cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary dynamics of de novo mutations and mutant lineages arising in a simple, constant environment

A large, asexual population founded by a single clone evolves into a population teeming with many, whether or not its environment is structured, and whether or not resource levels are constant or fluctuating. The maintenance of genetic complexity in such populations has been attributed to balancing selection, or to either clonal interference or clonal reinforcement, arising from antagonistic or synergistic interactions, respectively. To distinguish among these possibilities, to identify targets of selection and establish when and how often they are hit, as well as to gain insight into how de novo mutations interact, we carried out 300-500 generation glucose-limited chemostat experiments founded by an E. coli mutator. To discover all de novo mutations reaching >1% frequency, we performed whole-genome, whole-population sequencing at ~1000X-coverage every 50 generations. To establish linkage relationships among these mutations and depict the dynamics of evolving lineages we sequenced the genomes of 96 clones from each population when allelic diversity was greatest. Operon-specific mutations that enhance glucose uptake arose to high frequency first, followed by global regulatory mutations. Late-arising mutations were related to energy conservation as well as to mitigating pleiotropic effects wrought by earlier regulatory changes. We discovered extensive polymorphism at relatively few loci, with identical mutations arising independently in different lineages, both between and within replicate populations. Out of more than 3,000 SNPs detected in nearly 1,800 genes or intergenic regions, only 17 reached a frequency > 98%, indicating that the evolutionary dynamics of adaptive lineages was dominated by clonal interference. Finally, our data show that even when mutational input is increased by an ancestral defect in DNA repair, the spectrum of beneficial mutations that reach high frequency in a simple, constant resource-limited environment is narrow, resulting in extreme parallelism where many adaptive mutations arise but few ever go to fixation.
Staying the course in Mexico: the role of the US in the drug war, 2006–present

With drug-related violence reaching record levels in Mexico, there has been growing debate over its causes. US and Mexican officials blame many factors, including problems with their strategy in th...
Innovative Approaches to Improving Outcomes for Children Involved with Child Welfare: Youth Mentoring

Research on the impact of mentoring for youth in foster care is emerging. Mentoring appears to be highly acceptable to youth in foster care, and mentors are reported to provide life-changing informational, instrumental, and emotional support to young people who often lack consistent adults to help them navigate the many challenges they face. Available research suggests that mentoring for children in foster care (across a range of ages and mentoring formats) can have positive impacts on key domains of public health interest, including mental health, educational functioning and attainment, peer relationships, placement outcomes, and life satisfaction. Mentoring has demonstrated null or mixed results, however, for other outcomes, including social skills, attachment to adults, physical health, employment and financial assets, risky behaviours and associated negative life-course outcomes (e.g., substance use, delinquency, arrests) among this population. Because of the interpersonal vulnerability and high potential for adverse outcomes among youth in foster care, great care and coordination is required when implementing mentoring programs. If done well, however, the health promotion benefits of mentoring may be realized and youth in foster care may experience positive outcomes across a range of domains. Mentoring for children in foster care should be considered as one potential strategy for the prevention of adverse outcomes among this vulnerable population.
Unplugged Activities to Introduce Parallel Computing in Introductory Programming Classes: an Experience Report

Learning programming in early introductory classes is challenging for first year university students, and introducing parallel programming (PDC) in early classes along with traditional sequential programming is even more challenging. Unplugged activities may help alleviate some of the difficulties for students. Unplugged activities have been shown to increase student interest, and to enhance student understanding of CS programming concepts. We have used unplugged activities to teach PDC concepts before introducing parallel programming. Our experiences show that using unplugged activities to introduce the PDC concepts reduce the barrier to learn parallel programming.
Feminist Theology and the Clergy Sexual Abuse Crisis

The clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church is complex. While first and foremost a terrible violation of victims, it is not only about sex or abuse. It concerns unchecked, divinely sancti...
Universal HIV and Birth Cohort HCV Screening in San Diego Emergency Departments

Universal HIV and HCV screening in emergency departments (ED) can reach populations who are less likely to get tested otherwise. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate universal opt-out HIV and HCV screening in two EDs in San Diego. HIV screening for persons aged 13-64 years (excluding persons known to be HIV+ or reporting HIV testing within last 12 months) was implemented using a 4th generation HIV antigen/antibody assay; HCV screening was offered to persons born between 1945 and 1965. Over a period of 16 months, 12,575 individuals were tested for HIV, resulting in 33 (0.26%) new HIV diagnoses, of whom 30 (90%) were successfully linked to care. Universal screening also identified 74 out-of-care for >12-months HIV+ individuals of whom 50 (68%) were successfully relinked to care. Over a one-month period, HCV antibody tests were conducted in 905 individuals with a seropositivity rate of 9.9% (90/905); 61 seropositives who were newly identified or never treated for HCV had HCV RNA testing, of which 31 (51%) resulted positive (3.4% of all participants, including 18 newly identified RNA positives representing 2% of all participants), and 13/31 individuals (42%) were linked to care. The rate of newly diagnosed HCV infections exceeded the rate of newly diagnosed HIV infections by >7-fold, underlining the importance of HCV screening in EDs.
Tradition and Modernity in South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

South Korea’s diplomatic practice was traditionally marked by a distinct lack of transparency. The early struggle for political legitimacy as one-half of a divided nation and ongoing security threa...
The guardians: the League of Nations and the crisis of empire

Although initially excited to be asked to review the paperback edition of Susan Pedersen’s The Guardians, I quickly come to see this as a questionable task. The hardcover was published four years a...
Predicting Trends in Cervical Spinal Surgery in the United States from 2020 to 2040.

