cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decreased RNA, and increased RNA oxidation, in ribosomes from early Alzheimer's disease.

All cells rely on efficient protein synthesis in order to maintain cellular homeostasis. Recent studies from our laboratory indicate that declines in protein synthesis and ribosome function occur in the earliest stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Additional studies indicate a potential role for ribosomal RNA oxidation as a potential mediator of decreased protein synthesis in AD. The ribosome is a complex of proteins and nucleic acids that mediates all protein synthesis. At present it is unclear if significant alterations in ribosomal RNA occurs within the ribosome complex during the progression of AD. In this study we examined the amount of ribosomal RNA in the different ribosomal fractions generated from control subjects, individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and individuals with AD. Studies were conducted in the inferior parietal lobule of each subject. Together, these data demonstrate that during the progression of AD there is a gross decline in the amount of ribosomal RNA within the ribosome complex. Additionally, these studies provide evidence for gross elevations in RNA oxidation within the ribosome complex of MCI and AD. Together, these data strongly suggest a role for RNA alterations within the ribosome as a mediator of decreased protein synthesis in both MCI and AD.
Getting Published: A Personal Account

In this article the author presents data regarding her experience publishing in refereed journals.
An innovative design program for engineering students.

Philip Jacob, is Program Development Coordinator, Segal Design Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston,, Illinois. The Segal Design Institute in the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University offers an innovative design course called Engineering Design and Communication (EDC). EDC is a required program for all engineering undergraduates and is generally taken in their freshman year. EDC is team-taught by faculty from both engineering and writing disciplines. EDC uses real projects for real clients to teach students how to (1) design effectively in response to realworld problems and (2) communicate effectively as part of the design process. EDC teaches a user-centered approach to design. It emphasizes that the most technically elegant design solutions are destined to fail if they do not address real user and stakeholder needs. Moreover, needs cannot always be understood by simply asking questions. It is also necessary to observe users in actual settings and to test prototypes with real users. EDC projects come from a variety of domains and are submitted by actual clients, including corporations, not-for-profit agencies, entrepreneurs, and individuals. These projects require students to use various engineering tools and techniques to define the problem, generate alternatives, observe and interview users, build mock-ups, conduct design reviews, and produce models or prototypes. Projects culminate in a prototype, written report, and oral presentation. Students have participated in designing solutions for a number of problems commonly encountered by people with a disability. The following three articles demonstrate this process and the design solutions developed by the students to assist stroke survivors in performing everyday tasks.
Treatment of heroin overdose with endotracheal naloxone

A 24-year-old man with respiratory failure, severe bradycardia, and coma following heroin overdose was successfully resuscitated using endotracheally administered naloxone hydrochloride (Narcan®). Post-treatment naloxone assays demonstrated the presence of large amounts of naloxone in the patient's blood and urine. Serial serum naloxone levels over the ensuing three hours showed pharmacokinetics which appear similar to those previously reported for intravenous naloxone.
Measurement of power-law creep parameters by instrumented indentation methods

Abstract New experimental methods are developed to measure the uniaxial power-law creep parameters α and n in the relation e = α σ n ( e is the creep strain rate and σ is the creep stress) from indentation data obtained with a conical or pyramidal indenter. The methods are based on an analysis of Bower et al., which relates the indentation creep rate to the uniaxial creep parameters based on simple assumptions about the constitutive behavior ( Bower et al., 1993 ). Using finite element simulations to establish the influences of finite indenter geometry and transients caused by elasticity, the proposed methods are explored experimentally using amorphous selenium as a model material. This material is well suited for the study because it creeps at temperatures slightly above ambient in a load-history independent fashion with a stress exponent close to unity. Indentation creep tests were conducted with a Berkovich indenter using three different loading methods. With a few notable exceptions, the values of both α and n derived from the indentation data are generally in good agreement with those measured in uniaxial compression tests, thus demonstrating the validity of the approach.
Feeding-induced increases in insulin do not suppress secretion of growth hormone.

Secretion of growth hormone (GH) is reduced for several hours after feeding when access to feed is restricted to a 2-hr period each day. We hypothesized that increased secretion of insulin after feeding inhibits release of GH from the anterior pituitary gland. Our objectives were to determine whether: 1) alloxan prevents concentrations of insulin from increasing after feeding steers; 2) concentrations of GH remain high after feeding alloxan-treated steers; and 3) GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulates greater release of GH in alloxan-treated, than in control, steers after feeding. Steers were injected iv with either saline (control) or with alloxan (110 mg/kg) (n = 4 per group). Concentrations of insulin were not different (P = 0.61) between control and alloxan-treated steers before feeding (87.5 ± 33.6 pmol/l). However, alloxan prevented insulin from increasing (P < 0.001) after feeding (131.8 pmol/l) compared with control steers (442.0 pmol/l) (pooled SEM = 47.5). Overall, GH was higher (P < 0.05) in alloxan-treated (6.4 ng/ml) than in control steers (3.7 ng/ml) (pooled SEM = 0.7), but GH decreased (P < 0.001) after feeding in both groups. Iv injection of GHRH stimulated release of GH 1 hr before, but not when injected 1 hr after feeding (P < 0.001). In addition, net areas under the GH curve were not significantly different between control and alloxan-treated groups. We conclude that increased concentrations of insulin after feeding do not mediate feeding-induced suppression of GH secretion in steers.
Source control using VM/SP and CMS

