cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate Change, Epistemic Trust, and Expert Trustworthiness

For many of us, the evidence for our beliefs on anthropogenic global climate change turns on epistemic trust and distrust toward many varied others: researchers, intergovernmental agencies, peer review bodies, skeptical think tanks, science journalists. Even personal experiences and individual evidential assessments may be buttressed significantly by trust in credible others. This epistemic dependency need not make our climate knowledge intellectually or ethically suspect; nor does it make expert/non-expert relationships on climate change so different than other social-epistemic domains. Yet attending to trust (and lack thereof) in contemporary public understanding of climate change may help illuminate moral issues attendant to trustworthiness across epistemic difference. Building upon Annette Baier and Karen Jones on trust and Alvin Goldman and David Coady on expert disagreement, I model social knowledge of climate science in terms of epistemic trust relationships. These relationships can be morally healthy or rotten; accordingly, in the contexts of such relationships, experts and non-experts have reciprocal duties of trustworthiness.
Effects of Moisture and Fiber Type on Infrared Absorption of Fabrics

A study of variations in IR absorption characteristics of fabrics with moisture regain and fiber type is discussed. Infrared spectral absorptivities of fabrics are measured over the range of wavelengths from 0.7 to 25 microns. These values are used with the normalized emission characteristics of blackbody emitters to calculate average absorptivities for blackbody emitter temperatures ranging from 500 to 3000 K. Overall radiant efficiencies of the blackbody emitters are calculated by multiplying average absorptivities by the radiant efficiencies of emitters in converting input power to IR radiant output power. The absorption characteristics of several fabrics such as polypropylene and wool are measured so that the behavior of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers can be compared. Correlation equations are presented for average absorptivities of several fabrics as a function of moisture regain.
Renal response to captopril reflects state of local renin system in healthy humans.

Renal response to captopril reflects state of local renin system in healthy humans. Background Heightened activity of the renin-angiotensin system has been linked to the development of both essential hypertension and diabetic nephropathy. Blunting of the renal vasoconstrictor response to Ang II, specifically when it is corrected by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, is a feature which we have employed as a marker for activation of the intrarenal RAS. In this study we tested the hypothesis that variation in the renal vasodilator response to ACE inhibition in healthy humans reflected the variation in angiotensin-mediated renal vasoconstriction provoked by a low-salt diet. Methods We studied 20 healthy people (ages 19 to 57; 15 males) who were in balance on a low sodium diet. Ang II was infused for 45 minutes (3 ng/kg/min), followed by 25mg captopril and a repeat Ang II infusion; PAH clearance was measured at the end of each interval. Results All subjects responded to captopril with a rise in renal plasma flow (range 43 to 242, mean 118 + 12 ml/min/1.73m 2 ). Individual vasodilator response to captopril was a strong inverse predictor of the precaptopril vasoconstrictor response to Ang II ( P = 0.006, r = -0.59). There was a stronger, positive correlation of the vasodilator response to captopril and enhancement of Ang II responsiveness after captopril ( r = 0.57). Plasma renin activity was significantly correlated with captopril response among the large responders ( P = 0.003; r = 0.83), but not at all among those with little response. Conclusion These results suggest substantial variation in angiotensin-mediated control of the renal circulation in healthy individuals on a low sodium intake. Variation in the vasodilator response to captopril, correlated with responses to Ang II, provides a measure of that control.
Feature Articles: A Relativistic Symmetry in Nuclei

More than thirty years ago it was observed that certain quantum energy levels in atomic nuclei were almost degenerate in energy [1]. The states that are almost degenerate (quasi-degenerate) have different radial quantum numbers and different orbital angular momenta, features that made the reason for their degeneracy difficult to penetrate.
A Navier–Stokes–Voight model with memory

In this article, we consider a three-dimensional Navier–Stokes–Voight model with memory where relaxation effects are described through a distributed delay. We prove the existence of uniform global attractors , where ϵ ∈ (0,1) is the scaling parameter in the memory kernel. Furthermore, we prove that the model converges to the classical three-dimensional Navier–Stokes–Voight system in an appropriate sense as ϵ 0. In particular, we construct a family of exponential attractors Ξϵ that is robust as ϵ 0. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distinct structures of scrapie prion protein (PrPSc)-seeded versus spontaneous recombinant prion protein fibrils revealed by hydrogen/deuterium exchange.

