cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyamine co-matrices for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of oligonucleotides.

The analysis of oligonucleotides using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has led to the investigation of the use of matrix additives (i.e., co-matrices) to help improve the poor spectral quality commonly observed during the analysis of this class of compounds. The use of certain matrix additives in MALDI-MS has been investigated previously, and these additives have been shown to enhance the desorption/ionization efficiency of oligonucleotides during the MALDI experiment. Specifically, amine bases, such as piperidine, imidazole, and triethylamine, have been shown to improve mass spectral quality as assessed by improved molecular ion resolution and increased molecular ion abundance. These improvements occur due to competition between the oligonucleotide and the co-matrix for protons generated during the MALDI event. Co-matrices with proton affinities near or above the proton affinities of the nucleotide residues serve as proton sinks during the desorption/ionization process. In this work, we have investigated the use of polyamines as co-matrices for MALDI mass spectrometric analysis of oligonucleotides. Spermine tetrahydrochloride, spermine, spermidine trihydrochloride, and spermidine were evaluated for their effectiveness at enhancing the mass spectral quality of oligonucleotides analyzed using MALDI-MS. The solution-phase pK( b) values and the gas-phase proton affinities of these polyamines were determined, and it was found that the polyamines appear to be more basic than the monofunctional amines investigated previously. The mass spectral data shows that spermidine and spermine are extremely effective co-matrices, yielding improved molecular ion resolution and molecular ion abundances. The spermine co-matrices are more effective than the spermidine co-matrices, but adduction problems with the spermine co-matrices limits their overall utility. In general, polyamine co-matrices are found to be more effective than monofunctional amine co-matrices at improving the mass spectral data obtained during MALDI-MS of oligonucleotides.
Insula–amygdala functional connectivity is correlated with habituation to repeated negative images

Behavioral habituation during repeated exposure to aversive stimuli is an adaptive process. However, the way in which changes in self-reported emotional experience are related to the neural mechanisms supporting habituation remains unclear. We probed these mechanisms by repeatedly presenting negative images to healthy adult participants and recording behavioral and neural responses using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We were particularly interested in investigating patterns of activity in insula, given its significant role in affective integration, and in amygdala, given its association with appraisal of aversive stimuli and its frequent coactivation with insula. We found significant habituation behaviorally along with decreases in amygdala, occipital cortex and ventral prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity with repeated presentation, whereas bilateral posterior insula, dorsolateral PFC and precuneus showed increased activation. Posterior insula activation during image presentation was correlated with greater negative affect ratings for novel presentations of negative images. Further, repeated negative image presentation was associated with increased functional connectivity between left posterior insula and amygdala, and increasing insula-amygdala functional connectivity was correlated with increasing behavioral habituation. These results suggest that habituation is subserved in part by insula-amygdala connectivity and involves a change in the activity of bottom-up affective networks.
DtaRefinery, a Software Tool for Elimination of Systematic Errors from Parent Ion Mass Measurements in Tandem Mass Spectra Data Sets

Hybrid two-stage mass spectrometers capable of both highly accurate mass measurement and high throughput MS/MS fragmentation have become widely available in recent years, allowing for significantly better discrimination between true and false MS/MS peptide identifications by the application of a relatively narrow window for maximum allowable deviations of measured parent ion masses. To fully gain the advantage of highly accurate parent ion mass measurements, it is important to limit systematic mass measurement errors. Based on our previous studies of systematic biases in mass measurement errors, here, we have designed an algorithm and software tool that eliminates the systematic errors from the peptide ion masses in MS/MS data. We demonstrate that the elimination of the systematic mass measurement errors allows for the use of tighter criteria on the deviation of measured mass from theoretical monoisotopic peptide mass, resulting in a reduction of both false discovery and false negative rates of peptide identification. A software implementation of this algorithm called DtaRefinery reads a set of fragmentation spectra, searches for MS/MS peptide identifications using a FASTA file containing expected protein sequences, fits a regression model that can estimate systematic errors, and then corrects the parent ion mass entries by removing the estimated systematic error components. The output is a new file with fragmentation spectra with updated parent ion masses. The software is freely available.
ALS resistance in several smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus) biotypes

Abstract Experiments were conducted to identify acetolactate synthase (ALS, EC 2.2.1.6 [formerly EC 4.1.3.18]) mutation sites in eight biotypes of smooth pigweed and correlate these mutations with patterns of herbicide cross-resistance. Four herbicide-resistant smooth pigweed biotypes (R5, R6, R7, R8) collected from fields in Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland, showed a similar response to postemergence applications of the ALS-inhibitors imazethapyr, pyrithiobac, chlorimuron, thifensulfuron, and cloransulam. These R biotypes ranged from 261- to 537-fold resistant to imazethapyr and 29- to 88-fold resistant to pyrithiobac. The biotypes also had reduced sensitivity to chlorimuron and thifensulfuron of 2- to 14-fold and 10- to 25-fold, respectively, relative to a susceptible smooth pigweed biotype (S). Biotypes R6, R7, and R8 had reduced sensitivity of 3- to 10-fold to cloransulam relative to the S biotype, whereas R5 had increased sensitivity. All of these biotypes were found to have a serine to asparagine su...
La ética como carácter y la investigación médica

