cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of Eperythrozoon suis DNA from swine blood by whole organism DNA hybridizations

A procedure is described for isolating Eperythrozoon suis DNA of sufficient quantity and purity to serve as a probe in whole-organism DNA hybridizations for detecting parasitized swine. The E. suis organisms were isolated from the blood of infected swine; the DNA was recovered and digested with restriction endonucleases and resolved on agarose gels. In DNA hybridizations using recovered E. suis DNA, blood samples from parasitized swine could be differentiated from uninfected, control samples. A high salt lysate recovery technique was used in sampling swine whole blood for E. suis DNA and found to offer many advantages in the collection and recovery process.
Semiconductor device simulation using generalized mobility models

A method for discretizing the semiconductor transport equations using generalized mobility models is developed as an extension of the Scharfetter-Gummel finite difference approach. The method is sufficiently general to be applicable to nearly arbitrary empirical mobility models (including those for MOS surface effects) and may be used on a variety of mesh types in two or three dimensions. The impact of generalized mobility models on the sparsity of our resulting discrete equations is discussed. Convergence rate of a Newton's method linearization of the nonlinear system of equations is measured and interpreted. Some computational results from a study of short-channel MOSFETs are presented to illustrate the approach.
The nature of the miscoding caused by growth in the presence of 2-thiouracil

The effects of the pyrimidine analog, 2-thiouracil, on protein synthesis in enteric bacteria have been investigated in detail. The evidence presented indicates that under conditions of partial or complete uracil starvation 2-thiouracil is effectively incorporated into the RNA of either Salmonella typhimurium or Escherichia coli and that growth under these conditions leads to alterations in the structure of the proteins synthesized. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the alterations in the proteins are due to the partial replacement of uracil in messenger RNA by 2-thiouracil followed by misrecognition during translation. We suggest that 2-thiouracil in mRNA is frequently misread as C. The evidence to support this hypothesis is as follows. (1) 2-thiouracil is able phenotypically to suppress an ochre mutant in the his D gene of S. typhimurium , suggesting that the UAA codon is read as CAA. (2) 2-Thiouracil causes an increased incorporation of positively charged amino acids into polypeptide chains, a result that is shown to be consistent with the occurrence of phenotypic U→C transitions. Our results also compare the effects of 5-fluorouracil and 2-thiouracil, and show that both cause miscoding but differ in that 5-fluorouracil is bacteriocidal, whereas 2-thiouracil is bacteriostatic. This suggests that the killing effect of 5-fluorouracil may not be due to miscoding.
Lysosomal membrane adenosine triphosphatase; solubilization and partial characterization

Abstract Membranes prepared from Triton WR-1339-filled lysosomes (tritosomes) contained ATPase activity with a pH optimum of 5–8. These membranes also showed adenosine diphosphatase, adenosine monophosphatase, acid β-glycerol phosphatase, and acid pyrophosphatase activities. The soluble (nonmembrane) fraction of the tritosomes also contained these activities, but the properties of the soluble adenine nucleotide phosphatase activities were different from the membrane-associated enzymes. The pH optimum of tritosomal membrane ATPase changed to 5 after solubilization with Triton X-100, but ADPase and AMPase optima remained at 6–7. The pH optimum of intact membrane ATPase was also 5 when the substrate was α,β-methylene-ATP. Thus, tritosomal membrane ATPase apparently exhibits a pH 8 optimum only when acting in concert with ADPase and AMPase in intact membranes. Rates of ATP hydrolysis to adenosine were also significantly greater in intact membranes than in Triton X-100-solubilized fraction. Centrifugation of Triton X-100-solubilized tritosomal membranes in sucrose density gradients showed that ATPase and ADPase activities sedimented to one peak, and that AMPase, acid phosphatase, and pyrophosphatase were grouped in another peak. Thus, tritosomal membrane ATPase activity was not due to the latter enzymes. The resulting purification was about fourfold for ATPase. The Mr for ATPase and ADPase was estimated to be about 65,000 and for AMPase, acid phosphatase, and pyrophosphatase about 200,000.
p63 Coordinates anogenital modeling and epithelial cell differentiation in the developing female urogenital tract.

p63 is a p53 homologue required for cutaneous development that is expressed in immature squamous epithelium and reserve cells of the cervix. Humans with p63 mutations exhibit defects in limb, accessory organ (skin appendage, breast, prostate), and genitourinary development. Because p63 expression patterns imply a strong role of the gene in the female genital tract development, newborn female p63−/−, +/−, and +/+ mice were examined in situ, dissected, and compared. Nuclear p63 protein was localized to the skin, vagina, bladder, urethra, and basal columnar cells of the caudal uterus in p63+/+ and +/− animals. p63−/− mice exhibited abnormal genital morphogenesis with hypoplastic genitalia, a single cloacal opening, and persistence of columnar epithelium at lower genital tract sites that normally undergo squamous and urothelial differentiation. The defects observed support p63-dependent pathways of genital tract development that permit externally, ectodermal basal cell replenishment integral to reciprocal epithelial stromal signaling, urorectal septation, and modeling of the external genitalia; and internally, the emergence of basal epithelial cell populations capable of divergent epithelial cell differentiation in the vagina, cervix, and urinary tract. Defects in the first pathway explain imperforate anus, vaginal septum, genital hypoplasia, and micropenis reported in humans with p63 mutations. The second is necessary for the generation of multipotential reserve cells in the cervix and may be operative in other epithelial stromal interactions integral to the emergence of uterine basal cells later in life.
Interactions of Nonaqueous Solvents with Textile Fibers: Part II : Isothermal Shrinkage Kinetics of a Polyester Yarn

