cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient laser cleaning to remove 0.2 µm-sized gold particles on thin silicon wafers

Laser cleaning techniques1–3 demonstrated recently appear to be promising for practical removal of small particulate contaminations from solid surfaces. One focus of our work is on the cleaning of silicon membrane stencil masks that are to be used for e-beam lithography printing of DRAMs of 64 MBit and beyond.4 These masks contain the chip pattern as physical holes in a silicon membrane of thickness 2 μm. The cleaning challenge is to remove particles even out of the stencil holes while not damaging the sensitive membrane.
O05-2 Increased severity of radiologic pneumoconiosis among former us coal miners; federal black lung program data 2001 to 2013

Background In 1970, the US mandated airborne dust exposure limits in mines and established the Federal Black Lung Program (FBLP). Coal miners who apply for FBLP benefits undergo diagnostic testing including chest x-ray and spirometry. We hypothesised that claimants who worked only after 1970 would have lower rates of more advanced coalmine dust lung disease. Methods We analysed de-identified data from miners’ last FBLP claim filed between 2001 and 2013. Among 24,802 total claims, we assessed the prevalence of: (1) ILO profusion categories (simple coal workers’ pneumoconiosis [CWP] = 1/0 [n = 4,578]; 1/„1–1/2 [n = 3,803]); advanced CWP (2/1–3/+ [n = 1,116]); or progressive massive fibrosis (PMF =A, B, or C [n = 986]); and (2) ATS classification of respiratory impairment (FEV1 percent reference: mild, moderate, and ≤ moderately severe). We assessed predictors of prevalence (age, mining tenure, and geography) using logistic regression, and compared respiratory outcomes among similar-aged miners (49–60 years) who had worked only since the 1970 dust rule (post-1970; n = 3,586) to those who worked before and since 1970 (pre/post-1970; n = 4,434). Results Among FBLP claimants, 8.5% had advanced CWP or PMF with the highest rates among younger ( 70 years: 8.3%) miners. 20.6% of claimants had ≤ moderately severe impairment, enough to be considered disabling for mining work (FEV1 Conclusions We found high rates of pulmonary impairment and advanced radiologic pneumoconiosis in former coal miners applying for FBLP benefits. The prevalence of advanced pneumoconiosis was significantly higher in miners who only worked after 1970, suggesting that dust control regulations were ineffective in preventing severe disease.
Knitting: A Craft and a Connection

Edited byJacquelyn H. Flaskerud, RN, PhD, FAANUniversity of California, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, California, USAJanna Lesser, RN PhDUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, ...
Refined Air Pollution Model for Calculating Daily Regional Patterns and Transfrontier Exchanges of Airbone Sulfur in Central and Western Europe

Previous studies at SRI International (Johnson et al., 1978 ; Bhumralkar et al., 1979 and 1981) developed a puff trajectory model for regional-scale air pollution modeling.★ The SRI model exists in several forms : The simpler form (EURMAP-1) can be used to obtain long-term averages ; the more complicated form (EURMAP-2 ) is used for short-term pollution episodes.
Bringing corporate social responsibility into the petroleum engineering classroom

The resource and energy industries present unique challenges to engineers, who must navigate sometimes competing responsibilities and codes of conduct, such as personal senses of right and wrong, professional ethics codes, and their employers' corporate social responsibility policies. This paper reports on preliminary research that seeks, first, to understand the relationship between engineering and corporate social responsibility (CSR), the current dominant framework used by industry to conceptualize firms' responsibilities to their stakeholders; and second, to better prepare engineering undergraduate students to critically appraise the strengths and limitations of CSR as an approach to reconciling the interests of industry and communities. We share results from an assessment of a pilot interdisciplinary pedagogical intervention in a required petroleum engineering course at the Colorado School of Mines. It suggests that classroom activities that use CSR to bring a sociotechnical perspective of engineering challenges, and are relevant to students' future careers, deepens students' complexity of thought in relation to social responsibility. It also provides a context to allow students to broaden their approach in their future careers.
Mobile Phone Surveys for Collecting Population-Level Estimates in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Literature Review

