cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Essential roles for cohesin in kinetochore and spindle function in Xenopus egg extracts

To facilitate their accurate distribution by the mitotic spindle, sister chromatids are tethered during DNA replication, attached by their kinetochores and bi-oriented on the spindle, and then simultaneously released at the metaphase to anaphase transition, allowing for their segregation to opposite spindle poles. The highly conserved cohesin complex is fundamental to this process, yet its role in mitosis is not fully understood. We show that depletion of cohesin from Xenopus egg extracts impairs sister chromatid cohesion and kinetochore-microtubule interactions, causing defective spindle attachments and chromosome alignment during metaphase and mis-segregation during anaphase. In the absence of cohesin, sister kinetochore pairing and centromeric localization of chromosomal passenger proteins INCENP and aurora B were lost upon bipolar spindle attachment. However, kinetochores remained paired with normal passenger localization if bipolar spindle formation was prevented by inhibiting the kinesin-5 motor (Eg5). These observations indicate that cohesin is not required to establish sister association, but is necessary to maintain cohesion in the presence of bipolar spindle forces. Co-depletion of cohesin together with another major SMC complex, condensin, revealed cumulative effects on spindle assembly and chromosome architecture. These data underscore the essential requirement for cohesin in sister chromatid cohesion, kinetochore and spindle function.
Learning hidden variable models for blog retrieval

We describe probabilistic models that leverage individual blog post evidence to improve blog seed retrieval performances. Our model offers a intuitive and principled method to combine multiple posts in scoring a whole blog site by treating individual posts as hidden variables. When applied to the seed retrieval task, our model yields state-of-the-art results on the TREC 2007 Blog Distillation Task dataset.
Revisiting voltage-dependent relief of block in ion channels: a mechanism independent of punchthrough

Voltage dependence of block was investigated in a simple model for permeation in a multiion pore. Internal blocker could bind to three states of the open channel that differed in the locations and number of permeant ion bound; blocker dissociation occurs exclusively to the internal solution, and the blocker does not itself enter the electric field. By changing the relative stability of blocker binding to these three states, block displayed voltage dependence with relief of block at high potentials. Similar patterns of block could also be generated in more detailed models of ion permeation. These results illustrate that the observation of relief of block at high potentials is not a sufficient criterion for establishing that a blocker is permeant in a channel that has a complex permeation cycle.
Sleep latencies in human subjects: Age, prior wakefulness, and reliability

The latencies of sleep onset defined by EEG criteria were examined for seven age groups ranging from 21–31 months to 60–69 years. There was a decline in mean latencies with age except for the 60- to 69-year-old group. Forty percent of the latencies were less than 5 min in the 16- to 69-year age range. Latencies were positively related to prior wakefulness. Night-to-night latencies showed a low inter-S reliability.
Newer Variants and Simulants of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has characteristic clinical and histopathologic findings that facilitate accurate diagnosis. There are, however, many variants and simulants of BCC that may cause clinical and/or histopathologic confusion. These entities often have features in common with BCC, with nodular or sclerosing basaloid islands, peripheral palisading, stromal retraction, (pseudo)-glandular formation, and/or prominent mucin. Recently described BCC variants, including signet-ring BCC and granular cell BCC, are discussed. Less commonly appreciated basaloid simulants, including ameloblastoma, cloacogenic carcinoma, and mucinous carcinoma, are described. Distinguishing among these variants and simulants of BCC is important because treatment and prognosis of each may vary.
Crucibles of creativity: the geographic origins of tropical molluscan innovations

Extralimital traits—evolutionary innovations that represent unprecedented departures from the phenotypic norm in the clade in which they arise—are often thought preferentially to evolve in island-like settings, but accumulating evidence indicates that they also arise in highly diverse, competitively rigorous ecosystems. In order to evaluate the origins of extralimital traits, I reconstructed the history of all ecological and shell-morphological innovations in Miocene to Recent shallow-water molluscs from the two great modern tropical marine realms, the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) and Atlantic-eastern Pacific (AEP), with the expectation that the more diverse IWP would show a higher incidence of innovation. Of the 66 innovations I identified, 53 (80%) are IWP and 13 (20%) are AEP in origin. Data on the numbers of living species in 26 molluscan clades in the two tropical realms indicate that the species ratio (AEP to total number of species 0.32 ± 0.115) exceeds the innovation ratio (AEP to total innovations 0.21). The per-species frequency of innovation is therefore significantly higher in the IWP. None of the innovations is unique to endemic taxa on oceanic islands. I suggest that warm, large, highly productive environments are more conducive to the establishment of new ecological roles and phenotypic states than are smaller, less productive, more island-like settings; and that diversity need not be correlated with either high productivity or evolutionary opportunity for innovation.
Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma and papilloma viruses: Two separate entities?

