cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caspase-8-mediated BID Cleavage and Release of Mitochondrial Cytochrome c duringN ω-Hydroxy-l-arginine-induced Apoptosis in MDA-MB-468 Cells ANTAGONISTIC EFFECTS OF l-ORNITHINE

We have previously reported that N(omega)-hydroxy-l-arginine (NOHA), a stable intermediate product formed during the conversion of l-arginine to nitric oxide, induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-468 cells, and this action was antagonized in the presence of l-ornithine. We also reported that apoptosis induced by NOHA in this cell line could not be explained on the basis of a reduction of intracellular polyamines. In the current study, we investigated other potential mechanism(s) by which NOHA may have induced apoptosis in this cell line. We observed that NOHA initially activated caspase-8 and induced cleavage of BH(3) interacting domain. This was followed by release of cytochrome c and subsequently, activation of downstream caspases-9 and -3 to cleave poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. We also observed that NOHA induced a rapid and persistent hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential rather than depolarization indicating that the release of cytochrome c by NOHA was by a mechanism independent of the mitochondrial transition pore. Exogenous l-ornithine did not inhibit NOHA-induced caspase-8 activation and cleavage of BH(3) interacting domain but acted at the mitochondrial level and inhibited the NOHA-induced cytochrome c release and apoptosis.
Weakly-injective modules over hereditary noetherian prime rings

A module M is said to be wealdy-injective if and only if for every finitely generated submodule N of the injective hull E(M) of M there exists a submodule X of E(M), isomorphic to M such that N ⊂ X. In this paper we investigate weakly-injective modules over bounded hereditary noetherian prime rings. In particular we show that torsion-free modules over bounded hnp rings are always wealdy-injective, while torsion modules with finite Goldie dimension are weakly-injective only if they are injective.As an application, we show that weakly-injective modules over bounded Dedekind prime rings have a decomposition as a direct sum of an injective module B, and a module C satisfying that if a simple module S is embeddable in C then the (external) direct sum of all proper submodules of the injective hull of S is also embeddable in C. Indeed, we show that over a bounded hereditary noetherian prime ring every uniform module has periodicity one if and only if every weakly-injective module has such a decomposition.
Barriers to implementing evidence-based practices in addiction treatment programs: comparing staff reports on Motivational Interviewing, Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach, Assertive Community Treatment, and Cognitive-behavioral Therapy.

Abstract Purpose This qualitative study explored barriers to implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in community-based addiction treatment organizations (CBOs) by comparing staff descriptions of barriers for four EBPs: Motivational Interviewing (MI), Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), and Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT). Methods The CBOs received CSAT/SAMHSA funding from 2003 to 2008 to deliver services using EBPs. Phone interview responses from 172 CBO staff directly involved in EBP implementation were analyzed using content analysis, a method for making inferences and developing themes from the systematic review of participant narratives ( Berelson, 1952 ). Results Staff described different types of barriers to implementing each EBP. For MI, the majority of barriers involved staff resistance or organizational setting. For A-CRA, the majority of barriers involved specific characteristics of the EBP or client resistance. For CBT, the majority of barriers were associated with client resistance, and for ACT, the majority of barriers were associated with resources. Discussion EBP designers, policy makers who support EBP dissemination and funders should include explicit strategies to address such barriers. Addiction programs proposing to use specific EBPs must consider whether their programs have the organizational capacity and community capacity to meet the demands of the EBP selected.
Xanthoma Disseminatum In a Pair of Blind, Deaf Male Twins

Xanthoma disseminatum (XD) is a rare normolipemic histiocytic disorder of non-Langerhans cell origin characterized by erythematous to tan/brown papules in flexor surfaces. Considered a generally benign, chronic disease of unknown etiology, XD typically affects the skin, mucous membranes, and less commonly, other organs. To date, there has been no typical or consistent inheritance pattern described, nor has it ever been considered as a component of any known syndrome. We describe, for the first time, two cases of XD in a pair of blind and deaf twin brothers.
Rapid growth rate: A method of identifying node-negative breast cancer patients with a high risk of recurrence☆

Among node-negative patients with localized breast cancer (TNM stages T1-3 N0-1 M0), the rate of disease progression, classified with a clinical method of assessment, was rapid in 12%. Prognosis was substantially worse in the rapid groups than in patients classified as slow or intermediate. For instance, the 10 yr disease free survival rate was 55 and 50% in the rapid groups compared with 71% in the intermediate and 82% in the slow groups. Additionally, among those who did develop recurrent disease, the disease-free interval was shortest in the most rapid group (10 months) and longest in the slow group (50 months). The distinctive prognostic gradients formed by the growth-rate strata persisted when differences in symptomatic state, histologic type, tumor size, menstrual status, age, and treatment were taken into account through the Cox proportional hazards model. The node-negative patients who were identified as rapid have had a high risk of recurrence, while those with slow growth rates had an excellent prognosis. The index could improve therapeutic efficacy in this subset of patients by identifying high risk patients in whom adjuvant therapies may do more good than harm.
Advances with analgesics and NSAIDs for the treatment of spinal disorders

