cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial and Temporal Trends of Particle Phase Organophosphate Ester Concentrations in the Atmosphere of the Great Lakes

The concentrations of six organophosphate esters (OPEs) in atmospheric particle phase samples collected once every 12 days at five sites in the North American Great Lakes basin over the period of March 2012 to December 2014, inclusive, are reported. These OPEs include tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP). Median total OPE concentrations (∑OPE) ranged from 93 pg/m3 at Sleeping Bear Dunes to 1046 pg/m3 at Chicago. The ∑OPE levels were significantly (P < 0.05) higher at Chicago and Cleveland, our urban sites, than at our rural and remote sites. The composition profiles were dominated by chlorinated OPEs at the urban and rural sites and by nonchlorinated OPEs at the remote sites. The concentrations of all OPEs were significantly (P < 0.001) correlated to one another, suggesting that these compounds share similar sou...
Weight, Perceptions, and Bullying: What Kind of Pounds Matter?

A great deal of research has investigated weight as a predictor for bullying victimization. However, weight is rarely examined in light of its potential role in explaining bullying perpetration, despite the fact that the definition of bullying typically requires a power imbalance, which can refer to either social power or physical size. Using negative binomial regressions, we investigated weight as a predictor of overt and relational bullying behaviors for a sample of 3208 6th–8th graders from 11 schools in a northeastern state. We examined whether this relationship differs by gender, and we explored whether objective size or perception of size is more predictive of perpetration. We also examined whether certain protective factors, like a positive school environment, moderated the effect of weight on bullying perpetration. We found that students who reported a higher BMI engaged in more overt, but not relational, bullying perpetration. Interestingly, students with misperceptions about their weight reported higher levels of both types of bullying perpetration, while students reporting a more positive school climate engaged in less overt and relational bullying. We also found gender differences in that girls are statistically more likely to commit overt bullying if they have a higher BMI. Our results suggest that prevention programs should address weight as a predictor of bullying behaviors, especially for girls, but also that body image and misperception of weight are important topics for prevention programs.
Residual stress and electrical properties of Pb(Zr0.52,Ti0.48)O3 thin films RF sputtered directly on Cu foils

Polycrystalline Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films between 250 and 1000 nm thick were deposited on Cu foils via RF magnetron sputtering. Samples were crystallized ex situ between 550 and 750 °C in a low oxygen partial pressure atmosphere, pO2, in order to avoid oxidation of the substrate. These were compared to films made on more common Pt/TiOx/SiO2/Si substrates also crystallized under low pO2 conditions. The mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion for Cu and PZT caused large compressive residual stresses to develop in the films, whereas films on Pt-Si experienced more moderate tensile stresses. Stress was measured using the sin2ψ method. In addition to mechanical implications, i.e. film cracking and delamination, the effect of residual stress on electrical properties is discussed. Dielectric constants of PZT were lower on Cu than on Pt/TiOx/SiO2/Si. This could be due either to a dead layer effect or to the residual stress imposed by the substrate. The remanent polarizations for films on Cu were between 18 and 41 μC/cm2, while coercive fields were between 37 and 54 kV/cm. Rayleigh analysis was used to describe the role of defects affecting domain wall mobility, as they act as pinning centers and decrease the extrinsic polarization response. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Attainment of a Permanent Heterozygous Advantage by the Incorporation of Two Former Alleles into the Genome

The heterozygous advantage, which benefits only certain members of a population, can be fixed as a new species characteristic if two alleles involved are incorporated into the genome as two separate gene loci. In this way, every member of a species would come to enjoy the heterozygous advantage without ever having to produce homozygotes which may be unfit.
Unraveling Network-Induced Memory Contention: Deeper Insights with Machine Learning

Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is expected to be an integral communication mechanism for future exascale systems—enabling asynchronous data transfers, so that applications may fully utilize CPU resources while simultaneously sharing data amongst remote nodes. In this work we examine Network-induced Memory Contention (NiMC) on Infiniband networks. We expose the interactions between RDMA, main-memory and cache, when applications and out-of-band services compete for memory resources. We then explore NiMC’s resulting impact on application-level performance. For a range of hardware technologies and HPC workloads, we quantify NiMC and show that NiMC’s impact grows with scale resulting in up to 3X performance degradation at scales as small as 8K processes even in applications that previously have been shown to be performance resilient in the presence of noise. Additionally, this work examines the problem of predicting NiMC’s impact on applications by leveraging machine learning and easily accessible performance counters. This approach provides additional insights about the root cause of NiMC and facilitates dynamic selection of potential solutions. Lastly, we evaluated three potential techniques to reduce NiMC’s impact, namely hardware offloading, core reservation and software-based network throttling.
Abstract P172: Methylation of Mitochondrial Genes and Mitochondrial Damage in Aged Kidney of Hypertensive Mice