The kinetics of the shrinkage of a drawn polyester yam in a number of organic solvents, including toluene, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide (DMF), trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, and tetrachloroethane, were investigated at several temperatures. The shrinkage process proceeds at a maximum rate after an induction period which is believed to be associated with diffusion of the solvent into the fiber structure. The temperature dependence of the maximum shrinkage rate follows the Arrhenius relationship. Activation energies ranging from 23 to 36 kcal/mol were found for the various solvents, compared to 13 kcal/mol for the shrinkage in the dry state. The equilibrium or final shrinkage values were found to increase linearly with temperature, thereby allowing extrapolation to a zero-shrinkage temperature. This latter value is believe to be an approximation of the glass-transition temperature of the polyester-solvent system. Horizontal shifting along the temperature axis of the curves relating final shrinkage ...
Targeted gene expression in the transgenic Aedes aegypti using the binary Gal4-UAS system.

In this study, we report the establishment of the binary Gal4/UAS system for the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. We utilized the 1.8-kb 5' upstream region of the vitellogenin gene (Vg) to genetically engineer mosquito lines with the Vg-Gal4 activator and established UAS-EGFP responder transgenic mosquito lines to evaluate the binary Gal4/UAS system. The results show that the Vg-Gal4 driver leads to a high level of tissue-, stage- and sex-specific expression of the EGFP reporter in the fat body of Vg-Gal4/UAS-EGFP hybrids after blood-meal activation. In addition, the applicability of this system to study hormonal regulation of gene expression was demonstrated in in vitro organ culture experiments in which the EGFP reporter was highly activated in isolated fat bodies of previtellogenic Vg-Gal4/UAS-EGFP females incubated in the presence of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Hence, this study has opened the door for further refinement of genetic tools in mosquitoes.
Genes and gene regulation of extracellular matrix proteins: an introduction

Knowledge about the genes that encode extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins is expanding every day. Genes encoding long-known matrix proteins are being isolated while new genes for ECM proteins are being discovered using techniques that directly target the mRNA population. The regulation of expression of most genes occurs through the promoter domain upstream of the coding sequence, although this information may be supplemented by far upstream DNA sequences or DNA in the introns of the gene. Since this important information is embedded in the DNA, the study of gene structure is crucial to the analysis of gene regulation. With all of this new information, it will be possible to characterize common elements in genes that are coordinately regulated, and eventually target individual genes for control by exogenous agents such as drugs.
Graft copolymers of starch–polyacrylonitrile prepared by ferrous ion–hydrogen peroxide initiation

The effect of concentration, reactant ratios, temperature, and starch pretreatment on grafting of acrylonitrile onto starch were studied. Grafting was efficient at high concentrations (8–12% starch) when granular starch was used. The molecular weights for grafted polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were higher when gelatinized starch was used, but grafting efficiencies (grafted PAN/total PAN) were much lower. The molecular weight of the grafted side chain increased with increased concentration of reactants. The grafting frequency was highest when the reaction mixture was kept at 5°C and decreased with increased swelling of the starch. The starch–polyacrylonitrile graft copolymers were saponified and dried to give products which absorbed 75–440 ml H2O per gram and 20–70 ml synthetic urine per gram.
Conditioning biomass hydrolysates by membrane extraction

Abstract Conditioning of biomass hydrolysates prior to fermentation is essential in the production of bioethanol. The removal of acetic acid, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by membrane extraction has been investigated. Removal of these compounds is essential in order to maximize ethanol yields. The organic phase consisted of Alamine 336 in octanol. Ab initio calculations, coupled with the implicit continuum solvation method were performed in order to determine the free energies associated with extraction of acetic acid, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from an aqueous to organic phase in the presence and absence of a tertiary amine. Due to complexation between amines and acetic acid, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, extraction from an aqueous to organic phase becomes favorable. The formation of acetic acid dimers in octanol also appears to be favorable. Experimentally, layer by layer deposition of polyelectrolytes onto flat sheet polypropylene membranes has been conducted in order to improve the extraction performance during biomass conditioning. The resulting membranes have one hydrophilic surface while the other surface remains hydrophobic. The results obtained here indicate the importance of choosing an appropriate solvent and membrane surface chemistry that maximizes extraction of compounds that are toxic to the microorganisms during fermentation. Finally the advantages of using amphiphilic polymeric membranes are discussed.
When Latinos are not Latinos: The case of Guatemalan Maya in the United States, the Southeast and Georgia

