cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Race From the Inside: An Emerging Heterogeneous Race Model

Race matters, influencing life experiences. Race is not a simple concept, and it is not a single category. Racial identity theories , however, typically handle race as a simple Black-White dichotomy that overlooks within-group heterogeneity, substituting a subgroup—young, low socioeconomic status, darker skinned men—for all African Americans. The centrality of this subgroup image reifies what it means to be Black but excludes African Americans who are women, middle class, and so on. We provide an overview of the situation of African Americans, highlighting within-group diversity in everyday experiences related to gender, socioeconomic status, and physical attributes, including skin tone. Understanding the implications of race from an insider’s perspective requires that we view it as a heterogeneous category.
A framework for interpretation of aerial images

A general framework for building aerial image interpretation systems is proposed. Within this framework, scene knowledge, which is frequently hierarchical and structured in nature, is represented using frames. Domain problem-solving knowledge, which is typically heuristic in form, is declaratively specified through the use of production rules. The issue of efficient search is addressed by the use of an assumption-based truth maintenance system (ATMS). Within these guidelines, a system has been implemented with the goal of detecting a class of buildings in aerial images. The process of building detection is carried out in a hierarchical manner. Line segments are first grouped to form vertices, which are then grouped to form edges. Edges are composed into edge rings. Shadow analysis on closed rings is used to make roof hypotheses. All the elements in the hierarchy are represented by frames. A search scheme based on an ATMS is used to deal with the ambiguities in this hierarchical grouping process. >
Leishmania strains causing self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis have greater susceptibility towards oxidative stress

The survival of Leishmania parasites within macrophages is influenced by generation of free radicals. To establish whether generation of free radicals influenced chemotherapeutic response, promastigotes from isolates causing self-healing or delayed/non-self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) or visceral leishmaniasis (VL) were evaluated for their susceptibility to nitric oxide (NO), antimony and miltefosine. In a self-healing CL strain of Leishmania major (5ASKH), susceptibility to NO and antimony was higher than other species. Likewise, a Leishmania amazonensis strain, M2269, showed greater susceptibility to NO and antimony than other species but no such correlation was observed with miltefosine. Additionally, 5ASKH and M2269 showed poorer free radical scavenging capacity as also their thiol levels were lower than species causing VL. Collectively, our study suggests that self-healing isolates tend to be more susceptible to oxidative stress.
Brief curriculum to teach residents study design and biostatistics.

Physicians have minimal understanding of common statistical tests and limited ability to interpret study results. These deficits may lead to incorrect study interpretation with erroneous application of results in clinical practice. This study describes the content and a preliminary evaluation of a curriculum aimed at providing resident physicians-in-training with the tools necessary to effectively interpret common study designs and statistics. The four-session curriculum included readings, journal articles, seminars and presentations by learners. The curriculum covered exploratory data analysis, confirmatory data analysis and study designs. 52 internal medicine residents from one residency programme completed the course. Residents took a 20-item multiple-choice knowledge test after the course and results were compared with historical controls: residents in the same programme 1-year prior to the course and residents in 11 other training programmes. The mean±SD proportion of correct answers for the 52 course participants was 58±16%. Historical controls – 26 residents in the same programme and 277 residents from other residency programmes – scored less well (48±14%, p=0.01 and 41±15%, p Commonly used biostatistics and study design can be taught in a short timeframe and may increase residents9 knowledge. Whether effects endure and whether additional training would be needed to lead to better critical appraisal skills and application to patient care remain unknown.
Electrical modeling and simulation for mixed-signal interconnect and packaging

The explosive growth of wireless communications, combined with the rapid advances in high-performance portable computing, are driving the microelectronics industry toward the development of a variety of multi-functional, low-cost, compact, mixed-signal electronic products. These new products call for novel, often revolutionary, practices in functional block integration and packaging. Some of the challenges associated with the electrical design and rapid prototyping of these systems are discussed in this paper. Examples are given of existing electromagnetic modeling methodologies and associated CAD tools that can be used today to facilitate the design of these novel packages. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of on-going research activities toward the enhancement of these modeling/simulation methodologies and the eventual establishment of an electromagnetic CAD environment for mixed-signal system electrical design.
Highly Accelerated Temperature and Humidity Stress Test Technique (HAST)

A method for highly accelerated bias-temperature humidity stress testing is described. This method allows testing in the regime 100°C/175°C and 50% R.H./85% R.H. Experimental results which demonstrate invariance of corrosion failure modes and lognormal sigmas under different high temperature-humidity conditions are presented. Acceleration factors relative to 85°C/81% R.H. and 60°C/81% R.H. stress tests are given.
Using Classwide Peer Tutoring to Teach Beginning Algebra Problem-Solving Skills in Heterogeneous Classrooms:

This study examined the effectiveness of using classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) in heterogeneous middle school math classrooms to teach students in beginning algebra problem-solving skills. The literature on CWPT demonstrates its effectiveness with basic academic skills, but little research addresses whether CWPT can be effective for teaching higher order thinking skills. This study compared the effectiveness of CWPT with traditional independent student practice. Additionally, the performance of students at risk of math failure (students whose grade in math was a D or an F and/or who scored a stanine of 3 or lower in the math section on a standardized assessment) was compared with the performance of students not at risk of math failure. An analysis of the data indicates that both CWPT and independent student practice were effective strategies for helping students to learn beginning algebra problem-solving skills. Neither strategy was significantly more effective than the other. Students at risk of math fail...
SIADH Associated With Ciprofloxacin

Objective: To report a case of ciprofloxacin-induced syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Case Summary: A 68-year-old Caucasian woman presented on 2 separate occasions with generalized weakness. Both times, she was started on ciprofloxacin for a urinary tract infection. Prior to the first episode, she had also been on Augmentin for several days. On both occasions, her ciprofloxacin was discontinued on admission, and her sodium levels rose. On the first occasion, she was given 5% dextrose in water to slow the rate of rise, yet she still corrected faster than the recommended rate. After the second admission, she was briefly given hypertonic saline but remained off intravenous fluids, and her sodium again rose faster than the recommended rate. Discussion: An objective causality assessment using the Naranjo scale was done. A score of 8 revealed a probable causality between ciprofloxacin and SIADH. The likely mechanism of this reaction is ciprofloxacin crossing the blood-brain barrier and st...
A Scalable Distributed Parallel Breadth-First Search Algorithm on BlueGene/L

Many emerging large-scale data science applications require searching large graphs distributed across multiple memories and processors. This paper presents a distributed breadth- first search (BFS) scheme that scales for random graphs with up to three billion vertices and 30 billion edges. Scalability was tested on IBM BlueGene/L with 32,768 nodes at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Scalability was obtained through a series of optimizations, in particular, those that ensure scalable use of memory. We use 2D (edge) partitioning of the graph instead of conventional 1D (vertex) partitioning to reduce communication overhead. For Poisson random graphs, we show that the expected size of the messages is scalable for both 2D and 1D partitionings. Finally, we have developed efficient collective communication functions for the 3D torus architecture of BlueGene/L that also take advantage of the structure in the problem. The performance and characteristics of the algorithm are measured and reported.
Dutasteride: A Dual 5-α Reductase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Objective:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety, drug interactions, and dosing recommendations of dutasteride, a 5-α reductase inhibitor for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Data Sources:A MEDLINE search (1966–February 2006) was conducted to extract human research data in the English language on dutasteride. Search terms included benign prostatic hyperplasia, dutasteride, and finasteride. The reference lists of articles identified through this search process, the manufacturer's Web site, and dutasteride prescribing information were also examined.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All published studies and clinical data from the manufacturer were included, with emphasis placed on randomized, controlled trials.Data Synthesis:Dutasteride is approved for the treatment of symptomatic BPH in men with an enlarged prostate to improve urinary symptoms, reduce the risk of acute urinary retention, and reduce the need for BPH-related surgical interventions. Compared with placebo, dutasteri...
Administration technique and storage of disposable insulin pens reported by patients with diabetes.

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to evaluate insulin injection technique and storage of insulin pens as reported by patients with diabetes and to compare correct pen use to initial education on injection technique, hemoglobin A1C, duration of insulin therapy, and duration of insulin pen.MethodsCross-sectional questionnaire orally administered to patients at a university-affiliated primary care practice. Subjects were patients with diabetes who were 18 years or older and prescribed a disposable insulin pen for at least 4 weeks. A correct usage score was calculated for each patient based on manufacturer recommendations for disposable insulin pen use. Associations were made between the correct usage score and certainty in technique, initial education, years of insulin therapy, duration of pen use, and hemoglobin A1C.ResultsSixty-seven patients completed the questionnaire, reporting total use of 94 insulin pens. The 3 components most often neglected by patients were priming pen needle, holding for specific...
“Two Concepts of Liberty” Through African Eyes

