cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic characterization analysis of 2B genotype rubella virus strains in Liaoning province

Objective To analyze the genetic characterization of 2B genotype rubella virus strains first isolated in Liaoning province. Methods Vero/Slam cells were used to isolate rubella viruses from throat swabs. Fragments of the E1 gene (739 nucleotides) were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the PCR products were sequenced and analyzed. The phylogenetic trees were constructed with rubella 2B genotypes reference strains. Results RVi/Liaoning.CHN/13.18/1[2B] was isolateded from the case which had a history of international travel and probably imported from abroad. RVi/Liaoning.CHN/13.18/1[2B] was in the same 1ineage with RVs/Edinburgh.GBR/6.12[2B] and RVs/Kawasaki.JPN/17.11/1[2B], but far from the epidemic strains isolated in China in recent years. RVi/Liaoning.CHN/14.18/1[2B] belonged to the same lineage with rubella virus 2B genotype strains isolated in China from 2014 to 2015, and had the highest homology with RVi/Chouzhou.Anhui.CHN/17.15/2[2B] and RVi/Shaoyang.Zhejiang. CHN/13.13[2B]. Conclusions It was the first time to isolate the 2B genotype rubella virus in Liaoning province and the strain belonged to different 1ineage. Key words: Rubella Virus; 2B genotype; Phylogenetic analysis
Profiling EGFR in Triple Negative Breast Tumor Using Affibody PET Imaging

Objective Triple negative breast cancer(TNBC) represents a group of refractory breast cancers with aggressive clinical manifestations as well as poor prognoses. Human epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) expression is strongly associated with TNBC progression and it may serve as a therapeutic target for TNBC. We aimed to evaluate EGFR affibody-based PET imaging to profile EGFR expression in small animal models. Methods 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid(DOTA) conjugated Ac-Cys-ZEGFR:1907 was chemically synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesizer and then radiolabeled with 64Cu. The in vitro cell uptake study was performed using SUM159 and MCF7 cells. The biodistribution and small animal PET imaging using 64Cu-DOTA-ZEGFR:1907 were further carried out with nude mice bearing subcutaneous MDA-MB-231 and SUM159 tumors. Results DOTA-Ac-Cys-ZEGFR:1907 was successfully synthesized and radiolabeled with 64Cu. Biodistribution study showed that tumor uptake value of 64Cu-DOTA-Ac-Cys-ZEGFR:1907 remained at（4.07±0.93）%ID/g at 24 h in nude mice(n=4) bearing SUM159 xenografts. Furthermore, small animal PET imaging study clearly showed that 64Cu-DOTA-Ac-Cys-ZEGFR:1907 specifically delineated the EGFR positive TNBC tumors at 4 h or later. Conclusion The study demonstrates that 64Cu-DOTA-Ac-Cys-ZEGFR:1907 is a promising molecular probe for PET imaging of EGFR positive TNBC. EGFR based small protein scaffold holds great promise as a novel platform that can be used for EGFR profiling of TNBC.
Parental Assessment of Pain Control Following Pediatric Circumcision: Do Opioids Make a Difference?

Abstract Objective To determine whether a postoperative prescription for opioids affects parental assessment of pain control following pediatric circumcision. Methods This postoperative survey assessed the parental assessment of pain control in 199 patients, ages Results Of the 502 surveys sent, the response rate was 40% (199/502) of those who received the survey email, and 64% (199/308) for those who opened the email. Between the opioid and nonopioid groups, there was no difference in, race/ethnicity (Caucasian; 28% vs 37%; P = .43) or insurance status (insured; 51% vs 45%; P = .44). The proportion of parents who rated their child's pain as poor or inadequately controlled following circumcision was relatively rare:5.5% and 1.1% in the nonopioid and opioid groups, respectively. Parents rating their child's pain as excellent with regards to pain control following circumcision were 61% and 53% in the nonopioids and opioid groups, respectively. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that nonopioid analgesic regimens following pediatric circumcision were not associated with decreased parental satisfaction or an increasing assessment of poor or inadequately controlled pain. Limiting opioid exposure following pediatric circumcision is feasible and does not result in worse parental satisfaction with the analgesic plan.
DNA Methylation Patterning and the Regulation of Beta Cell Homeostasis

Pancreatic beta cells play a central role in regulating glucose homeostasis by secreting the hormone insulin. Failure of beta cells due to reduced function and mass and the resulting insulin insufficiency can drive the dysregulation of glycemic control, causing diabetes. Epigenetic regulation by DNA methylation is central to shaping the gene expression patterns that define the fully functional beta cell phenotype and regulate beta cell growth. Establishment of stage-specific DNA methylation guides beta cell differentiation during fetal development, while faithful restoration of these signatures during DNA replication ensures the maintenance of beta cell identity and function in postnatal life. Lineage-specific transcription factor networks interact with methylated DNA at specific genomic regions to enhance the regulatory specificity and ensure the stability of gene expression patterns. Recent genome-wide DNA methylation profiling studies comparing islets from diabetic and non-diabetic human subjects demonstrate the perturbation of beta cell DNA methylation patterns, corresponding to the dysregulation of gene expression associated with mature beta cell state in diabetes. This article will discuss the molecular underpinnings of shaping the islet DNA methylation landscape, its mechanistic role in the specification and maintenance of the functional beta cell phenotype, and its dysregulation in diabetes. We will also review recent advances in utilizing beta cell specific DNA methylation patterns for the development of biomarkers for diabetes, and targeting DNA methylation to develop translational approaches for supplementing the functional beta cell mass deficit in diabetes.
REVENUE AND TAXATION Income Taxes: Withholding Requirements for Certain Periodic Payments

