cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theoretical investigation of the role of hydrogen bonding during ketosteroid isomerase catalysis

Abstract Hartree–Fock, Moller–Plesset, and density functional calculations have been carried out using the 6-31+G(d,p) basis set to study the role of strong hydrogen bonding during the reaction catalyzed by Δ 5 -3-ketosteroid isomerase. Both the ‘low-barrier hydrogen bond’ and ‘cooperative hydrogen bond’ mechanisms were investigated, and found to be equally stabilizing. These results are consistent with recent NMR and X-ray data, which showed that under some conditions the LBHB mechanism appears to be operative, but under other conditions the cooperative hydrogen bond mechanism dominates.
MAGNETIC PHASES OF FCC FE FILMS IN THE 5-11 MONOLAYER THICKNESS RANGE

Using the methods of artificial roughening and interfacial doping, we investigated the effects of film roughness and interdiffusion on the formation of the magnetic phase of the fcc Fe film in the Fe/Co/Cu(100) system. We found that it is the degree of film roughness that determines the magnetic phase of the fcc Fe film in the 5{endash}11 monolayer thickness range, and that the interdiffusion plays no appreciable role in the formation of the magnetic phase. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Business Ethics from the Internal Point of View

The notion that the firm, and economic activity in general, is inherently amoral is a central feature of positive economics that is also widely accepted in business ethics. Theories as disparate as stockholder and stakeholder theory both leave this central assumption unchallenged. Each theory argues for a different set of external ethical restrictions, but neither adequately provides an internal connection between business and the ethical rules business people are obliged to follow. This paper attempts to make this connection by arguing that the purpose of business is to produce a good or service for trade. Trade involves both a respect for individual autonomy and property rights and squarely places moral norms internal to the practice of business. Trade is not a contingent activity of business, it is a practice rule which also provides the common sense boundary between business and charity on the one hand, and crime on the other. Business and those who engage in it are, from the internal point of view, bound by the purpose of trade and not just the laws of the land.
Experimental constraints on the role of dynamic recrystallization on resetting the Ti-in-quartz thermobarometer

We conducted deformation experiments on Ti-doped quartz aggregates to investigate the effect of crystal-plastic deformation and dynamic recrystallization on Ti substitution in quartz. Shear experiments were conducted at 1.0 GPa and 900°C at a constant shear strain rate (~5 × 10−6 s−1) for progressively longer intervals of time (24, 48, and 72 h). Equivalent experiments were conducted under hydrostatic stress to compare the effect of deformation relative to static crystallization. A novel quartz-doping technique is used to synthesize a quartz aggregate consisting of two layers with Ti concentrations above and below the predicted solubility level for the experimental conditions. Samples deformed to progressively higher shear strain by dislocation creep accommodated by a combination of subgrain rotation and grain boundary migration recrystallization show a strengthening of the crystallographic preferred orientation that correlates with a progressive evolution of Ti concentrations. Quartz grains in the highest strain, most strongly recrystallized samples have Ti concentrations that are most similar to undeformed quartz grown in hydrostatic annealing experiments. Cathodoluminescence (CL) analysis of intragrain variations in Ti content reveals core and rim zoning present in the starting material that becomes progressively homogenized with increasing strain—recrystallized quartz in the highest-strain samples exhibits a uniform CL signal. We conclude that dynamic recrystallization enhances the kinetics of trace element equilibration in quartz, illustrating that Ti-in-quartz thermobarometry is capable of recording the conditions of ductile shearing.
R&M quality team concept: a new R&M 2000 initiative

The Aeronautical Systems Division's C-17 System Program Office has introduced a project management initiative designed to improve the effectiveness of a company's design organization, and to recognize and manage the reliability and maintainability (R&M) program in day-to-day design activities. The initiative, which is called the R&M Quality Team Concept, uses R&M quality teams and a review council, integrated with a structured approach, to focus on system level R&M issues. >
Spread-spectrum techniques in optical communication using transform domain processing

A method of applying spread-spectrum techniques to optical communication is presented. The interference-suppression capability of spread-spectrum systems is shown to be enhanced by optical transform domain processing, and a design for spectral coding at optical frequencies is given. The encoding system is based on optical pulse compression and shaping. Several possible implementations of this system are suggested, and applications to fiber optics, laser radar, free-space optical communications, and other systems are discussed. >
Ultrasonography and CT of abdominal and inguinal hernias

