cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HIV-Related Stigma and Children

HIV-related stigma affects the health and well-being of children and adolescents at all stages of development, from an expectant mother avoiding antenatal care for fear of getting tested for HIV, to a child skipping her antiretroviral medication when school friends are around for fear of her HIV status being discovered, to a teenager’s worry that his girlfriend will leave him if he discloses his HIV status. In order to ensure a healthy transition to adulthood for children and adolescents living with HIV and to reduce new infections among adolescents, it is critical that we tackle stigma and discrimination. This chapter aims to create a greater understanding of the challenges and needs of this population with regard to HIV-related stigma and discrimination by describing the stigmatization process, demonstrating how stigma impacts children and adolescents living with HIV and their families, summarizing the latest evidence on stigma-reduction interventions, and highlighting several key areas for future research and intervention development.
Physical activity, weight change and endometrial cancer risk: The multiethnic cohort

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 3073 Obesity, adult weight gain, and physical inactivity are known or suspected risk factors for endometrial cancer. We examined the associations of these related factors with endometrial cancer risk among 37,884 postmenopausal African-American, Japanese-American, Latina, Native-Hawaiian, and White women recruited to the prospective Multiethnic Cohort Study from 1993 to 1996 who had natural menopause and complete risk factor data. During an average of 8.2 years of follow-up, 311 cases of invasive endometrial cancers were identified among these women. Information on physical activity, weight at age 21, and weight at time of recruitment was obtained from the baseline questionnaire. In our analysis, “change in weight” was defined as the percentage weight change from the age of 21 years to the time of recruitment; and total physical activity was analyzed as metabolic equivalents of energy expenditure (METs) per day based on participants’ responses to various physical activity questions. Hazard rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for endometrial cancer incidence associated with each risk factor were estimated using log-linear (Cox) proportional hazard models stratified by age at and year of recruitment, race/ethnicity, and study area, and adjusted for potential confounders. No association between physical activity and endometrial cancer risk was observed; the RR was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.65, 1.48) among women in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of physical activity (≥1.764 METs/day versus ≤1.418 METs/day). However, adult weight gain was associated with an increased risk (P trend <0.001) of malignancy. Women in the highest quartile of weight change (≥35% weight gained from the age of 21 years) had a RR of 3.52 (95% CI: 2.13, 5.83) compared to women in the lowest quartile (< 8.5% weight gain or any percentage weight loss). In conclusion, a 35% adult weight gain increased the risk of endometrial cancer by 3.5 fold among postmenopausal women in the Multiethnic Cohort Study.
Robust nonparametric quantification of clustering density of molecules in single-molecule localization microscopy.

We report a robust nonparametric descriptor, J′(r), for quantifying the density of clustering molecules in single-molecule localization microscopy. J′(r), based on nearest neighbor distribution functions, does not require any parameter as an input for analyzing point patterns. We show that J′(r) displays a valley shape in the presence of clusters of molecules, and the characteristics of the valley reliably report the clustering features in the data. Most importantly, the position of the J′(r) valley () depends exclusively on the density of clustering molecules (ρc). Therefore, it is ideal for direct estimation of the clustering density of molecules in single-molecule localization microscopy. As an example, this descriptor was applied to estimate the clustering density of ptsG mRNA in E. coli bacteria.
Analysis of K-Ras Interactions by Biotin Ligase Tagging.

BACKGROUND Mutations of the human K-Ras 4B (K-Ras) G protein are associated with a significant proportion of all human cancers. Despite this fact, a comprehensive analysis of K-Ras interactions is lacking. Our investigations focus on characterization of the K-Ras interaction network. MATERIALS AND METHODS We employed a biotin ligase-tagging approach, in which tagged K-Ras proteins biotinylate neighbor proteins in a proximity-dependent fashion, and proteins are identified via mass spectrometry (MS) sequencing. RESULTS In transfected cells, a total of 748 biotinylated proteins were identified from cells expressing biotin ligase-tagged K-Ras variants. Significant differences were observed between membrane-associated variants and a farnesylation-defective mutant. In pancreatic cancer cells, 56 K-Ras interaction partners were identified. Most of these were cytoskeletal or plasma membrane proteins, and many have been identified previously as potential cancer biomarkers. CONCLUSION Biotin ligase tagging offers a rapid and convenient approach to the characterization of K-Ras interaction networks.
Toward a Geopoetical Rhetoric: The Transborder Immigrant Tool and Material Tactics

This chapter examines the Transborder Immigrant Tool, a tactical media art project designed to provide safe travel through the desert around the US–Mexico border, which is at once explicitly rhetorical, in that it aims to do public political work, and explicitly aesthetic, in that its makers are invested in the practice of art-making as means of invention. The chapter builds on contemporary material theories of rhetoric by analyzing how the Tool intensifies, reassembles, and redistributes the border and thereby extends the notions of rhetorical “ecology” and rhetorical “ambience,” sharpening the utility of these concepts for explicitly political rhetorical invention. The chapter ends by returning to the zone of interference between art and rhetoric in which the Transborder Tool operates, via the concept of geopoetics.
Ideal neighbourhood mask for speech enhancement

