cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a Political Economy of ‘Audience Labour’ in the Digital Era

This article contributes to a political economic theory centred on the concept of “audience labour”. First, the previous use of the concept of audience labour is briefly traced and the process of rethinking the concept as the basis of a political economic theory is begun. Second, a theory of the audience labour process is developed, drawing on previous theories of audience activities of cultural consumption as productive activities of signification and adapting Marx’s theory of the human labour process to the audience labour process. Third, a political economy of audience labour is outlined. As a theory of the basic processes through which communicative capital can control and extract value from audience labour, it describes the exploitation of audience labour and accumulation of communicative capital through distribution relationships of rent and interest. Finally, the continuing centrality of audience labour exploitation in the digital era is discussed.
The psychology of moderate prediction: I. Experience with multiple determination☆

Abstract In the experiments reported here, individuals with experience in a multivariate prediction setting showed considerable moderation of subsequent univariate predictions, compared to those without such experience. We show that such moderation of prediction does not result from an abstract rule of regression to the mean; rather, it can be explained by the named error model. According to this model, missing predictors are treated as an error term, with their unknown values replaced by central tendencies. Experiment 1 demonstrates the phenomenon of moderation following multivariate experience and explores its generalization to novel predictors. Moderation occurs even for a perfectly valid predictor, contrary to normative application of a regression strategy. Experiment 2 shows that the phenomenon depends on lack of correlation among the multivariate predictors. This accords with the named error model, which asserts that if missing predictors are perceived to be correlated with the available predictor, their unknown values are replaced by extreme values rather than by central tendencies. Experiment 3 shows that mere exposure to additional predictors has no effect; experience in which multiple predictors are used to make numerical predictions seems to be necessary in order to obtain subsequent moderation. In Experiment 4, feedback is introduced. Moderation of prediction results even without prior multivariate experience. However, multivariate experience produces the moderation effect much more quickly.
CCAAT/enhancer-binding Protein-Delta (C/EBP-delta) Is Induced in Growth-Arrested Mouse Mammary Epithelial Cells

Abstract CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs) are a highly conserved family of DNA-binding proteins that regulate cell growth and differentiation in a highly tissue-specific manner. These experiments investigated the influence of the cell cycle on C/EBP isoform expression in mammary epithelial cells (COMMA D) and fibroblasts (NIH3T3). C/EBP-δ gene expression is induced in COMMA D cells arrested in G0 by serum and growth factor withdrawal or contact inhibition. C/EBP-δ mRNA, nuclear protein content, and DNA binding activity increase during G0 growth arrest and decrease after cell cycle induction in COMMA D cells. Growth arrest is markedly delayed in COMMA D cells expressing a C/EBP-δ antisense construct. C/EBP-β is induced during G1 of the cell cycle. In contrast to COMMA D cells, C/EBP-β and C/EBP-δ mRNA levels remain relatively constant in growth-arrested and cell cycle-induced NIH3T3 cells. However, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP10) mRNA levels markedly increase in growth-arrested NIH3T3 cells. Both COMMA D and NIH3T3 cells express growth arrest-specific (gas1) and JunD during G0. These results demonstrate that COMMA D and NIH3T3 cells achieve a common growth arrest (G0) state by cell-specific strategies that involve the induction of different C/EBP isoforms.
Association of aminoacyl transferase II with ribosomes of intact HeLa cells during amino acid deprivation.

Abstract The ADP ribosylation in vitro of aminoacyl transferase II, catalyzed by diphtheria toxin, was used to determine the subcellular location of transferase II in extracts obtained from intact HeLa cells incubated under a variety of conditions. Very little transferase II was found associated with either heavy or light polyribosomes, most of the ribosome-associated enzyme being bound to monoribosomes. Incubation conditions of cells which increased the amount of monoribosomes, such as amino acid deprivation and puromycin inhibition of protein synthesis, caused an increased binding of the enzyme to monoribosomes compared to controls. Transferase II, accumulated on monoribosomes as a result of amino acid deprivation, was rapidly released into the cytoplasm upon restoration of protein synthesis. The free 74 S monoribosomes contained almost all of the ribosome-bound aminoacyl transferase II; only traces were found associated with nascent 60 S and 40 S ribosomal subunits.
Peak Accelerations From the 17 October 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake

Peak accelerations of the Loma Prieta main shock have been tabulated from instruments maintained by a number of organizations. We have analyzed a subset of 86 records from nominally free-field sites, which have been subdivided into rock, alluvium, and bay-mud categories according to data available in various reports. After correction for attenuation, the peak accelerations on rock, alluvium, and bay-mud sites are factors of 1.6, 1.8, and 4.5 larger, on the average, than Joyner and Boore’s (1988) predicted values for a M= 6.9 earthquake. The mean motions for the rock and alluvium sites are somewhat greater than one standard deviation away from the predicted value, but the mean acceleration from the bay-mud sites is well outside the range expected from analyses of data from previous earthquakes from rock and alluvium sites. Large amplitudes of motions on bay-mud sites relative to rock sites (a factor of 2.8 for the average of the recordings of the Loma Prieta main shock) has been found previously from recordings of distant earthquakes and explosions, but the Loma Prieta earthquake provided the first opportunity to study the relative amplitudes from strong-motion recordings.
Reporting Bias Leading to Discordant Venous Thromboembolism Rates in the United States Versus Non-US Countries Following Radical Cystectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Context Postcystectomy bladder cancer (BCa) patients are at high risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). The literature varies widely in the reporting of VTE in this population. Objective To determine the VTE rate in subjects undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) and highlight specific factors affecting this rate. Evidence acquisition This meta-analysis was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database, registration number: CRD42015016776. We queried MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Web of Science. Search terms captured BCa, RC, and VTE. Per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, abstracts were reviewed for inclusion/exclusion criteria by two reviewers, and disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer. A search of the gray literature and references of pertinent articles was also performed. The date of our last search was December 15, 2014. For unreported data, authors were contacted. Data were abstracted in duplicate and pooled using a random effects (RE) model. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to determine risk factors for VTE. Evidence synthesis We identified 2927 publications, of which 223 met inclusion criteria for this review. A total of 1 115 634 surgeries were performed on patient population (80% men) with a total of 51 908 VTEs. The VTE rate estimated by the RE model was 3.7%. Due to significant heterogeneity, subgroup and meta-regression analyses were undertaken. These revealed a higher rate of VTE in US studies at 4.49% compared with "westernized" non-US studies at 3.43% and "nonwesternized" non-US based studies at 2.50%. Other important modifiers included minimally invasive surgery at 5.54% versus open surgery at 3.55%, and age. The case-fatality rate of pulmonary emboli was 44%. Conclusions VTE is common in patients undergoing RC. Reporting of VTE is heterogeneous and the rate varies according to study-level factors, including surgery type and country of origin. Limitations of this study include the preponderance of observational studies in the final analysis and lack of complete reporting of all variables of interest within each study. Patient summary In this review, we determined the venous thromboembolism (VTE) rate in postsurgical bladder cancer patients. VTE events did vary significantly among certain subgroups.
Application of the abstractional concept mapping theory for the interpretation of novel metaphor

In this paper, we discuss the current status of an analogy generation environment based on the abstractional concept mapping theory, and in particular, its potential application for interpretation of novel metaphors in natural language processing. Current work involves the ultimate implementation of an integrated analogy generation, learning, and problem-solving environment based on this theory. We discuss here what has been accomplished so far towards this end (a) an initial, partial implementation of the analogy model, (b) implementation of a set of tools for use in the analogy environment, and (c) investigation of the application of such a system as an embedded component of a natural language processing system.
On the parameterized complexity of k-SUM

In the k-SUM problem, we are given a set of numbers and asked if there are k of them which sum to 0. The case of k = 3 has been extensively studied in computational geometry, and known to be intimately related to many low-dimensional problems. The case of arbitrary k is the natural parameterization of Subset Sum and is well-known in parameterized algorithms and complexity. We present new FPT reductions between the k-SUM problem and the k-Clique problem, yielding several complexity-theoretic and algorithmic consequences. Our reductions show that k-SUM on “small” numbers (in the range [−n f(k) ,n f(k) ] for any computable function f) is W[1]complete, and that k-SUM (in general) is W[1]-complete under a common derandomization assumption. These results effectively resolve the parameterized complexity of k-SUM, initially posed in 1992 by Downey and Fellows in their seminal paper on parameterized intractability [11, 12]. Our method is quite general and applies to other weighted problems as well.
A Headache at the End of the Day

This essay presents a family medicine office visit with a child and both parents; details have been modified to protect patient and physician confidentiality. A child’s headache, which has gone away before the start of the office visit, provides a window into the relationship between the parents and into the sources of their worries about their child’s health. The essay highlights the multiple medical and behavioral concerns that the physician must keep in mind during relatively brief office encounters, and the intellectual challenge of maintaining appropriate attention to all these threads, and understanding their interactions, while completing the visit in a timely fashion.
Intraocular fluid dynamics. III. The site and mechanism of prostaglandin transfer across the blood intraocular fluid barriers

