cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Well-Defined Model CO2 Electroreduction Catalyst

In this issue of Chem, Veenstra et al. combine an advanced catalyst fabrication and computational simulations to reveal how the local reaction environment affects the selectivity of CO2 electroreduction on Cu. The model microstructured catalyst with a well-defined architecture provides an ideal platform for fundamental investigation of the structure-property correlation.
DeORFanizing Candida albicans Genes using Co-Expression

Functional characterization of open reading frames in non-model organisms, such as the common opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans, can be labor intensive. To meet this challenge, we built a comprehensive and unbiased co-expression network for C. albicans, which we call CalCEN, from data collected from 853 RNA sequencing runs from 18 large scale studies deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive. Retrospectively, CalCEN is highly predictive of known gene function annotations and can be synergistically combined with sequence similarity and interaction networks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through orthology for additional accuracy in gene function prediction. To prospectively demonstrate the utility of the co-expression network in C. albicans, we predicted the function of under-annotated open reading frames (ORF)s and identified CCJ1 as a novel cell cycle regulator in C. albicans. This study provides a tool for future systems biology analyses of gene function in C. albicans. We provide a computational pipeline for building and analyzing the co-expression network and CalCEN itself at (http://github.com/momeara/CalCEN).
Debt Relief with Chinese Characteristics

As China is poised to become the world’s largest creditor, concerns about debt sustainability have grown. Yet considerable confusion exists over what is likely to happen when a government runs into trouble repaying its Chinese loans. In this working paper, we draw on data from the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI) to review evidence on China’s debt cancellation and restructuring in Africa, in comparative and historical perspective. Cases from Sri Lanka, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Angola, and the Republic of Congo, among others, point to debt relief patterns with distinctly Chinese characteristics. In nearly all cases, China has only offered debt write-offs for zero-interest loans. Our study found that between 2000 and 2019, China has cancelled at least US$ 3.4 billion of debt in Africa. There is no “China, Inc.”: for interest-bearing loans, treatment for inter-governmental debt and Chinese company loans are negotiated separately, and often loan-by-loan rather than for the entire portfolio. While rescheduling by increasing the repayment period is common, changes in interest rates, reductions in principal (“haircuts”), or refinancing are not. We found that China has restructured or refinanced approximately US$ 15 billion of debt in Africa between 2000 and 2019. We found no “asset seizures” and despite contract clauses requiring arbitration, no evidence of the use of courts to enforce payments, or application of penalty interest rates. Although Chinese lenders have applied Paris Club terms to some rescheduling, on the borrower’s request, Chinese lenders prefer to address restructuring quietly, on a bilateral basis, tailoring programs to each situation. Yet the lack of transparency fuels suspicion about Chinese intentions. These patterns are likely to play out as Chinese lenders and African borrowers grapple with the impact of COVID-19.
Incidence and impact of allele-specific anti-HLA antibodies and high-resolution HLA genotyping on assessing immunologic compatibility.

Abstract The ability to identify specific HLA molecules against which a patient has alloantibodies has revolutionized assessment of immunologic compatibility. Anti-HLA antibodies are typically evaluated as reactive against well-defined serologic antigen groups. Thus, donor HLA genotyping is aimed at defining HLA at the serologic split-antigen level to avoid incompatible antigen-antibody combinations. However, anti-HLA antibodies can have reactivities not accurately described by well-defined serologic antigens. While existence of these antibodies is acknowledged, their precise impact on clinical practice is not clear. We performed a single-center review of 2 years of pre-and post-transplant anti-HLA antibody testing data combined with high-resolution HLA genotyping data for living and deceased organ donors to evaluate the clinical impact of anti-HLA antibodies with reactivities outside of commonly defined serologic antigen groups. We find approximately 15% of patients awaiting transplantation have alloantibodies with differential reactivity for HLA proteins encoded by specific alleles within a serologic antigen group. Allele-specific antibodies are associated with positive cellular crossmatches not accurately predicted by standard donor HLA genotyping and can manifest as post-transplant donor-specific antibodies. Our data highlights the importance of evaluating anti-HLA antibodies at the allele-level and provides evidence supporting utility for high-resolution HLA genotyping in solid organ transplantation.
Genomic and demographic processes differentially influence genetic variation across the X chromosome

