cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Therapeutic Options in Patients Prone to Hypertension: A Focus on Direct Renin Inhibition and Aldosterone Blockade

Certain patient populations have a high prevalence of hypertension, including black, elderly, or obese patients; patients with metabolic syndrome, or frank diabetes; and patients with chronic kidney disease. Many of these patients experience renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) dysregulation, which is important because the RAAS plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and renal dysfunction. Data available regarding newer approaches that target the RAAS, including direct renin inhibition and aldosterone receptor antagonism, in patients who often have hypertension are reviewed. Aliskiren, the first direct renin inhibitor, is effective in a number of these patient groups, including those who are black or obese or who have metabolic syndrome, renal impairment, or diabetes. In addition, in the setting of long-term angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker therapy, aldosterone receptor antagonists (spironolactone and eplerenone) provide another rational therapeutic approach for patients whose blood pressure is not controlled by standard therapies.
1324 RELATIONSHIP OF ENDEMIC NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS (NEC) TO ALIMENTATION

Feeding has been implicated in the etiology of NEC. To determine the relationship between milk selection, enteric(PO) feeding rate and total fluid volume, the alimentation records of 19 cases of NEC were compared to 2 controls(CON) for each NEC, matched by birthweight and time of admisslon(CON=38). Birth-weight (1.4±0.4 v 1.4±0.4kg) (X+SD), gestational age(31.6±2.8 v 31.4±2.6wks), Apgars, sex, weight for age, incidence of intubation and umbilical arterial catheters(UAC) were similar. Initiation of feeds after removal of UAC was equivalent: NEC 30.8±19.2 and CON 51.3±46hr. Furthermore, the use of PO medications, formula/milk selection, aspirates as % of feed, 1st day of PO feeds (3.9±2.6 v 7.3±8.7d) and volume fed 1st day(22±20 v 16±13) were not different. Onset of NEC was 9.9±6.3d of life. The day of maximum PO volume among NEC patients was 5.0±4.1 and was matched to that specific, corresponding day in the 2 respective case controls(table). The daily increment of PO volume was greatest in NEC patients after 3±2d of feeds. This increment was higher in NEC(57±19 v 22±30, p<0.001) when matched for the increment on the corresponding day in CON. We conclude that rapid feeding progression or excessive acute volume increments may predispose the neonate to endemic NEC.
The Impact of Implementing JIT on Employees′ Job Attitudes

Presents survey results describing the effect that adopting Just‐in‐Time (JIT) manufacturing methods had on the job attitudes of production line workers at a Hewlett‐Packard plant. JIT manufacturing is one of the latest Japanese management techniques to be adopted and implemented by Western companies. The operational benefits of adopting JIT have been widely documented; however, uneasiness has occasionally been expressed concerning the human impact of changing from a traditional manufacturing structure to a JIT philosophy. Unfortunately, little empirical evidence is available concerning the effect on workers of changing to a JIT manufacturing scheme. Workers on an electronic assembly line completed written questionnaires in the late 1980s when JIT was begun, and again two years later after the production line had stabilized. Even though drastic changes occurred in the work environment, generally positive changes in attitudes occurred during the implementation period. In addition, no significant drop‐off i...
Anomalies in annealed LT-GaAs samples

The annealing behavior of low temperature (LT)-GaAs layers was investigated using transmission electron microscopy, x-ray rocking curves, and H+ ion channeling. These data were compared to the Hall-effect and conductivity data obtained earlier on the same samples. An expansion of the lattice parameter above those observed for as-grown LT-GaAs layers was observed for the layers annealed at 300 and 350°C. No precipitation was observed in transmission electron micrographs for these annealing temperatures. Based on ion-channeling results, the As atoms (split interstitials) appear to be in the same position as found for the as-grown layers. A special arrangement of As split interstitials or out-annealing of gallium vacancies would be consistent with a decrease of the dominant acceptor in these layers and an increase in the lattice parameter. For annealing above 400°C, the lattice parameter decreased and in fact was found to achieve the substrate value at annealing temperatures of 500°C and above. The decrease in the lattice parameter above 400°C is related to the decrease of excess As antisite defects and As split interstitials in the formation of As precipitates.
Adapting the Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm for pattern matching in Huffman encoded texts