In “Two Concepts of Liberty” Berlin notes the protean nature of the word “freedom” and then systematically proceeds to narrow its range of meanings. In the process, Berlin eliminates much of what most people, in everyday communication, regard as freedom, believing that this is in the best interest of intellectual clarity. As he puts it: [N]othing is gained by a confusion of terms. To avoid glaring inequality or widespread misery I am ready to sacrifice some, or all, of my freedom: I may do so willingly and freely: but it is freedom that I am giving up for the sake of justice or equality or the love of my fellow men. I should be guilt-stricken, and rightly so, if I were not, in some circumstances, ready to make this sacrifice. But a sacrifice is not an increase in what is being sacrificed, namely freedom, however great the moral need or the compensation for it. Everything is what it is: liberty is liberty, not equality or fairness or justice or culture, or human happiness or a quiet conscience. (Emphasis added). Berlin's other, perhaps overarching, aim is to show how inattention to the specificity of the meanings of concepts might have potentially dangerous political repercussions. He implicitly argues that the intellectuals who promoted the idea of positive freedom as opposed to that of negative freedom contributed to the emergence of totalitarianism and fascism in Europe.
Estimating Multilevel Linear Models as Structural Equation Models

Multilevel linear models (MLMs) provide a powerful framework for analyzing data collected at nested or non-nested levels, such as students within classrooms. The current article draws on recent analytical and software advances to demonstrate that a broad class ofMLMs may be estimated as structural equation models (SEMs). Moreover, within the SEM approach it is possible to include measurement models for predictors or outcomes, and to estimate the mediational pathways among predictors explicitly, tasks which are currently difficult with the conventional approach to multilevel modeling. The equivalency of the SEM approach with conventional methods for estimating MLMs is illustrated using empirical examples, including an example involving both multiple indicator latent factorsfor the outcomes and a causal chain for the predictors. The limitations of this approach for estimating MLMs are discussed and alternative approaches are considered.
Spatial code recognition in neuronal RNA targeting: role of RNA-hnRNP A2 interactions.

In neurons, regulation of gene expression occurs in part through translational control at the synapse. A fundamental requirement for such local control is the targeted delivery of select neuronal mRNAs and regulatory RNAs to distal dendritic sites. The nature of spatial RNA destination codes, and the mechanism by which they are interpreted for dendritic delivery, remain poorly understood. We find here that in a key dendritic RNA transport pathway (exemplified by BC1 RNA, a dendritic regulatory RNA, and protein kinase M ζ [PKMζ] mRNA, a dendritic mRNA), noncanonical purine•purine nucleotide interactions are functional determinants of RNA targeting motifs. These motifs are specifically recognized by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2 (hnRNP A2), a trans-acting factor required for dendritic delivery. Binding to hnRNP A2 and ensuing dendritic delivery are effectively competed by RNAs with CGG triplet repeat expansions. CGG repeats, when expanded in the 5′ untranslated region of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) mRNA, cause fragile X–associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. The data suggest that cellular dysregulation observed in the presence of CGG repeat RNA may result from molecular competition in neuronal RNA transport pathways.
Precipitation delivery in the tropical high Andes of southern Peru: new findings and paleoclimatic implications

The Cordillera Vilcanota in the southern Peruvian Andes has been the site of significant research focused on paleoclimatic reconstructions from ice cores (Quelccaya), past glaciations, climate–glacier interactions, and ecological and human responses to climate change. In this article, we analyse precipitation patterns in the region from 2004 to 2010 using twice daily precipitation observations from six regional climate stations and hourly observations of precipitation intensity from nearby Cusco International Airport. We also analyse atmospheric fields of temperature, wind, and moisture at 700 and 200 hPa from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis dataset and create 72-h antecedent upstream air trajectories for the heaviest precipitation events using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. Results indicate that the majority of annual precipitation across the cordilleras and inter-montane valleys alike occurs from nocturnal, regionally coherent rainfall events, inferred to be stratiform in structure, that occur in association with deep moist convection over adjacent Amazon lowlands. Low-level moisture (as inferred from the antecedent upstream air trajectories) for precipitation events can be supplied from a number of different regions, including from the northwest and west. The trajectory analysis reveals a strong dominance (83%) of precipitation events occur under weak flow regimes from nearby Amazon basin source regions, with 50% associated with trajectories from the northwest. In addition, the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signal reported in previous work in the central Andes is not necessarily representative of the Cordillera Vilcanota, where La Nina years (including 2007–2008) typically experience slightly below normal precipitation and El Nino years (including 2009–2010) are considerably wetter. These results are of particular value in understanding atmospheric signals registered in Andean low latitude ice cores, and point the way towards obtaining greater climatological inference from parameters preserved in annual snow and ice stratigraphy. Copyright © 2013 Royal Meteorological Society
Personal Service Corporations: Issues In Identifying The Proper Taxpayer

Personal Service Corporations (PSCs) constitute a commonly employed entity through which individuals conduct business operations. Use of a PSC can provide many potential tax benefits. As a consequence, the Service has frequently challenged the recognition of PSCs and sought to tax income allegedly earned by a PSC to its shareholder(s)-employee(s). In this article, the issues relevant to Service-taxpayer disputes over PSCs are examined and relevant reform in the law proposed.
Coherent artifact study of two-dimensional spectral shearing interferometry