Hypertensive nephropathy is a major global health issue. Accumulating evidence from recent studies suggest that mitochondrial injury may contribute to the pathogenesis of renal damage in hypertension leading to glomerular and tubular necrosis. It is well-known that aging is associated with declining mitochondrial function in several organ systems. However, the role of aging and its correlation with mitochondrial injury and kidney damage in hypertension remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether methylation of mitochondrial genes contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction in the aged kidney in Ang-II induced hypertension. Wild type (WT, C57BL/6J) mice aged 12-14 wk and 75-78 wk were used in this study and treated without or with Ang-II (1000 ng/kg/min) for 4 weeks. In response to Ang-II, aged mice exhibited higher blood pressure (145.21±5.32 vs. 127.32±3.47 mmHg) and reduced glomerular filtration rate compared to young mice (362.7±8.3 vs. 825±10.2 μL/min/100 g b.w.). Ang-II upregulated DNA methyltransferases and increased Dnmt activity in aged kidney and bisulfite conversion and methylation specific PCR revealed increased methylation of mitochondrial superoxide dismutases 1 and 2 and Sirtuin-1 genes which correlated with lower protein levels suggesting impaired anti-oxidant defense. Aged mice exhibited reduced mitochondrial biogenesis as suggested by downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and -γ, and PPAR-γ-co-activator (PGC)-1α. Furthermore, reduction of optic atrophy 1 and mitofusin-2 indicated increased mitochondrial fragmentation and downregulation of ATP synthase was associated with impaired ATP generation in aged mice receiving Ang-II compared to young mice. Our results suggest that increased DNA methylation of mitochondrial antioxidant genes leads to oxidative stress induced mitochondrial damage in aged kidney during hypertension.
Spatial K-means clustering of HF noise trends in Southern California waters

This paper presents high-frequency band noise characteristics, measured over a fourteen-day period while underway off the coast of Southern California. The investigation uses k-means clustering to identify spatial noise variations. Local domains provide insight on regions where high noise HF communications are expected.
Understanding Real-World Timeout Problems in Cloud Server Systems

Timeouts are commonly used to handle unexpected failures in distributed systems. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive study to characterize real-world timeout problems in 11 commonly used cloud server systems (e.g., Hadoop, HDSF, Spark, Cassandra, etc.). Our study reveals timeout problems are widespread among cloud server systems. We categorize those timeout problems in three aspects: 1) what are the root causes of those timeout problems? 2) what impact can timeout problems impose to cloud systems? 3) how are timeout problems currently diagnosed or misdiagnosed? Our results show that root causes of timeout problems include misused timeout, missing timeout, improper timeout handling, unnecessary timeout, and clock drifting. We further find timeout bugs impose serious impact (e.g., system hang or crash, job failure, performance degradation, data loss) to both applications and systems. Our study also shows that 60% of the bugs do not produce any error messages and 12% bugs produce misleading error messages, which makes it difficult to diagnose those timeout bugs.
Financial Consumer Protection in the United States

In the U.S., financial consumers include individuals and businesses purchasing any type of financial product. The protections afforded these individuals come from many directions, and reflect the variation in the products, the markets for the products, and the ways in which the products are distributed. The scope of financial products available to the U.S. consumer is large and includes, for example, savings accounts, mortgages, loans, credit accounts, insurance policies, real estate, stocks and bonds, and a variety of other securities. These products are distributed by companies in several sectors that are generally referred to as banking, insurance, and other financial services. While many of these are marketed directly to the consumer, many financial products are also distributed through employers.
Wernicke’s Psychiatry in Contrast with Kraepelin’s Psychiatry

Soon after the 8th edition of his text book had appeared, Kraepelin’s psychiatry spread throughout the world; Wernicke’s psychiatry was almost completely forgotten. This ignoring of the latter author is probably in part due to the fact that he repeatedly deduced the psychoses from “sejunctions” in the brain and used the rather inappropriate terms of: autopsychoses, somatopsychoses, allopsychoses. For instance, he named the happiness psychosis, which will be mentioned below: “expansive Autopsychose durch autochtone Ideen”.
International transfer pricing

International transfer pricing (ITP) refers to the prices at which a company undertakes cross-border transactions with associated enterprises. These transactions can include tangible goods, intangible property, services and financing transactions. This chapter explains the importance of ITP in the global economy, the factors underlying ITP, and recent fiscal developments. In particular, the chapter considers the approaches adopted by selected tax authorities when addressing ITP and summarises the prescribed transfer pricing methods for determining whether multinational enterprises are adhering to the “arm’s length principle
Quantum dot induced acute changes in lung mechanics are mouse strain dependent.