A novel approach for speech enhancement applications by applying spectral mask estimation is introduced. The new application uses the local binary patterns to estimate an ideal neighbourhood mask. This will indicate which time–frequency units of the noisy speech are dominated by the noise. The performance assessment of the proposed application in conjunction with the traditional mask techniques, i.e. ideal binary mask and ideal ratio mask, are carried out under various environments in terms of the objective speech quality measures, as well as word error rate performance in speech recognition systems using deep neural networks. Results indicated that the proposed mask yielded significantly better performance than the conventional techniques.
IOT Based Smart River Monitoring System

The project involves the approach of Internet of Things (IoT) which will be done using a microcontroller. We are using customized sensor’s node for monitoring the parameters of water like pH, turbidity, temperature, oxidation reduction potential, Dissolved Oxygen, industrial wastes, hospital waste etc. The information is going to be level headed constantly and this information will be consigned to the database using TCP protocol and if the tolerable limit is exceeded, a warning will be notified to authorities by IFTTT protocol and twitter API push notification so that the necessary actions are taken
Non-sustained Ventricular Tachycardia: Is It Possible to Identify the High-Risk Patients and How to Treat Them?

Identification of patients at high risk for sudden cardiac death, among those presenting with complex ventricular arrhythmias and spontaneous nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NS-VT), is of paramount importance. This chapter reviews the role of risk stratification techniques, with particular emphasis on the signal-averaged electrocardiogram (ECG) and programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS), in the management of patients with NS-VT.
Penny Auctions are Predictable: Predicting and Profiling User Behavior on DealDash

We study user behavior and the predictability of penny auctions, auction sites often criticized for misrepresenting themselves as low-price auction marketplaces. Using a 166-day trace of 134,568 auctions involving 174 million bids on DealDash, the largest penny auction site in service, we show that a) both the timing and source of bids are highly predictable, and b) users are easily classified into clear behavioral groups by their bidding behavior, and such behaviors correlate highly with the eventual profitability of their bidding strategies. This suggests that penny auction sites are vulnerable to modeling and adversarial attacks.
Experimental Production of Human Amyloidosis AL

Amyloidosis AL is characterized by the deposition in tissue of monoclonal light chains or light-chain fragments. The lack of an in vivo model has limited acquisition of information regarding the pathogenesis of this disease. We now report that it has been possible, for the first time, to induce human light-chain-related amyloidosis through use of an experimental mouse model. The injection into mice of Bence Jones proteins obtained from patients with amyloidosis AL resulted in the deposition of the human proteins as amyloid. The deposits exhibited Congo red positivity, birefringence, and a fibrillar ultrastructure. They were located primarily within the blood vessel walls of the mouse kidneys but were also found in spleen, liver, and other organs. In control experiments, mice injected in identical fashion with non-amyloid-associated Bence Jones proteins did not develop amyloidosis. The experimental mouse model provides a means to study further protein and host factors responsible for the development of human amyloidosis AL.
Form Follows Function: The Appropriate Definition of Free Cash Flow

Many financial analysts and investors believe that measures of cash flow are extremely useful when analyzing the financial health and prospects of a company. In recent years, a measure called “free cash flow” has become widely used. However, many different definitions and ways to calculate free cash flow are currently being used. Rather than relying on these somewhat arbitrary definitions, the appropriate definition of free cash flow should be determined by the measure’s intended use. Perhaps the most important use of free cash flow measures is in estimating the value of a company. Therefore, we suggest that the definition of free cash flow that fits this use is the most appropriate definition. In addition, the building blocks used in this definition also provide the best measure of a firm’s annual operating performance, the return on invested capital. We illustrate alternative approaches to proper free cash flow calculation. And, we show how free cash flow can be reconciled to the net “cash flow provided (used) by operating activities” as found on the statement of cash flows, and explain why it may be important to do so.
Introduction to the Cambridge Handbook of Social Enterprise Law

In the Cambridge Handbook of Social Enterprise Law, Benjamin Means and Joseph W. Yockey bring together leading legal scholars and practitioners to offer an authoritative guide to social enterprise law and policy. The Introduction to the volume describes the project’s scope and provides summaries of each chapter.
Problematic eating behaviors and attitudes predict long‐term incident metabolic syndrome and diabetes: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

