cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4D constructions of supersymmetric extra dimensions and gaugino mediation

We present 4D gauge theories which at low energies coincide with higher dimensional supersymmetric (SUSY) gauge theories on a transverse lattice. We show that in the simplest case of pure 5D SUSY Yang-Mills theory there is an enhancement of SUSY in the continuum limit without fine tuning. This result no longer holds in the presence of matter fields, in which case fine tuning is necessary to ensure higher dimensional Lorentz invariance and supersymmetry. We use this construction to generate 4D models which mimic gaugino mediation of SUSY breaking. The way supersymmetry breaking is mediated in these models to the MSSM is by assuming that the physical gauginos are a mixture of a number of gauge eigenstate gauginos: one of these couples to the SUSY breaking sector, while another couples to the MSSM matter fields. The lattice can be as coarse as just two gauge groups while still obtaining the characteristic gaugino-mediated soft breaking terms.
An optimal evader strategy in a two-pursuer one-evader problem

We consider a relay pursuit-evasion problem with two pursuers and one evader. We reduce the problem to a one-pursuer/one-evader problem subject to a state constraint. A suboptimal control strategy for the evader to prolong capture is proposed and is compared to the optimal evading strategy. Extensions to the multiple-pursuer/one-evader case are also presented and evaluated via numerical simulations.
On the convergence of the secant method under the gamma condition

We provide sufficient convergence conditions for the Secant method of approximating a locally unique solution of an operator equation in a Banach space. The main hypothesis is the gamma condition first introduced in [10] for the study of Newton’s method. Our sufficient convergence condition reduces to the one obtained in [10] for Newton’s method. A numerical example is also provided.
Structural analysis of papaya polysaccharide II.

Abstract The structure of papaya polysaccharide II (PP II) isolated by Chandrasekaran et al. [ Carbohydr. Res. , 60 (1978) 105–115] has been investigated by methylation analysis of the carboxyl-reduced polymer and by partial hydrolysis of both the intact (arabinose, 31.0; rhamnose, 13.3; galactose, 42.6; glucuronic acid, 10.3; and 4- O -methylglucuronic acid, 2.8%), and carboxyl-reduced polymers. Methylation analysis of carboxyl-reduced PP II indicated a very highly branched structure in which approximately 39% of the galactopyranose units are disubstituted, 24% are monosubstituted, 20% are trisubstituted, and 17% are nonreducing end units. Methylation analysis of products of partial hydrolysis of both intact and carboxyl-reduced polymers indicated that the backbone of the polysaccharide is made up of galactosyl residues substituted at either O-3 or -6, that the principal aldobiouronic acid fragment is 6- O -(glucopyranosyluronic acid)galactose, that the rhamnosyl units are substituted at O-3 with either terminal arabinofuranosyl or galactopyranosyl groups, and that the rhamnosyl residues are themselves linked to glucuronic acid residues through O-4. From this information, a possible statistical fragment with six arabinofuranose and two galactopyranose nonreducing end-groups per 19 sugar units [five units in the main chain of (1→3)-linked galactopyranose units] is proposed.
Fibrolipoma of the median nerve : MRI

The MRI findings of two patients with fibrolipoma of median nerve are presented. A characteristic ‘cable-like’ appearance of the tumour was present on T1-weighted images. Unique imaging features of these cases included extention of the lesion into the radial digital nerve of the index finger in case 1 and extraneuronal extension of a exophytic fatty mass from the median nerve into the thenar eminence in case 2.
Zonal Ultracentrifugation of β-Lactoglobulin and κ-Casein Complexes Induced by Heat

Abstract A zonal ultracentrifuge was used to isolate the heat-induced complexes of β -lactoglobulin and κ -casein. The complexes formed at 80C in sodium cacodylate buffer, pH 6.65, ionic strength 0.08, varied in size and composition, but moved as a single band in starch-gel electrophoresis. The maximum ratio in the complex was estimated to be 3 β -lactoglobulin:1 κ -casein. When a 1:1 mixture was heated at 110C the major component banded in 6.9% sucrose, had a sedimentation coefficient of 2.35, and moved as a single band in starch gel. At 140C, κ -casein was degraded extensively, and no complex could be detected. The complex formed at 90C from a 1:1 mixture in a synthetic serum containing calcium had a sedimentation coefficient of 39. For other mixtures in the presence of calcium the unreacted proteins could not be quantitatively separated from the complex. Zonal ultracentrifugation of heated skimmilk and colloidal calcium phosphate free milk failed to show a discrete complex peak.
TGFβ Signaling Promotes Matrix Assembly During Mechanosensitive Embryonic Salivary Gland Restoration

