cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Breast, cervical, and colorectal carcinoma screening in a demographically defined region of the southern U.S.

BACKGROUND The “Southern Black Belt,” a term used for > 100 years to describe a subregion of the southern U.S., includes counties with high concentrations of African Americans and high levels of poverty and unemployment, and relatively high rates of preventable cancers. METHODS The authors analyzed data from a state-based telephone survey of adults age ≥ 18 years to compare the cancer screening patterns of African-American and white men and women in nonmetropolitan counties of this region, and to compare those rates with those of persons in other southern counties and elsewhere in the U.S. The primary study groups were comprised of 2165–5888 women and 1198 men in this region interviewed through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The respondents lived in predominantly rural counties in 11 southern states with sizeable African-American populations (≥ 24.5% of county residents). The main outcome measures were recent use of the Papanicolau (Pap) test, mammography, test for fecal occult blood in the stool (FOBT), and flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. RESULTS Between 1998–2000, 66.3% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] ± 2.7%) of 1817 African-American women in the region age ≥ 40 years had received a mammogram within the past 2 years, compared with 69.3% (95% CI ± 1.8%) of 3922 white women (P = 0.066). The proportion of African-American and white women who had received a Pap test within the past 3 years was similar (85.7% [95% CI ± 1.9%] vs. 83.4% [95% CI ± 1.5%]; P = 0.068]. In 1997 and 1999, 29.3% of African-American women in these counties reported ever receiving an FOBT, compared with 36.9% in non-Black Belt counties and 42.5% in the remainder of the U.S. Among white women, 37.7% in Black Belt counties, 44.0% in non-Black Belt counties, and 45.3% in the remainder of the U.S. ever received an FOBT. Overall, similar patterns were noted among both men and women with regard to ever-use of FOBT, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy. Screening rates appeared to vary less by race than by region. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study underscore the need for continued efforts to ensure that adults in the nonmetropolitan South receive educational messages, outreach, and provider recommendations concerning the importance of routine cancer screening. Cancer 2002;95:2211–22. Published 2002 by the American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10933
Design for stability region maximization

The purpose of this correspondence is to apply to systems of the Lur'e type a design technique for maximizing the extent of the region of asymptotic stability. A specific example is given.
Elucidation of Ca2+ Influx through Alzheimer's Aβ Channels in the Aβ-Induced Cellular Ca2+ Response

The Alzheimer's disease Aβ peptide interaction with the plasma membrane of cells results in a response characterized by the elevation of the intracellular (cytoplasmic) Ca2+ concentration which may critically perturb Ca2+ homeostasis. Calcium influx into the cytosol can occur across the plasma membrane via receptor-mediated, voltage-gated, store-operated calcium channels, or from internal stores. Based on the ion channel formation by Aβ peptides on artificial membranes we have proposed that perturbation in Ca2+ homeostasis induced by Aβ could be caused by external calcium entering through ion channels formed by Aβ in the plasma membrane. The activity of these channels would permit the entrance of extracellular calcium ions into the cell, subsequently triggering the release of calcium from internal stores. To elucidate the contribution of calcium influx through the Aβ ion channels to the Aβ-induced calcium response we used specific blockers of plasma membrane channels and specific inhibitors of the mechanisms that permit the release of calcium from the ER, the largest intracellular store. With all those mechanisms blocked and inhibited, we visualized a fast raising, short-lasting calcium entry immediately after PC12 cells were exposed to Aβ. This calcium signal was identified as calcium flowing through the Aβ channels by using specific Aβ channel blockers. The Aβ channel blockers did not affect other mechanisms that contribute to the cytosolic calcium increase, and their use prevented the calcium entry through the Aβ channels and consequent development of the whole cellular Aβ-induced calcium response.
Helium line emission measurements in PISCES-B as a tool for Te-profile determinations in tokamak boundary plasmas

Abstract The potential of helium spectroscopy for quasicontinuous electron temperature profile measurements in the boundary layer of a tokamak plasma is tested. Particularly thermal atomic helium beams are easy to produce and can penetrate relatively far into typical tokamak boundary plasmas because of their high ionization energy. However, in the case of helium and for the range of densities and temperatures characteristic for tokamak boundaries the validity of the corona model cannot be assumed. Therefore it is vital to measure Hel-line intensities in well diagnosed plasmas with tokamak boundary like conditions, which may be compared with calculated ones. For the production of a plasma with parameters close to that of a tokamak boundary layer the PISCES-B facility was used, where plasmas with up to T e ≈ 30 eV simultaneously with n e ≈ 5 × 10 12 /cm 3 could be obtained. T e - and n e -profiles were determined both by fixed and reciprocating Langmuir probes. The helium was injected into the central part of an argon plasma, and its spectral line emission in the visible was measured by means of an OMA attached to an optical spectrometer. Six triplet and six singlet emission lines of HeI were measured and the ratio of these — which is assumed to be a function of T e — evaluated for a range of temperatures and densities. From their absolute intensities also the individual line excitation rates could be derived as a function of electron temperature. It was found that the majority of the experimental values both for the line excitation rate and the line intensity ratio do not agree with the calculated values, which take only excitation from the ground state into account. On the other hand, experimental intensity ratios were found, which do not show a density dependence, and are recommended to be used for an experimental technique, which would allow a quasicontinuous T e -profile measurement in the plasma boundary region of tokamaks.
Capital Management Practices in U. S. Counties

