cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein-Mediated Adhesion of the Dissimilatory Fe(III)-Reducing Bacterium Shewanella alga BrY to Hydrous Ferric Oxide

The rate and extent of bacterial Fe(III) mineral reduction are governed by molecular-scale interactions between the bacterial cell surface and the mineral surface. These interactions are poorly understood. This study examined the role of surface proteins in the adhesion of Shewanella alga BrY to hydrous ferric oxide (HFO). Enzymatic degradation of cell surface polysaccharides had no effect on cell adhesion to HFO. The proteolytic enzymes Streptomyces griseus protease and chymotrypsin inhibited the adhesion of S. alga BrY cells to HFO through catalytic degradation of surface proteins. Trypsin inhibited S. alga BrY adhesion solely through surface-coating effects. Protease and chymotrypsin also mediated desorption of adhered S. alga BrY cells from HFO while trypsin did not mediate cell desorption. Protease removed a single peptide band that represented a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 50 kDa. Chymotrypsin removed two peptide bands that represented proteins with apparent molecular masses of 60 and 31 kDa. These proteins represent putative HFO adhesion molecules. S. alga BrY adhesion was inhibited by up to 46% when cells were cultured at sub-MICs of chloramphenicol, suggesting that protein synthesis is necessary for adhesion. Proteins extracted from the surface of S. alga BrY cells inhibited adhesion to HFO by up to 41%. A number of these proteins bound specifically to HFO, suggesting that a complex system of surface proteins mediates S. alga BrY adhesion to HFO.
A Statement from the Book Review Editor

It was with great pleasure that I recently assumed the reigns as Book Review Editor of Perspectives. I am fortunate to have had excellent predecessors—Greg MacAvoy and Susan Bickford—who themselves had an excellent staff. This has made the transition relatively painless and successful. But, like all transitions, this one has involved glitches and has required patience and perseverance. We greatly appreciate the cooperation and flexibility that so many of our colleagues have shown.
NPR genes, which are negatively regulated by phytochrome action in Lemna gibba L. G-3, can also be positively regulated by abscisic acid.

We have found that NPR1 and NPR2, two genes from Lemna gibba L. G-3 that can be negatively regulated by phytochrome action, can also be positively regulated by the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). Both genes were responsive to low concentrations of exogenous ABA; an increase in NPR1 RNA could be detected in response to concentrations as low as 10 nM. We have also tested phytochrome responsiveness of 5[prime] promoter-deletion constructs of one of these genes, NPR1, in transient assays utilizing particle bombardment. This analysis demonstrated that DNA sequences important for phytochrome regulation are present downstream of -198 from the transcription start site. A response to ABA treatment could also be observed in the transient assay system.When intact plants were placed in darkness, there was an increase in ABA levels as well as increased levels of NPR1 and NPR2 RNA.
Well-Founded Optimism: Inheritance in Frame-Based Knowledge Bases

F-logic is a popular formalism for knowledge-intensive applications and, especially, for ontology management in Semantic Web. However, the original F-logic's semantics for inheritance suffers from a number of anomalies when inheritance and deduction closely interact.This work rectifies this problem and develops a natural model-theoretic semantics for inheritance in frame-based knowledge bases, which supports inference by inheritance as well as inference via rules. Inference by inheritance supports a multitude of features, such as overriding and nonmonotonic multiple inheritance, meta programming, and dynamic inheritance hierarchies -- the features that are fundamental to advanced knowledge management. This semantics has been effectively implemented in the Flora-2 system which is extensively used in a number of projects.To the best of our knowledge, this work is the only model-theoretic semantics for nonmonotonic multiple inheritance that applies to general, unrestricted frame-based knowledge bases and has several independent characterizations, which testifies to its naturalness and robustness.The problems discussed in this paper are inherent in any logic-based system that supports inheritance and deductive rules and our techniques apply to such systems. In particular, they apply to DAML+OIL extended with rules and inheritance.
Direct DNA binding by Brca1

The tumor suppressor Brca1 plays an important role in protecting mammalian cells against genomic instability, but little is known about its modes of action. In this work we demonstrate that recombinant human Brca1 protein binds strongly to DNA, an activity conferred by a domain in the center of the Brca1 polypeptide. As a result of this binding, Brca1 inhibits the nucleolytic activities of the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 complex, an enzyme implicated in numerous aspects of double-strand break repair. Brca1 displays a preference for branched DNA structures and forms protein–DNA complexes cooperatively between multiple DNA strands, but without DNA sequence specificity. This fundamental property of Brca1 may be an important part of its role in DNA repair and transcription.
Evolution of hook design for fixation of the titanium Greenfield filter.

