cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Frizzled-9 Is Activated by Wnt-2 and Functions in Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

Frizzled has been known to function as a Wnt receptor. Although there have been a number of mammalian Frizzled members identified, their binding specificities with Wnt and functions in mammalian cells have been poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that rat Frizzled-9 (Rfz9) functions in Wnt/β-catenin signaling in 293T cells. Rfz9 overexpression induces the hyperphosphorylation and relocalization of mouse Dishevelled-1 (Dvl-1) from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane and the accumulation of cytosolic β-catenin. Transfections of Rfz9 with each of several Wnt members show that only Wnt-2 activates Rfz9 in T cell factor (TCF)-dependent transcription. Deletion mutant analysis determines that there is a difference in Rfz9 C-terminal residues required for the modifications of Dvl-1 and those required for the inductions of β-catenin stabilization and TCF transactivation. Deletion of the Wnt-binding domain does not abolish Rfz9 activity completely, although it causes the inactivation of Wnt-2-dependent TCF transcription. Rfz9 also relocalizes Axin from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane in the presence of Dvl-1, suggesting that one of the consequences of Dvl-1 relocalization by Rfz9 is to bring Axin to the cell membrane.
Minace filter tests on the Comanche IR database

This paper presents our IR automatic target recognition (ATR) work on the Comanche database using the minimum noise and correlation energy (MINACE) distortion-invariant filter (DIF). The Comanche database contains real IR data of eight targets with aspect view and thermal state variations. We consider recognition of six of these targets and we consider rejecting two targets (confusers) and clutter. To handle the full 360° range of aspect view in Comanche data, we use a set of Minace filters for each object; each filter should recognize the object in some angular range. We use our autoMinace algorithm that uses a training and a validation set to select the Minace filter parameter c (which selects emphasis on recognition or discrimination) and to select the training set images to be included in the filter, so that the filter can achieve both good recognition and good confuser and clutter rejection performance. No confuser, clutter, or test set data are present in the training or the validation set. Use of the peak-to-correlation energy (PCE) ratio is found to perform better than the use of the correlation peak height metric. The use of circular versus linear correlations is addressed; circular correlations require less storage and fewer online computations and are thus preferable.
Energy as a potential systems-level indicator of sustainability in organic agriculture: Case study model of a diversified, organic vegetable production system

Abstract We contribute to a better understanding of sustainable-organic agricultural energy flows by modeling the energy inputs and outputs of a diversified organic vegetable farm in Kentucky, USA that markets through a community supported agricultural (CSA) marketing model. We consider that a one-for-one relationship of energy inputs to outputs, which exists in self-regulating ecosystems, provides a goal for sustainable and organic production and is a holistic, systems-level indicator of the sustainability of agricultural production systems (i.e., energy returned on energy invested is greater than or equal to one, EROI ≥ 1). Similar to most conventional agriculture, we find that a typical mechanized, intensive organic agricultural operation operates with an EROI less than one (EROI = 0.025). Although organic agricultural methods such as removing synthetic fertilizers and pesticides tend to reduce energy imbalances, overall, useful energy inputs still exceed useful energy outputs (EROI is much less than one). We confirm and provide examples to demonstrate that direct and indirect energy dissipation data remains difficult to collect and or generate for organic agricultural operations thus slowing the research in this area. However, we demonstrate that the current state-of-the-art input-output energy analysis produces sufficient results for broad actionable conclusions in agricultural operations and helps to identify areas for future research
Mapping Your Future— A Proactive Approach to Aging

As the number of older adults who live healthy and extended lives increases, people will need to envision the ways in which they choose to live. More emphasis will be given to the potential and strengths that older adults maintain in to later years rather than anticipating the consequences of decline. This paper describes the development of a tool to be used by older adults in planning their futures. It provides an individualized portfolio that encourages older adults to contemplate their future needs and resources. It includes the domains of health, work/leisure, finances, housing, and relationship/support systems. It is a means of encouraging conversations about life choices and maintaining a sense of empowerment and well-being.
The chief executive and strategic change

This paper discusses the role of the chief executive in formulating and implementing strategy during various phases of organizational evolution. We explore the relative influence of top managers during (a) organizational founding and (b) periods of stability to set the stage for a conceptual examination of leadership and strategic change. We suggest that strategic change will be most successful when it is accompanied by change of the executive at the helm of the organization.
Improvement of grafting efficiency in hard grafting grape Berlandieri hybrid rootstocks by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)