This paper describes the Source Control System (SCS), an automated system which runs under IBM VM/SP with CMS. It is designed to manage source code data in medium-sized software development environments.
Some effects of load spectrum representation on crack growth predictions and problems in prediction validation

Abstract A series of life predictions has been made for an aircraft component using variations in the method of application of the same basic load spectrum. It is shown that this can have a substantial effect on predicted life and that even seemingly small changes in approach can have a significant effect. The importance of validation experiments is discussed particularly in regard to the accuracy of the stress intensity solution and the current trend towards using finite element solutions for stress intensity factors in complex structures.
Percutaneous Management of Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Renal Collecting System: 9-Year Experience

AbstractPurpose: We establish the effectiveness of percutaneous resection of transitional cell carcinomas of the renal collecting system.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was done of 36 kidneys treated during a 9-year period. Adjunctive therapy with bacillus Calmette-Guerin was given in 19 cases.Results: Of 36 kidneys 6 were treated by immediate nephroureterectomy for aggressive disease, leaving 30 units treated by a complete course. The recurrence rate was 33 percent, which varied with histology as specific recurrence rates for grades 1 to 3 tumors (18 percent, 33 percent and 50 percent, respectively). The only cancer related mortalities occurred with grade 3 tumors. These tumors also had a higher incidence of understaging and vascular complications. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy showed no significant improvement in survival.Conclusions: With vigilant followup, percutaneous management of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal collecting system is an acceptable alternative to nephrouret...
The Comic Novels of Tom Sharpe

(1984). The Comic Novels of Tom Sharpe. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction: Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 57-65.
An Analysis of the Tradeoff between Advertising and Price Discounting

The authors examine an important influence on the price-advertising tradeoff, the ratio of price and advertising elasticities. Their theoretical analysis stresses the centrality of the elasticity r...
Intraprovincial Disparities in China: Fujian Province, 1978–1995*

: This paper extends the recent discussion of spatial disparities in China, by focusing upon disparities within a single province, rather than across provinces. The primary purposes of this research are to (1) gauge the extent of disparities among counties within Fujian as of the late 1970s and mid-1990s and to examine the spatial patterns of such disparities; (2) trace the evolution of disparities, with special attention to the low ends of the output and income distributions and the impact of the post-Mao reforms; and (3) suggest possible causes of the observed spatial and temporal patterns. Intraprovincial studies have been hampered by the paucity and questionable quality of relevant data; a secondary purpose of this research is to assemble a set of county-level data that are consistent over space and time and to assess the usability of such data. In keeping with these objectives, the methods adopted are mainly exploratory, rather than confirmatory. This research shows that intraprovincial disparities in China—at least in the case of Fujian—were already large at the beginning of the reform era, have since widened significantly, and have widened relatively as well as absolutely. Nevertheless, every county in Fujian has experienced substantial growth in output and income per capita (at real rates in excess of 5 and 3 percent per annum, respectively) and substantial alleviation of poverty (as measured against an absolute threshold). The observed spatial patterns appear to reflect the initial spread of modern growth over much of the province, a spread driven in part by policies to create income opportunities for the poor and closely correlated with access to transportation.
Design and Analysis of a Surface Micromachined Spiral-Channel Viscous Pump

A new viscous spiral micropump which uses the surface micromachining technology is introduced. We outline the design of a spiral pump fabricated in five levels of polysilicon using Sandia's Ultraplanar Multilevel MEMS Technology (SUMMiT), and presents an analytical solution of the floss field in its spiral channel. The pump characteristics are obtained experimentally for a scaled-up prototype
Service-Seeking Behavior, Perceptions of Armed Actors, and Preferences Regarding Governance: Evidence from the Palestinian Territories

Armed non-state actors, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, are visibly engaged in providing social welfare in addition to participating in violence. A number of scholars have suggested that there is a relationship between service provision by terrorist organizations and support from service recipients, and have indicated that terrorist organizations use service provision strategically for this purpose. However, few studies have examined the experiences and opinions of service recipients themselves to understand if services do indeed influence populations' political loyalties and opinions regarding violent activities. Using data from more than 1,000 low to moderate income individuals in Palestine, this study seeks to understand if and how receiving services from a specific organization engenders loyalty to the organization, passive acceptance and/or favorable approval of the organizations' violent activities, and the likelihood of participation in the organization's violent activities. This paper explores if and...
Associations between suicide attempts and elevated bedtime salivary cortisol levels in bipolar disorder