Abstract When a mixture of 3H labelled prostaglandin E1(PGE1) and 14C-sucrose is injected into the vitreous body, 3H leaves the vitreous at a substantially higher rate ( t 1 2 = 3 hr ) than 14C ( t 1 2 = 15 hr ). High levels of 14C were observed in the aqueous humour 4 to 20 hr following intravitreal injection, indicating that much of the sucrose leaves the eye by the bulk flow. 3H was not detected in the aqueous humour at any time following the intravitreal injection; therefore, PGE1 must be lost from the eye before it can enter the anterior chamber. Less than 3% of the originally injected activity was detected in intraocular tissues, indicating that the high rate of 3H loss is due to rapid transfer of PGE1 across some region of the blood-ocular fluid barriers, and consequent loss into the circulation. Although it was not possible to accurately determine rates of loss of 3H and 14C from the posterior fluid following injection of 3H-PGE1 and 14C-sucrose into the posterior chamber, such attempts showed that 3H leaves the posterior chamber several times faster than sucrose. When the same mixture was injected into the anterior chamber the rates of loss of 3H and 14C from the aqueous humour were essentially identical; thus, in contrast to posterior chamber, there is no specific mechanism to facilitate the removal of PGs from the anterior chamber of the eye. When a mixture of [3H]PGE1 and [14C] sucrose or [14C] thiourea was presented to the blood side of the blood intraocular fluid barrier by short-term close arterial infusion, the 3H/14C ratios in the anterior and posterior aqueous and in the vitreous humour were less than that of the infusion medium. Thus, either the passive permeability of these barriers to PGE1 is less than that of thiourea or sucrose or that, some of the PGE1 molecules which cross these barriers are transported out again by an active process. These and previous results suggest that the ciliary processes (and/or the posterior surface of the iris) and possibly the blood-vitreal barrier possess specific transport mechanisms to facilitate the removal of prostaglandins from the extracellular fluid compartments of the posterior segment of the eye.
Joint Precoding for Optically Amplified Fiber-Optic Systems

Optically amplified regional and long-haul fiber optic networks employing wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) or code division multiple access (CDMA) are typically performance limited by cross-talk among different channels or users. Receiver based signal processing techniques for minimizing the resulting interference effects have been investigated in the past. In optical channels the receiver (the photo-detector) is effectively a square-law device. Combined with optical pre-amplification, this results in non-Gaussian, signal dependent noise and makes interference cancellation at the receiver difficult. In this paper we consider the design of a fiber-optic system as a whole multichannel system, using joint transmit and receive processing to minimize the performance degradation resulting from interference. Our results indicate that depending on the cross-correlation among channels or users the proposed techniques may outperform receiver based multiuser detection techniques.
Effect of middle ear fluid on sound transmission and auditory brainstem response in guinea pigs.

Combined measurements of middle ear transfer function and auditory brainstem response (ABR) in live guinea pigs with middle ear effusion (MEE) are reported in this paper. The MEE model was created by injecting saline into the middle ear cavity. Vibrations of the tympanic membrane (TM), the tip of the incus, and the round window membrane (RWM) were measured with a laser vibrometer at frequencies of 0.2-40 kHz when the middle ear fluid increased from 0 to 0.2 ml (i.e., full fill of the cavity). The click and pure tone ABRs were recorded as the middle ear fluid increased. Fluid introduction reduced mobility of the TM, incus and RWM mainly at high frequencies (f > 1 kHz). The magnitude of this reduction was related to the volume of fluid. The displacement transmission ratio of the TM to incus varied with frequency and fluid level. The volume displacement ratio of the oval window to round window was approximately 1.0 over most frequencies. Elevation of ABR thresholds and prolongation of ABR latencies were observed as fluid level increased. Reduction of TM displacement correlated well with elevation of ABR threshold at 0.5-8 kHz. Alterations in the ratio of ossicular displacements before and after fluid induction are consistent with fluid-induced changes in complex ossicular motions.
Introduction: Validation methods for function genome annotation

This supplement comprises a report on progress during 2007-10 on an outstanding and continuing problem. What are effective and high throughput methodologies for validating the function of genes, newly displayed within DNA sequences? The display of genomes as DNA sequence is becoming increasingly cheap and fast. Sequence comparison methodologies do serve for computationally recognizing homologues between genes in a newly displayed genome, with those of previously analyzed genomes. This is a first automated step in annotation of newly recognized, candidate genes. But there are abundant examples that follow through experimentation is needed to improve and often also to correct the first outputs of computational annotation. For newly displayed microbial genomes, about a third of the genes do not thus acquire any functional assignment. For the more complex genomes of higher species, gene coverage by automated annotation is even poorer. The DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) participated in a 2006 workshop sponsored by the NIH National Center for Biological Information (NCBI). Numerous limitations of computational annotation were discussed. DOE responded with a call for research applications in May 2007: http://www.sc.doe.gov/grants/FAPN07-14.html . Completely solving the long standing problem of validating annotation was certainly not feasible. Rather BER sought methods which could be applied in high throughput modes, with particularly applicability to gene families or genomes related to DOE missions. Validation projects initiated through the FAPN07-14 call and review process are included herein, with complementation by a few cogent projects started earlier. Validation of gene function certainly remains an outstanding problem arena. But the suite of accomplishments and methods reported herein will surely be useful to those considering validation battles.
Polycationic salts as bile acid sequestering agents

Abstract A review of bile acid chemistry is included in this paper. The structures, chemistry, physiology and metabolism of the bile acids and their effects on the human body are discussed. Additionally, the precursor of bile acids are examined at length as are current treatments for diseases arising from high levels of cholesterol or the triglyceride carrying lipoproteins in blood plasma using bile-acid sequestering agents.
Optimizing Stakeholder Relationships: A Real Options Approach to Stakeholder Management

