cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory and experiment of martensitic nucleation in ZrO2 containing ceramics and ferrous alloys

Abstract An in situ TEM experiment on martensitic nucleation was performed using sub-micron ZrO2 particles which were initially defect free. Extrinsic, spontaneous and heterogeneous nucleation was induced by introducing dislocation loops with a strong shear component and Hertzian contact stresses into selected particles. The critical characteristics of these defects which were required to trigger barrierless nucleation, in terms of the loop radius, Burgers vector, contact stress, and contact area were in good agreement with an analytic elasticity model. Along with dislocation walls, these defects which have a short range stress field can also account for intrinsic nucleation in ZrO2 containing ceramics and ferrous alloys. The essential features of nucleating defects, which may be classified into intrinsic or extrinsic ones depending on their origins, and short range or long range ones depending on their stress fields, are analyzed and contrasted in view of their experimental evidence.
MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PSEUDOMONAS CEPACIA (PC) IN PATTENS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS (CF)

PC is now recognized as an important pathogen among CF patients. However, little is known regarding its epidemiology. We have developed a typing system which allows determination of isolate genotype. Following isolation and endonuclease digestion, PC chromosomal DNA fragments were separated by agarose gel electro-phoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose, and probed with 32p labelled ribosomal RNA purified from Escherichia coli. Hybridization band polymorphism allowed discrimination of unique and identical isolate genotypes. Analysis of 9 PC isolates of unknown epidemiological significance obtained from 6 geographically diverse locations revealed 8 distinct genotypes. The 2 identical isolates originated from the same CF center. Of 7 blindly selected (nonsibling) PC isolates obtained from our CF center, 3 were found to have an identical genotype. Twelve PC isolates obtained from the 8 members of 3 sibships attending our CF center were available for study. In 2 of these 3 families, the isolates from each sibling exhibited identical genotype. In the remaining family each of the 3 siblings were colonized by genotypically distinct strains, although siblings A & B had identical isolates at certain times. Our data suggest that individuals attending the same CF center may be colonized with common PC strains. Furthermore, we have shown that while some siblings with CF are colonized with identical PC strains, others are not. The epidemiologic relevance of our findings in siblings requires further elucidation.
Nonlinear analysis of axially-loaded laminated cylindrical shells

Abstract The nonlinear analysis of geometrically imperfect, thin, laminated, circular, cylindrical shells subjected to uniform axial compression, and for various in-plane and transverse supports, is presented. Moreover, the solution methodology is described, and results are generated for imperfect laminated (Boron/Epoxy) cylinders with symmetric, antisymmetric and asymmetric stacking of lamina. The applications deal with imperfection sensitivity studies and investigation of the effect of lamina stacking on the critical conditions. Finally, for some of the chosen geometries, experimental data is available and therefore these geometries serve as (partial) benchmarks for the developed solution scheme.
Myocardial calcifications: Pathophysiology, etiologies, differential diagnoses, and imaging findings

Myocardial calcifications are not uncommonly encountered by the cardiac imager and may have a range of imaging appearances, from focal calcific deposits to diffuse myocardial involvement. A number of pathological processes can both cause and result from myocardial calcification; therefore, accurate identification and characterization are important. This pictorial essay will review the mechanisms, etiologies, imaging features, and differential diagnoses of myocardial calcification with imaging examples.
The deficiency of siderophile elements in the Moon

An attempt is made to reconcile a plausible origin of the moon with the observed deficiency of siderophile elements in the moon. A numerical analysis is performed which indicates that at least 1% metal was needed to extract nickel successfully from the moon and that the deficiency of lunar siderophiles can be explained on the basis of a fission hypothesis. It is suggested that leaching by liquid metallic iron caused the lunar deficiency and that the leaching took place in the protoearth from which the moon subsequently formed by fission.
Sexual Behaviors among Club Drug Users: Prevalence and Reliability

HIV prevention efforts require a focus on reducing high risk sexual behavior. Because these are self-reported, assessments that reduce memory bias and improve elicitation of data are needed. As part of a multi-site psychometric study of club drug use, abuse, and dependence, data were collected with a test-retest design that measured the reliability of the Washington University Risk Behavior Assessment for Club Drugs (WU-RBA-CD). Reliability was assessed separately by sex via kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC); z tests compared coefficients by sex. A total of 603 participants were interviewed by independent assessors with 5 days in between interviews. Reliability for all 51 items of the sexual activity section of the WU-RBA-CD ranged from .23 to 1.00; 71% (n = 36) of items resulted in moderate to high reliability (.55–1.00). Number of lifetime sex partners was consistently reported for same-sex partners for both men and women and opposite-sex partners. Items with high reliability included reporting ever being under the influence of ecstasy (.87) or GHB (.87) while having sex. Items with lower reliability included those that queried the determinants of condom use (.45–.82) and about behaviors and attitudes experienced while using drugs (.23–.87). Very few sex differences were revealed in the reliability of reported sexual activities. Overall, the WU-RBA-CD performed with fairly high reliability rates. Assessing situations of when, how, and why individuals use condoms may offer the clearest evaluation of determinants of sexual behaviors, yet those items are not as reliable.
Identification and characterization of the inducible murine mast cell gene, imc-415.

