cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy Dissipation and Photoinhibition: A Continuum of Photoprotection

Summary The photosynthetic apparatus is exquisitely adapted to capture light energy and convert it into reduced carbon compounds while also protecting against the potential deleterious effects of excessive excitation energy. The latter is achieved through fine regulation of thermal energy dissipation over multiple time scales and in response to many different environmental stresses. Over short time scales in the absence of additional stress, control is exerted through pH regulation of the enzymatic conversion of violaxanthin to zeaxanthin (and its return to violaxanthin) and engagement of zeaxanthin in thermal energy dissipation. Under more extreme exposure to excess light (transfer of shade leaves to high light or the imposition of additional stresses in the presence of high light), greater levels of zeaxanthin are retained and may also be maintained in a dissipative configuration even in darkness. Engagement of zeaxanthin in thermal energy dissipation lowers the maximal efficiency of photosystem II (PS II) as the excess excitation energy is diverted away from the reaction centers and harmlessly released as heat. Thus, maximal PS II efficiency exhibits decreases and increases with varying degrees of light absorption. Under prolonged and/or pronounced exposure to excess light, maximal PS II efficiency can furthermore exhibit nocturnally sustained decreases as the potential for photoprotective zeaxanthin-dependent energy dissipation is maintained. Zeaxanthin-dependent energy dissipation that is sustained at moderate temperatures is also typically accompanied by downregulation of photosynthesis, including photosynthetic electron transport. Decreases in photosynthetic electron transport presumably lower the likelihood of electrons reducing molecular oxygen to superoxide, and sustained zeaxanthin-dependent energy dissipation mitigates the formation of singlet excited oxygen. Thus, while sustained decreases in maximal PS II efficiency and photosynthetic capacity are key characteristics of photoinhibition, they are also the features that provide powerful photoprotection against the formation of toxic reactive oxygen species.
The Laws of Thought and Exact Science

Given that the justified belief in support of exactness of the primary category of logical reality is accepted, we still have a problem of establishing the exactness of logical transformations among epistemic categories as well as to establish the conversion chain of derived categories by the method of constructionism. Let us keep in mind that the acceptance of exactness of the primary category means that the defective information structure over the epistemic space is due to incompleteness and free from defectiveness due to vagueness and ambiguities. In this way the possibility space is assumed to be exact and so also the incomplete information in the probability space. The first step is to present an exact representation of the elements in the primary category that is empirically or axiomatically defined on which the laws of thought will be applied. The representation involves a language presentation of ideas and meanings through words or symbols for analysis and synthesis to arrive at the derived logical categories. Examples of the primary and the derived categories in mathematics are that the advanced mathematical levels are derivative from the basic number system which is a derivative from our linguistic number system.
What Frogs’ Brains Tell Robots’ Schemas

Studies of biological “robots” have implications for perceptual robotics, which integrates the design of perceptual systems into the control of task-and context-dependent patterns of action. This paper briefly reviews some recent models of brain mechanisms of visuomotor coordination in frogs and toads to illustrate principles that will be important in the design of the next generation of robots. Perhaps most important is the observation that a robot controller will not in general constitute a single neural network, but will be composed of a network of interacting subsystems. It is thus important to distinguish two grains of parallel and distributed computing: a high-level or “coarse grain” analysis in which the robot controller is designed as a network of interacting subsystems; and a low-level or “fine grain” neural analysis, which uses artificial neural networks to build many of these subsystems. A “schema” is the unit of coarse grain analysis.
Auxiliary Results in Partial Differential Equations

This chapter discusses presents some estimates for solutions of the Dirichlet problem for elliptic equations and for solutions of the initial-boundary value problem for parabolic equations. These estimates do not depend on the fact that the corresponding boundary value problems have unique solutions; therefore, they are called a priori estimates. These a priori estimates provide a powerful tool in the theory of partial differential equations. The chapter illustrates the Schauder estimates, Sobolev's inequality, and L p estimates for elliptic and parabolic equations.
The Mystery of Debussy’s Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien

ABSTRACTWhen Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien premiered in May 1911, it was mired in religious controversy: The Archbishop of Paris banned Catholics from attending performances and all of poet Gabriele d’Annunzio’s works were placed in the Papal Index of forbidden writings. D’Annunzio may have desired such scandal, but he also had loftier goals for the work. Both he and Debussy were proponents of literary symbolism, and Le Martyre is an example of a large-scale attempt to represent mystery onstage. Analysis of correspondence, stage directions, and musical cues support the claim that literary symbolism informed the work’s genesis and is discernible in its content.
Reciprocal Relationships Between Workplace Childcare Initiatives and Collective Turnover Rates of Men and Women

