cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
General Intangible or Commercial Tort: Moral Rights and State Based Intellectual Property as Collateral Under Ucc Revised Article 9

The article covers issues relating to obtaining and perfecting security interests in certain kinds of intellectual property under Revised U.C.C. Article 9. In particular, the article focuses on how the recent revisions impact the treatment of various forms of intellectual property primarily protected under state law, as well as moral rights. The drafters of Revised Article 9 included a new form of collateral: commercial torts. Previously, torts were excluded as a type of collateral to secure a loan under Article 9. However, when revising Article 9, the drafters decided that certain torts held by businesses, and certain business related torts held by individuals, should be permitted to function as collateral, given the changing nature of the marketplace. However, the use of commercial torts as collateral is limited, both in the method of perfection of such torts, and in the complete prohibition of after acquired property clauses to commercial torts. The article focuses on whether this change to Article 9 requires a reevaluation of whether certain intellectual property rights are better characterized as commercial torts rather than general intangibles. If so, this will place severe restrictions on the ability of debtors to use those forms of intellectual property as collateral. The article proposes a two part test to determine the proper characterization: First, is the intellectual property right one that exists primarily to vindicate interests of the owner? Second, is the intellectual property right alienable? Using this test, for example, moral rights can never be treated as general intangibles, whereas a trade secret is properly characterized as a general intangible
Pelvic Pain: Role of Imaging in the Diagnosis and Management

Pelvic pain is a common gynecological symptom that leads to a physician visit. Acute pelvic pain is of sudden onset and is present for less than 3 months. The differential diagnosis of the causes of acute pelvic pain can be gynecological or non-gynecological. Ultrasound is the imaging modality of choice in the investigation of acute pelvic pain. When a gynecological cause is determined, management is directed to the underlying cause. The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of gynecological causes of acute pelvic pain is discussed combined with the role of supplemental imaging using CT and MRI as appropriate. Chronic pelvic pain can be debilitating and refers to pain that may be intermittent or constant lasting for longer than 3 months and unrelated to pregnancy, intercourse, or menstrual cycle. Ultrasound remains the imaging modality of choice. The differential diagnosis of the causes of chronic pelvic pain and supplemental imaging techniques when ultrasound is inconclusive is discussed. Endometriosis is a debilitating condition that accounts for 15% of acute pelvic pain and 70% of chronic pelvic pain; ultrasound and MRI are the initial imaging modalities of choice with MRI being far superior to ultrasound in the assessment of deep invasive endometriosis. CT may have a limited supplemental role in assessing complications such as in the assessment of gastrointestinal endometriosis. Endometriosis is discussed in a separate section at the end of this chapter being a cause of both acute and chronic pelvic pain. Acute pelvic pain Chronic pelvic pain Endometriosis
Inconsistent Idealizations and Inferentialism about Scientific Representation

Abstract Inferentialists about scientific representation hold that an apparatus's representing a target system consists in the apparatus allowing “surrogative inferences” about the target. I argue that a serious problem for inferentialism arises from the fact that many scientific theories and models contain internal inconsistencies. Inferentialism, left unamended, implies that inconsistent scientific models have unlimited representational power, since an inconsistency permits any conclusion to be inferred. I consider a number of ways that inferentialists can respond to this challenge before suggesting my own solution. I develop an analogy to exploitable glitches in a game. Even though inconsistent representational apparatuses may in some sense allow for contradictions to be generated within them, doing so violates the intended function of the apparatus's parts and hence violates representational “gameplay”.
Evaluation of advanced age as a risk factor for severe Clostridium difficile infection

Abstract Background/purpose Although advanced age has been associated with the incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), its relationship with disease severity remains inconclusive. The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors, specifically advanced age, which may be associated with the acquisition of severe CDI. Methods A retrospective chart review at a Veterans Affairs Hospital was conducted on hospitalized veterans aged ≥ 18 years with a positive stool toxin assay for Clostridium difficile between May 2008 and September 2012 (n = 224). One hundred and sixty-one (72%) patients were in the mild–moderate infection group and 63 (28%) patients in the severe infection group. The primary outcome was to determine the effect of advanced age (≥70 years old) on the acquisition of severe CDI. The secondary outcome was to identify other potential risk factors for severe CDI. Disease severity was classified according to the criteria established in the 2010 Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Infectious Disease Society of America practice guidelines for CDI. Demographic and disease-specific data were collected. A logistic regression model was used to identify characteristics predictive of disease severity. Results Our regression model found advanced age to be significantly associated with severe CDI (odds ratio 2.43, p ≤ 0.005, 95% confidence interval 1.31–4.50). A larger proportion of veterans were diagnosed with severe CDI in the intensive care unit (p = 0.004). In addition, multiple antibiotic use (≥3) and association with severe CDI was statistically significant (34% mild–moderate vs. 48% severe, p = 0.041). The univariate analyses did not reveal any other characteristics predictive of disease severity. Conclusion Advanced age was associated with severe CDI. A prospective evaluation is warranted to validate this finding. Efforts to identify patients at risk for severe CDI will be important as it may direct treatment and positively affect outcomes.
Regulation of carboxylesterase-2 expression by p53 family proteins and enhanced anti-cancer activities among 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and doxazolidine prodrug.