Abstract Activation of mast cells results in the generation and release of bioactive mediators which in turn initiate allergic inflammation. Mast cell function is enhanced following stimulation in part because of the induction of specific genes and their products. To identify additional genes induced in mast cells that support this process, we thus constructed an activation-specific mast cell subtraction library. To date, we have isolated 26 novel inducible murine mast cell (imc) cDNA clones. Among them, a full-coding region of the murine geneimc-415 was found to have a greater than 90% nucleotide sequence homology and a 97.5% amino acid sequence homology to both a human β4integrin-binding protein (p27BBP) and a human translation initiation factor 6 (eIF6), which in turn are identical.In vitrotranslation of theimc-415 gene yielded a band of an approximately 26 kDa. This is the same as the calculated molecular weight of murine IMC-415 protein based on the predicted amino acid sequence and is the molecular weight of p27BBP/eIF6. Murineimc-415 message was also induced in inflamed lung tissues in a mouse model of asthma. These results suggest a role for murineimc-415 in allergic inflammation where it may enhance protein synthesis. Human eIF6/p27BBPmay also play a role in allergic diseases based on the similarities in sequence and in gene expression patterns.
Week 4: Overcast skies as Sagan Station searches for “pale blue dot“

ARES VALLIS, MARS—Earth-bound astronomers know the problem. You finally get your telescope time. You go up to the mountain. And it's socked-in by clouds—you can't get the data. Now Mars Pathfinder knows the same problem. Pathfinder, also known as the Sagan Memorial Station, was attempting to observe the bright morning “star,” Earth. It was Pathfinder's sixteenth day on the planet, and Earth had risen several hours before the Sun. The IMP (Imager for Mars Pathfinder) team from the University of Arizona was eager to get this image of our home world—in part because it might inspire the public, and in part because Earth is one of a variety of astronomical targets that are used to help determine how much dust is suspended in the atmosphere.
Subwavelength direct-write nanopatterning using optically trapped microspheres

A number of optical techniques can produce subwavelength features on surfaces, but they tend to be limited in speed and expensive to implement. Researchers have now shown that a microsphere can be trapped near a surface by a specially shaped laser beam and used as a lens to focus another laser beam that writes subwavelength patterns directly onto the surface.
Variation in the ordered structure of complexes between CD154 and anti-CD154 monoclonal antibodies

The cell surface co-stimulatory protein CD154 (CD40L) is a target for monoclonal antibody (mAb) inhibitors of T-cell mediated immune diseases. This protein, like most other members of the TNF ligand family, forms homotrimeric complexes on the cell surface and in solution, with a three-fold axis of symmetry. We find that several different anti-CD154 monoclonal antibodies form distinctive complexes with soluble CD154. These soluble complexes have been analyzed using size exclusion chromatography, static and dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy and shown to consist of caged structures of various geometries. The cell surface complexes have been analyzed by confocal microscopy and, depending on the mAb, remain as small, separate complexes or form large aggregates. The formation of these complexes in solution is likely to have an impact on measures of affinity, while the cell surface complexes could affect binding potency and provoke other biological effects.
Early experience with percutaneous cryoablation of extra-abdominal desmoid tumors.

Surgical resection, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are all accepted as standard treatments for extra-abdominal desmoid (EAD) tumors, but their effectiveness has been limited by frequent local recurrence. The purpose of this article is to describe our early experiences with using percutaneous cryoablation for local control of extra-abdominal desmoid tumors in five patients whose tumors had failed to respond to standard therapy. In a retrospective search of our institution’s radiology database for patients who had undergone percutaneous cryoablation for treatment of EAD tumors between June 2004 and July 2007, we identified five patients (three female and two male). No patients were excluded from this review. Three of these patients had been referred for cryoablation for local tumor control, and two had been referred for palliation of inoperable tumors. The age range of the patients at the time of cryoablation was 9–41 years. The treated EAD tumors were located in the neck, shoulders and trunk and ranged in size from 3.0 cm to 10.0 cm. Medical records were reviewed for short-term and long-term follow-up, and patients were contacted for additional follow-up. Patients were asked to rate their pain as absent, mild, moderate or severe, and to compare it with their levels before cryoablation, describing it as improved, unchanged or worsened. Radiology records were reviewed to follow the size of the EAD tumors before and after cryotherapy. For the three patients referred for local control of EAD tumors, complete tumor coverage with the ablation zones was achieved. Two of these patients, with masses 3.0 cm and 4.9 cm in diameter, reported complete absence of pain at both short-term and long-term follow-up at 13 months and 49 months. Their tumors had completely resolved on long-term imaging follow-up at 19 months and 43 months. The third patient, with a 6.1 cm mass, reported improved mild pain at 6 months, and imaging showed a moderate decrease of tumor size. For the two patients referred for palliative therapy, initial partial pain relief was felt 2 weeks after the procedure, At long-term (58 months) follow-up of one patient with a 9.1 cm mass, the tumor was still present although reduced in size, and local pain had returned to its former moderate level. In the other patient who underwent only partial treatment of a 10.0 cm mass, at long-term follow-up (36 months) the mass had enlarged and pain had returned to the pretreatment, moderate level. Cryoablation appears to be an effective alternative treatment for the achievement of local control of small and moderately sized EAD tumors, but it is likely of limited use in patients with larger tumors that have untreatable regions due to involvement of vital structures. Continued research evaluating cryoablation for the treatment of EAD tumors is needed.
Comments: The Coexistence Session

