cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced Process Monitoring Safeguards Technologies at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Abstract There is a renewed interest worldwide to promote the use of nuclear power and close the nuclear fuel cycle. The long term successful use of nuclear power is critically dependent upon adequate and safe processing and disposition of the spent nuclear fuel. Liquid-liquid extraction is a separation technique commonly employed for the processing of the dissolved spent nuclear fuel. The instrumentation used to monitor these processes must be robust, require little or no maintenance, and be able to withstand harsh environments such as high radiation fields and aggressive chemical matrices. In addition, the ability for continuous on-line monitoring allows for numerous benefits. Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are developing three non-destructive assay technologies designed to meet safeguards needs at reprocessing facilities in the future, providing the ability to monitor these activities autonomously, continuously, and in near-real-time (NRT). Raman and spectrophotometric techniques are being evaluated for on-line real-time monitoring of the U(VI)/nitrate ion/nitric acid and Pu(IV)/Np(V)/Nd(III), respectively. Both techniques demonstrated robust performance in the repetitive batch measurements of each analyte in a wide concentration range. Static spectroscopic measurements serve as training sets for the multivariate data analysis to obtain partial least squares predictive models. These models have been validated using on-line centrifugal contactor extraction tests. Another technology being developed is the Multi-Isotope Process (MIP) Monitor, which relies on the collection and NRT multivariate analysis of gamma spectra taken at discrete locations within a recycling facility. Using PCA (principal components analysis) or another multivariate technique, it is possible to automatically compare spectral patterns from the gamma-emitting constituents in process streams for statistically relevant signs of changes in the process chemistry or dissolved fuel characteristics in NRT. The MIP monitor is designed to identify small changes in the gamma ray spectra over time emanating from process streams that may indicate an unplanned change in process conditions. These “off-normal” conditions may be caused by incidental upsets within the system or may indicate something more serious, such as an intentional effort to divert special nuclear material for the system by altering process conditions. Initial simulations and experiments have illustrated the MIP monitor's ability to detect and identify changes in process streams through gamma spectra.
Comprehensive assessment of fetal wellbeing: which Doppler tests should be performed?

Purpose of reviewDoppler applications in pregnancy are expanding exponentially. Flow velocity waveforms provide important information 12 weeks to term, from maternal vessels, placental circulation and fetal systemic vessels, with implications for both mother and fetus. As applications proliferate, a
An Explanatory Model and Measurement Instrument: A Guide to Supply Chain Management Research and Applications

The goal of this exploratory study is to establish an explanatory model and corresponding instrument to help further understand, and conduct research in the area of supply chain management (SCM). Constructs pertaining to SCM assimilation, SCM outcomes, and overall firm performance are operationally defined in terms of their dimensions and items. The business literature is utilized to help define the constructs and to generate potential measurement items. The scales are then purified and a preliminary test for predictive validity is performed.
Atomistic simulations reveal shape memory of fcc metal nanowires

We have previously reported the discovery of a shape memory effect SME in single-crystalline fcc Cu nanowires Nano Lett. 5, 2039 2005 ; J. Eng. Mater. Technol. 127, 423 2005 . This paper reports that the same SME also exists in single-crystalline fcc Ni and Au nanowires with lateral dimensions below 5 nm. Under tensile loading and unloading, these Cu, Ni, and Au nanowires can recover elongations of up to 50%, well beyond the recoverable strains of 5–8% typical for most bulk shape memory alloys. Results of atomistic simulations and evidences from experiments show that this phenomenon only exists at the nanometer scale and is associated with a reversible crystallographic lattice reorientation driven by the high surface-stress-induced internal stresses at the nanoscale. This understanding also explains why these metals do not show an SME at macroscopic scales. The analysis also focuses on the role of twinnability in affecting this phenomenon. It is found that fcc metals with higher tendency for twinning such as Cu, Au, Ni show this behavior and fcc metals with low likelihood of twinning such as Al do not show this behavior.
Education and the labor market in Venezuela, 1975-1984

This paper examines a number of education-related aspects of Venezuela's labor market in the 1975-84 period using a sample of 40,000 workers from the National Household Survey. The findings indicate that the returns to schooling have declined by only 2 percentage points in a decade of rapid educational expansion. In addition, the returns to education estimated on the basis of earnings of those in the competitive sectors of the economy (private sector employees and the self-employed) are of the same order of magnitude as those estimated on the basis of all wage earners in the economy. And the over-time change in income inequality is consistent with the beneficial distributive aspect of educational expansion: the increased supply of more educated persons contributed to the narrowing of earnings differentials and hence to a more equitable distribution of income during the period under investigation.
228 Functional cardiac phenotyping of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) deficient mice by MR microsopy

