cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution and Differential Survival of Traditional and Alternative Indicators of Fecal Pollution at Freshwater Beaches

Alternative indicators have been developed that can be used to identify host sources of fecal pollution, yet little is known about how their distribution and fate compare to traditional indicators. E. coli and enterococci were widely distributed at the six beaches studied and were detected in almost 95% of water samples ( n =422) and 100% of sand samples ( n =400). Berm sand contained the highest amount of E. coli ( P P E. coli and enterococci were the lowest in water, using a weight to volume comparison. The Gull2 marker was found in over 80% of water samples regardless of E. coli levels, and in 25% of sand samples. Human-associated Bacteroides (HB) and Lachnospiraceae (Lachno2) were detected in only 2.4% of water samples collected under baseflow and post-rain conditions, but produced a robust signal after a combined sewage overflow, despite low E. coli concentrations. E. coli and enterococci burdens in water and sand were disproportionately high in relation to alternative indicators when comparing environmental samples to source material. In microcosm studies, Gull2, HB, and Lachno2 qPCR signals were reduced twice as fast as E. coli and enterococci qPCR signals, and approximately 20% faster than culturable E. coli. High concentrations of alternative indicators in source material illustrated their high sensitivity for the identification of fecal sources, however differential survival and potential for long-term persistence of traditional fecal indicators complicates using alternative indicator data to account for E. coli and enterococci levels. Importance E. coli and enterococci are general indicators of fecal pollution and may persist in beach sand, making their use problematic for many applications. This study demonstrates that gull fecal pollution is widespread at Great Lakes beaches, whereas human and ruminant contamination is evident only after major rain events. Exploration of sand as a reservoir for indicators found that E. coli was ubiquitous, while gull host markers were detected in only 25% of samples. In situ sand beach microcosms provided decay rate constants for E. coli and enterococci relative to alternative indicators, which establish comparative benchmarks that would be helpful to distinguish recent from past pollution. Overall, alternative indicators are useful for identifying sources and assessing potentially high health risk contamination events, however, beach managers should be cautious in attempting to directly link their detection to E. coli or enterococci levels.
The New Face of Food Insecurity

Many think of food insecurity in terms of famine and hunger. However, inadequate access to food has also been associated with obesity. We discuss the sharp increase in obesity rates that has occurred in the last 30 years. Specifically, we review arguments that recent trends within the food system have contributed towards changes in diet that have resulted in unprecedented numbers of individuals who are obese.
Perceived Need for Mental Health Care: The Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status:

Racial/ethnic minority populations underutilize mental health services, even in the presence of psychiatric disorder, and differences in perceived need may contribute to these disparities. Using the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys, we assessed how the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status affect perceived need. We analyzed a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (18 years or older; N=14,906), including non-Latino whites, Asian Americans, Latinos, African Americans, and Afro-Caribbeans. Logistic regressions were estimated for the total sample, a clinical need subsample (meets lifetime diagnostic criteria), and a no disorder subsample. Perceived need varies by gender and nativity, but these patterns are conditional on race/ethnicity. Men are less likely than women to have a perceived need but only among non-Latino whites and African Americans. Foreign-born immigrants have lower perceived need than U.S.-born persons, only among Asian Americans. Intersectional approaches to understanding perceived need may help uncover social processes that lead to disparities in mental health care.
Efficacy and rebound rates in propranolol‐treated subglottic hemangioma: A literature review

Objective Propranolol has recently become the treatment of choice for management of subglottic and airway hemangiomas. This literature review aimed to determine the success rate of propranolol for managing these lesions as well as the rate of rebound growth following propranolol treatment cessation. Study design Literature search involving MEDLINE and Scopus to identify English-language articles. Methods Studies were identified using hemangioma, subglottic or airway, and propranolol for search terms. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported the treatment used, individual deidentified patient data, and contained patients without medical or surgical treatment prior to propranolol therapy RESULTS: Initial review included 107 abstracts. Twenty-four articles including case reports and case series met inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. Forty-nine patients were included. Twenty-eight (57%) were treated with propranolol alone, and 20 (41%) were treated with a combination of propranolol and a corticosteroid. Thirty-seven (76%) of patients were treated with a dose of 2 mg/kg/d of propranolol. The initial treatment was successful in 43 (88%) of patients. Rebound growth occurred in four (9%) patients. Overall, six (12%) patients underwent surgical resection. Conclusions Propranolol is efficacious for treating subglottic hemangiomas. Rebound growth does occur in a small subset of patients during the propranolol wean. Close observation for children during weaning of propranolol therapy for subglottic hemangioma is essential. Adjunctive management strategies need to be used in patients with rebound growth. Laryngoscope, 127:2665-2672, 2017.
Vessel speed optimisation in container shipping: A new look

