cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The nature of mutations induced by replication–transcription collisions

The DNA replication and transcription machineries share a common DNA template and thus can collide with each other co-directionally or head-on. Replication–transcription collisions can cause replication fork arrest, premature transcription termination, DNA breaks, and recombination intermediates threatening genome integrity. Collisions may also trigger mutations, which are major contributors to genetic disease and evolution. However, the nature and mechanisms of collision-induced mutagenesis remain poorly understood. Here we reveal the genetic consequences of replication–transcription collisions in actively dividing bacteria to be two classes of mutations: duplications/deletions and base substitutions in promoters. Both signatures are highly deleterious but are distinct from the previously well-characterized base substitutions in the coding sequence. Duplications/deletions are probably caused by replication stalling events that are triggered by collisions; their distribution patterns are consistent with where the fork first encounters a transcription complex upon entering a transcription unit. Promoter substitutions result mostly from head-on collisions and frequently occur at a nucleotide that is conserved in promoters recognized by the major σ factor in bacteria. This substitution is generated via adenine deamination on the template strand in the promoter open complex, as a consequence of head-on replication perturbing transcription initiation. We conclude that replication–transcription collisions induce distinct mutation signatures by antagonizing replication and transcription, not only in coding sequences but also in gene regulatory elements.
Symbolic Algorithm for Observing the States of a Class of Nonlinear Systems

The problem of estimating the states of a class of nonlinear systems is considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of such method, along with a constructive, computer implementable algorithm are presented.
Réflexion sur les distances : mise en scène des voix

Cet article porte sur la dynamique de la voix dans ses dimensions physiques et temporelles. Allant des recherches sur le son menees au XVIIIe siecle a la theorisation de Mladen Dolar sur la voix desincarnee, en passant par les experiences de certains dramaturges sur l’ecoute et la reecoute du son de la representation, l’auteure examine certaines pratiques de production sonore, dont 1) l’utilisation de voix live et de voix enregistrees; 2) le ventriloquisme et l’acousmatisation. C’est a partir de ces pratiques qu’elle analyse la performativite et la materialite de la voix. L’article repose sur l’hypothese suivante : la voix dont la source corporelle ne serait ni visible ni perceptible ne contribue pas a la mise en scene mais en devient un element materiel. Il se termine par une analyse du personnage de la Voix dans Eh Joe que Samuel Beckett a ecrit pour la television en 1965.
Relating to Self and Other: Mindfulness Predicts Compassionate and Self-Image Relationship Goals

In three studies, we tested the hypothesis that mindfulness is associated with and predicts the relationship goals to be compassionate and to bolster one’s self-image. In the first two studies, both cross-sectional, mindfulness was associated with higher compassionate goals and lower self-image goals. Study 3 replicated these findings both before and after a 2-week daily diary exercise. In addition, mindfulness at pretest predicted change in compassionate and self-image goals over the course of the study. Aggregating across studies, controlling for negative affectivity, mindfulness, and several of its facets were uniquely associated with compassionate goals. Mindfulness and non-judging of experience were each uniquely associated with lower self-image goals. These findings suggest that how people relate to their own experiences—namely, the extent to which they attend to present-moment experiences without judgment—is associated with their intentions toward others.
Quality of life after brachytherapy or bilateral nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer: a prospective cohort.

Objective To provide comparative data on quality of life (QoL) after prostate cancer treatment to help patients make an informed decision regarding their choice of treatment. Methods Patients with pathologically proven, non-metastatic, T1–T3bN0 prostate cancer were included in this prospective non-randomized study if they were to receive treatment with curative intent. Sample size was at least 181 patients per cohort/treatment type. QoL was recorded at baseline and at each follow-up using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) instrument. The minimal clinically important difference was defined as half of the standard deviation of the baseline score for each domain. A mixed effects model was used to compare the different treatments. Data are presented on the brachytherapy and the bilateral nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) cohorts. Hormonotherapy was not allowed. Results Between November 2007 and January 2013, 181 patients who received brachytherapy and 210 patients who underwent RARP were included. Of the patients who underwent RARP, 178 had bilateral nerve-sparing and were included in the present analysis. Response rate to EPIC questionnaires were higher in the brachytherapy than in the RARP arm: 82% vs 57% at 2 years after treatment and 55% vs 45% at 4 years after treatment. In the mixed effects model, patients in the RARP arm had better QoL with regard to urinary irritation/obstruction or bother and bowel function, and lower QoL regarding sexual function and urinary incontinence. Results were confirmed in a propensity score-matched model. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the brachytherapy group at 1, 2 and 3 years after treatment. Conclusion This prospective non-randomized study shows long-term differences in QoL domains after bilateral nerve-sparing RARP and brachytherapy. Differences in patient satisfaction should be further explored. These results could be used to counsel patients in the decision-making process.
Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