Mutation, recombination, selection, and demography affect genetic variation across the genome. Increased mutation and recombination both lead to increases in genetic diversity in a region-specific manner, while complex demographic patterns shape patterns of diversity on a more global scale. The X chromosome is particularly interesting because it contains several distinct regions that are subject to different combinations and strengths of these processes, notably the pseudoautosomal regions (PARs) and the X-transposed region (XTR). The X chromosome thus can serve as a unique model for studying how genetic and demographic forces act in different contexts to shape patterns of observed variation. Here we investigate diversity, divergence, and linkage disequilibrium in each region of the X chromosome using genomic data from 26 human populations. We find that both diversity and substitution rate are consistently elevated in PAR1 and the XTR compared to the rest of the X chromosome. In contrast, linkage disequilibrium is lowest in PAR1 and highest on the non-recombining X chromosome, with the XTR falling in between, suggesting that the XTR (usually included in the non-recombining X) may need to be considered separately in future studies. We also observed strong population-specific effects on genetic diversity; not only does genetic variation differ on the X and autosomes among populations, but the effects of linked selection on the X relative to autosomes have been shaped by population-specific history. The substantial variation in patterns of variation across these regions provides insight into the unique evolutionary history contained within the X chromosome.
Systems Approaches to Unravel T Cell Function and Therapeutic Potential in Autoimmune Disease

Producing Ag-specific immune responses constrained to target tissues or cells that can be engaged or disengaged at will is predicated on understanding the network of genes governing immune cell function, defining the rules underlying Ag specificity, and synthesizing the tools to engineer them. The successes and limitations of chimeric Ag receptor (CAR) T cells emphasize this goal, and advances in high-throughput sequencing, large-scale genomic screens, single-cell profiling, and genetic modification are providing the necessary data to bring it to fruition-including a broader application into the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In this review, we delve into the implementation of these developments, survey the relevant works, and propose a framework for generating the next generation of synthetic T cells informed by the principles learned from these systems approaches.
Longitudinal associations between peer factors and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among sexual minority women.

Abstract Objective Sexual minority young women endorse higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors than heterosexual women, but the reasons for these disparities remain unclear. One hypothesis is that the two groups of women share peer-related risk factors, but the magnitude of effect is stronger for sexual minority women. Method We utilized 6 years of data drawn from a community sample of women (N = 2078; 26% sexual minority) to examine rates of suicidality in early adulthood, adolescent peer influences on later suicidal ideation and behavior, and whether sexual minority status moderated the impact of peer influences on suicidality. Results Across the study period, rates of suicidality were higher among sexual minority women compared to heterosexual women. In prospective analyses, peer victimization increased risk for future suicidality whereas peer connectedness attenuated risk for the entire sample. Additionally, sexual minority status moderated the magnitude of these relationships for suicidal ideation and behavior. Specifically, the effect of peer connectedness on suicidal ideation was stronger for heterosexual women than sexual minority women, whereas the effect of peer connectedness on suicidal attempts was stronger for sexual minority than for heterosexual women. In addition, peer victimization increased risk for suicide attempts among sexual minority women. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of peer experiences in late adolescence for suicidality during the transition to young adulthood, and how such relations vary by sexual minority status.
Environment-friendly nanocellulose-indigo dyeing of textiles

Dyeing of one pair of blue denim jeans consumes about 50–100 liters of water loaded with toxic reducing agents and alkali that remain as effluents in wastewater. Here we introduce an environmentally sound indigo-dyeing technology utilizing a high surface to volume ratio of nanocellulosic materials, which reduces water consumption up to a factor of 25 and eliminates the use of any reducing agent or alkali. This technology secures over 90% dye fixation compared to the 70–80% of conventional dyeing. Lighter or darker shades are approached in a one-step process compared to traditional vat dyeing with multiple (up to 8) dips in a reducing vat followed by oxidation. The dyeing process is as simple as the deposition of a nanocellulose hydrogel loaded with fine natural indigo particles and chitosan over the cotton denim fabric or yarn. The generated nanofibrillated cellulose mesh-like conformal coating encloses indigo particles, whereas chitosan improves the fixation and adhesion of the coating to fabrics via physical cross-linking.
Extending the HSA-Cys34-Adductomics Pipeline to Modifications at Lys525.

