cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytic electrical-conductivity tensor of a nondegenerate Lorentz plasma.

We have developed explicit quantum-mechanical expressions for the conductivity and resistivity tensors of a Lorentz plasma in a magnetic field. The expressions are based on a solution to the Boltzmann equation that is exact when the electric field is weak, the electron-Fermi-degeneracy parameter Theta>>1, and the electron-ion Coulomb-coupling parameter Gamma/Z or =1, Theta> or =2, and Gamma/Z< or =1 is 1.9. The expression obtained for the resistivity tensor (B not equal 0) predicts that eta( perpendicular )/eta( parallel ) (where eta( perpendicular ) and eta( parallel ) are the resistivities perpendicular and parallel to the magnetic field) can be as much as 40% less than previous analytic calculations. The results are applied to an idealized 17-MA z pinch at stagnation.
Three-dimensional two-pion emission source at RHIC-PHENIX

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has acquired a huge data set of Au+Au events at GeV during the year-2004 run. This high statistics data set, coupled with a state-of-the-art analysis technique, allows for the first model-independent extraction of the three-dimensional emission source function for pion pairs at RHIC energies. This three-dimensional pion emission source function provides new insights into the nature of a long-range structure in the one-dimensional source function previously reported by PHENIX at RHIC. The new results indicate that the pion source function displays significant non-Gaussian tails in the direction of pion pair transverse momentum and the beam. Comparison of the source function with the Therminator model allows extraction of the source proper breakup time and proper emission duration.
Nonvesicular Inhibitory Neurotransmission via Reversal of the GABA Transporter GAT-1

GABA transporters play an important but poorly understood role in neuronal inhibition. They can reverse, but this is widely thought to occur only under pathological conditions. Here we use a heterologous expression system to show that the reversal potential of GAT-1 under physiologically relevant conditions is near the normal resting potential of neurons and that reversal can occur rapidly enough to release GABA during simulated action potentials. We then use paired recordings from cultured hippocampal neurons and show that GABAergic transmission is not prevented by four methods widely used to block vesicular release. This nonvesicular neurotransmission was potently blocked by GAT-1 antagonists and was enhanced by agents that increase cytosolic [GABA] or [Na(+)] (which would increase GAT-1 reversal). We conclude that GAT-1 regulates tonic inhibition by clamping ambient [GABA] at a level high enough to activate high-affinity GABA(A) receptors and that transporter-mediated GABA release can contribute to phasic inhibition.
Cytotoxicity of inorganic mercury in murine T and B lymphoma cell lines: involvement of reactive oxygen species, Ca2+ homeostasis, and cytokine gene expression

Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal; exposure to mercury in humans and animals causes damage in several organs or systems including the immune system. To characterize the toxicity of mercury in the immune cells, the cytotoxic effects of inorganic mercury were studied in two distinct lymphoma lines, the murine T lymphoma (EL4) and B lymphoma (A20) cells. Mercury concentration-dependently decreased cell viability, membrane integrity, and proliferation in both EL4 and A20 cells. Mercury increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in both EL4 and A20 cells, and pretreatment with antioxidants reversed mercury-induced ROS generation. Pretreatment of cells with antioxidants N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and silymarin decreased mercury-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in both types of cells; however, Ca(2+) channel blocker lanthanum (La(2+)) decreased it only in A20 cells. The mode of cytotoxicity was a mixture of both apoptosis and necrosis. Mercury-induced apoptosis and necrosis in the two cell lines were indicated by staining with Hoechst 33258, propidium iodide, and co-staining with annexin V and propidium iodide. Both mercury-induced apoptosis and necrosis were attenuated by antioxidants. Mercury increased gene expression of IL-4 and TNFalpha in EL4 cells; these cytokines were not expressed in A20 cells. Data suggested different pathways of mercury-induced cytotoxicity in T and B lymphoma cells and involvement of ROS, Ca(2+) homeostasis, and inflammatory cytokine gene expression.
Positive Elements in the Laminin γ1 Gene Synergize to Activate High Level Transcription during Cellular Differentiation

Transcription of the murine laminin gamma 1 gene is activated during retinoic acid/cAMP induced differentiation of F9 embryonal carcinoma cells. Positive transcription control elements associated with two DNase I hypersensitive regions in the large first intron of the gene have been identified which confer a differentiation response on the laminin gamma 1 promoter. However, the kinetics of transcriptional activation suggest each DNA region interacts with transcription factors appearing at different times during differentiation. Synergy between the two regions in cis causes high level activation.
Stereospecific polymerization of methacrylates by metallocene and related catalysts

