cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A method for solving synchronization problems

Abstract This paper presents a systematic method for solving synchronization problems. The method is based on viewing processes as invariant maintainers. First, a problem is defined and the desired synchronization property is specified by an invariant predicate over program variables. Second, the variables are initialized to make the invariant true and processes are annotated with atomic assignments so the variables satisfy their definition. Then, atomic assignments are guarded as needed so they are not executed until the resulting state will satisfy the invariant. Finally, the resulting atomic actions are implemented using basic synchronization mechanisms. The method is illustrated by solving three problems using semaphores. The solutions also illustrate three general programming paradigms: changing variables, split binary semaphores, and passing the baton. Additional synchronization problems and synchronization mechanisms are also discussed.
Second naturally occurring β-galactosidase in E. coli

SEVERAL studies have shown that the intestinal mucosa of various mammals contains at least two β-galactosidases1–5. One of these has a primary specificity for lactose; the other has a primary specificity for synthetic β-galactosides such as o-Nitrophenyl β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG). Since strains of Escherichia coli K12 bearing deletions of the lac Z gene have a very small residual activity toward ONPG, there must also be a second β-galactosidase in E. coli. We report here that E. coli K12 does indeed possess a second β-galactosidase. Although this enzyme has virtually no activity toward lactose, its synthesis is induced by lactose.
Epidemiology of a large telestroke cohort in the Delaware valley

Abstract Background The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has recently endorsed telestroke. Telestroke has enhanced stroke diagnosis, increased tPA administration and improved long-term outcomes. However, many of the publication on telemedicine so far have been review articles. Objectives We investigated the epidemiological features of telestroke patients and evaluated the difference between the transferred and non-transferred cohorts. Methods We collected data on telestroke consultation, between January 2012 and June 2013, regarding patient's age, gender, diagnosis, NIHSS, onset-to-spoke time (OTS), tPA administration and transfer status. Further data was obtained on transferred patients regarding discharge and endovascular interventions. Results The means of age, NIHSS and OTS time were the following: 67.59 years, 7.65 and 11.28 h respectively. The proportion of transferred patients was 12.04% (280/2324); lower than what was previously reported. The overall rate of IV tPA administration was 11.98%. Transferred patients had a significantly higher NIHSS mean (10.93 vs. 6.73; P Conclusion Telestroke network is increasing the frequency of tPA usage in acute ischemic stroke and may decrease the need for transfer. Our aim was to optimize the stroke therapy to shorten the hospital stay and to increase the discharge home. This allows a better functional outcome and an additional benefit of cost-saving for the hospitals.
Buccal oscillation and lung ventilation in a semi-aquatic turtle, Platysternon megacephalum

Summary Movements of the hyobranchial apparatus in reptiles and amphibians contribute to many behaviors including feeding, lung ventilation, buccopharyngeal respiration, thermoregulation, olfaction, defense and display. In a semi-aquatic turtle, Platysternon megacephalum, x-ray video and airflow measurements from blowhole pneumotachography show no evidence that above water hyobranchial movements contribute to lung inflation, as in the buccal or gular pump of amphibians and some lizards. Instead, hyobranchial movements produce symmetrical oscillations of air into and out of the buccal cavity. The mean tidal volume of these buccal oscillations is 7.8 times smaller than the mean tidal volume of lung ventilation (combined mean for four individuals). Airflow associated with buccal oscillation occurs in the sequence of inhalation followed by exhalation, distinguishing it from lung ventilation which occurs as exhalation followed by inhalation. No fixed temporal relationship between buccal oscillation and lung ventilation was observed. Periods of ventilation often occur without buccal oscillation and buccal oscillation sometimes occurs without lung ventilation. When the two behaviors occur together, the onset of lung ventilation often interrupts buccal oscillation. The initiation of lung ventilation was found to occur in all phases of the buccal oscillation cycle, suggesting that the neural control mechanisms of the two behaviors are not coupled. The pattern of occurrence of both buccal oscillation and lung ventilation was found to vary over time with no obvious effect of activity levels.
Risk Factors for Development and Progression of Diabetic Kidney Disease and Treatment Patterns Among Diabetic Siblings of Patients With Diabetic Kidney Disease