Work-family practice research has largely been focused on individual outcomes, despite their theorized importance for organizational performance. Additionally, studies of the effectiveness of work-...
Interactive Augmented Live Virtual Reality Streaming: A Health Care Application

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been around for decades; however, we have probably only begun to realize the practical applications until recent years. With increase of computing power, decrease of cost and physical dimension, a new class of consumer grade VR devices such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have made adopting VR technology more affordable and feasible than ever before. In addition, Augmented and Mixed Reality (AR/MR) devices such as HoloLens and Magic Leap have opened up possibilities for even more applications. Health care is one area where much resources are dedicated to research and development of potential VR/AR/MR applications for many years. We propose an interactive system of live 360-degree video streaming to VR devices with the capability to augment the experience with virtual content, to be used in a telemedicine setting.
Salesperson ambidexterity in customer engagement: do customer base characteristics matter?

Drawing from the interactional psychology of personality and multitasking paradigm, we examine the contingencies of salesperson orientation ambidexterity in the “exploration” of new customers (i.e., hunting) and the “exploitation” of existing customers (i.e., farming) to achieve sales growth and make time allocation decisions. The results from a field study and an experiment indicate that the impact of salesperson orientation ambidexterity is contingent on a salesperson’s customer base characteristics. First, a salesperson’s orientation ambidexterity in both hunting and farming leads to significantly higher (lower) sales growth when his or her existing customer base is large (small). Second, high levels of customer base newness in a salesperson’s customer portfolio weaken the relationship between hunting time allocation at time t – 1 and hunting time allocation at time t, suggesting that salespeople are not subject to a success trap in hunting. However, salespeople are subject to a success trap in farming. These findings shed new light on how a salesperson’s customer portfolio influences salesperson behaviors and performance, with implications for how to better manage ambidextrous behaviors in customer engagement.
Updates in prognostication and treatment of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare, incurable hematologic disorder with a relatively indolent course in a majority of the patients. Despite this, a significant proportion of patients require treatment because of hypersecretion of immunoglobulin M and the invasion of bone marrow and peripheral organs by neoplastic lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma cells. Historically, there has been a dearth of research and therapeutic advancements in the field of WM, with most understanding based on other, related B-cell lymphoid malignancies, including multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Recently, there has been an increase in dedicated work to better explain the pathobiology of WM, which has identified several clinical and genetic markers that serve to prognosticate disease course and patient outcomes. Furthermore, this has led to dedicated clinical trials and the development of novel drugs/regimens including the first Food and Drug Administration-approved agent for this diagnosis, ibrutinib. This review aims to document some of the recent advancements with respect to prognostic markers and therapeutic options for patients with WM, as well as certain selected novel treatments with unique mechanisms of action, that are currently under development.
Symptom Burden in Long-Term Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer: Patient-Reported Versus Clinical Data.

Introduction: The symptom burden faced by long-term head and neck cancer survivors is not well understood. In addition, the accuracy of clinical data sources for symptom ascertainment is not clear. Objective: To 1) describe the prevalence of symptoms in 5-year survivors of head and neck cancer, and 2) to evaluate agreement between symptoms obtained via self-report and symptoms obtained from clinical data sources. Methods: We recruited 5-year survivors of head and neck cancer enrolled at Kaiser Permanente Washington (n = 54). Symptoms were assessed using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory head and neck cancer module. For each symptom, we assessed the agreement of the patient’s survey response (“gold standard”) with the 1) medical chart and 2) administrative health care claims data. We computed the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value, along with their 95 percent confidence intervals, for each clinical data source. Results: Eighty percent of patients responded. Nearly all participants (95 percent) reported experiencing at least one symptom from the MDASI-HN, and 93 percent reported two or more symptoms. Among patients reporting a given symptom, there was generally no evidence of the symptom from either clinical data source (i.e., sensitivity was generally no greater than 40 percent). The specificity and PPV of the clinical data sources were generally higher than the sensitivity. Conclusion: Relying only on medical chart review and/or administrative health data would substantially underestimate symptom burden in long-term head and neck cancer survivors.
Continuous cellulose fiber-reinforced cellulose ester composites. II. Fiber surface modification and consolidation conditions

