cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex and Labor Trafficking in Paraguay: Risk Factors, Needs Assessment, and the Role of the Health Care System.

Trafficking of adults and children for both sex and labor is a human rights violation occurring with alarming frequency throughout the world, and resulting in profound harm to close-knit communities and severe health consequences for victims. Certain areas, such as the country of Paraguay, are at a higher risk for trafficking due to unique economic, cultural, and geographic factors. Thousands of people, especially children, are trafficked within Paraguay's borders, and many eventually are transported to neighboring countries and sometimes to Europe and elsewhere. Using case study methodology and "city" as the unit of study, researchers interviewed 18 key anti-trafficking stakeholders from government and nongovernmental organizations in two major metropolitan centers for trafficking in Paraguay, Asuncion, and Encarnacion. Through semistructured interviews, this qualitative study examines risk factors for trafficking, health outcomes, interventions needed within the health care sector, and programs needed to combat trafficking. We identified risk factors including poverty, marginalization of indigenous people, gender inequality, domestic servitude of children (criadazgo), and political hesitance to enact protective legislation. Victims of trafficking were reported to suffer from physical injuries, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and mental health issues such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. These predispose victims to difficulties reintegrating into their communities and ultimately to retrafficking. A major gap was identified in the lack of sufficient lodging and rehabilitation services for rescued victims, affordable access to trauma-sensitive health care for victims, and scarce mental health services. Many of the findings are applicable across the world and may be of use to guide future anti-trafficking efforts in Paraguay and beyond.
Conventional Harvest Index Methods may Overestimate Biomass and Nutrient Removal from Abscising Crop Species

Harvest index (HI) is conventionally measured using end-of-season biomass, but leaf abscission during crop growth can represent a substantial portion of total crop biomass for several species. A fi...
A Model for Preparing Teachers to Teach with the Microcomputer.

24 depending on the individual teacher's responsibilities. All teachers should know about the computer its history, its impact on society, ethical questions involved in large computer data bases, and the nontechnical aspects of the limitations and capabilities of computers. Teachers also need to know how to integrate the computer into their teaching, which includes knowing the instructional uses of the computer and how to evaluate software. Evaluating software depends not only on knowing content and good teaching practices but also on understanding a programming language and how a program controls what the computer does. Mathematics teachers at all levels, as well as teachers of gifted elementary children and computer specialists, should understand how a computer works and how to control it well enough to use it as a general-purpose tool for problem solving. These teachers should be able to read, understand, and modify programs; analyze problems; develop algorithms; flowchart (or develop a plan in psuedocode); and write and debug programs.
High potential, near free molecular regime Coulombic collisions in aerosols and dusty plasmas

AbstractDetermination of the particle charge in aerosols and dusty plasmas requires an accurate calculation of the particle-ion collision kernel taking into account the particle-ion Coulombic coupling and ion-neutral gas molecule collisions. While the effect of Coulombic interactions of any strength is described accurately in the continuum limit and free molecular limit, an accurate physical description at intermediate collisional regimes remains elusive. Specifically, the Coulomb influenced collisions between oppositely charged particles and ions have evaded accurate theoretical description in the past. We use Langevin dynamics (LD) calculations to infer the non-dimensional collision kernel H as a function of the electrostatic potential energy to thermal energy ratio ΨE and the diffusive Knudsen number KnD, the index of ion-neutral collisionality in a finite pressure system. The LD approach yields a simple, approximate treatment of particle charging in the entire ion-neutral collision regime under the as...
A Preliminary Study of Parent Activation, Parent-Teacher Alliance, Transition Planning Quality, and IEP and Postsecondary Goal Attainment of Students with ASD

The school, student and family factors underlying poor postsecondary outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not well understood. The potential impact of school [e.g., transition planning quality (TPQ)], family (e.g., parent activation), and student factors (e.g., adaptive functioning) and their interaction (e.g., parent-teacher alliance) on student outcomes were examined. Student IQ and adaptive behavior, TPQ, and alliance correlated with IEP progress, with postsecondary goal attainment generally and with student participation in training/education, specifically. However, only parent activation and student externalizing behavior correlated with employment. Families and students, rather than school personnel, were the primary persons in charge and in control of the implementation of postsecondary plans and required help across multiple coaching sessions to implement plans fully.
Prediction of Dissolution of Sustained Release Coated Ciprofloxacin Beads Using Near-infrared Spectroscopy and Process Parameters: a Data Fusion Approach