Background Diabetic siblings of patients with treated kidney failure from diabetic kidney disease are at a 5-fold increased risk of future kidney failure. The objective of this study is to define risk factors for kidney disease, clinical features, and treatment patterns in diabetic siblings of patients with diabetes with diabetic kidney disease. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis using data collected from diabetic siblings of patients with diabetic kidney disease. Setting & Participants 295 diabetic siblings with mean diabetes duration of 15 years from within a 400-mile radius of Cleveland, OH, or Winston-Salem, NC. Predictors Demographic data, diabetes duration, blood pressure (BP), access to health care, and diabetes control. Outcomes Albuminuria (defined as urinary albumin-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g, with microalbuminuria with albumin of 30 to 300 mg/g and macroalbuminuria with albumin > 300 mg/g), renal function. Measurements BP, urinary albumin-creatinine ratio, serum creatinine, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ), estimated glomerular filtration rate. Results Mean diabetes duration was 14.6 ± 10.6 years. Albuminuria was present in 46% of participants. In individuals with diabetes duration of 11 to 15 years, 25% had microalbuminuria and 18.2% had macroalbuminuria. Despite a positive family history and a high prevalence of albuminuria, only 35.3% of participants had a target systolic BP less than 130 mm Hg. HbA 1c levels were 7% or greater in 57.4% of patients, and 26.4% of participants were smokers. Only 58% of patients received angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or receptor blockers. In microalbuminuric participants, HbA 1c level was greater than 10% in 28.6% versus 13.3% in those without albuminuria ( P = 0.02). Limitations A control group of diabetic siblings without a family history of diabetic kidney disease was not obtained. Conclusions Diabetic siblings of patients with diabetic kidney disease have a high prevalence of albuminuria and poor glycemic and BP control. Targeting these high-risk individuals for interventions to improve their BP and blood glucose control might prevent or slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease.
LP-metric sensitivity analysis for single and multi-attribute decision analysis

Abstract Analyzing the sensitivity of decisions to probability estimation error in single and multi-attribute problems and to errors in estimating additive multi-attribute value models in multi-attribute problems is an integral part of decision analysis. This paper presents an intuitive and tractable approach to this sensitivity analysis. Here a decision is considered insensitive if: 1) the probabilities or multi-attribute weights required for any other alternative to become preferred are not close to the original estimated probabilities and weights, and 2) the rank order of states implied by the probabilities or the rank order of attributes implied by the additive multi-attribute weights must change for any other alternative to become preferred. The sensitivity analysis is conducted using straight forward linear programming models. An example is used to demonstrate their application.
Distributed genetic algorithm for energy-efficient resource management in sensor networks

In this work we consider energy-efficient resource management in an environment monitoring and hazard detection sensor network. Our goal is to allocate different detection methods to different sensor nodes in the way such that the required detection probability can be achieved while the network lifetime is maximized. The optimization algorithm is designed based on the Island multi-deme genetic algorithm (GA). The experimental results show that our algorithm increases the network lifetime by approximately 14.4% in average compared with the heuristic approaches. We also investigate the effect of the configuration parameters on the searching quality of the proposed distributed GA. A regression model is derived empirically that estimates the runtime of the distributed GA given the configuration parameters such as the sub-population size, parallelism, and migration rate. Once the model has been fit to a group of data, it can be utilized to find the efficient configurations of the proposed algorithm.
Posterior plication of the rectum for rectal prolapse in children

Fourteen patients with rectal prolapse (age range, 1 to 12 years) underwent posterior plication of the rectum for rectal prolapse. The procedure consisted of (1) natal cleft incision, (2) midline separation of the levator muscle, (3) dissection of two thirds of the circumference of the rectum, (4) plication of the posterior wall of the rectum using U-shaped mattress sutures, and (5) fixation of the sutures of the rectal wall to the coccyx. There has been no recurrence of prolapse in any of the patients. The authors' experience suggests that an elongated rectum is responsible for prolapse. This simple but definitive technique is recommended.
Cooperative interactions between the interleukin 2 receptor alpha and beta chains alter the interleukin 2-binding affinity of the receptor subunits.

Abstract The interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor (IL-2R) is a multisubunit receptor that includes three major IL-2 binding subunits, the IL-2R alpha, beta, and gamma chains. We have detected and analyzed cooperative interactions between the IL-2R alpha and beta chains (IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta, respectively) in COS cells transfected with cDNAs encoding the IL-2R alpha, the IL-2R beta, or both cDNAs. We demonstrated that IL-2 F42A, an analog that fails to bind to the isolated IL-2R alpha subunit and would be predicted by the hierarchical affinity-conversion model to have impaired binding to cells expressing both chains, instead readily binds to the IL-2R alpha/beta heterodimer in COS cells. Furthermore, this binding is abolished by the antibody HIEI that separates the two IL-2R subunits. The monoclonal antibodies anti-Tac and Mik-beta 1 directed at the IL-2-binding sites on IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta, respectively, block ligand binding to the heterodimer. This binding pattern is inconsistent with the strict hierarchical affinity-conversion model that mandates an initial binding of IL-2 to IL-2R alpha followed by binding of the IL-2/IL-2R alpha complex to IL-2R beta. Instead, our results support an alternative model of preformed complexes of IL-2R beta with other IL-2R subunits. In this alternative model, IL-2R alpha and -beta exist in part as preformed complexes in which the affinity of IL-2R beta for IL-2 is altered by the proximity of IL-2R alpha, through mechanisms that do not require the prior binding of IL-2 to IL-2R alpha.
MicroRNAs in renal development

The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) as novel regulators of gene expression has led to a marked change in how gene regulation is viewed, with important implications for development and disease. MiRNAs are endogenous, small, noncoding RNAs that largely repress their target mRNAs post-transcriptionally. The regulation of gene expression by miRNAs represents an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that is broadly applicable to most biological processes. Recent studies have begun to define the role of miRNAs in different cell lineages during kidney development, and to implicate specific miRNAs in developmental and pathophysiological processes in the kidney. This review will focus on novel insights into the role(s) of miRNAs in kidney development, and discuss the implications for pediatric renal disease.
Microbicides for HIV/AIDS. 2. Electrophoretic fingerprinting of CD4+ T-cell model systems.