We prepared thermoplastic composite panels using solution impregnation of continuous lyocell (regenerated cellulose) fibers with a cellulose mixed-ester (cellulose acetate butyrate) matrix. We examined both fiber-matrix adhesion and melt consolidation in an effort to produce uniform panels having low void content and high mechanical strength. We characterized the effect of surface modification by acetylation on interfacial adhesion between the cellulose fiber and cellulose ester. Whereas wood fiber acetylation had previously been observed to result in significant strength gains in (discontinuous) wood fiber- reinforced composites (with the same matrix material), we did not observe a similar increase in strength in the continuous lyocell cellulose fiber system. This suggests that interfacial stress transfer is not a limitation in this system. This was confirmed by microscopic examination of the fracture surfaces, which indicated that fiber-matrix adhesion was considerable in the absence of fiber surface modification. We then systematically varied melt consolidation conditions (temperature, pressure and time) in an attempt to define optimum consolidation parameters by using design of experiments (DOE) methodology. We measured both interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and composite void volume. We found that a minimal void content (ca. 2.83 vol. %) occurred at moderate temperatures (200°C), low consolidation pressures (81.4kPa) and long press times (13min). This was also where we maximized the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) at a value of 16.3MPa. This agrees with the regression model predictions. We observed the highest tensile properties at the ILSS and void-volume optimal-consolidation condition: a tensile modulus of 22GPa and tensile strength of 246MPa were obtained.
Minority Participation in Teaching Programs.

A survey of the participation of minority students in university programs that offer certification and degrees in education of the visually impaired found that, in the 19 programs that responded, m...
The Exact Science of the Hard Matter

Chapter 1 starts by asking how reliable is philosophy in comparison to science, if the assumption is made that those two fields are separate and distinct. Neuroanatomy, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, and Developmental and Evolutionary Neuroscience are analyzed in combination with the History of Neuroimaging and current developments in Neuroengineering. Through this analysis, concepts and (diagnostic) terms such as ‘maladaptive behaviors’ used in psychology, psychotherapy and psychiatry are debated, in order to determine specific ‘evidence-based’ foundations of human perception and activation in these biological underpinnings, with special regard to cognition, memory, consciousness and behavior. Important ethical and moral questions regarding subsets of these studies are thereby investigated, also in comparison to social and policy-making issues in healthcare, such as stem cell research.
A Cloud-based Fall Detection System for Elderly Care with Passive RFID Sensor Tags

Along with the aging population, the high incidence of fall accidents by elderly people has been a serious worldwide issue. Even though early detection of accidents is indispensable to avoid the fatal risk, a practical situation is severe due to the lack of caregivers. Especially, it is required to keep delays to a minimum when deploying a detection system in nursing homes. Therefore, a real-time monitoring system for elderly care is essential in nursing homes. This paper proposes a cloud-based system for detecting the fall accidents by the elderly in realtime with passive RFID sensor tags. We have developed and implemented a prototype system using a public cloud service.
Pessaries and rectovaginal fistulae: consequences of delayed clinical follow-up in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Introduction and hypothesis While 2017 guidelines from The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists called for pessary replacement every 3 to 4 months, a recent study in Obstetrics and Gynecology suggested that uninterrupted pessary use up to 6 months is not an independent risk factor for development of pessary-related complications. Methods Our recent experience throughout the Covid-19 pandemic highlights the potential ramifications of delayed clinical follow-up. Results During the Covid-19 pandemic, 3 of our patients developed rectovaginal fistulae secondary to Gellhorn pessary erosion in the context of delayed clinical follow-up. Our patients had previously attended routine appointments every 3 months without complications until missed appointments secondary to the pandemic led to fistulae formation. Conclusion We believe that delayed clinical follow-up of pessary management beyond 3 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic may lead to fistula complications in elderly women with Gellhorn pessaries.
Chemoprevention in Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma:

There has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma over the past several decades with a continued rise expected in the future. Several strategies have been developed for screening and surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus and endoscopic treatment of Barrett's associated dysplasia and early esophageal cancer; however, they have not made a substantial impact on the incidence of cancer. Herein, chemoprevention becomes an attractive idea for reducing the incidence of cancer in Barrett's patients. Several agents appear promising in preclinical and observational studies but very few have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials. Strongest evidence to date is available for proton-pump inhibitors and Aspirin that have been evaluated in a large randomized controlled trial. Other agents such as statins, metformin, ursodeoxycholic acid, and dietary supplements have insufficient evidence for chemoprevention in Barrett's patients.
Ethics in nursing: Progress on National Nursing Ethics Summit.

Abstract Background In 2014 a National Nursing Ethics Summit was undertaken to chart a future for nursing ethics in the United States. Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand changes in the field over a 5-year period as a measure of longitudinal impact and identify recommendations for education, practice, research and scholarship, and policy. Methods This cross-sectional study used a mixed method design. Findings Nineteen participants from 15 institutions participated in the survey. The majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed on their effort in promoting education (84%), contributing to scholarship (74%), creating a sustained environment for ethical practice (63%) and developing new initiatives (58%) in nursing ethics. Discussion Further investment is needed to establish a more broadly funded research agenda for ethical issues in nursing, improvement in evidence-based practice, and development of policy initiatives to promote ethical practice and infrastructure for sustainability and responsiveness to contemporary challenges.
Characterizing User Comprehension in the STIR/SHAKEN Anti-Robocall Standard

