cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organization of translocon complexes in ER membranes

Protein translocation in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and N-glycosylation are fundamental processes essential for the normal functioning of eukaryotic cells. They are the initial steps in the intracellular pathway that are followed by secretory proteins and membrane proteins of the endomembrane system and the plasma membrane. The translocation and concurrent N-glycosylation of these proteins take place on a large molecular machine, the TC (translocon complex), which is associated with membrane-bound polysomes. Segregation of TCs into a differentiated domain of the ER, the rough ER, may increase the efficiency of protein synthesis on membrane-bound polysomes. Our research is concerned with the assembly, functional organization and dynamics of the TCs in the ER, and their contribution to the functioning and the morphological appearance of this organelle. We hypothesize that the TCs form higher-order structures defining the rough domain of the ER. These structures, which are immobilized or diffuse slowly in the plain of the ER membrane, may be formed and stabilized by mRNAs interconnecting the TCs, by cytoskeletal elements and/or by hypothetical proteins that form links between the TCs. We have established the M3/18 cell line, which expresses the GFP (green fluorescent protein)–Dad1 fusion protein quantitatively and functionally incorporated into the OST (oligosaccharyltransferase). GFP–Dad1 can be used as a reporter molecule for the lateral mobility of the TCs since the OST is tightly associated with the complex. As determined by FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching), the lateral mobility of GFP–Dad1-tagged TCs was much more restricted than expected from the estimated size of the TC and can be affected by the functional state of the TCs. Currently, we are studying the possible involvement of cytoskeletal elements in the organization of the TCs. Our data suggest that microtubules also play a role in the immobilization of the TCs.
Solution-processed 3D chalcogenide glass waveguides

We use solution-based micro-molding in capillaries and micro-transfer molding methods to fabricate and characterize integrated chalcogenide glass waveguides on non-planar, such as curved or stepped, surfaces for communication or sensing applications.
Standards for Qualitative Research

One of the greatest obstacles to the identification of excellence in qualitative studies is the lack of generally accepted criteria. The criteria developed for quantitative studies are based on a different set of assumptions and are not appropriate. Those who critique qualitative studies need context flexibility, skills in inductive reasoning, skills in theory analysis, and the capacity to transform ideas across levels of abstraction. The following standards are proposed for critique of qualitative studies: (a) descriptive vividness; (b) methodological congruence; (c) analytic preciseness; (d) theoretical connectedness; and (e) heuristic relevance. Methodological congruence has four elements: rigor in documentation; procedural rigor; ethical rigor; and auditability. Heuristic relevance has three elements: intuitive recognition; relationship to existing body of knowledge; and applicability. Threats to each of these standards are identified. Creative strategies for improving the published presentation of qualitative studies must be developed to allow adequate critique.
Endocrine Mechanisms, Androgen Receptor and Carcinogenesis, and Hormone Escape

Androgens play important roles during the development and maintenance of normal prostate as well as during the progression of prostate cancer. Testosterone, which is synthesized in the testes under the control of hormones from the pituitary and hypothalamus, is the primary androgen in men. Testosterone enters the prostate through blood stream and binds its cognate receptor (the androgen receptor or AR) in the acinar epithelial cells and the stromal cells. Like other nuclear hormone receptors, AR is a transcription factor, which is activated upon ligand binding in the cell cytoplasm. Activated AR enters the nucleus and regulates the transcription of genes involved in cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. In this chapter, the endocrine mechanisms involve in the biosynthesis of androgen are discussed. Structural details of the androgen receptor, its changes in conformation upon ligand binding, various posttranslational modifications, and its coregulators are described. Specific roles of androgen/AR axis during the progression of prostate cancer and mechanisms by which AR activity is restored in prostate cancer cells of patients treated with androgen ablation therapy are discussed.
Microbial Quality of Alfalfa Seeds and Sprouts after a Chlorine Treatment and Packaging Modifications

Alfalfa seeds were treated with chlorine to determine the effect on microbial populations during soak- ing, sprouting, and refrigerated storage in three packaging environments. Chlorine was effective in reducing microbial populations on the seeds, but numbers increased during sprouting. Chlorine treatments had the most impact on yeast and molds during storage. Yeast and molds were significantly higher in sprouts that were stored in vacuum packages and in sprouts from non-chlorine treated seeds stored in MAP. Yeast and mold counts on all sprouts stored in perforated packaging did not significantly increase during storage. A combination of chlorine
Pail Immersion Accidents

An unusual type of immersion accident is that involving a pail or bucket of water in the home. We describe four cases of drownings or near drownings in pails and summarize the literature. A review of this type of submersion resulted in a morbidity of 15.4% and mortality of 6.5%. Stable vital signs and normal neurologic examination initially are good prognostic indicators. A number of questions remain to be answered about the pathophysiological effect of these pail contents to the lungs. This hazard must now be included as a part of every discussion of poison prevention by pediatricians.
Distinguishing Beginning Premed Students from Their Science Peers: The Salience of Proximal Variables.

