cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decoupling Genetics from Attainments: The Role of Social Environments

Abstract This paper examines the extent to which growing up in a socially mobile environment might decouple genetic endowments related to educational attainment with actual attainments. Many models of intergenerational transmission of advantage contain both a transmission channel through endowments (i.e. genetics) from parents to children as well as from parental investments and “luck”. Indeed, many scholars consider the intergenerational links due to the transmission of genetically based advantage to place a lower bound on plausible levels of social mobility—genetics may be able to “lock in” advantage across generations. This paper explores this idea by using new genetic measurements in the Health and Retirement Study to examine potential interactions between social environments and genetics related to attainments. The results suggest evidence of gene environment interactions: children born in high mobility states have lower genetic penetrance—the interaction between state-level mobility and the polygenic score for education is negative. These results suggest a need to incorporate gene-environment interactions in models of attainment and mobility and to pursue the mechanisms behind the interactions.
The effect of maternal position on fetal middle cerebral artery Doppler indices and its association with adverse perinatal outcomes: a pilot study.

Objective The aim of this study was to compare position-related changes in fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) Doppler pulsatility indices (PI). Methods A prospective study of 41 women with conditions associated with placental-pathology (chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes, and abnormal analytes) and 34 women without those conditions was carried out. Fetal MCA Doppler velocity flow waveforms were obtained in maternal supine and left lateral decubitus positions. MCA PI Δ was calculated by subtracting the PI in the supine position from the PI in the left lateral position. Secondary outcomes included a composite of adverse perinatal outcomes (fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios, and preeclampsia). χ2 and Student t-tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used. Results MCA PI Δ was significantly less for high-risk pregnant women ([P = 0.03]: high risk, left lateral PI, 1.90 ± 0.45 vs. supine PI, 1.88 ± 0.46 [Δ = 0.02]; low risk, left lateral PI, 1.90 ± 0.525 vs. supine PI, 1.68 ± 0.40 [Δ = 0.22]). MCA PI Δ was not significantly different between women who had a composite adverse outcome and women who did not have a composite adverse outcome (P = 0.843). Conclusion Our preliminary study highlights differences in position-related changes in fetal MCA PI between high-risk and low-risk pregnancies. These differences could reflect an attenuated ability of women with certain risk factors to respond to physiologic stress.
Avalanches during flexure of early-age steel fiber reinforced concrete beams

In this work, we studied stress variations occurring during flexure of early-age steel fiber reinforced concrete beams. By preparing beams with different fiber volume ratios, four-point bending tests were performed to evaluate the specimens at different loading rates. A new experimental system was created to collect the stress-time curves collected at 100 kHz sampling rate so that temporal profiles of stress drops were analyzed in high resolution. Meanwhile, stress drops were modeled as avalanches due to interactions between steel fibers and cement matrices during flexure. Good agreement on avalanche statistics and dynamics was obtained between measurements and the predicted power law exponents and scaling functions from the mean field model. The observations of different avalanche types also illustrated the essential failure features evolved during flexure of steel fiber reinforced beams.
Providing Evidence-based and Culturally Competent Care to Racial/ethnic Minority Young Adults with Anxiety Disorders: The Experience of an Urban Medical Center Clinic

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorder with onset in childhood, and the most prevalent in adulthood. Despite high prevalence, anxiety disorders are under-diagnosed and under-tre...
Gender Bias in Surgical Oncology Fellowship Recommendation Letters: Gaining Progress.

Objective Gender bias has been identified in letters of recommendation (LOR) in many different surgical training fields. Among surgeons, women comprise over 30% of the full-time faculty positions nationally and surgical oncology is one of the most gender diverse surgical subspecialties. We sought to determine if bias existed in LOR submitted to a Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO) fellowship. Design LOR for the CGSO fellowship were retrospectively analyzed from applicants at a single institution over an 8-year period (2013-2020). The linguistic content of the letters was analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC2015), a validated text analysis program. Using multivariable analysis, LOR were compared by gender of both applicant and letter writer to explore the association between gender and the characteristics of the applicants and letter writers. Setting University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery. Participants Applicants interviewed for the CSGO fellowship program at the UNC from 2013 to 2020 as well as all applicants from the 2018 application cycle, regardless of interview status. Results About 841 letters from 219 interviewed applicants throughout the 2013 to 2020 surgical oncology fellowship application cycles were included. No difference in authenticity, clout, analytic thinking, or emotional tone of the letters was seen when comparing men and women applicants. Of the 41 word categories analyzed, only “references to achievement” in LOR written for women was significantly higher when compared to LOR written for men (p = 0.01). Interestingly, significantly more women applicants had at least 1 LOR written by a woman (p = 0.04). A subset analysis of all applicants regardless of interview status from the 2018 cycle included 294 LOR from 77 applicants. With the inclusion of noninterviewed applicants, LOR for men had more analytic tone than LOR for women (p = 0.02), otherwise there were no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions Very few differences in LOR were found for applicants at a CGSO fellowship program based on applicant or letter writer gender. The lack of gender bias demonstrates progress within the field of surgical oncology, likely a result of recent work and educational effort in this area. Efforts to expand this progress into other surgical sub-specialties are necessary.
Purification of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Fusion Complexes for In Vitroh Analysis