Mechanical properties of the microenvironment regulate cell morphology and differentiation within complex organs. However, methods to restore morphogenesis and differentiation in organs in which compliance is suboptimal are poorly understood. We used mechanosensitive mouse salivary gland organ explants grown at different compliance levels together with deoxycholate extraction and immunocytochemistry of the intact, assembled matrices to examine the compliance-dependent assembly and distribution of the extracellular matrix and basement membrane in explants grown at permissive or non-permissive compliance. Extracellular matrix and basement membrane assembly were disrupted in the glands grown at low compliance compared to those grown at high compliance, correlating with defective morphogenesis and decreased myoepithelial cell differentiation. Extracellular matrix and basement membrane assembly as well as myoepithelial differentiation were restored by addition of TGFβ1 and by mechanical rescue, and mechanical rescue was prevented by inhibition of TGFβ signaling during the rescue. We detected a basal accumulation of active integrin β1 in the differentiating myoepithelial cells that formed a continuous peripheral localization around the proacini and in clefts within active sites of morphogenesis in explants that were grown at high compliance. The pattern and levels of integrin β1 activation together with myoepithelial differentiation were interrupted in explants grown at low compliance but were restored upon mechanical rescue or with application of exogenous TGFβ1. These data suggest that therapeutic application of TGFβ1 to tissues disrupted by mechanical signaling should be examined as a method to promote organ remodeling and regeneration.
Infants' Developing Appreciation of Similarities Between Model Objects and Their Real‐World Referents

Previous research suggests that model competence does not emerge until relatively late in infancy (20–26 months). Development was systematically analyzed within 3 key areas—count noun learning, dual representation, and categorization—hypothesized to support the emergence of model competence in the second year. In an object-handling preferential looking task, 21- to 26-month-olds matched model objects to referents only when count noun knowledge was high. When dual representation demands were reduced through the use of pictures in place of model objects, 20-month-olds with low count noun vocabularies succeeded in relating symbols to referents. Finally, change in infants' construal of a model object as a member of a category was documented between 14 and 20 months of age.
Interlibrary Loan Requests Canceled Due to Availability: Problem or Opportunity?

The phenomenon of library users attempting to use interlibrary loan to obtain items that are already available at their home libraries appears to be an ongoing problem among academic libraries. This study examines the problem in the context of a midsized academic library and compares the results to those of two previous, similar studies. Possible reasons for the phenomenon are discussed along with ideas for addressing the problem. The idea that this may represent an opportunity to satisfy an unmet demand for document delivery of locally held items is explored.
Notch Signaling Regulates Ovarian Follicle Formation and Coordinates Follicular Growth

Ovarian follicles form through a process in which somatic pregranulosa cells encapsulate individual germ cells from germ cell syncytia. Complementary expression of the Notch ligand, Jagged1, in germ cells and the Notch receptor, Notch2, in pregranulosa cells suggests a role for Notch signaling in mediating cellular interactions during follicle assembly. Using a Notch reporter mouse, we demonstrate that Notch signaling is active within somatic cells of the embryonic ovary, and these cells undergo dramatic reorganization during follicle histogenesis. This coincides with a significant increase in the expression of the ligands, Jagged1 and Jagged2; the receptor, Notch2; and the target genes, Hes1 and Hey2. Histological examination of ovaries from mice with conditional deletion of Jagged1 within germ cells (J1 knockout [J1KO]) or Notch2 within granulosa cells (N2 knockout [N2KO]) reveals changes in follicle dynamics, including perturbations in the primordial follicle pool and antral follicle development. J1KO and N2KO ovaries also contain multi-oocytic follicles, which represent a failure to resolve germ cell syncytia, and follicles with enlarged oocytes but lacking somatic cell growth, signifying a potential role of Notch signaling in follicle activation and the coordination of follicle development. We also observed decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in the somatic cells of both conditional knockout lines. As a consequence of these defects, J1KO female mice are subfertile; however, N2KO female mice remain fertile. This study demonstrates important functions for Jagged1 and Notch2 in the resolution of germ cell syncytia and the coordination of somatic and germ cell growth within follicles of the mouse ovary.
Early endoscopy in upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage: associations with recurrent bleeding, surgery, and length of hospital stay

Abstract Background: The impact of upper endoscopy in patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage treated in community practice is unknown. Thus we examined the effectiveness of endoscopy performed within 24 hours of admission (early endoscopy). Methods: Medical records of 909 consecutive hospitalized patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage who underwent endoscopy at 13 hospitals in a large metropolitan area were reviewed. We evaluated unadjusted and severity-adjusted associations of early endoscopy with recurrent bleeding or surgery to control hemorrhage, length of hospital stay, and associations of endoscopic therapy in patients with bleeding ulcers or varices. Results: Early endoscopy was performed in 64% of patients and compared with delayed endoscopy and was associated with clinically significant reductions in adjusted risk of recurrent bleeding or surgery (odds ratio [OR] 0.70: 95% CI [0.44, 1.13]) and a 31% decrease in adjusted length of stay (95% CI: [24%, 37%]). In patients at high risk for recurrent bleeding, the use of early endoscopic therapy to control hemorrhage was associated with reductions in recurrent bleeding or surgery (OR 0.21: 95% CI [0.10, 0.47]) and length of stay (–31%: 95% CI [–44%, –14%). Conclusion: In this study of community-based practice, the routine use of endoscopy, and in selected cases endoscopic therapy, performed early in the clinical course of patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage was associated with reductions in length of stay and, possibly, the risk of recurrent bleeding and surgery. (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;49:145-52.)
The Nuclear Moment of Barium