The detailed structures of prion disease-associated, partially protease-resistant forms of prion protein (e.g. PrPSc) are largely unknown. PrPSc appears to propagate itself by autocatalyzing the conformational conversion and oligomerization of normal prion protein (PrPC). One manifestation of PrPSc templating activity is its ability, in protein misfolding cyclic amplification reactions, to seed the conversion of recombinant prion protein (rPrP) into aggregates that more closely resemble PrPSc than spontaneously nucleated rPrP amyloids in terms of proteolytic fragmentation and infrared spectra. The absence of posttranslational modifications makes these rPrP aggregates more amenable to detailed structural analyses than bona fide PrPSc. Here, we compare the structures of PrPSc-seeded and spontaneously nucleated aggregates of hamster rPrP by using H/D exchange coupled with mass spectrometry. In spontaneously formed fibrils, very slow H/D exchange in region ∼163–223 represents a systematically H-bonded cross-β amyloid core structure. PrPSc-seeded aggregates have a subpopulation of molecules in which this core region extends N-terminally as far as to residue ∼145, and there is a significant degree of order within residues ∼117–133. The formation of tightly H-bonded structures by these more N-terminal residues may account partially for the generation of longer protease-resistant regions in the PrPSc-seeded rPrP aggregates; however, part of the added protease resistance is dependent on the presence of SDS during proteolysis, emphasizing the multifactorial influences on proteolytic fragmentation patterns. These results demonstrate that PrPSc has a distinct templating activity that induces ordered, systematically H-bonded structure in regions that are dynamic and poorly defined in spontaneously formed aggregates of rPrP.
Weighted fair sharing for dynamic virtual clusters

In a shared server infrastructure, a scheduler controls how quantities of resources are shared over time in a fair manner across multiple, competing consumers. It should support wide (parallel) requests for variable-sized pool of resources, provide assurance of minimum resource allotment on demand, and give predictable assignments. Our approach integrates a fair queuing algorithm with a calendar scheduler. We present WINKS, a proportional share allocation policy that addresses the needs of shared server environments. It extends start-time fair queuing to support wide requests with backfill, advance reservations, dynamic cluster sizing, dynamic request sizing, and intra-flow request prioritization. It also preserves fairness properties across queue transformations and calendar operations needed to implement these extensions.
How European and U.S. Genetic Engineering Scientists View the Impact of Public Attention on Their Field: A Comparison

Two recent surveys of genetic engmeering scientists have assessed how scientists in the United States and in Europe view the influence of regulation and public attention on recombinant DNA research. Generally, European researchers are more negative about this issue: they feel that public attention has hampered progress in the field more than it has helped it. The probable cause for this difference is that European countries tend to have more—and more stringent—regulations on bioengineering than the United States, although there are also national differences in the climate for bioengineering research. On the other hand, scientists in the United States seem extremely concerned about competitiveness, especially relative to Japan.
Understanding less than nothing: Neural distance effects for negative numbers☆

Little work has examined how the mental number system accommodates counterintuitive quantities such as negative numbers, which seem to extend the left end of the mental number line and reverse the established relationship between digit magnitude and value; even less research has been conducted on the neural systems supporting negative number understanding. This study aimed to determine whether adult behavioral and neural responses to negative number paired comparisons were similar to those expected for positive numbers. Mixed pairs (with one positive and one negative number) were also included. Negative number responses demonstrated an increased typical distance effect relative to that for positives, with decreasing response times and intraparietal sulcus activity for comparisons farther apart than those closer together. Negative pairs also showed more activity than positive comparisons across distances in the occipital lobe, inferior and superior parietal lobule, and bilateral caudate and putamen. Mixed pair effect direction varied based on polarity sensitivity, or whether attention to the negative sign was needed for accurate responses, indicating differences in processing strategy. Adults thus draw on brain areas important in numeric processing when dealing with negatives, but also recruit further areas and strategies to support the unique features of negative numbers. The increased distance effect seen may reflect a less mature understanding of negatives. This work expands our knowledge of the flexibility of the mental number system and its ability to represent difficult quantities.
Fractal statistics in biology

Abstract The biological application of the fractal concept, particularly in the area of statistics, has led to a wealth of new insight. Herein we review how the scaling properties of a number of biological and biochemical processes including the interbeat interval in heart beats, ion-channel gating, the survival probability of patients with Leukemia and the modeling of DNA sequences suggest the applicability of Levy statistics for their proper description.
A random NC algorithm for depth first search

In this paper we present a fast parallel algorithm for constructing a depth first search tree for an undirected graph. The algorithm is an RNC algorithm, meaning that it is a probabilistic algorithm that runs in polylog time using a polynomial number of processors on a P-RAM. The run time of the algorithm is O(TMM(n)log3n), and the number of processors used is PMM(n) where TMM(n) and PMM(n) are the time and number of processors needed to find a minimum weight perfect matching on an n vertex graph with maximum edge weight n.
Early childhood risk factors differentiated juvenile onset from adult onset major depressive disorder

