cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Nutrigenomics Approach Using RNA Sequencing Technology to Study Nutrient–Gene Interactions in Agricultural Animals

Thorough understanding of animal gene expression driven by dietary nutrients can be regarded as a bottom line of advanced animal nutrition research. Nutrigenomics (including transcriptomics) studies the effects of dietary nutrients on cellular gene expression and, ultimately, phenotypic changes in living organisms. Transcriptomics can be applied to investigate animal tissue transcriptomes at a defined nutritional state, which can provide a holistic view of intracellular RNA expression. As a novel transcriptomics approach, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology can monitor all gene expressions simultaneously in response to dietary intervention. The principle and history of RNA-Seq are briefly reviewed, and its 3 principal steps are described in this article. Application of RNA-Seq in different areas of animal nutrition research is summarized. Lastly, the application of RNA-Seq in swine science and nutrition is also reviewed. In short, RNA-Seq holds significant potential to be employed for better understanding the nutrient-gene interactions in agricultural animals.
Zebrafish etv2 knock‐in line labels vascular endothelial and blood progenitor cells

BACKGROUND ETS transcription factor Etv2/Etsrp is one of the earliest markers for vascular and hematopoietic progenitors and functions as a key regulator of hematovascular development in multiple vertebrates, including zebrafish. Therefore, transgenic etv2 reporter lines provide a valuable tool to study vasculogenesis and hematopoiesis. However, previously generated zebrafish reporter lines do not fully recapitulate the endogenous pattern of etv2 expression. RESULTS Here we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-independent DNA repair approach to knock-in a Gal4 transcriptional activator into the zebrafish etv2 genomic locus, thus generating etv2 ci32Gt gene trap line. etv2 ci32Gt ; UAS:GFP embryos show GFP expression in vascular endothelial, myeloid and red blood cells. Because gal4 insertion interrupts the etv2 locus, homozygous etv2 ci32Gt embryos display defects in vasculogenesis and myelopoiesis, and enable visualizing etv2-deficient hematovascular progenitors in live embryos. Furthermore, we performed differential transcriptome analysis of sorted GFP-positive cells from heterozygous and homozygous etv2 ci32Gt embryos. Approximately 500 downregulated genes were identified in etv2 ci32Gt homozygous embryos, which include multiple genes expressed in vascular endothelial and myeloid cells. CONCLUSIONS The etv2 ci32Gt gene trap line and the data sets of misregulated genes will be valuable resources to study hematopoietic and vascular development.
Can We Talk About Feminist Epistemic Values Beyond Gender? Lessons from the Gut Microbiome

I examine the feminist epistemic values in science, presented by Helen Longino, and their role in framing microbiome causality in the study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In particular, I show how values presented as feminist give an alternative view in scientific theories—focusing on ontological heterogeneity and mutuality of interactions rather than simplicity and one causal direction—when looking at relations between organisms and microorganisms, and between organisms (particularly humans) and their environment. I identify two approaches in microbiome study, an immunological approach that looks at the microbiome pathogenicity and an ecological approach that studies the microbial activity and functions. I show the puzzles stemming from the traditional background beliefs of the immune self and germ theory in the study of IBD causality. Furthermore, I argue for the benefits of a shift to the ecological view of body-microbe interrelations. I conclude with the benefits and advantages of feminist values over traditional ones, both in creating new ways of understanding organisms’ physiology and immune systems and for future biomedical studies involving microbiome causality.
Mobile MIM: a Portable Solution in Imaging.

Clinicians experience various situations, such as peer consultation or tumor boards, in which they need to access and view radiologic studies without a full radiologic workstation. Mobile MIM is a diagnostic medical imaging device on the Apple App Store that is FDA-approved and can meet the portable needs of clinicians. The goal of the app is to give physicians the opportunity to visualize scans from multiple modalities on a single iOS mobile device. The intended uses include reviewing complex aspects of radiation treatment plans and analyzing medical images from a wide array of modalities. The key limitation is incompatibility for mammography. The free app allows users to manipulate image sets from ten sample patients before an organization can commit to extensive systems integration with MIMcloud 2.0 to store, encrypt, and route image sets for real-time patients. This review explores the app’s strengths and weaknesses through discussion of its features and usability.
Resource adequacy implications of temperature-dependent electric generator availability