It has long been appreciated that individuals with diabetes mellitus are at a dramatically increased risk for coronary heart disease. Although the epidemiology of coronary heart disease in individuals with diabetes is well characterized, the mechanisms responsible for the association have not been completely delineated. In this chapter, the genetics of diabetes as currently understood will be discussed, along with ways in which the genes involved in diabetes may also be implicated in predisposition to CHD.
Law and Creativity

This chapter probes how philosophy may help us understand how legal creativity occurs. The inquiry is basically descriptive, but there is an underlying normative element also to the extent that the inquiry opens a space alternative to rule formalism and the recourse only to the past, both of which can often be stultifying for both the law and the legal profession. The chapter relies principally on approaches in continental philosophy, particularly hermeneutics and the work of Paul Ricoeur on metaphor and imagination. It also adverts to recent work in cognitive theory that helps deepen the philosophical insights. While legal scholarship has debated the nature of legal creativity in the context of analogy, the claim is that the resources of hermeneutics allow a more precise, sophisticated, and illuminating rendering of this subject.The potential reinterpretation of meaning required at the moment of application is a basic theme of hermeneutics. The relationship between meaning and application is not one of subsumption; meaning is not determined once and for all at the moment of origin but must be reassessed as the meaning is applied to new circumstances. Meaning can change as it is applied; the determination of meaning requires creative judgment.Our understanding of the interrelation between meaning and application can be enriched by describing the interrelation as metaphoric. The ground for metaphoric predication arises when customary meaning is challenged. In metaphor, writes Ricoeur, “the similar is perceived despite difference.” Metaphoric predication is a creative act that can expand a category. In the interrelation of meaning and application, we may see resemblance where we had not before. Analysis is extended a step further by considering how the interrelation of meaning and application in legal judgment is not simply metaphoric but imaginative. The creation of metaphoric resemblance is an act of imagination. The relationship between meaning and application is not one of deduction of the particular from the general principle but rather of a transfer of meaning. Making the transfer requires imagination. Philosophic analysis of metaphor and imagination allows us to ascertain how significant is the role of creative judgment in law.
Role of excess ligand and effect of thermal treatment in hybrid inorganic-organic EUV resists

The chemical structure and thermal reactivity of recently discovered inorganic-organic hybrid resist materials are characterized using a combination of in situ and ex situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The materials are comprised of a small HfOx core capped with methacrylic acid ligands that form a combined hybrid cluster, HfMAA. The observed IR modes are consistent with the calculated modes predicted from the previously determined x-ray crystal structure of the HfMAA-12 cluster, but also contain extrinsic hydroxyl groups. We find that the water content of the films is dependent on the concentration of excess ligand added to the solution. The effect of environment used during post-application baking (PAB) is studied and correlated to changes in solubility of the films. In doing so, we find that hydroxylation of the clusters results in formation of additional Hf-O-Hf linkages upon heating, which in turn impacts the solubility of the films.
Continuous thrombin generation in whole blood: New applications for assessing activators and inhibitors of coagulation

Hemostatic tests have been utilized to clarify the blood coagulation potential. The novel thrombin generation (TG) assay of this study provides explicit information and is the most physiologically-relevant hemostatic test ex vivo. We describe how this assay allows for TG under a number of relevant circumstances. First, whole blood (WB) from healthy individuals was analyzed ± 5 pM tissue factor (TF) and ± contact pathway inhibition. Without an exogenous initiator TG was decreased and delayed, but addition of 5 pM TF shortened the lag phase and increased peak thrombin. Additional experiments included fresh WB from a trauma patient analyzed for endogenous activity and TG from healthy donors subjected to TG antagonists which prolonged the lag phase whereas TG agonists consistently shortened the lag phase in a dose dependent manner. Lastly, platelet-poor plasma was reconstituted with packed red blood cells and TG was monitored in the presence and absence of both TF as an activator and PCPS as a phospholipid surface. Our data illustrate the potential that this continuous TG assay has in the evaluation of disorders relevant to blood coagulation and in the monitoring of treatments administered in response to these disorders.
Foreign bodies in the orbit. Review of 20 cases.

Summary The interdisciplinary problem of foreign bodies in the orbit is presented on the basis of personal experience in the treatment of 20 patients. These foreign bodies often cause severe injuries to the organ of sight and even threaten life. Early removal of a foreign body is technically easy, prevents infection and facilitates anatomical reconstruction of the damaged structures. Only in exceptional cases may removal be avoided. Of the 20 patients treated, only 9 were early admissions to our Department where the foreign body was removed and primary surgery performed. The others were admitted after some delay, which made correct treatment more difficult. Data on the injuries found in 20 patients, surgical technique, follow up and results are presented. Total recovery was obtained in 7 patients, improvement in vision in 2, enucleation of the globe was necessary in 5, and in 2 loss of vision was a sequel to a lesion of the optic nerve. Depending on the indications, reconstructive plastic surgery and prosthetic rehabilitation gave good aesthetic results. The necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with foreign bodies in the orbit is emphasized.
Complications of Tibial Tubercle Surgery