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has taken action against the increasing number of spam calls by mandating service providers implement STIR/SHAKEN, a framework for authenticating Caller ID. Specifically, STIR/SHAKEN provides users with a series of alerts representing the various potential states of authentication of an incoming call. While these states have a clear definition in the standards, it is unclear whether end users can interpret these states and whether they will ultimately help users defend themselves against robocalls. In this paper, we perform the first survey of consumer preferences (n=806) for how carriers should react to specific authentication types. We then evaluate user interpretation of warning designs representing various STIR/SHAKEN authentication states. Finally, we explore how users interpret and plan to react to these different states through interviews (n=20). The results suggest that users have difficulty fully understanding the output from STIR/SHAKEN due to personal preference, understanding of authentication states, and the impact of design. This misunderstanding leads to unintended interpretations and behavior. In so doing, we show that significant design challenges must be overcome for STIR/SHAKEN to reach its full potential as a means of mitigating robocalls.
Productivity effects of shared peer effort and relative performance information

Abstract Using an experiment in which workers’ pay depends solely on their performance (output), I examine the interactive effects of sharing peers’ effort duration (time spent on task) and output-based relative performance information (RPI) on productivity (performance per unit of time spent). I predict and find a positive effect of sharing peers’ effort duration on productivity, and a moderation of this by RPI, such that the positive effect of sharing peers’ effort duration on productivity is weaker in a setting with RPI compared to a setting without RPI. These results extend prior research on management control by identifying the substitutive effect of two widespread features of the management control environment.
Promoter Characterization and Constitutive Expression of the Escherichia coli gcvR Gene

The Escherichia coli glycine cleavage repressor protein (GcvR) negatively regulates expression of the glycine cleavage operon (gcv). In this study, the gcvR translational start site was determined by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of a GcvR-LacZ fusion protein. Primer extension analysis of the gcvR promoter region identified a primary transcription start site 27 bp upstream of the UUG translation start site and a minor transcription start site approximately 100 bp upstream of the translation start codon. The -10 and -35 promoter regions upstream of the primary transcription start site were defined by mutational analysis. Expression of a gcvR-lacZ fusion was unaltered in the presence of glycine or inosine, molecules known to induce or repress expression of gcv, respectively. In addition, it was shown that gcvR-lacZ expression is neither regulated by the glycine cleavage activator protein (GcvA) nor autogenously regulated by GcvR. From DNA sequence analysis, it was predicted that the translation start codon of the downstream bcp gene overlaps the gcvR stop codon, suggesting that these genes may form an operon. However, a down mutation in the -10 promoter region of gcvR had no effect on the expression of a downstream bcp-lacZ fusion, and primer extension analysis of the bcp promoter region demonstrated that bcp has its own promoter within the gcvR coding sequence. These results show that gcvR and bcp do not form an operon. Furthermore, the deletion of bcp from the chromosome had no effect on gcv-lacZ expression.
Drug–Drug Interactions for Nucleic Acid‐Based Derivatives

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are perhaps the most direct therapeutic strategy to target RNA. Currently, ASOs make up the major investigational new drug (IND) submissions for oligonucleotide drug development. These ASOs are designed to bind to the target RNA by well-characterized Watson-Crick base pairing and, once bound to the target RNA, modulate its function through a variety of postbinding events. In this chapter, the primary information used for summarizing drug-drug interactions (DDIs) of oligonucleotides comes from the first- and second-generation ASOs because the currently published DDI studies are mostly focused on these classes of oligonucleotides. When possible, information on other classes of oligonucleotides is presented in the context of these base classes. Keywords: antisense oligonucleotides; drug–drug interactions; clinical studies; preclinical studies; clinical pharmacokinetics; cytochrome P450
Exposure of binding sites for antibodies and concanavalin A on collagen by solubilization in hot urea. An immunoblot analysis.

Abstract The presence of urea during solubilization of collagenous samples for SDS PAGE had a marked effect upon mobility of collagenous polypeptides and upon binding of antibodies from certain rabbit antisera, antibodies from several human sera and binding of concanavalin A. When samples were solubilized with urea by heating at 100°C the mobility of collagenous polypeptides was retarded relative to samples that had been heated without urea or exposed to urea without heating. Antibodies from the rabbit sera only bound on immunoblots to collagen that had been urea/heat-treated. Periodate oxidation and deglycosylation with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid abolished binding of the rabbit antibodies. The results indicate the presence of carbohydrate epitopes buried within collagenous polypeptides that are exposed by harsh denaturing conditions. Heating with urea appears to cause an unfolding of collagenous molecules beyond that produced by SDS solubilization without urea. These results underscore the necessity to pay close attention to conditions used to solubilize for electrophoresis samples that are subsequently used as targets for antibodies or other ligands.
A testable CMOS signal processor for fast Fourier transforms