Vulvar squamous precancers (vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia) are associated with sexual factors, cigarette smoking, and human papillomaviruses. However, epidemiologic studies of invasive carcinoma of the vulva have produced conflicting evidence for these associations, in part because of a strong association with vulvar inflammatory disease (dystrophies) in older women. We analyzed a series of 42 vulvar invasive carcinomas for papillomavirus nucleic acids by deoxyribonucleic acid–deoxyribonucleic acid in situ hybridization and correlated their presence with age, smoking history, and morphologic type. The carcinomas were divided into well-differentiated, moderately and poorly differentiated, and intraepithelial-like growth patterns, the latter composed of nests of invasive neoplastic epithelium with preserved cell polarity, similar to intraepithelial disease. Of the lesions studied, 28% were human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid–positive. Intraepithelial-like neoplasms segregated in women with a younger mean a9#6 (64 versus 73 years) than that of women with conventional squamous cell carcinoma and they more frequently had a history of cigarette smoking (88% versus 28%). Moreover, intraepithelial-like lesions contained human papillomavirus nucleic acids more frequently (67% versus 13%) when analyzed by in situ hybridization. These observations confirm the diverse nature of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma and may explain in part why conflicting results are obtained from studies investigating the role of sexual and viral factors in the genesis of vulvar cancer. They suggest that many invasive vulvar cancers may not be linked to papillomaviruses.
Pitfalls in clinical trials reveal need for well tolerated, more effective depigmenting agents.

AbstractObjective: Examine clinical trials performed for depigmenting agents in order to determine the most effective and well-tolerated depigmenting agent. Methods: We searched clinical trials, published and unpublished, performed for hydroquinone, ascorbic acid, azelaic acid, retinol and niacinamide in the period 2009 till present. Studies were examined based on participant information, design, duration, intervention, outcome measurements and statistical significance. Results: Sixty-one studies were examined, 40 published and 21 unpublished. Design, outcome measures and intervention showed sources of bias were not avoided. Only 30% of published trials were double-blind, 27% used a placebo and 80% used subjective measurements for their results. Unpublished trials follow similar outcomes, however, did not provide any significant results. Conclusion: Based on these results, we are unable to recommend a safer, more effective depigmenting agent. Lack of thorough trials limits us from accepting depigmenting a...
Shallowly buried, enigmatic seismic stratigraphy on the New Jersey outer shelf: Evidence for latest Pleistocene catastrophic erosion?

Chirp seismic profiles reveal a prominent seismic facies boundary 0–20 m below the seafloor within an 8.6 × 10.2 km area of the New Jersey outer shelf. This irregular boundary separates seismically transparent facies from underlying stratified facies. The irregularities form two populations of incisions trending northeast and east-northeast. Stratified blocks within the transparent facies, occasionally within presumed incisions, together with lithologic evidence, indicate that some of the transparent facies was formed by disruption of the stratified facies. Preservation of steep (50°–90°) incision flanks implies that deposition of the transparent facies closely followed disruption. Catastrophic erosion and redeposition following the multiple breaching of glacial lake dams to the north ca. 19–12 ka constitute the likeliest mechanisms both for producing facies-boundary incisions and emplacing the transparent facies, implying that local forcing can generate erosional unconformities on periglacial shelves in the absence of base-level change. This facies boundary adds complexity to the already complex, shallowly buried stratigraphic record of the last glacio-eustatic cycle on the New Jersey continental shelf, long considered typical of periglacial shelves worldwide.
Development of the Significant Other Survey: An Interview for Family Members of Substance Users

The Significant Other Survey (SOS) is a semi-structured interview designed to measure the multidimensional problems experienced by family members with a substance abusing loved one. This article describes the development of the SOS and its psychometric properties based on data obtained from significant others of 110 substance abusing adults. Interrater and test-retest reliability estimates were within acceptable ranges, adequate internal consistency was demonstrated for six of seven problem domains, and the problem domains were low to moderately correlated with each other. Issues related to future instrument development and the utility of the SOS for both family practitioners and researchers are described.
Composition dependence of the superconducting properties of the Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O system

Abstract A series of superconducting samples with nominal composition Tl2Ba2Can-1CunO2n+4 (1≤n≤11) have been prepared by a two-step method using barium nitrate (instead of barium oxides or barium carbonate). The phase analysis and structural analysis were performed by X-ray diffraction and an electron microprobe. The four-probe resistance and AC susceptibility measurements show that all the samples are superconducting with Tc above 105 K except the n=1 sample, which has a Tc of 88 K. The highest Tc (Tc(M)=124 K) in this series is obtained in the n=5 sample. It is found that there is a correlation between Tc and lattice parameter a of the 2223 phase. Tc increases when lattice parameter a decreases. Several new phases are found by the microprobe analysis. The reaction route and the stability of the samples are also discussed.
Stochastic skill-based manpower allocation in a cellular manufacturing system