Objectives:Tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) is a common procedure that is frequently used in the treatment of recurrent patellar instability and/or patellar chondrosis. Medialization of the tubercle...
Theoretical Limitations of Visual Navigation of Lifesaving VSV using Small UAS

Ahstract-This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the problem of visual navigation of an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) using visual feedback from a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) in drowning victim recovery scenario. Manually teleoperated life-saving USVs have been used by responders to assist drowning victims. However, the teleoperation is difficult and requires additional manpower. In this project, the rescue is automated by using a sUAS to navigate the USV to the victims autonomously. This enables the responders to focus on the actual rescue. In this paper, the focus is given to the theory behind the problem. The problem is divided into visual position estimation, visual orientation estimation, and motion planning subproblems. For each subproblem, a theoretical analysis is provided and lower bound limits on how well the subproblem can be solved are determined. This will help to understand the theoretical limitations and to drive further research. Lastly, the previously published system is compared with the lower bound limits to identify the areas of potential improvement.
INTENSITY OF LIPID LOWERING THERAPY AMONG PATIENTS WITH POLYVASCULAR DISEASE: INSIGHTS FROM THE GOULD REGISTRY

Despite national cholesterol treatment guidelines, many patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)—including polyvascular disease—do not receive guideline-recommended therapy. In the multicenter, observational Getting to an Improved Understanding of Low-Density Lipoprotein
Identification of a mutant from Arachis veigae with enhanced seed oleic and very long-chain fatty acid content

High oleate is an important seed quality trait frequently incorporated in peanut varieties. Crop wild relatives (CWR) are potentially useful genetic resources for cultivar improvement through genetic introgression; but for wild peanut species, many chemical or nutritional traits are not well characterized. A mutant from Arachis veigae S. H. Santana & Valls (2n = 2x = 20), with increased oleic and very long chain (C ≥ 22) fatty acid content was identified from screening 209 accessions of 45 species using gas chromatography (GC). The A. veigae (formerly A. sylvestris) accession, VVeSv 8373 (PI 688970) contained 55.5% oleic acid in seeds, significantly higher than the average (18.3%) of other accessions within the same species and also significantly higher than the average (37.0%) of all wild peanut accessions evaluated. A C37T substitution was identified by sequencing the coding region of FAD2H, resulting in the nonsense mutation of Q13* (a premature stop codon). This functional mutation may significantly reduce the fatty acid desaturase (FAD) activity and result in the enhanced oleate level. Arachis veigae also contained a high percentage of very long-chain (C ≥ 22) fatty acids, and their variation identified in this study is also discussed and compared with other species. The mutant with such an altered fatty acid composition may be useful for potentially improving seed or food nutrition quality.
Mapping Climate Justice: Future Climate Wealth of Nations

This chapter introduces a 3-dimensional climate justice approach combining intra-country, intra-country and inter-temporal aspects. The goal is to find ways to distribute the benefits and burden of climate change in an economically efficient, legally equitable and practically feasible way around the globe. Climate justice within a country pays tribute to low- and high income households carrying the same burden proportional to their dispensable income through consumption tax, progressive carbon taxation and a corporate inheritance tax. Climate change burden sharing between countries ensures those countries benefiting more from a warmer environment bear higher responsibility regarding climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate justice over time is proposed by a bonds climate change burden sharing strategy (Puaschunder, 2018, forthcoming).
Real-world assessment of off-label direct oral anticoagulant dosing for venous thromboembolism

Preferred anticoagulation therapy for venous thromboembolism (VTE) has shifted from warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Adherence to DOAC prescribing information is an important quality measure as off-label doses have been associated with increased risk of adverse events (AEs). To identify the prevalence, outcomes, and patient characteristics associated with off-label DOAC dosing during VTE treatment. Patients receiving DOAC for VTE treatment discharged from University of Utah Health (UUH) over a 90-day period were identified. Dosing was classified as “labeled” or “off-label” based on concordance with manufacturer prescribing information. AEs (thromboembolic events, bleeding, death) occurring within 90 days after discharge were identified. Out of 195 patients, 154 (79.0%) received labeled dosing, 31 (15.9%) received off-label dosing, and 10 (5.1%) were indeterminate. Two-thirds of off-label doses were higher than recommended and three-fourths occurred during extended treatment (more than 90 days post-VTE). Off-label dosing rates dropped to 5.6% when 6-month dose reductions were not required. Off-label dosing was associated with apixaban use and extended phase treatment (p < 0.001). No association was found between off-label dosing and age, renal function, prescriber rationale for dose selection, or Thrombosis Clinic referral. AEs were experienced by 18 (11.7%) and 3 (9.7%) patients in the labeled and off-label groups, respectively (p = 0.77). Bleeding events comprised 46.2% of AEs. The rate of off-label DOAC dosing for VTE at UUH was within rates reported in prior studies, occurred primarily with extended-duration apixaban, and did not result in a higher rate of AEs.
Cutaneous tuberculosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: description of a series of 75 cases.

