cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Multiple Myeloma Based on Gene Expression Profiles

Abstract 629 Background: Cytogenetic abnormalities (CA) are a hallmark of multiple myeloma (MM) and other cancers and are commonly used as clinical parameters for determining disease stage and guiding therapy decisions. Traditional techniques, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and karyotyping, and the recently developed array-based comparative genomic hybridization are expensive and time consuming. As gene expression profiling (GEP) is becoming more integrated in the diagnostic workup of MM and is increasingly being used for risk stratification as well as tailoring therapy, we are presented with vast amounts of data that should reflect disease associated alterations of the genome. We therefore sought to develop a GEP based vitual CA (vCA) model to predict CA in MM. Methods/Results: We determined genome-wide gene expression profiles and DNA copy numbers (CNs) in purified plasma cell samples obtained from 92 newly diagnosed MM patients, using the Affymetrix GeneChip and the Agilent aCGH platforms, respectively. We identified 1,114 CN-sensitive genes by Pearson9s correlation coefficient (PCC) of gene expression levels and the copy numbers of the corresponding DNA loci, keeping the false discovery rate to Conclusion: Our results provide a proof of concept that GEP data alone can reveal all the information provided by conventional cytogenetic techniques. We show that re-purposing gene expression data using our model is a fast and economical way to obtain cytogenetic information that is accurate and can be used for diagnosis and observation in MM and potentially other malignancies. GEP can serve as a one-stop genomic data source for information from the level of specific genes to whole chromosomes. Disclosures: Barlogie: Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; IMF: Consultancy, Honoraria; MMRF: Consultancy; Millennium: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genzyme: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; NCI: Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Research Funding; Centocor: Research Funding; Onyx: Research Funding; Icon: Research Funding. Shaughnessy: Myeloma Health, Celgene, Genzyme, Novartis: Consultancy, Employment, Equity Ownership, Honoraria, Patents & Royalties.
Rio Tinto's Ore Mining: Making Hay from Water

When the Rio Tinto mining company decided to increase its output of iron ore by 25% in its Marandoo location, it had to deal with an unexpected problem: an excess of water in the deep reaches of the mine. Because freshwater is a scarce resource in this region of Australia, Rio Tinto's challenge was to come up with a comprehensive water strategy for the region. This case is used in Darden's "Economics of Water" course elective. Excerpt UVA-GEM-0130 Rev. Aug. 17, 2016 Rio Tinto's Ore Mining: Making Hay from Water When contemplating Rio Tinto's phase-two plans for the Marandoo mine in Western Australia, one could only be reminded of Tom Albanese, former CEO of Rio Tinto, and his outspoken view that for Rio Tinto, water was a strategic issue and first and foremost an enabler for mining. In one of the driest places on Earth, the second-largest iron ore producer was grappling with a major water problem: an excess of water. In an aggressive effort to increase output and ride the wave of China's appetite for raw materials, Rio Tinto had chosen, among others, the Marandoo mine in remote Pilbara to increase its overall capacity to 360 million tons, up from 290million tons (see Exhibit 1). Considering the ever-decreasing amount of readily accessible iron ore, Rio Tinto wanted to drill deeper and was aiming for the vast stores of ore underneath the water table, which were often hundreds of meters below the earth's surface. The ambitious undertaking came, however, with particular challenges. Being able to operate the mine under such circumstances meant being able to dispose of the surplus water, a process often referred to as dewatering. It was an open question whether Rio Tinto was developing a template for iron ore mining in the 21st century by its approach to the Marandoo expansion project. The Changing Mining Landscape The mining industry had been booming in Australia and elsewhere since early 2000. Commodity prices were rising higher and for a more extended period of time than during the previous boom period of the 1970s. Rapid growth in Asia and especially in China was driving demand for commodities, particularly in steel and energy generation. The landscape was very different from that of the lackluster 1980s and 1990s with Japan's “lost decade” and the Asian Financial Crisis. The rise in commodity prices this time was accompanied by a shift in resources toward mining, which triggered a large increase in the real exchange rate of the Australian dollar. The latter challenged the competitiveness of both the export- and import-competing industries, to such an extent that some economists started talking about “Dutch Disease” in the context of Australia. Rio Tinto expected continued strong fundamentals, especially in iron ore demand, despite some slowdown in Chinese economic growth (see Exhibit2). . . .
Interpretation of poetry with Dr. Roloff

Picture the end of winter quarter a long time ago: I’m a freshman theater major at Northwestern. I’ve just taken AO3: The Analysis and Performance of Literature taught by then doctoral student Susa...
Nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy using electromagnetic excitation

Nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (NRUS) is a method that can be used for detecting microcracks in structures. NRUS detects shifts in resonance frequencies versus excitation amplitude. Excitation of the sample is typically done with a piezoelectric transducer. We have been applying an electromagnetic excitation developed for resonant ultrasound spectroscopy [S. Garrett, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 88(1), 210–221 (1990)] as an alternative for NRUS excitation. It involves gluing a coil of wire onto the end of a rod-shaped sample and placing it in a magnetic field. By controlling which part of the coil is in the strongest part of the magnetic field, we can control the principle direction of the driven oscillations in the rod. This method allows us to selectively excite longitudinal, torsional, and bending vibrations and measure the nonlinear properties of the sample for each type of vibration. We have applied this electromagnetic method to measuring the nonlinear properties of Berea sandstone, and we plan t...
Coded cone-beam x-ray diffraction tomography with a low-brilliance tabletop source

X-ray diffraction tomography (XDT) probes the spatially variant x-ray diffraction (XRD) profile within volumetric objects. Here, we demonstrate a tabletop XDT setup with coded cone-beam illumination that accelerates the acquisition process of three-dimensional (3D) objects. Compared to the attenuation-based x-ray computed tomography (CT), XDT images display high contrast and specificity among materials with similar absorption coefficients. However, due to the weak signal level of diffraction and the low efficiency in source utilization and detection, conventional XDT systems require high-brilliance synchrotron sources to manage the acquisition time. In this paper, we propose a coded-illumination XDT system that utilizes the cone-beam from a tabletop x-ray tube and eliminates the detector-side collimation. The multiplexed measurement promotes parallelization in the data acquisition and enables simple implementation of compressive measurements, addressing the need of tabletop XDT systems in industrial nondestructive testing and medical imaging applications. We have demonstrated 1 order of magnitude reduction in XDT acquisition time, making high-contrast 3D x-ray imaging accessible to various research and application areas.
Chromosomal and Inherited Syndromes

Pediatric orthopedic pathologies are often associated with a particular genetic or structural/protein defect. These defects account for myriad clinical syndromes seen in clinical practice and are often tested. It is important to recognize those syndromes with vital organ involvement (i.e., heart, kidneys) to ensure appropriate management of comorbid conditions.
CAJAL: A Simulator for Neurobiological Networks

At the outset, it is necessary to draw a sharp dichotomy between two classes of software that are used to perform computer simulations of neural networks. In one class are the many simulators for artificial neural networks and connectionist applications. In the other, are the relatively few simulators for real biological neural networks and neurobiology applications. Although the two classes share certain surface characteristics (e.g. methods of representing network architectures), they are fundamentally different in concept, design, implementation and user applications. This article is devoted to neurobiological network simulators and describes one of these, called CAJAL, which we have developed and used rather intensively over the last three years. Some previous articles [KB92], [BK92] describe earlier versions of CAJAL. Here, drawing freely on [BK92], we elaborate and update these earlier accounts of CAJAL to give a description of the current version, called CAJAL-3.0. Having called attention to the dichotomy in the universe of neural network simulators, it is appropriate to draw a distinction within the class of neurobiological simulators, namely, between simulators for single biological neurons and simulators for arbitrary networks of biological neurons. CAJAL is intended primarily as a network simulator. However, it can also be used effectively to study and simulate a single neuron in great detail.
Pearls of Industrial Rehabilitation Medicine

Treatment of injured workers requires a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology and biomechanics of worker trauma. Additionally, the practitioner also must understand the vocational and ergonomic contributions to injury and recovery. An appreciation of worker’s compensation systems and a comfort with litigation also are important.
Comparison of Two Transition Models

Two transition functions, one given by Arnal, Coustols & Juillen and the other by Narasimha, are incorporated into a boundary layer program along with an otherwise conventional Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model. Calculations are performed for incompressible flow past a flat plate and compressible flow past a sharp cone at Mach 6 from the leading edge through transition to the fully turbulent state. Results from these calculations are compared with the available experimental data.
An Evaluation of a Mobile Application Designed to Teach Receptive Language Skills to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a mobile application, Camp Discovery, designed to teach receptive language skills to children with autism spectrum disorder based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Participants (N = 28) were randomly assigned to an immediate-treatment or a delayed-treatment control group. The treatment group made significant gains, p < .001, M = 58.1, SE = 7.54, following 4 weeks of interaction with the application as compared to the control group, M = 8.4, SE = 2.13. Secondary analyses revealed significant gains in the control group after using the application and maintenance of acquired skills in the treatment group after application usage was discontinued. Findings suggest that the application effectively teaches the targeted skills.
An Investigation of Marine Taxa Referenced in Thesis Titles and Abstracts as a Collection Development Tool

We evaluated titles and abstracts of 372 marine biology master’s theses to identify the marine taxa researched by graduate students at our institution. Of 191 species investigated since 1976, the 15 most-researched species are regionally important and have each been researched at least five times. Fisher exact tests identified taxa demonstrating statistically significant recent growth in research. A collection analysis of monographs about these species and taxa compared to four peer institutions highlighted strengths and weaknesses within our marine biology collection. This investigation demonstrates how taxonomic data in titles and abstracts can serve as a tool to guide biology collection development.
Associations of maternal gestational weight gain with the risk of offspring obesity and body mass index Z scores beyond the mean