Introduction Mice with deletion of the gene for Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) exhibit pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with pulmonary vascular remodeling and RV hypertrophy in the absence of hypoxemia. We hypothesized that these mice would also develop a decreased functional capacity of th right ventricle. We tested this hypothesis using MR microscopy to evaluate right and left heart ventricular volumes and corresponding ejection fractions in VIP-deficient and wildtype (WT) control mice.
The risk of pregnancy after tubal sterilization: Findings from the U.S. collaborative review of sterilization

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the risk of pregnancy after tubal sterilization for common methods of tubal occlusion. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in U.S. medical centers. A total of 10,685 women who underwent tubal sterilization was followed up for 8 to 14 years. The risk of pregnancy was assessed by cumulative life-table probabilities and proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A total of 143 sterilization failures was identified. Cumulative 10-year probabilities of pregnancy were highest after clip sterilization (36.5/1000 procedures) and lowest after unipolar coagulation (7.5/1000) and postpartum partial salpingectomy (7.5/1000). The cumulative risk of pregnancy was highest among women sterilized at a young age with bipolar coagulation (54.3/1000) and clip application (52.1/1000). CONCLUSIONS: Although tubal sterilization is highly effective, the risk of sterilization failure is higher than generally reported. The risk persists for years after the procedure and varies by method of tubal occlusion and age. (AM J OBSTET GYNECOL 1996;174:1161-70.)
Object Characteristics and Recall in Young Children.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the hypothesis that preschool children are "perceptually bound" in their encoding of objects. This hypothesis implies that preschool children tend to encode perceptual attributes of objects in recall tasks, but not conceptual attributes. In Experiment 1, encoding of conceptual attributes of objects was examined by presenting children with pictures of objects that varied in typicality. Preschool children were more likely to remember typical objects than less typical objects. In Experiment 2, objects were orthogonally varied in size and typicality to examine the influence of both perceptual and conceptual attributes. Both types of attributes of objects were found to influence recall independently. In the context of variations in size and typicality, the probability of recall for both large and typical objects was greater than for small and less typical objects. The results show that children are influenced by both conceptual and perceptual stimulus characteris...
High-power high-bandwidth flip-chip bonded modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes

Modified uni-traveling carrier (MUTC) photodiodes with diameter of 28 µm and 20 µm flip-chip bonded on AlN substrate demonstrated RF output power of 25 dBm and 19 dBm at 25 GHz and 30 GHz, respectively.
Surgical Technique for Adolescent Femur Fractures: The Trochanteric Entry Intramedullary Nail

Locked intramedullary nailing provides a useful adjunct to the armamentarium of surgical treatment options for skeletally immature patients. It is particularly useful for older and heavier patients who are not well stabilized by flexible nails. New lateral entry nails and techniques enable safe nailing without a risk of avascular necrosis of the capital femoral epiphysis. Special consideration must be given during placement because the insertion point is not collinear with the axis of the femoral intramedullary canal.
Reggeization in Yang-Mills theories

Abstract We calculate the high energy fermion-fermion scattering amplitude in Yang-Mills field theory through sixth order in the coupling constant, and find that the amplitude Reggeizes. Our result is simpler than and qualitatively different from an earlier published calculation.
Controlling electroosmotic flow in microchannels with pH-responsive polyelectrolyte multilayers

A polyelectrolyte multilayer coating comprising acrylic acid or imidazole units afforded precise control over the rate and direction of electroosmotic flow within fused silica capillaries. Morphological changes accompanying the pH-induced switching of surface charge were minimized by diluting the pH-responsive polyelectrolyte with permanently charged polymer. Electroosmotic stability over many runs was demonstrated.
Weak convergence of convex stochastic processes

Abstract We discuss the weak convergence of convex stochastic processes. Let {Zn(t):t ∈ T}, n ⩾ 1, be a sequence of stochastic processes, where T is an open convex set of R d , such that Z n : T → R is a convex function (for each ω and each n). We show that {Zn(t):t ∈ T0} converges weakly to {Z(t):t ∈ T}, for each compact set T0 of T, if and only if, the finite dimensional distributions of {Zn(t):t ∈ T} converge to those of {Z(t):t ∈ T}. This is applied to triangular arrays of empirical processes. In particular, we consider random series and central limit theorems with normal and stable limits. The uniform compact law of the iterated logarithm is also discussed.
Diagnosing Dr. House: Codependency, Agency, and Third Wave Contradiction