A key weakness of stakeholder theory is a failure to adequately account for how firms create value for disparate stakeholder groups. The present paper addresses this weakness by proposing a real op...
An investigation into, and speculations about, the formal nature of a problem‐solving process

Problem solving is here viewed as a process in which a person constructs a population of possible hypotheses about his environment, selects one or a few of these for testing, submits them to a test, receives information from the environment regarding the truth or falsity of the hypotheses tested, adjusts his population of possible hypotheses in the light of the available evidence, selects a new hypothesis, and so on, until he has created some “fit” between his guesses about the environment and his experience in it. The question raised in this paper is whether among the “population” of hypotheses available to the subject, certain ones will be given preference and so chosen before the others. It seems such biases do operate and can be detected.
KNOWLEDGE AND CONCERNS ABOUT AIDS AMONG ADOLESCENT PATIENTS WITH HEMOPHILIA

Little research has focused on the psychosocial issues faced by children at risk for AIDS. We describe the knowledge and concerns about AIDS and their relationship to certain behaviors among adolescents with hemophilia. Twenty-six patients, age 13-19, participated in this study. Information was obtained through the use of a confidential self-administered questionnaire and semi-structured interview. The Beck Depression and Speilberger State/Trait Anxiety Inventories were also administered. All subjects demonstrated a high level of factual knowledge about AIDS. We found no correlation (Spearman Rank) between the degree of expressed concern about AIDS and the subject's age or hemophilia severity. Participants frequently verbalized feelings of fatalism or invulnerability with regard to their own risk of acquiring AIDS. Fifteen percent of subjects used less clotting factor and 31% abstained from or decreased their sexual activity because of their concerns about AIDS. Amdng the 35% who were currently sexually active, all were aware of the importance of using condoms, yet only 11% were consistently doing so. The data from this study suggest that adolescents with hemophilia are dealing with a variety of AIDS-related concerns, and that educational programs should focus not only on factual information, but also on the social and situational pressures confronting these teenagers, which may be more immediate determinants of their behavior and well-being.
Local relief and the height of Mount Olympus

A three-dimensional assessment of the net volume of rock differentially eroded from below mountain tops to form valleys yields a range-wide constraint on feedback between valley development and the height of mountain peaks. The ‘superelevation’ of mountain peaks potentially attributable to differential removal of material from below peaks in the Olympic Mountains, Washington, was constrained by fitting a smoothed surface to the highest elevation points on a 30 m grid digital elevation model of the range. High elevation areas separate into two primary areas: one centred on Mount Olympus in the core of the range and the other at the eastern end of the range. The largest valleys, and hence areas with the greatest volume of differentially eroded material, surround Mount Olympus. In contrast, the highest mean elevations concentrate in the eastern end of the range. Calculation of the isostatic rebound at Mount Olympus attributable to valley development ranges from 500 to 750 m (21 to 32 per cent of its height) for a 5 to 10 km effective elastic thickness of the crust. Comparison of cross-range trends in mean and maximum elevation reveals that this calculated rebound for Mount Olympus corresponds well with its ‘superelevation’ above the general cross-range trend in mean elevation. It therefore appears that the location of the highest peak in the Olympics is controlled by the deep valleys excavated in the centre of the range. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention: History, Mechanisms of Action, and Effects

Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) is an intervention for persons recovering from addiction which integrates mindfulness practices and cognitive and behavioral-based relapse prevention techniques, with the goal of helping individuals avoid a return to substance use. MBRP has shown promise in reducing relapse rates among individuals recovering from substance use disorders, but literature examining the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of MBRP is still rather limited. The current paper is a theoretical review of the development of MBRP and research evidence supporting the effectiveness of this intervention. Proposed psychological and physiological mechanisms of action of MBRP and directions for future research are also examined with a specific focus on treating individuals recovering from alcohol use disorders.
The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.

P RIMARY OSTEOARTHRITIS, also labeled osreoarthrosis and degenerative joint disease, is an affliction of peripheral and central articulations, characterized by degeneration of cartilage, subchondral bone thickening, eburnation, remodeling of bone, and formation of marginal spurs as well as subarticular bone cysts. Concurrently, there are variable joint effusions, a low-grade synovial inflammation, and a gradual development of joint instability, particularly in weight-bearing joints. Clinical expression of the disease is manifested by pain more than stiffness, with severest dysfunction resulting from involvement of back, hips, and knees. The disease is self-limited with morbid but not fatal consequences. A heritable primary form involving Heberden’s nodes and multiple joints at menopause has been reported.‘,” Inflammatory erosive forms have been described.“-” If there are known direct causes, the term secondary osteoarthritis is employed with several categories (Table 1). One group evolves from common inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Endocrine or metabolic diseases and physically engendered disorders comprise other groups. One of growing importance is the presence of developmental abnormalities with biomechanical dysfunction (Table 1). A smaller number of secondary forms relate to connective tissue disorders such as Morquio’s syndrome. Other recent reviews are recommended for detailed coverage of etiology and pathologic features?; recent research,“.‘“.‘” general overview,‘4 chemical and physical properties of cartilage,“) animal models of the disease,x mechanical factors,!’ relationship to inflammatory arthritisfib and osteoarthritis of the back.“’ In this report current concepts concerning the pathogenic pathways involved in degeneration of cartilage are discussed.
From teams to hierarchy: A short-lived innovation in a hospital for the elderly