Abstract Purpose We examined the association of meeting the 2009 Institute of Medicine gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines with offspring obesity and body mass index Z score (BMIZ) at age six overall and by maternal weight status. Methods Data were from the Infant Feeding Practices Survey II Study (2005–2007) and their Year Six Follow-Up Study (2012). Logistic regression and quantile regression models were used. Results Eleven percent of children were obese. Children born to mothers who gained excessive weight during pregnancy had an increased risk of obesity as compared with those born to mothers who gained adequate weight (adjusted odds ratio: 1.67). The association was stronger among normal-weight mothers (adjusted odds ratio: 3.50). Inadequate GWG was not associated with offspring obesity overall or in subsamples by maternal prepregnancy BMI. Children born to mothers who gained excessive weight had higher BMIZ. This distributional association was more pronounced among normal-weight mothers. Children born to obese mothers who gained inadequate weight had lower BMIZ at some percentiles of the BMIZ distribution. Conclusions Excessive GWG was associated with increased risk of offspring obesity and higher BMIZ at age six, whereas inadequate GWG was protective of high BMIZ among children born to obese mothers.
Is there a duty to reinterpret genetic data? The ethical dimensions.

The evolving evidence base for the interpretation of variants identified in genetic and genomic testing has presented the genetics community with the challenge of variant reinterpretation. In particular, it is unclear whether an ethical duty of periodic reinterpretation should exist, who should bear that duty, and what its dimensions should be. Based on an analysis of the ethical arguments for and against a duty to reinterpret, we conclude that a duty should be recognized. Most importantly, by virtue of ordering and conducting tests likely to produce data on variants that cannot be definitively interpreted today, the health-care system incurs a duty to reinterpret when more reliable data become available. We identify four elements of the proposed ethical duty: data storage, initiation of reinterpretation, conduct of reinterpretation, and patient recontact, and we identify the parties best situated to implement each component. We also consider the reasonable extent and duration of a duty, and the role of the patient’s consent in the process, although we acknowledge that some details regarding procedures and funding still need to be addressed. The likelihood of substantial patient benefit from a systematic approach to reinterpretation suggests the importance for the genetics community to reach consensus on this issue.
Early infant assessment using a new, rapid short screening test, the STEP, to predict developmental outcomes at one year

Date Presented 04/04/19 This study evaluated the Specific Test of Early Infant Motor Performance (STEP), a rapid screening test of preterm infants at risk for developmental delay. The STEP administered at term and three months showed excellent reliability, required 6 to 10 minutes to administer, and had significant correlations with the Bayley III at 12 months. Although the STEP needs to be validated in a larger cohort, this new rapid assessment may identify infants at risk for delays early in the first three months of life. Primary Author and Speaker: Patty Coker-Bolt Additional Authors and Speakers: Dorothea Jenkins
Mechanisms of Traumatic Hyperfibrinolysis and Implications for Antifibrinolytic Therapy

To provide an update on the current knowledge of mechanisms that regulate hyperfibrinolysis and implications of recent findings for use of antifibrinolytics. New data demonstrate a role for both platelet and endothelial dysfunction, as well as novel mechanisms for activated protein C in the pathophysiology of hyperfibrinolysis. Although randomized clinical trial data in mature trauma centers is lacking, most analyses support the early use of tranexamic acid in the treatment of all severely injured patients experiencing hemorrhagic shock. Hyperfibrinolysis is a devastating complication of trauma and hemorrhagic shock. Currently available antifibrinolytics are largely considered safe and effective and further research is needed before restricting antifibrinolytic use in the sub-population of patients with fibrinolytic shutdown. Future development of novel therapeutics to reverse hyperfibrinolysis could improve treatment of this hemostatic disorder.
Genetic Basis of Enamel and Dentin Defects

