cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Life cycle analysis of silane recycling in amorphous silicon-based solar photovoltaic manufacturing

Amorphous silicon (a-Si:H)-based solar cells have the lowest ecological impact of photovoltaic (PV) materials. In order to continue to improve the environmental performance of PV manufacturing using proposed industrial symbiosis techniques, this paper performs a life cycle analysis (LCA) on both conventional 1 GW-scaled a-Si:H-based single junction and aSi:H/microcrystalline-Si:H tandem cell solar PV manufacturing plants and such plants coupled to silane recycling plants. Both the energy consumed and greenhouse gas emissions are tracked in the LCA, then silane gas is reused in the manufacturing process rather than standard waste combustion. Using a recycling process that results in a silane loss of only 17 percent instead of conventional processing that loses 85 percent silane, results in an energy savings of 81,700 GJ and prevents 4,400 tons of CO 2 from being released into the atmosphere per year for the single junction plant. Due to the increased use of silane for the relatively thick microcrystalline-Si:H layers in the tandem junction plants, the savings are even more substantial - 290,000 GJ of energy savings and 15.6 million kg of CO 2 eq emission reductions per year. This recycling process reduces the cost of raw silane by 68 percent, or approximately $22.6 million per year for a 1 GW a-Si:Hbased PV production facility and over $79 million per year for tandem manufacturing. The results are discussed and conclusions are drawn about the technical feasibility and environmental benefits of silane recycling in an eco-industrial park centered around a-Si:H-based PV manufacturing plants. Highlights:
Semi-empirical lcao band structure calculation on the transition of diamond into the metallic state under pressure

Abstract The band structure for tetragonally distorted diamond is calculated by the Extended Huckel Theory. The indirect band gap of diamond shrinks with increasing strain and vanishes at e zz = -0.17. This result is in very good agreement with high pressure experiments on diamond of Vereshchagin et al. as well as with theoretical results for the pressure-temperature phase diagram for diamond by Van Vechten.
Endoscopic ultrasound–guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of patients with suspected pancreatic cancer: diagnostic accuracy and acute and 30-day complications

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound–guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in patients with suspected pancreatic cancer, and to assess immediate, acute, and 30-day complications related to EUS-FNA. Methods All patients with suspected pancreatic cancer were prospectively evaluated. A single gastroenterologist performed all EUS-FNAs in the presence of a cytopathologist. Immediate complications were evaluated in all patients. An experienced nurse called patients 24–72 h and 30 days after the procedure. Reference standard for the classification of the final diagnosis included: surgery (n = 48), clinical or imaging follow-up (n = 63), or death from the disease (n = 47). Results A total of 158 patients (mean age 62.3 yr) underwent EUS-FNA during the study period. The mean tumor size was 32 × 26 mm. The median number of passes was three (range one to 10). Of these patients, 44% had at least one failed attempt at tissue diagnosis before EUS-FNA. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of EUS-FNA in solid pancreatic masses were 84.3%, 97%, 99%, 64%, and 84%, respectively. Immediate self-limited complications occurred in 10 of the 158 EUS-FNAs (6.3%). Of 90 patients contacted at 24–72 h, 78 patients (87%) responded. Of the 90 patients, 20 (22%) reported at least one symptom, all of which were minor except in three cases (one self-limited acute pancreatitis and two emergency room visits, one of which led to admission). In all, 83 patients were contacted at 30 days, and 82% responded. No additional or continued complications were reported. Conclusions EUS-FNA is highly accurate in identifying patients with suspected pancreatic cancer, especially when other modalities have failed. Major complications after EUS-FNA are rare, and minor complications are similar to those reported for upper endoscopy. It seems that follow-up at 1 wk might capture all of the adverse events related to EUS-FNA.
Management of pharyngeal and esophageal stenosis

Stenosis of the pharynx or cervical esophagus often causes significant patient morbidity. Dysphagia and aspiration represent the two most serious sequelae of such strictures. A variety of processes affecting the upper aerodigestive tract may result in a pharyngeal or cervical esophageal stricture, including malignancy, previous surgery or radiation therapy, caustic ingestion, or traumatic injury. The diagnostic evaluation of stenosis of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus includes a thorough history and physical examination, a videofluoroscopic swallowing study, occasionally additional imaging studies, and an endoscopic examination. Meticulous endoscopy is critical in determining the length and severity of the stricture, which direct further management of the stenosis. Endoscopic dilation is often sufficient treatment, but if the stenosis is severe or refractory to dilation, it may require surgical correction. When augmentation or replacement of the pharynx is required, a number of reconstructive options are available. These include pedicled myocutaneous flaps, such as the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, free tissue transfer, such as the radial forearm free flap and, in the case of a severe pharyngeal or lower esophageal stricture, an esophagectomy with gastric pull-up reconstruction. The evaluation and treatment of pharyngeal and esophageal stenosis are reviewed in detail, including indications for endoscopic management and surgical reconstruction. Descriptions of surgical techniques are included, as well as a discussion of potential complications of treatment modalities.
Repression of transaminase by tyrosine in Escherichia coli