Background Brazil is one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burden countries of the world. Cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) is a rare form of extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis. This study aimed to describe the clinico-evolutive, laboratory and therapeutic aspects of CTB cases among patients from a cohort with TB in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods Cases of diagnosed CTB with microbiologic confirmation or clinical response to anti-tuberculous treatment associated with positive smear or histopathological findings between the years 2000 and 2016 were selected. Results Seventy-five patients with CTB were included, most were women (58.7%) with a median age of 42 years. CTB diagnosis was based on culture in only 42.7% of the cases. Scrofuloderma represented 50.7% of the cases, followed by erythema induratum of Bazin (EIB) (18.7%), tuberculous gumma (13.3%), lupus vulgaris (8%), TB verrucosa cutis (4%), orificial TB (2.7%) and associated forms (2.7%). Other TB presentations were pulmonary (22.7%), mammary (6.6%) and osteoarticular (4%). All patients who completed the treatment (97.3%) had their lesions healed. Only two patients (2.6%) needed to change the therapy due to adverse reactions. Fifty percent of EIB patients presented recurrence. Conclusions These data highlight the diversity of CTB presentations and the importance of the skin to assist in early identification and treatment of TB. More studies are necessary to improve the knowledge on EIB for a better approach towards these patients, mainly in cases of recurrence.
Utilizing the regioselectivity of perfluoropyridine towards the preparation of phenyoxyacetylene precursors for partially fluorinated polymers of diverse architecture

Abstract Regioselective nucleophilic substitution of perfluoropyridine with functionalized phenols provided a facile route toward the preparation of 2,6-bis(4-ethynylphenoxy)-3,5-difluoro-4-phenoxypyridine, a monomer that can be polymerized neat via thermal [2 + 2 + 2] cyclopolymerizations affording intractable polyarylene networks or via copper-assisted step-growth 1,3-dipolar alkyne-azide “click” cycloaddition reactions with bis(azidomethyl)benzene. Both reactive pathways afforded polymers with high thermal stability and good char yields, which is comparable to acetylene-based resins. Notably, the opportunity for programmable thermal properties is realized through the operationally simple monomer synthesis was shown to be adaptive to various regioselective and nucleophile addition scenarios that can lead to the production of a library of perfluoropyridine monomers. Herein, we highlight the synthesis and characterization of these new perfluoropyridine-based polymer architectures for potentially tunable high performance applications.
Selective memory and behavioral alterations after ambient ultrafine particulate matter exposure in aged 3xTgAD Alzheimer's disease mice.