Abstract The titanium Greenfield filter was developed to facilitate operative and percutaneous insertion by a carrier (12F) smaller than that required for the standard stainless steel filter (24F). In preliminary clinical studies however, it proved to have an unacceptable rate of distal slippage and caval wall penetration. Therefore four modifications in hook design and base diameter have been tested in 20 sheep by implantation above and below the renal veins. In comparison to control titanium Greenfield filters ( n = 8), neither changes in hook angle with smaller diameter base (type I, n = 4), elimination of limb flare (type II, n = 4), or 80 degree hook angle (type IV, n = 10) prevented migration and entry into venous tributaries or penetration. Penetration scores on the basis of autopsy findings did not correlate with antemortem predictions based on cavograms and showed 1.5 ± 2.0/filter for controls, 1.0 ± 1.15/filter for type I, 1.75 ± 0.96/filter for type II and 1.67 ± 1.37/filter for type IV. It was necessary to change the configuration of the hook completely to a recurved hook design providing a base pad for the 80 degree hook (type VI, n = 6) to limit migration and penetration with a score of 0.33 ± 0.82/filter. Effects of experimental embolism were studied in six sheep (two acute, four chronic) and showed effective trapping by both type IV and type VI filters with no evidence of filter migration or damage to the caval wall. Persistent thrombus appeared to be caused by the remnants of oxidized cellulose used to induce thrombi, but there was no evidence of propagation proximal to the filter. The recurved hook design appears to correct the tendency for the titanium Greenfield filters to migrate distally and should inhibit caval wall penetration. General use of the device, however, cannot be recommended until the results of clinical trials with careful follow-up are known. (J VASC SURG 1990;12:345-53.)
Therapeutically equivalent pharmacokinetic profile across three application sites for AG200-15, a novel low-estrogen dose contraceptive patch.

Abstract Background AG200-15 Agile Patch (AP) is a novel 7-day contraceptive patch providing ethinyl estradiol (EE) exposure comparable to low-dose combination oral contraceptives. This study determined whether application of the AP to three different anatomical sites (lower abdomen, buttock and upper torso) influences the pharmacokinetic profile of EE and levonorgestrel (LNG). Study Design In this open-label, three-period, crossover study, 24 subjects were randomized to one of six treatment sequences; each included application of patch to abdomen, buttock and upper torso, with the AP worn on one site for 7 days. After a 7-day washout, a new patch was applied to the next anatomical site. Multiple blood samples were collected up to 240 h after patch application. Results For plasma EE levels, median time to maximum drug concentration (T max , 24���48 h) and mean maximum concentration (C max, 47.9���61.5 pg/mL) were similar among application sites. Compared with lower abdomen, EE exposure was higher (16%���30%) at buttock and upper torso (15%���22%). For plasma LNG levels, median T max (72���120 h) and mean C max (1436���1589 pg/mL) were similar across application sites. Compared with lower abdomen, LNG exposure was higher at buttock (1%���7%) and upper torso (16%���17%). No serious adverse events (AEs) or AE-related discontinuations occurred. The most common treatment-emergent AEs were nausea, application site pruritus and headache, with frequencies comparable across anatomical sites. Conclusions Absorption from the abdomen was slightly lower versus other sites; however, exposure to EE and LNG for all sites was therapeutically equivalent. The AP was well tolerated at all three anatomical sites.
Pseudomorbidity in iliac crest bone graft harvesting: the rise of rhBMP-2 in short-segment posterior lumbar fusion.

Pseudomorbidity in iliac crest bone graft harvesting: the rise of rhBMP-2 in short-segment posterior lumbar fusion Eugene J. Carragee, MD*, Christopher M. Bono, MD, Gaetano J. Scuderi, MD Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA Orthopedic Spine Service, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02478, USA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, CA 94305, USA Received 1 September 2009; accepted 9 September 2009
Role of Complement Receptor 2 in the Pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A number of recent studies have suggested that complement receptor type 2 (CR2, CD21) may play a role in the development of systemic autoimmunity. This receptor, located primarily on B cells and follicular dendritic cells in mice with a broader distribution in humans, binds C3 degradation products that have become covalently bound to antigen or immune complexes in the process of complement activation. Its role in both normal immune responses as well as systemic autoimmune disease has been supported by studies of mice in which the gene has been knocked out by homologous recombination. Furthermore, it is structurally and functionally altered in the NZM2410 mouse model of lupus, and is a strong candidate gene for lupus susceptibility in this model. Based on its known functions, several mechanisms can be hypothesized to explain its potential role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Effect of pantothenate deficiency on synthesis of adrenal cholesterol following stress.