Background Problematic relationship to eating and food (PREF) captures a broad range of unhealthy eating behaviors. We previously reported that higher BMI is associated with PREF and graded by the number of PREF endorsed. In this study, we prospectively examined the association between PREF and metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Method Eight PREF behaviors were assessed and summed to form the PREF score in 3800 black and white adults (age 27-41 years) in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Diagnoses of incident metabolic syndrome and diabetes were made through 15 years of follow-up. Logistic regression estimated the association with metabolic syndrome. Proportional hazards regression estimated the association with diabetes. Results The odds ratio of metabolic syndrome was 1.25 per PREF point through 5 years of follow-up (95% CI: 1.17-1.34) and 1.17 per point from 5 to 10 years of follow-up (95% CI: 1.08-1.27). Hazard of diabetes was 1.20 per PREF point through 15 years of follow-up (95% CI: 1.12-1.28). Both associations attenuated after adjustment for BMI. Discussion Among participants with PREF, higher scores associate with metabolic syndrome and diabetes, with partial attenuation after adjustment for BMI. Early identification of PREF in middle-aged adults may reduce the burden of metabolic health outcomes.
Neglected tropical diseases in children: An assessment of gaps in research prioritization.

Background Despite the known burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) on child health, there is limited information on current efforts to increase pediatric therapeutic options. Our objective was to quantify and characterize research activity and treatment availability for NTDs in children in order to inform the prioritization of future research efforts. Methodology/Principal findings We conducted a review of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform to assess research activity for NTDs. The burden of disease of each NTD was measured in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs), which was extracted from the Global Health Data Exchange. First- and second-line medications for each NTD were identified from WHO guidelines. We reviewed FDA drug labels for each medication to determine whether they were adequately labeled for use in children. Descriptive statistics, binomial tests, and Spearman’s rank order correlations were calculated to assess research activity compared to burden of disease. Children comprised 34% of the 20 million DALYs resulting from NTDs, but pediatric trials contributed just 17% (63/369) of trials studying these conditions (p<0.001 for binomial test). Conditions that were particularly under-represented in pediatric populations compared to adults included rabies, leishmaniasis, scabies, and dengue. Pediatric drug trial activity was poorly correlated with pediatric burden of disease across NTDs (Spearman’s rho = 0.41, p = 0.12). There were 47 medications recommended by the WHO for the treatment of NTDs, of which only 47% (n = 22) were adequately labeled for use in children. Of the 25 medications lacking adequate pediatric labeling, three were under study in pediatric trials. Conclusions/Significance There is a substantial gap between the burden of disease for NTDs in children and research devoted to this population. Most medications lack adequate pediatric prescribing information, highlighting the urgency to increase pediatric research activity for NTDs with high burden of disease and limited treatment options.
Family Quality of Life and Its Correlates Among Parents of Children and Adults With Intellectual Disability.

Abstract All families, including those impacted by disability, desire and deserve opportunities for high quality of life. This study focused on family quality of life (FQOL) among 529 parents with children or adults with intellectual disability (ID). Parents reported moderate to high levels of FQOL satisfaction, with some variability across domains. We conducted hierarchical linear regression analyses to examine associations among FQOL and: (1) individual and family demographic factors, (2) religiosity/spirituality factors, and (3) relationship factors. Findings highlighted the significance of both informal (i.e., family, friends) and formal (i.e., professional) social relationships, as well as the relevance of spirituality/religiosity, as factors contributing to FQOL. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at enhancing FQOL of parents with children and adults who have ID.
Taxonomy, Distribution, and Lectotypification of Two Rare, Southern Appalachian Saxifrages, Micranthes careyana and M. caroliniana

Taxonomists have traditionally distinguished two very similar Southern Appalachian endemic herbs, Micranthes careyana and M. caroliniana, by differences in four floral characters: sepal orientation, filament shape, petal coloration, and fruit length. Yet identification in the field and the herbarium has proven difficult, which is problematic for monitoring populations and determining rarity. The goal of this study was to examine these characters to clarify the differences between these species and their distribution, and to look for molecular differences in DNA sequences. Morphological variation was examined in the field and the herbarium, while leaf material was collected in the field for molecular analyses. Two of the four reported floral characters proved to be useful in species identification: sepal orientation and filament shape. Other key characters were not diagnostic to species. Fixed differences in floral characters were correlated with fixed differences in nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences, supporting their distinction as unique species in accordance with the diagnosability species concept. In molecular phylogenetic analyses, M. caroliniana and M. careyana accessions are reciprocally monophyletic and may not be sister species. Both are shown to be closely related to M. virginiensis, a widespread and variable taxon. We present a key to identifying M. careyana, M. caroliniana, and M. virginiensis in the Southern Appalachians and lectotypify M. careyana and M. caroliniana, names based on Asa Gray basionyms.
The Work of the Dead: A Cultural History of Mortal Remains. By T. W. Laqueur

The Work of the Dead: A Cultural History of Mortal Remains By T. W. Laqueur (2015) Princeton: Princeton University Press, 730pp.
Serrated W/M osteotomy: RESULTS USING A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE CORRECTION OF INFANTILE TIBIA VARA