Background: National and subnational level surveys are important for monitoring disease burden, prioritizing resource allocation, and evaluating public health policies. As mobile phone access and ownership become more common globally, mobile phone surveys (MPSs) offer an opportunity to supplement traditional public health household surveys. Objective: The objective of this study was to systematically review the current landscape of MPSs to collect population-level estimates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: Primary and gray literature from 7 online databases were systematically searched for studies that deployed MPSs to collect population-level estimates. Titles and abstracts were screened on primary inclusion and exclusion criteria by two research assistants. Articles that met primary screening requirements were read in full and screened for secondary eligibility criteria. Articles included in review were grouped into the following three categories by their survey modality: (1) interactive voice response (IVR), (2) short message service (SMS), and (3) human operator or computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). Data were abstracted by two research assistants. The conduct and reporting of the review conformed to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Results: A total of 6625 articles were identified through the literature review. Overall, 11 articles were identified that contained 19 MPS (CATI, IVR, or SMS) surveys to collect population-level estimates across a range of topics. MPSs were used in Latin America (n=8), the Middle East (n=1), South Asia (n=2), and sub-Saharan Africa (n=8). Nine articles presented results for 10 CATI surveys (10/19, 53%). Two articles discussed the findings of 6 IVR surveys (6/19, 32%). Three SMS surveys were identified from 2 articles (3/19, 16%). Approximately 63% (12/19) of MPS were delivered to mobile phone numbers collected from previously administered household surveys. The majority of MPS (11/19, 58%) were panel surveys where a cohort of participants, who often were provided a mobile phone upon a face-to-face enrollment, were surveyed multiple times. Conclusions: Very few reports of population-level MPS were identified. Of the MPS that were identified, the majority of surveys were conducted using CATI. Due to the limited number of identified IVR and SMS surveys, the relative advantages and disadvantages among the three survey modalities cannot be adequately assessed. The majority of MPS were sent to mobile phone numbers that were collected from a previously administered household survey. There is limited evidence on whether a random digit dialing (RDD) approach or a simple random sample of mobile network provided list of numbers can produce a population representative survey. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(5):e139]
With smart strategies, immediate postpartum LARC is possible.

The need to provide immediate postpartum access to intrauterine contraceptives and contraceptive implants for those who desire them is now widely acknowledged among leading healthcare organizations. The most recently updated versions of the UK, US, and World Health Organization (WHO) Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (MEC) all support placement of the progestin implant, Copper IUD, and levonorgestrel IUS following delivery of the placenta and before hospital discharge. Postpartum placement has been recognized as safe, effective, and acceptable by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Body Weight, Menopausal Hormone Therapy, and Risk of Breast Cancer

Publisher Summary Two observations hold the key to understand the relationship of ovarian hormones to breast cancer risk as it applies to the treatment of postmenopausal women. Earlier menopause, whether natural or through bilateral oophorectomy, reduces breast cancer risk. The rate of breast cell proliferation in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is about double the rate in the follicular phase, and the rate in the follicular phase is considerably higher than in the postmenopausal period. This chapter uses these two observations to build a basic mathematical model of breast cancer etiology. This model gives an understanding of the quantitative effect of obesity on risk. The epidemiologic data, including that found in the Women's Health Initiative randomized trials on the quantitative effects of menopausal estrogen therapy and menopausal estrogen-progestin therapy on breast cancer risk is summarized. Its integration with the model provides a comprehensive understanding of the effect of estrogen and progestin treatment on breast cancer risk.
The Grad-Shafranov reconstruction in twenty years: 1996–2016

We review and summarize the applications of the Grad-Shafranov (GS) reconstruction technique to space plasma structures in the Earth’s magnetosphere and in the interplanetary space. We organize our presentations following the branches of the “academic family tree” rooted on Prof. Bengt U. O. Sonnerup, the inventor of the GS method. Special attentions are paid to validations of the GS reconstruction results via (1) the direct validation by co-spatial in-situ measurements among multiple spacecraft, and (2) indirect validation by implications and interpretations of the physical connection between the structures reconstructed and other related processes. For the latter, the inter-comparison and interconnection between the large-scale magnetic flux ropes (i.e., Magnetic Clouds) in the solar wind and their solar source properties are presented. In addition, we also summarize various GS-type (or -like) reconstruction and an extension of the GS technique to toroidal geometry. In particular, we point to a possible advancement with added complexity of “helical symmetry” and mixed helicity, in the hope of stimulating interest in future development. We close by offering some thoughts on appreciating the scientific merit of GS reconstruction in general.
States, Cities and the Marketplace of Municipal Economic Development Policy: How Institutions Shape Public Subsidies to Business

The scholarly literature on economic development is replete with analysis of best practices, including how to lure businesses to one’s community or develop businesses that are already present; what kinds of tax and regulatory regimes are favorable to economic development; and how different types of local taxation affect the way in which land is used for economic development. Additionally, a broad swathe of literature in urban studies views local economic development through the prism of globalization and deregulation, and how these broader trends in the national and world economy limit the variety of policies that can be implemented locally.This paper will shed light on a more structural question that places politics ahead of economics – how the political and institutional context within which local government operates affects the scale and choice of economic development policy. State governments provide that context in the US, and their policies, laws and constitutions determine the level and type of taxes and state aid that local places depend upon, whether or not municipalities receive need-based financial support from their state government, and even the extent to which policy-making power is devolved to municipalities. This dynamic significantly impacts the extent to which local places must actively intervene in the marketplace to ensure healthy expansion of their tax base.Accordingly, the paper tests two key outcomes of economic development policy – the level of economic development spending, and the extent to which communities are channeling this spending in the form of direct assistance to business or business-related infrastructure – according to several key state and local policies that may impact such policy and spending levels. These explanatory variables include the presence and level of redistributive, need-based state aid to local government; the presence and level of revenue sharing from the state; the presence or absence of municipal and/or county sales taxes; the form of local government and variations in the state regime of economic development funding. In particular, the paper tests the hypothesis that communities in states with redistributive approaches to revenue sharing spend far less on economic development assistance to private business than those in states with more decentralized and traditional forms of funding local government.
Comparative effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ.