Introduction: Concerns have been raised regarding occupational exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Potential impacts on lung function from inhalation exposures are of concern as the lung i...
Iron Deficiency Anemia Due to High-dose Turmeric

Turmeric is increasingly studied as an anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic agent. It binds to ferric iron in the gut and causes iron deficiency in mice. We report here a possible case of iron deficiency anemia in a human taking turmeric. A 66-year-old physician treated himself for an osteoarthritis flare after steroids with six turmeric extract capsules (538 mg) daily, to help with inflammation. During this time, his hemoglobin never rose above 12 and his iron and ferritin levels were consistent with iron deficiency. Upper and lower endoscopy and Hemoccult™ studies were negative. Two weeks after stopping the turmeric and continuing his usual iron supplement, his hemoglobin had returned to normal, with normalizing iron studies. Turmeric was associated with significant iron deficiency anemia, consistent with the binding of available iron in the gut and the prevention of absorption. This resolved after the turmeric was stopped, consistent with animal studies. This may be the first case of documented iron deficiency anemia in people due to turmeric supplements. Given the widespread use of turmeric and curcumin supplements across many illnesses, further attention is warranted.
Association of Self-Reported Sleep and Circadian Measures With Glycemia in Adults With Prediabetes or Recently Diagnosed Untreated Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE Sleep disturbances and circadian misalignment (social jet lag, late chronotype, or shift work) have been associated with worse glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Whether these findings apply to adults with prediabetes is yet unexplored. We hypothesized that self-reported short sleep, poor sleep quality, and/or circadian misalignment are associated with higher glycemia, BMI, and blood pressure (BP) in adults with prediabetes or recently diagnosed, untreated T2D. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Our cohort included 962 overweight/obese adults ages 20–65 years with prediabetes or recently diagnosed, untreated T2D who completed a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test and validated sleep questionnaires. Independent associations of sleep and circadian variables with glycemia, BMI, and BP were evaluated with regression models. RESULTS The multiethnic cohort was 55% men, with mean ± SD age 52.2 ± 9.5 years and BMI 34.7 ± 5.5 kg/m2. Mean sleep duration was 6.6 ± 1.3 h. Poor sleep quality was reported by 54% and high risk for obstructive sleep apnea by 64%. HbA1c was significantly higher in those reporting 8 h sleep per night. Sleep duration >8 h was also associated with higher fasting glucose and CONCLUSIONS In our cohort, self-reported short and long sleep were both associated with adverse measures of glycemia, and short sleep and shift work were associated with higher BMI. Further research using objective measures of sleep is needed to better delineate the relationship between sleep and glycemia in adults with prediabetes or T2D.
Incivility in nursing: Implementing a quality improvement program utilizing cognitive rehearsal training

Background Workplace incivility can be a factor in unhealthy work environments. Addressing unit culture improves job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Aim The purpose of this quality improvement program was to educate nurses to identify and respond to hospital incivility. Setting A community hospital in the Northeastern United States. Participants-A convenience sample of nurses. Methods A quality improvement program was conducted, which included an incivility education module and cognitive rehearsal training. The nursing incivility scale (NIS) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational module. Participants completed the NIS before, immediately after, and 1 month after the program. Cognitive rehearsal training included role playing using scripted responses to uncivil behavior. Results A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to compare total score and eight subscale scores on the NIS before, after, and 1 month after implementation of the intervention. There was a statistically significant difference for effect of total time as well as for five of the eight subscales. Conclusions Incivility programs can provide nurses with the needed tools to identify uncivil behaviors and react in a proactive, professional manner; this promotes a safe working environment for nurses and their patients.
Hepato-renal Dysfunction in a Patient with Advanced Heart Failure

The interactions between the heart and the liver, both directly and indirectly, by way of common interactions with the kidneys, are complex and numerous. Patients with heart failure, particularly right-sided heart failure, are at risk for developing congestive hepatopathy and cardiac cirrhosis. Further, in patients with severely low cardiac output, as in cardiogenic shock, poor perfusion can result in ischemic hepatitis and necrosis. Conversely, patients with cirrhosis may develop secondary cardiac manifestations, encompassed in an entity known as cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. The pathogenesis of cardiac cirrhosis and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy are discussed in detail as the mechanisms of these disease entities provide valuable insight into the vast pathological interactions between these two organs. That is, cardiac dysfunction may worsen hepatic function, and hepatic dysfunction may worsen cardiac function. The progressive failure of both the heart and the liver ultimately results in decreased renal perfusion and consequent renal failure through both hepato-renal and cardio-renal mechanisms.
LEEP: Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure

Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) uses alternating electrical current to remove abnormal cervical tissue, which provides a specimen for pathological review. Historically, physicians have used high-frequency current for lesion removal as early as the 1940s. Other methods, such as cryotherapy and laser vaporization destroy tissue, where LEEP confers an advantage by providing tissue for histopathological review. The procedure can be done in the office and does not require general anesthesia.
Defining Fairness in Human-Robot Teams

