cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2-(m-Azidobenzoyl)taxol binds differentially to distinct β-tubulin isotypes

There are seven β-tubulin isotypes present in distinct quantities in mammalian cells of different origin. Altered expression of β-tubulin isotypes has been reported in cancer cell lines resistant to microtubule stabilizing agents (MSAs) and in human tumors resistant to Taxol. To study the relative binding affinities of MSAs, tubulin from different sources, with distinct β-tubulin isotype content, were specifically photolabeled with a tritium-labeled Taxol analog, 2-(m-azidobenzoyl)taxol, alone or in the presence of MSAs. The inhibitory effects elicited by these MSAs on photolabeling were distinct for β-tubulin from different sources. To determine the exact amount of drug that binds to different β-tubulin isotypes, bovine brain tubulin was photolabeled and the isotypes resolved by high-resolution isoelectrofocusing. All bands were analyzed by mass spectrometry following cyanogen bromide digestion, and the identity and relative quantity of each β-tubulin isotype determined. It was found that compared with other β-tubulin isotypes, βIII-tubulin bound the least amount of 2-(m-azidobenzoyl)taxol. Analysis of the sequences of β-tubulin near the Taxol binding site indicated that, in addition to the M-loop that is known to be involved in drug binding, the leucine cluster region of βIII-tubulin contains a unique residue, alanine, at 218, compared with other isotypes that contain threonine. Molecular dynamic simulations indicated that the frequency of Taxol-accommodating conformations decreased dramatically in the T218A variant, compared with other β-tubulins. Our results indicate that the difference in residue 218 in βIII-tubulin may be responsible for inhibition of drug binding to this isotype, which could influence downstream cellular events.
An analytic reconstruction method for limited-view tomography

Limited-view data are generated in many imaging applications, including positron emission mammography (PEM), x-ray tomosynthesis, and electron parametric resonance imaging (EPRI). In some imaging situations, certain views may be obstructed or impractical to imaging. It is well-known that limited-view data of an image function do not contain complete information for achieving exact reconstruction of the image function. When applying the conventional filtered backprojection (FBP) and assuming the measurements in the missing views are zeros, substantial image artifacts can be generated. As a result, approximate reconstructions of limited-view data are often achieved by using backprojection. Although this approach is incorrect, the results obtained can often reveal qualitative characteristics of the underlying image function that are useful in certain applications. Alternatively, iterative methods can be used to generate more accurate results, especially when a priori information is employed for regularizing the artifact-generating effects of the missing data. In both cases, theoretical prediction of the relationship between the obtained results and the underlying solutions are not available. Although exact reconstructions cannot be achieved, in this paper we will show that for an image function of compact support its limited-view projection data can be employed to estimate high-frequency components of a blurred solution. In addition, with a proper design only the zero-frequency (dc) components of the image row profiles cannot be estimated by the proposed method
Adolescents’ Negative Experiences in Organized Youth Activities

Research indicates that organized youth activities are most often a context of positive development. However, there is a smaller body of evidence suggesting that these activities are sometimes a context of negative experiences that may impede learning or lead to dropping out. To better understand negative experiences in youth activities, we conducted ten focus groups with adolescents. Youths’ descriptions provide an overview of the range of types of negative experiences they encountered, as well as how they responded to them. The most frequent types of negative experiences involved peers and peer group dynamics and aversive behavior attributed to the adult leaders of the activities. The youth described two types of responses to their negative experiences - a passive response of feeling negative emotions, and active coping, which sometimes led to learning.
RAM and TCAM designs by using STT-MRAM

Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) is a prospective candidate for cache and main memory designs. However, the reliable revision of magnetization using current requires high current density, which is hardly affordable in aggressive scaling-down technology node. Nanoring shaped magnetic tunneling junction (NR-MTJ) remarkably reduces STT programming current density, as indicated by theoretical analysis. In this paper, we first introduce the fundamental of STT technology and describe the NR-MTJ's structure and characteristics. The design and implementation of a 4Kb STTMRAM with NR-MTJs, and a TCAM design for high speed and robustness are then demonstrated.
Advancing UX Education: A Model for Integrated Studio Pedagogy