Abstract In this paper, stochastic skill-based manpower allocation problem is addressed, where operation times and customer demand are uncertain. A four-phased hierarchical methodology is developed. Egilmez and Suer's [1] stochastic general manpower allocation problem is extended such that each worker's individual performance is considered for a more accurate manpower allocation to manufacturing cells to maximize the production rate. The proposed methodology optimized the manpower levels, product-cell formations and individual worker assignment hierarchically with respect to a specified risk level. Three stochastic nonlinear mathematical models were developed to deal with manpower level determination, cell loading and individual worker assignment phases. In all models, processing times and demand were assumed to be normally distributed. Firstly, alternative configurations were generated. Secondly, IID sampling and statistical analysis were utilized to convert probabilistic demand into probabilistic capacity requirements. Thirdly, stochastic manpower allocation was performed and products were loaded to cells. In the final phase, individual worker assignments were performed. The proposed methodology was illustrated with an example problem drawn from a real manufacturing company. The hierarchical approach allows decision makers to perform manpower level determination, cell loading and individual worker assignment with respect to the desired risk level. The main contribution of this approach is that each worker's expected and standard deviation of processing time on each operation is considered individually to optimize the manpower assignment to cells and maximize the manufacturing system production rate within a hierarchical robust optimization approach.
Crossing Borders: Building Radical Economic Subjectivities along the USA/Mexico Border from Sites of Privilege

Research examining radical economic subjectivity processes involved in creating alternative economies remains extremely scarce. We address this lacuna by employing qualitative techniques including semi-structured interviews and participant observation to examine advocates who work to provide economic alternatives to economically dislocated communities along the USA/Mexico border. Theoretically we use a poststructural feminist perspective to illuminate the contradictions and complexities involved in how these advocates negotiate and often work against their interests arising from class, race, and geopolitical privileges. Contributions of this study include demonstrating the utility of a poststructural feminist approach to global political economic issues that extend beyond a focus upon gender. This theoretical approach provides insights into the complex relations radical economic subjects have to the state; the importance of critical self-reflection in building solidarity across different social locations;...
Phosphoinositide 3-kinase and its targets in B-cell and T-cell signaling

Abstract Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activation is essential for lymphocyte proliferation driven by receptors for antigen, costimulatory ligands and cytokines. The lipid products of PI3K contribute to the assembly of membrane-associated signaling complexes by promoting recruitment of selected proteins from the cytoplasm. Many proteins possess domains that are able to bind selectively to PI3K products. Different ‘PI3K effector’ proteins are coupled to distinct biological responses, depending on cell type and on the receptor that is engaged. In B cells and T cells, Tec-family tyrosine kinases and Akt serine/threonine kinases are emerging as crucial mediators of proliferation and survival signals downstream of PI3K. Of particular interest is recent evidence that PI3K signaling controls increases in lymphocyte size and metabolic activity that accompany cell cycle progression.
Identification of nonlinear systems by fuzzy models

The concept of sampled probability distributions is introduced. A new formulation of the unified identification problem of quasi-linear fuzzy models (QLFMs) and quasi-nonlinear fuzzy models (D. Filev, 1990, 1991) that considers simultaneously the structure and parameter identification is proposed. A learning algorithm realizing structure and parameter identification of QLFMs is proposed. >
Correlation of the Coronal Mass Ejection Productivity of Solar Active Regions with Measures of Their Global Nonpotentiality from Vector Magnetograms: Baseline Results

Conventional magnetograms and chromospheric and coronal images show qualitatively that the fastest coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are magnetic explosions from sunspot active regions where the magnetic field is globally strongly sheared and twisted from its minimum-energy potential configuration. We present measurements from active region vector magnetograms that start to quantify the dependence of an active region's CME productivity on the global nonpotentiality of its magnetic field. From each of 17 magnetograms of 12 bipolar active regions, we measured the size of the active region (the magnetic flux content, phi) and three separate measures of the global nonpotentiality (L(sub SS), the length of strong-shear, strong-field main neutral line: I(sub N), the net electric current connecting one polarity to the other; and alpha = (mu)I(sub N)/phi), a flux normalized measure of the field twist). From these measurements and the observed CME productivity of the active regions, we find that: (1) All three measures of global nonpotentiality are statistically correlated with the active region flux content and with each other; (2) All three measures of global nonpotentiality are significantly correlated with CME productivity. The flux content correlates with CME productivity, but at a lower statistically significant confidence level (less than 95%); (3) The net current is less closely correlated with CME productivity than alpha and the correlation of CME productivity with flux content is even weaker. If these differences in correlation strength, and a significant correlation of alpha with flux content, persist to larger active regions, this would imply that the size of active regions does not affect CME productivity except through global nonpotentiality; and (4) For each of the four global magnetic quantities, the correlation with CME productivity is stronger for a two-day time window for the CME production than for windows half as wide or twice as wide. This plausibly is a result of the most counterproductive active regions producing less than one CME per day, and from the active region's evolution often significantly changing the global nonpotentiality over the course of several days. These results establish that measures of active region global nonpotentiality from vector magnetograms (such as L(sub SS), I(sub N), and alpha) should be useful for prediction a active region CMEs.
Surface and Interfacial Topography of Oxides on Si(111) with Ultra-Low Atomic Step Density