The purpose of the study was to better understand how students at the beginning of a premed curriculum are different from their science peers on career-related variables. A total of 165 undergraduates were classified into three groups; these were premed students, students with the intent to pursue a graduate degree, and students with the intent to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Both distal (e.g., prior achievement) and proximal (e.g., mathematics and science self-efficacy and interest) social cognitive constructs were measured. Based on social cognitive career theory (SCCT), the authors predicted that the three groups would not differ on the distal variables. In contrast, the authors expected systematic group differences on the proximal variables. The hypothesis was supported; no significant group differences were found for the distal variables, but the premed group scored significantly higher than the bachelor’s degree group on almost all proximal SCCT variables. Implications for career counseling are discu...
Fiber-based metropolitan access networks for Internet traffic

While fiber optics has made the Internet what it is today, more advanced uses of fiber such as local access networks must deal with some of the challenging characteristics of Internet traffic.
Laying hen responses to acute heat stress and carbon dioxide supplementation: II. Changes in plasma enzymes, metabolites and electrolytes

Abstract Exposure of laying hens to an acute heat stress period (38°C) produced a decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in blood plasma magnesium compared with pre-heat stress (23°C) levels. Blood plasma glucose, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, uric acid and creatinine were not changed (P ≤ 0.05) by exposure to 38°C compared with the first 23°C exposure. Inorganic phosphorus, calcium, potassium and sodium levels were not affected by acute heat-stress exposure or carbon dioxide addition. These results suggest that acute heat stress had no dramatic effect on plasma enzymes, metabolites and electrolytes of laying hens.
Balancing design tensions: iterative display design to support ad hoc and multidisciplinary medical teamwork

In this paper, we describe how we developed an information display prototype for trauma resuscitation teams based on design ideas and feedback from clinicians. Our approach is grounded in participatory design, emphasizing the importance of gaining long-term commitment from clinicians in system development. Through a series of participatory design workshops, heuristic evaluation, and simulated resuscitation sessions, we identified the main information features to include on our display. Our results focus on how we balanced the design tensions that emerged when addressing the ad hoc, hierarchical, and multidisciplinary nature of trauma teamwork. We discuss the implications of balancing role-based differences for each information feature, as well as two major design tensions: process-based vs. state-based designs and role-based vs. team-based displays.
The Hermeneutical Aesthetics of Thick Description

Thick description is often invoked by qualitative researchers as a form of representation after analysis such as coding has been completed. I argue that thick description can be more productively considered as an aesthetic encounter guiding the research process from beginning to end. Drawing on the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer, I demonstrate that thick description is more than an analytical consideration of context but is rather an articulation of how we see and understand. According to Gadamer, there is an aesthetic quality to our experiencing that is never completely rendered visible in our accounts. This is because we do not draw on context to make sense of the evidence presented; we see and understand in contexts—physical, historical, cultural, linguistic, moral, experiential, affective—that we venture in, as Clifford Geertz put it, as we conjure our interpretations of what is going on. It is only by allowing ourselves to be guided by the entity of study and critically questioning ...
Molecular Cloning of Porcine Estrogen Receptor-β Complementary DNAs and Developmental Expression in Periimplantation Embryos

In the pig, estrogens transiently produced by embryos and progestins of maternal origin target the uterine endometrium, causing alterations in gene expression and secretory activity, both of which are important for the initiation of embryo attachment. The potential direct embryotrophic roles of estrogens and progestins are, however, unknown. Here we report the cloning of porcine embryonic estrogen receptor-beta (ER-b) mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using specific primer sets designed initially within conserved regions of human and bovine ER-b mRNAs, and subsequently within regions of identified porcine ER-b cDNA sequences. The ER-b mRNA has an open reading frame of 1578 nucleotides and encodes a 526 amino acid polypeptide that displays greater than 90% identity with other mammalian ER-b proteins. Northern and Western blot analyses using porcine filamentous embryos from Day 12 of pregnancy demonstrated the presence of multiple ER-b mRNA transcripts of approximately 9.5, 4.9, and 3.5 kilobases, and a ;64-kDa protein corresponding in size to human ovarian granulosa cell ER-b, respectively. In Day 12 filamentous embryos, ER-b expression was immunolocalized to trophoblastic cell nuclei, coincident with that of proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The developmental ontogeny of ER-b mRNA was evaluated in embryos of different morphologies (spherical, tubular, and filamentous) by semiquantitative RTPCR, along with those for other steroid hormone receptors (ERa and progesterone receptor) and known embryonic genes associated with cell differentiation (cytochrome P450 aromatase type III) and growth (cyclin D1). ER-b mRNA levels varied with embryo morphology (filamentous maximum at Day 12), coincident with that of cyclin D1. Progesterone receptor mRNA levels were maximal in tubular embryos, similar to that of P450 aromatase, whereas the expression of the ER-a gene was barely detectable and appeared constitutive for all developmental stages examined. Estradiol-17b treatment of Day 12 filamentous embryos in culture up-regulated ER-b and P450 aromatase (type III) mRNA levels, respectively, but decreased those of PCNA, and had no effect on cyclin D1 mRNA levels. These studies taken together suggest that embryonic ER-b likely mediates the auto
Reformulating decision theory using fuzzy set theory and Shafer's theory of evidence

