cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Building and Hacking an Exploitable WiFi Environment for Your Classroom -- Even for Remote Participants!

With the widespread use of WiFi nowadays, it is important to show students how WiFi access points can be exploited in practice. The theory behind exploiting WEP and WPA2 has been available for a number of years. However, it has not been easy to offer students the opportunity to apply these theories in a real environment. In this workshop, you will learn about the WEP weakness, the different hacking scenarios where WEP access points have connected clients versus no connected clients, and the WPA2 weakness. In addition, you will have the opportunity to hack up to four WEP access points in addition to a WPA2 access point. Then, you will learn how to build and configure an exploitable WiFi environment, with necessary access points, for your students to hack. You will learn how Raspberry Pis can be used to act as the necessary clients for the access points and have access to the Raspberry Pi scripts, as well as all access point configuration directions. We will discuss pros and cons of the different architectures which allow students' remote access to the vulnerable environment. Note: Participants must have a computer with at least 25GB of disk space available and VirtualBox installed.
Inflammatory bowel disease induces inflammatory and pre-neoplastic changes in the prostate

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been implicated as a risk factor for prostate cancer, however, the mechanism of how IBD leads to prostate tumorigenesis is not known. Here, we investigated whether chronic intestinal inflammation leads to pro-inflammatory changes associated with tumorigenesis in the prostate. Using clinical samples of men with IBD who underwent prostatectomy, we analyzed whether prostate tumors had differences in lymphocyte infiltrate compared to non-IBD controls. In a mouse model of chemically-induced intestinal inflammation, we investigated whether chronic intestinal inflammation could be transferred to the wild-type mouse prostate. In addition, mouse prostates were evaluated for activation of pro-oncogenic signaling and genomic instability. A higher proportion of men with IBD had T and B lymphocyte infiltration within prostate tumors. Mice with chronic colitis showed significant increases in prostatic CD45 + leukocyte infiltration and elevation of three pro-inflammatory cytokines—TIMP-1, CCL5, and CXCL1 and activation of AKT and NF-kB signaling pathways. Lastly, mice with chronic colitis had greater prostatic oxidative stress/DNA damage, and prostate epithelial cells had undergone cell cycle arrest. These data suggest chronic intestinal inflammation is associated with an inflammatory-rich, pro-tumorigenic prostatic phenotype which may explain how gut inflammation fosters prostate cancer development in men with IBD.
Cultural Diversity in Medicine and in Healthcare Delivery

The past century has borne witness to a most unique development in the annals of American medicine. The patients who we treat have become more complex, not only in regards to the variety of illnesses that they present, but especially in regards to the increasing mixture of cultures, ethnic groups, and races. This steady progression of heterogeneity presents a challenge of major proportions to the practicing physician who must now acknowledge that the approach to patients cannot be monolithic, but instead should be tailored to fit their special needs.
Production of acetic acid by Clostridium thermoaceticum

Publisher Summary The chapter reviews biological production of acetic acid. Production of acetic acid can be an aerobic or anaerobic process. The chemical reactions involved are acetaldehyde oxidation, hydrocarbon oxidation, and methanol carbonylation. The chapter focuses on the production of acetic acid by Clostridium thermoaceticum which is an obligate anaerobe, Gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped, thermophilic organism with an optimum growth temperature of 55-60°C and an optimum pH of 6.6-6.8. The chapter discusses various substrates, enzymes, minerals required for the fermentation process. Growth and acetate production by C. thermoaceticum is critically dependent on nutrient type and levels. The chapter also presents various methods used for strain improvement by treatment with chemical mutagenic agents (NTG and nitrous acid) and selective enrichment procedures. The fermentation is carried out in different types of bio-reactors and the chapter discusses some of them followed by the summarization of the steps involved in the downstream processing of acetate fermentation broths. Many experiments, graphs, and tables are also cited in the chapter.
Succinate Dehydrogenase Loss in Familial Paraganglioma: Biochemistry, Genetics, and Epigenetics

It is counterintuitive that metabolic defects reducing ATP production can cause, rather than protect from, cancer. Yet this is precisely the case for familial paraganglioma, a form of neuroendocrine malignancy caused by loss of succinate dehydrogenase in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Here we review biochemical, genetic, and epigenetic considerations in succinate dehydrogenase loss and present leading models and mysteries associated with this fascinating and important tumor.
Breast milk and labour support: lactation consultants' and doulas' strategies for navigating the medical context of maternity care.

