cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of the APOE ε4 allele with clinical subtypes of late life depression

The APOE genotypes of 45 elderly inpatients with major depression were determined to investigate the relationship of this disorder to irreversible dementia in late life. We specifically tested the hypothesis that the frequency of the APOE e 4 allele is elevated in depressed elders with cognitive impairment or psychotic features, subtypes that have been reported to be at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). The frequency of e 4 allele was not elevated in the overall group of 45 inpatients and, contrary to our expectation, was not associated with cognitive impairment in this group. In contrast, the e 4 allele frequency for the patients with psychotic features was nearly four times that for the patients without psychotic features and nearly double that of elderly controls. These data suggest that elderly depressed inpatients with cognitive impairment are at risk for developing AD by an e 4-independent pathway, while those with psychotic features are at risk for developing AD by an e 4-dependent pathway. These findings suggest that subtypes of idiopathic major depression in late life may serve as landmarks that distinguish separable pathogenetic pathways to AD.
Elastic Properties of the Human Umbilical Cord in Preeclampsia

Maternal diseases of pregnancy have been found to detrimentally affect the fetal circulatory system, with consequences lasting well into adulthood. In 1995, Barker introduced the idea that major disorders of adult life (including coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke and diabetes) arise not only through an interaction between factors in our lifestyle, such as a high-fat diet, obesity and smoking, and a genetically determined susceptibility but also through development in utero [1]. Epidemiological evidence continues to support the notion that adult cardiovascular disease (CVD) has fetal origins [2–5].© 2011 ASME
‘Confianza is where I can be myself’: Latina mothers’ constructions of community in education reform

This paper brings together ethnographic data and testimonies from a group of Latina mother activists with critical race theories, to challenge dominant views of home-school relations and re-envision the ‘homeplace’ as a site of radical resistance (Hooks (1990) Yearning: race, gender and cultural politics (Boston, MA, South End Press)). Madres Unidas (Mothers United) is a participatory research team made up of immigrant mothers who helped start a new small school for their children. Over the course of a year, Madres Unidas met weekly around a kitchen table in one of the mother's homes. This paper analyzes the educational space created by Madres Unidas in contrast to the spaces for parent participation provided by the school. For the mothers in Madres Unidas, the home became a place to restore their sense of self and a place from which to critique, engage, and take action against school practices that silenced them.
Inhibition of gaba binding by pyridoxal and pyridoxal phosphate

Abstract 1. 1. GABA exerts its neuroinhibitory effects by binding to a specific receptor on the post-synaptic membrane. 2. 2. Since both GABA and vitamin B 6 have been implicated in convulsion, the effects of B 6 vitamers on Na-independent binding of GABA was investigated by incubating synaptic membrane suspensions for 5 min at 4°C in 1 ml of 50 mM Tris-citrate buffer containing 10 nM [ 3 H]GABA in the presence or absence of 1 mM GABA. 3. 3. Pyridoxal (0.1 mM or greater) and pyridoxal phosphate (1 mM or greater), but not pyridoxamine or pyridoxamine phosphate, inhibited specific [ 3 H]GABA binding non-competitively. 4. 4. This inhibition, which may involve the interaction between a carbonyl group and a lysine residue, may be used as a probe to further our understanding of the GABA receptor.
Emotional narratives: Depression as sadness—Anxiety as fear.

Editor's Note: This paper was presented by one of America's foremost existential psychologists, Ernest Keen, at the 2000 APA Convention in Washington DC. It was presented in a two-man symposium (chaired by Louise Sundararajan) that also featured the late Theodore Sarbin, one of the great narrative psychologists of our time. The simplicity with which Keen reframes both depression and anxiety, utilizing a Heideggerian (and Husserlian) appreciation of temporality within which to situate experiences of sadness and fear, is truly illuminating. We are presenting here for the first time the full and unedited transcript of the reading draft of Ernie's final paper presentation at APA. He would make one more appearance at APA, a year later in San Francisco, to accept the Rollo May Award “given to an individual for independent and outstanding pursuit of new frontiers in humanistic psychology.” Those of us who knew Ernie can almost hear him speaking to us in the simple rhetoric of his address in this symposium.
Breit-Pauli oscillator strengths and electron excitation collision strengths for Si VIII