Stereospecific—isospecific, syndiospecific, and diastereospecific—polymerizations of methacrylates using group 4 metallocene and related catalysts produce polymethacrylates with controlled stereo-microstructures. The versatility and stereospecificity of these cat- alysts for methyl methacrylate polymerization were demonstrated not only in solution-phase polymerization, but also in polymerizations on silica surfaces and inside silicate nanogalleries. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3395–3403, 2004
On applications of generalized functions to the analysis of Euler-Bernoulli beam-columns with jump discontinuities

Abstract In this article some applications of the distribution theory of Schwarz to the analysis of beam–columns with various jump discontinuities are offered. The governing differential equation of an Euler–Bernoulli beam–column with jump discontinuities in flexural stiffness, displacement, and rotation, and under an axial force at the point of discontinuities, is obtained in the space of generalized functions. The auxiliary beam–column method is introduced. Using this method, instead of solving the differential equation of the beam–column in the space of generalized functions, another differential equation can be solved in the space of classical functions. Some examples of beam–columns and columns with various jump discontinuities are solved. Deflections of beam–columns and buckling loads for columns with jump discontinuities are calculated using the Laplace transform method in the space of generalized functions.
Abnormal diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease following corneal transplantations.

Background The value of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in the diagnosis of iatrogenic cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been questioned. Objective To illustrate the value of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in the diagnosis of iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Methods Case report. Results A patient with a history of 3 corneal transplantations exhibited the alien hand sign on initial examination. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed prominent cortical diffusion abnormalities. During the following months, the patient developed rapidly progressive dementia. The diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was proven by brain biopsy. Conclusion Brain magnetic resonance imaging, particularly diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, can be very helpful in the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, even in suspected iatrogenic cases.
A 3μW wirelessly powered CMOS glucose sensor for an active contact lens

The increase in the diabetes population makes glucose monitoring a pressing demand for clinical and continuous use. Non-invasive sensing would allow a painless, convenient solution compared to traditional skin-piercing glucose meters. Among various body fluids, tear fluid, which is correlated to the glucose concentration in blood [1], is directly accessible on the eye and can provide a unique opportunity to develop an interface between a sensor and the human body. The current technique is to collect tear fluid samples in capillary tubes and assay the samples for glucose ex situusing standard laboratory instrumentation. Integrating sensors into a contact lens would provide a way to continuously and reliably sense metabolites in tear fluids.
Quantum limits to superluminal advancement

Summary form only given. Using intense electromagnetic fields, it is now possible to tailor the absorption, amplification, and dispersion properties of multi-level atoms. Dramatic examples include the reduction of the group velocity of a pulse of light to 17 m/s, and increasing the group velocity to values greater than c or even to negative values. The interpretation of a negative group velocity is that the peak of the pulse leaves the medium before it enters. We will discuss possible quantum limits to the advancement of the peak of a pulse propagating through a high-anomalous-dispersion medium and our experiments on pulses propagating through a dispersion-tailored potassium vapor.
Inequitable Effects of Transportation Policies on Minorities

Americans are increasingly mobile and ever more reliant on automobiles for meeting their travel needs; this trend developed primarily as a result of transportation policies adopted after World War II that emphasized highway development over public transportation. These and other transportation policies have had inequitable impacts on minority and low-income populations and often restricted their ability to access social and economic opportunities, including job opportunities, education, health care services, and locations such as grocery stores. Transportation policies limit access to opportunities through direct effects, such as inequitable costs, and indirect effects, such as residential segregation. Some indirect effects are caused in part by the combined effects of transportation policies and land use practices. Areas where transportation policies have inequitable impacts are identified. In addition, existing research in the area is briefly examined, and highlighted is the critical need for more resea...
Improving performance of hadoop clusters

The MapReduce model has become an important parallel processing model for large-scale data-intensive applications like data mining and web indexing. Hadoop, an open-source implementation of MapReduce, is widely applied to support cluster computing jobs requiring low response time. The current Hadoop implementation assumes that computing nodes in a cluster are homogeneous in nature. Data locality has not been taken into account for launching speculative map tasks, because it is assumed that most map tasks can quickly access their local data. Network delays due to data movement during running time have been ignored in the recent Hadoop research. Unfortunately, both the homogeneity and data locality assumptions in Hadoop are optimistic at best and unachievable at worst, potentially introducing performance problems in virtualized data centers. We show in this dissertation that ignoring the data-locality issue in heterogeneous cluster computing environments can noticeably reduce the performance of Hadoop. Without considering the network delays, the performance of Hadoop clusters would be significantly downgraded. In this dissertation, we address the problem of how to place data across nodes in a way that each node has a balanced data processing load. Apart from the data placement issue, we also design a prefetching and predictive scheduling mechanism to help Hadoop in loading data from local or remote disks into main memory. To avoid network congestions, we propose a preshuffling algorithm to preprocess intermediate data between the map and reduce stages, thereby increasing the throughput of Hadoop clusters. Given a data-intensive application running on a Hadoop cluster, our data placement, prefetching, and preshuffling schemes adaptively balance the tasks and amount of data to achieve improved data-processing performance. Experimental results on real data-intensive applications show that our design can noticeably improve the performance of Hadoop clusters. In summary, this dissertation describes three practical approaches to improving the performance of Hadoop clusters, and explores the idea of integrating prefetching and preshuffling in the native Hadoop system.
Critical coagulation concentration-based salt titration for visual quantification in gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric biosensors.