The Act provides a definition for periodic payment concerning pensions, annuities, taxable fringe benefits, interest, and dividends. A payor of a periodic payment must withhold taxes from such payment in the same manner as if the payment were wages paid to an employee. Further, the Act includes an option for the payee to avoid withholding. The Act provides authorization to the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Revenue to prescribe forms and promulgate rules and regulations setting forth requirements for withholding and making elections.
Just Deserts, Prison Rape, and the Pleasing Fiction of Guideline Sentencing

This essay reflects on the relevance, if any, of inmate vulnerability as a basis for sentencing determinations. It is widely recognized that some criminal offenders are more vulnerable to abuse at the hands of other inmates—especially young men of small stature and those convicted of sex crimes. This suggests that prison terms of identical length are likely to be experienced quite differently by different types of inmates. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which reflect a commitment to both uniformity and proportionality in criminal sentencing, provide for a downward departure in cases of extraordinary vulnerability. This policy decision is both welcome and somewhat troubling. Because an inmate subject to sexual abuse will have a harsher prison experience than inmates not subject to such abuse, it seems appropriate to give the most vulnerable inmates a shorter sentence. At the same time, shorter sentences for inmates convicted of similar offenses seems to be at odds with the values of uniformity and proportionality. Moreover, this approach to the problem of inmate-on-inmate abuse is woefully inadequate. The most vulnerable inmates will almost certainly be victimized, albeit for a lesser period of time; and even inmates who do not meet the strict vulnerability criteria may themselves be subject to abuse.
The refraction of space: a radical reversal of direction

The field of spatial cognition began nearly fifty years ago. In the early years, Kevins Lynch’s The Image of the City was an inspirational icon for many while Kenneth Boulding’s The Image and E.C. Tolman’s “Cognitive maps in rats and men” provided succinct but elementary philosophical and psychological groundings.
Transient stability augmentation of PV/DFIG/SG-based hybrid power system by parallel-resonance bridge fault current limiter

Abstract This paper proposes a parallel-resonance bridge type fault current limiter (PRBFCL) to augment the transient stability of a hybrid power system consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) power generation source, a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG)-based wind energy system, and a synchronous generator (SG). The PRBFCL is designed such a way that it can provide sufficient damping characteristics to the studied power system. The effectiveness of the proposed PRBFCL in improving the transient stability and enhancing the dynamic performance of the hybrid power system is verified by applying both balanced and unbalanced faults in the power network. Also, its performance is compared with that of the bridge type fault current limiter (BFCL) and the fault ride through (FRT) schemes, i.e. FRT schemes of PV, DFIG, and with the AVR and governor of synchronous generator (SG). Some indexes are used to quantify the system performance. Simulation results obtained from the Matlab/Simulink software show that the proposed PRBFCL is effective in maintaining stable operation of the PV, wind generator, and synchronous generator during the grid fault. Moreover, the performance of the PRBFCL is better than that of the BFCL and the FRT methods in every aspect.
Diffraction and the X-Ray Powder Diffractometer

Materials are made of atoms. Knowledge of how atoms are arranged into crystal structures and microstructures is the foundation on which we build our understanding of the synthesis, structure and properties of materials. There are many ways for measuring chemical compositions of materials, and methods based on inner-shell electron spectroscopies are covered in this book. The larger emphasis of the book is on measuring spatial arragements of atoms in the range from 10-8 to 10-4 cm, bridging from the unit cell of the crystal to the microstructure of the material. For measurements over this broad spatial scale there are many different experimental techniques, but most of them involve diffraction. To date, most of our knowledge about the spatial arrangements of atoms in materials has been gained from diffraction experiments. In a diffraction experiment, an incident wave is directed into a material and a detector is typically moved about to record the directions and intensities of the outgoing diffracted waves.
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy and choroid plexus cauterization with a rigid neuroendoscope in infants with hydrocephalus