The aim of the work is to develop a data fusion model using near-infrared (NIR) and process parameters for the predictions of drug dissolution from controlled release multiparticulate beads. Using a design of experiments, ciprofloxacin-coated beads were manufactured and critical process parameters such as air volume, product temperature, curing temperature, and curing time were measured; environmental humidity was monitored using a Pyrobuttons®. The NIR spectra were decomposed using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA scores were fused with process measurements and all variables were autoscaled. The autoscaled variables were regressed against measured dissolution data at 1 h and 2 h time points; the PLS regression used quadratic and cross terms. The NIR spectra only model using data collected at the end of bead curing generated a PLS model using 5 latent variables with R2 equal to 0.245 and 0.299 and RMSECV 13.23 and 13.12 for the 1 h and 2 h dissolution time points, respectively. The low R2 and high root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) values indicate that NIR spectra alone were insufficient to model the drug release. Similar results were obtained for NIR model using data collected at the end of spraying phase. Models with fused spectral and process data yielded better prediction with R2 above 0.88 and RMSECV less than 5% for the 1 h and 2 h dissolution time points. The data fusion model predicted dissolution profiles with an error less than 10%.
Impact of Wartime Stress Exposures and Mental Health on Later-Life Functioning and Disability in Vietnam-Era Women Veterans: Findings From the Health of Vietnam-Era Women's Study.

Objective The effect of stress exposures and mental health sequelae on health-related outcomes is understudied among older women veterans. We examined a) the impact of wartime stress exposures on later-life functioning and disability in Vietnam-era women veterans and b) the extent to which mental health conditions known to be associated with stress-posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)-are associated with additional later-life functioning and disability. Methods Data were collected in 2011 to 2012 using a mail survey and telephone interview of 4219 women veterans who were active duty during the Vietnam Era. Health functioning was assessed using the Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey, and disability was assessed using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Wartime exposures were assessed using the Women's War-Zone Stressor Scale-Revised; the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, version 3.0 was used to assess PTSD, MDD, and GAD. Results Several wartime stress exposures-including job-related pressures, dealing with death, and sexual discrimination and harassment-were associated with worse later-life health (β ranges, -0.04 to -0.26 for functioning, 0.05 to 0.30 for disability). Current PTSD was linked with lower health functioning (physical, β = -0.06; mental, β = -0.15) and greater disability (β = 0.14). Current MDD and GAD were also associated with lower mental health functioning (MDD, β = -0.29; GAD, β = -0.10) and greater disability (MDD, β = 0.16; GAD, β = 0.06). Conclusions Results underscore the importance of detection and treatment of the potential long-term effects of wartime stressors and mental health conditions among women veterans.
The Air-Sea Exchange of Particulate Organic Matter: The Sources and Long-Range Transport of Lipids in Aerosols

The sources, composition, transport pathways and fluxes of organic components in the atmosphere are just beginning to be understood. Only recently have studies been undertaken to ascertain the processes controlling the spatial distributions of these substances. However, aside from methane and some halocarbons, relatively few measurements of vapor phase or particulate organic material have been made outside urban areas (for recent reviews see Duce, 1978; Simoneit and Mazurek, 1981; Duce and Gagosian, 1982; Buat-Menard, 1983; Duce et al., 1983a; Gagosian, 1983). In general these studies have utilized the biomarker approach to assign terrestrial, marine, or anthropogenic origins to the organic components of the aerosols. This approach takes advantage of the unique molecular signatures or source “fingerprints” for various lipid compound classes of marine and terrestrial plants and animals to identify the sources of the organic substances in aerosols. Although these compounds represent a small portion of the organic matter in aerosols, they are excellent tracers for the sources and transformations of this material. This “tracer” approach for lipid class compounds is somewhat analogous to the use of natural and bomb fallout radionuclides in the study of oceanic and atmospheric processes.
Operational based stochastic cluster regression-based modeling for predicting condition rating of highway tunnels

Despite the higher capital costs of tunnels and supplementary cost of maintenance, fewer deterioration models have been built compared with other highway components. Most of these models were limit...
Resolution of venous pressure gradient in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension after ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement: A proof of secondary cerebral sinovenous stenosis

Background The relationship between idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and cerebral sinovenous stenosis (CSS) remains unclear. The effects of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion on venous sinus physiology have not been rigorously investigated. We describe the effect of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement on sinovenous pressures in the setting of IIH and CSS. Case description A patient in their 30 s presented with headache and transient visual obscurations for few months and was diagnosed with IIH. Catheter cerebral venography showed focal stenosis of the right transverse sinus (TS) with a trans-stenosis pressure gradient (TSG) of 20 mmHg. The patient was treated with VPS. During the procedure, we performed a real-time measurement of ventricular CSF and cerebral sinovenous pressures. VPS selectively reduced the TS pressure and abolished the preoperative TS-TSG within 20 min of CSF diversion without altering the sigmoid sinus (SS) pressure. Our findings suggest that CSS can be an epiphenomenon, rather than the primary etiology in some patients with IIH. Conclusion IIH is a challenging condition, in certain patients the radiographic stenosis and trans-stenosis gradient were an epiphenomenon because of the increased intracranial pressure that resulted in reversible TS-SS stenosis.
Substance use among women who are pregnant: Examining treatment completion by race and ethnicity.