The conventional osteotomies used to treat infantile tibia vara (Blount’s disease) may require internal fixation and its subsequent removal. These techniques, which carry the risk of traction injury, and potential problems of stability and consolidation, do not always succeed in correcting the rotational deformity which accompanies the angular deformity. We have used a new surgical approach, the serrated W/M osteotomy of the proximal tibia, to correct infantile tibia vara in 15 knees of 11 patients. We present the results in 13 knees of nine patients who have been followed up for a mean of eight years. The mean angular correction achieved after operation was 18 ± 5.8°. The mean femorotibial shaft angle was corrected from 14.2 ± 3.7° of varus to 4.6 ± 4.4° of valgus. At the last follow-up, the mean angular correction had reduced to 1.3 ± 4.9° of valgus without compromising the rotational correction and the overall good clinical results. All the patients and parents were satisfied, rating the result as excellent or good. There were no major postoperative complications and no reoperations. Eight patients were free from pain and able to perform physical activities suitable for their age. One complained of occasional pain. This procedure has the advantage of allowing both angular and rotational correction with a high degree of success without the need for internal fixation.
Fluid microstructure interaction based air flow sensor

Fluid structure interaction (FSI) of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microcantilever under fluid flow was studied for air flow sensing application. 3x8x0.250 mm microcantilever was used for the study. A low speed mini wind tunnel which provides laminar flow inside the test section was used. The micro cantilever was subjected to fluid load with flow rate up to 360ml/s. COMSOL simulation was performed using FSI module to test the microcantilever deflection. It was found that the deflection of the microcantilever beam increases with increase in fluid flowrate. Experimental result are in agreement with simulation results.
Increased Chemical Stability of Vapor-Phase Infiltrated AlOx–Poly(methyl methacrylate) Hybrid Materials

Vapor-phase infiltration (VPI) transforms polymers into unique organic–inorganic hybrid materials with properties that differ from the parent polymer. Here, hybrid materials created by the infiltra...
Analysis of Variance as a Method for Examining Contaminant Residues in Fish: National Pesticide Monitoring Program

Contaminant monitoring programs are designed to determine temporal and geographic trends in residue concentrations. Obvious interpretive problems may arise from analytical changes, inconsistent replication, and other activities that upset a program's continuity. Less obvious difficulties, related to the inherent nonnormality of residue data and the abilities of the data to meet many of the assumptions required by statistical methods, present themselves during the analysis, testing, and interpretation of results. Statistical analysis of monitoring data is traditionally accomplished by testing the differences between location or time-period means with a two-way factorial analysis of variance (AOV) in which variation accrues from locations, time periods, time × location interaction, and error. Without replication, interaction is usually assumed to be absent when main effects are tested, which is a questionable practice with residue data. Adding the species, species type, or sample type effects to the two-way factorial results in a three-way factorial involving more complex interactions. An alternative to the full factorial AOV-analysis as a partially nested factorial-is presented for use when the species collected are not common to all locations and time periods. All analyses are illustrated by using a selected subset of National Pesticide Monitoring Program data for organo-chlorine residues in freshwater fish. Depending on the monitoring program's objectives and how the stations were selected, location effects may be considered random rather than fixed. This may result in a mixed-model AOV and alter the computation of F-ratios for time-period main effects, possibly changing the outcome of significance tests and resulting conclusions regarding temporal trends.
High-Index-Facet Metal-Alloy Nanoparticles as Fuel Cell Electrocatalysts

A method to introduce high-index facets into colloidally synthesized nanoparticles is used to produce compositionally uniform Pt-M (M = Ni, Co, and Cu) and Rh-M (M = Ni and Co) tetrahexahedral nanoparticles. The realization of this method allows for a systematic study of catalyst activity as a function of particle composition for various electrooxidation reactions of liquid fuels (formic acid, methanol, and ethanol). The individual contributions of their high-index facets, internal alloying of transition metals, and surface Bi modification to their electrocatalytic properties are experimentally explored, resulting in three key findings. First, the presence of high-index facets is favorable for improving the catalytic activity for all three classes of reactions studied. Second, the effect of transition metal alloying on catalytic activity differs from reaction to reaction. For methanol electrooxidation in an acid electrolyte, due to the contribution from surface Bi modification being negligible, transition metal alloying can significantly the improve overall catalytic efficiency. However, for the other studied reactions, where the surface Bi is highly favorable for improving catalytic activity, there is little influence from transition metal alloying. Finally, multimetallic tetrahexahedral particles have improved stabilities during prolonged operation compared to their monometallic counterparts due to the presence of the alloyed transition metal atoms.
Pre-operative MRI in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ: Is MRI useful for identifying additional disease?