The rapid growth of the UX profession has led to an increased need for qualified practitioners and a proliferation of UX educational programs offered in both academia and industry. In this note, we present the design and initial evaluation of a new studio-based undergraduate program in UX--the first of its kind at a large, research-intensive US university. The program includes several curricular innovations, such as an integrated studio pedagogy in which six topical strands are interwoven across two types of studios. These studios are interconnected and span five semesters of the undergraduate experience. We present the curriculum model and the foundational principles that informed its design. We describe the two types of studios and their interconnection, and present early evaluation data showing that students are building valuable skills. The program described in this note provides a trailblazing model for UX pedagogy at the undergraduate level.
Combinatorial Extracellular Matrix Microenvironments for Probing Endothelial Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Endothelial cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells are a promising cell type for enhancing angiogenesis in ischemic cardiovascular tissues. However, our understanding of microenvironmental factors that modulate the process of endothelial differentiation is limited. We examined the role of combinatorial extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on endothelial differentiation systematically using an arrayed microscale platform. Human pluripotent stem cells were differentiated on the arrayed ECM microenvironments for 5 days. Combinatorial ECMs composed of collagen IV + heparan sulfate + laminin (CHL) or collagen IV + gelatin + heparan sulfate (CGH) demonstrated significantly higher expression of CD31, compared to single-factor ECMs. These results were corroborated by fluorescence activated cell sorting showing a 48% yield of CD31+/VE-cadherin+ cells on CHL, compared to 27% on matrigel. To elucidate the signaling mechanism, a gene expression time course revealed that VE-cadherin and FLK1 were upregulated in a dynamically similar manner as integrin subunit β3 (>50 fold). To demonstrate the functional importance of integrin β3 in promoting endothelial differentiation, the addition of neutralization antibody inhibited endothelial differentiation on CHL-modified dishes by >50%. These data suggest that optimal combinatorial ECMs enhance endothelial differentiation, compared to many single-factor ECMs, in part through an integrin β3-mediated pathway.
Blending virtual with conventional learning to improve student midwifery skills in India.

Abstract India's state of Bihar has suboptimal quality of pre-service training for auxiliary nurse midwives. To address this, state government of Bihar implemented a blended training model to supplement conventional classroom teaching with virtual training. A 72-hour virtual training package with updated content on key maternal and newborn health practices was developed for final year students and broadcasted from one instructor location simultaneously to two auxiliary nurse midwives training centres. This pre-post intervention study compared skills of two auxiliary nurse midwife student cohorts. Eighty-five students from pre-intervention cohort of academic year 2012–13, received only conventional teaching during the final year. The 51 students in the post-intervention cohort from successive academic year 2013–14, received a combination of the both conventional and virtual training. The two cohorts were objectively assessed on identified midwifery skills. A passing score was set at achieving 75% or higher. The students exposed to blended learning scored 32.57 points (p =
Online learning with side information

An online learning problem with side information is considered. The problem is formulated as a graph structured stochastic Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB). Each node in the graph represents an arm in the bandit problem and an edge between two arms indicates closeness in their mean rewards. It is shown that such side information induces a Unit Interval Graph and several graph properties can be leveraged to achieve a sublinear regret in the number of arms while preserving the optimal logarithmic regret in time. A lower bound on regret is established and a hierarchical learning policy that is order optimal in terms of both the number of arms and the learning horizon is developed.
Spatio-Temporal Asymmetry of Local Wind Fields and Its Impact on Short-Term Wind Forecasting

The massive amounts of spatio-temporal data collected in today's wind farms have created a necessity for accurate spatio-temporal models. Despite the growing recognition for nonseparable spatio-temporal models, a significant reliance on separable, symmetric models is still the norm in today's renewable industry. We discover that the broad use of separable models is due to the handling of wind data in a setting that does not reveal their fine-scale spatio-temporal structure. The contribution of this research is twofold. First, we devise a special pair of spatio-temporal “lens” that allows us to see the fine-scale spatio-temporal variations and interactions, and subsequently, we conclude that local wind fields exhibit strong signs of nonseparability and asymmetry. Using one year of turbine-specific wind measurements, we show that asymmetry can, in fact, be detected in more than 93% of the time. Second, making use of the spatio-temporal lens, we propose an enhanced procedure for short-term wind speed forecast. Substantial improvements in forecast accuracy in both wind speed and wind power were observed. When combined with certain intelligent methods such as support vector machine, additional improvements are possible.
Local Tumor Hyperthermia in the 1990s

There is compelling evidence that heat alone is tumoricidal and enhances efficacy of radiation therapy and cytotoxicity of many drugs. However, it is almost certain that during the next decade, heat will be used primarily as an adjuvant to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy rather than alone as the first line of treatment. It is also known that the threshold of thermal damage for normal tissues is not significantly different from that for most tumors, and there is increasing evidence that in normal tissues as in tumors the damage threshold is lower for heat plus drugs and/or radiation than for heat, drugs or radiation alone. For example, in biopsies obtained from the normal liver tissue overlying a tumor in a patient with localized, metastatic liver carcinoma, it was found that whereas heat at 42°C for 20 min., before initiation of chemotherapy with 5Fluorouracil, caused only dilatation and engorgement of capillaries, when the liver was heated in presence of the drug extensive hemorrhages in the parenchyma were observed. Similar toxicity was observed in other tissues such as the kidney. However, it is now generally recognized that to achieve tumor control it is the proliferative and infiltrative tumor margin which must be heated to therapeutic temperature. Therefore to keep normal tissue toxicity at an acceptable level, tumor bed tissues and any critical normal tissues must remain at a lower temperature. Thus, it is important that heating devices must heat most of the tumor, specially its edge, and least of the normal tissue.
Evaluation of a field protocol for internally-tagging fish predators using difficult-to-tag ictalurid catfish as examples