With this paper I intend to draw attention again to the historic connection between the original meaning of the Greek word ethos and the discipline of ethics...
Cultural Influences on the Perception of Emotion

Previous cross-cultural research on the emotions have operationalized culture by country. This article suggests that the use of stable and meaningful dimensions of cultural variability, such as those offered by Hofstede (1980), may be useful in studies on emotion. To illustrate their potential usefulness, cultural differences in previous judgment studies of universal facial expressions were reanalyzed, using Hofstede's (1980, 1983) dimensions. The results indicated that meaningful dimensions of cultural variability can be a potentially useful theoretical and empirical construct in future cross-cultural research on the emotions.
Deconstructing host-pathogen interactions in Drosophila

Many of the cellular mechanisms underlying host responses to pathogens have been well conserved during evolution. As a result, Drosophila can be used to deconstruct many of the key events in host-pathogen interactions by using a wealth of well-developed molecular and genetic tools. In this review, we aim to emphasize the great leverage provided by the suite of genomic and classical genetic approaches available in flies for decoding details of host-pathogen interactions; these findings can then be applied to studies in higher organisms. We first briefly summarize the general strategies by which Drosophila resists and responds to pathogens. We then focus on how recently developed genome-wide RNA interference (RNAi) screens conducted in cells and flies, combined with classical genetic methods, have provided molecular insight into host-pathogen interactions, covering examples of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Finally, we discuss novel strategies for how flies can be used as a tool to examine how specific isolated virulence factors act on an intact host.
Satellite Finds Highest Land Skin Temperatures on Earth

AMERICAN METEOROlOGICAl SOCIETy | 855 AFFILIATIONS: Mildrexler, Zhao, and running—Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group, Dept. of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: David Mildrexler, Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group, Dept. of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 E-mail: drexler@ntsg.umt.edu
Fuzzy logic control contribution to the direct torque and flux control of an induction machine

This paper presents a control strategy of an induction machine supplied by voltage-source inverter (VSI). The induction machine with the control strategy should provide, at the constraining requests, a response with high performances in electromagnetic torque and speed. This work aims to demonstrate the contribution of Fuzzy logic in the direct torque and flux control (DTFC). In fact, the conventional hysteresis comparators and IP speed controller have been replaced with two Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLC), giving rise to a Fuzzy direct torque and flux control (FDTFC). Using MATLAB/SIMULINK software environment, simulations have been made to illustrate the performances of the presented control strategy.
Measuring Outcomes From Recsports Experiences (MORE) Instrument Validation: A Valuable Tool to Assess College Student Learning

A parallel model (n = 634) was used to validate the Measuring Outcomes from Recsports Experiences (MORE) proxy pretest-posttest form. Results compared the instrument to the MORE true pretest-posttest form on performing characteristics and statistical properties. The MORE proxy pretest-posttest form demonstrated strong reliability, Cronbach’s α = .94, with subscale reliability coefficients ranging from .66 to .86. The parallel model indicated only minor effects of form and statistical properties (rs = .56, p < .01). The MORE proxy pretest-posttest form is a valid, reliable tool to evaluate the learning outcomes from college recreational sports.
The composite DDS A new direct digital synthesizer architecture

A novel low-power, high-speed, direct digital synthesizer (DDS) architecture is presented, called the composite DDS (CDDS). A low-speed, high-resolution DDS is combined with a high-speed, low-resolution DDS is combined with a high-speed, low-resolution phase accumulator and phase shifter via the serrodyne modulation technique. The low-speed circuitry provides a fine tuning while the high-speed circuitry provides coarse tuning. By minimizing the amount of circuitry required to clock at high speeds, DC power is conserved. Results from numeric simulations and a low-frequency proof-of-consents breadboard are presented. Progress on an 800-MHz CDDS development effort is described, and proposed enhancements to the CDDS architecture which promise improved performance are discussed. >
Assessing the origin of species in the genomic era

Advances in genomics have rapidly accelerated research into the genetics of species differences, reproductive isolating barriers, and hybrid incompatibility. Recent genomic analyses in Drosophila species suggest that modified olfactory cues are involved in discrimination that is reinforced by natural selection.
Broadband antihole photon sieve telescope