Abstract Purpose To determine if pre-operative MRI is useful for identifying additional disease that would impact surgical management in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Methods We conducted a retrospective review of consecutive women with calcifications at mammography yielding DCIS at core biopsy from 2007 to 2016 who subsequently underwent MRI examinations. Patient characteristics, imaging findings, and pathology outcomes were collected from the medical records. Standard statistical tests were used to compare the patients who underwent MRI examinations (MRI group) and those who did not (no MRI group). Results 963 women (age 58 years, range 28–89 years) presented with calcifications that yielded DCIS at biopsy, of whom 236 (24.5 %) underwent MRI examinations. The MRI group was younger, less likely to have a prior breast cancer, and more likely to have dense breasts than the no MRI group (all p Conclusions MRI in selected women with DCIS identified additional sites of disease in 11.2 % and thus could be considered in the pre-operative evaluation of this specific patient cohort.
A comparison of the Grass strobe and new LED photic stimulator for paediatric electroretinogram recordings.

This study evaluated a new light-emitting diode (LED-S) photic stimulator and compared skin electroretinogram (ERG) responses obtained to those evoked by the Grass Instrument stimulator (GP-S). Two sub-studies were combined to evaluate the difference in responses resulting from the LED-S and GP-S stimuli. The first was a photometry study that matched the LED-S stimuli to the GP-S. In the second study, electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded under scotopic and photopic conditions using stimuli each stimulator. The stimuli were matched photometrically to measurements obtained from the photometer located 30 cm in front of the stimulators. In addition, the ERG responses were recorded from the LED stimulator when photometrically matched to the GP-S blue stimulus presented through a ganzfeld. The amplitudes and time peaks of the resulting ERG a- and b-waves were then measured and compared using paired T-tests. Study 1: The LED-S was matched to the GP-S at various intensity settings measured 30 cm away from the stimulator. Measurement through a ganzfeld full-field stimulator (GFFS) demonstrated that the GP-S had a significant hot spot centrally. Study 2: Photometrically matched ERGs evoked by both stimulators while employing the direct head-on measurements demonstrated multiple similarities. Similarities included component morphology, amplitude and implicit time across the two stimulators, excluding the rod-driven stimulus (GP-S setting employing a blue filter). Differences between the rod-driven ERGs evoked by the GP-S and LED-S while employing head-on photometric measurements were due to the significant difference in intensities between the two stimulators. The GP-S and LED-S evoked similar rod-driven ERG responses when they were matched using the GFFS photometrically matched intensities protocol. A hand-held stimulator is essential when recording ERG’s in the practice of paediatric visual electrophysiology. The LED-S can match the GP-S stimulus intensities, making it a potential replacement for the GP-S. In addition, the LED-S has uniform intensity across the surface of the device compared to the GP-S, is silent for standard stimuli and can generate prolonged duration stimuli for the recording of on–off ERGs.
Weight Gain After Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

CONTEXT Weight gain is a major driver of dissatisfaction and decreased quality of life in patients with hypothyroidism. Data on the changes in body weight following thyroidectomy are conflicting. OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of weight changes following total thyroidectomy. DATA SOURCES Literature search on PubMed. STUDY SELECTION Studies in English published between September 1998 and May 2018 reporting post-thyroidectomy weight changes. DATA EXTRACTION Data were reviewed and compared by 3 investigators; discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Meta-analyses were performed using fixed and random effect models. Univariable and multivariable meta-regression models for weight change were implemented against study follow-up, gender, and age. Exploratory subgroup analyses were performed for indication for surgery. DATA SYNTHESIS Seventeen studies (3164 patients) with 23.8 ± 23.6 months follow-up were included. Severe heterogeneity across studies was observed. Using a random effect model, the estimated overall weight change was a gain of 2.13 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI; 0.95, 3.30). Age was negatively associated with weight change (β = -0.238, P < 0.001). In subgroup analyses, weight gain was more evident in patients undergoing thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism: 5.19 kg, 95% CI (3.21, 7.17) vs goiter or malignancy 1.55 kg, 95% CI (0.82, 2.27) and 1.30 kg, 95% CI (0.45, 2.15), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing thyroidectomy experience possible mild weight gain, particularly younger individuals and those with hyperthyroidism as the indication for surgery. Prospective studies directed to assess the pathophysiology of weight gain post-thyroidectomy, and to test novel treatment modalities, are needed to better characterize post-thyroidectomy weight changes.
Thermal Effects in Bioelectrics