Abstract Certain grapevine rootstocks in Vitis berlandieri hybrids (such as 41 B, one of the most important rootstocks used in worldwide viticulture) have great potential to use owing to its great resistance to calcareous soils and phylloxera. But their use is limited due to the difficulties in propagation and grafting. PGPR is reported to stimulate division and enlargement of plant cells that might result in better fusion at graft union point. This investigation was thus conducted to reveal the effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria ( Pseudomonas putida strain BA-8, Bacillus simplex strain T7) on callus formation, graft success, vegetative development and subsequent bud fruitfullness of Alphonse Lavallee grape cultivar. The green softwood shoots of Alphonse Lavallee (AL) grape were grafted on the rootstocks 41 B or 1103 P by modified cleft green-grafting technique in controlled glasshouse. Before grafting, the single scion nodes were divided into four treatment groups. Three of them were separately dipped into bacterial suspension (10 9 CFU ml −1 ) of either of two strains or their combination for an hour. One of the treatment groups was dipped into the tap water (as control). Each treatment has contained thirty grafts, divided into three replicates. In both graft combinations, combined application of BA-8 and T7 strains resulted in 100% callusing compared with the uninoculated control where the percentages were 93.3 and 90.0% for AL/41 B and AL/1103 P combinations, respectively. Individual or combined applications of the strains also had remarkably positive influences on full callusing rates. The highest shoot length values were obtained from combined application (113.5 cm) and BA-8 strains (100.9 cm) in AL/41 B and AL/1103 P graft combinations, respectively. Inoculation of the graft scion parts with BA-8 strain resulted in the highest shoot lignification lengths in both AL/41 B and AL/1103 P combinations with the values of 75.4 and 75.6 cm, respectively while uninoculated grafts of the representing combinations were as low as 59.0 and 55.3 cm. In AL/41B, the highest (100%) graft survival rate in nursery was recorded in plants treated with bacterial combination. Combined application as well as BA-8 performed better in AL/1103P. The findings imply that PGPR can be employed in ecological and sustainable production of nursery material and point to the feasibility of commercially synthetic auxin replacement by PGPR-based ecological treatment.
Tubo-Ovarian Abscess Formation in Users of Intrauterine Devices Remote From Insertion: A Report of Three Cases

Background: The association between tubo-ovarian abscess formation and the presence of an intrauterine device (IUD) is well recognized. It has been suggested that the risk of upper-genital-tract infection is highest during the immediate period following the insertion of an IUD, returning to baseline by 5 months postinsertion.We present 3 cases ofwomen who, 10-21 years after insertion of their IUDs, developed tubo-ovarian abscesses that were not causally related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or actinomycetes. Cases: Three women, ages 39-47 years, presented to our gynecology service for evaluation of abdominal pain. One woman had bilateral tubo-ovarian abscesses and the other 2 had unilateral tubo-ovarian abscesses. All 3 were IUD users, with an interval from IUD insertion to presentation of 10-21 years. In each case, the cervical cultures for gonorrhea and chlamydia were negative at presentation and the sexual history was not consistent with an STD mode of spread. All 3 women initially received broad-spectrum antibiotics, but 2 eventually required definitive surgical therapy. Conclusion: Long-term users ofIUDs remain at risk for serious, indolent pelvic infections. These women should be counseled by their gynecologists on an ongoing basis as to this persistent risk. Tubo-ovarian abscess should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis of an IUD user who presents with an adnexal mass, fever, or abdominal pain. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Conserved Docking Site in MEKs Mediates High-affinity Binding to MAP Kinases and Cooperates with a Scaffold Protein to Enhance Signal Transmission

The recognition of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) by their upstream activators, MAPK/ERK kinases (MEKs), is crucial for the effective and accurate transmission of many signals. We demonstrated previously that the yeast MAPKs Kss1 and Fus3 bind with high affinity to the N terminus of the MEK Ste7, and proposed that a conserved motif in Ste7, the MAPK-docking site, mediates this interaction. Here we show that the corresponding sequences in human MEK1 and MEK2 are necessary and sufficient for the direct binding of the MAPKs ERK1 and ERK2. Mutations in MEK1, MEK2, or Ste7 that altered conserved residues in the docking site diminished binding of the cognate MAPKs. Furthermore, short peptides corresponding to the docking sites in these MEKs inhibited MEK1-mediated phosphorylation of ERK2 in vitro. In yeast cells, docking-defective alleles of Ste7 were modestly compromised in their ability to transmit the mating pheromone signal. This deficiency was dramatically enhanced when the ability of the Ste5 scaffold protein to associate with components of the MAPK cascade was also compromised. Thus, both the MEK-MAPK docking interaction and binding to the Ste5 scaffold make mutually reinforcing contributions to the efficiency of signaling by this MAPK cascade in vivo.
A pain in the eye

A 38-year-old woman presented with chronic left retro-orbital pain and photophobia. Palpation of the left occipital prominence revealed tenderness in the area of the greater occipital nerve and reproduced the eye pain. The diagnosis of cervicogenic headache was confirmed by symptom resolution following left greater occipital nerve blockade. The functional association between the greater occipital nerve and the trigeminal nerve provides a potential mechanism for this case of cervicogenic eye pain.
Day Labourers' Work Related Injuries: An Assessment of Risks, Choices, and Policies