New measurements of the dependence of the surface charge on the pH and electrolyte concentration for three living human white blood cell lines that are the principal targets of the HIV-1 virus are reported. Comparison of the electrophoretic fingerprint (EF) pattern, especially the line of zero mobility, with that of reference colloids establishes the separate individual identities and shows that all three exhibit a zwitterionic surface. With the EF results as a guide, preliminary biological infectivity measurements showed that small polyvalent cations modulate the negative charge on the T-cell surface in a way that strongly affects the infection kinetics. H9 cells were exposed to an infectious virus (X4), and the data showed that HIV interaction with target cells is enhanced by physiological fluids. The nondestructive methodology described is generally applicable to characterization of the surface charge and determination of the colloidal stability of any aqueous charged colloidal system without reference...
Mechanical palpation for subsurface sensing: A device for detecting and locating breast cancer

Early detection of breast cancer has been shown to increase patient survival rates, therefore an early detection system that identifies lesions under the skin could help save lives. The lesions, or potentially cancerous tissue masses, have a higher modulus of elasticity, making them stiffer than surrounding healthy tissue. This subsurface sensing device is needed because all current methods of detection are either expensive or require a trained technician to read the results. Misread results can lead to a delay in diagnosis, putting the patient at risk. The goal of this device is to detect an inconsistent tissue mass as small as 5 mm using a standardized palpation device. This 5mm size is classified as a Stage I breast cancer tumor (which 88 percent of patients survive). The detection is accomplished by simulating the movement of a cancerous mass in human tissue. The tissue is represented by a phantom gel, and the lesion is represented by a ball bearing. When the mechanical device contacts the tissue surrounding the lesion, it detects a change in the force caused by an increase in total tissue stiffness. This change is transmitted to a computer generated display, which alerts the physician to the location of the potentially cancerous mass. Simulations run using ABAQUS software, by a research team at Northeastern University, show a definitive change in force when the device encounters a stiffer tissue mass, proving this concept mathematically.
Adverse childhood experiences and prescription drug use in a cohort study of adult HMO patients

Background: Prescription drugs account for approximately 11% of national health expenditures. Prior research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which include common forms of child maltreatment and related traumatic stressors, has linked them to numerous health problems. However, data about the relationship of these experiences to prescription drug use are scarce. Method: We used the ACE Score (an integer count of 8 different categories of ACEs) as a measure of cumulative exposure to traumatic stress during childhood. We prospectively assessed the relationship of the Score to prescription drug use in a cohort of 15,033 adult HMO patients (mean follow-up: 6.1 years) and assessed mediation of this relationship by documented ACErelated health and social problems. Results: Nearly 1.2 million prescriptions were recorded; prescriptions rates increased in a graded fashion as the ACE Score increased (p for trend < 0.0001). Compared to persons with an ACE Score of 0, persons with a Score ≥ 5 had rates increased by 40%; graded relationships were seen for all age groups (18–44, 45–64, and 65–89 years) (p for trend < 0.01). Graded relationships were observed for the risk of being in the upper decile of number of classes of drugs used; persons with scores of ≥ 5 had this risk increased 2-fold. Adjustment for ACE-related health problems reduced the strength of the associations by more than 60%. Conclusion: ACEs substantially increase the number of prescriptions and classes of drugs used for as long as 7 or 8 decades after their occurrence. The increases in prescription drug use were largely mediated by documented ACE-related health and social problems.
Identification of defect structures in Eu3+:CaF2 by site selective spectroscopy of relaxation dynamics

Abstract The different charge compensated Eu 3+ sites in CaF 2 have been identified by creating a nonequilibrium distribution of sites and following the kinetics of the return to equilibrium by site selective laser spectroscopy. The nonequilibrium distribution is created by rapidly quenching the crystals so a high temperature distribution is frozen in the lattice. The absolute concentrations of the four dominant sites are measured during the re-equilibration at a lower temperature. Analysis of the kinetics by standard techniques shows that the site distribution is controlled by dimers and trimers in which an extra fluoride interstitial ion has been scavenged. Studies of doubly doped crystals confirm the identification of the two sites as clusters.
Cytolytic Toxin Cyt1A and Its Mechanism of Membrane Damage: Data and Hypotheses

The δ-endotoxins are a superfamily of proteins that occur as crystalline inclusions in the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis ([35][1]). These toxins are of considerable interest as environmentally safe insecticides. Historically, B. thuringiensis toxins have been divided into two
Keep astrobiology funding alive.