(2002 Mar) Arch Gen Psychiatry 59, 215; Jaffee SR, Moffitt TE, Caspi A, et al. . Differences in early childhood risk factors for juvenile-onset and adult-onset depression. . ; . : . –22 . [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] QUESTION: Are childhood biopsychosocial risk factors associated with juvenile onset different from those associated with adult onset major depressive disorder (MDD)? Birth cohort followed for 26 years (Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study). Dunedin, New Zealand. 1037 children (91% of eligible births) who were born between April 1972 and March 1973 and participated in the first follow up assessment at 3 years of age. 998 study participants (96% of the birth cohort) completed ≥2 psychiatric interviews at ages 11, 13, or 15 years and at 18, 21, or 26 years, and were included in the analysis. Childhood risk factors were assessed up to 9 years of age: neurodevelopmental characteristics (perinatal insults, gross motor skills, and intelligence quotient); parental characteristics (mother’s internalising symptoms, including depression and anxiety, … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DArchives%2Bof%2BGeneral%2BPsychiatry%26rft.stitle%253DArch%2BGen%2BPsychiatry%26rft.issn%253D0003-990X%26rft.aulast%253DJaffee%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%2BR.%26rft.volume%253D59%26rft.issue%253D3%26rft.spage%253D215%26rft.epage%253D222%26rft.atitle%253DDifferences%2Bin%2BEarly%2BChildhood%2BRisk%2BFactors%2Bfor%2BJuvenile-Onset%2Band%2BAdult-Onset%2BDepression%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Farchpsyc.59.3.215%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F11879158%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/archpsyc.59.3.215&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=11879158&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmental%2F5%2F4%2F125.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000174300800001&link_type=ISI
Looking in the mirror: Teachers' use of autobiography and action research to improve practice

This study presents an argument for valuing subjective, reflective knowledge based on Habermas' category of cognitive interest of emancipatory knowing. Using the teachers' autobiographies and action research as data sources, the process of personal empowerment is explored. A model of change derived from analysis of teachers' writings is proposed that includes disturbance, alternatives, confidence and action.
A new 2-form for connections on surfaces with boundary

A natural gauge-invariant 2-form is introduced on the space of connections over a compact oriented surface with boundary. It is shown that this 2-form descends to the moduli space of flat connections, under a group of based gauge transformations. An explicit expression (in terms of holonomy variations) is given for the resulting 2-form, and it is related to the symplectic structure of the extended moduli space introduced by L. C. Jeffrey.
Innate immunity and alcoholic liver disease

Innate immunity provides the primary response to danger signals from pathogens or injured host cells and tissues. The cells of the innate immune system include monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, NK cells and NKT cells that orchestrate innate immune and initiate adaptive immune responses via cell interactions, cytokines, chemokines and other mediators. The most robust and common response of the innate immune system to danger signals is inflammation. In the multifactorial pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), activation of innate immune cells and the inflammatory cascade play a central role. Recent studies have demonstrated that Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the sensors of microbial and endogenous danger signals, are expressed and activated in innate immune cells as well as in parenchymal cells in the liver, and thereby contribute to ALD. The importance of gut-derived endotoxin and its recognition by TLR4 expressed on innate immune cells and liver parenchymal cells and the specificity of TLR4-induced downstream signaling via the interferon regulator factor 3 (IRF3) has recently been investigated. We have shown that mice deficient in IRF3 or TLR4 expression are protected from alcohol-induced liver steatosis, inflammation and hepatocyte injury. In addition to pathogen-derived danger molecules, the inflammatory cascade can also be activated by endogenous danger signals released from damaged cells. The inflammasome, a multiprotein complex, senses endogenous danger molecules to result in caspase-1-mediated cleavage of IL-1β. Our recent results suggest that inflammasome and caspase-1 activation occur in ALD and that IL-1 significantly contributes to both steatosis and inflammation in the liver in ALD.
Functional Location of Subject-Specific Joint Axes of the Human Ankle Complex

Two non-invasive methods for locating the functional joint axes of the ankle complex were assessed. There is believed to be considerable variation in joint axis location among individuals, making he accurate subject-specific location of these axes important for improved orthopaedic treatment of musculoskeletal disorders of the foot and ankle. The first method, based on the work of previous investigators, uses optimization. An assessment of the accuracy of this method, not performed to date, was carried out on an anthropomorphic mechanical linkage and three cadaver specimens. This method was substantially more accurate when tested on the linkage than when tested on the cadavers, suggesting that its application is limited in vivo. The second method uses a novel approach to move the foot primarily about the subtalar joint, therefore allowing the subtalar joint axis to be located using helical axis decomposition. The accuracy and repeatability of this method were also assessed on six cadaver specimens, with generally good results. In three specimens, subtalar axis location errors were typically less than 10° and 2 mm.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Decentralized optimal traffic engineering in the internet

Distributed optimal traffic engineering in the presence of multiple paths has been found to be a difficult problem to solve. In this paper, we introduce a new approach in an attempt to tackle this problem. This approach has its basis in nonlinear control theory. More precisely, it relies on the concept of Sliding Modes. We develop a family of control laws, each of them having the property that the steady-state network resource allocation yields the maximum of the given utility function, subject to the network resource constraints. These control laws not only allow each ingress node to independently adjust its traffic sending rate but also provide a scheme for optimal traffic load redistribution among multiple paths. The only nonlocal information needed is binary feedback from each congested node in the path. Moreover, the algorithms presented are applicable to a large class of utility functions, namely, utility functions that can be expressed as the sum of concave functions of the sending rates. We show that the technique can be applied not only to rate adaptive traffic with multiple paths, but also to assured service traffic with multiple paths. Preliminary case studies show that this technique is potentially very useful for optimal traffic engineering in a multiple-class-of-service and multiple-path enabled Internet, e.g., differentiated services enabled multi-protocol label switching networks.
Recombinant bovine interferon-gamma, but not interferon-alpha, potentiates bovine neutrophil oxidative responses in vitro.