Abstract Utilities and probabilities in decision theory are usually assessed by asking individuals to indicate their preferences between various uncertain choices. In this paper, we argue that (1) The utility of a consequence can be assessed as the membership function of the consequence in the fuzzy set ‘ satisfactory ’. (2) The probability of an event, instead of being directly assessed, should be inferred from the evidence associated with that event. The degree of evidence is quantified using Shaferian basic probability assignments. In addition, we use the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle to argue for a change in one of the technical assumptions underlying decision theory. As a result of this change, some kinds of evidence will be observable in certain experiments but unobservable in others. Since probabilities are defined over the potential outcomes of an experiment, they will only be defined over some, but not all, the evidence. As a result, the probabilities associated with different experiments could be inconsistent. This formulation emphasizes the importance of new distinctions (and not just new information) in updating probabilities. We argue that this formulation addresses many of the observed empirical deviations between decision theory and experiment. It also addresses the anomalies of quantum physics. We close with a brief discussion of directions for further research.
Human myeloperoxidase: structure of a cyanide complex and its interaction with bromide and thiocyanate substrates at 1.9 A resolution.

The 1.9 A X-ray crystal structure of human myeloperoxidase complexed with cyanide (R = 0.175, Rfree = 0.215) indicates that cyanide binds to the heme iron with a bent Fe−C−N angle of ∼157°, and binding is accompanied by movement of the iron atom by 0.2 A into the porphyrin plane. The bent orientation of the cyanide allows the formation of three hydrogen bonds between its nitrogen atom and the distal histidine as well as two water molecules in the distal cavity. The 1.85 A X-ray crystal structure of an inhibitory complex with thiocyanate (R = 0.178, Rfree = 0.210) indicates replacement of chloride at a proximal helix halide binding site in addition to binding in the distal cavity in an orientation parallel with the heme. The thiocyanate replaces two water molecules in the distal cavity and is hydrogen bonded to Gln 91. The 1.9 A structures of the complexes formed by bromide (R = 0.215, Rfree = 0.270) and thiocyanate (R = 0.198, Rfree = 0.224) with the cyanide complex of myeloperoxidase show how the presenc...
Comparison of MR and PET imaging for the evaluation of liver metastases.

Purpose To compare the accuracy of fluoro-18-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and dynamic-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in the diagnosis of liver metastatic lesions from colon and other sources. Materials and Methods Thirty consecutive patients with known or suspected metastatic lesions were scanned by both MRI and PET. Histopathology and/or clinical outcome, including cross-sectional imaging follow up, were used as a gold standard. Results Of 30 patients, 16 were positive by pathology and/or clinical outcome and 14 were negative for liver metastases. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values on MRI were 85.7%, 100%, 100%, and 89%, respectively, compared to 71%, 93.7%, 90.9%, and 79% on FDG-PET. The difference between the two methods was not significant (X2 = 0.2, P > 0.05). Conclusion Our study showed no significant difference in detection of liver metastases using MRI or FDG-PET. However, MRI has advantages in spatial resolution and lesion characterization. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;17:343–349. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
John Bridges, Martin Marprelate, and the Rhetoric of Satire

AbstractThis essay argues that John Bridges's massive Defence of the Government Established in the Church of Englande for Ecclesiasticall Matters (1587) was not an insufferably pedantic justificati...
Self-Tracking via Brain-Mobile-Cloud Interface