The authors present the architecture of a fast Fourier transform processor which has high performance characteristics and an embedded test structure that allows the processor to test itself during normal operation. The properties of separable residue codes have been used for error detection in the arithmetic unit of the processor. Offline error detection which tests for the classic stuck at faults is based on the properties of the dynamic CMOS logic design used. The testing circuitry used in the architecture accounts for only a 20% area overhead and no time ahead, an important saving in a signal-processing environment. >
How Degenerate can we be

Since relic neutrinos are virtually unobservable, a large - but undetectable - lepton asymmetry is possible. Cosmological constraints can provide bounds to such a universal neutrino degeneracy. The weakest constraint is from considerations of the age and density of the present Universe. More significant constraints follow from the formation of structure in the expanding Universe. The most stringent bounds to neutrino degeneracy follow from comparisons of the predictions of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with the observed abundances of the light elements. All these approaches are reviewed and constaints to neutrino degeneracy derived. It is shown that neutrino degeneracy will not permit the Universe to be “closed” by nucleons.
Aminotripeptidase of Swine Kidney: II. AMINO ACID COMPOSITION AND MOLECULAR WEIGHT

Abstract Three different forms of aminotripeptidase have been obtained from swine kidney. As studied in the ultracentrifuge by sedimentation-equilibrium, these forms are: 1. a stable monomer of 71,100 molecular weight that consists of a single polypeptide chain lacking disulfide bridges; 2. a stable dimer that contains two apparently identical subunits of the same size as the monomer; and 2'. an unstable dimer that dissociates spontaneously to the monomeric units during sedimentation-equilibrium studies at 20°. Aminotripeptidases-1 and -2 have the same amino acid composition.
Comparison of Reduced-Order Models to Analyze the Dynamics of a Tall Building under the Effects of Along-Wind Loading Variability

AbstractAeroelastic vibration, influenced by wind load effects, is relevant to the structural design of tall buildings. In the framework of performance-based design of wind load–sensitive structures, the effects induced by variability in the loading estimation, often relying on the results of a wind tunnel test, must be evaluated. This research is a continuation of a recent study by the author on the stochastic dynamics of tall buildings, contaminated by experimental errors, wind load uncertainty, and modeling simplifications. A number of reduced-order models are described and discussed. Among these models, a recently developed one that couples the along-wind dynamic response with intervention costs due to nonstructural damage on the external facade is considered. Even though the models assume a linear structural response dominated by the primary vibration modes and vortex shedding effects are not directly considered, they are sufficiently accurate for the purpose of evaluating, in a semianalytical form, ...
Surgery for Early-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Limited-stage small cell lung cancer remains one of the more frustrating malignancies to treat. Current standard of care typically includes platinum-based chemotherapy with thoracic radiation, and although response to therapy is high, most patients will ultimately experience relapse and die of recurrent disease. No high-level data exist supporting surgical resection of early-stage disease; however, several retrospective reviews and small single-arm studies suggest surgery may benefit patients with very limited extent of disease. This article reviews the available literature, and proposes guidelines for including potentially curative resection in the management of patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer.
Little Higgs models and custodial SU ( 2 )

In this paper we present a little Higgs model that has custodial $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ as an approximate symmetry. This theory is a simple modification of the ``minimal moose'' model with $\mathrm{SO}(5)$ global symmetries protecting the Higgs boson mass. This allows for a simple limit where TeV physics makes small contributions to precision electroweak observables. The spectrum of particles and their couplings to standard model fields are studied in detail. At low energies this model has two Higgs doublets and it favors a light Higgs boson from precision electroweak bounds, though for different reasons than in the standard model. The limit on the breaking scale, f, is roughly 700 GeV, with a top partner of 2 TeV, ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${B}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ of 2.5 TeV, and heavy Higgs partners of 2 TeV. These particles are easily accessible at hadron colliders.
Characterization of an early gene accelerating expression of late genes of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus.