Objective We sought to predict surgical volumes for 2 common cervical spine procedures from 2020 to 2040. Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample from 2003–2016, nationwide estimates of anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) and posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF) volumes were calculated using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision (ICD-9, ICD-10) procedure codes. With data from the U.S. Census Bureau, estimates of the U.S. population were used to create Poisson models controlling for age and sex. Age was categorized into ranges ( 85), and estimates of surgical volume for each age group were created. Results From 2020–2040, increases in surgical volume from 13.3% (153,288–173,699) and 19.3% (29,620–35,335) are expected for ACDF and PCDF, respectively. For ACDF, the largest increases are expected in the 45–54 (42,077–49,827) and 75–84 (8065–14,862) age groups, whereas for PCDF, the largest increases will be seen in the 75–84 (3710–6836) age group. In accordance with an aging population, modest increases will be seen for ACDF (858–1847) and PCDF (730–1573) in the >85-year-old cohort. Conclusions As expected, large growth in cervical spine surgical volumes is likely to be seen, which could indicate a need for increased numbers of spinal neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons. Further studies are needed to investigate the needs of the field in light of these expected increases in volume.
The Ubiquitin Proteasome System in Endothelial Cell Dysfunction and Vascular Disease

Protein homeostasis is a critical cellular process to maintain protein function. Because the genome encodes for a very large number of discrete proteins and only a fraction of this number are needed or utilized for cellular function at a given time, a closely regulated system is necessary to control the synthesis, transport, and degradation of these molecules. The turnover of proteins can vary and cells tend to accumulate a large amount of expended, sometimes aberrantly folded and oxidized proteins that must be eliminated, degraded, and/or recycled. The majority of eukaryotic protein degradation is executed by the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). This system has acquired a central position in our understanding of cellular protein homeostasis. The UPS is one of the many posttranslational modifications of proteins that include acylation, alkylation, glycosylation, hydroxylation, and nitrosylation. These posttranslational modifications, while essential for protein homeostasis, if perturbed sufficiently, can also lead to pathological change. Abnormalities of the UPS have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases including cardiovascular disease. Accumulating evidence in recent years has strongly implicated the UPS in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. This chapter will review the role of the UPS in cardiovascular pathophysiology. We will describe the basic mechanistic underpinnings of the UPS and delineate its role in vascular physiology. The potential waypoints in the UPS signaling system where pathological events are known or thought to occur will be defined. Finally, an overview of how the UPS can be pharmacologically manipulated and whether this strategy has therapeutic currency will be presented.
Electro-flexure response of multi-functional natural fiber hybrid composites:

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the electro-flexure response of conductive natural fiber hybrid laminate composites. The composites were composed of laminates of jute and flax fi...
Identification of antibiotic pairs that evade concurrent resistance via a retrospective analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility test results.

Summary Background Some antibiotic pairs display a property known as collateral sensitivity in which the evolution of resistance to one antibiotic increases sensitivity to the other. Alternating between collaterally sensitive antibiotics has been proposed as a sustainable solution to the problem of antibiotic resistance. We aimed to identify antibiotic pairs that could be considered for treatment strategies based on alternating antibiotics. Methods We did a retrospective analysis of 448 563 antimicrobial susceptibility test results acquired over a 4-year period (Jan 1, 2015, to Dec 31, 2018) from 23 hospitals in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) hospital system. We used a score based on mutual information to identify pairs of antibiotics displaying disjoint resistance, wherein resistance to one antibiotic is commonly associated with susceptibility to the other and vice versa. We applied this approach to the six most frequently isolated bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis) and subpopulations of each created by conditioning on resistance to individual antibiotics. To identify higher-order antibiotic interactions, we predicted rates of multidrug resistance for triplets of antibiotics using Markov random fields and compared these to the observed rates. Findings We identified 69 antibiotic pairs displaying varying degrees of disjoint resistance for subpopulations of the six bacterial species. However, disjoint resistance was rarely conserved at the species level, with only 6 (0·7%) of 875 antibiotic pairs showing evidence of disjoint resistance. Instead, more than half of antibiotic pairs (465 [53·1%] of 875) exhibited signatures of concurrent resistance, whereby resistance to one antibiotic is associated with resistance to another. We found concurrent resistance to extend to more than two antibiotics, with observed rates of resistance to three antibiotics being higher than predicted from pairwise information alone. Interpretation The high frequency of concurrent resistance shows that bacteria have means of counteracting multiple antibiotics at a time. The almost complete absence of disjoint resistance at the species level implies that treatment strategies based on alternating between antibiotics might require subspecies level pathogen identification and be limited to a few antibiotic pairings. Funding US National Institutes of Health.
Enabling cancer target validation with genetically encoded systems for ligand-induced protein degradation