During recent decades, Maya have fled Guatemala to escape violence and poverty, and currently large numbers of Maya live throughout the United States. Maya bring with them memories of being oppressed by dominant Hispanic groups in their homelands, and sometimes they hide Indian identity. This article is based on my interaction over a 10-year period with several hundred Maya around the United States who had maintained Maya identity and rejected Latinidad. I argue for a more in-depth discussion about the definition of Latinidad as it applies to indigenous groups, in particular as a prerequisite to questioning whether individuals should be categorized as Latino, regardless of their desire to self-define as Maya, rather than Latino.
Influence of cobalt and cadmium on the peptidase and esterase activities of carboxypeptidase B.

Abstract 1. 1. A 100% increase in the peptidase activity of carboxypeptidase B has been observed as a result of incubation of this enzyme with cobaltous ions. An apparent reduction in esterase activity accompanies this peptidase-activating effect under certain experimental conditions. 2. 2. Incubation of carboxypeptidase B with Cd++, on the other hand, results in as much as 100% increase in esterase activity, attended by a parallel loss in peptidase activity. 3. 3. Incubation with Co++ or Cd++ results in a reduction in the zinc content of the enzyme and a concomitant binding of the metal ion employed in incubation. 4. 4. Treatment of the cobalt and cadmium carboxypeptidases B with zinc essentially restores the peptidase and esterase activities to the levels of those of the untreated purified enzyme. 5. 5. The results support the hypotheses that the mechanism of catalytic action of carboxypeptidases A and B are similar and that the catalytic properties of carboxypeptidase B are a function of the metal bound to the enzyme protein at the level of 1 g atom/mole.
Semiempirical electromagnetic modeling of crack detection and sizing in cement-based materials using near-field microwave methods

Detection and characterization of cracks in cement-based materials is an integral part of damage evaluation for health monitoring of civil structures. Microwave signals are able to penetrate inside of dielectric materials (e.g., cement-based materials) and are sensitive to local, physical, geometrical, and dielectric variations in a structure. This makes microwave nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) techniques suitable for inspection and health monitoring of civil structures. Near-field microwave NDT&E techniques offer the added advantage of providing high spatial resolution, requiring simple hardware that may be portable, low power, fast, real time, and robust. Additionally, these techniques are noncontact and one-sided. Besides the need for robust detection, electromagnetic modeling of a microwave probe response to a crack is also an important issue. Such a model can be used to obtain optimal measurement parameters and serve as the foundation for extracting important crack information such as its width and depth. In this paper, the utility of open-ended rectangular waveguide probes for detecting surface-breaking cracks in cement-based materials is discussed. Subsequently, the development of a semiempirical model capable of simulating the crack response is presented. The model described here translates the magnitude and phase of the reflection coefficient as a function of scanning distance into the complex reflection plane and takes advantage of the common shape of these signals for predicting a similar signal from an unknown crack. Finally, this empirical model is used to estimate crack dimensions from a set of measurements.
Robots in organizations: the role of workflow, social, and environmental factors in human-robot interaction

Robots are becoming increasingly integrated into the workplace, impacting organizational structures and processes, and affecting products and services created by these organizations. While robots promise significant benefits to organizations, their introduction poses a variety of design challenges. In this paper, we use ethnographic data collected at a hospital using an autonomous delivery robot to examine how organizational factors affect the way its members respond to robots and the changes engendered by their use. Our analysis uncovered dramatic differences between the medical and post-partum units in how people integrated the robot into their workflow and their perceptions of and interactions with it. Different patient profiles in these units led to differences in workflow, goals, social dynamics, and the use of the physical environment. In medical units, low tolerance for interruptions, a discrepancy between the perceived cost and benefits of using the robot, and breakdowns due to high traffic and clutter in the robot's path caused the robot to have a negative impact on the workflow and staff resistance. On the contrary, post-partum units integrated the robot into their workflow and social context. Based on our findings, we provide design guidelines for the development of robots for organizations.
Development of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for predicting risk of exposure from carcinogens in animals.