This essay is a critical feminist analysis that addresses a popular culture representation of agency, codependency, and addiction. This perspective illuminates how the television series, House M.D., uses supporting characters to construct codependency as third wave feminist contradiction that produces various levels of agency. Systematic oppression of codependent characters occurs through representations of exaggerated femininity or masculinity as weakness, unprofessional behavior in the workplace, and reliance on the behavior of the addict. The implications of the objectification of the supporting characters that have been granted contradictory agency suggests a metacontradiction for the series itself.
Systemically circulating viral and tumor-derived microRNAs in KSHV-associated malignancies.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are stable, small non-coding RNAs that modulate many downstream target genes. Recently, circulating miRNAs have been detected in various body fluids and within exosomes, prompting their evaluation as candidate biomarkers of diseases, especially cancer. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common AIDS-associated cancer and remains prevalent despite Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART). KS is caused by KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), a gamma herpesvirus also associated with Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL). We sought to determine the host and viral circulating miRNAs in plasma, pleural fluid or serum from patients with the KSHV-associated malignancies KS and PEL and from two mouse models of KS. Both KSHV-encoded miRNAs and host miRNAs, including members of the miR-17–92 cluster, were detectable within patient exosomes and circulating miRNA profiles from KSHV mouse models. Further characterization revealed a subset of miRNAs that seemed to be preferentially incorporated into exosomes. Gene ontology analysis of signature exosomal miRNA targets revealed several signaling pathways that are known to be important in KSHV pathogenesis. Functional analysis of endothelial cells exposed to patient-derived exosomes demonstrated enhanced cell migration and IL-6 secretion. This suggests that exosomes derived from KSHV-associated malignancies are functional and contain a distinct subset of miRNAs. These could represent candidate biomarkers of disease and may contribute to the paracrine phenotypes that are a characteristic of KS.
Variation in dormancy and germination in three co-occurring perennial forest herbs

Mesic deciduous forest herbs often disperse seed with morphophysiological dormancy (MPD) that prevents germination during unfavorable periods for seedling survival. However, for seeds of some species with MPD, seasonal separation of root and shoot emergence and variation in dormancy levels can complicate interpretation of seedling emergence timing in the field. We tested whether dormancy-break and germination requirements differed among co-occurring perennial forest herbs, Actaea racemosa, Hydrastis canadensis, and Sanguinaria canadensis, which are wild-harvested for their medicinal properties and known to have MPD. Seeds of all species exhibited a summer → autumn → winter requirement for seedling emergence in spring. However, species differed in seed-bank persistence due to variation in primary dormancy levels and stratification requirement of seeds. A. racemosa and H. canadensis can form short-term persistent seed bank, whereas S. canadensis can form a long-term persistent seed-bank, regardless of whether elaiosomes were removed from seeds prior to burial. A. racemosa seeds are dispersed in autumn with weak physiological dormancy, as seeds germinated to high rates at 15/6°C after 8 weeks. In contrast, most seeds of the summer dispersed species, H. canadensis and S. canadensis, require summer temperatures to overcome physiological dormancy. Consequently, seedling emergence is reduced and delayed by 1 year if seeds are not sown immediately following the period of natural dispersal. Seedling emergence was much lower in the field than in controlled conditions for all species, especially in the small-seeded A. racemosa. Interspecific variation in dormancy levels and germination traits must be considered when establishing populations for conservation purposes and in understanding recruitment limitation in perennial forest herbs.
Large dispersion of silicon waveguide directional couplers

We demonstrate that the magnitude of the wavelength variation (dispersion) of waveguide directional couplers considerably exceeds the modal refractive index dispersion of typical single-mode silicon nanophotonic waveguides, and investigate approaches to achieve wavelength-flattened filtering response.
Examination of quinidine and quinine and their pharmaceutical preparations.

Methods for the detection and measurement of possible contaminants in quinidine and quinine and their pharmaceutical preparations were investigated to establish the actual composition of quinidine and quinine now on the market. Since no single TLC or GC procedure separated all of the compounds under consideration, multiple systems encompassing them were used to characterize the samples. Chromatographic and fluorometric techniques were applied to analysis of a wide variety of samples of quinidine and quinine and their pharmaceutical formulations. The dihydro analogs were found in all of the 75 samples examined, and the desmethoxy analogs (cinchonine or cinchonidine) were found in about half of the samples. The level of the dihydro alkaloids was higher in quinidine than in quinine (usually 5-9% in quinidine and 3-6% in quinine); the level of the desmethoxy analog was higher in quinine than in quinidine (usually 0-0.5% in quinidine compared to 1-2% in quinine). No epi-alkaloid, quininone, or quinotoxine was detected in any sample.
Rights, symbolism, and public policy in fetal tissue transplants.