Background Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis abnormalities have been reported in bipolar disorder and also in suicidal behavior, but few studies have examined the relationship between suicidal behaviors and the HPA axis function in bipolar disorder, attending to and minimizing confounding factors. We compare HPA axis activity in bipolar individuals with and without suicidal behavior and unaffected healthy controls through measurement of salivary cortisol.
Modeling the classical nova outburst. I - Exploring the physics of a new mechanism

Model calculations were performed to describe a mechanism that produces classical nova outbursts on white dwarfs of 1 solar mass or less and for accretion rates of 4 x 10 to the -10th solar mass/yr or greater, i.e., the parameters corresponding to observed data of nova systems. Calculations point to four factors that can induce nuclear runaways of sufficient strength to eject about 0.0001 solar mass at speeds of several hundred to a few thousand km per second, as is observed in classical novae. These are (1) the effects of storage of angular momentum in the star's envelope during the accretion phase; (2) the reduction of centrifugal forces in the star's outer layers during the early nuclear runaway phase, through the inward transport of angular momentum; (3) the inward movement of the zone of peak nuclear burning through the convectively induced shear instability during the runaway phase; and (4) the mixing of original CO stellar matter and H-rich matter, also through the convectively induced shear instability.
Pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma: a review of the RPMI experience

Abstract Between 1959 and 1983, 16 patients with pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma were treated at Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI). A multidisciplinary approach was utilized consisting of surgery, radiotherapy (XRT), and combined chemotherapy which resulted in prolonged survivals of thirteen to one hundred forty-four months in 10 patients. This improved survival was observed despite the fact that 63 per cent of the patients ( 10 16 ) presented with advanced stages of the disease. Herein we present a retrospective study of these 16 patients.
Campaigning against Latin American nationalism: U.S. Ambassador John Moors Cabot in Brazil, 1959-1961.

A recent edited study of U.S. ambassadors assigned to Latin American countries beset by economic and political crises assesses the importance of individuals as determinants of U.S. foreign policy. Although the authors differed in their conclusions, two in particular suggested that even ambassadors who enjoyed great operational independence rarely disagreed with the ideological premises of their superiors in Washington. Historian Louis A. Perez, for example, portrayed U.S. ambassador to Cuba Sumner Welles as “an active powerbroker” who “operated out of a defined ideological framework, a world view that allowed him to recognize social forces as potential friend or likely foe to U.S. interests.” Welles's attempt in 1933 to remove Cuban President Ramon Grau San Martin, who had abrogated the Platt Amendment, coincided with the State Department's policy of keeping Cuba favorable to U.S. economic and strategic interests. Scholar Jan Knippers Black came to a similar conclusion about the role of Ambassador Lincoln Gordon in the 1964 overthrow of leftist Brazilian President Joao Goulart. Black found it “extremely difficult to isolate his [Gordon's] imprint on more fundamental aspects of policy … it seems unlikely that U.S. policies and actions would have differed in any significant way, had some other individual been serving at that time and place as ambassador.”
The Academic Achievement Game: Designs of Undergraduates' Efforts to Get Grades

Using the notion of design developed as part of the New London Group's Multiliteracies Project, this qualitative multicase study examines undergraduate academic literacy as a multimodal achievement game. Retrospective interviews and textual analyses revealed a series of operations on course content that constituted moves in the game. The goal of the game was to find, move, and display content, including not only facts but also concepts and forms of situated knowledge that would gain the highest points on assessments. Better “players” were more aware than their lower achieving counterparts of the game as specific activity different from learning. They also had more nuanced and planned versions of the operations that began with what was expected on assessments and moved backwards toward sources. Findings support forms of preparing students for academic success through the multiliteracies pedagogy that combines consciousness raising through overt instruction with forms of immersion and critical analysis.
Evidence-based guidance on Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use: identification of research gaps.