OBJECT Combining endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) with choroid plexus cauterization (CPC) has been shown to improve the success rate compared with ETV alone in infants (less than 24 months) with hydrocephalus who were treated in developing countries. The authors sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this procedure, using a rigid neuroendoscope, in a single North American center, and to assess whether the ETV success score (ETVSS), the CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda ETVSS (CCHU ETVSS), and other pre- and intraoperative variables could predict success. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective review of consecutive ETV/CPC procedures performed using a rigid neuroendoscope to treat infantile hydrocephalus. The infants underwent the procedure at Miami Children's Hospital between January 2007 and 2014, with at least one postoperative follow-up. Duration of follow-up or time to failure of ETV/CPC, the primary outcome measure, was documented. A repeat CSF diversion procedure or death was considered as a failure of ETV/CPC. The time to event was measured using a Kaplan-Meier analysis. The authors analyzed ETVSS, CCHU ETVSS, and pre- and intraoperative variables to determine their suitability to predict success. RESULTS Eighty-five patients (45 boys) with a mean age of 4.3 months (range 1 day to 20 months) underwent ETV/CPC. Etiology included intraventricular hemorrhage of prematurity in 44 patients (51.7%), myelomeningocele (MMC) in 7 (8.2%), congenital aqueductal stenosis in 12 (14.1%), congenital communicating hydrocephalus in 6 (7.1%), Dandy-Walker complex in 6 (7.1%), postinfectious hydrocephalus in 5 (5.8%), and other cause in 5 (5.8%). Six procedure-related complications occurred in 5 (5.8%) patients, including 2 hygromas, 1 CSF leak, and 3 infections. There were 3 mortalities in this cohort. ETV/CPC was successful in 42.1%, 37.7%, and 36.8% of patients at 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up, respectively. The median (95% CI) time to ETV/CPC failure was 4.0 months (0.9-7.1 months). In univariate analyses, both the ETVSS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.05; p = 0.004) and CCHU ETVSS (HR 1.48; 95% CI 1.04-2.09; p = .028) were predictive of outcome following ETV/CPC. In multivariate analysis, the presence of prepontine scarring was associated with ETV/CPC failure (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.19-0.63; p < 0.001). Other variables, such as radiological criteria (prepontine interval, prepontine space, aqueductal stenosis, Third Ventricular Morphology Index) and intraoperative findings (ventriculostomy pulsations, extent of CPC), did not predict outcome. CONCLUSIONS ETV/CPC is a feasible alternative to ETV and ventriculoperitoneal shunt in infants with hydrocephalus. Both the ETVSS and CCHU ETVSS predicted success following ETV/CPC in this single-center North American cohort of patients.
Transition: Life-Span and Life-Space Considerations for Empowerment

Transition is a process that should empower students, families, and communities. This article integrates literature from counseling, rehabilitation, multicultural education, and special education to explain the importance of life-span considerations, including a focus on preschool and early school years, and the importance of the life-space factors of family, culture, and community. Principles of intervention for empowerment promote transition interventions that are maximally under the control of the student, promote independence and autonomy, are least intrusive, and are most natural for the chosen environment.
HCF: a starvation-free practical algorithm for maximizing throughput in input-queued switches

Using virtual output queueing (VOQ), maximum matching scheduling algorithms have been shown to achieve 100% throughput in input-queued switches, but has high complexity such that implementation is infeasible for high-speed systems. Iterative maximal matching algorithms, proposed as an alternative, cannot run for more than a few iterations due to the hardware complexity involved, thus resulting in low throughput. In this paper, we introduce a starvation-free iterative maximal matching algorithm called highest count first (iHCF). The iHCF algorithm gives preferential service based on the approximate age of the head-of-line cell in a VOQ and maximizes the size of the matching using round-robin priority pointers. We show that iHCF can achieve 100% throughput under i.i.d and uniform traffic in a single iteration. We also show using simulations that it performs as well as other known practical algorithms and achieves 100% throughput when run for only a few iterations under different admissible traffic patterns. Compared to other algorithms, iHCF leads to low complexity architecture such that the scheduling does not become the bottleneck.
The Joint Airport Weather Studies Project - Current analysis highlights in the aviation safety context

The principal objective of the Joint Airport Weather Studies Project was to obtain high-resolution velocity, turbulence, and thermodynamic data on a convective outflow called a microburst, an intense downdraft and resulting horizontal outflow near the surface. Data collection occurred during the summer of 1982 near Denver, CO. Data sensors included three pulsed-microwave Doppler and two pulsed CO2 lidar radars, along with 27 Portable Automated Mesonet surface weather stations, the FAA's low-level-wind-shear alert system (LLWSAS), and five instrumented research aircraft. Convective storms occurred on 75 of 91 operational days, with Doppler data being collected on at least 70 microbursts. Analyses reported included a thorough examination of microburst-climatology statistics, the capability of the LLWSAS to detect adequately and accurately the presence of low-altitude wind shear danger to aircraft, the capability of a terminal Doppler radar system development to provide improved wind-shear detection and warning, and progress toward improved wind-shear training for pilots.
Triage and management of acute myocardial infarction in a military support hospital.