In gold nanoparticle (GNP)–based colorimetric biosensors, the gradual color shift is often used to correlate with the concentration of target molecules, and therefore a UV-vis spectrometer is usually required for accurate quantification. Here, we present a critical coagulation concentration (CCC)–based salt titration as a generic and simple way to enable accurate quantification in GNP-based colorimetric biosensors without any analytical equipment. The titration is carried out by stepwise addition of a salt titrant to the premixture of sample and GNPs until the color changes rapidly from red to blue, determined solely by visual inspection. The number of titration steps or the final salt concentration required for a rapid color shift (i.e., CCC) is then used to quantitatively correlate with the concentration of target molecules in the sample. The salt titration–based quantification has been demonstrated with two previously reported GNP-based colorimetric biosensors. Compared with quantification based on the gradual color shift with a spectrometer, the visual quantification based on the rapid color shift in the salt titration eliminates the need for any analytical equipment without sacrificing the performance (i.e., sensitivity and accuracy) and therefore is highly suitable for applications in low-resource settings.
Equity on Demand: The Netflix Approach to Compensation

Netflix was among a small group of Silicon Valley companies to emerge from the technology bubble of the late 1990s a clear winner in terms of growth, market share, and profitability. That Netflix was able not only to prevail over this competition but also to thrive was largely attributable to the culture of freedom and responsibility inculcated by founder Reed Hastings. To foster this culture, the company adopted a series of unique employment practices that were meant to attract, retain, and motivate the type of employee that Netflix valued. Among these practices was a compensation system with several unconventional features. Whereas most companies provided compensation packages with a predetermined mix of cash and equity-based awards, Netflix turned the model on its head and allowed employees to request their own mix. Management was interested in finding out whether this practice supported or detracted from the company’s main objectives for its employees.
Cyberinfrastructure for the analysis of ecological acoustic sensor data: a use case study in grid deployment

The LTER Grid Pilot Study was conducted by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the University of New Mexico, and Michigan State University, to design and build a prototype grid for the ecological community. The featured grid application, the Biophony Grid Portal, manages acoustic data from field sensors and allows researchers to conduct real-time digital signal processing analysis on high-performance systems via a web-based portal. Important characteristics addressed during the study include the management, access, and analysis of a large set of field collected acoustic observations from microphone sensors, single signon, and data provenance. During the development phase of this project, new features were added to standard grid middleware software and have already been successfully leveraged by other, unrelated grid projects. This paper provides an overview of the Biophony Grid Portal application and requirements, discusses considerations regarding grid architecture and design, details the technical implementation, and summarizes key experiences and lessons learned that are generally applicable to all developers and administrators in a grid environment.
Recordings of Movement-Related Potentials Combined with Pet, fMRI or MEG

The seminal recordings of the cerebral potentials preceding voluntary movement by (Kornhuber and Deecke1964, Kornhuber and Deecke 1965) were the first to clearly show that the brain was active long before the initiation of movement. Since the premovement activity, termed the Bereitschaftspotential (BP), was time-locked to the onset of movement, it was thought to reflect synaptic activity associated with the planning, preparation and initiation of movement. Yet, despite considerable investigation over the past three decades, three fundamental questions about the nature of the BP remain unanswered: What are the neural structures contributing to the generation of the BP? What is the time course of their activity? What is the function of this activity?
LIFE AMONG THE ECON

The Econ tribe occupies a vast territory in the far North. Their land appears bleak and dismal to the outsider, and travelling through it makes for rough sledding; but the Econ, through a long period of adaptation, have learned to wrest a living of sorts from it. They are not without some genuine and sometimes even fierce attachment to their ancestral grounds, and their young are brought up to feel contempt for the softer living in the warmer lands of their neighbours. such as the Polscis and the Sociogs. Despite a common genetical heritage. relations with these tribes are strained-the distrust and contempt that the average Econ feels for these neighbours being heartily reciprocated by the latter-and social intercourse with them is inhibited by numerous taboos. The extreme clannishness, not to say xenophobia, of the Econ makes life among them difficult and perhaps even somewhat dangerous for the outsider. This probably accounts for the fact that the Econ have so far-not been systematically studied. Information about their social structure and ways of life is fragmentary and not well validated. More research on this interesting tribe is badly needed.
Measurements and computational intelligence in biomedical engineering