Aims. Oscillator strengths and electron impact excitation collision strengths for transitions between the 68 fine-structure levels of the 2s22p3, 2s2p4, 2p5, 2s22p23s, 2s22p23p, 2s22p23d and 2s2p33s configurations in Si VIII are calculated. Thermally averaged collision strengths are presented as a function of electron temperature for application to solar and other astrophysical plasmas. Methods. The collision strengths have been calculated using the B-spline Breit-Pauli R-matrix method for allowed and forbidden transitions in Si VIII. The relativistic effects have been incorporated through mass, Darwin and spin-orbit one-body operators in the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian in the scattering calculation, while in the calculation of oscillator strengths the one-body and two-body relativistic operators are included. Flexible non-orthogonal sets of spectroscopic and correlation radial functions are used to obtain accurate description of Si VIII levels and to represent the scattering functions. The 68 fine-structure levels of the 2s22p3, 2s2p4, 2p5, 2s22p23s, 2s22p23p, 2s22p23d and 2s2p33s configurations have been considered in both the radiative and scattering calculations. The present scattering calculations are more extensive than previous ones, leading to a total 2278 transitions between fine-structure levels. Results. The calculated excitation energies are in excellent agreement with experiment and represent an improvement over the previous calculations. The present collision strengths show reasonable agreement with the previously available R-matrix and distorted-wave calculations. The oscillator strengths for E1 transitions normally compare very well with previous calculations. The effective collision strengths are obtained by integrating total resonant and non-resonant collision strengths over a Maxwellian distribution of electron energies and these are presented over a wide temperature range from 104 to 4.0 × 106 K.
Safety and efficacy of long-term octreotide therapy of acromegaly: Results of a multicenter trial in 103 patients—a clinical research center study

One hundred and three acromegalic patients from 14 medical centers were enrolled in this study to determine the efficacy and safety of the somatostatin analog, octreotide acetate, during long term treatment. Seventy percent of the patients had undergone previous surgery or radiation treatment. Octreotide was initiated at a dose of 100 micrograms, sc, every 8 h and gradually increased to a maximum of 1500 micrograms daily depending upon the individual patient's clinical and biochemical response [GH and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) reduction]. The mean duration of treatment was 24 months (range, 3-30 months). However, most patients were treated for a mean of 30 months, because this study took place after an initial 6-month study previously reported. Mean serum GH fell from 30.9 micrograms/L (range, 2.7-350) to 5.7 micrograms/L (range, 0.6-59) at the 3 months visit and remained suppressed (P < 0.001). Plasma IGF-I concentrations were also significantly reduced and remained in the normal range for at least half of the treatment visits in 56 of 87 patients (64%) treated for 12-30 months. Patients with higher initial GH concentrations were less likely to normalize IGF-I concentrations during treatment (P < 0.001). There was no evidence of drug tachyphylaxis in those patients who continued taking stable doses of medication. With some exceptions, dose increments above 800 micrograms daily in 31 patients did not provide additional benefit in terms of GH and IGF-I reduction. Headache, excessive perspiration, fatigue, and joint pain were ameliorated in 83-95% of patients. Mean finger circumference was decreased significantly at the 12 month visit (P < 0.05). The most common adverse events reported were diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, loose stools, and nausea; these symptoms usually disappeared within 3 months of treatment. Five patients discontinued octreotide because of adverse events. Of 102 patients with normal baseline ultrasound examinations of the gallbladder, 24 patients (23.5%) developed gallstones (usually during the first year of treatment), and 21 patients developed sludge alone. Gallstone formation was not related to the dose of octreotide. Most patients with cholelithiasis were asymptomatic, and none developed cholecystitis. These observations suggest that octreotide is a valuable long term medical treatment for acromegaly.
Effect of line mixing on atmospheric brightness temperatures near 15 μm

The effect of line mixing on the effective blackbody brightness temperature of the earth in the region of the 15-micron nu 2 Q branch of CO2 is calculated. The procedures used to compute line mixing follow those used to successfully model mixing observed in laboratory spectra of two near-infrared CO2 Q branches. The atmospheric radiances are calculated between 664 and 670/cm, a spectral region that is of interest for sounding the upper troposphere and the stratosphere. Mixing was found to lower the observed brightness temperatures by as much as 3 K for some temperature profiles. Ignoring this effect would significantly impact the ability of advanced sounders to produce temperature retrievals which meet the projected accuracy requirement of 1 K/km.
How Much Does China Matter

China Goes Global: The Partial Power. By David Shambaugh. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 432 pp., $ 22.09 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-0-199-86014-2). China's rise is one of the defining political phenomena in world politics in the twenty-first century. Scholars and pundits have been debating China's rise and its implications for international politics for decades. While in the 1990s the focus of the China debate was on the question “does China matter?” (Segal 1999), at the turn of the century both academic and policy attention shifted toward how to deal with a rising China (Mearsheimer 2006; Friedberg 2011). Given China's stunning economic growth and rapid military modernization, few still doubt whether China matters in today's world. However, one neglected, yet significant, question is how much China matters. More specifically, has China become a real global power that can compete with the United States? Has China's rise signified a true power shift in the international system? Will China lead the world in the foreseeable future? Finally, to what extent will China change the world if Napoleon's prophecy—when China awakens, it will shake the world—turns out to be true? David Shambaugh's new book, China Goes Global : The Partial Power, sheds significant light on these questions. As one of the leading China scholars in the world, Shambaugh spent five years preparing this book. Based on first-hand interviews and printed materials in Chinese, Shambaugh systematically examines China's multifaceted influence on today's world politics. Shambaugh argues that China is still not a true global power in the current international system, although it has …
Domain wall fermions and the η-invariant