Literature and theory surrounding the informal economy in international contexts suggest that informal work arrangements may entail assuming various levels of risk, and that the higher the level of risk in an employment arrangement, the higher the premium paid to the worker. This study is designed to assess if a wage compensation for risk exists within the United States' day labour job market - the most visible sector of the United States' informal economy. Using data from the 2005 National Day Labour Survey we find a statistically significant wage premium indicating that a risk-wage tradeoff within the day labour informal economy exists. Ultimately, we argue that current policy interventions facilitated through day labour centres into the day labour market appear to be effective in mitigating the risks associated with this type of employment. Evidence of a risk-wage premium in the day labour market suggests there is an incentive to assume higher levels of risk in work arrangements which presents significant concerns for worker safety. Higher levels of work related risks assumed by day labourers, may be minimized if they receive proper safety training through a formal venue such as a worker centre. Worker centres only serve 20 per cent of all day labourers in the United States, suggesting a need for the establishment of additional worker centres in other connected or industry based work sites, to help mitigate potential work related risks and injuries in the day labour market.
Active Authorization Rules for Enforcing Role-Based Access Control and its Extensions

Dynamically monitoring the state changes of an underlying system, detecting and reacting to changes without delay are crucial for the success of any access control enforcement mechanism. With their inherent nature, active (Event- Condition-Action or ECA) rules are prospective candidates to carry out change detection and to provide access control. Current systems or models do not provide a flexible mechanism for enforcing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) standard and its extensions in a seamless way, and do not adapt to policy or role structure changes in enterprises, which are indispensable to make RBAC usable in diverse domains. In this paper we will show how On-When-Then-Else authorization rules (or enhanced ECA rules) are used for enforcing RBAC standard and its extensions such as generalized temporal RBAC, control flow dependency constraints, privacy-aware RBAC, and so forth in a seamless way. Furthermore, these rules also provide active security. Large enterprises have hundreds of roles, which requires thousands of rules for providing access control, and generating these rules manually is error-prone and a cognitive-burden for non-computer specialists. Thus, in this paper, we will discuss briefly how these authorization rules can be automatically (or semi-automatically) generated from high level specifications of enterprise access control policies. We will also discuss the implementation using Sentinel+, an active object oriented system.
The Value of a Nondirective Voir Dire Style in Jury Selection

The impact of different styles of voir dire was explored. Subjects listened to a directive voir dire, a nondirective voir dire, a judge alone, or nothing. A subset of each of those groups then responded to a voir dire conducted in either a directive or a nondirective fashion. Listening to a voir dire tended to educate subjects about the law more than hearing only the judge explain the law. In the second part of the experiment, those who underwent a nondirective voir dire were rated as more self-disclosing and were more willing to admit their inability to abide by legal due process guarantees. It was concluded that a nondirective style of voir dire is more effective at uncovering grounds for cause challenges than is a directive style of voir dire.
The System LiF ‐ LiCl , LiF ‐ NaCl , LiF ‐ KCl

Liquid ‐solid equilibrium data for the systems , , were obtained through the concentration range . These data were used to test the formula for the prediction of liquidus temperatures. Activities were calculated from experimental data by It was shown that the activities of salt components can be calculated by this formula, if the difference in the sum of lattice energies of the reactants and products of mixing is not too large.
A population study of integrate-and-fire-or-burst neurons

Any realistic model of the neuronal pathway from the retina to the visual cortex (V1) must account for the bursting behavior of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). A robust but minimal model, the integrate-and-fire-or-burst (IFB) model, has recently been proposed for individual LGN neurons. Based on this, we derive a dynamic population model and study a population of such LGN cells. This population model, the first simulation of its kind evolving in a two-dimensional phase space, is used to study the behavior of bursting populations in response to diverse stimulus conditions.
Highly efficient in vitro photodynamic inactivation of Mycobacterium smegmatis

Objectives Efforts to control tuberculosis (TB) have been hampered by the emergence of multiple-drug resistant strains, necessitating pursuit of alternative approaches to the current antibiotic-based treatments. Herein, we explore the feasibility of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of mycobacteria. Methods In vitro PDI studies employing Mycobacterium smegmatis as a surrogate for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were performed examining photosensitizer (PS) type, concentration and light dose. M. smegmatis was grown to a concentration of 10(8) colony forming units (cfu) per mL, resuspended in PBS-0.5% Tween-80-containing buffer, incubated with the PS for 5 min and subsequently illuminated with white light (400-700 nm) at a fluence rate of 60 mW/cm(2) for 1, 5, 15 or 30 min (equivalent to 3.4, 18, 54 or 108 J/cm(2)). The percentage survival was determined by the ratio of the colony count from illuminated and non-illuminated control cell suspensions. The PSs examined were 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridinyl)porphyrin tetratosylate (TMPyP), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium)porphyrin tetrachloride (TNMAP), methylene blue (MB), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)porphyrin (TSPP), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin-Pd(II) (TCPP-Pd) and phthalocyanine tetrasulphonic acid (PhCS). Results Our best results demonstrate that PDI of M. smegmatis can achieve a noteworthy 5-6 log unit reduction in cfu (99.999% + viable cell eradication) when cationic PSs are employed in the nanomolar concentration range. Anionic PSs did not effectively mediate PDI of mycobacteria due to their inability to associate with the negatively charged mycobacterial cell membrane. Conclusions PDI of M. smegmatis was found to be highly efficient in reducing the number of viable cells in vitro when cationic PSs were employed.
Molecular Pathways: Dysregulated Glutamatergic Signaling Pathways in Cancer