Forty-two patients with various abdominal wall hernias and five patients with inguinal hernias were studied with ultrasonography. Thirteen patients were studied by CT. Although hernias are usually apparent on physical examination, difficulty in diagnosis may be encountered in some patients. Ultrasonography and CT are not only capable of diagnosing hernia in such instances, they are also helpful in the clinical management of the patients by demonstrating the precise location and extent of the muscular defect. However, the hernia may simulate a mass or cyst in the ultrasonograph and CT scan and one should carefully demonstrate intraperitoneal communication through a muscular defect or a herniated bowl loop within the hernia in order to avoid misdiagnosis. Pseudohernias due to localized thinning or thickening of the rectus muscle were also observed in five patients.
Using information technology to reduce asthma disparities in underserved populations: A pilot study

Background. Low health literacy has been identified as an independent predictor of poor asthma control. The Institute of Medicine considers the role of information technology (IT) as critical in providing “safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable” care with the potential to reduce health disparities in underserved populations. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate an interactive computer-based questionnaire to assess asthma symptoms in children of parents with limited health literacy and/or limited English proficiency. Methods. Volunteer caregivers attending a mobile asthma clinic were randomly assigned to complete the electronic or the paper-and-pencil version of an asthma screening questionnaire (ASQ) in their language of choice (English or Spanish). In the electronic version, a tablet computer was used to present the ASQ questions as video clips and to collect information through the touchscreen. Participants also completed a demographic questionnaire, a brief heal...
The MaTPi protocol: masking tuning times through pipelining in WDM optical networks

The authors propose MaTPi, a new media-access protocol for the efficient utilization of resources in a local-area optical WDMA network. Most of the earlier work on reservation based media access protocols for single-hop optical networks has assumed the availability of state-of-the-art transmitters and/or receivers which are capable of tuning to the required wavelengths within nanoseconds. Their protocol operates in the region where the tuning times of the end-devices are of the same order of magnitude as the transmission time of a packet. In the basic MaTPi protocol, network throughput is improved by effectively overlapping the tuning duration of a transmitter in a node with the transmitting times of lasers in other nodes. They extend this basic protocol to the mult-MaTPi protocol, where each node has more than one transmitter to further improve the bandwidth efficiency of the network. Preliminary simulation results indicate that this practical protocol is indeed capable of achieving high throughput with low-cost, off-the-shelf components. A number of extensions to this protocol are also discussed. >
Nonlinear BCJR equalizer for suppression of intrachannel nonlinearities in 40 Gb/s optical communications systems

A maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) symbol decoding supplemented with iterative decoding is proposed as an effective mean for suppression of intrachannel nonlinearities. The MAP detector, based on Bahl-Cocke-Jelinek-Raviv algorithm, operates on the channel trellis, a dynamical model of intersymbol interference, and provides soft-decision outputs processed further in an iterative decoder. A dramatic performance improvement is demonstrated. The main reason is that the conventional maximum-likelihood sequence detector based on Viterbi algorithm provides hard-decision outputs only, hence preventing the soft iterative decoding. The proposed scheme operates very well in the presence of strong intrachannel intersymbol interference, when other advanced forward error correction schemes fail, and it is also suitable for 40 Gb/s upgrade over existing 10 Gb/s infrastructure.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Corrensite: A Study of the Transformation of Saponite to Corrensite

Abstraet~Hydroth ermal synthesis experiments were conducted to study the transition from smectite to corrensite. A mixture of oxides with the bulk composition of corrensite--Na0~4(Si6.aAll.6)(Mg7.sA11:)O20(OH)~0--was sealed in platinum capsules with 29-37 wt. % water. One set of samples was treated in cold-seal vessels at 500~ and 2 kbar for durations of 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h; the other set was treated at 350~ and 2 kbar for periods of 12 to 89 d. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) of oriented aggregates from treated products were obtained from ethylene glycol-solvated and air-dried preparations. Samples were also heated to 350~ either in a calibrated muffle furnace, removed and quickly placed in a nitrogen filled chamber on the diffractometer, or were heated at 350~ by using a calibrated heating stage mounted on the diffractometer. Initial mineral assemblages at both temperatures contained only saponite and serpentine. In experiments at 500~ saponite u'ansformed to corrensite within 6 h; in experiments at 350~ the transformation occurred as early as 22 d. Increased experiment times at both temperatures produced increasing amounts of well-crystallized corrensite, as indicated by several well-defined XRD peaks. No evidence of a randomly interstratified chlorite-smectite (C-S) precursor to corrensite was found. The identification of pure smectite, as opposed to highly-expanded randomly interstratified C-S, was possible only when clays were dehydrated on a heating stage on the diffractometer. These results call for a new examination of hydrothermally-altered basalt that has been reported to contain randomly interstratified C-S as an intermediate step in the reaction of smectite to corrensite or chlorite. These results also strengthen the view held by increasing numbers of investigators that corrensite should be regarded as a single phase, not as a mixed-layered phyllosilicate.
Enhanced Computational Methods for Nonlinear Hamiltonian Wave Dynamics