Dental development is a process by which several genes participate. These genes can be thus characterized as having a multifactorial, or complex, mode of inheritance. The identification of these processes was accelerated by the identification of gene mutations which can explain amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta, and dentin dysplasia. This knowledge has been applied to the study of conditions that are multifactorial in nature such as dental caries (both incipient lesions in enamel and deep lesions extending into dentin), enamel hypoplasia (in particular, molar-incisor hypomineralization), erosive tooth wear, and fluorosis.
Biomechanical effects of manipulating peak vertical ground reaction force throughout gait in individuals 6-12 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Background We aimed to determine the effect of cueing an increase or decrease in the vertical ground reaction force impact peak (peak in the first 50% of stance) on vertical ground reaction force, knee flexion angle, internal knee extension moment, and internal knee abduction moment waveforms throughout stance in individuals 6–12 months after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Methods Twelve individuals completed 3 conditions (High, Low, and Control) where High and Low Conditions cue a 5% body weight increase or decrease, respectively, in the vertical ground reaction force impact peak compared to usual walking. Biomechanics during High and Low Conditions were compared to the Control Condition throughout stance. Findings The High Condition resulted in: (a) increased vertical ground reaction forces at each peak and decreased during mid-stance, (b) greater knee excursion (i.e., greater knee flexion angle in early stance and a more extended knee in late stance), (c) greater internal extension moment for the majority of stance, and (d) lesser second internal knee abduction moment peak. The Low Condition resulted in: (a) vertical ground reaction forces decreased during early stance and increased during mid-stance, (b) decreased knee excursion, (c) increased internal extension moment throughout stance, and (d) decreased internal knee abduction moment peaks. Interpretation Cueing a 5% body weight increase in vertical ground reaction force impact peak resulted in a more dynamic vertical ground reaction force loading pattern, increased knee excursion, and a greater internal extension moment during stance which may be useful in restoring gait patterns following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Consistency in study programme planning and the complexity of curriculum logics

Drawing on the concepts of consistency, this study contributes to the discussion of study programme plans and the links between curriculum elements. The main argument is that a universal requiremen...
Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions to Optimize Treatment of Infections in Nursing Home Residents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Effects of antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) interventions to optimize antibiotic use for infections in nursing home (NH) residents remain unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess ASPs in NHs and their effects on antibiotic use, multi-drug-resistant organisms, antibiotic prescribing practices, and resident mortality. Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using five databases (1988-2020). Nineteen articles were included, 10 met the criteria for quantitative synthesis. Inappropriate antibiotic use decreased following ASP intervention in eight studies with a pooled decrease of 13.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [4.7, 23.0]; Cochran's Q = 166,837.8, p < .001, I2 = 99.9%) across studies. Decrease in inappropriate antibiotic use was highest in studies that examined antibiotic use for urinary tract infection (UTI). Education and antibiotic stewardship algorithms for UTI were the most effective interventions. Evidence surrounding ASPs in NH is weak, with recommendations suited for UTIs.
Wildlife tourism and consumption

The scant existent literature on the link between wildlife tourism and consumption relies on case studies and does not directly measure attitudes towards wildlife tourism or consumption. This paper...
Population diversity of cassava mosaic begomoviruses increases over the course of serial vegetative propagation

Abstract Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) represents a serious threat to cassava, a major root crop for more than 300 million Africans. CMD is caused by single-stranded DNA begomoviruses that evolve rapidly, making it challenging to develop durable disease resistance. In addition to the evolutionary forces of mutation, recombination, and reassortment, factors such as climate, agriculture practices, and the presence of DNA satellites may impact viral diversity. To gain insight into the factors that alter and shape viral diversity in planta, we used high-throughput sequencing to characterize the accumulation of nucleotide diversity after inoculation of infectious clones corresponding to African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCV) in the susceptible cassava landrace Kibandameno. We found that vegetative propagation had a significant effect on viral nucleotide diversity, while temperature and a satellite DNA did not have measurable impacts in our study. EACMCV diversity increased linearly with the number of vegetative propagation passages, while ACMV diversity increased for a time and then decreased in later passages. We observed a substitution bias toward C→T and G→A for mutations in the viral genomes consistent with field isolates. Non-coding regions excluding the promoter regions of genes showed the highest levels of nucleotide diversity for each genome component. Changes in the 5’ intergenic region of DNA-A resembled the sequence of the cognate DNA-B sequence. The majority of nucleotide changes in coding regions were non-synonymous, most with predicted deleterious effects on protein structure, indicative of relaxed selection pressure over 6 vegetative passages. Overall, these results underscore the importance of knowing how cropping practices affect viral evolution and disease progression.
“Why People Gotta be so Judgy?”: The Importance of Agency-Wide, Non-judgmental Approach to Client Care

This research study explores the influence of staff behavior on treatment outcomes among individuals struggling with co-morbidities of substance use disorders (SUD), mental health issues, and traum...
Beyond LP and MILP Problems

This chapter mentions several optimization problems which go beyond linear and mixed integer linear optimization. The focus is rather on motivation. Therefore, it is not intended to cover these topics in complete depth, but the reader should at least be aware that modeling real-world problems is not restricted to linear models. In fractional programming we show how to transform the problem to linear programming, and successive linear programming as a special solution technique of nonlinear optimization. Next, we briefly discuss stochastic optimization. For quadratic programming, which is again a special case of nonlinear optimization, we provide an equivalent formulation based on special ordered sets. Nonlinear optimization is covered in more detail in the next chapter followed by separate chapters on deterministic global optimization in practice and polylithic modeling and solution approaches.
Big or small, patchy all: Resolution of marine plankton patch structure at micro- to submesoscales for 36 taxa.