Abstract We extend work by Callan and Harvey and show how the phase of the chiral fermion determinant in four dimensions is reproduced by zero modes bound to a domain wall in five dimensions. The analysis could shed light on the applicability of zero mode fermions and the vacuum overlap formulation of Narayanan and Neuberger for chiral gauge theories on the lattice.
Operation specific locking in B-trees

B-trees have been used as an access and for both primary and secondary indexing for quite some time. This paper presents a deadlock free locking mechanism in which different processes make use of different lock types in order to reach the leaf nodes. The compatibility relations among locks on a node, do not exclusively depend on their type, but also on the node status and the number and kind of processes acting currently on the node. As a result, a number of insertion or deletion processes can operate concurrently on a node. The paper presents an appropriate recovery strategy in case of failure, and discusses the protocol modifications that are required so it can be used in other similar structures such as B+-trees, compressed B-trees, and R-trees for spatial searching.
Coyotes ( Canis latrans ) are definitive hosts of Neospora caninum

Four captive-raised coyote pups consumed tissues from Neospora caninum-infected calves. Faeces were examined from 4 days before to 28 days after infection. One pup shed N. caninum-like oocysts, which tested positive for N. caninum and negative for Hammondia heydorni using PCR tests. Coyotes are the second discovered definitive host of N. caninum, after dogs. In North America, the expanding coyote ranges and population increase the probability of contact with domestic livestock. To reduce the risk of transmission of N. caninum to intensively farmed cattle, we recommend protection of feedstuffs using canid-proof fences, and careful disposal of dead stock.
Inactivation of infectious pathogens in labile blood components: meeting the challenge

Substantial improvement in the safety of blood transfusion has been achieved through the addition of new tests, such as nucleic acid tests, yet residual risk associated with transfusion of blood components persists. Transfusion of blood components has been implicated in the transmission of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. While it is commonly recognized that hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and the retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the human lymphotrophic viruses (HTLV) can be transmitted through cellular components, other pathogens are emerging as potentially significant transfusion-associated infectious agents. For example, transmission of protozoan infections due to trypanosomes and babesia have been reported. In addition to viral and protozoal infectious agents, bacterial contamination of platelet and red cell concentrates continues to be reported; and may be an under-reported transfusion complication. More importantly, new infectious agents may periodically enter the donor population before they can be definitively identified and tested for to maintain consistent safety of the blood supply. The paradigm for this possibility is the HIV pandemic, which erupted in 1979. During the past decade a number of methods to inactivate infectious pathogens in labile blood components have been developed and have entered the advanced clinical trial phase.
Elusive Religiosity, Illusions, and Truth Telling

L onnie Kliever's "Polysymbolism and Modern Religiosity" is an ambitious effort to provide a con tructive int rpretation for a set of trends in contemporary American religion, which, if still nascent and fluid, are nonetheless pervasive and widespread. Employing the term "polysymbolism," which was coined by William C. Shepherd (1974), Kliever describes a global drift toward the breakdown of traditional religious authority into a new, free floating, highly individualized religiosity; he also argues for the religious legitimacy of these trends, even while adopting a position that sees the contents of these new symbolisms as purely fictive, illusory, even tragic. Since Kliever's important essay is partly a response to an earlier discussion of mine (1977), as well as a contribution to a wider, ongoing conversation of some duration, including especially a series of articles by William Shepherd on the polysymbolism theme, it has seemed appropriate to continue these conversations with a response to Kliever's discussion. Kliever's argument concerns the problem of the epistemological consequences of modernity for religion. Unfortunately, most such discussions suffer because, in one form or another, they simply restate the old conflict between science and religion. What we typically get is a philosophically sophisticated demonstration of how the canons of scientific explanation undercut the plausibility of religious beliefs. Missing from such discussions are the linkages between those canons and the sociology of everyday life in modernized societies. Yet the home of any functioning religion is always this latter level. Unless these linkages can be shown, it is an open question whether the epistemological consequences of modernity for religion have anything at all to do with the rise of the sciences and their canons of assessment. If it is the case that increasing numbers of modern persons can get along quite well without religion, the vast majority also get through their days equally
Turbulence Structure of Flow in a Porous Tube With Annular Outer Flow