Protein kinases are common elements in multiple signaling networks, influencing numerous downstream processes by directly phosphorylating specific target proteins. During the cell cycle, multiple complexes, each comprising one cyclin and one cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk), function to regulate the orderly progression of cell cycle events. The mechanisms of cyclin-Cdk mediated control have, in part, been established through biochemical experiments involving the purification of cyclin and Cdk proteins to evaluate the activity of a given complex toward its target substrate proteins.Here I present a detailed procedure to simplify the preparation of cyclin-Cdk complexes by purifying them as a single fusion molecule with a 1:1 molar ratio and a detailed protocol for performing reconstituted kinases assays with the purified complexes.This methodology has allowed us to measure the activity and specificity of all budding yeast cyclin-Cdk1 complexes toward the model substrate histone H1. In addition, it has allowed us to perform kinase assays with a panel of purified human cyclin-Cdk complexes to analyze their specificity toward the retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and map the substrate cyclin-Cdk kinase docking interactions between Rb and human G1-Cdk complex.This chapter is focused on purification of cell cycle cyclin-Cdk complexes, but also affords a generalizable framework that can be adapted to other cyclin-dependent kinases like transcriptional cyclin-Cdks or any other multisubunit enzyme complexes. Taken together, the described workflow is a powerful and flexible biochemical platform for solving long-standing biological questions and has potential value in synthetic biology and in therapeutic discovery.
Apocalipse hematófago: agências do corpo vampiresco nas pandemias de Noturno e Apocalipse V

Em meio a grande diversidade de universos literarios construidos a partir da figura mitica do vampiro, sempre figurou de maneira expressiva a questao da contaminacao. Um devir vampiro e comumente subordinado ao contato direto com a entidade ou, minimamente, com seus fluidos corporais; outrossim, nao obstante a natureza atribuida ao vampiro – seja a de um ser sobrenatural ou mesmo a de um corpo infectado por agente inteiramente natural – o tema do contagio, ou o proprio medo dele, se reafirma atraves dos seculos como recorrente nessas narrativas. Neste ensaio, consideraremos duas narrativas vampirescas do seculo XXI, Noturno (2009) de Guillermo del Toro e Chuck Hogan, e a serie televisiva Apocalipse V (2019) da Netflix, nas quais o corpo do vampiro nao apenas figura como, ou carrega, um vetor epidemiologico, tornando-se responsavel pelo que se desenvolveria como uma pandemia devastadora, como tambem reflete e responde aos anseios de seus contextos de producao – como a figura do terrorista estrangeiro, o bioterrorismo, e a propria ansiedade causada por nossa fragilidade diante do advento de uma pandemia em larga escala.
Automatic Generation of MR-based Attenuation Map using Conditional Generative Adversarial Network for Attenuation Correction in PET/MR

Attenuation correction is an important correction for quantitative PET image reconstruction. Current PET/MR attenuation correction methods involve segmenting MR images acquired with zero-time echo (ZTE) or Dixon sequences and assigning known attenuation coefficients to different tissues. This work builds upon our previous work where we explore a novel deep learning method of attenuation map (µ-map) generation using a conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN) that allows for continuous attenuation coefficients [1]. We develop the use of a cGAN network to directly convert MR images to CT images (pseudo CT) through registered training data. A straightforward bilinear conversion can be applied to the pseudo CT images to obtain attenuation maps at 511keV for PET attenuation correction of the head and neck region, including brain. The overall average MAE of the pseudo CT compared to the real CT test images was found to be 88.2 ± 32.7 HU. Future work includes applying the correction on PET data and comparing the reconstructed PET image with CT-based attenuation correction at 511keV as the gold standard.
Intelligence’s Correlation to Special Operation’s Mission Success from WWII to Present

Missions conducted by Special Operations have historically resulted in both stunning successes as well as major failures. During World War Two (WWII), German, Italian, British and American Special Operations Forces (SOF) experienced both phenomenally successful missions and some equally spectacular failures. Since that time, SOF missions have grown in complexity and prominence in supporting both military and diplomatic endeavors. Operation Eagle Claw’s tragic outcome in 1980 was both a political and military embarrassment to the United States and hampered any future rescue of the American hostages taken by Iran. Conversely, the death of Osama Bin Laden was widely regarded as one of the great SOF successes of the 21st century. Though all Special Operations (SO) missions share audaciousness as a common characteristic, the corresponding “high-risk, high-reward” nature of SO requires a careful analysis of any factor that may strongly correlate to mission success or failure. Historically, no other element of SO mission success has been as important as the intelligence used when planning SO missions. The following article will research several case studies in SOF history in order to analyze the intelligence and planning techniques that were closely correlated to mission success.
Association of Maternal-Clinician Ethnic Concordance With Latinx Youth Receipt of Family-Centered Care.