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modelscapable of predicting acute toxicity and carcinogen potency of polychlorinateddibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD), polychlorinatedhydrocarbons, and chlorinated insecticides have been formulated. Median lethaldose (LD50) for PCDD-exposed mice correlated negativelywith polarity and positively with (H acceptor × 2χ),whereas LD50 for PCDD-exposed guinea pigs correlatedwith (H acceptor × density). Both (H acceptor × 2χ)and (H acceptor × density) exhibited parabolic relationship with logP (partition coefficient). Carcinogenic potency, determined from order ofmagnitude (OM) values, correlated negatively with log P and positively with(length × width). Thus, a hydrophobic mechanism plays a key role inthe lethal effects of PCDD in mice, whereas both hydrophobic and electronicmechanisms are involved in the lethal effects of PCDD in guinea pigs. However,the molecule's lipophilicity, length, and width may play important rolesin the carcinogenic effects of chlorinated compo...
Combining speed information across space

We used speed discrimination tasks to measure the ability of observers to combine speed information from multiple stimuli distributed across space. We compared speed discrimination thresholds in a classical discrimination paradigm to those in an uncertainty/search paradigm. Thresholds were measured using a temporal two-interval forced-choice design. In the discrimination paradigm, the n gratings in each interval all moved at the same speed and observers were asked to choose the interval with the faster gratings. Discrimination thresholds for this paradigm decreased as the number of gratings increased. This decrease was not due to increasing the effective stimulus area as a control experiment that increased the area of a single grating did not show a similar improvement in thresholds. Adding independent speed noise to each of the n gratings caused thresholds to decrease at a rate similar to the original no-noise case, consistent with observers combining an independent sample of speed from each grating in both the added- and no-noise cases. In the search paradigm, observers were asked to choose the interval in which one of the n gratings moved faster. Thresholds in this case increased with the number of gratings, behavior traditionally attributed to an input bottleneck. However, results from the discrimination paradigm showed that the increase was not due to observers' inability to process these gratings. We have also shown that the opposite trends of the data in the two paradigms can be predicted by a decision theory model that combines independent samples of speed information across space. This demonstrates that models typically used in classical detection and discrimination paradigms are also applicable to search paradigms. As our model does not distinguish between samples in space and time, it predicts that discrimination performance should be the same regardless of whether the gratings are presented in two spatial intervals or two temporal intervals. Our last experiment largely confirmed this prediction.
The Poll as a News Event in the 1980 Presidential Campaign

Public opinion polls made up 15 percent of the news events covered during the 1980 presidential election campaign, but news stories generated by polls were no more likely to receive better play in the 50 newspapers studied than other stories about the campaign. Horserace polls were popular with editors during the last two weeks of the campaign. James Glen Stovall is an Associate Professor of Journalism and Director of the Communication Research and Service Center at the University of Alabama. Jacqueline H. Solomon is a graduate student in journalism at the University of Alabama. Public Opinion Quarterly Vol. 48:615-623 ? 1984 by the Trustees of Columbia University Published by Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 0033-362X/84/0048-615/$2.50 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.45 on Fri, 02 Sep 2016 05:27:29 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 616 JAMES GLEN STOVALL AND JACQUELINE H. SOLOMON Still other critics have decried the increasing tendency of news organizations to commission their own polls. Whereas polls were once the preserve of private firms that sold their results to the news media or other interested parties, now news organizations themselves are commissioning public opinion polls in order to have exclusive rights in reporting their results. Defenders of this practice say that such polls give the news organization added insight into the results and more assurance that the polls are conducted legitimately. Critics point out that news organizations are laying themselves open to the charge of creating news, overplaying their own poll results while underplaying others, and unduly intruding into the political process. Cockburn and Ridgeway (1981:96) suggest some darker motives on the part of these news organizations, calling media-sponsored polls "pure media events designed to sustain interest in the 12-month body watch known as a presidential election." While coverage of elections, particularly presidential election campaigns, has been a source of much scholarly activity, few of those students have focused on the public opinion poll as a news story in itself. Broh (1980) analyzed 65 New York Times articles, 57 national news stories, and 8 national newsmagazine stories about polls during the 1976 presidential campaign and found a strong tendency for journalists to emphasize the horserace and forecasting elements of polls. Using poll results for issue analysis was not something that appealed to journalists. Beyond examinations such as Broh's, we know little about the dynamics of the public opinion poll as a news event during the political campaign. How much news does a poll generate? Does news about polls dominate election campaign coverage? How strong is the tendency for journalists to emphasize the horserace and forecasting aspects of polls? Will editors choose poll stories over other stories about the campaign? Will they play poll stories more prominently? This study on the poll as a news event during the 1980 presidential campaign seeks to shed some light on these questions.
Local adenosine infusion and myocardial oxygen supply and consumption in reperfused canine myocardium