One of the major developments with regard to chronic non-malignant pain in these last few years has been a better understanding of the mechanisms that act to maintain pain, while inferences about the pathophysiology have facilitated therapeutic decision-making. This chapter reviews the strength of evidence for the therapeutic effect of pharmacological symptomatic approaches using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, opioids and co-analgesics in acute and chronic back pain with an emphasis on the results of randomized controlled trials as well as on the need for long-term comparative trials of drug efficacy, toxicity and compliance.
Significance of Spikes Recorded on Intraoperative Electrocorticography in Patients with Brain Tumor and Epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: Patients with medically intractable epilepsy due to brain tumors may undergo resective surgery for treatment of both the tumor and the epilepsy. In this instance, the extent of surgical resection is sometimes guided by spikes recorded on intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG). Whether spikes recorded by electrocorticography imply active epileptogenicity has not been addressed adequately. Methods: We performed preresection and postresection electrocorticography on 36 patients with brain tumor and seizures. There were 3 I low-grade gliomas, 4 high grade gliomas, and 1 dysembryonic neuroepithelial tumor. Patients had resection of the tumor to normal tissue margins only. No additional surgery was performed, based on electrocorticography findings. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group I (no seizures or rare seizures after resection) and Group I1 (recurrent seizures). Recorded spikes were analyzed for spike distribution and spike discharge rate. Results: On preresection ECoG, 85% of patients in Group I and 88% of patients in Group I1 had spikes. In Group I, 70% of patients had spikes over the tumor bed, and 63% of patients had spikes in the surrounding tissue. In Group 11, 55% of patients had spikes over the tumor bed and 89% of patients had spikes in the surrounding tissue. Spike distribution and discharge rate did not correlate with outcome. On postresection ECoG, 60% of patients in Group I and 67% of patients in Group II had residual spikes. In Group I, 46% of patients had spikes along the margin of resection and 26% of patients had extramarginal spikes. In Group 11, 50% had spikes along the margin of resection and 67% of patients had extramarginal spikes. Conclusions: The difference in spike distribution in the extramarginal area between the 2 groups was not statistically significant, but showed a trend toward a relationship between postresection spikes and seizure recurrence.
Human-robot interaction detection: a wrist and base force/torque sensors approach

In this paper, a collision detection and identification method of a manipulator, using wrist and base force/torque sensors, is presented. An impact model is used to simulate the interaction between the manipulator and the human or environment. A neural network approach and a model based method are developed to detect the collision forces and disturbance torques on the joints of the manipulator. The experimental results illustrate the validity of the developed collision detection and identification scheme.
Interactions between schistosomiasis and infection with HIV‐1

SUMMARY In many regions of the world, both schistosomiasis and HIV/AIDS are endemic, resulting in patients harbouring co-infections. Because interaction with host CD4+ T cells is a characteristic of schistosome as well as HIV-1 infections, bi-directional disease effects may be sufficiently different from sequelae caused by either infectious agent alone to warrant alteration of public health approaches in areas of co-endemnicity. Studies published over the past decade provide useful insights into interactions between schistosomiasis and infection with HIV-1, and overall support the hypothesis that special emphasis on treatment of schistosomiasis in populations with elevated prevalence or risk of HIV-1 infection is justified.
Calmodulin Regulation of NaV1.4 Current: Role of Binding to the Carboxyl Terminus

Calmodulin (CaM) regulates steady-state inactivation of sodium currents (NaV1.4) in skeletal muscle. Defects in Na current inactivation are associated with pathological muscle conditions such as myotonia and paralysis. The mechanisms of CaM modulation of expression and function of the Na channel are incompletely understood. A physical association between CaM and the intact C terminus of NaV1.4 has not previously been demonstrated. FRET reveals channel conformation-independent association of CaM with the C terminus of NaV1.4 (CT-NaV1.4) in mammalian cells. Mutation of the NaV1.4 CaM-binding IQ motif (NaV1.4IQ/AA) reduces cell surface expression of NaV1.4 channels and eliminates CaM modulation of gating. Truncations of the CT that include the IQ region abolish Na current. NaV1.4 channels with one CaM fused to the CT by variable length glycine linkers exhibit CaM modulation of gating only with linker lengths that allowed CaM to reach IQ region. Thus one CaM is sufficient to modulate Na current, and CaM acts as an ancillary subunit of NaV1.4 channels that binds to the CT in a conformation-independent fashion, modulating the voltage dependence of inactivation and facilitating trafficking to the surface membrane.
DC proposal: graphical models and probabilistic reasoning for generating linked data from tables