In the present work we perform compressed pattern matching in binary Huffman encoded texts [Huffman, D. (1952). A method for the construction of minimum redundancy codes, Proc. of the IRE, 40, 1098-1101]. A modified Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm is used in order to overcome the problem of false matches, i.e., an occurrence of the encoded pattern in the encoded text that does not correspond to an occurrence of the pattern itself in the original text. We propose a bitwise KMP algorithm that can move one extra bit in the case of a mismatch since the alphabet is binary. To avoid processing any bit of the encoded text more than once, a preprocessed table is used to determine how far to back up when a mismatch is detected, and is defined so that we are always able to align the start of the encoded pattern with the start of a codeword in the encoded text. We combine our KMP algorithm with two practical Huffman decoding schemes which handle more than a single bit per machine operation; skeleton trees defined by Klein [Klein, S. T. (2000). Skeleton trees for efficient decoding of huffman encoded texts. Information Retrieval, 3, 7-23], and numerical comparisons between special canonical values and portions of a sliding window presented in Moffat and Turpin [Moffat, A., & Turpin, A. (1997). On the implementation of minimum redundancy prefix codes. IEEE Transactions on Communications, 45, 1200-1207]. Experiments show rapid search times of our algorithms compared to the "decompress then search" method, therefore, files can be kept in their compressed form, saving memory space. When compression gain is important, these algorithms are better than cgrep [Ferragina, P., Tommasi, A., & Manzini, G. (2004). C Library to search over compressed texts, http://roquefort.di.unipi.it/~ferrax/CompressedSearch], which is only slightly faster than ours.
The Political Economy of Teacher Quality in School Mathematics: African American Males, Opportunity Structures, Politics, and Method

Mathematics education is linked to modern technological advancement, citizenship, and matters of political economy. Access to quality mathematics teachers can have a profound influence on African American males. This article focuses on several salient issues related to the question “What is a qualified teacher?” In particular, the article describes common concerns and challenges associated with teacher quality and the advancement of African American males and other traditionally under served demographic groups in mathematics.
A forward genetic screen with a thalamocortical axon reporter mouse yields novel neurodevelopment mutants and a distinct emx2 mutant phenotype

The dorsal thalamus acts as a gateway and modulator for information going to and from the cerebral cortex. This activity requires the formation of reciprocal topographic axon connections between thalamus and cortex. The axons grow along a complex multistep pathway, making sharp turns, crossing expression boundaries, and encountering intermediate targets. However, the cellular and molecular components mediating these steps remain poorly understood. To further elucidate the development of the thalamocortical system, we first created a thalamocortical axon reporter line to use as a genetic tool for sensitive analysis of mutant mouse phenotypes. The TCA-tau-lacZ reporter mouse shows specific, robust, and reproducible labeling of thalamocortical axons (TCAs), but not the overlapping corticothalamic axons, during development. Moreover, it readily reveals TCA pathfinding abnormalities in known cortical mutants such as reeler. Next, we performed an unbiased screen for genes involved in thalamocortical development using random mutagenesis with the TCA reporter. Six independent mutant lines show aberrant TCA phenotypes at different steps of the pathway. These include ventral misrouting, overfasciculation, stalling at the corticostriatal boundary, and invasion of ectopic cortical cell clusters. An outcross breeding strategy coupled with a genomic panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms facilitated genetic mapping with small numbers of mutant mice. We mapped a ventral misrouting mutant to the Emx2 gene, and discovered that some TCAs extend to the olfactory bulbs in this mutant. Mapping data suggest that other lines carry mutations in genes not previously known for roles in thalamocortical development. These data demonstrate the feasibility of a forward genetic approach to understanding mammalian brain morphogenesis and wiring. A robust axonal reporter enabled sensitive analysis of a specific axon tract inside the mouse brain, identifying mutant phenotypes at multiple steps of the pathway, and revealing a new aspect of the Emx2 mutant. The phenotypes highlight vulnerable choice points and latent tendencies of TCAs, and will lead to a refined understanding of the elements and interactions required to form the thalamocortical system. See Commentary: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/9/1
Structural Studies of E. coli Topoisomerase III-DNA Complexes Reveal a Novel Type IA Topoisomerase-DNA Conformational Intermediate.

Escherichia coli DNA topoisomerase III belongs to the type IA family of DNA topoisomerases, which transiently cleave single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) via a 5' phosphotyrosine intermediate. We have solved crystal structures of wild-type E. coli topoisomerase III bound to an eight-base ssDNA molecule in three different pH environments. The structures reveal the enzyme in three distinct conformational states while bound to DNA. One conformation resembles the one observed previously with a DNA-bound, catalytically inactive mutant of topoisomerase III where DNA binding realigns catalytic residues to form a functional active site. Another conformation represents a novel intermediate in which DNA is bound along the ssDNA-binding groove but does not enter the active site, which remains in a catalytically inactive, closed state. A third conformation shows an intermediate state where the enzyme is still in a closed state, but the ssDNA is starting to invade the active site. For the first time, the active site region in the presence of both the catalytic tyrosine and ssDNA substrate is revealed for a type IA DNA topoisomerase, although there is no evidence of ssDNA cleavage. Comparative analysis of the various conformational states suggests a sequence of domain movements undertaken by the enzyme upon substrate binding.
Sensory Gating Event–Related Potentials and Oscillations in Schizophrenia Patients and Their Unaffected Relatives