The formation of an aminotransferase active on aromatic amino acids (transaminase A) was repressed about 5-fold by tyrosine in Escherichia coli K12, B and W. Other amino acids did not have significant effects on the formation of this enzyme. Even under maximal repression of the enzyme by tyrosine, the cells were able to utilize this amino acid as the sole source of nitrogen and the activity of this enzyme was not the rate-limiting factor for growth. It is concluded that normally the enzyme functions biosynthetically, but under special conditions it can catalyze a catabolic reaction in the deamination of tyrosine for nitrogen. Another aminotransferase which acted on phenylalanine but not on tyrosine was found in the various strains of E. coli. This enzyme contributed about one-fifth of the total activity on phenylalanine in the crude extract of cells grown on simple glucose medium. Its formation was not found to be repressed by any particular amino acid.
Patterns of nodal relapse after surgery and postoperative radiation therapy for carcinomas of the major and minor salivary glands: what is the role of elective neck irradiation?

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of nodal relapses from carcinomas of the salivary glands among patients with clinically negative necks in an attempt to determine the potential utility of elective neck irradiation (ENI). Methods and Materials: Between 1960 and 2004, 251 patients with clinically N0 carcinomas of the salivary glands were treated with surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. None of the patients had undergone previous neck dissection. Histology was: adenoid cystic (84 patients), mucoepidermoid (60 patients), adenocarcinoma (58 patients), acinic cell (21 patients), undifferentiated (11 patients), carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (7 patients), squamous cell (7 patients), and salivary duct carcinoma (3 patients); 131 patients (52%) had ENI. Median follow-up was 62 months (range, 3–267 months). Results: The 5- and 10-year actuarial estimates of nodal relapse were 11% and 13%, respectively. The 10-year actuarial rates of nodal failure were 7%, 5%, 12%, and 16%, for patients with T1, T2, T3, and T4 disease, respectively ( p = 0.11). The use of ENI reduced the 10-year nodal failure rate from 26% to 0% ( p = 0.0001). The highest crude rates of nodal relapse among those treated without ENI were found in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (67%), undifferentiated carcinoma (50%), adenocarcinoma (34%), and mucoepidermoid carcinoma (29%). There were no nodal failures observed among patients with adenoid cystic or acinic cell histology. Conclusion: ENI effectively prevents nodal relapses and should be used for select patients at high risk for regional failure.
Angiotensin and captopril increase alcohol intake

Reportedly both angiotensin II (ANG II) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduce ethanol intake when they are injected SC into certain chronic experimental conditions in the rat. The ACE inhibitors are suggested to reduce ethanol intake by increasing ANG II synthesis in the brain. The present results show that several different methods can produce opposite effects of ANG II and the ACE inhibitor captopril on ethanol intake. Continuous intraventricular infusions of ANG II for 7 days or low doses of oral or SC-infused captopril for up to 12 days increased the intake of ethanol. The only reduction of ethanol intake resulted from a universal blockade of all ACE in both the brain and periphery, a condition in which ANG II could not possibly mediate the decrease. The results contradict the hypothesis that ethanol intake is suppressed by centrally acting or centrally synthesized ANG II. ACE inhibitors may reduce ethanol intake only when they affect the brain as well as the periphery.
Safety of regional citrate anticoagulation for continuous sustained low efficiency dialysis (C-SLED) in critically ill patients.

Background. Sustained low efficiency dialysis (SLED) is a hybrid therapy that uses a conventional hemodialysis machine to deliver lower solute clearance over prolonged periods of time, typically 8 to 12 hours per treatment, and utilizes the same sodium and bicarbonate concentrations as intermittent hemodialysis. The therapy has been shown to be an effective dialysis mode for the critically ill patient with acute renal failure and hemodynamic instability. At our institution, critically ill patients requiring renal replacement therapy receive SLED on a continuous, 24-hour schedule (C-SLED). The higher dialysis dose with C-SLED compared to continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) or traditional SLED would likely alter the prescription needed to provide regional citrate anticoagulation and the incidence of hypernatremia and metabolic alkalosis. Objective. To evaluate the safety of utilizing regional citrate anticoagulation with continuous SLED in critically ill patients who frequently clot the hemofil...
Inversion of paddy leaf area index using Beer-Lambert law and HJ-1/2 CCD image

Monitoring crop leaf area index (LAI) timely and accurately by remote sensing is crucial to assess crop growth, manage field water-fertilizer and predict yield. The Huaihe River Basin was chose as study area to carry out field survey. By using decision tree classification and HJ-1/2 CCD image, the spatial distribution of paddy was identified. The extinction coefficient of paddy surface was confirmed with in-situ samples. The Beer-Lambert law was introduced to develop the inversion model of paddy LAI. The accuracy of inversion model was evaluated with in-situ samples, including coefficient of determination (R2), RMSE and overall accuracy, while contrasting with the model of single-variable and multi-variables. Results showed that the inversion model based on Beer-Lambert law reached highest accuracy with the average R2 of 0.684 and the average RMSE of 0.592. The average R2 of multi-variables was 0.636, while the average RMSE was 0.661. The model of single-variable has lowest accuracy with average R2 of 0.595 and average RMSE of 0.732. It indicated that the retrieval accuracy of LAI was improved with more variables inputted. The model based on Beer-Lambert law simulated the physical process of radiative transfer of paddy that differed from the two other models. The overall accuracy of Beer-Lambert law model exceeded 95 percent, while those of the two other models were 91.0 percent and 88.2 percent respectively. So the inversion model of paddy LAI based on Beer-Lambert law could eliminate the influence of water background and improve the accuracy of paddy LAI by remote sensing.
A hypothesis to explain how LaeA specifically regulates certain secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene clusters