This paper seeks to address the gaps in research regarding recommendations for contraceptive use. There are three primary questions to be answered question the patient and provider understanding of adherence instructions to contraceptives prevention of bleeding irregularities among women using hormonal and intrauterine contraception and the long term effectiveness of hysteroscopic sterilization. Although this paper does discuss findings that answer these questions the purpose of the paper is to facilitate more research in these areas. Lastly the paper calls for more research in this field focusing on sensitive subgroups in the population that are likely to react differently to contraceptives. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Microleakage and shear bond strength of resin and porcelain veneers bonded to cast alloys

Abstract Four resin veneering materials and four methods of retaining the veneer on metal castings were compared with metal ceramic restorations. Variations in microleakage were noted between the four resin materials retained by mechanical retention beads. When mechanical and chemical modes of a resin and porcelain veneer retention were compared, there was no microleakage with one mechanically and two chemically retained resin groups including one metal ceramic group. The resin materials tested understandably produced substantially lower shear bond strengths than the metal ceramic specimens. Higher shear bond strengths were recorded for the retentive beads than for the resins retained by three chemical bonding techniques. There was no direct correlation between microleakage and shear bond strength.
Plane Strain and Plane Stress

A problem is two-dimensional if the field quantities such as stress and displacement depend on only two coordinates (x,y) and the boundary conditions are imposed on a line f(x,y) = 0 in the x?/-plane.
Mechanical and materials modeling/simulation/verification trend for electronics packaging products

Theoretical modeling and simulation have been used to address stress/strain related issues in microelectronics packages. Over time, the emphasis has moved from the problem solving mode to the predictive mode. With ever shrinking development schedules, the need to verify the validity of these models has become increasingly important. Although numerical modeling tools and algorithms have improved significantly over the years, recent advances in micromechanical and photomechanical tools have been the key in verifying the model leading to an enhanced and realistic model. This paper reviews some of the latest developments in micromechanical and photomechanical devices with up to 20 nm displacement sensitivity capability. Several examples of their implementation in an electronics packaging development environment will be presented. These verification tools lead to more accurate and realistic models, which in turn, facilitate design optimization at an early stage. >
Angiotensin‐(1‐7) attenuates metastatic prostate cancer and reduces osteoclastogenesis

BACKGROUND Angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] is an endogenous, heptapeptide hormone with anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic properties. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether Ang-(1-7) effectively reduces prostate cancer metastasis in mice. METHODS Human PC3 prostate cancer cells were injected into the aortic arch via the carotid artery of SCID mice pre-treated with Ang-(1-7) or injected into the tibia of athymic mice, administered Ang-(1-7) for 5 weeks beginning 2 weeks post-injection. Tumor growth and volume were determined by bioluminescent and magnetic resonance imaging. The presence of tumors was confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin staining; TRAP histochemistry was used to identify osteolytic lesions. The effect of Ang-(1-7) on osteoclastogenesis was assessed in differentiated bone marrow cells. RESULTS Pre-treatment with Ang-(1-7) prevented metastatic tumor formation following intra-aortic injection of PC3 cells, while 83% of untreated mice developed tumors in metastatic sites. Circulating VEGF was significantly higher in control mice compared to mice administered Ang-(1-7). A 5-week regimen of the heptapeptide hormone attenuated intra-tibial tumor growth; Ang-(1-7) was significantly higher in the tibia of treated mice than in control animals. Osteoclastogenesis was reduced by 50% in bone marrow cells differentiated in the presence of Ang-(1-7), suggesting that the heptapeptide hormone prevents the formation of osteolytic lesions to reduce tumor survival in the bone microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that Ang-(1-7) may serve as an anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic agent for advanced prostate cancer. By extension, the heptapeptide hormone may provide effective therapy for bone metastasis produced from primary tumors of the lung and breast. Prostate 73: 71–82, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Efficient content-based image retrieval using automatic feature selection

We describe a self-organizing framework for content-based retrieval of images from large image databases at the object recognition level. The system uses the theories of optimal projection for optimal feature selection and a hierarchical image database for rapid retrieval rates. We demonstrate the query technique on a large database of widely varying real-world objects in natural settings, and show the applicability of the approach even for large variability within a particular object class.
Class-based named entity translation in a speech to speech translation system

Named entity (NE) translation is a challenging problem in machine translation (MT). Most of the training bi-text corpora for MT lack enough samples of NEs to cover the wide variety of contexts NEs can appear in. In this paper, we present a technique to translate NEs based on their NE types in addition to a phrase-based translation model. Our NE translation model is based on a syntax-based system similar to the work of Chiang (2005); but we produce syntax-based rules with non-terminals as NE types instead of general non-terminals. Such class-based rules allow us to better generalize the context NEs. We show that our proposed method obtains an improvement of 0.66 BLEU score absolute as well as 0.26% in F1-measure over the baseline of phrase-based model in NE test set.
A Return to Educational Apartheid? Comments from the Series Co-Editor

Selwyn, co-editor of the “A Return to Educational Apartheid?” series, pays tribute to Critical Education Associate Editor Adam Renner and introduces the latest in a special series of articles focusing on the articulation of race, schools, and segregation. Each of the articles in this series analyzes the extent to which schooling may or may not be returning to a state of educational apartheid.
Rise and fall of red oak borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, USA.