Electroporation is considered a nonthermal process, and when used in medical therapies great care is taken to ensure that temperature effects due to Joule heating are avoided by limiting the average electrical power of the electroporation pulse train. However, moderate temperature increases, far below those which are used in hyperthermia therapies, have shown to increase safety and efficacy of electroporation-based therapies. This chapter provides an introduction into the heating mechanisms by applied electrical pulses, Joule heating and heating due to dielectric relaxion, followed by a short introduction of external heat sources, with emphasis on infrared light sources. The second part describes basic thermal effects on cells, particularly on cell membranes. This is followed by an overview of recent in vitro and in vivo studies on the effects of thermal assistance in electrotherapies with emphasis on its application in cancer treatments. Moderate heating of tumors in combination with electrical pulse treatments was found, for a wide range of pulse durations, to cause a significantly higher rate of complete tumor regression compared to the use of pulsed electric fields alone.
A Rigorous Test of the Fit of the Circumplex Model to Big Five Personality Data: Theoretical and Methodological Issues and Two Large Sample Empirical Tests

Our objective was to apply the rigorous test developed by Browne (1992) to determine whether the circumplex model fits Big Five personality data. This test has yet to be applied to personality data. Another objective was to determine whether blended items explained correlations among the Big Five traits. We used two working adult samples, the Eugene-Springfield Community Sample and the Professional Worker Career Experience Survey. Fit to the circumplex was tested via Browne's (1992) procedure. Circumplexes were graphed to identify items with loadings on multiple traits (blended items), and to determine whether removing these items changed five-factor model (FFM) trait intercorrelations. In both samples, the circumplex structure fit the FFM traits well. Each sample had items with dual-factor loadings (8 items in the first sample, 21 in the second). Removing blended items had little effect on construct-level intercorrelations among FFM traits. We conclude that rigorous tests show that the fit of personality data to the circumplex model is good. This finding means the circumplex model is competitive with the factor model in understanding the organization of personality traits. The circumplex structure also provides a theoretically and empirically sound rationale for evaluating intercorrelations among FFM traits. Even after eliminating blended items, FFM personality traits remained correlated.
Indirect readout of DNA sequence by proteins: the roles of DNA sequence-dependent intrinsic and extrinsic forces.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the recent insights into how DNA sequence affects DNA structure and how solvent-mediated alterations in DNA structure may play a role in gene regulation. The stability and sequence specificity of many protein–DNA complexes is remarkably dependent on the sequences of bases that are not in contact with protein. In indirect readout, the stability and specificity of a protein–DNA complex is regulated by the sequence of bases not in contact with the protein. These noncontacted bases can inhibit or prevent the contacted DNA from being properly juxtaposed with protein groups. DNA sequence-dependent differences in the structure and flexibility of noncontacted bases lead to alterations in the strength and ease of forming protein–DNA contacts. Hence, noncontacted bases affect protein–DNA complex formation via sequence-dependent differences in their structure and flexibility. The sequence dependence of the effect of salt on a protein's affinity for DNA implies that for a given regulatory protein, the genes it controls can be differentially regulated by changes in salt type and concentration. An increasing number of examples exist of gene regulatory proteins whose affinity for DNA-binding sites are dependent on cation composition. Thus, cations may have a larger role in differentially regulating gene expression than has thus far been recognized.
The Heavy Metal Subculture and Suicide

The impact of the heavy metal music subculture on suicide has been the subject of much public debate but little scholarly research. The present paper assesses this relationship with data on heavy metal magazine subscriptions and youth suicide in the 50 states. We find that, controlling for other predictors of suicide, the greater the strength of the metal subculture, the higher the youth suicide rate. The music perhaps nurtures suicidal tendencies already present in the subculture. The model explains 51% of the variance in youth suicide.
ASSESSING NATURAL CLAY COMPOSITION IN THE VALLEY OF OAXACA AS A BASIS FOR CERAMIC PROVENANCE STUDIES

The Oaxaca Clay Survey was initiated to provide baseline data on clay composition within the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, to assist in provenance determination of prehistoric ceramics. Natural clays were sampled from 135 locations throughout the valley, and analysed using INAA in combination with ceramic petrography. Observed geographical trends in trace-element and mineralogical composition confirm that while parent material (surficial geology) strongly affects clay composition, a continuum of variation exists within the valley. The study develops and tests a continuous spatial model of clay composition that provides greater resolution in ceramic sourcing than bedrock alone. By establishing a regional framework for Oaxaca Valley clays, the survey will support significant advances in our understanding of pottery production and exchange within the valley, and provide a more robust means for monitoring exchange between the valley and neighbouring regions.
Methodology for modeling the impact of traffic burstiness on high-speed networks