Importance Disparities in medical home provisions, including receipt of family-centered care (FCC), have persisted for Latinx youths in the US. Objective To examine the association between maternal-clinician ethnic concordance and receipt of FCC among US-born Latinx youths. Design, setting, and participants A cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2017, was conducted. Data analysis was performed from January 6 to February 3, 2020. Latinx youths (age, ≤17 years) born in the US who had a usual source of care and used care in the past year, their Latina mothers (age, 18-64 years), and youths' health care clinician characteristics (eg, race, ethnicity, and sex) were evaluated using χ2 tests and propensity-score matching methods. Main outcomes and measures Maternal reports on whether their youths' clinician listened carefully to the parent, explained things in a way the parent could understand, showed respect, and spent enough time with the patient. Results There were 2515 US-born Latinx youths with linked maternal characteristics during the study period; 51.67% (95% CI, 48.87%-54.45%) of the youths were male, mean (SD) age was 8.48 (0.17) years (30.86% [95% CI, 28.39%-33.44%] were between ages 5 and 9 years), 61.53% (95% CI, 57.15%-65.74%) had public insurance coverage, and 39.89% (95% CI, 32.33%-47.89%) had mothers who were ethnically concordant with the youths' medical care clinician. We found that for youths with maternal-clinician ethnic concordance, the probabilities of reporting FCC were significantly higher than they would have been in the absence of concordance: that the medical care clinician listened carefully to the parent (average treatment effect on the treated [ATET], 5.44%; 95% CI, 2.14%-8.74%), explained things in a way the parent could understand (ATET, 4.82%; 95% CI, 1.60%-8.03%), showed respect for what the parent had to say (ATET, 5.51%; 95% CI, 2.58%-8.45%), and spent enough time with the patient (ATET, 5.28%; 95% CI, 1.68%-8.88%). Conclusions and relevance Given the increase of Latinx populations and the simultaneous shortage of underrepresented minority health care clinicians, the findings of this study suggest that increasing the number of clinicians from underrepresented minority backgrounds and ethnic-concordant parental-clinician relationships may help reduce disparities in receipt of medical home provision among US-born Latinx youths.
RF Properties of Periodic Accelerating Structures for Linear Colliders

With the advent of the SLAC electron-positron linear collider (SLC) in the 100 GeV center-of-mass energy range, research and development work on even higher energy machines of this type has started in several laboratories in the United States, Europe, the Soviet Union and Japan. These linear colliders appear to provide the only promising approach to studying e/sup /plus//e/sup /minus// physics at center-of-mass energies approaching 1 TeV. This thesis concerns itself with the study of radio frequency properties of periodic accelerating structures for linear colliders and their interaction with bunched beams. The topics that have been investigated are: experimental measurements of the energy loss of single bunches to longitudinal modes in two types of structures, using an equivalent signal on a coaxial wire to simulate the beam; a method of canceling the energy spread created within a single bunch by longitudinal wakefields, through appropriate shaping of the longitudinal charge distribution of the bunch; derivation of the complete transient beam-loading equation for a train of bunches passing through a constant-gradient accelerator section, with application to the calculation and minimization of multi-bunch energy spread; detailed study of field emission and radio frequency breakdown in disk-loaded structures at S-, C- and X-band frequencies under more » extremely high-gradient conditions, with special attention to thermal effects, radiation, sparking, emission of gases, surface damage through explosive emission and its possible control through RF-gas processing. 53 refs., 49 figs., 9 tabs. « less
The gene topography of cancer

Despite debates over technologies and statistics, a new catalog of genes associated with colon and breast cancer is close at hand.
A highly adaptive novel symmetric encryption method using the Sylvester equation with an application example for lossless audio compression

This paper presents a novel, highly adaptive, symmetric encryption technique based on the Sylvester equation. A sender encrypts data using two matrices generated by the QR decomposition of a Hankel matrix or, conversely, using a Hankel matrix that is itself composed of a symmetric key sequence. The decrypted information at the receiver is obtained by solving the Sylvester equation. Three theorems are presented that ratify the Sylvester equation and the QR factorization as valid methods for encryption. These schemes do not have any constraints for generating symmetric keys, since a random key sequence is used for this. The huge amount of possible keys makes an exhaustive search the best approach towards breaking the algorithm. Results are shown for lossless audio coding both for encryption and compression. The results display excellent performance
Challenges in simulation and design of /spl mu/Grids