Abstract It is noted that the nonlinear Hamiltonian dynamical equations describing surface waves are of convolution form in a version derived by Krasitskii. By virtue of the convolution theorem for Fourier transforms, the dynamical equations are thus amenable to numerical calculations using FFT techniques. This, as is well known, renders the calculations much faster than direct numerical integration, of order N logN steps versus N2 per convolution integral for N discrete wavenumbers. An illustrative calculation for pure gravity waves in deep water is presented and discussed.
Dynamics of cadherin/catenin complex formation : novel protein interactions and pathways of complex assembly

Calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion is mediated by the cadherin family of cell adhesion proteins. Transduction of cadherin adhesion into cellular reorganization is regulated by cytosolic proteins, termed alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin (plakoglobin), that bind to the cytoplasmic domain of cadherins and link them to the cytoskeleton. Previous studies of cadherin/catenin complex assembly and organization relied on the coimmunoprecipitation of the complex with cadherin antibodies, and were limited to the analysis of the Triton X-100 (TX-100)-soluble fraction of these proteins. These studies concluded that only one complex exists which contains cadherin and all of the catenins. We raised antibodies specific for each catenin to analyze each protein independent of its association with E-cadherin. Extracts of Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells were sequentially immunoprecipitated and immunoblotted with each antibody, and the results showed that there were complexes of E-cadherin/alpha-catenin, and either beta-catenin or plakoglobin in the TX-100-soluble fraction. We analyzed the assembly of cadherin/catenin complexes in the TX-100-soluble fraction by [35S]methionine pulse-chase labeling, followed by sucrose density gradient fractionation of proteins. Immediately after synthesis, E-cadherin, beta-catenin, and plakoglobin cosedimented as complexes. alpha-Catenin was not associated with these complexes after synthesis, but a subpopulation of alpha-catenin joined the complex at a time coincident with the arrival of E-cadherin at the plasma membrane. The arrival of E-cadherin at the plasma membrane coincided with an increase in its insolubility in TX-100, but extraction of this insoluble pool with 1% SDS disrupted the cadherin/catenin complex. Therefore, to examine protein complex assembly in both the TX-100-soluble and -insoluble fractions, we used [35S]methionine labeling followed by chemical cross-linking before cell extraction. Analysis of cross-linked complexes from cells labeled to steady state indicates that, in addition to cadherin/catenin complexes, there were cadherin-independent pools of catenins present in both the TX-100-soluble and -insoluble fractions. Metabolic labeling followed by chase showed that immediately after synthesis, cadherin/beta-catenin, and cadherin/plakoglobin complexes were present in the TX-100-soluble fraction. Approximately 50% of complexes were titrated into the TX-100-insoluble fraction coincident with the arrival of the complexes at the plasma membrane and the assembly of alpha-catenin. Subsequently, > 90% of labeled cadherin, but no additional labeled catenin complexes, entered the TX-100-insoluble fraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Who's the Expert? Rethinking authority in the face of intellectual disability

This article poses the question, 'Who is the expert?' in relation to people with intellectual disabilities. It begins with an exploration of what it means to assert moral authority in relation to people with IDs, and makes the argument that 'experts' who draw moral boundaries, define conceptions of the 'good' and quality of life for people must consider how to occupy this position responsibly. It then considers a second form of authority - epistemic authority - and explores the moral responsibility that accompanies the practice of putting forth knowledge claims about ID. This involves acknowledging three potential problems: distancing, oppression and dehumanization. The article concludes with questions that point towards greater interdisciplinary dialogue regarding authority, responsibility and the role of the expert.
Bulk resistivity optimization for low‐bulk‐lifetime silicon solar cells

Guidelines are presented which are designed to achieve planar solar cell efficiencies as high as 17.5% using existing fabrication technologies and silicon substrates with lifetimes as low as 20 μs. Device simulations are performed to elucidate the need and impact of base doping optimization for different back-surface passivation schemes, cell thicknesses, emitter profiles, and degrees of dopant–defect interaction. Results indicate that optimal resistivity is a function of back-surface passivation, with the aluminum back-surface field (BSF) requiring the highest resistivity, the oxide/nitride stack passivation excelling at an intermediate resistivity, and the ohmic contact needing the lowest resistivity. A comparison of simulated 300 and 100 μm cells shows that thinner cells magnify the differences in optimal resistivity for the three back-surface passivation schemes. A lifetime model is used to account for dopant–defect interaction that can lower bulk lifetime at higher doping levels. It is demonstrated that cell efficiency decreases and optimal resistivity increases at higher levels of dopant–defect interaction. Simulated devices with an optimized base doping showed an efficiency improvement of as much as 2% (absolute) compared with identical devices with a typical base doping level (1.6 or 1.8 Ω cm) and bulk lifetime of 20 μs. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strained Si 1−x Ge x -on-insulator PMOS FinFETs with excellent sub-threshold leakage, extremely-high short-channel performance and source injection velocity for 10nm node and beyond