Abstract Recent technological advances have improved the ability of functional genetic approaches to discover new targets for anti-cancer therapeutics. At the same time, advances in discovery chemistry promise to deliver on an ever-larger fraction of these new targets. However, the fundamental difference in the kinetics of genetic and chemical perturbations can make it difficult to judge the performance of new chemical tools when only genetic information is available. Here, we review a series of genetically encoded, ligand-inducible protein degradation systems that can bridge the gap between genetics and pharmacology. These approaches rely on tagging a protein of interest with a small-molecule-responsive degron that enables conditional protein degradation. Given their rapid effects, these systems can facilitate mechanistic interpretations that are not typically possible using traditional genetic approaches. Therefore, inducible degradation systems can be employed at the earliest stages of target validation to provide mechanistic insights that will better guide future drug discovery efforts.
Tibolone: Selective Tissue Estrogen Activity Regulator Utilization in Postmenopausal Women

Publisher Summary Tibolone is a safe and effective therapy in early menopausal women. Its indications for use are several. It is effective in treating vasomotor symptoms. It causes some endometrial bleeding in the first few months, but this decreases during the first year more than on estrogen. Despite the bleeding, endometrial biopsies show no evidence of endometrial stimulation and there has been no evidence of endometrial hyperplasia or cancer after 2 years. It also has the advantage over selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) of increasing the vaginal maturation value. At the 1.25 mg dose, tibolone is highly effective in preventing bone loss in women in the early postmenopausal years, and early reports suggest that this dose can prevent fractures in older women. In general, tibolone is well tolerated, and there has been no increase in the risk of cardiovascular events or venous thrombosis in younger postmenopausal women. In women in their mid-60s, tibolone increases the risk of stroke in the 1.25 mg dose, and although it appears to reduce fractures, the risk/benefit ratio of the 1.25 mg dose has to be taken into consideration in older women.
Resource sharing in continuous sliding-window aggregates

We consider the problem of resource sharing when processing large numbers of continuous queries. We specifically address sliding-window aggregates over data streams, an important class of continuous operators for which sharing has not been addressed. We present a suite of sharing techniques that cover a wide range of possible scenarios: different classes of aggregation functions (algebraic, distributive, holistic), different window types (time-based, tuple-based, suffix, historical), and different input models (single stream, multiple substreams). We provide precise theoretical performance guarantees for our techniques, and show their practical effectiveness through experimental study.
Abstract #LB-261: Combined inhibition of histone deacetylase and mTOR: A novel therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO Pancreatic cancers are resistant to almost all chemotherapy and radiation regimens. Recent clinical trials of mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated that RAD001 as a single-agent had minimal clinical activity in patients with gemcitabine-refractory, metastatic pancreatic cancer (Brian et al, JCO, 2005). New agents, alone and in combination are needed to overcome resistance to therapy in pancreatic cancer and improve survival. Herein, we report that cells from pancreatic cancer lines (MIAPaCa-2, Pnac-1 and BxPc-3) display persistent activation of the mTOR pathway as determined by phosphorylation of mTOR itself and its targets S6 ribosomal protein (S6rp) and 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). Treatment of human pancreatic cancer lines with various doses of rapamycin predictably demonstrated less than 10% reduction in overall cell survival. However, rapamycin suppressed the phosphorylation of S6rp and 4E-BP1, indicating an inhibition of raptor-mTOR (mTORC1) signaling. Treatment of pancreatic cancer cells with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor LBH589 induced growth inhibition of these cells at nanomolar concentrations in a dose dependent manner in association with hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4. Combined treatment of LBH with rapamycin inhibited the phosphorylation of S6rp and 4EBP1 to a greater extent than either agent alone. Surprisingly the combined treatment with LBH and Rap synergistically inhibited growth of pancreatic cell lines and induced apoptosis. The mTOR pathway controls the translation of specific mRNA species, some of which are involved in cell cycle control and angiogenesis (e.g. c-Myc and HIF-1a). LBH alone downregulated expression of c-Myc and HIF-1a, however combination with rapamycin further decreased expression of c-Myc and HIF-1a. Overall these results indicate that pharmacological inhibition of the mTOR pathway by rapamycin and LBH interferes with essential survival and proliferating pathways in pancreatic cancer cells. In summary, our data provide a mechanistic basis for enhancing mTOR-targeted cancer therapy by combining an mTOR inhibitor with a HDAC inhibitor such as LBH in pancreatic cancer. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr LB-261.
Abstract 12908: Alpha-1 Anti-trypsin Inhibits the Acute Inflammatory Response in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Introduction: Alpha-1 anti-trypsin (AAT) is an anti-inflammatory protein abundant in the plasma. Studies in mice have shown anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties of plasma derived AAT in experimental myocardial infarction (MI). Hypothesis: Plasma derived AAT (Prolastin C) inhibits the acute inflammatory response in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: Ten patients with acute STEMI were enrolled in an open-label single-arm treatment study of Prolastin C at 60 mg/kg intravenously within 12 hours of admission. High-sensitivity C reactive protein (CRP) and plasma AAT levels were determined at admission, 72 hours and 14 days, and followed clinically for up to 12 weeks for the occurrence of new onset heart failure (HF), recurrent MI or death. Twenty patients with STEMI enrolled in 2 prior clinical trials with identical inclusion criteria, and were randomly assigned to placebo served as historical controls. Data is presented as median and interquartile range, and...
A rapid assay for evaluation of iron-chelating agents in rats