We have used advanced signal processing and innovative image processing methods that are used outside the operating room. The software is written in C/sup ++/ in a windows environment and can be used on any PC. Applications are discussed along with computational intelligence as used for diagnostic purposes and as visualization aids inside and outside the operating room. Subjects discussed, include blood cell classification, mammography, evoked potentials, ophthalmology, EEG and field potentials in Parkinson's disease. The latter methods along with 3D reconstruction of MRI images of Parkinson's patients, are currently used in the operating room for target assessment and electrode placement.
Occupation emerges in the process of therapy.

OBJECTIVE. The current literature offers no cohesive definition of occupation-based practice. Current definitions emphasize intervention forms and contexts, which do not reflect the complexity of practice. This article demonstrates that the therapeutic relationship and the meanings that are created in the therapy process are central aspects of occupation-based practice. Occupation, as an idea that emerges in the therapeutic process, has aspects of both doing and becoming. METHOD. The authors conducted observation sessions and interviews with an occupational therapist, Nancy, who used multiple therapeutic strategies with one child, Hannah, as they worked toward Hannah�s goals of going to preschool and becoming a friend. RESULTS. Strategies include changing therapeutic conditions, using cognitive strategies, bridging the person�task�social context, pushing participation, and engaging in narrative micronegotiations. CONCLUSION. Occupation emerged in the therapeutic processes as the occupational therapist and client co-created meaning about the client moving toward or away from who she wanted to become.
Risk Communication: Involvement, Uncertainty, and Control's Effect on Information Scanning and Monitoring by Expert Stakeholders

The paradigm of risk communication is shifting from a linear industry or government agency to lay public model to one that features dialogue. This shift requires that professional communicators suc...
Towards single pass discriminative training for speech recognition

This paper describes how we can combine our previously proposed fast extended Baum-Welch algorithm and generalized discriminative feature transformation to achieve single pass discriminative training, which we only process the data once. Compared to the state of the art training procedure, which uses feature space maximum mutual information (fMMI) and boosted maximum mutual information (BMMI), our proposed training procedure can achieve around 80% of the improvement available from discriminative training. We also show that if we are allowed to process the data twice, it is possible to achieve almost all of the improvement. We evaluate different training procedures on various large scale tasks using Iraqi and modern standard Arabic speech recognition systems.
Association of GABAA receptors and alcohol dependence and the effects of genetic imprinting

GABA receptor genes have been postulated as candidates affecting the risk for alcoholism. The potential association between genes encoding five subunits of the GABAA receptors and alcoholism (alcohol dependence) was analyzed in the multiplex alcoholic pedigrees collected by the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) using family-based association tests. We found consistent, although weak, linkage disequilibrium between GABRB1 (located on chromosome 4) and alcoholism (P < 0.03). Genes encoding GABRA1 and GABRA6, on chromosome 5, did not provide evidence for association with alcoholism. GABRA5 and GABRB3, on chromosome 15, were reported to be expressed uniparentally from the paternal chromosome. Analyses of paternal transmission of alleles of GABRA5 provided evidence for association with alcoholism, particularly in the Caucasian population and with the stricter ICD-10 definition of alcoholism (P < 0.004). Evidence of association was also observed during paternal transmission with GABRB3 in the Caucasian population (P < 0.007). Maternal transmissions provided no evidence for association. These data are consistent with an association between the expressed alleles in the GABAA-gene cluster on chromosome 15 and alcoholism that is modulated by genetic imprinting. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hierarchical Segmentation of R&D Process and Intellectual Property Protection: Evidence from Multinational R&D Labs in China

This paper examines how multinational corporations (MNCs) protect their research and development (R&D) activities that are conducted in weak intellectual property rights (IPR) regime countries. Findings from a small scale survey and three case studies in China show that hierarchical segmentation of R&D process can be an effective way for MNC R&D labs to protect their intellectual property. Furthermore, a modular R&D structure seen in many IT companies can facilitate this hierarchical segmentation. A center-peripheral R&D organizational structure of MNCs thus appears in the era of globalization of R&D.
A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Investigation of Verbal Working Memory in Adolescents With Specific Language Impairment

