to construct a portfolio. Since then there have been several proposals for modeling portfolio revision with transaction costs within the mean–variance framework. This chapter summarizes these proposals and presents one recently formulated model and some empirical evidence. More specifically, we consider the portfolio revision problem with transaction costs that are paid at the end of the planning horizon, and present some analytical solutions for some special cases in the mean–variance framework. Moveover, a simple empirical experiment with actual market data shows that the impact of the transaction costs is significant, confirming the findings of Chen et al. (1971) that transaction costs should be integrated into the portfolio revision optimization problem, and that lower revision frequency may reduce the magnitude of the impact.
Christ's freedom: Anselm vs Molina

Both Molinism and Anselmianism attempt to preserve libertarian freedom for created agents as well as robust divine sovereignty. The two issues intersect in addressing the puzzle of Christ's freedom: If God is necessarily good, how can God Incarnate be free? Anselm answers: while human agents need options for our choices to be up to us, Christ inevitably chooses rightly with perfect freedom. I defend Anselm's answer against a general criticism and then argue that Anselm's position is preferable to the Molinist solution which has recently been championed by Thomas P. Flint.
Hypomethylating Therapy in Patients with AML and High-Risk MDS and Chromosome 5 and 7 Abnormalities Is Associated with An Improved Outcome Compared to Conventional Chemotherapy

Outcome of patients with AML and high-risk MDS with chromosome 5 and 7 abnormalities [excluding del 5(q)] has been poor with fewer than 10% of patients alive at 2 years. We investigated whether the use of hypomethylating agents, 5-azacytidine and decitabine, is associated with an improved outcome. Between January 2004 and December 2007, a total of 81 pts [including 37 (46%) with AML (≥ 20% blast) and 44 (54%) with high-risk MDS] with chromosome 5 and 7 abnormalities were treated with hypomethylating agents as their initial therapy. This included 68 patients with complex abnormalities and 13 with less than 3 aberrations. During the same period, 151 patients (126 AML, 25 MDS) with chromosome 5 and 7 abnormalities (128 complex, 23 noncomplex) were treated with intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy (including cytarabine based regimens in 72% and other regimens in 28%). The median age for the two groups was 66 and 61 years, respectively [(ranges (37–85) and (19–89)]. Thirty three (41%) pts in the hypomethylating group achieved CR versus 53 (35%) pts in the chemotherapy group (p=0.395). With a median follow up of 51 weeks (range 12–101) and 40 weeks (range, 5–128), 22/33 pts in the hypomethylating group and 33/53 pts in the chemotherapy group have relapsed giving median CR duration of 45 weeks for the hypomethylating group and 23 weeks for the chemotherapy group (p=0.153). The overall survival was superior for the hypomethylating group as compared to the chemotherapy group (Figure). We conclude that treatment with hypomethylating agents may be superior to chemotherapy in patients with chromosome 5 and 7 abnormalities who are traditionally resistant to cytotoxic agents. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
Outing the Pakistani queer: Pride, paranoia and politics in US visual culture:

This article draws on the 26 June 2011 US embassy-sponsored Gay Pride parade in Islamabad, Pakistan alongside popular US visual cultural moments (2008–2012). I use visual culture to reread US intri...
Structural Behavior of NbSexTe2-x Superconductors Under High Pressure

iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND 5 CHAPETER 3: THEORY 7 CHAPTER 4: EXPREIMENTAL DETAILS 18 CHAPTER 5: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 26 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION 39 REFERENCES 40 CURRICULUM VITAE 42
p16INK4a Is a Key Downstream Mediator of the Deleterious Effects of FoxO Deficiency on Maintenance of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Compartment.