Study objective The aim was to determine whether a local infusion of adenosine could increase coronary blood flow to restore fully the O2 supply to consumption balance in reperfused myocardium. Design The left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 2 h followed by a 4 h reperfusion with and without simultaneous local infusion of adenosine (50 micrograms.kg-1.min-1). In another group, adenosine was infused for 4 h. Small artery and vein O2 saturations (microspectrophotometry) and regional flow (radioactive microspheres) were determined. Subjects 25 anaesthetised open chest mongrel dogs, divided in three groups, were used in this study. Measurement and main results In the central group, 2 h occlusion decreased regional blood flow below normal. After 4 h of reperfusion, blood flow was less than normal in the affected area, at 57(SD39) affected v 85(31) ml.min-1.100 g-1 control. O2 extraction was higher in the reperfused area, with 61% of veins having O2 saturations less than 35%. For the experimental group, adenosine was infused into the left anterior descending artery at a dose of 50 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. Adenosine coupled with reperfusion increased regional blood flow above control in the affected area, to 267(238) ml.min-1.100 g-1, but this was less than was found with adenosine alone. O2 extraction in this area was lower than with reperfusion alone, with only 1% of veins having O2 saturations less than 35%. Conclusions A large flow reserve is present in reperfused tissue and the low O2 saturations found in reperfused myocardium cannot be due to vessel blockage (greater than 20 microns in diameter). Thus local adenosine can be used to mobilise the reserve to improve the O2 supply to consumption balance.
Enzymatic digestion of articular cartilage results in viscoelasticity changes that are consistent with polymer dynamics mechanisms.

Cartilage degeneration via osteoarthritis affects millions of elderly people worldwide, yet the specific contributions of matrix biopolymers toward cartilage viscoelastic properties remain unknown despite 30 years of research. Polymer dynamics theory may enable such an understanding, and predicts that cartilage stress-relaxation will proceed faster when the average polymer length is shortened. This study tested whether the predictions of polymer dynamics were consistent with changes in cartilage mechanics caused by enzymatic digestion of specific cartilage extracellular matrix molecules. Bovine calf cartilage explants were cultured overnight before being immersed in type IV collagenase, bacterial hyaluronidase, or control solutions. Stress-relaxation and cyclical loading tests were performed after 0, 1, and 2 days of incubation. Stress-relaxation proceeded faster following enzymatic digestion by collagenase and bacterial hyaluronidase after 1 day of incubation (both p ≤ 0.01). The storage and loss moduli at frequencies of 1 Hz and above were smaller after 1 day of digestion by collagenase and bacterial hyaluronidase (all p ≤ 0.02). These results demonstrate that enzymatic digestion alters cartilage viscoelastic properties in a manner consistent with polymer dynamics mechanisms. Future studies may expand the use of polymer dynamics as a microstructural model for understanding the contributions of specific matrix molecules toward tissue-level viscoelastic properties.
Vector corrected noise figure and noise parameter measurements of differential amplifiers

Differential Amplifiers are increasingly being used in RF and Microwave applications, where noise performance is important. Until now, there has not been a method for measuring the full mixed-mode noise figure or differential noise parameters. Previous methods relied on scalar noise figure measurements which could not separate common and differential noise figure effects. In this paper we present for the first time a measurement method that fully compensates for mixed mode and impedance effects, and further, determines the differential noise parameters of the device under test.
Self-consistent vector coupled-mode theory for tapered optical waveguides

A nonorthogonal coupled-mode theory for nonparallel waveguides is derived. An orthogonal coupled-mode theory is developed based on the exact local array modes. The relation between the two formulations is established. Closed-form solutions are obtained for the two-guide synchronous tapered coupler. The formalism obeys power conservation. >
Five Trends of School Arts Education Reform in Taiwan

In the torrents of globalization and social transition in Taiwan, it is particularly important to reinforce a sense of cultural subjectivity and localization, and promote new trends of arts education that emphasize the development of self and spirit. The fundamental principles of these new trends are: (1) that the purpose of arts education is to cultivate students' humanistic literacy, (2) the content of arts education is developed from an interdisciplinary approach, (3) arts curriculum is predominantly constructed on and implemented within the value framework of the nuclear culture, (4) arts education has to place emphasis on an integral process of comprehensive exploration, critical reflection and creative construction, and (5) the instruction methods of arts education need to be artistic and humanistic. This article describes the contents and implications of the new trends of arts education reform in Taiwan.
Ultrasonic velocity‐porosity relationships for sandstone analogs made from fused glass beads

Using fused glass beads, we have constructed a suite of clean sandstone analogs, with porosities ranging from about 1 to 43 percent, to test the applicability of various composite medium theories that model elastic properties. We measured P‐ and S‐wave velocities in dry and saturated cases for our synthetic sandstones and compared the observations to theoretical predictions of the Hashin‐Shtrikman bounds, a differential effective medium approach, and a self‐consistent theory known as the coherent potential approximation. The self‐consistent theory fits the observed velocities in these sandstone analogs because it allows both grains and pores to remain connected over a wide range of porosities. This behavior occurs because this theory treats grains and pores symmetrically without requiring a single background (host) material, and it also allows the composite medium to become disconnected at a finite porosity. In contrast, the differential effective medium theory and the Hashin‐Shtrikman upper bound overest...
Climate change and urban children: impacts and implications for adaptation in low- and middle- income countries

This paper discusses the particular and disproportionate risks to urban children in poverty from various aspects of climate change, both extreme events and changing means. It explores the potential impacts on children's health, learning and psychosocial well-being, and considers the implications of family coping strategies for children. The paper goes on to discuss the implications for adaptation, making recommendations for an adaptation agenda that focuses on the realities for children. Preparatory measures are considered, as well as responses to extreme events and to changes in weather patterns.
Who gives a tweet?: evaluating microblog content value