Abnormalities in the brain are one of the leading causes of disability amongst people. There is a significant delay between monitoring the onset of these disorders and their treatments. This paper presents a brain-mobilecloud interface (BMCI) to integrate the mobile platform, cloud computing technology and existing brain monitoring systems to remotely monitor the brain signals of an individual using their electroencephalograms (EEGs) in unconventional environments. Further, we discuss the potential of our proposed framework in applications like tracking mental activities, identifying distracted driving behavior and their corresponding changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF).
Impact of alterations in target vessel curvature on branch durability after endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate curvature and its effect on the durability of visceral and renal branches in patients undergoing endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) with fenestrated/branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/B-EVAR). Methods Quantitative branch vessel curvature assessment on branches arising from reinforced fenestrations was performed for 168 patients undergoing F/B-EVAR for type II and type III TAAAs. Preoperative and postoperative centerline coordinates were obtained using iNtuition (TeraRecon, Foster City, Calif) and exported into MATLAB (The MathWorks, Inc, Natick, Mass) based on thin-slice computed tomography imaging. Spline interpolation was applied to the centerline coordinates and resampled at 100 equally spaced points, and curvature calculations (κ, mm −1 ) were applied. Global and maximal curvatures for each of the target vessels were measured and categorized by severity. Categories for curvature were 0 to 0.05 mm −1 (low), 0.05 to 0.1 mm −1 (medium), 0.1 to 0.15 mm −1 (high), and >0.15 mm −1 (extreme) for global curvature and 0 to 0.2 mm −1 , 0.2 to 0.4 mm −1 , 0.4 to 0.6 mm −1 , and >0.6 mm −1 , respectively, for maximum curvature. Curvature variances were assessed for an association with vessel patency and need for reintervention. Results There were 558 vessels that underwent analysis based on repairs involving 650 vessels, whereby 92 vessels were excluded as they were treated with an external helical branch (58 celiac arteries and 34 superior mesenteric arteries). There was a significant difference found before and after F/B-EVAR for the global celiac artery curvature (median difference, −0.01; P P = .014), maximum left renal artery curvature (median, 0.05; P P = .009). Maximum artery curvature was found to have shifted distally in all vessels postoperatively; 37 adverse events (AEs) were observed in 30 patients (6 branched occlusions and 31 reinterventions [24 type III endoleaks, 5 vessel stenoses, and 2 vessel occlusions]). The majority of AEs (>70%) occurred within the range of low to medium curvature. Univariate analysis found gender to be a dependent variable associated with high (maximum) preoperative curvature (odds ratio, 0.395; P = .02). The use of self-expanding stents (vs balloon-expandable stents alone) in vessels with high preoperative curvature (>0.6 mm −1 ) was significant in the right renal artery ( P = .044). Conclusions This study did not show a significant relationship between the severity of artery curvature or changes in curvature and AEs found for visceral or renal branches after F/B-EVAR for extensive TAAA. Surprisingly, the majority of AEs occurred in low- and medium-curved vessels. This study is limited in that it does not take into account other factors that may affect AEs, like motion, which would be valuable in future studies.
ICTs and Poverty Eradication: Comparing Economic, Livelihoods and Capabilities Models

From the MDGs to the post-2015 development agenda, poverty eradication is arguably the single most important development goal. This paper asks how information and communication technologies can contribute to that goal. ICTs ? mobile phones especially ? have diffused rapidly in developing countries in recent years, and now reach increasingly into the lives of the world's poor.Research assessing the poverty impacts of that diffusion has been relatively limited; in part because this change has been so recent. Research has also sometimes been constrained by its lack of conceptual foundation. The purpose of this paper is therefore to assess research evidence within a framework that conceptualises both poverty eradication and ICT application.It does this by identifying three categories of ICT application ? other ICT uses, enterprise ICT use, and ICT sector use. And by identifying three perspectives on poverty eradication ? economic, livelihoods, and capabilities. It suggests that moving across the categories of application may lead to deeper poverty impacts; but impacts which affect a smaller number of people. And that moving across the perspectives may provide a fuller understanding of poverty; particularly in developing the capabilities approach to understand the ladder of ?roles? through which poor people can engage with ICTs.The paper ends by suggesting some implications for policy and practice.
Abstract 386: Circulating Endothelial Microparticles, Elevated Blood Pressure and Endothelin-1 Mediated Vasoconstrictor Tone

Clinical interest in circulating microparticles originating from both endothelial cells and platelets has increased due to their putative role in inflammation, endovascular function, angiogenesis and thrombosis. Elevated blood pressure is associated with profound endothelial dysfunction, particularly enhanced endothelin (ET)-1-mediated vasoconstrictor tone. There is some evidence to suggest that circulating microparticles are influenced by blood pressure and may contribute to associated vascular abnormalities. As part of an ongoing study, we are determining: 1) whether circulating endothelial (EMP) and platelet (PMP) microparticles are higher in adults with elevated blood pressure (SBP >130 mmHg) and if so; 2) if these microparticles are associated with ET-1 mediated vasoconstriction. To date, 22 sedentary, non-obese middle-aged adults have been studied: 11 normotensive (age: 55+2 yr; 7 M/4 F; BP: 118/74+3/2 mm Hg) and 11 prehypertensive/hypertensive (age: 55+2 yr; 7 M/4 F; BP: 140/85+2/3 mm Hg). All subjects were free of overt cardiometabolic disease. EMPs and PMPs were measured in platelet-poor plasma by flow cytometry. EMPs were defined as CD31+/CD42b- events and PMPs were defined as CD31+/CD42+ events. Forearm blood flow (FBF: plethysmography) responses to intra-arterial infusion of BQ-123 (100 nmol/min; for 60 min), a selective ETA receptor antagonist. EMPs were ~70% higher (p<0.01) in the prehypertensive/hypertensive (39072+3951 MP/μL) compared with normotensive (22726+2552 MP/μL). There was no difference in EMPs with the elevated blood pressure group between the prehypertensive (n=5) and hypertensive (n=6) adults. PMPs were not significantly different between the groups (503+132 vs 431+80 MP/μL). Resting FBF increased ~40% (p<0.01) in response to BQ-123 in the prehypertensive/hypertensive group only. EMPs were significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (r=0.68) and peak FBF response to ETA receptor blockade (r=0.61). These initial results indicate that circulating EMPs, but not PMPs, are elevated in prehypertensive/hypertensive adults. Moreover, circulating EMPs are associated with systolic blood pressure and enhanced ET-1 mediated vasoconstrictor tone.
A Stable Coordination Complex of Rh(IV) in an N,O-Donor Environment