In this paper, the capital management systems of 40 large U.S. counties are analyzed based on results from the Government Performance Project. Quantitative scores are developed to compare the counties with each other and with recommended practices in three areas: capital planning, project management and asset (or preventive) maintenance. Findings show that capital management systems vary widely across the counties, but that generally, counties score highest in project management and lowest in asset maintenance. Long-term planning was also found to be common. Many counties were shown to be making efforts to improve their capital management systems, and several have implemented innovative approaches to capital management.
Slow Inactivation Does Not Affect Movement of the Fast Inactivation Gate in Voltage-gated Na+ Channels

Voltage-gated Na+ channels exhibit two forms of inactivation, one form (fast inactivation) takes effect on the order of milliseconds and the other (slow inactivation) on the order of seconds to minutes. While previous studies have suggested that fast and slow inactivation are structurally independent gating processes, little is known about the relationship between the two. In this study, we probed this relationship by examining the effects of slow inactivation on a conformational marker for fast inactivation, the accessibility of a site on the Na+ channel III-IV linker that is believed to form a part of the fast inactivation particle. When cysteine was substituted for phenylalanine at position 1304 in the rat skeletal muscle sodium channel (microl), application of [2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate (MTS-ET) to the cytoplasmic face of inside-out patches from Xenopus oocytes injected with F1304C RNA dramatically disrupted fast inactivation and displayed voltage-dependent reaction kinetics that closely paralleled the steady state availability (hinfinity) curve. Based on this observation, the accessibility of cys1304 was used as a conformational marker to probe the position of the fast inactivation gate during the development of and the recovery from slow inactivation. We found that burial of cys1304 is not altered by the onset of slow inactivation, and that recovery of accessibility of cys1304 is not slowed after long (2-10 s) depolarizations. These results suggest that (a) fast and slow inactivation are structurally distinct processes that are not tightly coupled, (b) fast and slow inactivation are not mutually exclusive processes (i.e., sodium channels may be fast- and slow-inactivated simultaneously), and (c) after long depolarizations, recovery from fast inactivation precedes recovery from slow inactivation.
Effect of furosemide and the equine nasal strip on exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage and time-to-fatigue in maximally exercising horses

Furosemide (FUR) and the equine nasal strip (NS) decrease exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) compared with control (CON) conditions in the Thoroughbred horse during near-maximal running trials. As FUR and NS have potential performance-enhancing properties, we studied Thoroughbreds running to fatigue to test the hypothesis that time-to-fatigue (TTF) would be increased, yet EIPH reduced, in FUR and NS compared with CON. Thoroughbred geldings (n=6) were run to volitional fatigue on a level treadmill (1 m s−1 increment per minute from an initial trot) every two weeks (order randomized) under CON, NS, FUR (1 mg kg−1; 4 h prior) and FUR+NS conditions. Pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) and pulmonary gas exchange were measured throughout exercise, while arterial blood gases were sampled at the end of each 1-min stage. EIPH severity was quantified via bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) at 30 min post-exercise. TTF was increased for all experimental conditions (i.e. an additional 20±13, 28±8 and 40±6 s for NS, FUR and FUR+NS, respectively; P 0.05) compared with CON (100.5±4.9 mmHg). All three experimental conditions exhibited a significant reduction in EIPH compared with CON (64.1±36.8× 6 red blood cells (RBCs) ml−1); however, no significant difference was noted between these conditions (×106 RBCs ml−1: 29.1±16.8, 20.9±13.1 and 26.7±19.8 for NS, FUR and FUR+NS, respectively). Furthermore, no differences for either end-exercise cardiorespiratory (i.e. V˙O2 or V˙CO2) or blood-borne metabolic (i.e. blood gases, lactate or pH) variables were observed. These findings demonstrate that both FUR and NS enhance TTF and reduce EIPH to a similar degree during high-speed treadmill running to fatigue.
Exploring the Association Between Erectile Rigidity and Treatment Adherence With Sildenafil