Despite the ecological importance of microscale (0.01–1 meter) and fine-scale (1 to hundreds of meters) plankton patchiness, the dimensions and taxonomic identity of patches in the ocean are nearly...
Transcriptional Diversity in Rat Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Gene Expression

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), or Somatomedin C, is a member of a family of insulin-like peptides which also includes insulin itself, insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) or multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA), and, in some schemes, relaxin (1,2,3). The IGFs are similar to proinsulin in that they contain B and A domains separated by a C peptide sequence, but differ in that the mature IGF-I proteins retain their C peptide moeities and therefore consist of single polypeptide chains. Additionally, the mature forms of the IGFs contain a carboxy-terminal D domain not found in insulin (2,4,5). Finally, as discussed in more detail below with respect to IGF-I, cDNA sequences corresponding to IGF-I and IGF-II mRNAs suggest the presence of an additional carboxy-terminal E peptide predicted to be a component of the IGF-I and IGF-II pro-hormones (6,7,8,9).
The Power of Philanthropy and Volunteering

This chapter reviews research on the relationship between giving money (i.e., philanthropy) and time (i.e., volunteering) and givers' psychological wellbeing. It summarize a wide body of research literature suggesting correlational, longitudinal, and experimental links between giving time and money to others and psychological wellbeing. The chapter examines the extent to which these effects generalize across cultures, circumstances, types of givers, and types of recipients. Because most of the literature also does not offer explanations as to why giving should improve psychological wellbeing, it also outlines a potential neurobiological model that may help to explain such an effect. This theoretical model of caregiving motivation can help to specify under which situations, and why, giving should lead to better living. The chapter ends with a discussion of practical implications of this review for both givers and nonprofit organizations.
Structure of zebrafish IRBP reveals fatty acid binding.

Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) has a remarkable role in targeting and protecting all-trans and 11-cis retinol, and 11-cis retinal during the rod and cone visual cycles. Little is known about how the correct retinoid is efficiently delivered and removed from the correct cell at the required time. It has been proposed that different fatty composition at that the outer-segments and retinal-pigmented epithelium have an important role is regulating the delivery and uptake of the visual cycle retinoids at the cell-interphotoreceptor-matrix interface. Although this suggests intriguing mechanisms for the role of local fatty acids in visual-cycle retinoid trafficking, nothing is known about the structural basis of IRBP-fatty acid interactions. Such regulation may be mediated through IRBP's unusual repeating homologous modules, each containing about 300 amino acids. We have been investigating structure-function relationships of Zebrafish IRBP (zIRBP), which has only two tandem modules (z1 and z2), as a model for the more complex four-module mammalian IRBP's. Here we report the first X-ray crystal structure of a teleost IRBP, and the only structure with a bound ligand. The X-ray structure of z1, determined at 1.90 A resolution, reveals a two-domain organization of the module (domains A and B). A deep hydrophobic pocket with a single bound molecule of oleic acid was identified within the N-terminal domain A. In fluorescence titrations assays, oleic acid displaced all-trans retinol from zIRBP. Our study, which provides the first structure of an IRBP with bound ligand, supports a potential role for fatty acids in regulating retinoid binding.
Patient Support using the World Wide Web

Traditional medical care relies on face-to-face encounters in which patient and physician work collaboratively. However, many patients have limited mobility, want additional medical information and wish to share experiences with others in similar medical circumstances. This poster illustrates how the Web can be used as a computer-based tool to augment the physician-patient encounter at the Epilepsy referral center at Massachusettts General Hospital using our “PatientWeb” system. Patients are given access to a library, discussion groups, chatrooms, and the opportunity to communicate privately with healthcare providers. Patients were included in the design process and are involved in the evolution of the site. Monitoring of the project is performed by Epilepsy care providers. We are in the process of examining the impact of this technology on patient satisfaction, quality of life and comparing/contrasting its use to traditional face-to-face encounters. For more information please see www.patientweb.net.
Reliability and validity testing for the Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Reduced (COHIP-SF 19)

Objectives This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile–Short Form 19 (COHIP-SF 19) from the validated 34-item COHIP.
Distally Directed Dendrotoxicity Induced by Kainic Acid in Hippocampal Interneurons of Green Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Transgenic Mice