Background and Purpose For four decades, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been a major anti-cancer medicine. This drug is increasingly used with other anti-cancer agents such as irinotecan. Irinotecan and many others such as PPD (pentyl carbamate of p-aminobenzyl carbamate of doxazolidine) require activation by carboxylesterase-2 (CES2). 5-FU, on the other hand, reportedly induces CES2 in colorectal tumour lines. The aims of this study were to determine the molecular basis for the induction and to ascertain interactive cell-killing activity between 5-FU and ester prodrugs. Experimental Approach Colorectal and non-colorectal lines and xenografts were treated with 5-FU and the expression of CES2 was determined. Cell-killing activity of irinotecan and PPD were determined in the presence or absence of CES2 inhibitor. Several molecular experiments were used to determine the molecular basis for the induction. Key Results Without exceptions, robust induction was detected in cell lines expressing functional p53. High-level induction was also detected in xenografts. 5-FU pretreatment significantly increased cell-killing activity of irinotecan and PPD. Molecular experiments established that the induction was achieved by both transactivation and increased mRNA stability through p53. Either p63 or p73, functionally related to p53, did not support the transactivation. Conclusions and Implications The results in this study suggest that FOLFIRI, a common regimen combining irinotecan and 5-FU, should switch the dosing sequence, namely from 5-FU to irinotecan, to enhance hydrolytic activation of irinotecan. This modified order likely reduces the dose of anti-cancer agents, thus minimizing overall toxicity. The results also conclude that p53 family members act differently in regulating gene expression.
New Developments in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the only therapeutic option for patients with cardiac arrest. Resuscitation guidelines change every 5 years in order to follow the emerging scientific data. All changes focus on increasing survival rate witch remains surprisingly low. Newer developments and recently published scientific statements emphasize the need for adequate implementation of the existing guidelines and improvement of the CPR quality.
Uncertainty analysis of complex dynamical systems

A unified framework for studying parametric and initial condition uncertainty in dynamical systems is developed. The notion of input measure of an observable is defined and its propagation to output measure of the observable is studied by means of transfer operators. Uncertainty of these measures is defined in terms of their cumulative probability distributions. The developed formalism is illustrated through an analysis of the effect of pitchfork bifurcation on uncertainty. General results on uncertainty for dynamical systems on an infinite time horizon are derived.
Algorithms for rapid error correction for the gene duplication problem

Gene tree - species tree reconciliation problems infer the patterns and processes of gene evolution within the context of an organismal phylogeny. In one example, the gene duplication problem seeks the evolutionary scenario that implies the minimum number of gene duplications needed to reconcile a gene tree and a species tree. While the gene duplication problem can effectively link gene and species evolution, error in gene trees can profoundly bias the results. We describe novel algorithms that rapidly search local Subtree Prune and Regraft (SPR) or Tree Bisection and Reconnection (TBR) neighborhoods of a gene tree to find a topology that implies the fewest duplications. These algorithms improve on the current solutions by a factor of n for searching SPR neighborhoods and n2 for searching TBR neighborhoods, where n is the number of vertices in the given gene tree. They provide a fast error correction protocol for gene trees, in which we allow small gene tree rearrangements to improve the reconciliation cost. We tested the SPR tree rearrangement algorithm on a collection of 1201 plant gene trees, and in every case, the SPR algorithm identified an alternate topology that implied at least one fewer duplication. We also demonstrate a simple method to use the gene rearrangement algorithm to improve gene tree parsimony phylogenetic analyses, which infer a species tree based on the gene duplication problem.
Cesium Ion Exchange Loading Kinetics Testing with SRF Resin

Ion exchange using the Spherical Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (SRF) resin has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of River Protection for use in the Pretreatment Facility of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and for potential application in an at-tank deployment for removing 137Cs. Recent proposed changes to the WTP ion exchange process baseline indicate that loading may include a broader range of sodium molarities (2 to 8 M) due to caustic leaching and higher temperatures (50°C) to alleviate post-filtration precipitation issues prior to reaching the ion exchange columns. Therefore, it is important to understand the behavior of SRF resin performance under the conditions expected with the new equipment and process changes. This research examined the impact of linear load velocity (4, 6, 8 cm/min), initial sodium concentration (2, 5, 8 M), initial sodium-to-cesium ratio (1.4E + 05, 2.1E + 05, 2.8E + 05 mol/mol), initial sodium-to-hydroxide ratio (2.0, 3.0, 4.0 mo...
Physical Assay and Growth Cycle Studies of a Defective Adeno-Satellite Virus