Recent results published by Leland, Taqqu, Willinger and Wilson (1994), Addie, Zukerman and Neame (see IEEE Communications Magazine, p.88-95, 1998), and by Taqqu, Teverovsky and Willinger (1995) prove that high-speed network traffic is more bursty and its variability cannot be predicted as assumed previously. According to the authors, network traffic has similar statistical properties in a certain amount of time called self-similarity. One of the consequences is that combining the various flows of data, as it happens for example in ATM virtual paths, does not result in the smoothing of traffic. Combining bursty data streams will also produce bursty combined data flow. The studies imply that the methods and models used in traditional network design require modifications. This paper presents a new methodology that estimates and measures the impact of bursty traffic on network links and network devices applying discrete event simulation techniques. By using the new methodology, we can get more accurate results in measuring the momentarily utilization of links, response time, and the queuing performance of switches and routers in a large network. We illustrate the methodology with a Comnet model.
Involvement of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (cyclin) in DNA replication in living cells.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) (also called cyclin) is known to stimulate the activity of DNA polymerase /delta/ but not the other DNA polymerases in vitro. The authors injected a human autoimmune antibody against PCNA into unfertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis and examined the effects of this antibody on the replication of injected plasmid DNA as well as egg chromosomes. The anti-PCNA antibody inhibited plasmid replication by up to 67%, demonstrating that PCNA is involved in plasmid replication in living cells. This result further implies that DNA polymerase /delta/ is necessary for plasmid replication in vivo, Anti-PCNA antibody alone did not block plasmid replication completely, but the residual replication was abolished by coinjection of a monoclonal antibody against DNA polymerase /alpha/. Anti-DNA polymerase /alpha/ alone inhibited plasmid replication by 63%. Thus, DNA ploymerase /alpha/ is also required for plasmid replication in this system. In similar studies on the replication of egg chromosomes, the inhibition by anti-PCNA antibody was only 30%, while anti-DNA polymerase /alpha/ antibody blocked 73% of replication. They concluded that the replication machineries of chromosomes and plasmid differ in their relative content of DNA polymerase /delta/. In addition, they obtained evidence through the use of phenylbutyl deoxyguanosine, anmore » inhibitor of DNA polymearse /alpha/, that the structure of DNA polymerase /alpha/ holoenzyme for chromosome replication is significantly different from that for plasmid replication.« less
Multiscale Modeling of Inclusions and Precipitation Hardening in Metal Matrix Composites: Application to Advanced High-Strength Steels

AbstractThe strengthening effect of precipitates in metals is investigated within a multiscale approach that utilizes models of various length scales; namely, molecular mechanics (MM), discrete dislocation dynamics (DD), and an equivalent inclusion method (EIM). In particular, precipitates are modeled as particles whose stress fields interact with dislocations. The stress field resulting from the elastic mismatch between the particles and the matrix is accounted for by using the EIM, whereas the MM method is employed to develop rules for the DD method for short range interactions between a single dislocation and an inclusion. The DD method is used to predict the strength of the composite structure resulting from the interaction between ensembles of dislocations and particles. As an application to this method, the mechanical behavior of advanced high strength steel is investigated and the results are compared to the experimental data published in previous studies. The results show that the finely dispersiv...
A comparison of methods for recovery of chlorine dioxide-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes

Abstract Direct surface-plating, overlay surface-plating and membrane-transferring surface-plating methods were evaluated for their suitability to recover uninjured and injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes on green peppers after 0·1–0·5 mg l −1 chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ) gas for 15–30 min at 20°C under 75–80% relative humidity ClO 2 gas treatments. Direct surface-plating on selective media showed the poorest recovery of injured bacteria. No significant difference (P>0·05) in recovery of injured bacteria was observed between overlay surface-plating and membrane-transferring methods. Overall, membrane-transferring surface-plating methods using tryptic soy agar (TSA) and cefixime–tellurite sorbitol–MacConkey agar (CTSMAC) (with a 2-h repair period and a 24-h total incubation at 37°C), and using TSA and modified Oxford agar (MOA) (with a 4-h repair period and a 48-h total incubation at 37°C) were the preferred methods for resuscitation of ClO 2 -injured E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes , respectively. Up to 5 log reductions of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes determined by the membrane-transferring enumeration method were observed under a 0·5 mg l −1 ClO 2 gas treatment for 30 min at 20°C under 80% relative humidity.
Effects of luminance and blur on hemispheric asymmetries in temporal integration

A task involving temporal integration of form was employed to examine the effects of input characteristics on hemispheric asymmetries. In Experiment 1, decreases in luminance produced greater improvement of right hemisphere (RH) performance. In Experiment 2, dioptric blur produced greater impairment of left hemisphere (LH) performance. The results suggest that spatial frequencies below nine cycles per degree are processed more efficiently in the RH. In Experiment 3, effects of input characteristics on hemispheric asymmetry were found to be dependent on the spatial frequencies required for processing by task demands, as mediated by interflash interval (IFI) duration. Increased blur produced greater impairment of LH performance at short IFI duration; at a longer IFI duration, however, increased blur produced equal impairment of RH and LH performance.
Protein-bound homocyst(e)ine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing D-penicillamine treatment.