A broadband-corrected optical telescope has been constructed from a photon sieve with five million holes. Through careful optimization of hole size, this "antihole" sieve has holes centered on the dark underlying Fresnel zones. The diffraction-limited performance of a 1 m focal-length, f/10 element is demonstrated with a view toward constructing large lightweight telescopes for space applications.
ST. LOUIS POLICE RECRUITS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Police consultants throughout the twentieth century have advocated improvement in recruitment as a key component of their campaign for police “professionalization.” Not until after World War II, however, did most major urban police forces substantially alter entrance standards. Unfortunately, scholars have not undertaken the research necessary to document the diachronic dimension of police recruitment, particularly in light of these changes in requirements. Quantitative analysis of the social backgrounds of officers in the St. Louis Police Department, which is widely considered to be one of the nation's most professional forces, provides the first accurate answer to the question of who policed the city. This examination reveals marked shifts in the education, ethnic identification (including race), military experience, age, and length of residence of recruits, but that modifications of entrance standards were clearly responsible only for changes regarding the latter two factors. More important is the finding that such developments did not disturb the great continuity in the social background of St. Louis police recruits. Thus officers in 1970, like their predecessors at the turn of the century, were predominantly married men from blue collar backgrounds, with checkered occupational histories and a high proportion of prior unemployment and incidence of previous arrests.
Toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with TS-1 in a patient with gastric cancer

A 64-year-old female who has undergone D2 total gastrectomy was started on adjuvant treatment with TS-1. Four weeks after initiation of TS-1, the patient developed a rare complication of life-threatening toxic epidermal necrolysis. TS-1 was discontinued and the patient received treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and supportive care with resolution of toxic epidermal necrolysis. TS-1 has been used for the treatment of gastric cancer, both in the adjuvant and metastatic setting, and is increasingly being used in other malignancies such as colon, pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer. TS-1 is generally well tolerated. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with the usage of TS-1.
Transmission parameter estimation for an autoconfigurable receiver

A satellite-to-ground communication link may sometimes be interrupted by an unexpected event, causing the satellite transponder to reset to an unknown state and begin transmitting in a different mode, resulting in a loss of data. We describe procedures to aid in reconfiguring the ground-station receiver by determining the new transmission parameters automatically from the received signal itself. We discuss the procedures based on the signal statistics as well as on the information about the data-frame structure. Simulations show that the latter approach can work for reasonably sized problems.
Tracking linear-threshold concepts with Winnow

In this paper, we give a mistake-bound for learning arbitrary linear-threshold concepts that are allowed to change over time in the on-line model of learning. We use a variation of the Winnow algorithm and show that the bounds for learning shifting linear-threshold functions have many of the same advantages that the traditional Winnow algorithm has on fixed concepts. These benefits include a weak dependence on the number of irrelevant attributes, inexpensive runtime, and robust behavior against noise. In fact, we show that the bound for tracking Winnow has even better performance with respect to irrelevant attributes. Let X∈[0,1]n be an instance of the learning problem. In the previous bounds, the number of mistakes depends on lnn. In this paper, the shifting concept bound depends on max ln(||X||1). We show that this behavior is a result of certain parameter choices in the tracking version of Winnow, and we show how to use related parameters to get a similar mistake bound for the traditional fixed concept version of Winnow.
Transformation of fluctuations along accelerating crossed-field beams

Equations are derived to express the ac potential difference and the transformation of fluctuations of velocity and current between two arbitrary planes along an accelerating crossed-field electron stream. The system of equations, after being simplified by the assumption of zero total ac current, is applied to the special cases of the temperature-limited diode, the space-charge-limited diode, and a diode in which the beam enters with appreciable average velocity. Finally, the open-circuit equations are applied to an approximate model of a beam in a crossed-field electron gun. A new mechanism of growth, peculiar to the crossed-field beam, is discussed as a possible explanation of the observed large sole current in beam-type magnetron amplifiers and related devices.
In vitro evaluation of a double-stranded self-complementary adeno-associated virus type2 vector in bone marrow stromal cells for bone healing

Background Both adenoviral and lentiviral vectors have been successfully used to induce bone repair by over-expression of human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) in primary rat bone marrow stromal cells in pre-clinical models of ex vivo regional gene therapy. Despite being a very efficient means of gene delivery, there are potential safety concerns that may limit the adaptation of these viral vectors for clinical use in humans. Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector is a promising viral vector without known pathogenicity in humans and has the potential to be an effective gene delivery vehicle to enhance bone repair. In this study, we investigated gene transfer in rat and human bone marrow stromal cells in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the self-complementary AAV vector (scAAV) system, which has higher efficiency than the single-stranded AAV vector (ssAAV) due to its unique viral genome that bypasses the rate-limiting conversion step necessary in ssAAV.
Coupled Simulations of Mechanical Deformation and Microstructural Evolution Using Polycrystal Plasticity and Monte Carlo Potts Models