This study used neuroimaging and behavioral techniques to examine the claim that processing capacity limitations underlie specific language impairment (SLI). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate verbal working memory in adolescents with SLI and normal language (NL) controls. The experimental task involved a modified listening span measure that included sentence encoding and recognition of final words in prior sets of sentences. The SLI group performed significantly poorer than the NL group for both encoding and recognition and displayed slower reaction times for correct responses on high complexity encoding items. fMRI results revealed that the SLI group exhibited significant hypoactivation during encoding in regions that have been implicated in attentional and memory processes, as well as hypoactivation during recognition in regions associated with language processing. Correlational analyses indicated that adolescents with SLI exhibited different patterns of coordinating activation among brain regions relative to controls for both encoding and recognition, suggesting reliance on a less functional network. These findings are interpreted as supporting the notion that constraints in nonlinguistic systems play a role in SLI.
Application of the finite-difference time-domain method to radiation from shielded enclosures

The finite-difference time-domain method is applied to the analysis of radiation from shielding enclosures with internal sources. Results from the three-dimensional code which has been developed are compared with analytical results from waveguide problems and the Lawrence Livermore TSAR code. Two enclosure examples are given to demonstrate the utility of the FDTD method for this application. One example is for radiation from slots, and the other is coupling of energy from a nonresonant aperture to an attached shielded cable that results in enhanced radiation. >
Effect of incubation temperature on in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes: nuclear maturation, fertilisation and developmental competence

The present study examined the effect of low culture temperature during in vitro maturation (IVM) of pig oocytes on their nuclear maturation, fertilisation and subsequent embryo development. In experiment 1, oocytes were cultured at 35 or 39 degrees C for 44 h in modified tissue culture medium 199 supplemented with 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor, 0.57 mM cysteine, 75 microg/ml potassium penicillin G, 50 microg/ml streptomycin sulphate, 0.5 microg/ml LH and 0.5 microg/ml FSH to examine the nuclear maturation status. In experiment 2, oocytes were cultured at 35 degrees C for 44 or 68 h and nuclear maturation was examined. In experiment 3, oocytes matured for 44 or 68 h at 39 degrees C and for 68 h at 35 degrees C were co-incubated with frozen-thawed spermatozoa for 5-6 h. Putative embryos were transferred into North Carolina State University (NCSU) 23 medium containing 0.4% bovine serum albumin. At 12 h after insemination, some oocytes were fixed to examine the fertilisation rate and the remaining embryos were examined at 48 and 144 h for cleavage and blastocyst formation rate, respectively. Compared with 39 degrees C, culture of oocytes at 35 degrees C for 44 h significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the metaphase II (M II) rate (79% vs 12%). However, extension of culture time to 68 h at 35 degrees C significantly increased (p < 0.05) the M II rate (7% vs 58%). In experiment 3, compared with other groups, fewer (p < 0.05) oocytes reached M II when cultured at 35 degrees C for 68 h (69-81% vs 49%). Extension of culture duration to 68 h at 39 degrees C stimulated spontaneous activation (28%) of oocytes. No difference in cleavage rates was observed among different groups. Compared with oocytes matured for 44 h at 39 degrees C (31%), the proportion of blastocysts obtained was low (p < 0.05) for oocytes matured at 35 degrees C (13%) or 39 degrees C (3%) for 68 h. The results indicate that lower culture temperature can delay nuclear maturation of pig oocytes. However, extension of culture time can stimulate nuclear maturation and these oocytes are capable of fertilisation and development to the blastocyst stage at moderate rates.
Psychiatric effects of ephedra use: An analysis of food and drug administration reports of adverse events

OBJECTIVE: As part of a synthesis of evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of ephedra, the authors describe data on psychiatric adverse events from reports submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). METHOD: The authors reviewed all 1,820 adverse event reports related to dietary supplements containing herbal ephedra from FDA MedWatch files as of Sept. 30, 2001. Fifty-seven serious psychiatric events were reported. RESULTS: The most commonly reported events were psychosis, severe depression, mania or agitation, hallucinations, sleep disturbance, and suicidal ideation. Ten events involved physical harm to self or others; five events resulted in legal action due to criminal behavior. Twenty-six events resulted in hospitalization, at least six of which were involuntary. Of importance, two-thirds of all cases involved patients with preexisting psychiatric conditions and /or use of other medications or illicit substances. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware that serious psychiatric symptoms co...
A Microfluidic Platform for Precision Small-volume Sample Processing and Its Use to Size Separate Biological Particles with an Acoustic Microdevice.

