cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated Software Generation and Hardware Coprocessor Synthesis for Data-Adaptable Reconfigurable Systems

We present an overview of a data-adaptable reconfigurable embedded systems design methodology. The paper presents a novel paradigm for hardware/software code sign and reconfigurable computing driven by data-adaptability. The data-adaptable approach allows designers to directly model the data configurability of the target application, thereby enabling a solution that permits dynamic reconfiguration based on the data profile of the incoming data stream. This approach permits low-power, small form-factor hardware implementations of algorithms that might otherwise consume significant resources, or perhaps exceed the available space of the reconfigurable hardware.
A comparison of micromachined inductors with different magnetic core materials

Two integrated inductors with different electroplated cores, permalloy (Ni(80%)-Fe(20%)) and orthonol (Ni(50%)-Fe(50%)) cores, are designed, fabricated, tested, and compared in order to reach optimum designs for integrated inductors and transformers. These integrated inductors were realized on a silicon wafer by using micromachining techniques to fabricate wrapped coils wound around a 'bar' of high permeability core material. These devices have high current capability (up to 2A steady DC current) and are suitable for application in DC/DC converters. The total inductor size is 4 mm/spl times/1.0 mm/spl times/0.13 mm having 30 turns of multilevel copper coils (40 /spl mu/m thick). Each inductor has nominally identical geometry and core thickness (15 /spl mu/m), implying that differences in performance would be due entirely to differences in core behavior. The permalloy core inductor has a slightly higher inductance than the orthonol core inductor. However, the DC saturation current of the orthonol core inductor is much higher than the permalloy core inductor. In many high power applications, high saturation flux density is more important than permeability, because DC saturation current is proportional to saturation flux density. The measured behavior confirms on in-situ electroplated samples and fabricated components the trends expected from bulk properties of these nickel-iron alloys.
Dynamics of diffeomorphism degrees of freedom at a horizon

We define a set of boundary conditions that ensure the presence of a null hypersurface with the essential characteristics of a horizon, using the formalism of weakly isolated horizons as a guide. We then determine the diffeomorphisms that preserve these boundary conditions, and derive a dynamical action for these diffeomorphisms in a neighborhood of the horizon. The action is similar to that of the Liouville theory, and the equation of motion of the gravitational degrees of freedom approaches that of a free two-dimensional conformal field in the near-horizon region.
Canine Renal Pathology Associated with Grape or Raisin Ingestion: 10 Cases:

Ten dogs suffered acute renal failure after ingesting $3 g/kg (dry matter) of grapes or raisins. All dogs had degeneration or necrosis (or both) of proximal renal tubules with basement membranes remaining intact, and epithelial regeneration was observed in 5 out of 10 cases. Mineralized tubular debris or granular to proteinaceous casts (or both) were present in all cases. A golden-brown, globular, intracellular pigment of varying amounts and sizes was observed in 6 out of 10 cases with variable reaction with Prussian blue. Multifocal fibrinous arteritis of the large colon was seen in 2 out of 5 cases with globulin insudation of vessel wall demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining for immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM. Mineral analysis on frozen renal tissue from 2 out of 2 cases revealed mildly elevated Ca:P ratio in both. Clinically significant observations were preservation of the integrity of basement membranes after grape-induced tubular injury and presence of early epithelial regeneration. Thus, recovery may be possible if anuria is aggressively managed. With respect to potential pathophysiologic mechanisms, further research into the roles of calcium homeostasis, vascular reactivity, and the significance of the golden-brown pigment is indicated.
A novel mechanism of skin tumor promotion involving interferon‐gamma (IFNγ)/signal transducer and activator of transcription‐1 (Stat1) signaling

The current study was designed to explore the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1) during tumor promotion using the mouse skin multistage carcinogenesis model. Topical treatment with both 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and 3-methyl-1,8-dihydroxy-9-anthrone (chrysarobin or CHRY) led to rapid phosphorylation of Stat1 on both tyrosine (Y701) and serine (S727) residues in epidermis. CHRY treatment also led to upregulation of unphosphorylated Stat1 (uStat1) at later time points. CHRY treatment also led to upregulation of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) mRNA and protein, which was dependent on Stat1. Further analyses demonstrated that topical treatment with CHRY but not TPA upregulated interferon-gamma (IFNγ) mRNA in the epidermis and that the induction of both IRF-1 and uStat1 was dependent on IFNγ signaling. Stat1 deficient (Stat1(-/-) ) mice were highly resistant to skin tumor promotion by CHRY. In contrast, the tumor response (in terms of both papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas) was similar in Stat1(-/-) mice and wild-type littermates with TPA as the promoter. Maximal induction of both cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase in epidermis following treatment with CHRY was also dependent on the presence of functional Stat1. These studies define a novel mechanism associated with skin tumor promotion by the anthrone class of tumor promoters involving upregulation of IFNγ signaling in the epidermis and downstream signaling through activated (phosphorylated) Stat1, IRF-1 and uStat1.
Enabling Better Medical Image Classification Through Secure Collaboration