ABSTRACT Introduction Erection hardness has been shown to correlate with increased self-confidence, sexual satisfaction, and improvement in psychosocial factors such as sexual and overall relationship. It is estimated that one-third of men using phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5) cease use of medication after one prescription and one-half cease use by 6 months. Aim This study was undertaken to explore the link between erection hardness and treatment adherence. Methods Men presenting with erectile dysfunction (ED) who were candidates for PDE5 therapy constituted the study population. They were assessed at the baseline regarding their erectile function (EF) and rigidity using autoquestionnaires. Patients then received regular follow-up using the same assessment tools and were also asked about continued use of PDE5. The final patient assessment was conducted at a time point no sooner than 12 months after commencing PDE5. Multivariable analysis was conducted to define predictors of continued PDE5 use. Main Outcome Measures Patients were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire and the Erection Hardness Score (EHS). Adherence was defined as continued use of PDE5 at least once per month. Results One hundred eighty-six men were analyzed. The mean age and the duration of ED were 61 ± 22 and 2.2 ± 2.9 years, respectively. Sixty-three percent were married or partnered. The mean partner age was 52 ± 18 years. Of the 186 patients, 32% had one vascular comorbidity, 34% had two vascular comorbidities, 26% had three vascular comorbidities, and 6% had ≥4 vascular comorbidities. All patients were treated with sildenafil and were sexually active. The mean time to end-of-treatment (EOT) interview and repeat completion of questionnaires was 17 ± 4 months. At the baseline, 26% were EHS 3 (mild ED), 42% were EHS 2 (moderate ED), and 32% were EHS 1 (severe ED). The mean baseline EF domain score was 14 ± 10, and at the EOT, it was 22 ± 5 ( P Conclusion There is an excellent relationship between erection hardness and adherence to PDE5 treatment. Driving men to greater erectile rigidity appears to translate into lower dropout rates. Mazzola CR, Deveci S, Teloken P, and Mulhall JP. Exploring the association between erectile rigidity and treatment adherence with sildenafil.
A planar variable reluctance magnetic micromotor with fully integrated stator and wrapped coils

A fully functional electrical excited planar variable reluctance magnetic micromotor has been demonstrated on a silicon wafer. The motor uses a micromachined nickel-iron rotor and a fully integrated stator, in which a toroidal-meander-type integrated inductive component is used for flux generation. To reduce the magnetic reluctance in the stator, a modified stator geometry that removes the yoke used in a conventional reluctance motor was adopted. Using polyimide as both an integral structural material and as an electroplating mold, a 40- mu m-thick nickel-iron rotor 500 mu m in diameter was microassembled onto a fully integrated nickel-iron stator 120- mu m thick. The speed and direction of the rotation can be adjusted by changing the frequency and phase firing order of the power supply, respectively. Continuous rotor rotation was observed at speeds up to 500 rpm; this limitation was solely due to the limitation of the maximum frequency of the controller used. >
The Francisella tularensis pathogenicity island encodes a secretion system that is required for phagosome escape and virulence

Francisella tularensis causes the human disease tularemia. F. tularensis is able to survive and replicate within macrophages, a trait that has been correlated with its high virulence, but it is unclear the exact mechanism(s) this organism uses to escape killing within this hostile environment. F. tularensis virulence is dependent upon the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI), a cluster of genes that we show here shares homology with type VI secretion gene clusters in Vibrio cholerae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We demonstrate that two FPI proteins, VgrG and IglI, are secreted into the cytosol of infected macrophages. VgrG and IglI are required for F. tularensis phagosomal escape, intramacrophage growth, inflammasome activation and virulence in mice. Interestingly, VgrG secretion does not require the other FPI genes. However, VgrG and other FPI genes, including PdpB (an IcmF homologue), are required for the secretion of IglI into the macrophage cytosol, suggesting that VgrG and other FPI factors are components of a secretion system. This is the first report of F. tularensis FPI virulence proteins required for intramacrophage growth that are translocated into the macrophage.
Review of phase-measuring interferometry

The theory and practice of phase-measuring interferometry (PMI) are reviewed. The phase measurement algorithms are discussed and phase modulation and wavefront reconstruction are examined as part of the implementation of PMI. The performance limitations of PMI are addressed.
Efficient Study Designs for Test of Genetic Association Using Sibship Data and Unrelated Cases and Controls