We study multi-shot intensity-and-phase measurements of unstable trains of ultrashort pulses using two-dimensional spectral shearing interferometry (2DSI). We find that, like other interferometric ultrashort-laser pulse-measurement methods, it measures only the coherent artifact and so yields effectively only a lower bound to the pulse length. We also attempt to identify warning signs of pulse-shape instability in 2DSI and find that it responds to instability with reduced fringe visibility, although this effect is very small when using the small spectral shears appropriate for large temporal ranges. We conclude that 2DSI should be used with caution and large-shear measurements or alternative techniques should be used to verify the stability of the pulse train.
Amendment in Democracies, Replacement in Autocracies: a Joint Frailty Model of Constitutional Events

I use a joint frailty model for recurring and terminal events (Rondeau et al., 2007) to explore the effects of democracy on two types of constitution changes: replacements and amendments. The statistical model takes into consideration that repeated amendments can affect the hazard of constitution replacement. I find that democracy increases the hazard of suffering an amendment and decreases the hazard of replacement, and estimate a negative correlation between the two types of events. Repeated amendments increase the survival of a constitution and decrease the hazard of replacement. These effects were predicted by a simple bargaining model of constitution negotiation in which in autocracies the incumbent has more political power relative to that of the opposition, which means a stronger bargaining position.
Workforce Diversity, Internal Labor Market Approach to

For several reasons, securing an ethnically, nationally, and gender-diverse workforce and maintaining an inclusive environment for it are increasingly important objectives for many organizations. This entry offers an internal labor market view of organizational workforce diversity. The article begins by reviewing the core concept of an internal labor market and applies it to workforce diversity. The internal labor market approach is a data-rich approach that both describes organizational “talent flows” (such as hires, promotions, and attrition) and analyzes them through statistical modeling to identify the factors that most influence those flows and ultimate representation outcomes. Applied to workforce diversity, the approach enables organizations to better understand their internal workforce dynamics and provides the basis for prioritizing and aligning interventions to better achieve diversity objectives. A case example is presented to illustrate the approach. Keywords: diversity; gender; labor; market; quantitative methods
Mapping students' modes of reasoning when thinking about chemical reactions used to make a desired product

The central goal of this study was to analyze the complexity of students' explanations about how and why chemical reactions happen in terms of the types of causal connections students built between expressed concepts and ideas. We were particularly interested in characterizing differences in the types of reasoning applied by students with different levels of training in the chemistry, from college to graduate school. Using a qualitative research approach, we identified diverse modes of reasoning expressed by students when engaged in the analysis of different sets of chemical reactions selected to produce a targeted compound. Main findings indicate that dominant modes of reasoning varied with educational level and the nature of the task. Although participants applied diverse modes of reasoning, linear causal reasoning was prevalent across educational levels and types of tasks. Many students tended to generate explanations based on the identification of a single agent that caused a sequential chain of events. Advanced undergraduate students in our sample generated the most complex explanations. The results of our study have important implications for the development of causal mechanistic reasoning in chemistry.
Modeling Magnetomyograms of Uterine Contractions during Pregnancy Using a Multiscale Forward Electromagnetic Approach

Understanding the mechanisms of uterine contractions during pregnancy is especially important in predicting the onset of labor and thus in forecasting preterm deliveries. Preterm birth can cause serious health problems in newborns, as well as large financial burdens to society. Various techniques such as electromyography (EMG) and magnetomyography (MMG) have been developed to quantify uterine contractions. However, no widely accepted method to predict labor based on electromagnetic measurement is available. Therefore, developing a biophysical model of EMG and MMG could help better understand uterine contractions, interpret real measurements, and detect labor. In this work, we propose a multiscale realistic model of uterine contractions during pregnancy. At the cellular level, building on bifurcation theory, we apply generalized FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) equations that produces both plateau-type and bursting-type action potentials. At the tissue level, we introduce a random fiber orientation model applicable to an arbitrary uterine shape. We also develop an analytical expression for the propagation speed of transmembrane potential. At the organ level, a realistic volume conductor geometry model is provided based on magnetic resonance images of a pregnant woman. To simulate the measurements from the SQUID Array for Reproductive Assessment (SARA) device, we propose a sensor array model. Our model is able to reproduce the characteristics of action potentials. Additionally, we investigate the sensitivity of MMG to model configuration aspects such as volume geometry, fiber orientation, and pacemaker location. Our numerical results show that fiber orientation and pacemaker location are the key aspects that greatly affect the MMG as measured by the SARA device. We conclude that sphere is appropriate as an approximation of the volume geometry. The initial step towards validating the model against real MMG measurement is also presented. Our results show that the model is flexible to mimic the limited-propagation magnetic signature during the emergence and decay of a uterine contraction.
Imported Fire Ant Feeding on Paspalum Seeds