Privacy is of growing concern in today's day and age. Protecting the privacy of health data is of paramount importance. With the rapid advancement in imaging technology, analysis of medical images is now one of the most dynamic fields of study today. Image analysis is performed for a variety of purposes, ranging from image enhancement to image segmentation. It can easily be seen that having access to more information makes the analysis results more accurate. For example, supervised classification based image segmentation requires good and plentiful training data. We wish to utilize the training data at different locations to obtain more accurate image segmentation while still protecting the privacy of individual patients. Work in the field of secure multi-party computation (SMC) in cryptography shows how to compute functions securely and quantifies what it means to be secure. Applying SMC protocols in image processing is a challenging problem. This paper looks at how some of this work can be leveraged to perform privacy-preserving image analysis and classification.
G proteins couple alpha-adrenergic and GABAb receptors to inhibition of peptide secretion from peripheral sensory neurons.

Regulation of neuronal calcium channels by GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) is likely to be an important mechanism by which inhibitory transmitters influence excitation-secretion coupling in presynaptic nerve endings. Here, we report that in peripheral sensory neurons from embryonic chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG), the G protein-mediated inhibition of voltage-dependent calcium channels may best explain how norepinephrine (NE) and GABA inhibit the electrically evoked, calcium- dependent release of substance P (SP). As is the case for the previously reported inhibitory actions of these transmitters on DRG cell calcium channels, we demonstrate that NE and GABA inhibit peptide secretion through activation of alpha-adrenergic and GABAb receptors that are functionally coupled to pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G proteins. Pretreatment of DRG cell cultures with PTX blocked the ability of NE and GABA to inhibit the release of SP, an action correlated with PTX-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of membrane proteins with apparent molecular weight (Mr) of 40–41 kDa. Western immunoblot analysis of chick DRG cell membrane proteins using antisera directed against synthetic peptides corresponding to amino acid sequences predicted from cDNAs for PTX-sensitive G protein alpha subunits revealed a minimum of 2 Gi-like proteins (Mr 40 and 41 kDa) and a third Go-like protein (Mr 40 kD). Significantly, these findings implicate Gi- and/or Go-like GTP-binding proteins as mediators of presynaptic inhibition in peripheral sensory neurons.
Plant-available organic and mineral nitrogen shift in dominance with forest stand age.

Studies of soil nitrogen (N) availability over stand development have almost exclusively focused on mineral N, yet we increasingly recognize that plants can take up organic N in the form of free amino acids at biologically important rates. We investigated amino-acid and mineral N availability along a 10-site chronosequence of jack pine stands, varying in age from 4 to 60 yr following wildfire. We measured free amino-acid N and mineral N in soil extracts; native proteolytic rates; net N mineralization rates; and microbial amino-acid consumption via a 15N leucine tracer assay in 6 of the 10 sites (4, 10, 18, 22, 46, and 55-yr-old). Amino-acid N was consistently low in the youngest sites (4-10 yr), increased rapidly in mid aged sites (15-22 yr), and was highest in stand age 46. In contrast, mineral N exhibited a parabolic shape (R2 = 0.499; P < 0.0001), with the youngest site and the four oldest sites containing the highest amounts of mineral N. As a result, amino-acid N as a percentage of amino-acid N + mineral N was greatest in mid-aged stands (e.g., 67% in the 22-yr-old stand). We observed no trend in proteolytic rates across the chronosequence (P = 0.632). Percentage 15N tracer recovery was lowest in the extractable organic N pool for the 4, 10, and 18-yr-old sites, though only site age 10 was significantly different from the older sites. Percentage of recovery in the organic N pool was significantly positively related (R2 = 0.798; P < 0.05) to standing pools of amino-acid N. Overall, our results suggest that heterotrophic consumption, not production via proteolysis, controls soil free amino-acid availability. Higher microbial demand for free amino acids in younger vs. older sites likely results from greater microbial C and N limitation early in stand development due to the lack of fresh litter inputs. Since amino acid N exceeds mineral N in a time period of stand development where jack pine growth rates and N demand are highest, we speculate that amino-acid N may be important to the N economy of these forests.
Quantum theory of multiwave mixing. VI. Effects of quantum noise on modulation spectroscopy

Treating the weak-sideband fields quantum mechanically, we study the effects of quantum noise on amplitude-modulation and frequency-modulation spectroscopy of two-level media. Our analysis demonstrates that quantum noise affects not only the intensities of the modulation sidebands but also their relative phase, which leads in particular to a quantum limit for frequency-modulation spectroscopy.
Practical ethical theory for nurses responding to complexity in care