Linkage mapping of complex diseases is often followed by association studies between phenotypes and marker genotypes through use of case-control or family-based designs. Given fixed genotyping resources, it is important to know which study designs are the most efficient. To address this problem, we extended the likelihood-based method of Li et al., which assesses whether there is linkage disequilibrium between a disease locus and a SNP, to accommodate sibships of arbitrary size and disease-phenotype configuration. A key advantage of our method is the ability to combine data from different family structures. We consider scenarios for which genotypes are available for unrelated cases, affected sib pairs (ASPs), or only one sibling per ASP. We construct designs that use cases only and others that use unaffected siblings or unrelated unaffected individuals as controls. Different combinations of cases and controls result in seven study designs. We compare the efficiency of these designs when the number of individuals to be genotyped is fixed. Our results suggest that (1) when the disease is influenced by a single gene, the one sibling per ASP–control design is the most efficient, followed by the ASP-control design, and familial cases contribute more association information than singleton cases; (2) when the disease is influenced by multiple genes, familial cases provide more association information than singleton cases, unless the effect of the locus being tested is much smaller than at least one other untested disease locus; and (3) the case-control design can be useful for detecting genes with small effect in the presence of genes with much larger effect. Our findings will be helpful for researchers designing and analyzing complex disease-association studies and will facilitate genotyping resource allocation.
Approximate stochastic realization and robust prediction: algorithms for iterative solution

The related problems of (finite-length) robust prediction and maximum-entropy approximate stochastic realization are considered. Such problems are of interest in situations where there is uncertainty in the finite-length covariance data of an observed signal or time series. General properties of iterative solutions of these problems are developed, and two iterative algorithms that converge monotonically to such solutions are presented for the situation in which the uncertainty class is a simplex. >
Student evaluation of clickers in a combined dental and dental hygiene periodontology course.

The purpose of this report is to describe the general use of clickers as an active learning tool and how they were used in teaching a combined periodontology course for second-year dental and junior dental hygiene students. A survey was used to capture student perceptions following completion of the course. Specific domains were active learning, improved performance, and expectations. The survey response rate was 94.5 percent (121/128). Descriptive analyses showed that, in the domain of active learning, 102 (84.3 percent) agreed/strongly agreed that the use of clickers made the lectures more interactive; sixty-six (54.5 percent) agreed/strongly agreed that the clickers made them focus; and ninety-two (76 percent) agreed/strongly agreed that the clickers encouraged active participation. In the domain regarding improved performance, sixty-three (52 percent) agreed/ strongly agreed that the review sessions utilizing clickers helped them prepare for tests. In the domain of expectations, ninety-three (76.9 percent) had a better idea of what to expect on the examination due to the use of clickers, and seventy-three (60.3 percent) thought that the clickers should be used in future semesters for this class. In addition, faculty members appreciated the greater participation afforded through the use of clickers to obtain a better understanding of the students’ grasp of course content. Learning theory suggests that students must actively engage in the learning process in order for meaningful learning in the form of critical thinking and problem-solving to take place. In this study, students confirmed that the use of clicker technology encouraged their active participation in a periodontology course.
Paginate dynamic and web content

Highly customized and content driven documents present substantial challenges in producing sophisticated layout. In fact, these are apps that usually look like well-designed documents. A concrete example is e-books. E-books have re-flowing requirements to allow the user to read them on a plethora of devices as wells as change the font size and font style. Meanwhile this increases the flexibility of the medium, it loses common features found in books like footnotes, marginalia (a.k.a. side notes), pull-quotes and, floats. This paper introduces an approach on extending the concept of galley to a generalized document design instrument. The proposed solution has the aim of providing an easy and flexible, yet powerful, way to express complex layout for highly dynamic and re-flowing content. To achieve this goal, not only it is important to express all the areas available within the page or page region, but also identify a mean to efficiently map content to them. To serve this purpose, a role based mapper has been introduced linking both flow and out-of-flow content.
Paving New Roads To Knowledge: An Experiment To Enhance Construction Education

As a result of their own sometimes frustrating educational experiences, and a growing discontent with their current teaching methods, the authors, in conjunction with another instructor, decided to try an experiment. With the goal of enhancing visualization and understanding, the instructors created several multi-path educational paths for the reinforced concrete class. These alternative paths or “roads” included electronic visits to the site of the construction of a concrete frame building, homework assignments based on the various building components, discussions with the project manager, and a “hands on” public service project. This paper details the traditional and multi-path educational delivery models in a concrete course, resources required to “construct” more roads to knowledge, the results of a short survey of student reaction, and a synopsis of faculty comments on the effectiveness of the effort.
Digitalis: new actions for an old drug

The mechanisms by which digitalis causes its therapeutic and toxic actions have been studied for nearly a half century, revealing a great deal about cardiac cell regulation of intracellular ions via the Na-K-ATPase (NKA) and how it is altered by cardiac glycosides. However, recent observations suggest that digitalis may have additional effects on cardiac cell function in both the short and long term that include intracellular effects, interactions with specific NKA isoforms in different cellular locations, effects on intracellular (including nuclear) signaling, and long-term regulation of intracellular ionic balances through circulating ouabain-like compounds. The purpose of this review is to examine the current status of a number of the newest and most interesting developments in the study of digitalis with a particular focus on cardiac function, although we will also discuss some of the new advances in other relevant cardiovascular effects. This new information has important implications for both our understanding of ionic regulation in normal and diseased hearts as well as for potential avenues for the development of future therapeutic interventions for the treatment of heart failure.
The Chicken and the Egg: Sympathetic Nervous System Activity and Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction

In this issue, Grassi et al1 describe an elegant study in which they measured sympathetic nerve traffic by microneurography in 17 untreated hypertensive subjects with left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction but without LV hypertrophy. The control groups were 20 age-matched normotensive subjects and 20 subjects with hypertension but without LV diastolic dysfunction. Microneurography is a technique in which a microelectrode is inserted into the peroneal nerve posterior to the head of the fibula and is a method of quantifying sympathetic nerve activity, which the Milan group has used to produce some outstanding research in the past. The main finding in this study was that muscle sympathetic nerve traffic was greater in the 2 hypertensive groups than in the normotensive group. In addition, if they compared hypertensive subjects with the same degree of BP elevation, there was a greater increase in sympathetic nerve traffic in those with than in those without LV diastolic dysfunction. They conclude that, “The results of the present study document for the first time that, in essential hypertensive patients, the presence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction enhances the already elevated …
Lentiviral Strategies for RNAi Knockdown of Neuronal Genes

RNA interference (RNAi) refers to the process by which 21- to 23-nucleotide short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) mediate post-transcriptional degradation of homologous mRNA transcripts. This process is carried out by an endogenous pathway that centers on the use of endogenously encoded small RNAs, and can be hijacked to knock down the expression of any target protein by introducing a specific siRNA into a cell. Stable knockdown can be obtained by constitutive expression of the siRNA from the host chromosome. Retroviruses, such as lentivirus, provide a convenient vector by which to integrate RNAi expression constructs. Lentiviruses can infect nondividing cells, thereby allowing knockdown in cells such as mature neurons. This unit provides methods to design and clone siRNAs into a lentiviral vector. Additional protocols describe production and titering of the lentivirus, as well as safety testing. Finally, methods are provided for infecting neurons in culture and in vivo with RNAi lentivirus.
Timestamp snooping: an approach for extending SMPs

Symmetric muultiprocessor (SMP) servers provide superior performance for the commercial workloads that dominate the Internet. Our simulation results show that over one-third of cache misses by these applications result in cache-to-cache transfers, where the data is found in another processor's cache rather than in memory. SMPs are optimized for this case by using snooping protocols that broadcast address transactions to all processors. Conversely, directory-based shared-memory systems must indirectly locate the owner and sharers through a directory, resulting in larger average miss latencies.This paper proposes timestamp snooping, a technique that allows SMPs to i) utilize high-speed switched interconnection networks and ii) exploit physical locality by delivering address transactions to processors and memories without regard to order. Traditional snooping requires physical ordering of transactions. Timestamp snooping works by processing address transactions in a logical order. Logical time is maintained by adding a few bits per address transaction and having network switches perform a handshake to ensure on-time delivery. Processors and memories then reorder transactions based on their timestamps to establish a total order.We evaluate timestamp snooping with commercial workloads on a 16-processor SPARC system using the Simics full-system simulator. We simulate both an indirect (butterfly) and a direct (torus) network design. For OLTP, DSS, web serving, web searching, and one scientific application, timestamp snooping with the butterfly network runs 6-28% faster than directories, at a cost of 13-43% more link traffic. Similarly, with the torus network, timestamp snooping runs 6-29% faster for 17-37% more link traffic. Thus, timestamp snooping is worth considering when buying more interconnect bandwidth is easier than reducing interconnect latency.
Enhanced Electrical Switching and Electrochromic Properties of Poly(p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole) Thin Films Embedded with Nano-WO3

The electrical switching and electrochromic phenomena of a novel nanocomposite comprising poly(p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole) (PBZT) and tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) nanoparticles are investigated as a function of the nanoparticle loading. Both dissolving PBZT and doping PBZT backbone structure with acid are achieved by one simple step. Chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) is used as a solvent and spontaneously transformed to sulfuric acid upon exposure to moisture. The formed sulfuric acid serves as doping agent to improve the electrical conductivity of PBZT. The most significant enhancement of electrical switching is observed in the nanocomposites with low weight fraction (5%). The electrical conductivity of 5% WO 3 /PBZT nanocomposite thin film is increased by about 200 times and 2 times, respectively, as compared to those of the as-received PBZT and PBZT/CSA thin films. As the nanoparticle loading increases to 20% and 30%, the nanocomposites follow an ohmic conduction mechanism. Stable electrical conductivity switching is observed before and after applying a bias on the pristine PBZT and WO 3 /PBZT nanocomposite thin films. Electrochromic phenomena of both PBZT and WO 3 / PBZT nanocomposite thin films with high contrast ratio are observed after applying a bias (3 V). The mechanisms of the nanoparticles in enhancing the electrical switching and electrochromic properties are proposed.
The murine cardiac 26S proteasome: An organelle awaiting exploration