Turbulence measurements were conducted inside a porous-wall tube insert placed coaxially in a solid-wall outer tube. The outer tube diameter was 8 inches. The diameter of the inner tube was 6.5 inches. Three different porosities of 7.5, 15 and 22.5 percent were used for the inner tube. The average velocity of the flow in the outer tube was 55 ft/sec. The nominal Reynolds Number, based on diameter and mean velocity of the flow in the outer tube, is 2 × 105. Results are presented for the three rms fluctuations, the Reynolds stress and the turbulence kinetic energy. The nature of the turbulence activity was examined by using the quadrant splitting scheme.Copyright © 1993 by ASME
Parallel Simulation of Particulate Flows

We present the design of software packages called Particle Movers that have been developed to simulate the motion of particles in two dimensional domains. These simulations require the solution of nonlinear Navier-Stokes equations for fluids coupled with Newton's equations for particle dynamics. Furthermore, realistic simulations are extremely computationally intensive, and are feasible only with algorithms that can exploit parallelism effectively. We describe the computational structure of the simulation, including a distributed multilevel preconditioner for the inner systems arising from the nonlinear iteration. A software framework, GVec, has also been developed to support this new algorithm set. It is highly extensible and portable, while maintaining excellent performance and scalability. Large scale simulations, with thousands of particles, demonstrate very good speedup on a large number of processors.
Percutaneous Absorption of Methotrexate: Effect on Epidermal DNA Synthesis in Hairless Mice

One of the presumed reasons for the lack of clinical activity of topical methotrexate in psoriasis is insufficient percutaneous penetration necessary to inhibit epidermal DNA synthesis. The present study was undertaken to select a vehicle to optimize penetration of methotrexate in vitro and to determine the effects of this topical formulation on epidermal DNA synthesis in vivo in hairless mouse skin. Increased penetration of methotrexate was obtained in human skin in vitro with Vehicle N compared to water and n-decylmethylsulfoxide vehicles. Repeated topical application of this methotrexate/Vehicle N preparation produced marked epidermal atrophy in treated sites in both normal and hyperproliferative essential fatty acid deficient hairless mouse skin without similar effects at a distant skin site. Local inhibition of epidermal DNA synthesis was also obtained without systemic effects at a distant site. These studies demonstrate that methotrexate in Vehicle N may produce a direct effect on epidermis which may be useful for the topical therapy of psoriasis.
Competitive strategy and high technology regional/site location decisions: A cross-country study of Mexican and U.S. electronic component firms

This study investigates differences on industry perceptions, competitive strategy, and the location concerns of high technology operations between electronic components firms in Mexico and the United States. Within this framework, we explore both differences and similarities in the way high technology firms compete and make regional and site specific location decisions. We also examine the way these firms view the importance of various strategic factors, such as pricing, marketing, and R&D, in contributing to overall competitive success. Results indicate that location preferences are both country-dependent and strategy-dependent.
Optical emission from photoexcitation of aerosol particles produced by reaction of ozone with 1,3-butadiene.

Aerosol particles produced from the ozone and 1,3-butadiene reaction are excited by ultraviolet radiation. Optical emissions from the photoexcited aerosol particles are observed in the 300–800-nm region. The emission intensities are measured at various gas concentrations and reaction times. The aerosol formation mechanisms and the sources responsible for optical emissions are investigated. It is suggested that the small radicals adsorbed on the surfaces of aerosol particles are simultaneously desorbed and excited by UV photons, and the excited radicals subsequently give optical emissions.
Contributions of feather fibers and various cellulose fibers to the mechanical properties of polypropylene matrix composites

Abstract Polypropylene matrix composites were made with varying compositions of feather fiber (Ff), recycled kraft pulp fiber (Pf), recycled news pulp fiber (Nf), and retted kenaf bast fiber (Kf). The composites were compression molded from multiple plies of non-woven, fabric-like prepreg manufactured with wetlay papermaking equipment. These composites were tested in tension and three-point bend in order to compare the contributions of the different fibers to composite mechanical properties. The contributions of the four different fibers to composite strength were found to be from highest to lowest: Pf > Nf > Ff > Kf. The three cellulose fibers appeared to have similar contributions to composite modulus. The addition of Ff to any composition reduced composite modulus.
Clustering of the self-organizing map using particle swarm optimization and validity indices

In this paper, an automatic clustering algorithm applied to self-organizing map (SOM) neurons is presented. The connections of the SOM grid are pruned according to a weighted sum of a set of measures of connection strength between adjacent neurons. The coefficients of the weighted sum are obtained through particle swarm optimization (PSO) search in the multidimensional problem space, where the fitness function is the composed density between and within clusters (CDbw) validity index of strongly connected groups of neurons, while scanning through different values of the minimum cluster size so as to find stable regions with a reasonable trade-off between their length and their mean CDbw value. Simulation results are further presented to show the performance of the proposed method applied to synthetic and real world datasets.
Kin and sex recognition in a dioecious grass

Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to recognize and respond to the presence of neighboring plants, and the genetic identity of a neighbor has been shown to make a difference in this response. Studies have found that plants are able to differentiate among self- versus non-self and among sibling (kin) competitors. Here, we present data for the dioecious grass Distichlis spicata on seedling recognition of kin and sex. D. spicata exhibits extreme spatial segregation of the sexes (SSS) in the field, and previous work has shown that intra-sexual competition is less than inter-sexual competition in the field. In this experiment, we conducted experiments in the lab, exposing the seedlings to liquid media in which seedlings had been previously grown, rather than have the seedling physically contact one another. We found that inter-sexual interactions caused a decrease in the total dry weight and an increase in root/shoot ratio of the plants compared with intra-sexual interactions. These findings suggest that D. spicata plants can recognize and respond to plant sex and that inter-sexual competition contributes to SSS, even when additional interactions, such as mycorrhizal fungi are controlled, and physical interactions between plants are removed. In the kin recognition analysis, we found that plants paired with another plant from the same mother had significantly greater lateral root number and length than plants paired with non-kin, suggesting that in this highly clonal grass, kin recognition may be an important mechanism in competitive interactions.
Formation route of higher member phases from lower ones in the Tl–Ca–Ba–Cu–O system

An experiment was designed to follow the formation of higher member phases from lower member phases in the Tl2Can−1Ba2CunO2n+4 series. Coarse particles of the lower member phase were directly interfaced with various Ca–Cu–O sources and the pressed pellets were heat treated in air in a gold pocket at 850 °C for a period of 2–4 h. The reacted samples were polished and examined by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry analysis (EDS). For the 2021 based reaction systems, the results suggest that the 2122 phase can be formed via reactions which involve the decomposition of the 2021 phase, the formation of a complex liquid phase, and finally the reaction between this liquid phase and a Ba/Ca compound. The formation of the 2223 phase from the 2122 phase is likely to follow a similar reaction route. The involvement of a liquid phase in the formation of the higher member phases may lead to a glassy phase, and hence to a barrier to the achievement of a high critical current density.
Finiteness in Projective Ideals

Our general aim here is that of detecting finiteness in projective ideals of commutative rings. By this it is meant giving reasonable conditions that ensure that a projective ideal be of finite type, or that it be a product of projective primary ideals or, lacking the first condition, that it be a direct sum of finitely generated ideals. Thus we are led to study the projective ideals which are not contained in any minimal prime ideal-they are finitely generated-and then the rings of finitistic projective dimension one, where such ideals admit the aforementioned primary decomposition. After a summary examination of the rings where every ideal not contained in minimal prime ideals is projective, we give a description of the rings for which projective ideals are direct sums of finitely generated ideals. Such is the case for p.p. rings and selfinjective rings.
Neuroprotective effects of anthocyanins on apoptosis induced by mitochondrial oxidative stress.

AbstractObjectivesMitochondrial oxidative stress (MOS) is a major factor in the underlying pathology of many neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of a unique class of nutraceutical antioxidants, anthocyanins, against MOS-induced death of cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Callistephin and kuromanin are anthocyanins derived from strawberries and black rice, respectively, whose neuroprotective properties have yet to be examined in detail.MethodsGlutathione (GSH)-sensitive MOS and intrinsic apoptosis were induced in CGNs by incubation with the Bcl-2 inhibitor, HA14-1. The effects of anthocyanin co-incubation on CGN survival were assessed.ResultsThe anthocyanins demonstrated significant protection from MOS-induced apoptosis which was equivalent to that provided by the green tea polyphenol, epigallocatechin 3-gallate; however, neither anthocyanin was as effective as GSH at rescuing CGNs. Inhibition of Bcl-2 caused a significant reduction of mitochondrial GSH wh...
Multiscale search using probabilistic quadtrees

We propose a novel framework to search for a static target using a multiscale representation. The algorithm we present is appropriate when the target detection sensor trades off accuracy versus covered area, e.g., when a UAV can fly and sense at different elevations. A structure based on quadtrees is used to propagate a posterior about the target location using a variable resolution representation that is dynamically refined in regions associated with higher probability of target presence. Probabilities are updated using a Bayesian approach accounting for erroneous sensor readings in the form of false positives and missed detections. The model we propose is coupled with a search and decision algorithm that determines where to sense next and with which accuracy. The search algorithm is based on an objective function accounting for both probability of detection and motion costs, thus aiming to minimize traveled distances while trying to localize the target. The paper is concluded with simulation results showing our approach outperforms commonly used methods based on uniform resolution grids.
Evaluating interactivity and presence in an online distance learning system