In the context of health care system complexity, nurses need responsive leadership and organizational support to maintain intrinsic motivation, moral sensitivity and a caring stance in the delivery of patient care. The current complexity of nurses' work environment promotes decreases in work motivation and moral satisfaction, thus creating motivational and ethical dissonance in practice. These and other work-related factors increase emotional stress and burnout for nurses, prompting both new and seasoned nurse professionals to leave their current position, or even the profession. This article presents a theoretical conceptual model for professional nurses to review and make sense of the ethical reasoning skills needed to maintain a caring stance in relation to the competing values that must coexist among nurses, health care administrators, patients and families in the context of the complex health care work environments in which nurses are expected to practice. A model, Nurses' Ethical Reasoning Skills, is presented as a framework for nurses' thinking through and problem solving ethical issues in clinical practice in the context of complexity in health care.
A multivariate analysis of familial associations of lipoprotein levels in the lipid research clinics collaborative family study: I. Familial correlation and regression analyses

In view of the complex, intraindividual relationships among different lipoprotein levels (LDL-C, HDL-C, and VLDL-C), multivariate methods aimed at assessing joint familial associations and their possible determinants were performed in the white, random sample component of the Collaborative Lipid Research Clinics Family Study data (1,336 families with 5,097 subjects). After appropriate transformations and covariate adjustments of the data, several kinds of correlation and regression analyses were performed, taking into consideration variable family size and possible age and clinic differences. The association patterns across clinics and age strata were found to be homogeneous for the vast majority of comparisons. The results of multivariate analyses (especially the significant association of each lipoprotein among biological relatives), the persistence of parental levels as the best predictors for the same lipoprotein levels among the offspring, and the essentially unchanged partial correlation estimates as compared to ordinary correlations suggest strong influence of factors specific to each lipoprotein in the familial associations. But the highly significant intraindividual correlations and the nonnegligible cross-correlations among relatives also suggest the additional presence of common underlying factors for the familial associations, especially between HDL-C and VLDL-C and to a lesser extent between LDL-C and VLDL-C. The issues stemming from these analyses and the directions for further analyses are discussed.
Amyloid tumor: a clinical and cytomorphologic study.

We describe the cytologic findings and clinical presentation of three unusual cases of amyloid tumor. Two of our patients had low-grade lymphoid malignancies and the third insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In no cases was amyloid suspected as the cause of mass lesion. Two of our cases presented with superficial soft tissue mass and the third with right breast masses and bilateral axillary lymph node enlargement. Air-dried slides from all aspirated cases were stained with Diff-Quik for specimen adequacy evaluation. The remaining fixed slides were stained with Papanicolaou stain. Amyloid appeared as dark-blue to purple clumps of acellular material on Diff-Quik stain, accompanied with chronic inflammatory cell infiltrates and multinucleated giant cells, simulating granulomatous inflammation. Papanicolaou stain demonstrated cyanophilic to orangophilic acellular material. Amyloid was suspected and subsequently confirmed by Congo red stain.
Wavelet estimation for samples with random uniform design

We show that for nonparametric regression if the samples have random uniform design, the wavelet method with universal thresholding can be applied directly to the samples as if they were equispaced. The resulting estimator achieves within a logarithmic factor from the minimax rate of convergence over a family of Holder classes. Simulation result is also discussed.
Increased levels of threonyl-tRNA synthetase in a borrelidin-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line

Abstract The growth of Chinese hamster ovary cells in medium containing reduced concentrations of threonine is inhibited by borrelidin, a macrolide antibiotic. Borrelidin-resistant clones have been isolated after ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis. One clone, 1C-1, has a 3-fold increased level of threonyl-tRNA synthetase [L-threonine:tRNAThr ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.1.1.3] as determined by both activity measurements and antiserum titrations. The levels of four other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and of tRNAThr are the same in strain 1C-1 and in the wild-type parent. The phenotype of increased threonyl-tRNA synthetase activity is recessive to wild type in cell hybrids.
The Elephant, Umbrella, and Quarrelling Cocks: Disaggregating Partisanship in Ghana’s Fourth Republic

Within the literature on Ghanaian partisanship, a healthy debate has arisen between those viewing Ghana’s two dominant parties as cleaved along socioeconomic lines and those suggesting that this cleavage runs along ethnic lines. Using election results, constituency maps, census data, and a survey of voters’ ‘cognitive shortcuts’, this article weighs in with the debate. The findings suggest that ethnicity matters in Ghanaian elections far more than socioeconomic variables. The findings do not, however, lead easily towards the gloomy predictions that often accompany ethnic politics. The relationship between ethnicity and partisanship in Ghana is far more complex. Data presented here suggest that Asante and Ewe voters are likely to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), respectively, regardless of the candidates they select. Voters of other ethnic backgrounds, who make up the vast majority of Ghanaian voters, view the dominant parties as representative of Asante and Ewe interests but do not themselves vote as a block and base their evaluations of the ‘Asante’ and ‘Ewe’ parties ultimately on things other than ethnicity. It is this latter group of voters that makes Ghanaian elections unpredictable and discourages politicians from turning national votes into zero-sum ethnic census. THAT THERE WAS A PATTERN to Ghana’s 2004 elections surprised no one. As expected, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) picked up majority of the votes in the Ashanti region, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won in the Volta, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions. The ‘swing’ regions (Eastern, Greater Accra, Central, Western, and
Low Rank Matrix Recovery: Nuclear Norm Penalization