Regulation of oxidative stress in the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) compartment is critical for the maintenance of HSC self-renewal. A number of reports have previously implicated p16 in aging of HSCs, pancreatic β-islet cells and subventricular zone progenitors in the brain [1–3]. In the context of the hematopoietic system, p16 INK4a expression in HSCs increases with age, and correlates with decreased HSC repopulating ability, decreased self-renewal, and increased apoptosis with stress [1]. We and others have recently reported that FoxO play essential roles in the response to physiologic oxidative stress and thereby mediate quiescence and enhanced survival in the HSC compartment [4, 5]. Young mice deficient in FoxO1 , FoxO3 , and FoxO4 in the adult hematopoietic system, with striking similarity to aging wild-type mice, show a defect in bone marrow repopulating ability, decrease in self-renewal, myeloid skewing in differentiation and increased levels of apoptosis. Furthermore, young FoxO -deficient HSC show increased levels of p16 when compared to their wildtype counterparts. These collective findings suggested the possibility that FoxO loss could result in accelerated aging of HSC due to increased expression of p16 as a consequence of increased ROS. To test the hypothesis that p16 is one of the key mediators of FoxO loss responsible for accelerated aging of HSC, we deleted FoxO1 , FoxO3 , and FoxO4 in the adult hematopoietic system of mice deficient in p16 INK4a . Young mice deficient in FoxO and p16 shared the same characteristics of their HSC(Lin − Sca1 + c-kit + ) compartment as mice deficient in FoxO only, including decreased number of HSC, increased percentage of HSC entering S/G2/M and apoptosis, and increased levels of ROS as compared to their wildtype counterparts. However, in a setting of long-term repopulation studies, bone marrow isolated from mice deficient in p16 and FoxO demonstrated a rescue of long-term repopulation for up to 20 weeks, as compared to FoxO deficient bone marrow that showed a severe defect in long-term repopulation. p16 deficiency in the setting of FoxO deficiency did not result in reduction of ROS levels in the HSC compartment. Taken together, these findings indicate that p16 is a critical downstream mediator of FoxO in the maintenance of the HSC compartment, and that it can dissociate the detrimental effects of ROS on HSC self-renewal in a setting of FoxO deficiency.
How Many Fish Does Your “Net” Catch? The Implications of Social Media in Sales Strategy

The objective of this article is to discuss the performance of B2B sales strategy in the context of social media. Four components of sales strategy, customer segmentation, customer prioritization and targeting, relationship objectives and selling models, and uses of multiple sales channels are examined to assess their impacts on sales performance. In addition, three dimensions of social media usage, competitive intelligence, engagement, and word of mouth are explored as moderating factors that impact the relationships between sales strategy components and sales performance outcomes.
The Role of d-Amphetamine-Amobarbital in Suppressing Freezing Behavior During Avoidance Acquisition and Extinction

This study investigates the effects of a combined dosage of d-amphetamine sulfate and amobarbital sodium on the freezing behavior of rats during avoidance acquisition and extinction. The drug combination increased avoidance acquisition and suppressed freezing; however, withdrawal of one or both drugs during extinction resulted in differential performance, suggesting that drug effects were “state-dependent.”
On scheduling a photolithography area containing cluster tools

Abstract Photolithography is typically the bottleneck process in semiconductor manufacturing. In this paper, we present a model for optimizing the scheduling of the photolithography process in the presence of both individual and cluster tools. The combination of these individual and cluster tools that process various layers (stages) of the semiconductor manufacturing process flow is a special type of flexible flowshop. We seek separately to minimize total weighted completion time and maximize on-time delivery performance. Experimental results suggest that our solution algorithms show promise for real world implementation as they can help to improve resource utilization, reduce job completion times, and decrease unnecessary delays in a wafer fab.
Protein O-Mannosyltransferases Affect Sensory Axon Wiring and Dynamic Chirality of Body Posture in the Drosophila Embryo

Genetic defects in protein O-mannosyltransferase 1 (POMT1) and POMT2 underlie severe muscular dystrophies. POMT genes are evolutionarily conserved in metazoan organisms. In Drosophila, both male and female POMT mutants show a clockwise rotation of adult abdominal segments, suggesting a chirality of underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Here we described and analyzed a similar phenotype in POMT mutant embryos that shows left-handed body torsion. Our experiments demonstrated that coordinated muscle contraction waves are associated with asymmetric embryo rolling, unveiling a new chirality marker in Drosophila development. Using genetic and live-imaging approaches, we revealed that the torsion phenotype results from differential rolling and aberrant patterning of peristaltic waves of muscle contractions. Our results demonstrated that peripheral sensory neurons are required for normal contractions that prevent the accumulation of torsion. We found that POMT mutants show abnormal axonal connections of sensory neurons. POMT transgenic expression limited to sensory neurons significantly rescued the torsion phenotype, axonal connectivity defects, and abnormal contractions in POMT mutant embryos. Together, our data suggested that protein O-mannosylation is required for normal sensory feedback to control coordinated muscle contractions and body posture. This mechanism may shed light on analogous functions of POMT genes in mammals and help to elucidate the etiology of neurological defects in muscular dystrophies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Protein O-mannosyltransferases (POMTs) are evolutionarily conserved in metazoans. Mutations in POMTs cause severe muscular dystrophies associated with pronounced neurological defects. However, neurological functions of POMTs remain poorly understood. We demonstrated that POMT mutations in Drosophila result in abnormal muscle contractions and cause embryo torsion. Our experiments uncovered a chirality of embryo movements and a unique POMT-dependent mechanism that maintains symmetry of a developing system affected by chiral forces. Furthermore, POMTs were found to be required for proper axon connectivity of sensory neurons, suggesting that O-mannosylation regulates the sensory feedback controlling muscle contractions. This novel POMT function in the peripheral nervous system may shed light on analogous functions in mammals and help to elucidate pathomechanisms of neurological abnormalities in muscular dystrophies.
Advanced urothelial carcinoma: moving the field forward.