Background: The P50 event–related potential sensory gating deficit, a failure to inhibit responses to repeated stimuli, is a leading endophenotype for schizophrenia (SZ). Both gamma and beta event–related oscillations (EROs) are major contributors to the auditory P50 response. However, the topographic distribution of gamma and beta ERO responses to initial (S1) and repeat (S2) stimuli and the association of these oscillations with P50 sensory gating are not clear. Methods: A total of 51 schizophrenic patients, 25 unaffected first-degree relatives, and 34 healthy comparison subjects were tested using a paired-click paradigm. Evoked power of gamma- and beta-band responses using wavelet analyses to S1 and S2 stimuli and gating of EROs and P50 were the main outcome measures. Results: A P50 gating deficit was found in patients (P .05). Conclusions: These results suggest that ERO deficits in gamma to S1 and beta to S2 stimuli and impaired ERO gating are associated with SZ, but are not related to genetic liability for the illness. The components of information processing assessed by gamma- and beta gating appear to be independent from those mediated by P50 suppression.
branchless Encodes a Drosophila FGF Homolog That Controls Tracheal Cell Migration and the Pattern of Branching

The molecular basis for patterning of complex organ structures like the lung and insect tracheal system is unknown. Here, we describe the Drosophila gene branchless (bnl) and demonstrate that it is a key determinant of the tracheal branching pattern. bnl is required for tracheal branching and is expressed dynamically in clusters of cells surrounding the developing tracheal system at each position where a new branch will form and grow out. Localized misexpression of bnl can direct branch formation and outgrowth to new positions. Generalized misexpression activates later programs of tracheal gene expression and branching, resulting in massive networks of branches. bnl encodes a homolog of mammalian fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and appears to function as a ligand for the breathless receptor tyrosine kinase, an FGF receptor homolog expressed on developing tracheal cells. The results suggest that this FGF pathway specifies the tracheal branching pattern by guiding tracheal cell migration during primary branch formation and then activating later programs of finer branching at the ends of growing primary branches.
Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation on Blood Pressure and Serum Lipids and Carotenoids: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Clinical Trial

Abstract Purpose To estimate the effects of calcium or vitamin D supplementation or a combination of both on blood pressure and serum lipid and carotenoid levels. Methods Ninety-two colorectal adenoma patients were randomized in a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of supplemental vitamin D 3 800 IU and elemental calcium 2.0 g (as calcium carbonate) alone or in combination in divided doses twice daily with meals over 6 months. Results Relative to placebo, mean serum triglycerides decreased 30% ( P = .10) and 32% ( P = .10) in the calcium and calcium plus vitamin D 3 treatment groups, respectively. When the two calcium intervention groups were pooled and compared with the pooled noncalcium groups, the estimated supplemental calcium treatment effects were statistically significant for triglycerides ( P = .04). Similar but nonstatistically significant decreases (5%–7%) were observed for serum total cholesterol levels. Mean systolic blood pressure increased 6% ( P = .08) in the calcium group; otherwise, there were no appreciable changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressures in any active treatment group. Mean serum total carotenoid levels decreased 14% ( P = .07) in the calcium and 9% ( P = .10) in the calcium plus vitamin D 3 groups. Conclusions Our results suggest that supplemental calcium alone or combined with vitamin D 3 but not vitamin D 3 alone may reduce serum lipids and lipophilic micronutrients.
Investigation of correlations between mucoadhesion and surface energy properties of mucoadhesives

To explore the correlations between mucoadhesion and the surface properties of mucoadhesive polymers, a series of polymer, poly[acrylic acid-co-poly(ethylene glycol) monomethylether monomethacrylate-co-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate], poly(AA-PEGMM-DMEMA), was designed and synthesized as a model mucoadhesive in this study. Poly(AA-PEGMM-DMEMA) was prepared by free radical polymerization. The composition of the polymer was varied by changing the content of DMEMA from 0 to 2.9 mol %, while keeping the mole ratio of AA to PEGMM at constant 9:1. The contact angles of water, glycerol (GL), or diiodomethane (DIM) on the surface of polymers with different hydration levels were measured, respectively. Surface energy components of the Lifshitz–van der Waals and the Lewis acid–base interactions for the polymer were calculated, based on the measured contact angles of water, GL, and DIM. The free energy of mucoadhesion (ΔG) of the polymer on the buccal surface was estimated by interfacial free energy of a ternary system, consisting of mucin, polymer, and normal saline. The mucoadhesion of the polymer was measured after prehydration for 0, 5, and 180 min. It was found that Lewis acid–base interactions and Lifshitz–van der Waals interactions played different roles in the process of mucoadhesion. Increasing Lewis acid–base interaction between the polymer and the buccal mucosa led to a thermodynamically favorable adhesion process. Hydration could greatly affect mucoadhesion by changing the thermodynamic properties of the surface. Restricted hydration promoted the formation of mucoadhesive joints. The force of mucoadhesion was correlated mathematically with the effects of various interactions involved in the process of mucoadhesion. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 2608–2615, 2006
Molecular Tagging Techniques for Micro-Flow and Micro-Scale Heat Transfer Studies