Biosynthesis of mycotoxins involves transcriptional co-regulation of sets of clustered genes. We hypothesise that specific control of transcription of genes in these clusters by LaeA, a global regulator of secondary metabolite production and development in many filamentous fungi, results from its interaction with a Cys6Zn2 DNA-binding protein unique to the gene cluster.
Use of space and habitats by the eastern Chipmunk, Tamias striatus

Regression analyses showed a significant, positive association between capture frequency of eastern chipmunks ( Tamias striatus ) and open-understory and closed-overstory habitats. Analyses within individual home ranges, however, showed that distance from burrows explained twice the variation in frequency of captures than did microhabitat structure (33 and 16% of the variation, respectively). Chipmunks used microhabitats in a spatially variable manner and according to some of the same rules that determine food choice in central-place foragers (i.e., they spent more time near to than far from burrows) and were more discriminating in use of microhabitat at greater than at closer distances. Capture frequency of transient (nonresident) chipmunks was more highly correlated with microhabitat than was that of residents. Analysis of patterns of spatial usage by individuals offers an alternative to population-level approaches and provides a more mechanistic basis for interpreting the use of both space and microhabitats.
The Disconnected Values Model Improves Mental Well-Being and Fitness in an Employee Wellness Program

This study examined the effect of a 10-week wellness program on changes in physical fitness and mental well-being. The conceptual framework for this study was the Disconnected Values Model (DVM). According to the DVM, detecting the inconsistencies between negative habits and values (e.g., health, family, faith, character) and concluding that these "disconnects" are unacceptable promotes the need for health behavior change. Participants were 164 full-time employees at a university in the southeastern U.S. The program included fitness coaching and a 90-minute orientation based on the DVM. Multivariate Mixed Model analyses indicated significantly improved scores from pre- to post-intervention on selected measures of physical fitness and mental well-being. The results suggest that the Disconnected Values Model provides an effective cognitive-behavioral approach to generating health behavior change in a 10-week workplace wellness program.
Shear alignment of sphere-morphology block copolymer thin films with viscous fluid flow.

The effect of shear on crystalline order is interesting fundamentally, as well as technologically, for producing long-range alignment of micron- and nanoscale structures. We study the influence of shear on a sphere-forming diblock copolymer thin film consisting of a stack of two to six hexagonal layers, using a stress-controlled rheometer to transmit the stress through a viscous fluid layer. Above a threshold stress, the hexagonal layers align macroscopically in the ``easy shear'' direction. A simple phenomenological model with an orientation-dependent order-disorder temperature, ${T}_{\mathrm{ODT}}^{*}(\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\theta})={T}_{\mathrm{ODT}}[1\ensuremath{-}(\ensuremath{\sigma}∕{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{c}){\mathrm{sin}}^{2}(3\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\theta})]$ and recrystallization describes the influence of stress level, temperature, and shearing time remarkably well.
A data-driven clustering method for time course gene expression data

Gene expression over time is, biologically, a continuous process and can thus be represented by a continuous function, i.e. a curve. Individual genes often share similar expression patterns (functional forms). However, the shape of each function, the number of such functions, and the genes that share similar functional forms are typically unknown. Here we introduce an approach that allows direct discovery of related patterns of gene expression and their underlying functions (curves) from data without a priori specification of either cluster number or functional form. Smoothing spline clustering (SSC) models natural properties of gene expression over time, taking into account natural differences in gene expression within a cluster of similarly expressed genes, the effects of experimental measurement error, and missing data. Furthermore, SSC provides a visual summary of each cluster’s gene expression function and goodness-offit by way of a ‘mean curve’ construct and its associated confidence bands. We apply this method to gene expression data over the life-cycle of Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans to discover 17 and 16 unique patterns of gene expression in each species, respectively. New and previously described expression patterns in both species are discovered, the majority of which are biologically meaningful and exhibit statistically significant gene function enrichment. Software and source code implementing the algorithm, SSCLUST, is freely available (http://genemerge.bioteam.net/SSClust.html).
Semiconducting polymers based on charge‐transfer complexes. I. Synthesis of electron‐donor‐containing poly‐N‐acylethylnimines