Abstract This article provides a comparison of two occupational groups working in maternity care: International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, who assist women with breastfeeding, and DONA International certified birth doulas, who provide physical, emotional and informational support to birthing women. Using interviews with 18 lactation consultants and 16 doulas working in the USA, I compare these two groups� strategies for gaining entrance to the maternity care team and their abilities to create change in maternity care practices. Due to the organisation of occupational boundaries in maternity care and differences between the influence of the medicalisation of breastfeeding versus that of childbirth on those boundaries, lactation consultants are able to utilise a front-door entrance to the medical maternity system, entering as lactation specialists and advocates, while doulas use a back-door entrance, emphasising their care work and downplaying their advocacy. These different strategies result in different methods being available to each for effecting change. Lactation consultants create formal change, such as changing hospital policies and practices to be more pro-breastfeeding. Doulas create change informally, �one birth at a time�, by creating space for natural birth to occur in the hospital, as well as exposing medical providers to non-medical ways of giving birth.
The Primary Structure of Apolipoprotein-Serine

Abstract Apolipoprotein-serine (apoLP-Ser or apoC-I) is one of the apoprotein constituents of human plasma very low density lipoprotein. The protein has 57 amino acid residues, including one residue of methionine and is lacking histidine, cysteine, cystine, and tyrosine. The NH2 terminus of apoLP-Ser is threonine and the COOH terminus is serine. Cleavage of apoLP-Ser with cyanogen bromide, followed by chromatography of the digest on Bio-Gel P-30 in 25% formic acid, yielded two fragments corresponding to the NH2-terminal (CNBr I) and the COOH-terminal (CNBr II) fragments and accounting for the 57 residues of the intact protein. The amino acid sequences of the tryptic peptides from CNBr I and chymotryptic peptides from CNBr II were determined by conventional methods. The amino acid sequence of apoLP-Ser is as follows: Thr-Pro-Asp-Val-Ser-Ser-Ala-Leu-Asp-Lys-Leu-Lys-Glu-Phe-Gly-Asn-Thr-Leu-Glu-Asp-Lys-Ala-Arg-Glu-Leu-Ile-Ser-Arg-Ile-Lys-Gln-Ser-Glu-Leu-Ser-Ala-Lys-Met-Arg-Glu-Trp-Phe-Ser-Glu-Thr-Phe-Gln-Lys-Val-Lys-Glu-Lys-Leu-Lys-Ile-Asp-Ser.
A Holistic Approach for Performance Measurement and Analysis for Petascale Applications

Contemporary high-end Terascale and Petascale systems are composed of hundreds of thousands of commodity multi-core processors interconnected with high-speed custom networks. Performance characteristics of applications executing on these systems are a function of system hardware and software as well as workload parameters. Therefore, it has become increasingly challenging to measure, analyze and project performance using a single tool on these systems. In order to address these issues, we propose a methodology for performance measurement and analysis that is aware of applications and the underlying system hierarchies. On the application level, we measure cost distribution and runtime dependent values for different components of the underlying programming model. On the system front, we measure and analyze information gathered for unique system features, particularly shared components in the multi-core processors. We demonstrate our approach using a Petascale combustion application called S3D on two high-end Teraflops systems, Cray XT4 and IBM Blue Gene/P, using a combination of hardware performance monitoring, profiling and tracing tools.
Transforming Labor-Based Parties in Latin America: From Labor Politics to Machine Politics: The Transformation of the Peronist Party–Union Linkage

We beat the unions. We took the party from them. – Renovation leader Jose Luis Manzano Where is Peronism if not in the unions? – Peronist union leader The PJ underwent a striking coalitional change after 1983, transforming itself, in less than a decade, from a de facto labor party into a predominantly patronage-based party. At the national level, reformers removed old-guard unionists from the party leadership, dismantled traditional mechanisms of labor participation, and broadened the party's appeal to attract middle-class and independent voters. At the base level, PJ politicians used their access to public offices to build patronage-based support networks at the margins of the unions. Over time, patronage networks replaced unions as the PJ's primary linkage to its working- and lower-class base. As a result of these changes, organized labor's influence in the party declined precipitously. This process of deunionization contributed in an important way to the PJ's electoral success in an increasingly postindustrial electoral environment. It permitted the party simultaneously to appeal to a new constituency (new middle-class and independent voters) and find a new basis – clientelism – on which to maintain its old one (the urban poor). Moreover, by weakening a major opponent of neoliberal reforms and eroding the class basis of the urban Peronist identity, deunionization facilitated the PJ's programmatic shift to the right under Carlos Menem. This chapter examines urban Peronism's transition from de facto laborism to machine politics.
Combinational Logic Circuits in Regular Forms

This chapter contains sections titled: Important Logic Macros Implementing Irregular Logic with Regular Arrays Overview and Summary Sources Problems ]]>
Long-term Herbivore Exclusion for Recovery of Buckbrush (Ceanothus fendleri ) Populations During Restoration of Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northern Arizona