Forty years ago, upon receipt of my Ph.D. in microbiology, I faced a dilemma as to what to do next. I had a postdoctoral fellowship to Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, but also was quite interested in the new NASA “Scientist as Astronaut” Program in Houston. Seeking guidance, I wrote to
A micro canonical method for fermionic systems

Abstract A new scheme based on the microcanonical ensemble, or molecular dynamics, for the simulation of lattice gauge theories involving fermions is described.
PRESENCE OF CIRCULATING ANTIBODIES TO GLUTEN AND MILK FRACTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH NONTROPICAL SPRUE.

HE DISCOVERY by Dicke and his co-workers [ir] that dietary gluten exerts a deleterious effect in patients with nontropical spruet proved to hold in itself,\ as Rich [2] has called the answer to each scientific question, “. . . the germ of a swarm of new questions.” Many inquiries have since arisen regarding the nature of this noxious effect. Particular stimulant of this interest is the probability that in its answer lies also the understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease. Several hypotheses have been made regarding the mechanism of the harmful effect of gluten in patients with nontropical sprue. They may be classified into two groups, those based on an antigenic role [3-51 and those supporting the possibility that gluten exerts a direct toxic effect in patients with this disease [&a]. Clinical observations and experimental studies attempting to elucidate the role of gluten in nontropical sprue have also given rise to hypotheses concerning the etiology of this condition. These hypotheses may also be classified into two groups, those based on allergic concepts, closely related to the concept of a possible antigenic role for gluten [3-51, and those based on the concept, favored by several groups of investigators [7,9-151, that the primary t We consider nontropical sprue to be the same entity as the celiac disease of children and synonymous with idiopathic steatorrhea, adult celiac disease, gluteninduced enteropathy and celiac sprue. The relationship, or lack of it, between tropical and nontropical sprue remains undetermined. defect in nontropical sprue is enzymatic and resides at the level of the intestinal mucosal cell. Recent observations on the presence of circulating antibodies to gluten or to its various fractions and to milk proteins in patients with nontropical sprue [5,76,77] have important theoretic implications and may have practical significance as well. Further study of these circulating antibodies is, therefore, warranted and particularly so since controversy has stemmed from the studies heretofore reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of circulating antibodies against gluten and milk fractions in patients with nontropical sprue, to correlate the presence or absence of these antibodies with the clinical status and previous treatment of the patients, and to evaluate the theoretic and practical implications of such findings.
Current status of the Terrestrial Planet Finder structurally connected interferometer concept

This overview paper describes the system design of the structurally-connected interferometer (SCI) concept studied for the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) project. This paper covers progress since August 2003 and serves as an update to a paper presented at that month's SPIE conference, "Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets". SCI trade studies conducted since mid-2003 have focused on key factors driving overall flight segment mass and performance, including launch vehicle packaging, structural design, and instrument layout. This paper summarizes the results of the recent design trades, with discussion of the primary requirements that drive the baseline design concept.
Prescribed Fire, Soil, and Plants: Burn Effects and Interactions in the Central Great Basin

Pinyon and juniper expansion into sagebrush ecosystems results in decreased cover and biomass of perennial grasses and forbs. We examine the effectiveness of spring prescribed fire on restoration of sagebrush ecosystems by documenting burn effects on soil nutrients, herbaceous aboveground biomass, and tissue nutrient concentrations. This study was conducted in a central Nevada woodland and included control and burn treatment plots sampled before and after a prescribed fire. Six native understory plant species (Crepis acuminata, Eriogonum umbellatum, Eriogonum elatum, Poa secunda secunda, Festuca idahoensis, and Lupinus argenteus) important for native sagebrush obligate foragers were chosen to represent the understory plant community. L. argenteus is also important for system nutrient cycling and nitrogen fixation. Plants were collected from three microsites (under tree canopy, under shrub canopy, and interspace) common in transitional woodlands during peak growth the summer before a spring prescribed burn and each of two summers following the burn. Soils were collected from corresponding locations at two depth intervals (0–8 and 8–52 cm) to determine the relationships between soil and plant nutrients following fire. Microsite affected soil nutrients but did not influence plant tissue concentrations with the exception of F. idahoensis. Burning resulted in increases in soil surface NH z ,N O { , inorganic N, Ca 2+ ,M n 2+ , and Zn 2+ . Increases in NO { , inorganic N, and Zn 2+ were also observed in deeper horizons. Burning did not affect aboveground plant biomass or nutrient concentrations in the first year with the exception of F. idahoensis, which had increased tissue P. By the second year, all species had statistically significant responses to burning. The most common response was for increased aboveground plant weight and tissue N concentrations. Plant response to burning appeared to be related to the burn treatment and the soil variables surface K + ,N O { , and inorganic N.
Vanadium Respiration by Geobacter metallireducens: Novel Strategy for In Situ Removal of Vanadium from Groundwater