Polymers were made which contained 10-methyl, 3-phenothiazinyl, and 4-(methylthio)phenoxy electron-donating groups on side chains. N-Acyl-substituted poly-ethylenimines were chosen because the repeat distance along the polymer chain is the same as the repeat distance in most aromatic charge-transfer complexes (about 6.4 A) and the side chains do not interfere with each other. This paper describes synthetic routes for preparation of these electron-donor-containing polymers. Synthesis of a polyacrylate donor is also described.
Robust Gaussian Graphical Modeling Via l1 Penalization

Gaussian graphical models have been widely used as an effective method for studying the conditional independency structure among genes and for constructing genetic networks. However, gene expression data typically have heavier tails or more outlying observations than the standard Gaussian distribution. Such outliers in gene expression data can lead to wrong inference on the dependency structure among the genes. We propose a l1 penalized estimation procedure for the sparse Gaussian graphical models that is robustified against possible outliers. The likelihood function is weighted according to how the observation is deviated, where the deviation of the observation is measured based on its own likelihood. An efficient computational algorithm based on the coordinate gradient descent method is developed to obtain the minimizer of the negative penalized robustified-likelihood, where nonzero elements of the concentration matrix represents the graphical links among the genes. After the graphical structure is obtained, we re-estimate the positive definite concentration matrix using an iterative proportional fitting algorithm. Through simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed robust method performs much better than the graphical Lasso for the Gaussian graphical models in terms of both graph structure selection and estimation when outliers are present. We apply the robust estimation procedure to an analysis of yeast gene expression data and show that the resulting graph has better biological interpretation than that obtained from the graphical Lasso.
Ahi1, whose human ortholog is mutated in Joubert syndrome, is required for Rab8a localization, ciliogenesis and vesicle trafficking

The primary non-motile cilium, a membrane-ensheathed, microtubule-bundled organelle, extends from virtually all cells and is important for development. Normal functioning of the cilium requires proper axoneme assembly, membrane biogenesis and ciliary protein localization, in tight coordination with the intraflagellar transport system and vesicular trafficking. Disruptions at any level can induce severe alterations in cell function, giving rise to a myriad of human genetic diseases known as ciliopathies. Here we show that the Abelson helper integration site 1 (Ahi1) gene, whose human ortholog is mutated in Joubert syndrome, regulates cilium formation via its interaction with Rab8a, a small GTPase critical for polarized membrane trafficking. We find that the Ahi1 protein localizes to a single centriole, the mother centriole, which becomes the basal body of the primary cilium. In order to determine whether Ahi1 functions in ciliogenesis, loss of function analysis of Ahi1 was performed in cell culture models of ciliogenesis. Knockdown of Ahi1 expression by shRNAi in cells or targeted deletion of Ahi1 (Ahi1 knockout mouse) leads to impairments in ciliogenesis. In Ahi1-knockdown cells, Rab8a is destabilized and does not properly localize to the basal body. Since Rab8a is implicated in vesicular trafficking, we next examined this process in Ahi1-knockdown cells. Defects in the trafficking of endocytic vesicles from the plasma membrane to the Golgi and back to the plasma membrane were observed in Ahi1-knockdown cells. Overall, our data indicate that the distribution and functioning of Rab8a is regulated by Ahi1, not only affecting cilium formation, but also vesicle transport.
Cerebral oxygen, glucose, lactate, and pyruvate metabolism in stroke. Therapeutic considerations.

Cerebral blood flow, oxygen, glucose, lactate, and pyruvate metabolism were measured in 13 subjects with completed stroke. Cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption were reduced, glucose consumption and pyruvate production were normal, and lactate production was increased, suggesting a shift from aerobic to anaerobic cerebral glycolysis. To test this hypothesis, cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery were decreased by hyperventilation and increased by inhalation of 5% CO2 in air. Hyperventilation decreased cerebral oxygen consumption (CMRO2) and increased cerebral lactate production. Inhalation of 5% CO2 in air increased cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery and increased both glucose and oxygen consumption. Relationships between reduction in PaCO2 and cerebral venous PO2 and increased cerebral lactate production were found. Increasing cerebral blood flow by 5% CO2 inhalation improved circulation and oxygen delivery to ischemic cerebral areas and improved oxygen and glucose metabolism in the majority ...
Shaping the shareholder activism agenda: institutional investors and global social issues

We examine the issues and actors that have shaped the agenda of shareholder activism on global social issues over the last 35 years. Our analysis of 2158 US shareholders’ proposals on the topics of international human rights and labor standards reveals that a clear agenda has developed, dominated by religious organizations that have sponsored or co-sponsored 1312 of these proposals. Public pension funds entered the field of global social issue activism after religious organizations had already established the legitimacy of the agenda. We suggest that a social movement perspective on shareholder activism best explains these findings. Religious groups framed the ideas that constitute the global social issues shareholder agenda and mobilized support by reaching out to other types of investors. Public pension funds played a secondary, albeit important, role in agenda creation by championing several of the campaigns initiated by religious innovators.
The end of the beginning: patient safety five years after 'to err is human'.