Vast amounts of information is encoded in tables found in documents, on the Web, and in spreadsheets or databases. Integrating or searching over this information benefits from understanding its intended meaning and making it explicit in a semantic representation language like RDF. Most current approaches to generating Semantic Web representations from tables requires human input to create schemas and often results in graphs that do not follow best practices for linked data. Evidence for a table's meaning can be found in its column headers, cell values, implicit relations between columns, caption and surrounding text but also requires general and domain-specific background knowledge. We describe techniques grounded in graphical models and probabilistic reasoning to infer meaning associated with a table. Using background knowledge from the Linked Open Data cloud, we jointly infer the semantics of column headers, table cell values (e.g., strings and numbers) and relations between columns and represent the inferred meaning as graph of RDF triples. A table's meaning is thus captured by mapping columns to classes in an appropriate ontology, linking cell values to literal constants, implied measurements, or entities in the linked data cloud (existing or new) and discovering or and identifying relations between columns.
Gold-Catalyzed Intermolecular CS Bond Formation: Efficient Synthesis of α-Substituted Vinyl Sulfones

A general method for the synthesis of α-substituted vinyl sulfones makes use of a combination of a triazole gold complex and gallium triflate. This efficient CS bond formation between simple terminal alkynes and sulfinic acids provides access to various α-substituted vinyl sulfones.
Liposome Dependent Delivery of S‐Adenosyl Methionine to Cells by Liposomes: A Potential Treatment for Liver Disease

The present study demonstrates that the nutritional supplement S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe), the primary methyl donor in mammalian cells, is delivered selectively to cells by anionic liposomes, and is, therefore, a liposome dependent drug. Contrary to our expectations, free SAMe chloride was growth inhibitory in cultured cells. The growth inhibitory potency of SAMe chloride in anionic liposomes composed of distearoylphosphatidylglycerol/cholesterol 2:1 was fivefold greater than that of free SAMe. Neutral liposomes composed of distearoylphosphatidylcholine and cholesterol did not increase the potency of the drug. An improved anionic liposome SAMe formulation was produced by use of the 1,4-butanedisulfonate salt (SD4), adding a metal chelator (EDTA), and lowering the buffer pH from pH 7.0 to pH 4.0. This formulation was 15-fold more potent than free SD4, and was active after more than 28 days at 4 degrees C. SAMe and its potential degradation products were screened for toxicity. Formaldehyde was determined to have potency similar to that of free SAMe chloride in CV1-P cells, suggesting that the growth inhibitory effects of SAMe may partly arise from the formation of formaldehyde. The cytotoxic effects of formaldehyde and the less stable forms of SAMe, (SAMe chloride and SAMe tosylate) were decreased in the presence of 3 mM GSH (IC(50) approximately 0.44 mM). The cytotoxic effects of SD4 were not reduced by GSH, suggesting that this more stable form of SAMe is not toxic through the production of formaldehyde. SD4 in anionic DSPG liposomes stimulated murine IL-6 production in RAW 264 cells at concentrations 25- to 30-fold lower than free drug. This increase in potency for IL-6 production was in keeping with the increase in potency observed in our growth inhibition experiments. These results suggest that SD4 in liposomes may be a potential treatment for acute or chronic liver failure.
Transforming Renewal Processes for Simulation of Nonstationary Arrival Processes

Simulation models of real-life systems often assume stationary (homogeneous) Poisson arrivals. Therefore, when nonstationary arrival processes are required, it is natural to assume Poisson arrivals with a time-varying arrival rate. For many systems, however, this provides an inaccurate representation of the arrival process that is either more or less variable than Poisson. In this paper we extend techniques that transform a stationary Poisson arrival process into a nonstationary Poisson arrival process (NSPP) by transforming a stationary renewal process into a nonstationary, non-Poisson (NSNP) arrival process. We show that the desired arrival rate is achieved and that when the renewal base process is either more or less variable than Poisson, then the NSNP process is also more or less variable, respectively, than an NSPP. We also propose techniques for specifying the renewal base process when presented properties of, or data from, an arrival process and illustrate them by modeling real arrival data.
The challenge of self-enhancement bias for educational programs designed to encourage natural shorelines