ABSTRACT Oak-hickory forests of the Arkansas Ozarks recently incurred extensive tree mortality due in part to a native wood-boring beetle, the red oak borer Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Historically, red oak borer has existed throughout southeastern U.S. forests at relatively low population levels, but Arkansas infestation estimates in 2001 and 2003 reported much higher populations. Red oak borer has a two-year generation with adult emergence occurring synchronously only in odd numbered years. We report here results of whole-tree estimates of pre-emergent red oak borer population numbers from 7 stands in 2005 and 3 stands in 2003 and 2007 in the Ozark National Forest. Trees were felled at each sampling site, cut into 0.5 m sections, split on site with hydraulic log splitters, and a count of live red oak borers was recorded for each tree. In 2001 and 2003, red oak borer population estimates indicated emerging populations much higher than any previously reported. An exponential...
A 2.2 A Resolution Crystal Structure of a Designed Zinc Finger Protein Bound to DNA

Considerable recent effort has been devoted to the design and selection of sequence-specific DNA binding proteins based on tandem arrays of Cys2His2 zinc finger domains. While the DNA binding properties of these designed proteins have been studied extensively, the structural basis for site-specific binding has not been examined experimentally. Here we report the crystal structure of a complex between a protein comprised of three consensus-sequence-based zinc finger domains and an oligonucleotide corresponding to a favourable DNA binding site. This structure reveals relatively simple modular interactions and structural adaptations that compensate for differences in contact residue side-chain lengths.
Ambulation After Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury With EMG-Triggered Functional Electrical Stimulation

Individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) retain some control of the partially paralyzed muscles, necessitating careful integration of functional electrical stimulation (FES) with intact motor function. In this communication, the volitional surface electromyogram (sEMG) from partially paralyzed muscle was used to detect the intent to step in an iSCI volunteer. The classifier was able to trigger the FES-assisted swing phase with a false positive rate less than 1% and true positive rate of 82% for left foot-off (FO) and 83% for right FO over 110 steps taken during three testing sessions spread over a week.
Video. Transanal single-port low anterior resection in a cadaver model.

Background Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), a recent development in the field of minimally invasive surgery, provides theoretical advantages over open and laparoscopic surgery. Challenges with the use of NOTES for colon resections include the need to extract a large specimen and perform an intestinal anastomosis. A transanal single-port laparoscopic proctectomy uses the potential advantages of NOTES yet provides easy specimen extraction and anastomosis.
Valenzkräfte in drei‐ und viergliedrigen Ringen

Die Beschreibungen durch die Molekulbahn-(MO) und Resonanz-(VB)Theorien von Verbindungen, die als kleine (drei- und viergliedrige) Ringe angesehen werden konnen, werden verglichen. In solchen Verbindungen werden „many-center”-Krafte angetroffen, die Schwierigkeiten in den VB-Beschreibungen verursachen. Die MO- und VB-Behandlungen vom Athylenoxyd und vom dimeren Aluminiumtrichlorid werden ausfuhrlich verglichen. Die bekannte Hyperkonjugation der Cyclopropylgruppe und die Elektronenstruktur des dimeren Trimethylaluminiums werden an Hand der MO-Methode eingehend besprochen.
The Golgi ribbon structure facilitates anterograde transport of large cargoes

In mammalian cells, individual Golgi stacks fuse laterally to form the characteristic perinuclear ribbon structure. Yet the purpose of this remarkable structure has been an enigma. We report that breaking down the ribbon of mammalian cells strongly inhibits intra-Golgi transport of large cargoes without altering the rate of transport of smaller cargoes. In addition, insect cells that naturally harbor dispersed Golgi stacks have limited capacity to transport artificial oversized cargoes. These results imply that the ribbon structure is an essential requirement for transport of large cargoes in mammalian cells, and we suggest that this is because it enables the dilated rims of cisternae (containing the aggregates) to move across the stack as they transfer among adjacent stacks within the ribbon structure.
Trends in the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence region

Observations show abrupt changes in the oceanic circulation of the southwestern Atlantic. These studies report a southward drift of the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence (BMC) and a change in the spectral characteristics of the Malvinas Current (MC) transport. We address the cause of these changes using the result of a high-resolution numerical experiment. The experiment, which is consistent with observations, shows a southward BMC displacement at a rate of 0.62°/decade between 1993 and 2008, and a shift of the spectral characteristics of the MC transport after 1999. We find that these changes are driven by a weakening of the northern branch of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which translates to a weakening of the MC transport and a southward BMC drift. The drift changes the spectral characteristics of the MC transport, which becomes more influenced by annual and semiannual variations associated with the BMC.
Synchronization of chaotic neural networks for secure communications

