cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The farm‐retail price spread: The case of postharvest pesticides in fresh grapefruit packinghouses

This article uses marketing margin theory and Gardner's six equation model to estimate the impacts of banning a postharvest pesticide from use in the fresh grapefruit industry. Specifically, the study calculated four impacts of a postharvest pesticide ban: the impacts are on the farm price, retail price, farm-retail price ratio, and use of agricultural inputs for fresh grapefruit. The percent of postharvest losses following the ban is varied to determine the sensitivity of the cost of the ban to the grapefruit industry and society as a whole. ©1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Intranuclear filaments in a soft tissue sarcoma

Intranuclear filaments aggregating into rodlike structures were found in cells of an undifferentiated soft tissue sarcoma in a child. Similar structures have been uncommonly described in human neoplasms, and uncertainties exist concerning the nature of the inclusion bearing cells in previous reports. The filaments were found to be resistant to mild trypsin digestion. Review of the pertinent literature indicates that these structures may represent the structural manifestation of a highly specialized functional state, rather than a degenerative phenomenon or an artifact. A certain selectivity of occurrence has also been noted. It is therefore plausible to speculate that intranuclear filaments may eventually constitute a morphologic criterion of interest for new tumor classifications.
Variability of Tropical Diurnal Sea Surface Temperature

Abstract A dataset consisting of daily diurnal warming values from 1996 through 2000 covering the global Tropics (30°N through 30°S) at 0.25° × 0.25° resolution has been created using a parameterization for the diurnal warming developed previously. The inputs to the parameterization are the peak shortwave solar radiation [determined from International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data] and daily averaged wind speed [determined from Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) data]. Comparisons with Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) and Pilot Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) buoys show that the biases are small (mean bias is 0.0012°C; the standard deviation and correlation are 0.26°C and 0.74) and show no discernable geographic bias. The 5-yr average shows that throughout most regions the values are small, with higher values (approaching 1°C) in the northern Indian Ocean, the western equatorial Pacific, the equatorial eastern Pacific, ...
Effects of repeated defeat by a dominant conspecific on subsequent pain sensitivity, open-field activity, and escape learning

Male rats were tested as intruders for 25 consecutive days in colonies that had either aggressive (i.e., alpha) or nonaggressive conspecific residents. Alpha-defeated intruders, in contrast to nondefeated rats, showed more defensive behavior, less gain in body weight, and received more bites during the course of these sessions. Tail-flick tests, using a heat source, revealed that both groups of intruders showed comparable sensitivity/reactivity to pain, and there was no evidence of analgesia as a function of resident encounters. Immediately after the last intruder session, all subjects were tested for exploratory activity in an open-field apparatus with the odors (i.e., soiled bedding) from the alpha colonies present. Defeated intruders showed significantly less locomotion, in terms of the number of grid crossings, than nondefeated rats. Twenty-four hours later, randomly selected subgroups of defeated and nondefeated subjects were briefly exposed, without being defeated, to aggressive colonies, and all rats were then retested for activity with alpha odors present. Previously defeated intruders were again less active, and the colony-exposure treatment suppressed the activity of defeated, but not nondefeated, subjects. Finally, 24 h after another resident-intruder session, both groups of intruders showed comparable FR 1 escape performance in a shuttlebox with alpha odors present, but the defeated rats failed to learn a subsequent FR 2 escape task. The findings of this experiment are discussed in terms of the concept of “learned helplessness,” the effects of ethological stressors, and the authors’ stress-coping-fear-defense (SCFD) theory.
Inhibition of HIF2α Is Sufficient to Suppress pVHL-Defective Tumor Growth

Biallelic inactivation of the von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor gene (VHL) is linked to the development of hereditary (VHL-associated) and sporadic clear-cell renal carcinomas as well as other abnormalities. The VHL gene product, pVHL, is part of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that targets the α subunits of the heterodimeric transcription factor HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) for degradation in the presence of oxygen. Here we report that a HIF2α variant lacking both of its two prolyl hydroxylation/pVHL-binding sites prevents tumor inhibition by pVHL in a DNA-binding dependent manner. Conversely, downregulation of HIF2α with short hairpin RNAs is sufficient to suppress tumor formation by pVHL-defective renal carcinoma cells. These results establish that tumor suppression by pVHL is linked to regulation of HIF target genes.
Evolution towards steady state in membrane transport problems

Abstract A generating function method is used to describe the approach to steady state in time-dependent membrane transport problems. Specifically, it is applied to one of a variety of lattice-like membrane models developed by Hill & Kedem. The evolution towards the (asymptotic) steady state is discussed.
Spatiotemporal Detection of Unusual Human Population Behavior Using Mobile Phone Data