Abstract This study proposed and found support for a potential barrier to successful implementation of programs designed to promote natural shorelines along residential property. Increased residential development around lakeshores in the Upper Midwest is associated with reduced wildlife habitat, lower biodiversity, and degraded water quality compared to undeveloped shorelines. Property owners can reduce the impact of shoreline development through personal choices, such as planting native vegetation or allowing natural flora to regrow. Various educational programs encouraging more natural shorelines have been implemented; however, evaluative research on their success and studies about improving these programs are scant. This study explored how the phenomenon of self-enhancement bias may cause property owners to over-estimate the natural state of their shorelines, preventing remedial action they otherwise might take if a more accurate self-assessment were available. Surveys were mailed to 212 property owner...
A Structurally Diverse RuII,PtII Tetrametallic Motif for Photoinitiated Electron Collection and Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Coupling a reactive metal to light absorbers affords molecular devices for photoinitiated electron collection and photocatalytic conversion of substrates to fuels. A new Ru(II),Pt(II) tetrametallic supramolecule, [{(phen)(2)Ru(dpp)}(2)Ru(dpq)PtCl(2)](PF(6))(6), and the trimetallic precursors, [{(phen)(2)Ru(dpp)}(2)RuCl(2)](PF(6))(4) and [{(phen)(2)Ru(dpp)}(2)Ru(dpq)](PF(6))(6), have been synthesized, and their redox, spectroscopic, spectroelectrochemical, photophysical and photocatalytic properties studied. They efficiently absorb UV and visible light. The electrochemistry of [{(phen)(2)Ru(dpp)}(2)Ru(dpq)PtCl(2)](PF(6))(6) suggests a lowest-lying terminal Ru→dpq charge-separated state that quenches the emission of the parent complex with non-unity population of the emissive (3)MLCT excited state. Photolysis of [{(phen)(2)Ru(dpp)}(2)Ru(dpq)PtCl(2)](6+) at 470 nm with DMA gives multielectron reduction, storing electrons in a new manner on the central (dpp)(2)Ru(II)(dpq) moiety. Addition of H(2)O to the photolysis system produces 21 μmol of H(2) in 5 h, with 115 turnovers of the tetrametallic photocatalyst.
Gibbs random fields: temperature and parameter analysis

Gibbs random field (GRF) models work well for synthesizing complex natural-looking image data with a small number of parameters; however, estimation methods for these parameters have a lot of problems. The analysis problem is addressed in a new way by examining the role of the temperature parameter of the Gibbs distribution. Studies of the model energy with respect to the temperature are used to indicate pattern equilibrium and regions of different behaviour, analogous to the existence of distinct phases in a physical system. The results on equilibrium and regions of different phases are offered as explanations for some of the peculiar behaviour of current estimation algorithms. >
Elevated Levels of a U4/U6.U5 snRNP-Associated Protein, Spp381p, Rescue a Mutant Defective in Spliceosome Maturation

U4 snRNA release from the spliceosome occurs through an essential but ill-defined Prp38p-dependent step. Here we report the results of a dosage suppressor screen to identify genes that contribute to PRP38 function. Elevated expression of a previously uncharacterized gene, SPP381, efficiently suppresses the growth and splicing defects of a temperature-sensitive (Ts) mutant prp38-1. This suppression is specific in that enhanced SPP381 expression does not alter the abundance of intronless RNA transcripts or suppress the Ts phenotypes of other prp mutants. Since SPP381 does not suppress a prp38::LEU2 null allele, it is clear that Spp381p assists Prp38p in splicing but does not substitute for it. Yeast SPP381 disruptants are severely growth impaired and accumulate unspliced pre-mRNA. Immune precipitation studies show that, like Prp38p, Spp381p is present in the U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP particle. Two-hybrid analyses support the view that the carboxyl half of Spp381p directly interacts with the Prp38p protein. A putative PEST proteolysis domain within Spp381p is dispensable for the Spp381p-Prp38p interaction and for prp38-1 suppression but contributes to Spp381p function in splicing. Curiously, in vitro, Spp381p may not be needed for the chemistry of pre-mRNA splicing. Based on the in vivo and in vitro results presented here, we propose that two small acidic proteins without obvious RNA binding domains, Spp381p and Prp38p, act in concert to promote U4/U5.U6 tri-snRNP function in the spliceosome cycle.
After the Arab Spring

In order to answer the question, Can there be a democratic revolution and a religious revival in the same place, at the same time?, I look at a number of twentieth-century cases (and several eighteenth-century cases) where religion and radical politics interacted – with very different results.
Review of Adolescent Coping Research: Representation of Key Demographic Variables and Methodological Approaches to Assessment

Stressful experiences can be traced to surrounding social structures, the most encompassing of which include gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and race. An integrative review of adolescent coping research was conducted to examine the inclusion of key demographic variables and methodological approaches to the assessment of coping. Results indicated that the majority of studies investigated coping among both gender groups. However, only 46.7% reported information on SES. Coping among adolescents of lower SES and the inner city was not adequately examined. Similarly, only 53% of the studies reported information on racial composition. African-American and other minority adolescents were underrepresented in the research. To assess coping, 73.3% of the studies utilized the questionnaire format. However, instruments were not used in a consistent manner with regard to the period of time from which to recall a stressor and the context from which the stressor was selected. For those using the open-ended format for assessment, data were analyzed exclusively via the deductive approach. Our findings suggest that future research should (a) investigate coping among youth from diverse SES and racial groups, (b) examine coping over a full range of stressors, (c) utilize daily reports, and (d) assess coping by applying qualitative methods.
Market Reaction to Addition of Indian stocks to the MSCI Index