Methods for synchronizing discrete time chaotic neural networks are presented with applications in secure communications. Chaotic neurons, characterized with a piecewise linear transfer function, are connected into Hopfield-like networks. The networks are used as transmitter and receiver in chaotic communications. The first algorithm is a modification of simple chaotic masking which makes synchronization robust and insensitive to the perturbation from the added information signal. A mathematical proof and simulation results of the scheme are shown for small networks. We have verified the method experimentally, using single-neuron circuits. The second algorithm utilizes modulation of the transmitting chaotic network and detection of the corresponding synchronization error at the receiver.
A theoretical explanation for quantum yield failure in bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers

A new theoretical model addresses the reduction in the quantum yield for primary charge separation in bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) in an applied electric field. The electric field dependence of the internal conversion rate constant for the primary donor is proposed to act as a drain that competes with primary charge separation. The field dependence of the internal conversion process is based on experimental data that have shown that the excited state of the primary donor has a large polarizability suggesting that the excitonic basis of the primary donor is mixed with charge transfer (CT) basis states. The model provides analytic expressions for the electric field dependence of the primary charge separation rate constant, prompt and delayed fluorescence, and predicts an effect on the intersystem crossing rate constant. The model provides a mechanism for a reduction of the quantum yield and an explanation for the lack of a concomitant increase in either prompt or delayed fluorescence.
Use of LINKAGE Programs for Linkage Analysis

Genetic linkage analysis remains a powerful tool for identifying regions of the genome that may harbor suceptibility loci. This unit describes the traditional approach of calculating two-point and multipoint lod scores when the underlying genetic model is known. Components of the genetic model include whether a trait is dominant, recessive, or codominant, whether it is autosomal or sex linked, and whether there is mutation at the disease gene locus, as well as the disease and marker allele frequencies and the penetrance of the disease allele. The approach to genetic linkage analysis presented in this unit assumes that the markers are loosely spaced, so that there is no linkage disequilibrium between genetic markers. Practical examples and step-by-step guidelines are presented. Keywords: Linkage analysis; lod score; genetic map; recombination fraction
An output queueing batcher-banyan ATM switch architecture

The authors present a scalable ATM switch architecture which features output queuing with no internal speedup. The architecture takes advantage of the knockout principle to obtain tradeoff between the hardware complexity and the cell loss probability. Components of the switch include a Batcher sorter, an address resolution module, a banyan network, and output buffers. The hardware complexity of the switch, O(LNlog(LN)) where L is the number of cells allowed into an output queue in a single time slot and N is the number of ports, is comparable to the input queuing Batcher-banyan switch (O(Nlog/sup 2/N)), but performance is consistent with other more complex output queuing architectures. >
Tissue-specific posttranslational modification of rat apoE. Synthesis of sialated apoE forms by neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cells

We have studied the synthesis, modification, and secretion of rat apoE in primary cultures of neonatal aortic smooth muscle cells and adult rat hepatocytes. The cultures were pulsed with [35S]methionine and the intracellular and secreted apoE were immunoprecipitated and analyzed by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. A short pulse (10 min) showed the presence of a major unmodified apoE form in both cultures. This form comigrated on two-dimensional gels with the major rat plasma apoE isoprotein. A longer pulse (15-120 min) resulted in the progressive appearance of intracellularly modified apoE isoproteins in both cultures. The apoE secreted by aortic smooth muscle cells consisted exclusively of sialated apoE isoproteins that were sensitive to neuraminidase treatment. In contrast, the apoE secreted by primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes, organ cultures of neonatal rat liver, as well as rat plasma apoE, contained several minor modified isoproteins. Nascent apoE secreted by the aortic smooth muscle cell cultures floats in the density range of 1.09 to 1.186 g/ml. We conclude that aortic smooth muscle cells can synthesize and secrete sialated apoE isoproteins associated with nascent lipoproteins floating in the high density lipoprotein region.
Free Fall of Large Pipes

The design of nuclear plant facilities to withstand the effects of tornadoes has required estimates of the motion of objects accelerated in a tornado windfield. This has inspired investigations of the three topics necessary for such estimates: 1) A Model of the windfield; 2) aerodynamic properties of the object; and 3) initial conditions for the trajectory.
3-D imaging mass spectrometry of protein distributions in mouse Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1)-associated optic glioma.