Vessel speed optimisation has, in recent years, been recognised as a practical and important cost reduction strategy in the maritime shipping industry. This paper takes a new look at the trade-off ...
The Action of Thyroid Hormones and Their Influence on Brain Development and Function

The actions of hormones are generally restricted to a limited number of specific target tissues. The thyroid hormones differ from most in the wide diversity of tissues and organs in which they exert their effects. Indeed, in mammals it appears that only the tissues of the reticuloendothelial system, the testis, and the mature brain are immune to their actions,(1) and even in these tissues, as clearly evidenced in brain,(2) it is likely that the hormones are active during some period in the life of the organism. The diversity of the thyroid hormones’ target tissues is matched by the multiplicity of their biochemical effects. Hardly an area of metabolism remains unaffected by their actions. The diffuseness of their biochemical effects could reflect different and multiple mechanisms of actions. It seems more parsimonious, however, to assume a single mechanism of action on a process so fundamental that it either influences directly a wide variety of biochemical reactions in many areas of metabolism or triggers a succession of events most of which no longer reflect the direct influence of the hormone but more remote consequences of its primary action.
Unilateral hearing loss in children: speech-language and school performance

UNLABELLED PROBLEM/OBJECTIVES: Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) in children is a relatively common problem often identified by newborn screening or school screening. This review summarizes the outcomes of a large study of children with UHL which identified risk factors for educational problems, describes the results of pilot studies of intervention, and proposes guidelines for interventions and future studies. METHODS Cohort of children age 6-12 years with UHL was compared to their siblings with normal hearing on the primary outcomes of cognition, achievement, and language. Secondary outcomes examined included behavioral, speech, and educational problems. A subgroup of children with UHL was followed longitudinally to examine change over time. RESULTS Children with UHL had lower language and verbal IQ scores than their siblings with normal hearing. They required individualized education plans (a measure of educational difficulty) at three times the rate and speech therapy at twice the rate of their siblings. The additional educational concerns did not ameliorate over time. Low maternal education levels and lower baseline cognitive skills were independent risk factors for school problems. Pilot studies suggest that children with UHL might benefit from amplification, but may need attention to cognitive or executive function skills as well. CONCLUSIONS Children with UHL are at risk for delays in speech-language development, cognition, and behavioral problems that can affect functioning at school. Controlled studies are urgently needed to determine whether amplification, auditory rehabilitation, school-provided educational assistance, or other interventions are able to reduce or eliminate this risk.
Programming Matter with Modular Robots: Two Directions

In this paper we examine some of the current trends in building robots capable of self-assembly, self-reconfiguration, and self-organization, and we describe two new approaches to creating programmable matter. We explain the notion of building robot shapes by self-dissasembly, the process of “sculpting” a desired shape from a connected block of robotic modules by removing units, and discuss lessons learned with a robot system capable of self-disassembly. We also describe the notion of incorporating passive components such as rigid bars in the body of a modular robot and lessons learned from the development of a first system prototype.
Trade-off between signal and cross-elimination strategies during evacuation traffic management

Abstract It is well accepted in literature that the strategy of using crossing-elimination (or uninterrupted-flow) intersections has the advantage over signals in expanding network capacity during evacuation. This result holds well in a static evacuation network in which flow patterns are not explicitly modeled (e.g., queuing on network links and time-varying evacuation demand). This paper examines the problem of selecting and distributing signal control and uninterrupted flow strategies in evacuation traffic management. More specifically, the following critical issues are investigated: (1) Does an optimal distribution between signal and uninterrupted flow strategies exist in a dynamic evacuation network and what is it? and (2) How to best plan turning restriction and signal timings at those intersections with different control strategies? Results show that the best distribution of uninterrupted flow and signalized intersections exists to yield the minimum evacuation clearance time. Intersections located within the demand generating area (i.e., the impacted area) are more likely to be selected by the model as uninterrupted flow ones to facilitate fast access of evacuees to the evacuation routes; while signals tend to locate outside the impact area to reduce detours of evacuation traffic to destination. The proposed model outperforms other scenarios in terms of reducing evacuation clearance time, which demonstrates its effectiveness.
Effects of Various Modes of Administration of Pyribenzamine on the Histamine Wheal and Epidermal Sensitivity Reactions