This paper discusses a number of issues associated with simulation and design of /spl mu/Grids, i.e. distribution systems with distributed energy sources. Basically, such a system has sources with or without energy storage. The sources interface with the system via inverters. The overall system operates under nonbalanced conditions. Since energy sources may be three phase or single phase, customers can be three phase of single phase, and the system design may involve three-wire, four-wire and five-wire circuits, the simulation and design of the system poses a number of challenges. In this paper we try to address the design issues by proper analysis software by which many problems can be studied prior to actual system experimentation.
Analysis of Regulated Secretion Using PC12 Cells

The catecholamine-secreting PC12 cell line derived from the rat adrenal medulla has long been considered a model system for neurosecretion and neuronal differentiation. PC12 cells contain a large number of secretory granules (otherwise known as large dense-core vesicles) for storage of small molecules, processing enzymes, neuropeptides, and peptide hormones. Secretory granule exocytosis in PC12 cells is tightly regulated by calcium and occurs in response to a secretagogue. This unit provides protocols for maintenance and transfection of PC12 cells. Several secretion assays are described to measure the release of secretory granule cargo molecules by detection of radioactive catecholamine, or by immunochemical or chemiluminescence detection of transfected regulated secretory proteins.
Nuclear-electronic orbital reduced explicitly correlated Hartree-Fock approach: Restricted basis sets and open-shell systems

The nuclear electronic orbital (NEO) reduced explicitly correlated Hartree-Fock (RXCHF) approach couples select electronic orbitals to the nuclear orbital via Gaussian-type geminal functions. This approach is extended to enable the use of a restricted basis set for the explicitly correlated electronic orbitals and an open-shell treatment for the other electronic orbitals. The working equations are derived and the implementation is discussed for both extensions. The RXCHF method with a restricted basis set is applied to HCN and FHF− and is shown to agree quantitatively with results from RXCHF calculations with a full basis set. The number of many-particle integrals that must be calculated for these two molecules is reduced by over an order of magnitude with essentially no loss in accuracy, and the reduction factor will increase substantially for larger systems. Typically, the computational cost of RXCHF calculations with restricted basis sets will scale in terms of the number of basis functions centered on the quantum nucleus and the covalently bonded neighbor(s). In addition, the RXCHF method with an odd number of electrons that are not explicitly correlated to the nuclear orbital is implemented using a restricted open-shell formalism for these electrons. This method is applied to HCN+, and the nuclear densities are in qualitative agreement with grid-based calculations. Future work will focus on the significance of nonadiabatic effects in molecular systems and the further enhancement of the NEO-RXCHF approach to accurately describe such effects.
Nanotechnology and individualized oncology

The advent of novel engineering technologies affords unprecedented advances toward long-elusive objectives of medical research. Individualized medicine responds to the basic but generally unattainable question of identifying the right therapy, reaching the right therapeutic target in the body at the right time, and securing immediate feedback as for its efficacy and undesired collateral effect. Finally, individualized medicine appears to be a credible general objective in cancer, owing to the integration of classical disciplines of clinical medicine, methods of molecular biology, and novel technology platforms. Nanotechnologies are of great interest in the context of the drive toward individualized oncology, and may prove to be the necessary catalyst for its large-scale implementation. In this talk I will present nanoporous-silicon-based approaches for the individualization of medical intervention: multistage vectors for the preferential localization of therapeutic agents; therapeutic monitoring nanotextured chips for the proteomic and peptidomic content profiling of biological samples; nanochannel delivery systems for intelligent time-release from implants, and bionanoscaffolds for post-traumatic osteoregeneration. While novel nanoplatforms engender direct clinical applications, at the same time they afford the formulation of novel frameworks and hypotheses for the basic understanding of pathological processes. In particular, multistage particulates are the probes that afford the exploration of a new perspective of cancer, that is, that the unifying aspect of the canonical ‘hallmarks of cancers’ all relate to dysregulation of mass transport at scales including the molecular, cellular, microenvironmental, and systemic. These considerations are the starting point for “Transport OncoPhysics.”
Heavy fermion behaviour of the cerium-filled skutterudites ? and ?

The low temperature properties of polycrystalline samples of the filled skutterudites and , as well as the unfilled skutterudites and , have been investigated by means of electrical resistivity, specific heat and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The resistivity of exhibits a rather abrupt drop-off with decreasing temperature near 100 K; this drop-off temperature increases with increasing applied hydrostatic pressure, which is reminiscent of the onset of coherence in so-called Kondo lattice materials. The compounds and exhibit values of the electronic specific heat coefficient and Pauli susceptibility at low temperature which are enhanced over those of the lanthanum-filled and unfilled skutterudites. These quantities yield a Wilson ratio of order unity, which indicates that they both correspond to the properties of itinerant electrons. These transport, magnetic and thermodynamic properties suggest a moderately heavy fermion ground state in and .
N-related greenhouse gases in North America: innovations for a sustainable future

Agriculture contributes about 70–75% of Canadian and US anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O). Although progress has been made in recent decades to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in North America, including a decrease in N2O emissions per kilogram of harvested grain, significant technological, economic, and social impediments remain for further progress. A consensus has emerged for the need to foster partnerships to promote NUE research, extension, implementation, and performance indicators that encompass technical, social, and economic drivers of nutrient management. Recent innovative approaches include market trading, supply chain incentives, and consumer awareness. North America is a test bed for achieving greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability targets through voluntary private and public sector partnerships among growers, retailers, industry, scientists, regulators, and NGOs.
Uncertainties of optical parameters and their propagations in an analytical ocean color inversion algorithm.