A new online distance learning system was created by an interdisciplinary team comprised of computer science, graphics, networking, security, and educational science faculty and graduate students to research, implement, and assess the ability to extend a face-to-face classroom to accommodate remotely located students. Comprised of a face-to-face classroom setting with remote students' images projected on the wall of the classroom, this "virtual classroom" is a 3-D rendering of a geometric model populated with real-time video avatars of remote students. Through increased presence, (i.e. being able to view remote students' facial expressions, general body language) and better integration of the virtual classroom into the local classroom, developers intended to increase both learning and motivation to learn. In a formative evaluation regarding the "presence" and "interactivity" afforded by the system, the following elements were analyzed: learning; social, cognitive, and physical presence; student-to-content interaction; and student-to-technology interaction. This paper reports on this new distance learning technology and the evaluation used to assess its effectiveness.
Optimization model selection for simulation-based approximate dynamic programming approaches in semiconductor manufacturing operations

Guided by Little's law, decision and control models for operations in reentrant line manufacturing (RLM) systems are commonly set up to minimize the total work-in-process (WIP), which in turn indirectly minimizes cycle time (CT). By viewing the problem fundamentally differently, we re-formulate it as one that seeks to select the best cost function leading to optimal cycle times. We present the details and results of an extended simulation study, based on a benchmark problem, using a simulation-based approximate dynamic programming method, with a newly proposed extended actor-critic architecture. Our results support the idea that a Markov decision process modeling approach can be used as a flexible platform to explore different cost formulations, leading to a selection of an optimal cost and model to optimize cycle time directly.
Long Telomeres are Preferentially Extended During Recombination-Mediated Telomere Maintenance

Most human somatic cells do not express telomerase. Consequently, with each cell division their telomeres progressively shorten until replicative senescence is induced. Around 15% of human cancers maintain their telomeres using telomerase-independent, recombination-based mechanisms that are collectively termed 'alternative lengthening of telomeres' (ALT). In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ALT cells are referred to as 'survivors'. One type of survivor (type II) resembles human ALT cells in that both are defined by the amplification of telomeric repeats. We analyzed recombination-mediated telomere extension events at individual telomeres in telomerase-negative yeast during the formation of type II survivors and found that long telomeres were preferentially extended. Furthermore, senescent cells with long telomeres were more efficient at bypassing senescence by the type II pathway. We speculate that telomere length may be important in determining whether cancer cells use telomerase or ALT to bypass replicative senescence.
CRISPR-mediated direct mutation of cancer genes in the mouse liver

The study of cancer genes in mouse models has traditionally relied on genetically-engineered strains made via transgenesis or gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Here we describe a new method of cancer model generation using the CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins) system in vivo in wild-type mice. We used hydrodynamic injection to deliver a CRISPR plasmid DNA expressing Cas9 and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) to the liver that directly target the tumour suppressor genes Pten (ref. 5) and p53 (also known as TP53 and Trp53) (ref. 6), alone and in combination. CRISPR-mediated Pten mutation led to elevated Akt phosphorylation and lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, phenocopying the effects of deletion of the gene using Cre-LoxP technology. Simultaneous targeting of Pten and p53 induced liver tumours that mimicked those caused by Cre-loxP-mediated deletion of Pten and p53. DNA sequencing of liver and tumour tissue revealed insertion or deletion mutations of the tumour suppressor genes, including bi-allelic mutations of both Pten and p53 in tumours. Furthermore, co-injection of Cas9 plasmids harbouring sgRNAs targeting the β-catenin gene and a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide donor carrying activating point mutations led to the generation of hepatocytes with nuclear localization of β-catenin. This study demonstrates the feasibility of direct mutation of tumour suppressor genes and oncogenes in the liver using the CRISPR/Cas system, which presents a new avenue for rapid development of liver cancer models and functional genomics.
Right Brain: past medical story.

L.M., a 71-year-old man presenting with gait disturbance, was my first Neurology patient upon entering the clinical clerkships. On my way to the Emergency Department, I learned from the chart that his past medical history (PMH) was significant for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) 9 years earlier. I had never heard of EEE. In the elevator, I dutifully pulled out the tablet I carried in a fanny pack. To my amazement, I had to peruse several medical reference services before finding a short entry informing me that the often deadly eastern equine virus has a predilection for the basal ganglia. I was still holding my tablet when I reached L.M., more interested in his rare previous disease than in his current difficulty walking. “I understand you suffered from eastern equine encephalitis. Is this correct?” I asked, after introducing myself to a jolly obese gentleman appearing in no acute distress. L.M. affirmed the chart entry and provided details about sudden loss of consciousness, a 3-week coma followed by months of paraplegia, and eventual complete recovery. On examination, L.M. had masked facies, a mixed tremor, cogwheel rigidity, intact strength and sensation, and shuffling gait. He reported all symptoms to have begun in the last month, with abrupt onset. His family history was positive for essential tremor and Alzheimer disease (AD) in his father. The neurology resident presented L.M. the following day in morning report. EEE was brought up and I shyly raised my hand from the student section of the room. “EEE has a predilection for the basal ganglia. Could the damage done to L.M.'s basal ganglia have slowly progressed to …
Competition between Superconductivity and Charge-density Wave Order in Na0.3CoO2⋅1.3H2O