Open conditions created by restoration activities in ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ) forests of the American Southwest can lead to increases in understory plant productivity but also attract large ungulate herbivores. In this study, we remeasured buckbrush ( Ceanothus fendleri ) plants on permanent plots to determine effects of long-term herbivore exclusion on population abundance and potential reproduction. Results showed that survival of buckbrush was significantly lower on unprotected plots compared with plants given long-term herbivore protection. A greater proportion of the highest stem density class ( 50 stems m−2 ) was found on long-term protection plots compared with short-term protection or unprotected groups. The unprotected group was overwhelmingly (90%) made up of plots with less than 10 aerial stems m−2 . Plots with long-term protection had a significantly greater proportion of plots in the highest flowering class ( 50% of aerial stems flowering) than unprotected plots. Logistic regression showed a strong, positive relationship ( p = 0.61) between the probability of flowering and plant height. Results indicated that short-term protection following forest restoration treatments marginally improves survival of buckbrush in these ecosystems. However, herbivory pressure remained high over the 12-year study period and detrimentally affected potential reproduction of plants exposed to large herbivores. These findings generally suggest that short-term protection may not be sufficient to conserve buckbrush populations over time and high herbivory pressure may be constraining understory responses and slowing restoration success.
Measuring drug urges by questionnaire: do not balance scales.

Abstract Measures designed to assess self-reported drug urges are routinely balanced: that is, they contain a relatively equal number of positively and negatively worded items. Using smoking urges as an example, we explored the effect of item wording on responses to self-report items. One hundred sixteen cigarette smokers responded to 32 positively worded statements and their 32 negatively worded counterparts adapted from the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges . For 59% of the paired statements, the negatively worded item was scored higher than the positively worded item. Significant mean differences (1tem means for 56% of the paired statements were significantly different at the .01 level) and only moderate correlations (mean = .54; range = − .04 to .79) between item pairs were found. Balanced scales may have greater costs than benefits in the assessment of drug urges.
New evidence for the origin of giant pulsations

We report on an extended interval of giant pulsation activity in the magnetosphere observed at multiple ground stations and in geosynchronous spacecraft particle data. The pulsations display wave properties typical of previously reported giant pulsations, including reversal of phase across the latitude of maximum amplitude as expected for field line resonances, comparable H (geomagnetic northward) and D (geomagnetic eastward) component amplitudes, and strong localization in latitude to within a few degrees. The recording of pulsation activity at numerous ground sites provides an opportunity to examine the local time dependence of the frequency of giant pulsations. We find that throughout a long-lasting event, the frequencies of giant pulsations are fixed at particular local times but decrease systematically as local time increases between midnight and noon. Geosynchronous proton fluxes between 100 and 150 keV oscillated at the same frequency as pulsations observed on the ground in the same local time sector. Nearly conjugate observations indicate the observed giant pulsations have odd spatial symmetry in the magnetosphere. Calculations of the azimuthal wave number using three Northern Hemisphere stations and one Southern Hemisphere station also suggest the observed giant pulsations have odd symmetry. Numerical calculations of resonant particle energies and the combined ground and spacecraft observations presented support the view that giant pulsations have odd spatial symmetry and are driven by a population of particles in drift resonance.
Polyimide-based intracortical neural implant with improved structural stiffness

A novel structure for chronically implantable cortical electrodes using polyimide bio-polymer was devised, which provides both flexibility for micro-motion compliance between brain tissues and the skull and at the brain/implant interface and stiffness for better surgical handling. A 5–10 µm thick silicon backbone layer was attached to the tip of the electrode to enhance the structural stiffness. This stiff segment was then followed by a 1 mm flexible segment without a silicon backbone layer. The fabricated implants have tri-shanks with five recording sites (20 µm × 20 µm) and two vias of 40 µm × 40 µm on each shank. In vitro cytotoxicity tests of prototype implants revealed no adverse toxic effects on cells. Bench test impedance values were assessed, resulting in an average impedance value of ~2 MΩ at 1 KHz. For a 5 µm thick silicon backbone electrode, the stiffness of polyimide-based electrodes was increased ten times over that of electrodes without the silicon backbone layer. Furthermore, polyimide-based electrodes with 5 µm and 10 µm thick silicon backbone layer penetrated pia of rat brain without buckling that has been observed in implants without silicon reinforcement.
Detection of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and M. arginini in bighorn sheep using enrichment culture coupled with genus- and species-specific polymerase chain reaction.

Mycoplasma species are of interest as possible primary pathogens in the pneumonia complex of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Previous investigations have not commonly detected low frequencies of Mycoplasma spp. from free-ranging bighorn sheep, possibly due to the fastidious and slow growth of these organisms. We developed a culture protocol that employed an average initial 3-day enrichment culture in liquid Hayflick broth in a CO2-enhanced atmosphere. The broth was plated to solid Hayflick medium and the cultures observed for growth for up to 30 days. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on DNA isolated from the enrichment broth and on isolates obtained from culture using Mycoplasma genus-specific PCR assays and species-specific PCR assays for M. arginini and M. ovipneumoniae. Some cultures that grew on Hayflick plates were picked as single colonies but were mixed because two organisms may grow together and appear as a single colony. Culture and PCR tests produced similar results for M. arginini...
Comparison of fMRI and PEPSI during language processing in children.