We seek to understand the human teammate’s perception of fairness during a human-robot physical collaborative task where certain subtasks leverage the robot’s strengths and others leverage the human’s. We conduct a user study (n=30) to investigate the effects of fluency (absent vs. present) and effort (absent vs. present) on participants’ perception of fairness. Fluency controls if the robot minimizes the idle time between the human’s action and robot’s action. Effort controls if the robot performs tasks that it is least skilled at, i.e., most time-consuming tasks, as quickly as possible. We evaluated four human-robot teaming algorithms that consider different levels of fluency and effort. Our results show that effort and fluency help improve fairness without making a trade-off with efficiency. When the robot displays effort, this significantly increased participants’ perceived fairness. Participants’ perception of fairness is also influenced by team members’ skill levels and task type. To that end, we propose three notions of fairness for effective human-robot teamwork: equality of workload, equality of capability, and equality of task type.
Inquiry into women's pathways to diagnosis of endometriosis: A qualitative study protocol

Aims This protocol describes a study aiming to: (1) describe pathways and experiences of women's symptom recognition, appraisal and management of endometriosis; and (2) identify differences in pathways and experiences among a socioeconomically and racially diverse group of women. Design Descriptive qualitative study with stratified purposeful sampling. Methods Data will be collected from a minimum of 24 women with provider-presumed or surgically confirmed diagnoses across two time points. The study will recruit across socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic/Latina) to ensure diversity of the sample. Recruitment will occur at a large public hospital in the southeastern United States (US). Participants will be interviewed using semi-structured interview guides informed by Elder and Giele's Life Course perspective approaching women as active beings in dynamic systems shaped by: 1) their location in time and space; 2) linked lives; and 3) human agency, and 4) the time of their lives. Each woman's experiences, symptoms, and contacts with health-care systems will be mapped to trace their diagnostic pathways. Coded interviews and data will undergo within- and across-case analysis to identify similarities and differences in their experiences. Institutional review board approval was obtained June 2019. Discussion The participants' diagnostic maps will enable us to distinguish the differences in pathways and experiences between and across groups. Findings will inform the development of interventions aimed at shortening the time to diagnosis. Impact This will be the first study to compare pathways to diagnosis of endometriosis in a socioeconomically and racially diverse sample of US women using the life course perspective. The results from this research stand to inform future interventions aimed at helping women achieve more timely diagnoses.
Losers of Executive Promotion Tournaments: Their Incentives, Turnover, and Career Outcomes

We investigate the consequences for losing competitors following the end of a promotion tournament. We examine CEO tournaments and find that the total incentives of non-promoted executives (NPEs) are likely to decrease significantly at the end of a tournament based on evidence of their lower future promotion prospects and limited adjustments to their explicit incentives. This leads to an increase in turnover of NPEs as compared to a matched sample of control executives. Evidence indicates that departed weak (strong) NPEs have worse (better) career outcomes, suggesting two simultaneous effects: 1) low quality managers are weeded out by the firm, and 2) high quality managers leave because firms are unable to adjust their incentives to retain them. Moreover, firms that use a two-step CEO succession plan with an heir apparent are likely to experience similar, but less dramatic, changes in their management team than firms that use a single CEO tournament.
Extended-duration thromboprophylaxis after ventral hernia repair: a risk model to predict venous thrombotic events after hospital discharge

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major source of morbidity and mortality after ventral hernia surgery, but the risk of VTE after discharge has not been reported. Data from the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) were used to investigate the risk of post-discharge VTE. Current procedural terminology (CPT) codes identified all reported patients who underwent ventral hernia repair from 2011 to 2017. We created a multivariable regression model for post-discharge VTE, using the 2011–2016 dataset to develop the model and 2017 as a validation set. The prediction model was used to create a risk calculator as a mobile application. The rate of VTE after surgery was 0.62% (878 of 141,065) with 48% occurring after discharge from the hospital. The final predictor model consisted of eight variables: age > 60 years, male sex, body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m2), operative time > 2 h, concurrent panniculectomy, post-operative hospitalization > 1 day, presence of bleeding disorder, and emergency operation. The model had good calibration and discrimination (Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, p = 0.71; c-statistic = 0.71). Threshold analysis showed a strategy of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis was optimized when the risk of post-discharge VTE was > 0.3%. Forty-eight percent of VTEs after ventral hernia repair occur after discharge, particularly in older, male, obese patients undergoing longer and complex operations that require hospitalization > 1 day. Post-discharge thromboprophylaxis should be considered in these patients, particularly when risk of VTE exceeds 0.3%.
How to Produce a Reactor Neutron Spectrum Using a Proton Accelerator