Following the theory of error propagation, we developed analytical functions to illustrate and evaluate the uncertainties of inherent optical properties (IOPs) derived by the quasi-analytical algorithm (QAA). In particular, we evaluated the effects of uncertainties of these optical parameters on the inverted IOPs: the absorption coefficient at the reference wavelength, the extrapolation of particle backscattering coefficient, and the spectral ratios of absorption coefficients of phytoplankton and detritus/gelbstoff, respectively. With a systematically simulated data set (46,200 points), we found that the relative uncertainty of QAA-derived total absorption coefficients in the blue-green wavelengths is generally within ±10% for oceanic waters. The results of this study not only establish theoretical bases to evaluate and understand the effects of the various variables on IOPs derived from remote-sensing reflectance, but also lay the groundwork to analytically estimate uncertainties of these IOPs for each pixel. These are required and important steps for the generation of quality maps of IOP products derived from satellite ocean color remote sensing.
Short-term oxidation response of Nb–15Re–15Si–10Cr–20Mo alloy

Abstract The Nb–15Re–15Si–10Cr–20Mo alloy was subjected to 24 h of air exposure in a temperature range from 700 to 1400 °C. Re addition to the Nb–Si–Cr–Mo alloy has been found to control the pesting at lower temperatures and spalling at higher temperatures. The curve in a graph of weight gain per unit area as a function of temperature was used to determine the oxidation resistance. Re 2 Si formation around a solid solution phase reduces the infusion of oxygen into the metal, controlling the kinetics of the alloy system. Oxidation characterization was carried out using XRD and back scattered imaging, EDS, and X-ray mapping modes on the SEM. Mo addition promotes the formation of oxidation resistance Nb 5 Si 3 .
Inflatable penile prosthesis technique and outcomes after radial forearm free flap neophalloplasty

The aim of this study was to describe the technical aspects and short-term outcomes of inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) implantation after neophallus reconstruction at a single institution. Nine men with previously constructed radial forearm neophalli underwent IPP implantation. The etiologies of their penile anomaly were bladder exstrophy complex in five, disorder of sexual differentiation in two and genital obliteration secondary to ballistic trauma in two. Median follow-up was 9.6 months (range 1.5–139.7). The records for these patients were retrospectively reviewed and outcomes recorded. Mean age was 23.6 (range 18–31) years, and mean time interval from neophalloplasty to IPP implantation was 22.1 months (range 3–48). In all cases, 3-piece IPPs were employed, with eight of patients having one cylinder implanted in the native corporal body and extending into the neophallus. Mean surgical time was 222 min (range 142–409). Median length of implanted device was 22 cm. No intraoperative complications were observed. At the most recent follow-up, six patients (66.7%) had functional devices, with acceptable surgical outcomes. Three patients (33.3%) sustained device infections, and three (33.3%) sustained cylinder erosion. In three patients in whom neo-tunica albuginea were fashioned by ensheathing the cylinder with allograft human dermal tissue matrix, no erosions occurred. One patient underwent two revisions, the first for the associated erosion and infection and the second for genital pain, and was left with a semi-rigid prosthesis. IPP implantation affords the best opportunity for functionality for patients with a radial forearm free flap neophallus. Caution must be taken to ensure viability of the neophallus intraoperatively, and protocols to minimize the risk of infection should be followed. Fashioning neo-tunica albuginea using graft material may reduce risk of erosion.
On the Ingredients of An Aristotelian Science

This paper is a part of a larger attempt to show that Aristotle held a consistent, fairly elaborate view as to what the different kinds of assumptions are that are needed in a science, how they are related to each other and to the idea of definition, and how they are obtained. I want to argue that Aristotle's different pronouncements on these subjects in the two Analytics hang together quite well, apart from some fluctuation of emphasis and of terminology. The main lines of my argument for this thesis are four. First, I want to point out that Aristotle's syllogistic theory, together with his belief that syllogisms are the universal tool of any sytematic science, naturally led him to a specific view of the ingredients of a science. One is almost tempted to say that Aristotle's views on the first principles of a science are predictable on the basis of his syllogistic theory, including his ideas of the role of existential presuppositions in syllogistic premisses. Secondly, it seems to me that the same result is reached by taking Aristotle up on his statement that "all sciences are based upon definitions" (Post. An. II, 17, 99a22-23). (In quoting Aristotle,
Industrial computing. A grand challenge