In this chapter, we discuss a problem of estimation of a large target matrix based 4 on a finite number of noisy measurements of linear functionals (often, random) 5 of this matrix. The underlying assumption is that the target matrix is of small 6 rank and the goal is to determine how the estimation error depends on the rank 7 as well as on other important parameters of the problem such as the number of 8 measurements and the variance of the noise. This problem can be viewed as a 9 natural noncommutative extension of sparse recovery problems discussed in the 10 previous chapters. As a matter of fact, low rank recovery is equivalent to sparse 11 recovery when all the matrices in question are diagonal. There are several important 12 instances of such problems, in particular, matrix completion [41, 45, 70, 123], 13 matrix regression [40, 90, 126] and the problem of density matrix estimation in 14 quantum state tomography [70, 71, 88]. We will study some of these problems 15 using general empirical processes techniques developed in the first several chapters. 16 Noncommutative Bernstein type inequalities established in Sect. 2.4 will play a 17 very special role in our analysis. The main results will be obtained for Hermitian 18 matrices. So called “Paulsen dilation” (see Sect. 2.4) can be then used to tackle 19 the case of rectangular matrices. Throughout the chapter, we use the notations 20 introduced in Sect. A.4.
Lower Court Discretion

Empirical scholars typically model the judicial hierarchy in terms of a principal-agent relationship in which the Supreme Court, the principal, sets policy and the lower federal courts, as agents, must implement that policy faithfully. The law is a signal - the means by which the Court communicates its preferences. This article argues instead for recognizing the law as an independent normative force. Empirical scholars fail to take seriously the role of law because they reject as implausible formalistic accounts of its operation. This article advances a more nuanced account of how law shapes the decision-making environment, one that focuses on the presence of discretion. It explores how different types of discretion afford distinct types of power over law-making and case outcomes, and how that discretionary power is allocated between district and appellate courts. Paying attention to discretion suggests features of the judicial hierarchy that are commonly overlooked in principal-agent models. For example, judges' goals and therefore their strategies will vary depending upon whether they seek to influence law development or merely to shape case outcomes. The article also critiques the normative assumption, implicit in principal-agent models, that lower federal courts should follow the preferences of the Supreme Court. Because law inevitably creates discretion for lower courts, a norm of compliance with superior court precedent does not necessarily require following the preferences of the Supreme Court. Many of the reasons judicial discretion exists - for example, to allocate power within the judicial hierarchy - argue against such a centralization of power in the Supreme Court.
Vibration Control Design for Light Rail Transit: A Single Project With the Full Rainbow of Vibration Control Features: Case Study

Because of the recent emphasis on rail transit infrastructure expansion and rebuilding in the United States, there is concern about the potential adverse vibration effects on existing activities that are sensitive to vibration and ground-borne-noise located in proximity to new or reactivated rail system rights-of-way. A Southern California at-grade/elevated LRT system that is currently under construction required the design and specification of extensive vibration control features. The final design needed to include the entire range of vibration mitigation tools presented in the Federal Transit Administration guidance manual. Designs and Contract Specifications included simple single-layer ballast mats; multi-layer ballast mats; high-resilience direct fixation fasteners; potential wheel-squeal solutions; low-vibration special trackwork; continuously-supported, street-running, floating slab track; and discrete, steel-helical-spring-supported floating slab track. It is noteworthy that the discrete steel-spring-supported FST is the first use of this vibration control approach in an at-grade rail system in the United States. This paper will discuss the overall approach, data analysis, solutions development, and the final designs prepared for this project and how this information may be beneficial to other projects with similar issues.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A New Gateway: Asian American Political Power in the 21st Century

Don T. Nakanishi's prescient 1985 Amerasia Journal essay, "Asian American Politics: An Agenda for Research" argued for an interdisciplinary approach to gain a better understanding of Asian American politics. His essay provided an integrated micro/macro and a domestic/transnational approach that was well ahead of its time. Nakanishi's timely essay would prove influential in defining future research parameters of the political behavior of Asian Americans. At the time of the essay's publication, Asians, compared to African Americans and Latinos, were not found in the extant political science literature. Nearly twenty-five years later, however, Nakanishi's interdisciplinary approach has become even more useful for studying Asian American politics. What follows is my incorporation and application of Nakanishi's earlier ideas to looking at Asian American political power today.
A Proof of the Chain Rule for Derivatives in n-Space

(1973). A Proof of the Chain Rule for Derivatives in n-Space. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 80, No. 10, pp. 1134-1135.
State Initiatives in the Federal System: The Politics and Policy of Comparable Worth in 1984