An extensive literature has developed relating the effects of the various antihistamine drugs on the course of dermatoses thought to be based on the mechanism of allergy. Their oral, as well as parenteral administration, has had definite therapeutic effects on those skin eruptions which, like urticaria, have an element of whealing in their pathology (1—7). In dermatoses with mainly epidermal pathology, both allergic and non-allergic in nature, the effects of the antihistamine drugs have varied with the mode of administration. The pruritic element seems to be the factor chiefly affected where beneficial therapeutic results were obtained (8—10). With the introduction of ointments containing histamine antagonists, further evaluation of their therapeutic action has been made in many dermatoses (11—15). The pharmacology of the antipruritic effect of the antihistamine drugs is as yet little understood. There is the possibility, however, that in these topical applications the ointments act only partly in a manner similar to a local anesthetic. That is well demonstrated in the experiments of Mayer (15) and Aaron, Peck and Abramson (16). The therapeutic results with topical application of antihistamine drugs in the form of ointments have varied widely not only in skin eruptions of differing pathology, but in different patients with the same skin disease or even in the same patient at different stages of the eruption. Naturally, the question of absorption of the antihistaminic substance through the skin comes into the foreground in such instances. In this study, we have attempted to evaluate the effects on histamine whealing and allergic epidermal reactions of the administration of Pyribenzamine by oral and parenteral administration, as well as by iontophoresis and the application of Pyribenzamine ointment. Quantitative excretion studies of Pyribenzamine after topical application were made in an attempt to correlate the clinical action of this drug administered in this way with the question of absorption through the skin. The results of these experiments also explain the variability in antipruritic as well as other effects with ointments containing Pyribenzamine.
A Cluster Randomized Trial to Screen for Abusive Head Trauma in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit-How to Manage Site-Specific Evidence of Racial/Ethnic Disparity.

Abusive head trauma is the leading cause of traumatic death and disability during infancy and early childhood. Typically, physicians elect to evaluate and report suspected abuse in young, acutely h...
Molecular control of pathogenic Th17 cells in autoimmune diseases

IL-17A-producing CD4+ T helper cells (Th17) are crucial for the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and thus are exploited for clinical immunotherapies. Emerging evidence suggests Th17 cells are heterogeneous and able to adopt both pathogenic and non-pathogenic phenotypes which are shaped by environmental and genetic factors. On one hand, IL-6 in concert with TGFβ1 can induce non-pathogenic Th17 cells (non-pTh17), which are not effective in inducing tissue inflammation. On the other hand, IL-6, IL-1β with IL-23 induce pathogenic Th17 cells (pTh17) to induce immune pathologies in various tissues. Th17 cells could be both pathogenic and non-pathogenic in a content-dependent manner in vivo. Understanding how the generation and pathogenicity of pTh17 cells are regulated will aid us to devise more effective immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the differentiation and regulation of Th17 cells especially pTh17 cells in vitro and in vivo. The emerging results revealing the specific molecular control of pTh17 cells are highlighted.
Impact of Telerehabilitation for Stroke-Related Deficits.

Background: Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States. Barriers to rehabilitation include cost, transportation, lack of trained personnel, and equipment. Tele...
Determination of selenium in hair by material microwave digestion-atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Objective To determine the hair selenium level by material microwave digestion-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Methods The selenium in hair was determined by hydride atomic fluorescence spectrometry after microwave digestion, and the method was improved by exploring the test conditions. The linear relationship and linear range of the standard curve, the detection limit, the precision and the accuracy of the sample determination were implemented under the optimized conditions. The selenium value of standard material of human hair was tested by material microwave digestion-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Results The selenium detection limit of material microwave digestion-atomic fluorescence spectrometry was 0.095 μg/g, the correlation coefficient of standard curve was 0.999 7, the relative standard deviation was 1.32%-2.48%, the average recovery rate was 93.4%-98.2%, and the selenium value of standard material of human hair was in the standard value range of uncertainty, which met the requirements. Conclusion The method is simple, accurate and precise, and it is an accurate and reliable method for determination of selenium in hair. Key words: Hair; Selenium; Reference standards; Material microwave digestion; Atomic fluorescence spectrometry
Enhancing Decision-Making on Maintenance, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements using Slab-Based Cracking Data and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis:

Many jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP) on critical roads in the United States are aged and have reached the end of their design lives. They thus require maintenance, rehabilitation, and recon...
Semiconductor Heterojunction Devices

This paper reviews the rationale for the use of heterojunctions in devices. Through the use of specific examples, the physical properties of this powerful technique are demonstrated. Comparisons of common epitaxial growth techniques suitable for heterojunction growths are given.
Valid statistical approaches for clustered data: A Monte Carlo simulation study