Abstract Substance use during pregnancy is a critical public health issue that affects both the mother and the fetus. While research has assessed racial differences in treatment completion among women who are pregnant for specific types of substances, few studies have evaluated treatment completion for a variety of substances. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine racial differences in substance use treatment completion among women who are pregnant. The study derived data from the 2017 Treatment Episode Data-Discharges (TEDS-D) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). TEDS-D documents annual discharges from publicly funded substance use treatment programs in the United States, collected by each state and aggregated by SAMHSA. The study used Chi square tests for bivariate analyses and used logistic regression models to predict treatment completion by race and ethnicity. After accounting for other explanatory factors, Black and Hispanic women who were pregnant were significantly less likely to complete treatment compared to Whites. These differences were evident even after examining the interaction between race and substance of use. The study found no differences between Indigenous and Other race women who were pregnant and Whites. Results indicate the need to examine cultural, historical, and systemic factors that could affect lower treatment completion among Black and Hispanic women who are pregnant. Interventions should, therefore, move beyond the impact of socioeconomic factors and focus on the role of social support, external responsibilities, and the criminalizing of substance use during pregnancy.
Some Suggested Cautions for Pregnant Women

Researchers continue to find new ways to protect the fetus and newborn from hazards posed by the environment through infectious and chemical agents. Research indicates that for women infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, antibiotic treatment reduces the incidence of harmful effects this infection can have on the fetus. In addition, researchers have concluded that women's breast milk can be a source of lead exposure in infants. Maternal use of calcium supplements, however, can decrease the risk of lead transfer by reducing the mobilization of skeletal mineral stores.
Professional Report from the First National Conference on Outdoor Education

(1958). Professional Report from the First National Conference on Outdoor Education. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 8-11.
Movements in Pipe Conduits Under Earth Dams

Data from a field study of movements in pipe conduits under earth dams on compressible foundations are presented and analyzed. Based on the analysis, a tentative method for estimating the magnitude of the maximum transverse horizontal strain induced along the embankment foundation interface is proposed. The method is designed to avoid the necessity of estimating either the modulus of elasticity or the Poisson’s ratio of the soil.
Contribution of Interferon Signaling to Host Defense Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of infection in immunocompromised individuals, and often associated with hospital acquired pneumonias. P. aeruginosa activates type I interferon (IFN) signaling through the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the bacterial surface. Interaction between LPS and the host receptor TLR4 initiates type I IFN through the adaptor proteins TRIF and IRF3. The role of type I IFN signaling during infection is unclear at best; however, defective type I IFN signaling has been linked to the chronic respiratory infections observed in cystic fibrosis patients. This chapter will discuss how type I IFN in activated by P. aeruginosa, the current data describing its contribution to host defense, and the potential contributions of other IFN pathways in the response to this pathogen.
Reversing the recruitment order with electrode array stimulation

Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerve activates large-diameter fibers before small ones, a recruitment order opposite to the physiological one. Methods proposed to solve this problem require a long-duration stimulus pulse which could lead to electrode corrosion and nerve damage. This study presents a stimulation technique capable of activating small fibers before large ones by manipulating the extracellular voltage using an array of electrodes placed along the nerve and the technique is independent of stimulus pulsewidth. The electrode array was tested in two cats on lateral gastrocnemius (LG) nerve which innervated both LG and soleus muscles. The LG has fast-twitch fibers and is innervated by large axons, whereas the soleus has slow-twitch fibers and is innervated by smaller axons. A stimulus electrode was placed around LG nerve. Tendons of LG and soleus muscles were separated and attached to two independent force transducers. The recruitment curves generated by tripolar and array electrodes were compared. Tripolar stimulation recruited LG before soleus muscles as expected, whereas the electrode array fully activated soleus while activating only 50% of LG muscles. These results show that the electrode array is capable of reversing the recruitment order by manipulating the extracellular voltage along the nerve.
A novel pantothenate kinase gene ( PANK2 ) is defective in Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome

Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome (HSS) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder associated with iron accumulation in the brain. Clinical features include extrapyramidal dysfunction, onset in childhood, and a relentlessly progressive course. Histologic study reveals iron deposits in the basal ganglia. In this respect, HSS may serve as a model for complex neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, Huntington disease and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy, in which pathologic accumulation of iron in the brain is also observed. Thus, understanding the biochemical defect in HSS may provide key insights into the regulation of iron metabolism and its perturbation in this and other neurodegenerative diseases. Here we show that HSS is caused by a defect in a novel pantothenate kinase gene and propose a mechanism for oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of the disease.
The price of beer