Atomic force microscopy has been used to study the morphology of the oxide surface and the Si-SiO2 interface after oxidation of Si(111) surfaces that are either totally free of atomic steps or have well characterized low step density. The step-free areas were formed by thermally processing a patterned Si surface in which flat areas are enclosed by a square array of ridges; flow of the atomic steps into the surrounding ridge barriers produces a regular array of step-free areas each of which can be up to ~50μm×50μm. Arrays of widely spaced steps (e.g. 5μm) can also be produced in the step-free areas. AFM scans of the same areas were taken prior to (dry) oxidation, after oxidation, and after chemical removal of the oxide. It was found that at an oxide thickness in the 5-13nm range, the initial step structure of the underlying Si substrates is translated through the oxide to the surface after oxidation with the oxide surface being somewhat rougher than the initial substrate. Furthermore, the initial step morphology of the substrate remains at the Si-SiO2 interface after etching away the oxide by HF. The interface roughness is less than that of the oxide surface. The results suggest that the initial oxidation of silicon proceeds in a 'layer by layer’ manner and not through a preferential step-flow oxide growth mode.
Potential for a large earthquake near Los Angeles inferred from the 2014 La Habra earthquake.

Tectonic motion across the Los Angeles region is distributed across an intricate network of strike-slip and thrust faults that will be released in destructive earthquakes similar to or larger than the 1933 M6.4 Long Beach and 1994 M6.7 Northridge events. Here we show that Los Angeles regional thrust, strike-slip, and oblique faults are connected and move concurrently with measurable surface deformation, even in moderate magnitude earthquakes, as part of a fault system that accommodates north-south shortening and westerly tectonic escape of northern Los Angeles. The 28 March 2014 M5.1 La Habra earthquake occurred on a northeast striking, northwest dipping left-lateral oblique thrust fault northeast of Los Angeles. We present crustal deformation observation spanning the earthquake showing that concurrent deformation occurred on several structures in the shallow crust. The seismic moment of the earthquake is 82% of the total geodetic moment released. Slip within the unconsolidated upper sedimentary layer may reflect shallow release of accumulated strain on still-locked deeper structures. A future M6.1-6.3 earthquake would account for the accumulated strain. Such an event could occur on any one or several of these faults, which may not have been identified by geologic surface mapping.
Strengthening of Aluminum by Oxygen Implantation: Experimental Results and Mechanical Modeling

The microstructuTe and mechanical properties of high purity aluminum implanted with 20 at.% oxygen to a depth of roughly 500 nm and subjected to various thermal histories have been examined. Transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford-backscattering spectrometry were used to characterize the depth and nature of the implanted zone. As implanted, the material appears to contain a homogeneous distribution of disordered precipitates with sizes of 1.5-3.5 nm. Annealing at 450 or 550ΰC for 1 hour, induces ordering of the precipitates but only causes slight coarsening. Ultra-low load indentation hardness testing was used to probe the mechanical response of the surface-modified material. The data from the hardness tests were interpreted through the use of a finite-element model; the results indicate the flow stresses of an implanted and annealed layer are as high as 1600 MPa. The as-implanted material is much harder, approaching 3300 MPa. The degree of strengthening expected for the as-implanted and post-annealed material on the basis of the observed microstructure was estimated using several micromechanical models, and the results conform to the findings from indentation testing.
The Santa Cruz Eddy. Part I: Observations and Statistics

A shallow cyclonic circulation that occurs in the summertime over the Monterey Bay (California) is investigated. Since it is often centered offshore from the city of Santa Cruz and has never been studied in detail before, it is named the Santa Cruz eddy (SCE) in this study. Its horizontal size is 10–40 km, and its vertical extent is 100–500 m. The SCE is important for local weather because it causes surface winds along the Santa Cruz coast to blow from the east instead of from the northwest, the latter being the climatological summer pattern for this area. As a consequence of the eddy, cool and moist air is advected from the south and southeast into the Santa Cruz area, bringing both relief from the heat and fog to the city. The SCE is unique in its high frequency of occurrence. Most vortices along the western American coast form only during unusual weather events, whereas the SCE forms 78%–79% of the days during the summer. The SCE frequency was determined after analyzing two years of data with empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) from a limited observational network and satellite imagery. An explanation of the formation mechanism of the SCE will be provided in Part II of this study.
Toxicity and neuronal infection of a HSV-1 ICP34.5 mutant in nude mice