Abstract Current grid resource adequacy modeling assumes generator failures are both independent and invariant to ambient conditions. We evaluate the resource adequacy policy implications of correlated generator failures in the PJM Interconnection by making use of observed temperature-dependent forced outage rates. Correlated failures pose substantial resource adequacy risk, increasing PJM’s required reserve margin from 15.9% to 22.9% in the 2018/2019 delivery year. However, PJM actually procured a 26.6% reserve margin in this delivery year, translating to excess capacity payments of $315 million and an implied value of lost load of approximately $700,000/MWh, a figure two orders of magnitude greater than typically used in operational contexts. Capacity requirements vary by month, with more than 95% of loss-of-load risk accruing in July. Setting monthly capacity targets could reduce annual PJM procurement by approximately 16%. We examine the resource adequacy implications of the ongoing replacement of nuclear and coal in PJM with combined-cycle gas generators, finding moderate benefits: approximately a 2% reduction in capacity requirements. We identify modest resource adequacy risks from potential future climate scenarios, modeled as temperature increases of 1 and 2 °C relative to our study period. Holding loads fixed, these scenarios increase capacity requirements by approximately 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively.
Order without design: How markets shape cities, by Alain Bertaud: Cambridge, MA, MIT Press, 2018

Alain Bertaud has written a thought-provoking book on the idea that city planners should work with urban economists to intentionally harness the power of market forces, with the results being a wel...
Post FDA approval analysis of 200 gallium-68 DOTATATE imaging: A retrospective analysis in neuroendocrine tumor patients.

Gallium-68 DOTATATE provides physiologic imaging and assists in disease localization for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) positive neuroendocrine tumor (NET) patients. However, questions regarding usefulness of gallium- 68 DOTATATE imaging in identifying the primary site in neuroendocrine tumors (NETS) of unknown primary, correlation of NET grade with median Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) and effects of long acting somatostatin analog on gallium-68 DOTATATE imaging quality needs to be evaluated. A single institution retrospective review of the first 200 NET patients with gallium-68 DOTATATE imaging from Dec 2016 to Dec 2017 was conducted. Questions related to NETs of unknown primary, correlation of Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) to Ki-67 (which signifies proliferation rate), the effects of long-acting systemic somatostatin analog (SSA) on SUV were part of our data analysis. From these 200 patients, 59.5% (119) were females, 40.5% (81) were males; the median age was 62 years. The following primary tumor sites were identified: small bowel-37.5%; pancreas-18.5%; bronchial-14%; colon-3.5%; rectum-2%; appendix-1.5%; adrenal-0.5%; prostate-0.5%; others-3% and unknown primary-19%. Mean hepatic SUV of the lesion with the greatest radiolabeled uptake in 96 patients was similar irrespective to exposure to long acting SSA. Patients exposed to long acting SSA had mean SUV of 31.3 vs 27.8 for SSA naive patients. The difference was not statistically significant. Gallium-68 DOTATATE imaging seems to distinguished G3 NET from G1/G2 based on mean SUV, and also identified the primary tumor site in 17 of 38 (45%) patients with unknown primary. Systemic exposure to long acting SSA does not appear to influence mean SUV of gallium-68 DOTATATE scan.
Situation types in complementation: Oromo attitude predication

Though languages show rich variation in the clausal embedding strategies employed in attitude reports, most mainstream formal semantic theories of attitudes assume that the clausal complement of an attitude verb contributes at least a proposition to the semantics. The goal of this paper is to contribute to the growing cross-linguistic perspective of attitudes by providing semantic analyses for the two embedding strategies found with attitude verbs in Oromo (Cushitic): verbal nominalization, and embedding under akka 'as'. We argue that Oromo exemplifies a system in which non-speech attitudes uniformly embed situations rather than propositions, thereby expanding the empirical landscape of attitude reports in two ways: (i) situations and propositions are both ontological primitives used by languages in the construction of attitude reports, and (ii) attitude verbs in languages like Oromo do the semantic heavy lifting, contributing the "proposition" to propositional attitudes.
The Effects of Time Limits, the EITC, and Other Policy Changes on Welfare Use, Work, and Income among Female-Headed Families

Of all of the welfare reforms that were implemented during the 1990s, time limits may represent the single greatest break from past policy. This paper expands on what is known about this important welfare reform measure by exploiting the predictions from Grogger and Michalopoulos (2003) to estimate the effects of time limits on welfare use, employment, labor supply, earnings, and income among female-headed families. Results based on data from the March Current Population Survey suggest that time limits have had important effects on welfare use and work, accounting for about one-eighth of the decline in welfare use and about 7% of the rise in employment since 1993. They have had no significant effect on earnings or income, however. The analysis also shows that the collective effects of other reforms have had important impacts on employment and labor supply. Furthermore, it identifies the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as a particularly important contributor to both the recent decrease in welfare use and t...
Actresses, Artists, Authors: Women Shakespeareans in the Nineteenth Century: Introduction

This Introduction analyzes the rise of twentieth-century Shakespeare as a reaction against not only Romantic versions of Shakespeare, the usual target of academic analysis after T. S. Eliot, but also feminine, and often feminist, approaches to Shakespeare produced by women actors, artists, and authors in the nineteenth century. These women, in turn, engage not just with the nationalist figure of King Shakespeare, as epitomized by Thomas Carlyle's On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History, but also with one another in networks that are sometimes personal, sometimes dispersed.
The roles of Polycomb repressive complexes in mammalian development and cancer.