This paper is an empirical exploration into factors which are responsible for differences in the inter-state price of beer. Though primarily a statistical exercise, the current work has implications for policy decisions. In particular, the role of taxes and regulatory constraints on the relationships between brewer, wholesaler, and retailer are highlighted. Using an, as yet, untapped data source, regression analysis indicates that a substantial proportion of the variance in the inter-state price of beer can be explained by demand pressure, transportation costs, and the price of substitutes, as well as taxes and the presence of legally-mandated exclusive territories governing the wholesale distribution of beer.
Katherine A. Kendall (USA), Honorary President since 1978

For more than two-thirds of the life of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), Katherine Kendall has been among its leaders. She began her involvement in 1950, served as the first paid Secretary General of the Association in the 1970's and, now in her late 90's, continues to share her wisdom as Honorary President. Beginning in 1950, she attended all the IASSW congresses except 2 (1990 and 1998) until 2004, when health issues prevented long international trips. She personally knew and worked with every President except the first. Thus, although the IASSW began with sustained involvement and contributions of two remarkable founders, Alice Salomon and Rene Sand, Kendall has surpassed all in terms of her enduring commitment to international social work education and its professional organization. Kendall's remarkable professional career spans 7 decades. Her international involvements began even earlier. This article will focus on highlights of her international career, especially her IASSW service. It will also discuss her formative years and mention other aspects of contributions. Materials for the article are drawn from published and unpublished interviews conducted by other scholars, Kendall's own writings, and a personal interview conducted by the author in 2007.
Crystalline L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli B. II. Physical properties, subunits, and reconstitution behavior.

Abstract Crystalline l-asparaginase from Escherichia coli B has been shown to consist of four subunits (mol wt 33,000) by the methods of sedimentation velocity and equilibrium, viscosity, and electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate on polyacrylamide gels. The dissociation-reconstitution behavior of the enzyme has been characterized. The native enzyme does not dissociate into subunits in neutral aqueous solutions at protein concentrations as low as 15 µg per ml. No evidence for an intermediate form between the native protein (mol wt 133,000) and its 33,000 molecular weight subunits is found. The enzyme can be dissociated into its subunits in 7 m urea and 5 m guanidine and then its disulfides can be reduced. No enzymatic activity remains. Upon reoxidation and reconstitution the enzyme regains at least 85% of its original activity. The physical properties of the native and reconstituted enzyme are virtually identical. The enzyme appears to be essentially globular in shape in aqueous solution. Approximately 30% of the tyrosine residues titrate readily. Titration of the remaining tyrosine residues results in the dissociation and denaturation of the enzyme.
Advances in Medical Management of Early Stage and Advanced Breast Cancer: 2015

Standard management of early stage and advanced breast cancer has been improved over the past few years by knowledge gained about the biology of the disease, results from a number of eagerly anticipated clinical trials and the development of novel agents that offer our patients options for improved outcomes or reduced toxicity or both. This review highlights recent major developments affecting the systemic therapy of breast cancer, broken down by clinically relevant patient subgroups and disease stage, and briefly discusses some of the ongoing controversies in the treatment of breast cancer and promising therapies on the horizon.
ProbMap -- A probabilistic approach for mapping large document collections

The visualization of large text databases and document collections is an important step towards more flexible and interactive types of information access and retrieval. This paper presents a probabilistic approach which combines a statistical, model-based analysis of a given set of documents with a topological visualization principle. Our method can be utilized to derive topic maps, which represent topical information by characteristic keyword distributions arranged in a two-dimensional spatial layout. Combined with multi-resolution techniques this provides a three-dimensional space for interactive information navigation in large text collections.
Measuring pain in the context of homelessness

Purpose The primary objective of this study was to inform the development of measures of pain impact appropriate for all respondents, including homeless individuals, so that they can be used in clinical research and practice. The secondary objective was to increase understanding about the unique experience of homeless people with pain.
A cometary impact model for the source of Libyan Desert glass

Abstract The origin of Libyan Desert glass has, to this point, been an open question. The preponderance of physical, chemical, and geological evidence has ruled out volcanic activity, tectonic activity, silicate or iron meteoritic impact, and surface or subsurface fires as the phenomenon that created the glass. Here the hypothesis is put forth that the entire mass of Libyan Desert glass was created as a consequence of a long or short period comet impacting a sand medium in the Sand Sea area of Egypt. It is shown that the original melt volume was in the range of 3 × 107 m3 to 3 × 108 m3 and that a long or short period comet, with a density approximately that of ice, could produce a volume of initially molten sand sufficient size to account for the above initial volume of Libyan Desert glass. The calculations show that the formation of this glass is entirely consistent with the known facts involving the impact of extraterrestrial bodies, and that cometary impact is a most physically compelling explanation for the origin of this unique glass.
Engineering genetic disease resistance into crops: biotechnological approaches to crop protection