To make a truly significant impact, integrated industrial computing technologies must be actively transitioned into practice. First, practitioner needs must be clearly articulated at the beginning of RandD projects and throughout the development process. Second, the new knowledge must be codified into engineering procedures for ready use by the industry. Finally. truly significant new technologies should be supported by open standards so that they can be used cost-effectively. Industrial computing touches upon almost every aspect of our daily life and affects our nation's competitiveness and security. The creation of a renewable industrial computing architecture and transitioning it into practice is a Grand Challenge for computing in the nineties. The author introduces a series of papers which address a ubiquitous aspect of industrial computing: meeting real-time and fault-tolerant requirements. >
Postharvest changes in endogenous cytokinins and cytokinin efficacy in potato tubers in relation to bud endodormancy

Using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the effects of postharvest storage duration and temperature on endogenous cytokinins in potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Russet Burbank) tuber apical bud tissues in relation to endodormancy status were determined. Following fractionation by HPLC, a total of eight cytokinins were detected and these were: zeatin riboside-5′-monophosphate (ZRMP), zeatin-O-glucoside (ZOG), zeatin (Z), zeatin riboside (ZR), isopentenyl adenosine-5′-monophosphate (IPMP), isopentenyl adenine-9-glucoside (IP-9-G), isopentenyl adenine (IP) and isopentenyl adenosine (IPA). Regardless of postharvest storage temperature or endodormancy status, IP-9-G was the most abundant cytokinin detected while ZRMP and ZOG were the least abundant ones. In tubers preincubated at a growth-permissive temperature (20°C) prior to extraction, the loss of endodormancy was preceded by significant increases in the endogenous levels of Z, ZR, IPMP and IP-9-G. When stored continuously at a growth-inhibiting temperature (3°C), significant increases in ZR, IP-9-G and IP + IPA were observed. The total content of cytokinins increased by over 7-fold during postharvest storage and this increase was a result of de novo biosynthesis. Dose-response studies using IPA and ZR demonstrated a time-dependent increase in apparent cytokinin sensitivity during postharvest storage. With the exception of IP-9-G, injection of any of these endogenous cytokinins resulted in the rapid and complete termination of tuber endodormancy. The significance of these results with respect to endodormancy regulation and the possible mechanisms controlling cytokinin levels in potato tubers are discussed.
A Survey for Hα Emission in Massive Binaries: The Search for Colliding Wind Candidates

I report the results of the first all-sky survey of Hα emission in the spectra of O-type binaries. The survey includes 26 systems, of which 10 have emission that extends clearly above the continuum. This is the first report of emission for four of these. An additional three systems show small distortions in the Hα profile that may result from weak emission. I compare the distribution of emission systems in H-R diagrams for both binary and single stars, using a survey of single O-type stars done by Conti (1974). Emission in main-sequence systems is extremely rare and is completely absent in my sample of binary stars. Among binary stars, 78% of the systems containing giants show some emission, while no single giants in Conti's sample do. In the case of supergiants, 78% of single stars show emission, while all supergiant binaries show strong emission. Hα emission may come from a variety sources, but the fact that binaries have a higher incidence and strength of emission in post-main-sequence stages may indicate that wind interactions are a common source of emission in massive binaries. To ascertain whether or not colliding winds have been observed, it will be necessary to study the Hα line profile throughout several orbits of each candidate colliding wind system and look for recurring orbital-phase-related variations. Such a study is underway.
Normalized Markov Decision Chains I; Sensitive Discount Optimality

In this paper we study sensitive discount optimality criteria for finite state and action, discrete time parameter, stationary generalized Markov decision chains. We extend previous results obtained by Miller and Veinott and Veinott for substochastic transition matrices to arbitrary non-negative matrices with spectral radius not exceeding one. In particular, we generalize their policy improvement algorithm for finding a stationary policy maximizing the expected discounted reward for all sufficiently small positive interest rates.
Analysis and measurement of fault coverage in a combined ATE and BIST environment

This paper analyzes an environment which utilizes built-in self-test (BIST) and automatic test equipment (ATE), and presents closed-form expressions for fault coverage as a function of the number of BIST and ATE test vectors. This requires incorporating the time to switch from BIST to ATE (referred to as switchover time), and utilizing ATE generated vectors to finally achieve the desired level of fault coverage. For this environment, we model fault coverage as a function of the testability of the circuit under test and the numbers of vectors which are supplied by the BIST circuitry and the ATE. A novel approach is proposed; this approach is initially based on fault simulation using a small set of random vectors; an estimate of the so-called detection profile of the circuit under test is established as the basis of the test model. This analytical model effectively relates the testable features of the circuit under test to detection using both BIST and ATE as related testing processes.
Exclusive breastfeeding among women taking HAART for PMTCT of HIV-1 in the Kisumu Breastfeeding Study