Electron microscopic particle counting of the defective adeno-satellite virus (ASV), by use of pseudoreplication and negative staining with phosphotungstic acid, was shown to be a reproducible quantitative assay procedure. Particles of satellite type 4 that were counted in fluids from infected cultures had the same morphology as particles that banded at a buoyant density of 1.43 g/cc in cesium chloride. Other satellite virus serotypes examined in the same manner had a buoyant density of 1.37 to 1.38 g/cc. A comparison of satellite titers obtained by complement fixation and by particle counting demonstrated that an increase in satellite particles resulted in a corresponding increase in CF titers; however, electron microscopy was at least 10 times more sensitive than complement fixation for detecting satellite virus. Growth cycle studies of satellite virus in cells co-infected with adenovirus, as assayed by particle counting, indicated that the kinetics of satellite virus production closely followed the kinetics of its helper adenovirus production, with an eclipse period of 12 to 16 hr. The eclipse period of the satellite remained the same when cultures were preinfected with satellite 24 hr prior to adenovirus inoculation. However, when cultures were infected with adenovirus 12 hr before satellite virus, the eclipse period of the satellite was shortened to between 4 and 6 hr. Thus, satellite virus replication seems dependent upon a relatively late event in the adenovirus replication cycle. When cells were co-infected with adenovirus and its defective satellite, the yield of adenovirus was markedly reduced from that obtained in cells singly infected with adenovirus.
Modified periinsular hemispherotomy: operative anatomy and technical nuances

Surgical options for pediatric patients with marked dysfunction of a single epileptogenic hemisphere have evolved over time. Complications resulting from highly resective operations such as anatomical hemispherectomy, including superficial siderosis and secondary hydrocephalus, have led to the development of less resective and more disconnective functional hemispherectomy. Functional hemispherectomy has recently given rise to hemispherotomy, the least resective operation primarily aimed at disconnecting the abnormal hemisphere. Hemispherotomy is effective in decreasing seizure frequency and most likely decreases the risk of postoperative complications when compared with its predecessors. Hemispherotomy is a technically challenging operation that requires a thorough understanding of 3D cerebral anatomy to ensure adequate hemispheric disconnection without placing important structures at risk. The details of germane operative anatomy are not currently available because of the difficulty in exposing this operative anatomy adequately in cadavers to prepare detailed instructive illustrations. Using 3D graphic models, the authors have prepared 2D overlay illustrations to discuss the relevant operative nuances for a modified form of this procedure. Through hemispherotomy, experienced surgeons can effectively treat patients with unilateral epileptogenic hemisphere dysfunction while limiting potential complications.
Detecting Social Ties and Copying Events from Afﬁliation Data

The goal of my work is to detect implicit social ties or closely-linked entities within a data set. In data consisting of people (or other entities) and their afﬁliations or discrete attributes, we identify unusually similar pairs of people, and we pose the question: Can their similarity be explained by chance, or it is due to a direct (“copying”) relationship between the people? The thesis will explore how to assess this question, and in particular how one’s judgments and conﬁdence depend not only on the two people in question but also on properties of the entire data set. I will provide a framework for solving this problem and experiment with it across multiple synthetic and real-world data sets. My approach requires a model of the copying relationship, a model of independent people, and a method for distinguishing between them. I will focus on two aspects of the problem: (1) choosing background models to ﬁt arbitrary, correlated afﬁliation data, and (2) understanding how the ability to detect copies is affected by factors like data sparsity and the numbers of people and afﬁliations, independent of the ﬁt of the models.
Recorrido por los clásicos de la paranoia y reflexiones nosológicas que de éste dimanan: Paranoia y esquizofrenia (I)

This review of the classics of paranoia pinpoints the authors who, by their research, have contributed towards clarifying the opacity of paranoid psychoses. Among these are German and French psychiatrists, including the illustrious Dr. Sarro, the genial S. Freud and his present-day reviver, Dr. J. Lacan. The study concerns the creators and forgers of what i nowadays a small group of psychoses but which, in its day, was the most serious form of madness.
A Pareto Front-Based Multiobjective Path Planning Algorithm.

Path planning is one of the most vital elements of mobile robotics. With a priori knowledge of the environment, global path planning provides a collision-free route through the workspace. The global path plan can be calculated with a variety of informed search algorithms, most notably the A* search method, guaranteed to deliver a complete and optimal solution that minimizes the path cost. Path planning optimization typically looks to minimize the distance traversed from start to goal, yet many mobile robot applications call for additional path planning objectives, presenting a multiobjective optimization (MOO) problem. Past studies have applied genetic algorithms to MOO path planning problems, but these may have the disadvantages of computational complexity and suboptimal solutions. Alternatively, the algorithm in this paper approaches MOO path planning with the use of Pareto fronts, or finding non-dominated solutions. The algorithm presented incorporates Pareto optimality into every step of A* search, thus it is named A*-PO. Results of simulations show A*-PO outperformed several variations of the standard A* algorithm for MOO path planning. A planetary exploration rover case study was added to demonstrate the viability of A*-PO in a real-world application.
Desenvolvendo a Lógica e Algoritmos no Ensino Médio