We demonstrate high performance (HP) s-SiGe pMOS finFETs with I on /I eff of ~1.05/0.52mA/μm and ~1.3/0.71mA/μm at I off =100nA/μm at V DD =0.8 and 1V, extremely high intrinsic performance and source injection velocity. Compared to earlier work, an optimized process flow and a novel interface passivation scheme, result in ~30% mobility enhancement and dramatic sub-threshold-swing reduction to 65mV/dec. We also demonstrate the most aggressively scaled s-SiGe finFET reported to date, with W FIN ~8nm and L G ~15nm, while maintaining high current drive and low leakage. With their very low GIDL-limited I D, min and more manufacturing-friendly process compared to high-Ge content SiGe devices, as well as impressive I on ~0.42mA/μm at I off =100nA/μm and g m, int as high as 2.4mS/μm at V DD =0.5V, s-SiGe finFETs are strong candidates for future HP and low-power applications.
Teaching surgical oncology to medical studients

A recent review of the curriculum at University of Kansas Medical Center-Kansas City revealed several deficiencies in oncology teaching in the medical school curriculum. Analysis of the surgery core course final examination showed a weaker response by students to surgical oncology items than nononcologic questions. A multidisciplinary cancer course and tumor conference were then added to the surgery core curriculum. Analysis of student performance since this addition reveals that the multimodal course improved the successful response rate to surgical oncology questions on the final examination. This effect has been sustained through nine consecutive student group rotations. These results suggest that surgical oncology teaching can be effectively improved by a multidisciplinary effort.
A note regarding an expected value model of social power

An expected value model of coercive power was developed and operationalized within the context of a two-person prisoner's dilemma game modified to permit one player to threaten and provide negative sidepayments to the other player if the latter's strategy choices are noncooperative on specified game trials. Thirteen empirical studies employing this paradigm were evaluated by the model, and it was shown that the model successfully predicted that the proportion of compliant responses by target individuals was monotone increasing with the expected value of compliance. It was also demonstrated that the present model is predictively identical to previous normative decision theories of power.
A new, robust, high data rate digital FM subcarrier system for mobile ITS applications

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS)-formerly called IVHS-are essentially mobile information utilities, designed to deliver information about the status of the surface transportation system to users in mobile vehicles, pedestrians, and people in offices and homes. Except for the last class of users, mobile communications by radio is the only viable means for delivering this information. By far the largest volume of data that needs to be transferred from the infrastructure to mobile users concerns the state of congestion on highways. Since this can be done in a one-way broadcast mode, significant savings in communications cost and radio-frequency (RF) spectrum acquisition time can be achieved if an existing, widely available medium is used. For ITS purposes analog subcarriers have neither the capacity nor the robustness in a mobile environment to perform traffic data distribution. What is needed is a true digital subcarrier system that has enough capacity to reliably distribute traffic data with low latency in a mobile environment. This paper describes the design, development and testing of a new high-speed digital subcarrier system (HSDSS) called the Subcarrier Traffic Information Channel (STIC). STIC provides a digital data capability that performs extremely well in a multipath fading environment and yields a user data rate of about 8 kilobits per second (kb/s). Another important feature of the system is that it provides all of this capability from a single FM station; a critical factor for U.S. ITS deployment.
Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Bactericidal Activity and Oxidative Metabolism During Glutathione Peroxidase Deficiency

Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) deficiency has been proposed as a cause of some instances of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). GPx activity varies greatly among species, and specific deficiency of this selenium-dependent enzyme can be produced by dietary selenium deficiency in rats. Bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes from normal rats, humans, and guinea pigs (GPx high, intermediate, and nearly absent, respectively), selenium-deficient rats (GPx absent), and a patient with CGD were compared. There was no correlation between natural levels of GPx and bactericidal activity; only CGD was associated with inability to kill a Proteus mirabilis strain in vitro (killing known to be dependent on oxidative mechanisms). Postphagocytic metabolism was examined in normal and GPx-deficient rats. Both demonstrated normal iodination and superoxide production during phagocytosis and gave similar histochemical reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium dye under either resting or endotoxin-stimulation conditions. Postphagocytic hexose monophosphate shunt activity was somewhat lower in PMN from GPx-deficient animals as compared with normal but was substantially (10-fold) higher than that observed in resting cells. Thus, postphagocytic oxidative responses and subsequent bactericidal activity of PMN leukocytes were not compromised by complete absence of GPx, even in the species with the highest natural level of this enzyme. These results are not compatible with the hypothesis that CGD can be caused by a deficiency of GPx.
Socioeconomic Disparities in Weight and Behavioral Outcomes Among American Indian and Alaska Native Participants of a Translational Lifestyle Intervention Project

