cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of job characteristics and organizational commitment on job satisfaction of hospital foodservice employees.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among job characteristics, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and demographic variables for hospital foodservice employees. Questionnaires including 30 items on job characteristics, 15 items on organizational commitment, 6 items related to job satisfaction, and 7 demographic items were administered to 45 supervisory and 172 nonsupervisory employees of 11 randomly selected hospitals. The reliability for the total instruments, using Cronbach's alpha, was 0.87 and 0.89, respectively, for the supervisory and nonsupervisory employee questionnaires. Organizational commitment and job satisfaction were related positively, with an r2 of 0.38. For supervisors, job characteristics related positively (p = .019) to organizational commitment, with variety being the only significant individual characteristic. For nonsupervisory employees, the model was also significant (p = .0001), with variety and feedback being the only significant individual characteristics. For all employees, there was a positive relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction, with variety and feedback being the significant individual characteristics. Age was the only demographic variable related to organizational commitment; older employees had higher commitment scores. Demographic variables were not related to job satisfaction. Supervisors had higher perceived variety, autonomy, feedback, dealing with others, and friendship opportunities scores and higher commitment and satisfaction scores than did nonsupervisory employees. The findings indicate that dietitians and foodservice managers may increase organizational commitment and job satisfaction by increasing the variety and feedback in employees' jobs.
Towards Furthering the Explanation of Relative Influence in Husband-Wife Decision Making: A Qualitative Approach

This paper begins the attempt of broadening the theoretical base of husband/wife relative influence in decision making by utilizing a research method which facilitates the achievement of a balance between theory-free and theory-laden research. Specifically, a qualitative approach was used to help uncover additional explanations for relative influence in husband/wife decision making. The content analysis of 60 in-depth interviews provided general support for the existing theories and revealed eleven additional possible explanations for this phenomenon.
Rab38 Expression in Platelet Dense Granule Storage Pool Disease.

Platelet dense granule storage pool disease (SPD) is a bleeding disorder characterized by a lack of normal platelet dense granule function, as evidenced by decreased platelet aggregation in response to ADP, epinephrine and collagen. Platelet SPD has been studied most extensively in humans and rodents with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS), whose phenotype is a result of defects in granule trafficking, leading to oculocutanous albinism, lysosomal storage diseases, and platelet dysfunction. We have been characterizing the fawn-hooded hypertensive (FHH) rat, which has been previously shown to have a bleeding disorder consistent with a platelet SPD and some of the features of HPS. While the platelets in the FHH rat have normal alpha granules and lysosomes, they lack dense granules as assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Platelet flow cytometric analysis of GPIb and GPIIb indicated that the FHH platelets have normal surface expression of these adhesion proteins. The FHH rat has a mutation in the Rab38 gene at the ATG start site, which is associated with the bleeding disorder. Rab38 is part of a large family of GTPases, which are involved in granule formation and secretion. Western blotting of FHH tissues revealed that there is no expression of Rab38 protein. We have used confocal immunomicroscopy to assess Rab38 in platelet formation and function. In normal rat and human platelets, there was punctate expression of Rab38. There was no Rab38 staining detected in FHH platelets. In human megakaryocytic cell lines, Dami and HEL cells, there was punctate staining of Rab38 that was mainly in the periphery of the cells, with a variable amount of perinuclear staining. There was partial colocalization of Rab38 with serotonin and VWF, and with Lamp-3, a marker of lysosomes. The degree of colocalization varied between cells. There was no clear association of Rab38 with actin and tubulin in megakaryocytes. We also examined a cohort of patients with SPD, but not HPS, for mutations in Rab38. The entire coding region and intron-exon boundaries of the Rab38 gene were sequenced in 18 patient samples collected at Emory University for the CDC Women with Bleeding Disorders and Menorrhagia Study. Ten of the patients had platelet function defects documented by standard platelet aggregation studies, and eight had no identifiable platelet function defect. No mutations in Rab38 were detected. Whereas numerous known polymorphisms were identified and confirmed, there was no association of any of them with platelet function abnormalities. In conclusion, Rab38 is expressed in platelets and megakaryocytes and may interact with other granule proteins during megakaryocyte development. Failure to express Rab38 is associated with platelet dysfunction. Further studies are needed to determine its function in megakaryocytes and platelets, and to determine whether defects in Rab38 are a cause of platelet SPD in humans.
Crime and punishment in Rwanda

AbstractIn 1994 Rwanda was devastated by genocide that killed hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed the country’s infrastructure. The credibility of the criminal justice system was questioned following the genocide because it had failed to stop the slaughter and may have contributed to it. In order to address these concerns, Rwanda rebuilt its criminal justice system in light of its history and troubled past. The success of the reestablishment may be debated but there can be no question that Rwanda had a tabula rasa with which to form an effective criminal justice system. Examining the law details the ideals of the criminal justice system as established post-genocide. These ideals exemplify the democratic process. Examining current events allows for a practical assessment of the success of the new system. In both theory and practice the country’s criminal justice system has changed drastically since 1994.
Genomic Medicine in Primary Care