New data have been obtained on the hyperfine structure of several lines of barium. These have been studied in the attempt to determine more definitely the nuclear moment of the odd isotopes of barium, reported as 2\textonehalf{} by Kruger, Gibbs and Williams, and as 1\textonehalf{} by Sch\"uler and by Murakawa. Studies of the separation of the ${6}^{2}{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and ${7}^{2}{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ components from the center of gravity, and of the spacing and patterns of the $5^{3}D_{3}$ and $6^{3}P_{2}$ terms all lead to the conclusion that $I=1\frac{1}{2}$ is the correct value of nuclear moment.
Trends in the organization and financing of livestock and animal health services

Abstract The world wide avalanche of change related to new political and economic paradigms has also affected animal agriculture. Changing views and objectives with respect to government support for agriculture in OECD countries, economic changes in Latin American and Africa countries, the GATT process and outcome, and interest in an ecosystems approach towards agriculture, are leading to a rethinking of the role of agriculture, as well as the role of development assistance. At the same time, developments in the former Soviet block and east Asia may cause a major shift in the geographical stratification of the world's intensive livestock industries which will increasingly be decided by the efficiency of production and marketing, by the availability and price of basic inputs, especially feed and fodder, and the proximity of markets. Old paradigms of livestock production may also change as advances in biotechnology increase the product mix of the livestock sector and includes outputs such as special proteins and vaccines. Major challenges facing the animal health sector, especially in developing countries, in this respect include: 1. (1) the need for active participation in the development of environmentally acceptable production systems; 2. (2) the redefinition of the role of the public sector in the provision of services, and the shift in financing animal health management from government to producers; 3. (3) the need for improvement of the quality of services provided by food animal veterinarians in order to further enhance the quality of food; 4. (4) the need to increase the efficiency of animal health through more efficient management of the supply of veterinarians, and better use of animal technicians and lay personnel. Many governments indeed are changing their policies (or contemplating doing so), and shifting responsibility for various aspects of animal production and health to the private sector. These changes are not without risk and complication. In general, the sector is trying to increase its efficiency through judicious use of manpower, drugs and equipment. Private animal health and production services, while common in the western world, are slowly emerging in developing countries and, more rapidly, in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union (FSU). This development then leads to a rethinking about the role of the public sector. This changing role is reluctantly accepted in many countries where government has played a dominant role in the last few decades. Major changes in policy development (including private sector input), privatization and commercialization of animal health services have implications for professional and lay staff as well as some of the financing consequences. The present development requires a much better assessment of the real cost of animal disease, either directly related to production or to society in general, and may lead to alternative approaches to animal health, comparable to the development of integrated pest management in plant protection.
Computational Methods for Multiple Protein Docking for Asymmetric Complexes

Protein complexes are involved in many biological processes mediating diverse important cellular functions. The tertiary structures of protein complexes provide a crucial insight about the molecular mechanisms that regulate their functions and assembly. However, solving protein complex structures by experimental methods is often more difficult than single protein structures. Computational prediction methods are expected to make significant contributions in this area. Until now most of the protein docking prediction methods focus only on pairwise docking. There exist a handful of methods for the prediction of multimeric complexes, but almost all of them assume specific properties such as homomericity or symmetry. Considering a substantial number of multimeric complexes of diverse kinds exist in a cell, there is an urgent need for the development of a multiple protein docking prediction method that does not target a specific type of complexes.We have developed a novel multiple protein docking algorithm, Multi-LZerD, that builds models of multimeric complexes by effectively reusing pairwise docking predictions of component proteins. A genetic algorithm is applied to explore the conformational space followed by a structure refinement procedure. Benchmark on nine hetero-multimeric complexes resulted in near native conformations for all of them (a root mean square deviation smaller than 2.5A). We also show that our method handles unbound docking cases well, outperforming the only methodology developed so far that can be directly compared to our approach. Multi-LZerD was able to predict near native structures for multimeric complexes of various topologies.
Understanding adenomyosis: a case control study.