Este artigo apresenta uma experiencia obtida no curso de introducao a algoritmo oferecido aos alunos do ensino medio de uma escola publica atraves do projeto Desenvolvendo a Logica e Algoritmos na Escola. O curso focou em exercicios de logica e de algoritmos basicos. Os alunos foram avaliados atraves de testes antes e depois do curso, avaliaram o curso e realizaram uma autoavaliacao. O curso colaborou no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de alunos do curso de licenciatura em computacao. Todos os resultados foram satisfatorios, o que nos motiva a continuar o projeto
Contexts and metamessages in object-oriented database programming language design

VISION is an object-oriented database system currently used commercially to develop investment analysis and other large statistical applications. Characteristic of these applications, beside the standard issues of structural and computational richness, is the need to handle time, versions, and concurrency control in a manner that does not produce combinatoric complexity in object protocol. This paper describes the approach taken by VISION in addressing these issues.
Primary peritoneal carcinoma after prophylactic oophorectomy in women with a family history of ovarian cancer. A report of the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry.

Background. According to previous reports, primary peritoneal carcinoma indistinguishable from primary ovarian adenocarcinoma had developed in five women with a history of familial ovarian cancer who had undergone prophylactic oophorectomy. Methods. The records from the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry were reviewed for instances of prophylactic oophorectomy and cases of primary peritoneal carcinoma occurring after prophylactic oophorectomy. Results. From 1981 through July 1992, the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry accessioned 931 families (a total of 2221 cases of familial ovarian cancer). Currently, 324 women in these families have undergone prophylactic oophorectomy as a preventive measure against the subsequent development of ovarian cancer. Primary peritoneal carcinoma indistinguishable histologically from primary ovarian adenocarcinoma has developed in six of these women 1-27 years after prophylactic oophorectomy. Conclusions. Based on this finding and other reports of such primary peritoneal carcinoma, a prospective international study is planned. This study will compare the incidence of peritoneal carcinoma in first- or second-degree relatives who underwent prophylactic oophorectomy because of a family history of ovarian cancer with that of those who did not undergo prophylactic oophorectomy.
Restoring Access to Electronic Resources after an Unexpected IP Range Change

This article describes the authors' experience restoring access to electronic resources when a hospital's Internet protocol ranges were unexpectedly changed without warning to the hospital librarian. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is on an academic medical center campus and the hospital library is managed by the Medical College of Wisconsin. The plan for restoration and the problems experienced are described.
A novel self-assembled monolayer for enhanced growth of poly-N-phenylpyrrole

Abstract A novel electrode modification scheme is presented which facilitates the enhanced nucleation and growth of the electrically conducting polymer poly-N-phenylpyrrole. The terminal amino groups of gold working electrodes modified with 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) are converted to pyrroles in a simple, one-step reaction. This conversion was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry, with the oxidation potential of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) shifting from 0.75 V vs. Ag/AgCl for the 4-ATP modified electrode to ∼0.90 V for the pyrrole terminated monolayer. Thus modified, the electrodes were used for the subsequent electrochemical growth of poly-N-phenylpyrrole. Comparison of polymer films formed on the modified vs. unmodified electrode surface by cyclic voltammetry reveals a marked difference in the growth characteristics of the films, particularly in the nucleation step.
Viscosity of MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-B2O3-P2O5 cordierite-type glasses

Mesure entre 850 et 920°C de la viscosite de cinq compositions du systeme MgO−Al 2 O 3 −SiO 2 avec additions de B 2 O 3 et P 2 O 5
Identifying and Distinguishing Seedling and Root Rot Diseases of Sugar Beets

Sugar beets are susceptible to a number of seedling and root rot diseases that constrain profitable sugar beet production. Since numerous environmental and cultural factors may cause symptoms that ...
Timing of Saddle Dolomite in Tuscaloosa Formation, Mississippi: ABSTRACT

Saddle (baroque) dolomites are characterized by curved crystal faces and sweeping extinction patterns. They are associated with hydrocarbons, sulfates, and base-metal mineralization, and occur as void-filling cements or replacement minerals. Most described saddle dolomites are from carbonates and are interpreted as a diagenetic product that formed under high temperatures during deep burial. Saddle dolomites are present as nodular, poikilotopic cements in sandstones from a core of the Tuscaloosa Formation in southern Mississippi. The Tuscaloosa, a major oil producer in the area, consists of a series of fluvial/deltaic sands and shales. The sandstone is a fine to medium-grained lithic arenite whose grains are coated with isopachous layers of authigenic chlorite, which petrographic evidence indicates was precipitated at relatively shallow depths. The interrelationships of the chlorite rims and the saddle dolomite cements indicate that some of the dolomites were precipitated before the chlorite rims and that others formed shortly after the chlorite. This suggests that the saddle dolomites grew concurrently with the chlorite during a relatively early, shallow diagenetic event and not during deep burial. End_of_Article - Last_Page 517------------
The crystal structure of Li2MoF6

Abstract Crystals of Li 2 MoF 6 are tetragonal P4 2 2 1 2 with a o = 4.6863(7) and c o = 9.191(2)A, Z = 2 and the calculated density is 3.687 g/cc. The Li + and Mo 4+ ions are octahedrally coordinated. The Li-F distances range from 2.017(2) to 2.102(7)A and the Mo-F distances range from 1.927(2) to 1.945(2)A. The MoF 6 -- ion is coordinated by 10 Li + .
Leaf wax ofPortulaca oleracea