The present study explored the correlation between lactate as detected by MR spectroscopy (MRS) and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) responses in male children during auditory-based language tasks. All subjects (N = 8) participated in one proton echo planar spectroscopic imaging (PEPSI) and one functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session that required phonological and lexical judgments to aurally presented stimuli. Valid PEPSI data was limited in the frontal areas of the brain due to the magnetic susceptibility of the eye orbits and frontal sinuses. Findings from the remainder of the brain indicate that subjects show a significant consistency across imaging techniques in the left temporal area during the lexical task, but not in any other measurable area or during the phonological task. Magn Reson Med 45:217–225, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Clinical Response to IncobotulinumtoxinA, after Demonstrated Loss of Clinical Response to OnabotulinumtoxinA and RimabotulininumtoxinB in a Patient with Musician's Dystonia.

Botulinum toxin is a mainstay therapy for dystonia. Formulations available are three types of botulinumtoxinA and one type of botulinumtoxinB.(1) Antibodies can develop against the toxin, leading to treatment failure. IncobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin; Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany) is differentiated from other types of botulinumtoxinA preparations by being free from complexing proteins, speculated to make the product less antigenic.(2).
Opening Two Envelopes

In the two-envelope problem, one is offered a choice between two envelopes, one containing twice as much money as the other. After seeing the contents of the chosen envelope, the chooser is offered the opportunity to make an exchange for the other envelope. However, it appears to be advantageous to switch, regardless of what is observed in the chosen envelope. This problem has an extensive literature with connections to probability and decision theory. The literature is roughly divided between those that attempt to explain what is flawed in arguments for the advantage of switching and those that attempt to explain when such arguments can be correct if counterintuitive. We observe that arguments in the literature of the two-envelope problem that the problem is paradoxical are not supported by the probability distributions meant to illustrate the paradoxical nature. To correct this, we present a distribution that does support the usual arguments. Aside from questions about the interpretation of variables, algebraic ambiguity, modal confusions and the like, most of the interesting aspects of the two-envelope problem are assumed to require probability distributions on an infinite space. Our next main contribution is to show that the same counterintuitive arguments can be reflected in finite versions of the problem; thus they do not inherently require reasoning about infinite values. A topological representation of the problem is presented that captures both finite and infinite cases, explicating intuitions underlying the arguments both that there is an advantage to switching and that there is not.
Optical processing in speech recognizer development

The purpose of this paper is to call attention to some of the properties of optical signal detection which may be useful for overcoming processing logistics problems in speech recognizers of useful vocabulary. Analog cross correlation by optical means, as described by Vander Lugt [5] permits simultaneous comparison of the speaker's utterance with a stored vocabulary tailored to the particular speaker. Storage might take the form of a microfilm aperture card. A speech recognizer model is presented for illustration purposes; parameters and experimental evidence are included to support the contention that pattern recognition can be reduced to a signal detection problem.
Incorporating target-mediated drug disposition in a minimal physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for monoclonal antibodies

Target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) usually accounts for nonlinear pharmacokinetics (PK) of drugs whose distribution and/or clearance are affected by their targets owing to high affinity and limited capacity. TMDD is frequently reported for monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for such reason. Minimal physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models (mPBPK), which accommodate the unique PK behaviors of mAb, provide a general approach for analyzing mAbs PK and predicting mAb interstitial concentrations in two groups of tissues. This study assessed the feasibility of incorporating TMDD into mPBPK models to consider target-binding in either plasma (cTMDD) or interstitial fluid (ISF) (pTMDD). The dose-related signature profiles of the pTMDD model reveal a parallel early decay phase, in contrast with the cTMDD model that exhibits a faster initial decline for low doses. The parallel early phase in the pTMDD model is associated with the slow perivascular extravasation of mAb, which restricts the initial decline regardless of interstitial target-mediated elimination. The cTMDD and pTMDD models both preserve the long terminal phase that is typically perceived in conventional two-compartment (2CM) and TMDD models. Having TMDD in ISF impacts the typical relationships between plasma concentrations and receptor occupancy, and between saturation of apparent nonlinear clearance and saturation of receptors. The vascular reflection coefficient (σ v ) was found to affect receptor occupancy in ISF. In the cTMDD model, saturation of nonlinear clearance is equivalent to saturation of receptors. However, in the pTMDD model, they are no longer equal and all parameters pertaining to receptors or receptor binding (R total , K D , K ss , k int ) shifts such relationships. Different TMDD models were utilized in analyzing PK for seven mAbs from digitized literature data. When the target is in plasma, the cTMDD model performed similarly to the 2CM and TMDD models, but with one less system parameter. When the target exists in ISF, the pTMDD functioned well in analyzing only plasma data to reflect interstitial target binding properties. Assigning TMDD consistent with target-expressing tissues is important to obtain reliable characterizations of receptors and receptor binding. The mPBPK model exhibits excellent feasibility in integrating TMDD not only in plasma but also in ISF.
Some considerations regarding w values for heavy charged-particle radiotherapy.