The neurotransmitter glutamate interacts with glutamate receptor proteins, leading to the activation of multiple signaling pathways. Dysfunction in the glutamatergic signaling pathway is well established as a frequent player in diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, and brain tumors (gliomas). Recently, aberrant functioning of this pathway has also been shown in melanoma. In both glioma and melanoma, glutamate secretion stimulates tumor growth, proliferation, and survival through activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathways. In the future, extracellular glutamate levels and glutamatergic signaling may serve as biological markers for tumorigenicity and facilitate targeted therapy for melanoma. .
Structural analysis of the gene encoding human aromatase cytochrome P-450, the enzyme responsible for estrogen biosynthesis.

The structural gene encoding aromatase cytochrome P-450 (P-450AROM) was isolated from human genomic DNA. The gene spans at least 52 kilobases and is composed of 10 exons, the first of which is untranslated. Analysis of the transcription initiation site of human P-450AROM mRNA reveals the differential use of 1 of 3 consecutive G residues at the cap site. DNA sequence analysis indicates that the gene has a putative TATA (ATAAAA) sequence at −23 base pairs (bp) and putative CAAT binding sequences beginning at −41, −67, and −83 bp. The 5′-flanking region contains sequences similar to consensus sequences of cis-acting elements defined as regulators of aromatase gene expression. These putative sequences include a cAMP regulatory element at −211 bp, an AP1 (protein kinase C) site at −54 bp, and glucocorticoid regulatory elements at −352 bp and within the first intron at +346 bp. There appears to be only one gene encoding P-450AROM in the human genome. Two major species of human P-450AROM mRNA (3.4 and 2.9 kilobases) are derived from the use of two polyadenylation signals.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia in the United States among persons 14 to 39 years of age, 1999 to 2002.

The authors used the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to measure chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence in the United States. Among 6632 respondents age 14 to 39 years, the pr...
Evaluation of Pathological Manifestations of Disease in Mucopolysaccharidosis VII Mice after Neonatal Hepatic Gene Therapy

Mucopolysaccharidosis VII (MPS VII) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by β-glucuronidase (GUSB) deficiency. Intravenous injection of a retroviral vector expressing canine GUSB into neonatal MPS VII mice resulted in transduction of 6 to 35% of hepatocytes, which secreted GUSB into blood. Serum GUSB activity was stable for 6 months at 600 (low expression) to 10,000 (high expression) U/ml, and enzyme was modified appropriately with mannose 6-phosphate. The average serum GUSB activity (3531 U/ml) is the highest long-term expression reported for MPS VII mice after gene therapy. Secreted enzyme was taken up by other tissues, as the average enzyme activity was >13% of normal in somatic organs and 2% of normal in brain. Low expression markedly reduced histopathological evidence of lysosomal storage in liver, spleen, kidney, small intestine, neurons, and glial cells. High expression appeared to be more effective than low expression at reducing lysosomal storage in aorta, heart valves, thymus, bronchial epithelium, cornea, and retinal pigmented epithelium. Future experiments will determine if greater pathological improvements will consistently be observed in retrovirus-treated MPS VII mice with higher serum GUSB activity relative to animals with lower activity and if these result in clinical benefits.
Measurement of Environmental Impedance at Plasma Frequency of Josephson Junction With Microwave Enhanced Thermal Escape

We have developed a simple and accurate method to determine the environmental impedance seen by a phase qubit at the plasma frequency of the junction by comparing the measured and simulated thermal escape rate in strong microwave field at 4.2 K. The results show that for our sample 1/Re[Y(omega)] is about 2.5 kOmega, where Re[Y(omega)] is the real part of the frequency-dependent environmental admittance.
Thermal Stress-Induced Grain Boundary Voiding and Notching in Narrow Al-Based Metallizations

Grain boundary voiding has been identified as a diffusional creep mechanism that produces failure of narrow Al-based metallizations during thermal aging. It is considered to be a reliability concern for sub-micron metallizations because the resulting failure rate has been observed to be strongly line width dependent. This paper presents a theoretical model for stress-induced grain boundary voiding. The proposed model is shown to account for the experimentally observed temperature and time dependence of thermal aging-induced line failure data reported in the literature.
Scalable biomedical Named Entity Recognition: investigation of a database-supported SVM approach