Wax coating the leaves and stems ofPortulaca oleracea consists of hydrocarbons (21%), esters (53%), acids (2%), alcohols (4%), diol monoesters (2%), and unidentified material (15%). Lesser amounts of esterified and free β-amyrin and lupeol, stigmast-4-en-3-one and free diols also are present. The principal component of the hydrocarbons is C33. The C40-C56 esters are C22-C28 alcohol esters of C20-C26 acids; free alcohols are C22-C30; free acids are C16-C36; diols of diol monoesters and free diols are C20-C26.
Ohmic contacts and transport properties in ZnSe-based heterostructures

In this paper both horizontal and vertical transport properties of ZnSe based heterostructures were studied. Temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements were performed on nitrogen-doped ZnSe, ZnTe, Zn(S,Se) and (Zn,Mg)(S,Se) epilayers; accepter concentration N a , compensation donor concentration N d and the activation energy E a were derived by curve-fitting to the freeze-out behavior of the hole concentrations. Vertical transport study, through the use of an analytical computer simulation, suggested that the electron transport across the n-ZnSe/n-GaAs heterointerfacc is often hindered by the presence of a high density of interface states; both the employment of heavy doping near the interface and the modification of GaAs surface stoichiometry before the nucleation of ZnSe were found effective in reducing the device impedance
Ethanolamine analogues stimulate DNA synthesis by a mechanism not involving phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis.

Dimethylethanolamine (0.5–1 mM), added to serumstarved NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, stimulated DNA synthesis 11–32-fold, and it also greatly enhanced the relatively modest (15–20-fold) mitogenic effect of insulin. Ethanolamine and momomethylethanolamine alone had no effects on DNA synthesis, but they also enhanced the stimulatory effect of insulin, although less effectively than dimethylethanolamine did. Lower concentrations (2.5–5 μg/ml) of compound D 609 (tricyclo-9-yl-xanthogenate), which had no effects on phospholipase activities, synergistically enhanced the combined effects of ethanolamine analogs and insulin on DNA synthesis without affecting the synthesis of ethanolamine phospholipids. These results suggest that ethanolamine and its analogues, formed by phospholipase D-mediated hydrolysis of ethanolamine phospholipids, may have growth regulatory functions independent of their role as phospholipid precursors.
Functionalizable polycyclic aromatics through oxidative cyclization of pendant thiophenes.

We present a general strategy for obtaining large sulfur-containing polycyclic aromatics from thienyl precursors through iron(III) chloride mediated oxidative cyclizations. By placing thienyl moieties in close proximity to adjacent arenes, we have directed the oxidized intermediates into controlled cyclization pathways, effectively suppressing polymer formation. Utilizing these cyclized compounds and their thienyl precursors, we have studied cyclization/polymerization pathways of polymers such as poly(2). The unsubstituted positions α to the sulfur atoms within these aromatic cores allowed for efficient halogenation and further functionalization. As a demonstration, we prepared a series of arylene−ethynylene polymers with varying degrees of chromophore aromatization and used them to probe the effects of synthetically imposed rigidity on polymer photophysical behavior. The symmetries and effective conjugation pathways within the monomers play a key role in determining photophysical properties. We observed ...
A Novel Assay for Viral MicroRNA Function Identifies a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism That Affects Drosha Processing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of ∼22-nucleotide noncoding RNAs that inhibit the expression of specific target genes at the posttranscriptional level. Recently, 11 miRNAs encoded by the pathogenic human herpesvirus Kaposi9s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) were cloned from latently infected cells. While the expression of these miRNAs has been confirmed by Northern analysis, their ability to inhibit target gene expression has not been demonstrated. We have devised a novel assay for miRNA function that uses lentiviral indicator vectors carrying two perfectly complementary target sites for each given miRNA in the 3′ untranslated region of the Renilla luciferase gene. This assay allowed us to demonstrate the activity of each viral miRNA upon cotransduction of cells with the Renilla luciferase indicator vector together with a firefly luciferase control vector. In KSHV-infected BC-1 and BCBL-1 cells, but not uninfected control cells, Renilla luciferase expression was selectively reduced up to 10-fold. Interestingly, one of the viral miRNAs (miR-K5) exhibited much higher activity in BC-1 cells than in BCBL-1 cells. Sequence analysis of both viral genomes revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism in the miR-K5 precursor stem-loop, which inhibits the expression of mature miR-K5 in BCBL-1 cells. We show that the primary miR-K5 sequence present in BCBL-1 results in diminished processing by Drosha both in vivo and in vitro. This is the first report of a naturally occurring sequence polymorphism in an miRNA precursor that results in reduced processing and therefore lower levels of mature miRNA expression and function.
Influence of hypoxia on tidal volume response to CO2 in decerebrate cats.