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invieta Buren, previously known as S. saevissima (Fr. Smith) (Buren 1972), has been reported as feeding primarily on insects (Hays and Hays 1959) and also has been reported as an aggressive predator (Hensley et al. 1961, Wilson and Oliver 1970). Vinson et al. (1967) reported that the lipid fraction of insects was readily accepted by the imported fire ant. They found that linoleic and linolenic acids and their glycerol and phospholipid esters were the chief phagostimulants in the lipid fraction. Ricks and Vinson (1970) reported that the amino acid leucine and several mono- and tri-saccharides were readily accepted by the imported fire ant.
Ecology and Control of an Introduced Population of Southern Watersnakes (Nerodia fasciata) in Southern California

Abstract: Native to the southeastern United States, Southern Watersnakes (Nerodia fasciata) are known from two sites in California, but their ecological impacts are poorly understood. We investigated the ecology of Southern Watersnakes in Machado Lake, Harbor City, Los Angeles County, California, including an assessment of control opportunities. We captured 306 watersnakes as a result of aquatic trapping and hand captures. We captured snakes of all sizes (162–1063 mm snout–vent length [SVL], 3.5–873.3 g), demonstrating the existence of a well-established population. The smallest reproductive female was 490 mm SVL and females contained 12–46 postovulatory embryos (mean = 21). Small watersnakes largely consumed introduced Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), while larger snakes specialized on larval and metamorph American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) and Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Overall capture per unit effort (CPUE) in traps declined with time during an intensive 76-d trapping bout,...
Community College Faculty as Pedagogical Innovators: How the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Stimulates Innovation in the Classroom

ABSTRACTCommunity colleges are continually faced with the challenge of meeting the learning needs of diverse students, many of who are nontraditional and often ill-prepared for college level work. These institutions are respected for furthering democracy through their commitment to educational access and criticized for falling short in supporting students’ educational attainment. Community colleges must fully maximize existing resources, including their faculty, and focus on areas within their control—teaching and learning. This is a case study of 13 community college faculty who participated in a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) program. It explored the extent to which classroom inquiry can support professors’ pedagogical innovation and their development of knowledge of teaching and learning.
Pyruvate aldolases in chiral carbon–carbon bond formation

A procedure for the preparation of optically pure alpha-keto-gamma-hydroxy carboxylic acids through stereospecific aldol addition catalyzed by pyruvate aldolases from the Entner-Doudoroff and the DeLey-Doudoroff glycolytic pathways is described. This highly versatile fragment serves as a precursor for a variety of commonly encountered functionalities, including beta-hydroxy aldehydes and carboxylic acids, alpha-amino-gamma-hydroxy carboxylic acids and alpha,gamma-dihydroxy carboxylic acids. The protocol described here uses recombinant His6-tagged KDPG aldolase for the synthesis of (S)-4-hydroxy-2-keto-4-(2'-pyridyl)butyrate. A protocol for evaluating enantiomeric excess through formation of the gamma-lactone of the dithioacetal followed by chiral-phase gas-liquid chromatography is also described. Enzyme expression and enzymatic synthesis can be accomplished in approximately 1 week. The enzymatic aldol addition proceeds in nearly quantitative yields with enantiomeric excesses greater than 99.7%.
Petitioning East and West: Historical Forms of Participation with Contemporary Application to Digital Government

The rights of citizens to petition their governments has had a long history and is currently experiencing an interesting revival through the use of contemporary digital platforms that many countries are adopting to encourage e-participation. In this panel, speakers discuss national petitioning systems in four countries from historical and contemporary perspectives, specifically: China, Great Britain, South Korea, and the United States.
Factors Associated with Opioid Dose Increases: A Chart Review of Patients' First Year on Long-Term Opioids.