More than 80 years ago, the first Polycomb-related phenotype was identified in Drosophila melanogaster. Later, a group of diverse genes collectively called Polycomb group (PcG) genes were identified based on common mutant phenotypes. PcG proteins, which are well-conserved in animals, were originally characterized as negative regulators of gene transcription during development and subsequently shown to function in various biological processes; their deregulation is associated with diverse phenotypes in development and in disease, especially cancer. PcG proteins function on chromatin and can form two distinct complexes with different enzymatic activities: Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) is a histone ubiquitin ligase and PRC2 is a histone methyltransferase. Recent studies have revealed the existence of various mutually exclusive PRC1 and PRC2 variants. In this Review, we discuss new concepts concerning the biochemical and molecular functions of these new PcG complex variants, and how their epigenetic activities are involved in mammalian development and cancer. The histone modifiers Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and PRC2 have important roles in development and disease, especially cancer. Recent studies have revealed the existence of various mutually exclusive PRC1 and PRC2 variants, and provided new insights into their molecular functions and physiological importance.
The military history of Romanov Russia

This article is a historiographic essay that examines some of the scholarly studies that have been published since the opening of the Russian archives and libraries to military historians of the Ro...
AINTEGUMENTA and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 directly regulate floral homeotic, growth, and vascular development genes in young Arabidopsis flowers

Arabidopsis flower primordia give rise to organ primordia in stereotypical positions within four concentric whorls. Floral organ primordia in each whorl undergo distinct developmental programs to become one of four organ types (sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels). The Arabidopsis transcription factors AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 (AIL6) are required for correct positioning of floral organ initiation, contribute to the specification of floral organ identity, and regulate the growth and morphogenesis of developing floral organs. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms by which ANT and AIL6 contribute to floral organogenesis, we identified the genome-wide binding sites of both ANT and AIL6 in stage 3 flower primordia, the developmental stage at which sepal primordia become visible and class B and C floral homeotic genes are first expressed. AIL6 binds to a subset of ANT sites, suggesting that AIL6 regulates some but not all of the same target genes as ANT. ANT- and AIL6-binding sites are associated with genes involved in many biological processes related to meristem and flower organ development. Comparison of genes associated with both ANT and AIL6 ChIP-Seq peaks and those differentially expressed after perturbation of ANT and/or AIL6 activity identified likely direct targets of ANT and AIL6 regulation. These include class B and C floral homeotic genes, growth regulatory genes, and genes involved in vascular development.
Far from black and white: Role of race, health literacy, and socioeconomic factors in the presentation of acute diverticulitis

Abstract Background Racial discrepancies in treatment and outcomes of acute diverticulitis have been observed, yet underlying factors are poorly understood. We aimed to identify racial inequalities in health literacy among patients hospitalized with acute diverticulitis and characterize factors associated with more severe presentation. Methods We performed retrospective cohort analysis of 947 Black or White patients admitted with acute diverticulitis at a quaternary referral center from January 2009 through September 2019. Health literacy was determined by the validated Brief Health Literacy Screening, and socioeconomic status was defined by area deprivation index, a composite of multiple neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation measures. The primary outcome was severity of disease presentation represented by systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria; secondary outcomes included intensive care unit admission, length of stay, and invasive interventions. Results Among all study participants, 121 (12.8%) self-identified as Black. Overall, 140 (14.8%) patients had inadequate health literacy, and 495 (52.3%) had area deprivation index greater than the national median. There was no association between race or area deprivation index and health literacy. A total of 340 (35.9%) patients met criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and 88 (9.3%) underwent an intervention; median length of stay was 3.5 days. Race, health literacy, and area deprivation index were not significantly associated with outcomes (P > .05). Conclusion Among patients with acute diverticulitis, no difference in severity of presentation by race, health literacy, or area deprivation index was observed. These findings suggest that differences in presentation of acute diverticulitis may not be driven by these social factors. Future studies should include considerations of clinical characteristics of acute diverticulitis, such as the role of access and underuse of healthcare resources.
Blame the Pandemic: Buffering the Association Between Stress and Relationship Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique climate for examining the links between stressful conditions and couples’ relationship well-being. According to theories of stress spillover, stressors origin...
Motivating Rehabilitation by Distorting Reality

We have found, through a series of recent experiments, encouraging evidence that the neuro-motor system is motivated to change motor patterns when exposed to visuo-motor tasks. We have also shown that the learning of these tasks can be heightened with forces and/or visual distortions that appropriately manipulate the error. This process does not require intense concentration and it is often considered a game. We describe the next generation of robotic large-workspace, three dimensional haptics/graphics systems for rehabilitation
Image and Metadata Distribution at Seven University Campuses: Reports from a Study of the Museum Educational Site Licensing Project