This paper explores scalability issues associated with the Named Entity Recognition problem in the biomedical publications domain using Support Vector Machines. The performance results using existing binary and multi-class SVMs with increasing training data are compared to results obtained using our new implementations. Our approach eliminates prior language or domain-specific knowledge and achieves good out-of-the-box accuracy measures comparable to those obtained using more complex approaches. The training time of multi-class SVMs is reduced by several orders of magnitude, which would make support vector machines a more viable and practical solution for real-world problems with large datasets.
Preparation of 3-trifluoromethyl-2-cycloalkenones by the oxidative rearrangement of trifluoromethylated tertiary allylic alcohols with pyridinium chlorochromate

Abstract Trifluoromethylated tertiary allylic alcohols, obtained from trifluoromethylation of several conjugated enones, undergo oxidative rearrangements to 3-trifluoromethyl-2-cycloalkenones with pyridinium chlorochromate in the presence of a small amount of concentrated H 2 SO 4 .
Designing report writing modules for engineering courses

The author describes ways in which faculty in technical disciplines can integrate instruction in the development of communication skills into their classrooms without becoming experts in the discipline. The project discussed involves the preparation of report writing modules in about fifteen different engineering courses with the cooperation of the engineering faculty in those courses. The procedure for designing a report writing module addresses the following skills required for effective report writing: determine the report writing situation; specify the purpose of the report; identify the readers for the report; establish a required outline for the report; explain the specifications for each item on the outline; specify the format of the report; prepare a checklist for the report; provide a specimen report or two; and specify additional criteria you deem appropriate. >
More Than Sector Theory: Homer Hoyt's Contributions to Planning Knowledge

Known primarily for his sector theory of urban development, Homer Hoyt contributed to planning knowledge in other ways: advancing the concept of economic base, developing procedures for analyzing t...
The case for a network protocol isolation layer

Network protocols are typically designed and tested individually. In practice, however, applications use multiple protocols concurrently. This discrepancy can lead to failures from unanticipated interactions between protocols.In this paper, we argue that sensor network communication stacks should have an isolation layer, whose purpose is to make each protocol's perception of the wireless channel independent of what other protocols are running. We identify two key mechanisms the isolation layer must provide: shared collision avoidance and fair channel allocation.We present an example design of an isolation layer that builds on the existing algorithms of grant-to-send and fair queueing. However, the complexities of wireless make these mechanisms insufficient by themselves. We therefore propose two new mechanisms that address these limitations: channel decay and fair cancellation. Incorporating these new mechanisms reduces the increase in end-to-end delivery cost associated with concurrently operating two protocols by more than 60%. The isolation layer improves median protocol fairness from 0.52 to 0.96 in Jain's fairness index. Together, these results show that using an isolation layer makes protocols more efficient and robust.
Influence of filter shape and bandwidth on 44 Gb/s DQPSK systems

Filter shape and bandwidth are studied for multiplexers/demultiplexers in DQPSK systems. Simulation shows both factors have strong impact on signal performance. In 50GHz spaced systems with 44Gb/s RZ-DQPSK signals, 2nd-order super-Gaussian filters outperform higher-order filters.
Clinical Outcomes and Pharmacists’ Acceptance of a Community Hospital's Anticoagulation Management Service Utilizing Decentralized Clinical Staff Pharmacists

Background:In 2008, the Joint Commission released an updated National Patient Safety Goals document that requires institutions to implement practices that reduce the likelihood of patient harm associated with use of anticoagulation therapy. One of the expectations associated with this goal was that each organization would establish an anticoagulant management program. To our knowledge, few data exist to describe the implementation and assessment of anticoagulation programs in smaller, nonteaching community hospitals using decentralized pharmacists in an integrated practice model.Objective:To compare the performance of a protocol-driven anticoagulation management service led by decentralized pharmacists in a nonteaching community hospital with that of usual medical care provided by hospitalist physicians before this program was implemented. Based on these results, as well as a pharmacist satisfaction survey, evaluate the service and identify barriers to expansion.Methods:We conducted a retrospective cohort...
MSH3 Promotes Dynamic Behavior of Trinucleotide Repeat Tracts In Vivo

Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansions are the underlying cause of more than 40 neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases, including myotonic dystrophy and Huntington’s disease, yet the pathway to expansion remains poorly understood. An important step in expansion is the shift from a stable TNR sequence to an unstable, expanding tract, which is thought to occur once a TNR attains a threshold length. Modeling of human data has indicated that TNR tracts are increasingly likely to expand as they increase in size and to do so in increments that are smaller than the repeat itself, but this has not been tested experimentally. Genetic work has implicated the mismatch repair factor MSH3 in promoting expansions. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model for CAG and CTG tract dynamics, we examined individual threshold-length TNR tracts in vivo over time in MSH3 and msh3Δ backgrounds. We demonstrate, for the first time, that these TNR tracts are highly dynamic. Furthermore, we establish that once such a tract has expanded by even a few repeat units, it is significantly more likely to expand again. Finally, we show that threshold- length TNR sequences readily accumulate net incremental expansions over time through a series of small expansion and contraction events. Importantly, the tracts were substantially stabilized in the msh3Δ background, with a bias toward contractions, indicating that Msh2-Msh3 plays an important role in shifting the expansion-contraction equilibrium toward expansion in the early stages of TNR tract expansion.
Preparation of Homogeneous Aluminosr, Icate Gels by sol/gel Methods

The factors affecting the production of homogeneous aluminosilicate gels from alkoxide precursors were investigated. Aluminosilicate gels were made in acidic conditions with a prepolymerization of the silicate precursor followed by the addition of the alumina precursor. Confirming earlier studies, we found that the gel homogeneity is increased when the rate of gelation decreases. The reduction of the water content and/or the aluminum precursor, and more surprisingly the increase of the acid concentration contributed to the gel time increase and thus the gel homogeneity improvement.
Mapping QTLs for Grain Weight and Shape Using Four Sister Near Isogenic Lines in Rice(Oryza sativa L.)

Grain weight(GW) is one of the major determinants of cereal yield.To map quantitative trait loci(QTLs) for GW and grain shape in rice(Oryza sativa L.),a small GW variety Nipponbare was crossed with SLG-1,which was one of the largest GW varieties in the world.In the progenies,large GW plants were selected to backcross with Nipponbare for several rounds.In the BC4F1 population with 73 plants,the distribution of GW appeared in four peaks.A single plant at each peak was selected to develop a sister near-isogenic line(SNIL) population.Based on bulked segregant analysis,19 polymorphic markers related to GW and grain shape were screened out from the total 1513 SSR makers distributing on 12 chromosomes.Using the 19 SSR markers,QTLs for GW,grain length(GL),seed width(SW),and grain thickness(GT) were identified in the four SNIL populations independently.A total of 12 QTLs were located in six regions on chromosomes 2,3,6,and 8,including genes GS3 and GW2 that have been clone already.These QTLs explained phenotypic variation ranging from 7.22% to 53.38%.Five QTLs between RM6318 and RM1367 on chromosome 2,between RM5477 and RM6417 on chromosome 3,and between RM3370 and RM1161 on chromosome 6 have not been fine-mapped yet.Among them,qGL3-1 is a novel locus with GL contribution as high as 11.41–21.27%.These results and the SNILs constructed in this study provide a basis for the fine mapping and gene cloning of novel locus associated with rice GW and grain shape.
A Probe into the Customary Law of the Tus

The customary law of the Tus is social norms of adjust social relations of the Tus, which mainly embodies in the social life of a vary kind of ceremony and festival.Taking law culture's source of its style and unceasingly absorbing excellent culture from other nationalities in the long period of national assimilation, the customary law of the Tus forms the integration of pluralitic norms.
Determination of 7 VOCs in adhesives for indoor decoration and refurbish by GC-MS

Objective:To establish a method for determination of seven VOCs in adhesives for indoor decoration and refurbish.Methods: Sample is dissolved by 50ml ethyl acetate and is determined by selective ion measure mode.Results: A goodlinear relationship(r0.9995) was obtained over the concentration rage,detection limit was 0.006 μg/ml～0.14 μg/ml.The minimum detectable concentrations(MDC) is 0.001 mg/kg～0.029 mg/kg.Conclusion: The decribed method of 7 vocs in adhesives for indoor decoration and refurbish is fast and sensitive.
Local Average Treatment Effect and Regression-Discontinuity-Design

This chapter addresses two different but related approaches, both widely used within the literature on the econometrics of program evaluation: the Local average treatment effect (LATE) and the Regression-discontinuity-design (RDD). Considered as nearly quasi-experimental methods, these approaches have recently been the subject of a vigorous interest as tools for detecting treatment effects within special statistical settings. The first part of the chapter covers the theory behind LATE, thus illustrating how such approach can be embedded within the setting of a randomized experiment with imperfect compliance. The discussion then goes on to present the Wald estimator of LATE, and to extend LATE to the case of multiple instruments and multiple treatments. The second part of the chapter illustrates the RDD econometric theoretical background; in particular, it discusses separately sharp RDD and fuzzy RDD, and suggests a protocol for the empirical implementation of such approaches. The chapter ends with some illustrative empirical implementation of both LATE and RDD performed using Stata on both real and simulative examples.
Toward n-Ship Computation of Trajectories for Shared Airspace