We describe facial and meridional isomers of [RhIII(pyalk)3], as well as meridional [RhIV(pyalk)3]+ {pyalk =2-(2-pyridyl)-2-propanoate}, the first coordination complex in an N,O-donor environment to show a clean, reversible RhIII/IV redox couple and to have a stable Rh(IV) form, which we characterize by EPR and UV–visible spectroscopy as well as X-ray crystallography. The unprecedented stability of the Rh(IV) species is ascribed to the exceptional donor strength of the ligands, their oxidation resistance, and the meridional coordination geometry.
Lipid bilayer control of nascent adhesion formation

The adhesion of cells to an extracellular matrix is a dynamic process involving structural and signaling proteins, that, in turn, regulate key cellular processes, including migration, gene expression, differentiation and signaling. Integrins play important roles as primary adhesion receptors, and integrinmediated cell adhesion sites can be differentiated, based on size and location, into nascent adhesions, focal complexes, focal adhesions, and fibrillar adhesions. The formation of nascent adhesions to a surface requires the bending of the membrane toward a surface, diffusion of integrins to the area of close contact, and molecular adhesion. Each of these processes is sensitive to the lipid make up of the membrane. Therefore, the lipid bilayer may exert significant control over the dynamics of nascent adhesion formation. In this review, we consider the structure and components of cellular adhesions and lipid bilayers. We then review membrane properties of bending rigidity, viscosity, and thickness that are thought to have a central role in the formation of nascent cell adhesions via membrane curvature, redistribution of integrins, and bond formation.
Comparison of American and French college students' stage of change for muscular fitness-promoting behaviors.

Abstract Purpose. To examine psychosocial concomitants of stages of change for muscular fitnesspromoting behavior among college students in America and France. Methods. Participants were from Lyon 1 University (Claude Bernard), France (n = 171) and Oregon State University, United States (n = 231). The main variables of interest were nationality, gender, stage of change, cons, pros, and self-efficacy. Results. The majority of Americans reported being in action or maintenance, whereas the majority of French reported being in precontemplation or contemplation (66.2% vs. 56.8%, respectively, p < .001). The only theoretical variable that Americans (adjusted mean [Madj.] = 9.2) and French (Madj. = 7.7) differed on was perceived pros (p < .001). Nationality, self-efficacy, and pros were the most important stage-of-change concomitants. Stage-of-change classification accuracy was 47.9%. Conclusion. This study questions whether the transtheoretical model is fully generalizable when applied to this specific behavior...
Fluorinated Monomolecular Assemblies: Model Systems to Probe Chemical Interactions at the Polymer-Metal Interface

Monomolecular assemblies of n-perfluorocarboxylic acids [CF3(CF2)nCOOH, n=6, 7, and 8] have been adsorbed at silver by spontaneous adsorption from dilute alcoholic solutions. Infrared reflection spectroscopy indicates that the monolayers form by the reactive chemisorption of the carboxylic acid to a carboxylate salt. Ellipsometrically-determined film thicknesses increase linearly with an increase in the perfluorocarbon chain length. Contact angle measurements indicate that the packing density of the films increases with increasing chain length, resulting in an interface with a low surface free energy. The structure and properties of these interfaces are compared to those for monolayers of n-alkanoic acids. The potential utility of such assemblies to probe fundamental chemical and physical interactions at polymer-metal interfaces are also discussed.
Moving Beyond Monitoring: A District Leadership Approach to School, Family, and Community Partnerships

Schools currently operate in a highly public, policy-oriented system rooted in the notion that schools and teachers will respond to the rewards and sanctions outlined in government policies. This chapter argues that schools can improve student achievement and attendance through strong school, family, and community partnerships, and that school district support for partnerships is critical to the development of these programs. Drawing on research about school district support for instructional leadership, the author argues that central office leadership needs to move beyond policy compliance and describes an alternative district leadership framework for partnerships. The chapter provides definitions and examples of District Leadership and Direct Facilitation across six strategies: create awareness, align program and policy, guide learning and program development, share knowledge, celebrate milestones, and document progress and evaluate outcomes. The chapter concludes with a discussion of next steps for research using this leadership framework, as well as additional research topics related to the role and impact of school districts on family and community engagement.
DETERMINATION OF METAL ELEMENTS AND INVESTIGATION ON ARSENIC SPECIES IN CREAM COSMETICS