We report recent progresses made in development of novel molecule-based flow diagnostic techniques, named as Molecular Tagging techniques, to achieve simultaneous measurements of multiple important flow variables (such as flow velocity and temperature) for micro-flows and micro-scale heat transfer studies. Instead of using tiny particles, specially-designed phosphorescent molecules, which can be turned into long-lasting glowing molecules upon excitation by photons of appropriate wavelength, are used as tracers for both velocity and temperature measurements. A pulsed laser is used to “tag” the tracer molecules in the regions of interest, and the movements of the tagged molecules are imaged at two successive times within the photoluminescence lifetime of the tracer molecules. The measured Lagrangian displacement of the tagged molecules between the two image acquisitions provides the estimate of the fluid velocity vector. The simultaneous temperature measurement is achieved by taking advantage of the temperature dependence of phosphorescence lifetime, which is estimated from the intensity ratio of the tagged molecules in the two images. The implementation and application of the MTV&T technique are demonstrated by conducting simultaneous velocity and temperature measurements to qunatify the transient behavior of electroosmotic flow (EOF) inside a microchannel and to reveal the unsteady heat transfer, mass transfer and phase changing process inside micro-sized water droplets pertinent to wind turbine icing phenomena.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Leach resistance properties and release processes for salt-occluded zeolite A

The pyrometallurgical processing of spent fuel from the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) results in a waste of LiCl-KCl-NaCl salt containing approximately 10 wt% fission products, primarily CsCl and SrCl{sub 2}. For disposal, this waste must be immobilized in a form that it is leach resistant. A salt-occluded zeolite has been identified as a potential waste form for the salt. Its leach resistance properties were investigated using powdered samples. The results were that strontium was not released and cesium had a low release, 0.056 g/m{sup 2} for the 56 day leach test. The initial release (within 7 days) of alkali metal cations was rapid and subsequent releases were much smaller. The releases of aluminum and silicon were 0.036 and 0.028 g/m{sup 2}, respectively, and were constant. Neither alkali metal cation hydrolysis nor exchange between cations in the leachate and those in the zeolite was significant. Only sodium release followed t{sup 0.5} kinetics. Selected dissolution of the occluded salt was the primary release process. These results confirm that salt-occluded zeolite has promise as the waste form for IFR pyroprocess salt.
Additivity of the effects of external ions and dipoles upon the energetics of proton transfer

The perturbations produced in the proton transfer potential of (H2OHOH2)+ by a number of ions and dipoles in various locations around the system are calculated with the 4-31G basis set. The observed perturbations are fully consistent with an electrostatic picture in which the positively charged proton is pushed along the lines of force emanating from the external object. As was observed previously for ions, the effects of the dipoles are magnified by the H bond, relative to their Coulombic interaction with a bare proton. The perturbations produced in the transfer potential by an array of multiple charges or dipoles are found to be almost completely additive.
Surface area measurements by nitrogen and argon adsorption

Abstract Surface areas measured by nitrogen and argon are discussed. The greatest difficulty with argon adsorption is that the area covered by an argon atom is determined primarily by the adsorbent-adsorbate interaction, with a negligible adsorbate-adsorbate interaction between the argon atoms. As a result, various investigators reported areas occupied on different adsorbent surfaces by an argon atom ranging from 13.7–18.2 A2. In the case of nitrogen adsorption, the lateral interaction is probably not negligible; in fact, in the vicinity of the completion of a monolayer, where the adsorbent-adsorbate interaction is the weakest and the adsorbate-adsorbate interaction is at its maximum, the lateral interaction of nitrogen molecules on the surface may be able to pull them together to form a close-packed liquid-like monolayer. This is why a constant area of 16.2 A2 can be used for nitrogen in the overwhelming majority of adsorbents. An exception is discussed, which confirms the above hypothesis.
Stability analysis of an unsupervised neural network with feedforward and feedback dynamics

Abstract We present a new method of analyzing the dynamics of self-organizing neural networks with different time scales based on the theory of flow invariance. We prove the existence and the uniqueness of the equilibrium. A strict Lyapunov function for the flow of a competitive neural system with different time scales is given and based on it we are able to prove the global asymptotic stability of the equilibrium point.
Patient Selection for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery: An Objective Model Based on Prior Clinical Decisions and Quantitative CT Analysis