Abstract The translation of preclinical studies to human applications is associated with a high failure rate, which may be exacerbated by limited training in experimental design and statistical analysis. Nested experimental designs, which occur when data have a multilevel structure (e.g., in vitro: cells within a culture dish; in vivo: rats within a litter), often violate the independent observation assumption underlying many traditional statistical techniques. Although previous studies have empirically evaluated the analytic challenges associated with multilevel data, existing work has not focused on key parameters and design components typically observed in preclinical research. To address this knowledge gap, a Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted to systematically assess the effects of inappropriately modeling multilevel data via a fixed effects ANOVA in studies with sparse observations, no between group comparison within a single cluster, and interactive effects. Simulation results revealed a dramatic increase in the probability of type 1 error and relative bias of the standard error as the number of level-1 (e.g., cells; rats) units per cell increased in the fixed effects ANOVA; these effects were largely attenuated when the nesting was appropriately accounted for via a random effects ANOVA. Thus, failure to account for a nested experimental design may lead to reproducibility challenges and inaccurate conclusions. Appropriately accounting for multilevel data, however, may enhance statistical reliability, thereby leading to improvements in translatability. Valid analytic strategies are provided for a variety of design scenarios.
Connectivity: insights from the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network

National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research programNational Science Foundation (NSF) [DEB-1637590, 1832016, DEB-0213767, 0816963, 1354494, 1902712, NSF OCE-0423565, 1058747, 1637630, OPP-1637708, OCE-1232779, DEB-1832194, DEB-1637686]
Food Choice Decisions of Collegiate Division I Athletes: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

Limited research has examined athletes' food and health beliefs and decisions and the congruence of these decisions with recommendations from nutrition professionals. This study aimed to improve understanding of athletes' food-related beliefs and practices to enable nutrition professionals to more effectively enhance performance while protecting athletes' health. Division I college athletes (n = 14, 64% female) from a variety of sports were recruited to participate in 20-min semi-structured phone interviews about food and nutrition-related behaviors and cognitions. Data were content analyzed to identify themes and trends. Prominent factors influencing athletes' food choices were potential benefits to health and performance, availability of foods, and recommendations from sports dietitians. Foods commonly consumed by athletes, including fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, were generally healthy and aligned with sports nutrition recommendations. Athletes avoided energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, such as fast food and fried foods, with the goal of improving performance. Some athletes took supplements (i.e., multivitamin, iron, protein) on the premise that they would improve health and enhance performance or recovery. While athletes' nutrition behaviors are generally congruent with current recommendations, findings highlighted misconceptions held by athletes related to the benefits of some supplements and the belief that packaged/processed foods were inherently less healthy than other options. Nutrition misconceptions held by athletes and incongruities between athletes' nutrition knowledge and behaviors suggest that dietitians should aim to dispel misconceptions held by athletes and provide additional guidance and information to support athletes' current healthful behaviors to ensure these behaviors extend beyond their college athletic career.
Discrete Velocity Fields with Explicitly Computable Lagrangian Law

We introduce a class of random velocity fields on the periodic lattice and in discrete time having a certain hidden Markov structure. The generalized Lagrangian velocity (the velocity field as viewed from the location of a single moving particle) has similar hidden Markov structure, and its law is found explicitly. Its rate of convergence to equilibrium is studied in small numerical examples and in rigorous results giving absolute and relative bounds on the size of the second–largest eigenvalue modulus. The effect of molecular diffusion on the rate of convergence is also investigated; in some cases it slows convergence to equilibrium. After repeating the velocity field periodically throughout the integer lattice, it is shown that, with the usual diffusive rescaling, the single–particle motion converges to Brownian motion in both compressible and incompressible cases. An exact formula for the effective diffusivity is given and numerical examples are shown.
Thermochromatography of bromides

Abstract Our interest in elements 105, eka-tantalum, and 104, eka-hafnium, led us to study the thermal chromatographic behavior of gamma-emitting isotopes of Hf, Nb and Ta produced by combarding suitable targets with heavy ions at the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron. Atoms recoiling from the target were collected, chemically processed, and separated on-line with gaseous bromide systems. A mixture of bromine and boron tribromide was shown to be effective as the brominating agent. The separation of the metallic bromides produced was carried out in open tubular columns made of nickel of glass. A possible technique is outlined for the detection of alpha-emitting isotopes, which are of great importance in the transactinide region. Nickel was found to be sufficiently chemically resistant to the brominating atmosphere to be useful as the material for the chamber and target backing.
Dipyridamole intervention of breast cell carcinogenesis.