Objective. To examine encounter-level factors associated with opioid dose increases during patients’ first year on opioid therapy for chronic pain. Design. Case-control study analyzing all opioid prescriptions for patients with chronic pain during their first year after opioid initiation. Cases were patients who experienced an overall dose escalation of ≥ 30 mg morphine equivalents over the 1-year period; controls did not experience overall dose escalation. Main measures were encounter type, opioid dose change, documented prescribing rationale, documentation of guideline-concordant opioid-prescribing practices. Two coders reviewed all encounters associated with opioid prescriptions. Analysis of factors associated with dose increases and provider documentation of prescribing rationale was conducted using multiple logistic regression. Results. There were 674 encounters coded for 66 patients (22 cases, 44 controls). Fifty-three percent of opioid prescriptions were associated with telephone encounters; 13% were associated with e-mail encounters. No prescribing rationale was documented for 43% of all opioid prescriptions and 25% of dose increases. Likelihood of dose increase and documentation of prescribing rationale did not significantly differ for cases versus controls. Compared with face-to-face encounters, dose increases were significantly less likely for telephone (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.11–0.28) and e-mail (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.12–0.47) encounters; documentation of prescribing rationale was significantly more likely for e-mail (OR 5.06, 95% CI 1.87–13.72) and less likely for telephone (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.18–0.51) encounters. Conclusion. Most opioid prescriptions were written without face-to-face encounters. One quarter of dose increases contained no documented prescribing rationale. Documented encounter-level factors were not significantly associated with overall opioid dose escalation.
Sequence Analysis Algorithms

The Human Genome Project has generated a massive volume of biological sequence data which are deposited in a large number of databases around the world and made available to the public. Presently, there are about 189 biological databases [86, 174]. To make sense of the large volume of sequence data available, a large number of algorithms were developed to analyze them. Unlike other branches of science, many discoveries in biology are made by using various types of comparative analyses. For example, the function and structure of a protein can be determined by comparing its sequence to the sequences of other known proteins. In this chapter, we present three basic comparative analysis tools: pairwise sequence alignment, multiple sequence alignment, and the similarity sequence search. These three basic tools, which have many variations, can be used to find answers to many questions in biological research.
Experimental study of the restoring force mechanism in the self-centering beam (SCB)

In the past, several self-centering (SC) seismic systems have been developed. However, examples of selfcentering systems used in practice are limited due to unusual field construction practices, high initial cost premiums and deformation incompatibility with the gravity framing. A self centering beam moment frame (SCB-MF) has been developed that mitigates several of these issues while adding to the advantages of a typical SC system. The self-centering beam (SCB) is a shop-fabricated, self-contained structural component that when implemented in a moment resisting frame can bring a building back to plumb after an earthquake. This paper describes the SCB concepts and experimental program on five SCB specimens at two-third scale relative to a prototype building. Experimental results are presented including the global force-deformation behavior. The SCBs are shown to undergo 5%–6% story drift without any observable damage to the SCB body and columns. Strength equations developed for the SCB predict the moment capacity well, with a mean difference of 6% between experimental and predicted capacities. The behavior of the restoring force mechanism is described. The limit states that cause a loss in system's restoring force which lead to a decrease in the selfcentering capacity of the SCB-MF, are presented.
5 Gbit/s 2:1 multiplexer fabricated in 0.35 [micro sign]m CMOS and 3 Gbit/s 1:2 demultiplexer fabricated in 0.5 [micro sign]m CMOS technology

The authors have designed two dynamic CMOS circuits (based on dynamic transmission gate logic), a 5 Gbit/s 2:1 multiplexer and a 3 Gbit/s 1:2 demultiplexer, which can be used in the place of their counterpart CML circuits. Both circuits feature front-end amplification to convert CML levels to CMOS logic swings, and open drain output drivers with CML levels into 50 Ω.
Always a traveller: a portrait of Valene L. Smith

“If we can open the eyes of the world to the world … then it’s a better world” Valene Smith, 10 November 2016.As a professor at California State University Chico (“Chico State”), I took my introduc...
Study Abroad in Social Work Education: "Citizen of Two Worlds" Faculty.

Schools of social work are increasingly offering study abroad courses as a strategy for enhancing future practitioners’ knowledge and skills in serving individuals and families of diverse sociocult...
Distal Humeral T-Intercondylar Fractures

T-Intercondylar fractures of the distal humerus undergoing open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) with multiple steps continue to evoke controversy, including ongoing concerns with olecranon osteotomy and ulnar nerve transposition. The treatment approach and algorithm are discussed, with the option of total elbow arthroplasty in the elderly.
Manufactured Consent: The Problem of Arbitration Clauses in Corporate Charters and Bylaws

Over the years, there have been numerous proposals to allow publicly traded corporations to amend their charters and bylaws to require the arbitration of all shareholder disputes. Recently, two courts enforced such a bylaw in the context of a publicly traded real estate investment trust, ruling that under the Federal Arbitration Act, bylaws are “contracts” with investors, and therefore arbitration clauses must be enforced according to their terms.As this Article demonstrates, charters and bylaws are not contractual, particularly as that term is constituted for purposes of FAA jurisprudence. Specifically, corporate law – especially as it pertains to publicly traded corporations – is predicated on the assumption that dispersed stockholders do not have sufficient information or expertise to be trusted with control over the corporate entity, and therefore corporate directors must act as the stockholders’ guardians. This is very different than the regime that governs contract law, which starts from a premise of party autonomy, and assumes that each party is sufficiently knowledgeable to protect her own interests. For that reason, corporate charters and bylaws are noncontractual under the FAA, and their validity must be assessed within a corporate law framework.The Article then identifies incompatibilities between FAA jurisprudence and corporate law that are traceable to the different premises underlying the two fields, and recommends that the FAA not be interpreted to preempt state law regarding the application of arbitration clauses to corporate governance disputes.
Synthesis and structure of bis(2,6-dimethylpyrazine)(THF)copper(II) nitrate