The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report on medical errors galvanized the pub- lic and health professionals. Before then, providers, health care organizations, and policy- makers lacked the understanding and incentives to generate the changes in culture, sys- tems, training, and technology to improve safety. Since 1999 there has been progress, but it has been insufficient. Stronger regulation has helped, as have some early improvements in information technology and in workforce organization and training. Error-reporting sys- tems have had little impact, and scant progress has been made in improving accountability. Five years after the report's publication, we appear to be at "the end of the beginning."
Discrimination between deionized water and D2O in a runway using olfaction in the rat

This experiment tested whether rats could discriminate between D20 and deionized water using olfaction alone or using both gustation and olfaction. These substances were used as cues for the presence of reward or nonreward in a runway and, if perceived, should have resulted in patterned responding. Twenty experimentally naive male albino rats were given 200 trials in a runway under a random-partial-reinforcement schedule. One-half of the rats could use both taste and smell of D20 and deionized water as cues for reward and nonreward, while the other half of the subjects were allowed only to smell these substances. The results showed that, after 100 trials, patterned running developed equally well with smell alone as with both taste and smell as cues. Moreover, D20 and deionized water were equally effective as cues for reward and for nonreward in both smell alone and taste/smell conditions.
Self/non-self Discrimination in Basal Metazoa: Genetics of Allorecognition in the Hydroid Hydractinia.

SYNOPSIS. Colonial basal metazoans often encounter members of their own species as they grow on hard substrata, with the encounters typically resulting in either fusion of close relatives or rejection between unrelated colonies. These allorecognition responses play a critical role in maintaining the genetic and physiological integrity of the colony. Allorecognition responses in basal metazoans are controlled by highly variable genetic systems. The molecular nature of such systems, however, remains to be determined. Current efforts to identify the genes and molecules controlling allorecognition in basal metazoans have followed two pathways: identification of molecules differentially expressed in incompatible interactions, and positional or map-based cloning of allorecognition genes. Most studies following the first approach have been performed with marine demosponges, while those following the second approach have centered on the cnidarian of the genus Hydractinia. Here, I discuss the latter, focusing primarily on the genetic control of allorecognition responses.
Preventing fatal attractions: lessons learned from inmate boundary violators in a southern penitentiary system

Correctional officers are trained to establish a professional distance between themselves and the inmates they are paid to supervise. Nevertheless, some officers allow themselves to be compromised by inmates who are adept at manipulating prison staff. In this study, we employ face‐to‐face interviews with 32 inmate boundary violators in order to examine inappropriate relationships from the offender point‐of‐view. We are specifically interested in understanding the consequences of boundary violations between correctional employees and inmates, and more importantly, how these relationships can be prevented.
Maximum possible gain for an arbitrary ideal antenna with specified quality factor

Analytical and universally applicable numerical results are obtained for the maximum possible gain achievable by an ideal antenna for which the size and quality factor are specified. >
Relation of patient characteristics to cardiac ischemia during daily life activity (an Asymptomatic Cardiac Ischemia Pilot Data Bank Study).

Cardiac ischemia during daily life activities, detected by ambulatory electrocardiographic (AECG) monitoring has been associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes. Because daily life ischemia is usually asymptomatic, prevalence and descriptive data of patients with asymptomatic cardiac ischemia (ACI) are not well defined. Accordingly, patients screened for the Asymptomatic Cardiac Ischemia Pilot (ACIP) trial by 48-hour AECG monitoring were investigated to identify factors associated with ACI. A total of 1,820 patients with ischemia on a screening stress test and/or known or suspected coronary artery disease underwent AECG monitoring. Their mean age was 61 years, range 33 to 89; 83% were men and 81% were white. On AECG monitoring, ACI occurred in 897 patients (49%). There was a modest trend (p = 0.04) between increasing age and ACI prevalence. Increased risk for ACI was observed in patients reporting angina 6 weeks before screening (odds ratio 1.38, 99% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.77, p = 0.0008). There was a positive association between increases in heart rate during daily life and ACI prevalence (p < 0.0001). No daily, monthly, or seasonal variation in ACI prevalence was found, although ACI was more prevalent in northern than southern sites. In this group of clinically stable patients, selected on the basis of high risk for coronary artery disease, the prevalence of ACI was higher than expected from previous reports. Several readily available clinical characteristics (i.e., advanced age, recent angina, increased heart rate change with daily activity) were associated with significantly increased probability of ACI.
Pea cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene has no intron and generates two mRNA transcripts with different 5′-termini

Abstract We have isolated and sequenced the cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) gene from pea mitochondria. The coding sequence (777 bp) shows over 90% homology to the COII genes from three monocotyledonous plants (rice, maize and wheat) and one dicotyledonous plant (Oenothera berteriana). Several codons are deleted, however, in the pea COII gene. Of interest is the deletion in pea of the last three codons, including the stop codon, found at the 3' end of the other four COII genes. Instead, a new stop codon has been created due to a single-base substitution at the 13th bp downstream from the position of the original stop codon. This pea gene does not contain an intron which is found in all three monocots. Two distinct 5' termini of the pea COII transcripts have been identified by S1 nuclease mapping, one at 285 bp (site I) and the other at 302 bp (site II) upstream from the ATG codon. They are located at two identical sites within nearly perfect direct repeats. Transcripts with the 5' end corresponding to site I occur five time more frequently than those with the 5' end corresponding to site II. Both transcripts have the same 3' terminus which has been mapped to be at 193 to 195 bp downstream from the stop codon.
Steady Turns and Optimal Paths for Underwater Gliders