This paper summarizes the major findings of a University of California study of the Museum Educational Site Licensing Project (MESL) -- the first large-scale multi-institutional image and metadata distribution experiment in the US. The study examined the costs and social impacts of distributing a large body of digital images and metadata from a set of different museums to universities. Among the findings are that the digital distribution environment, as a whole, appears to be good for individual image usage, but is problematic for group viewing situations such as classrooms. Impediments to widespread adoption include: lack of comprehensive content, absence of necessary tools to facilitate use, and inadequate recognition and support for faculty who adopt new technology in their teaching. Other key issues that still need to be addressed include: integration of consortia-provided images and metadata with images acquired elsewhere; allowing instructors to change descriptive information or annotate images; encouraging the creation of added-value tools; and providing particular user interfaces or new integrated tools. The study also compared the cost of digital distribution to the costs of running an analog slide library.
Doing What You Say: Contracts and Economics Development

Making wealth requires people to do what they say. In relationships and repeat transactions, reciprocity makes people do what they say, even without contract law. Relationships and repeat transactions, however, preclude competition. Competition involving transactions with strangers invigorates an economy and enables it to flourish. Making strangers do what they say requires them to commit legally. According to the contract principle for economic cooperation, the law should enable people to commit to doing what they say. When this principle is implemented, strangers can trust each other enough to work together even when money is at stake. Implementing this principle requires effective courts or state administrators. Deficient enforcement poses a far greater obstacle to contract law in developing countries than defective doctrine. Compared to rich countries, effective enforcement in many poor countries tilts remedies towards specif* This Essay is based on Chapter 3, "Make or Take-Property," in a book manuscript by Robert Cooter and Hans Bernd Schaefer entitled Law and the Poverty of Nations. This Essay is adapted from the Meador Lecture given by Professor Cooter at the University of Alabama School of Law on February 28, 2007. ** Robert Cooter is the Herman Selvin Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley.
Gender and Racial Variations of the Nasolacrimal System

Gender and racial variations of the nasolacrimal system are important considerations to be aware of when planning for surgery or managing complications. This chapter seeks to synthesize the past and present literature describing bony anatomy and soft tissue variations. Regarding the nasolacrimal canal width and length, the majority of studies have shown a gender difference, with women in general having narrower canals than men. However, whether or not this difference actually plays a role in the higher prevalence of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction among women is not clear, as this association has not been found across all populations. Other important factors that play an important role in the development of nasolacrimal duct obstruction are inflammation, infection, and hormonal differences in men and women. In terms of length, there has not been a consistent difference when looking at race or gender, highlighting the need for a well-controlled comparison study. It has been observed that the frontal process of the maxilla appears to be thicker in Asians and Blacks, than in Whites, which should be accounted for in surgical planning. The chapter further expands upon the relationship of the lacrimal sac fossa to the ethmoidal sinus, as well as its relationship to the cribriform plate, which are both important considerations when performing a dacrocystorhinostomy. The soft tissue variations in race should also be accounted for when planning external dacryocystectomy incisions, such as nasal bridge width, the thickness of the skin, and the presence or absence of epicanthal folds.
Brief of Software Innovators, Start-Ups, and Investors as Amici Curiae in Oracle v. Google

How Limitations on Copyright in Computer Programs Are Critical to Software Innovation and Investment. This case raises critical questions about how far copyright extends into the basic communication tools -- Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) -- that are presently ubiquitous in the Web environment and software development generally. APIs establish basic interoperability between systems, between applications and systems, and between applications themselves. This kind of interoperability between programs and systems is foundational to software innovation, as well as to computer systems and ecosystems themselves. Because of this, how copyright's default rules affect interoperability is central to how innovation happens on the ground. These rules have been stable for many years. Baker v. Selden, which was decided in 1879, established that copyright law extends only to creative expression and not to ideas; section 102(b) of the 1976 Copyright Act makes clear that copyright does not cover methods of operation, procedures, processes, or systems; and courts, especially in the Ninth Circuit, have explained how these concepts apply directly to interoperability needs. In the case, Oracle is arguing that high-level aspects of the Java APIs are copyrightable, and so that Google has infringed its copyrights in the Java APIs by using some of them to create a Java implementation for Android. The district court ruled that the elements of the Java APIs at issue are not copyrightable, and that Google had therefore not infringed. The Federal Circuit is now reviewing the case on appeal. In this amicus brief, a wide range of start-up companies, their investors, and innovators, including those who were involved in the similar Lotus v. Borland case thirty years ago, ask the court to consider the impact changing copyright boundaries would have on innovation and investment. It explains how innovators rely on APIs, and how limitations on copyright undergird innovation and competition in the software and Internet spaces. The brief argues that the district court's ruling was correct, and urges the court to preserve the longstanding limitations on copyright in computer programs. It explains that doing otherwise harm what is presently a vital and robust industry, chilling both innovation and the investment that supports it.
Antisense Nucleic Acids in Biotechnology