The animal assay of potential new iron-chelating agents is at present dependent on cumbersome and imprecise iron balance studies in hypertransfused rodents. We report the development of a radioisotope assay in intact rats based on the transient labeling by ferritin 59Fe of the main source of chelatable iron within hepatocytes. The isotope was maximally available to chelators during the first 6 hr after its injection, nearly all the excretion being in the bile. The bile 59Fe/total iron ratio was independent of both the chelator and its dose. However, in iron-loaded rats, the ratio was reduced, and the isotope excretion was a less sensitive measure of intrahepatic chelation. In the proposed assay, test chelators were given to normal rats 2 hr after an intravenous injection of 59Fe-ferritin. Four hours later, the radioiron in the liver and in the gut gave a sensitive measure of the mobilization of hepatic iron to the bile. In addition, chemical iron determinations identified a small alternative source of urinary chelate with agents known to promote urine excretion in man. The assay gave a rapid and precise screen for chelators given by parenteral and oral routes.
Muon spin relaxation studies of magnetic order in Y 1 − x U x Pd 3 and UPd 4

We have performed muon spin relaxation (\ensuremath{\mu}SR) measurements of polycrystalline specimens of ${\mathrm{Y}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{U}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$ with x=0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and ${\mathrm{UPd}}_{4}$. We demonstrate that ${\mathrm{UPd}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{Y}}_{0.6}$${\mathrm{U}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$ exhibit spin glass order, while the predominant volume fraction remains nonmagnetic at T\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0 in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{0.8}$${\mathrm{U}}_{0.2}$${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$ and the muon spin relaxation rate becomes even smaller in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{0.9}$${\mathrm{U}}_{0.1}$${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$, indicating the disappearance of magnetic order with decreasing U concentration x. These results are discussed in terms of the competition between the crystalline electric field splitting ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{\mathrm{CEF}}$ and the exchange coupling J.
Emotions and sentiments.

I begin with the classical theorist Cooley (1909, p. 177) who defined sentiment in this way: "By sentiment I mean socialized [my emphasis] feeling, feeling which has been raised by thought and intercourse out of its merely instinctive state and become properly human. It implies imagination, and the medium in which it chiefly lives is sympathetic contact with the minds of others." Sentiment is distinctly social. Gordon (1981) highlights this by identifying sentiment as a socially constructed combination of autonomic responses, expressive behaviors, and shared meanings usually organized around another person. As he writes, sentiment involves "combinations of bodily sensations, gestures, and cultural meanings that we learn in enduring social relationships" (Gordon, 1981, p. 563). For example, love is a sentiment that is characterized by autonomic symptoms such as the flow of adrenaline and increased heart rate, emerges with another we see as attractive, and may be expressed in gazing and smiling at the other. We learn through socialization the vocabulary to name our internal sensations given objects or events that we encounter, and we learn how to express them accordingly.* The clearest definition of an emotion comes from Thoits' (1990) who indicates that an emotion has four interconnected components: (1) situational cues, (2) physiological changes, (3) expressive gestures, and (4) an emotion label that names the specific configuration of
Molecular features of the viral and cellular Src kinases involved in interactions with the GTPase-activating protein.