A growing body of epidemiological literature indicates that particulate matter (PM) air pollution exposure is associated with elevated Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk and may exacerbate AD-related cognitive decline. Of concern is exposure to the ultrafine PM (UFP) fraction (≤100 nm), which deposits efficiently throughout the respiratory tract, has higher rates of translocation to secondary organs, like brain, and may induce inflammatory changes. We, therefore, hypothesize that exposure to UFPs will exacerbate cognitive deficits in a mouse model of AD. The present study assessed alterations in learning and memory behaviors in aged (12.5 months) male 3xTgAD and non-transgenic mice following a 2-week exposure (4-h/day, 4 days/week) to concentrated ambient UFPs using the Harvard ultrafine concentrated ambient particle system (HUCAPS) or filtered air. Beginning one month following exposure, locomotor activity, spatial learning and memory, short-term recognition memory, appetitive motivation, and olfactory discrimination were assessed. No effects on locomotor activity were found following HUCAPS exposure (number concentration, 1 × 104–4.7 × 105 particles/cm3; mass concentration, 29–132 μg/m3). HUCAPS-exposed mice, independent of AD background, showed a significantly decreased spatial learning, mediated through reference memory deficits, as well as short-term memory deficits in novel object recognition testing. AD mice displayed diminished spatial working memory, potentially a result of olfactory deficits, and short-term memory. AD background modulated HUCAPS-induced changes on appetitive motivation and olfactory discrimination, specifically enhancing olfactory discrimination in NTg mice. Modeling variation in appetitive motivation as a covariate in spatial learning and memory, however, did not support the conclusion that differences in motivation significantly underlie changes in spatial learning and memory. A short-term inhalation exposure of aged mice to ambient UFPs at human-relevant concentrations resulted in protracted (testing spanning 1–6.5 months post-exposure) adverse effects on multiple memory domains (reference and short-term memory) independent of AD background. Impairments in learning and memory were present when accounting for potential covariates like motivational changes and locomotor activity. These results highlight the need for further research into the potential mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of UFP exposure in adulthood.
Systematic overview of Freedom of Information Act requests to the Department of Health and Human Services from 2008 to 2017.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides access to unreleased government records that can be used to enhance the transparency and integrity of biomedical research. We characterized FOIA requests to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including request outcomes, processing times, backlogs, and costs. Using HHS FOIA annual reports, we extracted data on the number of FOIA requests received and processed by HHS agencies between 2008 and 2017, as well as request outcomes. Processing times were reported in three time increments, < 1–20, 21–60, or 61+ days, and trends in backlog status were also described. Information about costs and fees collected were aggregated. Between 2008 and 2017, 69.6% of 530,094 HHS FOIA requests were received by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 18.9% by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and 11.6% by all other HHS agencies. During this period, CMS processed 374,728 requests, FDA 114,938, and other HHS agencies 61,890. CMS and FDA reduced backlogged requests by 9396 (89.7%) and 4289 (65.3%), respectively, leaving backlogs of 1081 and 2279 requests at the end of 2017. CMS fully or partially granted 60.3% of requests whereas FDA fully or partially granted 72.4%. Of all requests to CMS, 82.0% were considered simple and 18.0% complex; 82.2% of simple requests and 54.9% of complex requests were processed in 20 days, and 5.6% and 29.9% were processed in 61+ days. In contrast, 60.2% of requests to FDA were considered simple and 39.8% complex; 28.8% of simple requests and 9.0% of complex requests were processed in 20 days, and 58.3% and 81.5% were processed in 61+ days. The costs to HHS associated with FOIA requests totaled $446.4 million ($809 per processed request), increasing from $28.1 million ($423 per request) in 2008 to $53.3 million ($1544 per request) in 2017. In total, HHS collected $8.5 million in fees (1.9% of total costs). FOIA is frequently used to obtain information about HHS and its agencies. With growing costs, minimal fees collected, and lengthy processing times, HHS agencies’ FOIA programs might be made more efficient through greater proactive record disclosure.
THE ISSUE IS THE TISSUE: A RARE PHARMACOLOGIC CAUSE OF POTENTIALLY FATAL CARDIOMYOPATHY

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) cardiomyopathy is rare, with many cases resulting in death within weeks to months of diagnosis. A 50 year-old woman with a history of diabetes mellitus, diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP, neuropathy, and dermatomyositis on HCQ for two years, presented with
Semester-Long Course-Based Research Project in Second-Semester Organic Chemistry: Synthesizing Potential Lead Compounds for the Treatment of a Neglected Tropical Disease

A semester-long research project for second-semester organic chemistry lab sections was developed. Student projects were based on preliminary data from faculty research that suggested the natural p...
An atypical systemic form of chronic active EBV infection.

The World Health Organization classification of Tumors of Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues recognizes two broad forms of EBV-positive lymphoproliferative disorders of childhood: (1) EBV-positive ...
It's time to abolish class rankings in medical education!

Class rank is a commonly used measure to differentiate talent for potential selection in postgraduate training programs (e.g., medical residency, internship, etc.). However, class ranking is a norm-referenced approach in which students are assessed relative to the performance of their peers. This is in juxtaposition to competency-based/standards-based education which is the norm for most all medical training programs. Further, the education literature has repeatedly articulated reasons why differentiating students based on class rank is both inappropriate and detrimental to student learning. Thus, the purpose of this article is to argue for the abolishment of class ranking across all medical and health professions programs.
Antioxidant MnTBAP does not protect adult mice from neonatal hyperoxic lung injury.

Abstract Background Oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation are important predisposing factors for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), leading to increased morbidity and mortality in premature infants. Oxygen toxicity mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) may play an important part in the development of BPD. We studied the effects of MnTBAP, a catalytic antioxidant on airway responsiveness and alveolar simplification in adult mice following neonatal hyperoxia. Methods Mice litters were randomized to 85 %O2 or room air (RA) on D3 for 12 days to receive either MnTBAP (10 mg/kg/d) or saline intraperitoneally. Methacholine challenge (MCC) performed at 8 and 12 weeks of age by whole-body plethysmography to assess airway reactivity. Alveolarization quantified on lung sections by radial alveolar count (RAC) and mean linear intercept (MLI). Cell counts assessed from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed at 15 weeks. Results Mice exposed to hyperoxia and MnTBAP (OXMN) had significantly higher airway reactivity post-MCC at 8 weeks compared to RA and O2 groups. At 12 weeks, airway reactivity was higher post-MCC in both hyperoxia and OXMN groups. MnTBAP did not attenuate hyperoxia-induced airway reactivity in adult mice. Hyperoxia exposed mice demonstrated large and distended alveoli on histopathology at 2 and 15 weeks. MnTBAP did not ameliorate hyperoxia-induced lung injury as assessed by RAC/MLI. Absolute lymphocyte count was significantly higher in BAL in the hyperoxia and OXMN groups. Conclusions MnTBAP, a catalytic antioxidant, did not afford protection from hyperoxia-induced lung injury in adult mice.
Spatial Prediction and Digital Mapping of Soil Texture Classes in a Floodplain Using Multinomial Logistic Regression