As globalisation of the Indian bourses continue, the role of interna- tional stock indices in Indian markets is likely to become more prominent. This paper studies the effect of the inclusion of Indian firms in an interna- tional stock index, especially on their price and traded volume. An empirical analysis of market reaction to addition of stocks to a widely followed interna- tional index—the MSCI India Standard Index—reveals that such additions are associated with a significant and permanent rise upon announcement of the addition with no corresponding rise in volumes traded in those stocks. It appears that the "information effect"—the view that membership in a major stock index signals positive information about the company in question—is most likely to be the driver behind this "announcement effect". This suggests that membership of an international index, is perceived as a positive signal by the market.
Interactive Real-Time Embedded Systems Education Infused with Applied Internet Telephony

The transition from traditional circuit-switched phone systems to modern packet-based Internet telephony networks demands tools to support Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) development. In this paper, we introduce the XinuPhone, an integrated hardware/software approach for educating users about VoIP technology on a real-time embedded platform. We propose modular course topics for design-oriented, hands-on laboratory exercises: filter design, timing, serial communications, interrupts and resource budgeting, network transmission, and system benchmarking. Our open-source software platform encourages development and testing of new CODECs alongside existing standards, unlike similar commercial solutions. Furthermore, the supporting hardware features inexpensive, readily available components designed specifically for educational and research users on a limited budget. The XinuPhone is especially good for experimenting with design trade-offs as well as interactions between real-time software and hardware components.
Omega gliadin genes expressed in Triticum aestivum cv. Butte 86: Effects of post-anthesis fertilizer on transcript accumulation during grain development

The partial coding sequences of omega gliadin genes expressed in developing wheat kernels Triticum aestivum cv. Butte 86 were identified in databases of expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Three gene assemblies encode proteins with PQQPFP as the predominant repetitive motif. Of these, two encode proteins with at least one cysteine and thus may be incorporated into the glutenin polymer. Another two gene assemblies encode proteins with FPQQQ and QQIPQQ repeats. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to investigate the accumulation of omega gliadin transcripts in developing wheat grains produced with or without post-anthesis fertilizer supplied as 20–20–20 nitrogen–phosphorous–potassium (NPK). Omega gliadin transcripts were detected at 8 days post-anthesis (DPA). The levels of transcript changed little in the absence of NPK during grain development, but increased when plants were supplied with post-anthesis NPK. By 32 DPA, levels of omega gliadin transcripts were considerably higher in grains that received NPK than in those that did not receive NPK. Transcripts for a gamma gliadin showed a different profile, increasing from 8 to about 22 DPA, then decreasing at later time points. In contrast to omega gliadins, both the timing and levels of gamma gliadin transcripts were similar in grains produced with or without post-anthesis NPK. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Public insurance substituting for private insurance: new evidence regarding public hospitals, uncompensated care funds, and medicaid

This paper examines the impact of public health insurance programs, whether structured as subsidies to health care providers (public hospitals and uncompensated care reimbursement funds) or as direct insurance (Medicaid), on the purchase of private health insurance. The presence of a public hospital is associated with a lower likelihood of private insurance for those with incomes between 100-200% and 200-400% of the poverty level. Uncompensated care reimbursement funds were associated with less purchase of private health insurance and a higher likelihood of being uninsured across all income groups. More generous Medicaid programs showed both safety-net and crowd out effects.
Nonregenerative axonal growth within the mature mammalian brain: ultrastructural identification of sympathohippocampal sprouts

Damage to septohippocampal neurons in the adult rat results in sprouting of sympathetic axons into the denervated hippocampal formation. However, the distribution of sympathohippocampal fibers has only been assessed with light microscopic techniques, and it is not known if the sprouted fibers leave the blood vessels, along which they migrate into the hippocampal formation, to enter the hippocampal neuropil and, if they do, whether they form synaptic contacts with central neurons. Using the tetramethylbenzidine technique to visualize anterogradely transported wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate, we identified sprouted sympathetic fibers in the hippocampal formation at both the light and electron microscopic level in albino rats receiving medial septal lesions. The majority of labeled fibers were observed within the regions immediately above and below the granule cell layer. Although most of the labeled sprouts were observed in association with intraparenchymal blood vessels, where they were usually apposed to the basal lamina, approximately a third of the labeled profiles were present within the neuropil with no obvious vascular relationships. Most of the profiles were identified as unmyelinated axons or vesicle-filled varicosities. Many of the latter structures contained small dense-cored vesicles, but in our sample none of the labeled profiles were observed to form membrane specializations with adjacent structures, and many were partly surrounded by presumed astrocytic processes. These results document the invasion of the CNS by sprouting axons of peripheral origin indicating that axonal elongation from uninjured neurons can occur within the mature mammalian CNS under certain circumstances. In addition, the presence of significant numbers of sympathetic fibers within the hippocampal neuropil indicates that they may be in a strategic position to influence hippocampal function.
Landscape and Local Factors Affecting Northern White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) Recruitment in The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin (U.S.A.)