Abstract A method for reproducing the neutron energy spectrum present in the core of an operating nuclear reactor using an engineered target in an accelerator proton beam is proposed. The protons interact with a target to create neutrons through various (p,n) type reactions. Spectral tailoring of the emitted neutrons can be used to modify the energy of the generated neutron spectrum to represent various reactor spectra. Through the use of moderators and reflectors, the neutron spectrum can be modified to reproduce many different spectra of interest including spectra in small thermal test reactors, large pressurized water reactors, and fast reactors. The particular application of this methodology is the design of an experimental approach for using an accelerator to measure the betas produced during fission to be used to reduce uncertainties in the interpretation of reactor antineutrino measurements. This approach involves using a proton accelerator to produce a neutron field representative of a power reactor, and using this neutron field to irradiate fission foils of the primary isotopes contributing to fission in the reactor, creating unstable, neutron rich fission products that subsequently beta decay and emit electron antineutrinos. A major advantage of an accelerator neutron source over a neutron beam from a thermal reactor is that the fast neutrons can be slowed down or tailored to approximate various power reactor spectra. An accelerator based neutron source that can be tailored to match various reactor neutron spectra provides an advantage for control in studying how changes in the neutron spectra affect parameters such as the resulting fission product beta spectrum.
Estimating leaf area and leaf biomass of open-grown deciduous urban trees

Logarithmic regression equations were developed to predict leaf area and leaf biomass for open-grown deciduous urban trees based on stem diameter and crown parameters. Equations based on crown parameters produced more reliable estimates. The equations can be used to help quantify forest structure and functions, particularly in urbanizing and urban/suburban areas.
II, 4. Rotavirus genome replication: role of the RNA-binding proteins

Publisher Summary The rotavirus (RV) virion is a triple-layered icosahedron containing 11 segments of double-stranded (ds)RNA. The RNA polymerase activity of double-layered particles catalyzes the synthesis of the 11 viral mRNAs. Most of the RNA-binding proteins are directly involved in the replication of the viral genome. However, at least one of the RNA-binding proteins also plays a critical role in the efficient translation of viral mRNAs. During genome replication, the viral mRNAs serve as templates for the synthesis of minus-strand RNA to form dsRNA. The fact that the eleven genome segments are produced and packaged in equimolar amounts in RV-infected cells demonstrates that RNA packaging and replication are highly coordinated processes. The absence of naked dsRNA in infected cells indicates that packaging occurs prior to replication. Hence, it must be the mRNAs, and not the dsRNAs, that contain the cis-acting signals that operate during packaging. Enzymatic analyses have shown that core replication intermediates (RIs) and double-layered RIs, but not pre-core RIs, have associated RNA polymerase activity that directs the synthesis of dsRNA in vitro.
Changing spectrum of invasive candidiasis and its therapeutic implications

Emerging trends in invasive candidiasis are notable for a dramatic increase in infections due to non-albicans Candida species. An increasing number of immunocompromised patients at risk from fungal infections, an overall greater acuity of illness in the hospitalized patients, particularly those in the critical care units, escalating rates of broad-spectrum antibiotic usage, and wide utilization of azoles as prophylaxis have probably contributed towards the changing epidemiology of invasive candidiasis. Given the inherent decreased susceptibility of many of the non-albicans Candida species to currently available antifungal agents, these evolving trends have far-reaching clinical relevance.
Behavioral Neuroembryology: Motor Perspectives

Publisher Summary The growing popularity of embryological research reflects an increased interest in developmental issues and a commitment to the developmental approach as an important tactic for the analysis of neurobehavioral mechanisms. This chapter explains spinal cord motor processes because of their unique contribution to embryonic behavior. The first step in understanding embryonic behavior development is to describe ongoing movements. Spontaneous behavior is a conservative expression of the state of neuromuscular maturation of the embryo because some properties of the developing neuromuscular system may not be reflected in behavior because of inhibition, lack of activation, or masking. Ongoing, spontaneous motility is also the baseline behavior that must be considered in experimental studies of stimulation or learning. Comparative analyses of behavioral descriptions from a variety of organisms provide insights into phenomena common to developing neuromuscular systems.
Fluorescein isothiocyanates: improved synthesis and purity. Spectral studies.

Abstract Modification of the methods of synthesis by direct reaction of the isomeric aminofluoresceins with a limited excess of thiophosgene in the presence of calcium carbonate has yielded the 5- and 6-isothiocyanatofluoresceins of high purity. The ir and nmr spectra of these isomers are described.
Enhanced IGBT self clamped inductive switching (SCIS) capability through vertical doping profile and cell optimization

In this paper, we analyze the impact of cell and vertical structure design to enhance the energy handling capability of the IGBT used in automotive ignition applications. The self-clamped inductive switching (SCIS) capability of the IGBT is presented both experimentally and through non-isothermal two-dimensional numerical simulations. It is shown that the SCIS energy density capability can be increased by up to 35% by optimization of the cell and vertical structure.
The absence of the diet-derived 7-deazapurine, queuine in artificial liquid diets.