The microstructural evolution of heavily deformed polycrystalline Cu is simulated by coupling a constitutive model for polycrystal plasticity with the Monte Carlo Potts model for grain growth. The effects of deformation on boundary topology and grain growth kinetics are presented. Heavy deformation leads to dramatic strain-induced boundary migration and subsequent grain fragmentation. Grain growth is accelerated in heavily deformed microstructures. The implications of these results for the thermomechanical fatigue failure of eutectic solder joints are discussed.
Cybersecurity Policy for the Electricity Sector: The First Step to Protecting Our Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats

Electricity forever changed the dark nights. Without the human ingenuity that harnessed energy in the form of electricity, our world would be very different. Computers and information technology would have never become part of our social fabric. Today, no country is more reliant on information technology and electricity than the United States. Due to these inter-dependencies, cybersecurity threats can compromise the critical infrastructure foundation of the United States Yet, the electricity sector is the only critical infrastructure sector with mandatory cybersecurity standards. This Article focuses on cybersecurity in the context of the electricity sector even though many of the challenges exist in other industries. Due to the novel aspects of cyber threats, this Article sets the stage by detailing specific characteristics such as the problems of prediction and identification. Cybersecurity has many governance challenges as well. Unclear assignment of responsibility, protecting civil liberties, responses that escalate the situation, and poor access to information on cyber events are all contributing factors. In response to these challenges, this Article proposes five components to a comprehensive cybersecurity policy: (1) recognition of responsibility by the government and the industry; (2) information sharing of cyber threats and vulnerabilities; (3) procurement rules for vendors; (4) federal agency emergency powers; and (5) international cooperation. According to the five components, this Article examines the existing mandatory reliability standards created by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) and the proposed cybersecurity laws for the electric grid. Unsurprisingly, neither the existing mandatory cybersecurity standards, nor the proposed laws, create a comprehensive policy. This Article concludes that both regulations and laws should address the shifting leadership roles of the private industry and government, which depend on the timing of the threat and the particular situation. Additionally, changes in both regulations and laws are necessary to create a national level data aggregator, analysis, and notification center for the electricity sector. Regulatory and legal changes are not necessary for procurement rules because it can be a voluntary program. If procurement rules are mandatory, then NERC standards can be revised to create baseline vendor requirements. Laws are better suited for declaring federal emergency powers and international cooperation. Because the current regulations and laws have not kept up with information technology advancements and cybersecurity, the policy proposed in this Article will bring the United States closer to addressing the unique challenges of cyber threats and protecting our critical infrastructure.
Dispersionless forces and the Aharonov-Bohm effect

The independence of the Aharonov-Bohm phase shift on particle velocity is one of its defining properties. The classical counterpart to this dispersionless behavior is the absence of forces along the direction of motion of the particle. A reevaluation of the experimental demonstration that forces are absent in the AB physical system is given, including previously unpublished data. It is shown that the debate on the presence or absence of forces is not settled. Experiments that measure the influence of magnetic permeability on forces and search for dispersionless quantum forces are proposed.
Treatment of the One-Digit Hand

A prosthesis which functions as a thumb or other digit in a hand which has only one functioning digit was used on thirteen patients—twelve with traumatic amputation or amputation of most of the hand for tumor and one with congential ectrodactylia. Adjuvant surgery was often needed for maximum function, but the result was always more satisfactory than that after multiple attempts at reconstruction with a new digit. The prosthesis is made of plastic and is leather lined on the prehensile surface. It is strapped to the forearm for use.
Improved Water Barrier Properties of Calcium Alginate Capsules Modified by Silicone Oil

Calcium alginate films generally offer poor diffusion resistance to water. In this study, we present a technique for encapsulating aqueous drops in a modified calcium alginate membrane made from an emulsion of silicone oil and aqueous alginate solution and explore its effect on the loss of water from the capsule cores. The capsule membrane storage modulus increases as the initial concentration of oil in the emulsion is increased. The water barrier properties of the fabricated capsules were determined by observing the mass loss of capsules in a controlled environment. It was found that capsules made with emulsions containing 50 wt% silicone oil were robust while taking at least twice the time to dry completely as compared to capsules made from only an aqueous alginate solution. The size of the oil droplets in the emulsion also has an effect on the water barrier properties of the fabricated capsules. This study demonstrates a facile method of producing aqueous core alginate capsules with a modified membrane that improves the diffusion resistance to water and can have a wide range of applications.
Thermochemistry of Microporous and Mesoporous Materials