Objectives: We used whole-lung quantitative CT analysis (QCT)—an objective method of evaluating emphysema severity and distribution based on measurement of lung density—to determine whether subjective selection criteria for lung volume reduction surgery are applied consistently and to model the patient selection process, and assessed the relationship of the model to postoperative outcome. Design: Logistic regression analysis using QCT indexes of emphysema and preoperative physiologic test results as the independent variables, and the decision to operate as the dependent variable. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Seventy patients selected for bilateral lung volume reduction surgery and 32 otherwise operable patients excluded from surgery based on subjective assessment of emphysema morphology on chest radiography, CT, and perfusion scintigraphy. Intervention: Bilateral lung volume reduction surgery in the selected group. Measurements and results: Emphysema in patients selected for surgery was more severe overall and in the upper lungs by multiple QCT indexes (p < 0.01, unpaired two-tailed t test). Physiologic abnormalities were slightly more severe in selected patients (p < 0.05, unpaired two-tailed t test). The range of many QCT and physiologic values overlapped considerably between the selected and excluded groups. The percent severe emphysema (<2 960 Hounsfield units [HU]), upper/ lower lung emphysema ratio (2 900 HU threshold), and residual volume were the key variables in the model predicting selection decisions (model r 2 5 0.48; p < 0.0001). The model correctly predicted selection decisions in 87% of all cases, 91% of the selected group, and 78% of the excluded group. Surgical patients with a higher model-derived probability of selection had greater postoperative improvement in FEV1 and 6-min walk distance. Conclusions: Radiologic selection criteria are applied consistently to the majority of patients. QCT features are strongly associated with selection decisions, are related to outcome, and may help improve consistency and confidence in patient selection. (CHEST 2000; 117:991‐998)
On the Design of High Rate Multiple Turbo Codes

Multiple turbo codes (MTC's) have been shown to be capable of achieving better performance than conventional turbo codes. Most previous research on MTC's, however, has been focused on low rate schemes. In this paper, we present a systematic approach to designing high rate MTC's. Several MTC's with low complexity constituent encoders are considered as examples. First, a simple method is presented to jointly design multiple dithered relative prime interleavers. Then, based on the extrinsic information transfer characteristics of the constituent encoders, good periodic puncturing patterns are obtained using a sequential search algorithm. We compare the resulting high rate MTC's with those obtained using an alternative optimized random puncturing pattern. Simulation results show that the new codes designs, for rates up to 3/4, exhibit good performance in the waterfall region of the frame error rate (FER) curve, without any sign of an error floor down to FER's as low as 10-5
Functional Mapping of the DNA Binding Domain of Bovine Papillomavirus E1 Protein

Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) requires viral proteins E1 and E2 for efficient DNA replication in host cells. E1 functions at the BPV origin as an ATP-dependent helicase during replication initiation. Previously, we used alanine mutagenesis to identify two hydrophilic regions of the E1 DNA binding domain (E1DBD), HR1 (E1179–191) and HR3 (E1241–252), which are critical for sequence-specific recognition of the papillomavirus origin. Based on sequence and structure, these regions are similar in spacing and location to DNA binding regions A and B2 of T antigen, the DNA replication initiator of simian virus 40 (SV40). HR1 and A are both part of extended loops which are supported by residues from the HR3 and B2 α-helices. Both elements contain basic residues which may contact DNA, although lack of cocrystal structures for both E1 and T antigen make this uncertain. To better understand how E1 interacts with origin DNA, we used random mutagenesis and a yeast one-hybrid screen to select mutations of the E1DBD which disrupt sequence-specific DNA interactions. From the screen we selected seven single point mutants and one double point mutant (F175S, N184Y/K288R, D185G, V193M, F237L, K241E, R243K, and V246D) for in vitro analysis. All mutants tested in electrophoretic mobility shift assays displayed reduced sequence-specific DNA binding compared to the wild-type E1DBD. Mutants D185G, F237L, and R243K were rescued in vitro for DNA binding by the replication enhancer protein E2. We also tested the eight mutations in full-length E1 for the ability to support DNA replication in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Only mutants D185G, F237L, and R243K supported significant DNA replication in vivo which highlights the importance of E1DBD-E2 interactions for papillomavirus DNA replication. Based on the specific point mutations examined, we also assigned putative roles to individual residues in DNA binding. Finally, we discuss sequence and spacing similarities between E1 HR1 and HR3 and short regions of two other DNA tumor virus origin-binding proteins, SV40 T antigen and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1). We propose that all three proteins use a similar DNA recognition mechanism consisting of a loop structure which makes base-specific contacts (HR1) and a helix which primarily contacts the DNA backbone (HR3).
Special Section Guest Editorial: Guest Editorial: High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Electric Applications

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden,Colorado 80401Concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) technology includes a diverse array of module and systemdesignsthatvaryaccordingto thegeometry,concentration ratio,andthetypes of cells andopticsused. Research and development (RD Semprius’ CPV module: 33.9%). Despiteextremely challenging market conditions, CPV installations have recently flourished, andresearchers are avidly pursuing new applications. This special section in the Journal ofPhotonics for Energy provides insight into some of the new and exciting areas of CPV R&Dand conveys the extraordinary level of innovation underway in today’s CPV community.
THINGS BECAME SCARCE: FOOD AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN SANTIAGO de CUBA THEN AND NOW