SummaryThe adrenal cholesterol of pantothenate deficient rats was significantly depressed compared to that of control animals on a normal diet. After the stress of unilateral adrenalectomy, the cholesterol content of the remaining adrenal decreased immediately in both diet groups. By 24 hours after unilateral adrenalectomy, the adrenal cholesterol of the normal rats had returned to its initial value; in the deficient rats adrenal cholesterol remained depressed up to 7 days after the stress. The data are interpreted as evidence that the synthesis of adrenal cholesterol is decreased in pantothenate deficiency.
A Resource Supply-Demand based Approach for Automatic MapReduce Job Optimization

With the prevalence of big data, MapReduce has emerged as the most widely deployed computing framework for data analysts. This paper addresses MapReduce job performance optimization, targeting system latency reduction. We design a systematic method to optimize MapReduce job execution process by maximizing the utilization of computing resources. Through careful analysis of the mechanism behind Hadoop, the map-shuffle-reduce work-flow is formalized based on the resource supply-demand relations. Efficient and effective algorithms are developed to address the optimization using mixed integer nonlinear programming. Experiments on a ten-node cluster demonstrate that the proposed model achieves consistently improved performance, and significantly outperforms the system with default parameter setting.
Depletion Rate of Doramectin from Blood Serum of Penned Female White-Tailed Deer (Artiodactyla: Cervidae)

Female white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman), were held in small pens and administered doramectin by free choice of doramectin-coated whole kernel corn, Zea mays L., fed ad libitum with 19% protein deer pellets also being fed ad libitum in a separate container. The mean concentration of doramectin in the serum during treatment was 72.8 ppb. The mean doramectin concentration in the serum decreased to <2 ppb, the lower limit of detection by high-pressure liquid chromatography, by day 14 after termination of treatment after withdrawal of doramectin-treated corn from the diet.
Removal of Drone Brood From Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies to Control Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) and Retain Adult Drones

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) has plagued European honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in the Americas since its introduction in the 1980s. For many years, these mites were sufficiently controlled using synthetic acaricides. Recently, however, beekeepers have experienced increased resistance by mites to chemical pesticides, which are also known to leave residues in hive products such as wax and honey. Thus there has been increased emphasis on nonchemical integrated pest management control tactics for Varroa. Because mites preferentially reproduce in drone brood (pupal males), we developed a treatment strategy focusing on salvaging parasitized drones while removing mites from them. We removed drone brood from colonies in which there was no acaricidal application and banked them in separate "drone-brood receiving" colonies treated with pesticides to kill mites emerging with drones. We tested 20 colonies divided into three groups: 1) negative control (no mite treatment), 2) positive control (treatment with acaricides), and 3) drone-brood removal and placement into drone-brood receiving colonies. We found that drone-brood trapping significantly lowered mite numbers during the early months of the season, eliminating the need for additional control measures in the spring. However, mite levels in the drone-brood removal group increased later in the summer, suggesting that this benefit does not persist throughout the entire season. Our results suggest that this method of drone-brood trapping can be used as an element of an integrated control strategy to control varroa mites, eliminating a large portion of the Varroa population with limited chemical treatments while retaining the benefits of maintaining adult drones in the population.
The Result Of Accounting Malfeasance In The Workplace: An Examination Of The Costs And Benefits Related To Job Satisfaction And Actively Managing The Organizational Ethical Work Climate

Many years of public airing of accounting ethical scandals resulted in organizations realizing the need to pro-actively engage available resources to influence the corporate ethical environment. Research attempting to measure the benefit of influencing and managing organizational ethics is important because establishing ethical programs in the workplace is time consuming and expensive. One such potential benefit is increased job satisfaction, which research has linked to reduced voluntary employee turnover. This type of turnover is generally considered undesirable and costly for organizations because of increased hiring and training expenses, and reduced customer satisfaction. Several prior studies have explored the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational ethical constructs. The study presented in this paper expands on this prior research, and found statistical evidence that managers can influence employee job satisfaction based on the ethical policies they choose to implement.
The Economics of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations.

The US healthcare system is broken financially and quality-wise. The present financing system is not sustainable; nearly 20% of the US gross domestic product is spent on healthcare.1 The United States spends by far more on healthcare than any other country, but its outcomes are not better, and universal access is lacking. In fact, the United States spends more on healthcare than the next-highest 10 countries combined.2 Various measures show that the United States is nowhere near the top of the World Health Organization's (WHO) health measures categories such as infant mortality and life expectancy.3 A major issue is whether the United States is getting its money's worth. The costs of many healthcare procedures are much greater than the benefits, and some procedures provide little or no benefit to patients. For example, Ezekiel Emanuel argues that there may be overemphasis on extending life rather than improving the quality of life.4 As quoted by Donald Berwick, Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg assert that “value is added by care that produces the best outcomes at the lowest cost over time.”5,6 Moreover, the present healthcare system is fragmented, especially in terms of patient care coordination. Many patients see various types of physicians, but there is little communication among the providers. More than 10 years ago, in Crossing the Quality Chasm, the Institute of Medicine stated, “In its current form, habits, and environment, American health care is incapable of providing the public with the quality of care it expects and deserves.”7 Donald Berwick, former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), stated that the United States is “still struggling to make highly reliable and safe health care a norm rather than an exception.”5 In fact, the United States has tried many organizational forms in the past 80 years, from the Committee of Medical Care's Prepaid Group Practices, the Nixon era of HMOs and PPOs, and President Clinton's Accountable Health Plans. Since then, the federal government and private providers have developed a new scheme to help coordinate care and control costs—accountable care organizations (ACOs). In this article, we examine whether Medicare ACOs are an adequate solution or rather the newest experiment in the attempt to solve our healthcare crisis.
HEMODYNAMIC AND RENAL EFFECTS OF OCTAPRESSIN.