The paper reviews thermochemistry contribution to the stability of frameworks and synthetic progress in microporous and mesoporous materials.Knowledge of enthalpies,entropies and free energies of formation on the framework structure in micorporous and mesoporous materials is systematically summarized via several calorimetric measurements.It is found that a series of pure-silica,mesoporous silicas and AlPO_4 polymorphs are energetically,at most,15 kJ·mol~(-1) higher than quartz and berlinite,and the entropies of a series of pure silica zeolites span a very narrow range at 3.2—4.2 J·K~(-1)·mol~(-1) above quartz.Therefore,the Gibbs free energy of transformation calculated for several SiO_2 phases have nearly the same ΔG~(298)_(tran) as the values range from 0 to 12.6 J·K~(-1)·mol~(-1) with respect to quartz.Thus,there is very little energetic limitation to the possibility of synthesizing various micro-and mesoporous framework structures.In addition,a new calorimetric method,in situ calorimetry,is introduced to reveal the kinetics and nucleation/crystallization in the process of the zeolite synthesis.
Moral Hazard and Incentive Mechanism of Virtual Enterprise with Fairness Preference

To ensure virtual enterprise( VE) reaches the desired goals,the owner should design effective mechanisms to avoid moral hazard. In view of the VE exists principal agent relationship between the owner and the partner,we incorporate the partner' s fairness preferences psychology and design an effective incentive mechanism considering the partner' s fairness concern to prevent the moral hazard problem,and compared to the traditional principal agent model. Analysis results show that the fairness preference has changed some of the conclusions of the traditional principal agent model that influences the effort level and the revenue sharing. The owner should try to choose the partners with lower intensity fairness preferences psychology to avoid moral hazard in order to increase its own profit.
What Do We Know About Base-of-the-Pyramid Marketing? A Review of the Bop Literature

The recent development in globalization has seen multinational corporations (MNCs) recognizing and exploring the enormous opportunities in new and emerging markets when developed world markets are becoming increasingly saturated. Most global marketing strategies in emerging markets have been targeting mainly at the wealthy elite segment and the middle-income class. In the latest development, an increasing number of MNCs started to launch new initiatives to explore the opportunities in the underserved segment – the base of the economic pyramid (BOP), the largest and fastest growing segment of the world’s population. Our understanding of the BOP markets is going through a seismic shift in the last decade. Increasingly, the BOP consumers are recognized as highly resourceful entrepreneurs who possess valuable knowledge, resources and capabilities. As such, business development and enterprise creation driven by the poor has emerged as a powerful philosophy and tool for addressing poverty and marginality, bringing both social and economic value to the BOP markets. While the opportunities associated with BOP markets are becoming increasingly apparent to researchers and practitioners, there are crucial and unique challenges when MNCs attempt to balance firm’s profitability responsibility and social responsibility in their BOP ventures. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize previous studies and present a review of the accumulative knowledge in this important topic area. Implications to practitioners and researchers are drawn, and further research directions and propositions are suggested.
Decreased bone mineral density during low dose glucocorticoid administration in a randomized, placebo controlled trial.

Objective. While osteoporosis and bone fractures are clearly recognized side effects of high dose glucocorticoids, the effect of low dose glucocorticoids remains controversial. We investigated the effect of 3 months of low dose hydrocortisone on bone mineral density (BMD). Methods. Subjects, 18 to 55 years old with chronic fatigue syndrome and no medical or psychiatric illness requiring medication, were randomized in a double blind, placebo controlled trial to receive oral hydrocortisone, 13 mg/m 2 body surface area every morning and 3 mg/m 2 every afternoon (25 to 35 mg/day, equivalent to about 7.5 mg prednisone/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Before and after treatment BMD of the lumbar spine was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results. We studied 23 subjects (19 women, 4 men). For the 11 hydrocortisone recipients there was a mean decrease in BMD: mean change from baseline of the lateral spine was -2.0% (95% CI -3.5 to -0.6, p = 0.03) and mean change of the anteroposterior spine was -0.8% (95% CI-1.5 to -0.1. p = 0.06). Corresponding changes for the 12 placebo recipients were + 1.0% (95% CI -1.0 to 3.0, p = 0.34) and +0.2% (95% CI-1.4 to 1.5, p = 0.76). Conclusion, A 12 week course of low dose glucocorticoids given to ambulatory subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome was associated with a decrease in BMD of the lumbar spine. This decrease was statistically significant in lateral spine measurements and nearly so in anteroposterior spine measurements.
The Distinctive Needs and Problems in Industrial Goods Classification

Product classification holds great potential for the industrial marketing manager. Considerable confusion exists, however, regarding the manner in which products can most effectively be classified. To address this problem, a classification of classification schemes is presented in this paper. It is argued that many available schemes do not actually classify products, but instead focus on buyer behavior and market segmentation. Efforts to produce universal schemes which ignore the consumer/industrial marketing dichotomy are presented as shortsighted. Instead, a variety of schemes are needed which reflect the diverse strategic requirements of the marketer.
Advanced ESL Students' Prior EFL Education and Their Perceptions of Oral Corrective Feedback.