e12602Background: Although consensus guidelines recommend against the performance of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) undergoing breast conserving sur...
You’re In or You’re Out: The Impact of Preconceptions on Social Development in the Kindergarten Music Classroom

Early childhood literature is replete with information related to developmental issues, and rightly so. From the time of a child’s birth, developmental milestones provide critical information for parents, preschool teachers, and pediatricians. However, by the time many children begin their formal school experiences in kindergarten, less information is available to facilitate the transition—particularly for music teachers who work with kindergarten children. Music teachers may present instructional experiences that support musical development, but perhaps with fewer resources to support other developmental areas. Guidelines from Developmentally Appropriate Practice provide one source that integrates theoretical perspectives on early childhood development (physical, social, cognitive, language) to inform teacher decision-making. Given the importance of social interactions during the kindergarten transition, this narrative explores Sam’s experiences in kindergarten music with his peers and music teacher, Jenny Brasch, during one academic year. Throughout the story of Jenny and Sam, issues of prosocial skills, modelling of care and respect, peer interactions, positive discipline, preconceptions, and social isolation provide a backdrop that sheds new light on early childhood practice in kindergarten general music classrooms.
Computing Bounds on Critical Indices

In this paper we give an outline of a computer assisted proof in which we use an extended version of the Wilson-Kadanoff renormalization group scheme to get rigorous bounds on a critical exponent that is universal for a class of one parameter families F µ of hierarchical lattice systems in d = 3 dimensions. The parameter µ will be referred to as temperature. Assume that a given family F µ undergoes a phase transition at µ = µ c, then we define κ to be the exponent that describes the scaling behavior of the free energy as the temperature approaches the critical value µ c. More precisely, if U n (µ) is the free energy density coresponding to the system F µ confined to a cube of volume 2dn at temperature µ, then $$ k = \mathop {\lim }\limits_{\mu \to {\mu _c}} {\text{ }}\frac{1}{{\log \left( {\left| \mu \right. - {\mu _c}} \right)}}\log \left( {\mathop {\lim }\limits_{n \to \infty } {\text{ }}{U_n}\left( \mu \right)} \right). $$ (1.1)
Molecular and Physiological Adaptations to Endurance Training

Endurance exercise is the ability to perform intensive activities for prolonged periods and is considered an essential physical fitness attribute. To this end, the research literature is comprised of thousands of articles describing and quantifying the responses and adaptation of the human physiology to endurance exercise and related training regimens. The intent of this chapter is to give a synoptic overview of these major adaptive changes noted for molecular, cardiovascular, metabolic, skeletal muscle-tendon-bone, and hormonal-endocrine components and systems in the human body in response to performing endurance exercise training.
Do Local Governments Represent Voter Preferences?: Evidence From the Affordable Care Act on Local Government Support for Hospitals

Local governments participate in the health care system as both a patient care provider and third-party payer. In doing so, local governments represent the majority of the public health service economy, outspending state governments about $3-to-$2 on hospitals. Using data from the Census of Governments from 2006 to 2015, we employ a difference-in-difference framework to study the effect of the state decision to expand Medicaid on their local governments’ fiscal decisions. We find that local governments in areas that voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election responded to their state's Medicaid expansion by increasing expenditures on hospitals, whereas those that voted for Romney reduced hospital expenditures and used the savings to reduce property taxes. This finding is not driven by an urban/rural distinction. We then extend this analysis to determine (1) the extent to which observed changes in local government financing are affected by changes in hospital revenue; and (2) assess the effect of these changes in local government funding on the finances of surrounding hospitals. We rule out the possibility that changes in local government spending are a response to hospital competition and find evidence that hospitals in Medicaid expansion states observed increased profits, following the expansion. This paper provides evidence on the responsiveness of local governments to the preferences of their voters under incentives introduced by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Drone and Other Hobbyist Aircraft Injuries Seen in U.S. Emergency Departments, 2010-2017.