Multiprotein complexes have been increasingly recognized as essential functional units for a variety of cellular processes, including the protein degradation system. Selective degradation of proteins in eukaryotes is primarily conducted by the ubiquitin proteasome system. The current knowledge base, pertaining to the proteasome complexes in mammalian cells, relies largely upon information gained in the yeast system, where the 26S proteasome is hypothesized to contain a 20S multiprotein core complex and one or two 19S regulatory complexes. To date, the molecular structure of the proteasome system, the proteomic composition of the entire 26S multiprotein complexes, and the specific designated function of individual components within this essential protein degradation system in the heart remain virtually unknown. A functional proteomic approach, employing multidimensional chromatography purification combined with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and protein chemistry, was utilized to explore the murine cardiac 26S proteasome system. This article presents an overview on the subject of protein degradation in mammalian cells. In addition, this review shares the limited information that has been garnered thus far pertaining to the molecular composition, function, and regulation of this important organelle in the cardiac cells.
Size-Dependent Photoconductivity in CdSe Nanoparticles as Measured by Time-Resolved Terahertz Spectroscopy

The size-dependent transient photoconductivity in CdSe nanoparticles (NPs) has been investigated using time-resolved THz spectroscopy (TRTS). We find that the mobility increases with an r4 dependence for NPs in the strong confinement regime and is governed by a restricted mean free path for NPs in the weak confinement regime. The photoexcited carriers undergo ballistic transport to the surface of the NPs. The average number of electron−hole pairs generated in the NPs falls into three distinct groupings based on the NP radius.
A framework for inferring biological communities from environmental DNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA), genetic material recovered from an environmental medium such as soil, water, or feces, reflects the membership of the ecological community present in the sampled environment. As such, eDNA is a potentially rich source of data for basic ecology, conservation, and management, because it offers the prospect of quantitatively reconstructing whole ecological communities from easily obtained samples. However, like all sampling methods, eDNA sequencing is subject to methodological limitations that can generate biased descriptions of ecological communities. Here, we demonstrate parallels between eDNA sampling and traditional sampling techniques, and use these parallels to offer a statistical structure for framing the challenges faced by eDNA and for illuminating the gaps in our current knowledge. Although the current state of knowledge on some of these steps precludes a full estimate of biomass for each taxon in a sampled eDNA community, we provide a map that illustrates potential methods for bridging these gaps. Additionally, we use an original data set to estimate the relative abundances of taxon-specific template DNA prior to PCR, given the abundance of DNA sequences recovered post-PCR-and-sequencing, a critical step in the chain of eDNA inference. While we focus on the use of eDNA samples to determine the relative abundance of taxa within a community, our approach also applies to single-taxon applications (including applications using qPCR), studies of diversity, and studies focused on occurrence. By grounding inferences about eDNA community composition in a rigorous statistical framework, and by making these inferences explicit, we hope to improve the inferential potential for the emerging field of community-level eDNA analysis.
Far Infrared Magnetoabsorption in Hg1-xMnxTe/HgTe Superlattice

Hg-based superlattices (SL)-e.g., the HgTe/CdTe SL–exhibit interesting and important physical properties. Among these are the tunability of the band gap, achieved by varying the thicknesses of the two constituent materials; and the existence of the vajeqnce band offset, on which the details of the valence bands of the SL largely depen. Recently a new type of Hg-based SL, the Hg 1-x Mn x Te/HgTe SL, has been successfully prepared. In addition to the ability of varying its band gap by controlling the Mn content, this SL has the advantage that some of its important parameters, including the band offset, can be tuned by an external magnetic field because of the spin-spin exchange interaction in the Hg 1-x Mn x Te layers. So far, the electronic and optical properties of this type of SL have not been explored.
Sleep deprivation and energy metabolism: to sleep, perchance to eat?