This paper considers an approach for modelling transport aircraft trajectories that can facilitate their rapid evaluation and modification, either en route or in terminal control areas, with the goal of efficiently making use of airspace and runways by a large population of vehicles without pairwise violation of separation criteria.
Parental Considerations for Children Undergoing Cardiac Transplantation

There have been profound improvements in the survival of children following cardiac transplantation as surgical techniques, organ preservation, and immunosuppression have advanced. The sensitivity to individual parental differences and concerns throughout the beginning and long-term experience of pediatric cardiac transplantation must be accompanied by support from all the members of the transplant team. Quality of life for children, measured as functional status, at 3 years posttransplant is reported to be excellent. This quality of life is dependent not only on the medical and surgical success of the procedure, but also on an intact, supportive family. Further research needs to be done on quality of life issues after pediatric cardiac transplantation. Beyond the long-term medical, developmental, and psychological impact of the transplanted child, studies need to address the emotional, social, and financial impact of transplantation on the parents and the well siblings.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Diagnosis and Treatment

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a specific, rare disease characterized by a well-described pattern of pulmonary vascular remodeling. The elevated pulmonary artery pressure in PAH results in increased right ventricular afterload, which, if untreated, leads rapidly to right ventricular failure and death. Recent marked expansion in knowledge about PAH has resulted in the development of effective therapies that improve quality of life and survival. However, delays in diagnosis and suboptimal treatment remain significant barriers to achieving optimal patient outcomes. Continued success in raising PAH awareness, earlier diagnosis, and the availability of new therapies mean a promising future for PAH patients.
Business Professionals’ Attitudes toward Sustainable Business Practices

Maintaining the sustainability of our planet is an important issue as it affects the wellbeing of future generations. Businesses can potentially play an instrumental role in addressing global warming and maintaining the ecological equilibrium of nature. Attitudes held by business executives and professionals regarding sustainable business practices can help determine the outcome of this battle. A survey instrument was administered to 166 business professionals in the Midwest United States to assess these attitudes. In general, we found that the surveyed business professionals have positive attitudes toward sustainable business practices. These attitudes were correlated with utilitarianism ethics and new business opportunities hypothesis, but not with the cost factor or a belief in a free market economy. Several background variables were found to explain the variation of the subjects’ overall attitudes toward sustainability: age, religious affiliation, political affiliation, and education.
Embedded and exposed: exploring the lived experiences of African American tourists

The United States is experiencing a shift in racial demographics. Recent projections suggest that minority groups will make up over 40% of the country’s population by 2050. Such increases have made the topics of race, ethnicity, and culture an important area of study for researchers and tourism professionals alike. Existing explanations of differences in African American travel suggest that decisions are made due to marginality or ethnicity. Because travel preferences may be a byproduct of learned behaviors passed down through generations, it is imperative to understand both current and historical aspects of leisure behavior. In this qualitative study, the narratives of 12 African American tourists provided information which suggests that marginality, ethnicity, and issues related to discrimination impact their tourism-related attitudes and behaviors. Capturing the voices of African American travelers offers a more inclusive understanding of their travel experiences and insights into the relations...
Electronic Devices as Potential Sources of Biological Contamination

In today’s world, mobile phones have become an extension of our body. The volume of reported mobile phones has led to controversy between benefit and harm. We live, work, eat, and sleep with our devices and probably give little thought to the risk for potential bacterial contamination they can provide. Similar to the character Tommy’s experience in the song “Pinball Wizard,” we are dealing with a new form of sensory overload and not really understanding the potential infectious threats that mobile devices can carry. The role mobile devices play in our culture is huge, but their possible impact on infection control has yet to be adequately assessed.
BIOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NEUROLEPTIC ACTIVITY OF MOLINDONE

ABSTRACT Molindone was found to be one-half as active as trifluoperazine in vivo (dopa accumulation, prolactin secretion) but much less so in vitro (dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase, 3 H-spiroperidol binding to neuroleptic receptors). These results emphasize the need to include in vivo endpoints in the biochemical assessment of neuroleptic activity. A novel morpholino compound related to molindone was shown to have neuroleptic activity.
Alkali Metal Organometallic Polymers: Preparation and Applications in Polymer and Reagent Syntheses

Organometallic polymers include a variety of materials with diverse properties ranging from stable refractory polymers to highly reactive transition metal-containing polymeric catalysts. Alkali metal organometallic polymers, polymers containing alkali metal-carbon bonds or which incorporate alkali metal organometallic reagents, are expected to be and are reactive materials in analogy to their well known homogeneous counterparts. In this chapter, we summarize some of the chemistry leading to these useful organometallic polymers and selectively describe some of their applications. Illustrative examples from our work and the work of others are included in these discussions. Although these discussions mainly concern organometallic derivatives of organic polymers, we have also included a brief discussion of some similar chemistry of alkali metal-graphite intercalates.
Estimation practices for reserves of gold deposits