Abstract An institution created to deliver rehabilitative care to the elderly is the object of this discussion. Three years of careful planning had produced a facility with a unique spatial design, a ‘team approach’ rather than a ‘medical model approach’ to care, plus a general receptiveness to new patient care programs. The paper documents the confrontation, during the first year, between this innovative plan and the realities of operation. When the study ended, reality was gaining the advantage over the plan.
Clinical outcomes of chronic rhinosinusitis in response to medical therapy: results of a prospective study.

BackgroundLittle information exists regarding the outcome of medical management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in adults. The aim of this study was to examine whether baseline patient demographics, symptoms, objective findings, or treatment strategies were associated with improved CRS outcomes over time.MethodsEighty-four new patients with CRS were evaluated and medically treated for up to 12 months. Patients completed monthly health status questionnaires. The average change of symptom scores using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test plus one additional symptom–-sense of smell (SNOT-20+1)–-was the primary outcome measure.ResultsOverall, patients experienced a modest improvement in SNOT-20+1 scores (Δ = -0.61; p< 0.0001), but this did not reach the predetermined level of a clinically meaningful effect (Δ = -0.80). Baseline facial pain or facial pressure was negatively associated with outcome (p = 0.048 and 0.029, respectively) and did not correlate with extent of disease by sinus CT scoring. Other factors, includ...
Allosteric Signaling and a Nuclear Exit Strategy: Binding of UL25/UL17 Heterodimers to DNA-Filled HSV-1 Capsids

UL25 and UL17 are two essential minor capsid proteins of HSV-1, implicated in DNA packaging and capsid maturation. We used cryo-electron microscopy to examine their binding to capsids, whose architecture observes T = 16 icosahedral geometry. C-capsids (mature DNA-filled capsids) have an elongated two-domain molecule present at a unique, vertex-adjacent site that is not seen at other quasiequivalent sites or on unfilled capsids. Using SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry to analyze wild-type capsids, UL25 null capsids, and denaturant-extracted capsids, we conclude that (1) the C-capsid-specific component is a heterodimer of UL25 and UL17, and (2) capsids have additional populations of UL25 and UL17 that are invisible in reconstructions because of sparsity and/or disorder. We infer that binding of the ordered population reflects structural changes induced on the outer surface as pressure builds up inside the capsid during DNA packaging. Its binding may signal that the C-capsid is ready to exit the nucleus.
Analysis of Impurity Content and Transport in Tokamak Plasmas Using Low-Resolution XUV Spectra

Two experiments were performed to determine whether impurity content and transport information could be extracted from low-resolution XUV spectra recorded from a simple spectroscopic diagnostic that utilized a flat multilayer mirror as the dispersive element. The first experiment, at the DIII-D tokamak, compared MLM spectra to higher-resolution spectra and found that the low-resolution MLM spectra were sufficient to distinguish changes in impurity emission patterns. The results demonstrated the feasibility of building simple MLM-based diagnostics for impurity monitors in the harsh environment of future tokamaks. The second experiment, at the Texas Experimental tokamak, compared MLM spectra to those produced by an impurity transport code coupled to a collisional-radiative model. The comparison showed that it is possible to distinguish changes in impurity transport from low-resolution MLM spectra.
An antiapoptotic role for telomerase RNA in human immune cells independent of telomere integrity or telomerase enzymatic activity

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex that adds telomeric DNA to the ends of linear chromosomes. It contains two core canonical components: the essential RNA component, hTR, which provides the template for DNA synthesis, and the reverse transcriptase protein component, hTERT. Low telomerase activity in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells has been associated with a variety of diseases. It is unknown, however, whether telomerase, in addition to its long-term requirement for telomere maintenance, is also necessary for short-term immune cell proliferation and survival. We report that overexpression of enzymatically inactive hTR mutants protected against dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in stimulated CD4 T cells. Furthermore, hTR knockdown reproducibly induced apoptosis in the absence of any detectable telomere shortening or DNA damage response. In contrast, hTERT knockdown did not induce apoptosis. Strikingly, overexpression of hTERT protein caused apoptosis that was rescued by overexpression of enzymatically inactive hTR mutants. Hence, we propose that hTR can function as a noncoding RNA that protects from apoptosis independent of its function in telomerase enzymatic activity and long-term telomere maintenance in normal human immune cells. These results imply that genetic or environmental factors that alter hTR levels can directly affect immune cell function to influence health and disease.
Selective modulation of genomic and nongenomic androgen responses by androgen receptor ligands.