The determination method of the total metal elements including Al,Cr,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Se,Cd,Sn,Sb,Ba,La,Ce,Pr,Nd,Sm,Hg,Pb and arsenic species in cosmetics was developed by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and HPLC-ICPMS respectively.It was found that the content of mercury was usually at high levels and arsenic species was mainly inorganic in most cosmetics products.
Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Appearance Quality in Short-Grain Rice

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) appearance quality, as defined by both grain shape and lack of chalki - ness, are key breeding goals throughout the world's rice-producing areas. To understand the genetic effects on rice appearance qual- ity, we grew a double-haploid (DH) population derived from the cross between two short-grain rice cultivars, japonica Chunjiang 06 (CJ06) and indica Taichung Native 1 (TN1), in both sub- tropical Hangzhou and tropical Hainan, China. Transgressive segregation was noted for all measured traits: grain length (GL), grain width (GW), length/width ratio (LW), percentage of kernels with chalk (CK), average chalk size (CS) per kernel, and chalkiness degree (CD, calcu- lated as CKCS). High positive correlations observed between the chalkiness measures (CK, CS, and CD) with GL and GW indicate that grain shape may have pleiotropic effects on grain chalkiness. Nineteen main-effect QTL and nine epistatic interaction pairs were detected for grain chalkiness and shape. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were on all 12 chromosomes and explained 8.0 to 23.6% of the phenotypic vari- ance observed under the two environments. One chalkiness QTL and one shape QTL had main effects in both locations. However, when epistasis was considered, seven of 10 identified main-effect regions also had epistatic effect on either grain chalkiness or shape. This demon- strated that epistasis plays an important role in determining grain chalkiness, shape, and the association between chalkiness and shape. The identified QTL and epistatic interactions pro - vide further understanding of the genetic basis of grain appearance quality and assistance in improving grain appearance quality of rice through breeding.
Missing Data in Alcohol Clinical Trials with Binary Outcomes.

Background Missing data are common in alcohol clinical trials for both continuous and binary end points. Approaches to handle missing data have been explored for continuous outcomes, yet no studies have compared missing data approaches for binary outcomes (e.g., abstinence, no heavy drinking days). This study compares approaches to modeling binary outcomes with missing data in the COMBINE study. Methods We included participants in the COMBINE study who had complete drinking data during treatment and who were assigned to active medication or placebo conditions (N = 1,146). Using simulation methods, missing data were introduced under common scenarios with varying sample sizes and amounts of missing data. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of naltrexone (vs. placebo) in predicting any drinking and any heavy drinking outcomes at the end of treatment using 4 analytic approaches: complete case analysis (CCA), last observation carried forward (LOCF), the worst case scenario (WCS) of missing equals any drinking or heavy drinking, and multiple imputation (MI). In separate analyses, these approaches were compared when drinking data were manually deleted for those participants who discontinued treatment but continued to provide drinking data. Results WCS produced the greatest amount of bias in treatment effect estimates. MI usually yielded less biased estimates than WCS and CCA in the simulated data and performed considerably better than LOCF when estimating treatment effects among individuals who discontinued treatment. Conclusions Missing data can introduce bias in treatment effect estimates in alcohol clinical trials. Researchers should utilize modern missing data methods, including MI, and avoid WCS and CCA when analyzing binary alcohol clinical trial outcomes.
Origins and mitigation of spurious modes in aluminum nitride microresonators

Recently reported narrow bandwidth, < 2%, aluminum nitride microresonator filters in the 100–500 MHz range offer lower insertion loss, 100× smaller size, and elimination of large external matching networks, when compared to similar surface acoustic wave filters. While the initial results are promising, many microresonators exhibit spurious responses both close and far from the pass band which degrade the out of band rejection and prevent the synthesis of useful filters. This paper identifies the origins of several unwanted modes in overtone width extensional aluminum nitride microresonators and presents techniques for mitigating the spurious responses.
Folk Theater and the Signifier

Murik men used to be the leading impresarios of the most valued of all regional goods in the Sepik/Northcoast region. They specialized in the trade of folk theater, or what Margaret Mead called “dance-complexes,” to local-level leaders. One of the important male voices in the 1990s and the new millennium expressed itself in terms of this very practice—that of theatrical representation and performance. A new piece of Murik folk theater emerged in the early 1990s. It appeared in a dream to its “author,” and was then exchanged with hereditary Murik trading partners and performed at national celebrations in town in subsequent years. The piece did not merely extend the regional renown of Murik men. Borrowing several concepts from Lacanian psychoanalysis, ethnography of the show reveals further expressions of men’s alienation from both Murik culture as well as modernity in PNG.
Solution of the Linear, Gaussian Inverse Problem, Viewpoint 1: The Length Method