Antisense nucleic acids are natural or synthetic polymers that base pair with target RNAs and inhibit target functions. Natural antisense RNAs are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and regulate gene expression during cell growth or development. Synthetic and vector-encoded antisense nucleic acids are used in experimental molecular genetics to determine the function of target genes, and are being developed for use in human disease management and in agriculture. Keywords: antisense polynucleotides; antisense drugs; biotechnology; control of gene expression
Environmental Law and Governance in The Regional Seas: The Caribbean Case (Diritto Ambientale E Governance Nei Mari Regionali: Il Caso Del Mar Dei Caraibi)

For a book to be published next year we are in the process of evaluating comprehensively efforts at marine governance in the regional seas. One of those seas, The Wider Caribbean Region encompasses the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the adjacent bays and marine areas. It is host to important natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystems but is in a state of severe environmental decline. In the region, major contributors to damage are agriculture, industry, and mining runoff as well as negative impacts from tourism, forestry, and fisheries. To reduce impact and improve conditions, an environmental cluster is loosely governing the region. The cluster includes international, regional, national, and local agencies, laws, policies, and actions. Within the cluster, there are aligned motivations for protection of natural resources in the Wider Caribbean but timeframes, funding, and jurisdictional conflict prevent further progress. Here we lay out the environmentally relevant background of that region and describe the cluster of law and policy initiatives that have been undertaken to manage this sea.
Dynamic Programming Methods in Repair and Replacement

Applications of dynamic programming to problems in reliability, with a specific emphasis on repair and replacement are surveyed. A brief summary of early classic work on such uses of dynamic programming is followed by a review of later approaches adopted by different researchers toward the problem of modeling plausible and pragmatic notions of imperfect repairs. We then provide a synthesis of how such different approaches for the study of repairable systems can be subsumed within a unified setting of a stochastic dynamic programming framework with some illustrative applications of such a formulation. Keywords: replacement; repairable systems; minimal and perfect repairs; imperfect repair; virtual age; repair strategy; dynamic programming
Acoustic analysis of the frequency-dependent coupling between the frog's ears

The ears of anurans are coupled through the Eustachian tubes and mouth cavity. The degree of coupling varies with frequency showing a bandpass characteristic, but the characteristics differ between empirically measured data based on auditory nerve responses and tympanic membrane vibration. In the present study, the coupling was modeled acoustically as a tube connected with a side branch. This tube corresponds to the Eustachian tubes, whereas the side branch corresponds to the mouth cavity and nares. The analysis accounts for the frequency dependency shown by the empirical data and reconciles the differences observed between the coupling as measured by tympanic membrane vibration and auditory nerve responses.
A Persistent Disparity: Smoking in Rural Sexual and Gender Minorities.

Abstract Purpose: Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) smoke cigarettes at higher rates than the general population. Historically, research in SGM health issues was conducted in urban populations and recent population-based studies seldom have sufficient SGM participants to distinguish urban from rural. Given that rural populations also tend to have a smoking disparity, and that many SGM live in rural areas, it is vitally important to understand the intersection of rural residence, SGM identity, and smoking. This study analyzes the patterns of smoking in urban and rural SGM in a large sample. Methods: We conducted an analysis of 4280 adult participants in the Out, Proud, and Healthy project with complete data on SGM status, smoking status, and zip code. Surveys were conducted at six Missouri pride festivals and online in 2012. Analysis involved descriptive and bivariate methods, and multivariable logistic regression. We used GIS mapping to demonstrate the dispersion of rural SGM participants. Results: SGM h...
THE GENUS PLATOMA (GIGARTINALES, RHODOPHYTA) WITH A DESCRIPTION OF P. ABBOTTIANA SP. NOV.1

Platoma abbottiana (Gymnophlaeaceae; Gigartinales), a new species of benthic red algae, is described from Isla Mejia and is the second member of this genus reported from the Gulf of California, Mexico. Vegetative anatomy and reproductive details of the carpogonial and auxiliary cell branches of the new species are described and illustrated. Geographical distributions of the seven previously described Platoma species are given. Their distinguishing morphological characteristics are compared to those of the new species. The correct time and place of valid publication of the generic name, Platoma, and some of its binomials are discussed.
High-resolution incoherent imaging of crystals

A Bloch-wave analysis shows how a signal dependent on the electron intensity at the atom sites can be used to form an incoherent image of a crystal structure. To a good approximation the image is given by a convolution of a compositionally sensitive object function with an appropriate resolution function, and as such can be predicted and interpreted intuitively. Information on a scale below the resolution limit can be interpreted by deconvolution.
Applications of micro-scale combustion calorimetry to the studies of cotton and nylon fabrics treated with organophosphorus flame retardants