reduction potential afforded by GM crops. This is because European countries produce no cotton, very little canola, very little soybeans, and very little rice. The only GM crop they produce in significant acreage is maize. Even with 80% GM crop adoption levels, northern European countries would reduce costs of production by less than 1%. Countries in southern Europe would reduce costs by less than 2%. This, however, does not prevent European countries from urging developing countries to apply the "precautionary principle" to regulatory policy. Tragically, many developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa do not have the capacity to evaluate food safety and environmental risks to adopt GM crops, even though many countries would benefit in the form of reduced costs of production by 10% or more.1 3. Note that the rules for adventitious content
Peptide YY inhibits gastric acid secretion stimulated by the autonomic nervous system.

Peptide YY (PYY), a new peptide found primarily in mucosal endocrine cells of the terminal ileum and colon, inhibits pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in several species, including man. S
Synthesis of uridine 5'-diphosphoiduronic acid: a potential substrate for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of heparin.

An improved understanding of the biological activities of heparin requires structurally defined heparin oligosaccharides. The chemoenzymatic synthesis of heparin oligosaccharides relies on glycosyltransferases that use UDP-sugar nucleotides as donors. Uridine 5′-diphosphoiduronic acid (UDP-IdoA) and uridine 5′-diphosphohexenuronic acid (UDP-HexUA) have been synthesized as potential analogues of uridine 5′-diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDP-GlcA) for enzymatic incorporation into heparin oligosaccharides. Non-natural UDP-IdoA and UDP-HexUA were tested as substrates for various glucuronosyltransferases to better understand enzyme specificity.
Special Projects by Internal Auditors

The science and discipline of management have undergone some remarkable changes in recent years. These changes affect virtually every part of organizations, including internal auditing. One impact has been an increase in what are known as special projects conducted by internal auditors. Notes three observations suggesting several unique challenges for internal auditors performing special projects. Observation 1 – Special projects are more likely to involve higher level strategy. Observation 2 – Special projects may lead internal auditors into unfamiliar organizational territory. Observation 3 – Special projects are more likely to occur in the context of larger projects. Outlines defining characteristics of special projects and analyses five issues related to the above observations: (1) how to ensure auditor competence; (2) how to gain senior management′s commitment to special projects by internal auditors; (3) how to determine objectives, expectations and deadlines; (4) how to schedule special projects; a...
Decision-making criteria for intelligent control of dual-arm robots with cooperating manipulators

Cooperating manipulators in dual-arm robots usually result in a mechanically overconstrained system having more actuator resources than freedom of motion, or an excess of actuator inputs. Decision-making criteria are necessary to make effective use of dual-arm robotic system resources, as well as to enhance performance for either telerobotic or autonomous dual-arm robots. The decision-making criteria are based on parameters inherent to the two cooperating manipulators, and parameters intrinsic to cooperative modes of operation in dual- arm robots. There are many criteria that need to be evaluated and balanced in a complete decision-making system for dual-arm robots. A set of decision-making criteria for dual-arm robots is proposed from which a subset is examined in detail. A graphical simulation of a 17 degree-of-freedom robot performing cooperative dual-arm robotic operations is used to interactively study and evaluate multiple decision-making criteria for dual-arm robots.
Enhancing Coping and Supporting Protective Factors After a Disaster Findings From a Quasi-Experimental Study

Objective:This article presents the Journey of Hope (JoH), a school-based intervention for children who have experienced a collective trauma such as a natural disaster. Through the use of group work, the JoH focuses on building coping skills and enhancing protective factors to help children recover.Method:This quasi-experimental research included 102 children impacted by tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2011.Results:Through an hierarchical linear model analysis with (n = 48) from the JoH group and (n = 54) from a wait-list control group, the outcomes indicate that after participation in the JoH youth had increased coping skills, F(100) = 5.270, p < .05, and prosocial behaviors, F(95) = 4.286, p < .05. This is the first quasi-experimental design to be conducted on the JoH; findings provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of this broad-based postdisaster intervention.Conclusion:Future replication studies with larger samples in other societies impacted by a natural disaster are needed to further...
Torque control of underactuated tendon-driven fingers