With the aim to contribute to humanitarian response to disasters and violent events, scientists have proposed the development of analytical tools that could identify emergency events in real-time, using mobile phone data. The assumption is that dramatic and discrete changes in behavior, measured with mobile phone data, will indicate extreme events. In this study, we propose an efficient system for spatiotemporal detection of behavioral anomalies from mobile phone data and compare sites with behavioral anomalies to an extensive database of emergency and non-emergency events in Rwanda. Our methodology successfully captures anomalous behavioral patterns associated with a broad range of events, from religious and official holidays to earthquakes, floods, violence against civilians and protests. Our results suggest that human behavioral responses to extreme events are complex and multi-dimensional, including extreme increases and decreases in both calling and movement behaviors. We also find significant temporal and spatial variance in responses to extreme events. Our behavioral anomaly detection system and extensive discussion of results are a significant contribution to the long-term project of creating an effective real-time event detection system with mobile phone data and we discuss the implications of our findings for future research to this end.
A novel fuzzy entropy clustering algorithm

This paper presents a novel unsupervised clustering algorithm for data classification using a fuzzy entropy approach. It is well known that the performances of conventional objective optimization algorithms, like k-means and fuzzy c-means (FCM), etc., heavily depend on priori information, such as the number of clusters. Here, the authors propose a new type of clustering algorithm which is developed by thresholding the object's distance matrix and its neighborhood association. The proposed algorithm has superiority over conventional algorithms when the number and the shape of clusters are hard to obtain and the solution sticks to a local optimal solution. In theory, the algorithm can be applied to clusters of arbitrary shape. The algorithm has been applied to the data which are either spherical or linear in shape. >
Predicting the Impacts of Future Sea-Level Rise on an Endangered Lagomorph

Human-induced global climate change presents a unique and difficult challenge to the conservation of biodiversity. Despite increasing attention on global climate change, few studies have assessed the projected impacts of sea-level rise to threatened and endangered species. Therefore, we estimated the impacts of rising sea levels on the endangered Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) across its geographic distribution under scenarios of current conditions, low (0.3-m), medium (0.6-m), and high (0.9-m) sea-level rise. We also investigated the impacts of allowing vegetation to migrate upslope and not allowing migration and of two land-use planning decisions (protection and abandonment of human-dominated areas). Not surprisingly, under all simulations we found a general trend of decreasing total potential LKMR habitat with increasing sea-level rise. Not allowing migration and protecting human-dominated areas both tended to decrease potential LKMR habitat compared with allowing migration and abandoning human-dominated areas. In conclusion, conservation strategies at multiple scales need to be implemented in order to reduce the impact of global climate change on biodiversity and endangered species. At the regional level, managers must consider land-use planning needs that take into account the needs of both humans and biodiversity. Finally, at the local scale those agencies that are in charge of endangered species conservation and ecosystem management need to rethink static approaches to conservation or else stand by and watch ecosystems degrade and species go extinct. This can be accomplished by bioclimatic reserve systems where climatically underrepresented areas are included in conservation planning along with the standard concerns of threat, opportunity, connectivity, and viability.
Vibrational and rotational cooling of electrons by molecular hydrogen

It is noted that the cooling of electrons by vibrational and rotational excitation of molecular hydrogen plays an important role in the thermal balance of electrons in atmospheres containing significant amounts of H2. Calculations are described of vibrational and rotational cooling rates of electrons by H2. Results for a wide range of electron and neutral temperatures are presented, and analytical formulas for some to the cooling rates are given.
Repression of induced apoptosis in the 2-cell bovine embryo involves DNA methylation and histone deacetylation.

Apoptosis in the bovine embryo cannot be induced by activators of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway until the 8-16-cell stage. Depolarization of mitochondria with the decoupling agent carbonyl cyanide 3-chlo- rophenylhydrazone (CCCP) can activate caspase-3 in 2-cell embryos but DNA fragmentation does not occur. Here we hypothesized that the repression of apoptosis is caused by methylation of DNA and deacetylation of histones. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated whether reducing DNA methylation by 5-aza-2 0 -deoxycytidine (AZA) or inhibition of histone deacetylation by trichostatin-A (TSA) would make 2-cell embryos susceptible to DNA fragmentation caused by CCCP. The percent of blastomeres positive for TUNEL was affected by a treatmentCCCP interaction (P < 0.0001). CCCP did not cause a large increase in the percent of cells positive for TUNEL in embryos treated with vehicle but did increase the percent of cells that were TUNEL positive if embryos were pretreated with AZA or TSA. Immunostaining using an antibody against 5-methyl-cytosine antibody revealed that AZA and TSA reduced DNA methylation. In conclusion, disruption of DNA methylation and histone deacetylation removes the block to apoptosis in bovine 2-cell embryos.
Undiscovered Petroleum of the Brazilian Interior Sag Basins

Brazil is estimated to contain 52% of the undiscovered oil and gas resources of South America, outside of Venezuela and Colombia. The Reconcavo, Tucano-Jatoba, and Tacutu interior rift basins of Brazil are investigated in this paper, the first in a series dealing with undiscovered petroleum of South America (exclusive of Venezuela and Colombia). Preliminary estimates of the undiscovered petroleum resources are 0.273 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and 1.234 trillion cubic feet of gas (TCFG) for the four basins. A review of the 1983-1993 history of petroleum reserves in South America indicated that an initial consensus estimate of 0.27 BBO and 4.15 TCFG (mean values) by the World Energy Program Group at the U.S. Geological Survey is too low. An adjusted range of probabilities is recalculated from original identified reserves, resulting in revised mean values of 0.29 BBO and 4.15 TCFG for the four interior rift basins. Of these four basins, the Reconcavo is in a mature stage of exploration with 80 fields; the ...
Treating anemia in heart failure patients: a review of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

Importance of the field: Prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) is increasing, and despite improvements in the past decade the prognosis in terms of mortality and health-related quality of life remains poor. Anemia is often found concomitantly in CHF patients.Areas covered in this review: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are a new treatment option for these anemic CHF patients, promising to decrease mortality and hospitalizations, and increase health-related quality of life.What the reader will gain: CHF epidemiology is briefly dicussed. Currently available clinical efficacy and safety data are critically appraised. Health care utilization by CHF patients, particularly hospitalizations, are reviewed in order predict cost-effectiveness of ESAs.Take home messages: The efficacy for the most pertinent endpoints has not been proven by a pivotal trial or a meta-analysis free of bias, and there might be increased cardiovascular events and cancer incidence rates above a currently unknown target value o...
A high-throughput screen for quorum-sensing inhibitors that target acyl-homoserine lactone synthases

Many Proteobacteria use N-acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) quorum sensing to control specific genes. Acyl-HSL synthesis requires unique enzymes that use S-adenosyl methionine as an acyl acceptor and amino acid donor. We developed and executed an enzyme-coupled high-throughput cell-free screen to discover acyl-HSL synthase inhibitors. The three strongest inhibitors were equally active against two different acyl-HSL synthases: Burkholderia mallei BmaI1 and Yersinia pestis YspI. Two of these inhibitors showed activity in whole cells. The most potent compound behaves as a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki of 0.7 µM and showed activity in a cell-based assay. Quorum-sensing signal synthesis inhibitors will be useful in attempts to understand acyl-HSL synthase catalysis and as a tool in studies of quorum-sensing control of gene expression. Because acyl-HSL quorum-sensing controls virulence of some bacterial pathogens, anti–quorum-sensing chemicals have been sought as potential therapeutic agents. Our screen and identification of acyl-HSL synthase inhibitors serve as a basis for efforts to target quorum-sensing signal synthesis as an antivirulence approach.
Matching and Fairness in Threat-Based Mobile Sensor Coverage

Mobile sensors can be used to effect complete coverage of a surveillance area for a given threat over time, thereby reducing the number of sensors necessary. The surveillance area may have a given threat profile as determined by the kind of threat, and accompanying meteorological, environmental, and human factors. In planning the movement of sensors, areas that are deemed higher threat should receive proportionately higher coverage. We propose a coverage algorithm for mobile sensors to achieve a coverage that will match - over the long term and as quantified by an RMSE metric - a given threat profile. Moreover, the algorithm has the following desirable properties: 1) stochastic, so that it is robust to contingencies and makes it hard for an adversary to anticipate the sensor's movement, 2) efficient, and 3) practical, by avoiding movement over inaccessible areas. Further to matching, we argue that a fairness measure of performance over the shorter time scale is also important. We show that the RMSE and fairness are, in general, antagonistic, and argue for the need of a combined measure of performance, which we call efficacy. We show how a pause time parameter of the coverage algorithm can be used to control the trade-off between the RMSE and fairness, and present an efficient offline algorithm to determine the optimal pause time maximizing the efficacy. Finally, we discuss the effects of multiple sensors, under both independent and coordinated operation. Extensive simulation results - under realistic coverage scenarios - are presented for performance evaluation.
Quantitation of Rat Lacrimal Secretion: a Novel Sandwich ELISA with High Sensitivity

Modulation of lacrimal acinar cell tear secretion may involve multiple factors acting both in subtle and pronounced ways. Functional screens of recombinant protein products arising from gene array technologies, or protein fractions derived from lacrimal conditioned media or extracellular matrix, will require a highly sensitive assay capable of monitoring tear protein secretion by small replicate cultures. To improve significantly on current methods, a rat- and mouse-specific sandwich ELISA was developed. For this purpose, chickens and rabbits were immunized with serum-free secretion media from carbachol and VIP-stimulated rat lacrimal acinar cell cultures. Immune sera were characterized by ELISA, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and subsequently optimized for use in a sandwich ELISA. Both antisera detected a wide range of different rat tear proteins, and immunostained only the secretory granule-rich juxtalumenal region in sections of rat lacrimal gland. Chicken, but not rabbit, antiserum cross-reacted with rabbit and human tears. In sandwich ELISA, capture with purified chicken immunoglobulin fraction and detection with rabbit antiserum detected as little as 1 ng ml-1 tear protein in 10,000-fold diluted rat secretion medium--a level of sensitivity 8000 times greater than the rat tear peroxidase assay. Such specificity and sensitivity greatly reduce the quantity of media needed for assay, and makes feasible functional screens for scarce factors that may influence lacrimal secretory processes, and in turn possibly play a role in human lacrimal insufficiency syndromes.
Thermophoretically augmented mass-, momentum- and energy-transfer rates in high particle mass loaded laminar forced convection systems

In previous treatments of thermophoretically modified aerosol particle transport, even those which allowed for variable host gas thermophysical properties, it has been assumed that the particle mass fraction is small enough to neglect the influence of the suspended particles on the hot gas momentum density and energy density fields. However, in high-intensity materials processing applications [e.g. optical waveguide (OWG) “preform” deposition from silica-mist-laden combustion products] particle mass loadings often exceed 13, and the thermophoretically enhanced particle mass deposition flux itself modifies the local mixture velocity and temperature fields in the vicinity of the deposition surface. A self-consistent pseudo-single-phase mixture (“diffusion”) approximation, which exploits the fact that the volume fraction of suspended particles is negligible even when the particle mass fraction is quiet near the unity, is introduced here to calculate the fully coupled problem of mass, energy and momentum diffusion-convection for laminar boundary layer (LBL) flows of a combustion gas mixture containing submicron particles of appreciable thermophoretic diffusivity but negligible Brownian diffusivity. It is shown that high particle mass loading systematically increases the wall fluxes of momentum (shear stress), heat and particle mass, much like the effects associated with “massive suction” in the single-phase LBL theory. Indeed, a simple rational correlation approach is introduced to capture the essential interactions leading to higher transport coefficients in such high mass loaded aerosol systems. The transfer coefficients we obtain from our “exact” numerical integrations of the self-similar LBL equations can be used to estimate LBL development and associated particle mass fluxes to surfaces of “arbitrary” shape. Moreover, we illustrate how they can also be used to predict the mass transfer behaviour of systems governed by more complex (radiation-convection) boundary conditions. Under conditions relevant to OWG perform deposition, we demonstrate, a posteriori, that our tractable mathematical model, which neglects the mass transfer effects of particle inertia (momentum, thermal), infrared-radiation absorption, DuFour energy transfer, and particle-particle coagulation, is fully self-consistent. This approach to high particle mass loaded materials processing applications has also opened the door to rational predictions of the partitioning of dopants (e.g. Ge, B, P, …) between the vapor and particle phases and, hence, the rather complex connection between deposit (OWG perform) and process feed compositions.
Inhibition of the mammalian transcription factor LSF induces S-phase-dependent apoptosis by downregulating thymidylate synthase expression.

The thymidylate synthase (TS) gene, which is induced at the G1–S transition in growth-stimulated cells, encodes an enzyme that is essential for DNA replication and cell survival. Here we demonstrate that LSF (LBP-1c, CP2) binds to sites within the TS promoter and intronic regions that are required for this induction. Mutation of the LSF binding sites inhibits G1–S induction of mRNA derived from a TS minigene. Furthermore, expression of dominant-negative LSF (LSFdn) prevents the increase in TS enzyme levels during G1–S, and induces apoptosis in growth- stimulated mouse and human cell lines. Such apoptosis can be prevented either by circumventing the TS requirement through addition of low concentrations of thymidine, or by coexpression of the TS gene driven by a heterologous promoter. Induction of apoptosis by LSFdn parallels the process known as thymineless death, which is induced by the TS inhibitor and chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorodeoxyuridine. Thus, LSF is a novel regulatory factor that supports progression through S-phase by targeting a single gene that is critical for cell survival.
Phase II studies of antiangiogenic four drug regimens for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma: FUNIL-retinoid and the FUNIL-thalidomide protocols

Abstract Background and purpose The objective of these studies was to determine the activity of two alternative 4- drug combinations using cis-retinoic acid or thalidomide administered with a previously developed combination of 5 fluorouracil, interferon-α, and interleukin 2 (FUNIL), for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RRC). Methods Patients enrolled in these studies had progressive measurable metastatic renal cell cancer and signed an informed consent. Treatments included continuous infusions of 5-fluorouracil, interferon-α, 6 MIU/m 2 given subcutaneous on days 1, 3, and 5 every week, interleukin-2 6 MIU/m 2 /day given by continuous infusion days 2 to 5 every week, and either cis-retinoic acid at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day orally in two divided doses or thalidomide given at an initial dose of 200 mg per day. Each cycle consisted of 6 or 4 weeks of the combinations, respectively, followed by a 2-week rest. Patients were evaluated for response prior to each successive cycle. A 2-step mini-max statistical design was used. Results In the cis-retinoid study, 20 patients were enrolled. One patient was ineligible. There were 1 complete and 2 partial responses (one confirmed and one unconfirmed) (15.8%), 1 stable disease, and 15 disease progression. In the thalidomide combination study, 20 patients were enrolled, but only 19 are assessable. One patient progressed early and was never treated. There were 2 partial responses (10.5%), 4 stable disease, and 13 progressive disease. Conclusion Neither the FUNIL-cis-retinoid nor the FUNIL-thalidomide regimens met their primary objective first step endpoint of 3 confirmed responses. Both regimens had significant adverse effects and neither is considered promising for further study.
Utility of Sequencing the erm(41) Gene in Isolates of Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus with Low and Intermediate Clarithromycin MICs

The erm(41) gene confers inducible macrolide resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus, calling into question the usefulness of macrolides for treating M. abscessus subsp. abscessus infections. With an extended incubation (14 days), isolates with MICs of ≥8 μg/ml are considered macrolide resistant by current CLSI guidelines. Our goals were to determine the incidence of macrolide susceptibility in U.S. isolates, the validity of currently accepted MIC breakpoints, and the erm(41) sequences associated with susceptibility. Of 349 isolates (excluding those with 23S rRNA gene mutations), 85 (24%) had clarithromycin MICs of ≤8 μg/ml. Sequencing of the erm(41) genes from these isolates, as well as from isolates with MICs of ≥16 μg/ml, including ATCC 19977T, revealed 10 sequevars. The sequence in ATCC 19977T was designated sequevar (type) 1; most macrolide-resistant isolates were of this type. Seven sequevars contained isolates with MICs of >16 μg/ml. The T28C substitution in erm(41), previously associated with macrolide susceptibility, was identified in 62 isolates (18%) comprising three sequevars, with MICs of ≤2 (80%), 4 (10%), and 8 (10%) μg/ml. No other nucleotide substitution was associated with macrolide susceptibility. We recommend that clarithromycin susceptibility breakpoints for M. abscessus subsp. abscessus be changed from ≤2 to ≤4 μg/ml and that isolates with an MIC of 8 μg/ml have repeat MIC testing or erm sequencing performed. Our studies suggest that macrolides are useful for treating approximately 20% of U.S. isolates of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus. Sequencing of the erm gene of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus will predict inducible macrolide susceptibility.
Modeling and Fabrication of Hollowed Scaffolds With Interconnected Variational Porosity Architecture

This paper presents a novel computer-aided modeling of 3D hollowed tissue scaffolds with a controlled internal architecture. Functionally gradient variational porosity architecture is proposed with continuous material deposition planning scheme. The complex internal architecture of scaffolds is discritized into sub-regions accumulated from ruling lines that are generated from outer to inner features. The desired pore size and hence the porosity have been achieved by geometrically partitioning those sub-regions based on the area while meeting the tissue scaffold design constraint. Thus the desired controlled variational porosity along the scaffold architecture has been achieved with the combination of two geometrically oriented consecutive layers. A continuous, interconnected and optimized tool-path has been generated for both layers aiming at the standard solid free form fabrication process. A zigzag pattern tool-path has been proposed for accumulated sub-region layer. And a concentric spiral like optimal tool-path pattern has been derived for the successive layer to ensure fabricatable continuity along the structure. A micro-nozzle biomaterial deposition system driven by NC motion control has been used to fabricate sample designed structure with desired pore size and porosity level. Besides proper characterization of the fabrication sample has been performed to validate the proposed methodology. Moreover a comparative study between proposed design and conventional cartesian coordinate scaffolds has been performed. The results demonstrate significant reduction in design error with the proposed method.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Ultrafluorogenic Coumarin-Tetrazine Probes for Real-Time Biological Imaging

We have developed a series of new ultrafluorogenic probes in the blue-green region of the visible-light spectrum that display fluorescence enhancement exceeding 11 000-fold. These fluorogenic dyes integrate a coumarin fluorochrome with the bioorthogonal trans-cyclooctene(TCO)–tetrazine chemistry platform. By exploiting highly efficient through-bond energy transfer (TBET), these probes exhibit the highest brightness enhancements reported for any bioorthogonal fluorogenic dyes. No-wash, fluorogenic imaging of diverse targets including cell-surface receptors in cancer cells, mitochondria, and the actin cytoskeleton is possible within seconds, with minimal background signal and no appreciable nonspecific binding, opening the possibility for in vivo sensing.
Using electrical, magnetic and acoustic sensors to detect damage in segmental concrete pipes subjected to permanent ground displacement

This paper describes results of an experimental study that used sensing methods for monitoring damage along segmental concrete pipelines resulting from permanent ground displacement across a simulated earthquake fault. The literature contains examples of such damage occurring during actual earthquakes, significantly impacting the functionality of the pipelines. Detecting the location of the damage and the extent of the damage in pipelines can significantly accelerate post-earthquake repair efforts. In this paper, electrical sensing methods, magnetic sensing, and acoustic emission are used to monitor structural damage in a segmental concrete pipeline during a large-scale test. In this test, the segmental concrete pipeline was subjected to a concentrated transverse permanent ground displacements (PGDs). The majority of the damage to the pipe segments was localized at the joints, especially the bell sections while the damage to the spigots was minimal. The damage extended away from the joints in the pipe segments in the immediate vicinity of the fault line. Telescoping (i.e., crushing of the bell-and-spigot) was a primary mode of failure that was observed. The results of this study indicate that electrical sensing methods (including the use of conductive grout), magnetic sensing, and acoustic emission, employed alone or in combination, can detect and quantify the damage in segmental concrete pipelines.
CRALBP ligand and protein interactions.

The visual cycle is the complex enzymatic retinoid-processing involved in regenerating bleached rod and cone visual pigments.1 Central to visual cycle physiology is the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP), a 36kDa cytosolic protein with high affinity for 11-cis-retinal and 11-cis-retinol. CRALBP is expressed in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Muller cells, as well as in ciliary epithelium, iris, cornea, pineal gland and a subset of oligodendrocytes of the optic nerve and brain.2 Its function outside the RPE is not known, although a recent behavioral genetic study suggests that CRALBP may contribute to ethanol preference in mice.3 In the RPE, CRALBP serves as an 11-cis-retinol acceptor in the visual cycle isomerization step and as a substrate carrier for 11-cis-retinol dehydrogenase. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 These functions require the rapid association and release of retinoid from the CRALBP ligand-binding pocket and involve critical protein interactions. To better understand the visual cycle, we are characterizing CRALBP ligand and protein interactions and retinoid trafficking within the RPE.
Second summonings in Korean telephone conversation openings

This article is triggered by an analytic puzzle. In about half of a corpus of Korean telephone openings, callers produce a second summons, yeposeyyo, in the second turn of the opening sequence. The analysis unravels the interactional and organizational contingencies involved in the construction of the caller's second summons. It shows that the second summons operates as a vehicle for inviting recognition, and that the answerers overlay their work of recognition onto their talk in the third turn. In this way, the parties confront, work through, and display their underlying orientation to the organizational problem of establishing each other's identity in dealing with the second summons/answer sequence.An earlier version of this article was presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics in 2004. I would like to thank John Heritage, Manny Schegloff, and Sung-Ock Sohn for valuable comments on earlier drafts. Barbara Johnstone and two anonymous readers for this journal also gave helpful advice.
Glutathione mediates LPS-stimulated COX-2 expression via early transient p42/44 MAPK activation.

This study examines whether endotoxin (LPS)-stimulated COX-2 is modulated by an interaction between mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) and intracellular glutathione. Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAEC) were pretreated for 30 min with the following prior to addition of 0.1 microg/ml endotoxin in 2% FBS in medium 199: 5 mM N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or 5 mM glutathione ethyl ester (GSE) (modulators of intracellular glutathione); 10 microM SB203580 or 25 microM PD98059 (inhibitors of p38 and p42/44 MAPKs, respectively). End-points included assessment of COX-1 and COX-2 gene expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); COX-1, COX-2, p38, and p42/44 protein by Western analysis; and measurement of PGE2 and 6-keto-PGF1alpha releases by GC/MS. Both GSE and NAC resulted in significant exacerbation of the LPS-stimulated increase in COX-2 gene and protein expression and prostaglandin release, and suppressed the LPS-induced decrease in COX-1. LPS caused a biphasic activation of p42/44 MAPKs, an early increase peaking at 30 min and a second sustained phase, lasting up to 24 h; LPS also caused an early and sustained increase p38 MAPK activity. Pretreatment of cells with either GSE or NAC increased the early LPS-stimulated activation of p42/44 but had little effect on the sustained phase. Inhibition of either p38 or p42/44 MAPKs suppressed LPS-stimulated COX-2 gene and protein expression, and prostaglandin release (P<0.05) but had little effect on COX-1. We conclude that intracellular glutathione modulates LPS-stimulated COX-2 gene expression and prostaglandin synthesis in BPAEC via early activation of p42/44 MAPKs.
Noncovalent interactions with SUMO and ubiquitin orchestrate distinct functions of the SLX4 complex in genome maintenance

SLX4, a coordinator of multiple DNA structure-specific endonucleases, is important for several DNA repair pathways. Noncovalent interactions of SLX4 with ubiquitin are required for localizing SLX4 to DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), yet how SLX4 is targeted to other functional contexts remains unclear. Here, we show that SLX4 binds SUMO-2/3 chains via SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs). The SIMs of SLX4 are dispensable for ICL repair but important for processing CPT-induced replication intermediates, suppressing fragile site instability, and localizing SLX4 to ALT telomeres. The localization of SLX4 to laser-induced DNA damage also requires the SIMs, as well as DNA end resection, UBC9, and MDC1. Furthermore, the SUMO binding of SLX4 enhances its interaction with specific DNA-damage sensors or telomere-binding proteins, including RPA, MRE11-RAD50-NBS1, and TRF2. Thus, the interactions of SLX4 with SUMO and ubiquitin increase its affinity for factors recognizing different DNA lesions or telomeres, helping to direct the SLX4 complex in distinct functional contexts.
PM-12Pax3 EXPRESSION ENHANCES PDGF-B-INDUCED BRAINSTEM GLIOMAGENESIS AND CHARACTERIZES A SUBSET OF BRAINSTEM GLIOMA

High-grade Brainstem Glioma (BSG), also known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), is an incurable pediatric brain cancer. Increasing evidence supports the existence of regional differences in gliomagenesis such that BSG is considered a distinct disease from glioma of the cerebral cortex (CG). In an effort to elucidate unique characteristics of BSG, we conducted expression analysis of mouse PDGF-B-driven BSG and CG initiated in Nestin progenitor cells and identified a short list of expression changes specific to the brainstem gliomagenesis process, including abnormal upregulation of paired box 3 (Pax3). In the neonatal mouse brain, Pax3 expression marks a subset of brainstem progenitor cells, while it is absent from the cerebral cortex, mirroring its regional expression in glioma. Ectopic expression of Pax3 in normal brainstem progenitors in vitro shows that Pax3 inhibits apoptosis. Pax3-induced inhibition of apoptosis is p53-dependent, however, and in the absence of p53, Pax3 promotes proliferation of brainstem progenitors. In vivo, Pax3 enhances PDGF-B-driven gliomagenesis by shortening tumor latency and increasing tumor penetrance and grade, in a region-specific manner, while loss of Pax3 function extends survival of PDGF-B-driven;p53-deficient BSG-bearing mice by 33%. Importantly, Pax3 is regionally expressed in human glioma as well, with high PAX3 mRNA characterizing 40% of human BSG, revealing a subset of tumors that significantly associates with PDGFRA alterations, amplifications of cell cycle regulatory genes, and is exclusive of ACVR1 mutations. Collectively, these data suggest that regional Pax3 expression not only marks a novel subset of BSG but also contributes to PDGF-B-induced brainstem gliomagenesis.
Characteristics of Recurrent Large-for-Gestational-Age Infants in Obese Women.

Objective The objective of this study was to identify characteristics associated with recurrent large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants in obese women and to explore the relationship between interpregnancy weight change and gestational weight gain (GWG) on risk of recurrence. Study Design We conducted a population-based historical cohort study of 1,190 obese women in Missouri who delivered LGA infants in their first pregnancy with two consecutive pregnancies resulting in singleton live births during 1998 to 2005. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for recurrent LGA infants were calculated with multiple logistic regression. Population-attributable risk assessed the relative importance of specific characteristics. Results A second LGA infant was delivered by 501 women (42%). Recurrence of LGA infants was associated with GWG (aOR, 1.03 [per pound]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.04), maternal age (aOR, 1.05 [per year]; 95% CI, 1.02–1.08), birth weight of the first LGA infant (aOR, 1.001 [per gram]; 95% CI, 1.000–1.001), being married (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.02–2.49), diabetes (aOR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.24–2.59), and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (aOR, 1.04 [per unit BMI]; 95% CI, 1.02–1.06). Excessive GWG contributed the most to LGA infant recurrence (13%). Interpregnancy weight change was not significantly associated with LGA infant recurrence. Conclusion Lower pre-pregnancy BMI and reduced GWG may mitigate the risk of recurrent LGA infants in obese women.
How students reason about Cybersecurity concepts

Despite the documented need to train and educate more cybersecurity professionals, we have little rigorous evidence to inform educators on effective ways to engage, educate, or retain cybersecurity students. To begin addressing this gap in our knowledge, we are conducting a series of think-aloud interviews with cybersecurity students to study how students reason about core cybersecurity concepts. We have recruited these students from three diverse institutions: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Prince George's Community College, and Bowie State University. During these interviews, students grapple with security scenarios designed to probe student understanding of cybersecurity, especially adversarial thinking. We are analyzing student statements using a structured qualitative method, novice-led paired thematic analysis, to document student misconceptions and problematic reasonings. We intend to use these findings to develop Cybersecurity Assessment Tools that can help us assess the effectiveness of pedagogies. These findings can also inform the development of curricula, learning exercises, and other educational materials and policies.
The accuracy of state NCLEX-RN© passing standards for nursing programs.

Abstract Background Nursing education programs in every state must meet specified NCLEX pass rate standards in order to maintain licensure and accreditation. These standards are a source of great anxiety for educators and students. There is wide variety of pass rate standards among the states. In addition, individual nursing program pass rates vary substantially from one year to the next. Objectives Pass rate variation suggests the need for scrutiny of the accuracy of applying state pass rates as a standard for evaluating nursing education program. This study considers the implications of such variation. Design The study computes 95% confidence intervals for nursing program pass rates from 2010 to 2014 to determine whether programs that failed to meet pass rate standards may have done so by accident and whether programs that met pass rate standards may have done so by accident. Data The study data includes statutes and regulations that establish pass rate standards and NCLEX pass rates for 1792 nursing programs reflected in reports provided by state nursing boards. Findings Almost 20% of nursing education programs violated the state pass rate standard at least once between 2010 and 2014. Among the programs that failed to meet pass rate standards, 28.4% had a 95% confidence interval that extended above the pass rate standard. A determination that these programs did not meet pass rate standards could well be erroneous. Approximately 17.4% of programs that met pass rate standards had confidence intervals that went below the pass rate standard. A finding that these programs complied with state pass rate standards might also be erroneous. Conclusions Application of confidence intervals to nursing program pass rates suggests that use of pass rate standards to evaluate nursing program quality may not be appropriate. This suggests the need to rethink application of state pass rate standards when evaluating nursing education programs.
The associations between social-media use and academic performance among undergraduate students in biology