ABSTRACT Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) stands throughout the upper Midwestern United States have failed to recruit individuals to the canopy consistently for several decades. To examine local and landscape factors that influence cedar regeneration we recorded the abundance of cedar seedlings and saplings in 24 lowland cedar stands in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin, during summer 2001. Cedar seedlings (height <22 cm) were common (median = 1800 ha−1), but the largest size class (height ≥100 cm) was extremely rare (∼1 ha−1) and heavily browsed. We used information-theoretic model averaging of linear mixed-effects models to identify local and landscape variables important for predicting the density of seedlings and saplings. The density of newly germinated seedlings was higher along transects farther from roads and with more mature cedar. Large seedling and small sapling densities were higher along transects with open canopies located in landscapes with a higher ratio of d...
Effect of specimen type on free immunoglobulin light chains analysis on the Roche Diagnostics cobas 8000 analyzer

The measurement of free immunoglobulin light chains is typically performed on serum; however, the use of alternative specimen types has potential benefits. Using the Freelite™ kappa and lambda free light chains assay on a Roche Diagnostics cobas 8000 c502 analyzer, we compared three specimen types (serum, EDTA-plasma and lithium heparin plasma separator gel-plasma) on 100 patients. Using Deming regression and eliminating outliers (limiting data to light chain concentrations below 400 mg/L), the three specimen types showed comparable results for kappa light chain concentration, lambda light chain concentration, and kappa/lambda ratio with slopes close to 1.0 and y-intercepts close to zero. EDTA-plasma showed slightly more positive bias relative to serum than lithium heparin. Analysis using EDTA-plasma and lithium heparin plasma showed comparable linearity, precision, and temperature stability. A single sample showing hook effect (not in the comparison set) gave comparable results using either plasma specimen type. For the Freelite™ kappa and lambda free light chains assay, both EDTA-plasma or lithium heparin-plasma can serve as acceptable substitutes for serum, at least for the Roche cobas 8000 analyzer.
A New Finite Approximation for the NGG Mixture Model: An Application to Density Estimation

A new class of random probability measures, approximating the well-known normalized generalized gamma (NGG) process, is defined. The new process is built from the representation of the NGG process as a discrete measure, where the weights are obtained by normalization of points of a Poisson process larger than a threshold \(\varepsilon\). Consequently, the new process has an as surely finite number of location points. This process is then considered as the mixing measure in a mixture model for density estimation; we apply it to the popular Galaxy dataset. Moreover, we perform some robustness analysis to investigate the effect of the choice of the hyperparameters.
Terrorist Attacks, Saber Rattling, Other Crisis Events and American Depository Receipt Returns and Volatility: If We Stop Shopping, the Evil Doers Win

I examine the impact of 51 terrorist attacks, three wars, an assassination, and other national security-related shocks on the returns of American Depository Receipts (ADRs). ADRs are securities that trade on American markets that entitle investors to the cash flows (denominated in dollars) of foreign firms. I find that small-scale terrorist attacks that receive little media attention do not affect ADR returns. Large scale terrorist attacks, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, highly provocative actions by North Korea, and small-scale wars affect ADR returns while natural disasters do not. The negative effect on ADRs is short lived. I also examine the volatility structures of two ADR indexes (Korea and India) and their underlying home market indexes. I find that there is bi-directional information flow between the ADR markets and the home market indexes. I find evidence that various political shocks affect the volatility structures of these indexes, both ADR and home market indexes.
Trimming Mass-Actuated Airplane in Turns with Zero Side Slip Angle

This paper is to follow up on prior work on a mass-actuated airplane that is controlled by internally moving masses instead of conventional control surfaces. The mass-actuated aircraft effectively has two control variables: the internal positions of two control masses, one of which is moved longitudinal along the body x-axis and the other is moved laterally along the wings. Prior work showed that the mass-actuated aircraft cannot have a trimmed turn at constant altitude without side slip angle. This work investigates whether zero-sideslip-angle turn is possible by two methods: (i) a conventional rudder is used in addition to the two control masses in constant altitude turns, and (ii) only the control masses are used in turns without the constraint of the constant altitude.
Locke’s touchy subjects: materialism and immortality

Shortly before his death, Locke warned Anthony Collins about the dangers of his plan to publish Samuel Bold’s work on the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body: I desire you to …...
Grievance-based social movement mobilization in the #Ferguson Twitter storm