Abstract GTPase-activating protein (GAP) enhances the rate of GTP hydrolysis by cellular Ras proteins and is implicated in mitogenic signal transduction. GAP is phosphorylated on tyrosine in cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus and serves as an in vitro substrate of the viral Src (v-Src) kinase. Our previous studies showed that GAP complexes stably with normal cellular Src (c-Src), although its association with v-Src is less stable. To further investigate the molecular basis for interactions between GAP and the Src kinases, we examined GAP association with and phosphorylation by a series of c-Src and v-Src mutants. Analysis of GAP association with c-Src/v-Src chimeric proteins demonstrates that GAP associates stably with Src proteins possessing low kinase activity and poorly with activated Src kinases, especially those that lack the carboxy-terminal segment of c-Src containing the regulatory amino acid Tyr-527. Phosphorylated Tyr-527 is a major determinant of c-Src association with GAP, as demonstrated by c-Src point mutants in which Tyr-527 is changed to Phe. While the isolated amino-terminal half of the c-Src protein is insufficient for stable GAP association, analysis of point substitutions of highly conserved amino acid residues in the c-Src SH2 region indicate that this region also influences Src-GAP complex formation. Therefore, our results suggest that both Tyr-527 phosphorylation and the SH2 region contribute to stable association of c-Src with GAP. Analysis of in vivo phosphorylation of GAP by v-Src mutants containing deletions encompassing the SH2, SH3, and unique regions suggests that the kinase domain of v-Src contains sufficient substrate specificity for GAP phosphorylation. Even though tyrosine phosphorylation of GAP correlates to certain extent with the transforming ability of various c-Src and v-Src mutants, our data suggest that other GAP-associated proteins may also have roles in Src-mediated oncogenic transformation. These findings provide additional evidence for the specificity of Src interactions with GAP and support the hypothesis that these interactions contribute to the biological functions of the Scr kinases.
The structure and mechanism of iron-hydrogenases

Hydrogenases devoid of nickel and containing only Fe-S clusters have been found so far only in some strictly anaerobic bacteria. Four Fe-hydrogenases have been characterized: from Megasphaera elsdenii, Desulfovibrio vulgaris (strain Hildenborough), and two from Clostridium pasteurianum. All contain two or more [4Fe-4S]1+,2+ or F clusters and a unique type of Fe-S center termed the H cluster. The H cluster appears to be remarkably similar in all the hydrogenases, and is proposed as the site of H2 oxidation and H2 production. The F clusters serve to transfer electrons between the H cluster and the external electron carrier. In all of the hydrogenases the H cluster is comprised of at least three Fe atoms, and possibly six. In the oxidized state it contains two types of magnetically distinct Fe atoms, has an S = 1/2 spin state, and exhibits a novel rhombic EPR signal. The reduced cluster is diamagnetic (S = 0). The oxidized H cluster appears to undergo a conformation change upon reduction with H2 with an increase in Fe-Fe distances of about 0.5 A. Studies using resonance Raman, magnetic circular dichroism and electron spin echo spectroscopies suggest that the H cluster has significant non-sulfur coordination. The H cluster has two binding sites for CO, at least one of which can also bind O2. Binding to one site changes the EPR properties of the cluster and gives a photosensitive adduct, but does not affect catalytic activity. Binding to the other site, which only becomes exposed during the catalytic cycle, leads to loss of catalytic activity. Mechanisms of H2 activation and electron transfer are proposed to explain the effects of CO binding and the ability of one of the hydrogenases to preferentially catalyze H2 oxidation.
Quantum discord and Maxwell’s demons

Quantum discord was proposed as an information-theoretic measure of the ``quantumness'' of correlations. I show that discord determines the difference between the efficiency of quantum and classical Maxwell's demons---that is, entities that can or cannot measure nonlocal observables or carry out conditional quantum operations---in extracting work from collections of correlated quantum systems.
Field Survey of the Samoa Tsunami of 29 September 2009

On 29 September 2009, a strong earthquake took place south of the Samoa Islands in the southcentral Pacific. It triggered a local tsunami, which caused considerable damage and 189 fatalities on the Samoa Islands and in the northern Tonga archipelago. We present here the results of a tsunami survey conducted by an International Tsunami Survey Team in the Samoa Islands on 4-10 October 2009 and in northern Tonga on 25–27 November 2009. ### The Earthquake of 29 September 2009: Geographical Background The earthquake occurred at 17:48:10 GMT (local time 06:48 on the 29th in Samoa; on the 30th in Tonga), with a source located at 15.51°S and 172.03°W and a focal depth estimated at 18 km by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter is thus 200 km south of the Samoa Islands and 350 km NNE of the principal groups of Tonga (Figure 1). Note however, the presence of a small island, Niuatoputapu, only 200 km WSW of the epicenter. The Samoa Islands comprise the territory of American Samoa, which regroups the island of Tutuila (142 km2; capital: Pago Pago), and the islets of Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u, Rose, and Swains, and the independent country of Samoa (formerly Western Samoa), comprised of the islands of Upolu (1,125 km2; capital: Apia), Savai'i (1,708 km2), and a few islets including Manono. The island of Niuatoputapu, the nearby islet of Tafahi, and the more distant island of Niuafo'ou belong to the Kingdom of Tonga. ### Plate Tectonics Background The Samoa Islands are located 200 km north of the bend in the boundary of the Pacific plate marking the termination of the Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone. The convergent boundary expressing the subduction of the Pacific plate under the Australian one gives way to a strike-slip regime along a transform fault running north of the Fiji Islands, and linked across a spreading center in …
Effect of piezoelectric actuator modeling for wave generation in LISA