The architecture of the fetal tissue transplant controversy is similar to that of many bioethical debates, with a novel twist because of the contested status of the fetus and abortion. Respect for the needs of sick patients appears to conflict with respect for prenatal human life and larger societal concems.
Relative performance of mutual information estimation methods for quantifying the dependence among short and noisy data.

Commonly used dependence measures, such as linear correlation, cross-correlogram or Kendall's Tau, cannot capture the complete dependence structure in data unless the structure is restricted to linear, periodic or monotonic. Mutual information (MI) has been frequently utilized for capturing the complete dependence structure including nonlinear dependence. Recently, several methods have been proposed for the MI estimation, such as kernel density estimators (KDE), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), Edgeworth approximation of differential entropy, and adaptive partitioning of the XY plane. However, outstanding gaps in the current literature have precluded the ability to effectively automate these methods, which, in turn, have caused limited adoptions by the application communities. This study attempts to address a key gap in the literature, specifically, the evaluation of the above methods to choose the best method, particularly in terms of their robustness for short and noisy data, based on comparisons with the theoretical MI estimates, which can be computed analytically, as well with linear correlation and Kendall's Tau. Here we consider smaller data sizes, such as 50, 100, and 1 000, where this study considers 50 and 100 data points as very short and 1 000 as short. We consider a broader class of functions, specifically linear, quadratic, periodicmore » and chaotic, contaminated with artificial noise with varying noise-to-signal ratios. The case studies presented here are motivated by domain consideration in the earth sciences where the data are short and noisy. Our results indicate KDE as the best choice for very short data at relatively high noise-to-signal levels whereas the performance of KNN is the best for short data at relatively low noise levels as well as for short data consistently across noise levels. In addition, the optimal smoothing parameter of a Gaussian kernel appears to be the best choice for KDE while three nearest neighbors appear optimal for KNN. Thus, in situations where the approximate data sizes are known in advance, and exploratory data analysis and/or domain knowledge can be used to provide a priori insights on the noise-to-signal ratios, the results in the paper point to a way forward for automating the process of MI estimation.« less
Integrated Systems For Digital Diagnostic Imaging

Digital image data is now generated in Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, Computed Tomography, and Digital Fluoroscopy Imaging Instruments and is anticipated for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and direct digital radiographic recording. The interconnection of imaging instruments for the common purpose of image display and analysis forms a diagnostic image analysis network. For current studies, a typical hospital network would have to handle 4 x 1011 bits of data per year. Systems used only for investigative purposes would have to handle 2 x 10 10 bits of data per year. The demand to display image data is estimated at 38.5 or 9 display requests per hour respectively for these two systems. These demands can be met by sharing the use of central display controllers through a video distribution system. The needs of these systems can be met by 12 or 4 display controllers respectively. In the future, diagnostic imaging networks are expected to be common place with inexpensive archiving on laser optical disks providing rapid access to a full year of examinations.
Optimal design and performance of distributed signal detection systems with faults

The design and performance of distributed signal detection systems with processor failures is presented. Using a general processor fault model, which also models an imperfect channel, the optimal design given prior failure probabilities is considered. The optimal design provides a performance bound for each system when failures may occur. It is shown that for general distributed systems, a likelihood ratio test is the optimal design for each local processor, provided failures are independent of the received observation vectors. The optimal design performs significantly better than the design that assumes no failures. It is shown that the fusion network performs better than a single centralized processor for many channels. This illustrates that, for the fusion network, the performance gained by decreasing the effect of failures outweighs the performance lost by distributing the processing. The serial network always performs worse than centralized; its performance is bounded as the number of channels increases. >
CodY-Mediated Regulation of the Staphylococcus aureus Agr System Integrates Nutritional and Population Density Signals

The Staphylococcus aureus Agr system regulates virulence gene expression by responding to cell population density (quorum sensing). When an extracellular peptide signal (AIP-III in strain UAMS-1, used for these experiments) reaches a concentration threshold, the AgrC-AgrA two-component regulatory system is activated through a cascade of phosphorylation events, leading to induction of the divergently transcribed agrBDCA operon and the RNAIII gene. RNAIII is a posttranscriptional regulator of numerous metabolic and pathogenesis genes. CodY, a global regulatory protein, is known to repress agrBDCA and RNAIII transcription during exponential growth in rich medium, but the mechanism of this regulation has remained elusive. Here we report that phosphorylation of AgrA by the AgrC protein kinase is required for the overexpression of the agrBDCA operon and the RNAIII gene in a codY mutant during the exponential-growth phase, suggesting that the quorum-sensing system, which normally controls AgrC activation, is active even in exponential-phase cells in the absence of CodY. In part, such premature expression of RNAIII was attributable to higher-than-normal accumulation of AIP-III in a codY mutant strain, as determined using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Although CodY is a strong repressor of the agr locus, CodY bound only weakly to the agrBDCA-RNAIII promoter region, suggesting that direct regulation by CodY is unlikely to be the principal mechanism by which CodY regulates agr and RNAIII expression. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that cell population density signals inducing virulence gene expression can be overridden by nutrient availability, a condition monitored by CodY.
Hemispheric asymmetries of function in patients with major affective disorders