Existing literature on collective action suggests that social protest activity is often driven by structural out-group grievances. This article explores how a framework of grievance-based social movement participation applies to the digital media realm and how social media are reshaping the protest landscape. Our research looks specifically at the case of the #Ferguson Twitter storm that occurred in November 2014. During a 3-week period, over 6 million tweets were sent with the indicator #Ferguson. We examine the statistics and content of those tweets to show that the Ferguson Twitter storm was driven to an enormous volume by four key mobilizers. Tweet content included structural out-group grievances that reflect established expectations about drivers of social movements and protests. In contrast to the emphasis on violence by traditional mass media, online social movement participants emphasized peace, especially after the conflict escalated and rioting in the streets began.
Environmentally Contingent Variation: Phenotypic Plasticity and Norms of Reaction

Publisher Summary Environmentally influenced variation in phenotypic expression or phenotypic plasticity is a fundamental property of organisms with consequences for developmental and ecological genetics, evolutionary biology, population and community ecology, conservation biology, and medicine. This chapter begins with definitions and distinctions that identify ways to conceive of the environment and of plasticity. It then discusses these issues: (1) What causes plasticity? What types of genetic architecture and signal transduction mechanisms underpin plastic responses to environment? (2) What is the nature of genetic variation for these responses? (3) How do plastic responses, expressed within a single generation, interact with the slowly changing developmental frameworks characteristic of entire clades? (4) What are the consequences of plasticity for populations and communities? The chapter aims to present a constructive guide to key issues of phenotypic variation, rather than a comprehensive review of a vast field.
Twenty-five years of school? Analysis of Free and Open Source software license texts

The licenses of Free and Open Source Software are expected to be read and understood by all software users. Analysis of these texts shows that it is not an easily achievable goal.
Computationally-Guided Assignment of Unexpected Signals in the Raman Spectra of Uranyl Triperoxide Complexes

Combination of uranium, peroxide, and mono- (Na, K) or divalent (Mg, Ca, Sr) cations under alkaline aqueous conditions results in the rapid formation of anionic uranyl triperoxide monomers (UTs), (UO2(O2)3)4–, exhibiting unique Raman signatures. Electronic structure calculations were decisive for the interpretation of the spectra and assignment of unexpected signals associated with vibrations of the uranyl and peroxide ions. Assignments were verified by 18O isotopic labeling of the uranyl ions supporting the computational-based interpretation of the experimentally observed peaks and the assignment of a novel asymmetric vibration of the peroxide ligands, v2(O22–).
A “Mad Generosity”

The great American novelist John Gardner became my Binghamton colleague for two years between 1980 and 1982. At first, he and I kept our distance because I had found his criticism of the American postmodern novel perverse, and he, my commitment to postmodernism equally perverse. But because our young partners became close friends, we were reluctantly thrown together. This took the form of frequent weekend visits to their farmhouse in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, immediately south of the New York State border. During those visits the initial distance between us collapsed into a close friendship, one characterized by a loving strife in which the previous binarist labels—Apollo/Dionysus, Modernist/Postmodernist—no longer applied. What was especially revelatory was how deep I found that ambiguity to lie in John’s very being when I read Mickelsson’s Ghosts after his horrific death in a motorcycle accident between Susquehanna and Binghamton.
Influence of stove an d coal-burning mode on formation of severe endemic fluorosis regions in Guizhou Province

Objective To explore the influence of stoves and mode of coal-burning on the prevalence of endemic fluorosis in Guizhou Province.Methods Three previous severe endemic villages and two mild villages(as control)were investigated by ways of random sampling in the present and retrospect epidemiological study on stove usage,coal burning mode and the severity of disease.Results Before the 1990's Of 20th century all the households in the previous severe endemic villages used the open stove without ventilated pipe(chimney)and dehydrated the corn over the coal-fire of the open stoves in house,which resulted in severe pollution of the corn and indoor air by fluoride.After the 1990's,each household,although still dried the corn with the coal fire,used the table stoves and iron stoves increasingly year by year,which resulted in the decrease of the emitted fluoride from the coal fire significantly,reduced the fluoride pollution of the indoor air and the main food,thus the incidence of endemic fluorosis consequently decreased. On the other hand, most of the households in the previous severe endemic villages such as Lianhe and Yuanzi still used the open, unventilated stove without chimney, very few installed chimney leading to outside of the room,the rates being 51.3%(41/80)and 41.7%(35/84),respectively.It was concordant to the high incidence of endemic fluorosis.Compared with 1979,the detective rates of dental fluorosis in the crowd aged above 8 years old were increased significantly in Hehua Village in 2006,90.51%(248/274)and 96.08%(392/408),respectively(χ2=7.85,P＜0.01).Conclusions The usage of stoves and mode of coal-burning significantly influence the incidence of the endemic fluorosis caused by domestic coal-burningin Guizhou Province,and inappropriated use of stove and the mode of coal burning are the key factors in cause the prevalence of the severe fluorosis in endemic regions in Guizhou. Key words: Fluoride poisoning; Coal; Smoke; Air pollution; Epidemiology
Long-term performance of a 20-L continuous flow microbial fuel cell for treatment of brewery wastewater