Abstract Tagging protocols that result in high tag retention will benefit fisheries professionals who use telemetry data. Ictalurid catfish historically have had very poor telemetry tag retention. Here, we use these difficult-to-tag taxa to address two research objectives. First, we evaluated our field-based internal tagging methodology by quantifying six tag retention metrics using data from 48 acoustically-tagged blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) released into Milford Reservoir, KS, USA. Second, to better understand the results of this field evaluation, we evaluated tag retention and survival in the hatchery for the closely-related channel catfish (I. punctatus). Field and hatchery studies provided complementary information. Eighty percent of tagged blue catfish were detected at the end of our 5-mo field study (1,139,402 = total detections; 24,243 = average detections per fish). A 13-week hatchery evaluation of our field methodology also had high tag retention (100%). Hatchery treatments that used a lateral-ventral incision had higher tag retention and survival than those treatments that included a mid-ventral incision. Time invested in training, protocol refinement, and field organization were also important. Furthermore, monitoring the surgical history and recovery of individual fish allowed us to correct problems before mortality occurred. Because a need exists for a range of internal tagging methodologies that are effective on an assortment of fish species tagged under a variety of circumstances, our high tag retention methodology may be useful to the expanding research community that studies native and non-native catfish, as well as, other telemetry researchers who seek beneficial refinements to their tagging protocols.
Menstrual cycle-dependent alterations in glycosylation: a roadmap for defining biomarkers of favorable and unfavorable mucus

Objective To understand glycosylation of endocervical proteins at different times throughout the menstrual cycle in naturally cycling women and in women using hormonal or non-hormonal contraceptive methods, in order to characterize biochemical fingerprints of favorable and unfavorable cervical mucus.
The Diffusion of Green Technological Innovations and Stimulus: The Case of LUBEI Eco-Industrial Park in China

The green technology of LUBEI Eco-Industrial Park has undergone a process of evolution including a technology R&D stage, a technology improvement stage, a technology integration stage and a product innovation stage. The evolution of green technology of LUBEI Eco-Industrial Park in China during the last decade indicates a variety of green technological trajectories. The emerging green technology receives resistance from end-of-pipe technologies. The breakthrough of the path dependence by the existing technology is facilitated by changes in the ‘selected environment’ (the dynamic factors shaping technological evolution), i.e. favourable policies, auxiliary technological support, market environment, corporate culture and resources endowment.
Isis the immigrant and Roman toleration

In adopting a foreign cult, ancient Roman worshippers were not searching for a new religion to replace their old one, but rather seeking to expand the range of gods and practices at their disposal. They assumed that all traditional gods and religions were valid and effective. There was, therefore, an implicit toleration built into the system of ancient polytheism, and this was admired by the thinkers of the Enlightenment, though the Roman state never guaranteed freedom of worship. The cult of Isis was distasteful to the Roman elite, and the government often reacted brutally to particular actions by her worshippers. Nevertheless, her cult was always popular with the general public and the state never wished to abolish it, and eventually built a public temple to Isis. The worshippers of Isis tested the limits of Roman toleration and demonstrated its vitality.
The BioIntelligence Framework: a new computational platform for biomedical knowledge computing

Breakthroughs in molecular profiling technologies are enabling a new data-intensive approach to biomedical research, with the potential to revolutionize how we study, manage, and treat complex diseases. The next great challenge for clinical applications of these innovations will be to create scalable computational solutions for intelligently linking complex biomedical patient data to clinically actionable knowledge. Traditional database management systems (DBMS) are not well suited to representing complex syntactic and semantic relationships in unstructured biomedical information, introducing barriers to realizing such solutions. We propose a scalable computational framework for addressing this need, which leverages a hypergraph-based data model and query language that may be better suited for representing complex multi-lateral, multi-scalar, and multi-dimensional relationships. We also discuss how this framework can be used to create rapid learning knowledge base systems to intelligently capture and relate complex patient data to biomedical knowledge in order to automate the recovery of clinically actionable information.
Pseudoaneurysm of the Greater Palatine Vessel Following Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft

Subepithelial gingival connective tissue grafts are a common surgical procedure performed in periodontal and implant surgery. This versatile procedure has many indications including tooth root coverage, thickening of gingiva, and improvement of the quality of the crestal gingiva. Several techniques have been described for graft harvest from the palate. Reported complications from these techniques include pain, inflammation, bleeding, flap necrosis, and infection in the donor site. We report a previously unpublished complication following subepithelial gingival connective tissue graft from the palate: pseudoaneurysm of the greater palatine vessel.
The Cambridge handbook of play: edited by Peter K. Smith and Jaipaul L. Roopnarine, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2018, 760 pp., US$56.99 (paperback), ISBN 9781316640906, US$185.00 (hardback), ISBN 9781107192515

For those readers interested in the subject of play, there is something for almost everyone in The Cambridge handbook of play. Divided into 7 sections – Evolution of Play; Development of Play in Hu...
Abdominal core quality of life after ventral hernia repair: a comparison of open versus robotic-assisted retromuscular techniques.