Since first sequencing the human genome in 2003, emerging genomic technologies have ushered in an era of precision medicine that bridges molecular biology with care delivery. Such innovations outpace development of guidelines intended to facilitate practice-based applications in primary care. As a result, full integration in primary care settings has been slowed to materialize. Clinicians face challenges in navigating ethical issues raised in translation and implementation, namely maintaining respect for persons and communities and translating genetic risk into clinical actionability. This chapter explores practical barriers to incorporating genomic technologies in the primary care setting. These challenges are both philosophical and infrastructural. From a primary care perspective, the chapter further reviews the ethical, legal, and social implications of the Center for Disease Control’s proposed model for assessing the validity and utility of genomic testing and family health history applications. Last, the authors provide recommendations for future translational initiatives that aim to maximize the capacities of genomic medicine, without compromising primary care delivery.
Use of balloon sinuplasty in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis in the United States.

Background Over the past decade, the use of balloon sinuplasty has increased widely in the United States. Since its introduction, no nationally representative, population-based study has examined its use among chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with CRS between 2011 and 2014, and compared the prevalence of conventional functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), balloon sinuplasty, and hybrid sinus surgery according to surgical site and calendar year. Results Out of 11 million to 11.4 million enrollees per year, a total of 661,738 patients with the diagnosis of CRS were included in the analyses. There was an increase in the use of balloon sinuplasty as a stand-alone procedure from 5% in 2011 to 22.5% in 2014. Conventional FESS continued to be the most commonly performed sinus procedure over the study period. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed a linear increase in balloon sinuplasty and hybrid procedures from 2011 to 2014. Compared to patients over 60 years, patients younger than 30 years had lower odds of having a balloon sinuplasty as a stand-alone procedure compared to FESS. Compared to patients in the West, patients in the South, Northeast, and Midwest were significantly more likely to have balloon sinuplasty as a stand-alone procedure. Assessment of the sinus surgery site showed that patients with additional frontal sinus surgery were more likely to have a balloon-only procedure (odds ratio [OR], 4.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.21 to 5.17) or a hybrid procedure (OR, 8.69; 95% CI, 7.48 to 10.11) than conventional FESS when compared to patients with conventional maxillary surgery only. Conclusion From 2011 to 2014 there was an increase in the use of balloon sinuplasty and a modest decrease in the use of conventional FESS in the United States. Patients with frontal or sphenoid sinus surgical sites were more likely to have a balloon or hybrid procedure.
Iterative Design of a Biomimetic Catalyst for Amino Acid Thioester Condensation

Herein, the design of a catalyst that combines lessons learned from peptide biosynthesis, enzymes, and organocatalysts is described. The catalyst features a urea scaffold for carbonyl recognition and elements of nucleophilic catalysis. In the presence of 10 mol % of the organocatalyst, the rate of peptide bond formation is accelerated by 10000-fold over the uncatalyzed reaction between Fmoc-amino acid thioesters and amino acid methyl esters.
TNF Receptor 2 on CD8+ T cells and TNF receptor 1 on non-CD8+ T cells Contribute Significantly to Chlamydia pneumoniae-Induced Atherosclerosis

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an important cause of community-acquired pneumonia and has been associated with exacerbation of atherosclerosis. A role of TNF-α in Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) induced atherosclerosis has been reported previously; however, the relative contribution of the two cognate receptors of TNF-α, TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) and TNFR2 had not been studied. In the current study, C57BL/6J (WT) mice, TNFR1, TNFR2 and TNFR1/2 DKO mice were infected intranasally on days 0, 14 and 28 with 1 × 10 7 IFU of Cpn (AR39) and were fed a high fat (HF) diet throughout the experiment. One group of WT mice were mock infected with PBS as a control. All Cpn-infected KO mice displayed serum anti-Cpn antibody response, splenic cellular Cpn-specific IFN-γ and TNF-α response, and serum total cholesterol levels comparable to infected WT animals. On day 100 following infection, Cpn infected TNFR1, TNFR2 and TNFR1/2 DKO mice displayed significantly reduced atherosclerotic pathology compared to infected WT mice, and at levels comparable to mock-infected WT animals., suggesting that TNFR1 and TNFR2 play a significant role in Cpn-induced atherosclerosis. We demonstrated recently that CD8 + T cells induce Cpn-mediated atherosclerosis; therefore, we further investigated the role of TNFR1 and TNFR2 on CD8 + T cells in pathogenesis. TNFR2 KO mice, not TNFR1 KO mice, replete with WT CD8 + T cells displayed enhancement of atherosclerotic pathology to levels observed in Cpn-infected WT animals. Collectively, these results demonstrate that TNFR2 on CD8 + T cells and TNFR1 on non-CD8 + T cells contribute significantly to Chlamydia pneumoniae induced atherosclerosis.
The Social Cost of a Racially Targeted Police Encounter