Objective To elucidate the clinical profile of adenomyosis by comparison with uterine leiomyomas. Design Retrospective case-control study. Setting Academic medical center. Patient(s) The study comprised 76 women undergoing hysterectomy with adenomyosis and 152 women with uterine leiomyomas but no adenomyosis. Intervention(s) Retrospective medical record review of hospital and ambulatory records. Main Outcome Measure(s) Comparison of women undergoing hysterectomy with a sole pathologic finding of adenomyosis and women with leiomyomas alone. Result(s) Adenomyosis was independently associated with younger age (41.1 years vs. 44.3 years), history of depression (57.1% vs. 24.7%), dysmenorrhea (65.7% vs. 42.3%), and pelvic pain (52.9% vs. 21.1%) in a multivariable unconditional logistic regression analysis compared with women with leiomyomas, where women from both groups had gynecologic symptoms. Furthermore, in a second multivariate model where all subjects had uteri weighing >150 g, women with adenomyosis were more likely to have a history of depression (52.6% vs. 22.2%) and endometriosis (26.3% vs. 2.8%) compared with women with leiomyomas. Conclusion(s) Women undergoing hysterectomy with a histologic diagnosis of adenomyosis have a distinct symptomatology and medical history compared with women with leiomyomas. Better understanding of this disease is required to improve diagnosis and management.
Rapid assessment of β-asarone content of Acorus calamus by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

This report outlines a rapid, reproducible method for the determination of beta-asarone, a known carcinogen, using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC)-UV-vis absorbance and a simple alcohol extraction. The MEKC method is based on a running buffer comprised of 100 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), pH 10. The method is reproducible and provides baseline separation of alpha-asarone and beta-asarone. This protocol was used to determine the beta-asarone content of Acorus calamus rhizome of a diploid variety harvested from the wetlands of the United States and the triploid variety from India obtained commercially. The results indicate raw product that originated from India contained 4.4% w/w beta-asarone, while that from the United States contained 0.2% w/w beta-asarone. Neither sample contained detectable concentrations of alpha-asarone. This is the first report of the use of MEKC to determine asarone in a natural source.
Cost of intraocular lens versus contact lens treatment after unilateral congenital cataract surgery: retrospective analysis at age 1 year.

Purpose To describe the differences in treatment costs for infants randomized to contact lens correction versus primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation after unilateral cataract surgery in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS). Design Retrospective cost analysis of a prospective, randomized clinical trial based on Georgia Medicaid data and the actual costs of supplies used. Participants The IATS is a randomized, multicenter (n=12) clinical trial comparing treatment of aphakia with a primary IOL or contact lens in 114 infants with unilateral congenital cataract. Intervention Infants underwent cataract surgery with or without placement of an IOL. Main Outcome Measures The mean cost of cataract surgery and all additional surgeries, examinations, and supplies used up to 12 months of age. Results The mean cost of treatment for a unilateral congenital cataract with primary IOL implantation was $14 752 versus $10 726 with contact lens correction. The initial cataract surgery accounted for approximately 50% of the treatment costs for both groups. Contact lens costs accounted for 15% ($1600/patient) in the aphakic group, whereas glasses costs represented only 4% ($535/patient) in the IOL group. The increased costs in the IOL group were primarily due to the higher cost of cataract surgery in this group ($7302 vs. $5357) and the cost of additional operations. Conclusions For IATS patients up to 12 months of age, cataract surgery coupled with IOL implantation and spectacle correction was 37.5% (∼$4000) more expensive than cataract surgery coupled with contact lens correction. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Chiral Hausdorff metrics and structural spectroscopy in a complex system

The surface Coulomb problem consists of finding the locally stable equilibrium configurations of N equal charges confined to the surface of a sphere. In the range 2 N112, computer searches have located 2054 equilibrium states including 1824 that occur in chiral pairs. The structural difference between the `left' and the `right' partners of each pair, i.e. the degree of chiral symmetry breaking, can be described in quantitative terms by computing the Hausdorff distance between the two enantiomorphic configurations. The results show that there is a general, albeit not universal, correlation between increasing complexity, decreasing symmetry, and increasing Hausdorff distance. The distribution of distances generated by the relative rotations of the pairs yield an intrinsic characterization of their shapes. The orientations with minimum distances, or optimum overlap, lead to reptation transforms that provide upper bounds for the saddle point heights separating the chiral minima on the energy surfaces. Since the Hausdorff metric constructions are generally asymmetric, the `left' `right' and `right' `left' distances may differ. These distinctions are related to classical parity violation and Hilbert's thirteenth problem.
A dimensional analysis of the performance of pneumatic tires on clay

THE MECHANICS Of the interaction of a loaded, powered pneumatic tire and a )deld-. ing soil are complex and not well understood, even qualitatively. In fact, the task of describing the stress-strain-time characteristics either of an inflated tire or of the most simple soil system has only just begun. Thus, the prospects of early development of analytical equations to define the tire-soil interaction are not good. In other disciplines, such as fluid dynamics, satisfactory solutions to equally complex problems have been obtained through empirical relations between a measure of the phenomenon of interest and various dimensionless ratios (e.g. coefficient of drag versus Reynolds number). Therefore, experiments with tires in soil have been conducted and the data analyzed by dimensional analysis techniques to endeavor to determine some useful quantitative generalized tire-soil relations.
Kinetics of reactions between aqueous sulfates and sulfides in hydrothermal systems