AbstractRecent studies have been conducted in regards to the use of social- media by students and how it can impact his/her academic performance. However, much of this research has been focused on ...
Has the Euro Common Currency Actually Increased Home Price Co-Movement?

If there is a high level of synchronization among euro zone country housing markets, the European Central Bank can incorporate the housing sector into its monetary policy decisions. If such co-movement is low, however, the ECB would have a harder time setting policy. Given the importance of housing to the macroeconomy, such co-movement across euro zone countries has been the subject of a number of studies, using different methodologies and finding mixed results. In this study, we are the first to use endogenous break methods to explicitly test for whether the introduction of the euro has changed home value co-movement. We also employ informal correlation analysis. Endogenous break results indicate no increase in co-movement attributable to the euro, while correlation analysis is suggestive of a decrease in synchronization since the currency’s introduction. These results contradict previous claims on the impact of the common currency on house price synchronization.
Organic price premium or penalty? A comparative market analysis of organic wines from Tuscany

Abstract Previous literature suggests that the price of wine is a function of its intrinsic and extrinsic attributes. Studies have examined the price of wines from various wine producing regions using the hedonic price model to determine the correlation between wine attributes and price. However few studies have examined the relationship between organic production or certification and price. This study uses a hedonic pricing model to examine the price premiums associated with organic production and organic certification for Tuscan red wines produced between 2000 and 2008 in both the Italian and American wine markets. Controlling for a variety of wine attributes, the analysis finds that wines produced with organic practices, but not certified as organic and wines certified, but not labeled as organic receive a higher price compared to conventional wine, for wines with low quality ratings. However, as the wine’s quality rating increases, the positive effects of organic practices and certification on price decrease, and for wine with higher quality ratings, organic practices and certification is associated with lower prices relative to otherwise comparable conventional wines.
Combined diurnal variations of discharge and hydrochemistry of the Isunnguata Sermia outlet, Greenland Ice Sheet

Abstract. In order to examine daily cycles in meltwater routing and storage in the Isunnguata Sermia outlet of the Greenland Ice Sheet, variations in outlet stream discharge and in major element hydrochemistry were assessed over a 6-day period in July 2013. Over 4 days, discharge was assessed from hourly photography of the outlet from multiple vantages, including where midstream naled ice provided a natural gauge. pH, electrical conductivity, suspended sediment, and major element and anion chemistry were measured in samples of stream water collected every 3 h. Photography and stream observations reveal that although river width and stage have only slight diurnal variation, there are large diurnal changes in discharge shown by the doubling in width of what we term the active channel , which is characterized by large standing waves and fast flow. The concentration of dissolved solutes follows a sinusoidal diurnal cycle, except for large and variable increases in dissolved solutes during the stream's waning flow. Solute concentrations vary by ∼ 30 % between diurnal minima and maxima. Discharge maxima and minima lag temperature and surface melt by 3–7 h; diurnal solute concentration minima and maxima lag discharge by 3–6 h. This phase shift between discharge and solute concentration suggests that during high flow, water is either encountering more rock material or is stored in longer contact with rock material. We suggest that expansion of a distributed subglacial hydrologic network into seldom accessed regions during high flow could account for these phenomena, and for a spike of partial silicate reaction products during waning flow, which itself suggests a pressure threshold-triggered release of stored water.
Evaluation of immediate adverse reactions to foods in adult patients: II. A detailed analysis of reaction patterns during oral food challenge

Eighty-three oral food challenges were performed on 25 patients with a history of immediate adverse reaction to foods. Seventy-one food challenges were performed in 24 patients, whereas 12 placebos were administered to nine patients. Of the 71 food challenges observed, 12 were positive in 10 patients. All challenges with placebo were negative. Doses of challenge foods provoking observable reactions ranged from 5 to 100 gm. The clinical signs and symptoms noted on food challenge reproduced those reported by history. Reactions were mild, generally self-limited, and were not accompanied by elevations in urinary histamine. A plasma histamine elevation was observed in one patient. A 10- to 12-mo follow-up survey of nine patients with negative food challenges revealed that six patients had resumed eating the challenge food on a regular basis without experiencing adverse reactions, whereas three patients continued to avoid the challenge food. All 10 patients with positive food challenges continued to avoid the challenge food.