Abstract Steady-state tidal volume (V t ) vs log P a CO2 response lines down to the apneic point were generated in unanesthetized mid-brain decerebrate cats at various controlled levels of end-tidal oxygen tension between ca 110 and 35 mm Hg. Group mean linear regression analysis was used to determine the influence of graded hypoxemia on CO2 responsiveness before and after interruption of the vagus nerves. Successive decrements of P a O2 in cats with intact vagus nerves produced an expanding reduction in the CO2 apneic point and a parallel shift of the V t -log P a CO2 line except for a statistically significant reduction in slope at the lowest level of oxygen tension examined. Vagotomy shifted the V t -log P a CO2 line to a reduced CO2 threshold, but hypoxia was effective in producing a superimposed shift. Aortic depressor nerve section alone partially attenuated the response to hypoxia. Cervical sympathetic nerve section caused little additional effect. By contrast, carotid sinus neurotomy invariably abolished the enhancing effect of hypoxia on CO2 responsiveness; depression of the respiration usually occurred instead. It is concluded that the ventilatory response to hypoxia results from a reduction in the setpoint of the CO2 tidal volume controller mediated obligatorily through the carotid sinus nerves.
Novel Interaction between Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen and HLA I on the Surface of Tumor Cells Inhibits NK Cell Function through NKp44

NK cell function is closely regulated by numerous inhibitory and activating receptors binding corresponding ligands on the surface of target cells, providing vital first line defenses against infections and cancer. NKp44, originally discovered as an activating NK cell receptor, was recently found to elicit inhibitory effects on NK cell effector function through recognition of cell surface PCNA. Other reports have pointed to potential associations between NKp44 and HLA I molecules, as well as HLA I and Damage Associated Molecular Pattern molecules (DAMPs) on the surface of tumor cells. In this report, we have identified novel interaction between HLA I and PCNA on the surface of human tumor cells by confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation. In addition to previous reports, we show PCNA on the cell surface where novel association with HLA I does not require the presence of NKp44 expressing NK cells and occurs with endogenous PCNA. The association of HLA I and PCNA forms the inhibitory ligand for NKp44, resulting in inhibition of NK cell cytotoxicity. We further postulate NCR ligands are composed of DAMP molecules localized to the cell surface, colocalizing with HLA I, and potentially heparin sulfate proteoglycans.
Dual Citizenship and Political Participation: Migrants in the Interplay of United States and Colombian Politics

As part of a more general phenomenon of globalization and migration, an increasing number of Latin American countries have recently ruled in favor of allowing their nationals to naturalize abroad without losing their citizen status. This enactment of dual citizenship, particularly during the 1990s, has taken place at a time when the US, in its efforts to reduce immigration, has restricted rights and privileges to citizens, indirectly pressuring migrants to naturalize. The combined effect of these two policies has been an increase in the number of dual citizens.
A multiagent based algorithm for ring-structured shipboard power system reconfiguration

The shipboard power system (SPS) supplies energy to electric equipment on ships. It is critical for the system to be reconfigurable for the purpose of survivability and reliability. In earlier work, a decentralized approach using agents for a radial SPS reconfiguration is successfully developed. Each agent in this system communicates only with its immediate neighbors, which reduces the dependency on the system topology. However, a ring structure in the system leads to the problem of redundant information accumulation among the agents, making the information flow in the system unstable. In this correspondence, the authors propose a method, based on the use of the spanning tree algorithm in the IEEE 802.1d protocol, for an agent system to detect and break the ring structure in the system. Then, an algorithm for calculating the information flow without redundant information accumulation is put forward. Finally, the proposed methodology is illustrated through a test case on a simplified SPS.
Phylogenetic Characterization of Fecal Microbial Communities of Dogs Fed Diets with or without Supplemental Dietary Fiber Using 454 Pyrosequencing

Background Dogs suffer from many of the same maladies as humans that may be affected by the gut microbiome, but knowledge of the canine microbiome is incomplete. This work aimed to use 16S rDNA tag pyrosequencing to phylogenetically characterize hindgut microbiome in dogs and determine how consumption of dietary fiber affects community structure. Principal Findings Six healthy adult dogs were used in a crossover design. A control diet without supplemental fiber and a beet pulp-supplemented (7.5%) diet were fed. Fecal DNA was extracted and the V3 hypervariable region of the microbial 16S rDNA gene amplified using primers suitable for 454-pyrosequencing. Microbial diversity was assessed on random 2000-sequence subsamples of individual and pooled DNA samples by diet. Our dataset comprised 77,771 reads with an average length of 141 nt. Individual samples contained approximately 129 OTU, with Fusobacteria (23 – 40% of reads), Firmicutes (14 – 28% of reads) and Bacteroidetes (31 – 34% of reads) being co-dominant phyla. Feeding dietary fiber generally decreased Fusobacteria and increased Firmicutes, but these changes were not equally apparent in all dogs. UniFrac analysis revealed that structure of the gut microbiome was affected by diet and Firmicutes appeared to play a strong role in by-diet clustering. Conclusions Our data suggest three co-dominant bacterial phyla in the canine hindgut. Furthermore, a relatively small amount of dietary fiber changed the structure of the gut microbiome detectably. Our data are among the first to characterize the healthy canine gut microbiome using pyrosequencing and provide a basis for studies focused on devising dietary interventions for microbiome-associated diseases.
Comparative Dynamics via Envelope Methods in Variational Calculus