This paper identifies the individual components of social harm associated with a hypothetical racially motivated police encounter. An individual who believes they are being targeted by police because they are a member of a racial minority may suffer from fear of physical harm and humiliation by the encounter itself. However, the very fact that individuals will be racially targeted for a police encounter also causes harm to other members of the minority group even if they are not directly subject to an unwarranted encounter. In addition to fear and anxiety over the risk of such an encounter, they will often undertake costly avoidance behaviors to reduce their risk, or to mitigate the risk of any physical harm if such an encounter occurs. In addition, other members of society who value a nondiscriminatory policing policy might be willing to pay to reduce such unwarranted police encounters, and hence suffer a loss from this policing policy. In addition to discussing possible methodologies for estimating these cost components, this paper raises some important issues that must be resolved – such as how to deal with the difference between perceived and actual racially motivated police encounters.
Efficacy of Treatments for Opioid-Induced Constipation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background & Aims Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is a common problem in patients on chronic opioid therapy for cancer-related and non–cancer-related pain. Approved treatments for OIC are methylnaltrexone, naloxone, naloxegol, alvimopan, naldemedine, and lubiprostone. Since a meta-analysis performed in 2014, 2 new agents have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of OIC (naloxegol and naldemedine). Methods We conducted a search of the medical literature following the protocol outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for systematic review. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMBASE Classic, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until March 2017 to identify randomized controlled trials of peripheral μ-opioid–receptor antagonists (methylnaltrexone, naloxone, naloxegol, alvimopan, axelopran, or naldemedine), lubiprostone, or prucalopride. Response to therapy was extracted in a dichotomous assessment as an overall response to therapy. The effect of pharmacologic therapies was pooled and reported as a relative risk (RR) of failure to respond to the treatment drug, with 95% CIs. Results We included 27 placebo-controlled trials in our meta-analysis (23 trials evaluated μ-opioid–receptor antagonists, 3 trials evaluated lubiprostone, and 1 trial evaluated prucalopride). In these trials, 5390 patients received a drug and 3491 received a placebo. Overall, μ-opioid–receptor antagonists, lubiprostone, and prucalopride were superior to placebo for the treatment of OIC, with a RR of failure to respond to therapy of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.64–0.75) and an overall number needed to treat of 5 (95% CI, 4–7). When restricted to only Food and Drug Administration–approved medications for OIC, the RR of failure to respond to therapy was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.62-0.77), with a number needed to treat of 5 (95% CI, 4–7). Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression performed to account for heterogeneity showed that treatment was more likely to be effective in study populations taking higher doses of opiates at baseline or refractory to laxatives. Study duration and prespecified primary outcome did not affect the RR of failure. Participants who received μ-opioid–receptor antagonists were significantly more likely to have diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting than patients who received placebo. Conclusions In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we found μ-opioid–receptor antagonists to be safe and effective for the treatment of OIC. Prescription-strength laxatives (prucalopride, lubiprostone) are slightly better than placebo in reducing OIC.
Patient-Provider Communication and Interactions

Communication between providers and patients serves as a fundamental building block upon which all elements of successful chronic care are built. Effective patient-provider communication is linked with improved health outcomes, better rapport in patient interactions, decreased utilization, and overall patient and provider satisfaction. Traditional models of patient-provider communication focus on the interactions that occur during face-to-face office visits, and mastering communication in these encounters remains crucial to the successful provision of chronic care. The evolving healthcare landscape requires that providers are proficient in communication within new models of care, such as group visits, team-based care, interactions via new technological channels, and shared decision-making. Providers must be prepared to communicate effectively when presented with challenging situations that can arise during the course of chronic care relationships, such as the need to deliver bad news, conflict management, cultural differences between patients and providers, and interaction with patient companions and advocates.
The Baidu Music Settlement: A Turning Point for Copyright Reform in China?

This paper is a case study of the legal aspects of Baidu’s online music distribution business from its inception in 2000 to the July 2011 settlement. After successfully withstanding several legal challenges over the 2005-2011 period, Baidu suddenly concluded an out-of-court settlement with a group of music distribution companies, under which Baidu would pay royalties for every track played and downloaded through its music distribution platform while acquiring legal distribution rights to music. The objective of the paper is to identify the factors behind Baidu’s surprising out-of-court settlement, elaborate on the significance of this agreement for copyright enforcement in China, and speculate on the future of digital content distribution in that country. We conclude that several factors, that singly may not have influenced Baidu to alter its music distribution model, combined to bring about this change. The Baidu settlement is therefore not a turning point, but a manifestation of a gradual but significant shift in intellectual property enforcement in China.
ITSM and Education.

Please insert a 200 word abstract here. The purpose of this workshop is to demonstrate an extended ITSM taxonomy to the professor, and also demonstrate courses now available in Foundations of IT Services I and II, and possibly, Business Service Management, and Introduction to Cloud Computing. Workshop Leader Information (Please attach a copy of your resume in your email submission) Name: Paul Kontogiorgis Affiliation: IBM and AIS SIGSVC – VP for Membership Postal Address: 3044 N. Elbridge, Chicago, IL 60618 Telephone: 773 29
The tail wags the motor.