Purpose of reviewMany people currently sleep only 5–6 h per night. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that self-reported short sleep is associated with an increased incidence of obesity and diabetes, highlighting the importance of this trend for public health. This finding has triggered renew
Effects of Photoperiod on a Population of Euschistus tristigmus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from Storrs, CT

The effects of 24L:0D and 12L:12D photoperiods on shoulder shape, number of midventral abdominal spots, and antennal and scutellar tip coloration in Storrs, CT adults of Euschistns tristigmus (Say) were studied under laboratory conditions; Storrs is within the reported range of the subspecies luridus . There was no difference in response to the 2 photoperiods in shoulder shape, number of spots, or antennal coloration. There was also no difference in scutellar tip coloration within males between photoperiods, but females reared in the 12L:12D photoperiod had a smaller pale area than those reared in 24L:0D. Comparisons of laboratory-reared Storrs adults with southern Illinois field-collected adults showed that Storrs individuals had rounder shoulders, blacker antennae, and a larger pale area on the scutellar tip. Although Storrs adults probably have more spots than southern Illinois adults, there is too much overlap between the 2 populations for this character to have much diagnostic value. It is concluded that luridus is a valid subspecies of E. tristigmus .
Exploration of Methods Used by Pharmacy Professional Programs to Contract with Experiential Practice Sites

Objective. To explore methods used by pharmacy programs to attract and sustain relationships with preceptors and experiential practice sites. Methods. Interviews with eight focus groups of pharmacy experiential education experts (n=35) were conducted at two national pharmacy meetings. A semi-structured interview guide was used. Focus group interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and categorically coded independently by two researchers. Codes were compared, consensus was reached through discussion, and two experiential education experts assisted with interpretation of the coded data. Results. Six themes emerged consistently across focus groups: a perceived increase in preceptor compensation, intended vs actual use of payments by sites, concern over renegotiation of established compensation, costs and benefits of experiential students, territorialism, and motives. Conclusion. Fostering a culture of collaboration may counteract potentially competitive strategies to gain sites. Participants shared a common interest in providing high-quality experiential learning where sites and preceptors participated for altruistic reasons, rather than compensation.
Prevalence and correlates of highly active antiretroviral therapy switching in the Women's Interagency HIV Study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the variability in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens over time, the extent to which individuals switch, and the characteristics of those who are switching. Methods: We evaluated data collected between 1994 and 2000 from 1056 HIV-positive women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) who reported initiating HAART. We described the variability and prevalence of changes in HAART regimens between semiannual visits, estimated time to switch using Kaplan-Meier methods, investigated factors associated with a first switch using Cox proportional hazards models, and compared disease markers among women switching or remaining on unchanged HAART regimens. Results: We demonstrated a 13-fold increase in the number of unique HAART regimens reported since mid-1996 and showed that the amount of time spent on the first, second, or third regimen is similar, with an 8-month median time to switching or discontinuing the initial HAART regimen. Women who switched had a lower mean CD4 cell count and were more likely to have HIV RNA levels greater than 400 copies/mL. Overall, the percentage of women switching decreased over the course of follow-up (to 37% in September 2000), although the percentage discontinuing therapy altogether increased 2-fold. Conclusion: Our findings on the relatively high rate of HAART switching emphasize the complexity of managing and evaluating these therapies.
Simulation Research on A Special Kind of Chaos System to Detect Weak Signal

A new chaos detection model without driving force is presented based on the analysis of Duffing oscillator's dynamic characteristics.Combined with the self-correlation detection technology,the amplitude of sinusoidal signal with known frequency and unknown phase can be detected.Simulation experiments show that the method is effective.
The Research and Application of a Vertical Search Engine in Porn sites Monitoring System

The discovery of the porn sites is the most important issue in the governance of the porn sites.With the development of the Internet to the depth direction,vertical search technology has also been considerable development.Vertical search technology applications in search of porn sites,porn sites Governance significance.The article briefly describes the vertical search engine,the key value of the technology and its application in the monitoring and management of the porn sites,mainly research in vertical search engine information classification and retrieval of porn sites.
What MRI can tell us about neurogenic tumors and rhabdomyosarcoma

This review focuses on the MRI features of neurogenic tumors and rhabdomyosarcoma in children. Neurogenic tumors include those arising from a nerve sheath and neuroblastic tumors that arise from the sympathetic nervous system. Nerve sheath tumors can be benign or malignant and occur sporadically or in association with neurofibromatosis type 1. Neuroblastic tumors comprise a spectrum of tumors ranging from highly malignant neuroblastoma to the benign ganglioneuroma. These neurogenic tumors arise in typical locations within the chest, abdomen and pelvis and have distinctive and characteristic imaging features that should suggest their diagnosis. Rhabdomyosarcoma encompasses a variety of histological subtypes that exhibit varying degrees of aggressiveness and biological behavior. While some abdominal and pelvic locations are well known to give rise to rhabdomyosarcoma, this tumor can arise in any tissue in the body except bone. The paper reviews the MRI and clinical features of neurogenic tumors and rhabdomyosarcoma and the imaging findings that can aid in clinical management.
Response to “Variable directionality of gene expression changes across generations does not constitute negative evidence of epigenetic inheritance” Sharma, A. Environmental Epigenetics, 2015, 1-5