Effective testing methods are critical for developing new flame retardant textiles by the industry. However, the current testing methods all have limitations. In this research, we applied micro-scale combustion calorimetry (MCC) for evaluating the flammability of the cotton woven fabric treated with a traditional reactive organophosphorus flame retardant in combination with a synergistic nitrogen-containing additive and the nylon-6,6 woven fabric treated with a hydroxyl-functional organophosphorus oligomer and crosslinkers. We found that MCC is capable of differentiating small differences among the treated fabric samples with similar flammability. MCC is able to make quantitative measurement of the peak heat release rate, the most important parameter related to fire hazard of materials, of textile whereas such analysis is more difficult using cone calorimetry due to textile fabrics’ low thickness. By using the thermal combustion parameters measured by MCC, we were able to calculate the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of various treated cotton fabric samples with near-perfect agreement between the experimentally measured and the predicted LOI values of treated cotton fabrics. We also compared the capability of MCC and differential scanning calorimetry for analyzing flame retardant cotton textiles.
A Strong Effect of AT Mutational Bias on Amino Acid Usage in Buchnera is Mitigated at High-Expression Genes

The advent of full genome sequences provides exceptionally rich data sets to explore molecular and evolutionary mechanisms that shape divergence among and within genomes. In this study, we use multivariate analysis to determine the processes driving genome-wide patterns of amino usage in the obligate endosymbiont Buchnera and its close free-living relative Escherichia coli. In the AT-rich Buchnera genome, the primary source of variation in amino acid usage differentiates high- and low-expression genes. Amino acids of high-expression Buchnera genes are generally less aromatic and use relatively GC-rich codons, suggesting that selection against aromatic amino acids and against amino acids with AT-rich codons is stronger in high-expression genes. Selection to maintain hydrophobic amino acids in integral membrane proteins is a primary factor driving protein evolution in E. coli but is a secondary factor in Buchnera. In E. coli, gene expression is a secondary force driving amino acid usage, and a correlation with tRNA abundance suggests that translational selection contributes to this effect. Although this and previous studies demonstrate that AT mutational bias and genetic drift influence amino acid usage in Buchnera, this genome-wide analysis argues that selection is sufficient to affect the amino acid content of proteins with different expression and hydropathy levels.
Macrocranium and macrencephaly in neurofibromatosis

Data were collected on 52 patients (30 males and 22 females) with neurofibromatosis. Using the volumetric method of Gordon, it was found that 44% of the patients had cranial capacities above the 95th percentile (70% were above the 50th percentile). The presence of intracranial tumors and/or hydrocephalus did not influence skull size. Four patients above the 95th percentile had normal pneumoencephalograms and cerebral angiograms, indicating that the cause of the macrocranium, in some instances at least, is macrencephaly. Volumetric measurement of the sella turcica in 27 of the 52 patients gave results which strongly suggest that idiopathic enlargement of the sella in neurofibromatosis is uncommon, if not rare. Skull films of 26 patients with tuberous sclerosis did not show an increase in cranial capacity similar to that found in neurofibromatosis.
Molecular cloning and characterization of WdTUP1, a gene that encodes a potential transcriptional repressor important for yeast-hyphal transitions in Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis

Abstract The general transcriptional repressor Tup1p is known to influence cell development in many fungi. To determine whether the Tup1p ortholog (WdTup1p) of Wangiella dermatitidis also influences cellular development in this melanized, polymorphic human pathogen, the gene ( WdTUP1 ) that encodes this transcription factor was isolated, sequenced and disrupted. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the WdTup1p sequence was closely related to homologues in other polymorphic, conidiogenous fungi. Disruption of WdTUP1 produced mutants ( wdtup1 Δ) with pronounced growth and cellular abnormalities, including slow growth on various agar media and exclusively as a filamentous morphotype in liquid media. We concluded that WdTup1p represents an important switch regulator that controls the yeast-to-filamentous growth transition. However, detailed observations of the filamentous growth of the disruption mutant showed that the hyphae produced by the wdtup1 Δ mutants, unlike those of the wild-type, were arrested at a stage prior to the formation of true hyphae and subsequent conidia production.
Solution processed flexible planar hybrid perovskite solar cells

Organolead halide perovskites are attracting considerable attention for applications in high performance and flexible hybrid photovoltaic devices. Low temperature solution-processed flexible hybrid solar cells with CH3NH3PbI2Cl, using [6,6]-Phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and Poly[(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-alt- (benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazol-4,8-diyl)] (F8BT) as electron transport materials were fabricated on ITO coated plastic substrates in planar configuration. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate was employed as the electron blocking layer. Under standard AM 1.5G solar irradiation, these flexible solar cells yielded power conversion efficiencies of 5.14% and 7.05% with the electron transporting materials PCBM and F8BT, respectively.
Hydrophile-lipophile balance and micelle formation of nonionic surfactants

Comparison of the hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) values according to the two prevailing systems was made for two classes of nonionic surfactants, namely, ethylene oxide adducts of n-dodecanol and of branched nonylphenol with increasing degrees of polyoxyethylation. The two systems were shown to differ fundamentally because only one treats the HLB values as constitutive and additive. For both HLB systems, simple relationships were found between the HLB values of each class of surfactants and their critical micelle concentrations. These relationships had different forms for the two systems and, within the same system, different numerical values for the two classes of surfactants.
Association between lifestyle factors and CpG island methylation in a cancer-free population.