While microblog readers have a wide variety of reactions to the content they see, studies have tended to focus on extremes such as retweeting and unfollowing. To understand the broad continuum of reactions in-between, which are typically not shared publicly, we designed a website that collected the first large corpus of follower ratings on Twitter updates. Using our dataset of over 43,000 voluntary ratings, we find that nearly 36% of the rated tweets are worth reading, 25% are not, and 39% are middling. These results suggest that users tolerate a large amount of less-desired content in their feeds. We find that users value information sharing and random thoughts above me-oriented or presence updates. We also offer insight into evolving social norms, such as lack of context and misuse of @mentions and hashtags. We discuss implications for emerging practice and tool design.
A treatment model for women substance users.

This paper sets forth a mutifaceted program which consists of drug user women-centered counseling plus ancillary services based on the five basic steps of Freire's empowerment theory. The program is designed to increase self-awareness, skills, and knowledge acquisition, to reduce feelings of isolation by broadening interpersonal networks, includes activities to enhance assertiveness and communication skills, and parenting education to counteract inappropriate mother-child interaction as well as to positively influence role modeling. Both transportation and child care are recommended ancillary services.
The copper cycles of European countries

A comprehensive technological copper cycle treating a series of life stages (mining and processing, fabrication, utilization, and end of life) has been constructed for sixteen countries on the European continent for the year 1994. In this paper we draw on that information to present country-level copper cycles for a sampling of the countries. We then compare the countries on the basis of their relative and absolute copper production, import/export, usage, recycling, and losses to the environment, and go on to produce per capita assessments of flow and stock changes. Among the results of particular interest are: (1) country-level copper budgets possess features often different from the continental budgets of which they are a part. For example, Europe extracted only slightly more copper from mines than it deposited in landfills, while the mine to landfill flow ratio was about 11:1 in Poland and near zero in the United Kingdom; (2) Germany led all other countries in the group of sixteen in the absolute magnitude of every major copper flow (production, import, export, consumption, and waste generation, and in per capita flows of copper entering use and waste management), while the Benelux countries led all others in per capita flows for all other categories; (3) citizens of essentially all the countries discarded 1–3 kg Cu/year, mostly in obsolete electronics and end-of-life vehicles.
Soil enrichment studies with nitralin

Summary: Soil enrichment studies were conducted with nitralin [4-(methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropylaniline] with and without exogenous carbon and nitrogen. Bacterial isolates obtained were placed into three categories. Eight fungal isolates, notably Fusarium and Penicillium sp., were obtained from the enriched soil culture. Only one bacterial isolate (Erwinia trachelphila) and no fungal isolates appeared to degrade nitralin. The degradation product isolated was tentatively identified by TLC and radioautography as 4-(methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitrophenol. No 14CO2 evolution from ring-labelled nitralin was detected from any isolates tested. Resume: Recherches sur l'enrichissement du sol avec la nitraline Des recherches ont ete effectuees sur l'enrichissement du sol avec la nitraline [4-(methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropylaniline] en presence ou en l'absence de carbone et d'azote exogenes. Les colonies bacteriennes isolees ont ete classees en trois categories. Huit isolements de champignons, notamment des Fusarium et Penicillium sp. ont ete obtenus a partir du sol de culture fertilise. Un seul isolement bacterien (Erwinia tracheiphila) se revela capable de degrader la nitraline ce qu'aucun champignon ne realisa. Le produit de degradation isole a ete experimentalement identifie par chromatographie en couche mince et radioautographie comme etant le 4-(methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitrophenol. Aucun des isolements etudies n'a permis de deceler une evolution vers le 14CO2 du cycle marque de la nitraline. Zusammenfassung Anreicherungsversuche mit Nitralin Es wurden mit Nitralin [4-(Methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropylanilin] Anreicherungsversuche mit und ohne zusatzlichem Kohlenstoff und Stickstoff durchgefuhrt. Die gewonnenen Bakterienisolate wurden in drei Gruppen eingeteilt. Vom angereicherten Boden wurden acht Pilzisolate, insbesondere Fusarium und Penicillium sp. erhalten. Nur ein Bakterienisolat (Erwinia trachriphila), aber kein Pilzisolat schienen Nitralin abzubauen. Das Abbauprodukt wurde mit Hilfe von Dunnschichlchromatographie und Autoradiographie als 4-(Methylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitrophenol identifiziert. Bei keinem der getesteten Isolate konnte aus ringmarkiertem Nitralin eine 14CO2-Bildung festgestell werden.
11 – Communication by Chemical Signals: Behavior, Social Recognition, Hormones and the Role of the Vomeronasal and Olfactory Systems