The AAPM recommendations regarding the w values for heavy charged‐particles radiotherapy are discussed. (AIP)
A Convergent Incremental Gradient Method with a Constant Step Size

An incremental aggregated gradient method for minimizing a sum of continuously differentiable functions is presented. The method requires a single gradient evaluation per iteration and uses a constant step size. For the case that the gradient is bounded and Lipschitz continuous, we show that the method visits infinitely often regions in which the gradient is small. Under certain unimodality assumptions, global convergence is established. In the quadratic case, a global linear rate of convergence is shown. The method is applied to distributed optimization problems arising in wireless sensor networks, and numerical experiments compare the new method with other incremental gradient methods.
A physiological description of critical velocity.

Although critical velocity (CV) provides a valid index of aerobic function, the physiological significance of CV is not known. Twelve individuals performed exhaustive runs at 95% to 110% of the velocity at which V˙O2max was attained in an incremental test. V˙O2max was elicited in each run. Using the time to exhaustion at each velocity, CV was calculated for each participant. Using the time to achieve V˙O2max at each velocity, which was shorter at higher velocities, a parameter we have designated as CV′ was calculated for each participant. During exercise at or below CV′, V˙O2max cannot be elicited. CV (238 ± 24 m · min−1) and CV′ (239 ± 25 m · min−1) were equal (t = 0.60, p = 0.56) and correlated (r = 0.97, p < 0.01). These results demonstrate that CV is the threshold intensity above which exercise of sufficient duration will lead to attainment of V˙O2max.
An electron microscope study of motoneurones and interneurones in the cat abducens nucleus identified by retrograde intraaxonal transport of horseradish peroxidase.

Abducens motoneurones innervating the lateral rectus muscle and abducens interneurones projecting to the oculomotor nucleus have been studied in the cat by light and electron microscopy following labelling with horseradish peroxidase. Motoneurones ranged from 15–60 μm in diameter and typically contained circular nuclei with smooth or slightly irregular nuclear membranes and extensive cisternae of granular endoplasmic reticulum. Interneurones ranged from 25–50 μm in diameter and comprised two cytologically distinct cell types. One type was fusiform in profile and contained nuclei with fluted or deeply invaginated nuclear membranes and poorly developed granular endoplasmic reticulum. The other interneurone type resembled the motoneurones cytologically, having multipolar or circular profiles, smooth or slightly irregular nuclear membranes, and well developed cisternae of granular endoplasmic reticulum. The densities with which boutons were distributed on the somata of motoneurones and interneurones were similar, as were the ratios of boutons containing spheroidal or flattened synaptic vesicles. Motoneurones varied significantly in the density with which boutons were distributed on their somata, and had greater densities on their dendrites than on their somata. Density was, furthermore, not correlated with motoneurone soma diameter. The proportion of spheroidal or flattened vesicle boutons on the somata of motoneurones was almost equal, with comparatively little variation between individual motoneurones. Motoneurone dendrites, however, with the exception of lateral dendrites, had a relatively higher proportion of boutons containing spheroidal synaptic vesicles. The lateral dendrites, which extend toward the medial vestibular nucleus, a known source of inhibitory afferents to the abducens motoneurones, had a higher proportion of boutons containing flattened vesicles. The results indicate that abducens motoneurones and interneurones cannot be distinguished by any simple morphological criteria. The somadendritic distribution of boutons on motoneurones appears to be governed by certain broad rules.
Construction and Characterization of a Set of E. coli Strains Deficient in All Known Loci Affecting the Proteolytic Stability of Secreted Recombinant Proteins

Even though secretion offers numerous advantages for the production of proteins in Escherichia coli, the expression of many heterologous proteins is severely limited by degradation in the periplasmic space. We found that mutations in rpoH, the RNA polymerase sigma factor responsible for heat shock protein synthesis, affect the stability of heterologous secreted proteins. A particularly dramatic increase in expression was further observed in rpoH degP double mutants. To minimize proteolytic degradation, we constructed a family of 25 isogenic strains deficient in all known cell envelope proteases (DegP, Protease III, Tsp(Prc), and OmpT), as well as the rpoH15 mutant allele, and characterized their growth in both shake flasks and fermentors. The availability of this set of strains permits the selection of a suitable host based on the optimal combination between the optimum reduction in protease activity and acceptable growth properties.
Identification of Spt5 Target Genes in Zebrafish Development Reveals Its Dual Activity In Vivo

Spt5 is a conserved essential protein that represses or stimulates transcription elongation in vitro. Immunolocalization studies on Drosophila polytene chromosomes suggest that Spt5 is associated with many loci throughout the genome. However, little is known about the prevalence and identity of Spt5 target genes in vivo during development. Here, we identify direct target genes of Spt5 using fogsk8 zebrafish mutant, which disrupts the foggy/spt5 gene. We identified that fogsk8 and their wildtype siblings differentially express less than 5% of genes examined. These genes participate in diverse biological processes from stress response to cell fate specification. Up-regulated genes exhibit shorter overall gene length compared to all genes examined. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation in zebrafish embryos, we identified a subset of developmentally critical genes that are bound by both Spt5 and RNA polymerase II. The protein occupancy patterns on these genes are characteristic of both repressive and stimulatory elongation regulation. Together our findings establish Spt5 as a dual regulator of transcription elongation in vivo and identify a small but diverse set of target genes critically dependent on Spt5 during development.
The magnetic susceptibility of GdCl1·6 and the influence of minor amounts of magnetic impurities