The rates of chemical reactions between aqueous sulfates and sulfides are essentially identical to sulfur isotopic exchange rates between them, because both the chemical and isotopic reactions involve simultaneous oxidation of sulfide-sulfur atoms and reduction of sulfate-sulfur. The rate of reaction can be expressed as a second order rate law: R = k·[∑SO42−]·[∑S2−], where R is the overall rate, k is the rate constant and [∑SO42−] and [∑S2−] are molal concentrations. We have computed the rate constants from the available experimental data on the partial exchange of sulfur isotopes between aqueous sulfates and sulfides using the rate law established by us: ln(αe − ααe − α0) = − kt([∑SO42−] + [∑S2−]), where t is time and α0, α, and αe are, respectively, the fractionation factors at t = 0 (the initial condition), at the end of experiment, and at equilibrium. The equilibrium fractionation factor can be expressed as: 1000 ln αe = 6.463 × 106T2 + 0.56 (±.5) (T in Kelvin). The rate constants are strongly dependent on T and pH, but not in as simple a manner as suggested by Igumnov (1976). Our rate constants in Na-bearing hydrothermal solutions decrease by 1 order of magnitude with an increase in pH by 1 unit at pH's less than ~3, remain constant in the pH range of ~4 to ~7, and again decrease at pH >7. The activation energy for the reaction also depends on pH: 18.4 ± 1 kcal/mole at pH = 2, 29.6 ± 1 kcal/mole at pH = 4 to 7, and between 40 and 47 kcal/mole at pH around 9. The observed pH dependence of the rate constant and of the activation energy can be best explained by a model involving thiosulfate molecules as reaction intermediates, in which the intramolecular exchange of sulfur atoms in thiosulfates becomes the rate determining step. The rate constants obtained in this study were used to compute the changes in the isotopic fractionation factors between aqueous sulfates and sulfides during cooling of fluids. Comparisons with data of coexisting sulfate-sulfide minerals in hydrothermal deposits, suggest that simple cooling was not a likely mechanism for coprecipitation of sulfate and sulfide minerals at temperatures below 350°C. Mixing of sulfide-rich solutions with sulfate-rich solutions at or near the depositional sites is a more reasonable process for explaining the observed fractionation. The degree of attainment of chemical equilibrium between aqueous sulfates and sulfides in a hydrothermal system, and the applicability of aO2-pH type diagrams to mineral deposits, depends on the ∑S content and the thermal history of the fluid, which in turn is controlled by the flow rate and the thermal gradient in the system. The rates of sulfate reduction by non-bacterial processes involving a variety of reductants are also dependent on T, pH, [∑SO42−], and [∑S2−], and appear to be fast enough to become geochemically important at temperatures above about 200°C.
The k43 gene, required for chorion gene amplification and diploid cell chromosome replication, encodes the Drosophila homolog of yeast origin recognition complex subunit 2

Lethal alleles of the Drosophila k43 gene result in small or missing imaginal discs, greatly reduced mitotic index, and fragmented and abnormally condensed chromosomes. A female-sterile allele of k43 specifically reduces chorion gene amplification in ovarian follicle cells. k43 was cloned by chromosomal walking, and the identification of the k43 gene was confirmed by phenotypic rescue and sequence analysis of mutant alleles. The sequence analyses reveal that the k43 gene encodes the Drosophila homolog of the yeast origin recognition complex subunit 2 (Orc2p), a protein required for replication origin function and transcriptional silencing in yeast. These results suggest an evolutionarily conserved role for Orc2p in eukaryotic chromosomal DNA replication.
Generalized median graphs and applications

We study the so-called Generalized Median graph problem where the task is to construct a prototype (i.e., a ‘model’) from an input set of graphs. While our primary motivation comes from an important biological imaging application, the problem effectively captures many vision (e.g., object recognition) and learning problems, where graphs are increasingly being adopted as a powerful representation tool. Existing techniques for his problem are evolutionary search based; in this paper, we propose a polynomial time algorithm based on a linear programming formulation. We propose an additional algorithm based on a bi-level method to obtain solutions arbitrarily close to the optimal in (worst case) non-polynomial time. Within this new framework, one can optimize edit distance functions that capture similarity by considering vertex labels as well as he graph structure simultaneously. We first discuss experimental evaluations in context of molecular image analysis problems—he methods will provide the basis for building a topological map of all 23 pairs of the human chromosome. Later, we include (a) applications to other biomedical problems and (b) evaluations on a public pattern recognition graph database.
The role of professionalization in a collective bargaining election