Vanadium can be an important contaminant in groundwaters impacted by mining activities. In order to determine if microorganisms of the Geobacteraceae, the predominant dissimilatory metal reducers in many subsurface environments, were capable of reducing vanadium(V), Geobacter metallireducens was inoculated into a medium in which acetate was the electron donor and vanadium(V) was the sole electron acceptor. Reduction of vanadium(V) resulted in the production of vanadium(IV), which subsequently precipitated. Reduction of vanadium(V) was associated with cell growth with a generation time of 15 h. No vanadium(V) was reduced and no precipitate was formed in heat-killed or abiotic controls. Acetate was the most effective of all the electron donors evaluated. When acetate was injected into the subsurface to enhance the growth and activity of Geobacteraceae in an aquifer contaminated with uranium and vanadium, vanadium was removed from the groundwater even more effectively than uranium. These studies demonstrate that G. metallireducens can grow via vanadium(V) respiration and that stimulating the activity of Geobacteraceae, and hence vanadium(V) reduction, can be an effective strategy for in situ immobilization of vanadium in contaminated subsurface environments.
Low-storage, Explicit Runge-Kutta Schemes for the Compressible Navier-Stokes Equations

The derivation of low-storage, explicit Runge-Kutta (ERK) schemes has been performed in the context of integrating the compressible Navier-Stokes equations via direct numerical simulation. Optimization of ERK methods is done across the broad range of properties, such as stability and accuracy efficiency, linear and nonlinear stability, error control reliability, step change stability, and dissipation/dispersion accuracy, subject to varying degrees of memory economization. Following van der Houwen and Wray, 16 ERK pairs are presented using from two to five registers of memory per equation, per grid point and having accuracies from third- to fifth-order. Methods have been assessed using the differential equation testing code DETEST, and with the 1D wave equation. Two of the methods have been applied to the DNS of a compressible jet as well as methane-air and hydrogen-air flames. Derived 3(2) and 4(3) pairs are competitive with existing full-storage methods. Although a substantial efficiency penalty accompanies use of two- and three-register, fifth-order methods, the best contemporary full-storage methods can be nearly matched while still saving two to three registers of memory.
Changing Patterns of Social Integration: A Prehistoric Example from the American Southwest1

Social integration is a key concept to modern social anthropology. Furthermore, it is a concept of long standing concern in the field. The means by which individuals and social groups are integrated to form a cohesive whole must be understood if one is to understand the workings of the social system itself. Interest in the means by which societies achieve social integration, cohesion, or social solidarity extends deep into the historical roots of anthropology. During the time of the American Civil War, the French Sociological School was beginning to develop, and one of its first concerns was with the nature of social systems and means of social integration. This interest in social cohesion was transmitted from Fustel de Coulanges (1864), one of the first names associated with the rise of French Sociology, to one of his most famous students, Emile Durkheim. Durkheim devoted much of his intellectual energy to the investigation of social solidarity. His book, The Division of Labor in Society (1893), is a classic in the field, and in it, he explicitly raises the question of social integration in his discussion of Organic and Mechanical Solidarity. In a later work, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (1912), he concerns himself with religion as a basic means of social integration. Interest continued among the French sociologists from Durkheim's time to the present day as seen in the work of Marcel Mauss (1925) and Claude LeviStrauss (1949), to name only two. Concern with social integration is central to modern anthropology. This can be seen in the writings of such workers as Eggan (1950:43-44; 216ff; 303-304), Fortes (1936), Gluckman (1959), Service (1962), and Steward (1955:168-172). So central to the field is the concept of social integration, that Nadel (1951:165) was led to remark that it is ". . . the very essence of society itself. .. ." The mechanisms of integration are extremely varied, including kinship, religion, prescriptive marriage, reciprocal exchange of goods and services, and many more. Regardless of the type of cohesion, it is an essential factor to the workings of a social system and, as such, it is adaptive in nature. Changes in the nature of social integration can be viewed in relation to alterations in other parts of the cultural system as an adaptive response to other factors, such as environmental change, or basic change in the technological order.
Neutrophil elastase-processing defect in cyclic hematopoietic dogs.

Objective Canine cyclic hematopoiesis (CH), a model of human cyclic neutropenia and severe congenital neutropenia, is characterized by a periodic reduced neutrophil count and decreased neutrophil elastase (NE) enzymatic activity. Canine CH is caused by a mutation of AP3B1 encoding the β3A subunit of adaptor protein complex–3 (AP-3). It has been proposed that trafficking of elastase is affected by AP-3. The aim of this study was to study intracellular sorting/trafficking of NE in CH dogs using antibodies specific to canine NE. Materials and Methods Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies were generated to immunogenic epitopes in the middle (aa85–98) and C-terminal (aa269–282) regions of NE. The antibodies to canine NE were characterized by Western immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. Results Antibody ELA85 (antibody to canine NE aa 85–98) specifically recognized mature 28-kD NE. Immunocytochemical analysis using ELA85 and an antibody to myeloperoxidase demonstrated colocalizaton of NE and myeloperoxidase in primary granules of normal dogs. Antibody ELA269 (antibody to canine NE aa 269–282) reacted exclusively with the 33-kD NE presumptive precursor form. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated that the NE precursor was not colocalized with myeloperoxidase in the primary granules of normal or CH dogs. Western immunoblotting using these antibodies demonstrated that CH dogs contained reduced mature NE, but accumulated a large amount of the NE precursor protein that was not enzymatically active. Conclusion Antibodies ELA85 and ELA269 were found to be useful reagents for studying the biosynthesis, processing, and trafficking of NE during normal myelopoiesis. Neutrophils from CH dogs accumulated large amounts of higher molecular weight elastase precursors compared to normal dogs.
Job design in temporal context: a career dynamics perspective