Cuba has had a nationalized food rationing system since 1962, and has been lauded for exemplary food security innovations in the face of national financial hardship. Decreases in food and agricultural related importations after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990 limited the amount of food provided in the monthly rations, forcing individuals to acquire increasing amounts of their food through other means. This article reveals the complexities Cubans face when attempting to access foods in Santiago de Cuba. This project examines how Cubans experience their food system, their struggles to maintain food traditions despite the low availability of ingredients, and how people use and relate to Cuba's food provisioning system. In this article two memories of past periods of abundance are juxtaposed to show the different ways in which individuals interpret food security. The analysis of semistructured interviews, community mapping, and participant-observation reveal the ways in which residents of Santiago de Cuba orient to their present situation through memories of past periods when foods were more available and more easily accessible.
Supersymmetry at ordinary energies. II. R invariance, Goldstone bosons, and gauge-fermion masses

We explore the observable consequences of supersymmetry, under the assumption that it is broken spontaneously at energies of order 300 GeV. Theories of this sort tend automatically to obey a global $R$ symmetry, which presents us with a choice among phenomenologically unacceptable alternatives. If the $R$ symmetry is broken by scalar vacuum expectation values of order 300 GeV, there will be a semiweakly coupled light Goldstone boson, similar to an axion. If it is not broken by such vacuum expectation values but is broken by quantum-chromodynamic (QCD) anomalies, then there will be a light ninth pseudoscalar meson. If it is not broken by QCD anomalies, then the asymptotic freedom of QCD is lost at high energies, killing the hope of an eventual meeting of the electroweak and strong couplings within the regime of validity of perturbation theory. We also confront the problem of an uncomfortably light gluino. A general analysis of gaugino masses shows that the gluino mass is at most of order 1 GeV, and in many cases much less.
Scale Dependence of Force Patterns During the Scanning of a Surface by a Bare Finger

This study investigated how the geometry of a touched surface influences forces felt during the scanning of an object with the finger. Although prior research, and basic mechanical considerations, have shed light on force production during haptic interaction with a touched object, surprisingly little is known about how to relate surface detail at different scales to the specific patterns of force that are observed. To address this, we designed an apparatus that could accurately measure normal and tangential forces between a finger and a surface. We fabricated sinusoidal surfaces with precisely controlled geometry, and measured spatial variations in resultant forces generated while subjects repeatedly scanned the surfaces at specified speed and pressure. Subsequent analysis revealed that the resulting force patterns varied in an organized way with spatial scale, and that fluctuations, in the form of aperiodic signal components that proved difficult to model, played an increasingly important role as the spatial scale of the surface geometry decreased. The results may help to explain differences in how surface detail is recovered by the haptic perceptual system at different length scales.
Trend of Climate Variability in North Carolina During the Past Decades

Trend of climate variability in North Carolina for the period of 1950–2009 was investigated in this study with annual scale minimum temperature (T min), maximum temperature (T max), mean temperature (T mean), and precipitation data series from 249 evenly distributed meteorological stations. The trends were tested using Mann–Kendall (MK) test. Theil–Sen approach (TSA) and Sequential Mann–Kendall (SQMK) test were also applied to detect the magnitude and abrupt change of trend, respectively. Lag-1 serial correlation and double mass curve analysis were adopted to check the independency and in homogeneity of the data sets, respectively. For most regions and over the period of past 60 years, trend of T min was found increasing (on 73% of the stations) while for T max, it was found decreasing (on 74 % of the stations). Although the difference between T max and T min trends were decreasing, but increasing trend in T mean represent the overall temperature increasing pattern in North Carolina. Magnitude of T max, T min, and T mean were found to be −0.05 °C/decade, +0.08 °C/decade, and +0.02 °C/decade, respectively, as determined by the TSA method. The SQMK test identified a significant positive shift of T mean during 1990s. For precipitation trends analysis, almost equal nos. of stations was showing statewide positive and negative trends in annual time series. Annually, positive (negative) significant trends, seven (three) nos. of stations were observed at the 95 and 99 % confidence levels. A magnitude of precipitation trend of +3.3 mm/decade was calculated by the TSA method. No abrupt shift was found in precipitation data series over the period by the SQMK test.
Comparison of Perioperative and Early Oncologic Outcomes between Open and Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy in a Contemporary Population Based Cohort

Purpose: We compared rates of positive surgical margins, use of postoperative radiation therapy, and perioperative outcomes between robotic assisted laparoscopic and open radical prostatectomy in a contemporary population based cohort.Materials and Methods: In the National Cancer Data Base from 2010 through 2011 patients who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (73,131) and open radical prostatectomy (23,804) for nonmetastatic prostate adenocarcinoma were identified. Covariates included age, race, Charlson comorbidity index, prostate specific antigen, biopsy Gleason score, clinical stage, final Gleason score, pathological T stage, lymph node dissection, nodal status, facility type, hospital volume and year of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with positive surgical margins, use of adjuvant/salvage radiation therapy, prolonged length of stay, readmission and 30-day mortality. Outcomes were also compared in 1:1 propensity matched cohorts.Resu...
The ALWD Citation Manual: A Practice Driven Approach

This article describes the reasons for the ALWD manual, the similarities and differences between the ALWD Manual and Bluebook, and describes why the ALWD Manual is a both a useful teaching and citation tool.
Effect of Antibacterial Substances on Fecal Clostridia Populations.