Excitotoxicity, resulting from the excessive release of glutamate, is thought to contribute to a variety of neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Excitotoxic damage to dendrites, i.e., dendrotoxicity, is often characterized by the formation of large dendritic swellings, or "beads." Here, we show that hippocampal interneurons that express the neuropeptide somatostatin are highly vulnerable to the excitotoxic effects of the ionotropic glutamate receptor agonist kainate. Brief, focal iontophoretic application of kainate rapidly induced bead formation in dendrites of somatostatinergic interneurons that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) from mice of the transgenic line GIN (GFP-expressing inhibitory neurons). Surprisingly, beads often did not form at the site of kainate application or even in the dendritic segment to which kainate was applied; instead, dendritic beading occurred more distally, often encompassing all branches distal to the application site. We have termed this phenomena, "distally directed dendrotoxicity." Distally directed beading was induced regardless of the branch order of the site of application and was found to be dependent on activation of voltage-gated sodium channels. Subsequent to induction, distally directed beading would reverse in most cells; in other cells, however, beading irreversibly invaded proximal dendritic segments and gradually encompassed the entire dendritic tree. These results demonstrate that distal dendritic segments are highly vulnerable to excitotoxic injury and imply that excessive excitatory activity originating in one synaptic pathway can impact synapses at more distal dendritic segments of the same neuron. The discovery of this phenomenon will likely be important in understanding interneuronal dysfunction following excitotoxic injury.
Governance strategies and transaction costs in a renovated electricity market

Abstract This study applies a transaction cost economics (TCE) framework to examine how economic agents adopt governance strategies in Brazil's recently renovated electricity market. In light of a well-established TCE model, four attributes of transactions (i.e., asset-specificity, uncertainty, complexity, and frequency) are examined for three unregulated transactions between generating firms and final consumers. The qualitative analysis of attributes unfolds into a comparative analysis of theory-predicted governance strategies versus strategies observed in the marketplace. It is argued that Williamson's model continues to effectively predict the most efficient governance strategy in the sense of minimizing transaction costs and safeguarding idiosyncratic assets. Misalignment between theory predictions and observations, however, suggests that two additional concepts – implementability and reputation – must be examined alongside with Williamson's four attributes of transactions in order to better explain strategic decisions in Brazil's electricity market. Capital availability, existence of compatible partners, and reputation play crucial roles in explaining those decisions.
New Technology for Preventing Residential Electrical Fires: Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)

A new generation of residential electrical branch circuit breakers that incorporates technology to detect and mitigate the effects of arcing faults is described. Fire loss estimates attributed to electrical wiring and the development of the arc-fault circuit interrupter for the prevention of residential electrical fires are discussed. The industry voluntary standard for arc-fault circuit interrupters as well as the 1999 National Electrical Code requirement are reviewed.
Identifying Genetic Determinants Needed to Establish a Human Gut Symbiont in Its Habitat

The human gut microbiota is a metabolic organ whose cellular composition is determined by a dynamic process of selection and competition. To identify microbial genes required for establishment of human symbionts in the gut, we developed an approach (insertion sequencing, or INSeq) based on a mutagenic transposon that allows capture of adjacent chromosomal DNA to define its genomic location. We used massively parallel sequencing to monitor the relative abundance of tens of thousands of transposon mutants of a saccharolytic human gut bacterium, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, as they established themselves in wild-type and immunodeficient gnotobiotic mice, in the presence or absence of other human gut commensals. In vivo selection transforms this population, revealing functions necessary for survival in the gut: we show how this selection is influenced by community composition and competition for nutrients (vitamin B(12)). INSeq provides a broadly applicable platform to explore microbial adaptation to the gut and other ecosystems.
Soil respiration rates in coastal marshes subject to increasing watershed nitrogen loads in southern New England, USA.

Mean soil respiration rates (carbon dioxide efflux from bare soils) among salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, RI ranged from 1.7–7.8 μmol m−2 s−1 inSpartina patens in high marsh zones and 1.7–6.0 μmol m−2 s−1 inS. alterniflora in low marsh zones. The soil respiration rates significantly increased along a gradient of increasing watershed nitrogen (N) loads (S. alterniflora, R2 = 0.95, P = 0.0008;S. patens, R2 = 0.70, P = 0.02). As the soil respiration increased, the percent carbon (C) and N in the soil surface layer decreased in theS. alterniflora, suggesting that in part, the increased soil respiration rates are contributing to the increased turnover of labile organic matter. In contrast, there were no apparent relationships between the soil respiration rates in the high marsh and the soil C and N contents of the surface layer. However, there was a broad-scale pattern and significant inverse relationship between the high marsh soil respiration rates and the landscape belowground biomass ofS. patens. As more and more salt marsh systems are subjected to increasing nutrient loads, decomposition rates of soil organic matter may increase in marsh soils leading to higher turnover rates of C and N.
Dielectric Studies of Glycine–Ethylene Glycol–Water Solutions Using Time Domain Reflectometry