Abstract. Given an underactuated tendon-driven finger, the finger posture is underdetermined and can move freely ("flop") in a region of slack tendons. This work shows that such an underactuated finger can be operated in tendon force control (rather than position control) with effective performance. The force control eliminates the indeterminate slack while commanding a parameterized space of desired torques. The torque will either push the finger to the joint limits or wrap around an external object with variable torque – behavior that is sufficient for primarily gripping fingers. In addition, introducing asymmetric joint radii to the design allows the finger to command an expanded range of joint torques and to scan an expanded set of external surfaces. This study is motivated by the design and control of the secondary fingers of the NASA-GM R2 humanoid hand. This paper was presented at the IFToMM/ASME International Workshop on Underactuated Grasping (UG2010), 19 August 2010, Montreal, Canada.
The Braincase of Apatosaurus (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) Based on Computed Tomography of a New Specimen with Comments on Variation and Evolution in Sauropod Neuroanatomy

Abstract We describe a previously unreported braincase of the sauropod dinosaur Apatosaurus from the Cactus Park Quarry, Morrison Formation of western Colorado using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. The digital nature of these data allowed us to prepare and describe the first three-dimensional rendering of the endocranial space in this historically important dinosaur species. Results are compared with a range of taxa drawn from across the sauropod tree revealing previously underappreciated variation in the sauropod neurocranium. Examples of variable characters include the degree of cerebral and pontine flexure, the morphology of the parietal body and superior sagittal sinus and their relationship with the overlying dermal roof, and the conformation of several cranial nerve foramina. We provide preliminary evolutionary hypotheses and discussion for many of these features. The recognition that considerable variation is present in the sauropod neurocranium hopefully will encourage more detailed des...
Effects of cigarette smoking and oral nicotine on hand tremor

The effect of nicotine on hand tremor was assessed by measuring the current induced in a coil by a magnet attached to the finger. Experiment 1 assessed the amplitude of tremor induced by smoking two cigarettes in a group of 33 subjects drawn from two age groups. Smoking increased tremor significantly. Age, sex, and anxiety levels had no effect. Experiment 2 assessed the effect of smoking on tremor frequency. Analog recordings of tremor in 10 subjects were processed to yield the total power in 20 1-Hz bands from 1 to 20 Hz. The log amplitude showed a strong linear relationship to the log frequency, but this relationship was not affected by smoking. Smoking also had no effect on peak frequency in the frequency spectrum. Experiment 3 confirmed that the effects of smoking on tremor were attributable to nicotine. Twelve subjects were tested before and after smoking a cigarette and before and after chewing gum containing 4 mg nicotine. The two conditions induced comparable increases in tremor. A 2-mg nicotine preparation tested in eight subjects had no effect on tremor. Tremor may be a useful index of the central activity of nicotine and may help illuminate its mechanism of action.
Practical private computation of vector addition-based functions

In this paper we explore private computation built on vector addition which is a surprisingly general tool for implementing many useful analysis on user-provided data. Examples include both linear and non-linear algorithms such as singular value decomposition (SVD), regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and several machine learning algorithms based on Expectation Maximization (EM). The non-linear algorithms aggregate user data only in certain steps, such as conjugate gradient, which are linear in per-user data. We introduce a new and highly efficient VSS (Verifiable Secret-Sharing) protocol in a special but widely-applicable model that allows secret-shared arithmetic operations in such aggregation steps to be done over small fields (e.g. 32 or 64 bits), so that private arithmetic operations have the same cost as normal arithmetic. Verification of user data is required to prevent a malicious user from biasing the computation. We provide a random projection method for verification that uses a linear number of inexpensive small field operations, and only a logarithmic number of large-field (1024 bits or more) cryptographic operations. Our implementation shows that the approach can achieve orders of magnitude reduction in running time over standard techniques (from hours to seconds) for large scale problems (e.g. at the scale where the number of values per user is 106).
Prohibitin and the SWI/SNF ATPase subunit BRG1 are required for effective androgen antagonist-mediated transcriptional repression of androgen receptor-regulated genes