Abstract Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common neurogenetic disorder, in which affected individuals develop tumors of the nervous system. Children with NF1 are particularly prone to brain tumors (gliomas) involving the optic pathway that can result in impaired vision. Since tumor formation and expansion requires a cooperative tumor microenvironment, it is important to identify the cellular and acellular components associated with glioma development and growth. In this study, we used 3-D matrix assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) to measure the distributions of multiple molecular species throughout optic nerve tissue in mice with and without glioma, and to explore their spatial relationships within the 3-D volume of the optic nerve and chiasm. 3-D IMS studies often involve extensive workflows due to the high volume of sections required to generate high quality 3-D images. Herein, we present a workflow for 3-D data acquisition and volume reconstruction using mouse optic nerve tissue. The resulting 3-D IMS data yield both molecular similarities and differences between glioma-bearing and wild-type (WT) tissues, including protein distributions localizing to different anatomical subregions. Biological significance The current work addresses a number of challenges in 3-D MALDI IMS, driven by the small size of the mouse optic nerve and the need to maintain consistency across multiple 2-D IMS experiments. The 3-D IMS data yield both molecular similarities and differences between glioma-bearing and wild-type (WT) tissues, including protein distributions localizing to different anatomical subregions, which could then be targeted for identification and related back to the biology observed in gliomas of the optic nerve.
Effects of High Pressures on Influenza Viruses.

SummaryHigh compression pressures attained at below freezing temperatures have been studied for their effects on influenza virus hemagglutinin, infectivity and antigenicity. Influenza virus hemagglutinin from the virus strains tested varies markedly in its resistance to pressure inactivation.
Stacking Order Dependent Second Harmonic Generation and Topological Defects in h-BN Bilayers

The ability to control the stacking structure in layered materials could provide an exciting approach to tuning their optical and electronic properties. Because of the lower symmetry of each constituent monolayer, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) allows more structural variations in multiple layers than graphene; however, the structure–property relationships in this system remain largely unexplored. Here, we report a strong correlation between the interlayer stacking structures and optical and topological properties in chemically grown h-BN bilayers, measured mainly by using dark-field transmission electron microscopy (DF-TEM) and optical second harmonic generation (SHG) mapping. Our data show that there exist two distinct h-BN bilayer structures with different interlayer symmetries that give rise to a distinct difference in their SHG intensities. In particular, the SHG signal in h-BN bilayers is observed only for structures with broken inversion symmetry, with an intensity much larger than that of single l...
Notes on Emerging Collective Action: Ethnic-Trade Guilds among Japanese Americans in the Gardening Industry

This inquiry focuses upon one form of ethnic-collective action among Japanese-American entrepreneurs - in-group trade guilds. They emerge in response to exclusionary and inclusionary forces. The article extends middleman theory to account for ethnic-trade guilds that result from both exclusionary and inclusionary forces and proposes two additional perspectives - competition and enclave theory. Three factors are isolated : 1) interethnic competition, 2) the perceived reciprocal fairness of the resulting competition, and 3) the differential cohesion of ethnic networks. Although the findings support the first and third conditions, the second is questionable. Evidence suggests that ethnic-trade guilds engender more conflict (when competition is defined as unfair rather than fair) than heretofore proposed. Ethnic networks that extend beyond the narrow circle of niche participants constitute the primary building blocks in mobilizing a collective response to intergroup competition. Caution needs to be taken in overstating ethnic solidarity at the expense of a group's diversity, and an explanation of internal dissension is called for in interpreting the emergence of ethnic-collective action
Unburdening Stigma Identity Repair through Rituals in Mental Health Court

A growing trend in the criminal justice system is the move toward problem-solving courts, including mental health courts. Using case studies of two mental health courts in a West Coast city, this a...
Solitary Pseudo-crossed Renal Ectopia

Abstract We report a case of solitary pseudo-crossed renal ectopia secondary to a large paraureteral bladder diverticulum. Solitary crossed renal ectopia and pseudo-crossed renal ectopia are discussed.
A transcriptional blueprint for a spiral-cleaving embryo

The spiral cleavage mode of early development is utilized in over one-third of all animal phyla and generates embryonic cells of different size, position, and fate through a conserved set of stereotypic and invariant asymmetric cell divisions. Despite the widespread use of spiral cleavage, regulatory and molecular features for any spiral-cleaving embryo are largely uncharted. To address this gap we use RNA-sequencing on the spiralian model Platynereis dumerilii to capture and quantify the first complete genome-wide transcriptional landscape of early spiral cleavage. RNA-sequencing datasets from seven stages in early Platynereis development, from the zygote to the protrochophore, are described here including the de novo assembly and annotation of ~17,200 Platynereis genes. Depth and quality of the RNA-sequencing datasets allow the identification of the temporal onset and level of transcription for each annotated gene, even if the expression is restricted to a single cell. Over 4000 transcripts are maternally contributed and cleared by the end of the early spiral cleavage phase. Small early waves of zygotic expression are followed by major waves of thousands of genes, demarcating the maternal to zygotic transition shortly after the completion of spiral cleavages in this annelid species. Our comprehensive stage-specific transcriptional analysis of early embryonic stages in Platynereis elucidates the regulatory genome during early spiral embryogenesis and defines the maternal to zygotic transition in Platynereis embryos. This transcriptome assembly provides the first systems-level view of the transcriptional and regulatory landscape for a spiral-cleaving embryo.
Should the United States Create Trading Markets for Energy Efficiency