Cytoplasmic dynein is a complex molecular motor that steps along microtubules. Advanced biophysical measurements reveal a surprising role for the dynein tail domain in the allosteric control of dynein’s mechanochemistry within assemblies composed of multiple dynein motors.
Blockchain in Healthcare: A Patient-Centered Model

A blockchain is a system for storing and sharing information that is secure because of its transparency. Each block in the chain is both its own independent unit containing its own information, and a dependent link in the collective chain, and this duality creates a network regulated by participants who store and share the information, rather than a third party. Blockchain has many applications in healthcare, and can improve mobile health applications, monitoring devices, sharing and storing of electronic medical records, clinical trial data, and insurance information storage. Research about blockchain and healthcare is currently limited, but blockchain is on the brink of transforming the healthcare system; through its decentralized principles, blockchain can improve accessibility and security of patient information, and can therefore overturn the healthcare hierarchy and build a new system in which patients manage their own care.
Defective coronary vessel organization and reduction of VEGF-A in mouse embryonic hearts with gestational mild hypoxia.

BACKGROUND Vasculature is formed by responding to homeostatic tissue demands including in developing hearts. Hypoxia generally stimulates vascular formation in which vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) plays a critical role. Gestational hypoxia increases the risk of low intrauterine growth and low birth weight, both of which are known to increase the risk of the fetus developing cardiovascular defects. In fact, continuous gestational mild hypoxia (14% O2 ) from the mid-embryonic stage causes cardiac anomalies accompanied by a thinning compact layer in mice in vivo. Because coronary vasculature formation is necessary for compact layers to thicken, we hypothesized that defective coronary vessel organization is related to the thinning compact layer under gestational hypoxia conditions. RESULTS Continuous gestational mild hypoxia (14% O2 ) applied from embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5) reduced the expression of VEGF-A mRNA and proteins by over 60% in E12.5 hearts relative to control normoxic hearts. Formation of CD31-positive vascular plexus, blood islands, and microvessels in embryonic ventricles were stunted by gestational hypoxia compared to control E12.5 hearts. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that mild hypoxia (14% O2 ) does not induce coronary vessel organization or VEGF-A expression in developing mouse hearts, opposing the general effects of hypoxia-triggering vascular organization and VEGF-A expression.
Declining frequency of thoracoscopic decortication for empyema - redefining failure after fibrinolysis.

Abstract Background Primary fibrinolysis for pediatric empyema has become standard of care at our institution. Early study of our protocol revealed a 16% thoracoscopic decortication rate after primary fibrinolysis. We now report the frequency with which children progress to operation with maturation of the protocol. Methods A database of patients diagnosed with empyema between September 2014 and March 2019 was examined. Patients who underwent tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy with or without subsequent video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) decortication were included. Patients with additional indications for tube thoracostomy or VATS were excluded. Results Forty-eight patients were included. Median age was 4.5 years [IQR 2–9.3]. Median length of stay (LOS) was 8 days [IQR 6–11]. No patients underwent primary VATS. Median days with a chest tube was 5 [IQR 5–6] and median number of doses of tPA was 3 [IQR 3–3]. Seven patients (14.6%) had a chest tube replaced without undergoing VATS. The VATS rate was 4.2% in the first half of this study but 0% in the last 33 months. Conclusion Thoracoscopic decortication is rarely necessary in children with empyema. Raising the threshold for surgical intervention and utilizing further nonoperative measures can avoid an operation in most children without increasing in-hospital length of stay. Level of evidence IV
The Vocabulary and Symbols of Distortion Analysis

Section 6.1 defines the general concept of a “distortion” in a private-benefit, private-cost, or profit figure, the concept of the “aggregate distortion” in such a private figure, and the concept of the “aggregate percentage-distortion” in such a private figure. Section 6.2 defines three basic categories of profit-distortion formulas: conventional, otherwise-Pareto-perfect (oPp) profit-distortion formulas, onesy (1E) formulas for the “aggregate distortion in the profits yielded by a specified resource allocation,” and step-wise-distortion—(SW)D—and step-wise aggregate profit-distortion—(SW)ΣD(Pπ)—formulas. Section 6.3 indicates the symbols that stand for each of the categories and subcategories of distortions that Sects. 6.1 and 6.2 define. Section 6.4 concretizes the concept of the 1E formula for the aggregate distortion in the profits yielded by a specific category of resource allocation. Section 6.5 concretizes the concept of the (SW)D formula for the aggregate distortion in the profits yielded by any resource allocation by deriving such a formula for the same category of resource allocation on which Sect. 6.4 focuses. Section 6.6 outlines the way in which the 1E and (SW)D formulas previously derived would have to be revised to take account of various complications previously ignored. Section 6.7 explains why the study will assume that it will prove to be TBLE for economic-efficiency analysts to use (SW)D rather than (1E) formulas for any aggregate profit-distortion.
Abstract 14746: A National Level Analysis of Long-term Outcomes in Patients With Carotid Body Tumors

Introduction: Carotid body tumors represent the most common site for extra-adrenal paragangliomas. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice as a low percentage of these tumors are malignant. H...
Helical Self-Organizations and Emerging Functions in Architectures, Biological and Synthetic Macromolecules

Helical architectures including artwork and monuments, such us the Trajan’s column from Rome, were constructed as early as in the year 113 while the assemblies and the self-organizations of biologi...
The GARP Domain of the Rod CNG Channel's β1-subunit Contains Distinct Sites for Outer Segment Targeting and Connecting to the Photoreceptor Disc Rim.