Several investigators have suggested that affectively disordered patients have dysfunction of the nondominant cerebral hemisphere. The present study tested this hypothesis using psychometrically matched measures of verbal and visual-spatial skills. A sample of 64 psychiatric in-patients and out-patients was interviewed using an expanded and modified version of the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule and diagnosed using the criteria of DSM-III-R, the Research Diagnostic Criteria, and the Feighner et al. system. Patients diagnosed as affectively disordered by at least one system were administered a pair of psychometrically matched measures: a measure of Word-Finding modeled after the Boston Naming Test, and a measure of visual-spatial functioning adapted from the Dot-Localization task. Patients with diagnoses of major depression by any of the three systems showed significantly poorer performance on Dot Localization than on Word Finding. Differences for patients with bipolar diagnoses were in the same direction but fell short of significance. These results support the hypothesis that patients with major depressive disorders may show impaired right-hemisphere functioning.
Electoral Rules, Constituency Pressures, and Pork Barrel: Bases of Voting in the Brazilian Congress

Why is Brazil's legislature extraordinarily active in the distribution of pork barrel but largely inactive on national issues? This article explores the question by illuminating the motivations of congressional deputies. Emphasizing the effects of open-list proportional representation and executive dominance over resources, I develop a model of legislative voting based on the operation of Brazil's political institutions. The nature of deputies' electoral bases, especially the clustering of their support and their domination of local constituencies, constrain deputies' preferences. Ideological positions matter as well, but the socioeconomic characteristics of constituencies only weakly affect legislative voting. Pork-barrel programs controlled by the president also profoundly influence deputies' broader voting patterns. When the motivations of deputies favor deals maximizing local pork barrel and discourage strengthening parties and responding to broader constituency demands, it is no surprise that the leg...
The occurrence of tortoiseshell on a pre-Hispanic Maya mosaic mask

The Dumbarton Oaks Maya mosaic mask is shown to have included tortoiseshell on an earlobe�remarkable since this is the only demonstrated use of this material in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The authors present diagnostic evidence for the presence of tortoiseshell, account for its absence in pre-Hispanic artefacts because of decay, and propose its use (in the mask) as being symbolic of the ocean.
A Tale of Two Bureaucrats: Joseph Nourse, Oliver Wolcott Jr., and the Forerunners of American Public Administration

An examination of the careers of two of George Washington's early bureaucrats— Joseph Nourse and Oliver Wolcott—deepens our understanding of the evolution of the American bureaucratic state and its mix of career employees and political appointees. In a career spanning 52 years, Nourse, the first register of the treasury, resembles the nonpartisan merit-based civil servant who spends an entire career in public service. Wolcott, the treasury's first auditor, resembles today's political appointee whose stay in government is temporary and who enters and leaves government according to the political winds. Nourse, Wolcott, and their colleagues proved to be efficient, honest, and set high standards for today's civil servants to emulate, although they stooped to the lower ethics of the time that allowed nepotism, spoilsmanship, and stock jobbery.
Minimal and complete word unification

The fundamental satisfiability problem for word equations has been solved recently by Makanin. However, this algorithm is purely a decision algorithm. The main result of this paper solves the complementary problem of generating the set of all solutions. Specifically, the algorithm in this paper generates, given a word equation, a minimal and complete set of unifiers. It stops if this set is finite.
Improved Speaker Diarization of Meeting Speech with Recurrent Selection of Representative Speech Segments and Participant Interaction Pattern Modeling

In this work we describe two distinct novel improvements to our speaker diarization system, previously proposed for analysis of meeting speech. The first approach focuses on recurrent selection of representative speech segments for speaker clustering while the other is based on participant interaction pattern modeling. The former selects speech segments with high relevance to speaker clustering, especially from a robust cluster modeling perspective, and keeps updating them throughout clustering procedures. The latter statistically models conversation patterns between meeting participants and applies it as a priori information when refining diarization results. Experimental results reveal that the two proposed approaches provide performance enhancement by 29.82% (relative) in terms of diarization error rate in tests on 13 meeting excerpts from various meeting speech corpora. Index Terms: speaker diarization, representative speech segments, participant interaction pattern modeling
Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Areas Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Older Persons

Measurements of cross-sectional muscle areas of the upper-arm and mid-thigh from MRI images were compared to corresponding estimates from anthropometric measurements of limb circumferences and skinfold thicknesses in 25 normal, healthy, elderly persons. The anthropometric method significantly overestimated actual muscle areas, and the amount of error increased systematically with level of adiposity. These results agree with those from other, similar studies using CT in younger adults, but indicate that the degree of error is 2 to 3 times greater for elderly persons. At present, there does not appear to be any simple way to "correct" the anthropometric method. Prediction methods may be developed, but these will still produce large errors for some individuals. Alternative approaches are discussed.
Impact Teaching: Lead or Be Left behind.