The author in this study examines how advanced-level adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ previous English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom experiences influence their perceptions of their teachers’ oral corrective feedback (CF). It uses in-depth qualitative data to characterize the participants’ prior English learning, and to determine how their experiences influence how they perceive CF in ESL classrooms. Understanding these patterns of perception will enhance ESL professionals’ abilities to create effective and culturally sensitive ESL classrooms.
Reconstructions of Columbia River Streamflow from Tree‐Ring Chronologies in the Pacific Northwest, USA

We developed Columbia River streamflow reconstructions using a network of existing, new, and updated tree-ring records sensitive to the main climatic factors governing discharge. Reconstruction quality is enhanced by incorporating tree-ring chronologies where high snowpack limits growth, which better represent the contribution of cool-season precipitation to flow than chronologies from trees positively sensitive to hydroclimate alone. The best performing reconstruction (back to 1609 CE) explains 59% of the historical variability and the longest reconstruction (back to 1502 CE) explains 52% of the variability. Droughts similar to the high-intensity, long-duration low flows observed during the 1920s and 1940s are rare, but occurred in the early 1500s and 1630s-1640s. The lowest Columbia flow events appear to be reflected in chronologies both positively and negatively related to streamflow, implying low snowpack and possibly low warm-season precipitation. High flows of magnitudes observed in the instrumental record appear to have been relatively common, and high flows from the 1680s to 1740s exceeded the magnitude and duration of observed wet periods in the late-19th and 20th Century. Comparisons between the Columbia River reconstructions and future projections of streamflow derived from global climate and hydrologic models show the potential for increased hydrologic variability, which could present challenges for managing water in the face of competing demands.
Abstract 1250: Antitumor activities of CD161, a structurally novel and orally bioavailable BET inhibitor, in leukemia and triple negative breast cancer cellsin vitroandin vivo

Bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) proteins, such as bromodomain-containing protein 2 (BRD2), BRD3 and BRD4, bind lysine acetylated proteins and regulate gene transcription. Several BET inhibitors are currently under clinical development for hematological malignancies and solid tumors. We have recently developed a novel class of BET inhibitor, CD161, which binds the bromodomain 1 (BD1) and BD2 domains of BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRDT with Ki less than 10 nM. Co-crystal structure of CD161 and BRD4 BD2 at 2.5 A resolution confirmed that the docked CD161 occupies the acetyl-lysine binding pocket of BD2. CD161 has >1000-fold selectivity over other bromodomain containing proteins including CREBBP, ATAD2B, TRIM24 and ASH1L. In human leukemia cell lines MV4-11 and MOLM-13, CD161 strongly inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis, with IC50s Citation Format: Longchuan Bai, Yujun Zhao, Liu Liu, Chao-Yie Yang, Donna McEachern, Jeanne Stuckey, Jennifer Meagher, Bo Wen, Duxin Sun, Shaomeng Wang. Antitumor activities of CD161, a structurally novel and orally bioavailable BET inhibitor, in leukemia and triple negative breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1250.
Discerning Husserl’s Philosophy in Havel’s Proposals

The thesis of this paper is uncomplicated and straightforward, namely, that a central tenet in the philosophical phenomenology of Edmund Husserl became an ingredient in the philosophical outlook that guided the now famous “Velvet Revolution” that occurred in Prague in 1989. Though the paper concerns itself with political change of rather dramatic proportions, it is not about politics, first of all, but about continental philosophy, and, specifically, about that portion of it that came to prominence in the writings of certain Czech thinkers, and not least, Vaclav Havel, now President of the Czech Republic.
Energy-Aware Tag Anticollision Protocols for RFID Systems

Energy consumption of portable RFID readers is becoming an important issue as applications of RFID systems pervade many aspects of our lives. Surprisingly, however, these systems are not energy-aware with the focus till date being on reducing the time to read all tags by the reader. In this work, we consider the problem of tag arbitration in RFID systems with the aim of designing energy-aware anticollision protocols. We explore the effectiveness of using multiple time slots per node of a binary search tree through three anticollision protocols. We further develop an analytical framework to predict the performance of our protocols and enable protocol parameter selection. We demonstrate that all three protocols provide significant energy savings both at the reader and tags (if they are active tags) compared to the existing Query Tree protocol, while sharing the deterministic property of the latter. Further, we show that our protocols provide similar benefits even with correlated tag IDs.
Hexane neem leaf extract more potent than ethanol extract against Aspergillus flavus