Robotic–assisted retromuscular repairs reduce length of stay compared to open surgery. However, no study has evaluated the long-term impact on abdominal core quality of life. Retrospective cohort study performed using prospectively collected data from the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative (AHSQC) including adults who underwent open or robotic-assisted retromuscular, incisional hernia repair between 2013 and 2019. Differences in Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes) scores at baseline and 1 year postoperatively were compared using multivariable regression models. Secondary outcomes included perioperative complications, wound morbidity, and hernia recurrence. 236 patients underwent open (N = 194) and robotic (N = 42) repairs. Median age was 61 years. The open group had larger hernia widths (median [IQR], 13 [9–16] vs. 7 [5–9] cm) and longer LOS (5 [4–6] vs. 1.5 [1–3] days). Median HerQLes summary scores at 1 year were similar at 88 [67, 93] points for open vs 90 [58, 94] for robotic arm. Wound morbidity rates were similar. On multivariate analysis, there was no difference in HerQLes summary score improvement 1 year after repair between techniques (3.3, CI [− 7.7, 14.3]; p = 0.52), however, patients with a comparatively larger hernia width of 7 cm had a 5.9 (CI [1.1, 10.8], p = 0.02) increase in HerQLes scores, and patients with a higher ASA class (3–5) saw an 11-point score improvement (CI [2.2, 20.0], p = 0.02) regardless of approach. Smoking, BMI above 30, or hernia recurrence had no significant impact, while COPD hindered scores (− 17.0, CI [− 32.3, − 1.7], p = 0.03). Improvement in abdominal core quality of life after repair is comparable between open and robotic retromuscular techniques. Larger hernia defects and higher ASA class patients benefitted the greatest. Robotic approaches offer shorter LOS with comparable recurrence and wound morbidity rates 1 year after surgery. The surgical approach should be personalized and guided by the surgeon’s individual and institutional expertise.
Broadband Synchronization and Compressive Channel Estimation for Hybrid mmWave MIMO Systems

Synchronization is a fundamental procedure in cellular systems whereby an UE acquires the time and frequency information required to decode the data transmitted by a BS. Due to the necessity of using large antenna arrays to obtain the beamforming gain required to compensate for small antenna aperture, synchronization must be performed either jointly with beam training as in 5G NR, or at the low SNR regime if the high-dimensional mmWave MIMO channel is to be estimated. To circumvent this problem, this work proposes the first synchronization framework for mmWave MIMO that is robust to both TO, CFO, and PN synchronization errors and, unlike prior work, implicitly considers the use of multiple RF chains at both transmitter and receiver. I provide a theoretical analysis of the estimation problem and derive the HCRLB for the estimation of both the CFO, PN, and equivalent beamformed channels seen by the different receive RF chains. I also propose two novel algorithms to estimate the different unknown parameters, which rely on approximating the MMSE estimator for the PN and the ML estimators for both the CFO and the equivalent beamformed channels. Thereafter, I propose to use the estimates for the equivalent beamformed channels to perform compressive estimation of the high-dimensional frequency-selective mmWave MIMO channel and thus undergo data transmission. For performance evaluation, I consider the QuaDRiGa channel simulator, which implements the 5G NR channel model, and show that both compressive channel estimation without prior synchronization is possible, and the proposed approaches outperform current solutions for joint beam training and synchronization currently considered in 5G NR.
T -Systems, Networks and Dimers

We study the solutions of the T-system for type A, also known as the octahedron equation, viewed as a 2 + 1-dimensional discrete evolution equation. These may be expressed entirely in terms of the stepped surface over which the initial data are specified, via a suitably defined flat GLn connection which embodies the integrability of this infinite rank system. By interpreting the connection as the transfer operator for a directed graph or network with weighted edges, we show that the solution at a given point is expressed as the partition function for dimers on a bipartite graph dual to the “shadow” of the point onto the initial data stepped surface. We extend the result to the case of other geometries, such as that of the evaporation of a cube corner crystal, and to a reformulation of the Kenyon–Pemantle discrete hexahedron equation.
Two hundred and forty-eight cases of visual snow: A review of potential inciting events and contributing comorbidities:

ObjectiveTo review characteristics and outcomes of all cases of visual snow seen at our institution, with attention to possible triggering events or comorbidities.MethodsThis is a retrospective cas...
Caregiver status and illness self-efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults with chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVES: Older adults providing unpaid care to a relative or friend during the COVID-19 pandemic may have diminished self-efficacy in managing their own chronic illness, especially in the context of more complex self-management. We evaluated whether adults aged 50 and older with caregiving roles are more likely to report reduced illness self-efficacy since the pandemic, and whether this link is exacerbated by a higher number of conditions. METHODS: Participants (105 caregivers and 590 noncaregivers) residing in Michigan (82.6%) and 33 other U.S. states completed one online survey between May 14 and July 9, 2020. RESULTS: Controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics, stressors related to COVID-19, and behavioral and psychosocial changes since the pandemic, caregivers were more likely than noncaregivers to report reduced illness self-efficacy when they had a higher number of chronic conditions. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the importance of maintaining caregivers' self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic and in future public health crises.
Translanguaging in higher education in the US: leveraging students’ bilingualism

This case study explored how the translanguaging stance of two instructors from different disciplines was reflected in their course design, instructional decision-making, and interactions with stud...
Fertility sparing endometriosis surgery: A review

Abstract Background Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition involving endometrial-like tissue outside of the uterus. There are no medical management options available to improve fertility in patients with known endometriosis prior to conception. Specifically, the fertility sparing surgical techniques used to manage endometriomas and colorectal endometriosis are controversial prior to natural conception and implementing assisted reproductive technology. Methods A literature search, including PubMed and the Cochrane Library, was performed from November 2020 to February 2021 and articles in English that addressed endometriosis associated infertility and surgical treatments were included. Our review provides a comprehensive evidence-based evaluation of fertility sparing endometriosis surgery. Results The pathogenesis of endometriosis and its role in infertility is poorly understood and complex. The management of patients with painful endometriomas continues to be excision, whereas small asymptomatic endometriomas require an individualized approach. Colorectal endometriosis excision improves pregnancy rates in retrospective and prospective cohort studies. However, randomized control trials are still needed to confirm these findings and their functional risks must be carefully discussed with the patient. Conclusions Surgical excision of endometriosis improves fertility in patients with symptomatic disease. Further research with randomized controlled trials is needed to determine if surgery is mandatory prior to implementing assisted reproductive technologies in those patients with asymptomatic endometriosis and infertility.
No effect of sex steroids on compensatory muscle hypertrophy

We studied the effects of sex steroids on muscle weight and oxidative capacity of rat plantaris muscles subjected to functional overload by removal of synergistic muscles. Eight weeks after bilateral synergist removal, plantaris muscles were strikingly hypertrophic compared with unoperated controls. After this period, there were selective alterations in the ability of the muscles to oxidize three substrates of oxidative metabolism. Thus 14CO2 production from [6-14C]glucose and [2-14C]pyruvate was significantly reduced, whereas there was no alteration in 14CO2 production from beta-[3-14C]hydroxybutyrate. Succinate dehydrogenase specific activity was decreased in overloaded muscle. There was no effect of sex hormone status on any of these parameters. Finally, 30 days of functional overload did not influence cytosolic androgen receptor binding. These results are not consistent with the idea that sex steroids and functional overload act synergistically.
First-Person Activity Recognition: Feature, Temporal Structure, and Prediction

This paper discusses the problem of recognizing interaction-level human activities from a first-person viewpoint. The goal is to enable an observer (e.g., a robot or a wearable camera) to understand `what activity others are performing to it' from continuous video inputs. These include friendly interactions such as `a person hugging the observer' as well as hostile interactions like `punching the observer' or `throwing objects at the observer', whose videos involve a large amount of camera ego-motion caused by physical interactions. The paper investigates multi-channel kernels to integrate global and local motion information, and presents a new activity learning/recognition methodology that explicitly considers temporal structures displayed in first-person activity videos. Furthermore, we present a novel algorithm for early recognition (i.e., prediction) of activities from first-person videos, which allows us to infer ongoing activities at their early stage. In our experiments, we not only show classification results with segmented videos, but also confirm that our new approach is able to detect activities from continuous videos and perform early recognition reliably.
Toward a Coherent Theory of Strict Tort Liability for Trademark Licensors