This paper examines opportunities to improve student achievement by examining teaching effectiveness. It suggests practices that instructors use in their course delivery to encourage interest in the subject and create a connection between the subject and global competitiveness. This paper examines the challenges that post-secondary instructors face in course and class design for delivering impressionable and long-lasting academic instruction that gives students a competitive edge. Today’s students must lead or be left behind. They face unique challenges and have different educational needs. Instructors must align courses with the requirements of the society of the future, which will demand new combinations of skills and abilities. Recognizing that student achievement is inextricably linked to teaching effectiveness, the authors surveyed students about their favorite professor and class and why that person and class were selected. Survey results were analyzed to identify effective teaching characteristics.
TDP1 repairs nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage induced by chain-terminating anticancer and antiviral nucleoside analogs

Chain-terminating nucleoside analogs (CTNAs) that cause stalling or premature termination of DNA replication forks are widely used as anticancer and antiviral drugs. However, it is not well understood how cells repair the DNA damage induced by these drugs. Here, we reveal the importance of tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) in the repair of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage induced by CTNAs. On investigating the effects of four CTNAs-acyclovir (ACV), cytarabine (Ara-C), zidovudine (AZT) and zalcitabine (ddC)-we show that TDP1 is capable of removing the covalently linked corresponding CTNAs from DNA 3'-ends. We also show that Tdp1-/- cells are hypersensitive and accumulate more DNA damage when treated with ACV and Ara-C, implicating TDP1 in repairing CTNA-induced DNA damage. As AZT and ddC are known to cause mitochondrial dysfunction, we examined whether TDP1 repairs the mitochondrial DNA damage they induced. We find that AZT and ddC treatment leads to greater depletion of mitochondrial DNA in Tdp1-/- cells. Thus, TDP1 seems to be critical for repairing nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage caused by CTNAs.
High frequency transformer isolated Z-source inverters

This paper presents a family of high frequency transformer isolated impedance-source (Z-source) inverters and corresponding control method for DC to AC power conversion applications. The original single-stage Z-source inverter incorporates a unique passive impedance network coupled between the inverter main circuit and power source, thus overcoming some conceptual limitations of conventional voltage-fed and current-fed inverters. The proposed isolated Z-source inverters carefully integrate the Z-source network concept into the two-stage DC-DC-AC topology, by employing high frequency transformers. While inheriting the great merits of original Z-source inverters, such as wide input range, buck and boost functions, and high reliability against EMI noises, the proposed topologies can achieve input-output isolation and higher voltage boost ratio with reduced device stresses, with transformer secondary to primary turns ratio over 1. This paper concentrates on one example of a voltage-fed isolated Z-source inverter to elaborate the detailed operating principle and control. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the analysis and demonstrate the new features.
Tangles, Toxicity, and Tau Secretion in AD - New Approaches to a Vexing Problem.

When the microtubule-associated protein tau is not bound to axonal microtubules (MTs), it becomes hyperphosphorylated and vulnerable to proteolytic cleavage and other changes typically seen in the hallmark tau deposits (neurofibrillary tangles) of tau-associated neurodegenerative diseases (tauopathies). Neurofibrillary tangle formation is preceded by tau oligomerization and accompanied by covalent crosslinking and cytotoxicity, making tangle cytopathogenesis a natural central focus of studies directed at understanding the role of tau in neurodegenerative disease. Recent studies suggest that the formation of tau oligomers may be more closely related to tau neurotoxicity than the presence of the tangles themselves. It has also become increasingly clear that tau pathobiology involves a wide variety of other cellular abnormalities including a disruption of autophagy, vesicle trafficking mechanisms, axoplasmic transport, neuronal polarity, and even the secretion of tau, which is normally a cytosolic protein, to the extracellular space. In this review, we discuss tau misprocessing, toxicity and secretion in the context of normal tau functions in developing and mature neurons. We also compare tau cytopathology to that of other aggregation-prone proteins involved in neurodegeneration (alpha synuclein, prion protein, and APP). Finally, we consider potential mechanisms of intra- and interneuronal tau lesion spreading, an area of particular recent interest.
Ecological and geographical scale: parallels and potential for integration