The local interaction simulation approach (LISA), a finite difference based numerical method, has been proven to be efficient in modeling guided wave (GW) propagation in isotropic and composite laminated structures. Recently, the LISA framework has been augmented to incorporate the piezoelectric material directly in the formulation so to more accurately model the transducer effects in the GW generation. This paper presents a study to assess the importance of the actuation modeling from surface-mounted piezoelectric actuators in LISA. Actuation modeling includes the prescribed displacements (either in plane or out of plane) that are commonly found in the literature, as well as the direct modeling of the piezoelectric material of the actuator with prescribed electric potentials. The study is carried out both for isotropic and composite laminated substrates. Numerical and experimental results are used to characterize the quality of the actuator modeling options.
Synchronous oogenesis in Engystomops pustulosus, a neotropic anuran suitable for laboratory studies: Localization in the embryo of RNA synthesized at the lampbrush stage

An investigation of several tropical frogs was undertaken in order to find species in which synchronous oogenesis takes place, so that the RNA synthesized at the lampbrush stage could be labelled and followed through early development. The reproductive cycle of Engystomops pustulosus was found to include both synchronous and asynchronous phases. Laboratory maintenance and induction of synchronous oogenesis in this organism are described. By using toads carrying out synchronous oogenesis, RNA synthesized during the lampbrush stage was shown to be retained through gastrulation. The pattern of new RNA synthesis in the embryo resembles that in other anurans. Radioautographs suggest that the distribution in the embryo of maternal RNA synthesized at the lampbrush stage is distinct from that of RNA newly synthesized by the embryo; the possible implications of these observations are discussed.
Connexin hemichannel and pannexin channel electrophysiology: How do they differ?

Connexin hemichannels are postulated to form a cell permeabilization pore for the uptake of fluorescent dyes and release of cellular ATP. Connexin hemichannel activity is enhanced by low external [Ca2+]o, membrane depolarization, metabolic inhibition, and some disease-causing gain-of-function connexin mutations. This paper briefly reviews the electrophysiological channel conductance, permeability, and pharmacology properties of connexin hemichannels, pannexin 1 channels, and purinergic P2X7 receptor channels as studied in exogenous expression systems including Xenopus oocytes and mammalian cell lines such as HEK293 cells. Overlapping pharmacological inhibitory and channel conductance and permeability profiles makes distinguishing between these channel types sometimes difficult. Selective pharmacology for Cx43 hemichannels (Gap19 peptide), probenecid or FD&C Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue FCF, BB FCF) for Panx1, and A740003, A438079, or oxidized ATP (oATP) for P2X7 channels may be the best way to distinguish between these three cell permeabilizing channel types. Endogenous connexin, pannexin, and P2X7 expression should be considered when performing exogenous cellular expression channel studies. Cell pair electrophysiological assays permit the relative assessment of the connexin hemichannel/gap junction channel ratio not often considered when performing isolated cell hemichannel studies.
A monolithic six-port module

The design and test of the first fully monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) implementation of a complete six-port module is described. The monolithic six-port module (MSPM) includes a six-port junction, matched FET diode detectors, high-dynamic range logarithmic amplifiers, and tunable Gunn-effect oscillators. The GaAs chip is 3*3 mm and the circuits operate from 7 to 9 GHz. In a reflectometer configuration, the MSPM demonstrates good agreement with US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) measurements on the same components. This MSPM can be used as a primary building block for a new generation of low-cost, very small, and highly reliable ICs for built-in-test applications. >
Electropolymerization kinetic study of 3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine and its optical optimization for electrochromic window applications

Abstract Poly (3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine), PProDOT-Me 2 , is one of the most promising conducting polymers in the alkylenedioxythiophene based family for electrochromic window applications. In the electropolymerization kinetic study of 3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine (ProDOT-Me 2 ), microgravimetry and chronoamperometry were used to determine the reaction orders with respect to the electrolyte and monomer, and the corresponding general kinetic equation of electropolymerization. This study presents that monomer concentration has a strong impact on electropolymerization mechanism. The relationship between film thickness and polymerization time was analyzed indicating that saturation of polymerization reduced the increase rate of film thickness with polymerization time. Also, the electropolymerization conditions were optimized to reach high contrast (Δ% T > 70%) with the minimum of transmittance (% T min
Surgical techniques for the liver and biliary tract.