Vision begins when light is captured by the outer segment organelle of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Outer segments are modified cilia filled with hundreds of flattened disk-shaped membranes. Disk membranes are separated from the surrounding plasma membrane, and each membrane type has unique protein components. The mechanisms underlying this protein sorting remain entirely unknown. In this study, we investigated the outer segment delivery of the rod cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel, which is located in the outer segment plasma membrane, where it mediates the electrical response to light. Using Xenopus and mouse models of both sexes, we now show that the targeted delivery of the CNG channel to the outer segment uses the conventional secretory pathway, including protein processing in both ER and Golgi, and requires preassembly of its constituent α1 and β1 subunits. We further demonstrate that the N-terminal glutamic acid-rich protein (GARP) domain of CNGβ1 contains two distinct functional regions. The glutamic acid-rich region encodes specific information targeting the channel to rod outer segments. The adjacent proline-enriched region connects the CNG channel to photoreceptor disk rims, likely through an interaction with peripherin-2. These data reveal fine functional specializations within the structural domains of the CNG channel and suggest that its sequestration to the outer segment plasma membrane requires an interaction with peripherin-2.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurons and other differentiated cells have a remarkable ability to deliver and organize signaling proteins at precise subcellular locations. We now report that the CNG channel, mediating the electrical response to light in rod photoreceptors, contains two specialized regions within the N terminus of its β-subunit: one responsible for delivery of this channel to the ciliary outer segment organelle and another for subsequent channel sequestration into the outer segment plasma membrane. These findings expand our understanding of the molecular specializations used by neurons to populate their critical functional compartments.
Postoperative Pain After Mohs Micrographic Surgery is Well Tolerated Regardless of Psychological and Pain-Related Comorbidities.

BACKGROUND Preoperative patient screening has been evaluated in many surgical specialties as a way to improve the overall patient experience. Current data are limited regarding patient screening for dermatologic procedures. The goal of preoperative screening is to identify patients at risk for poor outcomes and tailor the treatment plan to ensure a greater overall patient experience. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between psychological comorbidities and acute postoperative pain in patients treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS Subjects were recruited from a single center, single provider, uniformed service MMS practice, and asked to complete preoperative and postoperative questionnaires for scheduled MMS. Outcome variables included anticipated pain, actual pain after MMS, duration of pain, and medications used for pain. RESULTS Mohs micrographic surgery was well tolerated. There were no significant differences in anticipated or reported pain, or in medication use between cohorts. Significant differences in pain were noted with closure technique with complex surgical repairs generating the greatest pain across groups. CONCLUSION Mohs micrographic surgery is well tolerated by patients, both with and without psychological comorbidities. Our results show no statistically significant differences, suggesting a limited role for preoperative screening as a tool to guide pain management after MMS.
Challenges in Engineering Estimates for Best Value Design–Build Highway Projects

AbstractTraditional design–bid–build guidelines suggest that engineering estimates should be within +/−10% of the lowest contractor bid and recommend this value as a reference to identify anomalies...
Can molecular insights guide treatment of AML evolved from MPNs

Abstract Leukemic transformation of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) is associated with dismal outcomes. The genetic complexity of leukemic transformation of MPNs is being deciphered and will likely result in targeted therapy approaches. Ongoing trials are investigating the efficacy of emerging treatments for this high-risk patient population. This review has outlined recent progress in the understanding and treatment of leukemia arising from MPNs.
Tyrosyl DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (Tdp1) is a fidelity factor for non-homologous end-joining reactions.