Queuine is a derivative of guanine found in the transfer RNAs of most organisms including man. Higher mammals cannot synthesize queuine and must obtain it either from their diets or intestinal microflora. Tumor cells often contain much less queuine in their transfer RNAs than do normal cells. Cancer patients are frequently fed artificial liquid diets or are nourished by chemically defined intravenously administered liquids. In this report we present the results of our examination of five common artificial nutrition preparations obtained from a hospital pharmacy with respect to their content of queuine. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition13:542-544,1989)
General Relativistic Influence on Observed Pulsar Frequencies if Pulsars are Orbiting Objects

Recently 1, I pointed out that pulsars might be a means of making a new test of the general theory of relativity by providing a stable extra-terrestrial frequency standard against which the differential general relativistic effect on terrestrial clock rates at perihelion and aphelion could be measured.
Pain recurrence: A quality of life issue in endometriosis

Studies reveal endometriosis to be present in 38-51% of women undergoing laparoscopy for chronic pelvic pain. Symptoms attributable to endometriosis include dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, generalized pelvic pain, dyschezia, and radiation of pain to the back or leg. Psychological factors may also contribute to a more intense pain experience. Medical therapy provides symptom relief in 72-93% of patients, although recurrence is common following treatment discontinuation. Surgical therapy has had varying results for long-term pain relief; adequacy of the initial surgical treatment appears to be a critical factor. Important adjunctive measures include presacral neurectomy and excisional techniques to remove deep, fibrotic, retroperitoneal lesions. The quality of life of women with endometriosis will improve with greater focus on achieving the long-term relief of pelvic pain. Limitation of pain recurrence would benefit the patient greatly, by providing symptom relief and preventing the cycle of its probably adverse effects on physical activity, work productivity, sexual fulfilment, and mood.
Current Issues in Vibration-Based Fault Diagnostics and Prognostics

Current issues in vibration-based fault diagnostics and prognostics are: (a) fault/damage identification; (b) localization; and (c) monitoring. The fault/damage identification and localization are needed for diagnostics. The monitoring allows observing the fault/damage progression in time. Based on monitoring, the prognostics of the moment of failure, and hence of the remaining life could be performed. Critical in both the diagnostics and the prognostics is the existence of a reliable damage metric. Several methods for achieving this, from single parameter classification, through overall-statistics classification of the entire spectrum, to probabilistic neural network (PNN) method are presented. These methods are illustrated on: (i) simulated data, (ii) experimental data taken on simple- geometry calibration specimens; and (c) experimental data recorded on aging aircraft panels. The experimental data was obtained with the electro-mechanical (E/M) impedance technique using small and unobtrusive piezoelectric-wafer active sensors (PWAS) bonded to the structure. This experimental data was in the form of very high frequency (hundreds of kHz) spectrum representing the structural dynamics in sensor's neighborhood. The overall statistics approach, which is simplest to apply, could correctly classify near-field spectra using the dereverberated response and the correlation coefficient difference (CCD) damage metric, but it could not classify medium field spectra. The features-based PNN could correctly identify both medium-field and near-field data, but it requires more elaborate, two-stage, data processing that involves first features extraction and then classification.
GROUP SEQUENTIAL PROCEDURES FOR REPEATED EVENTS DATA WITH FRAILTY

In this article we consider the design aspects of group sequential trials with recurrent study endpoints, where the subjects are from a heterogeneous population. The usual procedures of sequential analysis based on the “independent increments” property are no longer valid due to the heterogeneity of the study subjects, as pointed out by Cook and Lawless [1]. We focus on the aspect of study planning and consider a special model (Poisson process with frailty) to investigate the effects of frailty (or subject heterogeneity). We prescribe the valid procedures and provide convenient tables for computing stopping boundaries and sample sizes. The methodology is illustrated through an example of an animal experiment with recurrent tumors, using procedures such as group sequential tests and repeated confidence intervals. Minimal cost analysis is considered for determining the optimal combination of study duration and sample size.
Effects of prenatal stress and monoaminergic perturbations on the expression of serotonin 5-HT4 and adrenergic β2 receptors in the embryonic mouse telencephalon