Abstract In this study we have addressed the in vitro effects of recombinant bovine interferon-gamma (rBoIFN-γ) and interferon-alpha (rBoIFN- α 1 ) on oxidative functions of bovine neutrophils. Treatment with rBoIFN-γ, but not rBoIFN- α 1 , enhanced the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL) response of bovine neutrophils to both opsonized zymosan particles and phorbol myristate acetate. Pre-incubation of neutrophils for 2 h at 39°C with rBoIFN-γ resulted in a 40% increase in both LDCL and release of hydrogen peroxide by neutrophils stimulated with opsonized zymosan. This enhancement was observed at doses ranging from 0.2 to 2000 units of rBoIFN-γ per ml. In contrast to the results observed in the LDCL and hydrogen peroxide assays, preincubation of neutrophils with rBoIFN-γ had no effect on the levels of superoxide anion released in response to opsonized zymosan. Pre-incubation with rBoIFN-γ increased phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated LDCL by 30%, although it had no effect on either superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide release in response to PMA stimulation. Neither recombinant interferon directly elicited an oxidative burst from neutrophils in the absence of zymosan or PMA stimulation.
Beyond Development: A Research Agenda for Investigating Open Source Software User Communities

Open source software has rapidly become a popular area of study within the information systems research community. Most of the research conducted so far has focused on the phenomenon of open source software development, rather than use. We argue for the importance of studying open source software use and propose a framework to guide research in this area. The framework describes four main areas of investigation: the creation of OSS user communities, their characteristics, their contributions and how they change. For each area of the framework, we suggest several research questions that deserve attention.
Three-stage accurate estimation in the general linear model

Abstract This paper develops the asymptotic theory of a three-stage procedure for estimating regression parameters with given confidence level and predetermined accuracy when the variance about the response surface is unknown. Second-order asymptotic results relying on conditional inference show that the procedure has bounded regret and compares favorably with a fully sequential estimation procedure.
The solution behavior of H2O in peralkaline aluminosilicate melts at high pressure with implications for properties of hydrous melts

Abstract Solubility and solution mechanisms of H2O in depolymerized melts in the system Na2O–Al2O3–SiO2 were deduced from spectroscopic data of glasses quenched from melts at 1100 °C at 0.8–2.0 GPa. Data were obtained along a join with fixed nominal NBO/T = 0.5 of the anhydrous materials [Na2Si4O9–Na2(NaAl)4O9] with Al/(Al+Si) = 0.00–0.25. The H2O solubility was fitted to the expression, X H 2 O = 0.20 + 0.0020 f H 2 O - 0.7 X Al + 0.9 ( X Al ) 2 , where X H 2 O is the mole fraction of H2O (calculated with O = 1), f H 2 O the fugacity of H2O, and XAl = Al/(Al+Si). Partial molar volume of H2O in the melts, V H 2 O melt ¯ , calculated from the H2O-solulbility data assuming ideal mixing of melt–H2O solutions, is 12.5 cm3/mol for Al-free melts and decreases linearly to 8.9 cm3/mol for melts with Al/(Al+Si) ∼ 0.25. However, if recent suggestion that V H 2 O melt ¯ is composition-independent is applied to constrain activity–composition relations of the hydrous melts, the activity coefficient of H2O, γ H 2 O melt , increases with Al/(Al+Si). Solution mechanisms of H2O were obtained by combining Raman and 29Si NMR spectroscopic data. Degree of melt depolymerization, NBO/T, increases with H2O content. The rate of NBO/T-change with H2O is negatively correlated with H2O and positively correlated with Al/(Al+Si). The main depolymerization reaction involves breakage of oxygen bridges in Q4-species to form Q2 species. Steric hindrance appears to restrict bonding of H+ with nonbridging oxygen in Q3 species. The presence of Al3+ does not affect the water solution mechanisms significantly.
30 years of British utility regulation: Developing country experience and outlook