Abstract Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been shown as a promising technology for wastewater treatment. Integration of MFCs into current wastewater treatment plant have potential to reduce the operational cost and improve the treatment performance, and scaling up MFCs will be essential. However, only a few studies have reported successful scale up attempts. Fabrication cost, treatment performance and operational lifetime are critical factors to optimize before commercialization of MFCs. To test these factors, we constructed a 20 L MFC system containing two 10 L MFC reactors and operated the system with brewery wastewater for nearly one year. Several operational conditions were tested, including different flowrates, applied external resistors, and poised anodic potentials. The condition resulting in the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency (94.6 ± 1.0%) was a flow rate of 1 mL min −1 (HRT = 313 h) and an applied resistor of 10 Ω across each MFC circuit. Results from each of the eight stages of operation (325 days total) indicate that MFCs can sustain treatment rates over a long-term period and are robust enough to sustain performance even after system perturbations. possible ways to improve MFC performance were discussed for future studies.
The Reactivity of the Nitrate Radical (•NO3) in Aqueous and Organic Solutions

Rate constants for the nitrate (•NO3) radical reaction with alcohols, alkanes, alkenes, and several aromatic compounds were measured in aqueous and tert-butanol solution for comparison to aqueous and acetonitrile values from the literature. The measured trends provide insight into the reactions of the •NO3 radical in various media. The reaction with alcohols primarily consists of hydrogen-atom abstraction from the alpha-hydroxy position and is faster in solvents of lower polarity where the diffusivity of the radical is greater. Alkenes react faster than alkanes, and their rate constants are also faster in nonpolar solution. The situation is reversed for the nitrate radical reaction with the aromatic compounds, where the rate constants in tert-butanol are slower. This is attributed to the need to solvate the NO3− anion and corresponding tropylium cation produced by the •NO3 radical electron transfer reaction. A linear correlation was found between measured rate constants in water and acetonitrile, which can be used to estimate aqueous nitrate radical rate constants for compounds having low water solubility.
Proteomic and advanced biochemical techniques to study protein adsorption

Proteomics approaches are particularly suited for the study of adsorbed proteins. Biomaterials in plasma or serum adsorb many different proteins, more than just the major proteins that are commonly studied (e.g., albumin, fibrinogen, IgG). Proteomic methods can identify many proteins from complex mixtures of proteins and may provide a more complete picture of the adsorbed protein layer on a surface. Typically, proteins will be desorbed from a surface using a surfactant and analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Spots of interest are excised, digested with trypsin, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. The molecular weights of the peptides, or fragments of the peptides in tandem mass spectrometry, may be used to identify proteins in the samples. Proteomics also incorporates a number of other techniques that allow a relatively unbiased snapshot of adsorbed proteins. However, the current limitations of proteomics must be considered. Identification is not entirely useful without some means for quantification of protein amounts. Further, elution of proteins from biomaterials is usually incomplete, raising questions about the bias in the measurement toward weakly adsorbed proteins. Although substantial technical developments are needed, proteomic methods have the potential to provide a more complete picture of protein adsorption than what is currently available.
Child Abuse and Neglect, and Psychiatric Disorders in Nonviolent and Violent Female Offenders

Abstract Although the percentage of crimes committed by females has increased over the last 20 years in the United States, most research focuses on crimes by males. This article describes an examination of the extent to which childhood maltreatment predicts violent and nonviolent offending in females and the role of psychiatric disorders. Using data from a prospective cohort design study, girls with substantiated cases of physical and sexual abuse and neglect were matched with nonmaltreated girls (controls) on the basis of age, race, and approximate family socioeconomic class, and followed into adulthood (N = 582). Information was obtained from official arrest records and participant responses to a standardized structured psychiatric interview. Women with a history of any childhood maltreatment, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect were at significantly increased risk for having an arrest for violence, compared to control women. Except for those with a history of physical abuse, abused and neglected ...
Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the European Union: Prospects for a Common Strategy

After the experience of the 1996–1999 Demonstration Programme on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), the European Commission has prepared a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament in which provides the justification for the implementation of ICZM in Europe. The communication recalls that the demonstration programme and the subsequent consultation phase have called for actions that could be taken at European level to implement ICZM, but have proved also that the variety of approaches to ICZM in the EU and the subsidiarity principle do not suggest a centralized strategy. Rather, ICZM could be better implemented in Europe through individual national strategies based on a common vision. Therefore, the European Commission proposes a recommendation from the European Parliament and the Council inviting the Member States to undertake stocktaking of national ICZM frameworks, adopt national strategies, and report to the Commission on the experience in implementing the recommendation. Political agreement has now been reached by Council on a common position on the proposed recommendation, which is expected to be adopted by the Parliament at the second reading.