Abstract The region of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) encompassing the EcoRI T fragment (29.0 to 30.1 map units) was characterized by DNA sequencing, transcriptional mapping, and site-directed mutagenesis. The largest transcript from this region, an early 1.7-kilobase (kb) poly(A)+ RNA, encompassed three tandem, nonoverlapping open reading frames (ORFs). The largest of these ORFs, ETL, was proximal to the 5' end of the transcript and had the capacity to encode a 28-kilodalton (kDa) polypeptide. A recombinant virus, vETL beta gal, containing the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (beta gal) gene fused to the N-terminal two-thirds of the ETL ORF, produced blue plaques in the presence of a chromogenic indicator of beta gal and wild-type levels of polyhedra in cell culture. This recombinant was also infectious in insect larvae by oral administration of occluded virus. Comparison of vETL beta gal and wild-type viral proteins pulse-labeled at various times postinfection (p.i.) revealed (i) absence of a virus-induced 28-kDa polypeptide, (ii) early expression of a large (approximately 130-kDa) polypeptide which may be the ETL-beta gal fusion protein, (iii) a delay in expression of early 35 and 40-kDa polypeptides, and (iv) a 4- to 6-h delay in the expression of late proteins in vETL beta gal-infected cells. Cycloheximide did not inhibit synthesis of the 1.7-kb RNA but did inhibit its shutoff, which occurs at 12 h p.i. in the absence of inhibitors. Thus, the ETL gene product is apparently an early 28-kDa protein which is necessary, directly or indirectly, for timely expression of many other AcMNPV genes. The promoter-leader regions of the 1.7-kDa transcript showed significant sequence similarities to the leader of the AcMNPV IE-1 gene. The middle ORF within the 1.7-kb transcript, ETM, would encode a hydrophobic polypeptide of 113 amino acid residues. ETS, a small ORF within and proximal to the 3' end of the 1.7-kb transcript, was also transcribed as a set of smaller (approximately 0.5-kb) RNAs initiated heterogeneously in the region between ETL and ETS and persisting throughout infection.
Geometry and Prestrain Effects on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Batten-Reinforced Membrane Wings

To lessen the deterioration of fixed-wing aerodynamic performance associated with chord Reynolds numbers below 100,000, flexible membrane wing designs have been studied and proposed as an alternative for micro air vehicle use. The beneficial effects of a flexible membrane can include higher lift, steeper lift-curve slope, delayed stall, gentle stall characteristics, and greater efficiency. These benefits have been attributed to both the time-averaged and dynamic deformation of the membrane. This work discusses the geometric and prestrain effects on a batten-reinforced, free trailing-edge membrane wing in low-Reynolds-number (50,000) flow. The global aerodynamic forces on the wings with varying wing aspect ratio, cell aspect ratio, and prestrain level were measured. The results show that the aerodynamic advantages of the flexible membrane are retained for the low-aspect-ratio wings. The optimal membrane cell aspect ratio is found to be approximately 1. The comparison of the aerodynamic forces between the low-aspect-ratio membrane wings and the corresponding three-dimensional-printed wings with the time-averaged deformation indicates the importance of membrane dynamic motion for the derived aerodynamic benefits.
Relationship between central and autonomic nervous system activity: Correlates of psychomotor performance in elderly men

The relationship between heart rate deceleration (HRD) and the contingent negative variation (CNV) was evaluated in 12 healthy, elderly men during performance of a signaled reaction time task. While amplitude of the CNV and HRD did parallel RT, CNV alone was found to be predictive of individual differences in speed of response indicating that phasic concordance of these physiological responses is probably not an important factor in age changes in RT. The results indicate the probable importance of central physiological indices such as the CNV over peripheral events such as HRD in the evaluation of RT performance in elderly individuals.
A Virtual Construction Environment for preconstruction planning

The planning process is critical to the successful development and execution of a construction project. Current planning practices adopted by the construction industry continue to be substantially manual. Project information is primarily exchanged via paper documents, and the visualization of the facility is marginally communicated using 2D drawings. Functions are generally planned independently of one another. Previous research efforts developed systems that are characterized as responsive decision systems, relying mainly on programmed knowledge and heuristics for decision-making; reducing or eliminating the role of the human planner. This paper presents a framework for a new planning approach that will utilize virtual reality (VR) modeling techniques coupled with object-oriented technologies to develop an integrated virtual planning tool called the Virtual Construction Environment (VCE). The proposed VCE will enable the project team to undertake inexpensive rehearsals of major construction processes and test various execution strategies in a near reality sense, prior to the actual start of construction. A proof of concept prototype is currently being developed.
Activation of epidermal growth factor receptor is required for NTHi-induced NF-κB-dependent inflammation.

Background Inflammation is a hallmark of many serious human diseases. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is an important human pathogen causing respiratory tract infections in both adults and children. NTHi infections are characterized by inflammation, which is mainly mediated by nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-dependent production of proinflammatory mediators. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been shown to play important roles in regulating diverse biological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, adhesion, and migration. Its role in regulating NF-κB activation and inflammation, however, remains largely unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings In the present study, we demonstrate that EGFR plays a vital role in NTHi-induced NF-κB activation and the subsequent induction of proinflammatory mediators in human middle ear epithelial cells and other cell types. Importantly, we found that AG1478, a specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR potently inhibited NTHi-induced inflammatory responses in the middle ears and lungs of mice in vivo. Moreover, we found that MKK3/6-p38 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways are required for mediating EGFR-dependent NF-κB activation and inflammatory responses by NTHi. Conclusions/Significance Here, we provide direct evidence that EGFR plays a critical role in mediating NTHi-induced NF-κB activation and inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Given that EGFR inhibitors have been approved in clinical use for the treatment of cancers, current studies will not only provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of inflammation, but may also lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of respiratory inflammatory diseases and other inflammatory diseases.
Tissue engineering in the cardiovascular system: progress toward a tissue engineered heart.