This article examines the impact the UK regulatory model has had in developing and transition countries in the three decades since its inception. It presents data linked to three key features of the model, namely independent regulatory institutions; focus on competition; and greater efficiency in service delivery through incentive-based regulation. The difficulty of formulating statements valid for a very diverse set of countries is acknowledged. Nevertheless, the article argues that despite of the rapid spread of regulatory agencies across the world, the UK regulatory model has been only partially successful in middle- and low-income countries. The main explanation offered is that the ‘de-politization’ of regulatory institutions is more challenging to achieve in a context of below cost-recovery tariffs and continued state-ownership of utilities. But improving the technical soundness of decision making and introducing accountability for operators are key tasks that regulators can address even if the gap to the UK ideal remains in a number of countries.
Joint Profit Maximization, Negotiation, and the Determinacy of Price in Bilateral Monopoly

Many economists teach that joint profit maximization leads to a determinate quantity and indeterminate price of the intermediate good traded. Using isoprofit curves, the Truetts argue that only one price is consistent with rational behavior and the goal of profit maximization.
A local min-max-orthogonal method for finding multiple solutions to noncooperative elliptic systems

A local min-max-orthogonal method together with its mathematical justification is developed in this paper to solve noncooperative elliptic systems for multiple solutions in an order. First it is discovered that a noncooperative system has the nature of a zero-sum game. A new local characterization for multiple unstable solutions is then established, under which a stable method for multiple solutions is developed. Numerical experiments for two types of noncooperative systems are carried out to illustrate the new characterization and method. Several important properties for the method are explored or verified. Multiple numerical solutions are found and presented with their profiles and contour plots. As a new bifurcation phenomenon, multiple asymmetric positive solutions to the second type of noncooperative systems are discovered numerically but are still open for mathematical verification.
The hunt for the 3′ endonuclease

Pre-mRNAs are typically processed at the 3(') end by cleavage/polyadenylation. This is a two-step processing reaction initiated by endonucleolytic cleavage of pre-mRNAs downstream of the AAUAAA sequence or its variant, followed by extension of the newly generated 3(') end with a poly(A) tail. In metazoans, replication-dependent histone transcripts are cleaved by a different 3(') end processing mechanism that depends on the U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein and the polyadenylation step is omitted. Each of the two mechanisms occurs in a macromolecular assembly that primarily functions to juxtapose the scissile bond with the 3(') endonuclease. Remarkably, despite characterizing a number of processing factors, the identity of this most critical component remained elusive until recently. For cleavage coupled to polyadenylation, much needed help was offered by bioinformatics, which pointed to CPSF-73, a known processing factor required for both cleavage and polyadenylation, as the possible 3(') endonuclease. In silico structural analysis indicated that this protein is a member of the large metallo-β-lactamase family of hydrolytic enzymes and belongs to the β-CASP subfamily that includes several RNA and DNA-specific nucleases. Subsequent experimental studies supported the notion that CPSF-73 does function as the endonuclease in the formation of polyadenylated mRNAs, but some controversy still remains as a different cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF) subunit, CPSF-30, displays an endonuclease activity in vitro while recombinant CPSF-73 is inactive. Unexpectedly, CPSF-73 as the 3(') endonuclease in cleavage coupled to polyadenylation found a strong ally in U7-dependent processing of histone pre-mRNAs, which was shown to utilize the same protein as the cleaving enzyme. It thus seems likely that these two processing reactions evolved from a common mechanism, with CPSF-73 as the endonuclease.
The importance of need for cognition and educational experience in enhanced and standard substance abuse treatment.

Abstract The current study examined the relationship between need for cognition (i.e., cognitive motivation or “will”) and educational experience (i.e., cognitive ability or “skill”) to perceived improvements during treatment of probationers receiving residential treatment within the criminal justice system. Probationers were randomly assigned to either receive motivational activities developed by the authors (the “enhanced” condition), or treatment as usual (but with access to general reading materials in lieu of the motivational activities). Need for cognition and educational experience were assessed and used as blocking variables, and ratings of progress were assessed midway and toward the end of treatment. The results indicate that both need for cognition and educational experience are important predictors of improvement during treatment, and that the motivational activities developed by the authors were particularly valuable for clients with lower levels of need for cognition.
Preempting genetic discrimination and assaults on privacy: Report of a symposium

At a symposium in June, 2002, biomedical researchers, clinicians, legal experts, policymakers, and representatives of the insurance industry and the advocacy community gathered to address issues of genetic privacy and discrimination; and to identify research, legal, and policy gaps needing to be filled. They concluded that over the next decade, as more genetic information becomes available and the public becomes more aware of individual risks, concerns about privacy and discrimination will become increasingly important. Documented cases of genetic discrimination are rare and largely anecdotal, yet individuals with genetic conditions harbor significant fears about discrimination. Current laws enacted to protect individuals from workplace and insurance discrimination offer some measure of protection, but leave many unfilled gaps. Moreover, the use of genetic information in potentially discriminatory ways is not limited to employment and insurability. Existing laws do little to protect people seeking life, disability, or long-term care insurance. And the courts have used genetic information in a wide variety of cases including paternity, criminal, and tort (personal injury) cases. Genetic information that might jeopardize an individual's right to privacy may also be obtained in the course of research studies, including through the collection of DNA and tissue samples. The insurance industry, State and Federal agencies, and the advocacy community are all making efforts to address some of these gaps through legislation and education of clinicians, the public, and policy makers.
Human Exonuclease 1 Functionally Complements Its Yeast Homologues in DNA Recombination, RNA Primer Removal, and Mutation Avoidance *

Yeast exonuclease 1 (Exo1) is induced during meiosis and plays an important role in DNA homologous recombination and mismatch correction pathways. The human homolog, an 803-amino acid protein, shares 55% similarity to the yeast Exo1. In this report, we show that the enzyme functionally complements Saccharomyces cerevisiae Exo1 in recombination of direct repeat DNA fragments, UV resistance, and mutation avoidance by in vivo assays. Furthermore, the human enzyme suppresses the conditional lethality of a rad27Δ mutant, symptomatic of defective RNA primer removal. The purified recombinant enzyme not only displays 5′-3′ double strand DNA exonuclease activity, but also shows an RNase H activity. This result indicates a back-up function of exonuclease 1 to flap endonuclease-1 in RNA primer removal during lagging strand DNA synthesis.
An X-ray photo-electron spectroscopic investigation of the air-formed film on copper

Abstract The composition and the structure of the film formed on copper by exposure to ambient air for 24 h were investigated by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). This characterization of the native oxide on copper provides a basis for subsequent exposures in mixed flowing gas systems. Using angle-resolved XPS, it was observed that only the univalent, diamagnetic Cu + species was present in the film. The film was modelled as a two-layer structure with an inner layer of Cu 2 O and an outer layer comprising adventitious hydrocarbon and bound hydroxyl and water, with determined thicknesses of approximately 1.6 and 0.8 nm, respectively.
Serum uric acid predicts vascular complications in adults with type 1 diabetes: the coronary artery calcification in type 1 diabetes study

Epidemiologic evidence supports a link between serum uric acid (SUA) and vascular complications in diabetes, but it remains unclear whether SUA improves the ability of conventional risk factor to predict complications. We hypothesized that SUA at baseline would independently predict the development of vascular complications over 6 years and that the addition of SUA to American Diabetes Association’s ABC risk factors (HbA1c, BP, LDL-C) would improve vascular complication prediction over 6 years in adults with type 1 diabetes. Study participants (N = 652) were 19–56 year old at baseline and re-examined 6 years later. Diabetic nephropathy was defined as incident albuminuria or rapid GFR decline (>3.3 %/year) estimated by the CKD-EPI cystatin C. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was based on self-reported history, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) was defined as laser eye therapy; coronary artery calcium (CAC) was measured using electron-beam computed tomography. Progression of CAC (CACp) was defined as a change in the square-root-transformed CAC volume ≥2.5. Predictors of each complication were examined in stepwise logistic regression with subjects with complications at baseline excluded from analyses. C-statistics, integrated discrimination indices and net-reclassification improvement were utilized for prediction performance analyses. SUA independently predicted development of incident albuminuria (OR 1.8, 95 % CI 1.2–2.7), rapid GFR decline (1.9, 1.1–3.3), DR (1.4, 1.1–1.9), PDR (2.1, 1.4–3.0) and CACp (1.5, 1.1–1.9). SUA improved the discrimination and net-classification risk of vascular complications over 6 years. SUA independently predicted the development of vascular complications in type 1 diabetes and also improved the reclassification of vascular complications.
Labeling neurons in vivo for morphological and functional studies

Increasingly sophisticated strategies for labeling cells in vivo are providing unprecedented opportunities to study neurons in living animals. Transgenic expression of genetically encoded reporters enables us to monitor changes in neuronal activity in response to sensory stimuli, and the labeling of single neurons with fluorescent proteins allows the dynamics of neuronal connectivity to be observed in transgenic animals over periods ranging from minutes to months. Advances in transient labeling techniques such as viral infection and electroporation provide a rapid means by which to analyze neuronal gene function in vivo. These new approaches to labeling, manipulating and imaging neurons in intact organisms are transforming the way in which the nervous system is studied.
Multifunctional yeast high-copy-number shuttle vectors

A set of four yeast shuttle vectors that incorporate sequences from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2 mu endogenous plasmid has been constructed. These yeast episomal plasmid (YEp)-type vectors (pRS420 series) differ only in their yeast selectable markers, HIS3, TRP1, LEU2 or URA3. The pRS420 plasmids are based on the backbone of a multifunctional phagemid, pBluescript II SK+, and share its useful properties for growth in Escherichia coli and manipulation in vitro. The pRS420 plasmids have a copy number of about 20 per cell, equivalent to that of YEp24. During non-selective yeast growth, pRS420 plasmids are lost through mitotic segregation at rates similar to other YEp vectors and yeast centromeric plasmid (YCp) vectors, in the range of 1.5-5% of progeny per doubling. The pRS420 series provides high-copy-number counterparts to the current pRS vectors [Sikorski and Hieter, Genetics 122 (1989) 19-27].
The Geometry of Arc Interruption

It is the purpose of this paper to present a rigorous analysis and description of the phenomenon which takes place in an interrupting device during the interval between the parting of the contacts and the current zero at which interruption takes place. It is to be shown that the events which take place during the arcing period prior to interruption play an important part in setting the stage for the drama of circuit interruption. This analysis has a counterpart in the phenomenon which takes place immediately following interruption; namely, circuit recovery characteristics. The knowledge of this latter phenomenon has played a dynamic role during the past ten years. With its aid, oil circuit breaker designs have advanced to the point where their excellent performance has set the high present-day standards of reliable circuit interruption.2,3 The knowledge of recovery rates4,5 laid the foundation for the displacement principle;6 namely, oil velocity multiplied by the oil dielectric (impulse) strength is equal to the maximum permissible rate of rise of recovery voltage. The stage today, however, is being set for interruptions with devices which employ air as the medium of interruption and insulation.7,8 New roles are being created. Recovery voltage, although just as important, is being assigned an easier part.
Enhanced corrosion resistance of phytic acid coated magnesium by stearic acid treatment

Abstract A green chemical conversion coating for magnesium was obtained with a phytic acid solution. The microstructure and corrosion properties of phytic acid conversion coated magnesium were further improved by soaking in stearic acid solution. The phytic acid conversion coated magnesium after soaking in the stearic acid showed no micro-cracks and the surface became very smooth. The corrosion behavior of the uncoated and coated magnesium samples was studied by electrochemical methods. The corrosion resistance of the stearic acid treated sample was much higher than that of phytic acid conversion coated magnesium or uncoated magnesium. The electrochemical results indicated that the stearic acid treated coating provided effective corrosion protection to the magnesium sample.
Fluorine in meteorites

Microanalysis using a resonant nuclear reaction was used to measure F concentrations in USGS standard rocks and 21 meteorites. The F appears to be a moderately depleted element, but there were significant variations within each sample. Measurements on separated metal phases suggest that about 20% of meteoritic F is in the metal or in a phase closely associated with it. Simultaneous measurements of F, Mg, Na, Al and Si in the nonmagnetic fractions of meteorites suggest plagioclase as a F containing phase.
Myeloid cells in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly associated with inflammation. Myeloid cells, including tumor-associated macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, are abundant in the HCC microenvironment and are often associated with poor prognosis. Myeloid cells in HCC play a vital role in supporting tumor initiation, progression, angiogenesis, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Here, we summarize our current knowledge about myeloid cells in HCC and focus on their immune-suppressive activities and tumor-promoting functions, as well as the relevance to potential new therapies in HCC.
Vascularized medial femoral condyle corticoperiosteal flaps for the treatment of recalcitrant humeral nonunions.

Background: Several methods have been used in the management of humeral nonunions. With the advent of modern microsurgical techniques, vascularized bone grafting is becoming increasingly used to improve local biology. We report our experience in the use of a vascularized corticoperiosteal bone flap from the medial femoral supracondylar region in the treatment of recalcitrant humeral nonunions. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients treated with this technique over a 4-year period within our institution. Patient demographics, nonunion characteristics, complications, and long-term outcomes were analyzed. Results: Six patients underwent vascularized periosteal graft reconstruction. Prior to this, all had failed an average of three procedures with the length of nonunion ranging from 6 to 68 months. All six nonunions healed by an average of 6.8 months (range 2–12 months). Two patients required additional secondary procedures. Functional outcome improved in all patients as adjudged by disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand, Mayo elbow performance, and Constant Murley scores. Conclusions: The vascularized medial femoral condyle corticoperiosteal flap provides an additional treatment option for the management of humeral nonunions. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2011.
The decline and resurgence of pertussis in the US

Although the resurgence of pertussis in nations with long-standing vaccination programs has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of current immunization policy, the epidemiology of resurgence remains poorly understood. We analyzed pertussis notifications in US states obtained from the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from 1951 to 2010 to explore the timing, spatial pattern and consistency of resurgence across the country. Here we show that resurgence occurred at different times in different states, spread out over a transition period of roughly three decades. Further, despite this spatial variation, broad patterns in pertussis epidemiology can be described by two dominant phases: (1) a period of decline ending in the mid-1970s, followed by (2) nationwide resurgence. Together, these patterns explain 89.7% of the variation in US case notifications between 1951 and 2005. This resurgence was interrupted, however, by a synchronized downturn in 2005 that continues to the present in many large states. The causes of these two transitions in pertussis epidemiology remain hotly debated, though our findings suggest that evolution of the Bordetella pertussis bacterium, loss of immunity and persistent transmission among adults, and demographic drivers are more probable explanations than changes in reporting or the introduction of acellular vaccines.
DISEASE PROGRESSION FOLLOWING RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY IN MEN WITH GLEASON SCORE 7 TUMOR

AbstractPurpose: The long-term prognosis of men with Gleason score 7 adenocarcinoma of the prostate is uncertain.Materials and Methods: We studied 488 men whose radical prostatectomy specimen showed Gleason score 7 tumor without involvement of the seminal vesicles or lymph nodes. Of the 400 men without progression 318 had been followed for 2 years or more and 93 for 7 years or more.Results: Cases of organ confined disease and negative margins regardless of extent of extraprostatic extension had roughly similar and better prognoses than cases of focal and established extraprostatic extension with positive margins. The greater influence of margin status on progression (p <0.0001) compared to extent of extraprostatic extension (p = 0.023) was evidenced in the multivariate analysis. Of 30 men with established extraprostatic extension and positive margins 6 (20%) had progression to distant metastases, which was similar to 14 of 58 (24%) without established extraprostatic extension and positive margins. There w...
Cytotoxicity and gene expression profiles in cell cultures exposed to whole smoke from three types of cigarettes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the cytotoxicity and gene expression profiles in cell cultures exposed to whole smoke generated from a full flavor cigarette (Test 1), a low tar cigarette (Test 2), and an ultra-low tar cigarette (Test 3). In addition, a reference cigarette 2R4F was evaluated for cyto- toxicity. Neutral red (NR) cytotoxicity assay was performed to determine relative cell death at each exposure concentration (n ¼ 6). LC50 was generated using wet total particular matter (WTPM), cigarette number, or nicotine concentrations. The overall order of cytotoxicity was Test 1 � 2R4FTest 2 > Test 3. Cell culture samples were collected for RNA extraction at WTPM concen- trations of each cigarette that gave similar nicotine concentra- tions. Affymetrix mouse whole genome 430 2.0 array was used to characterize the gene expression profiles for each cigarette. A total of 598 genes in Test 1, 176 genes in Test 2, and 234 genes in Test 3 samples were differentially expressed compared to the concurrent sham controls. The major biological processes associated with the changed genes in Test 1 samples were down-regulated DNA rep- lication and cell proliferation; the same biological processes were much less affected in Test 2 and Test 3 samples. The common findings in all three cigarettes types were increased glutathione biosynthesis/consumption and inflammatory response, which are known biological effects caused by smoke exposure. The most significantly up-regulated genes were CYP1A1, GSTs, Hmox1, and Procr in smoke-exposed samples, which are either related to well-studied mechanisms of smoke exposure-related diseases or potential new biomarkers for assessing and monitoring biological effects of cigarette smoke exposure in vivo and in smokers. In summary, both the NR cytotoxicity assay and gene expression profiling were able to differentiate the three types of test cigarettes, and the results demonstrated reduced biological effects for the Test 2 and Test 3 cigarettes compared to the Test 1 cigarette in BALB/c-3T3 Cells.
Delineation of discrete population segments of shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum based on mitochondrial DNA control region sequence analysis

Shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum is federally listed as ‘‘an endangered species threatened with extinction’’ in the U.S. but its listing status is currently under review. As part of this process, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service will determine if shortnose sturgeon are divided into Distinct Population Segments (DPS) across its distribution. In this regard, we sought to determine if shortnose sturgeon occur in genetically “discrete population segments,” and if so, the boundaries of each. We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence analysis to assess the genetic discreteness of 14 of 19 river populations that were recommended as DPS in the 1998 Final Recovery Plan for Shortnose Sturgeon. Nine of the 14 proposed DPS proved significantly discrete (P < 0.05 after Bonferoni correction) from both of their bracketing populations, the exceptions being those in the Penobscot River, Chesapeake Bay, Cooper River, and Ogeechee River (our sample from the Cape Fear River was insufficient to statistically analyze). Haplotype frequencies in the newly “rediscovered” Penobscot River collection were almost identical to those in the proximal Kennebec River system. Genetic data in combination with tagging results suggest that shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River are probably migrants from the Kennebec. Likewise, shortnose sturgeon found today within the Chesapeake Bay appear to be migrants from the Delaware River. While haplotype frequencies in the remnant Santee River population in Lake Marion differed significantly from those in nearby Winyah Bay, they did not differ significantly from those in the Cooper River. This suggests that the Cooper River harbors descendants of the Santee River population that are unable to access their historical spawning locales. The Ogeechee River collection was not genetically distinct from that in the nearby Savannah River, suggesting that it may host descendants of hatchery-reared individuals of Savannah River ancestry. Our genetic results indicate that most, but not all, rivers with shortnose sturgeon host genetically discrete populations, constituting important information in the consideration of DPS designations. However, shortnose sturgeon migrations through coastal waters to proximal rivers and release of hatchery-reared fish may confound results from genetic studies such as ours and lead to the possible misidentification of discrete population segments.