February 2007 33:1 35-year-old female contractor presented at the A entrance of a major military combat support hospital in Iraq. She was found lying in the front seat of a pick-up truck, alert, complaining of nausea, headache, and pain between her shoulder blades. The patient denied any chest pain at the time of presentation but stated that the pain in her back had begun several days before. Medical history was negative except for a 10-pack-per-year smoking history. She had an administrative job, lived an active lifestyle, and was taking no medications at the time of presentation. Initial physical impression revealed an anxious-appearing pale woman who was diaphoretic. The triage decision was to bring the patient into the emergency treatment area for monitoring and further evaluation. Two large-bore intravenous lines were established and blood was drawn for a complete blood cell count, chemistries, coagulation studies, and a cardiac profile. Initial vital signs were as follows: blood pressure, 93/60; pulse, 76; respiratory rate, 28; and oxygen saturation, 100% on nonrebreather mask. An EKG was done, and it revealed ST segment elevation in the inferior leads (Figure 1). The patient was placed into a monitored bed, at which time aspirin by mouth was given. She maintained her airway and remained alert during the evaluation.
High-sensitivity x-ray mask damage studies employing holographic gratings and phase-shifting interferometry

ABSTRACT A high-sensitivity holographic and interferometric metrology developed at the Center for X-rayLithography (CXrL) has been employed to investigate in-plane distortions (IPD) produced in X-ray maskmaterials ,2 This metrology has been applied to characterize damage to X-ray mask materials exposed tosynchrotron radiation. X-ray mask damage and accelerated mask damage studies on silicon nitride and siliconcarbide were conducted on the Aladdin ES-i and ES-2 beamline exposure stations, respectively.The X-ray mask blanks were subjected to scanned and unscanned synchrotron exposure tests. Thesamples were exposed incrementally and examined interferometrically between incremental X-ray doses.Accumulated in-plane distortions due to X-ray irradiation were extracted from the incremental interferometricphase maps to yield IPD vs. dose curves for silicon nitride mask blanks. A plot of the IPD vs. accumulatedX-ray dose fits extremely well to a line of slope 1 .59 ppm/(kJ/cm2).Silicon carbide mask blanks were subjected to accelerated mask damage in the high flux 2mm x2mm beam of the ES-2 exposure station. An accelerated damage study of silicon carbide has shown no in-plane distortion for an accumulated dose of 800
Principal Hugoniot, reverberating wave, and mechanical reshock measurements of liquid deuterium to 400 GPa using plate impact techniques

The high-pressure response of cryogenic liquid deuterium $(L{\mathrm{D}}_{2})$ has been studied to pressures of $\ensuremath{\sim}400\mathrm{GPa}$ and densities of $\ensuremath{\sim}1.5{\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{3}.$ Using intense magnetic pressure produced by the Sandia National Laboratories $Z$ accelerator, macroscopic aluminum or titanium flyer plates, several mm in lateral dimensions and a few hundred microns in thickness, have been launched to velocities in excess of 22 km/s, producing constant pressure drive times of approximately 30 ns in plate impact, shock wave experiments. This flyer plate technique was used to perform shock wave experiments on $L{\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ to examine its high-pressure equation of state. Using an impedance matching method, Hugoniot measurements of $L{\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ were obtained in the pressure range of $\ensuremath{\sim}22--100\mathrm{GPa}.$ Results of these experiments indicate a peak compression ratio of approximately 4.3 on the Hugoniot. In contrast, previously reported Hugoniot states inferred from laser-driven experiments indicate a peak compression ratio of approximately 5.5--6 in this same pressure range. The stiff Hugoniot response observed in the present impedance matching experiments was confirmed in simultaneous, independent measurements of the relative transit times of shock waves reverberating within the sample cell, between the front aluminum drive plate and the rear sapphire window. The relative timing was found to be sensitive to the density compression along the principal Hugoniot. Finally, mechanical reshock measurements of $L{\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ using sapphire, aluminum, and \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz anvils were made. These results also indicate a stiff response, in agreement with the Hugoniot and reverberating wave measurements. Using simple model-independent arguments based on wave propagation, the principal Hugoniot, reverberating wave, and sapphire anvil reshock measurements are shown to be internally self-consistent, making a strong case for a Hugoniot response with a maximum compression ratio of $\ensuremath{\sim}4.3--4.5.$ The trends observed in the present data are in very good agreement with several ab initio models and a recent chemical picture model for $L{\mathrm{D}}_{2},$ but in disagreement with previously reported laser-driven shock results. Due to this disagreement, significant emphasis is placed on the discussion of uncertainties, and the potential systematic errors associated with each measurement.
Spontaneous proliferation of Peyer's patch cells in vitro

Under normal circumstances most lymphoid cell populations do not exhibit strong proliferative reactions in culture unless provoked by antigen or mitogen. The autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) mediated by adult T cells is a relatively weak proliferative response that occurs in the absence of known heterologous stimuli. In this investigation we demonstrate that Peyer's patch (PP) cells possess an inherent capacity to commence dividing in vitro and to display an exceptionally vigorous AMLR. The magnitude and kinetics of this spontaneous proliferation resemble that of a secondary response to a strong mucosal immunogen such as reovirus type 1/Lang. Analysis of the cellular components of the PP cultures implicates CD4+CD8- T cells as the major responding population and dendritic cells (DC) as stimulators. Mixing experiments indicate that spleen contains a cell population which can stimulate PP T cells, albeit to a lesser extent than PP cells. Similarly, splenic T cells have a reduced but significant capacity to respond to PP DC, in comparison to PP T cells. These differences suggest the possibility that there may be a decreasing gradient of antigenicity between the gut and the spleen which is reflected in the spontaneous activity of PP versus splenic T cells in vitro. We propose that PP cells are in fact responding in vitro to heterologous antigens derived from food, enteric microbes and other environmental sources. This notion is supported by the observation that PP cells from antigen-minimized germ-free mice fail to proliferate spontaneously in culture.
Long-term outcomes for synovial sarcoma treated with conservation surgery and radiotherapy.