A major advantage of microfluidic devices is the ability to manipulate small sample volumes, thus reducing reagent waste and preserving precious sample. However, to achieve robust sample manipulation it is necessary to address device integration with the macroscale environment. To realize repeatable, sensitive particle separation with microfluidic devices, this protocol presents a complete automated and integrated microfluidic platform that enables precise processing of 0.15–1.5 ml samples using microfluidic devices. Important aspects of this system include modular device layout and robust fixtures resulting in reliable and flexible world to chip connections, and fully-automated fluid handling which accomplishes closed-loop sample collection, system cleaning and priming steps to ensure repeatable operation. Different microfluidic devices can be used interchangeably with this architecture. Here we incorporate an acoustofluidic device, detail its characterization, performance optimization, and demonstrate its use for size-separation of biological samples. By using real-time feedback during separation experiments, sample collection is optimized to conserve and concentrate sample. Although requiring the integration of multiple pieces of equipment, advantages of this architecture include the ability to process unknown samples with no additional system optimization, ease of device replacement, and precise, robust sample processing.
China and Africa

Since the turn of the century China has constructed a foreign policy toward Africa designed to secure natural resources, future markets, opportunities for its construction firms, and its position as leader of the developing world. To realize these goals, Beijing has employed approaches that address African nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security needs, while ensuring China’s continued ability to influence the political and commercial landscape of this resource-rich continent. China’s increasingly proactive foreign policymakers have taken advantage of a void left by an indifferent USSR, a preoccupied USA, and a divided Europe to create fresh opportunities and pursue new bilateral and multilateral dialogues. For the USA, China’s strategy in African affairs has unique implications. Washington (preoccupied by the Middle East and the South China Sea) has allowed Africa to remain low on its foreign-policy priority list. As a result, until recently Beijing has pursued its strategy in Africa without drawing much attention and has expanded the depth and breadth of its political, economic, diplomatic, and military relationships on the continent. This chapter will begin with a brief historical overview of Sino-African relations. It will explore the development of Beijing’s strategy, with particular attention to China’s contemporary objectives and methods.
Increased, but Functionally Impaired, CD14+ HLA-DR–/low Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Psoriasis: A Mechanism of Dysregulated T Cells

The clinical extent of psoriasis pathology is regulated in part by defects in immune networks, including a defect in the suppressive actions of regulatory T cells. Recently, CD14 + HLA-DR –/low monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (Mo-MDSCs) have been shown to suppress T-cell activation as one of their suppressive mechanisms. However, little is known about the role of Mo-MDSCs and their functional relationship to T-cell suppression in relation to human chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. Despite psoriasis being a hyperinflammatory condition, Mo-MDSCs were elevated in psoriatic patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared to nonpsoriatic healthy controls (2.6% vs. 0.9%, P
Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Aging and Cancer

Telomeres progressively shorten throughout life. A hallmark of advanced malignancies is the ability for continuous cell divisions that almost universally correlates with the stabilization of telomere length by the reactivation of telomerase. The repression of telomerase and shorter telomeres in humans may have evolved, in part, as an anticancer protection mechanism. Although there is still much we do not understand about the regulation of telomerase, it remains a very attractive and novel target for cancer therapeutics. This review focuses on the current state of advances in the telomerase area, identifies outstanding questions, and addresses areas and methods that need refinement. Significance: Despite many recent advances, telomerase remains a challenging target for cancer therapy. There are few telomerase-directed therapies, and many of the assays used to measure telomeres and telomerase have serious limitations. This review provides an overview of the current state of the field and how recent advances could affect future research and treatment approaches. Cancer Discov; 6(6); 584–93. ©2016 AACR.
Experimental investigation of the suppression of runaway electrons by ramp-up the initial plasma density

The effect of initial plasma density on the generation of runaway electrons at the startup phase has been investigated by hard X-ray diagnostics in the HT-7 tokamak.It is found that higher initial plasma density can effectively suppress the generation of runaway electrons.
Lung Cancer: Detection, Prevention, and Therapeutics

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. adult population, and the American Cancer Society estimates that cigarette smoking is responsible for about 83% of all lung cancer cases. It is unlikely that significant reductions in the incidence and mortality associated with lung cancer will be realized without effective antismoking campaigns. Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy all play a role in the management of lung cancer. At the current time, NSCLC is generally curable only if it is diagnosed while the tumor is small and localized and can be surgically removed. Radiation therapy may also be effective in localized cases. Combination chemotherapy regimens have not consistently produced quality responses in patients with advanced tumors; however, newer regimens utilizing high doses of cisplatin, mitomycin and vinca alkaloids, or cisplatin and etoposide have produced encouraging results. In contrast to NSCLC, SCLC is responsive to combination chemotherapy regimens. Although many different agents are effective in this disease, most small-cell tumors eventually become refractory to chemotherapy and most patients do not survive longer than two years. Although progress has been made in the understanding and management of lung cancer, effective therapies that consistently produce major and durable responses are still lacking. Clinical trials must continue to evaluate therapeutic modalities for all types of lung cancer.
A Radiotracer Strategy to Quantify PARP-1 Expression In Vivo Provides a Biomarker That Can Enable Patient Selection for PARP Inhibitor Therapy