This chapter is the first of a trio of chapters devoted to solving the canonical inverse problem, that is, the linear problem with Gaussian statistics. This is the best understood of all inverse problems; it is here that the fundamental notions of uncertainty, uniqueness, and resolution can be most clearly developed. This chapter focuses on solution methods that use measures of length to quantify the quality of a proposed solution, including the L 1 and L 2 norms. Relevant quantities include the prediction error, which quantifies how well the model fits the data, and the model error, which quantifies how well the model obeys a priori information. Solutions, such as the simple least squares solution, which minimizes the prediction error, and the minimum-length solution, which minimizes the model error, are developed and applied to practical inverse problems. These methods are extended to weighted least squares, which provide a unified framework for solving a linear inverse problem. Practical issues, including the use of sparse matrices and MatLab biconjugate gradient solver, are explored. Covariance matrices are used to quantify the way that error propagates through the weighted least squares solution, leading to estimates of model parameters that have specific confidence limits.
Swollen Arm with Suspected Arteriovenous Graft Infection

This chapter describes a case in which a newly created arteriovenous graft (AVG) presented with diffuse erythema. In such a situation, infection of the graft must be considered, but is not the only possibility.
MLscale: A machine learning based application-agnostic autoscaler

Abstract Autoscaling is the practice of automatically adding or removing resources for an application deployment to meet performance targets in response to changing workload conditions. However, existing autoscaling approaches typically require expert application and system knowledge to reduce resource costs and performance target violations, thus limiting their applicability. We present MLscale, an application-agnostic, machine learning based autoscaler that is composed of: (i) a neural network based online (black-box) performance modeler, and (ii) a regression based metrics predictor to estimate post-scaling application and system metrics. Implementation results for diverse applications across several traces highlight MLscale's application-agnostic behavior and show that MLscale (i) reduces resource costs by about 41%, on average, compared to the optimal static policy, (ii) is within 14%, on average, of the cost of the optimal dynamic policy, and (iii) provides similar cost-performance tradeoffs, without requiring any tuning, when compared to carefully tuned threshold-based policies.
GEOMETRIC ASPECTS OF THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

1. Summary The two essential ingredients of any boundary value problem are the field equations which describe the physics and a set of relations which specify the geometry of the problem domain. Current finite element methodology is only superficially concerned with the global problem geometry. It focuses attention principally upon the discretized problem in the small, i.e., upon the individual elements and their local properties. As an alternative, this paper examines the possibility of a global treatment of the original problem domain. By exploiting the notion of vector-valued “blending function” interpolation, the authors propose to map the given problem domain one-to-one onto a canonical rectangular parameter domain. This is equivalent to the introduction of a generalized curvilinear coordinate system on the manifold representing the global geometry of the original problem. This method of treating the complex geometries of two and three dimensional boundary value problems has several significant advantages over the ad hoc methods currently employed, since it provides a systematic approach to topologically decomposing a manifold into finite elements and leads inevitably to well-structured sparse matrices.
Targeting Immunological Synapse: New Horizons in Immunotherapy for Cancer

Immunotherapy has been a part of armamentarium against neoplastic diseases for decades. Various approaches have been used with a very limited success. The site of the contact between a T cell and an antigen-presenting cell (APC) is named the immunological synapse, and it is characterized by an organized spatial redistribution of TCR–pMHC complexes and accessory molecules. For the last 10 years, several accessory molecules have been discovered and their function in T-cell stimulation has been described. The list includes co-stimulatory molecules (CD28, CD27, OX-40, 4-1BB, ICOS, CD40L) and inhibitory molecules (CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-2, BTLA). This knowledge led to the development of a new area in the immunotherapy for cancer—targeting the immunological synapse. Monoclonal antibodies blocking CTLA-4 are in advanced clinical testing; and 6–21% response rates have been observed in patients with metastatic melanoma with few relapses. Treatment with CTLA-4-blocking antibodies demonstrated the ability to break tolerance to self antigens, manifested by the development of side effects in the form of autoimmune diseases. Agonistic antibodies against CD40 have undergone phase I testing, and they showed activity in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and melanoma. Antibodies against 4-1BB, PD-1, and OX-40 are at earlier stages of clinical testing. After these antibodies have been tested as monotherapy, combination of two or three agents targeting accessory molecules appears to be a direction for future development.
Aggregation and data analysis of corrosion studies in molten chloride and fluoride salts

Abstract Corrosion studies in molten fluoride and chloride salts were surveyed, and key data were aggregated into a single dataset. Studies were graphed by salt purity, temperature, sample material, container material, and experimental method (loop, capsule, crucible). To elucidate and quantify the factors that affect corrosion in molten salts, a data analysis using a newly-defined corrosion resistance score and a correlation analysis using techniques borrowed from machine learning were performed. It is shown that salt purity had the strongest correlation with corrosion rates in molten chlorides and fluorides. Data analysis across varied works was inconsistent due to the lack of standardization among molten salt corrosion studies.
The Sinification of Buddhist Philosophy: The Cases of Zhi Dun and The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna (Dasheng Qixin Lun)

Discussions of Chinese Buddhism rarely address the crucial period of transition during which a philosophy from India gradually underwent a process of sinification. The historical record for this period of several hundred years between the Han and Tang dynasties, which coincided with social, political, and cultural upheavals, is sparse. Two key sources for consideration are the Chinese monk Zhi Dun (314–366) and The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna (Dasheng Qixin Lun) (550). Liu Yiqing (403–444)’s A New Account of Tales of the World (Shishou Xinyu) provides tantalizing glimpses of the philosophical reconfiguration, including mutations of Confucianism and the emergence of Xuanxue in Daoism.
Mechanistic identification of biofluid metabolite changes as markers of acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in rats.