Abhay Sharma brings two arguments in favor of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TGEI) in mammals when criticizing our work. He uses probability calculations and finds that the probability of obtaining the number of common changes in the in utero-exposed prospermatogonia and the same cells in the next generation is significant in our study. He also compares our results to other published datasets and concludes that the probability for the observed overlap between independent studies is significant. We disagree with both arguments of Sharma and show here that his meta-analysis and statistical calculations are not correct.
Authoritarian Leadership in the Post-Communist World

A quarter-century after the collapse of the USSR, authoritarian politics dominates seven of the fifteen successor states. Placing the post-communist authoritarian experience in the broader frame of nondemocratic governance, this essay explores the origins and operation of personalist rule in the region; the relationship between time and power; and the role of Soviet legacies in shaping the agenda and tools of leadership. It also examines the efforts of post-communist authoritarians to enhance personal and regime legitimacy by claiming to rule beyond politics. Within the post-communist world, the essay finds significant variation among authoritarian leaders in their approaches to personnel policy and to the use of policies, symbols, and narratives to address the ethnic and religious awakening spawned by the collapse of Soviet rule. The essay concludes with a brief assessment of the trajectories of post-communist authoritarian leadership.
Path Planning for Simple Robots using Soft Subdivision Search

The concept of resolution-exact path planning is a theoretically sound alternative to the standard exact algorithms, and provides much stronger guarantees than probabilistic or sampling algorithms. It opens the way for the introduction of soft predicates in the context of subdivision algorithm. Taking a leaf from the great success of the Probabilistic Road Map (PRM) framework, we formulate an analogous framework for subdivision, called Soft Subdivision Search (SSS). In this video, we illustrate the SSS framework for a trio of simple planar robots: disc, triangle and 2-links. These robots have, respectively, 2, 3 and 4 degrees of freedom. Our 2-link robot can also avoid self-crossing. These algorithms operate in realtime and are relatively easy to implement.
A kW-level high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack and its cooling technique

The study presents a kW-level high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell and its cooling technique. The cooling method utilized internal cooling method to precisely control the temperature of stack. The temperature difference between the coldest and warmest measuring point is 7.3 K. In this study, we used two sealing methods for cooling mechanism in the HT-PEMFC stacks to demonstrate a simple and cheap sealing technique. The used sealing materials are specific silicone sealant and silicone/fluroeleastomer based O-ring. The coolant used in this study is triethylene glycol. The coolant flow rate is up to 60 LPM to stably raise the temperature of stack at 160°C within 600 seconds. The peak power density of the HT-PEMFC stack with proposed cooling/sealing technique can reach to 383mW/cm2. Finally, a cooling design with the simple and cheap sealing technique can realize the request of cost-efficiency issues and improve the applicability of the HT-PEMFC stack technology.
Reducing 30-Day Rehospitalization Rates Using a Transition of Care Clinic Model in a Single Medical Center

Background. Rehospitalization for medical patients is common. Multiple interventions of varying complexity have been shown to be effective in achieving that goal with variable results in the literature. For medical patients discharged home, no single intervention implemented alone has been shown to have a sustainable effect in preventing rehospitalization. Objective. To study the effect of a transition of care clinic model on the 30-day rehospitalization rate in a single medical center. Methods. Retrospective observational analysis of adult patients discharged home from Memorial Medical Center from September 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014. The primary outcome was to compare hospital readmission rates between patients who followed up with a transition of care (TOC) clinic and those who did not. Results. The study population included 378 patient discharges. A total of 40 patients (10.6%) were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Patients who attended the TOC clinic had a significantly lower 30-day readmission rates (3.8% versus 11.7%). A Cox regression analysis showed that the TOC clinic attendance had a significant negative predication for readmission (HR 0.186, 95% CI 0.038–0.898, ). Conclusion. Adopting a TOC model after discharging medical patients has reduced the readmission rates in our study.
Selective diamond seed deposition using electroplated copper

A process for selective seeding of conducting substrates (inolybdenun and copper) with submicron diamond particles has been studied. In this process, copper is electroplated through a photoresist mask, and the electroplating is performed in a stirred solution of CuSO4 and H2S04 into which O.l in size diamond particles have been added. This resulted in a continuous layer of diamond particles embedded in the electroplated copper. After the removal of photoresist, this layer has been used to seed further CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamond growth selectively. Morphology and Raman analysis of both the as-plated copper/diamond matrix and the filir that resulted after further CVD diamond deposition have been reported.
Two-dimensional numerical modeling of electric field and correlation to dielectric breakdown

An attempt is presented to estimate the intrinsic breakdown characteristics of a dielectric by using ramp-to-breakdown experimental values and numerical simulations. The method presented illustrates the stressed-area(value) approach can be implemented to better understand the breakdown properties of different materials and remove influence of measurement/electrode topology in the breakdown physics.