Many scholars have argued that energy savings should be "packaged" into tradable certificates to create market incentives to save energy. The trading price for the certificates could incentivize investments in energy efficient equipment and practices that firms might otherwise overlook. This essay examines the handful of energy efficiency markets that are operating abroad and challenges the conventional wisdom about these markets. It concludes that the United States should not adopt these markets given their complexity, problems of additionality, and the potential for strategic gaming of the markets.
Treatment of Snoring with a Nasopharyngeal Airway Tube

Objective. To study the feasibility of a standard nasopharyngeal airway tube (NPAT) as treatment for snoring. Methods. An obese 35-year-old man, who is a chronic, heroic snorer, used NPATs while (1) the patient’s bedpartner scored the snoring and (2) the patient recorded himself with the smartphone snoring app “Quit Snoring.” Baseline snoring was 8–10/10 (10 = snoring that could be heard through a closed door and interrupted the bedpartner’s sleep to the point where they would sometimes have to sleep separately) and 60–200 snores/hr. Several standard NPATs were tested, consisting of soft polyvinyl chloride material raging between 24- and 36-French (Fr) tubes. Results. The 24 Fr tube did not abate snoring. The 26 Fr tube was able to abate the snoring sound most of the night (smartphone app: 11.4 snores/hr, bedpartner VAS = 2/10). The 28 and 30 Fr tubes abated the snoring sound the entire time worn (smartphone app: 0 snores, bedpartner VAS 0/10) but could not be tolerated more than 2.5 hours. The tube of 36 Fr size could not be inserted, despite several attempts bilaterally. Conclusion. Appropriately sized nasopharyngeal airway tubes may abate the snoring sound; however, as in this patient, they may be too painful and intolerable for daily use.
M-Width: Stability and Accuracy of Haptic Rendering of Virtual Mass

In many physical human-robot interaction scenarios, such as haptic virtual environments for training and rehabilitation, it is desirable to carefully control the apparent inertia of a robot. Inertia compensation can be used to mitigate forces felt by the user during free-space motion, and rendering of additional inertia is desired for particular rehabilitation and training procedures. Many factors influence the stability and accuracy of rendering for haptic display of a pure mass, including device mechanical properties, sample rate, control structure, and human behavior. Inspired by the “Z-Width” approach to haptic device stability and performance analysis, we introduce “M-width”, which we define as the dynamic range of virtual masses renderable in a stable manner. We identify the important parameters for system stability, find stability boundaries, and describe the expected accuracy of the haptic rendering for a canonical haptic system. These results serve as a design tool for creating stable and accurate haptic virtual environments, establish limits of performance, and lay the groundwork for new controllers to improve mass rendering.
Experiencing Experiential Education: A Faculty-Student Perspective on the University of Tennessee College of Law's Adventure in Access to Justice Author

This article functions both as a brief history lesson in experiential education and as a case study of an experiential course entitled “Human Rights Practicum” offered at the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2015. After briefly discussing historical and current trends in law school reform, including the rise of experiential education within the law school curriculum and the role played by technology in this context, the article turns to explore the impetus for the Human Rights Practicum, its development and implementation, as well as the software technology used to develop its final work product, a web-based “guided interview” for completing a legal form. Specifically, our Practicum sought to train students to use Access to Justice Author (“A2J Author”) a computer programming software that enables the creation of “guided interviews”, which are intended to simplify the filing of complex legal forms and thereby reduce barriers to justice for self-represented litigants. Once trained in A2J Author, students in the Practicum worked to design and implement a guided interview intended to walk pro se litigants through the process of filing discrimination complaints with the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, an independent state agency tasked with safeguarding individuals from discrimination through enforcement and education. Our experience offers a unique contribution to the growing literature on experiential education for at least two reasons: first, technology-driven experiential courses are a relatively new addition to law school curricula and as such they represent a largely unexplored and developing subfield in the realm of experiential education. Second, because the article is co-authored by a professor who taught the practicum and a student who enrolled in it, our perspective provides a more holistic assessment of the challenges and rewards that can flow from similar undertakings, including suggestions for improvements, that in turn will more fully inform faculty and students contemplating either offering, or enrolling in, similar courses in the future.
The university as a cloud: Openness in education (invited talk)

This talk looks at how Universities need to apply the concept of “open” across their entire enterprise. The boundaries between the university and the world outside of the university are becoming increasingly blurry. The move toward a more porous approach across the domain of higher education activity is necessary to maintain the relevance, value, and competitive advantages of institutions, as society becomes increasingly open. Openness and transparency is a trait that is becoming “expected” for individuals, governments, and higher education. We will examine opportunities for universities to accentuate and enhance their strengths and positive qualities in an era of openness.