The magnetic susceptibility of GdCl1·6 was determined in the temperature range 64–365°K by the Faraday method and from 7–89°K by a mutual inductance technique. Above 80°K a Curie-Weiss temperature dependence was observed. The effective moment per gadolinium ion was found to be 7·89 ± 0·03 Bohr magnetons in close agreement with the previously determined value from GdCl3 and in accord with the theoretical value of 7·94 for Gd3+. By inference all gadolinium electronic states above the 4f7 levels are paired. A Weiss constant of −166 ± 3°K results from the data. This large negative value indicates a strong tendency toward antiferromagnetic ordering, and an indication of an antiferromagnetic transition was found near 50°K. Ferromagnetic gadolinium impurities were present in the samples with a typical gadolinium magnetization curve being resolvable at the 2700 p.p.m. (200 μg) level. A marked difference in magnetic behaviour was observed in two samples whose chemical compositions were nominally the same; this difference is explicable on the basis of a superparamagnetic contribution arising from 2100 p.p.m. (160 μg) of finely dispersed gadolinium.
The effects of an additional shorting stub on PIFA performance

A planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) is known for its low-profile and compactness as compared to rectangular microstrip antennas. The shorting element in PIFA generates a quarter-wave resonance which reduces the physical dimensions of the antenna by at least 50%. In this paper, the effects of an additional shorting stub on an FR4-epoxy substrate PIFA are investigated. Computational and experimental VSWR results are reported for a PIFA with and without an additional short. It is observed that the additional shorting element increases the resonant frequency from 590 MHz to 950 MHz, or by 60%, while preserving the return loss. Additionally, simulation results reveal a 4 dB gain improvement for the modified PIFA at the resonant frequency.
Spatial density distribution as a basis for image compensation

The paper highlights an approach to provide custom-fit, non-invasive image compensation and remapping by which to magnify and optimize central vision for humans. Medical evidence supports that the visual density lies mostly within the limited range of the central vision. The technique is, consequently, based on both practical viewing considerations as well as the spatial density distribution in human retinal cells. The perceived image is divided into three vertically distributed sections (top--center--bottom), each warped according to its respective visual significance. Optimization is also used to ensure the smooth flow and transition of the image from one region to the other. The technique is expected to serve in applications such as low-vision, surveillance, machine operation, gaming, and text-enhancement.
On the numerical implementation of inelastic time dependent and time independent, finite strain constitutive equations in structural mechanics☆

Abstract A number of complex issues are resolved in a way that allows the incorporation of finite strain, inelastic material behavior into the piecewise numerical construction of solutions in solid mechanics. Without recourse to extensive continuum mechanics preliminaries, an elementary time independent plasticity model, an elementary time dependent creep model, and a viscoelastic model are introduced as examples of constitutive equations which are routinely used in engineering calculations. The constitutive equations are all suitable for problems involving large deformations and finite strains. The plasticity and creep models are in rate form and use the symmetric part of the velocity gradient or the stretching to compute the co-rotational time derivative of the Cauchy stress. The viscoelastic model computes the current value of the Cauchy stress from a hereditary integral of a ‘materially invariant’ form of the stretching history. The current configuration is selected for evaluation of equilibrium as opposed to either the reference configuration or the last established equilibrium configuration. The process of strain incrementation is examined in some depth. The stretching, evaluated at the mid-interval and multiplied by the time step, is identified as the appropriate finite strain increment to use with the selected forms of the constitutive equations. Discussed is the conversion of rotation rates based on the spin into incremental orthogonal rotations. These rotations are used to update stresses and state variables due to rigid body rotation during the load increment. Comments and references to the literature are directed at numerical integration of the constitutive equations with an emphasis on doing this accurately, if not exactly, for any time step and stretching. This material taken collectively provides an approach to numerical implementation which is marked by its simplicity.
Use of the Ames test in toxicology

The Salmonella/microsome assay (Ames test) is one of the most widely used short-term tests. Despite the ubiquitous presence of this assay and the large number of chemicals tested, there is still controversy over the value of Salmonella/microsome assay results in risk assessment. Understanding of the properties and performance of the test system is necessary to provide an appropriate answer to this question. Based on both theoretical and empirical considerations, the results of the assay can provide useful information to assist in the development of further studies and as part of the data which can be used in evaluating potential biological effects or projected lack of adverse effects. The value of the Salmonella/microsome assay in performing these functions is considerably enhanced by consideration of all the information which the assay data provide.
Nonsolvable signalizer functors revisited

In an earlier paper [7], the authors proved three interdependent odd prime nonsolvable signalizer functor theorems, the third (and most technical) of which was designed for specific application to the analysis of the local structure of finite simple groups of characteristic 2 type (subsequently published in [S]). Shortly thereafter, Patrick McBride [IS, lo] established the authoritative result, namely, a completely general nonsolvable signalizer functor theorem, which we were able to quote directly in [6], thereby entirely by-passing [7]. Our present research Goint with Ronald Solomon) is aimed at constructing a simplified, conceptually more coherent “second generation” classification of the finite simple groups. Our intention is to limit drastically the number of results from the literature which we quote, using only the following: (a) standard “textbook” results, (b) the odd order theorem of Feit and Thompson and the classification of split (B, N)-pairs of rank 1, the proofs of both of which have undergone considerable recent revision and simplification, and (c) the existence and uniqueness of the sporadic groups along with many of their structural properties, a major chapter of simple group theory not presently in satisfactory shape. It is thus reasonable to seek a quicker-perhaps ad hoc-way around the nonsolvable signalizer functor theorem than quoting McBride’s dificult and rather long papers. The purpose of this note is to present such an alternative: improved versions (and proofs) of [7, Theorems 2 and 31, which when combined
“A Thrill of Extreme Magnety”: Robert E. Gross and the Beginnings of Cardiac Surgery

Seventy-five years ago, a 7-year-old girl underwent the first successful ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus. This procedure transformed her health and was a milestone in the development of cardiac surgery. The operation was performed by Dr. Robert E. Gross, then the surgical chief resident at Boston Children's Hospital, who went on to have a distinguished career in pediatric surgery. The patient is now a great-grandmother and the oldest known survivor of cardiac surgery.
Impulsiveness and arousal: heart rate under conditions of rest and challenge in healthy males

Abstract Personality theory has proposed that the impulsive individual may be characterized physiologically by resting under-arousal along with greater increases in arousal when stimulated. Previously physiological measurement of impulsivity has primarily been conducted using electrocortical techniques in pathological samples. However, the current study tests the theory relating impulsivity and arousal using heart rate measures in healthy men scoring either high ( n =14) or normal ( n =14) on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Heart rate was measured under two conditions; (1) rest, and (2) challenge (Paced Auditory Serial Attention Task, a cognitively demanding procedure of moderate duration and increasing intensity). High impulsive subjects exhibited generally slower heart rate under conditions of rest along with greater relative reactivity under a challenge condition (although this effect was reversible under continued increasing stimulation). These results are consistent with under-arousal theory of impulsivity and support the continued use of heart rate measures for addressing impulsivity theory.
New and unexpected: Forkhead meets ARF

Recent genetic studies demonstrate that mice deficient in the forkhead box m1b (Foxm1b) transcription factor are highly resistant to developing hepatocellular carcinoma, which is among the most lethal cancers worldwide. In addition, the Foxm1b transcription factor was identified as a novel inhibitory target of the p19ARF tumor suppressor during early stages of liver tumorigenesis, but p19ARF expression is extinguished in hepatic tumors that develop at later stages. Structure–function studies demonstrate that amino acids 26–46 of the p19ARF protein are sufficient to bind Foxm1b and reduce Foxm1b transcriptional activity by targeting it to the nucleolus. A peptide containing amino acids 24–46 of p19ARF, which was modified to enhance cellular uptake, is an effective inhibitor of Foxm1b transcriptional activity and prevents Foxm1b stimulation of anchorage-independent growth of cells on soft agar. Thus, the p19ARF peptide is an effective inhibitor of Foxm1b and represents a potential therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in the function of the store-operated Ca2+ channel activator STIM1.

We examined the role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in the localization and store-operated Ca 2+ entry (SOCE) function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca 2+ sensor stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) in HEK 293 cells. STIM1 tagged with an enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP-STIM1) exhibited a fibrillar localization that colocalized with endogenous α-tubulin. Depolymerization of microtubules with nocodazole caused a change from a fibrillar EYFP-STIM1 localization to one that was similar to that of the ER. Treatment of HEK 293 cells with nocodazole had a detrimental impact on SOCE and the associated Ca 2+ release-activated Ca 2+ current ( I CRAC ). This inhibition was significantly reversed in cells overexpressing EYFP-STIM1, implying that the primary inhibitory effect of nocodazole is related to STIM1 function. Surprisingly, nocodazole treatment alone induced significant SOCE and I CRAC in cells expressing EYFP-STIM1, and this was accompanied by an increase in EYFP-STIM1 fluorescence near the plasma membrane. We conclude that microtubules play a facilitative role in the SOCE signaling pathway by optimizing the localization of STIM1.
Shedding of membrane epithin is blocked without LDLRA4 and its protease activation site.