Achieving the lofty goal of developing a tissue engineered heart will likely rely on progress in engineering the various components: blood vessels, heart valves, and cardiac muscle. Advances in tissue engineered vascular grafts have shown the most progress to date. Research in tissue-engineered vascular grafts has focused on improving scaffold design, including mechanical properties and bioactivity; genetically engineering cells to improve graft performance; and optimizing tissue formation through in vitro mechanical conditioning. Some of these same approaches have been used in developing tissue engineering heart valves and cardiac muscle as well. Continued advances in scaffold technology and a greater understanding of vascular cell biology along with collaboration among engineers, scientists, and physicians will lead to further progress in the field of cardiovascular tissue engineering and ultimately the development of a tissue-engineered heart.
Inhibition of N-Nitrosopyrrolidine in Dry Cured Bacon by α-Tocopherol-Coated Salt Systems

Dry cured bacon was made under carefully controlled processing conditions in a pilot plant study using α-tocopherol-coated salt as part of the dry cure. Approximately, a 96% reduction in N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) levels in the fried bacon was achieved with an ingoing α-tocopherol level of 500 mg/kg. NPYR levels in the cookout fat were reduced approximately 92% using the same level of α-tocopherol. Bacon, prepared by a small scale commercial operation, also contained reduced levels of NPYR when processed with α-tocopherol-coated salt, despite high levels (>100 mg/kg) of residual sodium nitrite in the finished bacon. Results comparing effectiveness of α-tocopherol and mixed tocopherols as nitrosamine blocking agents were inconclusive. Although, α-tocopherol appeared to be more effective as a blocking agent (91% versus 73% inhibition of NPYR), the difference in percent inhibition achieved could possibly be attributed to apparently lower levels of residual mixed tocopherols in the finished bacon.
Management of thoracic insufficiency syndrome.

Purpose of the review Thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS) was first characterized by Campbell and Smith in 2003, as the inability of the thorax to support normal respiration and growth. The range of thoracospinal disorders within TIS is broad and some have poor prognosis, but all have been challenging to treat effectively. This review will describe the common approaches and report on the published outcomes of each approach. Recent findings Over the last 15 years progress has been made in refining the approach to treating TIS, and more recently functional outcomes have been published for some of the techniques used. A number of recent reports have demonstrated spinal growth that meets normal rates after insertion of expandable devices to support the spine and preserve growth. However, in the short term pulmonary function outcomes indicate stabilization of lung function as opposed to regaining function, though there is a paucity of published data. Summary There are a number of effective surgical interventions for treating the underlying thoracospinal disorders in TIS; however, though the short-term effect on pulmonary function indicates stabilization the longitudinal effect still needs to be elucidated.
Altered Rectal Perception Is a Biological Marker of Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract Background & Aims: Lowered visceral perception thresholds have been suggested as a biological marker of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The current study sought to determine the prevalence of altered rectal visceral perception in patients with IBS and the correlation of altered perception thresholds with subjective symptoms. Methods: Anorectal manometry and rectal perception thresholds to balloon distention were determined in 100 patients with IBS and 15 control subjects. Gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms were assessed by questionnaire. Perception thresholds and symptoms were reassessed after 3 months in 15 patients with IBS. Results: Ninety-four percent of patients showed altered rectal perception in the form of lowered thresholds for aversive sensations (discomfort), increased intensity of sensations, or altered viscerosomatic referral. Hypersensitivity was found only for aversive sensations in response to rapid phasic distention; stool thresholds and thresholds in response to slow ramp distention were normal. Cluster analysis by physiological parameters identified three IBS subgroups with predominant patterns of symptoms. Longitudinal evaluation indicated a correlation between changes in perception thresholds and symptom severity. Conclusions: Because altered rectal perception is present in almost all patients with IBS and perception thresholds correlate with temporal changes in retrospective symptom severity, altered rectal perception represents a reliable biological marker of IBS.
Lattice dynamics of colloidal crystals