Scale has emerged as a major issue in both ecology and geography in recent decades. Little effort has been made to compare these parallel debates, however, or to seek an integrated conception of scale across the two disciplines. This paper argues that such an integration is possible, even between ecology and human geography - the subfield of geography seemingly most removed from ecological concerns and methods. In both disciplines, globalization has lent practical urgency to problems of scale, revealing deeper theoretical issues. Geographers have helped impel ecologists to take space and scale seriously, and the epistemological insight that scale is produced (rather than given a priori) should be applied to ecological as well as social phenomena. Ecologists' conceptual distinctions and methodological guidelines regarding scale, meanwhile, can help resolve 'the scale question' in critical human geography. Scale is both a methodological issue inherent to observation (its epistemological moment) and an objective characteristic of complex interactions within and among social and natural processes (its ontological moment). These processes and interactions - rather than scale per se - should be the object of research, with particular attention to nonlinearities or thresholds of change.
Confirmation and refinement of the Diehl-Miller nomogram for intraocular lens power calculation after laser in situ keratomileusis

Purpose To validate the Diehl-Miller equation for achieving emmetropia after cataract surgery in post-laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eyes and to present a refined equation. Setting Jules Stein Eye Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA. Design Cohort study. Methods Preoperative and postoperative refractive and cataract surgery data were collected from the medical records of post-LASIK patients. The IOL power data and postoperative refractive information were used to calculate the true target refractive error that should have been chosen to achieve emmetropia. Regression analysis of the combined data from Diehl-Miller and the current study was used to develop a refined equation. Diehl-Miller relates the manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) change induced by LASIK to an adjusted target postoperative refractive error to be used in intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations. Results Twenty-three eyes of 18 patients were evaluated. The target refractive error calculated by Diehl-Miller differed from the true target refractive error by an absolute mean of 0.481 diopter (D) ±0.376 (SD). Regression analysis of the combined data from Diehl-Miller and the current study yielded the following 2nd-order polynomial equation: Target refractive error = −0.0198 (MRSE change) 2 +0.170 (MRSE change)−0.0079. The calculated target refractive error fell within ±0.50 D of the true target in 49% of patients and within ±1.00 D in 93% of patients. Conclusions This study validated that the Diehl-Miller equation accurately predicts the target refractive error to achieve emmetropia in post-LASIK eyes. The slightly refined Diehl-Date-Miller equation and associated lookup tables can be used to avoid postoperative refractive surprises. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Non-Theists Are No Less Moral Than Theists: Some Preliminary Results

The longstanding stereotype that non-theists are less moral than theists is not empirically supported. To test this commonplace assumption, 114 undergraduate participants were evaluated to draw comparisons about religious identity and altruism levels. Participants were placed into one of two groups, theists or non-theists. The theist group was then further divided: weakly religious, moderately religious, and highly religious. Non-theists and theists as a whole, as well as theist subgroup assessments, were compared. Data were collected through self-report surveys. Additionally, to test moral decision-making abilities, participants answered questions based on situational dilemmas. Using Kohlberg’s coding schema, scores were assigned for the participant’s global moral reasoning rather than for the content of their answers. Using independent groups t-test, ANOVA, and post-hoc tests,our findings suggest no support for the existence of the stereotype that non-theists are less moral than theists. Religious identity did not conclusively determine whether or not an individual was more moral or more altruistic.
Bioelectric responses at fertilization : separation of the events associated with insemination from those due to the cortical reaction in sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus

The bioelectric responses at fertilization of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus are a complex series of membrane potential and resistance changes that occur concomitant with gamete fusion, ionic fluxes, and the cortical granule discharge. This work attempts to separate the electrical effects of sperm-egg interactions from those of the cortical reactions. Two approaches were taken to discern the electrical events associated with insemination, distinct from cortical granule discharge: (1) fertilization of eggs treated with 3% urethane, 10 mM procaine, or 10 mM nicotine, to prevent the cortical reaction and (2) refertilization of fertilized eggs (denuded with 1 mM aminotriazole containing 1 mg/ml soybean trypsin inhibitor). Cortical granule discharge in the absence of sperm incorporation was investigated by artificial activation with 5 μM A23187 or by fertilization in the presence of 10 μM cytochalasin D, which prevents incorporation. These results are consistent with a model in which the sperm-egg interaction triggers both a rapid (50-400 msec), but minor (≅10 mV), electrical transient that leads to an action potential and then both the Na+-dependent fast block to polyspermy and the late block resulting from the secretion of the cortical granules.
Management of Cardiovascular Risk Associated with Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, and the Metabolic Syndrome