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been used for dielectric relaxation measurements on the glycine–ethylene glycol–water ternary system (TDR) at 25, 30, 35, and 40°C in the frequency range from 10 MHz to 10 GHz. Glycine–ethylene glycol–water solutions are prepared with different concentrations of ethylene glycol (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30%) and also for different glycine molar concentrations (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1 M). The dielectric relaxation parameters are measured for aqueous glycine solutions also to compare the results with those for the glycine–ethylene glycol–water ternary system. For all the solutions considered, only one relaxation peak was observed in this frequency range. The complex permittivity spectra for the aqueous glycine solutions can be well described by the Cole–Davidson expression, whereas that for the ternary system can be well described by the Havriliak–Negami expression. The logarithm of the relaxation time log(τ) shows a nonlinear relation with the glycine molar concentration that implies a change in the relaxation mechanism with glycine concentration. The dielectric strength Δe increases with an increase in glycine molar concentration, whereas it decreases with an increase in ethylene glycol concentration.
Vibrational-state-specific self-relaxation rate constant. Measurements of highly vibrationally excited O2(ν = 19–28)

Abstract The technique of stimulated emission pumping (SEP) has made the state-specific study of highly vibrationally excited molecules increasingly appealing. A sophisticated spectroscopic probe SEP may also be used as a preparative technique for species with “chemically significant” amounts of vibrational energy. The sensitivity of the approach allows even relatively improbable processes, such as vibrational energy transfer and chemical reaction, to be studied. Recently, highly vibrationally excited oxygen O2(ν) has received attention as a possible source of stratospheric O3 via an autocatalytic mechanism first proposed by Slanger. To evaluate this mechanism, a complete set of vibrational-state-specific vibrational relaxation rate constants are needed for highly vibrationally excited O2(ν) colliding with atmospheric gasses. This information is required in order to determine if solar photodissociation of O2(ν) can compete with collision-induced vibrational re-equilibration. This article will describe recent SEP studies of the vibrational quantum number dependence of the vibrational relaxation of highly vibrationally excited O2 with O2 in the ground vibrational state at 295 and 460 K. These data permit a comparison with recent theoretical models of vibrational relaxation rates and provide indirect evidence for the influence of the vibrationally enhanced endothermic reaction O2(ν>26) + O2(ν = 0) → O3 + O(3P) on the vibrational relaxation rates. The possible implications of these measurements on the autocatalytic stratospheric ozone production model are discussed.
Nursing intervention and smoking cessation: A meta-analysis☆☆☆

Abstract Objective: To determine with meta-analysis the effects of nursing-delivered smoking cessation interventions. Results: Fifteen studies comparing nursing intervention with a control or usual care found intervention to significantly increase the odds of smoking cessation. There was heterogeneity among the study results, but pooling by using a random effects model did not alter the estimate of effect. There was no evidence from indirect comparison that interventions classified as intensive had a larger effect than less intensive ones. There was evidence that interventions were more effective for hospital inpatients with cardiovascular disease than for inpatients with other conditions. Interventions in nonhospitalized patients also showed evidence of efficacy. Nurse counseling on smoking cessation during a screening health check was likely to have less effect. The results indicate the potential benefits of smoking cessation advice and counseling given by nurses to their patients, with reasonable evidence that intervention can be effective. (Heart Lung® 1999;28:438-54)
HIV testing in a national sample of pregnant US women: who is not getting tested?

Abstract It is recommended that all pregnant women in the US receive an HIV test as early as possible during prenatal care to allow HIV-infected women to begin receiving anti-retroviral drugs when they most effectively prevent transmission. We analyzed interview data from a nationally-representative sample of pregnant women to examine the extent of HIV testing among pregnant women and the characteristics associated with testing, including access to healthcare. We used data from the combined 2001 and 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a nationally-representative telephone-based behavioral survey of adults, aggregated across all states to yield national estimates. Among 4,855 women pregnant at interview we looked at the percentages recently tested and never tested by major populations subgroups and assessed differences using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis. Pregnant women were tested at a much higher rate than other women of the same age—54.1% had been tested in the ...
Evaluation of Counter-Based Dynamic Load Balancing Schemes for Massive Contingency Analysis on over 10,000 Cores

Contingency analysis studies are necessary to assess the impact of possible power system component failures. The results of the contingency analysis are used to ensure the grid reliability, and in power market operation for the feasibility test of market solutions. Currently, these studies are performed in real time based on the current operating conditions of the grid with a set of pre-selected contingency list, which might result in overlooking some critical contingencies caused by variable system status. To have a complete picture of a power grid, more contingencies need to be studied to improve grid reliability. High-performance computing techniques hold the promise of being able to perform the analysis for more contingency cases within a much shorter time frame. This paper evaluates the performance of counter-based dynamic load balancing schemes for a massive contingency analysis program on 10,000+ cores. One million N-2 contingency analysis cases with a Western Electricity Coordinating Council power grid model have been used to demonstrate the performance. The speedup of 3964 with 4096 cores and 7877 with 10240 cores are obtained. This paper reports the performance of the load balancing scheme with a single counter and two counters, describes disk I/O issues, and discusses other potential techniques for further improving the performance.
Propagation of finite length laser pulses in plasma channels