autonomous variational calculus problem with a fixed vector of initial stocks, fixed initial and terminal time values, a free vector of terminal stocks, and a time-independent vector of parameters. It is shown that if the solution of the variational problem is smooth enough, the qualitative effects of parameter perturbations on the entire optimal arcs can be represented by a generalized Slutsky-type matrix, which holds in integral form and is symmetric negative semidefinite. Sufficient conditions for the optimal value function to be convex in the parameters are also given.
Out of Context: Thinking Cultural Studies Diasporically

This essay on cultural studies and the African Diaspora argues for a rethinking of cultural studies in two critical ways: firstly, that cultural studies, from its founding institutional and conceptual moment, cannot but be thought diasporically; and, secondly, that cultural studies be thought ‘out of’, or, against, context—that is, cultural studies is most revealing in its political and literary articulation when it is not read, as many of its advocates claim, contextually. This essay offers a broad critique of cultural studies and the (African) diaspora but derives its most cogent and creative argument from its ability to read together the work of two diasporic authors, deracinated South African and Australian writers, J. M. Coetzee and David Malouf.
Managing Knowledge in Organizational Memory Using Topics Maps

Organizational memories play a significant role in knowledge management, but several challenges confront their use. Artifacts of OM are many and varied. Access and use of the stored artifact are influenced by the userâ€™s understanding of these information objects as well as their context. Theories of distributed cognition and the notion of community of practice are used to develop a model of the knowledge management system. In the present work we look at a model for managing organizational memory knowledge. Topic maps are used in the model to represent user cognition of contextualized information. A visual approach to topic maps proposed in the model also allows for access and analysis of stored memory artifacts. The design and implementation of a prototype to test the feasibility of the model is briefly examined.
Mitochondria in relation to cancer metastasis: introduction to a mini-review series.

This introductory article and those that follow focus on the roles that mitochondria may have in cancer metastasis (spreading) that all too frequently leads to death of cancer patients. The history of cancer dates back in time to several thousand years BC and continues to this day. Although billions of dollars have been invested, numerous cancer researchers/scientists and oncologist located at universities, hospitals, cancer centers, commercial entities (companies), and government agencies have been unable to discover “magic bullets” to quickly silence most cancers. That is, agents that are effective not only in eradicating the primary tumor at its site of origin, but eradicating also distant tumors that have arisen therefrom via metastatic cells. Fortunately, in recent years some researchers have obtained evidence that the mitochondria of cancer cells are involved not only in providing in part the necessary energy (ATP) to fuel their growth, but hold the secrets to their immortality, and propensity to metastasize (spread) from their original site of origin to other body locations. This introductory article, as well as those that follow, focus on the possible roles of mitochondria in cancer metastasis as well as strategies to arrest cancer metastasis based on this knowledge. Ideally, for a patient to become “cancer free” the anticancer agent/agents used must 1) eradicate the primary tumor at its site of origin, 2) eradicate any tumors at other body locations that have arisen via metastasis, and 3) eradicate any tumor cells that remain in the blood, i.e., circulating tumor cells. One such agent that holds promise for doing all three is the small molecule 3-bromopyruvate (3BP) discovered in the author’s laboratory by Dr. Young H. Ko near the turn of the century to be a potent anti-cancer agent [Ko et al.(2001) Can Lett 173:83–91].
Inherent and model-form uncertainty analysis for CFD simulation of synthetic jet actuators

using a fourth order polynomial chaos expansion (PCE). A global sensitivity analysis with Sobol indices was utilized to rank the importance of each uncertainty source to the overall output uncertainty. The results indicated that for the long-time averaged separation bubble size, the uncertainty in turbulence model had a dominant contribution, which was also observed in the long-time averaged skin friction coecients at three selected locations. The mixed uncertainty results for phase averaged x-velocity distributions at three selected locations showed that the 95% condence interval (CI) could generally envelope the experimental data. The Sobol indices showed that near the wall, the uncertainty in turbulence model had a main inuence on the x-velocity, while approaching the main stream, the uncertainty in free stream velocity became a larger contributor. The mixed uncertainty quantication approach demonstrated in this study can also be applied to other computational uid dynamics problems with inherent and model-form input uncertainities.
L‘évaluation de la probabilité des pertes éventuelles: une étude empirique*