Abstract The serotonin 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) is coded by a complex gene that produces four mRNA splice variants in mice (5-HT4(a)R, 5-HT4(b)R, 5-HT4(e)R, 5-HT4(f)R). This receptor has highly dynamic expression in brain development and its splice variants differ in their developmental trajectories. Since 5-HT4Rs are important in forebrain function (including forebrain control of serotonergic activity in the brainstem), we investigated the susceptibility of 5-HT4R expression in the mouse embryonic telencephalon to prenatal maternal stress and altered serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) levels. Because the gene coding the adrenergic β2 receptor (β2AR) is embedded in the 5-HT4R gene, we also investigated whether 5-HT4R mRNA levels were modulated by selective β2AR agents. Timed-pregnant C57BL/6 mice were treated beginning at embryonic day (E) 14 and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assess the mRNA levels of all 5-HT4R splice variants and β2AR in the embryonic telencephalon at E17. Maternal prenatal stress and 5-HT depletion with pCPA, a tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, reduced the levels of the 5-HT4(b)R splice variant. Terbutaline (a selective β2AR agonist) and ICI 118,551 (a selective β2AR antagonist) had no effect on β2AR and 5-HT4R mRNA levels. These results show that prenatal stress and reduced 5-HT levels can alter 5-HT4R expression in the developing forebrain and that some 5-HT4R splice variants may be more susceptible than others.
A Framework for Integrated Risk Management in International Business

Treatments of risk in the international management literature largely focus on particular uncertainties to the exclusion of other interrelated uncertainties. This paper develops a framework for categorizing the uncertainties faced by firms operating internationally and outlines both financial and strategic corporate risk management responses.
Cloning and characterization of a novel human DNase.

Abstract The therapeutic significance of recombinant human DNase I in treating the patients with cystic fibrosis has risen our interests in identifying other human DNase I-like enzymes to study their biological significance. Here we described our work of cloning and characterization of a novel gene, which encodes a human protein homologous to human DNase I. A full length cDNA clone of this gene consists of 1290 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 306 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of this novel human DNase (nhDNase) is 45% identical to that of human DNase I. Among sixteen human tissues examined by Northern Blot, high level expression of nhDNase was found in human liver and spleen. Recombinant protein of nhDNase was produced in a Baculovirus expression system and purified by chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. Purified recombinant nhDNase migrated as a single band of about 33 kD molecular weight analyzed by SDS–PAGE. The DNase activity of nhDNase was demonstrated by assay of hydrolysis of S.S.DNA. Its activity was dependent upon the presence of divalent metal irons, calcium and magnesium. However, unlike bovine pancreas DNase I, nhDNase was not inhibited by G-actin of bovine muscle, which indicates the physiological significance of this enzyme in clinical implication.
Technology in Gifted Education: A Review of Best Practices and Empirical Research.

AbstractThe article aims to explore the progress of technology use in gifted education and highlight the best practices and empirical research in this area. The literature on the use of technology with gifted students and their teachers has been extensive, with articles on best practices, but the empirical research in this area is still emerging. With the increasing interest and awareness about integrating technology, this review will be useful for helping teachers, practitioners, and researchers understand how technology has been used in different areas of gifted programming, including learning and development, assessment, curriculum, learning environments, and professional development. The authors also discuss the current research on technology use in general education and offer suggestions for future research in this area with gifted children and their teachers.
Structure and timing of recirculation around Georges Bank: an observational and modeling study at the Great South Channel: Part I––ensemble smoother

An ensemble smoother is used to assimilate moored temperature, salinity, and velocity data into a local area primitive equation model. The overall goal of the analysis is to estimate variability of Georges Bank recirculation, i.e., northward flow through the Great South channel in support of the US Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC) Georges Bank experiment. Here, identical twin experiments are carried out to test the ensemble smoother with a finite-element circulation model of the Great South Channel, based on a previous formulation designated QUODDY. The ensemble smoother utilizes a finite number of Monte Carlo model simulations to estimate model error covariance. The prior distribution from which the ensemble members are simulated is implicitly defined by the forward model by adding spatially correlated Gaussian random variables to the initial conditions, and time-dependent boundary elevations. Atmospheric forcing (wind stress) is derived from buoy measurements and is assumed to be known with certainty. The accuracy of the estimator depends on the state space variable being estimated and proximity to the data. In these twin experiments the domain-wide mean error variance of temperature, salinity, and velocity were reduced 96%, 93%, and 89%, respectively. The prediction statistics for the estimate are accurate throughout the domain. Non-linearity of the forward model and subsequent skewness of the posterior probability density function (pdf) are investigated. It is found that the posterior distribution is sufficiently Gaussian to use Gaussian confidence intervals. These results give confidence for using the numerical formulation and ensemble smoother to examine variability in circulation at Great South Channel with available data.
Partial oxidation of methane with nitrous oxide over V2O5SiO2 catalyst