Purpose To evaluate prognostic factors and treatment outcomes in patients with localized synovial sarcoma treated with conservation surgery and radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials Between 1960 and 2003, 150 patients with nonmetastatic synovial sarcoma were treated with conservation surgery and RT. The majority of patients (81%) were aged >20 years. Sixty-eight percent received postoperative RT, and 32% received preoperative RT. Forty-eight percent received adjuvant chemotherapy. Results Median follow-up was 13.2 years. Overall survival (OS) rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 76%, 57%, and 51%, respectively. Corresponding disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 59%, 52%, and 52%, respectively. Tumor size >5 cm predicted worse OS, DFS, disease-specific survival (DSS), and higher rate of distant metastases (DM). Age >20 years predicted worse DFS and DSS but not OS. Local control (LC) was 82% at 10 years. Positive or unknown resection margins predicted inferior LC rates. Forty-four percent developed DM by 10 years. Only 1% developed nodal metastases. Analysis of outcomes by treatment decade showed no significant differences with respect to LC and DM rates. Conclusions Synovial sarcoma is adequately controlled at the primary site by conservation surgery and RT. Elective nodal irradiation is not indicated. Rates of development of DM and subsequent death from disease remain high, with no significant improvement in outcomes for this disease in the past four decades.
Hyperbolic metamaterials based on stacked metasurfaces with application to microwave absorber design

Hyperbolic metamaterials (HMs) have received a paramount interest due to their exotic properties such as enhancing the photonic density of states. This particular phenomena is associated with allowing the otherwise evanescent spatial spectrum of waves (that exists in dielectric materials) to propagate inside such media. This has lead to substantial advancements in super resolution imaging and lifetime engineering of quantum emitters. With various implementation techniques, HM has also evolved to be a novel candidate for designing absorbers thanks to their ability of absorbing near-fields generated at their surface. In this paper we approach absorber design at microwave frequencies as a potential application of HMs. We implement a multilayer HM at microwave frequencies that comprises reactive layers separated by subwavelength dielectric slabs. The multilayer can be regarded as an effective anisotropic material with negative transverse permittivity, as done in [Othman et al, J. Nanophoton. 7(1), 073089, (2013)] for grapheme layers at teraherz frequencies. Thus, the HM can host waves with a large transverse wavenumber, provided that the reactive layers are inductive; which mimics the plasmonic characteristics of metals in HM designs at optical frequencies. Furthermore, a few-layer HM is shown to capture the properties of the semi-infinite multilayered HM. A metasurface cap layer made of scatterers is also designed which enhances coupling between external plane waves and the HM, as well as absorption. We develop analytical formulations and verify their validity through full wave simulations. An important aspect of such HM is that it does not require any resonant properties, hence it is inherently wideband. Moreover, microwave implementation can provide new opportunities of reconfigurable HM via integration with electronics. Application of HM knowledge at microwave absorbers contributes to the understanding of angle- and frequency-dependent absorption features and their optimization.
Comparison of arachidonate metabolism by alveolar macrophages from bighorn and domestic sheep

We have defined the metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) secreted by alveolar macrophages (AMs) of bighorn sheep and domestic sheep in response to three agents: calcium ionophore A23187, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), and opsonized zymosan. Cells were labeled with [3H]AA prior to stimulation and 11 tritiated metabolites, including prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes (TXs), leukotrienes (LTs), and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs), were detected and quantitated by high-performance liquid chromotography and radiometry. Zymosan stimulation resulted in the release of significantly elevated quantities (P<0.05), of LTB4, [5(S), 12(R)-dihydroxy-6,14-cis-8,10-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid], 5-HETE, [5(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid], and the nonenzymatic isomers of LTB4, [LTB I, 5(S),12(R)-6-trans-LTB4] and LTB II, [5(S), 12(S)-6-trans-LTB4], from domestic sheep AM when compared to bighorn sheep AM. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulation released significantly elevated quantities (P<0.04), of TXB2, (thromboxane B2), HHT, [12(S)-12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecaenoic acid], LTB I, LTB II, and 15-HETE, [15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid] from domestic sheep AMs when compared to bighorn sheep AMs. However, after A23187 challenge, only 15-HETE was significantly elevated (P<0.04) in domestic sheep AMs when compared to bighorn sheep AMs. These clear differences in AA metabolism of AMs obtained from bighorn and domestic sheep in response to three different agonists suggest not only different control mechanisms for lung metabolism of AA in the two species, but also suggest that differences in the metabolites released may lead to quite different regulation of lung defense mechanisms in the two sheep spicies.
The allometry of root production and loss in seedlings of Acer rubrum (Aceraceae) and Betula papyrifera (Betulaceae): implications for root dynamics in elevated CO2