Despite the availability of PARP inhibitors for cancer therapy, a biomarker to clearly stratify patients for selection of this treatment remains lacking. Here we describe a radiotracer-based method that addresses this issue, using the novel compound [125I]KX1 as a PARP-1 selective radiotracer that can accurately measure PARP-1 expression in vitro and in vivo. The pharmacological properties of the PARP radiotracer [125I]KX1 was characterized in multiple cell lines where single-agent sensitivity was correlated with [125I]KX1 binding to PARP-1. In vivo evaluation of [125I]KX1 verified in vitro results, validating PARP radiotracers to define PARP-1 enzyme expression as an in vivo biomarker. Notably, PARP-1 expression as quantified by [125I]KX1 correlated positively with the cytotoxic sensitivity of cell lines evaluated with PARP inhibitors. Overall, our results defined a novel technology with the potential to serve as a companion diagnostic to identify patients most likely to respond therapeutically to a PARP inhibitor.
Comparison of corneal thickness measured with optical coherence tomography, ultrasonic pachymetry, and a scanning slit method.

PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between 1310-nm optical coherence tomography (OCT), an ultrasound pachymeter, and the Orbscan II (Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY) in corneal thickness measurements before and after LASIK. METHODS Twenty-eight eyes of 14 patients with a mean age of 39.9 +/- 8.6 years underwent LASIK for correction of myopia with or without astigmatism. Central corneal thickness was measured with real-time 1310-nm OCT and Orbscan preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively, and with an ultrasound pachymeter preoperatively and 1 month postoperatively. RESULTS Measurements of corneal thickness by all instruments correlated well with one another pre- and postoperatively (r value range: 0.87 to 0.94, P .05). Thickness measured by OCT was thinner than for other instruments preoperatively (P<.005) and thicker than Orbscan postoperatively (P<.005). Significant corneal thinning (P<.001) was found with all study devices 1 day after laser ablation. Significant corneal thinning (P<.005) was found with OCT and Orbscan 1 week compared to 1 day postoperatively, and thickening (post hoc: P<.001) was evident at 1 month compared to 1 week postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS Although the instruments correlated well in measuring corneal thickness after LASIK, there were significant differences. All instruments indicated corneal swelling and recovery during the first postoperative week and thickening at 1 month.
Integrating Pregnancy Ambivalence and Effectiveness in Contraceptive Choice

Approximately 70% of pregnancies among young unmarried women living in the United States are unintended. Unintended pregnancy results in negative health and economic outcomes for infants, children, women, and families. Further research into the decision-making process of contraceptive selection is needed to meet young women's contraceptive needs in the United States. Overall, 53 women ages 18-24 years completed in-depth qualitative interviews. Researchers used analytical techniques from grounded theory and HyperRESEARCH 3.5.2 qualitative data analysis software to identify emergent themes. Problematic integration theory provided a theoretical lens to identify young women's probabilistic and evaluative orientations toward contraception. Researchers identified two profound values at stake to participants regarding their contraceptive decisions: avoiding pregnancy in the present, and protecting future fertility. Participants resisted long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods (e.g., the intrauterine device and the implant) due to concerns about safety and fears about infertility. Participants experienced ambivalence toward the idea of pregnancy, which complicated contraceptive decisions, especially regarding long-term methods. Uncertainty led participants to rationalize their use of less effective methods and reduced information seeking. Findings from this study offer practical suggestions for practitioners and health communication campaign planners. Contraceptive access campaigns should focus on the effectiveness, safety, and convenience of LARC methods. Messages should help young women make contraceptive choices that better fit their needs in order to reduce unintended pregnancy.
Property Rights, Equity and Public Utility Pricing

Most discussions of public utility pricing are either theoretical or normative. The former explore the substantive economic significance or the analytical implications of particular pricing systems; the latter explore the structure or the functions (goals) of ideal public utility pricing. The one describes what would transpire under a pricing system; the other prescribes what should happen through public utility pricing.
Public Opinions About Infant Feeding in the United States.