Abstract Modern molecular biological techniques are allowing deeper insights into plant-pathogen interactions than ever before. Cell-culture technology provides a powerful set of tools to produce disease-resistant plant genotypes. The unravelling of plant defence mechanisms and the cloning of resistance genes are now opening new avenues for the genetic engineering of crop plants with enhanced resistance to diseases. Dozens of field tests of genetically engineered plants with novel resistance properties have already been conducted. As major crop plants such as rice, maize, soybean, sugar beet, cotton and potato can now be routinely manipulated in cell culture and genetically transformed, it will only be a matter of time until transgenic varieties of these crops with engineered genetic resistance to fungal, bacterial and virus diseases will become available to the farmer. This review highlights some of the recent developments in the areas of plant cell biology and molecular plant pathology. The potential impact of resistant plant varieties on future crop protection practices is discussed, the major benefits offered by genetically engineered crops are emphasized and some of the obstacles that affect their public acceptance are outlined.
Hydrothermal reaction of albite and a sodium aluminosilicate glass: A solid-state NMR study

Abstract We present here a solid-state NMR study of the structure and chemical composition of the products and mechanisms of the reaction of crystalline low albite and a glass of nearly albite composition with aqueous solutions of pH from 1 to 11 at 250°C. For the crystalline albite, there are no detectable bulk or surface structural changes due to aqueous attack, consistent with the idea that both cation exchange and disruption of the aluminosilicate framework occur only near the mineral/solution interface and that the hydrated surface layer, if it exists, is not more than about 30 A thick. This reaction occurs by solution/reprecipitation, and its rate decreases with increasing solution pH, supporting the idea that the dissolution of feldspar is initiated by cation-exchange. For the glass, the reaction proceeds by cation exchange of protons for Na + , incorporation of molecular water into the bulk glass, and a small amount of depolymerization of the aluminosilicate framework in the interior of the glass. Cation exchange becomes less important with increasing solution pH. The incorporation of molecular water and cation-exchange cause structural changes in the glass via solidstate adjustment without dissolution/reprecipitation. The large cations in the hydrated glass (Na and K) probably have a shell of water molecules around them, with a maximum average coordination number of six. The secondary phases formed from both albite and the glass are often amorphous and can be well characterized by NMR. The compositional and structural variations of the amorphous phases are important factors in these reactions and cannot be ignored in theoretical models of aluminosilicate dissolution. As expected, the aluminum coordination in the secondary phases changes from six-fold to four-fold as the solution pH increases.
Political Rhetoric and the Structure of Political Opinion: Some Experimental Findings

ASS BELIEF systems research has generated a great deal more heat than light over the past fifteen years or so. Where Philip Converse (1964) once found evidence suggesting that politics and political issues were remote from the concerns of citizens' everyday lives, more recent studies have discovered substantially higher levels of belief consistency (or constraint) and ideological thinking among the American public.1 Explosive events, emotional issues, and controversial appeals by candidates for political office during the 1960s and early 1970s apparently combined to produce a crystallization of opinion at the mass level, and a growing polarization of society into contending liberal and conservative camps. Although it was unclear whether the observed changes represented a temporary deviation from the more "normal" patterns described by Converse, or a durable shift toward ideological confrontation in American politics, revisionist scholars were able to agree on one important point, i.e., that ideological sophistication is, at least in part, a function of political context and not solely an attribute of the individual citizen.
Theory of Speed and Power Factor Control of Large Induction Motors by Neutralized Polyphase Alternating-Current Commutator Machines

Theory of induction motor control, discussing singlerange (below synchronism only) speed and power factor control by means of a constant-speed series commutator motor, by means of a constant-speed shunt commutator motor, by means of a constant-speed compound excited commutator motor; double range (all speeds above or below synchronism) speed and power factor control by means of a constant-speed shunt commutator motor; and double-range (either above or below synchronism) operation ation remote from synchronism. The discussion is illustrated in detail, special attention being paid to the circle diagram.
High-Dose Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation Reduces Bone Resorption in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors on Aromatase Inhibitors: A Pilot Study

Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors are living longer; however, a common class of drugs, aromatase inhibitors (AI), depletes estrogen levels, promotes bone loss, and heightens fracture risk. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may offset AI effects to bone because of the known effects on cellular processes of bone turnover. Therefore, we hypothesized that 4 g of EPA and DHA daily for 3 mo would decrease bone turnover in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on AI therapy in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled pilot study that included 38 women. At baseline and 3 mo, serum fatty acids, bone turnover, and inflammatory markers were analyzed. Serum EPA and DHA, total and long-chain (LC) omega (n)-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased, whereas arachidonic acid, total and LC n-6 PUFA, and the LC n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio decreased compared to placebo (all P < .05). Bone resorption was inhibited in the fish oil responders compared to placebo (P < .05). Inflammatory markers...
Splicing of a yeast proline tRNA containing a novel suppressor mutation in the anticodon stem