Steroids can induce both transcription-dependent (genomic) and independent (nongenomic) signaling. Here, several classical androgen receptor ligands were tested for their ability to modulate genomic and nongenomic responses, focusing on the role of the oocyte-expressed Xenopus classical androgen receptor (XeAR) in mediating these processes. Cellular fractionation and immunohistochemistry revealed that the XeAR was located throughout oocytes, including within the plasma membrane. RNA interference and oocyte maturation studies suggested that androgen-induced maturation was mediated in part by the XeAR in a transcription-independent fashion, perhaps by altering G protein-mediated signaling. While inducing minimal transcription in oocytes, all AR ligands promoted significant XeAR-mediated transcription in CV1 cells. In contrast, only testosterone and androstenedione potently induced oocyte maturation, whereas dihydrotestosterone and R1881 actually inhibited testosterone and human chorionic gonadotropin-induce...
First two energy levels in 15 F

The ground state and first excited state of ${}^{15}\mathrm{F}$ were measured by the method of elastic resonance scattering in inverse kinematics. A secondary beam of 115 MeV/nucleon ${}^{14}\mathrm{O}$ was slowed down to 8 MeV/nucleon and energy bunched before stopping in a ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ target. The ${}^{15}\mathrm{F}$ excitation energy spectrum was extracted from elastically scattered protons at $0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}.$ The ${1/2}^{+}$ ground state resonance of ${}^{15}\mathrm{F}$ was determined to be unbound with respect to single-proton emission by $1.51\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.11\mathrm{MeV},$ corresponding to a mass excess of $16.81\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.11\mathrm{MeV}.$ The ${5/2}^{+}$ first excited state resonance is unbound by $2.853\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.045\mathrm{MeV}$ leading to an excitation energy of $1.34\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15\mathrm{MeV}.$ A comparison with systematics of single-nucleon separation energies and theoretical models suggests that ${}^{11}\mathrm{N}$ should be unbound by about $1.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15\mathrm{MeV}.$
Allelic variation on murine chromosome 11 modifies host inflammatory responses and resistance to Bacillus anthracis.

Anthrax is a potentially fatal disease resulting from infection with Bacillus anthracis. The outcome of infection is influenced by pathogen-encoded virulence factors such as lethal toxin (LT), as well as by genetic variation within the host. To identify host genes controlling susceptibility to anthrax, a library of congenic mice consisting of strains with homozygous chromosomal segments from the LT-responsive CAST/Ei strain introgressed on a LT-resistant C57BL/6 (B6) background was screened for response to LT. Three congenic strains containing CAST/Ei regions of chromosome 11 were identified that displayed a rapid inflammatory response to LT similar to, but more severe than that driven by a LT-responsive allele of the inflammasome constituent NRLP1B. Importantly, increased response to LT in congenic mice correlated with greater resistance to infection by the Sterne strain of B. anthracis. The genomic region controlling the inflammatory response to LT was mapped to 66.36–74.67 Mb on chromosome 11, a region that encodes the LT-responsive CAST/Ei allele of Nlrp1b. However, known downstream effects of NLRP1B activation, including macrophage pyroptosis, cytokine release, and leukocyte infiltration could not fully explain the response to LT or the resistance to B. anthracis Sterne in congenic mice. Further, the exacerbated response in congenic mice is inherited in a recessive manner while the Nlrp1b-mediated response to LT is dominant. Finally, congenic mice displayed increased responsiveness in a model of sepsis compared with B6 mice. In total, these data suggest that allelic variation of one or more chromosome 11 genes in addition to Nlrp1b controls the severity of host response to multiple inflammatory stimuli and contributes to resistance to B. anthracis Sterne. Expression quantitative trait locus analysis revealed 25 genes within this region as high priority candidates for contributing to the host response to LT.
Independent verification of transferred delivery sinogram between two dosimetrically matched helical tomotherapy machines: a protocol for patient-specific quality assurance

The purpose of this study was to independently verify the transferred delivery sinogram between two dosimetrically matched helical tomotherapy machines with the goal of eliminating redundant quality assurance (QA) measurements on the second machine. The equivalence of the two machines was evaluated based on both geometric and dosimetric beam characteristics, including measuring open field per cent depth doses (PDD), longitudinal and transverse profiles and helical delivery of clinical patient treatment plans measured in phantoms. QA of 56 patient plans was studied. The delivery sinogram on the secondary machine was computed by accounting for the differences in the MLC characteristics of the two machines. Computed sinograms were compared against the transferred sinograms by tomotherapy's data management system for the same 56 patient plans. The PDD, transverse and longitudinal dose profiles agreed within ±1% between the two machines. Ionization chamber and planar dose measurements with the Iba MatriXX device on both machines for the 56 patients were found to be within ±3% of the doses computed by the tomotherapy treatment planning system. For all 56 patients, the differences between computed sinograms and DMS-converted sinograms were within ±2%. The matched tomotherapy machines had similar beam characteristics. The sinogram-based QA was validated using point and planar dose measurements and found to be acceptable for clinical use.
2013 Presidential Address: Just another president's speech (but it's all about you).