This study examined a university's faculty voting in a collective bargaining election. Not only were the votes “for” and “against” bargaining collected, but also relevant demographic data were includedon each ballot. These data permit analysis of which specific faculty members at a comprehensive university tend to favor or oppose faculty bargaining. The variable of “professionalization” is identified as being important to the faculty members' decision. The findings have ramifications for faculties, governing boards, and governmental labor-relations agencies in considering how bargaining units should be composed and imposed.
Determining the importance of model calibration for forecasting absolute/relative changes in streamflow from LULC and climate changes

Summary Land use/land cover (LULC) and climate changes are important drivers of change in streamflow. Assessing the impact of LULC and climate changes on streamflow is typically done with a calibrated and validated watershed model. However, there is a debate on the degree of calibration required. The objective of this study was to quantify the variation in estimated relative and absolute changes in streamflow associated with LULC and climate changes with different calibration approaches. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied in an uncalibrated (UC), single outlet calibrated (OC), and spatially-calibrated (SC) mode to compare the relative and absolute changes in streamflow at 14 gaging stations within the Santa Cruz River Watershed in southern Arizona, USA. For this purpose, the effect of 3 LULC, 3 precipitation (P), and 3 temperature (T) scenarios were tested individually. For the validation period, Percent Bias (PBIAS) values were >100% with the UC model for all gages, the values were between 0% and 100% with the OC model and within 20% with the SC model. Changes in streamflow predicted with the UC and OC models were compared with those of the SC model. This approach implicitly assumes that the SC model is “ideal”. Results indicated that the magnitude of both absolute and relative changes in streamflow due to LULC predicted with the UC and OC results were different than those of the SC model. The magnitude of absolute changes predicted with the UC and SC models due to climate change (both P and T) were also significantly different, but were not different for OC and SC models. Results clearly indicated that relative changes due to climate change predicted with the UC and OC were not significantly different than that predicted with the SC models. This result suggests that it is important to calibrate the model spatially to analyze the effect of LULC change but not as important for analyzing the relative change in streamflow due to climate change. This study also indicated that model calibration in not necessary to determine the direction of change in streamflow due to LULC and climate change.
Patients with multiple myeloma may safely undergo autologous transplantation despite ongoing RSV infection and no ribavirin therapy.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been reported as a cause of death among autologous peripheral blood stem cell (ASCT) and marrow recipients and recommendations for therapy with aerosolized ribavirin plus intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) made. This therapy is expensive, may be toxic, and causes a significant disruption of patient care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morbidity and mortality of RSV infections in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing ASCT without ribavirin therapy. During the months of February–April 1997, 10 consecutive patients (median age 57 years, seven males) with advanced and heavily pretreated myeloma underwent ASCT while having active RSV upper respiratory tract infection. After melphalan (200 mg/m2), all patients became neutropenic (<1000 cells/mm3) for a median of 7 days. Ribavirin was not given to any patient. No patient developed lower respiratory tract infection, required transfer to intensive care or died at a median follow-up of 8 months. One patient developed tracheobronchitis requiring oxygenation by nasal cannula. No delay in the treatment of the underlying myeloma was incurred. RSV infection may not necessarily be a contraindication for ASCT or an indication for therapy with aerosolized ribavirin. Additional studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings.
Levi’s Commutator Theorems for Cancellative Semigroups

For every semigroup of finite exponent whose chains of idempotents are uniformly bounded we construct an identity which holds on this semigroup but does not hold on the variety of all idempotent semigroups. This shows that the variety of all idempotent semigroups E is not contained in any finitely generated variety of semigroups. Since E is locally finite and each proper subvariety of E is finitely generated [1, 3, 4], the variety of all idempotent semigroups is a minimal example of an inherently non-finitely generated variety.
Suppressed formation of bone marrow adherent layers derived from acute myeloid leukemia patients after in vitro exposure to interleukin-4.

Long-term bone marrow cultures from ten acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients exposed to recombinant human (rhu) interleukin (IL) 4 from culture initiation failed to develop adherent layers at 5 weeks as compared to controls. The adherent layers from two of our patients expressed IL-1β transcripts constitutively, and all produced IL-6 and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) proteins. Our results demonstrate that rhulL-4 markedly inhibited AML-derived adherent layer formation in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and this effect was not mediated through enhanced apoptosis and did not correlate with IL-1β, IL-6 or LIF production.
Lower Extremity Kinematics and Ground Reaction Forces After Prophylactic Lace-Up Ankle Bracing

Abstract Context: Long-term effects of ankle bracing on lower extremity kinematics and kinetics are unknown. Ankle motion restriction may negatively affect the body's ability to attenuate ground re...
ERG-APLNR Axis Controls Pulmonary Venule Endothelial Proliferation in Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease

Background—Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is caused by excessive cell proliferation and fibrosis, which obliterate the lumen of pulmonary venules, leading to pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular failure, and death. This condition has no effective treatment and a 5-year survival of <5%. Understanding the mechanism of this disease and designing effective therapies are urgently needed. Methods and Results—We show that mice with homozygous deletion of the Ets transcription factor Erg die between embryonic day 16.5 and 3 months of age as a result of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, capillary hemorrhage, and pancytopenia. We demonstrate that Erg binds to and serves as a transcriptional activator of the G-protein–coupled receptor gene Aplnr, the expression of which is uniquely specific for venous endothelium and that knockout of either Erg or Aplnr results in pulmonary venule–specific endothelial proliferation in vitro. We show that mice with either homozygous-global or endothelium-directed deletion of A...
R7BP complexes with RGS9-2 and RGS7 in the striatum differentially control motor learning and locomotor responses to cocaine.

In the striatum, signaling through G protein-coupled dopamine receptors mediates motor and reward behavior, and underlies the effects of addictive drugs. The extent of receptor responses is determined by RGS9-2/Gβ5 complexes, a striatally enriched regulator that limits the lifetime of activated G proteins. Recent studies suggest that the function of RGS9-2/Gβ5 is controlled by the association with an additional subunit, R7BP, making elucidation of its contribution to striatal signaling essential for understanding molecular mechanisms of behaviors mediated by the striatum. In this study, we report that elimination of R7BP in mice results in motor coordination deficits and greater locomotor response to morphine administration, consistent with the essential role of R7BP in maintaining RGS9-2 expression in the striatum. However, in contrast to previously reported observations with RGS9-2 knockouts, mice lacking R7BP do not show higher sensitivity to locomotor-stimulating effects of cocaine. Using a striatum-specific knockdown approach, we show that the sensitivity of motor stimulation to cocaine is instead dependent on RGS7, whose complex formation with R7BP is dictated by RGS9-2 expression. These results indicate that dopamine signaling in the striatum is controlled by concerted interplay between two RGS proteins, RGS7 and RGS9-2, which are balanced by a common subunit, R7BP.
The Effects of Solution-Focused Supervision on the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Therapists in Training

Abstract Therapist burnout and career changes can be traced to ineffective supervision. Traditional supervision models have been ineffective in developing positive perceived self-efficacy in therapists. Fifty-five supervisors—therapist dyads completed surveys measuring attitudes toward supervision and perceived self-efficacy. Pearson Correlations and Stepwise Multiple Regression demonstrated that supervisors implementing components of a Solution-Focused Supervision model (focus on successes, p = .04, and the therapist's work, p = .01) effectively contributed to therapists' positive perceived self-efficacy (18% of the variance explained). Further delineation of this model, a manual describing its components, and longitudinal studies will help to determine its impact on the profession.
Moderators of Correctional Treatment Success: An Exploratory Study of Racial Differences

An important area in correctional rehabilitation research is to better understand how offenders differentially respond to correctional treatments. Potential treatment moderators forwarded in the literature are gender, race/ethnicity, and personality types. This exploratory study asked whether a group of parolees had demographic and personality moderators of treatment and, if so, were the moderating influences different by race? An experimental design was used to randomly assign a sample of 937 male parolees (n = 658 African American, n = 279 White) to the experimental group that received the cognitive-behavioral treatment program and the control group that did not. Discrete-time event history analysis independently tested the program-moderating effects of demographic and personality characteristics (age, prior employment status, educational attainment, marital status, social class, risk of recidivism, prior violence, IQ, reading level, cognitive maturity, personality type, residential urbanization) on rec...
Structures of alkali metals in silica gel nanopores: new materials for chemical reductions and hydrogen production.

Alkali metals and their alloys can be protected from spontaneous reaction with dry air by intercalation (with subsequent heating) into the pores of silica gel (SG) at loadings up to 40 wt %. The resulting loose, black powders are convenient materials for chemical reduction of organic compounds and the production of clean hydrogen. The problem addressed in this paper is the nature of the reducing species present in these amorphous materials. The atomic pair distribution function (PDF), which considers both Bragg and diffuse scattering components, was used to examine their structures. Liquid Na−K alloys added to silica gel at room temperature (stage 0) or heated to 150 °C (stage I) as well as stage I Na−SG, retain the overall pattern of pure silica gel. Broad oscillations in the PDF show that added alkali metals remain in the pores as nanoscale metal clusters. 23Na MAS NMR studies confirm the presence of Na0 and demonstrate that Na+ ions are formed as well. The relative amounts of Na0 and Na+ depend on both...
Abstract 500: Role of R-spondin4 in Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cell proliferation in breast cancer.