Three samples of Na0.3CoO2⋅1.3H2O that differed in sample age showed different ordering: after three and five days, superconductivity with T c∼4.5 K but different superconducting condensates; after 40 days, no superconductivity but charge-density wave order at T CDW∼7 K. A pair-breaking action that progresses with sample age and acts preferentially in one of two electron bands produces the changes in the superconducting condensate, and ultimately destroys the superconductivity. Theoretical calculations predicted the charge-density wave transition.
Unraveling B-1 progenitors

B-1 cells comprise a small percentage of the B lymphocytes that reside in multiple tissues in the mouse, including the peritoneal and pleural cavities. Functionally, B-1 cells participate in innate immunity by producing the majority of the natural IgM in serum, which protects against invading pathogens before the onset of the adaptive immune response. B-1 cells arise from fetal and neonatal progenitors and are distinct from the adult bone marrow progenitors that give rise to follicular and marginal zone B-2 cells. Recent studies have attempted to delineate the progenitors of B-1 cells from those of B-2 cells. Notably, the identification of CD45R(-/lo)CD19(+) B-1 progenitors and expression of two surface determinants, CD138 and major histocompatibility class II antigens, distinguish developing B-1 cells from B-2 cells.
MicroRNAs get to the heart of development

A microRNA regulates the expression of a network of genes in the heart to ensure that progenitor cells develop into strongly contractile cardiac muscle.
A Study of Selected Characteristics of Hens’ Egg Yolk 2. Influence of Processing Procedures, Pasteurization and Yolk Fractionation

Abstract A study was made on the emulsifying property, viscosity, pH and solids content of yolk as influenced by pasteurization temperatures and processing procedures. The effect of yolk fractions alone and in combination on emulsifying capacity was also determined. Pasteurized and unpasteurized commercial samples did not differ significantly in any of the yolk characteristics studied. Emulsion stability of commercial yolk samples significantly (P Yolk spray dried in a Buflovak dryer was found to be somewhat superior in emulsifying capacity to samples dried in a Rogers dryer. Viscosity of dried yolk from the former dryer was significantly (P Pasteurization at 63°C. and 65°C. for 4 min. significantly (P Lipovitellin, lipovitellenin and livetin fractions from fresh yolk either alone or in various combinations were found to be not as good emulsifiers as fresh yolk.
Experimental Study of Heat Transfer, Pressure Drop, and Dryout for Flow Boiling of Water in an Oil Heated Minichannel

Heat transfer and pressure drop, are experimentally recorded for flow boiling water in a single 706 μm circular copper channel 158.75 mm long. Heat is supplied by heat transfer oil at specified temperatures to a helical channel in the test section. In contrast to other current experimental techniques for flow boiling in small diameter tubes, a uniform temperature boundary condition is employed rather than a constant heat flux condition. The principal results of these experiments are two-phase flow boiling heat transfer rates and an analysis of the time-dependent pressure drop signature during two-phase flow in a minichannel. The range of experiments includes mass fluxes of 43.8–3070 kg/m2 s and wall temperatures of 100°C–171.2°C. In all cases the test section water inlet is subcooled to between 72.9°C and 99.6°C. The inlet pressures used are 1.1–230.5 kPa (gage).Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Chronic Wasting Disease in a Wisconsin White-Tailed Deer Farm

In September 2002, chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disorder of captive and wild cervids, was diagnosed in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from a captive farm in Wisconsin. The facility was subsequently quarantined, and in January 2006 the remaining 76 deer were depopulated. Sixty animals (79%) were found to be positive by immunohistochemical staining for the abnormal prion protein (PrP CWD )i n at least one tissue; the prevalence of positive staining was high even in young deer. Although none of the deer displayed clinical signs suggestive of CWD at depopulation, 49 deer had considerable accumulation of the abnormal prion in the medulla at the level of the obex. Extraneural accumulation of the abnormal protein was observed in 59 deer, with accumulation in the retropharyngeal lymph node i n5 8 of 59 (98%), in the tonsil in 56 of 59 (95%), and in the rectal mucosal lymphoid tissue in 48 of 58 (83%). The retina was positive in 4 deer, all with marked accumulation of prion in the obex. One deer was considered positive for PrP CWD in the brain but not in the extraneural tissue, a novel observation in white-tailed deer. The infection rate in captive deer was 20- fold higher than in wild deer. Although weakly related to infection rates in extraneural tissues, prion genotype was strongly linked to progression of prion accumulation in the obex. Antemortem testing by biopsy of recto- anal mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (or other peripheral lymphoid tissue) may be a useful adjunct to tonsil biopsy for surveillance in captive herds at risk for CWD infection.
Little words can make a big difference for text classification