Resume. Dans le present article, les auteurs font etat des resultats d'une recherche dans le cadre de laquelle des verificateurs experimentes ont interprete les criteres du Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 5 (Norme n° 5): Accounting for Contingencies (Comptabilisation des eventualites). Cette recherche est axee sur deux questions: 1) la nature et le degre du consensus qui se degage des interpretations des verificateurs et 2) la mesure dans laquelle ces interpretations dependent de la nature de la perte eventuelle. Quarante-cinq verificateurs experimentes (chefs de groupe, directeurs et associes) issus de cabinets d'experts-comptables figurant parmi les «huit grands» se sont pretes a un exercice visant a recueillir leur interpretation des criteres de probabilite de la Norme n° 5. Nous avons centre notre analyse sur le seuil auquel s'etablit la distinction entre une perte «improbable» et une perte «plausible», et entre une perte «plausible» et une perte «probable». Les resultats de nos recherches ont indique: 1) un seuil moyen respectif de 0, 16 et 0,68; 2) un consensus plus manifeste chez les verificateurs dans le cas du premier seuil que dans le cas du second; 3) un premier seuil beaucoup plus bas que ne l'avaient laisse supposer les precedents travaux de recherche; et 4) dans l'ensemble, l'absence de lien entre les seuils et la nature de la perte eventuelle.
Use of the Computer in Music Research: A Short Report on Accomplishments, Limitations, and Future Needs.

research and the computer to appear in this journal. The first, by the present author, "The Current State of Music Research and the Computer," appeared in CHum 5 (September 1970), and the second article, "Recent Developments in Computer-Assisted Musical Scholarship," was written by Stefan M. Kostka in CHum 6 (September 1971). Both of these summaries described various efforts in music analysis, thematic indexing, music representations (for computer input), and special automated music printing techniques. Also discussed was the fundamental difficulty of formulating an analytical problem in a manner sufficiently precise to permit a computational solution. The most comprehensive bibliography of computer applications in music presently available,' recently published by Kostka, lists 641 entries including articles and books in the fields of music composition, research, and instruction. The present report offers a representative selection of recent efforts in various aspects of research applications.
Potentiation of Rho-A-mediated Lysophosphatidic Acid Activity by Hyperinsulinemia

We have shown previously that insulin promotes phosphorylation and activation of farnesyltransferase and geranylgeranyltransferase (GGTase) II. We have now examined the effect of insulin on geranylgeranyltransferase I in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Insulin increased GGTase I activity 3-fold and augmented the amounts of geranylgeranylated Rho-A by 18%. Both effects of the insulin were blocked by an inhibitor of GGTase I, GGTI-286. The insulin-induced increases in the amounts of geranylgeranylated Rho-A resulted in potentiation of the Rho-A-mediated effects of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) on a serum response element-luciferase construct. Preincubation of cells with insulin augmented the LPA-stimulated serum response element-luciferase activation to 12-fold, compared with just 6-fold for LPA alone (p
Influence of the pituitary on ovarian progesterone output in the ewe: effects of hypophysectomy and gonadotropic hormones.

A series of experiments was undertaken to determine the acute effects of hypophysectomy and the administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), ovine luteinizing hormone (LH) and ovine prolactin on progesterone secretion rate in mature reproductively active ewes. Hypophysectomy at midcycle resulted in a highly significant 12-fold decrease below that of either sham-operated or intact animals in the secretion rate of progesterone within 5 hr. This decrease was composed of a 3-fold drop in ovarian venous progesterone concentration and a 4-folddecrease in the rate of ovarian blood flow. Treatment of hypophysectomized animals with 3000 IU HCG, 50 mg LH or 50 mg prolactin resulted in significant increases in ovarian venous progesterone concentration and progesterone secretion rate within 10 to 20 min. It was concluded that the functional activity of the sheep corpus luteum (CL) is regulated by the anterior pituitary, and that both LH and prolactin are capable of stimulating progesterone output. (Endocrino...
The Use of Anti-IgE Therapy Beyond Allergic Asthma

Omalizumab is a monoclonal anti-IgE antibody that has been used to treat allergic asthma for over a decade. The use of omalizumab to treat other diseases has largely been limited to case reports until the recently reported large multicenter studies that have established omalizumab as an effective treatment option for chronic spontaneous urticaria. The utility of omalizumab to treat nonallergic asthma and allergic rhinitis and the added safety and therapeutic benefits in combination with allergen immunotherapy have been demonstrated in placebo-controlled trials. Data supporting the clinical efficacy of omalizumab in treating atopic dermatitis, physical urticarias, mast cell disorders, food allergy, and various other allergic disorders have shown promise in small clinical trials and case studies. More carefully designed, large clinical trials of high quality are needed to fully appreciate the potential of omalizumab in treating various allergic and nonallergic diseases.
Biomarkers in the detection of human heritable and germinal mutagenesis

An important potential use of biomarkers in human toxicology is the detection of induced mutational events in offspring and germ cells of exposed individuals. The importance, of course, is in risk estimation and the identification and prevention of exposure conditions that are harmful to the human genome. The challenge is to discover methods of sufficient power to find the rare, random, mutational events and to discriminate such events from other sources of molecular variation. Finding mutations is essentially a search for disorder. Normal biomarkers are inherently unsuitable in a positive search for disorder; instead one must either use abnormal markers or be prepared to search negatively, i.e., to look for and somehow validate the rare absence of a normal marker. In spite of these difficulties, there is progress to report and hope of future success in this field.