In 1984, comparable worth came to occupy center stage among state and local political systems as the civil rights cause of the 1980s. Advocates of comparable worth came to see state and local governments as being more receptive to considering policy initiatives in this area than was the federal government. This article documents comparable worth events culminating in 1984, describes the expansion of state and local action in this area, and considers the implications of these developments for the federal system. A conceptual framework for examining the issue of comparable worth is also presented.
The Migration of the White Stork in Egypt and Adjacent Areas

Observations on the spring migration of the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) were undertaken in 1962 by the authors as part of the research of the Yale University Prehistoric Expedition to Nubia (Reed 1966), at the suggestion of S. Dillon Ripley, then director of the Peabody Museum at Yale University. Data continued to be assembled during 1964 and 1965 by the senior author and by various other Expedition personnel: Heinz Walter, Chris Maser, Jorg Biel, Eric Wendt, Ingo Gabriel, Ibrahim Helmy, Maxine Kleindienst, Robert Orlins, Peter Banks, and Robert Giegengack, to all of whom we are indebted for numerous observations and suggestions. In 1962-1963, Expedition members were in Upper Egypt between Aswan and Kom Ombo from October through December, and subsequently in March, and the first two weeks of April; in Egyptian Nubia (between Aswan and the southern border of Egypt) in January and February; on the coast of the Red Sea at Mursah 'Alam (the spelling of this and other place names is variable) a number of times from December through mid-April; and between Mursah 'Alam and Suez from 16 to 18 April. In 1964 the Expedition was in Egyptian Nubia from January into April, and again in November and December, staying through the winter of 1965 and returning to Aswan early in April 1965. During these intermittent periods covering almost three years, we observed storks only during the time of the spring migration.
Discharge Destination as a Surrogate for Modified Rankin Scale Defined Outcomes at 3 and 12 Months among Stroke Survivors (P07.014)

Objective: Analysis of the prospectively collected data from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in patients with ischemic stroke presenting within 3 hours of symptom onset. Post hoc analysis of patients recruited in a clinical trial. Background To determine the validity of discharge destination as a surrogate for defining favorable and unfavorable outcomes at 3 and 12 months and magnitude of under- or over-estimation of favorable and unfavorable outcomes. Design/Methods: A total of 530 patients were discharged alive from the hospital after ischemic stroke. Positive and negative predictive value and likelihood ratios of discharge destination for unfavorable outcome at 3 and 12 months defined by a modified Rankin scale (mRS) of 2-6, mRS 3-6, or mRS 4-6. We also evaluated the predictive value and likelihood ratios of discharge destination for unfavorable outcome at 3 and 12 months in two strata defined by age (≤65 years and >65 years). Results: The positive predictive value of discharge to nursing home/rehabilitation facility was the highest for unfavorable outcome defined by mRS 2-6 (90%), as compared with those defined by mRS of 3-6 (79%) and of 4-6 (57%). The positive likelihood ratio was high for unfavorable outcome defined by mRS 2-6 at 3 months (6.18, 95% CI 4.29-8.90). The likelihood ratio for unfavorable outcome (mRS 2-6) was higher among those aged ≤65 years (6.8, 95% CI 3.61-13) compared with those aged >65 years (5.73, 95% CI 3.67-8.95). Conclusions: Our results provide insight into the use of discharge destination as a surrogate measure for death and disability at 3 months as defined by mRS. Disclosure: Dr. Anderson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chaudhry has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rodriguez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Suri has nothing to disclose. Dr. Qureshi has nothing to disclose.
DNA-protein complexes spread on N2-discharged carbon film and characterized by molecular weight and its projected distribution.

Abstract Omission of stain and shadow and the use of uncoated thin carbon film provide unparalleled contrast and resolution for protein-nucleic acid complexes studied by scanning transmission electron microscopy. A new technique, electrical discharge of the film in an atmosphere of pure N 2 , provides the required adhesion and spreading. Molecular weight determination by electron scattering achieves nearly its minimum possible error under these circumstances, as shown by test measurement of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase bound to bacteriophage T7 DNA. DNA contour length is within a few per cent of form B length and shows a relative standard deviation of 2 to 3%, several-fold smaller than Kleinschmidt spreading for short fragments. These techniques have contributed to a demonstration of nucleosome formation on a fragment of adenovirus serotype 2 DNA during brief incubation with a soluble extract of HeLa cells known to give selective and accurate transcription by RNA polymerase II. An example indicates the effectiveness of this approach for study of polymerase subunits and protein factors involved in transcription initiation.
Research the Food Security from the Sociological Perspective

Food security has become a serious social problem which triggers the author's thinking.The author points out that the society is full of risks,and that the society and its people have both become one-dimensional.What's more,the deviant behavior brings about social disorganization.In addition,the author holds that three aspects,namely,the correct values,citizen spirit and social control are essential in solving the problem of social loss of moral standards.
Study on contamination sources of the nitrate in groundwater by nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in Ramotswa, Botswana