Introduction Recreational radio-controlled hobbyist aircraft—particularly “drones”—have become increasingly popular in the last decade. The purpose of this study is to describe injuries associated with hobbyist drones and compare them with injuries associated with other hobbyist aircraft. Methods In this 2018 cross-sectional analysis of National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data for 2010–2017, case narrative fields were searched to identify emergency department visits related to hobbyist aircraft injuries. The incidence of hobbyist aircraft injuries was estimated, and summary statistics, chi-square tests, and t-tests were used to describe and compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of drone and other hobbyist aircraft-related cases. Results An estimated 12,842 hobbyist aircraft injuries presented to U.S. emergency departments during 2010–2017. An increased incidence attributable to drone-related injuries emerged in 2015. Overall, most injuries involved male patients aged 50 years on average. Propeller injuries were the leading mechanism. An estimated 270 patients required hospital admission. Patients injured by drones were younger (mean, 34 years vs 58 years; p Conclusions Hobbyist aircraft-related injuries are increasing, particularly drone-related injuries. Tailored injury prevention measures and product safety materials are needed to address all hobbyist aircraft-related injuries, with a particular focus on drone-related injury prevention measures.
Natural selection favoring more transmissible HIV detected in United States molecular transmission network

HIV molecular epidemiology can identify clusters of individuals with elevated rates of HIV transmission. These variable transmission rates are primarily driven by host risk behavior; however, the effect of viral traits on variable transmission rates is poorly understood. Viral load, the concentration of HIV in blood, is a heritable viral trait that influences HIV infectiousness and disease progression. Here, we reconstruct HIV genetic transmission clusters using data from the United States National HIV Surveillance System and report that viruses in clusters, inferred to be frequently transmitted, have higher viral loads at diagnosis. Further, viral load is higher in people in larger clusters and with increased network connectivity, suggesting that HIV in the United States is experiencing natural selection to be more infectious and virulent. We also observe a concurrent increase in viral load at diagnosis over the last decade. This evolutionary trajectory may be slowed by prevention strategies prioritized toward rapidly growing transmission clusters.
A Time Domain Approach for the Exponential Stability of a Nondissipative Linearized Compressible Flow-Structure PDE System

We consider a linearized compressible flow structure interaction (FSI) PDE model with a view of analyzing the stability properties of both the compressible flow and plate solution components. In our earlier work, we gave an answer in the affirmative to question of uniform stability for finite energy solutions of said compressible flow-structure system, by means of a ``frequency domain'' approach. However, the frequency domain method of proof in that work is not ``robust'' (insofar as we can see), when one wishes to study longtime behavior of solutions of compressible flow-structure PDE models which track the appearance of the ambient state onto the boundary interface (i.e., $\kappa =1$ in flow PDE component (2)). Nor is a frequency domain approach in this earlier work availing when one wishes to consider the dynamics, in long time, of solutions to physically relevant nonlinear versions of the compressible flow-structure PDE system under present consideration (e.g., the Navier-Stokes nonlinearity in the PDE flow component, or a nonlinearity of Berger/Von Karman type in the plate equation). Accordingly, in the present work, we operate in the time domain by way of obtaining the necessary energy estimates which culminate in an alternative proof for the uniform stability of finite energy compressible flow-structure solutions. This novel time domain proof will be used in our forthcoming paper which addresses the existence of compact global attractors for the corresponding nonlinear coupled system in which the material derivative -- which incorporates the aforesaid ambient state -- of the interaction surface will be taken into account.
The Diffusion of Electronic Portfolios in Teacher Education: Issues of Initiation and Implementation.

This descriptive study investigates the diffusion of electronic portfolios in preservice teacher education by documenting the context and emergent practices in six programs identified as mature in their implementation. Context variables examined include prior use of paper portfolios, pressures for standards-based assessment, and leadership and governance issues. Variations in program implementation are also explored including the portfolio tools employed, artifact selection, evaluation of student work, and the role of reflection. Findings of the study suggest that amidst the common themes across programs, there are numerous variations in approaches to e-portfolio use. The authors conclude that further research is needed to examine the future directions for e-portfolios envisioned as well as specific advice for those in earlier stages of adoption or implementation.
Hybrid Approach to Right Ventricle Decompression in Muscular Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum

Muscular pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) in neonates is traditionally managed by surgery. We describe hybrid approach to decompress the right ventricle (RV) and establish RV to pulmonary artery connection in a neonate avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass. A 21-gauge access needle was used to perforate the atretic pulmonary valve via periventricular approach followed by stent placement. This case is an example of how patients with congenital heart disease can be palliated in creative ways through thoughtful collaboration between surgical and interventional cardiology teams.
Precise Virtual Time Advancement for Network Emulation