Finite pulse length effects are shown to play a major role in the propagation, stability, and guiding of intense laser beams in plasmas. We present the quasiparaxial approximation (QPA) to the wave equation that takes finite pulse length effects into account. The QPA is an extension of the usual paraxial approximation. The laser field is shown to be significantly modified for pulses less than a few tens of wavelengths long. A pair of coupled envelope-power equations having finite pulse length effects, as well as relativistic and atomic electron nonlinearities, is derived and analyzed. Short laser pulses propagating in plasma channels are found to undergo an envelope oscillation in which the front of the pulse is always damped while the back initially grows. The modulation eventually damps due to frequency spread phase mixing. In addition, finite pulse length effects are shown to modify nonlinear focusing processes significantly. thinsp {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Cell cycle regulation: Mechanisms and therapeutics

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) is an important regulator of G1/S cell cycle progression of mammalian cells. To understand the role of Cdk4in vivo we generated strains of mice that either lack Cdk4 or express an activated form of this enzyme (Cdk4R24C), which cannot interact with the cycli kinase inhibitor, p16INK4A. Cdk4R24C mutations that abolish the interaction of pl6INK4A and CDK predispose humans to familial melanoma. Cdk4-/- mutant mice are viable but express defects in growth, fertility and are diabetic due to loss of insulin-producing islet cells. In contrast, CDK4 (R24C/R24C) mice exhibit growth advantage and their fibroblasts have a shorter cycle with high proliferative rates. The Cdk4 (R24C/R24C) fibroblasts fail to undergo senescence and are capable long-term growth in culture. Moreover, approximate 80% of Cdk4 (R24C/R24C) mice developed spontaneous tumors of varying cellular origin such as breast, pituitary, brain, skin, pancreas, liver, lung, testes, ovarian and hematopoietic tumors by 12 month. In addition, cdk4(R24C/R24C) mice are highly susceptible to TPA or DMBA carcinogen-induced tumors and Cdk4(R24C/R24C) mice developed skin tumors with average latency of 10–12 weeks. In contrast, wild type mice had a reduced frequency and latency of tumor formation. These studies indicated that the cdk4(R24C) mutation could exacerbate de-regulated Ras-pathways and accelerate tumorigenesisIn addition, Cdk4 (R24C/R24C) mice exhibit severe hyperplasia of the immune system and are highly susceptible to the development of hematopoietic malignancies. These results suggest that Cdk4 is an important modulator of cell cycle progression and abnormalities associated with this gene results in the development of abnormalities in multiple organs including the hematopoietic compartment.
Effects of vanadate on water and electrolyte transport in rat jejunum.

Abstract The effect of vanadate (orthovanadate, VO 4 − ) on water and ion transport was studied in rat jejunum. Water transport was tested by single-pass perfusion in vivo and ion fluxes by the Ussing-chamber technique in vitro. The results suggest that vanadate has two actions on ion and water transport: (1) At low concentrations (10 −4 M) it causes Cl − , Na + and water secretion by stimulation of adenylate cyclase; (2) At higher concentrations (10 −3 and 10 −2 M) it decreases net absorption of Na + and Cl − by inhibition of (Na + + K + )-ATPase.
Association of biorefractories in drinking water and body burden in people.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, where the Mississippi River serves as the water source, halogenated compounds like carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and tetrachloroethylene were found to occur in both the finished water and blood of local residents. Of particular interest was the fact that blood from newborns was also found to contain several organics found in maternal blood that were also present in finished water. It is noteworthy that blood of neonates also contained organics of synthetic origin at birth. Such data support the contention that biorefractories undergo transplacental passage and, furthermore, that the fetus is routinely exposed to such substances during the critical stages of development. The impact of such exposure is unknown. Drinking water can be a contributing source of environmentally derived biorefractories found to accumulate in human tissue. Other multi-media environmental sources obviously can also contribute to the accumulation of biorefractories, thereby compounding the problem of ascertaining their exact environmental origin. For example, industrial workers and experimental animals exposed to atmospheres enriched with volatile halogenated C/sub 2/ and C/sub 3/ compounds will readily accumulate these substances in their blood and body tissues. Other possibilities for the origin of such compounds include drug and food sources. Obviously, therefore, much moremore » work must be performed to unequivocally establish the origin of such compounds in body tissues and fluids and to establish their significance for health.« less
Neutralization effects in impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy: 6Li+ versus 4He+

Impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy (ICISS) was employed to analyze a Cu(110) surface utilizing 5 keV 6Li+ and 3.5 keV 4He+ projectiles. The experimental data revealed large differences between the polar-angle dependence of the scattered yield of Li and He ions, despite the fact that the scattering cross sections for the two projectiles were approximately equal. The differences in the scattering behavior are attributed primarily to the Auger neutralization of backscattered He. A model for quantitatively fitting the neutralization behavior is discussed.