Surgical treatment of hepatic and biliary disease requires a thorough knowledge of pertinent anatomy and pathophysiology. Proper attention to both preoperative and postoperative care is important. This article describes many of the more common surgical manipulations of the liver and biliary tract, as well as pre- and postoperative considerations
Acquiring Maternal Immunoglobulin: Different Receptors, Similar Functions

The isolation of a novel Fc receptor (FcRY) from chicken yolk sac provides insight at the mechanistic level as to how avian maternal immunoglobulin (IgY) is transferred to offspring. This receptor is distinct from its mammalian counterpart and is a phospholipase A(2) receptor homolog. Biophysical analyses indicate that FcRY achieves pH-dependent binding to IgY through a conformational change.
An implantable multi-channel biotelemetry system

Abstract This paper describes a totally implantable multichannel biotelemetry system developed for recording physiological information from a 20-week-old 800–1000 g monkey infant living unrestrained in its social group. The FM carrier (88–108 Mc/sec) is modulated by a pulse amplitude modulated subcarrier, and transmits EOG, EMG, heart rate, body temperature, and three channels of EEG. The system is constructed by hand from discrete components and commercially available integrated circuits. The total weight of the encapsulated system, including batteries, is 35 g. The effective transmission range using a simple dipole antenna is 10 m, and the transmitter life is 50 days continuous operation. Although designed for use in the infant monkey, the telemetry system would be equally useful in any situation where a requirement exists to record multivariable physiological data from a completely unrestrained and unhampered experimental subject.
A NOVEL NETWORK CONTROL METHOD FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRIC BRIDGE MEASUREMENT

The RDC approach provides an effective way to establish a reference system for measuring vertical geometry and deflection for many bridge engineering applications of close-range photogrammetry. The accuracy provided by the RDC approach is comparable to that of the conventional control-point method, while the former significantly reduces the field work. The RDC approach was verified through comparisons with dial gage and differential-level measurements; the difference was generally within 0.2 mm (0.008 inch), with the maximum less than 1 mm (0.04 inch) from the dial gage measurement in the lab study, and generally within 1 mm (0.04 inch), with the maximum less than 1.5 mm (0.06 inch) from the level readings in the field study. Engineers can easily apply the RDC approach to perform photogrammetric structural measurement without the need of conventional surveying equipment (e.g., total station). It is concluded that the RDC approach can be used as an effective and more efficient photogrammetry network control method in lieu of the control-point method for bridge engineering applications.
A multispecies step-flow model of growth of compound thin films by MOCVD

This paper presents a model of step-flow-mediated growth of a multispecies stoichiometric compound in the setting of MOCVD. The gas phase delivers adatoms of the different species to the terraces; these adatoms diffuse along the terraces until they reach the steps where they react to form the compound which is incorporated into the film. The model shows that possible blocking of open sites on the terrace and non-linear kinetics at the steps give rise to an unusual dependence of the deposition flux (growth rate) on the gas phase composition. A methodology for coupling this step-flow model to reactor-scale gas phase models is also proposed, and shown to be linearly stable.
Detecting Roads in Stabilized Video with the Spatio-Temporal Structure Tensor

Video provides strong cues for automatic road extraction that are not available in static aerial images. In video from a static camera, or stabilized (or geo-referenced) aerial video data, motion patterns within a scene enable function attribution of scene regions. A "road", for example, may be defined as a path of consistent motion -- a definition which is valid in a large and diverse set of environments. The spatio-temporal structure tensor field is an ideal representation of the image derivative distribution at each pixel because it can be updated in real time as video is acquired. An eigen-decomposition of the structure tensor encodes both the local scene motion and the variability in the motion. Additionally, the structure tensor field can be factored into motion components, allowing explicit determination of traffic patterns in intersections. Example results of a real time system are shown for an urban scene with both well-traveled and infrequently traveled roads, indicating that both can be discovered simultaneously. The method is ideal in urban traffic scenes, which are the most difficult to analyze using static imagery.
Laboratory triggering of stick-slip events by oscillatory loading in the presence of pore fluid with implications for physics of tectonic tremor

[1] The physical mechanism by which the low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) that make up portions of tectonic (also called non-volcanic) tremor are created is poorly understood. In many areas of the world, tectonic tremor and LFEs appear to be strongly tidally modulated, whereas ordinary earthquakes are not. Anomalous seismic wave speeds, interpreted as high pore fluid pressure, have been observed in regions that generate tremor. Here we build upon previous laboratory studies that investigated the response of stick-slip on artificial faults to oscillatory, tide-like loading. These previous experiments were carried out using room-dry samples of Westerly granite, at one effective stress. Here we augment these results with new experiments on Westerly granite, with the addition of varying effective stress using pore fluid at two pressures. We find that raising pore pressure, thereby lowering effective stress can significantly increase the degree of correlation of stick-slip to oscillatory loading. We also find other pore fluid effects that become important at higher frequencies, when the period of oscillation is comparable to the diffusion time of pore fluid into the fault. These results help constrain the conditions at depth that give rise to tidally modulated LFEs, providing confirmation of the effective pressure law for triggering and insights into why tremor is tidally modulated while earthquakes are at best only weakly modulated.
1624 PAUCITY OF MINIMAL CHANGE (MC) LESION IN YOUNG CHILDREN WITH EARLY FREQUENTLY RELAPSING STEROID SENSITIVE (FRSS) NEPHROTIC SYNDROME (NS)