Network emulators enable rapid prototyping and testing of applications. In a typical emulation the execution order and process execution burst lengths are managed by the host platform's operating system, largely independent of the emulator. Timer based mechanisms are typically used, but the imprecision of timer firings introduces imprecision in the advancement of time. This leads to statistical variation in behavior which is not due to the model. We describe Kronos, a small set of modifications to the Linux kernel that use precise instruction level tracking of process execution and control over execution order of containers, and so improve the mapping of executed behavior to advancement in time. This, and control of execution and placement of emulated processes in virtual time make the behavior of the emulation independent of the CPU resources of the platform which hosts the emulation. Under Kronos each process has its own virtual clock which is advanced based on a count of the number of x86 assembly instructions executed by its children. We experimentally show that Kronos is scalable, in the sense that the system behavior is accurately captured even as the size of the emulated system increases relative to fixed emulation resources. We demonstrate the impact of Kronos' time advancement precision by comparing it against emulations which like Kronos are embedded in virtual time, but unlike Kronos rely on Linux timers to control virtual machines and measure their progress in virtual time. We also present two useful applications where Kronos aids in generating high fidelity emulation results at low hardware costs: (1) analysing protocol performance and (2) enabling analysis of cyber physical control systems.
Pilot Contamination Attack Detection for 5G MmWave Grant-Free IoT Networks

Grant-free random access is an emerging technology for providing massive connectivity for 5G massive machine-type communications (mMTC), where non-orthogonal pilot sequences are used to simultaneously detect active users and estimate channels. However, grant-free 5G IoT networks are vulnerable to pilot contamination attacks (PCA), where the attacker can send the same pilots as legitimate IoT users to harm the active user detection and channel estimation. To defend against this attack, in this article, we propose a physical-layer countermeasure based on the channel virtual representation (CVR). CVR can emphasize the unique characteristics of mmWave channels that are sensitive to the location of the sender. This can be utilized to counter PCA no matter if the attacker’s pilots are superimposed to that of the victim or not. Based on this observation, to achieve an efficient PCA detection, a single-hidden-layer multiple measurement (SHMM) Siamese network is employed. This solution tackles the challenges of channel randomness and massive connectivity in mMTC IoT networks, and supports small sample learning. Simulation results evaluate and confirm the effectiveness of the proposed detection scheme under various scenarios. The detection accuracy can approach 99% with 128 antennas at the receiver and reach above 95% even with only 50 training samples.
Disability Stage is an Independent Risk Factor for Mortality in Medicare Beneficiaries Aged 65 Years and Older

Abstract Background Stages of activity limitation based on activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) have been found to predict mortality in persons aged 70 years and older but have not been examined in Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older using data that are routinely collected. Objective To examine the association between functional stages based on items of ADLs and IADLs with 3-year mortality in Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older, accounting for baseline sociodemographics, health status, smoking, subjective health, and psychological well-being. Design A cohort study using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and associated health care utilization data. Setting Community administered survey. Participants The study included 9698 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older who participated in the MCBS in 2005-2007. Main Outcome Measures Death within 3 years of cohort entry. Results The overall mortality rate was 3.6 per 100 person years, and 3-year cumulative mortality was 10.3%. Unadjusted 3-year mortality was monotonically associated with both ADL stage and IADL stage. Adjusted 3-year mortality was associated with ADL and IADL stages, except that in some models the hazard ratio for stage III (which includes persons with atypical activity limitation patterns) was numerically lower than that for stage II. Conclusion We found nearly monotonic relationships between ADL and IADL stage and adjusted 3-year mortality. These findings could aid in the development of population health approaches and metrics for evaluating the success of alternative economic, social, or health policies on the longevity of older adults with activity limitations.
Numbers and Operations in Base Ten (Part II)

In this chapter, you will deal with content-practice, teaching, and learning issues relevant to the four arithmetical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division involving whole numbers greater than 10 and decimal numbers up to the hundredths place.
The anatomy of the canine mitral valve, with notes on function and comparisons with other mammalian mitral valves.

Summary The normal anatomy of the canine mitral valve has been described. It has been compared with that of human and other mammalian mitral valves. An attempt has been made to correlate anatomy with function, and the implications of the findings for the design of prostheses have been discussed.
The challenges of assessing the incidence of inflicted traumatic brain injury: a world perspective.

Objective Commentary on the methods available for ascertaining the incidence of inflicted traumatic brain injury (inflicted TBI) and the difficulties involved in defining and measuring this condition in young children. Design Review of published and unpublished international data regarding parental shaking of infants compared to studies assessing incidence. Results Review of parental report data reveal that the shaking of young children is a surprisingly common act in a wide variety of countries and cultures. While 2.6% of parents of children aged under 2 years in the U.S. report shaking their child as an act of “discipline,” survey data from lesser-developed countries on four continents indicate that shaking, as a form of discipline, may be many times more common among infants in their countries and that the consequences, short of hospitalization or death, are inadequately studied. Methodologic challenges to epidemiologic work to develop better estimates are discussed. Conclusions These data highlight the challenges faced in ascertaining the epidemiology of inflicted TBI in young children. While there is scientific evidence that the shaking of young children can produce profound destruction of children’s brains and lives, these data reveal that there are many other children who are shaken by their caregivers but escape the acute clinical presentation of “shaken baby syndrome” or for whom the injuries are not recognized as due to inflicted TBI. The impact of these private acts must be further studied as there may be other long-lasting and serious intracranial impacts that have not been characterized.
Transcriptional regulation by lovastatin and 25-hydroxycholesterol in HepG2 cells and molecular cloning and expression of the cDNA for the human hepatic squalene synthase