R-spondin 4 (Rspo4) is a member of the Rspo protein family, which is another group of secreted proteins that can activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Although it is well recognized that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is important for breast cancer development and progression, the role of Rspo4 in breast cancer is unclear. In the present study, we found that Rspo4 was expressed in breast cancer cell lines, but absent in normal mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). We also found that Rspo4 expression was up-regulated in human malignant breast tissues. Moreover, Rspo4 acted synergistically with Wnt3A to activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling in breast cancer cells. Conversely, reducing endogenous Rspo4 with siRNAs in human breast cancer cell lines suppressed Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cell proliferation. These data suggest that Rspo4 functions as a positive regulator of breast cancer proliferation by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Citation Format: Wenyan Lu, Cuihong Lin, Taj K. King, Yonghe Li. Role of R-spondin4 in Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cell proliferation in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 500. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-500
Demo abstract: EnergyLab: building energy testbed for demand-response

A building testbed for design and evaluation of energy efficient control and demand response strategies for real buildings is presented. The testbed is a scaled down model of a centralized Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and lighting system. Sensing and control in the tesbed is achieved using the standard Building Automation and Control Network protocol. A MATLAB based front-end can be used to run and observe experiments.
Characterizing the Role of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Genetic Variation in Alzheimer’s Disease Neurodegeneration

There is accumulating evidence that neurotrophins, like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), may impact aging and Alzheimer’s Disease. However, traditional genetic association studies have not found a clear relationship between BDNF and AD. Our goal was to test whether BDNF single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impact Alzheimer’s Disease-related brain imaging and cognitive markers of disease. We completed an imaging genetics study on 645 Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative participants (ND=175, MCI=316, AD=154) who had cognitive, brain imaging, and genetics data at baseline and a subset of those with brain imaging data at two years. Samples were genotyped using the Illumina Human610-Quad BeadChip. 13 SNPs in BDNF were identified in the dataset following quality control measures (rs6265(Val66Met), rs12273363, rs11030094, rs925946, rs1050187, rs2203877, rs11030104, rs11030108, rs10835211, rs7934165, rs908867, rs1491850, rs1157459). We analyzed a subgroup of 8 SNPs that were in low linkage disequilibrium with each other. Automated brain morphometric measures were available through ADNI investigators, and we analyzed baseline cognitive scores, hippocampal and whole brain volumes, and rates of hippocampal and whole brain atrophy and rates of change in the ADAS-Cog over one and two years. Three out of eight BDNF SNPs analyzed were significantly associated with measures of cognitive decline (rs1157659, rs11030094, rs11030108). No SNPs were significantly associated with baseline brain volume measures, however six SNPs were significantly associated with hippocampal and/or whole brain atrophy over two years (rs908867, rs11030094, rs6265, rs10501087, rs1157659, rs1491850). We also found an interaction between the BDNF Val66Met SNP and age with whole brain volume. Our imaging-genetics analysis in a large dataset suggests that while BDNF genetic variation is not specifically associated with a diagnosis of AD, it appears to play a role in AD-related brain neurodegeneration.
Dean Spade. Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, and the Limits of Law

A timely and important critique, Dean Spade's Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, and the Limits of Law provides an insightful analysis of why legal reform has consistent...
Student Learning and Gender

Using a qualitative research design and an anthropological theory of learning, I studied a sophomore design class to investigate how teams of women and men student engineers acquired and shared scientific and technical knowledge while developing solutions to real-world problems for government and industry clients. The course provided a forum where women and men students not only learned technical information critical to their project, but also learned how to function as engineers on a team. The design class improved some women students' experiences, but these opportunities did not exist for all women in the class or in all settings on the campus. In spite of its notable successes, some facets of the organization of the course, its implementation by the faculty, and students' beliefs that their work was “basically useless” detracted from collaborative aims. These findings suggest classroom practices to create and maintain an environment where all students can participate and learn.
The ydaO motif is an ATP-sensing riboswitch in Bacillus subtilis

We report what is to our knowledge the first natural RNA that regulates gene expression in response to intracellular ATP. Using a biochemical screen, we found that several putative riboswitches bind ATP in vitro. The ydaO motif specifically bound ATP and regulated expression of endogenous and reporter genes in response to ATP concentrations in Bacillus subtilis. This discovery demonstrates a role for RNAs in regulating gene expression in response to energy balance in bacteria.
The Moment Code BEDLAM

BEDLAM is a fourth-order moment simulation code. The beam at the input to a linear accelerator is specified as a collection of moments of the phase-space distribution. Then the moment equations, which describe the time evolution of the moments, are numerically integrated. No particles are traced in this approach. The computed distribution, the external forces, and the space-charge forces are computed consistently to a given order of accuracy. Although BEDLAM includes moments to fourth order only, it could be systematically extended to any order. Another feature of this method is that physically interesting and intuitive quantities, such as beam sizes and rms emittances, are computed directly. This paper describes the status of BEDLAM and presents the results of some tests. We simulated a section of radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac, neglecting space charge, to test the new code. Agreement with a Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulation was excellent. We also verified that the fourth-order solution is more accurate than the second-order solution, which indicates the convergence of the method. We believe these results justify the continued development of moment simulation codes.