cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Encephalitis

Central nervous system (CNS) disease is a frequent complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection. Identification of cellular mechanisms that control virus replication and that mediate development of HIV-associated neuropathology will provide novel strategies for therapeutic intervention. The milieu of the CNS during HIV infection is extraordinarily complex because of infiltration of inflammatory cells and production of chemokines, cytokines, and neurotoxic molecules. Cells in the CNS must integrate signaling pathways activated simultaneously by products of virus replication and infiltrating immune cells. In this study, we examined activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the CNS of simian immunodeficiency virus-infected macaques during acute, asymptomatic, and terminal infection. We demonstrate that significantly increased (P < 0.02) activation of ERK MAPK, typically associated with anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective pathways, occurs predominantly in astrocytes and immediately precedes suppression of virus replication and macrophage activation that occur after acute infection. In contrast, significantly increased activation of proapoptotic, neurodegenerative MAPKs JNK (P = 0.03; predominantly in macrophages/microglia), and p38 (P = 0.03; predominantly in neurons and astrocytes) after acute infection correlates with subsequent resurgent virus replication and development of neurological lesions. This shift from classically neuroprotective to neurodegenerative MAPK pathways suggests that agents that inhibit activation of JNK/p38 may be protective against HIV-associated CNS disease.
Gene-specific disruption of endocannabinoid receptor 1 (cnr1a) by ethanol probably leads to the development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) phenotypes in Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes) embryogenesis

The present study was designed to investigate the probable roles played by cannabinoid (CB) receptors in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) induction in Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes). Searching of public databases (GenBank, Ensembl) indicated that the Japanese rice fish genome includes three human ortholog CB receptor genes (cnr1a, cnr1b and cnr2). Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and whole mount in situ hybridization (WMISH) techniques were used to analyze the expression of these cnr genes during Japanese rice fish embryogenesis and also in response to developmental ethanol exposure. qPCR analyses showed that the expression of all three CB receptor genes were developmentally regulated and only cnr2 showed maternal expression. The mRNA concentrations of these genes were found to be enhanced after 3 dpf and attained maximal levels either prior to or after hatching. WMISH technique indicated that all three cnr genes were expressed in the head region of hatchlings. During development, ethanol selectively attenuated the expression of cnr1a mRNA only. Blocking of cnr1a mRNA by CB1 receptor antagonists rimonabant (10-20 μM) or AM251 (0.2-1 μM) 0-2 dpf were unable to induce any FASD-related phenotypic features in embryos or in hatchlings. However, continuous exposure of the embryos (0-6 dpf) to AM251 (1 μM) was able to reduce the hatching efficiency of the embryos. Our data indicated that in Japanese rice fish, ethanol disrupted the expression of only cnr1a in a concentration-dependent manner that induced delay in hatching and might be responsible for the development of FASD phenotypes.
Reanalysis of Tyrannosaurus rex Mass Spectra.

Asara et al. reported the detection of collagen peptides in a 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex bone by shotgun proteomics. This finding has been called into question as a possible statistical artifact. We reanalyze Asara et al.’s tandem mass spectra using a different search engine and different statistical tools. Our reanalysis shows a sample containing common laboratory contaminants, soil bacteria, and bird-like hemoglobin and collagen.
False bifurcations and instability of a Maxwell fluid in fully developed flow

Abstract The viscoelastic flow problem in two-dimensions is difficult to solve numerically because either inaccurate solutions are found or the iterations do not converge to a solution at all. This statement is true regardless of the physical problem being solved, the method being used, or the rheological model being used. Here a simple problem is solved: fully-developed flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid between two flat plates or in a tube. The presence of bifurcations in the numerical approximation is examined, and the effect of mesh refinement, trial functions, problem formulation, and boundary conditions on the bifurcations is elucidated. Transient simulations emphasize the presence of false eigenmodes that are highly oscillatory.
Electron paramagnetic resonance of the cerium dipicolinate compound CDP

Abstract The technique of EPR has been used to determine the principal values and axes of the g -tensors of Ce 3+ ions in CDP, Na 3 ⌊Ce(C 7 H 3 NO 4 ) 3 ⌋·15H 2 O. This information is useful in the investigation of CDP as a new millikelvin thermometric material.
High voltage electron and helium irradiation of molybdenum

Abstract High purity molybdenum was irradiated with 1.1 MeV electrons, or 100 keV He +1 ions, or both simultaneously at temperatures of 800, 850 and 900°C. Voids were observed only at 900°C in low dose electron irradiations, while vacancy loops were formed at the lower irradiation temperatures. Simultaneous He and electron bombardment produced small defect clusters at 850°C. He implantation alone at 900°C produced a large number density of small loops, and no visible voids/bubbles.
Organic matter oxidation in deep-sea sediments: Distribution in the sediment column and implications for calcite dissolution

Abstract This study uses pore water profiles of NO3− and O2 from 34 deep-sea study sites from five oceanic regions encompassing broad ranges of sediment composition and organic matter oxidation rate to analyze the depth distribution of organic matter oxidation within the sediment column. While the results are consistent with those of Hammond et al. (1996) and Hales (2003), the broader range of environmental variables considered in this study allows us to show that the depth of oxidation varies systematically with the integrated sedimentary organic matter oxidation rate. The scale length for oxidation varies from large values of about 4 cm when the organic matter oxidation rate is 5 μmol/cm2/y to about 0.35 cm at oxidation rates above 20 μmol/cm2/y. We have included this variability of organic matter oxidation depth in models of calcite dissolution. Our results show that variations in oxidation depth at a constant degree of supersaturation may result in changes in metabolic dissolution efficiency that are similar in magnitude to those resulting from basin-wide variations in the degree of supersaturation with respect to calcite. The model shows that, when the ratio of sedimentary organic matter oxidation rate to calcite rain rate is held fixed at 0.8 mol/mol, metabolic dissolution is likely to be significant at all bottom-water saturation levels and may result in dissolution of up to 50% of the calcite rain at the calcite saturation horizon.
Pregnancy and Contraceptive Counseling of Women With Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplants

Women with kidney disease of childbearing age should expect proactive counseling regarding pregnancy and contraception. Discussions should include the impact of pregnancy on their kidney disease and the impact of kidney disease on maternal and fetal outcomes. However, nephrologists rarely discuss sexual dysfunction, infertility, menstrual irregularities, and contraception with their premenopausal women patients. This review will consider pregnancy-related issues to discuss when counseling women with all stages of chronic kidney disease. Issues related to contraception in women on dialysis, women with functioning kidney transplants, and those with chronic kidney disease will also be reviewed.
The Traje de Tehuana as National Icon: Gender, Ethnicity, and Fashion in Mexico

“Is fashion in fact such a trifling thing? Or is it, as I prefer to think, rather an indication of deeper phenomena—of the energies, possibilities, demands, and joie de vivre of a given society, economy and civilization?” So wrote Fernand Braudel in The Structures of Everyday Life.
Domain motions of EF-G bound to the 70S ribosome: insights from a hand-shaking between multi-resolution structures.

Abstract Molecular modeling and information processing techniques were combined to refine the structure of translocase (EF-G) in the ribosome-bound form against data from cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM). We devised a novel multi-scale refinement method based on vector quantization and force-field methods that gives excellent agreement between the flexibly docked structure of GDP · EF-G and the cryo-EM density map at 17A resolution. The refinement reveals a dramatic "induced fit" conformational change on the 70S ribosome, mainly involving EF-G's domains III, IV, and V. The rearrangement of EF-G's structurally preserved regions, mediated and guided by flexible linkers, defines the site of interaction with the GTPase-associated center of the ribosome.
The Simian Virus 40 Small-t and Large-T Antigens Jointly Regulate Cell Cycle Reentry in Human Fibroblasts

Cellular transformation by simian virus 40 (SV40) is influenced by two viral early proteins, the large-T and small-t antigens (1, 10, 16, 26). Large-T is a key transforming protein that functions through its binding of the cellular tumor suppressors p53 and pRb (13). A DnaJ-like domain is located in the amino-terminal sequences shared by large-T and small-t (11), and this also plays a role in several transformation systems and in the targeting of p107 and p130, pRb family members, for degradation (29–31, 37). Small-t antigen is necessary for large-T to transform some cell types to anchorage-independent growth (1, 10, 16), and also for focus formation in some established rodent cells (38) and in primary human diploid fibroblasts (HDF cells) (21, 24). The ability of small-t to bind and inhibit protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) correlates with its ability to enhance transformation by large-T in these systems. Interestingly, small-t can also complement at least two amino-terminal mutations in large-T antigen, allowing focus formation in HDF cells (21). The mechanism for this complementation is presently unknown. In animal models, the role for small-t antigen has been most apparent in nondividing tissues. Transgenic animals or animals injected with SV40 mutant viruses that lack small-t antigen develop tumors in rapidly dividing tissues, but the absence of small-t strongly reduces the appearance of other types of tumors (2, 3). Along these lines, studies of Chinese hamster lung cells in tissue culture showed that a few cell divisions could replace the need for small-t antigen in anchorage-independent growth assays (14). Experiments like these have reinforced the basic theme that the primary role for small-t antigen in transformation is in the induction of growth of target cells and that the efficiency of transformation by large-T is increased in these cells. Because of the apparent role for small-t in nondividing target cells and because the earliest steps in the process of cell transformation involve the stimulation of cell cycle progression, it was important to determine the exact effects of small-t or large-T expression in regulating activities that control the cell cycle in normal cells. In this study, HDF cells were used as a model of density-dependent growth arrest. We report here that both small-t and large-T antigens are required to induce cell cycle reentry and that this reflects the reduction in levels of separate cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) by the viral proteins.
Using joint fact-finding to resolve disputes over cleanup of hazardous waste sites

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1991.
Marker chromosomes are a significant mechanism of high-level RUNX1 gene amplification in hematologic malignancies

Abstract To understand the cytogenetic mechanisms responsible for multiple RUNX1 gene copy numbers in hematologic malignancies, we analyzed the chromosomal and molecular cytogenetic findings in bone marrow or peripheral blood samples of individuals who were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Included in the analysis were 113 consecutive samples received in our laboratory between January 2005 and June 2007. Bone marrow and/or peripheral blood samples were characterized using conventional G-banding techniques and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques with commercially available RUNX1/RUNX1T1 or ETV6/RUNX1 dual-color fusion probes. Eighty-one (72%) of the 113 samples showed an abnormal karyotype and/or abnormal FISH results. Eight of these had, by interphase FISH, RUNX1/RUNX1T1 or RUNX1/ETV6 fusion, and 19 had three or more RUNX1 signals not related to fusion with RUNX1T1 or ETV6 gene. Of the 19 cases with multiple RUNX1 gene signals, 5 had high-level RUNX1 amplification — defined as 5 or more RUNX1 signals in interphase cells — whereas the remaining 14 had 3–4 RUNX1 signals. Four of the five tumors with high-level RUNX1 amplification were myeloid disorders — three cases of AML and one case of MDS. The karyotypes of tumors with high-level amplification of RUNX1 were significantly characterized by the presence of marker chromosomes that harbored extra copies of the RUNX1 gene compared with tumors that had three to four RUNX1 gene signals ( P = 0.026, Fisher's exact test). Our findings show that high-level RUNX1 amplification, especially in myeloid disorders, often results from marker chromosomes harboring extra copies of the RUNX1 gene . This suggests that amplification of RUNX1 in these tumors may be secondary to a previous rearrangement of 21q22, which later evolved into a complex marker chromosome as part of tumor progression.
Oxidative balance score as predictor of all-cause, cancer, and noncancer mortality in a biracial US cohort.

Abstract Purpose We previously proposed an oxidative balance score (OBS) that combines pro- and anti-oxidant exposures to represent the overall oxidative balance status of an individual. In this study, we investigated associations of the OBS with all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and explored alternative OBS weighting methods in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study cohort. Methods The OBS was calculated by combining information from 14 a priori selected pro- and anti-oxidant factors and then divided into quartiles with the lowest quartile (predominance of pro-oxidants) as reference. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each OBS category compared with the reference. Results Over a median 5.8 years of follow-up, 2079 of the 21,031 participants died. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for all-cause, cancer, and noncancer mortality for those in the highest versus the lowest equal-weighting OBS quartile were 0.70 (0.61–0.81), 0.50 (0.37–0.67), and 0.77 (0.66–0.89), respectively ( P trend Conclusions These results suggest that individuals with a greater balance of antioxidant to pro-oxidant lifestyle exposures may have lower mortality.
Detecting natural selection by empirical comparison to random regions of the genome

Historical episodes of natural selection can skew the frequencies of genetic variants, leaving a signature that can persist for many tens or even hundreds of thousands of years. However, formal tests for selection based on allele frequency skew require strong assumptions about demographic history and mutation, which are rarely well understood. Here, we develop an empirical approach to test for signals of selection that compares patterns of genetic variation at a candidate locus with matched random regions of the genome collected in the same way. We apply this approach to four genes that have been implicated in syndromes of impaired neurological development, comparing the pattern of variation in our re-sequencing data with a large-scale, genomic data set that provides an empirical null distribution. We confirm a previously reported signal at FOXP2, and find a novel signal of selection centered at AHI1, a gene that is involved in motor and behavior abnormalities. The locus is marked by many high frequency derived alleles in non-Africans that are of low frequency in Africans, suggesting that selection at this or a closely neighboring gene occurred in the ancestral population of non-Africans. Our study also provides a prototype for how empirical scans for ancient selection can be carried out once many genomes are sequenced.
Stage-Specific Effects of Population Density on the Development and Fertility of the Western Tarnished Plant Bug, Lygus hesperus

The western tarnished plant bug Lygus hesperus Knight (Heteroptera: Miridae), a major pest of cotton and other key economic crops, was tested for its sensitivity to population density during nymph and adult stages. Nymphs reared to adulthood under increasing densities in laboratory conditions exhibited incremental delays in maturation, heightened mortality rates, and reductions in body mass and various size parameters. In contrast, gonadal activity in both males and females rose with initial density increases. Supplemental nutrients provided to the nymphs failed to offset the negative effects of high density, suggesting that contact frequency, rather than resource partitioning, may be the primary stress. Unlike nymphs, newly eclosed adults exposed to increasing population densities did not suffer negative physiological effects; body mass, mortality rates and patterns of ovipositional activity were unchanged. Collectively, these results indicate that population density can dramatically influence Lygus development, but the specific effects are stage-dependent.
Memory for pragmatic implications from courtroom testimony

Subjects heard an excerpt of mock courtroom testimony and were later asked to rate statements about material in the testimony as “true,” “false,” or “of indeterminate truth value.” Half of the subjects heard a given piece of information (Mr. X rang the burglar alarm) directly asserted (I rang the burglar alarm), while the other half heard it only pragmatically implied or suggested (I ran up to the burglar alarm). Half of the subjects initially heard specific instructions about the pitfalls of interpreting pragmatically implied information as if it were asserted fact, while the other half had no such instructions. Half of the subjects performed the response task immediately after hearing the testimony, while the other half did so 2 days later. Subjects generally remembered both implications and assertions as definite fact, even when specifically warned not to do so.
Outcome of clozapine therapy for elderly patients with refractory primary psychosis.

Objective. The objective was to analyze outcome of clozapine therapy in elderly patients with treatment refractory primary psychosis. Design. This was an open-label clozapine trial in elderly patients. Patient psychopathology was assessed before and after clozapine therapy. Setting. A psychiatry service at a large urban/suburban Veterans Administration Medical Center. Patients. Inpatients and outpatients age 65 years or older with primary psychotic disorders established to be resistant to conventional antipsychotic therapy (Kane et al., 1988). Ten patients met study inclusion criteria out of a total of 134 patients receiving clozapine at the Cleveland VAMC (7.5%). Mean age of the group was 70.6 years. Measures. Patients were rated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS; Overall and Gorham, 1962). Additional data on patient demographics, comorbid non-psychiatric diagnoses and concurrent psychotropic medication were collected via chart review. Results. Mean clozapine dosage was 204 mg/day for a mean duration of 430 days. 7/10 patients had some degree of clinical improvement and 3/10 patients had significant improvement documented by BPRS change of 20% or greater. Patients had a mean of 1.4 comorbid physical illnesses, which were not worsened by clozapine therapy. 4/10 patients discontinued clozapine therapy due to adverse effects or inability to comply with bloodwork; however, only 2/10 were truly treatment intolerant. Conclusions. Clozapine is a useful alternative treatment option for elderly individuals with refractory primary psychosis. As in younger patients, inability to tolerate drug-related adverse effects or weekly bloodwork may lead to drug discontinuation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prevalence and Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the US Department of Veterans Affairs

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne pathogen in the United States. HCV disproportionately affects Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care users: 174,302 HCV-infected veterans were in VA care in 2013, making the VA the world's largest HCV care provider. This systematic review identified 546 articles related to HCV in the VA. After assessment by 2 independent reviewers, 28 articles describing prevalence and treatment of HCV in VA users ultimately met inclusion criteria. Most VA patients currently living with HCV infection were born between 1945 and 1965 and were infected with HCV between 1970 and 1990. To prevent HCV-related complications such as cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death, medical personnel must identify and treat HCV. However, antiviral therapy has historically been limited by medication side effects, contraindications, and patient acceptance. Although treatment initiation rates are higher in the VA than in the general United States, only 23% of VA HCV patients have received treatment and, of those, only a minority were cured. Recent development of more effective and tolerable antiviral agents represents a major pharmacological breakthrough. Eradication of HCV is theoretically possible for the majority of HCV patients for the first time, although new barriers, such as high drug costs, may limit future uptake.
Modular elements in the lattice L(A) when A is a real reflection arrangement

Abstract Let W be a real reflection group, and let L W denote the lattice consisting of all possible intersections of reflecting hyperplanes of reflections in W . Let p W ( t ) be the characteristic polynomial of L W . To every element X of L W there corresponds a parabolic subgroup of W denoted by Gal( X ). If W is irreducible, we show that an element X of L W is modular if and only if p Gal( X ) ( t ) divides p W ( t ). This characterization is not true if W is not irreducible. Also, we show that if W is neither A n nor B n , then the only modular elements are 0 , 1 and the atoms of L W .
The Discount Policy of the Bank of England During the Suspension of Cash Payments, 1197–18211

T he Bank of England played a key role in the supply of credit during the Suspension of Cash Payments. In London, the hub of the nation's commercial and financial affairs, the cessation of private issues in the I770s had given it a monopoly of the note circulation. Bank notes were used as the basis of all sizable transactions and increasingly, as gold coins disappeared after I797, for small payments.2 They formed most of the reserves of the private banks which financed the trading activities of the City. The Bank had no contact with country areas and the extent of its influence there is unclear. That provincial credit conditions tended to reflect those in the capital is suggested by various monetary links: the popularity of bills drawn on London, the dependence of country banks on metropolitan reserves (especially deposits with private banks), and the convertibility of country issues into Bank notes. However, as fixed reserve ratios were employed by neither London nor country banks, it seems likely that the latter could generate at least short-run monetary expansion independently of any action by the Bank.3 The Bank made advances principally through investments in government securities, the so-called "private loans", and discounts of commercial paper.4 For much of the period, the government advances were uncontrollable because the directors felt obliged to satisfy the urgent wartime demands of the Treasury. To some extent, the private loans can similarly be considered essential, designed as they were to assist subscribers to war loans and to tide solvent firms over temporary difficulties. They comprised a fluctuating but generally much smaller portion of Bank credit than the other two categories. Thus, the most effective method by which the Bank could control total advances was to regulate the discounts, which it gave to London traders and (from I 797) private bankers. Demand for discounts was closely influenced by the Bank's adherence to the legal maximum interest rate of five per cent. This ensured that most of the public's needs were normally met by other institutions
Abstract #11: Transcriptional repression of androgen-receptor by cancer chemopreventive D,L-sulforaphane in human prostate cancer cells

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO Because prostate cancer continues to be a leading cause of cancer related deaths among men in the United States novel strategies for prevention and treatment of this deadly malignancy are highly desirable. We have shown previously that D,L-sulforaphane (SFN), a synthetic analogue of cruciferous-vegetable derived L-isomer, inhibits growth of cultured human prostate cancer cells regardless of their androgen responsiveness or p53 status. We also found that oral gavage of SFN retards growth of PC-3 human prostate cancer xenografts in athymic mice and prostate cancer progression and pulmonary metastasis in a transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer without causing any harmful side effects. We now demonstrate that SFN treatment causes transcriptional repression of androgen receptor (AR), a ligand-activated transcription factor implicated in normal prostate growth and maintenance and prostate cancer development, in cultured human prostate cancer cells. The SFN treatment decreased protein levels of AR in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in LNCaP (an androgen-dependent cell line) and C4-2 (an androgen-independent variant of LNCaP cells) human prostate cancer cell lines. The SFN-mediated suppression of AR protein level was accompanied by significant decrease in cellular as well as secreted levels of prostate specific antigen, an AR-regulated gene product, in both LNCaP and C4-2 cells. RT-PCR analysis revealed dose-dependent decrease in AR mRNA levels indicating transcriptional repression of AR expression by SFN exposure. The SFN treatment also caused significant decrease in AR promoter activity as judged by luciferase reporter assay. Finally, growth of LNCaP and C4-2 cell stimulated by synthetic androgen R1881 was significantly inhibited in the presence of SFN. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that SFN treatment causes transcriptional suppression of AR leading to down-regulation of PSA protein levels in human prostate cancer cells. This investigation was supported by the USPHS grants CA115498 and CA101753 awarded by the National Cancer Institute. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 11.
Impacts of Environmental Colloids on the Transport of 17 β-estradiol in Intact Soil Cores

ABSTRACTEstrogens such as 17-β estradiol (E2) are endocrine-disrupting compounds and can affect the reproductive systems of aquatic organisms. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms of their transport in the environment. E2 and its daughter product estrone (E1) are both strongly adsorbed by soil organic matter and have relatively short half-lives. Reduced contact time with soil makes transport of E2 and E1 in soil more likely. In this study, intact soil cores from three soils representing a range of particle size distribution, structure, and organic matter content were used to compare the transport of E2 with and without the presence of colloidal material fractionated from soil or swine manure. In chemical transport experiments conducted with undisturbed soil columns, E2 and E1 were measured both in solution and attached to suspended solids in column effluent. During the transport experiments, colloids carrying E2 passed through all soils, with the exception of the sandy soil. The presenc...
A second order dispersive FDTD algorithm for transverse electric Maxwell's equations with complex interfaces

This work overcomes the difficulty of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm in solving the transverse electric (TE) Maxwell's equations with inhomogeneous dispersive media. For such TE problems, the electric fields are discontinuous across the dispersive interfaces. Moreover, such discontinuities are time variant. A novel matched interface and boundary time-domain (MIBTD) method is proposed to solve such problems through new developments in both mathematical formulations and numerical algorithms. Mathematically, instead of handling all zeroth and first order jump conditions in a local coordinate, we directly construct the TE jump conditions which are needed in the FDTD computations in the Cartesian coordinate. Such Cartesian direction conditions depend on the time, as well as tangential and normal components of the electric flux. Driven by the jump condition modeling, we adopt the standard Maxwell's equations in coupling with the Debye auxiliary differential equations for the electric flux as the governing equations. Computationally, the leapfrog scheme is employed for integrating the Maxwell system and time dependent jump conditions. Sophisticated interface treatments are developed in both producing the TE jump conditions and enforcing them in the FDTD algorithm, based on a staggered Yee lattice. The numerical accuracy, stability, and efficiency of the proposed scheme are investigated by considering dispersive interfaces of various shapes. The MIBTD method achieves a spatially second order of convergence in all tests. To the best of our knowledge, the present MIBTD scheme is the first FDTD method in the literature that can restore second order accuracy in treating curved dispersive interfaces for the TE Maxwell system.
An Alternative Approach to Understanding Generational Differences

According to Costanza and Finkelstein (2015), the definition and measurement of generational membership could be two major problems inherent in the literature on generational differences. So far, researchers have defined generation in terms of groups of people belonging to the same cohorts, age groups, and experience of certain common events (Joshi, Dencker, & Franz, 2011). In this vein, generational difference is operationalized mostly as a categorical variable, and most researchers assign participants into generational categories based on date of birth. For instance, people born in 1958–1959 and 1973–1974 are typically divided into Boomers and Gen X, respectively (Twenge, Campbell, Hoffman, & Lance, 2010).
The Flip Side of the First Amendment: A Right to Filter

This article argues that the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. American Library Association reflects a more realistic view of the Internet and its role in society than does the Court's previous decisions, and that the Court's opinion in ALA may pave the way for a First Amendment model that incorporates the rights of listeners or viewers to edit or filter the information they receive. For much of the public, living in a media-abundant world, the real challenge to communicative freedoms is not one of being free to speak as one likes, but of being free to avoid or reject what he or she finds offensive and degrading. This is particularly true with respect to violent and pornographic entertainment programming aimed at children.
Chapter 25 – Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a brief introduction to the advances and understanding associated with ACD and the relationship of cases to agrochemicals. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is one of the immune responses to agricultural chemicals demonstrated in the skin. Attempts have been made to access prevalence in the general population, but few data exist concerning the prevalence of ACD in any agricultural populations, including predominantly Hispanic California farm workers. Allergic contact dermatitis is a skin reaction characterized by erythema, papules, and vesicles resulting from delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH). As a type IV hypersensitivity reaction, ACD differs from ID in that it is mediated by T cells and characterized by the development of immunologic memory to the allergen. Sensitization usually results from repeated use or exposure to an allergen, which is a chemical in smaller concentrations capable of triggering the characteristic immune response. The inflammation manifested is called contact sensitivity (CS) or contact sensitization and can result from contact with numerous agents. There is a need for public availability for open review of dermatotoxic profiles including predictive irritation and sensitization assay and documented irritation and allergic reactions. Further cooperation among government, unions, workers, industry, and academia is necessary to verify frequency, develop better identification of occupational risk, permit development of more efficient personal protections, and develop agrochemicals with lower sensitization and irritant potential.
Rheological Studies of Dynamically Vulcanized and Mechanical Blends of Polypropylene and Ethylene-Propylene Rubber

Abstract An experimental study is presented of the rheological properties of (i) polypropylene, (ii) a commercial polypropylene/ethylene-propylene terpolymer a dynamically vulcanized blend (PP/EDPM-TPE) and (iii) a mechanical blend of a polypropylene and an ethylene-propylene copolymer. The polypropylene behaves as a typical flexible chain thermoplastic exhibiting a zero shear viscosity and higher shear rate non-Newtonian viscosity, well defined normal stresses, an elongational viscosity three times the zero shear viscosity, and an equality of the shear viscosity and the complex viscosity (Cox-Merz Rule). The PP/EPM-TPE exhibits an apparent yield value in shear flow, unmeasurable normal stresses and a complex viscosity which is much greater than the shear viscosity. This is behavior similar to that of particle filled compounds, block copolymers and liquid crystalline thermoplastics and suggests a material with a rest state structure. The behavior of the PP/EPM mechanical blend is intermediate.
A wavelength-tunable optical transmitter using semiconductor optical amplifiers and an optical tunable filter for metro/access DWDM applications

This paper demonstrates a widely tunable and precisely controllable optical transmitter that comprises semiconductor optical amplifiers and an optical tunable filter for advanced metro/access DWDM systems/networks.
Voria ruralis: Field Cage Evaluation of Four Densities of the Larval Parasite Against Trichoplusia ni

The rates of parasitism of 1, 5, 10, and 50 mated pairs of the parasite, Voria ruralis (Fallen), on a known age and density of larvae of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), in field cages were 8.9, 42.5, 62.2, and 85.1%, respectively. However, the percentages of parasitism per female at these respective densities were 8.9, 8.5, 6.2, and 1.7. Thus, an increased rate of superparasitism occurred when the density was higher than 10 females/cage.
[Analysis of construction of microscopy ability for malaria in Nantong City, 2011].

OBJECTIVE To understand the construction of the examination ability with microscopy for malaria at the beginning of the malaria elimination project in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. METHODS At all the medical and health institution levels, the construction of microscopy stations, the blood slide examiners, the hardware equipment, the microscopy skill training, and so on were investigated in 2011. RESULTS There were 204 microscopy stations, 228 blood slide examiners, and 255 microscopes in Nantong City, 2011. Among 228 examiners, 225 persons (98.7%) received the theory and technical training, and the rate of eligibility was 98.4%. A total of 57 893 people received the blood examinations for malaria and the total population blood examination rate was 0.76%. In the re-examination in the microscopy stations of townships, the mean pass rates of blood slide making, dyeing, and cleanliness were 87.1%, 86.7% and 85.6%, respectively. Among 57 medical institutions, the mean pass rates were 86.8%, 86.0% and 85.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION Most of the microscopy stations in Nantong City could well carry out the blood slide examinations for malaria. However, the construction of the examination ability and supervision still need to be enhanced.
Parainfluenza 3-Induced Cough Hypersensitivity in the Guinea Pig Airways.

The effect of respiratory tract viral infection on evoked cough in guinea pigs was evaluated. Guinea pigs were inoculated intranasally with either parainfluenza type 3 (PIV3) and cough was quantified in conscious animals. The guinea pigs infected with PIV3 (day 4) coughed nearly three times more than those treated with the viral growth medium in response to capsaicin, citric acid, and bradykinin. Since capsaicin, citric acid, and bradykinin evoked coughing in guinea pigs can be inhibited by drugs that antagonize the transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1 (TRPV1), it was reasoned that the virally-induced hypertussive state may involve alterations in TPRV1 activity. PIV3 infection caused a phenotypic switch in tracheal nodose Aδ “cough receptors” such that nearly 50% of neurons began to express, de novo, TRPV1 mRNA. There was also an increase TRPV1 expression in jugular C-fiber neurons as determined by qPCR. It has previously been reported that tracheal-specific nodose neurons express the BDNF receptor TrkB and jugular neurons express the NGF receptor TrkA. Jugular neurons also express the artemin receptor GFRα3. All these neurotrophic factors have been associated with increases in TRPV1 expression. In an ex vivo perfused guinea pig tracheal preparation, we demonstrated that within 8 h of PIV3 infusion there was no change in NGF mRNA expression, but there was nearly a 10-fold increase in BDNF mRNA in the tissue, and a small but significant elevation in the expression of artemin mRNA. In summary, PIV3 infection leads to elevations in TRPV1 expression in the two key cough evoking nerve subtypes in the guinea pig trachea, and this is associated with a hypertussive state with respect to various TRPV1 activating stimuli.
Structural basis for halogenation by iron- and 2-oxo-glutarate-dependent enzyme WelO5

A 2.4-A-resolution X-ray crystal structure of the carrier-protein-independent halogenase WelO5 in complex with its welwitindolinone precursor substrate, 12-epi-fischerindole U, reveals that the C13 chlorination target is proximal to the anticipated site of the oxo group in a presumptive cis-halo-oxo-iron(IV) (haloferryl) intermediate. Prior study of related halogenases forecasts substrate hydroxylation in this active-site configuration, but X-ray crystallographic verification of C13 halogenation in single crystals mandates that ligand dynamics must reposition the oxygen ligand to enable the observed outcome. S189A WelO5 produces a mixture of halogenation and hydroxylation products, showing that an outer-sphere hydrogen-bonding group orchestrates ligand movements to achieve a configuration that promotes halogen transfer.
Subtype and transmission of HIV strain in both HIV infected spouses in Zhejiang province

Objective To analyse the subtype and transmission of HIV strain in both HIV infected spouses. Methods Reported both HIV infected spouses were selected as objects. Analysis on genetic sequence and high risk behaviors was carried out. Subgenomic gag was amplified by nest-PCR analysis of whole blood samples from objects. Genetic subtype characterization of HIV was identified and pairwise genetic distances were calculated. Sequence relationships were also examined by phylogenetic tree analysis. Results Genetic sequences of 46 pairs (92 cases) were obtained. The genetic subtype comprised 39 CRF01_AE(42.4%), 10 CRF07_BC(10.9%), 18 CRF08_BC (19.6%),18 B (19.6%) ,5 C (5.4%) and 2 CRF02_AG(2.2%). 44 pairs had the same subtype between the two partners, accounted for 95.7% of the total. 33 of the 41 pairs with phylogenetic tree analysis were found having epidemiological linkage in pair wise. Sexual behaviors of out-marriage were the main risk factors of CRF01_AE and CRF08_BC and CRF02_AG strains infection. Blood transmission was associated with B and CRF07_BC. Conclusion The HIV strains subtype detected in HIV infected spouses characterized with diversity. CRF01_AE was the main strain subtype. The main route of transmission to the spouses was through unprotected sexual contacts. Surveillance programs on HIV infected partner together with intervention between the spouses should be improved. Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus; Genetic subtype; Transmission relationship; Spouses
The Role of Lymphatic Niches in T Cell Differentiation

Long-term immunity to many viral and bacterial pathogens requires CD8(+) memory T cell development, and the induction of long-lasting CD8(+) memory T cells from a naive, undifferentiated state is a major goal of vaccine design. Formation of the memory CD8(+) T cell compartment is highly dependent on the early activation cues received by naive CD8(+) T cells during primary infection. This review aims to highlight the cellularity of various niches within the lymph node and emphasize recent evidence suggesting that distinct types of T cell activation and differentiation occur within different immune contexts in lymphoid organs.
Developing Non-destructive Methods to Determine Natal Origins of Snake River Cutthroat Trout in the Jackson Lake Watershed

Across their native ranges, cutthroat trout populations are imperiled due to habitat loss, habitat alteration, and introduction of non-native species (Liknes and Graham 1988, Behnke 1992, Hitt et al. 2003). These changes have not gone undetected and a great deal of time and money have been invested in conservation and restoration of cutthroat trout populations (Kershner 1995, USDA 1996, Young and Harig 2002, Baker et al. 2008). The success of these projects is tightly linked to the ability of resource managers to prioritize management efforts. Specifically, where should the investments of time and money br focused to yield the greatest impact on conservation and restoration. This study proposes to use a relatively new, proven analytical tool, stable isotope analysis, to identify differences in the stable isotope signatures of tributary streams entering Jackson Lake. These differences are translated into the tissues, specifically otolith bones, of cutthroat trout that use these tributaries during early life stages or upon return for spawning (Kennedy et al. 2002, Muhlfeld et al. 2005, Coghlan et al. 2007, Barnett-Johnson et al. 2008, Walther et al. 2008, Ziegler and Whitledge 2010). The ability to link adult trout back to their natal origins and identify where these adults are returning to spawn will provide the data resource managers need to prioritize conservation and restoration efforts in the upper Snake River watershed, with special emphasis on tributary streams entering Jackson Lake.
Dynamic balance in persons with multiple sclerosis who have a falls history is altered compared to non-fallers and to healthy controls.

Abstract Around 60% of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience falls, however the dynamic balance differences between those who fall and those who don’t are not well understood. The purpose of this study is to identify distinct biomechanical features of dynamic balance during gait that are different between fallers with MS, non-fallers with MS, and healthy controls. 27 recurrent fallers with MS, 28 persons with MS with no falls history, and 27 healthy controls walked on a treadmill at their preferred speed for 3 min. The variability of trunk accelerations and the average and variability of minimum toe clearance, spatiotemporal parameters, and margin of stability were compared between groups. Fallers with MS exhibited a slower cautious gait compared to non-fallers and healthy controls, but had decreased anterior-posterior margin of stability and minimum toe clearance. Fallers walked with less locally stable and predictable trunk accelerations, and increased variability of step length, stride time, and both anterior-posterior and mediolateral margin of stability compared to non-fallers and healthy controls. The present work provides evidence that within a group of persons with MS, there are gait differences that are influenced by falls history. These differences indicate that in persons with MS who fall, the center of mass is poorly controlled through base of support placement and the foot is closer to the ground during swing phase relative to the non-fallers. These identified biomechanical differences could be used to evaluate dynamic balance in persons with MS and to help improve fall prevention strategies.
Stock Market Statistics

All the mathematics presented so far and all the mathematics to be presented later can have importance in investing and trading only if the basic models that are used to describe the market dynamics are correct to a significant degree, and if the parameters of those models can be estimated with a significant degree of precision, using the available market data as well as possibly some other more or less ad hoc hunches and/or privileged insights. This chapter is about the latter; it is about parameter estimation for stock price models. The next chapter will be devoted to another kind of data and another kind of parameter estimation—one that concerns options price models.
US-Besteuerung ausländischer Beteiligungen an US-Personengesellschaften

Das US-Steuerrecht rechnet Gesellschafter einer US-Personengesellschaft (partnership), die nicht in den USA ansassig sind, der Gruppe der nichtansassigen Auslander1 (beschrankt Steuerpflichtige) zu.
How Will the Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Community Respond to the Growing Opioid Epidemic

In the midst of the current opioid crisis, it has become critically important to properly manage opioid-prescribing patterns for the treatment of postoperative pain. There is currently a scarcity o...
Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Sex-Dependent Expression Patterns in the Basolateral Amygdala of Dominant and Subordinate Animals After Acute Social Conflict

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a critical nucleus mediating behavioral responses after exposure to acute social conflict. Male and female Syrian hamsters both readily establish a stable dominant-subordinate relationship among same-sex conspecifics, and the goal of the current study was to determine potential underlying genetic mechanisms in the BLA facilitating the establishment of social hierarchy. We sequenced the BLA transcriptomes of dominant, subordinate, and socially neutral males and females, and using de novo assembly techniques and gene network analyses, we compared these transcriptomes across social status within each sex. Our results revealed 499 transcripts that were differentially expressed in the BLA across both males and females and 138 distinct gene networks. Surprisingly, we found that there was virtually no overlap in the transcript changes or in gene network patterns in males and females of the same social status. These results suggest that, although males and females reliably engage in similar social behaviors to establish social dominance, the molecular mechanisms in the BLA by which these statuses are obtained and maintained are distinct.