Total root production ({Sigma}P), total root loss ({Sigma}L), net root production (NP), and biomass production were determined for seedlings of Betula papyrifera and Acer rubrum in ambient and elevated CO{sub 2} environments. {Sigma}P, {Sigma}L, and NP were calculated from sequential, independent observations of root length production through plexiglass windows. Elevated CO{sub 2} increased {Sigma}P, {Sigma}L, and NP in seedlings of Betula papyrifera but not Acer rubrum. Root production and loss were qualitatively similar to whole-plant growth responses to elevated CO{sub 2}. Betula showed enhanced {Sigma}P, {Sigma}L, and biomass with elevated CO{sub 2} but Acer did not. However, the observed effects of CO{sub 2} on root production and loss did not alter the allometric relationship between root production and root loss for either Acer or Betula. Thus, in this experiment, elevated CO{sub 2} did not affect the relationship between root production and root loss. The results of this study have important implications for the potential effects of elevated CO{sub 2} on root dynamics. Elevated CO{sub 2} may lead to increases in root production and in root loss (turnover) where the changes in root turnover are largely a function of the magnitude of root production increases. 56 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.
Clinical significance of device-related complications in clinical trials and implications for future trials: insights from the Antiarrhytmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) trial.

Background: Implantation of transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) utilizing a non-thoracotomy approach has become routine therapy for survivors of life-threatening tachyarrhythmias. In the Antiarrhythmics versus Implantable Defibrillator (AVID) Trial, we sought to identify and prospectively characterize the frequency of lead and ICD-related complications. Between June 1, 1993, and April 7, 1997, 539 patients received non-thoracotomy ICDs. A total of 62 first complications occurred. The subclavian route of insertion resulted in more complications than the cephalic vein route, 46 of 339 (14%) versus 6 of 135 (4%), p = .005 as did the abdominal versus pectoral generator site; 31 of 238 (13%) versus 17 of 291 (6%), p < .02. Most dislodgements and system infections tended to occur in the 3 months following implantation, whereas lead fractures continued to occur throughout follow-up. Failure to use peri-operative antibiotics was a predictor of system infection (p = .001). These data suggest that cephalic vein access and pectoral generator site may result in fewer complications. Although implantation techniques and generator technology continue to evolve, the continued occurrence of lead fractures and the need for premature system revision supports the practice of close routine ICD system surveillance.
The DØ Silicon Track Trigger

Abstract We describe a trigger preprocessor to be used by the DO experiment for selecting events with tracks from the decay of long-lived particles. This Level 2 impact parameter trigger utilizes information from the Silicon Microstrip Tracker to reconstruct tracks with improved spatial and momentum resolutions compared to those obtained by the Level 1 tracking trigger. It is constructed of VME boards with much of the logic existing in programmable processors. A common motherboard provides the I/O infrastructure and three different daughter boards perform the tasks of identifying the roads from the tracking trigger data, finding the clusters in the roads in the silicon detector, and fitting tracks to the clusters. This approach provides flexibility for the design, testing and maintenance phases of the project. The track parameters are provided to the trigger framework in 25 μs . The effective impact parameter resolution for high-momentum tracks is 35 μm , dominated by the size of the Tevatron beam.
Conquering Cancer in the 21st Century: Leading a Movement to Save More Lives Worldwide

This article examines the current state of the global fight against cancer and of noncommunicable disease in general, the progress to date against cancer, and postulates that there has never been a more challenging—nor more ideal—time to succeed in making significant headway against the disease worldwide. Based on progress made particularly in the past two decades, and with proven interventions and scientific knowledge, it is possible to bring cancer as a major health problem worldwide under control in this century.The article also discusses what the American Cancer Society, the nation’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to saving lives from cancer, is doing to lead a global movement in support of achieving this goal.
The Complex and Evolving Story of T cell Activation to AAV Vector-encoded Transgene Products

Original reports of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector-mediated gene transfer to the muscle resulted in high-level β-galactosidase (β-gal) expression and the promise of a viral vector that was largely nonimmunogenic. Subsequent attempts to utilize these vectors for genetic vaccination, however, demonstrated that it was possible to activate cellular and humoral immunity to AAV-encoded antigens. These findings fueled years of investigation into factors impacting the immunogenicity of recombinant AAV-mediated gene delivery, including route of administration, dose, host species, capsid serotype, and transgene product. In cases where AAV vectors could avoid transgene-directed immunity, it became clear that mechanisms of tolerance were at work, varying between ignorance, anergy/deletion, or active suppression. Here, we follow the field of AAV gene therapy from inception, as investigators have worked to understand the delicate balance between AAV-mediated tolerance and the activation of immunity. This review discusses our current appreciation of AAV vector immunology, with a specific focus on the transgene-specific T cell response.
A biomimetic synthesis of the pauciflorine A and B skeleton.