Dietary prevention is a cost-efficient strategy to reduce the risk of human cancers. More than 85% breast cancers are sporadic and attributable to long-term exposure to environmental carcinogens through a multistep and multiyear disease process. We used our chronically induced cellular carcinogenesis model as a target to search for preventive agents capable of blocking breast cell carcinogenesis. Dipyridamole (DPM), at a non-cytotoxic physiologically achievable dose of 10 nmol/L, effectively blocked breast cell carcinogenesis induced by cumulative exposures to three unrelated carcinogens 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The ability of DPM to block H-Ras upregulation, thus blocking ERK pathway activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation, and DNA damage in each exposure, may account for its mechanisms in intervention of carcinogenesis induced by cumulative exposures to PhIP. Likewise, DPM's ability to block ROS elevation and DNA damage may account for its mechanisms in intervention of carcinogenesis chronically induced by NNK and B[a]P, as well. DPM is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to control platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction in patients. Our study revealed, for the first time, the novel ability of DPM to block breast cell carcinogenesis induced by three unrelated carcinogens. DPM should be seriously considered as a chemopreventive agent in development of strategies for reducing the risk of sporadic breast cancer associated with long-term exposure to environmental carcinogens. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Monte-Carlo study of BaF/sub 2/ detectors for TOF PET

Preliminary results are presented of Monte Carlo calculations of the time-of-flight (TOF) resolution of BaF/sub 2/ gamma-ray detectors with photomultiplier readout. Light propagation inside the crystal, decay properties and light output of the scintillator, quantum efficiency of the photocathode, current pulse formation, and overall time-of-flight resolution are discussed. It is concluded that the length of the crystal has a strong effect on the light collection time spread, due to reflections and to the exponential distribution of interaction points inside the crystal. A TOF resolution of less than 100 ps is found for a crystal length of less than 4 cm. >
Mobility and routing protocols for 802.11 extended service sets

There are two basic types of 802.11 networks: 1) networks that operate as single "independent" basic service sets (IBSSs) and 2) networks that operate as extended service sets (ESSs), also known as infrastructure networks. Infrastructure networks have access points (APs) that may be interconnected to other APs within an ESS via a distribution system (DS) to extend the range and scalability of an infrastructure network. Also, they may have stations (STAs) that associate with a neighboring AP in order to access the DS service. On the other hand, an IBSS consists only of STAs and does not support the DS service. Protocols that enable multihop routing in IBSS networks have been proposed in the lETF's MANET working group. This paper describes an 802.11 access point that can combine with other such APs and with standard STAs to form a mobile, 802.11 ESS that is an infrastructure network, but incorporates the mobility features typical of a multihop ad hoc network. The new architecture is called a dynamic backbone subnet based on 802.11, or simply, DBS/802.11. Externally, a DBS/802.11 subnet provides network services very much like an Ethernet, which simplifies its connection to other IP networks. Both a simulation model and a Linux implementation of DBS/802.11 have been developed. We show some results from a field test scenario designed to verify the operation of the DBS/802.11 implementation using mobile nodes in a dynamic, interference prone environment.
Itinerant electron ferromagnetism. T -matrix approach

An algebraic derivation for the self-energy and transverse spin susceptibility for a system described by the Hubbard Hamiltonian is given using the general techniques developed by Martin and Schwinger.
Revisiting generality in biology: systems biology and the quest for design principles

Due to the variation, contingency and complexity of living systems, biology is often taken to be a science without fundamental theories, laws or general principles. I revisit this question in light of the quest for design principles in systems biology and show that different views can be reconciled if we distinguish between different types of generality. The philosophical literature has primarily focused on (the lack of) generality of specific models or explanations, or on the heuristic role of abstraction. This paper takes a different approach in emphasizing a theory-constituting role of general principles. Design principles signify general dependency-relations between structures and functions, given a set of formally defined constraints. I contend that design principles increase our understanding of living systems by relating specific models to general types. The categorization of types is based on a delineation of the scope of biological possibilities, which serves to identify and define the generic features of classes of systems. To characterize the basis for general principles through generic abstraction and reasoning about possibility spaces, I coin the term constraint-based generality. I show that constraint-based generality is distinct from other types of generality in biology, and argue that general principles play a unifying role that does not entail theory reduction.
Hybrid Vehicle Design Using Global Optimisation Algorithms

Four global optimisation algorithms are applied in the design optimisation of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). These four algorithms are: DIRECT, Simulated Annealing, Genetic Algorithm, and Particle Swarm Optimisation. The optimisation objective is to achieve maximum fuel economy, subject to the constraints of vehicle performance. The model in the loop methodology is adopted for our design process, in which a vehicle model named PSAT is used as the analysis tool. The design optimisation results and the performance of the four optimisation algorithms are compared. Our initial study shows that DIRECT and Simulated Annealing algorithms are efficient for the complex HEV engineering design problem.
UV Irradiation Activates JNK and Increases αI(I) Collagen Gene Expression in Rat Hepatic Stellate Cells