Leading theories of job design have neglected to incorporate the important context of time into their premises, hindering these theories' explanatory power and utility. We demonstrate how systematically incorporating the context of time, in relation to the specific example of career dynamics, will improve our understanding of job design. We discuss the contribution of time by examining how career dynamics may influence employees' reactions to stimulating jobs and their propensity to craft more stimulating jobs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Testing the Generalizability of Intervening Mechanism Theories: Understanding the Effects of Adolescent Drug Use Prevention Interventions

Outcome research has shown that drug prevention programs based on theories of social influence often prevent the onset of adolescent drug use. However, little is known empirically about the processes through which they have their effects. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate intervening mechanism theories of two program models for preventing the onset of adolescent drug use. Analyses based on a total of 3077 fifth graders participating in the Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Trial revealed that both normative education and resistance training activated the causal processes they targeted. While beliefs about prevalence and acceptability significantly mediated the effects of normative education on subsequent adolescent drug use, resistance skills did not significantly predict subsequent drug use. More impressively, this pattern of results was virtually the same across sex, ethnicity, context (public versus private school students), drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) and levels of risk and was durable across time. These findings strongly suggest that successful social influence-based prevention programs may be driven primarily by their ability to foster social norms that reduce an adolescent's social motivation to begin using alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana.
Calreticulin gene mutations in the myeloproliferative neoplasms: Dameshek's other "myelostimulatory" factor.

In his landmark perspective written in 1951, William Dameshek fi rst characterized “ myeloproliferative disorders ” ( “ MPDs ” ) as a related group of diseases, alluding to the presence of a shared “ myelostimulatory factor ” accounting for overlapping clinical and laboratory features [1]. Nearly 55 years after this speculation, the JAK2 V617F mutation was discovered in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and myelofi brosis (MF) [2 – 5]. Shortly thereafter, mutations of the thrombopoeitin receptor MPL were reported in a minority of patients with ET and MF [6]. Th e discovery of these driver mutations contributed greatly to the understanding of the myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) phenotype and pathogenesis, enhanced diagnostic capability and led to the development of novel therapeutics; consequently, Dameshek ’ s original “ MPDs ” were reclassifi ed as neoplasms, or “ MPNs. ” However, as many as 40% of patients with ET and MF remained molecularly undefi ned by a driver mutation until late 2013, when the fi rst reports of calreticulin ( CALR ) gene mutations in JAK2/MPL -negative patients were published, representing Dameshek ’ s third myelostimulatory factor in the MPN [7,8]. In less than 1 year from this discovery, there is accumulating evidence suggesting distinctions in clinical phenotype and prognosis in patients with CALR -mutated ET and MF. In one of the early reports, Klampfl et al . reported CALR mutations in 67% and 88% of patients with JAK2/ MPL -negative ET and MF, respectively [7]. Type 1 (52 bp deletion; c.1092_1143del) and type 2 (5 bp insertion; c.1154_1155insTTGTC) mutations accounted for the majority of cases, but the former were more common in MF, compared to ET. Regarding clinical phenotype, when compared to patients with JAK2- mutated disease, patients with CALR mutated ET and MF had a lower leukocyte count and a higher platelet count (patients with CALR -mutated ET also had a lower hemoglobin [Hgb] level compared to patients with JAK2 -positive ET). In a companion publication, Nangalia et al . reported CALR mutations in 26 of 31 (84%) JAK2/MPL negative samples that underwent whole exome sequencing; in a follow-up cohort, 71% and 56% of patients with JAK2 V617F/MPL -negative ET and MF had CALR mutations [8]. Similarly, patients with CALR -mutated disease had lower Hgb levels and higher platelet counts compared to patients with JAK2 -mutated disease. In two large studies of patients with ET [9,10], similar blood count associations were noted, but one report associated CALR with younger age [10] and a second with male gender [9], complementing observations of gender-diff erences in MPN [11,12].
Structural and topographic evolution of the central Transverse Ranges, California, from apatite fission-track, (U-Th)/He and digital elevation model analyses