Summary1. Circulatory effects of octapressin were investigated in normal human subjects, in normotensive dogs and in dogs subjected to endotoxin or hemorrhagic shock. 2. In normotensive dogs, octapressin produced a rise in arterial pressure and a fall in cardiac output, carotid and femoral flows, with a lesser fall in renal flow. 3. In dogs subjected to endotoxin or hemorrhagic shock, octapressin produced a rise in arterial pressure but did not reverse the fall in cardiac output. A larger dose was required to produce a given pressure rise in these animals. 4. In human subjects, octapressin decreased glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and the excretion of water and electrolytes.
Biogeographical history and coalescent species delimitation of Pacific island skinks (Squamata: Scincidae: Emoia cyanura species group)

Aim A prevailing hypothesis for how Pacific islands organisms have obtained their extant distributions is that of a stepping-stone model, in which populations originate from Papua New Guinea in the western Pacific and gradually disperse eastward. Here, we test this model using a spatiotemporal framework for Emoia cyanura and E. impar, two species within the Emoia cyanura species group (ECSG; Family: Scincidae). We further assess species limits within the group, utilizing novel coalescent methods. Location Pacific Islands. Methods We obtained DNA sequence data from one mitochondrial and three nuclear markers for 117 individuals, representing seven of the nine species within the ECSG. These data were analysed for concordance with the stepping-stone model using estimation of population structure, divergence dates, and historical biogeographical range. To assess hypotheses of independent lineages within each widespread species, we also employed the Bayesian Phylogenetics & Phylogeography (BPP) program to define operational taxonomic units in *BEAST. Results Population structure analyses consistently found individuals from western island groups representing divergent populations, with central and eastern populations demonstrating minimal genetic variation. Phylogenetic hypotheses support a western origin for E. cyanura and E. impar, while biogeographical and divergence time estimations predict a recent and rapid expansion out of the western Pacific. The BPP and *BEAST analyses found evidence for five independent lineages within E. impar and five independent lineages within E. cyanura/E. pseudocyanura. Main conclusions In contrast to the expectations of a stepping-stone model, E. cyanura and E. impar each exhibit the genetic signature of a rapid radiation during the mid to late Pleistocene, with evidence for newly identified lineages, mainly on western islands. Of these recovered lineages, we propose three to be elevated to species status. These findings expand our understanding of endemic Pacific biota, which are subject to conservation threats from human impacts and climate change.
Renaissance of nuclear medicine through green nanotechnology: functionalized radioactive gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy—my journey from chemistry to saving human lives

First of all, I take great pleasure in thanking the international jury of subject experts who have selected me to receive the 2015 Hevesy Medal Award. It is a great honor for me and my institution, the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA, to join the illustrious list of former awardees of this internationally reputed Hevesy Medal Award being conferred to me today. I also take this opportunity to thank my teachers, mentors from India, Germany, Canada and the United States, who have trained and mentored me over the years. I also thank various faculty collaborators, post-doctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students who have contributed immensely to my research enterprise over the last 30 years—without whom achievements such as the Hevesy Medal Award—wouldn’t have been a reality. I also express my heartfelt gratitude to my wife and co-worker, Kavita, who is among the audience here today, our children, my parents and my late in-laws and various relatives for all their support over the years. In this Hevesy Medal Award lecture, I will discuss brief details of a plethora of discoveries made in my laboratories in the general field of nuclear medicine especially as it relates to the creation of a scientifically sound rationale toward the development of ‘nano-sized radiopharmaceuticals’ through novel green nanotechnology approaches. In this lecture, I have planned to discuss (1) Critical needs and importance of thinking ‘Out of the Box’ in discovering new and more effective approaches for cancer therapy; (2) The role of radioactive gold nanoparticles in bringing about a paradigm shift toward the development of a new generation of nano Radiopharmaceuticals for applications in diagnostics and therapy; (3) Details on the production of radioactive gold-198 nanoparticles with extensive preclinical investigations in tumor bearing mice and dogs and, finally (4) Oncological implications as the emerging field of nano radiopharmaceuticals has the potential to bring about a paradigm shift in the effective diagnosis and treatment of various types of human cancers. Overall, my lecture will aim toward the development of therapeutic modalities that address cancer risks and treatments that are relevant to living styles, health and hygiene conditions for various different populations of our planet.
Adaptive testing of analog/RF circuits using hardware extracted FSM models

The test generation problem for analog/RF circuits has been largely intractable due to the fact that repetitive circuit simulation for test stimulus optimization is extremely time-consuming. As a consequence, it is difficult, if not impossible, to generate tests for practical mixed-signal/RF circuits that include the effects of tester inaccuracies and measurement noise. To offset this problem and allow test generation to scale to different applications, we propose a new approach in which FSM models of mixed-signal/RF circuits are abstracted from hardware measurements on fabricated devices. These models allow accurate simulation of device behavior under arbitrary stimulus and thereby test stimulus generation, even after the device has been shipped to a customer. As a consequence, it becomes possible to detect process shifts with fine granularity and regenerate tests to adapt to process perturbations in a dynamic manner without losing test accuracy. A complete methodology for such adaptive testing of mixed-signal/RF circuits is developed in this paper. Simulation results and hardware measurements are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed techniques.
A GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo dose calculation platform and its application toward validating an MRI-guided radiation therapy beam model

PURPOSE The clinical commissioning of IMRT subject to a magnetic field is challenging. The purpose of this work is to develop a GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo dose calculation platform based on penelope and then use the platform to validate a vendor-provided MRIdian head model toward quality assurance of clinical IMRT treatment plans subject to a 0.35 T magnetic field. METHODS penelope was first translated from fortran to c++ and the result was confirmed to produce equivalent results to the original code. The c++ code was then adapted to cuda in a workflow optimized for GPU architecture. The original code was expanded to include voxelized transport with Woodcock tracking, faster electron/positron propagation in a magnetic field, and several features that make gpenelope highly user-friendly. Moreover, the vendor-provided MRIdian head model was incorporated into the code in an effort to apply gpenelope as both an accurate and rapid dose validation system. A set of experimental measurements were performed on the MRIdian system to examine the accuracy of both the head model and gpenelope. Ultimately, gpenelope was applied toward independent validation of patient doses calculated by MRIdian's kmc. RESULTS An acceleration factor of 152 was achieved in comparison to the original single-thread fortran implementation with the original accuracy being preserved. For 16 treatment plans including stomach (4), lung (2), liver (3), adrenal gland (2), pancreas (2), spleen(1), mediastinum (1), and breast (1), the MRIdian dose calculation engine agrees with gpenelope with a mean gamma passing rate of 99.1% ± 0.6% (2%/2 mm). CONCLUSIONS A Monte Carlo simulation platform was developed based on a GPU- accelerated version of penelope. This platform was used to validate that both the vendor-provided head model and fast Monte Carlo engine used by the MRIdian system are accurate in modeling radiation transport in a patient using 2%/2 mm gamma criteria. Future applications of this platform will include dose validation and accumulation, IMRT optimization, and dosimetry system modeling for next generation MR-IGRT systems.
GRANULOCYTE COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR IN THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOL ABUSE, LEUKOPENIA, AND PNEUMOCOCCAL SEPSIS

A 32-year-old woman was admitted with alcoholism, leukopenia, and pneumococcal sepsis (ALPS). Standard treatment consists of antibiotics, vitamin replacement, and intensive care unit support. Even with this treatment, the mortality rate is exceedingly high. In addition to standard therapy, this patient received subcutaneously 300 micrograms granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) daily. Initial white blood cell count was 700 microL; by day 4 it had increased to 11,400 microL. She had a prolonged hospital course but was discharged in good condition 6 weeks after admission. G-CSF may be warranted in treating ALPS.
Determination of Adhesion Force Between Single Cell Pairs Generated by Activated GpIIb-IIIa Receptors

A biophysical approach was used to directly determine the avidity of the junction between two Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells bearing recombinant GpIIb-IIIa in the presence and absence of fibrinogen. Micromanipulation was used to induce conjugation of the cell pairs with or without activating the GpIIb-IIIa molecules with monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 62. Activation of GpIIb-IIIa caused an increase in the force required to separate the conjugates. The molecular bonding force between cells bearing activated GpIIb-IIIa and fibrinogen molecules was found to be 2.1 x 10(-7) dyne, which is 3.7 times higher than that between nonactivated GpIIb-IIIa and fibrinogen (5.7 x 10(-8) dyne). The results provide a quantitative assessment of the molecular bonding force between fibrinogen and the GpIIb-IIIa expressed on cell surface. The findings indicate that the activation of GpIIb-IIIa leads to an increase in the adhesive force in CHO cell aggregation by increasing the strength of the GpIIb-IIIa-fibrinogen bonds rather than the number of these bonds.
Divergent regulation of functionally distinct γ-tubulin complexes during differentiation

Differentiation induces the formation of noncentrosomal microtubule arrays in diverse tissues. The formation of these arrays requires loss of microtubule-organizing activity (MTOC) at the centrosome, but the mechanisms regulating this transition remain largely unexplored. Here, we use the robust loss of centrosomal MTOC activity in the epidermis to identify two pools of γ-tubulin that are biochemically and functionally distinct and differentially regulated. Nucleation-competent CDK5RAP2-γ-tubulin complexes were maintained at centrosomes upon initial epidermal differentiation. In contrast, Nedd1-γ-tubulin complexes did not promote nucleation but were required for anchoring of microtubules, a previously uncharacterized activity for this complex. Cell cycle exit specifically triggered loss of Nedd1-γ-tubulin complexes, providing a mechanistic link connecting MTOC activity and differentiation. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that distinct γ-tubulin complexes regulate different microtubule behaviors at the centrosome and show that differential regulation of these complexes drives loss of centrosomal MTOC activity.
Female fraud: counterfeit maidenheads in the eighteenth century.

FALSIFIED VIRGINITY, a recurring object of representation and concern in eighteenth-century Britain, strikingly demonstrates the problematic collision (and collusion) between the commodification of woman and the idealization of chastity.' In spite of the mystified, disembodying religious rhetoric attached to virginity in the West, the presence of virginity in eighteenth-century marketplaces-of texts, marriage, or prostitution-renders it susceptible to all the chicaneries of commerce. Significantly, the term used to describe faked virginity calls on the deep anxiety felt in the eighteenth century about another kind of forgery: the "counterfeit maidenhead" evokes the sovereign's head on the obverse of fraudulent coins. The implication that counterfeit maidenheads devalue virginity in the same way that fake money devalues coinage-through the debasement created by unauthorized duplication-reflects on the one hand the emotional power of specie in this period and on the other the idea that women's bodies are commodities to be exchanged as well as themselves being tokens of exchange. The use of the language of commercial fraud to name a process whereby a sexually experienced woman passes as sexually inexperienced demonstrates not only eighteenth-
Self, Will, Power

Nietzsche is fascinated by all of the different kinds of selves there are and by the variety of psychological training programs we subject ourselves to in order to achieve them. The most superficial examination of his mature works reveals his astonishment at the self-directed tortures we are prepared to pursue in order to achieve internal organization and his bewilderment at our willingness to be convinced by philosophers and religious advocates that the best selves are those organized around pure reason, moral goodness, and asceticism. Across Daybreak, Beyond Good and Evil, The Gay Science, Genealogy of Morals, Twilight of the Idols, and Anti-Christ, he distinguishes dozens of regimens of psychological self-reorganization, most affiliated with moral codes and religious demands. To gauge how deep his interest in these matters is, consider only regimens associated with the ascetic ideal and mentioned in Genealogy of Morals. Here, he identifies at least twenty distinct self-training programs: self-denial and self-sacrifice (Preface 5); self-hypnotism (I 6); abstinence, dieting, self-abasement, self-depreciation (I 11); self-deception (I 14); self-torture (II 8, 22); self-consciousness (II 10, III 9)), self-tyranny (II 18); self-negation and self-elimination (III 3); self-mortification, self-martyrdom, self-misunderstanding (III 10); self-contempt and self-annihilation (III 17); and self-belittling and self-critique (III 25). These programs and their associated curricula turn us against ourselves and into kinds of selves that are sick, decadent, and resentful. Nietzsche denounces the religious peddlers who are their advocates, and he criticizes all of the colluding philosophers and scientists who provide domains of entities over which the programs range and species of causal intercourse that operate only within those domains.
Uncertainty reasoning in hierarchical visual evidence space

One of the major problems in computer vision involves dealing with uncertain information. Occlusion, dissimilar views, insufficient illumination, insufficient resolution, and degradation give rise to imprecise data. At the same time, incomplete or local knowledge of the scene gives rise to imprecise interpretation rules. Uncertainty arises at different processing levels of computer vision either because of the imprecise data or because of the imprecise interpretation rules. It is natural to build computer vision systems that incorporate uncertainty reasoning. The Dempster-Shafer (D-S) theory of evidence is appealing for coping with uncertainty hierarchically. However, very little work has been done to apply D-S theory to practical vision systems because some important problems are yet to be resolved. In this dissertation, a computational framework is presented to show how Dempster-Shafer evidence theory can be applied to a hierarchically structured hypothesis space in a computer vision application. Based upon a priori knowledge, uncertain visual information is transformed from one level to another through stages of evidence collection and mapping, hypothesis generation, evidence interaction, and hypothesis verification. The system reasons about significant perceptual features through both top-down and bottom-up active processes. It is shown how to make use of partial and locally ambiguous information at different levels of abstraction to achieve reliable interpretation. It is also shown how the reasoning process can make use of spatial relationships among pieces of visual evidence to strengthen the reasoning results. Some theoretical problems, which arise from the adoption of the Dempster-Shafer model as the paradigm for a computer vision system, have been resolved. Methods for implementing this algorithm are presented for applications in object recognition and image understanding. Experiments on some applications are given to demonstrate the merit of the framework.
The Three Mile Island (TMI) Accident

On March 28,1979, a near nuclear catastrophe occurred at Three Mile Island (TMI) near Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. I was at that time Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health. It was an accident that just “could not happen.” After all, nuclear power plants were built so safely that they could not possibly affect public health. As a physician, lam compelled to say that I am unalterably opposed to nuclear warfare. I am sure that most physicians would agree that there can be no adequate preparedness for the devastating medical consequences of nuclear war. Prevention of nuclear war is the only reasonable medical response to the hazards posed by nuclear weapons. By contrast, many of you may not share my position on nuclear power. Nuclear power can be made relatively safe if we do not ignore the public health lessons of the past. I belive that physicians need to increase and update their understandings of the medical consequences of radiation accidents and be trained to triage and to treat blast, radiation, and burn injuries.
Endotoxin, Toll-like Receptor-4, and Atherosclerotic Heart Disease.

Background: Endotoxin is a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) constituent of the outer membrane of most gram negative bacteria. Ubiquitous in the environment, it has been implicated as a cause or contributing factor in several disparate disorders from sepsis to heatstroke and Type II diabetes mellitus. Starting at birth, the innate immune system develops cellular defense mechanisms against environmental microbes that are in part modulated through a series of receptors known as toll-like receptors. Endotoxin, often referred to as LPS, binds to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/ myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2) complexes on various tissues including cells of the innate immune system, smooth muscle and endothelial cells of blood vessels including coronary arteries, and adipose tissue. Entry of LPS into the systemic circulation ultimately leads to intracellular transcription of several inflammatory mediators. The subsequent inflammation has been implicated in the development and progression atherosclerosis and subsequent coronary artery disease and heart failure. Objective: The potential roles of endotoxin and TLR4 are reviewed regarding their role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic heart disease. Conclusion: Atherosclerosis is initiated by inflammation in arterial endothelial and subendothelial cells, and inflammatory processes are implicated in its progression to clinical heart disease. Endotoxin and TLR4 play a central role in the inflammatory process, and represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Therapy with HMG-CoA inhibitors may reduce the expression of TLR4 on monocytes. Other therapeutic interventions targeting TLR4 expression or function may prove beneficial in atherosclerotic disease prevention and treatment.
S.E.A.L.S.+PLUS Self-Esteem and Life Skills

S.E.A.L.S.+PLUS is an activity book and CD-ROM featuring over 75 reproducible self-esteem and mental wellness lessons for youth ages 12-18. Topics include segments on Goal Setting, Stress Management, Health Awareness, Anger Management, Communication Skills and more. Youth professionals will appreciate this well designed, interactive resource as they engage youth in positive skill development.
Asthma control status in pregnancy, body mass index, and maternal vitamin D levels

Higher maternal 25OHD levels at early pregnancy could reduce the associated risk of uncontrolled asthma status during pregnancy. Obesity might attenuate this effect and is a predictor of uncontrolled status during pregnancy.
Richard W. Byrne. Evolving Insight: How It Is We Can Think about Why Things Happen.

Byrne, Richard W. 2016. Evolving Insight: How it is We Can Think About Why Things Happen . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 200 pages. Paperback $42.50.
Mad-Dog Everettianism: Quantum Mechanics at Its Most Minimal

To the best of our current understanding, quantum mechanics is part of the most fundamental picture of the universe. It is natural to ask how pure and minimal this fundamental quantum description can be. The simplest quantum ontology is that of the Everett or Many-Worlds interpretation, based on a vector in Hilbert space and a Hamiltonian. Typically one also relies on some classical structure, such as space and local configuration variables within it, which then gets promoted to an algebra of preferred observables. We argue that even such an algebra is unnecessary, and the most basic description of the world is given by the spectrum of the Hamiltonian (a list of energy eigenvalues) and the components of some particular vector in Hilbert space. Everything else - including space and fields propagating on it - is emergent from these minimal elements.
Renaissance der Soll-Ertragsbesteuerung?

Durch Steuern soll die offentliche Hand verlasslich sowie freiheits- und gleichheitsgerecht finanziert werden. Das zur Erfullung dieses Finanzierungsauftrags errichtete Steuerrecht belastet die Betroffenen erheblich. Jede Steuer mindert die Finanzkraft der Steuerpflichtigen. Die Zahllast und die mit ihr verbundenen Einnahmen der offentlichen Hand folgen dem zentralen Finanzierungsauftrag des Steuerrechts und bewirken damit den zentralen grundrechtlichen Eingriff. Oft wird zudem die Lenkung durch Steuern grundrechtlich erortert. Doch sind diese Wirkungen insbesondere aufgrund des kritikwurdigen Zustands des Steuerrechts lediglich die Spitze zahlreicher weiterer Belastungen. Die Last, unter der die Steuerpflichtigen leiden, wird erst in der Gesamtperspektive ersichtlich.
Poster: Defect Prediction Metrics for Infrastructure as Code Scripts in DevOps

Use of infrastructure as code (IaC) scripts helps software teams manage their configuration and infrastructure automatically. Information technology (IT) organizations use IaC scripts to create and manage automated deployment pipelines to deliver services rapidly. IaC scripts can be defective, resulting in dire consequences, such as creating wide-scale service outages for end-users. Prediction of defective IaC scripts can help teams to mitigate defects in these scripts by prioritizing their inspection efforts. The goal of this paper is to help software practitioners in prioritizing their inspection efforts for infrastructure as code (IaC) scripts by proposing defect prediction model-related metrics. IaC scripts use domain specific languages (DSL) that are fundamentally different from object-oriented programming (OOP) languages. Hence, the OOP-based metrics that researchers used in defect prediction might not be applicable for IaC scripts. We apply Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) on defect-related commits mined from version control systems to identify metrics suitable for IaC scripts. By applying CGT, we identify 18 metrics. Of these metrics, 13 are related to IaC, for example, count of string occurrences in a script. Four of the identified metrics are related to churn, and one metric is lines of code.
Clinical Observations Suggesting a Learning Disability

The clinical evaluation of learning disabilities involves gathering information through interviews with teachers, parents, and the child. This information can be combined with data provided through psychoeducational and medical evaluations. With this information as a base, a decision-making process is presented that takes into consideration specific family, child, and environmental issues that contribute to learning problems. This article provides a method for identifying the specific factors that contribute to learning difficulties so that intervention can be strategically targeted.
Effects of Concerns About Child Care Among Single, Employed Black Mothers with Preschool Children

This study investigated whether differences in child care arrangements and mothers' attitudes about leaving their child in nonmaternal care were associated with maternal psychological well-being and perceptions of children in a sample of single, employed, low-income, Black mothers who were former welfare recipients. Feelings of discomfort with regard to nonmaternal care were associated with higher levels of maternal depressive symptomatology, which, in turn, predicted more negative perceptions of children. Preference for employment and increased working hours were associated with greater life satisfaction. Maternal education and the gender of the child were important moderating variables. Type of child care arrangement was nonsignificant. Policy implications are discussed.
The Carbon Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane and its Constraint on the Global Methane Budget

This chapter develops the context of how the carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric methane can be used to estimate source and sink fluxes. First, it describes the theory behind using atmospheric measurements to constrain surface sources and sinks and then applies this specifically to isotopic ratios in the atmosphere. It then reviews the history of atmospheric δ 13 C measurements. In the next section it uses these measurements to estimate sources and sinks and examines the sensitivity of the estimates to uncertainties in the present model's parameters. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of how other isotopic species like 14 CH 4 and CH 3 D might add to the information contained within the δ 13 C data.
Priming mechanisms with additions of pyrogenic organic matter to soil

Abstract Additions of pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) to soil have been shown to both increase and decrease mineralization of native soil organic carbon (nSOC). This change in mineralization rate is referred to as priming, and may have important implications for carbon (C) turnover in soil. This study quantifies both positive and negative priming mechanisms using high-resolution carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements using a series of short-term incubation experiments with 13C-labeled PyOM added to a temperate forest soil. Moisture, nutrient availability and pH were adjusted to minimize any differential effects on nSOC mineralization. Irrespective of pyrolysis temperature (200–750 °C), addition of 10 mg PyOM g−1 soil significantly decreased mineralization of nSOC. Dilution was measured against inorganic bulking materials with different surface areas and accounted for 19% of negative priming observed at day 7, and 13% at day 35. In comparison, substrate switching caused only 1% of negative priming assumed to be equivalent to PyOM mineralization itself. Inhibition did not explain reductions in nSOC mineralization since the microbial biomass did not significantly decrease (p > 0.05). Sorptive protection of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was responsible for the majority of negative priming observed with PyOM additions based on adsorption isotherm experiments as well as co-location of nSOC on PyOM surfaces shown by nanoSIMS. Maximum sorption of soil DOC was 29 times higher to PyOM pyrolyzed at 450 °C than to topsoil, and tripled with an increase in pyrolysis temperature to 750 °C. This tripling in DOC sorption potential to PyOM produced at 750 °C in comparison to 450 °C was only reflected in a less than twice lower nSOC mineralization. Sorptive protection was with 80% the dominant negative priming mechanism on monthly timescales and likely beyond. These results have implications for long-term SOC storage, because sorption has more persistent effects than substrate switching or dilution.
Regulated secretion in vascular endothelium.

Eukaryotic cells secrete proteins through both regulated and constitutive pathways (1). In the regulated pathway, exocytosis of stored material is coupled to an external stimulus which produces transient elevations in [Ca2+]i, cAMP or other secondary messengers (2, 3). Secretion is ultimately accomplished by the translocation of the exocytotic granule to the subcortical regions of the cell and the fusion of the cellular plasma membrane with the membranes of the secretory organelle. The process of regulated secretion has at least two distinct consequences. First, the rapid release of the contents of the storage granule generates locally high concentrations of peptides, proteins and other bioactive compounds in the vicinity of the secretory cell. These products may promote cell-cell interaction through the activation of target cells or the crosslinking of surface receptors. Second, the translocation of secretory granule membrane proteins to the plasma membrane of the secretory cell may provide new or additional binding sites for cellular adhesion.
Effect of intravenous contrast on renal function in advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

e16071Chronic kidney disease (CKD) after serial intravenous contrast exposure in patients who have had nephrectomy for kidney tumors.Background: Risk of CKD after long-term repetitive intravenous c...