5780 DNA strand break repair is critical for maintaining cell survival following exposure to agents such as ionizing radiation or cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs. Two major pathways involved in repairing DNA double strand breaks are homologous recombination, a highly accurate repair pathway, and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), a pathway that can generate translocations that may lead to oncogenesis. We are studying tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (Tdp1), a protein that can remove phosphotyrosyl-linked peptides from the ends of DNA. The Tdp1p reaction is important for repairing damage arising from agents that block the reaction cycle of topoisomerases at a point where the enzymes are covalently bound to DNA. We found that yeast Tdp1 has an unexpected role in NHEJ. We used a plasmid recircularization assay to assess the efficiency of end-joining and the accuracy of the repair reaction. When plasmids were linearized with HindIII or EcoRI (generating a 5′ overhang) there was no change in the efficiency of the end-joining reaction in Δtdp1 cells. However, loss of TDP1 led to a large increase in junctions with sequence alterations. The altered junctions in Δtdp1 cells were mainly 2-4 nucleotide insertions, a type of joining error seldom seen in wild type cells. The sequence of the insertions was consistent with filling-in of the cohesive ends by a DNA polymerase prior to ligation. The errors depend on an intact NHEJ pathway, since the errors were not seen in cells lacking both TDP1 and NHEJ components such as Ku80 (YKU80) or DNA ligase IV (DNL4). The addition reactions occur in Δtdp1 Δrad52 cells showing that homologous recombination is not required for nucleotide additions. Also, the addition reactions were not seen in plasmids cut with Pst1 (generating a 3′ overhang), supporting the hypothesis that the additions arise from polymerase filling in. Since yeast Pol4 has been implicated in some NHEJ reactions, we tested whether Δtdp1 Δpol4 cells generated additions. We showed that the addition reactions were dependent on a functional POL4 gene, strongly suggesting that Pol4 carries out the addition reactions. We also find that Δtdp1 influences the efficiency of endjoining with DNA substrates with blunts ends. Δtdp1 strains exhibit more efficient repair of DNA with blunt ends than do wild type cells. Our results indicate that ′′simple ligations′′ of DNA with cohesive ends frequently require end-processing enzymes to ensure their fidelity. We hypothesize that the critical activity of Tdp1p in NHEJ is a previously characterized 3′ nucleosidase activity. Since removal of a nucleoside results in a 3′ phosphate, DNA molecules following Tdp1 reactions are blocked, preventing additions by DNA polymerases, and perhaps blocking nucleolytic digestion by 3′-5′ exonucleases. A biochemical role for Tdp1 in joining of blunt end substrates is less clear, but may also be related to controlling the ability of different enzymes to process DNA ends.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) Imaging

Although magnetic resonance imaging has been available for many years, the cardiac applications have grown and expanded in more recent times. The technology is widely available primarily through hospitals with no radiation exposure, giving physicians another important noninvasive imaging modality used for patients with cardiac disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can include the assessment of myocardial structure, function, perfusion and viability. This chapter will examine the information provided by CMR training as well as the appropriateness criteria and guidelines for indications. Finally, the chapter will put in perspective CMR within the arena of other noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedures such as SPECT/PET myocardial perfusion imaging.
A novel approach for implementing microarchitectural verification plans in processor designs

The ever-growing microarchitecture complexity of processors creates a widening gap between the verification plan and the test generation technologies used in its implementation. This gap impacts the cost and quality of the verification process. To overcome this, we introduce a novel test generation platform for processor verification. This approach is based on a scenario description language that is close to the microarchitecture verification plan, and uses new test generation algorithms and a microarchitectural model to support this higher level of abstraction. Initial results on a high end industrial design show our approach reduces the effort of implementing a microarchitectural verification plan and improves the quality of verification.
Chemical and physical properties of altered and sound enamel. IV. Trace element composition.

Abstract The trace element composition of sound enamel was found to be the same in the outer and the inner enamel. A very slight increment in Zn, Pb, Cu, Sn and Al occurred in sound enamel of older teeth. Two to three times the Zn and Pb, Cu, Sn, and Al content was found in outer diffusely discoloured “sound” enamel from the same teeth. The fluoride content in this enamel was 10 times that of adjacent completely sound enamel. Pre-carious white and brown spots had a variable but high level of trace elements with Zn and Cu higher in the younger than the older teeth. Cobalt was found in neither the sound nor the precarious enamel.
On the Probabilistic Determination of Scatter Factors using Miner's Rule in Fatigue Life Studies

A PARTICULAR TWO-PARAMETER FAMILY OF LIFE-LENGTH DISTRIBUTIONS FOR FATIGUE LIFE IS ASSUMED. THIS FAMILY, FIRST FORMULATED BY FREUDENTHAL AND SHINOZUKA IN 1961, WAS SYSTEMATICALLY EXAMINED BY BIRNBAUM AND SAUNDERS IN 1968 WHERE IT WAS DERIVED, USING CONSIDERATIONS FROM RENEWAL THEORY, FOR THE NUMBER OF CYCLES NEEDED TO FORCE A FATIGUE-CRACK EXTENSION TO EXCEED A CRITICAL VALUE. BY EMPLOYING THIS NEW FAMILY, TOLERANCE BOUNDS ARE OBTAINED FOR THE POPULATION OF LIFE TIMES UNTIL FATIGUE FAILURE UNDER A PROGRAMMED LOAD. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY UTILIZING A GENERALIZATION OF MINER'S RULE WHICH COMPUTES THE MEAN LIFE UNDER THE PROGRAMMED LOAD IN TERMS OF THE MEAN LIVES UNDER SIMPLER PROGRAMMED LOADS AT STRESS LEVELS FOR WHICH DATA ARE AVAILABLE. SUCH BOUNDS HAVE NEVER BEEN OBTAINED PREVIOUSLY FOR ANY OTHER LIFE-LENGTH DISTRIBUTION AND THE CONFIDENCE LEVEL EXACTLY DETERMINED. THIS PAPER CONCLUDES WITH AN APPLICATION OF THESE RESULTS TO A SET OF REAL FATIGUE DATA. /ASTM/
Climate Change and Climate Modeling