Apatite fission-track (FT) and (U–Th)/He analyses are used to constrain the low-temperature thermal history of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains (SGM and SBM), which are part of the southern California Transverse Ranges. FT ages from 33 SGM samples range from 3 to 64 Ma. Helium ages, ranging from 3 to 43 Ma, were obtained from 13 of these samples: all of the He ages are the same or younger than their respective FT ages. FT ages from 10 SBM samples were older, ranging from 45 to 90 Ma. The FT and He data document at least three phases of cooling in the SGM, but only two in the SBM. Prior to ~7 Ma, the thermal history of the SGM appears to have been nearly identical to many of the core complexes in the Basin and Range of south-eastern California: a major phase of cooling is indicated from ~60 to 40 Ma, with a more recent phase beginning at ~23 Ma and continuing until ~10 Ma. The similarity of this timing to that of core complexes suggests that the SGM also originated as a core complex, when the rocks were adjacent to the Chocolate–Orocopia Mountains, and that some of the range-bounding faults were initially extensional. In the SBM, the two phases of cooling documented by the FT data occurred from ~65 to 55 Ma, and from ~18 Ma to the present. The timing on the second phase is very poorly constrained and, therefore, we do not speculate on the origin of the SBM. The most recent phase of cooling appears to have begun at ~7 Ma in the SGM, as the result of the onset of contractional deformation. A more accelerated phase of cooling may have begun at ~3 Ma. Distinct variations in the total amounts and rates of cooling between different fault-bounded blocks within the SGM are documented since 7 Ma. We use these variations in cooling rates to calculate denudation rates, which are then compared to topographic characteristics for each structural block. These comparisons suggest that more rapid bedrock uplift in the eastern and southern part of the range has strongly affected the present-day physiography. Despite a higher mean elevation, the SBM are much less dissected than the SGM, suggesting that the most recent phase of cooling and bedrock uplift began in the last 3 Myr, much later than the initiation of recent bedrock uplift in the SGM.
Electroantennogram responses ofHyles lineata (Sphingidae: Lepidoptera) to volatile compounds fromClarkia breweri (Onagraceae) and other moth-pollinated flowers

Electroantennograms (EAGs) from field-collectedHyles lineata moths were recorded in response to 10 individual floral volatiles identified fromClarkia breweri (Onagraceae), to 22 scent compounds produced by other moth-pollinated flowers and to eight ubiquitous “green leaf volatiles.” Females' EAGs were generally 1.5- to 2-fold greater than those observed for male moths. Female:male EAG rank orders were significantly correlated, but marked differences in order were observed for some compounds (e.g., benzyl alcohol, cinnamic aldehyde, geraniol, and linalool). Linalool, benzyl acetate, methyl salicylate, and pyranoid linalool oxide elicited the largest EAG responses (−1.2 to −0.8 mV) among scent compounds fromC. breweri. EAG responses were significantly lower for monoterpenes as a pooled compound class than for aromatic esters, alcohols and aldehydes, fatty acid derivatives, N-bearing compounds and oxygenated terpenoids. EAG responses to structurally related scent compounds were not significantly different in most cases. Both male and femaleH. lineata were sensitive to mostC. breweri scent compounds at 10−2 to 10−4 µg/µl doses, and rank order in potency varied with the dose/concentration tested.H. lineata's olfactory sensitivity to diverse volatile compounds across a range of doses/concentrations suggests that a broad array of volatiles could function as floral attractants for foraging hawkmoths.
Prospective Personal Health Record Use Among Different User Groups: Results of a Multi-wave Study

Personal health records (PHRs) systems are a subject of intense interest in the move to improve health care through consumer empowerment. Yet, despite a surge of PHR offerings from a variety of providers, little research has been done to learn what prospective users want in a PHR and how they will use these systems. Because managing their personal health care information is a novel undertaking for most people, traditional technology adoption study methods are difficult to employ in researching PHRs. This paper reports on a user-centered design study that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate how health status may affect user needs for PHR. Preliminary analysis of the results indicates that users with disabilities differ from others in their PHR preferences. The results suggest that a particularly motivating factor for disabled individuals is the way in which a PHR will function when emergency services are required.
Gumshoe: a model for undergraduate computational journalism education

This paper describes a collaboration between computer science and journalism students and professors at our small, primarily undergraduate college, and a large metropolitan newspaper. Our students' work was a catalyst for a hard-hitting series of investigative stories, with far-reaching consequences. The Gumshoe project is a model for computational journalism at an undergraduate institution. The project demonstrates that when computer scientists and journalists reach out across disciplinary boundaries, computational thinking and collaboration can solve a real problem, and have a substantive impact on society.
Model-Following Control of a Military Helicopter with Damage Mitigation

This paper investigates the feasibility and potential benefits of damage mitigating control (DMC) for rotorcraft. The controller is applied to regulate rotor speed and control vertical speed and pitch attitude on a military helicopter, with the objective of minimizing damage to the main rotor transmission, while maintaining Level 1 handling qualities over a range of flight conditions. An explicit model-following control scheme is used, in which the feedback portion is designed using an LQR solution. The controllers are gain scheduled with damage reduction and total airspeed as parameters. The damage is represented by the length of a crack in the main bevel pinion of the helicopter transmission. The results of nonlinear simulations over a range of airspeeds show good tracking performance with no damage mitigation, and an acceptable tradeoff of performance for damage reduction at higher levels of damage mitigation. Evaluation of handling qualities against the ADS-33E specification shows excellent performance (Level 1) with no damage mitigation. As the amount of damage mitigation increases, handling qualities degrade, moving closer to, or into, Level 2 for large amounts of damage mitigation. The controller has been integrated with an upper level supervisory control system that selects the damage mitigation level based on the current damage level and mission scenario of the aircraft.
Improving QA Accuracy by Question Inversion