One of the most effective ways to promote the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV-1 in resource-limited settings is to encourage HIV-positive mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months post-partum while they receive antiretroviral therapy (ARV). Although EBF reduces mortality in this context, its practice has been low. We studied the rate of adherence to EBF and assessed associated maternal and infant characteristics using data from a phase II PMTCT clinical trial conducted in Western Kenya which included a counseling intervention to encourage EBF by all participants. We analyzed data from the Kisumu Breastfeeding Study (KiBS), conducted between July 2003 and February 2009. This study enrolled a total of 522 HIV-1 infected pregnant women. Data on breastfeeding were available for 480 mother-infant pairs. Infant feeding and general nutrition counseling began at 35 weeks gestation and continued throughout the 6 month post-partum intervention period, following World Health Organization (WHO) infant feeding guidelines. Data on infant feeding were collected during routine clinic visits and home visits using food frequency questionnaires and dietary recall methods. Participants were instructed to exclusively breastfeed until initiation of weaning at 5.5 months post-partum. We used Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate the rates of EBF at 5.25 months post-partum, stratified by maternal and infant characteristics measured at enrollment, delivery, and 2 weeks post-partum. The estimated EBF rate at 5.25 months post-partum was 80.4%. Only 3% of women introduced other foods (most commonly water with or without glucose, cow’s milk, formula, and fruit) by 2 months; this percentage increased to 5% of women by 4 months. Women who had ≥3 previous births (p < 0.01) and who were not living with the infant’s father (p = 0.04) were more likely to exclusively breastfeed. Mixed feeding was more common for male infants than for female infants (p = 0.04). Exclusive breastfeeding was common in this clinical trial, which emphasized EBF as a best practice until infants reached 5.5 months of age. Counseling initiated prior to delivery and continued during the post-partum period provided a consistent message reinforcing the benefits of EBF. The findings from this study suggest high adherence to EBF in resource limited settings can be achieved by a comprehensive counseling intervention that encourages EBF.
Multicultural Competence: Contributions from Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Intelligence

Constructs associated with multicultural competence have been studied in self-contained lines of investigations, thus preventing consensual propositions of the competence. To bridge such fragmentat...
Modeling early-age stress development of restrained concrete

The B3 Model is a compliance model that was designed and calibrated to estimate the instantaneous and time-dependent strain behavior of concrete with an age of 1 day or more. However, it was not designed to model the rapidly changing viscoelastic and elastic properties of early-age concrete between setting and 1 day. The early-age stress development, free strain, and mechanical property development of 28 concrete mixtures were measured to model the early-age stress development of concrete. The mixtures utilized three water–cement ratios, five coarse aggregate types, two curing temperature scenarios, and densities from 1,390 to 2,320 kg/m3 (87–145 lb/yd3). Modifications were made to the B3 Model to account for the early-age viscoelastic and elastic behavior of concrete. The effect of the modifications made to the B3 Model are limited to improving the early-age response and have minimal effect on the later-age compliance estimated with the original B3 Model. The modifications to the B3 Model significantly improved the unbiased estimate of standard deviation from 0.74 MPa (110 psi) to 0.39 MPa (57 psi) and coefficient of variation from 0.23 to 0.79 compared to the unmodified B3 Model.
Administration of Ricin Induces a Severe Inflammatory Response via Nonredundant Stimulation of ERK, JNK, and P38 MAPK and Provides a Mouse Model of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Recent interest in the health consequences of ricin as a weapon of terrorism has led us to investigate the effects of ricin on cells in vitro and in mice. Our previous studies showed that depurination of the 28S rRNA by ricin results in the inhibition of translation and the coordinate activation of the stress-activated protein kinases JNK and p38 MAPK. In RAW 264.7 macrophages, ricin induced the activation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK, the accumulation of mRNA encoding tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1, the transcription factors c-Fos, c-Jun, and EGR1, and the appearance of TNF-α protein in the culture medium. Using specific inhibitors of MAPKs, we demonstrated the nonredundant roles of the individual MAPKs in mediating proinflammatory gene activation in response to ricin. Similarly, the intravenous administration of ricin to mice led to the activation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK in the kidneys, and increases in plasma-borne TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Ricin-injected mice developed the hallmarks of hemolytic uremic syndrome, including thrombotic microangiopathy, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. Microarray analyses demonstrated a massive proinflammatory transcriptional response in the kidneys, coincidental with the symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome. Therapeutic management of the inflammatory response may affect the outcome of intoxication by ricin.
Basic fibroblast growth factor- and platelet-derived growth factor-mediated cell proliferation in B104 neuroblastoma cells: effect of ethanol on cell cycle kinetics.