SummaryThe results in 2 separate experiments suggest that populations of fecal Clostridia can be altered by feeding antibiotics, but growth of the host animal is not directly related to the population of fecal Clostridia.
Anisotropic Rock-Physics Modeling for the Haynesville Shale

Summary The high degree of anisotropy in shale differentiates them from conventional reservoir rocks. Neglecting this high degree of anisotropy in rock-physics modeling could mislead quantitative seismic interpretation. In this work, we used the anisotropic version of the differential effective medium (DEM) method to model the effective stiffness of the Haynesville shale by aligning kerogen, platy clay minerals, and embedded pores. The complexity of shale and the uncertainty from both measurements and modeling was addressed by introducing distributions for the shapes and sizes of inclusions (kerogen, clay minerals and pores). Modeling results showed that the anisotropy of rocks with elongated inclusions was greater than those with round inclusions. Rock stiffness decreased with porosity, but the sensitivity of porosity to anisotropy was not clear.
Polyelectrolyte Multilayers and Complexes to Modify Secondary Interactions in Ethylene-co-methacrylic Acid Ionomers

Ethylene-co-methacrylic acid (EMAA) ionomers are incorporated into polyelectrolyte complexes and thin films fabricated with the layer-by-layer technique using mixed solvent systems of THF and water. EMAA ionomers have been reported to have self-healing properties. The thin films were optically clear and can be made as a coating or freestanding. Their composition was determined with elemental analysis. DSC showed these polymer blend materials to have suppressed polyethylene crystallinity compared to bulk EMAA and an increased amount of energy required to create the order-to-disorder transition of disrupting the associations between the ionic groups of the ionomer.
Abstract 1889:Helicobacter pyloriseropositivity and risk of lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Infections may contribute to lung carcinogenesis. Results from a few small studies have suggested that Helicobacter pylori (HP) may be a potential risk factor. However, these studies have been limited in size and in the evaluation of lung cancer histology and smoking. METHODS: We conducted a study of 350 lung adenocarcinoma cases, 350 squamous cell carcinoma cases, and 700 controls nested within the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC) cohort of male Finnish smokers. Controls were 1 to 1 matched by age (+/- 5 years) at and date (+/- 30 days) of baseline serum draw and had to be alive and cancer free at the date that the corresponding case was diagnosed. We used enzyme linked immunosorbent assays to detect immunoglobulin G antibodies against HP whole-cell and CagA antigens and calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for associations between HP seropositivity and lung cancer risk using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: 79% of cases and 78% of controls were seropositive for whole cell HP, and 43% of cases and 44% of controls were seropositive for the cytotoxin-associated gene (cagA) antigen. Whole cell seropositivity was not associated with lung adenocarcinoma (OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.80-1.8) or squamous cell carcinoma (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.73-1.6) after adjusting for age at serum draw, date of serum draw, age at smoking initiation, pack-years, and cigarettes smoked per day. Similarly, CagA seropositivity was not associated with lung adenocarcinoma (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.78-1.5) or squamous cell carcinoma (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.63-1.2). CONCLUSIONS: Despite earlier small studies suggesting that HP may contribute to lung carcinogenesis, HP seropositivity does not appear to be associated with lung cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1889. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1889
Pharmacological inhibition of cation-chloride cotransporters for neurological diseases.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major neurotransmitter and plays important roles in both the developing and mature central nervous system (CNS). One way that GABA can act is by binding to fast, ionotropic GABAA receptors in neurons. The binding of GABA to GABAA receptors causes a conformational change that opens ion channels, allowing the passage of Cl– ions. In mature adults, intracellular Cl– concentration [Cl–]i) is low, and the opening of these ion channels triggers influx of Cl– ions, causing hyperpolarization and neuronal inhibition (Blaesse, 2009). However, in the developing nervous system, [Cl–]i is high, and the binding of GABA to GABAA receptors induces a depolarizing excitatory response (Figure 1). This leads to the stimulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, which is important for proper neuronal proliferation and differentiation in their circuitry development. Gradual changes in [Cl–]i during development, known as the “GABA shift”, determine the strength and polarity of GABA-mediated activity. The precise regulation of [Cl–]i is determined by two major cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs), the inwardly directed Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC1) and the Cl– extruding K-Cl cotransporter (KCC2) (Blaesse, 2009). NKCC1 is expressed in a wide range of neurons and glia, but especially in embryonic ventricular zones, which suggests an important role in neuronal proliferation. KCC2 is located in plasma membrane of both somata and dendrites of neurons in various brain regions, including cortical pyramidal neurons, thalamic relay cells, and auditory brainstem neurons (Blaesse, 2009). In embryonic and early postnatal life, neurons show high expression of NKCC1and low expression of KCC2 (Figure 1). NKCC1 functions in Cl– influx and raises the [Cl–]i during the early development of the CNS, which enables GABAA receptor-mediated neuronal depolarization and excitation. NKCC1 expression rapidly decreases during the first year of life to levels common in an adult, while KCC2 expression rises (Dzhala et al., 2005). KCC2 functions in Cl– efflux and lowering [Cl–]i, which leads to the dominance of GABAA receptor-mediated hyperpolarization and inhibition response in the maturing brain (Figure 1).
Weak Ties and Self-Regulation in Job Search: The Effects of Goal Orientation on Networking.