Most information retrieval systems use stopword lists and stemming algorithms. However, we have found that recognizing singular and plural nouns, verb forms, negation, and prepositions can produce dramatically different text classification results. We present results from text classification experiments that compare relevancy signatures, which use local linguistic context, with corresponding indexing terms that do not. In two different domains, relevancy signatures produced better results than the simple indexing terms. These experiments suggest that stopword lists and stemming algorithms may remove or conflate many words that could be used to create more effective indexing terms.
Adsorption of NH2 on Graphene in the Presence of Defects and Adsorbates

Amine, NH2, is of interest as a linker between organic molecules and graphene in novel biotechnologies. We used ab initio electronic structure calculations to study NH2 adsorption on graphene in the presence of surface defects and other adsorbates, including N, B, F, H, and OH. Amine is found to form a semi-ionic bond of 0.778 eV on pristine graphene. Its binding is found to be modified near other defects, and the adsorption energy is dependent on the neighbor order.
Pain symptoms during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause.

Aim The aim of this study was to describe changes in levels of back pain and joint pain during the stages of menopausal transition stages and early postmenopause, including the effects of age, menopausal transition-related factors (estrone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone), menopausal transition stages, symptoms (hot flush, sleep, mood, cognitive), health-related factors (body mass index, alcohol use, smoking, well-being), stress-related factors (perceived stress, history of sexual abuse, cortisol, catecholamines) and social factors (partner and parenting status, education). Methods A subset was studied of the participants in the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study who provided data during the late reproductive, early and late menopausal transition stages or postmenopause (n ¼292) including menstrual calendars for staging the menopausal transition, annual health reports completed between 1990 and 2006, and morning urine samples assayed for estrone glucuronide (E1G), testosterone, FSH, cortisol and catecholamines, and symptom diary ratings several times each year. Multilevel modeling with an R program was used to test patterns of pain symptoms related to age, menopausal transition-related factors, symptoms, health-related, stress-related and social factors, with as many as 6812 observations. Age was centered at 47.4 years. Results Women experienced a slight, non-significant rise in back pain with age and a significant increase in back pain during the early (p ¼0.003) and late menopausal transition stages (p ¼0.002) and early postmenopause (p ¼0.02), but urinary E1G, FSH and testosterone levels were unrelated. Of the stress-related factors, perceived stress (p ¼0.01) and lower overnight urinary cortisol levels were associated with more severe back pain (p ¼0.03); history of sexual abuse and catecholamines did not have a significant effect. Those most troubled by symptoms of hot flushes, depressed mood, anxiety, night-time awakening, and difficulty concentrating reported significantly greater back pain (all p50.0001). Of the health-related factors, having worse perceived health (p50.0001), exercising more (p ¼0.005), using analgesics (p50.0001), and having a higher body mass index (p50.0001) were associated with more back pain, but alcohol use and smoking did not have significant effects. Of the social factors, only having a more formal education (p ¼0.004) was associated with less back pain; parenting, having a partner, and employment were not significant. Factors associated with joint pain included age (p50.0001), but not menopausal transition-related factors. Symptoms of hot flushes, night-time awakening, depressed mood, and difficulty concentrating were each significantly associated with joint pain (p50.0001). Poorer perceived health, more exercise, higher body mass index, and greater analgesic use were all associated similarly with joint pain. History of sexual abuse was the only stress-related factor significantly related to joint pain severity (p ¼0.024).
Dihedral Angle Effects on the Stability of Pore Channels

The modifying effect of dihedral angle on the morphological stability of continuous pore channels along three-grain junctions was evaluated and quantified. Breakdown of a continuous pore channel is possible when perturbation wavelengths exceed a critical wavelength, λmin, which is found to depend on dihedral angle. The implications of the analysis to microstructure development during sintering are briefly discussed.
Implantable Wireless Telemetry Boards for In Vivo Transocular Transmission

We report live animal studies that verify and quantify successful transocular transmission of data from a miniature low-power implant. To minimize damage, implantation within layers of the eye requires an ultrasmall device on a scale of just a few millimeters on each side and less than 500 mum in thickness. A high-frequency transmitter integrated circuit (IC) was designed, fabricated, and bonded onto a board containing an antenna, matching network components, and interconnects. The transmitter must achieve sufficient efficiency to draw minimal power from the limited onboard storage array while outputting a sufficiently large signal to overcome tissue-induced attenuation. Two different versions of the system were developed, one using a low-temperature co-fired ceramic material for the substrate and the other using silicon. Animal studies performed using live rabbits followed by empirical measurements verified the feasibility of a wireless telemetry scheme for a low-power miniature ocular implant.