In an effort to obtain information on mineral reserve estimation practices for precious metal deposits, a questionnaire was designed and sent worldwide to various mining and exploration companies. The questionnaire solicited information on such items as drill-hole spacings, mineral reserve estimation methods used, sampling and assaying practices, etc. In general, it was found that the most widely used method of mineral reserve estimation was the cross-sectional method, although the industry is making increased use of geostatistical techniques. In what can only be regarded as a healthy move, teams of both mining engineers and geologists were being used to calculate mineral reserves, so that both mining and geological reserves could be compared. A majority of the companies surveyed indicated that mineralogical tests were conducted on their samples to determine mineralogy as well as liberation characteristics. In addition to this, it was found that a high proportion of companies do conduct check assays on duplicates and sample rejects. However, only a few of these companies carried out any statistical analyses on the assay results.
Aldehydes in Exhaled Breath during E-Cigarette Vaping: Pilot Study Results

Several studies have shown the presence of aldehydes (i.e., formaldehyde, acrolein) in mainstream emissions of some e-cigarettes. For this reason, concerns have been raised regarding potential toxicity. The purpose of this research was to measure levels of carbonyls in exhaled breath of e-cigarette users during “vaping” sessions and estimate the respiratory tract (RT) uptake of specific aldehydes, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. We measured concentrations of 12 carbonyls in e-cigarette aerosols produced directly by e-cigarettes and in the exhaled breath of 12 participants (19 sessions). Carbonyls were sampled on 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridges and analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a UV/Vis photodiode detector. We found that in most cases, levels of aldehydes and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) were significantly higher (2–125 times) in exhaled e-cigarette breaths than in pre-exposed breath. Exposure levels for the most abundant individual carbonyls in e-cigarette emissions—formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein—were between the limit of quantification (LOQ) and 24.4 μg·puff−1. The mean retention of formaldehyde in the respiratory tract was 99.7 ± 0.9% for all participants, while acetaldehyde retention was 91.6 ± 9.9%. Within the limitation of a small number of participants, our results showed that there is an increase in breath carbonyls during e-cigarette use.
Hitler's Wehrmacht 1939–1945. By Rolf-Dieter Müller. Translated by Janice W. Ancker. (Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 2016. Pp. 234. $40.00.)

Rolf‐Dieter Muller provides the serious scholar with a detailed study of the creation of the army that Hitler would command during WWII. He describes the obstacles faced in preparing this army for ...
44-P: ANTI-MICA DETECTION IN SOLID ORGAN RECIPIENTS, JUSTIFICATION FOR PRE TX-EVALUATION

Aim The contribution of MICA antibodies to AMR and poor transplant outcomes have been described by multiple reports. In order to implement the MICA antibody assay screening in our transplant algorithm we evaluated the MICA sensitization status in our patient population. Methods We collected MICA antibody results from a group of 205 previously transplanted patients: 168 kidney transplants, 28 heart recipients and 9 lungs recipients. As a control we collected MICA antibody results from a group of 100 patients waiting for the first renal transplant. Antibody MICA detection was initially screened with LABScreen ® Mixed (One Lambda), and positive results were confirmed by MICA LABScreen ® singe antigen assay (One Lambda). Results As expected, the frequency of anti MICA antibody was higher in the previously transplanted patients when compared with the control group. We found anti-MICA in 21 (10.2%) transplanted patients vs. 3 (3%) in the control group. When we divided the transplanted group by organ type, we found anti-MICA antibodies in 10.1% of the kidney-transplanted patients, 14% of the heart-transplanted patients and 0% of the lung-transplanted patients. See Table 1 . Conclusions The frequency of anti-MICA antibodies was considerably higher in the group of previously transplanted patients. MICA typing information and Anti-MICA antibody results will help in the selection and management of patients receiving a kidney from a living donor, and improve the post-transplant management of patients receiving organs from deceased donors.
Mediation of the association of smoking and microvascular complications by glycemic control in type 1 diabetes

Studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of smoking on the risk of microvascular complications; however, few have also examined the potential mediating effects of glycemic control. Using data from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT 1983–1993), we describe the acute and long-term risks of smoking on glycemic control and microvascular complications in a well-characterized cohort of participants with type 1 diabetes. The DCCT recorded self-reported smoking behaviors, glycemic exposure based on HbA1c, and complications status. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess whether time-dependent measurements of smoking predict HbA1c levels. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess time-dependent smoking exposures as predictors of retinopathy and nephropathy. During a mean of 6.5 years of follow-up, current smokers had consistently higher HbA1c values and were at a higher risk of retinopathy and nephropathy compared with former and never smokers. These risk differences were attenuated after adjusting for HbA1c suggesting that the negative association of smoking on glycemic control is partially responsible for the adverse association of smoking on the risk of complications in type 1 diabetes. These findings support the potential for a beneficial effect of smoking cessation on complications in type 1 diabetes.