Abstract The intron-containing proline tRNA UGG genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can mutate to suppress +1 frameshift mutations in proline codons via a G to U base substitution mutation at position 39. The mutation alters the 3′ splice junction and disrupts the bottom base-pair of the anticodon stem which presumably allows the tRNA to read a four-base codon. In order to understand the mechanism of suppression and to study the splicing of suppressor pre-tRNA, we determined the sequences of the mature wild-type and mutant suppressor gene products in vivo and analyzed splicing of the corresponding pre-tRNAs in vitro . We show that a novel tRNA isolated from suppressor strains is the product of frameshift suppressor genes. Sequence analysis indicated that suppressor pre-tRNA is spliced at the same sites as wild-type pre-tRNA. The tRNA therefore contains a four-base anticodon stem and nine-base anticodon loop. Analysis of suppressor pre-tRNA in vitro revealed that endonuclease cleavage at the 3′ splice junction occurred with reduced efficiency compared to wild-type. In addition, reduced accumulation of mature suppressor tRNA was observed in a combined cleavage and ligation reaction. These results suggest that cleavage at the 3′ splice junction is inefficient but not abolished. The novel tRNA from suppressor strains was shown to be the functional agent of suppression by deleting the intron from a suppressor gene. The tRNA produced in vivo from this gene is identical to that of the product of an intron + gene, indicating that the intron is not required for proper base modification. The product of the intron − gene is a more efficient suppressor than the product of an intron + gene. One interpretation of this result is that inefficient splicing in vivo may be limiting the steady-state level of mature suppressor tRNA.
A Novel Noise-Resistant Boosting Algorithm for Class-Skewed Data

Boosting methods have been successfully applied in a wide variety of machine learning applications. In the context of data quality issues, a number of variants of the standard boosting method have been proposed and evaluated. To address the problem of mislabeled examples, ORBoost was developed to prevent over fitting to noisy examples. Our research group has recently proposed RUSBoost as an enhancement to the AdaBoost algorithm for dealing with skewed class distributions. This work proposes a modification to the RUSBoost algorithm, incorporating the noise-handling ability of ORBoost, to improve its handling of noisy data. The new method is compared with both ORBoost and RUSBoost in an extensive set of experiments using five real-world datasets with various levels of simulated noise.
A novel coating based on poly(etheramine-quinone) polymers

Abstract Commercially available polyetheramines, called Jeffamines, ∗∗ and p -benzoquinone react smoothly in alcoholic solution to yield linear polymers with interesting properties. One particular polymer, the product of polyether amine D400 : p -benzoquinone = 2:3, can displace water from wet, rusty metal surfaces. After heat curing, it is non-wettable, resists autoclaving, salt water spray and most common organic solvents and does not ice.
The Portland Hills Fault: uncovering a hidden fault in Portland, Oregon using high-resolution geophysical methods

Abstract The Portland metropolitan area historically is the most seismically active region in Oregon. At least three potentially active faults are located in the immediate vicinity of downtown Portland, with the Portland Hills Fault (PHF) extending directly beneath downtown Portland. The faults are poorly understood, and the surface geologic record does not provide the information required to assess the seismic hazards associated with them. The limited geologic information stems from a surface topography that has not maintained a cumulative geologic record of faulting, in part, due to rapid erosion and deposition from late Pleistocene catastrophic flood events and a possible strike-slip component of the faults. We integrated multiple high-resolution geophysical techniques, including seismic reflection, ground penetrating radar (GPR), and magnetic methods, with regional geological and geophysical surveys to determine that the Portland Hills Fault is presently active with a zone of deformation that extends at least 400 m. The style of deformation is consistent with at least two major earthquakes in the last 12–15 ka, as confirmed by a sidehill excavation trench. High-resolution geophysical methods provide detailed images of the upper 100 m across the active fault zone. The geophysical images are critical to characterizing the structural style within the zone of deformation, and when integrated with a paleoseismic trench, can accurately record the seismic history of a region with little surface geologic exposure.
Interactions between polystyrene latex spheres and a semiflexible polymer, hydroxypropylcellulose☆