1. Overview of climate variability and climate science 2. Basics of global climate 3. Physical processes in the climate system 4. El Nino and year-to-year climate prediction 5. Climate models 6. The greenhouse effect and climate feedbacks 7. Climate model scenarios for global warming References Index.
Genetics and High Cognitive Ability

More is known about the genetics of general cognitive ability (g) than any other trait in psychology. Recent findings on the genetics of g include the following three examples: (1) heritability increases throughout the lifespan; (2) heritabilities of performance in cognitive tests are strongly correlated with the tests' loadings on a g factor; and (3) genetic effects on scholastic achievement largely overlap with genetic effects on cognitive ability. This body of genetic research addresses the aetiology of individual differences in the normal range. Much less is known about the genetics of the high end of the distribution. Finding heritability in the normal range of cognitive ability does not imply that high ability is also genetic in origin. However, the first twin study of high IQ children, which uses a new technique that analyses the average difference between extreme groups and the rest of the population, suggests that high IQ is as heritable as individual differences in the normal range. We are currently engaged in a molecular genetic study that attempts to identify specific genes that contribute to high ability.
Longitudinal EEG Changes Correlate with Cognitive Measure Deterioration in Parkinson's Disease

BACKGROUND QEEG could provide physiological biomarkers for changes over time in Parkinson's disease (PD) cognitive decline if they track with longitudinal neuropsychological performance. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to correlate longitudinal changes in frequency domain quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) measures with change in neuropsychological performance testing in PD. METHODS 71 PD subjects, not demented at baseline, were studied from the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders cohort. Baseline and follow-up digital EEG from PD subjects were analyzed for QEEG measures of background rhythm frequency and global relative power in delta (2.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), and beta (13-30 Hz) bands. Baseline and subsequent evaluation included Mini Mental Status Examination and five other neuropsychological tests that load on cognitive domains known to decline in PD. Pearson coefficient was used to assess correlations. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to assess the effect of variable combinations of QEEG and other measures, including age and PD duration. RESULTS Changes in delta bandpower showed the highest and most consistent pattern of correlations with longitudinal changes in neuropsychological testing. The highest correlation was between delta bandpower increase and decline in the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (-0.59:p < 0.001). Delta bandpower was also increased in the incident dementia group compared to non-dementia at followup. CONCLUSIONS 1) Longitudinal change in the QEEG frequency domain measure of delta bandpower correlated best with longitudinal neuropsychological performance change in PD; 2) These results constitute preliminary evidence that delta bandpower may be a suitable biomarker for evaluating PD cognitive deterioration longitudinally.
Injury frequency and severity in rollover car crashes as related to occupant ejection, contacts and roof damage: —An analysis of national crash severity study data—

National Crash Severity Study data on tow-away, passenger cars that rolled over and had top damage due to ground contact were reviewed to study the occupants, overall injury severity, the influence of vehicle factors (occupant contacts and roof damage) on occupant injury frequency, and the effects of occupant ejection. The frequency of the more serious injuries or fatalities to rollover occupants who are not ejected is the same as in occupants in all types of crashes. The more serious injuries and fatalities are 17 times more frequent to ejected occupants in rollover crashes. Of the serious injuries more are sustained by occupant to ground contact than by occupant/roof interaction. Roof damage is not causally related to injury severity in rollover crashes.
From the Convention to the Igc: Visioning the Future of Europe

The European Union now faces a difficult and defining moment as it prepares a great leap forward from the Treaty of Rome to the Constitution of Rome. The draft Constitution, which is on the table, creates an institutional architecture that is unsustainable for the long term future of Europe. The robust constitutional process for economic integration is not sufficiently supported by comparable constitutional safeguards for political integration. Therefore, the strategic task of the Intergovernmental conference is to create a political consensus on building constitutional bridges for converging economic and political integration. How this might be achieved is explored through a conceptual framework outlining four scenarios for the future of European foreign policy. The model indicates the possibility of dynamic movement from the current directoire model to the long term Europeanisation of foreign policy through intermediate mechanisms for democratic widening and constitutional deepening.
Comparative phylogeography in a genus of coral reef fishes: biogeographic and genetic concordance in the Caribbean