This paper describes analysis of steady turning motions for a new type of highly efficient underwater vehicle which uses gravity for propulsio n. Underwater gliders are winged underwater vehicles which locomote by modulating their buoyancy and their attitude. Several such vehicles have been developed and have already proven their worth as long-endurance ocean sampling platforms. The ultimate aim of our research is to develop optimal motion control strategies which further enhance the natural efficiency of these vehicles by minimizing the energy expended by the control system. First and foremost, the predominant vehicle motions should be stable, steady motions requiring little or no additional control effort. Moreover, these motions should be blended in a way that minimizes control effort. The primary contribution of this paper is an approximate analytical expression for steady turning motion obtained via regular perturbation analysis of a general and realistic vehicle model. The solution suggests a well-known time-optimal path planning procedure developed for a general type of nonholonomic mobile robot known as Dubins car. Assuming quasi-steady glider motions, time-optimality of Dubins paths corresponds to energy-optimality of underwater glider paths.
American Energy Security and National Security

The economic and national security of the United States is in part dependent upon the supply and price of fossil fuels, especially oil. However, current efforts to promote alternative energy sources have so far produced very little in terms of actual energy production. Several technologies are in use (e.g. solar and wind), and many new, innovative technologies are in development. All of these technologies are, in general, remarkably costly and therefore unlikely to offer a significant alternative in the next 10-15 years, unless significant policy changes are made. This paper argues that the United States can begin to make more significant inroads into alternative energy sources only when it begins to correctly assess and price the risk of using conventional energy sources, and to make policy changes that reflect the true costs of these risks. Currently many of the costs of conventional energy use are externalized -- in the form of war in Iraq, global warming, polluted air and water, and diminished public health.
Seasonal hypoxia regulates macrobenthic function and structure in the Mississippi Bight

Hypoxic conditions are escalating to the east of the Mississippi River within the Mississippi Bight. The objective of this study was to examine changes in macrobenthic function and structure relative to seasonal hypoxia over a 3.5year period at the 10m (Site 6) and 20m (Site 8) isobaths within the Mississippi Bight. Seasonal hypoxia acted as a regular periodic disturbance during the study period, although the magnitude and duration of hypoxia varied inter-annually. Macrobenthic metrics revealed seasonal hypoxia effects on secondary production potential and community maturity, which agrees with previous studies. In addition, metrics were notably higher at the 20m isobath during the latter half of the study period, following the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill. This study confirms hypoxia as a major driver affecting the function and structure of soft-bottom macrobenthos in the Mississippi Bight.
Spurious mode suppression in SH0 Lithium Niobate laterally vibrating MEMS resonators

This paper reports on the development of a spurious mode suppression technique for shear horizontal (SH0) mode Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) laterally vibrating MEMS resonators. The method employs an optimized overlapping length between adjacent interdigitated electrodes to modify the presence of stress and electric field distribution in the resonator body, subsequently enabling near zero electromechanical coupling (kf2) for the higher order transverse spurious modes. The technique can be applied to devices with different center frequencies without additional fabrication steps by lithographically modifying the electrode configuration. It has resulted in the first demonstration of LiNbO3-LVRs that features an unprecedented spectral range of spurious-free response (130–170 MHz). In addition, the fabricated spurious-mode-free device, with an orientation of 10° to -Y-axis on the X-cut plane, has shown a kt2 of 20.6%, a quality factor (Q) of 1064, and thereby an exceptionally high figure of merit (FoM) of 220.
A method of measuring brain lesions

It was noted that the most frequently used method of measuring brain lesions is probably the planimeter. The planimeter method is time consuming and planimeters are not readily available to most psychologists. The dot grid method was described and recommended for its savings in effort and expense with negligible sacrifice of accuracy.
An Investigation of the Taxonomic Status of Anopheles Perplexens Ludlow, 1907

It is the purpose of this paper to present certain data that have come to light on the question of the validity of Anopheles perplexens Ludlow, a form too little studied since Howard, Dyar, and Knab (1917) synonymized the species with Anopheles punctipennis (Say).
P4-02-04: Androgen Receptor (AR) Expression in a Cohort of Patients (pts) with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).