Nitrate pollution is one of the most serious groundwater problems in Botswana, which is seriously affected the safety of drinking water. This study takes Ramotswa in southeastern Botswana as example, characteristics concentration and distribution of ammonia nitrogn, nitrate and nitrite, the source and mechanism of the nitrate in groundwater were studied on the basis of water chemical and isotopic geochemical. Water analysis of 14 groundwater and 2 surface water samples shows that the main water chemical type is HCO_3~-Mg, most samples with high concentration are from dolomiteaquifer in Ramotswa region, and nitrate in upstream is less than downstream and northern area. The groundwater in study area is mainly from the precipitation. Evaporation in the northern part is relatively intense. Isotope of~(15) N and~(18)O in nitrate indicates that the main source of nitrate in groundwater in Ramotswa village is feces, influence by nitrification, denitrification and evaporation. Graveyard is another important source of the nitrate in groundwater.
Highway-user fees for overweight trucks: Consequences of deviations from the fourth-power law

ABSTRACTIn updating road-user fees, highway agencies are motivated by the twin objectives of equity and efficiency. The concepts of marginal pavement consumption cost (MPCC) and the fourth-power law have been used in past research in a bid to establish efficient and equitable user fees. Over the past few decades, the use of the fourth-power law has faced some criticism that the actual power of the relationship between loading and pavement deterioration deviates significantly from 4.0. In addressing this issue, this article presents a methodology that investigates the consequences of the power variations to the estimated MPCC and the distributional (equity) impacts of road-user fees for overweight (OW) trucks. The methodology incorporates practical schedules of highway maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. The analysis suggests that there are extremely small differences between the MPCC values that result from using different values of the exponent in the power law. However, different values of ...
Doxazosin plus finasteride reduced clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia more than either drug used alone.

Source Citation McConnell JD, Roehrborn CG, Bautista OM, et al. The long-term effect of doxazosin, finasteride, and combination therapy on the clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia. ...
Efficient glycosylation site utilization by intracellular apolipoprotein B. Implications for proteasomal degradation.

The balance between the hepatic assembly of apolipoprotein B (apoB) and its presecretory degradation at the level of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) may control the secretion of apoB-containing lipoproteins. In one model, apoB that fails to assemble with lipid undergoes transloca- tion arrest, exposing the protein to the cytosolic protea- some. To examine apoB's translocation behavior under var- ious metabolic conditions, glycosylation site utilization studies were performed. A 70-amino acid peptide contain- ing three sites for N-linked glycosylation was appended to the C-terminus of apoB-50 (amino-terminal 50% of apoB) and expressed in both hepatic and nonhepatic cell lines. When the C-terminal reporter peptide was released by cyan- ogen bromide cleavage, all of the sites were glycosylated ir- respective of cell type, labeling time, or assembly status. Si- milar peptide mapping of endogenous apoB-100 expressed in HepG2 cells was performed to monitor glycosylation at Asn residues 2752 (apoB-61), 2955 (apoB-65), and 3074 (apoB-68). N-linked glycosylation occurred at a minimum of two of the three sites, a frequency identical to that observed in apoB-100 recovered from cell media. Treatment of cells with proteasome inhibitors produced a 2.5-fold increase in intracellular apoB but failed to cause accumulation of an unglycosylated form. These results indicate that 1 ) the efficient translocation of apoB into the ER occurs indepen- dently of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein and its assembly with lipid and 2 ) despite its large size and affinity for lipid, delivery of misassembled apoB to the proteasome requires retrograde translocation from the ER lumen to cyto- sol. —Huang, X. F., and G. S. Shelness. Efficient glycosylation site utilization by intracellular apolipoprotein B: implications for proteasomal degradation. J. Lipid Res. 1999. 40: 2212- 2222.
ChIP-Chip to Analyze the Binding of Replication Proteins to Chromatin Using Oligonucleotide DNA Microarrays

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is a widely used method to study the interactions between proteins and discrete chromosomal loci in vivo. Originally, ChIP was developed for analysis of protein associations with DNA sequences known or suspected to bind the protein of interest. The advent of DNA microarrays has enabled the identification of all DNA sequences enriched by ChIP, providing a genomic view of protein binding. This powerful approach, termed ChIP-chip, is broadly applicable and has been particularly valuable in DNA replication studies to map replication origins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on the association of replication proteins with these chromosomal elements. We present a detailed ChIP-chip protocol for S. cerevisiae that uses oligonucleotide DNA microarrays printed on polylysine-coated glass slides and can also be easily adapted for commercially available high-density tiling microarrays from NimbleGen. We also outline general protocols for data analysis; however, microarray data analyses usually must be tailored specifically for individual studies, depending on experimental design, microarray format, and data quality.
Abstract 3674: MIG-6 suppresses epithelial cell proliferation via inhibiting AKT phosphorylation during endometrial tumorigenesis