Protein-bound homocyst(e)ine was measured in the plasma of 38 nonhomocystinuric patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Nineteen of them were treated orally with D-penicillamine 100-1,500 mg/d for a period of one month to 15 years. For these patients, the mean +/- standard deviation level of plasma protein-bound homocyst(e)ine was 1.95 +/- 1.07 nmol/mL. In contrast, the mean plasma level of protein-bound homocyst(e)ine was 4.72 +/- 1.11 nmol/mL in the 19 patients who had not been treated with oral D-penicillamine. There was a statistically significant difference (P less than .0001) in the plasma protein-bound homocyst(e)ine concentrations between patients with and without oral D-penicillamine therapy. Thus, it may be speculated that oral D-penicillamine may be beneficial in protecting patients from the development of thromboembolism and arteriosclerosis.
Pulmonary effects induced by ultrafine PTFE particles.

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) fumes consisting of large numbers of ultrafine (uf) particles and low concentrations of gas-phase compounds can cause severe acute lung injury. Our studies were designed to test three hypotheses: (i) uf PTFE fume particles are causally involved in the induction of acute lung injury, (ii) uf PTFE elicit greater pulmonary effects than larger sized PTFE accumulation mode particles, and (iii) preexposure to the uf PTFE fume particles will induce tolerance. We used uf Teflon (PTFE) fumes (count median particle size approximately 16 nm) generated by heating PTFE in a tube furnace to 486 degrees C to evaluate principles of ultrafine particle toxicity. Teflon fumes at ultrafine particle concentrations of 50 microg/m(3) were extremely toxic to rats when inhaled for only 15 min. We found that when generated in argon, the ultrafine Teflon particles alone are not toxic at these exposure conditions; neither were Teflon fume gas-phase constituents when generated in air. Only the combination of both phases when generated in air caused high toxicity, suggesting either the existence of radicals on the surface or a carrier mechanism of the ultrafine particles for adsorbed gas compounds. Aging of the fresh Teflon fumes for 3.5 min led to a predicted coagulation to >100 nm particles which no longer caused toxicity in exposed animals. This result is consistent with a greater toxicity of ultrafine particles compared to accumulation mode particles, although changes in particle surface chemistry during the aging process may have contributed to the diminished toxicity. Furthermore, the pulmonary toxicity of the ultrafine Teflon fumes could be prevented by adapting the animals with short 5-min exposures on 3 days prior to a 15-min exposure. Messages encoding antioxidants and chemokines were increased substantially in nonadapted animals, yet were unaltered in adapted animals. This study shows the importance of preexposure history for the susceptibility to acute ultrafine particle effects.
HORIZONTAL TRANSMISSION OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS

Meta-analysis of seroprevalence surveys shows that horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus (ie, that occurring without apparent parenteral, sexual, or perinatal exposure) is common in areas endemic for the virus. It occurs especially in pre-adolescent children. In developed countries, where endemicity of hepatitis B virus is low, horizontal transmission (probably via saliva or open wounds) may occur in households with a persistent carrier, but it is less efficient a means of infection than is sexual or perinatal transmission. Horizontal transmission also seems possible in pre-school day-care centres in developed countries, despite the small numbers of carriers in such places.
Bicarbonate-dependent proton extrusion in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells adapted to growth at pH 6.7.

A CHO cell model is described for in vitro studies of the mechanisms underlying heat resistance in cells adapted to growth in acidic environments. Adaptation is defined as a loss of pH 6.7-induced sensitization to 42.0°C cytotoxicity and it is accompanied with an elevation of steady-state intracellular pH (pH). CHO cells cultured between 75 and 100 days at pH 6.7 became fully adapted (6.7G cells), and the adapted phenotype was maintained for at least 100 additional days of culture at pH 6.7. The surviving fraction (SF) of 6.7G cells heated (42.0°C) at pH 6.7 was comparable with that of cells cultured at pH 7.3 (7.3G cells) and heated at pH 7.3, while the SF of 7.3G cells acutely acidified to pH 6.7 and heated was an order of magnitude less. Although this resistance of 6.7G cells to killing was observed at 42.0°C, it was not observed at 43.0 and 45.0°C. Both 6.7G and 7.3G cells were able to develop comparable levels of thermotolerance during 42.0°C at their growth pHs. However, in agreement with the litera...
The propagation of Jovian electrons to Earth

An analysis of the Jovian electron flux increases observed by the earth-orbiting satellite Imp 8 throughout five 13 month Jovian synodic years during the period from launch of the satellite in 1973 to 1979 is presented. The analysis defines the characteristics of Jovian propagation to earth. Corotating interaction regions (CIR) that form at the leading edges of fast solar wind streams continue to modulate the propagation of MeV electrons from Jupiter to the orbit of the earth to produce approximately 27 day recurrent variations in the Jovian electron density. The new and significant result of this study is that these time-intensity profiles are more accurately described not by assumption that Jupiter is a constant source of electrons, but rather by assuming that electron emission is initiated with each passage of CIR by Jupiter with the emission continuing for only several days.