Androgen antagonists or androgen deprivation are the primary therapeutic modalities for the treatment of prostate cancer. Invariably, however, the disease becomes progressive and unresponsive to androgen ablation therapy (hormone refractory). The molecular mechanisms by which androgen antagonists inhibit prostate cancer proliferation are not fully defined. In this study, we identify two molecules which are required for effective prostate cancer cell responsiveness to androgen antagonists. We establish that androgen receptor (AR)-dependent transcriptional suppression by androgen antagonists requires the tumor suppressor prohibitin. This requirement for prohibitin was demonstrated using structurally-distinct androgen antagonists, stable and transient knockdown of prohibitin and transfected and endogenous AR-responsive genes. The SWI-SNF complex core ATPase BRG1, but not its closely-related counterpart ATPase BRM, is required for this repressive action of prohibitin on AR-responsive promoters. Androgen antagonists induce recruitment of prohibitin and BRG1 to endogenous AR-responsive promoters and induce a physical association between AR and prohibitin and BRG1. The recruitment of prohibitin to endogenous AR-responsive promoters is dependent upon antagonist-bound AR. Prohibitin binding in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) promoter results in the recruitment of BRG1 and the dissociation of p300 from the PSA promoter. These findings suggest that prohibitin may function through BRG1-mediated local chromatin remodeling activity and the removal of p300-mediated acetylation to produce androgen antagonist-mediated transcriptional repression. Furthermore, in addition to its necessary role in AR-mediated transcriptional repression, we demonstrate that prohibitin is required for full and efficient androgen antagonist-mediated growth suppression of prostate cancer cells.
Enhancing Communicative Language Skills through Effective Use of the World Wide Web in the Foreign Language Classroom

This article addresses the use of the World Wide Web in the foreign language classroom. Methodological considerations for its effective implementation as well as various resources for instructors are introduced first. After the discussion of predidacticized material available on the Web, various practical examples of applications that focus on enhancing communicative proficiency are provided in detail. The article concludes with the presentation of several activities practicing different grammar items in a contextualized manner.
The Microbial Communities in Male First Catch Urine Are Highly Similar to Those in Paired Urethral Swab Specimens

Urine is the CDC-recommended specimen for STI testing. It was unknown if the bacterial communities (microbiomes) in urine reflected those in the distal male urethra. We compared microbiomes of 32 paired urine and urethral swab specimens obtained from adult men attending an STD clinic, by 16S rRNA PCR and deep pyrosequencing. Microbiomes of urine and swabs were remarkably similar, regardless of STI status of the subjects. Thus, urine can be used to characterize urethral microbiomes when swabs are undesirable, such as in population-based studies of the urethral microbiome or where multiple sampling of participants is required.
A translational block to HSPG synthesis permits BMP signaling in the early Drosophila embryo

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are extracellular macromolecules found on virtually every cell type in eumetazoans. HSPGs are composed of a core protein covalently linked to glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sugar chains that bind and modulate the signaling efficiency of many ligands, including Hedgehog (Hh), Wingless (Wg) and Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Here, we show that, in Drosophila, loss of HSPGs differentially affects embryonic Hh, Wg and BMP signaling. We find that a stage-specific block to GAG synthesis prevents HSPG expression during establishment of the BMP activity gradient that is crucial for dorsal embryonic patterning. Subsequently, GAG synthesis is initiated coincident with the onset of Hh and Wg signaling which require HSPGs. This temporal regulation is achieved by the translational control of HSPG synthetic enzymes through internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs). IRES-like features are conserved in GAG enzyme transcripts from diverse organisms, suggesting that this represents a novel evolutionarily conserved mechanism for regulating GAG synthesis and modulating growth factor activity.
Neural mechanisms mediating circadian phase resetting by activation of 5-HT7 receptors in the dorsal raphe: Roles of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission

5-HT(7) receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) influence circadian rhythms, sleep, and serotonin release. Because interactions between 5-HT(7) receptors and glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons have been demonstrated previously, the current studies tested the hypothesis that GABAergic and/or glutamatergic neurons mediate phase shifts induced by activation of DRN 5-HT(7) receptors. Hamsters were fitted with guide cannulae aimed at the DRN, housed in cages with running wheels, and exposed to 14h light (L):10h dark (D). In Experiment 1, hamsters received DRN pretreatment with muscimol (87.6 pmol) or vehicle before DRN 8-OH-DPAT (6 pmol) microinjections at ZT6. After exposure to constant darkness (10 days), phase shifts were calculated and animals were re-exposed to 14L:10D. The procedure was repeated to give each animal the alternate pretreatment. In Experiment 2, hamsters received DRN pretreatment with NMDA (20 pmol) or vehicle before 8-OH-DPAT at ZT 6. Other experiments tested the effects of single DRN microinjections of muscimol, bicuculline (136 pmol), NMDA, MK-801 (10 pmol) or vehicle. Phase shifts (mean ± S.E.M., h) in muscimol/8-OH-DPAT-microinjected hamsters (1.02 ± 0.30) were not different (P=0.11) from those in vehicle/8-OH-DPAT-microinjected hamsters (1.34 ± 0.30), while those in NMDA/8-OH-DPAT-microinjected hamsters (0.67 ± 0.17) were smaller (P<0.05) than those in vehicle/8-OH-DPAT-microinjected hamsters (0.97 ± 0.10). DRN single microinjections of bicuculline, but not muscimol, NMDA, or MK-801 induced phase advances. Bicuculline also potentiated 8-OH-DPAT-induced phase advances (P<0.05). These finding suggest that the mechanism mediating DRN 5-HT(7) receptor induction of phase advances involves decreased glutamatergic neurotransmission, and furthermore, that inhibition of DRN GABAergic neurotransmission causes a phase advance.
Equity and health: a perspective on nonrandom distribution of health in the population