OBJECTIVE To investigate possible socioeconomic disparities in weight and behavioral outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) participants in a translational diabetes prevention project. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed data from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention (SDPI-DP) Program, an evidence-based lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes in 36 AI/AN grantee sites. A total of 2,553 participants started the 16-session Lifestyle Balance Curriculum between 1 January 2006 and 31 July 2008. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationships of participant and staff socioeconomic characteristics with weight and behavioral outcomes at the end of the curriculum. RESULTS A strong, graded association existed between lower household income and less BMI reduction, which remained significant after adjusting for other socioeconomic characteristics. Compared with others, participants with annual income CONCLUSIONS Significant socioeconomic disparities exist in weight outcomes of lifestyle intervention at both participant and site staff levels. Helping low-income participants choose more affordable healthy foods and increasing the proportion of professionally trained staff might be practical ways to maximize the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions implemented in “real-world” settings.
Cervical Spine Spondylodiscitis After Esophageal Dilation in Patients With a History of Laryngectomy or Pharyngectomy and Pharyngeal Irradiation.

Importance Dysphagia is a frequently reported sequela of treatment for head and neck cancer and is often managed with esophageal dilation in patients with dysphagia secondary to hypopharyngeal or esophageal stenosis. Reported complications of esophagoscopy with dilation include bleeding, esophageal perforation, and mediastinitis. These, though rare, can lead to substantial morbidity or mortality. In patients who have undergone irradiation, tissue fibrosis and devascularization may contribute to a higher incidence of these complications. Objectives To describe the occurrence of cervical spine spondylodiscitis (CSS) following esophageal dilation in patients with a history of laryngectomy or pharyngectomy and irradiation with or without chemotherapy. Design, Setting, and Participants Medical records from a 5-year period (January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2014) in an academic tertiary care center were searched for patients with a history of laryngopharyngeal irradiation and a diagnosis of CSS following esophageal dilation. Four eligible patients were identified. Main Outcomes and Measures Recognition and treatment of CSS in the study population. Results A total of 1221 patients underwent esophageal dilation for any reason. Of these, 247 patients carried a diagnosis of head and neck cancer at the following sites: piriform sinus, larynx, hypopharynx, epiglottis, oropharynx, base of the tongue, and tonsil. Of these, 4 patients with a diagnosis of CSS following esophageal dilation were included in this assessment. Prompt diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of CSS with intravenous antibiotics as well as spinal surgical debridement and stabilization led to recovery of full ability to take food by mouth in 3 of the 4 included patients. One patient remained dependent on the feeding tube. Conclusion and Relevance In patients with a history of laryngopharyngeal irradiation and esophageal dilation, complaints of neck pain or upper extremity weakness should trigger immediate evaluation for CSS; if present, prompt therapy is essential for prevention of substantial morbidity and mortality.
Risk for Carotid Intima–Medial Thickness in Recently Menopausal Women Enrolled in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS): Determination Using Fuzzy Logic

Previously, the biological factors were weighed by the expert opinions. In this paper, we evaluate the risk factors proposed by the expert opinions. We use fuzzy logic techniques for predicting risk for development of carotid intima–medial thickness (CIMT) using expert opinion and various factors associated with CIMT in recently menopausal women. Study participants were enrolled in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS), a four-year study where participants were assigned to either oral or transdermal hormone treatments or to placebo. We use preference modeling techniques to determine the consensus winner of the causal factors. We use a measure to determine the degree to which one factor is preferred to another. We also determine the extent to which a factor is preferred to another by "most" experts. We determine the degree to which the experts agree. We consider a model concerning social networks and the effects of these networks on persons' opinions.
The requirement of free fatty acids for the fatty liver of CCl4 intoxication.

SummaryLivers, isolated surgically from normal animals and from rats intoxicated with CCl4, were perfused in vitro with a medium into which palmitic acid was infused continuously. Livers from normal rats were also treated with CCl4in vitro by direct addition of the chlorinated hydrocarbon to the medium. Under the conditions of these experiments, poisoning with CCl4 resulted in inhibition of net release of triglyceride by the liver into the perfusate and simultaneous accumulation of triglyceride in the liver. These observations support the hypothesis that the fatty liver of CCl4 intoxication results primarily from interference with the biochemical mechanisms involved in formation and release of the triglyceride in the very low density lipoprotein of the serum.
CASE REPORT OF RECYCLED INTERNAL MAMMARY ARTERY IN CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING

The left internal mammary artery is the established standard of care for left anterior descending artery (LAD) bypass. Re-use of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft is an excellent option when there is concern for conduit availability. A 66 year old man with past medical history of end
Cycle analysis for quieter supersonic turbofan engines

Potential development of supersonic business jets and military platforms has spurred renewed interest in solving the noise problems inherent to such aircraft. At takeoff and low altitude flight the most annoying noise components derive from jet engine exhausts that create noise levels above those permitted by current regulations. Quieter engines can be obtained by modifying current turbofan designs to create a secondary flow that suppresses noise emitted toward the ground. In this work we outline the principal features of such an engine and compare its characteristics with those of more conventional designs. Results of a preliminary analysis of the engine cycles indicates good performance for all key segments of flight, including takeoff, transonic acceleration, and supersonic cruise. Subscale noise measurements at the exhaust conditions calculated by the cycle analysis show significant benefits in actual and perceived noise levels relative to those of the baseline engine.
Stable association of RNAi machinery is conserved between the cytoplasm and nucleus of human cells

Argonaute 2 (AGO2), the catalytic engine of RNAi, is typically associated with inhibition of translation in the cytoplasm. AGO2 has also been implicated in nuclear processes including transcription and splicing. There has been little insight into AGO2's nuclear interactions or how they might differ relative to cytoplasm. Here we investigate the interactions of cytoplasmic and nuclear AGO2 using semi-quantitative mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry often reveals long lists of candidate proteins, complicating efforts to rigorously discriminate true interacting partners from artifacts. We prioritized candidates using orthogonal analytical strategies that compare replicate mass spectra of proteins associated with Flag-tagged and endogenous AGO2. Interactions with TRNC6A, TRNC6B, TNRC6C, and AGO3 are conserved between nuclei and cytoplasm. TAR binding protein interacted stably with cytoplasmic AGO2 but not nuclear AGO2, consistent with strand loading in the cytoplasm. Our data suggest that interactions between functionally important components of RNAi machinery are conserved between the nucleus and cytoplasm but that accessory proteins differ. Orthogonal analysis of mass spectra is a powerful approach to streamlining identification of protein partners.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Publisher Summary Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is a statistical strategy specifically designed to identify and explore hypothetical constructs as manifest in fallible indicators. The allure of CFA over other approaches to the study of hypothetical constructs is the capacity for testing detailed hypotheses in a deductive mode. Moreover, CFA models can be incorporated directly into general structural equation modeling (SEM) that includes directional relations among hypothetical constructs. It is noted that the central concern of CFA is modeling factors, sometimes referred to as latent variables. Factors are influences that are not directly measured, but account for commonality among a set of measurements. Recent developments in technical aspects of estimation and testing coupled with widely accessible and user-friendly software have rendered CFA more popular and appealing than ever. However, with the increased accessibility of CFA comes a responsibility to understand the conditions under which CFA is appropriately applied and the factors relevant to interpretation of CFA results.
Brownian dynamics in concentrated suspensions on the time scale of interparticle hydrodynamic interactions

The development of new multiple-light- scattering techniques, such as diffusing- wave spectroscopy (DWS),1 has resulted in a resurging interest in the first steps of the Brownian dynamics of particles in fluid suspensions.2,3 DWS experiments have, for example, quantitatively established the validity of the full hydrodynamic theory for the motion of an isolated spherical particle in an infinite, incompressible fluid.4 This isolated-particle theory is characterized by a hydrodynamic time scale τ0, which corresponds to the time it takes the fluid momentum or vorticity to diffuse a particle radius.
Molecular Mobility and Transitions in Polymers

Polymers exhibit a variety of changes in state that drastically alter their physical and mechanical properties. The principal determinants in these transitions are temperature, external stress, and the time scale or rate of the experiment used to measure the transition under consideration. The temperatures at which these transitions occur for any particular time scale represent important material parameters.
Nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma in children: Developing new treatments based on a better understanding of disease biology

Nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) are a large and very ­heterogeneous group of cancers in children. Although approximately 550 NRSTS diagnoses in the US each year represent only approximately 4% of cases of childhood cancer, NRSTS comprise nearly 60% of all soft tissue sarcomas in this age group [reviewed in Spunt et al. (2006)]. The incidence is bimodally distributed, with relatively high incidence in the first year of life and a second peak during later childhood and adolescence. While NRSTS is typically a sporadic disease, some types of NRSTS are associated with cancer susceptibility syndromes, such as the Li–Fraumeni familial cancer syndrome (associated with heritable p53 mutations) and neurofibromatosis type I (associated with heritable mutations in NF1 tumor suppressor genes) (Li et al. 1988; Malkin et al. 1990; Sorensen et al. 1986); with certain environmental exposures (therapeutic ionizing radiation and HHV8, HIV, or EBV virus infection); and with certain chemical carcinogens (Spunt et al. 2006).
Low Resistance Tunnel Junctions for Efficient Electrically Pumped Nanolasers