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA Endometrial cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy of the female genital tract. Hysterectomy is typically the first line therapeutic strategy for endometrial cancer. However, there is an increasing demand for nonsurgical approaches for endometrial cancer, especially for women of reproductive age with endometrial cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. Most endometrial cancers are characterized by actively proliferating epithelial cells, increased AKT signaling and association with prolonged, unopposed E2 exposure. Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig-6) is an important mediator of progesterone receptor action in the murine uterus. As P4 achieves the inhibition of proliferation by coordinating stromal-epithelial cross-talk, we generated a mouse model in which we specifically ablate epithelial endometrial Mig-6 using Sprr2f-cre mice (Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f) to understand the role of epithelial Mig-6 in the uterus. Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f mice displayed endometrial hyperplasia upon 10 weeks of age and develop endometrial cancer by E2 treatment for 3 months. The levels of epithelial proliferation by Ki67 staining were significantly increased in epithelial cells of Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f mice at 10 weeks of age. The levels of phospho-AKT and phospho-S6, downstream of AKT, were remarkably higher in Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f mice. Interestingly, the hyperplasia exhibited by Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f mice was prevented by P4 treatment for 1 week in morphological and histological analysis. Aberrant activation of proliferation as well as AKT signaling was decreased in the epithelium of Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f mice by P4 treatment. Furthermore, we identified that MIG-6 inhibits AKT phosphorylation in human endometrial cancer cells. These data suggest that stromal P4 signaling including Mig-6 is critical in regulation of epithelial cell proliferation via regulating AKT phosphorylation during endometrial cancer development and progression. (This work was supported by American Cancer Society Research Grant, RSG-12-084-01-TBG to J.W.J.) Citation Format: Tae Hoon Kim, Jung-Yoon Yoo, Jae Hee Lee, Byung Gak Kim, Russell R. Broaddus, Jae-Wook Jeong. MIG-6 suppresses epithelial cell proliferation via inhibiting AKT phosphorylation during endometrial tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3674.
Low-grade inflammation as a key mediator of the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) has long been viewed as a degenerative disease of cartilage, but accumulating evidence indicates that inflammation has a critical role in its pathogenesis. Furthermore, we now appreciate that OA pathogenesis involves not only breakdown of cartilage, but also remodelling of the underlying bone, formation of ectopic bone, hypertrophy of the joint capsule, and inflammation of the synovial lining. That is, OA is a disorder of the joint as a whole, with inflammation driving many pathologic changes. The inflammation in OA is distinct from that in rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases: it is chronic, comparatively low-grade, and mediated primarily by the innate immune system. Current treatments for OA only control the symptoms, and none has been FDA-approved for the prevention or slowing of disease progression. However, increasing insight into the inflammatory underpinnings of OA holds promise for the development of new, disease-modifying therapies. Indeed, several anti-inflammatory therapies have shown promise in animal models of OA. Further work is needed to identify effective inhibitors of the low-grade inflammation in OA, and to determine whether therapies that target this inflammation can prevent or slow the development and progression of the disease.
Angels and Demons: Using behavioral types in a real-effort moral dilemma to identify expert traits

In this article, we explore how independently reported measures of subjects´ cognitive capabilities, preferences, and sociodemographic characteristics relate to their behavior in a real-effort moral dilemma experiment. To do this, we use a unique dataset, the Chapman Preferences and Characteristics Instrument Set (CPCIS), which contains over 30 standardized measures of preferences and characteristics. We find that simple correlation analysis provides an incomplete picture of how individual measures relate to behavior. In contrast, clustering subjects into groups based on observed behavior in the real-effort task reveals important systematic differences in individual characteristics across groups. However, while we find more differences, these differences are not systematic and difficult to interpret. These results indicate a need for more comprehensive theory explaining how combinations of different individual characteristics impact behavior is needed.
Evaluating ureteral patency in the post-indigo carmine era: a randomized controlled trial.

Background Many gynecologic, urologic, and pelvic reconstructive surgeries require accurate intraoperative evaluation of ureteral patency. Objective We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare surgeon satisfaction with 4 methods of evaluating ureteral patency during cystoscopy at the time of benign gynecologic or pelvic reconstructive surgery: oral phenazopyridine, intravenous sodium fluorescein, mannitol bladder distention, and normal saline bladder distention. Study Design We conducted an unblinded randomized controlled trial of the method used to evaluate ureteral patency during cystoscopy at time of benign gynecologic or pelvic reconstructive surgery. Subjects were randomized to receive 200 mg oral phenazopyridine, 25 mg intravenous sodium fluorescein, mannitol bladder distention, or normal saline bladder distention during cystoscopy. The primary outcome was surgeon satisfaction with the method, assessed via a 100-mm visual analog scale with 0 indicating strong agreement and 100 indicating strong disagreement with the statement. Secondary outcomes included comparing visual analog scale responses about ease of each method and visualization of ureteral jets, bladder mucosa and urethra, and operative information, including time to surgeon confidence in the ureteral jets. Adverse events were evaluated for at least 6 weeks after the surgical procedure, and through the end of the study. All statistical analyses were based on the intent-to-treat principle, and comparisons were 2-tailed. Results In all, 130 subjects were randomized to phenazopyridine (n = 33), sodium fluorescein (n = 32), mannitol (n = 32), or normal saline (n = 33). At randomization, patient characteristics were similar across groups. With regard to the primary outcome, mannitol was the method that physicians found most satisfactory on a visual analog scale. The median (range) scores for physicians assessing ureteral patency were 48 (0-83), 20 (0-82), 0 (0-44), and 23 (3-96) mm for phenazopyridine, sodium fluorescein, mannitol, and normal saline, respectively (P Conclusion The use of mannitol during cystoscopy to assess ureteral patency provided surgeons with the most overall satisfaction, ease of use, and superior visualization without affecting surgery or cystoscopy times. There were no differences in adverse events, including incidence of urinary tract infections.
Lyotropic polymeric liquid crystals