Racemic minovincine (3), following cyclization, reduction, O-tosylation, fragmentation, and carbamate formation, provided the deoxypauciflorine 12.
The Trihelical Bundle Subdomain of the GGA Proteins Interacts with Multiple Partners through Overlapping but Distinct Sites

The Golgi-localized, γ-adaptin ear-containing, ARF-binding (GGA) proteins are monomeric clathrin adaptors that mediate the sorting of cargo at the trans-Golgi network and endosomes. The GGAs contain four different domains named Vps27, Hrs, Stam (VHS); GGAs and TOM1 (GAT); hinge; and γ-adaptin ear (GAE). The VHS domain recognizes transmembrane cargo, whereas the hinge and GAE regions bind clathrin and accessory proteins, respectively. The GAT domain is a polyfunctional module that interacts with various partners including the small GTPase ARF, the endosomal fusion regulator Rabaptin-5, ubiquitin, and the product of the tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101). Previous x-ray crystallographic analyses showed that the GAT region is composed of two subdomains, an N-terminal helix-loop-helix containing the ARF binding site, and a C-terminal triple α-helical (trihelical) bundle. In this study, we define the Rabaptin-5 binding site on the GGA1-GAT domain and its relationship to the binding sites for ubiquitin and TSG101. Our observations show that Rabaptin-5, ubiquitin, and TSG101 bind to overlapping but distinct binding sites on the trihelical bundle. The different GAT binding partners engage in both competitive and cooperative interactions that may be important for the function of the GGAs in protein sorting.
Al Qaeda's London Branch: Patterns of Domestic and Transnational Network Integration

This article seeks to shed light on the ongoing debate about the extent of Al Qaeda's involvement in homegrown jihadist conspiracies in the West. Focusing on the London-based jihadist movement in the 1998–2008 decade, the article uses network analysis to test the domestic and transnational integration of Western networks. The evidence stems from an extensive database of individuals involved in jihadist terrorist conspiracies in the West compiled by the authors. Results show that Al Qaeda developed a branch organization in the United Kingdom during that period. A sociogram of U.S.-based networks is indicative of a dispersed topography, and a comparison shows the British model may not be representative of Western networks overall.
Determination of the rate-limiting mechanism for permeation of hydrogen through microfabricated palladium-silver alloy membranes

Abstract For many years enhancement of the hydrogen permeation rate through Pd and Pd-alloy membranes has been accomplished by decreasing the membrane thickness. This approach is based on the idea that the permeation rate is limited by the diffusion process through the membrane bulk material. Theoretical modeling suggests that as membrane thickness is reduced into the micrometer range the rate-limiting permeation mechanism may shift to desorption from the permeate surface. In order to test the model predictions, free-standing Pd–Ag alloy membranes (23 wt% Ag) with a thickness on the order of 1 μm have been microfabricated and their hydrogen permeation behavior has been experimentally determined. At temperatures between 523 and 723 K, hydrogen permeation is limited by the diffusion process and is characterized by a membrane permeability pre-exponential factor of 5.51E−8 ± 1.34E−8 mol/m/s/Pa 0.5 and an activation energy of 10.8 ± 1.25 kJ/mol. At temperatures below 500 K, the activation energy increases appreciably. This transition is consistent with diffusion-limited permeation in the presence of non-ideal absorption behavior of hydrogen in the Pd–Ag alloy. A transition into a desorption-limited permeation regime is not observed under the operating conditions in this study. Additionally, two distinct failure modes have been observed for these microfabricated devices. The operating conditions leading to failure and cause of each failure mode are discussed.
Re(con)figuring Alliances: Place Membership, Environmental Justice, and the Remaking of Indigenous-Environmentalist Relationships in Canada's Boreal Forest

Critical observers of the international environmental movement have found that indigenous-environmentalist alliances have often been predicated upon reproductions of an asymmetrical political status quo, thereby perpetuating indigenous peoples' systemic disadvantages and predestining promising partnerships for eventual disintegration. Spotlighting the relationship between Grassy Narrows First Nation and Rainforest Action Network, this article describes how indigenous-environmentalist alliances are being constructively re(con)figured in the context of recent anti-clearcutting activism in northwestern Ontario. An analysis of the positive interpersonal relationships cited by participants as key to the coalition's success reveals the significance of (1) a social setting conducive to imagining membership in a diverse community united by an emplaced interest in boreal forest protection and (2) a transformed conceptual framework that redefines the environment to include human activities and concerns. I argue tha...
Predictors of Poor Pregnancy Outcome: Elevated Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein and Second Trimester Oligohydramnios † 740

Predictors of Poor Pregnancy Outcome: Elevated Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein and Second Trimester Oligohydramnios † 740
Tracking of female conspecific odor trails by male broad-headed skinks (Eumeces laticeps)

The ability of the broad-headed skink (Eumeces laticeps) to follow conspecific odor trails on paper substrates was investigated in y-maze experiments. Adult males enter the trail-containing arm at much greater than chance frequency when the odor source is female. The data support the hypothesis that males can follow odor trails of females. The often-repeated direct contact with the trail made by tongue-flicking as the lizard passed through the maze provided evidence that males could follow the scent. There was no evidence that males followed male odors or that females followed trails laid by either sex. It is suggested that the major selective force leading to evolution by males of the ability to trail females was an increase in reproductive success accruing to males able to locate females and guard them during a temporally limited period of sexual receptivity.
Explaining Eucharistic “Real Presence”: Moving beyond a Medieval Conundrum