This paper demonstrates a conceptually simple but effective method of increasing the accuracy of QA systems on factoid-style questions. We define the notion of an inverted question, and show that by requiring that the answers to the original and inverted questions be mutually consistent, incorrect answers get demoted in confidence and correct ones promoted. Additionally, we show that lack of validation can be used to assert no-answer (nil) conditions. We demonstrate increases of performance on TREC and other question-sets, and discuss the kinds of future activities that can be particularly beneficial to approaches such as ours.
Memes and suicide

The concept of memes is analyzed, and its applicability to suicidology explored. Proposals are made for possible memes implicated in suicidal behavior. A classification of suicidal memes is proposed and the relationship between memes and archetypes of suicide is discussed. It is suggested that the terminology of meme theory can sharpen research into imitation effects in suicide.
Yeast Rap1 contributes to genomic integrity by activating DNA damage repair genes

Rap1 (repressor-activator protein 1) is a multifunctional protein that controls telomere function, silencing and the activation of glycolytic and ribosomal protein genes. We have identified a novel function for Rap1, regulating the ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) genes that are required for DNA repair and telomere expansion. Both the C terminus and DNA-binding domain of Rap1 are required for the activation of the RNR genes, and the phenotypes of different Rap1 mutants suggest that it utilizes both regions to carry out distinct steps in the activation process. Recruitment of Rap1 to the RNR3 gene is dependent on activation of the DNA damage checkpoint and chromatin remodelling by SWI/SNF. The dependence on SWI/SNF for binding suggests that Rap1 acts after remodelling to prevent the repositioning of nucleosomes back to the repressed state. Furthermore, the recruitment of Rap1 requires TAFIIs, suggesting a role for TFIID in stabilizing activator binding in vivo. We propose that Rap1 acts as a rheostat controlling nucleotide pools in response to shortened telomeres and DNA damage, providing a mechanism for fine-tuning the RNR genes during checkpoint activation.
VDAC2 is required for truncated BID-induced mitochondrial apoptosis by recruiting BAK to the mitochondria

Truncated BID (tBID), a proapoptotic BCL2 family protein, induces BAK/BAX-dependent release of cytochrome c and other mitochondrial intermembrane proteins to the cytosol to induce apoptosis. The voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) are the primary gates for solutes across the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM); however, their role in apoptotic OMM permeabilization remains controversial. Here, we report that VDAC2−/− (V2−/−) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) are virtually insensitive to tBID-induced OMM permeabilization and apoptosis, whereas VDAC1−/−, VDAC3−/− and VDAC1−/−/VDAC3−/− MEFs respond normally to tBID. V2−/− MEFs regain tBID sensitivity after VDAC2 expression. Furthermore, V2−/− MEFs are deficient in mitochondrial BAK despite normal tBID–mitochondrial binding and BAX/BAK expression. tBID sensitivity of BAK−/− MEFs is also reduced, although not to the same extent as V2−/− MEFs, which might result from their strong overexpression of BAX. Indeed, addition of recombinant BAX also sensitized V2−/− MEFs to tBID. Thus, VDAC2 acts as a crucial component in mitochondrial apoptosis by allowing the mitochondrial recruitment of BAK, thereby controlling tBID-induced OMM permeabilization and cell death.
Blastomycosis in Children: An Analysis of Clinical, Epidemiologic, and Genetic Features.

Background Blastomyces spp. are endemic in regions of the United States and result in blastomycosis, a serious and potentially fatal infection. Little is known about the presentation, clinic course, epidemiology, and genetics of blastomycosis in children. Methods A retrospective review of children with blastomycosis confirmed by culture or cytopathology between 1999 and 2014 was completed. Blastomyces sp. isolates were genotyped by using microsatellite typing, and species were typed by sequencing of internal transcribed spacer 2 (its2). Results Of the 114 children with blastomycosis identified, 79% had isolated pulmonary involvement and 21% had extrapulmonary disease. There were more systemic findings, including fever (P = .01), poor intake (P = .01), elevated white blood cell count (P < .01), and elevated C-reactive protein level (P < .01), in children with isolated pulmonary disease than in children with extrapulmonary disease. Children with extrapulmonary disease had more surgeries (P = .01) and delays in diagnosis (P < .01) than those with isolated pulmonary infection. Of 52 samples genotyped, 48 (92%) were Blastomyces gilchristii and 4 (8%) were Blastomyces dermatitidis. Conclusion This is the first large-scale study of the clinical, epidemiologic, and genetic features of blastomycosis in children. The majority of the children had isolated pulmonary disease with systemic findings. Patients with extrapulmonary disease were less likely to have systemic symptoms or additional laboratory evidence of infection, which made delays in diagnosis more common. More than 90% of the pediatric cases were caused by B gilchristii.