The nonrandom distribution of ill health across and within populations is cause for ethical concern. Systematic differences in health across populations and subpopulations are a result of interactions among many types of influences operating on broad ecological, community, and individual levels. The operation of this web of influences potentiates health disadvantage for some populations and subpopulations and, conversely, enhances resilience to health threats in more advantaged populations. Understanding the genesis of inequity requires an appreciation of the dynamics of these interactions. Thus, research directed at elucidating the causes of inequity in order to facilitate policy changes requires the adoption of conceptual frameworks to guide more efficient and effective future scientific inquiry concerning this worldwide imperative.
The Membrane Associated RING-CH Proteins: A Family of E3 Ligases with Diverse Roles through the Cell.

Since the discovery that conjugation of ubiquitin to proteins can drive proteolytic degradation, ubiquitination has been shown to perform a diverse range of functions in the cell. It plays an important role in endocytosis, signal transduction, trafficking of vesicles inside the cell, and even DNA repair. The process of ubiquitination-mediated control has turned out to be remarkably complex, involving a diverse array of proteins and many levels of control. This review focuses on a family of structurally related E3 ligases termed the membrane-associated RING-CH (MARCH) ubiquitin ligases, which were originally discovered as structural homologs to the virals E3s, K3, and K5 from Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). These proteins contain a catalytic RING-CH finger and are typically membrane-bound, with some having up to 14 putative transmembrane domains. Despite several lines of evidence showing that the MARCH proteins play a complex and essential role in several cellular processes, this family remains understudied.
Are boxes better for classification

The design of a classifier usually has the important step of attribute or feature selection. A computationally tractable scheme almost always relies on a subset of attributes that optimize a certain criterion is chosen, resulting in a good suboptimal solution. We show that it is possible to directly define the region for each class in terms of an n-dimensional box, using all numeric attributes (discrete or continuous). Several shapes are used for the modeling of classes. Shapes are tested and results compared. As with our previous algorithm, this classifier is transparent. The approach compares favorably with previous approaches in both accuracy and efficiency. It has the added advantage of being able to classify when one class is entirely within another class
Hospital Patient Behavior: Reactance, Helplessness, or Control?

Hospitals are commonly regarded as unpleasant places to be. The reason is that, as a total institution, the hospital creates a depersonalizing environment that forces the patient to relinquish control over his or her daily existence. It is suggested that patients cope with depersonalizing loss of control by assuming “good patient” behavior or “bad patient” behavior. Predictions are offered as to who will show which behavior pattern under which circumstances. However, a review of these patterns suggests that some “good patients” may actually be in a state of anxious or depressed helplessness, whereas “bad patients” are exhibiting anger and reactance against the perceived arbitrary removal of freedoms. An analysis of the behavioral, cognitive, affective and physiological correlates of these patterns, as well as the behaviors they elicit in staff, suggests that both the “good patient” and the “bad patient” sustain health risks. It is argued that a more informed and participative role for the hospital patient can eliminate or offset many of these risks and actually improve the level of physical and psychological health in the hospital setting.
Laboratory Ball Lightning

The origins and sources of ball and bead lightning have stirred the imagination of scientists and laymen alike. Since many have concluded that the rare luminous forms are storm related, numerous attempts have been made to produce the phenomenon artificially. Laboratory experiments have been conducted with natural electrical sources as well as artificial electrical machines. Early 17th century investigators attempted to utilize atmospheric electricity and natural lightning to evaluate the electrical phenomenon thereby generated. Since then, the development of batteries, induction machines, high-voltage power supplies, and radiofrequency generators has enabled the scientist to generate electrical phenomena in the laboratory under reproducible conditions. It is the desire and need of the scientist to produce a phenomenon at will for study that enables a theory or set of assumptions to be tested in a systematic and unbiased manner. A scientist cannot be satisfied with a paper and pen model which can never be critically examined in an experimental manner.
The structure and formation of the byssus attachment plaque in Mytilus.

The byssus attachment plaque and the tissues responsible for its formation were studied in M. califomianus by light microscopy and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that the plaque consists of at least three phases which ultrastructurally resemble three secretions considered to be collagen, mucoid material and polyphenol. The mucoid and polyphenol appear to mix as a colloidal suspension in which the latter is the continuous phase and forms the definitive bonding surface. Plaque collagen represents an extension of thread material into the cementing substance. Stimulated secretion within the ducts and distal depression of the mussel's foot shows a continuum of increasing heterogeneity from the inner toward the outer regions. This reflects the distribution of exocrine cell apices wherein exocytosis of polyphenol granules predominate deeply, mucous granules superficially and collagen granules in between. It is proposed that the morphology of the plaque conforms to theoretical physical-chemical requirements for adhesion under water.
Detecting bridging faults with stuck-at test sets