Understandings of body and resurrected bodiliness in the early centuries shaped the explanations of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. Medieval writers debated how Jesus’ body, which was at the ri...
Science Receives Broad Support in Obama Administration's Proposed Budget

[1] With the U.S. federal deficit on target to hit $1.5 trillion this year, President Barack Obama's proposed federal budget of $3.73 trillion for fiscal year (FY) 2012, which begins on 1 October, has been greeted with mixed reviews since its release on 14 February. The proposal, which calls for a 5-year overall freeze on discretionary spending outside of security, generally is favorable for science and science agencies—particularly the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) laboratories. However, some other agencies and bureaus, including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), do not fare as well. A number of Republicans in Congress have panned the budget. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), chair of the House of Representatives Committee on the Budget, said the president “has failed to tackle the urgent fiscal and economic threats before us.” Also, with the FY 2011 budget never having been enacted, House Committee on Appropriations chair Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) introduced a continuing resolution (H.R. 1) on 11 February that would fund the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year at a level $100 billion below the administration's request for this year.
The Serine Protease Trypsin Cleaves C Termini of β- and γ-Subunits of Epithelial Na+ Channels

Both extracellular and intracellular proteases can activate epithelial Na+ channels (ENaC). The mechanism by which serine proteases activate ENaC is unknown. We investigated the effect of the serine protease trypsin on in vitro translated and immunopurified α-, β-, and γ-rENaC subunits. Immunopurified subunit proteins were exposed to increasing concentrations of trypsin ranging from 0.002 to 2 μg/ml in Tris-buffered saline buffer for 2 h. The proteolytic mixture was subjected to SDS-PAGE and analyzed by autoradiography. Our results demonstrate that the β- and γ-subunits of ENaC were most susceptible to trypsin proteolysis, and exposure to as little as 0.002 μg/ml trypsin resulted in a reduction in the size of the β- and γ-transcripts by 7–8 kDa. By using N- and C-terminally truncated β- and γ-subunits, we determined that trypsin cleaved the C termini of both subunits, resulting in a channel structure resembling that seen in Liddle's disease. Exposure to 2 μg/ml trypsin completely digested all three subunits. Our results suggest different susceptibilities of proteolytic sites of ENaC subunits to trypsin. Thus, we propose that limited intracellular proteolysis may be one of the potential physiological mechanisms of sodium channel regulation.
Firm evolution dynamics: towards sustainable entrepreneurship and robust competitiveness in the knowledge economy and society

The emerging gloCalising (i.e., simultaneously globalising and localising) (Carayannis and Von Zedwitz, 2005; Carayannis and Alexander, 1999, 2006), frontier of converging systems, networks and sectors of innovation that is driven by increasingly complex, non-linear and dynamic processes of knowledge creation, diffusion and use (Carayannis and Provance, 2008), confronts us with the need to re-conceptualise – if not re-invent – the ways and means that knowledge production, utilisation and renewal takes place in the context of the knowledge economy and society (gloCal knowledge economy and society). This re-invention could lead to more sustainable firms (in terms of both size and profitability) and as a result a higher level of (and indeed robust) competitiveness of the market space in which they are active.
Structure of RCC1 chromatin factor bound to the nucleosome core particle

The small GTPase Ran enzyme regulates critical eukaryotic cellular functions including nuclear transport and mitosis through the creation of a RanGTP gradient around the chromosomes. This concentration gradient is created by the chromatin-bound RCC1 (regulator of chromosome condensation) protein, which recruits Ran to nucleosomes and activates Ran’s nucleotide exchange activity. Although RCC1 has been shown to bind directly with the nucleosome, the molecular details of this interaction were not known. Here we determine the crystal structure of a complex of Drosophila RCC1 and the nucleosome core particle at 2.9 A resolution, providing an atomic view of how a chromatin protein interacts with the histone and DNA components of the nucleosome. Our structure also suggests that the Widom 601 DNA positioning sequence present in the nucleosomes forms a 145-base-pair nucleosome core particle, not the expected canonical 147-base-pair particle. The small GTPase Ran regulates nuclear transport and mitosis by creating a RanGTP gradient around the chromosomes. The chromatin-bound RCC1 protein, which is a regulator for the onset of chromosome condensation, recruits Ran to nucleosomes and activates Ran's nucleotide-exchange activity. Here, the crystal structure of the complex between RCC1 and the nucleosome core particle provides an atomic view of how a chromatin protein interacts with the histone and DNA components of the nucleosome. The small GTPase Ran regulates nuclear transport and cell division by creating a gradient of RanGTP around chromosomes. The RCC1 protein recruits Ran to nucleosomes and activates Ran's nucleotide exchange activity. Here, the crystal structure of the complex between RCC1 and the nucleosome core particle is revealed. It provides an atomic view of how a chromatin protein interacts with the histone and DNA components of the nucleosome.
Potential vorticity and mixing in the south polar vortex during spring

Fluid dynamic aspects of the Antarctic ozone hole phenomena are studied. Data collected by the ER-2 aircraft as part of the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) are used to calculate the potential vorticity distribution on potential temperature surfaces. Most of the ER-2 flights show a monotonic decrease in potential vorticity and nitrous oxide toward the pole on isentropic surfaces.