BACKGROUND Aspergillus flavus is one of the causes of aspergillosis, with a high virulence and resistance to standard antifungals, resulting in a high mortality rate. Medicinal plants are increasingly used as they are relatively safer with minimal side effects. Previously we found that the ethanol extract of neem (Azadirachta indica A Juss) leaves inhibits A. flavus growth in vitro. However, most chemical compounds with antifungal effect are nonpolar. The purpose of this research was to compare the antifungal effect of neem leaves extracted in a nonpolar solvent to that of leaves extracted in a polar solvent. METHODS An in vitro experimental research was conducted between October 2013 and January 2014. Neem leaves were extracted in ethanol or hexane at various concentrations. A macrodilution test with 48-hour incubation time was done in triplicate on 8 groups of samples. These comprised the neem leaf ethanol extract (NLEE) at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/dL, neem leaf hexane extract (NLHE) at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g/dL, positive control, and negative control groups. Fungal growth was detected on Sabouroud dextrose agar. Statistical analysis used Chi square and Fisher’s exact test. RESULTS NLHE had a higher, but statistically non-significant, inhibitory effect on A. flavus than NLEE (p=0.996). At higher concentrations, the antifungal effect of NLHE is better than that of NLEE. CONCLUSION There is no significant difference in in-vitro inhibitory effectivity on A. flavus of neem leaves between extracts in polar and nonpolar solvents.
Prison Chaplains: Perceptions of Criminality, Effective Prison Programming Characteristics, and the Role of Religion in the Desistance from Crime

Through performing a content-analysis on 19 interview transcriptions with full-time prison chaplains employed by a Midwestern state department of corrections, this study examines the beliefs of prison chaplains regarding causes of criminal offending and views on rehabilitation. Specifically, this study examines three research questions of (1) what factors do prison chaplains perceive to be causative for criminal offending; (2) what characteristics, treatment, and/or programming do prison chaplains view as essential for offenders turning away from a life of crime; and (3) what role, if any, does religion/ faith factor into one desisting from crime. For perceived reasons for criminal offending, four individual themes emerged of illicit drug-use, poor social support, a ‘criminal mind,’ and low impulse-control. For effective prison programming practices, a total of three themes emerged being programming that emphasized altering ‘criminal thinking,’ strong social support, and emphasizing morality. For the role of religion/faith in the desistance from crime, three unique themes emerged of religion/faith provides moral accountability and a sense of purpose, offers community, and that religion/faith is not necessary. Policy implications, limitations, and future directions for research are discussed.
Relations between self-regulation and early writing: Domain specific or task dependent?

Abstract Research has established that self-regulation plays an important role in early academic skills such as math and reading, but has focused less on relations with other early skill domains such as writing. The purpose of the present study was to extend that line of research by assessing the relation between self-regulation and early writing. Participants for Study 1 included 161 preschool and 139 kindergarten children. Participants for Study 2 included 274 kindergarten children. Participants in both studies were assessed using a direct measure of self-regulation (Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task; Cameron Ponitz et al., 2009 ) and a variety of writing measures. Results indicated that self-regulation was significantly and positively related to aspects of early writing; however, there are grade differences in the aspects of writing to which it relates. Most importantly, the pattern of results indicated that the relation between self-regulation and early writing is dependent on the specific type of task and the nature of the task used to measure a given skill. This finding has important implications not only for examining the role of self-regulation and writing, but also for other academic skills.
Contractual Discounts and Competition: Interpreting Unilateral Conduct under Section 2 of the Sherman Act

Quantity commitment discounts (QCDs) are vertical agreements in which a seller conditions price discounts on the specified quantity or share of a product line that the buyer commits to purchase fro...
Advancing A Community of Practice: Reflections from the Field One Year Later

A year after embarking on program redesign to align with CPED principles and practices, faculty from a small doctoral program at a private university assessed their work. Specific initiatives such as embedding social justice principles into program components and revising admissions strategies were largely successful. Conversely, attempts to re-conceptualize the Dissertation in Practice met with resistance from numerous stakeholders. The challenges and opportunities of substantively changing a long-standing program have affected the way this faculty work together and envision the future of their program. New approaches to collaboration, innovation, and conflict resolution, viewed from an organizational change perspective, and rooted in the program culture, resulted from their collective efforts to strengthen the education doctorate.
Dissecting the targeting mechanism of the Saccharomyces retrotransposon Ty5