Background TNBC, defined by the absence of ER, PR, and HER2, is associated with higher risk of recurrence and BC-related mortality, earlier age at diagnosis, menarche, and 1st pregnancy, increased parity, higher BMI, and African-American/Hispanic race. TNBC is a heterogeneous group. Using gene expression analysis, our group described a subset of AR+ ER/PR- BC that exhibits androgen-dependent growth. In vitro studies confirmed the functional role of AR and showed that growth could be abrogated by antiandrogens.(Doane et al 2006) We translated this work into a phase II trial of bicalutamide in pts with AR+ ER/PR- metastatic BC (MBC). (NCT00468715) We now describe the prevalence and clinicopathological characteristics of AR+TNBC in primary disease in a single-institution retrospective cohort. Methods: We identified 1,032 pts with resectable, TNBC (ER/PR 1 cm) with each tumor represented by three 0.6mm cores. AR was tested with DAKO antibody (Clone AR441; dilution 1:500). TMAs were digitized with a Mirax scanner. MetaMorph image analysis software was used to quantify the ratio of DAB staining to hematoxylin signal. A ratio >1 SD above mean was defined as AR+. AR+ cores were manually reviewed; false positives due to core artifact were excluded. To evaluate clinicopathological variables and differences in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) by AR status we used chi-square/t-tests and Kaplan-Meier methods/log-rank test, respectively. Results: 169 pts had adequate cores for image analysis/quantification of AR. 10% of pts tested AR+ (17/169). Median (med) followup: AR+=6 years (yr), AR-=5.6yr. Demographic/clinicopathological variables: Table 1 (ages in med yr). Overall med age=54yr (29-84). Adjuvant chemotherapy received: AR+ 82%, AR- 87%, p =0.40; 77% received anthracycline/taxane-based therapy. Med time to distant metastasis (DM)=2.1yr (0.2−6.2yr). We were unable to demonstrate a difference in 5yr RFS (69% vs. 77%; p=0.37) or OS (68% vs. 84%; p=0.25) between AR+ and AR- TNBC. Conclusions: Consistent with our prospective study, AR is expressed in ∼10% of TNBC tumors in this retrospective cohort. The pts in our dataset may be older, postmenopausal, more likely to self-report white race and have T1-2/N0-1 BC. No statistically significant differences were observed in demographic/clinicopathological variables or survival outcomes between AR+ and AR- TNBC. Additional TMA data from our database will be presented. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-02-04.
“In Want of Nourishment for to Keep Them Alive”: Climate Fluctuations, Bison Scarcity, and the Smallpox Epidemic of 1780–82 on the Northern Great Plains

AbstractNative American groups sustained appalling population losses when smallpox swept the northern Great Plains from 1780 to 1782. Although the epidemic struck the semisedentary villagers of the...
Tailoring filtering functions at nanoscale: Optical nanofilters

We have developed optical filter concepts in a subwavelength region, by forming collections of nanoparticles as optical lumped nanocircuits. Our numerical simulations reveal how such nanofilters can be designed in analogy with their RF filters.
Nd: YAG Pumped Tunable Sources and Applications to χ(3) Spectroscopy

The successful application of the unstable resonator concept [1] to the Nd:YAG laser [2,3] has led to significant improvements in Nd:YAG laser pumped tunable sources. The properties of the unstable resonator Nd:YAG source, important for pumping high peak power tunable sources, are briefly reviewed. The Nd:YAG source advantages of high peak power and reliability are illustrated by its application to stimulated Raman and four wave mixing studies and to polarization CARS spectroscopy.
Health, welfare reform, and narratives of uncertainty among Cambodian refugees.

Massive disruptions to a way of life, such as those brought on by widespread violence, terror, and genocide, disorder the body as well as the social order. When they flee their homelands, refugees bring their experiences of violence and terror with them. Drawing on an ethnographic study of 40 Cambodian refugees between the ages of 50 and 79 who suffered from one or more chronic illnesses, we explore how refugees who live with chronic illnesses and are dependent on government support were affected by the threat of welfare reform. When welfare reform threatened to cut Cambodian refugees' income, it posed a new crisis for those who were chronically in limbo and placed further constraints on their lives. Through their narratives, Cambodian refugees enacted their bodily distress and resisted the threat of welfare reform. The story of threatened welfare reform in the U.S. and its possible consequences for refugees is a story of quixotic U.S. politics, policies and antidotes for refugeeism gone awry.
Efficiency and Equity Aspects

As we are concerned with providing a normative basis for natural monopoly regulation, we now examine the welfare economic foundations of public policy decisions. A vast literature1 in welfare economics and cost-benefit analysis underlies these issues. We restrict attention here to a brief overview of the traditional welfare analysis and the ‘new institutional’ approach to public utility problems. The traditional view, examined in Section 2.1, holds efficiency paramount in defining the net social worth of a particular policy. This net social worth is traditionally defined as the sum of consumers’ and producers’ surpluses generated by the policy in question, i.e. the excess of consumers’ total ‘willingness to pay’, net of the actual price paid, plus producers’ profits. This traditional economic approach is described analytically in Section 2.1.
Decomposing the First Absorption Band of OCS Using Photofragment Excitation Spectroscopy.