This chapter, which has a focus on vertebrates, starts with a discussion on terminology, especially the term pheromone. A major part of the chapter addresses the discrimination and recognition of individuals, and categories of individuals, by chemical cues and the roles that such recognition has in regulating social behavior. We discuss topics such as individual and kin recognition, interactions between males and females, intrasexual competition, the role of odors in the formation and maintenance of status relationships, the role of odors in sperm competition, the interactions between odors and aggression, and different aspects of scent marking, such as functions and causation of scent marking, counter-marking, allomarking, hormonal control of scent marking, and the costs of scent marking. The roles of odors in modulating hormones in vertebrates are also discussed. Finally, the roles, in communication and social behavior, of the olfactory and vomeronasal systems are detailed. Also included is a description of the structure of these systems, as well as how they are involved in hormonal and behavioral responses to odors, with specific sections on their roles in nipple search and attachment, and sexual behavior and motivation.
You’re Just Like Your Dad: Intergenerational Patterns of Differential Treatment of Siblings

Objectives Past work highlights that parents' differential treatment has implications for offspring's mental and relational health across the life course. Although the current body of literature has examined offspring- and parent-level correlates of differential treatment, research has yet to consider whether and how patterns of differential treatment are transmitted across generations. Method As part of a two-wave longitudinal study of 157 families, both grandparents (M age = 76.50 years, SD = 6.20) and parents (M age = 51.10 years, SD = 4.41) reported on differential treatment of their own offspring at both phases. Results A series of residualized change models revealed support for both continuity and compensation hypotheses. Middle-aged parents tended to model the patterns of differential treatment exhibited by their fathers, but middle-aged men who experienced more differential treatment from their own parents in recent years tended to subsequently exhibit lower levels of differential treatment to their offspring. Discussion These findings suggest that patterns of differential treatment both continue and diverge across generations, and those patterns vary by gender. On a broader level, these results also suggest that siblings not only impact one another's development, but in adulthood, they may indirectly influence their nieces' and nephews' development by virtue of their influence on their siblings' parenting.
Use of Hyperspace Trade Analyses to Evaluate Environmental and Performance Tradeoffs for Cruise and Approach Operations

In aviation there has been an increasing emphasis on considering environmental objectives along with traditional objectives such as performance and cost for the design and operation of air transportation systems. Consequently, selecting the best or optimal design and operation of a system has become more challenging due to the need to resolve multiple, competing environmental-performance tradeoffs. In order to facilitate the development of methods to analyze air transportation system tradeoffs, the Tradeoff Analysis Framework was developed in this research, which can be used to analyze tradeoff hyperspaces comprised of multiple tradeoffs. The framework was applied to two test cases. The first case analyzes environmental-performance tradeoffs for aircraft cruise operations. In particular, the first case study examines changing airline behavior (i.e., their perceivedoptimal cruise trajectory) in response to a changing hypothetical tax on the contrails they produce. The results of this study determined that a tax of about $1.62 (per nm of contrails produced) is enough incentive for aircraft to completely avoid producing contrails, given the assumptions made in the study. The second case study analyzes the tradeoffs associated with using Required Area Navigation and Performance (RNAV/RNP) approach procedures. In particular, this case study examined the tradeoffs of using RNAV/RNP to increase throughput at Boston-Logan Airport via dual runway approaches. The results of this study show that while dual approaches increase throughput, the major tradeoff is the corresponding increase in the aggregate amount of fuel burnt, emissions, and population noise exposure. Several important components to analyzing tradeoffs were collectively explored through the case studies. These include the use of valuation theory, for quantifying a stakeholder’s relative preference amongst a set of tradeoffs, and hyperspace visualization, for identifying the most dominant tradeoffs and conveying these to the stakeholders.
Key considerations in the treatment of von Hippel-Lindau disease.

10.2217/fon-2016-0028 © 2016 Future Medicine Ltd Cancer initiation and progression is the result of an accumulation of mutations in key tumor suppressor genes, mismatch repair genes and oncogenes which alter cancer cell growth, death and differentiation. Mutations occurring in cancer tissue are termed somatic; whereas, heritable mutations that may be passed on to subsequent generations occur in germline DNA. Deleterious germline mutations in certain genes can lead to hereditary cancer syndromes whereby family members carrying the mutation have an increased susceptibility to certain tumor phenotypes. Germline mutations in the von HippelLindau (VHL) gene, a tumor suppressor found on chromosome 3p25, are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion giving way to the potential development of a spectrum of tumor types including: renal and pancreatic cysts, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), hemangioblastomas (HB), pheochromocytomas, retinal angiomas and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) [1,2]. VHL disease occurs in approximately one in 35,000 births, and the morbidity and mortality associated with VHL disease primarily centers around the neurologic complications of HBs and the progression of ccRCC [3,4]. VHL lesions, despite different anatomic origins, are in general highly vascular owing to the loss of the underlying anti-angiogenic function of the VHL gene. Given the variety of tumor types within a single individual with VHL disease, treatment necessitates a personalized, multidisciplinary approach; and, given that the most frequent alterations in sporadic ccRCC involve loss of the 3p chromosomal arm including the VHL gene, treatment discoveries for this rare, heritable disease have implications for a much wider patient population [5]. In this article, we discuss the current state of treatment options for VHL disease across anatomic sites of expression in the context of its molecular underpinnings. COMMENTARY
Carcinoid Tumors of the Rectum Silver Reactions, Fluorescence, and Serotonin Content of the Cytoplasmic Granules