Abstract In vivo studies show (a) that early exposure to ethanol depletes neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and (b) that a primary target of ethanol in the developing nervous system is proliferating neuronal precursors. We used a neuronal cell line (B104 neuroblastoma cells) as an in vitro model for the effects of ethanol on the proliferation of neuronal precursors to test the hypothesis that ethanol interferes with growth factor-regulated proliferation of neuron-like precursors. The effects of ethanol on the mitogenic activity of two growth factors, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and platelet-derived growth factor AA and BB (PDGF-AA and PDGF-BB), were examined. Cell proliferation was monitored by tracing the change in the numbers of cultured cells over 4–5 days and in the cell cycle kinetics was determined using a cumulative labeling technique with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Western immunoblots and immunohistochemical preparations show that B104 cells expressed the high affinity receptors for bFGF, PDGF-AA and PDGF-BB. The three growth factors were potent mitogens for the B104 cells; they promoted an increase in cell number even when the cells were grown in serum-free medium. Ethanol depressed the bFGF-, PDGF-AA- and PDGF-BB-mediated cell proliferation without altering the incidence of cell death. These changes in proliferation were concentration-dependent; at a concentration of 100 mg/dl, ethanol partially, but significantly inhibited growth factor-stimulated proliferation and higher ethanol concentrations (400 mg/dl or more) completely abolished growth factor-regulated cell proliferation. The effects of ethanol on cell growth were a result of ethanol-induced changes in growth factor-regulated cell cycle kinetics, principally the total length of the cell cycle and the fraction of the population that was actively cycling (the growth fraction). Ethanol completely negated the action of bFGF, but only partially blocked PDGF-promoted cycling activity. Thus, B104 cells are a suitable model for studying the effects of ethanol on neuronal proliferation. The blockage of bFGF- and PDGF-mediated cell proliferation by ethanol supports the hypothesis that growth factors are a target of ethanol neurotoxicity. Furthermore, the differential actions and effects of ethanol on the two growth factors mirror effects observed in vivo.
The calculation of magnetic induction in grain orientated ultra-thin silicon steel sheets

In this work the magnetic induction in grain orientated ultra-thin silicon steel sheets (with a thickness of 0.08 mm) was calculated by employing the crystal orientation distribution function and the formula for the anisotropy of energy for a single crystal of cubic symmetry. The incomplete pole figures of {110}, {200} and {112} were measured and the corresponding orientation distribution function was determined. On the basis of the texture data and the corresponding magnetic anisotropy energy, the magnetic induction in the ultra-thin silicon steel sheet was calculated. The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental measurement.
Immuno-fluorescence assay of leptospiral surface-exposed proteins

Bacterial surface proteins are involved in direct contact with host cells and in uptake of nutrients from the environment (1). For this reason, cellular localization can provide insights into the functional role of bacterial proteins. Surface localization of bacterial proteins is a key step towards identification of virulence factors involved in mechanisms of pathogenicity. Methods for fractionating leptospiral membranes (2-5) may be selective for a certain class of outer-membrane proteins (OMPs), such as lipoproteins vs. transmembrane OMPs, and therefore lead to misclassification. This likely is due to structural differences and how they are associated to the outer membrane. Lipoproteins are associated with membranes via a hydrophobic interaction between the N-terminal lipid moiety (three fatty acids) and the lipid bilayer phospholipids (6, 7). In contrast, transmembrane OMPs are typically integrated into the lipid bilayer by amphipathic β-sheets arranged in a barrel-like structure (8, 9). In addition, presence of a protein in the outer-membrane does not necessarily guarantee that the protein or its domains are exposed on the surface. Spirochetal outer membranes are known to be fragile and therefore necessitate methods involving gentle manipulation of cells and inclusion of sub-surface protein controls to assess the integrity of the outer membrane. Here, we present an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) method to directly assess surface exposure of proteins on intact leptospires. This method is based on recognition of leptospiral surface proteins by antigen-specific antibodies. Herein, antibodies specific for OmpL54(10) are detetcted aftero binding to native, surface exposed epitopes. Comparison of antibody reactivity to intact versus permeabilized cells enables evaluation of cellular distribution and whether or not a protein is selectively present on leptospiral surface. The integrity of outer membrane should be assessed using antibody to one or more subsurface proteins, preferably located in the periplasm. The surface IFA method can be used to analyze surface exposure of any leptospiral protein to which specific antibodies are available. Both the usefulness and limitation of the method depends on whether the antibodies employed are able to bind to native epitopes. Since antibodies often are raised against recombinant proteins, epitopes of native, surface-exposed proteins may not be recognized. Nevertheless, the surface IFA method is a valuable tool for studying components of intact bacterial surfaces. This method can be applied not only for leptospires but also other spirochetes and gram-negative bacteria. For stronger conclusions regarding surface-exposure of OMPs, a comprehensive approach involving several cell localization methods is recommended (10).