Background Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months of life. However, many barriers to breastfeeding exist. We examine public opinions about the benefits of breastfeeding and the infant health risks associated with formula feeding. Methods A national public opinion survey was conducted in 2013. Participants indicated their level of agreement with four breastfeeding-related statements. Except for the last one, all statements were positively worded with agreement representing positive opinions toward breastfeeding. To focus on the prevalence of positive opinions, we estimated percentage agreement with the first three statements, but disagreement with the fourth. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine how odds of these positive opinions varied by socio-demographic factors. Results Seventy-eight percent of participants agreed that breastmilk is nutritionally designed for infants, but few believed breastfeeding protects against overweight (12%). Approximately one-quarter agreed that formula feeding increases the chance of illness, whereas 45 percent disagreed that infant formula is equivalent to breastmilk. Older, less-educated, unmarried, and non-Hispanic black participants were less likely to agree that formula feeding increases the risk of infant illness. Races other than non-Hispanic white, participants aged 30–44 years and 45–59 years, unmarried, and less-educated participants were less likely to disagree with the equivalence of infant formula to breastmilk. Discussion The nutritional value of breastmilk is well known. Fewer adults believe that breastfeeding protects against childhood overweight or that formula feeding increases the chance of infant illness. Communication efforts may increase public awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding.
Research on multi-objective optimization planning of the active distribution network

With active management, lower network loss, higher reliability, the active distribution network is one of the future trends of the distribution network. This paper establishes multi-objective optimization planning model for the active distribution network. The comprehensive optimal scheme is analyzed in three objects: the investment cost, the network loss, and the system reliability. Based on the Pareto optimization method, the paper proposes the multi-objective optimization planning algorithm, then the final planning scheme is determined. Through the simulation results of the IEEE 33 standard model, the validity and rationality of the model is verified.
Sub-Grid Vertical Turbulent Mixing in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

This chapter is the second of the three-lecture series on the physical processes and their descriptions in numerical models of tropical cyclones. There are two sections in this lecture. Section 1 is intended to provide an overview of the parameterization approaches used to account for sub-grid vertical turbulent mixing in the model-simulated atmospheric boundary layer, and Section 2 demonstrates an example of how one should carefully realize specific details of the parameterization in the implementation of the approaches. Materials presented in Section 1 are derived from Holtslag (2003), Pielke (2001), Garratt (1992) and Stull (1988), while those presented in Section 2 are based on Bao et al. (2008).
Effectiveness of Provider Education Followed by Computerized Provider Order Entry Alerts in Reducing Inappropriate Red Blood Cell Transfusion

To reduce the rate of inappropriate red blood cell transfusion, a provider education program, followed by alerts in the computerized provider order entry system (CPOE), was established to encourage AABB transfusion guidelines. Metrics were established for nonemergent inpatient transfusions. Service lines with high order volume were targeted with formal education regarding AABB 2012 transfusion guidelines. Transfusion orders were reviewed in real time with email communications sent to ordering providers falling outside of AABB recommendations. After 12 months of provider education, alerts were activated in CPOE. With provider education alone, the incidence of pretransfusion hemoglobin levels greater than 8 g/dL decreased from 16.64% to 6.36%, posttransfusion hemoglobin levels greater than 10 g/dL from 14.03% to 3.78%, and number of nonemergent two-unit red blood cell orders from 45.26% to 22.66%. Red blood cell utilization decreased by 13%. No additional significant reduction in nonemergent two-unit orders was observed with CPOE alerts. Provider education, an effective and low-cost method, should be considered as a first-line method for reducing inappropriate red blood cell transfusion rates in stable adult inpatients. Alerts in the computerized order entry system did not significantly lower the percentage of two-unit red blood cells orders but may help to maintain educational efforts.
Genotypes of human glioma xenografts compared with glioma stem cell-derived tumors.

2072 Background: Human glioma stem cells and xenograft lines are common translational models in neuro-oncology but it has not been established if they are genetically and phenotypically comparable....
When Do the Poor Vote for the Right Wing and Why: Status Hierarchy and Vote Choice in the Indian States:

What explains the popularity of right-wing parties among the poor? This article argues that in hierarchical societies with high social-status inequality, cross-class coalitions can emerge among hig...
Biology of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23: From Physiology to Pathology

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)23 is a phosphaturic hormone produced by osteocytes and osteoblasts that binds to FGF receptors in the presence of the transmembrane protein αKlotho. FGF23 mainly targets the renal proximal tubule to inhibit calcitriol production and the expression of the sodium/phosphate cotransporters NaPi2a and NaPi2c, thus inhibiting renal phosphate reabsorption. FGF23 also acts on the parathyroid glands to inhibit parathyroid hormone synthesis and secretion. FGF23 regulation involves many systemic and local factors, among them calcitriol, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone. Increased FGF23 is primarily observed in rare acquired or genetic disorders, but chronic kidney disease is associated with a reactional increase in FGF23 to combat hyperphosphatemia. However, high FGF23 levels induce left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and are associated with an increased risk of mortality. In this review, we describe FGF23 physiology and the pathological consequences of high or low FGF23 levels.