A method is described that provides high detection of bridging faults without requiring extensive fault simulation. Bridging fault coverage can be increased by doing fault simulation and test generation for bridging faults that are identified as hard to detect. These bridging faults occur between nodes that rarely, if ever, differ, or that seldom change value. In addition, if the nodes in the fault-free circuits toggle often, feedback faults are easier to detect. This is true even if the nodes involved always have equal values. Methods for identifying such nodes have been presented. These methods use results available from fault-free simulations. A simple solution is to randomly reorder the test vectors to increase toggling and therefore increase bridging fault coverage. As a result, computer time for test generation will be only slightly greater than the time required for stuck-at fault generation alone. >
Smarter arrow now available in the food safety quiver

Food safety is a critical issue worldwide, and responsibility for ensuring and enhancing safety in the food chain is collectively shared by all involved, from producers to preparation to food service. Just over a century ago, the issues of food safety and production were brought to the forefront of public debate and action following the publication of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Public pressure and outrage rapidly catalyzed passage in 1906 of the “Pure Food and Drug Act,” which ushered in a new age of focusing on and improving food safety. Over the past 100 y, we have dramatically improved food safety, and, consequently, public health around the world has been enhanced (1, 2). Despite the tremendous success in reducing foodborne illnesses over time and the resources that have been devoted to eliminating foodborne pathogens, too many foodborne illnesses still occur each year. In PNAS, Schulz et al. (3) describe a method of controlling the critical foodborne pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC, such as the widely known E. coli O157:H7) using an antimicrobial protein (colicins) originally produced by nonpathogenic E. coli strains; but in this novel study, the colicins were instead produced by plants. This advance in antimicrobial protein production and delivery finally makes colicins available in quantities sufficient to be used as a weapon specifically targeted at EHEC, but can also be used to reduce other foodborne pathogens in a variety of food production environments.
High-Throughput Single-Cell Kinetics of Virus Infections in the Presence of Defective Interfering Particles.

ABSTRACT Defective interfering particles (DIPs) are virus mutants that lack essential genes for growth. In coinfections with helper virus, the diversion of viral proteins to the replication and packaging of DIP genomes can interfere with virus production. Mounting cases of DIPs and DIP-like genomes in clinical and natural isolates, as well as growing interest in DIP-based therapies, underscore a need to better elucidate how DIPs work. DIP activity is primarily measured by its inhibition of virus infection yield, an endpoint that masks the dynamic and potentially diverse individual cell behaviors. Using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a model, we coinfected BHK cells with VSV DIPs and recombinant helper virus carrying a gene encoding a red fluorescent protein (RFP) whose expression correlates with the timing and level of virus release. For single cells within a monolayer, 10 DIPs per cell suppressed the reporter expression in only 1.2% of the cells. In most cells, it slowed and reduced viral gene expression, manifested as a shift in mean latent time from 4 to 6 h and reduced virus yields by 10-fold. For single cells isolated in microwells, DIP effects were more pronounced, reducing virus yields by 100-fold and extending latent times to 12 h, including individual instances above 20 h. Together, these results suggest that direct or indirect cell-cell interactions prevent most coinfected cells from being completely suppressed by DIPs. Finally, a gamma distribution model captures well how the infection kinetics quantitatively depends on the DIP dose. Such models will be useful for advancing a predictive biology of DIP-associated virus growth and infection spread. IMPORTANCE During the last century, basic studies in virology have focused on developing a molecular mechanistic understanding of how infectious viruses reproduce in their living host cells. However, over the last 10 years, the advent of deep sequencing and other powerful technologies has revealed in natural and patient infections that viruses do not act alone. Instead, viruses are often accompanied by defective virus-like particles that carry large deletions in their genomes and fail to replicate on their own. Coinfections of viable and defective viruses behave in unpredictable ways, but they often interfere with normal virus growth, potentially enabling infections to evade host immune surveillance. In the current study, controlled levels of defective viruses are coinfected with viable viruses that have been engineered to express a fluorescent reporter protein during infection. Unique profiles of reporter expression acquired from thousands of coinfected cells reveal how interference acts at multiple stages of infection.
Treatment of elderly patients with melanoma

Treatment options for melanoma patients, both young and old, were extremely limited until recently. Elderly patients faced a particular challenge due to less aggressive surgical management, poor tolerance of available therapies, aggressive biologic behaviors, and rapid tumor progression. Over the past several years, however, a number of remarkably active immune and targeted agents have been developed. These agents are generally well tolerated and present numerous effective therapeutic options for elderly patients with advanced melanoma. In this manuscript, we discuss the distinct clinical and genetic aspects of melanoma in elderly patients. Furthermore, we review treatment options for older patients with local and regional melanoma and disseminated disease.
Sub-wavelength optical elements and nanofabrication - a path to integration of optical components on chip