Geographic barriers that limit the movement of individuals between populations may create or maintain phylogenetically discrete lineages. Such barriers are often inferred from geographic surveys of a single mitochondrial marker to identify phylogenetic splits. Mitochondrial DNA, however, has an effective population size one-fourth that of nuclear DNA, which can facilitate the rapid evolution of monophyletic mtDNA lineages in the absence of geographic barriers. The identification of geographic barriers will thus be more robust if barriers are proposed a priori, and tested with multiple independent genetic markers in multiple species. Here, we tested two proposed marine biogeographic breaks located at the Mona Passage in the Caribbean Sea and at the southern end of Exuma Sound in the Bahamas. We sequenced mitochondrial cytochrome b (400 bp) and nuclear rag1 (573 bp) for nine species and colour forms (183 individuals total) within the teleost genus Elacatinus (Gobiidae) that span the proposed breaks. Our results showed that Mona Passage separated mtcyb and rag1 lineages, with no genetic exchange between populations separated by just 23 km. However, the Central Bahamas barrier was only weakly supported by our data. Importantly, neither barrier coincided with deep genetic splits. This suggests that these two barriers did not initially isolate regional populations, but instead disrupt ongoing gene flow between regions. Our inferred relationships further suggested a division of the Caribbean region into northwestern and southeastern regions, a pattern reflected by some freshwater and terrestrial vertebrates. Our results, coupled with genetic and demographic data from other reef fishes and corals, provide robust support for the Mona Passage as a long-term biogeographic barrier for Caribbean animals.
Optimal needle grasp selection for automatic execution of suturing tasks in robotic minimally invasive surgery

This paper presents algorithms for optimal selection of needle grasp, for autonomous robotic execution of the minimally invasive surgical suturing task. In order to minimize the tissue trauma during the suturing motion, the best practices of needle path planning that are used by surgeons are applied for autonomous robotic surgical suturing tasks. Once an optimal needle trajectory in a well-defined suturing scenario is chosen, another critical issue for suturing is the choice of needle grasp for the robotic system. Inappropriate needle grasp increases operating time requiring multiple regrasps to complete the desired task. The proposed methods use manipulability, dexterity and torque metrics for needle grasp selection. A simulation demonstrates the proposed methods and recommends a variety of grasps. Then a realistic demonstration compares the performances of the manipulator using different grasps.
A Nonparametric Approach to Estimate Classification Accuracy and Consistency.

When cut scores for classifications occur on the total score scale, popular methods for estimating classification accuracy (CA) and classification consistency (CC) require assumptions about a parametric form of the test scores or about a parametric response model, such as item response theory (IRT). This article develops an approach to estimate CA and CC nonparametrically by replacing the role of the parametric IRT model in Lee's classification indices with a modified version of Ramsay's kernel-smoothed item response functions. The performance of the nonparametric CA and CC indices are tested in simulation studies in various conditions with different generating IRT models, test lengths, and ability distributions. The nonparametric approach to CA often outperforms Lee's method and Livingston and Lewis's method, showing robustness to nonnormality in the simulated ability. The nonparametric CC index performs similarly to Lee's method and outperforms Livingston and Lewis's method when the ability distributions are nonnormal.
3‐Iodo‐2‐trimethylsilylmethyl‐1‐propene

[80121-73-9] C7H15ISi (MW 254.21) InChI = 1S/C7H15ISi/c1-7(5-8)6-9(2,3)4/h1,5-6H2,2-4H3 InChIKey = FLDGWNPNLFEXIQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N (a bifunctional conjunctive reagent that serves as a dipolar trimethylenemethane synthon;1, 6 treatment with SnF2 affords a dianionic trimethylenemethane synthon9) Physical Data: bp 25 °C/0.5 mmHg.2 Solubility: wide range of organic solvents. Preparative Method: from the corresponding mesylate upon treatment with Sodium Iodide in acetone.2 The mesylate can be prepared from the commercially available alcohol.3 Purification: distillation in the dark (25 °C/0.5 mmHg, trap at −78 °C).2 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: can be stored in the dark at −20 °C for up to 3 months without significant deterioration.2
Neighborhood characteristics and the targeting of tax increment financing in Chicago

Abstract Tax increment financing (TIF) is a local economic development tool that funds improvements in an area designated as a TIF district with property tax revenues generated from the growth in property values in the district. This paper tests a number of explanations for the location of TIF districts within a city by estimating Weibull duration models of the time to inclusion in a TIF district for neighborhoods in Chicago. The results suggest that a neighborhood's hazard of inclusion in a TIF district is positively related to neighborhood distress, the presence of Empowerment Zones, and the passage of time and negatively related to a neighborhood's political influence.
Vibrational behavior of the M n + 1 A X n phases from first-order Raman scattering ( M = Ti , V , Cr , A = Si , X = C , N )

We report on the Raman spectra of ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{3}\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{C}}_{2}$ (312), ${M}_{2}\mathrm{Al}\mathrm{C}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}(211)$ ($M=\mathrm{Ti}$, V, Cr, and Nb) and ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{4}\mathrm{Al}{\mathrm{N}}_{3}$ (413), as representative compounds from the family of ${M}_{n+1}A{X}_{n}$ phases. Intense and narrow first-order Raman peaks are observed, and we present an analysis of the spectra based on symmetry considerations and from results of first-principles calculations of phonon frequencies. The agreement between experimental and calculated mode energies is excellent. The identification of the modes enables application of Raman scattering as a diagnostic tool for the detailed study of the structural and physical properties of this family of compounds and their engineered solid solutions.