HSV-1 mutants in the RL-1 gene encoding the ICP34.5 protein have been demonstrated to have diminished neurovirulence in brain yet replicate as efficiently as parental virus in transformed tissue culture cells. Thus they have been proposed as candidates viruses for human brain tumor therapies. Evaluation of their replicative properties and pathogenesis within the nervous system has been limited. As most patients undergoing therapies for brain tumors are likely to be immunocompromised, it will be important to understand the pathogenesis of these viruses in immunocompromised hosts. To this end, the lateral ventricle of nude mice was injected with high (2.5 x 10(7) PFU), medium (10(5) PFU), or low dose (10(3) PFU) HSV-1 variant-1716, which has a deletion in the RL-1 gene. Ten of 10 mice died within 2-3 days following the high titer infection. Six of 19 animals with medium titer infection died within 9 days, and viral antigens were seen in ependymal cells as well as neurons within the brainstem and thalamus. Although only two of 19 animals became moribund 18 days after medium titer viral infection, many neocortical and hippocampal neurons were positive for HSV-1 antigens. However, plaque-purified viral isolates recovered from brain homogenates of these animals demonstrated no increase in pathogenicity. Nine of 20 animals died following low dose infection; six of these animals, from which tissue was analyzed, all had many HSV antigen-positive neurons in the neocortex and hippocampus. These data imply that if this type of virus is used for human brain tumor therapy immunosuppressed patients may suffer from significant viral pathogenesis outside the tumor.
Mechanism of Abnormal Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Release in Canine Left-Ventricular Myocytes Results in Cellular Alternans

Electrocardiographic alternans are known to predispose to increased susceptibility to life threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. While deficiencies in Ca2+ transport processes have been implicated in the genesis of cellular alternans, the underlying mechanisms have been elusive, and are the goal of this study. A novel reverse engineering approach that applies a simultaneous action potential (AP) and [Ca2+ ]i clamp of experimentally obtained data, to a previously described left-ventricular canine myocyte model, is employed to isolate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cardiac alternans. The model-derived sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ in control beats (102.1 plusmn 12.9 nM, n = 639 ), although larger, is not statistically significantly different as compared to beats corresponding to small [Ca2+ ]i (99.3 plusmn 35.4 nM, n = 310, p = NS), but is significantly smaller as compared to beats corresponding to large [Ca2+ ]i (122.6 plusmn 31.0 nM, n = 311, p<0.000001) during alternans. The model indicates that the increased SR Ca2+ in these beats triggers multiple ryanodine receptor (RyR) channel openings and delayed Ca2+ release that subsequently triggers an inward depolarizing current, a subthreshold early after depolarization, and AP prolongation. In conclusion, the results presented in this study support the idea that aberrant RyR openings on alternate beats are responsible for the [Ca2+ ]i alternans-type oscillations, which, in turn, give rise to AP alternans.
Modeling a Failing Heart Right in the Dish

In ARVD/C (arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy)—an inherited dysplasia of the heart—cardiac muscle in the right ventricle is progressively replaced by fatty tissue. The disease shows up in adults, who can then develop abnormal heart rhythms and pump failure. An implanted defibrillator prevents sudden death, but does not remedy the ensuing heart failure. Kim et al. have now used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSs) from two patients with ARVD/C to recreate this problematic disease in a dish. Fibroblasts from the ARVD/C patients were exposed to four retroviral vectors carrying the pluripotent factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and cMyc, giving rise to several iPS lines that were then differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Like the donor patients, the resulting beating embryoid bodies harbored a typical ARVD/C mutation in the desmosome gene (PKP2). Lipogenesis and apoptosis, the hallmarks of ARVD/C in humans, did not develop during baseline culture, mimicking the adult-onset character of ARVD/C. The mutant PKP2 cardiomyocytes underwent apoptosis and stained positive for lipids only after exposure to adult-like metabolic signals (insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-1-methilxanthine) and abnormal activation of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor– α (PPAR-α) and PPAR-γ pathways. Under these “adult” conditions, the cells also exhibited altered Ca2+ handling and electrical properties, as do patients’ hearts. Reintroduction of the wild-type PKP2 gene rescued the cells’ phenotype, and fatty apoptosis of the cardiomyocytes did not occur. Blockade of PPAR-α or PPAR-γ activation with small-molecule antagonists inhibited lipogenesis and apoptosis of mutant PKP2 cardiomyocytes, indicating that activation of both of these enzymes is necessary (but not sufficient) for ARVD/C pathology. Thus, Kim and colleagues recreated the typical features of right-ventricle failure of ARVD/C in cells derived from patient fibroblasts. This approach will enable further studies of this enigmatic disease, including investigations of other causative mutations and drug screens to discover a dedicated therapeutic agent. C. Kim et al. , Studying arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia with patient-specific iPSCs. Nature , published online 27 January 2013 (10.1038/nature11799). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature11799.html
Regional cerebral metabolism in PSAPP double-transgenic mice changes with age and genotype

visual cortices known to be preferentially affected in DLB and left ventral striatum/basal forebrain. These exploratory findings suggest that DEB/RBD may correlate with early dopaminergic denervation of ventral striatum/basal forebrain regions, and early involvement of visual cortices that are affected by DLB. Further study is needed to confirm these findings in polysomnographically confirmed RBD patients, and to determine the relative contribution of APOE e4 to these findings, their future progression, and the possibility that they are predictive of future DLB.
Effects Of Drying Techniques On Grain-Size Analyses of Fine-Grained Sediment