Abstract Shear viscosity has been measured for aqueous solutions of hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) having molecular weight 292,000 in the concentration range 0–4% by weight. Additionally, the diffusivities, D. of latex spheres with diameters of 794 and 1814 A suspended in these solutions were measured by dynamic light scattering. As HPC concentration was increased, the initial effect on D was a decrease of about 50% due to adsorption of HPC and “bridging” of the latex spheres by the HPC to form clusters. At higher HPC concentrations, the cluster diffusivities approximately follow a stretched exponential form, D = e−αwv, where w is the HPC weight fraction, but the significance of this result is limited in the present case. The diffusivities were essentially independent of scattering vector over the measured range. The microviscosities calculated from η μ = kT 6πDR exceeded the shear viscosities, η, from cone and plate and capillary measurements. However, this appears to be the result of the initial absorption/bridging to form clusters. If the cluster sizes are used to recalculate the microviscosities, then agreement between the micro- and the macroviscosities is found, within error, over almost three decades of viscosity. The clustering process was defeated by the addition of small amounts of a nonionic surfactant, regardless of the order of mixture of HPC, latex, and surfactant. The diffusivities of these bare spheres in solutions containing up to 0.1% HPC were measured and the microviscosities agreed reasonably well with the macroscopic viscosities, the maximum deviation being about − 12%.
Abstract P3-07-11: Nipple aspiration fluid yielders and non-yielders: Genetic characteristics

Background: Nipple aspiration fluid (NAF) is a noninvasively acquired biosample that can provide a window of observation into the breast environment, but NAF yield is variable across studies, and is related to a variety of demographic and reproductive factors. We have recently observed a positive correlation between serum prolactin level and NAF yield status. The genetic traits determining NAF yield are unknown, but data from the 1970s linked wet type ear wax to NAF yield, and recent studies point to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ABCC11 gene as a determinant of earwax type. Further, prolactin and prolactin receptor SNPs are related to serum prolactin level. We have investigated associations between NAF yield and SNPs in prolactin, prolactin receptor and ABCC11 genes in a recently completed case-control study. Method: NAF and/or blood were collected from 916 women. Subjects were defined as yielder if NAF volume was equal or more than 2μL and non-yielder if it was less than 2μL. According to this definition, our subjects categorized as 557 yielders and 359 non-yielders. DNA was extracted from blood using Qiagen kit and 20 ng of DNA was used to amplify and genotype for ABCC11 (rs17822931), PRLR (rs37364), PRL (rs2244502), PRL (rs849872) SNPs using Taqman genotyping assay on an Applied Biosystems 7900HT machine. Results: The median age of Yielders and Non-yielders was 51 and 54, respectively, with the same range of 31-70 for both groups (P<0.0001). There were 209(38%) premenopausal, 257(46%) postmenopausal and 81(15%) perimenopausal of yielders vs. 99(28%) premenopausal, 229(64%) postmenopausal and 26(7%) perimenopausal of non-yielders (P<0.0001). ABCC11 genotype distribution was significantly different between yielders and non-yielders (P = 0.00163). However, genotype distribution was not significantly different for PRLR (rs37364), PRL (rs2244502) and PRL (rs849872). View this table: Conclusion: Our analysis demonstrates a correlation between ABCC11 (rs17822931) SNP and NAF yield status, with the major homozygous CC allele associated with NAF yielder and minor homozygous TT allele associated with non-yielder status. If NAF-based risk biomarkers are to be developed, a better understanding of the genetics of NAF yield is required. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P3-07-11.
The Lucid Proteomics System for top-down biomarker research.

Advances have been made in recent years for both “top-down” and “bottom-up” profiling approaches to biomarker discovery. Top-down protein profiling via SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry has been used by researchers in many fields of study to discover native protein biomarker candidates from a variety of sample types, but has been limited without a means for straightforward identification of these candidates. Bio-Rad has recently partnered with Bruker Daltonics to create the Lucid Proteomics System, a complete SELDI-based research workflow – system qualification, biomarker discovery, data analysis, and biomarker purification/identification – using Bruker’s flex series of TOF and TOF/TOF mass spectrometers, which have long provided consistent performance and high value data for MALDI applications. This collaboration enables both top-down and bottom-up proteomics approaches on a single high performance MALDI-TOF MS platform for maximum coverage of the proteome – allowing greater flexibility with experimental desig...
A process model for water jug problems

Abstract We develop and evaluate a model for the water jug task in which a subject is required to find a sequence of moves (pouring operations) which produce a specified amount of water in each jug. Experiment 1 was designed to evaluate the meansends, move selection heuristics that are assumed by the model. Experiment 2 tested the model's predictions concerning those aspects of the water jug task that determine problem difficulty. A three stage process model incorporating GPS-like, means-ends heuristics and assumptions concerning the utilization of short- and long-term memory was able to account for differences across problems as well as details of the performance of subjects solving a given problem. We conclude that a GPS-like model that only selects one move at a time (no forward planning of move sequences or setting up of subgoals) can provide a good account of solution behavior in the water jug task.
Very Large Fabrication Tolerance of VCSELs Using High- Contrast Subwavelength Grating