The spatial distribution of physical soil properties is an important requirement in practice as basic input data. Most effective of these properties is soil texture that governs water holding capacity, nutrient availability, and root development. Detailed information on soil texture variability in lateral dimension is crucial for proper crop and land management and environmental studies. Soil texture classes are determined in the soil survey. It may be consist of two or more texture classes for each polygon according to soil mapping units. There is a spatial discrepancy due to variability in soil texture within the mapping polygon. Digital soil mapping (DSM) offers major innovations in removing some of the inconsistencies in traditional soil mapping. DSM methodology can integrate the various raster-based spatial environmental data that field-based soil morphology, soil analyses, and effects of soil formation factors. In this study, the potential of environmental variables generated from digital data to predict soil texture classes were investigated. Curvature parameters indicating the shape of the slope were determined as the most important predictive variables in a flood plain. Overall accuracy was calculated as 63.9% and 47.60% for the training set and the test set, respectively. Digital soil map can be used effectively by farmers in the management of crops in this plain.
Generation and characterization of antibodies against arginine-derived advanced glycation endproducts

Although antibodies reagents have been widely employed for studying advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), these materials have been produced using complex mixtures of immunogens. Consequently, their epitope specificity remains unknown. Here we have generated the first antibodies capable of recognizing each of the three isomers of the methylglyoxal hydroimidazolones (MG-Hs) by using chemical synthesis to create homogenous immunogens. Furthermore, we have thoroughly characterized the epitope specificity of both our antibodies and that of two existing monoclonals by implementing a direct ELISA protocol employing synthetic MG-H antigens. Finally, we employed the reported anti-MG-H antibodies to the detection of MG-Hs in cellular systems using immunofluorescence microscopy. These studies have demonstrated that anti-MG-H1 and anti-MG-H3 staining is concentrated within the nucleus, while anti-MG-H2 affords only minimal signal. These observations are consistent with reported formation preferences for MG-Hs, and may suggest novel nuclear targets for non-enzymatic posttranslational modification. The antibody reagents reported herein, as well as the strategy employed for their creation, are likely to prove useful for the immunochemical study of AGEs in biological systems.
Globalization and Civil Society-Continuities, Ambiguities, and Realities in Latin America

It is a truism of contemporary international political studies that globalization is becoming an increasingly potent force in political life, and nowhere is this increase more apparent than in the established political systems of Latin America. Walking down any street in any Latin American town, one is confronted with the lived reality of globalization; illegal street vendors sell cheap goods made in the Far Eastern Free Trade Zones; teenagers wear "Chicago Bulls" baseball hats; shops blare the music of U2, Guns ' ' Roses, and Gloria Estefan; and German backpackers buy "authentic" trinkets from a woman with a long black plait hanging down to her many-layered skirts. All this occurs alongside the distribution of baby bottles by the United Nations Children's Fund, the leafleting of passers-by as part of the voter education program funded by the Ford Foundation for Democracy, or the hammering sound coming from the nearby construction site of a community health center, courtesy of the Swedish government. The patterns of connection and enmeshing that this vignette conjures are complex and give us an idea, if not a quantifiable measure, of what globalization means to ordinary people. The most obvious manifestation of globalization is the neo-liberal economic revolution that is occurring at a pace and in ways that are beyond the control of one actor or institution. As such, much of the literature on globalization tends to focus on changes in the structure of international financial patterns or trade,1 on the activities and
The Early Life of Grover Cleveland

Stephen Grover Cleveland’s life up to the age of forty-two transformed his character and defined the path of the United States during his two non-consecutive presidential terms. Through a number of primary and secondary sources, it is possible to reconstruct Cleveland’s early life and note the development of his politics and worldview. The first democrat elected to the presidency after the Civil War, Cleveland was never recognized as a man of superior intellect. However, he was known for his strong work ethic and personal integrity. Cleveland managed to become one of the most prominent lawyers in Buffalo, New York, and began to move up the political ladder with his election as sheriff of Erie County and, consequently, to the mayoralty of Buffalo. Cleveland’s two presidencies symbolized reform and honesty, which were influenced by the teachings and experiences in his early life. In turn, the examination of Cleveland’s life to the age of forty-two years is important because it transformed him into the statesman who would become the President of the United States.
Authentic Research Experiences for Nevada High School Teachers and Students

The Nevada Science Teacher Enhancement Project (N-STEP) was a three-year Teacher Enhancement program funded by the National Science Foundation. Fifty high school teachers worked closely with resear...
Amino Acid Residues that Control pH Modulation of Transport-Associated Current in Mammalian Serotonin Transporters

The rat and human serotonin transporters (rSERT and hSERT, respectively) were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and studied using site-directed mutagenesis, electrophysiological recordings, and [3H]5-HT uptake measurements. rSERT, but not hSERT, displayed increased transport-associated current at low pH. Chimeras and point mutations showed that, of the 52 nonidentical residues, a single residue at position 490 (threonine in rSERT and lysine in hSERT) governs this difference. Furthermore, potentiation required the glutamate residue at position 493. Cysteine substitution and alkylation experiments showed that residue 493 is extracellular. Cysteine at 493 increased, whereas aspartate decreased, the net charge movement per transported 5-HT molecule. The mutations at this region did not significantly affect other aspects of SERT function, including agonist-independent leakage current, voltage-dependent transient current, and H+ current. This region may therefore be part of an external gate required for rSERT function. The data and analyses show that, in the absence of detailed structural information, a gate–lumen–gate scheme is useful for interpreting results from mutations that alter functional properties of neurotransmitter transporters.
The importance of rapid, disturbance-induced losses in carbon management and sequestration

Management of terrestrial carbon fluxes is being proposed as a means of increasing the amount of carbon sequestered in the terrestrial biosphere. This approach is generally viewed only as an interim strategy for the coming decades while other longer-term strategies are developed and implemented - the most important being the direct reduction of carbon emissions. We are concerned that the potential for rapid, disturbance-induced losses may be much greater than is currently appreciated, especially by the decision-making community. Here we wish to: (1) highlight the complex and threshold-like nature of disturbances - such as fire and drought, as well as the erosion associated with each - that could lead to carbon losses; (2) note the global extent of ecosystems that are at risk of such disturbance-induced carbon losses; and (3) call for increased consideration of and research on the mechanisms by which large, rapid disturbance-induced losses of terrestrial carbon could occur. Our lack of ability as a scientific community to predict such ecosystem dynamics is precluding the effective consideration of these processes into strategies and policies related to carbon management and sequestration. Consequently, scientists need to do more to improve quantification of these potential losses and to integrate them into sound, sustainable policy options.
Dual-Level DVFS-Enabled Millimeter-Wave Wireless NoC Architectures

Wireless Network-on-Chip (WiNoC) has emerged as an enabling technology to design low power and high bandwidth massive multicore chips. WiNoCs based on small-world network architecture and designed with incorporating millimeter (mm)-wave on-chip wireless links offer significantly lower power and higher bandwidth compared to traditional mesh-based counterparts. In this mm-wave small-world WiNoC (mSWNoC), long distance communication predominately takes place through the wireless shortcuts whereas the short-range data exchange still occurs through the conventional metal wires. This results in performance advantages mainly stemming from using the wireless links as long-range shortcuts between far apart cores. This performance gain can be enhanced further if the wireline links and the processing cores of the WiNoC are optimized according to the traffic patterns and application workloads. In this work, we demonstrate that by incorporating both processor- and network-level dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) in an mSWNoC, the power and thermal profiles can be improved without a significant impact on the overall execution time. We also show that depending on the applications, temperature hotspots can be formed either in the processing cores or in the network infrastructure. The proposed dual-level DVFS is capable of addressing both types of hotspots. In this work we will demonstrate how novel interconnect architectures enabled by the on-chip wireless links coupled with power management strategies can improve the energy and thermal characteristics of a NoC significantly.
“Does American Religious History Have a Center?” Reflections

The three essays presented in this session raise issues that remind me of two classic representations of the problem of interpretation. In the Japanese film Rashomon , four differing and incompatible accounts of the same event are presented by the central characters, leaving the viewer to wonder which, if any, is the “true” version. Similarly, in the “Doubloon” chapter of Melville's Moby Dick , Captain Ahab nails a Spanish gold coin to the mast as a potential reward for the first man to spot the white whale; subsequently, each member of the crew gazes at the doubloon and falls into his own unique chain of associations that it evokes. Each of these fictional situations evokes the dilemma of the historian in general and the religious historian in particular: how can I deliver an accurate, persuasive, and satisfying account of my material, given the inevitable differences in perception and value that separate me not only from my professional peers but from the vast numbers of individuals and groups whose account might well be different from mine? As Stephen Stein indicates, the dilemma is not purely “academic,” since our students expect a coherent narrative from us, and will inevitably go away frustrated if we simply give them fragments that seem to form no discernible whole.
An Action Learning Strategy to Challenge Gifted Students.