Abstract To assess the effects of drying on subsequent grain-size analyses, a variety of drying approaches, including drying in ambient air, oven drying, and freeze drying, were applied to sediment collected from modern fluvial, lacustrine, and paludal settings, containing a wide range of clay-size fraction (16–61%). Samples were subsequently rehydrated and subjected to grain-size analysis in a laser particle-size analyzer, and histograms compared with those from control samples never subjected to drying. Results indicate that drying techniques induced no effect on grain-size distribution for samples containing 39% clay-size material, only freeze drying produced reproducible results statistically identical to the control samples.
Detection of expression quantitative trait Loci in complex mouse crosses: impact and alleviation of data quality and complex population substructure.

Complex Mus Musculus crosses e.g. heterogeneous stock, provide increased resolution for quantitative trait loci detection. However, increased genetic complexity challenges detection methods, with discordant results due to low data quality or complex genetic architecture. We quantified the impact of theses factors across three mouse crosses and two different detection methods, identifying procedures that greatly improve detection quality. Importantly, heterogeneous stock populations have complex genetic architectures not fully captured by the whole-genome kinship matrix, calling for incorporating chromosome specific relatedness information. We analyze three increasingly complex crosses, using gene expression levels as quantitative traits. The three crosses were an F2 intercross, a heterogeneous stock formed by crossing four inbred strains (HS4), and a heterogeneous stock (HS-CC) derived from the eight lines found in the collaborative cross. Brain (striatum) gene expression and genotype data were obtained using the Illumina platform. We found large disparities between methods, with concordance varying as genetic complexity increased; this problem was more acute for probes with distant regulatory elements (trans). A suite of data filtering steps resulted in substantial increases in reproducibility. Genetic relatedness between samples generated overabundance of detected eQTLs; an adjustment procedure that includes the kinship matrix attenuates this problem. However, we find that relatedness between individuals is not evenly distributed across the genome; information from distinct chromosomes results in relatedness structure different from the whole genome kinship matrix. Shared polymorphisms from distinct chromosomes collectively affect expression levels, confounding eQTL detection. We suggest that considering chromosome-specific relatedness can result in improved eQTL detection.
Chemokine Regulation of Cell Trafficking in Lung Cancer Metastasis

Chemokine regulation of cell trafficking has been identified as a critical pathway in metastatic progression. This review focuses on the role of the CXCR4-CXCL12-CXCR7 axis in regulating lung cancer invasion and metastasis. All of these factors have been identified as overexpressed in lung cancer specimens and in most cases are associated with poorer outcome. Preclinical studies have demonstrated an important role for CXCR4 in the steps of invasion, cell migration, and stromal cell adhesion and have suggested that CXCR4 is associated with “stem-like” cells that may be critical for initiating metastases. These data, together with emerging preclinical data on the efficacy of CXCR4 inhibitors suggests that CXCR4 should be explored as a clinical target for blocking metastatic progression in lung cancer.
Three Recent Flavors of Drought in the Pacific Northwest

In common with much of the western United States, the Pacific Northwest (defined in this paper as Washington and Oregon) has experienced an unusual number of droughts in the past decade. This paper describes three of these droughts in terms of the precipitation, temperature, and soil moisture anomalies, and discusses different drought impacts experienced in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). For the first drought, in 2001, low winter precipitation in the PNW produced very low streamflow that primarily affected farmers and hydropower generation. For the second, in 2003, low summer precipitation in Washington (WA), and low summer precipitation and a warm winter in Oregon (OR) primarily affected streamflow and forests. For the last, in 2005, a lack of snowpack due to warm temperatures during significant winter precipitation events in WA, and low winter precipitation in OR, had a variety of different agricultural and hydrologic impacts. Although the proximal causes of droughts are easily quantified, the ultimate causes are not as clear. Better precipitation observations in the PNW are required to provide timely monitoring of conditions leading to droughts to improve prediction in the future.
Dendrimers and other dendritic macromolecules: From building blocks to functional assemblies in nanoscience and nanotechnology

Given their size, in the single-digit nanometer range, and the versatility of their function- ality, dendrimers and other dendritic macromolecules are poised to make a significant contribution to the rap- idly expanding fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. This highlight focuses on nascent applications of dendrimers that take advantage of their structural features and polyva- lent character. In particular, the con- cept of dendritic encapsulation of function, borrowed from Nature, can be applied to the design of a varied array of energy-harvesting, light- emitting, or catalytic macromole- cules. Similarly, the compact size and hierarchical ordering of compo- nents within dendrimers make them ideal for exploring the limits of nanolithography. Finally, the pres- ence of differentiated functionalities and the polyvalent character of den-
Polypharmacy: Geriatric Oncology Evaluation Should Become Mainstream

All adult oncologists are now geriatric oncologists. This is no longer a nichefield with only a few dedicated researchers. The demographic shift brought on by the baby boomer generation has already happened and is creating a rapid increase in the population of adults older than 65 years of age. In the United States, 10,000 baby boomers reach the age of 65 years each day, and those older than age 80 are the fastest growing segment of the population. This demographic change and aging as an established risk factor for the development of cancer will result in a marked increase in the number of older patients with cancer. The dramatic increase in the number of these patients will further strain our health care system, not only monetarily but also by the increased manpower needed to adequately care for them. Older patients with cancer, particularly those older than age 70 years, have specific needs that are not present in younger patients. It is well established that the traditional oncology evaluation is not adequate andwillfailtouncovermanyspecificproblems. 1 Geriatricassessment will no longer be the purview of the geriatrician but will need to be incorporatedintodailypracticeinalloncologyfields.Therefore,weall need to become well-educated geriatric oncologists. 2
Searching for a Safe Analgesic in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Painful musculoskeletal conditions commonly coexist with cardiovascular disease. Older persons with elevated body mass index are at risk of degenerative arthritis, and low back pain as well as cardiovascular disease. Inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriatic arthritis, are associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular events. The overlapping epidemiology of arthritis and cardiovascular disease ensures that analgesics will always be widely prescribed to patients at risk for future cardiac events. Thus, even though the selective and some nonselective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to be associated with cardiac events, they are widely used even in patients with known cardiovascular disease. Article see p 155 Several randomized controlled trials comparing COX-2 selective NSAIDs (eg, celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdeoxib) with nonselective agents or placebo found an elevated risk of cardiac events with the selective agents.1–3 The cardiac risk observed with the COX-2 selective agents appears to differ by agent and by dosage. However, a number of nonselective NSAIDs also may be associated with cardiovascular risk, such as diclofenac.4 Information about nonselective NSAID risk has primarily been derived from observational data, as few randomized controlled trials of adequate duration have examined cardiovascular risk with these agents. What can be learned from observational data regarding the cardiovascular risk of NSAIDs? Although randomized controlled trials serve as the standard for judging a drug’s efficacy, there are many reasons why trials may not be as useful for assessing toxicity. First, efficacy for arthritis is typically judged at 12 weeks of follow-up and does not require more than several hundred subjects, resulting in too little person-time to accrue adequate numbers of cardiac events. The cardiovascular risk of selective COX-2 NSAIDs was best observed in the longer-term gastrointestinal safety studies that enrolled thousands …
Sleeping Beauty in a grain of rice

In the Sleeping Beauty problem, Beauty is woken once if a coin lands heads or twice if the coin lands tails but promptly forgets each waking on returning to sleep. Philosophers have divided over whether her waking credence in heads should be a half or a third. Beauty has centered beliefs about her world and about her location in that world. When given new information about her location she should update her worldly beliefs before updating her locative beliefs. When she conditionalizes in this way, her credence in heads is a half before and after being told it is Monday. In applications of Dutch Book arguments to the Sleeping Beauty problem, the probability of a particular outcome has often been confounded with consequences of that outcome. Heads and tails are equally likely but twice as much is at stake if the coin falls tails because Beauty is fated to make the same choice twice. As a consequence, the possibility of tails should be given twice the weight of the possibility of heads when deciding whether to bet on heads even though heads and tails are equally likely.
Biological and Clinical Aspects of Transfer Factor

According to the Lawrence definition of dialysable transfer factor (TFd) this substance(s) is (are) able to transfer specifically delayed hypersensitivity toward certain antigens to which the donor of TFd has a strong delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reaction. This ‘transfer’ has been subsequently extended to other parameters of cell-mediated immunity (CMI). Twenty years have passed since this substance was first described1 and 13 years since it was reported to be dialysable2, and there are still a number of important questions to be answered regarding this factor or factors, as summarized in Table 2.1.
Magnetic Analysis of the Co 59 ( d , p ) Co 60 Reaction

Proton groups from cobalt targets bombarded with 5-Mev deuterons from the MIT-ONR electrostatic generator have been analyzed with a 180-degree focusing magnetic spectrograph. The ground-state $Q$ value for the ${\mathrm{Co}}^{59}(d, p){\mathrm{Co}}^{60}$ reaction was found to be 5.283\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.008 Mev. The 60-kev metastable state and thirty-four additional excited states were observed and their $Q$ values measured.
Proto-romance inflectional morphology

This review mainly deals with the reconstruction of Proto-Romance inflectional morphology. First, the most important nominal and pronominal declension patterns are reconstructed on the basis of Romance and Latin. Proto-Romance is demonstrated to have probably had a three-case system, which had in certain areas already been reduced to a two-case system. Some fossilized survivals of other declensional endings are commented on extensively, and get a different interpretation than they do in Hall's book. Much attention is paid to the morphology of pronouns. Secondly, the reconstruction of verbal morphology is treated. At least five different conjugations are set up, among which the inchoative type may not be omitted. Regional variants should also be pointed to. Furthermore, the formation of the Proto-Romance perfect is discussed. Finally, some aspects of derivational morphology are touched upon.
Growth and Characterization of La2-XSrXCuoY and Bi2-XSr2-ZCuoy Crystals

In order to grow large single crystals of the La2-xSrxCuOy and Bi2+xSr2-zCuOy families of high Tc superconductors, we have studied the relationships between nominal Sr composition in the starting materials and the Sr compositions of the resulting products. We present growth, x-ray, and composition data for these samples.
Instrumental vs. Vocal Versions of Popular Music in Advertising

ABSTRACT The present research examines recall for advertising messages that are presented via two musical formats: either via an instrumental version of a popular song or via a vocal version. For individuals who are familiar with the song, recall of the message is greater when an instrumental version of the song appears than when a vocal version of the song appears. This finding is attributed to the greater likelihood that familiar consumers will sing along with the instrumental version and thus generate the lyrics that carry the message. Generating lyrics causes the message to be more memorable than simply listening to lyrics. For individuals who are not familiar with the song, recall of the message implied by the lyrics is greater when a vocal version appears in the advertisement than when an instrumental version appears. Unfamiliar consumers, who cannot sing along with the song and generate the lyrics, require lyrics to be presented in order to derive the intended message.
A Method to Interface Matlab Model With Power Flow Module of PSASP Software

Applying the automatic source code generation function of real-time workshop (RTW) module in Matlab and using the implementation approaches of user defined (UD) modeling and user program interface (UPI) in power system analysis software package (PSASP), a new method to interface the Simulink model that is set up in the environment of Matlab with power flow computation module of PSASP is proposed and realized in PSASP 7.0. By means of configuring the generation and compilation of RTW source code as well as developing corresponding interface program, the Simulink mathematical model set up in the environment of Matlab can be automatically converted into dynamic-link library (DLL). According to the features of Matlab simulation, the flow chart and mode by which the Matlab model can be called within the power flow computation module of PSASP are researched and corresponding interface program is developed. Power flow computation results by UD model of PSASP and that by Matlab model, both of them possess the same function, are in perfect agreement, thus the correctness of the proposed method is verified.
Improving Intercultural Competence in the Classroom: A Reflective Development Model.

To meet the increased demand for international business education that prepares college students for studying, living, or working overseas, I propose a four-stage reflective development model to be used in the traditional classroom context to enhance intercultural competence for undergraduate students. I employ the model in a personal development assignment for a course in international management. The model provides a pedagogical approach for motivating students to engage in intercultural interactions, for helping them learn to make sense of their environment, and for advancing their learning about intercultural interactions. Quantitative and qualitative results support the success of the approach.
GABA Receptors: clinical implications

The discovery of a neurotransmitter invariably leads to speculation that it may be the crucial factor in a variety of disorders. This stimulates a flurry of activity as investigators attempt to demonstrate the clinical importance of the substance. As the initial optimism is tempered by experimental data research enters a new phase, with scientists focusing on the more promising leads. This period is characterized by more systematic and carefully controlled clinical trials. It is during this time that the clinical importance of the transmitter is brought into a proper perspective. Over thirty years have passed since Roberts first identified γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the mammalian central nervous system (Roberts & Frankel, 1950). Half of that time was spent on demonstrating a neurotransmitter function in higher vertebrates.
A Patient-Controlled Analgesia Adaptor to Mitigate Postsurgical Pain for Combat Casualties With Multiple Limb Amputation: A Case Series

ABSTRACTThe use of explosive armaments during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn has resulted in a significant number of injured U.S. service members. These weapons often generate substantial extremity trauma requiring multiple surgical procedures to preserve life, limb, and restore function. For those individuals who require multiple surgeries, the use of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) devices can be an effective way to achieve adequate pain management and promote successful rehabilitation and recovery during inpatient treatment. A subpopulation of patients are unable to independently control a PCA device because of severe multiple limb dysfunction and/or loss. In response to the needs of these patients, our team designed and developed a custom adaptor to assist service members who would otherwise not be able to use a PCA. Patient feedback of the device indicated a positive response, improved independence, and overall satisfaction during inpatient hospitalization.