Background: Many risk factors have been associated with cancer, such as age, family history, race, smoking, high-fat diet, and poor nutrition. It is important to reveal the molecular changes related to risk factors that could facilitate early detection, prevention, and overall control of cancer. Methods: We selected six cancer-specific methylated genes that have previously been reported in primary tumors and have also been detected in different bodily fluids of cancer patients. Here, we used quantitative fluorogenic real-time methylation-specific PCR in plasma DNA samples for the detection of methylation changes from an asymptomatic population who do not have any known cancer. Results: The promoter methylation frequencies of the studied genes were as follows: APC (7%), CCND2 (22%), GSTP1 (2%), MGMT (9%), RARβ2 (29%), and P16 (3%). Promoter methylation of at least one of the genes analyzed was observed in ∼46% (72 of 157) of the samples by binary dichotomization. Promoter hypermethylation of at least two genes was detected in 17% (26 of 157) of the samples. RARβ2 methylation was observed in 45% of subjects who had a high-fat diet in contrast with those who had a low-fat diet (23%; P = 0.007). Discussion: Our findings may help to elucidate early methylation changes that may lead to cancer development. These methylation changes could be due to exposure to risk factors and may be useful for cancer prevention measures such as changes in lifestyle. Longitudinal follow-up of a high-risk population is needed to understand the association of methylation of candidate genes in cancer development. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(11):2984–91)
14-esters of 7-O-(3,4-di-O-acetyl-2,6-dideoxy-alpha-L-lyxo-hexopyranosyl)adriamycinone: synthesis and antitumor activity.

A range of 14-esters (8-13) of the title compound, 3'-deamino-3'-hydroxydoxorubicin 3', 4'-diacetate (5), has been synthesized by nucleophilic substitution of the corresponding 14-bromide (6) by the appropriate sodium carboxylate salts. Antitumor activities were determined in vivo in the murine P388 lymphocytic leukemia assay and compared with those of the 14-hydroxy and 14-acetoxy analogs.
The Organization of foreign trade under capitalism and socialism

Abstract We study the effectiveness of various ways of organizing foreign-trade activities utilized under capitalism and socialism. A normative theory of organization is developed based on the costs and benefits of processing and acting on information by the organization. We survey the forms of organization employed by large American firms, Japanese trading companies, and the socialist countries of Eastern Europe and evaluate their development on the basis of our normative theory. In all systems, there is a steady approach toward organizational forms that produce direct links between producers and international markets. Such ties, however, appear to create greater difficulties for socialist countries than for capitalist firms.
Single-point diamond-turned mirror performance before and after polishing

The surface finish of a single-point diamond-turned (SPDT) mirror produced in 1977 on the large (2-meter swing) Excello lathe at the Union Carbide Corporation's Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was such that it was not possible to do visible alignment using it. Therefore, it was necessary to polish the mirror by hand. This was done at the University of Arizona. The intent was to remove the high ridges in the SPDT mirror but not to degrade the figure. Both interferometric and encircled energy measurements were made on the mirror before and after polishing. The mirror was an f/2 off-axis parabola 39.37 cm in diameter. The equation describing the generator of the mother parabola is y/sup 2/ = 309x(cm/sup 2/) and the center of each off-axis sister mirror is at x = 7.64 cm, and y = 48.59 cm. After polishing it was possible to align it using techniques which employed visible light.
On the stability of symplectic and energy-momentum algorithms for non-linear Hamiltonian systems with symmetry

Abstract This paper presents a detailed comparison of two implicit time integration schemes for a simple non-linear Hamiltonian system with symmetry: the motion of a particle in a central force field. The goal is to establish analytical and numerical results pertaining to the stability properties of the implicit mid-point rule (the proto-typical implicit symplectic method) and a particular energy-momentum conserving scheme, and to compare the two schemes with respect to accuracy. While all results presented herein are within the context of a simple model problem, the problem was constructed so as to exhibit key features typical of more complex systems with symmetry such as those arising in non-linear solid mechanics: namely, the presence of large (and relatively slow) overall motions together with high-frequency internal motions.
The dynamics of flexible multibody systems: A finite segment approach—II. Example problems

Abstract Modelling the dynamics of flexible multibody systems is a difficult problem. There has been much discussion about how to approach this problem. This paper presents a method in which the flexibility may be included in the dynamical analysis. The method has distinct advantages over other proposed methods. The dynamical formulation is based on Kane's equations. The flexibility is modelled by using springs and dampers at the joints of the system. The stiffness and damping coefficients of these are found using the physical properties of the members. These are then incorporated into the equations of motion. Part I of this paper discusses the theoretical aspects of this type of analysis, while part II shows two example problems.
Norplant and irresponsible reproduction.