A very large fabrication tolerance for the high-index-contrast subwavelength grating (HCG) integrated VCSELs is experimentally demonstrated, with similar performance over as large as ±20% variation in HCG critical dimension.
Internal auditors and job stress

This study used the Ivancevich and Matteson Stress Diagnostic Survey to gather data concerning job stress for a large national sample of internal auditors in the USA. Survey respondents indicated that the organizational job stressors in their work environment were more a source of stress than the so‐called individual job factors. Specifically, respondents would like to be paid more and participate more in the decision‐making processes relating to their jobs. Company politics and lack of training and development opportunities were other major sources of stress. Implications for the profession are clear. Internal audit managers should be aware of the job stress inherent in the nature of the work of an internal auditor and take appropriate steps to reduce organizational job stressors rather than face the risk of increased staff job turnover.
Symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux, arousals and sleep quality in patients undergoing polysomnography for possible obstructive sleep apnoea.

SUMMARY Introduction : Nocturnal acid reflux is common and could disturb sleep by causing arousals that fragment sleep. Aim : To determine the prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms and their association with arousals, stages of sleep and quality of life in patients undergoing evaluation for excessive daytime sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnoea. Methods : Ninety-four consecutive patients with excessive daytime sleepiness were prospectively studied. Patients completed the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale, a validated symptom questionnaire for reflux disease and a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire, the sleep apnoea quality of life index and then underwent overnight polysomnography, which was read in a blinded manner. Results : There were 40 males and 54 females with a mean age of 47 ± 13 years. Reflux symptoms were present in 63 of the 94 (67%) patients. Patients with reflux symptoms had significantly more arousals from sleep 43 ± 70/h than those without (20 ± 24/h; P =0.03). The sleep duration during the second stage of sleep was shorter (44 ± 21%) for those with reflux symptoms than those without (52 ± 12%; P = 0.03). Patients with reflux spent significantly shorter periods in stage II sleep (44 ± 21%) than those without (52 ± 12%; P = 0.03). The sleep-related quality of life score in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux (3.1 ± 1.1) was significantly lower than in patients without reflux (3.7 ± 1.0; P = 0.02). Regression analysis demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between quality of life and reflux symptom score (P =0.002) and total spontaneous arousals (P = 0.04). Conclusions : Gastro-oesophageal reflux is common in patients with sleep disorders, is associated with increased arousal, decreased durations spent in the deeper stages of sleep and poorer sleep-related quality of life.
Radiology-Pathology Conference: mature teratoma arising from an intra-abdominal undescended testis in a 7-month-old infant

We report a rare case of an intra-abdominal testicular mature teratoma in a 7-month-old male infant presenting with a palpable abdominal mass and unilateral undescended testis. We describe the pathology, clinical presentation, and imaging findings of this entity. Clinical features accompanied by characteristic radiologic findings guide a provisional diagnosis that is confirmed by histologic analysis following surgical removal of the tumor. The pathogenesis and radiologic findings of testicular mature teratomas in the prepubertal population share many similarities to that of mature ovarian teratomas commonly seen in females of reproductive age. Awareness of this entity will permit the radiologist to suggest timely diagnosis and intervention when presented with a similar case.
Cardiac Changes Associated With Growth Hormone Therapy Among Children Treated With Anthracyclines

Objective. The objective was to assess the cardiac effects of growth hormone (GH) therapy. Anthracycline-treated childhood cancer survivors frequently have reduced left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and contractility, and GH therapy may affect these factors. Methods. We examined serial cardiac findings for 34 anthracycline-treated childhood cancer survivors with several years of GH therapy and baseline cardiac z scores similar to those of a comparison group (86 similar cancer survivors without GH therapy). Results. LV contractility was decreased among GH-treated patients before, during, and after GH therapy (−1.08 SD below the age-adjusted population mean before therapy and −1.88 SD 4 years after therapy ceased, with each value depressed below normal). Contractility was higher in the control group than in the GH-treated group, with this difference being nearly significant. The GH-treated children had thinner LV walls before GH therapy (−1.38 SD). Wall thickness increased during GH therapy (from −1.38 SD to −1.09 SD after 3 years of GH therapy), but the effect was lost shortly after GH therapy ended and thickness diminished over time (−1.50 SD at 1 year after therapy and −1.96 SD at 4 years). During GH therapy, the wall thickness for the GH-treated group was greater than that for the control group; however, by 4 years after therapy, there was no difference between the GH-treated group and the control group. Conclusions. GH therapy among anthracycline-treated survivors of childhood cancer increased LV wall thickness, but the effect was lost after therapy was discontinued. The therapy did not affect the progressive LV dysfunction.