The argyrophil and argentaffin staining reactions of the intracytoplasmic granules of 23 carcinoid tumors of the rectum were studied. The granules were evaluated for the presence of amines by means of formalin-induced fluorescence and an immunoperoxidase method for serotonin. The results indicate that most rectal carcinoids are argyrophil when the more sensitive Grimelius method is employed. Only occasionally are rectal carcinoids argentaffin, a feature that correlates with positive fluorescent reactions and suggests amine content. Of three argentaffin tumors, one stained positively for serotonin, and a second contained clusters of pleomorphic electron-dense granules of the type more typically seen in known amine-containing carcinoid tumors. For practical purposes, the Grimelius argyrophil stain is most useful in confirming a light-microscopic diagnosis of a rectal carcinoid.
Risk Assessment and Characterization of 30-Day Perioperative Myocardial Infarction Following Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis of 1346 Consecutive Adult Patients.

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective review. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to perform a risk assessment of 30-day perioperative myocardial infarction (MI) for spine surgery patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There is an increased emphasis to reduce complications and improve outcomes after spinal surgery. One of the more devastating perioperative complications of spinal surgery is MI. METHODS We evaluated all medical records of 1346 consecutive patients who underwent spinal surgery at a single institution from 2008 to 2010 for incidence of MI within 30 days of surgery and documented all demographic, preoperative, and operative variables. Associations between postoperative MI and individual risk factors were determined using logistic regression analysis. Patients were stratified into emergent and elective groups and a similar analysis was performed. RESULTS Overall, 22 patients (1.6%) had 30-day perioperative MI, 14 patients (1.2%) undergoing elective surgery, and 8 patients (4.2%) after emergent surgery (P = 0.047). Three (13.6%) patients experienced 30-day mortality and an additional 3 (13.6%) patients experienced mortality within 1 year. Multivariate logistic regression determined that age more than 65 years, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, prior MI, anticoagulant use, low albumin, length of stay more than 7 days, intraoperative transfusion, trauma etiology, baseline creatinine more than 1 mg/dL, and at least 2 levels of spinal fusion were predictive of postoperative MI. For patients undergoing emergent surgery, age more than 65 years was associated with an increased risk of postoperative MI. When stratified by elective surgery, we found that age more than 65, postoperative stay more than 7 days, intraoperative blood transfusion, baseline creatinine more than 1 mg/dL, and fusion of more than 1 level were associated with an increased risk of MI. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates a low incidence of MI after elective surgery with a higher incidence after emergent spine surgery and identifies patient factors predictive of postoperative MI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Anisotropic Inversion of MCSEM Data Based on the Integral Equation Method

SUMMARY Marine controlled-source electromagnetic (MCSEM) surveys have become an important part of offshore hydrocarbon (HC) exploration. Marine sediments may exhibit strong anisotropy of electrical conductivity. Ignoring anisotropy may lead to erroneous interpretation of MCSEM data. This paper introduces a 3D inversion of MCSEM data for anisotropic distribution of conductivity based on integral formulation of the EM field equations. Simple modification of the Fr´ echet derivative expression allows inversion for both horizontal and vertical conductivities. This inversion method has been successfully applied to synthetic data computed for a realistic model of the Harding field.
Determinants of the efficacy of HIV latency-reversing agents and implications for drug and treatment design

HIV eradication studies have focused on developing latency-reversing agents (LRAs). However, it is not understood how the rate of latent reservoir reduction is affected by different steps in the process of latency reversal. Furthermore, as current LRAs are host-directed, LRA treatment is likely to be intermittent to avoid host toxicities. Few careful studies of the serial effects of pulsatile LRA treatment have yet been done. This lack of clarity makes it difficult to evaluate the efficacy of candidate LRAs or predict long-term treatment outcomes. We constructed a mathematical model that describes the dynamics of latently infected cells under LRA treatment. Model analysis showed that, in addition to increasing the immune recognition and clearance of infected cells, the duration of HIV antigen expression (i.e., the period of vulnerability) plays an important role in determining the efficacy of LRAs, especially if effective clearance is achieved. Patients may benefit from pulsatile LRA exposures compared with continuous LRA exposures if the period of vulnerability is long and the clearance rate is high, both in the presence and absence of an LRA. Overall, the model framework serves as a useful tool to evaluate the efficacy and the rational design of LRAs and combination strategies.