The nonrandom distribution of retrotransposons and retroviruses in their host genomes suggests that they actively select integration sites. The integration site specificity is particularly strong for retrotransposons, which rely on their host to persist and may use targeting to avoid disrupting important host sequences. This is the case for the yeast Ty5 retrotransposons, which preferentially integrate into domains of silent chromatin at telomeres and the HM loci. Loss of silent information regulator three or four (Sir3p or Sir4p) — components of silent chromatin — causes a greater than nine-fold decrease in Ty5 targeting to the HM loci and largely randomizes chromosomal integration patterns. Loss of Sir4p also causes a ten-fold increase in cDNA recombination, which is due to the expression of a/a mating-type information and the absence of Sir4p. It is known that in old yeast cells or in strains carrying the sir4-42 allele, the Sir complex relocalizes to the rDNA. About 26% of Ty5 insertions occur within the rDNA in sir4-42 strains compared to 3% in wild type. Ty5, therefore, is sensitive to changes in chromatin, indicating that retrotransposons may be useful for understanding chromatin dynamics during developmental programs such as aging. Based on the evidence that silent chromatin and Sir proteins are important for Ty5 target specificity, two-hybrid assays were used to test the interaction between integrase and Sir proteins. Interaction was detected between the Ty5 integrase C-terminus and the Sir4p C-terminus. This interaction was greatly reduced by mutations that abolish target specificity. Furthermore, the targeting domain by itself is sufficient for the interaction, although it occurs at reduced levels. The Sir4p interaction domain was narrowed down to amino acids 971 to 1237 through serial deletions. Two amino acid residues, tryptophan 974 and arginine 975, were identified as critical for the interaction. Tethering the SIR4 C-terminus to non-silent chromatin creates Ty5 integration hotspots, suggesting that the interaction between integrase and Sir4p is the driving force behind Ty5 target specificity. These findings may make it
“Age is Just a Number in Here”: A Qualitative Study of Adulthood in a Women’s Prison

Desistance from crime is a significant marker of adulthood, while persistence in criminal behavior is inconsistent with a subjective sense of adulthood (Massoglia & Uggen, 2010). To understand the relationship between crime and adulthood in greater detail, however, it is important to understand how offenders interpret and conceptualize the notion of adulthood in the first place. Based on interviews and mail correspondence with 35 incarcerated women, I explore this question through an examination of how incarcerated women construct definitions of adulthood while in prison. The findings indicate that in a restrictive environment marked by a lack of independence, women in prison rely on intangible markers to define adulthood. Moreover, the inmates believe that these markers are best manifested by those women who have been incarcerated for long periods (5 years or more). I discuss these findings by drawing on older prisonization literature and life-course literature on adulthood.
A Meta-Analytic Review of Racial Discrimination: Relationships to Health and Culture

This meta-analysis systematically reviewed 242 studies (1805 effect sizes) published between 1998 and 2015 and examined the correlations between racial discrimination, health (physical health, mental health, and substance use), and cultural outcomes (acculturation, racial identity, collective self-esteem, ethnic identity, and racial socialization) among racial-ethnic minority Americans. The relationships between several moderators were examined (e.g., gender, race) using subgroup analyses and meta-regression. The meta-analysis was conducted using Fisher’s Z with a robust variance estimation method that accounted for the dependence among correlations in the same study. Findings suggest that the direct overall relationship between racial discrimination, health, and culture was strongest for mental health (r = .207), then substance use (r = .159), culture (r = .101), and physical health (r = .067); findings were confirmed by a meta-regression that controlled for several variables. Findings also indicated that convenience samples yielded higher correlations compared to national probability samples, and Asian and Native American racial groups had stronger effects from racial discrimination than did blacks. Race, gender, and measurement characteristics are discussed, as well as research, and educational and clinical implications.
Dual-modality phantom for evaluating x-ray/echo registration accuracy

Transcatheter interventions for structural heart disease demand real-time visualization of catheter devices and their relationship to cardiac anatomy. Co-registration of x-ray fluoroscopy with echocardiography has been proposed to provide the necessary device and soft tissue visualization for these procedures. Development of real-time 3D x-ray/echo registration systems with device tracking has been hampered by the lack of a suitable test model. This study presents a phantom that is compatible with x-ray, CT, transthoracic (TTE), and transesophageal echo (TEE) for testing the feasibility and accuracy of new registration solutions. The phantom consists of a 20.3-cm diameter, 15-cm tall cylindrical shell with acoustic windows for TTE and an access port for a TEE probe. The interior contains 24 dual-modality targets, 5-mm in diameter, suspended in a three-turn helix occupying a volume that is similar to an adult heart. An ultrasound-compatible, tissue-mimicking slurry medium fills the remainder of the phantom. The dual-modality targets are agar based with barium sulfate (BaSO4) powder and glass beads added to generate contrast in both x-ray and ultrasound. Appropriate concentrations of these additives were determined experimentally with contrast measurements in x-ray, CT, and ultrasound. Selected concentrations were 150 mg/mL BaSO4 and 100 mg/mL of 53-63 μm diameter glass beads. Average target contrast (± SD) was 16% ± 2% in x-ray fluoroscopy (90 kV) and 1805 ± 99 HU in CT (100 kV). In ultrasound, target CNR was 4.30 ± 0.62 in 2D B-mode and 4.03 ±1.06 in 4D-mode images acquired at a center frequency of 2.8 MHz.