Epithin, a mouse type II transmembrane serine protease, is processed at Gly149 and released from the membrane. Here, we report the identification of an epithin isoform, epithin(Δ), containing a 66 amino acid deletion from the full-length epithin, which is missing the 4th LDLRA domain and the protease activation sequence. This truncated isoform showed the same characteristic N-terminal processing at Gly149 as the full-length form, however, no protease activity was detected. The N-terminal processed epithin(Δ) short form (Epi(Δ)-S) was not released into the medium under conditions in which the processed epithin short form (Epi-S) is released. This type of epithin shedding was also prevented when serine protease inhibitors were added to cells expressing the full-length form. These results strongly suggest that the serine protease activity is involved in the shedding process. The presence of epithin(Δ) message was detected in multiple tissues and its significance is discussed.
Does close temperature regulation affect surgical site infection rates

The argument for close temperature control, to which regulatory bodies have held health systems in an effort to reduce the burden of hospital-acquired infections, is not fully supported by current evidence. The literature is complex on the topic, and overinterpretation of historical data supporting close temperature regulation does not preclude an important recognition of these early works' contribution to high-quality surgical care. Avoidance of hypothermia through the regular use of active rewarming should be a routine part of safe surgical care. The biochemical basis of emphasizing temperature regulation is sound, and ample evidence shows the frank physiologic derangements seen when biological processes occur at suboptimal temperature. It is also recognized that patients tend to do better when warmed during the perioperative period, suggesting that warming devices are an important and essential adjunct to good perioperative care. Clinicians, researchers, and policymakers must be careful in how they apply these well-supported findings to process metrics in an era of limited resources with increasingly stringent quality guidelines and outcomes measures. Discrete temperature targets in current measures are not supported by the existing literature. Not only do these targets artificially anchor clinicians to temperature values with an inadequate scientific basis but they demand intensive resources from health institutions that could potentially be better used on quality requirements with stronger evidence of their ultimate effect on patient care.
Acid stability of carbon paste enzyme electrodes.

This note reports on the unusual protection of several enzymes against harsh pH conditions provided by carbon paste electrodes. Both glucose oxidase and polyphenol oxidase carbon paste amperometric biosensors display a remarkable resistance to acid deactivation compared to conventional biosensors prepared by electropolymeric entrapment of enzymes. For example, the carbon paste enzyme electrodes fully retain their activity upon stressing in strongly acidic conditions (pH ∼2.0−2.5) for prolonged periods, where conventional (polymer-based) biosensors rapidly lose most of their response. Such unusual acid stability of carbon paste enzyme electrodes is attributed to the “pH memory” of enzymes in the hydrophobic paste environment, to the barrier to hydronium ions provided by the pasting liquid and to decreased conformational mobility.
On the Way to Privatizing Commercial Banks: Poland and Hungary Take Different Roads

“If capital is at the heart of capitalism, then well-functioning capital markets are at the heart of a well-functioning capitalist economy.” (Stiglitz 1992).
A Novel Sonographic Method of Measuring Patellar Tendon Length

Abstract Obtaining accurate and readily repeatable measurements is a prerequisite for using measures of soft tissue structures both clinically and in the research setting. Few studies have evaluated the interrater reliability of ultrasound measurements of tendons. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy and reliability of a new method of sonographic measurement of patellar tendon length using direct dissection as the gold standard. Four cadaveric knees were sonographically evaluated by two independent investigators. Two custom designed straps with nylon strapping and stainless steel wire were used to firmly mark position on the leg and create an acoustic shadow on the ultrasound image. Anatomic landmarks were the distal patellar pole and the bony ridge on the anterior proximal tibia. After sonographic evaluation, the knee was dissected to expose the patellar tendon, which was measured using digital calipers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to determine reliability of measurements between observers, where ICC >0.75 was considered good and >0.9 was considered excellent. Validity was measured using a Bland-Altman plot, which measures bias between measurement methods as well as variability of scatter. Three sonographic measurements were made by each investigator on each tendon. The length of each of the four tendons based on the mean values of sonographic measurements was 53.8 mm, 53.4 mm, 49.4 mm and 46.8 mm. The length based on visual inspection of the dissected tissue was 54.6 mm, 52.8 mm, 49.8 mm and 46.9 mm. The calculated ICC between raters was 0.96. On the Bland-Altman plot, the bias, or mean difference between sonographic and visual measures, was 0.17 mm, with a standard deviation of 0.71. The 95% limit of agreement was −1.55 to 1.22 mm. Measurement of patellar tendon length with ultrasound using adjustable surface markers and calipers is highly accurate and has good interrater reliability.
Flux pinning by a special grain boundary in a niobium bicrystal

Abstract Flux pinning by a grain boundary has been studied in a special niobium bicrystal with the [111] direction in one grain and the [100] direction in other, both parallel to the grain-boundary plane. The results show that, in this special case, the flux-pinning force can be attributed primarily to the electron-scattering mechanism despite the fact that the contribution to the pinning force due to the anisotropy of the upper critical field H c2 is a maximum under the given conditions.