Abstract Acetaminophen (APAP) is the most commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drug in the world. Yet, it poses a major risk of liver injury when taken in excess of the therapeutic dose. Current clinical markers do not detect the early onset of liver injury associated with excess APAP—information that is vital to reverse injury progression through available therapeutic interventions. Hence, several studies have used transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics technologies, both independently and in combination, in an attempt to discover potential early markers of liver injury. However, the casual relationship between these observations and their relation to the APAP mechanism of liver toxicity are not clearly understood. Here, we used Sprague-Dawley rats orally gavaged with a single dose of 2 g/kg of APAP to collect tissue samples from the liver and kidney for transcriptomic analysis and plasma and urine samples for metabolomic analysis. We developed and used a multi-tissue, metabolism-based modeling approach to integrate these data, characterize the effect of excess APAP levels on liver metabolism, and identify a panel of plasma and urine metabolites that are associated with APAP-induced liver toxicity. Our analyses, which indicated that pathways involved in nucleotide-, lipid-, and amino acid-related metabolism in the liver were most strongly affected within 10 h following APAP treatment, identified a list of potential metabolites in these pathways that could serve as plausible markers of APAP-induced liver injury. Our approach identifies toxicant-induced changes in endogenous metabolism, is applicable to other toxicants based on transcriptomic data, and provides a mechanistic framework for interpreting metabolite alterations.
An updated analysis of northern hemisphere submonthly retrograde waves

AbstractThis study performs an updated analysis of Northern Hemisphere retrograde disturbances that were first identified by classical observational studies as one of the dominating coherent struct...
Lactation Education Program at an Academic Medical Center

Purpose: Despite the well-known benefits of breastfeeding, US rates of exclusive breastfeeding lag behind other developed nations. Without early and sustained primary care support, many mothers are likely to stop breastfeeding prematurely. Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) can be very helpful in providing support for breastfeeding mother-baby dyads, however they are not always conveniently located for patients. Therefore, our objective was to develop and implement a pilot lactation training program for General Pediatrics faculty at an academic medical institution to enhance breastfeeding. As part of the program, we sought to assess changes in …
Departure and travel time model for the temporal distribution of morning rush-hour traffic congestion

The chronic traffic congestion undermines the level of satisfaction within a society. This study proposes a departure time model for estimating the temporal distribution of morning rush-hour traffi...
Salivary Bioscience and Research on Animal Welfare and Conservation Science

Animal welfare research strives to empirically assess how care and management practices impact the health and well-being of animals across diverse settings. This includes agricultural, biomedical, and companion animals as well as animals in professionally managed populations in zoos and aquariums. Tools developed for use with animals in professionally managed care may also have applications to conservation science, which is the interdisciplinary study and protection of biodiversity. Historically, interest in saliva arose out of a desire to find less invasive alternatives to blood that allow for near real-time monitoring of physiology and repeated sampling on shorter timescales. In the time since, applications for saliva have grown to include evaluating the response of animals to management practices and novel stimuli, reproductive profiling, and health monitoring. In this chapter, we emphasize the current state and challenges of implementing salivary research in animal welfare settings. Furthermore, we discuss how implementation of salivary research in zoos and aquariums for welfare purposes is facilitating novel research applications related to species conservation. Overall, our aim is to provide a critical examination of both the applications and limitations of salivary research to the fields of animal welfare and conservation science.
A Single-Tier Fog Architecture for Delay-Sensitive and Computation-Intensive SFC Requests

Fog computing is a promising edge network paradigm for delay-sensitive applications, attributed to the reduced link delays between nodes. However, the limited resources at the fog nodes impose restrictions to serve computation-intensive requests. Therefore, these requests are often relayed to the cloud nodes and thereby incurring link delays. This approach impedes serving requests that are both delay-sensitive and computation-intensive. Hence this paper proposes a novel single-tier fog architecture that processes this category of requests at the edge of the network. Moreover, a service function chain (SFC) provisioning scheme is implemented on the proposed architecture using Hooke Jeeves algorithm. Simulation results indicate that the proposed solution outperforms hybrid fog-cloud architectures for the same number of hosted requests (saturation level) in terms of delay and energy consumption.
Adaptive-Fidelity Design Automation Framework to Explore Bioinspired Surface Riblets for Drag Reduction

Bioinspired surface riblets have been known to improve drag performance by altering the near-wall flow structures, especially in the transitional flow regime. Unlike conventional riblet geometries ...