Photon correlation spectroscopy was performed on a dilute bcc colloidal crystal in a thin-film cell to measure its response to thermal fluctuations with wave vectors along lattice symmetry directions. The phonon dispersion curves show a definite harmonic-lattice behavior for longitudinal and transverse modes. We present a Langevin treatment of the lattice dynamics, based on harmonic potentials and a theory of hydrodynamic interactions which is exact to lowest order in sphere volume fraction and includes important unsteady flow effects. The model takes into consideration the discreteness of the lattice, which is important near the Brillouin-zone boundary, and has the correct behavior for long-wavelength fluctuations as well (underdamped transverse modes, overdamped longitudinal modes). The mass renormalization of propagating transverse lattice modes is discussed, along with the effects of the thin-film configuration on their propagation. The role of backflow in overdamping longitudinal modes is made clear. From the measured dispersion curves for longitudinal wave vectors, we obtained the following elastic constants: ${c}_{11}=6.96$ dyn/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ and ${c}_{12}={c}_{44}=2.43$ dyn/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.
Parentally Bereaved Children's Grief: Self-System Beliefs as Mediators of the Relations between Grief and Stressors and Caregiver–Child Relationship Quality

We investigated whether 3 self-system beliefs--fear of abandonment, coping efficacy, and self-esteem--mediated the relations between stressors and caregiver-child relationship quality and parentally bereaved youths' general grief and intrusive grief thoughts. Cross-sectional (n = 340 youth) and longitudinal (n = 100 youth) models were tested. In the cross-sectional model, fear of abandonment mediated the effects of stressors and relationship quality on both measures of grief and coping efficacy mediated the path from relationship quality to general grief. Fear of abandonment showed a marginal prospective mediational relation between stressors and intrusive grief thoughts. After excluding the mediators, relationship quality showed a direct prospective relation to intrusive grief thoughts.
Conflict in Federal Water Resource Planning

: Conflict occurs over technical judgments and value judgments in federal water resource planning. Cognitive conflict, value conflict, and interest conflict are common. Methods for resolving each of these three types of conflict have been developed. Resolution methods vary considerably by type of conflict, but most require explicit conflict definition and flexibility to choose freely from among available alternatives. Formal descriptions of the water resource planning process, which are based upon the rational-analytic model of choice among alternatives in pursuit of stipulated objectives, are largely consistent with the use of most of these conflict resolution methods. The reality of federal water resource planning, which has been shaped as much or more by the distributive political process which it serves as by the rational-analytic model, is not consistent with the use of most conflict resolution methods. Real objectives are hidden, the search for alternatives is sharply constrained by agency missions, and much flexibility is sacrificed to the necessity for strong early local commitment as a requirement for continued funding. When coupled with the normal tendency to avoid conflict for as long as possible, this results in foreclosure of most conflict resolution possibilities before conflicts are fully revealed.
A computerized behavioral assessment for children with headaches.

SYNOPSIS We have developed a computerized interview program suitable for school-age children with headaches. Behavioral assessment questions have been included. Between 18 and 39% of children and teenagers acknowledge that something happens to influence their headache either the day before, or the day of the headache. Some of the more frequent antecedents included “an especially hard day at work/school/home,” skipping a meal, worrying a lot, and unexpected excitement or pressure. The older the child or adolescent, the more likely he/she acknowledged that an “unpleasant emotional situation” preceded the headache. Chocolate was the only food or beverage identified as a headache antecedent. Heat and sun glare were reported most frequently as weather concomitants of headache. Approximately 30% of the children and teenagers were concerned about headaches interfering with their activities, and between 22 and 46% wanted to control their headaches without medications. Our experience indicates that children who read can complete a computer-based interview containing behavioral assessment questions, and that an appreciable number of children brought to medical attention for their headaches are receptive to behavioral therapies.
High field-of-view IR scanner using microlens arrays

There is a growing demand for a larger field coverage for scanning in IR instrumentation. We have explored the possibility of using the microlens arrays (MLAs) for this purpose, and have developed a generic IR imaging scanner. The application of MLAs in the wide-field IR imagers is presented, along with their advantages and limitations. A series of systems using MLAs and diffractive elements have been designed and analyzed for a diffraction-limited performance with 45 degree(s) and 60 degree(s) field of view for a f/1.4 IR imager operating in 3 - 5 micrometers wavelength range for 1-D and 2-D scanning applications. The optical design considerations, fabrication issues, and thermal effects are also discussed for these types of scanners.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hamiltonicity of 2-connected {K1,4,K1,4+e}-free graphs

Abstract A graph G is called { H 1 , H 2 , … , H k } -free if G contains no induced subgraph isomorphic to any H i , 1 ⩽ i ⩽ k . Let G be a 2-connected { K 1 , 4 , K 1 , 4 + e } -free graph of order n ⩾ 13 . If δ ( G ) ⩾ n / 4 , then G is hamiltonian or G ∈ F , where K 1 , 4 + e is a graph obtained by joining a pair of nonadjacent vertices in a K 1 , 4 and F is a family of nonhamiltonian graphs of connectivity 2.
Risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in ulcerative colitis patients treated with thiopurines: a nationwide retrospective cohort.

Risk of Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer in Ulcerative Colitis Patients Treated With Thiopurines: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort