cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longevity of 5-azacytidine-mediated gene expression and re-establishment of silencing in transgenic rice.

Epigenetic silencing of a bialaphos resistance (bar) gene in R1 progeny of a transgenic rice line was found to be meiotically stable since selfed (R2) progeny were also susceptible and the bar locus highly methylated. A high proportion of R2 seedlings germinated in the presence of 5-azacytidine (AzaC) were herbicide-resistant and also contained at least one unmethylated copy of the bar gene, further establishing the relationship between silencing and methylation. Restored bar gene expression was typically maintained for 20–50 days, but eventual methylation and silencing of the bar locus underscores the ability of the recipient genome to recognize and inactivate intrusive DNA.
Screening for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia with Patient-Collected HPV Samples.

How useful are patient-collected human papillomavirus vaginal swabs as a screening test for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia?
Consumer Redlining and the Reproduction of Inequality at Dollar General

This paper extends our knowledge of consumer redlining by providing empirical evidence documenting its occurrence at Dollar General stores while also providing an explanation as to why it occurs in the first place. My data was primarily collected during six months of fieldwork working as a low-wage sales associate. It was also supplemented by additional participant observation at the eighteen other Dollar General stores in my fieldsite’s district and fifty in-depth interviews with coworkers and employees. My findings revealed significant disparities in store quality and customer service between the store locations I examined. Of the nineteen stores in the district, three standout stores emerged as the very worst. Conditions there were dirtier and more hazardous than the rest, with under-stocked shelves, slow customer service, and a contentious atmosphere for those who worked and shopped amidst the squalor. Therefore, I identified these stores as consumer redlined. My findings illustrate how the automated management of Dollar General’s labor supply undermined frontline managers’ authority and workers’ ability to resist precarious scheduling, contributing to the degradation of retail work. While algorithmic labor management standardized employer-driven “flexible” scheduling, the system also resulted in an unequal distribution of payroll hours amongst store locations. I argue that this automated scheduling system functioned to minimize labor cost and maximize profit, exacerbating the degradation of labor and instigating the reproduction of inequality—in this case, by generating consumer redlining. Additionally, my research shows how computer technology can intentionally undermine the power of frontline managers by automatic flexible scheduling, making it difficult to remedy the source of complaints at consumer-redlined stores: systemic understaffing.
Synthetic dual-energy CT for MRI-only based proton therapy treatment planning using label-GAN.

MRI-only treatment planning is highly desirable in current proton radiation therapy workflow due to its appealing advantages such as bypassing MR-CT co-registration, avoiding x-ray CT exposure dose and reduced medical cost. However, MRI alone cannot provide stopping power ratio (SPR) information for dose calculations. Given that dual energy CT (DECT) can estimate SPR with higher accuracy than conventional single energy CT (SECT), we propose a deep learning-based method in this study to generate synthetic DECT (sDECT) from MRI to calculate SPR. Since the contrast difference between high-energy and low-energy CT is important, and in order to accurately model this difference, we propose a novel label generative adversarial network (label-GAN)-based model which can not only discriminate the realism of sDECT but also differentiate high-energy CT (HECT) and low-energy CT (LECT) from DECT. A cohort of 57 head-and-neck cancer patients with DECT and MRI pairs were used to validate the performance of the proposed framework. The results of sDECT and its derived SPR maps were compared with clinical DECT and the corresponding SPR, respectively. The mean absolute error (MAE) for synthetic LECT and HECT were 79.98±18.11 HU and 80.15±16.27 HU, respectively. The corresponding SPR maps generated from sDECT showed a normalized mean absolute error (NMAE) as 5.22%±1.23%. By comparing with the traditional Cycle GANs, our proposed method significantly improves the accuracy of sDECT. The results indicate that on our dataset, the synthetic DECT image form MRI is close to planning DECT, and thus shows promising potential for generating SPR maps for proton therapy.
Exploring the Relational Nature of Identity Gap Management in Sexual Communication

Framed through the Communication Theory of Identity, the present study investigates strategies individuals in less normative relationships (e.g., LGBTQ relationships, polyamorous, BDSM) (n = 305) u...
Sex Differences in Play Networks and Self-Reported Physical Activity Among Children at Summer Care Programs

This study examined sex differences in child friendship networks relative to summer care programs and associations with self-reported physical activity (PA) across summer. Children (n = 182; mean a...
Effect of Application Season on Release of Available Phosphorus from Soil Receiving Mono-ammonium Phosphate or Struvite

This study was designed to characterize the release of available P from different ratios of mono-ammonium phosphate:struvite (MAP:struvite) in soils as affected by the season in which it was applied, representing field conditions. A 63-day soil incubation evaluated release of soil test P (STP) as Olsen P from MAP:struvite ratios (0:0, 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 37.5:62.5, 25:75, 12.5:87.5, 0:100) as temperature decreased (26 to 15 °C) and increased (12.4 to 22.6 °C) to mimic fall and spring temperatures, respectively. All treatments decreased in STP concentration from the beginning to end of both fall and spring incubations. The amount of decrease in STP during the incubation period was greater for the fall incubation compared to the spring incubation. After 63 days of the fall incubation, treatments 100:0 and 0:100 decreased the most from 22.9 to 12.1 mg STP kg−1 and 21.2 to 7.7 mg STP kg−1, respectively. After 63 days in the spring incubation, 100:0 and 0:100 decreased from 20.2 to 11.8 mg STP kg−1 and 18.1 to 14.0 mg STP kg−1. Overall results suggest that soil STP decreased in the range of 12 to 26 °C for soils fertilized with MAP:struvite mixtures, regardless of season.
Iron and Steel

A deeper understanding of the diverse properties of iron and various steels is gained by inspecting the iron-carbon phase diagram. Actually, for the present purposes only the portion up to 6.67% C is of interest; see Figure 8.1.
Development of a Recreational use Model for the San Juan River

The objective of this project is to develop management alternatives to reduce campsite and attraction crowding along the San Juan River and to specifically address overcrowding at two sites, Grand Gulch and Slickhorn Canyons. In addition, once the model is operational it can be used to assist in the development of a general river management plan.
Benzoyl and hydroxybenzoyl esters of coenzyme A. Ultraviolet characterization and reaction mechanisms.

Abstract The ultraviolet spectra of purified benzoyl-CoA, o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, m-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, and p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA were studied and the esterolytic reactions of these compounds were investigated at alkaline pH in the absence and presence of certain amino acids. Besides a major absorption band at 261 to 262 nm, the spectrum of each hydroxybenzoyl thioester near neutral pH contains a longer wavelength absorption band (corresponding to the phenolic moiety) which undergoes a progressive red shift of 40 to 45 nm as the pH is raised. Approximate pKa values determined for the phenolic groups at room temperature are 9.5 for o- and m-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA and 8.6 for p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA. At high pH, difference spectra (i.e. before esterolysis minus after) of all thioesters except p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA reveal thioester absorbance at 269 to 273 nm with emm ranging from 6.4 to 6.9. Rates of esterolysis of benzoyl-CoA, m-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, and p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA are directly proportional to hydroxide ion concentration and approximate apparent second order rate constants at 38° are 10, 1.8, and 0.11 m-1 min-1, respectively. In contrast, the rate of esterolysis of o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA is essentially constant, i.e. the apparent pseudo-first order rate constant is ∼0.02 min-1, over a pH range of 9.6 to 12.1. The postulated mechanisms are that with all the benzoyl-CoAs except o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, hydroxide ions participate in a nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl carbon of the benzoate moiety; with o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, the neighboring oxy anion repels close approach of hydroxide ion and instead acts as a general base to form the hydroxyl nucleophile in situ by removing a proton from water. This conclusion is supported by the additional finding that at pH 9.54 and 38°, o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA reacts rapidly with several amino acids (glycine, d- and l-alanine, l-valine, l-asparagine, and l-glutamine) to form salicylpeptides. Under these conditions glycine reacts more rapidly with o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA than with benzoyl-CoA or p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA. Glycine is also a more effective nucleophile than hydroxide ion for o-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, whereas the opposite is true for benzoyl-CoA or p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA.
Graphene–Multilayer Graphene Nanocomposites as Highly Efficient Thermal Interface Materials

We found that the optimized mixture of graphene and multilayer graphene, produced by the high-yield inexpensive liquid-phase-exfoliation technique, can lead to an extremely strong enhancement of the cross-plane thermal conductivity K of the composite. The “laser flash” measurements revealed a record-high enhancement of K by 2300% in the graphene-based polymer at the filler loading fraction f = 10 vol %. It was determined that the relatively high concentration of the single-layer and bilayer graphene flakes (∼10–15%) present simultaneously with the thicker multilayers of large lateral size (∼1 μm) were essential for the observed unusual K enhancement. The thermal conductivity of the commercial thermal grease was increased from an initial value of ∼5.8 W/mK to K = 14 W/mK at the small loading f = 2%, which preserved all mechanical properties of the hybrid. Our modeling results suggest that graphene–multilayer graphene nanocomposite used as the thermal interface material outperforms those with carbon nanotub...
Exploring the Role of Symbolic Legitimation in Voluntary Journal List Adoption

Journal lists are common in the global accounting academy, yet the underlying ‘research quality’ construct is ill defined and the specific processes used in voluntary list adoptions have not been s...
Gender Segregation in Higher Education

During the second half of the twentieth century, systems of higher education expanded and democratized around the world. Women's participation increased so dramatically that their numbers now surpass men's in many industrialized countries. But gender equalization has not occurred uniformly. Sex segregation of majors and degree programs is a striking feature of modern educational systems and a key reason for the ongoing social and economic inequality of women and men. While significant gender inequality is found within educational systems worldwide, recent evidence shows marked differences among countries and country groups in their degree and pattern of sex segregation. This essay reviews foundational research in this field, identifies emergent trends and cutting-edge lines of inquiry, and poses questions for future research on men's and women's distribution across educational institutions and fields of study. Much research on sex segregation in higher education has focused on cross-national differences and historical trends. A major question concerns the persistence of extreme gender differentiation even in the most economically and socially modern contexts. Research findings to date reveal a complex interplay between cultural beliefs, structural forms, and individual cognition in generating and maintaining sex segregation in the modern world. In order to advance research in this field, we suggest that future studies focus on: (i) how patterns of sex segregation differ by race, ethnicity, class, and national origin; (ii) how curricular preferences are formed; (iii) how characteristics of educational systems influence patterns of sex segregation; and (iv) how fields of study (and occupations) become defined as either masculine or feminine. Keywords: gender segregation; sex segregation; higher education; college major; STEM ; inequality; cultural gender beliefs; doing gender; postmaterialist society
Los peligros de la investigación multidisciplinaria en estudios fronterizos. Un dilema profesional para los académicos “generalistas”

En este trabajo realizado a traves de un ensayo biografico, se comentan los peligros y obstaculos a que se enfrenta el academico cuando al abordar el problema del estudio de la frontera, pierde parte de su especializacion para convertirse en academico multidisciplinario "generalista", esto como una situacion inaplazable si desea realmente profundizarse en el conocimiento de los territorios fronterizos. Se seleccionaron algunas de las aportaciones y conceptos de los estudios fronterizos, de manera que se vislumbren y ordenen los problemas de los academicos en la multidisciplina. Se reordenaron los materiales mediante un esquema cronologico, para mostrar como algunas de las aportaciones a los estudios fronterizos han surgido debido a las multiples influencias multidisciplinarias.
Absorption of zinc from wheat products fortified with iron and either zinc sulfate or zinc oxide

Background: Several chemical forms of zinc have been proposed for food fortification, but information is needed on their absorption from common cereals having varied phytate content. Objective: The goal was to measure zinc absorption from wheat products fortified with iron sulfate and either zinc sulfate or zinc oxide. Design: Adult volunteers received either low-phytate bread (n = 11) or higher-phytate porridge (n = 11) once weekly on 2 or 3 occasions. The foods were fortified with 1 of the 2 zinc salts (60 mg elemental Zn/kg wheat flour) during week 1 and with the other during week 2, in random order. 65 Zn in the same chemical form as the fortificant was incorporated in each food to assess zinc absorption with the use of whole-body counting. The porridge group received an additional test meal fortified with zinc oxide during week 3, but the 65 Zn tracer was given as an oral solution of 65 ZnCl2. Results: Zinc absorption from bread (13.8%; 95% CI: 11.8%, 16.2%) was significantly (P < 0.001) greater than from porridge (6.4%; 5.5%, 7.6%), presumably because of the greater phytate content of the porridge. With control for food type, there were no significant differences in zinc absorption from meals fortified with zinc sulfate or zinc oxide ( P= 0.24). When the porridge was fortified with zinc oxide and labeled with 65 ZnCl2, absorption of the tracer (8.9%; 7.1%, 11.0%) was significantly (P = 0.007) greater than when 65 ZnO was incorporated in the porridge (5.6%; 4.5%, 6.9%). Conclusions: Either zinc oxide or zinc sulfate can be used to fortify wheat products consumed by presumably healthy persons. Isotopic tracers used to assess the absorption of mineral fortificants should have the same chemical form as the fortificant. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78:279‐83.
INVESTMENT STRATEGY FOR A SMALL GROWTH COMPANY

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the impact of the simultaneous investment-financing decisions required by a small growth company when accepting relatively large investment projects. By such illustration, the capital budgeting rationale for using “rules of thumb” will be clarified, and correspondingly, the implicit assumptions for approximating a company's “cost of capital” will be exposed. To provide quantitative estimates of the various impacts of different capital budgeting strategies, a relatively simple simulation model was constructed. Once the implicit assumptions are exposed, the importance of a strategy combining the rules of thumb and cost of capital criteria is evident. It is believed that this combined strategy provides a practical bridge between the “art” and science of finance.
Using thermal imaging as a method of investigating thermal thresholds in finishing pigs

Heat production from modern pigs has been determined to be significantly higher than previously reported. This increase in heat production changes the thermal needs of modern growing pigs. A study was designed to evaluate using surface temperatures as a method of determining heat tolerance of growing pigs based on changes in thermal images captured at different temperatures. Thermal images were taken of one hundred sixty group-penned pigs (26.9–62.2 kg) and twenty individual pigs (31.1–57.2 kg) on seven selected days covering a temperature range of 21.3 °C–36.6 °C. The thermal images were analysed to determine either average temperature (individual pigs) or high and low temperatures (group penned pigs). Surface temperatures were significantly affected by ambient temperature and response equations were developed. Breakpoint analysis revealed a threshold, thought to equate to the maximum value of the thermal neutral zone, ranging between 17.4 °C and 23.2 °C. It was concluded that thermal images could be successfully used to evaluate the thermal needs of pigs, and that further experiments need be conducted to validate thresholds as determined by thermal images.
Protein phosphorylation in rat caudate homogenate: stimulatory effects of dopamine and enhancement of dopamine response following 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.

Abstract Dopamine (3-hydroxytyramine) stimulates the incorporation of 32 P into proteins endogenous to a homogenate of rat caudate nucleus when 10 μM [γ- 32 P]-ATP is used as a substrate following preincubation with 400 μM ATP. The increase in 32 P incorporation has pharmacological characteristics similar to those observed for the dopamines-sensitive adenylate cyclase system present in caudate tissue. Chronic depletion of striatal dopamine in vivo by stereotaxic injection of 6-hydroxydopamine in the nigrostriatal pathway results in a significant enhancement of the dopamine stimulation of 32 P incorporation in vitro. Cyclic AMP-stimulated phosphorylation of caudate proteins remains unchanged following 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.
Parametrized relocation of low‐mobility resources

Relocation of service-providers in response to changing real-time needs is suboptimal due to limited foreknowledge of client requests. Simple cost schedules for relocation and remote-service provision have been investigated both for the possibility of complete optimizability and the degree of inefficiency introduced by imperfect future knowledge. This work further explores a parametrization developed for reflecting limitations in the mobility of some resources. The optimizability response to this parameter exhibits two significant thresholds. Below the first threshold, optimization is trivial, but many real-world resource-location problems correspond to parameter values past the second threshold. This work explores both the value of the second threshold and the behavior of optimal limited-lookahead responses for resources whose immobility places them past this threshold. It is determined that, for resources of sufficiently high immobility α, it is possible with finite lookahead to achieve a relocation schedule which is within a ratio of (1+α) of the optimal omniscient schedule. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2013
Comparative Physiology of Neurohypophysial Hormone Action on the Vertebrate Oviduct-Uterus

The neurohypophysial hormone, arginine vasotocin, is depleted from the hypothalamus, and rises in concentration in the blood during oviposition in hens. The contractile responses of isolated oviducts from birds, reptiles and amphibians are more sensitive to arginine vasotocin than to oxytocin or mesotocin. This evidence clearly indicates that arginine vasotocin is involved in parturition or oviposition in nonmammalian tetrapods. Evidence for a physiological role for specific neurohypophysial hormones in the regulation of oviduct—or in some cases ovarian — contractility in fishes is unclear and occasionally contradictory. However, it appears unlikely that arginine vasotocin is involved in the fish species that have been investigated. It is evident that, much like the neurohypophysial hormones, the neurohypophysial hormone receptors of the vertebrate myometrium have undergone evolutionary change.
Spin and charge excitations of the degenerate Hubbard model in one dimension.

The degenerate Hubbard chain with N internal degrees of freedom is integrable if site occupations of more than two electrons are excluded. The ground state of the model has several unusual properties; e.g., the magnetic susceptibility has logarithmic singularities as the field H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0 and also the specific-heat coefficient is singular. An extensive discussion of ground-state properties as a function of U and the band filling is presented. The elemental charge and spin excitations are derived for arbitrary U and band filling. If, on average, there is exactly one electron per site as a function of U, a qualitative change in the low-energy charge excitations is found at a critical value ${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{c}}$. This change is probably associated with a Mott metal-insulator transition (${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{c}}$=0 for N=2). The Fermi velocity is finite for U${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{c}}$ but vanishes for Ug${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{c}}$ (for one electron per site). The spin-wave velocity is inversely proportional to the magnetic susceptibility for all U and band fillings. There are N-1 elemental spin-wave branches. For arbitrary band filling there are then N-1 soft modes at different finite momenta, all related to the Fermi surface. For exactly one electron per site, the spin-excitation spectrum can be mapped onto the one of the SU(N) Heisenberg chain. The implications of the hole states on superconductivity are also discussed.
Prediction of uphill time-trial bicycling performance in humans with a scaling-derived protocol.

The present study sought to create a scaling-derived cycle ergometer protocol (SDP) that was derived theoretically and would correlate highly with actual uphill time-trial (TT) cycling performance. Local competitive cyclists each completed the SDP (an incremental test to exhaustion) using their own bicycle mounted on a stationary trainer, together with either a short (6.2 km, 2.9% grade; n=8 men and 5 women) or long-course (12.5 km, 2.7% grade; n=8 men) uphill TT. Maximal power output \( \left( {\dot W_{{\rm max}} } \right) \) and power at the ventilatory threshold \( \left( {\dot W_{{\rm VT}} } \right) \) were determined from the SDP results, as well as maximal oxygen uptake \( \left( {\dot V{\rm O}_{{\rm 2max}} } \right) \) , using standard indirect calorimetry procedures. Actual TT speed correlated very highly with both SDP completion time (r=0.97–0.98) and relative \( \dot W_{{\rm max}} \) (watts per kilogram; r=0.92–0.97) for both uphill TT races. Correlations between TT speed and more demanding measurements \( \left( {\dot V{\rm O}_{{\rm 2max}} {\rm ,}\dot W_{{\rm VT}} } \right) $$ % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCaebbnrfifHhDYfgasaacH8srps0lbbf9 % q8WrFfeuY-Hhbbf9v8qqaqFr0xc9pk0xbba9q8WqFfea0-yr0RYxir % -Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8frFve9Fve9Ff0dmeaabaqaciGacaGa % aeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaadaqadaqaaiqbbAfawzaacaGaee4ta80aaS % baaSqaaiabbkdaYiabb2eanjabbgeabjabbIfaybqabaGccqqGSaal % cuqGxbWvgaGaamaaBaaaleaacqqGwbGvcqqGubavaeqaaaGccaGLOa % Gaayzkaaaaaa!3C85! $$ \left( {{\rm \dot VO}_{{\rm 2MAX}} {\rm ,\dot W}_{{\rm VT}} } \right) \) were generally lower and more variable (r=0.54–0.97). These results would indicate that two non-laboratory dependent measurements (SDP completion time and relative \( \dot W_{{\rm max}} \) ) derived from the SDP are valid markers for predicting actual uphill TT performance. This protocol may be useful to cycling coaches and athletes in identifying talented cyclists or for tracking changes in cycling performance outside of the sports science laboratory environment.
Cell division in morphological mutants ofAgmenellum quadruplicatum, strain BG-1

Two types of filamentous mutants were derived from the unicellular blue-green alga,Agmenellum, by brief exposure to nitrosoguanidine. The parent exhibits constrictive division analogous to that of the enteric bacteria. The septate mutant exhibits septal division which is almost identical to that observed in all filamentous blue-green algae thus far described. In this mutant, the two outer wall layers fail to invaginate, leaving the daughter cells connected. The coenocytic filamentous mutant divides sporadically by both of these methods. The nuclear region of this mutant appears continuous throughout the length of the filament. It is suggested that the non-septate mutant is impaired in the coordination of cytological events leading to cell division.
Student ethnocentrism, dogmatism, and motivation: a study of BAFA BAFA

Experiential and didactic approaches are both prevalent and potentially valuable; this study seeks to compare and contrast the methods of each. One specific simulation is examined: BAFA BAFA. This intercultural simulation is widely used and supported by educators, but few researchers have empirically tested its effectiveness. The results showed that, although BAFA BAFA did motivate students to do better in class, the simulation actually increased students' ethnocentrism in contrast to courses not using BAFA BAFA. The implications of these findings for education and future research are discussed
Measuring quality of life across countries: A multiple indicators and multiple causes approach

Abstract Life expectancy, literacy rates, per capita income, mortality and morbidity statistics have been widely employed in empirical analyses to construct various indices of quality of life (QOL). The reason why so many indices of well-being exist in the literature is partly explained by the fact that such indices are sensitive to domains of QOL that are included in the measurement and how they are aggregated to arrive at a composite index. In this paper we model the QOL across countries as an unobservable latent link variable between observable causes and observable effects, which reduces the problem of bias, inconsistency, and arbitrary weightings of explanatory factors. We estimate and compare the QOL indices for 43 countries for the year 1999, noting differences between countries and varying role of various determinants of the QOL.
Peroxidase isoenzymes of the Avena coleoptile

Abstract The bulk of the peroxidases of Avena coleoptile sections exist in soluble and salt-extractable, wall-associated fractions with lesser amounts in membranous and wall-bound fractions. In the presence of auxin the peroxidase levels remain nearly constant while in the absence of auxin the peroxidase of each fraction increases 2-to 6-fold in 22 hr. There are qualitative and quantitative changes in the isoenzyme patterns with time, but these changes are independent of auxin. It is concluded that the peroxidase changes are induced by isolation of the tissues from the coleoptile and are unrelated to the growth rate.
Biochemistry That Times the Day

“Timing is everything” appears to be a motto not limited to human existence. In fact, keeping track of time is so important that organisms ranging from algae and insects to mammals rely on circadian clocks, endogenous molecular oscillators with a period of approximately 24 h, to regulate diverse processes that include the cell cycle, gene expression, and metabolism. Although all biological clocks are characterized by three diagnostic properties, (i) an internal timer ticking with an ∼24 h period, (ii) entrainment of the endogenous timer by exogenous cues such as light, and (iii) temperature compensation, the molecular players constituting the clock are not conserved across all organisms. Beyond similarities and differences as far as the cogs and gears that assemble the clock are concerned, recent research has brought to light the increasingly complex nature of clock mechanism and regulation. Thus, the assumption that a so-called transcription/translation-based feedback loop (TTFL) is at the heart of all biological clocks appears to be an oversimplification at best; in all systems, a post-translational component of the timing circuitry is becoming apparent. This issue of Biochemistry bears witness to the advances in clock research achieved over the past decade by presenting a collection of seven Current Topics articles (DOIs 10.1021/bi5007354, 10.1021/bi500707c, 10.1021/bi500731f, 10.1021/bi5005624, 10.1021/bi500922q, 10.1021/bi501089x, and 10.1021/bi5008386). These papers penned by a diverse group of clock researchers attest to the universal importance of circadian timing and provide insight into progress in regard to clock structure, function, and mechanism in all walks of life, from seasonal flowering to circadian rhythmicity in carcinogenesis and chemotherapy.
Promoting Adaptive Self Care in Abuse Survivors

Abstract Turkus and Courtois (1996) have recommended a stage oriented approach to treatment of abuse survivors. The first stage of treatment emphasizes development of adaptive skills which the survivor can use to cope with her abuse experience. Their perpetrator's abusive actions devalue and dehumanize the abuse survivor. Focusing on survivors' capacity for adaptive self-care is particularly important the initial stage of treatment as survivors have often internalized this devalued sense of self. These perceptual remnants of abuse are frequently manifest as a diminished capacity for adaptive self-care. This article summarizes four activities designed to facilitate positive mechanisms for self-care. The over-riding goals of the interventions are to: (1) focus on the survivors' strengths, (2) empower survivors to be agents of change (3) normalize survivors post traumatic stress experiences, and (4) develop positive associational cues to counteract existing negative cues. The first activity uses the concept ...
APPLYING SYNTACTICAL INFORMATION IN WEB SEARCH

Web search could be much facilitated if we can better relate the user intention with the meaning of the web content. In this paper, we first survey the various existing methods, focusing on the dilemma that obtaining high accuracy results usually sacrifices the response time. We then propose a novel information retrieval framework to combine keyword-based search and search based on syntactical information. In particular, we design a sequential structure called LSC (Language Sequential Component) to encode syntactical information. Given a sentence, LSC provides a bridge from its syntactical representation and semantic meaning. We also propose a learning algorithm to obtain the LSCs from a training set, a classification algorithm to find the relevant LSCs from a user query to interpret the intentions of the user, and a search framework (called Semantic Search Engine) to incorporate syntactical information into a keyword based search system. Our experiments show the Semantic Search Engine outperforms the keyword-based approach significantly.
A toolchain for rapid prototyping of underwater communication systems: extended abstract

This paper introduces the RaPTEX toolchain and its use for the rapid prototyping and evaluation of an underwater ultrasonic communication system. The main goal of our RaPTEX toolchain is to bridge this gap between the need for embedded communication systems on low-cost low-energy hardware and the difficulty in their design. To this end, we have developed new methods and implemented them in a tool enabling rapid prototyping of communication protocols for embedded systems. The tool offers a collection of commonly used communication protocol components. A graphical user interface allows users to quickly build a system by selecting, configuring and linking components. From the user's design, the toolchain will automatically generate code, compile, link and analyze it, providing performance and resource requirement predictions to the user. The modular interface of the tool simplifies the creation of new, custom protocols, which is useful if an uncommon protocol is needed, or if the tool is used by networking researchers testing their yet unpublished communication protocols.
Review of Studies of Mental Health in Bangladesh, with a Focus on Depression

This is the first literature review of studies on mental health in Bangladesh with a special focus on depression. We searched seven databases for search terms related to Bangladesh and mental health. The 61 papers we found had exceptionally high heterogeneity. They reported depression prevalence from 6.6 percent to 97 percent in various populations, plus a high prevalence of sleep disorders and anxiety. Two studies found that poverty and torture appear to have roughly the same capacity to cause poor mental well-being. Additional studies document violence as linked to poor mental health. Health care availability is low. Relevant cultural factors include a novel national concept of self-esteem and low emotional expressivity. It was concluded that poverty reduction in Bangladesh may reduce mental health needs, but increasing access to care is a pressing concern nonetheless. Culturally competent perspectives, trauma-informed care, and emphasis on care for depression are important. Exceptionally large research...
Regenerative properties of fetal sheep tendon are not adversely affected by transplantation into an adult environment

Tendon injuries account for a significant number of musculoskeletal afflictions each year. While new surgical techniques and rehabilitation protocols have led to improved clinical outcomes, postsurgical scarring remains the most problematic aspect of tendon repair. In contrast to this typical pattern of fibrosis, recent studies have shown that fetal tendon is capable of healing without scar. However, whether this regenerative healing pattern is intrinsic to the fetal tissue itself or the result of its environment is not known. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine the influence of an adult environment on healing in adult and fetal tendons. We hypothesized that injured fetal tendon tissue transplanted into an adult environment would retain a regenerative healing pattern after injury, demonstrating normal histological and mechanical properties. Our results support this hypothesis. Histological analyses revealed considerable alterations in adult tendon transplants after injury while fetal transplants showed no abnormalities. The injured adult tendons also demonstrated elevated levels of TGF-β1, bFGF, and CD44 at the wound site, whereas the fetal specimens showed little or no such changes in response to injury. The data from our biomechanical studies further corroborate these observations, with significant decreases in the stiffness, modulus, and almost all viscoelastic properties in wounded versus unwounded adult tendons, and fetal specimens showing no differences in mechanical properties between the wounded and unwounded groups. Thus, the results of our investigation demonstrate that the adult environment is not an impediment to scarless repair and that this capability is intrinsic to the fetal tendon itself. Our study also begins to provide insight into the mechanisms controlling this regenerative response. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:2124–2132, 2006
Electrical Conductivity of Reproductive Tissue for Detection of Estrus in Dairy Cows

Abstract The pattern of temporal measurements of electrical conductivity obtained from electrodes that had been surgically implanted in the mucosa of the vagina or in the submucosa of the vulva in each of five dairy cows was evaluated for changes associated with the occurrence of estrus. Tissue conductivity was monitored at 6-h intervals during and around estrus by hard-ware devices operating at either 16 or 100 kHz. Blood samples were taken at time of conductivity measurement for progesterone determination and at 2-h intervals during estrus for LH determination. Vaginal and vulvar biopsies were performed during diestrus and estrus to measure tissue hydration. Conductivity increased significantly at estrus relative to a nonestrus base period in both vaginal and vulvar tissue. Both electrical frequencies were found to be satisfactory for characterizing changes in tissue conductivity associated with estrus. Peak concentrations of luteinizing hormone, increases in tissue hydration, and patterns of blood progesterone were consistent with the occurrence of estrus during the time of elevated tissue conductivity.
Smart Plates for noise reduction using MEMS technology

Active sound transmission control using MEMS sensor and actuator on a thin plate is investigated experimentally. The plate made of aluminum covers the opening of an acoustic enclosure where a sound source is located. The outside acoustic field is measured by a microphone array, which scans a hemispherical surface. The isolation performance of the original plate is poor at its resonance frequencies. The sound transmission through the plate is actively controlled at the resonance frequencies. A one-sensor one-actuator control system minimizes the sensor output by applying a proper electric voltage to the actuator. Global sound reductions of 15 - 22 dB are achieved at the first three resonance frequencies by using same sensor and actuator.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Linear dynamics hidden by input-output linearization

Abstract The input-output linearization method has been quite useful in determining the linear input-output responses of non-linear systems. However, research has shown that this technique can often hide part of the non-linear system which is linearizable. We prove sufficient conditions that a non-linear system contain a k-dimensional linear system after the input-output linearization control is applied. Here p ≤ k ≤ n, where p is the relative degree of the system and n is the dimension of the non-linear system. The results for k = n are known from the literature
Arsenic in Lake Lansing, michigan

Lake Lansing was treated with sodium arsenite for macrophyte control in 1957. Two 2.5-m cores from deep portions of the basin showed the historical consequence of this treatment. Maxima of 330–340 μg As g−1 dry weight occurred at a depth interval of 0.15–0.30 m; background was 17–20 ppm As. An arsenic mass balance budget for the lake for June 1978 to June 1979 showed it lost more arsenic than it received. Internal loading of the water from the sediments was occurring; > 85% of the area of surficial sediments had concentrations two to six times background. From laboratory experiments, we hypothesize Fe3+ controls arsenic concentration over aerobic sediments; As(III) increases in anoxic water with conversion of Fe3+ to Fe2+ and As(V) to As(III) at the sediment surface. As(III) in water diminishes during prolonged anoxia by reaction with S2−. As(III) and Fe2+ are oxidized upon aeration of anoxic water, and As(V) is taken out of solution with ferric iron in a manner similar to phosphate. Arsenic concentrations observed in the lake over an annual cycle fit these expectations.
Oleogranuloma simulating carcinoma of the rectum

Two cases of rectal oleogranuloma, which simulated carcinoma, have been presented. In each instance, biopsy of an associated lesion suggested the need for radical surgical treatment. The presence of an extensive, possibly constricting but nonulcerated, mass in the rectum, even when high above the dentate line, should arouse suspicion of an iatrogenic oleogranuloma.
The Sacred/Secular Divide and the Christian Worldview

Many employees with strong religious convictions find themselves living in two separate worlds: the sacred private world of family and church where they can express their faith freely and the secular public world where religious expression is strongly discouraged. We examine the origins of sacred/secular divide, and show how this division is an outcome of modernism replacing Christianity as the dominant worldview in western society. Next, we make the case that guiding assumptions (or faith) is inherent in every worldview, system of thought, or religion and also show that scientific reason can never be a comprehensive or totalizing meaning system, particularly in the realm of ethics. The underlying assumptions of the sacred/secular divide are seriously questioned which has implications for employees who desire to integrate faith and career. Finally, we offer possibilities for individuals and corporate entities to integrate the personal and sacred with the institutional and secular.
Effect of exposure to cigarette smoke on microvascular reactivity to noradrenaline in cremaster muscles in rats.

This experiment was designed to study the effects of cigarette smoking on microvascular reactivity in an intact microvascular preparation. The vasoconstrictive responses of arterioles in rat cremaster muscles to topically applied noradrenaline were measured in 8 rats after a three-week period of inhaling cigarette smoke. A parallel set of experiments was in a control group of 8 rats for comparison. All three orders of arterioles in the muscles of rats exposed to smoke were significantly narrower than those of the controls ( p < 0.0001). The dose response curve of all three orders of arterioles shifted to the right of their respective controls. The effective concentrations of noradrenaline to cause 50% vasoconstriction (EC 50 ) of all three orders of arteriole was profoundly increased in rats that inhaled smoke compared with the control group ( p < 0.05). We conclude that skeletal muscle arterioles in rats exposed to cigarette smoke may become hyposensitive to noradrenaline, or their degree of freedom from...
Mechanism of the Swern Oxidation: Significant Deviations from Transition State Theory

Deprotonation of the alkoxysulfonium intermediate has been shown to be rate-determining in the Swern oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Directly following this rate-determining step is the intramolecular syn-β-elimination of the ylide. In the present study, intramolecular 2H kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) are used to gain insight into this syn-β-elimination step. As a result of the stereogenic sulfur center in the ylide intermediate, two diastereomeric transition states (endo-TS1 and exo-TS1) must be assumed to contribute to the intramolecular KIE. The intramolecular 2H KIE determined at −78 °C is 2.82 ± 0.06. Attempts to reproduce this measurement computationally using transition state theory and a Bell tunneling correction yielded a value (1.58) far below that determined experimentally. Computational analysis is complicated by the existence of two distinct transition structures owing to the stereogenic center. Two extremes of Curtin−Hammett kinetics are explored using energies, vibrational frequencies, and mo...
Ethics: “life before birth” and moral complexity in maternal-fetal surgery for spina bifida

This article considers the ethical significance of a moral belief common among pregnant women (and their partners) who seek open uterine repair for fetal spina, namely that their fetuses are already "babies." The need to recognize and interact sensitively with a pregnant woman's vulnerability to her own beliefs and concerns regarding potential disabilities, the fetal intervention, and its potential outcome is emphasized. Such recognition and explicit discussions are ethically important for informed consent and to safeguard against the judgments, enthusiasms, and biases of surgeons and other team members.
Spin-locked states of homonuclear two-spin systems

Abstract An analysis of possible spin-locked states of a homonuclear system of two spin - 1 2 nuclei is performed. The analysis, using the density matrix approach, includes the effects of scalar coupling, chemical shift, carrier frequency offset, and RF field intensity, but not relaxation. A method to predict the locked state surviving after application of a spin-locking field to any arbitrary initial state is formulated. The mechanism of generation of COSY-type cross peaks in 2D CAMELSPIN spectra is shown, and a method for their elimination is given.
Prospective analysis of single operator sonographic optic nerve sheath diameter measurement for diagnosis of elevated intracranial pressure.

Introduction: The accurate diagnosis of elevated intracranial pressure (eICP) in the emergent setting is a critical determination that presents significant challenges. Several studies show correlation of sonographic optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) to eICP, while others show high inter-observer variability or marginal performance with less experienced sonographers. The objective of our study is to assess the ability of bedside ultrasound measurement of ONSD to identify the presence of eICP when performed by a single experienced sonographer. We hypothesize that ONSD measurement is sensitive and specific for detecting eICP and can be correlated with values obtained by external ventricular device (EVD). Methods: This was a prospective blinded observational study conducted in a neurocritical care unit of a level 1 trauma center. ONSD measurement was performed on a convenience sample of 27 adult patients who required placement of an invasive intracranial monitor as part of their clinical care. One certified sonographer/physician performed all ultrasounds within 24 hours of placement of EVD. The sonographer was blinded to the ICP recorded by invasive monitor at the time of the scan. A mean ONSD value of ≥5.2 mm was taken as positive. Results: The sonographer performed 27 ocular ultrasounds on individual patients. Six (22%) of these patients had eICP (EVD measurement of >20 mmHg). Spearman rank correlation coefficient of ONSD and ICP was 0.408 (p=0.03), demonstrating a moderate positive correlation. A ROC curve was created to determine the optimal cut off value to distinguish an eICP greater than 20 mmHg. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.8712 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.67 to 0.96). ONSD ≥5.2 mm was a good predictor of eICP (>20 mmHg) with a sensitivity of 83.3% (95% CI=35.9% to 99.6%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI=84.6% to 100%). Conclusion: While the study suggests ONSD measurements performed by a single skilled operator may be both sensitive and specific for detecting eICP, confirmation in a much larger sample is needed. Ocular ultrasound may provide additional non-invasive means of assessing eICP . [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(2):217–220.]
Should all children be immunised against hepatitis A

Is the recent US recommendation for vaccination of all children against hepatitis A one shot—or rather two shots—too many?
Hydrogen exchange rates and protein folding

Abstract Transient folding intermediates have been monitored in 11 proteins by pulsed hydrogen exchange methods. Standard hydrogen isotope exchange kinetics have also been measured for several molten globules. Taken together with folding kinetics detected by optical techniques, and with hydrogen exchange kinetics in native proteins, the results permit conclusions about time constants, structure and stability of folding intermediates, and about parallel versus serial folding pathways.