AbstractThe metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that function as risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and its key components—diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension—form a lethal combination. The incidence of obesity and other components of the metabolic syndrome is now at epidemic proportions, and current lifestyle trends suggest that it will continue to increase worldwide. In order to avert a major health crisis, physicians must take immediate steps to recognize and treat the metabolic syndrome and its components. Early diagnosis and therapeutic lifestyle changes should go hand-in-hand with individual and composite therapy for metabolic syndrome components to reduce CVD risk in affected individuals. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and treatment of the metabolic syndrome with a particular emphasis on reducing CVD risk.
Characterizing space vacuum contamination due to outgassing from dielectrics

The effects of temperature and surface preparation on outgassing rates for different solid dielectric materials are presented. Among the parameters which influence the electrical breakdown strength of the vacuum region are gas pressure, species, and the length of exposure of the solid dielectrics to vacuum. Breakdown measurements have indicated that the outgassed products of the different materials behave similarly at equivalent pressures. This is due to the fact that the outgassed species (primarily atmospheric gases) are similar for the different materials. However, significant differences in breakdown voltages are observed when the outgassing rate for each material is used in determining the breakdown voltage as a function of time. It was also found that increasing the temperature from room temperature to 150 degrees C caused an order of magnitude increase in the outgassing rate. In addition, the exposure of materials to wet (humid) air was found to increase their outgassing rates by almost an order of magnitude. >
Second-rank tensor anion polarizabilities in some rutile group crystals

Abstract Straightforward computation of anion polarizability elements for light electric vector vibration parallel with, then normal to, the plane of three cations bonded to each anion [either (110) or (110)] in six rutile-group minerals yields the following values. α α ″ α ⊥ cation anion anion (A 3 ) (A 3 ) (A 3 ) TiO 2 (Rutile) 2·5 35·1 22·6 SnO 2 (Cassiterite) 30·5 10·5 23·6 GeO 2 11·9 18·0–18·7 7·0–5·4(Depending on n ϵ ) MgF 2 (Sellaite) 7·9 7·2 8·0 ZnF 2 9·9 10·0 13·0 NiF 2 15·0 7·6 10·4 (The values are in rationalized units, and for lowest available visible refractive indices. The isotropic cation polarizalities are ‘input’ data.) Actually, the tetragonal character of these minerals precludes rigorous separation of the two elements for vibration normal to the cation plane and parallel to the cation plane, but normal to the c -axis. These two elements are linearly related. The linear relation is solved by the approximation that the parallel element of this relation and the element for vibration parallel both with the cation plane and with the c -axis are equal. This approximation improves as the three bond lengths approach equality. Of the minerals reported, only cassiterite has all nearest-neighbor bond lengths essentially equal; anion polarizability values are hence more nearly rigorous in this respect for cassiterite than for the other minerals. Reiteration with all the values is necessary for refinement.
Open Secrets of American Foreign Policy

American foreign policy is a dynamic and often controversial field, and is currently a topic of deep interest given recent developments in the Middle East, North Korea and China. In order to understand where US foreign policy is headed, it is important to first examine where it came from. This book provides an analysis of the political, economic and military history of American foreign policy, with the aim of divulging important details that most people have either never learned or forgotten - hence the phrase 'open secrets.' Covering events such as the attack on Pearl Harbor and the American Revolution, as well as American involvement in the Korean War and the collapse of Nationalist China, this fascinating book debunks a number of myths held by most people regarding US foreign policy, revealing some surprising conclusions.
SPOT: locating social media users based on social network context

A tremendous amount of information is being shared everyday on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Google+. But only a small portion of users provide their location information, which can be helpful in targeted advertisement and many other services. In this demo we present our large scale user location estimation system, SPOT, which showcase different location estimating models on real world data sets. The demo shows three different location estimation algorithms: a friend-based, a social closeness-based, and an energy and local social coefficient based. The first algorithm is a baseline and the other two new algorithms utilize social closeness information which was traditionally treated as a binary friendship. The two algorithms are based on the premise that friends are different and close friends can help to estimate location better. The demo will also show that all three algorithms benefit from a confidence-based iteration method. The demo is web-based. A user can specify different settings, explore the estimation results on a map, and observe the statistical information, e.g. accuracy and average friends used in the estimation, dynamically. The demo provides two datasets: Twitter (148,860 located users) and Gowalla (99,563 located users). Furthermore, a user can filter users with certain features, e.g. with more than 100 friends, to see how the estimating models work on a particular case. The estimated and real locations of those users as well as their friends will be displayed on the map.