Norplant has been controversial because of attempts by judges and legislators to encourage or require that certain women use it to avoid reproduction which is considered socially irresponsible or harmful to children and society. There has been a wide range of response to proposals to control population growth among population subgroups considered to be socially unacceptable. While some would trust and support the state to take action to discourage or end irresponsible reproduction others argue that proposals to offer entice or compel women to use Norplant violate basic human rights and are a racist or elitist response to problems which should be resolved by other means. The author notes however that regardless of ones personal views about proposals regarding the application of Norplant one must acknowledge that this particular method of contraception has fomented considerable public debate over reproductive responsibility and the states role in regulating such responsibility. The author discusses reproductive responsibility the limits of social policy compulsory contraception to prevent congenital disease compulsory contraception for the retarded and encouraging procreative responsibility. He concludes that unless voluntarily chosen the use of Norplant can rarely be justified as a solution to problems of what some consider to be irresponsible reproduction. Neither the protection of future offspring nor the conservation of public funds is a good enough reason to justify abusing individuals right to procreate. A danger of discrimination or antipathy toward targeted groups also exists. That concluded the state should not be prevented from informing women about the availability of Norplant subsidizing its provision or offering incentives for its use.
THYROTROPIC HORMONE AND FLUORINE ACTIVITY

IN AN EARLIER PAPER Wilson and DeEds (I) called attention to the synergistic action of orally administered thyroid on the production of bleached rat incisors by fluorine, and briefly reviewed the claims of other authors relative to a relation ship between the thyroid gland and fluorine toxicity. At that time the observations of Wilson and DeEds were correlated with those of Karnofsky and Crpnkite (2) on the effect of thyroxin on eruption of teeth in newborn rats. The present paper deals with the relationship of the anterior pituitary to fluorine toxicity as manifested by an increased susceptibility to the bleaching action of ingested fluorine on rat incisors produced by the daily injection of thyrotropic hormone. Earlier observations on the relationship of the pituitary gland to fluorine toxicity havebeen made by Cristiani (3) and by Phillips, Lamb and coworkers (4, 5, 6). Cristiani reported macroscopic changes in the hypophysis
The dispersion in one- and two-dimensional finite element solutions to the heat equation

The dispersive errors in the finite element solution to the one- and two-dimensional heat equations are examined as a function of element type and size, capacitance matrix formulation, time stepping scheme and time step size.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Leukemia cells eat their VEGFtables

The importance of angiogenesis in supporting and promoting tumor growth in solid tumors has been established for many years. But angiogenesis was until recently not thought to play a role in leukemias. Several studies have now shown increased vascularity in the bone marrow and increased VEGF plasma
A Simple Example of Galilean Invariance in the Omega Equation

Abstract This paper is pedagogically motivated to qualitatively demonstrate basic concepts related to Galilean invariance and partial cancellation in the individual forcing terms in the traditional form of the omega equation. The analysis provides examples of the vertical distribution of the primary quasigeostrophic (QG) forcing, showing how the individual forcing terms vary in different coordinate systems while their sum remains constant. The QG forcing is described analytically using an unstable Eady wave solution, which allows depictions of QG forcing similar to those in basic atmospheric dynamics texts. The perturbation streamfunction, temperature, and vertical velocity are seen to be invariant under change of horizontal coordinate system, while the individual magnitudes of the QG vertical motion forcing are not. The total QG forcing remains invariant in all cases and is equal to the QG forcing found from the divergence of the Q vector. The figures provided can supplement those used for traditional st...
First-order calculus and option pricing

The modern theory of option pricing rests on Ito calculus, which is a second-order calculus based on the quadratic variation of a stochastic process. One can instead develop a first-order stochastic calculus, which is based on the running minimum of a stochastic process, rather than its quadratic variation. We focus here on the analog of geometric Brownian motion (GBM) in this alternative stochastic calculus. The resulting stochastic process is a positive continuous martingale whose laws are easy to calculate. We show that this analog behaves locally like a GBM whenever its running minimum decreases, but behaves locally like an arithmetic Brownian motion otherwise. We provide closed form valuation formulas for vanilla and barrier options written on this process. We also develop a reflection principle for the process and use it to show how a barrier option on this process can be hedged by a static postion in vanilla options.