Recent experimental and theoretical developments in linear polymers that form liquid crystals in solution are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on results found in helical polypeptide liquid crystals. Advances in theoretical modeling of the order-disorder transition and the viscoelasticity of these phases are included together with a summary of recent experimental observations.
The Letter and the Speech, or, Defending the Israeli State: Leo Strauss, Senator Moynihan, and the 'Zionism is Racism' Debate

This paper discusses two statements in defense of Israel and the Zionist cause. One takes the form of a 1956 letter from a controversial German-American political philosopher to a journal of opinion. The other takes the form of a famous 1975 address to the General Assembly of the United Nations by a distinguished Irish-American Senator who was at that time the United States Ambassador to that body. Both Professor Leo Strauss and Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan were vigorous in their defense of the claims, purposes and goals of the Israeli State. But a careful study of Strauss’s letter and Moynihan’s address reveals a great divergence of premises underlying their respective apologiae for the Israeli experiment. Strauss’s letter to the then fledgling National Review seeks to justify Israel as a “conservative” project to a “conservative” readership. Senator Moynihan’s speech to the United Nations by contrast insists that it is the duty of all honest “liberals” to condemn the U.N. Resolution and stand tall with the State of Israel as deserving of membership in the liberal family of nations.
A CCR2+ myeloid cell niche required for pancreatic β cell growth

Organ-specific patterns of myeloid cells may contribute tissue-specific growth and/or regenerative potentials. The perinatal stage of pancreas development marks a time characterized by maximal proliferation of pancreatic islets, ensuring the maintenance of glucose homeostasis throughout life. Ontogenically distinct CX3CR1+ and CCR2+ macrophage populations have been reported in the adult pancreas, but their functional contribution to islet cell growth at birth remains unknown. Here, we uncovered a temporally restricted requirement for CCR2+ myeloid cells in the perinatal proliferation of the endocrine pancreatic epithelium. CCR2+ macrophages are transiently enriched over CX3CR1+ subsets in the neonatal pancreas through both local expansion and recruitment of immature precursors. Using CCR2-specific depletion models, we show that loss of this myeloid population leads to a striking reduction in β cell proliferation, dysfunctional islet phenotypes, and glucose intolerance in newborns. Replenishment of pancreatic CCR2+ myeloid compartments by adoptive transfer rescues these defects. Gene profiling identifies pancreatic CCR2+ myeloid cells as a prominent source of IGF2, which contributes to IGF1R-mediated islet proliferation. These findings uncover proproliferative functions of CCR2+ myeloid subsets and identify myeloid-dependent regulation of IGF signaling as a local cue supporting pancreatic proliferation.
Character and Credit

This article discusses two California Court of Appeal cases where tenants lost actions against credit reporting agencies.
Shrapnel wounds in children.

Nineteen children who had open fractures and skin wounds of at least two centimeters due to shrapnel were followed for one to five weeks after they had been injured. All of the patients were managed with debridement at twenty-four to forty-eight-hour intervals and were given cephalosporin antibiotics. Fourteen patients did well. The wounds in the three patients who had the least severe soft-tissue injury were healing well at two weeks, and ten other patients were progressing to soft-tissue and osseous healing at five weeks. One patient had progressive but slower healing, and plastic reconstructive procedures would be advisable. Five patients had major problems. In one of these children, a wound continued to drain after six weeks. Three children had an amputation, and another child died due to a vascular injury.
Responses to cultural diversity in Botswana’s schools: links between national policy, school actions and students’ civic equality

This article examines nation state policies that have prioritized toleration of diversity over recognition through comparative case studies of three junior secondary schools in Botswana. Through data collected in observations, focus groups, interviews and participatory action research, we demonstrate how the schools, which varied in the ethnic composition of their students, teachers and surrounding communities, responded differently to the reality of their multicultural student bodies. Two followed national policies closely, while the third crafted school-level policies adapted to its student population, yet tightly constricted by national policies and curriculum. In all three schools, students of ethnic minority backgrounds experienced varying degrees of shame, discrimination and a sense of exclusion from the nation and found little recourse to discuss and address these experiences within the structures of their schools. We argue that schools could better develop students’ capacity for equal citi...