(1983). An Action Learning Strategy to Challenge Gifted Students. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 56, No. 5, pp. 218-220.
Statistical image reconstruction for muon tomography using Gaussian scale mixture model

Muon tomography is a novel imaging technique that uses background cosmic radiation to inspect cargo containers for detecting the transportation or smuggling of heavy nuclear materials. Empirically, muon scattering data are modeled as zero-mean Gaussian random variables with variance being a function of the atom number and density of the scattering material. However, a single Gaussian distribution cannot model the tail of the true distribution and hence results in inaccuracy in the reconstructed images. In this paper, we propose a Gaussian scale mixture (GSM) to approximate the true distribution of muon data. The GSM follows the true distribution more closely than a single Gaussian model. We have derived a maximum likelihood reconstruction algorithm using the optimization transfer principle. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) studies were performed using computer simulated data to evaluate the new algorithm. The results show that the use of GSM improves the detection performance significantly over that of the traditional Gaussian model.
Interpolation of nonstationary air pollution processes: a spatial spectral approach:

Spatial processes are important models for many environmental problems. Classical geostatistics and Fourier spectral methods are powerful tools for stuyding the spatial structure of stationary proc...
The cellular response of saurian pancreatic islets to chronic insulin administration.

Abstract Moderately degranulated pancreatic A cells were observed by light, phase, and electron microscopy after chronic insulin administration in the lizard Anolis carolinensis . The reduced granularity of A cells is presumably due to glucagon release in response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Secretion of glucagon is compatible with the observed reduction in glycogen content of the hepatocytes. The ultrastructural observations made during the periods of maximal A cell degranulation suggest a new interpretation of glucagon secretion. The salient feature of the proposed secretory mechanism is intracytoplasmic release of glucagon. Other ultrastructural changes appear to be associated with the secretory process. The two most prominent changes were: pleomorphic A granule profiles often exhibiting knoblike protuberances, and short, basal infoldings of the A cell plasma membrane abutting the capillary space. The role these changes might have in the release of glucagon is discussed. A, B, and D cells were identified by light, phase, and electron microscopy. With the light microscope, A cells were stained by phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin, and Ponceau-acid fuchsin. B cells were aldehyde fuchsin positive. D cells were argyrophilic. With the phase microscope, A cells contained large, dense secretory granules; B cells had the smallest secretory granules of the three major cell types; and D cells had large granules which were less dense than A granules. With the electron microscope, A granules tended to be oval in profile, were electron opaque with a predominantly homogeneous matrix, and had a long axis of 700 to 800 nm. B granules were round to oval in profile, had a moderately electron opaque matrix with a central dense core, and were approximately 450 nm in diameter. D granules were large, approximately 650 nm in diameter, round in profile and moderately electron opaque. The matrix of D granules was separated from the limiting membrane of the granule by a narrow, electron lucent space. Using the above criteria, the islet cell population contained approximately 50% A cells, about 40% B cells, and 10–15% D cells.
Reduction of solid-supported olefins and alkynes.

The reduction of carbon−carbon multiple bonds in alkynes and olefins supported on a polystyrene resin has been investigated. Homogeneous catalysis by titanocene reagents is effective for the stereoselective preparation of cis-olefins from diarylacetylenes, while the use of copper(I) hydride reagents is effective for the reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketones.
Coping among spouses or significant others of persons with multiple sclerosis.

The purpose of this study was to identify coping strategies used by a sample of 156 spouses/significant others of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) in meeting the challenges of living with and/or caring for someone with MS. An additional purpose was to determine if differences existed among the coping strategies with respect to frequency of use, dependency status of the person with MS, the presence or absence of illness in the spouse/significant other, and the latter's gender and relationship to the person with MS. Low alpha coefficients were obtained on most of the Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS) subscales. Subsequent factor analysis resulted in six factors. Two were problem focused (Planning, Confrontive); three were emotion focused (Ambivalence, Escape/Anger, Distancing); and one was problem and emotion focused combined (Accepting). The factors represented 31 of the 60 JCS items. Alpha coefficients were between .66 and .76. Significantly more problem-than emotion-focused coping dimension strategies were used. More coping strategies were used from the Planning. Distancing, and Escape/Anger dimensions when persons with MS were dependent rather than independent; the Distancing dimension when the spouse/significant other was also ill; and the Planning dimension when the spouse/significant other was a man. Spouses used more coping strategies from the Ambivalence and fewer from the Distancing and Escape/Anger dimensions than did significant others.
CROSSING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG HYBRID AND SPECIFIC PLUM VARIETIES, AND AMONG THE SEVERAL PRUNUS SPECIES WHICH ARE INVOLVED

THE DATA presented here were accumulated during the course of a breeding project with plums, carried on over a period of 8 years while the writer was on the staff of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. A brief preliminary abstract has summarized some of the material in this report (Flory, 1944). No attempt is made here to present detailed data concerning attempted varietal combinations. Effort is directed, rather, toward determining and summarizing the crossing behavior, and the effective pollenizing values, of variety groups when considered collectively from the standpoint of similar botanical origin. MATERIAL.-Thirty-seven different varieties were used in the selfs and in the attempted cross combinations on which this report is based. These varieties, together with the species of Prunus from which they originated, follow: