cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health Significance of Chlorination Byproducts in Drinking Water: The Houston Experience

In 1954, following the construction of Lake Houston, a change from lightly chlorinated ground sources to a heavily chlorinated surface source of drinking water took place for a sizable part of the population in the city of Houston, Texas. This has provided the opportunity to compare the incidence of urinary tract cancer mortality in populations exposed to heavily chlorinated and lightly chlorinated drinking water. The spatial, diurnal, and seasonal concentrations of chlorination byproducts (trihalomethanes) in Houston water were assessed. The range of concentrations varied from below the limits of detection in treated ground water, to more than 200 mg/l (twice the level allowed by US drinking water standards) in treated lake water. The mortality experience by gender, by race, and by age cohorts for the period 1940 to 1970 from urinary tract cancers and three comparison causes was determined for 56 of Houston's census tracts classified by the duration of exposure to the surface water. By the 1970's 20 years following the switch to surface water, an increase was detected in urinary cancer mortality rates for white females without a corresponding increase observed for white males. No clear-cut trends were found for the non-white population. On balance, a detrimental urinary cancer effect associated with a switch to chlorinated surface water has not been demonstrated yet.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-l) Genomic Sequences and Distinct Changes in CD8+ Lymphocytes Precede Detectable Levels of HIV-l Antibodies in High-Risk Homosexuals

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified regions of the gag, LTR, and env genes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in 5 (13%) of 38 high-risk homosexual men who were negative for HIV-1 antibodies by Western blot (WB). Significant increases in CD8+ cells, particularly those bearing activation CD8+CD38+ and CD8+Ia+ antigens, and marked reductions in CD4+ cells were detected in WB-PCR+ subjects compared with 33 WB-PCR- homosexuals. WB-PCR+ subjects had impaired B cell but not T cell functions. Immunologic characteristics of WB-PCR+ homosexuals were indistinguishable from those of 17 WB+PCR+ subjects. Subjects progressing from WB-PCR- to WB-PCR+ to WB+PCR+ showed sequential phenotypic and functional alterations in their B and T cell compartments. These changes and the presence of HIV-1 genomic sequences were the first indications of HIV-1 infection and together with p24 antigenemia signified an inevitable progression to AIDS.
Computer-related gender differences

Computer-related gender differences are examined using survey responses from 651 college students. Issues studied include gender differences regarding interest and enjoyment of both using a computer and computer programming. Interesting gender differences with implications for teaching are examined for the groups (family, teachers, friends, others) that have the most influence on students' interest in computers. Traditional areas such as confidence, career understanding and social bias are also discussed. Preliminary results for a small sample of technology majors indicate that computer majors have unique interests and attitudes compared to other science majors.
Cis-interactions between Notch and its ligands block ligand-independent Notch activity

The Notch pathway is integrated into numerous developmental processes and therefore is fine-tuned on many levels, including receptor production, endocytosis, and degradation. Notch is further characterized by a twofold relationship with its Delta-Serrate (DSL) ligands, as ligands from opposing cells (trans-ligands) activate Notch, whereas ligands expressed in the same cell (cis-ligands) inhibit signaling. We show that cells without both cis- and trans-ligands can mediate Notch-dependent developmental events during Drosophila oogenesis, indicating ligand-independent Notch activity occurs when the receptor is free of cis- and trans-ligands. Furthermore, cis-ligands can reduce Notch activity in endogenous and genetically induced situations of elevated trans-ligand-independent Notch signaling. We conclude that cis-expressed ligands exert their repressive effect on Notch signaling in cases of trans-ligand-independent activation, and propose a new function of cis-inhibition which buffers cells against accidental Notch activity.
Performance study of peer-to-peer video streaming on complex networks

In this paper we study the video streaming bandwidth of peer-to-peer streaming networks where the underlying topology is a complex network. We focus on the maximal streaming rate and how it depends on the type of network. We consider networks such as small world networks, scale free networks, locally connected networks and random networks. The experimental results indicate that a more connected graph does not necessarily imply a higher streaming rate, whereas properties such as the existence of a Hamiltonian path from the source do.
THE SETTLING OF TSETSE FLIES GLOSSINA MORSITANS WESTWOOD (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE) ON CLOTH SCREENS

It has been found that tsetse flies prefer to settle on the darker of two screens but, contrary to expectation, they settle on the sunny side of a screen rather than on the shaded side. The attractiveness of a black and white striped screen diminished progressively as the width of the white stripes was increased but even narrow white stripes made a screen less attractive than an all-black control. This breaking up of the black screen was important since white adjacent to a black screen did not reduce its attractiveness. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG DIE WAHL VON STOFFSCHIRMEN VERSCHIEDENER HELLIGKEIT DURCH SICH SETZENDE TSETSEFLIEGEN, GLOSSINA MORSITANS WESTWOOD (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE) Die Wahl von verschieden hellen Stoffschirmen durch sich setzende Tsetsefliegen wurde im Freien beobachtet. Schwarze, dunkelgraue, hellgraue und weisse Schirme wurden verglichen; in allen Fallen wurde der dunklere Schirm vorgezogen. In ahnlicher Weise setzte sich eine grossere Anzahl von Fliegen auf einen schwarzen Schirm statt auf einen weissen desselben Formats, wahrend ein schwarz-weiss gestreifter Schirm an Anziehungskraft um so mehr einbusste, je breiter die weissen Streifen gemacht wurden. Fast alle Fliegen setzten sich auf die schwarzen Teile eines schwarz-weiss gestreiften Schirmes. Ein weisser Streifen neben einem schwarzen Schirm konnte jedoch die Anziehungskraft des letzteren nicht vermindern. Gegen alle Erwartungen zogen die sich setzenden Fliegen aber die sonnige Seite des Schirmes der schattigen vor. Es wird auf fruhere Experimente hingewiesen, die Tsetsefliegen wie auch andere stechende Fliegen betreffen. Die Frage, warum Tsetsefliegen sich an Schirme setzen, wird erortert und die Resultate der Arbeiten, uber die hier berichtet wird, werden besprochen.
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Analysis of Hydrogen Sensing in Pt/AlGaN/GaN Schottky Diodes at High Temperatures

Schottky diodes on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with Pt catalytic metal are fabricated and characterized for hydrogen sensing at a wide range of temperature and hydrogen concentration. The thermodynamic and kinetic processes of hydrogen adsorption/desorption at Pt/AlGaN are analyzed based on their steady and transient state sensing characteristics. The devices have great hydrogen detection capability even at sub-ppm level reliably at temperatures up to 800. Both forward and reverse currents of Schottky diodes increase with exposure to containing ambient, which is attributed to the reduction of Schottky barrier heights resulted by hydrogen absorption at Pt/AlGaN. As temperature increases, the device sensitivity () is improved due to the more effective dissociation, but starts saturating from 600. The coverage of hydrogen at the Pt/AlGaN interface exhibits the same trend as and . The thermodynamic process of hydrogen adsorption in Pt/AlGaN is endothermic with an adsorption enthalpy of 21 . The adsorption time constant shortens as the temperature or the concentration increases. On the other hand, the desorption time constant exhibits opposite trend on the temperature and concentration. The absolute magnitudes of the activation energies for hydrogen adsorption/desertion at Pt/AlGaN increase with the concentration.
Use of meso‐ tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin as a matrix for low molecular weight alkylphenol ethoxylates in laser desorption/ ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

The use of UV-absorbing molecules as matrices in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) is well documented. The matrices that are currently used have low molecular weights (<300 Da) and thus, for a typical MALDI-TOF spectrum, the low-mass range (m/z 100–500) is dominated by matrix ions. Consequently, the applications of MALDI-TOFMS have been restricted mostly to the analysis of high molecular weight analytes. This report demonstrates the use of meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (F20TPP, MW 974.57) as a matrix in the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis of some commercial nonylphenol ethoxylates (4-(C9H19)-C6H4-(OCH2CH2)n-OH), in which the ethoxymer ion distribution ranges from 331–771 Da. When F20TPP was used without a sodium ion dopant, there were no MALDI signals for the ethoxylates. However, addition of sodium acetate to the sample produced MALDI spectra in which the ethoxymer molecules were sodiated to form [M + Na]+ ions. A comparison of the mass spectrometric data with those obtained when α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) was used as the matrix indicated that the F20TPP-induced spectra provided comparable data, with the advantage of having less matrix interference in the low-mass range (m/z 100–500). Thus, the use of F20TPP and similar porphyrins may provide the means to apply MALDI-TOF to the analysis of low molecular weight molecules with minimum interference from matrix signals. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conceptual Development in the Moral and Conventional Domains: Implications for Values Education

This article reviews recent research and related theory indicating that individuals’ conceptions of social convention and morality are constructed with in distinct developmental systems emerging out of qualitatively differing environmental interactions. The research indicates that people of all ages distinguish between those actions (moral) having an intrinsic effect upon the rights or well-being of others, and actions (social conventional) whose propriety is determined by the societal context (i.e., implicit or explicit societal norms). In addition, the research demonstrates that concepts about morality and convention follow independent and distinct developmental patterns.The article discusses the limits of current values education programs (e.g., Kohlbergian, values clarification) in terms of their failure to coordinate the teaching of social values with students’ differential conceptions of morality and convention.In addition, the article presents implications for classroom management procedures, the d...
Uniform comparison of data models using containment modeling

Containment data models are a subset of entity relationship models in which the allowed relationships are either a type of containment, storage, or inheritance. This paper describes containment relationships, and containment data models, applying them to model a broad range of monolithic, link server, and hyperbase systems, as well as the Dexter reference model, and the WWW with WebDAV extensions. A key quality of containment data models is their ability to model systems uniformly, allowing a broad range of systems to be compared consistently.
Nothing in biology makes sense except in light of theology

This essay analyzes Theodosius Dobzhansky's famous article, "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution," in which he presents some of his best arguments for evolution. I contend that all of Dobzhansky's arguments hinge upon sectarian claims about God's nature, actions, purposes, or duties. Moreover, Dobzhansky's theology manifests several tensions, both in the epistemic justification of his theological claims and in their collective coherence. I note that other prominent biologists--such as Mayr, Dawkins, Eldredge, Ayala, de Beer, Futuyma, and Gould--also use theology-laden arguments. I recommend increased analysis of the justification, complexity, and coherence of this theology.
Advances in droplet array combustion theory and modeling

Abstract A review of research on the subject of the vaporization and burning of fuel droplets configured in a prescribed array is presented, including both classical works and research over the past decade or two. Droplet arrays and groups and the relation to sprays are discussed. The classical works are reviewed. Recent research on transient burning and vaporization of finite arrays with Stefan convection but without forced convection is presented, including extensions to non-unitary Lewis number and multi-component, liquid fuels. Recent results on transient, convective burning of droplets in arrays are also examined. In particular, transient convective burning of infinite (single-layer periodic and double-layer periodic) and finite droplet arrays are discussed; attention is given to the effects of droplet deceleration due to aerodynamic drag, diameter decrease due to vaporization, internal liquid circulation, and arrays with moving droplets in tandem and staggered configurations. Flame structure is examined as a function of spacing between neighboring droplets and Damkohler number: individual droplet flames versus group flames and wake flames versus envelope flames. Based on existing knowledge of laminar droplet array and spray combustion theory, experimental evidence, and turbulent studies for non-vaporizing and non-reacting two-phase flows, comments are made on the needs and implications for the study of turbulent spray and array combustion.
Syk deficiency in nonreleaser basophils.

Abstract Background: Peripheral blood basophils from 10% to 20% of donors fail to degranulate in response to cross-linking the high-affinity IgE receptor FcϵRI. The molecular mechanisms underlying the nonreleaser phenotype have not been established. Objectives: Our aim was to compare the expression of FcϵRI-associated protein tyrosine kinases between nonreleaser and releaser basophils. Methods: With use of Western blotting we investigated Syk and Lyn protein levels in highly purified basophils from 3 anti-IgE nonreleasers and 2 releasers. Results: We identified 3 healthy nonatopic donors whose nonreleaser basophils express FcϵRI normally but fail to express protein for the tyrosine kinase Syk, which is implicated in the initiation of FcϵRI-mediated secretion. Protein levels for the tyrosine kinase Lyn are somewhat reduced but not absent in nonreleaser basophils. Levels of Lyn and Syk protein are similar in B cells, eosinophils, and neutrophils from releaser and nonreleaser donors. During these studies one nonreleaser "converted" into a releaser with concomitant basophil Syk expression. Conclusion: The absence of detectable Syk could explain the nonreleaser phenotype of basophils from some donors. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104:279-84.)
A Comparison of Girdled Ash Detection Trees and Baited Artificial Traps for Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Detection

Detection of newly established populations of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, the most destructive forest insect to invade the United States, remains challenging. Regulatory agencies currently rely on artificial traps, consisting of baited three-sided panels suspended in the canopy of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees. Detection trees represent another survey option. Ash trees are girdled in spring to attract ovipositing A. planipennis females then debarked in fall to assess larval presence and density. From 2008-2010, systematic grids of detection trees and artificial traps were established across a 390-km(2) area for the SLow Ash Mortality pilot project. We compared probabilities of detection associated with detection trees and artificial traps along varying A. planipennis density proxies estimated as distance-weighted averages of larval counts (detection trees) or adult captures (traps) within 800 m of each detection tree or trap. Detection trees were consistently more likely to be positive, that is, detect A. planipennis, than traps in all three years, even when traps were placed in canopies of detection trees. Probability of detection with a single detection tree was >50% when density proxies for the area were <5 larvae per detection tree, while the probability of detection with an artificial trap placed in the same area was <35%, even when density proxies exceeded 25 larvae per detection tree. At very low densities of <5 larvae per detection tree, using three detection trees would increase detection probabilities to 90%, while five artificial traps would increase the detection probability only to 40%.
Diversity of the protein kinase C gene family: Implications for cardiovascular disease

All eukaryotic cells are capable of responding to a changing intracellular environment and to extracellular stimuli. These functional responses are highly regulated by diverse means; one of the most common mechanisms of regulation requires the covalent phosphorylation of intracellular proteins, which when phosphorylated, mediate many functional events. The general class of enzymes that catalyzes the phosphorylation of effectors (substrates), the protein kinases, may be divided into two broad categories, depending on whether they phosphorylate serine and threonine residues or tyrosine residues. Evidence has accumulated that implicates abnormal activation of protein kinase C (PKC), which is one family of serine-threonine protein kinases, in cells and tissues from patients or models of cardiovascular disease. In this review, we present the molecular and biochemical basis for the diversity of the PKC family, and briefly summarize the evidence that PKC is implicated in cardiovascular pathology and the potential therapeutic implications and approaches.
Relationship between nutrient intake, body mass index, menstrual function, and ballet injury.

The effects of inadequate nutrition, menstrual dysfunction, and low body weight on the injury rate of ballerinas were studied. Forty-nine female ballet dancers, mean age 18.7 years, completed food frequency and injury questionnaires. Subjects were placed in one of two groups: those with an intake less than 70% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for key nutrients and those with an intake greater than 70% of the RDA for key nutrients. Sixty-nine percent of the dancers had intakes less than 70% of the RDA and were randomly assigned to either a vitamin/mineral supplement or to placebo for 6 months. The remaining dancers with diets adequate (greater than 70% RDA) in key nutrients received no treatment. All groups were questioned monthly about the incidence, severity, and nature of ballet injuries. Information regarding menses and height and weight was obtained. There were no significant differences in the severity or type of injuries among the dancers in the supplement, placebo, or no treatment groups. Dancers with abnormal menses had more bone injuries (mean = 15.00) than normally menstruating dancers (mean = 4.97) (p less than .05). Dancers with a Body Mass Index less than 19.0 spent more days with a low-grade injury (mean = 24.05) than dancers with a greater BMI (mean = 11.63) (p less than .05). There appears to be a relationship between dance injuries and both BMI and menstrual function.
Pre- and postsynaptic inhibitory actions of methionine-enkephalin on identified bulbospinal neurons of the rat RVL

Hayar, Abdallah and Patrice G. Guyenet. Pre- and postsynaptic inhibitory actions of methionine-enkephalin on identified bulbospinal neurons of the rat RVL. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 2003–2014, 1998. The...
Phase I study of MORAb-003, a humanized anti-folate receptor-alpha monoclonal antibody, in platinum resistant ovarian cancer

5027 Background: Folate receptor alpha (FRA) is over-expressed in the majority of epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) but largely absent from normal tissue. MORAb-003 (M3) is a humanized monoclonal an...
Analysis of nucleation using mean first-passage time data from molecular dynamics simulation

We introduce a method for the analysis of nucleation using mean first-passage time (MFPT) statistics obtained by molecular dynamics simulation. The method is based on the Becker-Doring model for the dynamics of a nucleation-mediated phase change and rigorously accounts for the system size dependence of first-passage statistics. It is thus suitable for the analysis of systems in which the separation between time scales for nucleation and growth is small, due to either a small free energy barrier or a large system size. The method is made computationally practical by an approximation of the first-passage time distribution based on its cumulant expansion. Using this approximation, the MFPT of the model can be fit to data from molecular dynamics simulation in order to estimate valuable kinetic parameters, including the free energy barrier, critical nucleus size, and monomer attachment pre-factor, as well as the steady-state rates of nucleation and growth. The method is demonstrated using a case study on nucleation of n-eicosane crystals from the melt. For this system, we found that the observed distribution of first-passage times do not follow an exponential distribution at short times, rendering it incompatible with the assumptions made by some other methods. Using our method, the observed distribution of first-passage times was accurately described, and reasonable estimates for the kinetic parameters and steady-state rates of nucleation and growth were obtained.
Acrotomopus Atropunctellus Boh. In Argentina Sugarcane.

While searching for parasites of the sugarcane moth borer, Diatraea saccharalis Fabr., in Ledesma, Province of Jujuy, Argentina, on February 20, 1929, larvae of a Curculionid were discovered within several cane shoots. On returning to Tucuman, four live specimens were turned over to the Tucuman Experiment Station, and two were kept by the writer for rearing. On March 26, just a month later, the writer found a weevil borer in cane at the Tucuman Experiment Station which proved to be the same species as the Ledesma specimens. These were the first records of any such weevil occurring in sugarcane in the Provinces of Jujuy and Tucuman. Inasmuch as there are weevil borers doing considerable damage in South America and in other parts of the world, it was thought best to make further observations on this species.
Enhancements to the Hybrid Mesh Approach to Surface Loads Integration on Overset Structured Grids

Accurate computation of forces and moments on structured overset surface grids requires careful accounting of the overlapped zones. The advantages and disadvantages of two methods in current practice, the hybrid mesh approach and the weighted panels approach, are discussed. New schemes that enhance the software execution speed and robustness of the hybrid mesh approach are presented. Use of index-space-balanced bounding boxes for stencil searches, and various other optimization techniques resulted in a speed up in code execution time by a factor of about 40. Robustness of the triangulation scheme is also improved by a boundary sub-string splitting procedure and a new sequence of triangular cell construction tests. Triangle surface normal consistencies are established using logical tests based on index space directions rather than using floating-point arithmetic checks.
NO2-induced generation of extracellular reactive oxygen is mediated by epithelial lining layer antioxidants

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an environmental oxidant that causes acute lung injury. Absorption of this aqueous insoluble gas into the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) that covers air space surfaces is, ...
Exposure to Paid Advertising and Returning a Census Form

In this article, the authors examine several research questions related to the effectiveness of the government's paid advertising campaign - first, the factors that best predicted respondents' reported exposure to paid advertising; second, the relationship between exposure to advertising and level of census knowledge. Finally, they attempt to quantify the impact of paid advertising on motivating respondents to complete and return a census form. To do this, they used logistic regression models to predict the outcome variable (returning a form versus not returning a form). The primary independent variable of interest is reported exposure to paid advertising.
NGOs: Harbingers of Democratization?

NGOs and civil society have become increasingly important in Africa over the last two decades. How and why they are important is controversial, not whether they have become important. As discussed in previous chapters the dominant discourse of neo-liberalism views NGOs as significant harbingers of democratization and economic liberalization, but as Fowler (1993) argues, African NGOs tend to be ‘… organizational weak, seldom truly indigenous or rooted within the mass of the population’. In addition they are often used by the political and bureaucratic elite to ‘… sustain themselves by providing a needed diversification of patronage resources’ (Fowler, 1993, p. 334). So, how influential and effective can they be in a transition to democracy? As the case study of Uganda illustrates, NGOs have a limited impact on the political arena, focusing more on gap-filling, service-provision roles. What impact have NGOs had on their target groups and the wider community in terms of political empowerment, given their own organizational constraints?
Gender Differences in Associations Between Insufficient Sleep and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Endpoints: A Contemporary Review

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States for both men and women. The increasing appreciation of the gender differences in behavioral and physiologic interconnectedness of cardiometabolic risk factors has led to a growing literature evaluating relationships between sleep—an integral part of overall health and a source of physiological resilience—in relation to CVD and its risk factors in male and female cohorts. This article reviews the published research related to gender differences in the role of insufficient sleep in the etiology of CVD. Evidence on gender differences in the associations between sleep and other behavioral risk factors for CVD, namely diet and physical activity, is in the nascent stages of characterization but suggests that insufficient sleep may have a more pronounced detrimental impact on the diets of women. The literature on gender differences in the role of insufficient sleep in inflammation, dyslipidemia, glycemic co...
Proceedings of the 2006 Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I would like to welcome you to the Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference 2006 (ASP-DAC 2006) being held here at Pacifico Yokohama jointly with the Electronic Design and Solution Fair 2006. ASP-DAC is a sister conference of DAC, DATE and ICCAD, and it is the 11th event of this conference series.ASP-DAC is the meeting place where researchers and engineers come together to learn and discuss state of the art technologies of system/SoC design, EDA and design methodologies. This year, we put special effort into attracting designers and design industries to produce Designers' Forum.We have three keynote speakers from academia, the semiconductor industry and the systems industry. Professor Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, University of California at Berkeley, will explore future system design perspectives in automotive electronics. Satoru Ito, President & CEO of RENESAS Technology Corp. will discuss challenges of device innovation. Yukichi Niwa, Senior Advisory Director of CANON INC. will present the company's key concept of architecting platform based design.The technical program was selected from 424 papers from 27 countries. The 64 members of the Technical Program Committee chaired by Professor Onodera and helped by over 250 reviewers had to make difficult choices to carefully select 135 papers. It is an outstanding program that covers a variety of key topics from system level design to physical design. Designers' Forum is a new program that shares design experience and solutions of real product designs of the industries whose topics include the CELL and mobile designs, panels of top 10 design issues and system verification. The University Design Contest is also an important event of ASP-DAC, which focuses on a real chip design in academia. On Tuesday, one full-day and six half-day tutorials are scheduled to provide introductions to hot topics like DFM, lowpower, packaging/interconnect, system level design and verification.
Examining Functional Spatial Perception in 10-Year-Olds and Adults.

This study examined a specific type of spatial perception, functional spatial perception, in 10-year-old children and adults. Functional spatial perception involves anticipating actions made with o...
Passing for poor: the construction of poverty and race in immersion journalism

This article examines the practice of “passing” as a form of journalistic research into the conditions of poverty. A close reading of Ted Conover's work of immersive literary journalism. Rolling no...
Extensive alternative splicing transitions during postnatal skeletal muscle development are required for Ca 2+ handling

Postnatal development of skeletal muscle is a highly dynamic period of tissue remodeling. Here we used RNA-seq to identify transcriptome changes from late embryonic to adult mouse muscle and demonstrate that alternative splicing developmental transitions impact muscle physiology. The first two weeks after birth are particularly dynamic for differential gene expression and AS transitions, and calcium-handling functions are significantly enriched among genes that undergo alternative splicing. We focused on the postnatal splicing transitions of three calcineurin A genes, calcium-dependent phosphatases that regulate multiple aspects of muscle biology. Redirected splicing of calcineurin A to the fetal isoforms in adult muscle and in differentiated C2C12 slows the timing of muscle relaxation, promotes nuclear localization of calcineurin targets Nfatc3 and Nfatc2, and affects expression of Nfatc transcription targets. The results demonstrate a previously unknown specificity of calcineurin isoforms as well as the broader impact of AS during muscle postnatal development.
THE CONTEXTUAL EXPERIENCES OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AMONG OLDER GRANDPARENTS RAISING ADOLESCENT GRANDCHILDREN

Older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren are an understudied population. Greater understanding is needed of the social capital (e. g. information, emotional support, companionship, practical instrumental support, and influence, power, and control) harnessed by older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren. This research applied a qualitative, phenomenological approach to explore social capital among older grandparents. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 19 grandparent caregivers ranging in age from 55 to 88 years. Eligibility criteria were: primary caregiver for a grandchild 12 years or older; grandchild resides in home at least 3 days; grandparent 40 or older and resides in Oklahoma, Alabama, or Kentucky. Participants were recruited by word of mouth, newspapers, and flyers. Grandparents responded to a question prompt, “I am going to ask you some questions about your support system to assist with your concerns about your older grandchild.” Interviews were conducted in public places, audiotaped, and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using a question analysis approach to sort responses into matrices, develop memos, and identify themes. Most older grandparents were female (84.2%), Caucasian (52.6%), married (57.9%), and never attended a support group (68.4%). One overarching theme from these older grandparent caregivers is access to social capital exists on a continuum. Participants’ experiences with social capital pertained to family proximity, evolving perception of friends, limited or no social engagement with neighbors, dynamics of church attendance and size, and familiarity with community resources. These older grandparents raising adolescents shared positive reactions to select social capital with some types emerging as less important or underdeveloped.
Projected impact and cost-effectiveness of community-based versus targeted azithromycin administration strategies for reducing child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background Trials of mass drug administration (MDA) of azithromycin (AZM) report reductions in child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). AZM targeted to high-risk children may preserve benefit while minimizing antibiotic exposure. We modeled the cost-effectiveness of MDA to children 1-59 months of age, MDA to children 1-5 months of age, AZM administered at hospital discharge, and the combination of MDA and post-discharge AZM. Methods and findings Models employed a payer perspective with a 1-year time horizon. Cost-effectiveness was presented as cost per DALY averted and death averted, with probabilistic sensitivity analyses. The model included parameters for macrolide resistance, adverse events, hospitalization, and mortality sourced from published data. Assuming a base-case 1.64% mortality risk among children 1-59 months old, 3.1% among children 1-5 months old, 4.4% mortality risk post-discharge, and 13.5% mortality reduction per trial data, post-discharge AZM would avert ~45,000 deaths, at a cost of $2.84/DALY (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1.71-5.57) averted. MDA to only children 1-5 months old would avert ~186,000 deaths at a cost of $4.89/DALY averted (95% UI: 2.88-11.42), MDA to all under-5 children would avert ~267,000 deaths a cost of $14.26/DALY averted (95% UI: 8.72-27.08). Cost-effectiveness decreased with presumed diminished efficacy due to macrolide resistance. Conclusions Targeting AZM to children at highest risk of death may be an antibiotic-sparing and cost-effective, or even cost-saving, strategy to reduce child mortality. However, targeted AZM averts fewer absolute deaths and may not reach all children who would benefit. Any AZM administration decision must consider implications for antibiotic resistance.
Latino placemaking and planning: Cultural resilience and strategies for reurbanization, by Jesus J. Lara: Tucson, Arizona, Arizona University Press, 2018

Latinos are physically and culturally reshaping cities in the U.S. They are revitalizing cities, suburbs, and rural towns in dramatic fashion. Jesus Lara’s book Latino Placemaking and Planning does...
Electron transfer induced magnetic ordering of metal-cyanide magnets

After over three decades of intense research effort, molecular cyanide magnets offer the prospect of low-temperature solution growth and stimuli-dependent magnetic properties. Central to the magnetic properties of cyanide compounds, electron transfer and spin coupling of structural cyanide networks are crucial because they control the magnetic ordering characteristics. However, the candidates of magnetically ordered molecules with controlled electron transfer are still very rare. Here we report atomic coordination induced control of electron transfer in solution grown metal-cyanide magnets, where the 2D FeSe layered material can react with the cyanide-chain dependent electron-accepting molecules, 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane and tetracyanoethylene. We demonstrate the electron transfer in Fe:cyanide networks, revealing its striking role in the magnetization and magnetic ordering. This study opens up a new avenue to design coordination magnets with high-temperature magnetic properties.
Variability in Zinc Concentration among Mueller-Hinton Broth Brands: Impact on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Metallo-β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae .

Zinc concentrations have been found to vary among different manufacturers of cation adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth (caMHB). Herein, we evaluated the impact of utilizing different brands and lots of commercially available caMHB on antimicrobial susceptibility of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-harboring Enterobacteriaceae, and to evaluate the addition of EDTA to caMHB as a means to achieve zinc-limited media. Fifteen clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates (NDM, n=7; VIM, n=3; IMP, n=2; KPC, n=3) and 9 different commercial lots from 3 caMHB manufacturers (Becton-Dickinson, Oxoid, and Sigma-Aldrich) were utilized. Zinc-limited media was prepared by addition of EDTA at concentrations ranging from 3 to 300 μg/mL. Meropenem MICs were determined in triplicate in each lot of conventional caMHB and zinc-limited media by broth microdilution. Zinc concentration was determined in each lot of conventional caMHB by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Up to 8-fold differences were observed in meropenem MICs between the commercial lots resulting in varying classifications of susceptibility among MBL-harboring isolates. Mean zinc concentrations were highest among conventional Becton-Dickinson caMHB, relative to Oxoid and Sigma-Aldrich broth. Among MBL-harboring isolates, the impact of EDTA on MICs was dependent on the lot, correlating with initial zinc availability (i.e., less MIC reduction with higher initial zinc concentration) while MICs to KPC-harboring isolates were unchanged. In summary, zinc variability was observed among commercial lots of caMHB resulting in different classification of susceptibility among MBL-harboring Enterobacteriaceae. Addition of EDTA concentrations ≥30 μg/mL were sufficient to provide a zinc-limited media, resulting in MICs that reflect in vivo meropenem activity.
Risk Preference, Asset Allocation, and Seniors’ Satisfaction

Maintaining clients’ financial satisfaction is a primary goal of financial planners. Previous research has found that net worth, income, and demographic characteristics are relevant to an individuals’ financial satisfaction. However, no existing research identifies whether the alignment between risk preferences and portfolio-risk level affects financial satisfaction. This research will investigate whether or not an individual feels more satisfied if his or her equity allocation aligns with his or her risk preferences. The finding of this study could potentially help financial planners better understand their clients, maintain good relationship with clients, improve overall client well-being, and provide advice that best fits clients’ needs.
Videoconference microscopy is a reliable alternative to conventional microscopy in the evaluation of Barrett's esophagus: Zooming into a new era.

Telepathology, practicing pathology from a distance, allows experts to review cases without the need to transfer glass slides. Due to significant intra- and inter-observer variabilities in the histological evaluation of Barrett's esophagus (BE), current guidelines recommend expert consultation in cases of dysplasia. We aimed to determine whether telepathology using microscope videoconferencing can be reliably used for evaluation of BE. Biopsies from 62 patients with endoscopic findings of salmon colored mucosa extending ≥1 cm proximal to the gastroesophageal junction were randomly selected to represent benign esophagus, non-dysplastic BE, low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma. Three gastrointestinal-trained pathologists reviewed the cases via videoconference microscopy followed by conventional microscopy. Intra-observer and pairwise inter-observer agreements between the conventional microscopy and videoconference methodologies were calculated for each of the three pathologists using Fleiss-Cohen weighted kappa (K) analysis. The intra-observer agreement for each pathologist's assessment of videoconference microscopy and glass slide readings showed very good reliability (K = 0.94, 95% confidence interval = 0.89-0.99; 0.88, 95% confidence interval = 0.79-0.98; 0.93, 95% confidence interval = 0.90-0.97). Mean pairwise inter-observer agreement was 0.90 for videoconference and 0.91 for conventional microscopy. Diagnosis and grading of BE using videoconference microscopy show similar reliability as conventional microscopy. Based on our findings, we propose that videoconferencing pathology is a valid instrument for evaluating BE.
Mesozooplankton Community Dynamics and Grazing Potential Across Algal Bloom Cycles in a Subtropical Estuary

Mesozooplankton, as abundant grazers of microalgae in coastal systems, have the potential to prevent or mitigate harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their effects. The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is a subtropical estuary in eastern Florida (USA) where repeated blooms, dominated by the toxic dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense, the brown tide species Aureoumbra lagunensis, pico/nano planktonic cyanobacteria and other nano-eukaryotes, have highlighted the need to better understand fluctuations in the grazing potential of mesozooplankton populations across bloom cycles. Mesozooplankton and abiotic environmental data were collected at five sites in the northern IRL system at six-week intervals from November 2013 through June 2016. A total of 107 taxa from 14 phyla were detected. Communities varied across sites, dates and between bloom and non-bloom periods, with densities up to 338 individuals L-1. Eight taxa comprising 85 – 94% of the total population at each site were identified as primary potential grazers, including barnacle nauplii, cladocerans, adult copepods, gastropod veligers, larvaceans and polychaete metatrochophores. Although abundant, the estimated grazing potential of the primary taxa, calculated from their measured densities and previously published grazing rates, suggest that mesozooplankton lack the capacity to suppress phytoplankton once they reach bloom levels. These findings illustrate the utility of monitoring data and underscore the importance of systematically evaluating algal bloom controls with a consideration for the dynamic conditions of each unique ecosystem.
302. Überlegungen zur Effektivitat und Effizienz der chirurgischen Qualitatssicherung

Qualitatssicherung ist effektiv, wenn sie das Qualitatsniveau der Versorgung sichert; sie ist efficient, wenn sie dies mit geringem Aufwand erreicht. Die direkten Effekte betreffen Behandlungsablauf und -ergebnis, die indirekten Effekte die Rahmenbedingungen chirurgischen Handelns sowie die Verhaltensweisen der Chirurgen. Kosten verursachen Datenerfassung/-auswertung, das krankenhausinterne Verfahren der Qualitatsbeurteilung sowie die Masnahmen zur Behebung von Qualitatsdefiziten. Wichtigste Voraussetzung fur Effektivitat and Effizienz der Qualitatssicherung sind Einzelfallanalysen von statistisch ermittelten Auffalligkeiten sowie die Beseitigung aufgedeckter Schwachstellen.
Therapeutic implications for acquired resistance and heart toxicity using targeted therapy to ErbB2

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 2512 Abstract ErbB2 overexpression or amplification predicts for a poor prognosis in breast cancer making it an attractive therapeutic target. Small molecules such as ErbB2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antibodies are currently used or are in clinical trials. Our data elucidates the pathway of acquired resistance to inhibitors of ErbB1 and ErbB2 tyrosine kinases and antibodies, as well as the underlying pathway associated with cardiac toxicity after Herceptin treatment in some patients. Finally, we show the clinical implications and the therapeutic approaches to overcome resistance to these changes. Materials and Methods Immunostaining was performed for HER2, EGFR, ER, PR, Bcl-2 and FKHRL1/FOXO3a, ERRα, ERR and PGC-1α on cell lines and patient’s biopsies. Western blot analysis was used for ER, PR and FOXO3a, BCL-2, ERRα and ERR and PCG-1α, p-AKT and pERK. AU565, MCF7, BT-474, MCF7/FC2 and AU Bcl-2 were treated with β-estradiol, Tamoxifen Citrate, GW2974, Heregulin/NDF and Herceptin. Results We show that up-regulation of ERα and ER-regulated genes directly contribute to the development of resistance to HER1/HER2 inhibitors, such as lapatinib, GW2974 or Herceptin. Although the ErbB2 pathway remains intact and inhibited by GW2974, lapatinib or Herceptin, the dependence of tumor cell survival in inhibitor-resistant breast cancer cells switches from ErbB2 to ER pathway. By inhibiting ErbB2 and P13/AKT signaling, the inhibitors and antibodies transiently up-regulate FOXO3a, which in turn up-regulates ER and ER-regulated genes, such as BCL2. We were also able to show that these effects occur in patients with ErbB2 overexpressing/ER positive breast cancers treated with lapatinib and IRESSA as monotherapy. By combining EGFR and HER2 inhibitors and antibodies with interventions that down-regulate ER protein depriving tumor cells of estrogen, we were able to delay or possibly prevent the acquisition of ER-mediated resistance. In addition, we have shown that the gene associated with fatty acid metabolic pathway is up-regulated by Herceptin. Discussion Our results show that activation of ER and ER-regulated genes contributed to the development of resistance to ErbB inhibitors in AU and BT474 cells, also occurred in patients treated by ErbB inhibitors whose breast cancers expressed a similar phenotype. Identifying the mechanisms involved in the development of resistance and toxicities to ErbB inhibitors and antibodies will lead to rational therapeutic strategies, which will ultimately improve the clinical activity of ErbB2 small molecule and antibodies.
Non-linear dynamics in opto-mechanical oscillators

Cavity opto-mechanics enabled opto-mechanical oscillators leverage coupling between high quality factor mechanical and optical resonances in a micro-resonator. The inherently high quality factors make such systems susceptible to various non-linearities. This paper presents the first reported experimental demonstration of various non-linear dynamics observed in a silicon opto-mechanical oscillator, and specifies operating conditions required to inhibit these effects. We present four non-linear effects viz. i) oscillations of parasitic mechanical modes, ii) chaotic mechanical oscillations, iii) multi-GHz oscillations driven by two photon absorption, and iv) coherence of the excited mechanical oscillations, similar to optical frequency combs.
Gel permeation chromatography

Abstract An automated gel permeation chromatograph-low-angle laser light-scattering system capable of measuring the molecular-weight distribution of soluble polymers without the necessity of calibration is described. The automation system eliminates most of the tediousness associated with molecular-weight distribution measurement. The molecular-weight distributions and molecular-weight averages of a broad range of polystyrene standards were determined using this technique. The results obtained are shown to agree closely with literature data.
Fully Dynamic Maintenance of Vertex Cover

The problem of maintaining an approximate solution for vertex cover when edges may be inserted and deleted dynamically is studied. We present a fully dynamic algorithm A1 that, in an amortized fashion, efficiently accommodates such changes. We further provide for a generalization of this method and present a family of algorithms A k , k >−1. The amortized running time of each A k is \(\Theta ((\upsilon + e)\tfrac{{1 + \sqrt {1 + 4(k + 1)(2k + 3)} }}{{2(2k + 3)}})\) per Insert/Delete operation, where e denotes the number of edges of the graph G at the time that the operation is initiated. It follows that this amortized running time may be made arbitrarily close to \(\Theta ((\upsilon + e)\tfrac{{\sqrt 2 }}{2})\). Each of the algorithms given here is 2-competitive, thereby matching the competitive ratio of the best existing off-line approximation algorithms for vertex cover.