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) become activated into myofibroblast-like cells during the early stages of hepatic injury associated with fibrogenesis. The subsequent dysregulation of αI(I) collagen gene expression is a central pathogenetic step during the development of cirrhosis. Our recent study in rat HSCs (Davis, B. H., Chen, A., and Beno, D. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 11039–11042) found that ERK1,2 activation might be required for maximal αI(I) collagen gene expression. However, the role of the parallel JNK cascade in regulating αI(I) collagen gene expression was unknown. In this study, we initially found that UV irradiation of HSCs activated JNK but not ERK1,2. Furthermore, UV irradiation increased endogenous α I(I) collagen mRNA abundance and stimulated α I(I) collagen gene transcription in HSCs. The effect of the activation of JNK and Jun on α I(I) collagen gene expression was further evaluated via transfection of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter plasmids with various sizes of truncated 5′ upstream promoter sequence (UPS) of the αI(I) collagen gene. This revealed that dominant negative transcription factor JUN suppressed α I(I) collagen gene transcription in HSCs maintained in media with 20% serum and constitutively activated JUN increased αI(I) collagen gene transcription in HSCs cultured in media with 0.4% serum. UV activated JNK utilized a distal GC box in the 5′-UPS of the collagen gene to regulate gene transcription. This observation was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. In co-transfection experiments, the col-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter with a mutagenized GC box was not suppressed by dn-JUN and was not stimulated by activated JUN or by UV irradiation. Southwestern blotting analyses and gel shift assays with basic transcription element-binding protein antiserum suggested that the GC box was bound by basic transcription element-binding protein, a recently described DNA-binding protein. In conclusion, the current study combined with our previous report suggests that ERK1,2 and JNK cascades regulate αI(I) collagen expression in HSCs through different regions of the 5′-UPS of the gene. The distal GC box in the 5′-UPS of the αI(I) collagen gene may play a central role in receiving extracellular signals through the JNK pathway.
Enzyme-Based Listericidal Nanocomposites

Cell lytic enzymes represent an alternative to chemical decontamination or use of antibiotics to kill pathogenic bacteria, such as listeria. A number of phage cell lytic enzymes against listeria have been isolated and possess listericidal activity; however, there has been no attempt to incorporate these enzymes onto surfaces. We report three facile routes for the surface incorporation of the listeria bacteriophage endolysin Ply500: covalent attachment onto FDA approved silica nanoparticles (SNPs), incorporation of SNP-Ply500 conjugates into a thin poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) film; and affinity binding to edible crosslinked starch nanoparticles via construction of a maltose binding protein fusion. These Ply500 formulations were effective in killing L. innocua (a reduced pathogenic surrogate) at challenges up to 105 CFU/ml both in non-growth sustaining PBS as well as under growth conditions on lettuce. This strategy represents a new route toward achieving highly selective and efficient pathogen decontamination and prevention in public infrastructure.
Fiber-optic microdisplacement sensor based on diffraction grating

A new multimode-fiber-based microdisplacement sensor using a diffraction grating component is proposed. An analytical model is presented for the proposed technique. The performance of the proposed technique is verified via computer simulation and experimentation. The experimental results agree quite well with the theoretical model. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 32: 446–449, 2002.
Why do some childhood ALLs relapse

Leukemogenesis involves sequential acquisition of mutations in several genes. Various chromosome translocations occur early in leukemogenesis and may be initiating events, but are not sufficient to cause leukemia. The most common translocation in childhood ALL is a cryptic t(12;21) that produces a
Improving Resource Utilization in MapReduce

MapReduce has been adopted widely in both academia and industry to run large-scale data parallel applications. In MapReduce, each slave node hosts a number of task slots to which tasks can be assigned. So they limit the maximum number of tasks that can execute concurrently on each node. When all task slots of a node are not used, the resources &#x00E2;reserved&#x00E2; for idle slots are unutilized. To improve resource utilization, we propose resource stealing to enable running tasks to steal resources reserved for idle slots and give them back proportionally whenever new tasks are assigned. Resource stealing makes the otherwise wasted resources get fully utilized without interfering with normal job scheduling. MapReduce uses speculative execution to improve fault tolerance. Current Hadoop implementation decides whether to run speculative tasks based on the progress rates of running tasks, which does not take into consideration the absolute progress of each task. We propose Benefit Aware Speculative Execution which evaluates the potential benefit of speculative tasks and eliminates unnecessary runs. We implement the proposed algorithms in Hadoop, and our experiments show that our algorithms can significantly shorten job execution time and reduce the number of non-beneficial speculative tasks.
Semantic and behavioral library transformations

While software methodology encourages the use of libraries and advocates architectures of layered libraries, in practice the composition of libraries is not always seamless and the combination of two well-designed libraries not necessarily well designed, since it could result in suboptimal call sequences, lost functionality, or avoidable overhead. In this paper we introduce Simplicissimus, a framework for rewrite-based source code transformations that allows for code replacement in a systematic and safe manner. We discuss the design and implementation of the framework and illustrate its functionality with applications in several areas.
Structure and Evolution of Tubulin C-terminal Tails

Both α- and β-tubulin have a highly charged, acidic, unstructured, C-terminal “tail” peptide (CTT) that extends from the outer surface of the microtubule (MT).These peptides, ∼10 residues for α and ∼20 for β, do not appear in crystal structures or in cryo-EM reconstructions but are critical to the interaction of other proteins with tubulin in dimer or MT form. The CTT are the locus of isotype-defining sequence differences as well as the site of most posttranslational modifications (PTM) of tubulin. Molecular modeling shows that the CTT are flexible and mobile compared to the body of the protein, explaining why they don't diffract. MT are covered with a sparse negatvely charged brush composed of these peptides: their length is comparable to their grafting distance. CTT mediate interactions with many proteins, including the dimer with the mitochondrial outer membrane protein VDAC. Modeling shows that the tails fit into the channel, but not with branch-producing PTMs (polyglutamylation or polyglycylation). Thus PTMs could alter (prevent) tubulin from acting as a regulator of VDAC, and hence mitochondrial, function. Evolutionarily the tails are highly conserved, but not in exact sequence. Rather the residue length and charge of each CTT are closely maintained. This is found throughout the eukaryotic world, except in organisms that lack mitochondria, in which case the tail can be much shorter and/or less charged. Bacterial tubulin (αβ-tubuin, not FtsZ), arriving from an unknown eukaryote by horizontal gene transfer, shows great divergence in tail length (from total loss to much increased length) and charge (including some with many positive charges). We conclude that the interactions of the tail peptides with other proteins, including VDAC on mitochondria, provide a major selective constraint on this critical part of the tubulin molecule.
Using Ecological Assessment in Daily Program Planning for Children with Disabilities in Typical Preschool Settings

A practical model for systematic ecological assessment for daily planning purposes is described. The results of initial testing of this model are presented in a supported training and work experience program for special education inclusion assistants placed in inclusive preschools. In conjunction with traditional child-focused assessment results, the model provides a means for identifying and developing opportunities for facilitating child-to-child social interactions and the attainment of individualized goals and objectives in the routines and typical activities of inclusive preschool settings. Preliminary evaluation data suggest that, overall, the model produces more integrated developmental activities, more use of peer mediation, and a more play-based approach to discrete skill development. These results are compatible with the philosophy and methodology of developmentally appropriate early childhood education.
The Boundary Layer Due to Rectilinear Vortex

The boundary layer created by the motion of a single rectilinear vortex filament above an infinite plane wall is considered. In a frame of reference which moves uniformly with the vortex the inviscid motion is steady; however, the possibility of a corresponding steady boundary-layer solution can be ruled out and it is concluded that the boundary-layer flow is inherently unsteady for all time. To investigate the nature of the unsteady boundary-layer flow, a time-dependent problem, corresponding to the sudden insertion of the plane wall at time $t$ = 0, is considered; separation in the boundary layer is found to take place in a short period of time and the solution shows possibly explosive features as $t$ increases. It is conjectured that an eventual eruption of the boundary-layer flow is to be expected along with a major modification of the inviscid flow. The theory compares favourably with experiments on the flow induced near the ground by trailing aircraft vortices.
CREATION OF HOMOZYGOUS MUTANTS OF LEISHMANIA DONOVANI WITH SINGLE TARGETING CONSTRUCTS

Homozygous null mutants of the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hgprt) and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (aprt) loci were created in Leishmania donovani in which both alleles were eliminated using only a single targeting construct. Functional heterozygotes were first generated by homologous recombination after transfection with vectors containing 5′- and 3′-flanking regions of either the hgprt or the aprt gene circumscribing drug resistance markers. Homozygous null mutants were then isolated from the heterozygotes by negative selection in media containing subversive substrates of the encoded proteins, i.e. allopurinol for HGPRT and 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidine for APRT. The novel alleles created by homologous recombination were verified by Southern blotting, and the effects of gene replacement upon gene expression in intact parasites were evaluated by direct enzymatic assay and by immunoblotting. All mutant strains were viable under the selection conditions and exhibited appropriate drug resistance phenotypes. The ability to generate homozygous knockouts with single targeting constructs greatly facilitates the genetic dissection and subsequent biochemical investigations of the purine pathway in Leishmania and has important general implications for the genetic manipulation and analysis of the leishmanial genome.
Student Participation in Ecological Research: Preliminary Insights from Students' Experiences in the Smoky Mountains.

Students participating in summer research internships at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park kept electronic journals to document their experiences. We used a combined content analysis to quantify the responses from the students in particular areas of interest and to understand the essence of experiences from the explanations provided in their journals. The major themes that emerged were adventures in nature, becoming a scientist, and application of science and math knowledge. Though the sample size was small, the students' journals illustrate the value of research experiences for young people.
PTSD and HIV in women: the role of gender in this dual diagnosis.