The morphological lesion in young children with early FRSSNS is presumed to be MC; however, there are no prospective studies that validate this assertion. From 1980-84, we performed a percutaneous renal biopsy on all children with the NS, ages 2-8 yrs, as soon as they developed a FRSS course. Relapse is defined as recurrance of NS within 2 months of an 8 week prednisone course. 15 children (8 male, 7 female) were studied, mean age at time of biopsy 4.8 yrs (2.7-8 yrs). An average of 4 relapses per patient occurred during the initial 13 months - the mean interval from diagnosis of NS to renal biopsy. No children were azotemic, 3/15 had hematuria and 0/15 hypertension. Only 4/15 patients exhibited the MC lesion. In 73% (11/15) of patients, the renal histology was other than MC. 2 patients had diffuse mesangial hypercellularity, 7 had mesangial IgM nephropathy and 2 patients had focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. No clinical feature discriminated between patients with MC and those with severe lesions. Of the 11 children with non-MC histology, 1 patient requires dialysis, 4 have persistent proteinuria despite cyclophosphamide (CY), 5 are in prolonged remission following CY therapy and 1 is lost to follow up. Our study concludes that as in the adult, a variety of morphological lesions are seen in young children with FRSSNS and that the occurrence of frequent relapses even in children as young as 3 yrs may herald the presence of a more ominous histological lesion.
An Overview at Copper-Laser Development for Isotope Separation

The copper laser has undergone 20 years of development since first demonstrated in 1966 by Walter et al.1 The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, funded by the Department of Energy, has participated in copper-laser development since 1974 for application in atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS). Separation of isotopes from a uranium vapor stream using lasers requires several unique properties from the laser system. We have chosen copper-laser-pumped dye lasers as our baseline technology for this process. We discuss the operating characteristics of the copper laser with emphasis on suitability for AVLIS. These characteristics include: average power, pulse-repetition rate, optical pulse length, and electrical to optical efficiency. In the past 3 years, we have designed, built, and are at present running the Laser Demonstration Facility continuously. This facility has over 40 copper lasers. We discuss the copper-laser system as an extension of the operating characteristics of a single copper laser. Copper-laser oscillator amplifier chains, beam quality, and refurbish ent cycles are discussed. The overview is divided into five sections: an introduction to AVLIS, laser requirements for AVLIS, copper-laser chains, system maintenance and refurbishment, and conclusions.
Growth in reading-related skills of language minority learners and their classmates: more evidence for early identification and intervention

This longitudinal study investigated growth in reading-related skills between Grade 1 and 4 for language minority (LM) learners and their native English-speaking classmates from similarly low socioeconomic backgrounds (N = 166). Growth trajectories were compared by language background and by Grade 4 reading difficulties, with the goal of informing decisions about how early LM learners can undergo screening for risk of reading difficulties. As a group, LM learners demonstrated weaknesses in vocabulary and oral comprehension and strengths in phonological awareness that were apparent in Grade 1 and consistent through Grade 4. LM learners also demonstrated early strengths in letter-word identification but fell far below national norms by Grade 4. The subset of LM learners with word reading difficulties demonstrated major weaknesses in vocabulary, oral comprehension, phonological awareness, and working memory, whereas LM learners with specific reading comprehension difficulties demonstrated major weaknesses in vocabulary and oral comprehension; these weaknesses were apparent in Grade 1 and consistent through Grade 4, suggesting the importance of early assessment and intervention.
Identification and developmental expression of a chicken calsequestrin homolog.

Abstract Calsequestrin (CAL) is a calcium-binding protein whose primary function is thought to involve sequestration of calcium in the muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Little is known about the mechanisms regulating CAL expression, or about the role of this protein in muscle development. In addition, CAL may regulate calcium localization in some nonmuscle cells. We have identified an avian calsequestrin homolog. The predicted amino acid sequence of the avian CAL, first described as a laminin binding protein, and named aspartactin, is 70–80% identical to mammalian CAL sequences. We have used affinity-purified antibodies and cDNA probes to investigate expression in developing and adult chicken tissues. In adult chickens, the avian CAL homolog was expressed in slow and fast twitch skeletal muscle as well as in cardiac muscle. Surprisingly high levels of CAL protein were also detected in cerebellum. During development, CAL mRNA and protein were detected in Embryonic Day 5 (E-5) limb primordia, well before the initiation of myoblast fusion. In leg skeletal muscle, CAL protein and mRNA increase approximately 10-fold from E-8 to E-18 with a time course that just precedes myoblast fusion. This early expression pattern was also observed in cultured chicken pectoral myoblasts, and appears to be regulated at the level of mRNA abundance. The developmental profile of CAL expression is compared to that of other muscle proteins and possible additional functions of CAL are discussed.