But, first I will summarize a bit of the history of the Society—a few of the events that have helped form my career—and then will spend a bit of time talking about an ASHG strategic plan to stimulate you over the course of the rest of this meeting to think about the Society. We are at a critical time in genetics, and we hope that meetings like this can help to stimulate us to think about where we might be a few years from now. I also wanted to recognize our staff, particularly Pauline Minhinnett and Joe McInerney, our new executive vice president (EVP), who have brought this meeting together, who had to deal with changes in our EVP position, and who were acutely challenged in having to deal with the governmental budget crisis that took place over the last couple of months. Finally, I also thank all of you general members, committee members, and board members who make the Society what it is. My somewhat tongue-in-cheek comment is in part an acknowledgment of the fact that although these speeches recur year after year, it is the members who provide for societal stability. Most of you are unlikely to remember anything about this talk, but I do hope that you will
Temporal and spatial patterns of geographically indirect immigration to the United States.

This article examines the little-studied phenomenon of indirect geographic migration to the United States or the movement of persons whose country of last permanent residence differed from their country of birth. Over 8 million records of legal immigrants to the United States were studied for the period 1972-1987. Geographically indirect migration is shown to be important amounting to as many as 86136 persons during a single year. Primarily because of the dislocations of Southeast Asian refugees from their homelands and their subsequent admittance to the United States indirect immigration increased during the 1980s. Moreover again somewhat due to refugees the patterns of geographically indirect movement changed during recent years. Political conditions in countries of birth appear to be important in explaining these patterns as well as the age and skills of the indirect migrants themselves. (EXCERPT)
Transport variability across the Korea/Tsushima Strait and the Tsushima Island wake

Abstract Transport variations are calculated across the Korea/Tsushima Strait using continuous current measurements made between May 1999 and March 2000. Twelve bottom-mounted acoustic Doppler current profilers provide velocity profiles along two sections: one section (south line) at the strait entrance southwest (upstream) of Tsushima Island and the other section (north line) at the strait exit northeast (downstream) of Tsushima Island. Transport variations across the strait are large, particularly in the lee of Tsushima Island where a countercurrent commonly exists. The Tsushima Current transport, averaging 2.65 Sverdrups (Sv) (1 Sv = 10 6 m 3 s - 1 ), is split into two cores by Tsushima Island, which divides the strait into eastern and western channels. Transport in the western channel is 23% higher than in the eastern channel over the measurement period. Some seasonality in transport variability is observed for both the western and eastern channels. Transports are largest in fall and smallest during winter. The single-velocity core, observed upstream of Tsushima Island, is estimated to split directly behind Tsushima Island over an aperture of about 31 km along the south line. A wake zone that averages 40 km in width is observed downstream of Tsushima Island and appears to follow island-wake-zone dynamics. Reynolds numbers can range from 22 to 90 in the wake zone, and eddy shedding can occur throughout the year.
Candidates for Laser Cooling of Atomic Anions: La- versus Os-

This brief report is a follow-up to the recent proposal to use La{sup -} as another candidate, in addition to Os{sup -}, in laser cooling of anions, which can then be used to cool antiprotons sympathetically. Using the relativistic configuration interaction formalism, we calculate the photodetachment cross sections of the upper laser cooling state La{sup -} 5d6s{sup 2}6p {sup 3}D{sub 1} and Os{sup -} 5d{sup 6}6s{sup 2}6p {sup 6}D{sub 9/2}. Our results show that La{sup -} has a very similar two-photon detachment loss as Os{sup -}, retaining it as another promising candidate for cooling antiprotons sympathetically.
Hepatorenal syndrome complicating chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Hepatorenal syndrome and portal hypertension developed in a 59-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. At autopsy, he had portal hypertension from lymphocytic infiltration of the liver with compression of the portal veins, and no other pathologic process in the liver. Histologic examination of the kidney did not reveal a lesion that could account for the observed renal insufficiency. This case report documents the association of a lymphoproliferative disorder with portal hypertension and hepatorenal syndrome.
A unified approach to the construction of minimax designs

�������� SUMMARY We present a unified approach for constructing large-sample optimal designs when the optimality criterion is of the minimax type. The assumed model is a general linear regression model with a known efficiency function defined on a closed and bounded space. An equivalence theorem is formulated and computer algorithms for generating minimax optimal designs are proposed. It is shown that this methodology is simple and rather general. It can be used to construct, for example, minimax variance optimal designs, minimax with respect to the single parameters designs and E-optimal designs. An application of this procedure to find an optimal design for minimizing the maximum predictive variance over a compact region in a heteroscedastic design problem is included.
Studies on the Human Testis. VI. NADH-Linked Reactions of Microsomal Steroid 20α- and 20β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase and 17α-Hydroxylase