Extremely compact nanoscale devices such as electrically pumped nanolasers are difficult to operate at room temperature due to the high electrical resistance inherent to small cavities. As a consequence, large voltages are necessary to reach the lasing threshold, which generates heat and reduces device efficiency. The poor heat sinking of small devices makes matters worse, dramatically reducing the laser efficiency. Instead of looking for solutions to dissipate heat from small structures more efficiently, designing nanolasers to produce less heat in the first place is an important goal. Here we propose and theoretically analyze the effect of adding an InGaAsP tunnel junction for efficient carrier injection in metallo-dielectric nanolasers. With our theoretical model we show that the device resistance is reduced by a factor of ∼6.5. The applied voltage at the room temperature lasing threshold is reduced from 3.05 to 1.35 V, a reduction of 69% in heat generation, whereas the Q-factor and gain threshold of the cavity are not degraded.
Language in Zhuangzi: A Theme that Reveals the Nature of its Relativism and Skepticism

This article focuses on Zhuangzi's discussions of language to demonstrate how they can clarify his positions on two particular philosophical issues about which there has been significant interest and debate in recent years: (1) relativism and the problem of oneness and (2) skepticism. I argue that Zhuangzi is committed to a (non-contradictory) universe composed of real, constantly transforming actualities that nevertheless always escape being captured in conventional modes of human logic and language. Examining language metaphors in the text reveals that skepticism and relativism in the Zhuangzi are better understood as rhetorical rather than philosophical strategies.
Relationship of gastric emptying or accommodation with satiation, satiety, and postprandial symptoms in health.

A higher volume to comfortable fullness postprandially correlated with a higher calorie intake at ad libitum buffet meal. Gastric emptying of solids is correlated to satiation (volume to fullness a...
User Authentication in Smartphones for Telehealth

Many functions previously conducted on desktop computers are now performed on smartphones. Smartphones provide convenience, portability, and connectivity. When smartphones are used in the conduct of telehealth, sensitive data is invariably accessed, rendering the devices in need of user authentication to ensure data protection. User authentication of smartphones can help mitigate potential Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) breaches and keep sensitive patient information protected, while also facilitating the convenience of smartphones within everyday life and healthcare. This paper presents and examines several types of authentication methods available to smartphone users to help ensure security of sensitive data from attackers. The applications of these authentication methods in telehealth are discussed.
Effects of “lights out” turfgrass renovation on plants, soil arthropod and nematode communities

Abstract “Lights out” turfgrass renovation approach is a pesticide-free method of weed and pest management that can reduce weed pressure when replanting turf, switching grass types, or completing a total renovation of a designated grassy area. In this study, we addressed the feasibility of using black, geo-textile weed mats made of woven polypropylene plastic in this alternative turfgrass renovation approach. The specific objectives were: 1) to determine the most effective weed mat density to suppress weeds; 2) to determine the most effective fertilizer treatment (fertilizer × rate) to stimulate weed seed germination and drain the weed seed bank; and 3) to document changes in the biotic communities in the soil including nematodes and insects. This research was conducted in 2016 at Magoon Research Facility on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i. Our results indicated that the “lights out” method was effective, with all cover types providing better weed suppression than control plots treated with glyphosate. There were no significant differences between fertilizer treatments for weed diversity or coverage percent one-month post-fertilization. However, all plots treated with fertilizer had significantly less weed diversity and coverage after the Bermudagrass was planted, indicating that fertilization plays a crucial role in draining the weed seed bank. Soil arthropod and nematode communities were generally altered after each renovation step, indicating that covering and fertilization play a role in shaping the diversity, abundance, and maturity of the soil food web.
Simulation Studies of Computation and Data Scheduling Algorithms for Data Grids

Data Grids seek to harness geographically distributed resources for large-scale data-intensive problems. Such problems, involving loosely coupled jobs and large data-sets, are found in fields like high-energy physics, astronomy and bioinformatics. A variety of factors need to be considered for effective scheduling of resources in such environments: e.g., resource utilization, response time, global and local allocation policies and scalability. We propose a general and extensible scheduling architecture that addresses these issues. Within this architecture we develop a suite of job scheduling and data replication algorithms that we evaluate using simulations for a wide range of parameters. Our results show that it is important to evaluate the combined effectiveness of replication and scheduling strategies, rather than study them separately. More specifically, we find that scheduling jobs to locations that contain the data they need and asynchronously replicating popular data-sets to remote sites, works rather well.
Determinants of Laplacians; Heights and Finiteness