Subwavelength optical elements having unique optical properties can be fabricated using nanoimprint lithography. We discuss the specific application of mode-tuning, polarization-tuning, and frequency-tuning of lasers, and for the generation of high-frequency optical clocks. Full-text article is not available.
Capture of Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Pheromone Traps and Hand Nets: Relationship to Egg and Adult Densities in Field Corn, Texas Brazos River Valley

Temporal patterns of capture of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), in pheromone traps and by hand nets and the relationship of numbers caught to egg and adult densities were studied for 35 and 44 nights during 1988 and 1989, respectively, in four commercial corn fields near College Station, TX. The percentage of nightly pheromone-trap catch, divided into hourly periods, was highest between 2100 and 2200 hours (CDT). Coefficient of determination between number of males caught in traps between 2100 and 2200 hours and egg densities determined the following morning ( R 2 = 37%) was also higher than for other time periods. However, stepwise regression showed that trap catch between 0400 and 0500 hours in combination with number of fresh silks per hectare provided the best equation for predicting egg densities ( R 2 = 51 %). Of the total numbers of moths captured by hand net, 62% were females. The percentage of nightly hand-net catch of females was highest between 2100 and 2400 hours and of males was nearly uniform throughout the night. The percentage of nightly capture of mating pairs by hand net was highest between 0300 and 0400 hours. Overall, the temporal patterns of capture of males in the pheromone traps and of mating pairs by hand net did not reflect competition between the pheromone-baited traps and native females; there was no decrease in fraction of males captured in pheromone traps when mating activity was highest. There were significant linear regression relationships between the number of corn earworm male moths caught per pheromone trap per night and density of females ( R 2 = 67%) and males ( >R 2 = 69%) estimated by hand nets.
Oviposition by the Red Oak Borer, Enaphalodes rufulus Coleoptera: Cerambycidae

Oviposition and host preference tests were conducted with red oak borer, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldemann), collected at the Scioto Trail State Forest, Ohio. Activities such as crawling, flying, mating, stridulation, and oviposition began ca. 2200 EST at light intensities under 2 fc, temperatures above 15°C, and RH above 75%. Multiple matings were common but unmated females did not lay eggs. Forty-five females laid an average of 119 eggs, in a 19-day average oviposition period. Egg viability averaged 99%. Host preference tests with wood samples indicated that the red oak borer prefers northern red oak, Quercus rubra L., black oak, Q. velutina Lam., and scarlet oak, Q. coccinea Muenchh., over white oak, Q. alba L., for oviposition. When oak wood is not available, females lay only 4% of their eggs on wood samples of species such as black walnut, Juglans nigra L., white ash, Fraxinus americana L., shagbark hickory, Carya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch, red maple, Acer rubrum L., and American elm, Ulmus americana L. Oviposition sites are in bark cracks, under bark scales, and under lichen patches. On trees with smooth bark, eggs are laid under tightly atached vines such as poison ivy, Rhus toxicodendron L., and Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus spp. Eggs are held in place by a water soluble adhesive.
Abstract 1174: Mechanisms of Fn14 overexpression in invasive breast tumors

The fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) signaling axis plays an important role in the regulation of breast cancer cell invasion. Breast tumors express Fn14 whereas normal mammary epithelium does not, and Fn14 expression correlates with poor prognostic indicators. The molecular mechanisms driving aberrant Fn14 expression in breast cancer have not yet been determined. This investigation aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying Fn14 over-expression. Soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), the cognate ligand for Fn14, was found to induce Fn14 expression in some breast cancer cell lines via a proposed autoregulatory mechanism. We also provide evidence to support the likelihood that membrane-bound TWEAK can stimulate Fn14 expression through adjacent tumor-cell interaction. EGF and a variety of other receptor tyrosine kinase ligands known to play a role in breast tumor progression stimulated de novo Fn14 expression in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. We therefore hypothesized that Fn14 expression may be induced by aberrant activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Using an MCF7 model of TPA-mediated MAPK pathway activation and in vitro invasion using Matrigel-coated Transwell Boyden chambers, we observed TPA-mediated expression of Fn14 concomitant with a dramatic increase in cell invasion. Fn14 expression and invasion in this model were abrogated in the presence of U0126, a specific inhibitor of Mek1/2, implicating a role for MAPK signaling in regulation of Fn14 expression. From previously published microarray-based surveys of genomic aberrations in breast cancer, we also hypothesized that constitutive Fn14 expression may be due to Fn14 gene amplification. We performed fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of 53 breast tumors and identified 15/53 (28%) tumors with additional copies of Fn14 relative to centromere 16. Fn14 was not amplified in normal breast epithelium or in Fn14-negative cell lines. We conclude that deregulation of Fn14 expression can occur through diverse molecular mechanisms associated with breast tumor progression. A more complete definition of the spectrum of molecular aberrations leading to induction of Fn14 expression in breast cancer requires further studies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1174.