In the past fifty years, trademark licensing has become an increasingly popular method of structuring business relationships in the United States. Today, trademark licensing can be found in every sector of the American economy. Yet, despite the increased prevalence of trademark licensing arrangements, courts and legislatures have not developed clear rules for determining whether trademark licensors can be held strictly liable for personal injuries caused by their licensees' defective products. In several cases, courts have applied an enterprise theory of liability to impose strict liability on trademark licensors. Broadly stated, the enterprise theory holds that any entity that significantly participates in the enterprise that places a defective product into the stream of commerce will be treated as a seller, and thus subject to strict liability under the Restatement of Torts. Although courts have applied the enterprise theory to trademark licensors based on factual findings that a particular licensor had a sufficient participatory connection to its licensee, or was significantly enough involved in its licensee's operations, they have not clearly defined what they mean by these terms. Nor have courts developed a coherent theory to explain why certain licensor conduct should be deemed significant for strict liability purposes. Their approach frequently boils down to nothing more than an I-know-it-when-I-see-it test. In this Article, I argue that the control tightrope and the general indeterminacy of licensor liability law is neither necessary nor desirable. Once the courts acknowledge that the relevant task is to design a set of flexible vicarious liability rules, constructing a coherent theory of licensor liability should be possible. Toward these ends, I argue that a more cogent theory of licensor liability can be constructed by borrowing the basic analytical framework as well as certain key precepts from corporate veil piercing law. Licensor liability law might benefit from a similar analytic framework--that is, an initial presumption of limited licensor liability coupled with clear, flexible piercing tests. Under the proposal advanced here, a licensor's presumption of nonliability would be disregarded if particular tests were satisfied. I propose that the presumption be disregarded when a particular licensor: (1) was the functional equivalent of a manufacturer of the defective goods; (2) controlled the particular activity that gave rise to the product defect at issue; (3) knew, or reasonably should have known, that the licensee was not adequately insured against reasonably foreseeable product liability risks; (4) induced consumers to believe that the defective goods were manufactured by the licensor or that the licensor vouched for the safety of the defective goods, and plaintiff purchased the goods in reliance on such a belief; or (5) contracted with a foreign licensee/manufacturer not subject to personal jurisdiction in the state where the defective goods were sold.
Discovering functional transcription factor binding from superimposed gene networks

The availability of entire genome sequences, coupled with genome-wide studies of gene expression, offers promise for discovering new pathways along with their regulatory programs. Clusters identified from gene co-expression networks (GCNs) reveal correlations between genes but say little about the mechanism behind their coregulation. We have constructed a co-binding network (CBN) to identify the potential combinations of transcription factors (TFs) that may regulate a set of genes. The CBN was built by connecting all pairs of genes bound by the same transcription factor observed in ChIP-Chip microarray experiments. We superimposed the CBN onto the GCN to identify clusters of genes in overlapping subnetworks. Applying our method to a GCN derived from four distantly related species, we identified transcription factor combinations for several conserved sub-networks in yeast.
Pseudomonas oleovorans as a Source of Poly(β-Hydroxyalkanoates) for Potential Applications as Biodegradable Polyesters

Pseudomonas oleovorans was grown in homogeneous media containing n-alkanoic acids, from formate to decanoate, as the sole carbon sources. Formation of intracellular poly(β-hydroxyalkanoates) was observed only for hexanoate and the higher n-alkanoic acids. The maximum isolated polymer yields were approximately 30% of the cellular dry weight with growth on either octanoate or nonanoate. In most cases, the major repeating unit in the polymer had the same chain length as the n-alkanoic acid used for growth, but units with two carbon atoms less or more than the acid used as a carbon source were also generally present in the polyesters formed. Indeed, copolymers containing as many as six different types of β-hydroxyalkanoate units were formed. The weight average molecular weights of the poly(β-hydroxyalkanoate) copolymers produced by P. oleovorans ranged from 90,000 to 370,000. In spite of the higher cell yields obtained with octanoate and nonanoate, the use of hexanoate and heptanoate yielded higher-molecular-weight polymers. These copolyesters represent an entirely new class of biodegradable thermoplastics.
Psychometric development and reliability analysis of a patient satisfaction with interpersonal relationship with navigator measure: a multi-site patient navigation research program study

Background Patient navigation (PN) is a method for addressing racial–ethnic and socioeconomically based disparities in cancer-related care. Patient navigators provide logistic and emotional support to underserved patients to facilitate successful completion of diagnostic and treatment care. Yet, little is known about patient satisfaction with the relationship with a navigator due to a dearth of instruments measuring satisfaction. Objective The objective of this study was to validate the Patient Satisfaction with Interpersonal Relationship with Navigator (PSN-I) measure for patients undergoing diagnostic and/or therapeutic cancer care. Methods We administered the PSN-I to 783 participants from the nine different sites of the National Cancer Institute sponsored Patient Navigation Research Program. We evaluated the latent structure and internal consistency of the PSN-I using principal components analysis (PCA) and Cronbach coefficient alpha (α), respectively. We used correlation analyses to examine divergence and convergence of the PSN-I with the Patient Satisfaction with Cancer-related Care (PSCC), the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) Long Form, and patients' demographics. Results The PCA revealed a coherent set of items that explicates 76.6% of the variance in PSN-I. Reliability assessment revealed high internal consistency (α ranging from 0.95 to 0.96). The PSN-I had good face validity as well as convergent and divergent validities as indicated by moderate correlations with score on the PSCC (all ps 0.05). Conclusion The PSN-I is a valid and suitable measure of satisfaction with a patient navigator for the present sample. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regulation of the Interaction of NCC and ENaCβ by SGK1