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the determinants of laplacians. It also discusses the finiteness of isospectral sets under certain assumptions. The compactness theorem gives global information about an isospectral set. In the arithmetic theory of heights, the height measures the arithmetic complexity of points defined over a number field and is a basic tool in proving finiteness results. For algebraic purposes, the Arakelov metric is more appropriate. In any event, it is clear that the height is a natural measure of the complexity of a manifold.
Intrinsic Muscle Properties Facilitate Locomotor Control—A Computer Simulation Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate, theoretically, to what extent muscle properties could contribute to recovery from perturbations during locomotion. Four models with different actuator properties were created: the FLVT model, which encompassed force-length (FL) and force-velocity (FV) characteristics of human muscles as well as muscle stimulation inputs as functions of time (T); the FLT model, which had muscles without force-velocity characteristics; the FVT model, which had muscles without specific force-length characteristics; and the MT model, which had no muscles but was driven by joint moments (M) as a function of time. Each model was exposed to static and dynamic perturbations and its response was examined. FLVT showed good resistance to both static and dynamic perturbations. FLT was resistant to static perturbation but could not counteract dynamic perturbation, whereas the opposite was found for FVT. MT could not counteract either of the perturbations. Based on the results of the simula...
Response ofDrosophila persimilis to phototactic and geotactic selection

The initial experimental population ofDrosophila persimilis was photopositive and slightly geonegative. In this respect, the initial population ofD. persimilis differed from the experimental population ofD. pseudoobscura, described by others, which was close to photo- and geotactic neutrality. InD. persimilis, as inD. pseudoobscura, photo- and geotactic selection was efficient in both positive and negative directions. InD. persimilis, unlike inD. pseudoobscura, the responses to geotactic and phototactic selection were clearly asymmetrical. As a result of such responses, selection practically eliminated interspecific difference in geotaxis and almost eliminated interspecific difference in phototaxis. The realized heritabilities of photo- and geotaxis over the first ten generations of selection inD. persimilis are between 6 and 7%. Practically, these heritabilities inD. persimilis have the same value, whereas inD. pseudoobscura the heritabilities are clearly different. These findings suggest thatD. persimilis differs considerably fromD. pseudoobscura in the composition of the genes determining photo- and geotactic behavior, most probably reflecting adaptations of these sibling species to different ecological niches. However, both species are capable of reacting quickly to external stresses by reorganizing their gene pools and by correspondingly changing their behavior.
Trauma and Aging.

The aim of this paper is to present a succinct summary of the major scientific findings on trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and aging over the past few years. There have been several reports from longitudinal investigations using representative samples of veterans regarding traumatic exposure and subsequent effects on health and functioning. There has also been further documentation of the significant association between PTSD and dementia as well as accelerated aging in late life. Several studies indicate that older adults with PTSD are at risk of not receiving timely and appropriate mental health treatment, indicating that targeted outreach could be helpful in increasing service use and improving care. The current knowledge base would benefit from more research on traumatized older adults from non-industrialized countries, as well as those in North America from diverse backgrounds, including ethnic and racial minorities, women, and those with cognitive impairments. Studies limited to adults aged 65 and over as well as those addressing disparities in the availability of mental health-related services within this population are warranted.
Surgical Treatment of Combined Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Lateral-Side Injures: Acute and Chronic

Combined injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral knee ligaments are an increasingly well-documented injury pattern. ACL reconstruction is one of the most commonly performed procedures in orthopedic surgery, but the reconstruction is at risk of failure if existing concomitant pathology, such as a lateral ligament injury, is not addressed. Studies have suggested that lateral or posterolateral knee instability occurs concomitantly with ACL injuries in 11–19.7% of patients. This combined injury pattern is important for orthopedic surgeons to recognize and treat appropriately in order to optimize patient outcomes. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the current state of combined anterior and lateral knee instability. It will begin with a brief overview of the pertinent anatomy, pathophysiology, and biomechanics of the ACL and lateral knee ligaments. Then, a discussion of clinical evaluation including history, physical examination, imaging studies, and diagnostic arthroscopy findings will assist the clinician in the appropriate evaluation of these injuries. Finally, the treatment options for combined ACL and lateral knee injuries in both the acute and chronic setting will be reviewed.
Why Black Adolescents Are Vulnerable at School and How Schools Can Provide Opportunities to Belong to Fix It

This article discusses factors contributing to the belonging vulnerability of Black adolescents as well as educational policy considerations for providing Black adolescents with opportunities to be...
Early life stress, subjective social status, and health during late adolescence.

Objective: Both lower subjective social status (SSS)—or viewing oneself as having lower status relative to others—and greater early life stress consistently relate to poorer health in adolescence. ...