NADH-linked 20α- and 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17α-hydroxylase activities were demonstrated in the microsomal fraction of the human testis. The microsomal 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase showed substrate affinity to pregnenolone and progesterone and not to 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and preferred NADH to NADPH as a hydrogen donor. In the presence of NADH, the optimal pH for the enzyme was 7.7 and the apparent Michaelis constants of the enzyme for progesterone and pregnenolone at 37 C and pH 7.4 were 6.9–7.1 × 10−6M and in the order of 10−5M, respectively. 17α, 20β-Dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one was the only significant metabolite produced from 17α-hydroxyprogesterone by microsomal fraction of the human testis in the presence of NADH. The apparent Michaelis constant of microsomal 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase for 17α-hydroyprogesterone in the presence of NADH was in the order of 10−5M at 37 C and pH 7.4. The microsomal 17α-hydroxylase catalyzed the metabolism of pregnenolone and progesterone at a si...
IBC's 6th Annual Conference on Angiogenesis: Novel Therapeutic Developments.

Angiogenesis is a process that is dependent upon co-ordinate production of angiogenesis stimulatory and inhibitory (angiostatic) molecules. Any imbalance in this regulatory circuit may lead to the development of a number of angiogenesis-mediated diseases. Angiogenesis is a multi-step process including activation, adhesion, migration, proliferation and transmigration of endothelial cells across cell matrices to or from new capillaries and from existing vessels. Angiogenesis is a process involved in the formation of new vessels by sprouting from pre-existing vessels. In contrast, vessel rudiments are sorted by a process termed vasculogenesis. Endothelial heterogeneity and organ specificity might contribute to differences in the response to different anti-angiogenic mechanisms (cultured EC versus microvascular EC isolated from different tissues). Under normal physiological conditions in mature organisms, endothelial cell turnover or angiogenesis is extremely slow (from months to years). However, angiogenesis...
Conditions for uniqueness of limit cycles in general predator-prey systems

Using a transformation to a generalized Lienard system, theorems are presented that give conditions under which unique limit cycles for generalized ecological systems, including those of predator-prey form, exist. The generalized systems contain those studied by Rosenzweig and MacArthur (1963); Hsu, Hubbell, and Waltman (1978); Kazarinnoff and van den Driessche (1978); Cheng (1981); Liou and Cheng (1987); and Kuang and Freedman (1988). Although very similar in approach to the result presented by Kuang and Freedman, the conditions presented here are of simpler form and in terms of the original (untransformed) functions. The results also apply to more general growth terms for the prey as shown in the examples provided. In particular, an immigration term is allowable.
Microbial removal of sulfur dioxide from a gas stream with net oxidation to sulfate

A study has been conducted of the feasibility of utilizing the sulfate reducing bacteriumDesulfovibrio desulfuricans and the chemoautotrophThiobacillus denitrificans as a basis of a microbial process for the removal of sulfur dioxide from a gas with net oxidation to sulfate. In reactors-in-series, SO2 was reduced to H2S in the first stage by D.desulfuricans. The H2S was then stripped with nitrogen and sent to a second stage where it was oxidized to sulfate by T.denitrificans. A sulfur balance demonstrated complete reduction of SO2 to H2S in the first stage and complete oxidation of H2S to sulfate in the second stage.
First-Principles Investigation of Mechanical Behavior of B2 Type Aluminides: FeAl and NiAl

First-principles calculations of the elastic constants, shear fault energies, and cleavage strength of NiAl and FeAl are presented. For NiAl, we find that the dissociation of superdislocations into partial dislocations is unlikely, because of a high antiphase boundary energy and a weak repulsive elastic force between partial dislocations. FeAl has a high ideal cleavage strength as a result of the directional d-bond formation at the Fe sites. The strong ordering behavior of NiAl is explained in terms of the Al-to-Ni charge transfer and the repulsive interaction between Al atoms. The spontaneous glide decomposition of the superdislocations in NiAl is also discussed.
Toeard a formulation of the human grasping quality sense

This article examines the grasping quality problem and suggests a formulation that can capture the major mechanisms that generate the human grasping quality sense. Here, the quality of a grasp is examined from the gripper, object, and grasping-configuration perspectives. These perspectives are incorporated into the formulation by selecting an appropriate objective function that is minimized subject to constraints that represent the geometry, friction, and force-balance conditions of a grasp. The quality of a grasp is depicted as a polar plot that demonstrates the dependency of grasping quality on the external-loading direction. The suggested grasping quality measures possess characteristics that are in agreement with basic human intuition. In particular this article proves that the three proposed quality measures are improved when the number of contact points is increased. In summary, the suggested grasping quality formulation captures some of the physical mechanisms that characterize a human grasp, and therefore it may lead to a powerful mathematical model of the human grasping quality sense. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.