Aldosterone and angiotensin II are the primary hormones mediating NCC and ENaC function, which regulate salt and water balance. Two downstream mediators include the aldosterone-mediated activation of SGK1 and angiotensin II-mediated activation of WNK4. Additionally, the negative regulator NEDD4-2 is an important modulator of NCC and ENaC function. Previously, our laboratory has demonstrated that NCC and ENaC subunits (α, β or γ) are closely associated and interact in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT2); however, whether this interaction can be modulated has yet to be investigated. Herein, we investigate physiological parameters by which NCC and ENaCβ are augmented. We used a mammalian two-hybrid (M2H) assay, using vectors (pBind/pAct with NCC and/or ENaCβ, empty pBind/pAct and SGK1, WNK4 and NEDD4-2 expression vectors) which allow for activation of the luciferase reporter vector (firefly) when interaction occurs. COS-7 cells were transfected and allowed to grow for 48 hours. Cells were then lysed and resu...
The Amorality of Public Corporations

Abstract We consider whether public corporations can be ethical, using the notion of corporate socialresponsibility (CSR). We distinguish between ‘weak’ CSR (where corporate profitability isenhanced by pursuing social and environmental objectives) and ‘strong’ CSR (where it is not)and consider four possible positions in relation to strong CSR. First, CSR is unnecessary –good ethics is synonymous with good business. Second, CSR is unethical as the governmentis responsible for intervention in markets. Third, CSR is ethical and is being implemented bycorporations. We find none of these positions convincing and argue a fourth position – CSR isethical but impossible for corporations to implement due to competitive markets and the legalrequirements of the corporate form. We conclude that public corporations are best consideredamoral entities. In order to alleviate the inevitable negative social and environmental outcomesarising from corporate activities, we suggest strengthening the regulatory environment andusing alternate organizational forms to conduct economic activities.
Energy expenditure and cardiovascular responses to Tai Chi Easy

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardiorespiratory response and energy expenditure during the practice of Tai Chi Easy (TCE). TCE has been proposed as a low-intensity alternative to traditional physical activity. Design Oxygen cost data were collected from 10 healthy adult women (mean age of 47.9±12.8 years) at rest and during a 30-min session of TCE using an automated metabolic cart and heart rate (HR) telemetry. The Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale was utilized to measure subjective intensity of the TCE movements. Results The mean oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) for the movements ranged from 4.3mlkg –1 min −1 to 5.5mlkg –1 min −1 with an overall mean of 5.0mlkg –1 min −1 . The mean HR for all activity was 67.0 beats per minute and the mean energy expenditure (EE) was 1.6Kcalmin −1 . Conclusions Cardiorespiratory and EE responses to TCE indicate that this a low intensity exercise appropriate for individuals requiring activity prescriptions of approximately 2 metabolic equivalents (METs).
Use of Excess Constraints in Structural Analysis

This paper describes a method of structural analysis whereby extra constraints are applied to the structure to keep the effects of any applied forces within a part of the structure so small that it may be readily analysed. For the constrained structure, one computes the stiffness matrix by imposing the simple unit motions called for and calculating the forces at the constraints. A judicious choice of constraints makes the calculation of the elements of the stiffness matrix easy and may make most of them zero. The excess reactions may then be removed by a partitioning and partial inversion process.
Steady state coexistence solutions of reaction-diffusion competition models

Two species of animals are competing in the same environment. Under what conditions do they coexist peacefully? Or under what conditions does either one of the two species become extinct, that is, is either one of the two species excluded by the other? It is natural to say that they can coexist peacefully if their rates of reproduction and self-limitation are relatively larger than those of competition rates. In other words, they can survive if they interact strongly among themselves and weakly with others. We investigate this phenomena in mathematical point of view.
Enhanced gas-phase hydrogen-deuterium exchange of oligonucleotide and protein ions stored in an external multipole ion reservoir.

Rapid gas-phase hydrogen–deuterium (H–D) exchange from D2O and ND3 into oligonucleotide and protein ions was achieved during storage in a hexapole ion reservoir. Deuterated gas is introduced through a capillary line that discharges directly into the low-pressure region of the reservoir. Following exchange, the degree of H–D exchange is determined using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Gas-phase H–D exchange experiments can be conducted more than 100 times faster than observed using conventional in-cell exchange protocols that require lower gas pressures and additional pump-down periods. The short experimental times facilitate the quantitation of the number of labile hydrogens for less reactive proteins and structured oligonucleotides. For ubiquitin, we observe ∼65 H–D exchanges after 20 s. Exchange rates of > 250 hydrogens s−1 are observed for oligonucleotide ions when D2O or ND3 is admitted directly into the external ion reservoir owing to the high local pressure in the hexapole. Partially deuterated oligonucleotide ions have been fragmented in the reservoir using infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD). The resulting fragment ions show that exchange predominates at charged sites on the 5′- and 3′-ends of the oligonucleotide, whereas exchange is slower in the core. This hardware configuration is independent of the mass detector and should be compatible with other mass spectrometric platforms including quadrupole ion trap and time-of-flight mass spectrometers. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
XPS studies of xanthate adsorption on galena surfaces

Abstract XPS measurement of the effect of xanthate adsorption on galena samples treated with de-oxygenated and oxygenated xanthate solutions have been made. Spectra of the Pb 4f, S 2P, C 1s and O 1s levels were recorded. Reference spectra of potassium ethyl xanthate and untreated galena samples were also obtained; these spectra were compared with previous results reported in the literature. In oxygenated solutions, the surface selvedge O 1s peak of galena has been altered by xanthate. Binding energies are such that there is evidence for a new surface compound on the galena surface. This is discussed in terms of interactions between the adsorbed intermediates of the O 2 reduction reaction and of the xanthate oxidation process. Implications for in situ flotation are discussed.
Beta-3 adrenoceptor (beta-3AR) expression in leptin treated Ob/Ob mice

Abstract Leptin-deficient Ob/Ob mice are hypometabolic and have reduced fat cell expression of beta-3 adrenoceptors (ARs). To determine whether leptin repletion restores beta-3 AR number, C57BL/6J Ob/Ob mice were given exogenous leptin (5 mg/kg IP daily) for 21 days. Leptin administration reduced body weight from 43.1 ± 3.7 to 34.1 ± 3.7g in Ob/Ob animals but had no effect on weight in wildtype animals. Body weight increased by 12% in Ob/Ob mice receiving saline. Beta-3 AR mRNA concentrations were markedly reduced in Ob/Ob animals at baseline. Leptin increased beta-3 AR mRNA to control levels in Ob/Ob mice, but had no effect in wildtype animals. Adipocyte leptin mRNA was increased by 400% in Ob/Ob mice and did not suppress with exogenous leptin administration, suggesting no direct feedback regulation of leptin synthesis. We speculate that restoration of beta-3 AR expression by repleting leptin may be important in correcting hypometabolism in Ob/Ob animals.
The effects of response-reinforcer contingency on time allocation in the open field

Abstract The present experiment explores the effects of the response (1-sec occupancy of a target area in an open field)—reinforcer (intracranial stimulation) contingency on time allocation in the open field in rats. The probability of reinforcement given a response (X) and the probability of reinforcement given the absence of a response (Y) were varied randomly across sessions within a subject. The following (X, Y) values were utilized: (.05, 0), (.15, 0), (.25, 0), (.15, .05), and (.15, .15). The results of this experiment indicate that rate of acquisition of time allocation preference is uniformly rapid during all contingency treatments wherein Y = 0 and is negatively related to the value of Y when X = .15. The relationship between the asymptote of the time allocation acquisition function and the value of X (when Y = 0) is positively sloped and negatively accelerated, while the relationship between asymptote and the value of Y (when X = .15) is negatively sloped with zero acceleration. Proposed contingency metrics are evaluated.
Limitations on the use of the mixed-mode delaminating beam test specimen: Effects of the size of the region of K-dominance

Abstract The mixed-mode delaminating beam (MMDB) is a widely used test geometry designed to measure the fracture resistance of bimaterial interfaces under mixed-mode loading conditions. In the present work, linear-elastic finite element analyses are employed to determine the complex stress intensity factor, K , for an interfacial crack in this sample; results are found to confirm those of previous studies of the bilayer specimen. However, the numerical results further reveal that the region of K -dominance near the crack tip is very limited, extending merely ∼ 1/100 to 1/1000 of the sample height, about an order of magnitude smaller than for other common fracture-mechanics test samples. Analyses performed for this specimen geometry modified to include a thin sandwiched interlayer also indicate a very limited region of K -dominance, for example, extending ∼ 1/10 of the height of the sandwiched layer from the crack tip for very thin sandwiched layers. For the sandwiched geometry, two situations leading to a useful small scale yielding condition are described. Examples of the use of this specimen in the evaluation of the fracture toughness of ceramic joints are cited from the literature and comparisons are made between the size of the K-dominant region and the extent of crack tip plasticity. Based on these comparisons, the geometry-independent predictive power of linear-elastic fracture mechanics for common bimaterial couples and specimen dimensions using this geometry is challenged.
Developing and Implementing a Reorganized Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Based on the Foundational Chemistry Topics of Structure, Reactivity, and Quantitation

The recent revision of undergraduate curricular guidelines from the American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training (ACS-CPT) has generated interest in examining new ways of organizing course sequences both for chemistry majors and for nonmajors. A radical reconstruction of the foundation-level chemistry curriculum is presented in which content has been reorganized into three sequences: structure, reactivity, and quantitation. It is proposed that these three areas represent fundamental aspects of chemistry that cross traditional domains and allow students to more quickly appreciate the breadth of the field. An overview of these sequences in the chemistry curriculum at CSB/SJU is described.