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between the self-regulatory variable of goal orientation and the extent to which job seekers reach out to and use weak ties ...
Neutronics Analyses of the Minimum Original HEU TREAT Core

This work was performed to support the feasibility study on the potential conversion of the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) at Idaho National Laboratory from the use of high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to the use of low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The analyses were performed by the GTRI Reactor Conversion staff at the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The objective of this study was to validate the MCNP model of the TREAT reactor with the well-documented measurements which were taken during the start-up and early operation of TREAT. Furthermore, the effect of carbon graphitization was also addressed. The graphitization level was assumed to be 100% (ANL/GTRI/TM-13/4). For this purpose, a set of experiments was chosen to validate the TREAT MCNP model, involving the approach to criticality procedure, in-core neutron flux measurements with foils, and isothermal temperature coefficient and temperature distribution measurements. The results of this study extended the knowledge base for the TREAT MCNP calculations and established the credibility of the MCNP model to be used in the core conversion feasibility analysis.
Effect of Ambient Temperature on Total Organic Gas Speciation Profiles from Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicle Exhaust.

Total organic gases (TOG) emissions from motor vehicles include air toxic compounds and contribute to formation of ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA). These emissions are known to be affected by temperature; however previous studies have typically focused only on the temperature dependence of total emission factors and select toxic compounds. This study builds on the previous research by performing an evaluation of a comprehensive set of gas-phase organic compounds present in gasoline motor vehicle exhaust. A fleet of five vehicles using port fuel injection engine technology and running on E10 fuel was tested. Overall, three temperatures (0, 20, and 75 °F; or −18, −7, and 24 °C), two driving conditions (urban-FTP75 and aggressive driving-US06) and 161 compounds were evaluated; the emissions distributions were used to construct speciation profiles for each driving cycle and temperature. Overall, the speciation results indicated a significant increase in alkane and methane content, and d...
Donepezil improved the clinical state and quality of life in moderate-to-severe Alzheimer disease.

Source Citation Feldman H, Gauthier S, Hecker J, et al., and the Donepezil MSAD Study Investigators Group. A 24-week, randomized, double-blind study of donepezil in moderate to severe Alzheimer’s d...
Printing and Molding Approaches for 3D Metamaterials and Plasmonic Crystals

The optimized interaction of laser light with relativistic electrons can produce monoenergetic gammarays(MEGa-rays) of unprecedented peak brightness. MEGa-ray sources enable a wide range of nuclear applications with photons, i.e. nuclear photonics. Article not available.
The Verbal Portrait

The Portrait of a Lady offers in its insistent foregrounding of language a veritable treatise on ‘style’: style both in the sense of pretence and facades of language, and style as a questioning of these, a liberation within the exigencies language imposes on the ‘fabulist’. The Portrait is for James an interrogation, what might be called the first in a series, of his own problematic ‘archi-ecriture’ as ‘fabulist’ and architect of fiction. Exposing ‘the representational presumption on which it relies’ (Culler, 1982, p. 249) as an artificial construct, The Portrait offers to undo any preconceived notions about ‘art’ that its characters, readers, even its author, begin with. At the same time as it relies upon the hope of some unifying support from its careful method of composition, The Portrait ultimately is the result of its own contingencies.
Impacts of operating characteristics on sensitivity of power grids to cascading failures

Sensitivity analysis of power grids to cascading failures by means of considering their critical dependence on their operating characteristics is an important step toward understanding and mitigating cascading failures. In this paper, a recently reported probabilistic cascading-failure model is further analyzed to provide key evidence that the reliability of power grids critically depends on operating characteristics of the power grid including the loading level, load-shedding constraints and the line-tripping threshold. The cascading-failure model is based on a Markov chain whose transition probabilities have a state-dependent functional form that is inspired by power-system simulations. It is argued through the asymptotic analysis of the Markov-chain model that certain changes in the operating characteristics make the power system prone to large-scale cascading failures, as evidenced by a power-law behavior in the tail of the probability distribution of the blackout size.