Attempts to crystallize Cu(2,6-dmpz)(NO3)2 (2,6-dmpz = 2,6-dimethylpyrazine) by reaction of 2,6-dmpz with Cu(NO3)2·3H2O in THF resulted in the synthesis of Cu(2,6-dmpz)2(NO3)2·THF. The compound crystallized in the monoclinic space group C2/c and exists as isolated molecules with distorted square pyramidal geometry: a = 11.609(4) A, b = 10.415(3) A, c = 18.256(6) A, β = 108.332(4)°. The 2,6-dmpz molecules coordinate to the Cu ions through the distal (remote from the methyl) nitrogens. The molecules are arrayed in stacks parallel to the b-axis.
Genetic Control of De Novo Conversion to Infectious Amyloids of Host Precursor Proteins: Kuru-CJD-Scrapie

Human spongiform encephalopathies, kuru and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), are caused by a virus that has entered the body years or decades earlier yet produces no disease until the final cascading fatal outcome [46,48]. The same is true of scrapie, the related disease of sheep and goats, which has served as a very good model for kuru [41,42,43,44,45,46,50,59]. It was already in the 1960s when we learned that the infectious agent of scrapie has a target size of its genetic information of less than 100 kDa, less than one-tenth that of any known virus, and that there was no translation and transcription involved in its replication since it did not contain a nucleic acid [4,5,6,49,60,77,78]. Knowing this, we yet continued to call these infectious agents viruses, as Robert Koch, Louis Pasteur, and Paul Ehrlich used the term “viruses” without implying anything about their biochemical composition. We keep to this original concept, as did the mathematicians when they called their nonmolecular computer parasites “viruses”, meaning nothing more than invisible replicating parasites that required the energy and informational systems of the host for their replication.
LDL RECEPTOR STATUS OF HUMAN GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS

Porphyrins are known to associate with plasma lipoproteins, particularly low density lipoproteins (LDLs), and are thus likely to be taken up into cells by the high affinity saturable LDL receptor mechanism.1 We have previously reported that the boronated protoporphyrin, BOPP, is incorporated into the human glioblastoma cell line, SF 767 (derived from a glioblastoma multiforme biopsy specimen obtained from a grade 4 malignant glioma), and requires the presence of lipoproteins for maximum uptake into cells.2 We concluded from these studies that, like other porphyrins, BOPP forms a complex with LDL before it is taken up into the SF 767 cells via the LDL receptor; however, the presence of saturable LDL receptors on SF 767 cells has not been previously demonstrated. We have therefore investigated whether the LDL receptor was present on exponentially growing SF 767 cells. We report here our initial results indicating relatively high levels of LDL-receptors per cell (over 200,000) from the SF-767 line.
Investigation of impeller modification and eccentricity for non-Newtonian fluid mixing in stirred vessels

A shear thinning fluid (1% carboxymethyl cellulose) was used to investigate mixing under laminar flow conditions in an unbaffled vessel. The effects of impeller modification in addition to eccentri...
Sex-dependent impaired locomotion and motor coordination in the HdhQ200/200 mouse model of Huntington's Disease.

Abstract Huntington's Disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe loss of medium spiny neuron (MSN) function and striatal-dependent behaviors. We report that female HdhQ200/200 mice display an earlier onset and more robust deterioration in spontaneous locomotion and motor coordination measured at 8 months of age compared to male HdhQ200/200 mice. Remarkably, HdhQ200/200 mice of both sexes exhibit comparable impaired spontaneous locomotion and motor coordination at 10 months of age and reach moribund stage by 12 months of age, demonstrating reduced life span in this model system. Histopathological analysis revealed enhanced mutant huntingtin protein aggregation in male HdhQ200/200 striatal tissue at 8 months of age compared to female HdhQ200/200. Functional analysis of calcium dynamics in MSNs of female HdhQ200/200 mice using GCaMP6m imaging revealed elevated responses to excitatory cortical-striatal stimulation suggesting increased MSN excitability. Although there was no down-regulation of the expression of common HD biomarkers (DARPP-32, enkephalin and CB1R), we measured a sex-dependent reduction of the astrocytic glutamate transporter, GLT-1, in female HdhQ200/200 mice that was not detected in male HdhQ200/200 mice when compared to respective wild-type littermates. Our study outlines a sex-dependent rapid deterioration of striatal-dependent behaviors occurring in the HdhQ200/200 mouse line that does not involve alterations in the expression of common HD biomarkers and yet includes impaired MSN function.
Defective Transcriptional Programming of Effector CD8 T Cells in Aged Mice Is Cell-Extrinsic and Can Be Corrected by Administration of IL-12 and IL-18.