Photofragment excitation spectra of carbonyl sulfide (OCS) have been recorded from 212–260 nm by state-selectively probing either electronically excited S(1D) or ground state S(3P) photolysis products via 2 + 1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. Probing the major S(1D) product results in a broad, unstructured action spectrum that reproduces the overall shape of the first absorption band. In contrast, spectra obtained probing S(3P) products display prominent resonances superimposed on a broad continuum; the resonances correspond to the diffuse vibrational structure observed in the conventional absorption spectrum. The vibrational structure is assigned to four progressions, each dominated by the C–S stretch, ν1, following direct excitation to quasi-bound singlet and triplet states. The S(3PJ) products are formed with a near-statistical population distribution over the J = 2, 1, and 0 spin–orbit levels across the wavelength range investigated. Although a minor contributor to the S atom yield near the...
Against explanatory realism

Explanatory realism is the position that all explanations give information about whatever metaphysically determines the explanandum. This view is popular and plays a central role in metaphysics, but in this paper I argue that explanatory realism is false. In Sect. 1 I introduce explanatory realism in its weak and strong versions, and discuss the argumentative work that explanatory realism is used for in contemporary metaphysics. In Sect. 2 I present a series of problem cases for explanatory realism, including explanation by analogy, explanations involving rules, reduction ad absurdum explanations and certain statistical explanations. In Sect. 3 I consider and reject two modified versions of explanatory realism: the position that explanatory realism is true only of explanation in metaphysics, and the position that determinative explanation is the most complete form of explanation. In conclusion I consider explanatory antirealism and explanatory pluralism as alternatives to explanatory realism.
Parents' and Child's Concussion History as Predictors of Parental Attitudes and Knowledge of Concussion Recognition and Response.

Background:Parents’ knowledge of and attitudes toward concussions are often vital factors that affect care for injured adolescent athletes. It is important to understand the role that parents’ personal experiences with concussions play with regard to current concussion knowledge and attitudes so that clinicians may tailor their educational approaches.Purpose/Hypothesis:The purpose of this study was to determine an association between parents’ personal experiences and their child’s experiences with concussions as well as parental concussion knowledge and attitudes. We hypothesized that parents who have personally experienced symptoms or have a child who has experienced symptoms would have better knowledge and more favorable attitudes toward concussions.Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Parents of youth sport athletes (N = 234 [82 male, 144 female, 8 unreported]; mean age, 44.0 ± 6.3 years) completed a prevalidated survey for concussion knowledge (maximum score possible, 29) a...
Mortality Quadrupled Among Opioid-Driven Hospitalizations, Notably Within Lower-Income And Disabled White Populations

Hospitals play an important role in caring for patients in the current opioid crisis, but data on the outcomes and composition of opioid-driven hospitalizations in the United States have been lacki...
Identification and biosynthesis of thymidine hypermodifications in the genomic DNA of widespread bacterial viruses.

Certain viruses of bacteria (bacteriophages) enzymatically hypermodify their DNA to protect their genetic material from host restriction endonuclease-mediated cleavage. Historically, it has been known that virion DNAs from the Delftia phage ΦW-14 and the Bacillus phage SP10 contain the hypermodified pyrimidines α-putrescinylthymidine and α-glutamylthymidine, respectively. These bases derive from the modification of 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxyuridine (5-hmdU) in newly replicated phage DNA via a pyrophosphorylated intermediate. Like ΦW-14 and SP10, the Pseudomonas phage M6 and the Salmonella phage ViI encode kinase homologs predicted to phosphorylate 5-hmdU DNA but have uncharacterized nucleotide content [Iyer et al. (2013) Nucleic Acids Res 41:7635–7655]. We report here the discovery and characterization of two bases, 5-(2-aminoethoxy)methyluridine (5- N e O mdU) and 5-(2-aminoethyl)uridine (5- N edU), in the virion DNA of ViI and M6 phages, respectively. Furthermore, we show that recombinant expression of five gene products encoded by phage ViI is sufficient to reconstitute the formation of 5- N e O mdU in vitro. These findings point to an unexplored diversity of DNA modifications and the underlying biochemistry of their formation.
Evaluation of heat release indicators in lean premixed H2/Air cellular tubular flames

Abstract Heat release rate in combustion systems must be understood in order to control thermoacoustic instabilities, flame extinction, and heat losses. Traditionally OH chemiluminescence (OH*) is used to trace heat release rate (HRR) in H 2 /air flames, but its accuracy as a tracer has not been assessed. Lean premixed H 2 /air cellular tubular flames are a good test case to evaluate HRR tracers due to the presence of highly reactive flame cells surrounded by regions of near extinction. Comparing the calculated heat release rate to OH* concentration, one finds that [OH*] profiles correlate with the regions of high reactivity (flame cells) but the correlation fails in the low reactivity regions where the HRR is much higher than the [OH*] value indicates. Alternate HRR tracers including [H] and pixel-by-pixel products of [O 2 ]x[H], [OH]x[H 2 ], and [O]x[H 2 ] are analyzed with detailed numerical simulations. The chosen products derive from the main chain reaction steps that contribute to overall HRR in lean, premixed H 2 /air flames. Findings suggest that [H] is an accurate yet simple way of tracking HRR. Planar measurements of HRR are possible if LIF measurements of [H] are improved.
Recipe for Resilience? Tracing the Biopolitics of Sint Maarten’s Recovery Efforts After Irma

On 6 September 2017, hurricane Irma made landfall in Sint Maarten causing extensive infrastructural damage and leaving thousands homeless in its aftermath. Despite ongoing relief efforts, the count...