Abstract The partial oxidation of methane to methanol and formaldehyde can be achieved selectively on silica-supported vanadium pentoxide catalysts in the temperature range 460–500 °C in a reactant mixture of CH4, N2O, and H2O at 1 atm total pressure. The selectivity to CH3OH and HCHO can be 100% at 460 °C at low conversions (~0.2%) and contact time (1.2 s), and decreases to produce more CO with increasing temperature, contact time, and conversion. The activation energies are 22 ±2, 40 ± 4, and 47 ± 4 kcal/mole for the production of HCHO, CH3OH, and CO, respectively. The rate equations are Rate ( CH 3 OH ) ~ ( CH 4 ) 1 2 ( N 2 O ) 1 2 ( H 2 O ) 1 2 , Rate (HCHO) ~ ( CH 4 ) 1 2 ( N 2 O ) 1 3 , and Rate (CO) ~ ( CH 4 ) 1 2 ( N 2 O )( H 2 O ) −1 . The products form by parallel reaction paths which are different from the sequential oxidation mechanism of methane on molybdena and in a lower temperature range than on molybdenum oxide.
Big girls don't cry: the effect of child witness demeanor on juror decisions in a child sexual abuse trial

Abstract Objective: This study investigated the effect of child witness demeanor (defined as crying) on mock jurors’ decisions in a simulated First-Degree rape trial. Method: One hundred and thirty-three undergraduates serving in the role of mock jurors read a trial summary in which the primary independent variable was the demeanor of the alleged child victim (i.e., calm, teary, hysterical crying). In addition to reading the summary, participants viewed pencil drawings of the witnesses that were presented as “courtroom drawings.” Results: The results showed that the teary condition led to more guilty verdicts and a greater belief in the alleged victim than the other demeanor conditions. Conclusions: Findings from this study indicate that demeanor can impact the perception of a child who is an alleged sexual assault victim in court. However, it is not simply the case that any display of demeanor will lead to a positive outcome for the alleged victim. Instead, it appears that too little or too much emotion from the alleged child victim negatively affected credibility in the eyes of the mock jurors.
Protein Vicinal Thiol Oxidations in the Healthy Brain: Not So Radical Links between Physiological Oxidative Stress and Neural Cell Activities

Reversible oxidations of protein thiols have emerged as alternatives to free radical-mediated oxidative damage with which to consider the impacts of oxidative stress on cellular activities but the scope and pathways of such oxidations in tissues, including the brain, have yet to be fully defined. We report here a characterization of reversible oxidations of glutathione and protein thiols in extracts from rat brains, from two sources, which had been (1) frozen quickly after euthanasia to preserve in vivo redox states and (2) subjected to alkylation upon tissue disruption to trap reduced thiols. Brains were defined, relatively, as Reduced and Moderately Oxidized based on measured ratios of reduced (GSH) to oxidized (GSSG) glutathione. Levels of protein disulfides formed by the cross-linking of closely-spaced (vicinal) protein thiols, but not protein S-glutathionylation, were higher in extracts from the Moderately Oxidized brains compared to the Reduced brains. Moreover, the oxidized vicinal thiol proteome contains proteins that impact cellular energetics, signaling, neurotransmission, and cytoskeletal dynamics among others. These findings argue that kinetically-competent pathways for reversible, two-electron oxidations, of protein vicinal thiols can be activated in healthy brains in response to physiological oxidative stresses. We propose that such oxidations may link oxidative stress to adaptive, but also potentially deleterious, changes in neural cell activities in otherwise healthy brains.
Some theorems on graphs and posets

In this journal, Leclerc proved that the dimension of the partially ordered set consisting of all subtrees of a tree T, ordered by inclusion, is the number of end points of T. Leclerc posed the problem of determining the dimension of the partially ordered set P consisting of all induced connected subgraphs of a connected graph G for which P is a lattice. In this paper, we prove that the poset P consisting of all induced connected subgraphs of a nontrivial connected graph G, partially ordered by inclusion, has dimension n where n is the number of noncut vertices in G whether or not P is a lattice. We also determine the dimension of the distributive lattice of all subgraphs of a graph.
Heterocyclic Amine Content in Restaurant-Cooked Hamburgers, Steaks, Ribs, and Chicken

As part of a comprehensive survey of the heterocyclic amine content of foods, beef hamburgers, steaks, and pork ribs were purchased from restaurants, with cooking doneness specified. Samples were pooled by meat type, doneness, and cooking method and analyzed for heterocyclic amine content using HPLC. Results show detectable levels of heterocyclic amines in all samples, ranging from 0.5 ng/g PhIP from a pooled sample of ribs to 20 ng/g total of MeIQx and PhIP from a sample pooled of well-done charbroiled hamburgers. Grilled chicken samples from fast-food restaurant sandwiches or rotisserie-cooked chicken contained MeIQx and PhIP at combined levels of <2 ng/g. Compared to fast-food meat products from this and previous studies, restaurant products are ∼10-fold higher in heterocyclic amine content. The amounts of heterocyclic amines measured in these restaurant foods show that samples prepared for laboratory studies are representative of commonly consumed restaurant samples. Keywords: Heterocyclic amines; PhI...