In response to infection with intracellular microorganisms, old mice mobilize decreased numbers of antigen-specific CD8 T cells with reduced expression of effector molecules and impaired cytolytic activity. Molecular mechanisms behind these defects and the cell-intrinsic (affecting naive CD8 T cells themselves) vs. extrinsic, microenvironmental origin of such defects remain unclear. Using reciprocal transfer experiments of highly purified naive T cells from adult and old transgenic OT-1 mice we decisively show that the dominant effect is cell-extrinsic. Naive adult OT-1 T cells failed to expand and terminally differentiate in the old organism infected with Listeria-OVA. This defect was preceded by blunted expression of the master transcription factor T-bet and impaired glycolytic switch when T cells are primed in the old organism. However, both old and adult naive CD8 T cells proliferated and produced effector molecules to a similar extent when stimulated in vitro with polyclonal stimuli, as well as when transferred into adult recipients. Multiple inflammatory cytokines with direct effects on T cell effector differentiation were decreased in spleens of old animals, particularly IL-12 and IL-18. Of note, in vivo treatment of mice with IL-12 and IL-18 on days 4-6 of Listeria infection reconstituted cytotoxic T cell response of aged mice to the level of adult. Therefore, critical cytokine signals which are underproduced in the old priming environment can restore proper transcriptional programming of old naive CD8 T cells and improve immune defense against intracellular microorganisms.
Reaction Rates in Nitromethane under High Pressure from Density Functional Tight Binding Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

We use density functional tight binding (DFTB) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to determine the reaction rates of nitromethane CH3NO2 (NM) under high pressure (P=14--28 GPa), and temperature (1...
Spectral and geological analyses of domes in western Arcadia Planitia, Mars: Evidence for intrusive alkali-rich volcanism and ice-associated surface features

Abstract Small-scale domes with circumferential aprons and concentric aureoles in western Arcadia Planitia (34–41°N, 167–179°E) near Tyndall crater were examined using a suite of datasets including CRISM, THEMIS IR, HiRISE, and CTX. Previous studies based primarily on photogeologic evidence suggested that these domes were analogous to terrestrial felsic cryptodomes to extrusive lava domes. The domes have also been examined using CRISM visible/near infrared to short-wave infrared (VNIR-SWIR) reflectance spectra which indicated the presence of ferrous silicate minerals in association with the domes. This study presents further CRISM spectral evidence for 1) high-Ca pyroxene and glass mixtures with, or possibly without, the presence of olivine on the flanks of some domes, 2) 1.3 μm band absorption features consistent with an Fe-bearing plagioclase or possibly a Fe-rich alkali feldspar in more limited occurrences at the base of some domes, 3) spectral convexity between 3.4 and 3.9 μm associated with rocky, light-toned portions on top of some domes which is attributed to the presence of alkali-rich plagioclase or alkali feldspars. New morphologic observations include a pitted cone and arcs of light-toned, “brain terrain” material on the pole-facing upper margins of some aprons which, in combination with ice-associated “brain terrain” on light-toned outer aureoles suggests an association with ice. The morphology of an assortment of domes and association with alkali feldspars suggests they represent a continuum from intrusive cryptodomes to flat extrusive domes, potentially of felsic composition although formation from viscous alkali-rich mafic magmas is not precluded.
Ab-Interno Trabeculotomy

The Trabectome (NeoMedix Corporation, San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA) is a US Food and Drug Administration—approved surgical device which removes a segment of the trabecular meshwork and the inner wall of the Schlemm’s canal using an ab-interno approach, enhancing aqueous outflow via increased access to the Schlemm’s canal and the collector channels. This is a bleb-less procedure which spares the conjunctiva, hence does not adversely affect the outcome of subsequent conventional glaucoma filtration surgeries. Multiple studies have shown that Trabectome surgery results in a reduction in IOP and the number of ocular hypotensive agents, though the efficacy is modest compared with conventional filtration surgery. The safety profile of Trabectome surgery is favorable compared with conventional glaucoma surgery, with the most common complication being intraoperative and postoperative bleeding. Additional research is required to understand how the efficacy of Trabectome surgery can be maximized.