This article is based on the authors findings from a cross-sectional descriptive study of men (n = 116) and women (n = 68) who were receiving HIV/AIDS counseling from four different community centers across New York state from March–July 2010. To ascertain the prevalence of post-traumatic stress in this population, a checklist (PCL) was employed. The responses from females and males were compared to detect gender differences in the common dual diagnosis of HIV and PTSD. The genders differed regarding several manifestations of PTSD: (1) women reported a significantly higher mean score on “feeling very upset when something reminded” them of a stressful experience from the past; (2) while not statistically significant, but noteworthy, men reported they were more likely to feel “distant or cut off” depending on their employment status. These and other findings suggested that the genders may manifest PTSD differently. Implications for those in the health care field and the trauma field are provided.
Seeing older perioperative patients in 3-D: When your patient is demented, delirious, or depressed

Abstract A large proportion of older patients needing orthopaedic surgical care suffer from dementia, delirium, or depression. These disorders may present before or after surgical treatment and increase the risk of surgical complications including death. Dementia is characterized by insidious loss of intellectual functions as well as by behavioral and affective disturbances. Delirium is characterized by disturbances in consciousness, attention, and cognition. Both dementia and delirium cause confusion and lack of compliance with medical care. Unlike dementia or chronic confusion, delirium or acute confusion develops over a relatively short period of time, and in many instances is caused by stress, metabolic imbalances, infection, or medications. Furthermore, it is often reversible. Depression is a heterogeneous affective disorder characterized by disturbances in mood, lack of interest and pleasure, and vegetative signs and symptoms. It may also cause noncompliance, and can contribute to diminished self-care and health-related activities, such as poor nutrition. All three of these conditions may be exacerbated by the stress of injury or surgical treatment. Early recognition and treatment of these disorders is critical to prevent complications and give patients the best possible outcome.
Immune Reactivity Against Membranes Containing Ganglioside GM1 in Chronic-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Observation by Spin-Membrane Immunoassay

A spin-membrane immunoassay has been employed to examine the immune reactivity of whole serum from patients with chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis (CPMS) against liposomes containing ganglioside GM1. Exposure to serum resulted in complement-mediated lysis of the GM1-liposomes. No lysis occurred with liposomes devoid of ganglioside. The mean (+/- S.E.M.) lysis values were 52.6 (+/- 9.8)% for fifteen CPMS patients and 32.9 (+/- 7.2)% for nine controls. The difference between the means was highly significant (student's t-test, P less than 0.0001), indicating increased anti-ganglioside immunity in patients with CPMS.
Screening for Growth Hormone (GH) Gene Deletions in Brazilian Patients with Isolated GH Deficiency

Screening for Growth Hormone (GH) Gene Deletions in Brazilian Patients with Isolated GH Deficiency
Evolution of evaporating black holes in an inflationary universe

A Vaidya-based model of an evaporating black hole is studied during the de Sitter inflationary phase of the Universe. The phase is considered spatially flat and viewed in comoving coordinates. The structure, location, and motion of the apparent and event horizons of the radiating black hole are determined. A relation between the Hawking black-hole temperature of the apparent horizon and the critical grand-unified-theory temperature is obtained which allows an estimate of the black-hole radiation rate. This rate is found to be slightly less than that expected for normal black-hole evaporation.
The Advent of Multiple-Process Theories of Communication

L'A. s'interroge sur le statut disciplinaire de la communication au regard du pluralisme theorique qui caracterise cette discipline. Il considere que la communication comporte des procedes multiples et distincts, qui peuvent etre redondants, complementaires ou contradictoires. Il examine la multiplicite des niveaux d'analyse et les conditions du developpement d'une orientation philosophique compatible avec la theorie des procedes multiples
Analysis of Convergence of a Frequency-Domain LMS Adaptive Filter Implemented as a Multi-Stage Adaptive Filter

We present an analysis of the convergence of the frequency-domain LMS adaptive filter when the DFT is computed using the LMS steepest descent algorithm. In this case, the frequency-domain adaptive filter is implemented with a cascade of two sections, each updated using the LMS algorithm. The structure requires less computations compared to using the FFT and is modular suitable for VLSI implementations. Since the structure contains two adaptive algorithms updating in parallel, an analysis of the overall system convergence needs to consider the effect of the two adaptive algorithms on each other, in addition to their individual convergence. Analysis was based on the expected mean-square coefficient error for each of the two LMS adaptive algorithms, with some simplifying approximations for the second algorithm, to describe the convergence behavior of the overall system. Simulations were used to verify the results.