Primers, based on the cDNA nucleotide sequences for rat hepatic squalene synthase (EC 2.5.1.21) (McKenzie, T.L., Jiang, G., Straubhaar, J.R., Conrad, D., and Shechter, I. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 21368-21374), were synthesized and used for the amplification and sequencing of a 1672-base pair (bp) cDNA for the human hepatic squalene synthase (HSS) from human hepatic RNA. An open reading frame of 1251 bp encoding 417 amino acids (M(r) = 48,200) was detected for HSS. We have constructed a pHSS 1286 expression vector by molecular cloning of a 1286-bp cDNA, that includes sequences of the entire coding region for HSS, into pBluescript. Expression in Escherichia coli of a functional, full-length HSS was confirmed by immunoblot analysis and enzymatic activity. Northern blot analyses of poly(A+) RNA obtained from the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 show three distinct size classes of mRNA for HSS. 1.4-, 1.6- and 2.1-kilobase mRNA were observed. The relative abundance is in the order 1.6 > 1.4 > 2.1 and did not change when the cells were grown in the presence of 25-hydroxycholesterol or lovastatin. The ratio between the level of HSS mRNA in cells grown in the absence and presence of 5 micrograms/ml 25-hydroxycholesterol varies between 8- and 16-fold. This lowering of the mRNA level was observed when the cells were grown in 10% of either full serum or lipid-depleted serum. A 2.7- and 4.0-fold increase of HSS mRNA was observed when HepG2 cells were grown in the presence of 5 micrograms/ml lovastatin in lipid-depleted or full serum, respectively. These studies show that HSS exhibit a relatively high level of transcriptional regulation in response to 25-hydroxycholesterol regardless of the presence of cholesterol in the growth media.
Bilingual Facebook Users' Cognitive Writing Processes Processus cognitifs d'écriture des utilisateurs bilingues de Facebook

This study seeks to explore the cognitive processes involved as bilinguals wrote English and Spanish Facebook status updates. Three phases of data collection were employed: individual interviews, examination of participants’ Facebook status updates and a group interview. The findings suggested that regardless of the language in which participants wrote, they made a series of decisions as they selected the content, chose the language, formulated the text and typed the status updates. The findings also indicated that for the individuals in this study, higher language proficiencies resulted in increased automaticity when converting thoughts to nonstandard online communications. While participants engaged in many experiences found in Flower and Hayes’ Cognitive Process Model (1981), additional explanation was needed to illustrate how this process varied for online bilingual writers. Cette etude cherche a explorer les processus cognitifs utilises lorsque des personnes bilingues ecrivent des statuts Facebook en anglais et en espagnol. Trois phases de collecte de donnees ont ete utilisees : entrevues individuelles, examen des mises a jour de statut Facebook des participants et entrevue de groupe. Les resultats suggerent que peu importe la langue de redaction utilisee par les participants, ceux-ci procedaient a une serie de decisions en selectionnant le contenu, choisissant la langue, formulant le texte et entrant les mises a jour. Les resultats indiquent egalement que pour les personnes de cette etude, de meilleures competences linguistiques se traduisaient par une automaticite accrue au moment de convertir les pensees en communications en ligne non standards. Bien que les participants aient pris part a certaines experiences decrites par Flower et Hayes dans leur Cognitive Process Model (1981), de plus amples explications sont requises pour illustrer comment ce processus varie pour les redacteurs bilingues en ligne.
Treatment of newly diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) before and during continuous-infusion high-dose ara-C + daunorubicin: comparison to patients treated without GM-CSF.