Current efforts utilizing genomic strategies to unravel the biology of urothelial carcinoma will undoubtedly lead to rational targets, new therapies, and a renewed enthusiasm among researchers and clinicians working in this field—which ultimately will improve the lives of patients with this devastating disease.
Cross-App Tracking via Nearby Bluetooth Low Energy Devices

Today an increasing number of consumer devices such as head phones, wearables, light bulbs and even baseball bats, are Bluetooth-enabled thanks to the widespread support of the technology by phone manufacturers and mobile operating system vendors. The ability for any device to seamlessly connect and exchange information with smartphones via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol promises unlimited room for innovation. However, it also brings about new privacy challenges. We show that the BLE protocol together with the Bluetooth permission model implemented in the Android and iOS operating systems can be used for cross-app tracking unbeknownst to the individuals. Specifically, through experiments and analyses based on real-world smartphone data we show that by listening to advertising packets broadcasted by nearby BLE-enabled devices and recording information contained in them, app developers can derive fairly unique "fingerprints" for their users, which can be used for cross-app tracking, i.e., linking pseudonymous users of different apps to each other. We demonstrate that privacy protections put in place by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Google, and Apple are not sufficient to prevent such fingerprinting or to make cross-app tracking difficult to execute. Our main contribution is to demonstrate the feasibility of cross-app tracking using nearby BLE and raise awareness that changes are needed in order to prevent it from becoming widespread. We also propose mitigation strategies to decrease the feasibility of tracking using nearby BLE devices while preserving the utility of the BLE technology.
Hyaline Casts in the Urine: Mechanism of Formation and Morphologic Transformations

Hyaline urinary casts have been examined primarily by scanning electron microscopy. Their appearance and their transformation with time are described. From this data, the mechanism of their formation and evolution has been deduced. These results permit more accurate identification and assessment of the types of urinary casts present and their significance.
Dynamic host configuration for managing mobility between public and private networks

The usage and service options of a pubic network generally differ from a private (enterprise or home) network and consequently, the two networks are often configured differently. The existence of both types of networks motivates our need to improve support and management of nomadic users who frequently roam between them. We describe a solution that allows client devices to configure themselves dynamically to adapt to the local network configuration. In addition to supporting mobility, we describe how our solution also provides fail-over mechanisms for providing highly available service, load balancing, and location services. Furthermore, our solution can be used to scale networks that are deployed in a large setting. We discuss in detail the various issues that need to be dealt with for achieving true device-level mobility, pointing out several unsolved problems in this area. The algorithms and software proposed in this paper have been implemented, are deployed, and are currently being used in a real-world public network that is operational at the Crossroads Mall in Bellevue, Washington.
Families of Children with Spina Bifida: A Review

Spina bifida is a congenital condition of the nervous system. It typically results in paralysis of the lower limbs, hydrocephalus, incontinence of bowel and bladder, lack of sensation below the lesion, and dislocated hips. Children with spina bifida have to cope with lifelong medical care. Despite the fact that spina bifida dates back to Stone Age, its etiology remains unknown. Families of children with spina bifida have received some research attention. Researchers have primarily examined the ways in which spina bifida impinges upon the family's finances, parents' physical/emotional health, marital relationships, social life, caretaking responsibilities, care of other children, attitude toward the disabled child, and career/social/recreational opportunities. However, because of several methodological limitations, the current research findings are inconclusive. There is need for longitudinal studies to really understand the impact of spina bifida on the family. Also, in view of the research that shows spina bifida adults are comparable to their nondisabled peers on significant psychological variables, there is need to understand strengths and positive coping strategies of families of children with spina bifida.