cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promoter deletions of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-encoding genes (blaKPC -2) and efflux pump (AcrAB) on β-lactam susceptibility in KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-encoding genes containing promoter-deletions (blaKPC-2a, blaKPC-2b, and blaKPC-2c) have disseminated in Enterobacteriaceae. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to β-lactams in clinical KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae range from susceptible to high-level resistant, resulting in diagnostic problems. To better understand the variability in β-lactam MICs among KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae, three isoforms of blaKPC-2 gene were used to transform Escherichia coli W4573 and its deletion mutant of an efflux pump (AcrAB) to examine the effects on β-lactam susceptibility. MICs to β-lactams in E. coli W4573 and its acrAB mutant strain increased 1- to 500-fold (MIC from 0.125 to 64 μg mL−1 of aztreonam) in the blaKPC-2a, blaKPC-2b, and blaKPC-2c transformants compared with the cloning vector alone. However, transformants of the acrAB mutant strain remained susceptible to all β-lactams tested except for aztreonam and carbenicillin. Levels of the three promoters’ length and carbapenemase activities in the transformants harboring the blaKPC-2a, blaKPC-2b, and blaKPC-2c were correlated to the levels of β-lactam MICs in both E. coli W4573 and its mutant of an efflux pump (AcrAB). Overall, these results suggest that promoter-deletions of blaKPC-2 gene and AcrAB may be associated with the variability in β-lactam MICs in KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
Geography and the Quality of Life

Quality of life has two meanings pertinent to geographers. The understanding of one's environment, constructed and otherwise, learned in geography contributes to the quality of one's life in the personal sense. The objective meaning refers to the characteristics of a society in a given place and time, the conditions within which people seek happiness. Improvement of the quality of life in this objective meaning is the proper goal of public policy. Although probably unmeasurable in a statistical way, it is still superior to strictly economic goals. As a goal related to place it is especially important for geographers. Policy directions toward social and aesthetic goals are suggested for urban areas. In rural areas soil conservation and proper treatment of toxic substances, including plutonium, are emphasized. The imperative of reducing inequities within and among societies is intrinsic to the concept and requires profound changes in the political economy.
Use of covered self-expandable metal stents for endoscopic management of benign biliary disease not related to stricture (with video).

196 GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 76, No. 1 : 2012 . Lewin JS, Baugh RF, Baker SR. An objective method for prediction of tracheoesophageal speech production. J Speech Hear Disord 1987;52: 212-7. . Lewin JS, Bishop-Leone JK, Forman AD, et al. Further experience with Botox injection for tracheoesophageal speech failure. Head Neck 2001; 23:456-60. . List MA, D’Antonio LL, Cella DF, et al. The Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck Scale. A study of utility and validity. Cancer 1996; 77:2294-301. . Krause E, Hempel JM, Gurkov R. Botulinum toxin A prolongs functional durability of voice prostheses in laryngectomees with pharyngoesophageal spasm. Am J Otolaryngol 2009;30:371-5.
Nonlinear model reduction for control of distributed systems: A computer-assisted study

Model reduction methodologies for the partial differential equations modeling distributed parameter systems constitute an important first step in controller design. A systematic computer-assisted study illustrating the use of two such methodologies (Approximate Inertial Manifolds and the Karhunen-Loeve expansion) in controlling (stabilizing) a nonlinear reaction-diffusion problem is presented. The approximation quality of the models, issues of computational implementation of the reduction procedure, as well as issues of closed-loop stability are addressed.
Kinetic improvement in the Mg(NH2)2-LiH storage system by product seeding

Mg(NH2)2−2LiH is considered a promising hydrogen storage composition because of its reversibility, moderate operating conditions, and favorable thermodynamics. Two barriers which remain for this system are reducing (eliminating) ammonia release which occurs in parallel with hydrogen desorption and further reducing the desorption temperature toward its thermodynamically predicted value (∼90 °C). Here, we evaluate the Mg(NH2)2−2LiH composition in the presence of various amounts of its decomposition product, Li2Mg(NH)2. From this screening study, we demonstrate that seeding the composition with the addition of 10 wt % excess Li2Mg(NH)2 is indeed effective for decreasing the peak hydrogen desorption temperature by 40 °C (to 180 °C) relative to the unseeded composition. This kinetic enhancement is quantified by the corresponding reduction in activation energy (Ea) from 88.0 to 76.2 kJ/mol for the unseeded and seeded forms, respectively. Similarly, temperature-programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD−MS) da...
Clean Water Act Section 404 and Coastal Marsh Sustainability

The “no net wetland loss” goal has not been met in urban coastal regions where conditions continue to exacerbate wetland losses. Under the Clean Water Act (Section 404) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U. S. Environmental Protection Agency share responsibility for regulating placement of fill material in wetlands. The `no discharge of fill' rules threaten coastal wetlands with continuing losses due to effects of changing climate, including rising sea levels, higher storm surges, and flooding. Where inland migration is limited by development, or where sediment accretion rates are lower than the rate of sea level rise, urban wetlands will be lost unless marsh topography is elevated. We explored regulatory and design approaches in recent Hudson-Raritan Estuary (HRE), San Francisco Bay Estuary and coastal Louisiana restorations, including creation of new marshland using dredge material. Questions related to sea level rise, ecological position within the landscape, or potential effects of extreme storm eve...
Progress in nanogenerators for portable electronics

Besides targeting at the worldwide energy needs at a large scope, we have been developing an area of nanoenergy, aiming at using nanotechnology to harvest the energy required for sustainable, independent and maintenance free operation of micro/nano-systems and mobile/portable electronics. As first reported in 2006, various nanogenerators (NGs) have been demonstrated using piezoelectric, triboelectric and pyroelectric effects. By using the energy from our living environment, our goal is to make self-powered system. The self-powering approaches developed here are a new paradigm in nanotechnology and green energy for truly achieving sustainable self-sufficient micro/nano-systems, which are of critical importance for sensing, medical science, infrastructure/environmental monitoring, defense technology and personal electronics.
Parallel politics: the spatial power of New Orleans’ Labor Day parades

The Black Men of Labor is a local social club whose parade marks the beginning of New Orleans' parading season on Labor Day weekend. Coincidentally, the homosexual, predominantly White male Southern Decadence party and parade is that same weekend—hosted by a large gay community living primarily in New Orleans' French Quarter. Although these two parading groups appear outwardly different, both parades make claims to the same street at different times. We call their politics ‘parallel politics’ because the parades have similar political motivations, yet they literally parade in parallel, and therefore fail to connect and protest their socio-spatial marginalization together. This missed opportunity led us to consider how these two parades territorialize space and project a unified community identity. Territoriality, according to Sack (1983), is an attempt to control a geographic area and establish differential access to it. Moving beyond previous work on parades as observed performances, boundary markers or ...
Protein kinases phosphorylating acidic ribosomal proteins from yeast cells.

Phosphorylation of ribosomal acidic proteins ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae is an important mechanism regulating a number of active ribosomes. The key role in the regulatory mechanism is played by specific phosphoprotein kinases and phosphoprotein phosphatases. Three different cAMP-independent protein kinases phosphorylating acidic ribosomal proteins have been identified and characterized. The protein kinase 60S (PK60S), RAP kinase, and casein kinase type 2 (CK2). All three protein kinases phosphorylate serine residues which are localized in the C-terminal end of phosphoproteins. Synthetic peptides were used to determinate the amino acid sequence of phosphoacceptor site for PK60S. Peptide AAEESDDD derived from phosphoproteins YP1β/β′ and YP2α turned out to be the best substrate for PK60S. A number of halogenated benzimidazoles and 2-azabenzimidazoles were tested as inhibitors of the three protein kinases. 4,5,6,7-Tetrabromo-2-azabenzimidazole inhibits phosphorylation only of these polypeptides phosphorylated by protein kinase 60S, namely YP1β/β′ and YP2α, but not the other, YP1α and YP2β phosphorylated by protein kinases RAP and CK2. RAP kinase has been found in an active form in the soluble fraction ofS. cerevisiae. The enzyme uses ATP as a phosphate donor and is less sensitive to heparin than casein kinase 2. RAP kinase monophosphorylates the four acidic proteins. The ribosome-bound proteins are a better substrate for the enzyme. Multifunctional CK2 kinase phosphorylate all four acidic proteins. The kinase phosphorylates preferentially serine or threonine residues surrounded by cluster of acidic residues. The enzyme activity is stimulatedin vitro by the presence of polylysine and inhibited by heparin.
Implacable fathers: The reinterpretation of Cromwell in French texts and images from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century

(1997). Implacable fathers: The reinterpretation of Cromwell in French texts and images from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. Nineteenth-Century Contexts: Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 165-185.
Consequences of habitat change and resource selection specialization for population limitation in cavity-nesting birds

Summary Resource selection specialization may increase vulnerability of populations to environmental change. One environmental change that may negatively impact some populations is the broad decline of quaking aspen Populus tremuloides, a preferred nest tree of cavity-nesting organisms who are commonly limited by nest-site availability. However, the long-term consequences of this habitat change for cavity-nesting bird populations are poorly studied. I counted densities of woody plants and eight cavity-nesting bird species over 29 years in 15 high-elevation riparian drainages in Arizona, USA. I also studied nest-tree use and specialization over time based on 4946 nests across species. Aspen suffered a severe decline in availability over time, while understorey woody plants and canopy deciduous trees also declined. The decline of plants resulted from increased elk Cervus canadensis browsing linked to declining snowfall. Woodpeckers exhibited very high specialization (>95% of nests) on aspen for nesting, and densities of all six species declined with aspen over time. Mountain chickadees Poecile gambeli and house wrens Troglodytes aedon exhibited increasingly less specialization on aspen. Chickadees strongly increased in density over time, despite a relatively high specialization on aspen. House wren densities declined moderately over time, but nest-box addition experiments demonstrated that nest-site availability was not limiting their population. House wren densities increased with understorey vegetation recovery in elk exclosures via increased generality of nest-site use, demonstrating that the decline in understorey vegetation on the broader landscape was the cause of their population decline. Synthesis and applications. Management should target species that specialize in resource selection on a declining resource. Species with greater resource selection generalization can reduce population impacts of environmental change. Resource generalization can allow a species like the wren to take advantage of habitat refuges, such as those provided by the elk exclosures. Yet, resource generalization cannot offset the negative impacts of broad-scale declines in habitat quality on the landscape, as demonstrated by the general decline of wrens. Ultimately, aspen is an important habitat for biodiversity, and land management programmes that protect and aid recovery of aspen habitats may be critical.
Vibrationally resolved studies of the 2π photoionization of NO

We report the results of studies of the vibrationally resolved photoelectron angular distributions and vibrational branching ratios for 2π photoionization of NO leading to the X ^1Σ^+ state of NO^+. These results were obtained using single-particle frozen-core Hartree-Fock continuum functions for the photoelectron. These studies assess the role of the kσ shape resonance in the 11–18 eV photon energy range where broad non-Franck-Condon structure has been observed. In addition we demonstrate the importance of obtaining both the photoelectron angular distributions as well as the total cross sections in elucidating the relevant resonance features.
Effects of loneliness and differential usage of Facebook on college adjustment of first-year students.

Abstract The popularity of social network sites (SNSs) among college students has stimulated scholarship examining the relationship between SNS use and college adjustment. The present research furthers our understanding of SNS use by studying the relationship between loneliness, varied dimensions of Facebook use, and college adjustment among first-year students. We looked at three facets of college adjustment: social adjustment, academic motivation, and perceived academic performance. Compulsive use of Facebook had a stronger association with academic motivation than habitual use of Facebook, but neither were directly correlated with academic performance. Too much time spent on Facebook was weakly but directly associated with poorer perceived academic performance. Loneliness was a stronger indicator of college adjustment than any dimension of Facebook usage.
Computational Study on the Bridging Vein Rupture of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Using a Numerical Human Head Model

The occurrence of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) in people serving in battle environments is dramatically high. The blast front, or leading edge of the shock wave is a brief, acute overpressure wave that travels supersonically with a magnitude that is several times higher than that of ambient. The shock wave propagates through the human head and injures intracranial tissues. Classical neuropathologic signs of bTBI include cerebral contusion, diffuse axonal injury, subdural hematoma (SDH) and subarachnoid hematoma, of which subdural hematoma is the most dominating sign of bTBI. Here, computational finite element (FE) modeling is used to investigate the mechanical process of bTBI. The overall goal of the present study is to find the injury threshold of the SDH injury due to bTBI, by investigating the biomechanical response of the bridging veins in the human brain under shock wave loading that originates from detonation. This research mainly develops a basic FE human head model which consists of skull and parts of the brain. The geometric models of skull and brain are developed from segmentations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) files of a real human head. The boundary conditions on the neck and head are modeled as a displacement-fixed condition. The numerically simulated blast waves are applied on the human head model as external loading conditions. The internal response in the subarachnoid space is used as loadings on the bridging vein submodel. The maximum principal stress of the bridging vein is used to determine the whether there is failure of the bridging vein, thus estimating the “injury threshold” of SDH in bTBI. Results show that 150g TNT blast of 1 meter away from the head can result in a high possibility of SDH occurrence.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A Fuzzy Set Approach to Aggregating Internal Control Judgments

Internal control evaluation traditionally has been an integral part of an audit to provide an opinion on an entity's financial statements. Essentially, internal control evaluation is used to determine the substantive testing necessary to render an opinion on the financial statements. With the passage of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act FCPA and recent proposals of the SEC, internal control evaluation has gained new impetus. These events may lead to the independent auditor being required to provide an internal control opinion separate from a financial statement audit. Consequently, the auditor may be required to aggregate the evaluation of system parts into a statement as to the performance of the system or major subsystem as a whole in addition to the reports currently made to management on the adequacy of internal control. Although mathematical models for internal control evaluation have been proposed, these have failed to receive acceptance by auditors. As an alternative to these models, this paper proposes the use of a procedure for aggregating the evaluation of parts of an internal control system employing the linguistic values commonly in use by auditors such as "strong," "weak," and "adequate." The linguistic model 1 uses the theory of fuzzy sets to aggregate these common linguistic values and 2 returns a linguistic aggregate evaluation of the control system under review. A cash receipts and shipping control system is used in a numerical illustration and future research directions are proposed.
FURTHER EXAMINATION OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PREFERENCE FOR POSITIVE VERSUS NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

Factors that influence choice between qualitatively different reinforcers (e.g., a food item or a break from work) are important to consider when arranging treatments for problem behavior. Previous findings indicate that children who engage in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands may choose a food item over the functional reinforcer during treatment (DeLeon, Neidert, Anders, & Rodriguez-Catter, 2001; Lalli et al., 1999). However, a number of variables may influence choice between concurrently available forms of reinforcement. An analogue for treatment situations in which positive reinforcement for compliance is in direct competition with negative reinforcement for problem behavior was used in the current study to evaluate several variables that may influence choice. Participants were 5 children who had been diagnosed with developmental disabilities and who engaged in problem behavior maintained by escape from demands. In the first phase, the effects of task preference and schedule of reinforcement on choice between a 30-s break and a high-preference food item were evaluated. The food item was preferred over the break, regardless of the preference level of the task or the reinforcement schedule, for all but 1 participant. In the second phase, the quality of the break was manipulated by combining escape with toys, attention, or both. Only 1 participant showed preference for the enriched break. In the third phase, choice of a medium- or low-preference food item versus the enriched break was evaluated. Three of 4 participants showed preference for the break over the less preferred food item. Results extend previous research by identifying some of the conditions under which individuals who engage in escape-maintained behavior will prefer a food reinforcer over the functional one.
Distributed Amplifier With Blue Noise Active Termination

Active terminations can be used to reduce the low frequency noise figure of distributed amplifiers. In this letter we show extension and improvement upon previous active termination techniques. We use a combination of active and passive elements to create a termination with a blue noise spectrum rather than a broadband white noise spectrum. The novel technique is tested in a 180 nm CMOS distributed amplifier and demonstrates a 44% reduction in low frequency noise with no impact on gain, bandwidth or matching when compared to conventional design.
Effects of multistress aging (radiation, thermal, electrical) on polypropylene

Capacitor-grade polypropylene films were aged under multiple stresses (electrical, thermal, and radiation). The aging experiments were performed for both singular and simultaneous combined stresses. The polypropylene was exposed to combined neutron-gamma radiation with a total dose of 1.6*10/sup 6/ rad, electrical stress at 40 V/sub rms// mu m, and thermal stress at 90 degrees C. Post-aging diagnostics consisting of electrical, mechanical, physical and chemical characterization were carried out to identify degradation mechanisms for polypropylene films under multifactor stress aging. The most pronounced changes were observed in the mechanical properties of the film. Significant decrease in elongation at break and tensile strength proved deterioration of the polypropylene under combined neutron-gamma radiation. This decrease was caused by chain-scission of the polypropylene molecules. The temperature stress had an opposite effect, causing an increase in the above-mentioned properties and offsetting, therefore, the negative effect of radiation. Although changes were observed in the electrical properties, they were not as significant as those for the mechanical characteristics. It can be concluded, that the failure mechanism of the electrical insulation under multistress aging conditions could be a mechanical failure of the material, rather than direct homogeneous decay in the dielectric strength or thermal breakdown of the polymer. >
Isoflurane reduces motile sperm counts in the Sprague-Dawley rat

Animal and care use practices are constantly evolving. These can have unexpected consequences on the data collected from such procedures. One example is the recent change in our animal facility, based on recommendations from the Newcastle Consensus Meeting on Carbon Dioxide Euthanasia of Laboratory Animals, from CO2 to isoflurane for anesthesia. The current study was conducted to determine the effects of isoflurane on sperm motility, as compared to two different CO2 euthanasia procedures. Sperm motility was evaluated after euthanasia by a standard 5-minute CO2 euthanasia procedure, an extended 10-minute CO2 euthanasia procedure, or by isoflurane anesthesia followed by exsanguination (iso/exsanguination). The 5-minute CO2 procedure produced sperm motility of 94.3 ± 1.7% motile sperm with 65.6 ± 16.8 sperm/field. By comparison, iso/exsanguination reduced that count to 3.3 ± 2.3 sperm/field and only 60.7 ± 32.0% motile sperm. The reduction in sperm motility after iso/exsanguination appeared to have been due ...
Infratemporal fossa reconstruction following total auriculectomy: An alternative flap option

Reconstruction following oncologic resection in the head and neck is complex due to large surgical defects left after removal of skin, subcutaneous, and skeletal structures. It is essential to adequately fill the defect as well as provide an acceptable tissue match in terms of tone, texture, thickness and contour. A 55-year-old male presented with an advanced melanoma in the right pre-tragal area. Surgical resection was performed including a total auriculectomy. A tunnelled right supraclavicular artery island (SAI) flap was used to repair the surgical defect. A Doppler probe ensured adequate circulation within the flap, especially in the distal tip. Reconstruction using the SAI flap after oncologic ear resection reduced operating room time, required less technical expertise, and provided excellent tissue match compared to more traditional methods of surgical defect reconstruction including free flaps, local flaps, and pedicled myocutaneous flaps. Successful use of the SAI flap in this case further expands the flaps versatility. We recommend that the reconstructive surgeon consider the SAI flap when presented with challenging infratemporal fossa and lateral skull base cases.
Analysis of micrometastatic disease in sentinel lymph nodes from resectable colon cancer: results of Cancer and Leukemia Group B Trial 80001.

Purpose To determine whether sentinel lymph node (LN) sampling (SLNS) could reduce the number of nodes required to characterize micrometastatic disease (MMD) in patients with potentially curable colon cancer. Patients and Methods Cancer and Leukemia Group B 80001 was a study to determine whether SLNS could identify a subset of LNs that predicted the status of the nodal basin for resectable colon cancer and, therefore, could be extensively evaluated for the presence of micrometastases. Patients enrolled onto this study underwent SLNS after injection of 1% isosulfan blue, and both sentinel nodes (SNs) and non-SNs obtained during primary tumor resection were sectioned at multiple levels and stained using anti–carcinoembryonic antigen and anticytokeratin antibodies. Results Using standard histopathology, SNs failed to predict the presence of nodal disease in 13 (54%) of 24 node-positive patients. Immunostains were performed for patients whose LNs were negative by standard histopathology. Depending on the immu...
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between diltiazem and methylprednisolone in healthy volunteers

Objectives The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics after administration of methylprednisolone alone, diltiazem alone, and both drugs jointly were assessed in healthy volunteers. Methods An unblinded, controlled, fixed-sequence, 2-period study was carried out in 5 healthy white men who received a single dose of intravenous methylprednisolone, 0.3 mg/kg, on day 2, followed by diltiazem alone, 180 mg, on days 5, 6, and 7, with joint dosing of both drugs on day 8. Methylprednisolone and diltiazem disposition was assessed from plasma concentrations. Pharmacodynamic factors were assessed by plasma cortisol and T-helper and T-suppressor lymphocytes by means of extended indirect response models. Results The clearance of methylprednisolone was significantly reduced in the presence of diltiazem (25.2 L/h versus 16.8 L/h), resulting in a longer half-life (2.28 hours versus 3.12 hours) and increased area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) (871 ng · h/mL versus 1299 ng · h/mL). The AUC of diltiazem was unchanged in the presence of methylprednisolone. No significant intrinsic pharmacodynamic differences were observed for methylprednisolone versus methylprednisolone-diltiazem. The 50% inhibitory concentration values were 0.446 ng/mL versus 0.780 ng/mL for cortisol, 9.20 ng/mL versus 10.7 ng/mL for T-helper cells, and 18.5 ng/mL versus 20.9 ng/mL for T-suppressor cells (P > .05). Greater net suppression, as indicated by the area between the effect curve and suppression ratios, was observed for the methylprednisolone-diltiazem combination versus methylprednisolone alone, which was attributed to reduced elimination of methylprednisolone. Conclusions Controlled-delivery diltiazem, 180 mg, significantly increased methylprednisolone AUC and half-life and reduced clearance, lending to greater systemic exposure to the steroid. However, significant differences between 50% inhibitory concentration values for methylprednisolone when given alone and for methylprednisolone in combination with diltiazem were not seen, which implies no change in cortisol or cell-trafficking sensitivity in the presence of diltiazem. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2002) 72, 370–382; doi: 10.1067/mcp.2002.127944
Wisdom as an Expert Skill

Practical wisdom is the intellectual virtue that enables a person to make reliably good decisions about how, all-things-considered, to live. As such, it is a lofty and important ideal to strive for. It is precisely this loftiness and importance that gives rise to important questions about wisdom: Can real people develop it? If so, how? What is the nature of wisdom as it manifests itself in real people? I argue that we can make headway answering these questions by modeling wisdom on expert skill. Presenting the main argument for this expert skill model of wisdom is the focus of this paper. More specifically, I’ll argue that wisdom is primarily the same kind of epistemic achievement as expert decision-making skill in areas such as firefighting. Acknowledging this helps us see that, and how, real people can develop wisdom. It also helps to resolve philosophical debates about the nature of wisdom. For example, philosophers, including those who think virtue should be modeled on skills, disagree about the extent to which wise people make decisions using intuitions or principled deliberation and reflection. The expert skill model resolves this debate by showing that wisdom includes substantial intuitive and deliberative and reflective abilities.
Motor domain-dependent localization of myo1b (myr-1)

Abstract Myosin-I is the single-headed, membrane binding member of the myosin superfamily that plays a role in membrane dynamics and transport [1–6]. Its molecular functions and its mechanism of regulation are not known. In mammalian cells, myosin-I is excluded from specific microfilament populations, indicating that its localization is tightly regulated. Identifying the mechanism of this localization, and the specific actin populations with which myosin-I interacts, is crucial to understanding the molecular functions of this motor. eGFP chimeras of myo1b [7] were imaged in live and fixed NRK cells. Ratio-imaging microscopy shows that myo1b-eGFP concentrates within dynamic areas of the actin cytoskeleton, most notably in membrane ruffles. Myo1b-eGFP does not associate with stable actin bundles or stress fibers. Truncation mutants consisting of the motor or tail domains show a partially overlapping cytoplasmic localization with full-length myo1b, but do not concentrate in membrane ruffles. A chimera consisting of the light chain and tail domains of myo1b and the motor domain from nonmuscle myosin-IIb (nmMIIb) concentrates on actin filaments in ruffles as well as to stress fibers. In vitro motility assays show that the exclusion of myo1b from certain actin filament populations is due to the regulation of the actomyosin interaction by tropomyosin. Therefore, we conclude that tropomyosin and spatially regulated actin polymerization play important roles in regulating the function and localization of myo1b.
On Channel Modeling for Impulse-Based Communications over a Microprocessor's Power Distribution Network

As the complexity of a modern microprocessor increases rapidly, the methods of testing/debug take up increasing silicon area and create a cumbersome routing problem. The core power distribution network (PDN) of a microprocessor supplies power to a majority of underlying circuits. In this paper, we propose to explore use of the PDN in a microprocessor as a communication channel for test/debug purposes. Although, there are some common characteristics with power line communications (PLC) over power grid in a residential network, PLC over a PDN is very different in channel characteristics, tolerance to voltage fluctuations and noise characteristics. Further, decoupling capacitors attached to the package and the PDN of a microprocessor makes the PDN a bulky low pass filter. However, it is well known that the parasitic inductance of a decoupling capacitor is more significant beyond the self resonant frequency, and our measurements on an Intel microprocessor indicates that the low pass filter becomes leaky at higher frequencies beyond 1 GHz. In this work, measurements are used to model the PDN of a microprocessor as a communication channel and estimate the path loss characteristics as well as the channel impulse response. Link budget is calculated for the proposed communication system and receiver design considerations are derived. Measurement results and power supply noise analysis indicate that the use of jitter-robust pulse shapes, spread-spectrum techniques and strong coding would be required to communicate reliably over the PDN of a microprocessor.
Multiple component computational recognition of children’s jokes

An overview of a model for computational recognition of short jokes that are based on phonological similarity of words is presented. The jokes are taken from joke books. The model takes into account orthographic, phonological and semantic representation of words. A motivation for using this model, as well as steps for a joke recognizer, are discussed based on an example. The joke recognition is based on knowledge that is provided by an ontology. The ontology is created using entries from a children's dictionary. Words in the dictionary are instances of concepts in the ontology. Semantic relationships between concepts are added from a collection of children's texts and definitions in a children's dictionary. Any short text is considered a joke if it contains two scripts that both overlap and oppose; and if there is a pair of similar sounding words, in which the first word is an instance of a concept of the first script, and the second word is an instance of a concept of the second script.
Contrasting effects of anti-Ly49A due to MHC class I cis binding on NK cell-mediated allogeneic bone marrow cell resistance.

NK subsets have activating and inhibitory receptors that bind MHC-I. Ly49A is a mouse inhibitory receptor that binds with high affinity to H2 d in both a cis - and trans -manner. Ly49A cis -associations limit trans -interactions with H2 d -expressing targets as well as mAb binding. We demonstrate that cis -interactions affect mAb effector functions. In vivo administration of anti-Ly49A depleted NK cells in H2 b but not H2 d mice. Despite lack of depletion, in vivo treatment with anti-Ly49A reduced NK killing capabilities and inhibited activation, partially due to its agonistic effect. These data explain the previously described in vivo effects on bone marrow allograft rejection observed with anti-Ly49A treatment in H2 d -haplotype mice. However, prior treatment of mice with poly(I:C) or mouse CMV infection resulted in increased Ly49A expression and Ly49A + NK cell depletion in H2 d mice. These data indicate that, although Ly49 mAbs can exert similar in vivo effects in mice with different MHC haplotypes, these effects are mediated via different mechanisms of action correlating with Ly49A expression levels and can be altered within the same strain contingent on stimuli. This illustrates the marked diversity of mAb effector functions due to the regulation of the level of expression of target Ags and responses by stimulatory incidents such as infection.
Routine intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography identifies patients with atheromatous aortas: impact on "off-pump" coronary artery bypass and perioperative stroke.

Abstract Background Patients with severe atheromatous aortic disease (AAD) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have increased operative risks. The "off-pump" CABG (OPCAB) technique was evaluated in patients given the diagnosis of severe AAD by routine transesophageal echocardiography. Methods A total of 5737 patients underwent CABG, with 913 having transesophageal echocardiography findings of severe AAD. Of the patients with severe AAD, 678 (74.3%) had conventional CABG and 235 (25.7%) had OPCAB. Results Hospital mortality was 8.7% for conventional CABG and 5.1% for OPCAB ( P = .08). Multivariate analysis revealed that increased mortality was significantly associated with acute myocardial infarction, conventional CABG, age, renal disease, history of stroke, and ejection fraction P = .01). Freedom from any complication was significantly greater with OPCAB. Conclusion Routine intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography identifies patients with severe AAD. In these patients, OPCAB technique is associated with a lower risk of death, stroke, and all complications.
An Evolutionary Comparison of the Handicap Principle and Hybrid Equilibrium Theories of Signaling

The handicap principle has come under significant challenge both from empirical studies and from theoretical work. As a result, a number of alternative explanations for honest signaling have been proposed. This paper compares the evolutionary plausibility of one such alternative, the “hybrid equilibrium,” to the handicap principle. We utilize computer simulations to compare these two theories as they are instantiated in Maynard Smith’s Sir Philip Sidney game. We conclude that, when both types of communication are possible, evolution is unlikely to lead to handicap signaling and is far more likely to result in the partially honest signaling predicted by hybrid equilibrium theory.
Multicultural Incompetence and Other Unethical Behaviors: Perceptions of Therapist Practices

The present study examined nonprofessionals' perceptions of culturally based and noncultural ethical violations. One hundred seventy-four undergraduates students read 12 vignettes depicting situations in which a clinician committed either a culturally based violation (e.g., sexist or ageist behavior) or a noncultural violation (e.g., breeching confidentiality or multiple relationship). Results indicated that participants were more likely to have unfavorable views of clinicians who had committed culturally based violations. In addition, results suggested that participants would be more likely to report a clinician who had committed a culturally based violation to a supervisor or ethics board.
The aging HIV population

As we move into the fourth decade of the HIV epidemic, this illness, once considered nearly always fatal, is now viewed as a chronic disease in most industrialized nations, due to advances in treatment. Patients with HIV are growing older and the number of infected patients over the age of 50 years is growing steadily. With this shift in demographics, the medical field is turning its attention toward the need to both care for older patients whose disease is long-standing, and identify newly infected older patients. It is increasingly apparent that older HIV-infected patients are vulnerable to a variety of non-AIDS-related conditions and the interplay of aging and HIV occurs in multiple ways. Identifying older patients at risk, the importance of getting patients into care and the impact of aging on the course of the infection are discussed as are common comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and neurocognitive decline. Recommendations for the evaluation of an older HIV-infecte...
Forecasting Pegged Yet Adjustable Exchange Rates

Since the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates in late 1971, currency prices are commonly believed to be determined by a floating exchange rate system. However, only a handful of key currencies float independently. All other currencies are either tied to one of the key currencies or possibly to an artificial currency unit such as the Special Drawing Right. Thus the current international monetary system is best described as a system in which currencies within major trading blocs maintain quasi-pegged yet adjustable relationships with each other, but fluctuate continuously—or float in unison—against the currencies of the other major blocs.1
Leveling the Playing Field: Reforming the Office for Civil Rights to Achieve Better Title IX Enforcement

In this Article the Author discusses improving Title IX compliance in athletic programs by reforming the Office for Civil Rights ("OCR"), the agency within the Department of Education responsible for Title IX enforcement. The Author addresses several problem areas within OCR's procedures, including OCR's approach toward student grievances, its standards for assessing alleged Title IX violations, and its inadequate monitoring and enforcement of institutions in violation of Title IX.Part I introduces the history of Title IX. Part II describes the legislation and regulations that mandate gender equity in educational institutions. Part III summarizes the case law that has affected the scope of Title IX's application. Part IV suggests specific OCR reforms that, in conjunction with local institutional efforts, would improve compliance with Title IX. Part V outlines approaches previously offered to remedy current Title IX enforcement challenges, and discusses why they do not adequately deal with the noncompliance situation. Part VI asserts that, despite challenges, reforming OCR is currently the most effective option to achieve improved Title IX compliance in our educational institutions.
Applications and Related Technology

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Capacitor Storage Diagnostic Imaging Frequency Converters and Mixers Fusion Reactors Gyrotron Hall Effect Transducers High-Energy Physics Particle Detector Magnets Infrared Detector Arrays, Uncooled Magnetic Sensors Magnetic Separation Magnetic Source Imaging Magnets for Magnetic Resonance Analysis and Imaging Microwave Ferroelectric Devices Peltier Effect Power Quality SQUIDs Superconducting Cavity Resonators Superconducting Cyclotrons and Compact Synchrotron Light Sources Superconducting Fault Current Limiters Superconducting Filters and Passive Components Superconducting Levitation Superconducting Magnets for Fusion Reactors Superconducting Magnets for Particle Accelerators and Storage Rings Superconducting Transformers Temperature Sensors Thermoelectric Conversion
State Standing After Massachusetts v. EPA

question[] of political power, of sovereignty, of government. No rights of the state falling within the scope of the judicial power have been brought within the actual or threatened operation of the statute, and this court is ... without authority to pass abstract opinions upon the constitutionality of acts of
New York Public School Financing Litigation

This article contains Judge Lazer’s remarks at the New York Public School Financing Litigation Symposium. Judge Lazer explains how the New York State Constitution impacts questions of school financing, focusing on the decision he authored in Board of Education, Levittown Union Free School District v. Nyquist, 83 A.D.2d 217, 443 N.Y.S.2d 843 (2d Dep't 1981).
Personality Traits and Information Privacy Concern on Social Media Platforms

This article reports on an exploratory study that examines the relationship between Big Five personality traits and computer anxiety as antecedents of individuals' concern for information privacy (CFIP) on social media platforms and the consequent relationship between individuals' CFIP and behavioral intentions to provide their personal information to online merchants. Using data from 298 undergraduate students, individuals that score highly on agreeableness and conscientiousness were found to be concerned about the privacy of their information on social media platforms. Contrary to hypothesis, computer anxiety was found to have a negative relationship with behavioral intentions. CFIP was found to fully mediate the relationship between computer anxiety and behavioral intentions. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Neue Dimensionen der orthodontischen Diagnose: Neuromuskuläre und skelettale Gesichtspunkte

Der funktionelle Erfolg orthodontischer Behandlungen beruht auf der Einstellung und Erhaltung einer entspannten Muskulatur. Fur den Orthodonten bedeutet dies: 1. Bestimmung der okklusalen Bezichungen unter entspannter neuromuskularer Position und 2. Therapieplanung und Behandlung des orthodontischen Falls auf diese Position hin.
Fast Functional Photoacoustic Microscopy of Mouse Brain

We have developed fast functional photoacoustic microscopy (ffPAM), which can be utilized for three-dimensional morphological, functional, flow dynamic and metabolic mouse brain imaging through an intact skull with endogenous contrast only.
The Catholic Historian in Nineteenth Century Chile

Church-State relations in nineteenth century Chile remained relatively calm when compared with tempestuous events occuring in Mexico during the War of the Reform. While tempers flared in both nations when the rights of the Church in a secular society were discussed, the problem was resolved in Chile without bloodshed or violence. The question of the economic power of the Church had already been settled by 1830, as the financial genius of the new Republic, Manuel Rengifo, urged that all lands that had been confiscated by Bernardo O’Higgins in 1824 be returned to the original owners. Despite a well-intentioned belief that Church ownership of land was smothering the economic development of the new nation, the expropriation of these lands failed to produce any dramatic change. While the Treasury received 226, 442 pesos for the sale and rental of these lands, the government was forced to spend 181,297 pesos from 1824 to 1830 in order to finance religious affairs and pay the congregations for the expropriation of their lands. After the Conservative victory at Lircay in 1830 the lands were returned to the Church, providing considerable relief for the heavily burdened state treasury. The minor importance of Church property to the Chilean economy was symbolized by the relative ease of the confiscation and return of the lands, while similar attempts in Mexico unleashed civil war.
Optimal timing of umbilical cord clamping: Is the debate settled? Part 2 of 2: Evidence in preterm and term infants, alternatives, and unanswered questions

In the middle of the 20th century, practices regarding the timing of umbilical cord clamping changed from delaying cord clamping to clamping the umbilical cord soon after delivery of the infant. In the last several years, interest in reviving delayed cord clamping has led to an abundance of literature on the subject. On the basis of recent research, many professional organizations in the fields of obstetrics, midwifery, and pediatrics have started to recommend the use of delayed cord clamping for at least a subset of infants. In part 1 of this 2-part review, we presented the history of the delayed cord clamping debate, discussed the rationale behind the use of delayed cord clamping from a physiologic standpoint, detailed the factors that affect transfusion volume during a delay in cord clamping, and examined the concerns that exist regarding the use of delayed cord clamping. In part 2, we present the evidence surrounding timing of cord clamping for the preterm and term infant and maternal outcomes. Finally, we discuss alternatives to delayed cord clamping and present a summary of unanswered questions on the subject.
Appreciation on the Couplet on the Stone Columns on Both Sides of the Front Gateway of Foshan Zumiao Ancestral Temple

The couplet on the stone columns on both sides of the front gateway of Zumiao Ancestral Temple expresses the writer's emotion by describing the scene in refined language.With the integration of scenery and events,the writer wrote it not only to manifest the sanctity of Zumiao Temple and its lofty features,but also to show the sanctity of hierarchy and the sovereignty of imperial power.The reason why the couplet was placed on the gateway is that prayers would strongly feel its great divinity and fall down in adoration by the time they step on the front gate steps.The couplet expresses the feeling of "help from gods" and warns people not to hide inside any evil wills.It enhances the centered dignified manner of Zumiao Temple with the prominence of its local political code.The couplet describes the holy Zumiao Temple to promote the upsurge of worship of the North Emperor.
Bone repair and stem cells

Bones are an important component of vertebrates; they grow explosively in early life and maintain their strength throughout life. Bones also possess amazing capabilities to repair-the bone is like new without a scar after complete repair. In recent years, a substantial progress has been made in our understanding on mammalian bone stem cells. Mouse genetic models are powerful tools to understand the cell lineage, giving us better insights into stem cells that regulate bone growth, maintenance and repair. Recent findings about these stem cells raise new questions that require further investigations.