We gave 56 patients with newly diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) 20 or 125 micrograms/m2 once daily subcutaneously before (for up to 8 days or until GM-CSF-related complications developed) and during, or only during (patients presenting with blast counts greater than 50,000 or other leukemia-related complications) ara-C (1.5 g/m2 daily x 4 by continuous infusion) and daunorubicin (45 mg/m2 daily x 3) chemotherapy. Because results seemed independent of GM-CSF schedule, we compared results in these 56 patients with results in 176 patients with newly diagnosed AML given the same dose and schedule of ara-C without GM-CSF (110 patients ara-C alone, 66 patients ara-C + amsacrine or mitoxantrone). Comparison involved fitting a logistic regression model predicting probability of complete remission (CR) and a Cox regression model to predict survival (most patients in all three studies were dead) with treatment included as a covariate in both analyses. After adjusting for other prognostically significant covariates [presence of an antecedent hematologic disorder, an Inv (16), t(8;21), or abnormalities of chromosomes 5 and/or 7, performance status, age, bilirubin], treatment with ara-C + daunorubicin + GM-CSF was predictive of both a lower CR rate and a lower survival probability. There were no treatment-covariate interactions, suggesting that the negative effect of this GM-CSF treatment regime was not an artifact of some imbalance in patient characteristics. The unadjusted Kaplan-Meier hazard rate of the ara-C + daunorubicin + GM-CSF group was not uniquely high during the initial 4 weeks after start of therapy, but was highest among the three treatment groups throughout weeks 5 to 16, suggesting that the negative effect of this treatment was not caused by acute toxicity. Patients who did not enter CR with this treatment tended to have persistent leukemia rather than prolonged marrow aplasia, suggesting that this treatment and, in particular, GM-CSF may increase resistance of myeloid leukemia cells to chemotherapy. To date, relapse rates are similar in all three groups (P = .43) (as are survival rates once patients are in CR) but much of the remission duration data is heavily censored, unlike the survival data. Our results suggest caution in the use of GM-CSF to sensitize myeloid leukemia cells to daunorubicin + ara-C chemotherapy.
Photovoltaic Concentrator Module Characterization

A number of photovoltaic (PV) concentrator module designs have been tested under similar conditions, and the results are presented to show meaningful performance characteristics. The concentrator designs include actively cooled linear parabolic troughs and linear Fresnel lenses, as well as passively cooled point-focus Fresnel lenses. These modules were produced within the past three years and represent significant improvements over earlier concentrator designs.
Penetration of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus into Host Cells

Electron microscopy reveals that, in Bdellovibrio infection, after the formation of a passage pore in the host cell wall, the differentiated parasite penetration pole is associated with the host protoplast. This firm contact persists throughout the parasite penetration and after this process is completed. In penetrated hosts this contact is also apparent by phase microscopy. The association between the walls of the parasite and the host at the passage pore, on the other hand, is transient. Bdellovibrio do not penetrate hosts whose protoplast and cell walls are separated by plasmolysis, or in which the membrane-wall relationship is affected by low turgor pressure. It is concluded, therefore, that for penetration to occur it is essential that the host protoplast be within reach of the parasite, so that a firm contact can be established between them. A penetration mechanism is proposed that is effected by forces generated by fluxes of water and solutes due to structural changes in the infected host envelope. These forces cause a differential expansion of the host protoplast and cell wall and their separation from each other around the entry site, while the parasite remains firmly anchored to the host protoplast. Consequently, the parasite ends up enclosed in the expanded host periplasm. The actual entry, therefore, is a passive act of the parasite.
Bifurcation of equilibria and chaos in permanent-magnet machines

The nonlinear dynamic characteristics of variable-speed permanent-magnet machines in the presence of reluctance variations are considered. A compact representation of the machines' dynamics is presented and in turn incorporated in investigating the steady-state characteristics of the machines, subject to constant input voltages and load torques. It is shown that the systems under investigation possess multiple equilibria which profoundly affect their global stability and dynamic characteristics. Furthermore, conditions leading to chaotic behavior and Hopf bifurcation are presented and discussed. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to help verify the authors' results. >
Image analysis is driving a renaissance in growth measurement

The domain of machine vision, in which digital images are acquired automatically in a highly structured environment for the purpose of computationally measuring features in the scene, is applicable to the measurement of plant growth. This article reviews the quickly growing collection of reports in which digital image-processing has been used to measure plant growth, with emphasis on the methodology and adaptations required for high-throughput studies of populations.
ICSU sets up IGBP Committee

The International Council o f Scientific Unions (ICSU) recently established the committee that will plan for and oversee the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP). The Special Committee for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (SCGB) has 19 members from 15 countries (Table 1). James J. McCarthy of Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.) has been appointed the committee's convenor and is expected to be elected chairman at SCGB's first meeting. McCarthy, presently at the Office for Interdisciplinary Earth Studies of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Boulder, Colo., is also the editor of the new AGU journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles and a member of the AGU Earth as a System Committee.
On Markham's M-matrix properties

Abstract If A is an n × n irreducible singular M -matrix where n > 1, it is shown that there is no positive integer m such that A m is triangular. Related results are proven for those matrices PAP t where A is a reducible singular M -matrix and P is a particular permutation matrix and for certain N 0 -matrices. An analogue of the Minkowski determinant theorem is extended to a larger subclass of the M -matrices.
Short Bouts of High-intensity Resistance-style Training Produce Similar Reductions in Fasting Blood Glucose of Diabetic Offspring and Controls

Family history of diabetes (FH) is associated with impaired cardiometabolic function. Aerobic exercise improves insulin sensitivity, though resistance training studies on fasting glucose (FG) in FH are lacking. This study examined the effects of 7 weeks of high-intensity-resistance-focused training (HIRFT), including circuit, core, and plyometric resistance training on FG in FH and matched controls (CON). We hypothesized that HIRFT would reduce FG levels, with greater reductions in CON. Thirty-eight healthy men and women (23.5 ± 2 years; 171 ± 7.4 cm; 71 ± 14 kg) participated in 7 weeks of HIRFT including full-body, plyometric, and core resistance training on alternate days. Fasting glucose was analyzed before and after the 7-week training before and after workouts. One repetition maximum was calculated for bench press, squat, and deadlift before and after training. Body mass index and resting HR remained unchanged. Fasting glucose declined similarly between groups with training (-0.23 ± 0.08 vs. -0.20 ± 0.07 mmol·L, p < 0.01 for FH and CON, respectively), whereas strength increased (kg) (bench: 8.0 ± 1.8, squat: 19.4 ± 4.6, deadlift: 16.4 ± 3.6, overall mean percent increase: 38.9 ± 9.2, p < 0.001). Ten-minute postexercise glucose decreased (-0.65 mmol·L, p = 0.05) with training, with no differences between groups. Changes in FG and strength increase were inversely correlated (r = -0.519, p = 0.05). Strength increased equally between groups. Data indicate that HIRFT reduces FG concentrations similarly in FH and CON, making it effective for improving FG in FH.
Self-esteem and Its Relationship to Serenity and Anger/Impulsivity in an Alcohol and Other Drug-Dependent Population: Implications for Treatment

This study assessed the relationships between self-esteem, serenity, and anger/impulsivity in a chronic alcohol and other drug (AOD) dependent population. Three hundred participants completed questionnaires addressed to substance abuse, self-esteem, serenity, anger/impulsivity, and other variables. Pearson rs of between .55 and .61 were found between self-esteem and serenity, anxiety, and anger/impulsivity. Regression analyses indicated that the self-esteem of chronic AOD-dependent individuals was best predicted by serenity, anger/impulsivity, stimulus control, anxiety, and child abuse; serenity and anger/impulsivity each accounted for about 25% of the relative variance. The results suggest that interventions aimed at not only reducing and controlling anger and impulsivity, but increasing feelings of serenity may be helpful in not only increasing self-esteem in this AOD-dependent population, but in fostering increased commitment during the action phase of the treatment program and possibly facilitating re...
Coming Out as Queen: Jewish Identity, Queer Theory, and the Book of Esther

Far from new, correlative and comparative conceptualizations of Jewish and queer studies go back to one of queer theory's first, and most influential, accounts: Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's Epistemology of the Closet (1990). This article revisits Sedgwick's comparison between the gay and the Jewess's acts of coming out to delicately destabilize her dichotomized differentiation of them. Unconditionally endorsing her condemnation of homophobia, I nevertheless shift my lens to center Esther's, rather than gay men's, narrated experience at the heart of the article. Closely and carefully examining Esther's utterances and performances throughout the entire Book of Esther to trace a multifaceted understanding of her fictionalized figure, I conflate Sedgwick's narration of Esther with more elaborate examinations of Esther's literary construction. Capturing Esther's fluid textuality, I contest the very assumption that one's coming out as queer—within cultural as well as sexuality discourses—indicates her intention to d...
Observed and CAM3 GCM Sea Surface Wind Speed Distributions: Characterization, Comparison, and Bias Reduction

Abstract Climatological surface wind speed probability density functions (PDFs) estimated from observations are characterized and used to evaluate, for the first time, contemporaneous wind PDFs predicted by a GCM. The observations include NASA’s global Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) dataset, the NCEP/Department of Energy Global Reanalysis 2 (NCEP-2) 6-hourly reanalysis, and the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO)/Triangle Trans-Ocean Buoy Network (TRITON) moored buoy data, all from 2000 to 2005. Wind speed mean, 90th percentile, standard deviation, and Weibull shape parameter climatologies are constructed from these data. New features that emerge from the analysis include the identification of a stationary pattern to the wind speed variance in the equatorial Pacific. Interestingly, a distinct wind speed shape anomaly migrates with the ITCZ across this stationary background. The GCM despite its coarser spatial and temporal resolution predicts wind speed PDFs in general agreement with observations. Relative to ...
Treatment of multiple sclerosis with high-dose corticosteroids may prolong the prothrombin time to dangerous levels in patients taking warfarin:

Two patients who were taking warfarin experienced significant prolongations of the prothrombin time (protime) after treatment with high-dose corticosteroids for rapid progression of MS. This complication of therapy is potentially life-threatening.