We previously developed an adductomics pipeline that employed nanoflow liquid chromatography and high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-HR-MS/MS) plus informatics to perform an untargeted detection of modifications to Cys34 in the tryptic T3 peptide of human serum albumin (HSA) (21ALVLIAFAQYLQQC34PFEDHVK41). In order to detect these peptide modifications without targeting specific masses, the pipeline interrogates MS2 ions that are signatures of the T3 peptide. The pipeline had been pilot-tested with archived plasma from healthy human subjects, and several of the 43 Cys34 adducts were highly associated with the smoking status. In the current investigation, we adapted the pipeline to include modifications to the e-amino group of Lys525─a major glycation site in HSA─and thereby extend the coverage to products of Schiff bases that cannot be produced at Cys34. Because trypsin is generally unable to digest proteins at modified lysines, our pipeline detects miscleaved tryptic peptides with the sequence 525KQTALVELVK534. Adducts of both Lys525 and Cys34 are measured in a single nLC-HR-MS/MS run by increasing the mass range of precursor ions in MS1 scans and including both triply and doubly charged precursor ions for collision-induced dissociation fragmentation. For proof of principle, we applied the Cys34/Lys525 pipeline to archived plasma specimens from a subset of the same volunteer subjects used in the original investigation. Twelve modified Lys525 peptides were detected, including products of glycation (fructosyl-lysine plus advanced-glycated-end products), acetylation, and elimination of ammonia and water. Surprisingly, the carbamylated and glycated adducts were present at significantly lower levels in smoking subjects. By including a larger class of in vivo nucleophilic substitution reactions, the Cys34/Lys525 adductomics pipeline expands exposomic investigations of unknown human exposure to reactive electrophiles derived from both exogenous and endogenous sources.
The training process: Planning for strength–power training in track and field. Part 2: Practical and applied aspects

Abstract Planning training programs for strength–power track and field athletes require an understanding of both training principles and training theory. The training principles are overload, variation, and specificity. Each of these principles must be incorporated into an appropriate system of training. Conceptually, periodization embraces training principles and offers advantages in planning, allowing for logical integration and manipulation of training variables such as exercise selection, intensification, and volume factors. The adaptation and progress of the athlete is to a large extent directly related to the ability of the coach/athlete to create and carry an efficient and efficacious training process. This ability includes: an understanding of how exercises affect physiological and performance adaptation (i.e., maximum force, rate of force development, power, etc .), how to optimize transfer of training effect ensuring that training exercises have maximum potential for carryover to performance, and how to implement programs with variations at appropriate levels (macro, meso, and micro) such that fatigue management is enhanced and performance progress is optimized.
Gene-product relationships of fhlA and fdv genes of Escherichia coli.

Abstract Synthesis of formate dehydrogenase coupled to formate hydrogenlyase activity in Escherichia coli was found to require the product of the fhlA gene. Transcription of fdhF, the gene coding for the 80-kilodalton (kDa) selenopeptide of formate dehydrogenase, was not detected in an fhlA genetic background. Mutations in the fhlA gene also abolished production of the hydrogenase activity associated with formate hydrogenlyase activity. The fhlA gene resides next to the hydB gene at 59 min in the E. coli chromosome, and the two genes are transcribed in opposite directions. The fhlA gene codes for a 78-kDa protein. A neighboring gene, fdv, codes for an 82-kDa protein, and the physiological role of this gene product is unknown, although a role in H2 metabolism can be detected.
Distal Humerus Fractures

BE is a 65-year-old woman who is brought to the Emergency Department complaining of severe arm pain after a fall from a standing height. On primary survey, she has a GCS of 15, a patent airway and is hemodynamically stable. On secondary survey, she has an obviously deformed right elbow. Her past medical history is unremarkable. She takes no medications and has no allergies.
Insights into a Structure-Based Mechanism of Viral Membrane Fusion

A number of different viral spike proteins, responsible for membrane fusion, show striking similarities in their core structures. The prospect of developing a general structure-based mechanism seems plausible in light of these newly determined structures. Influenza hemagglutinin (HA) is the best-studied fusion machine, whose action has previously been described by a hypothetical “spring-loaded” model. This model has recently been extended to explain the mechanism of other systems, such as HIV gp120–gp41. However, evidence supporting this idea is insufficient, requiring re-examination of the mechanism of HA-induced membrane fusion. Recent experiments with a shortened construct of HA, which is able to induce lipid mixing, have provided evidence for an alternative scenario for HA-induced membrane fusion and perhaps that of other viral systems.
Comparison of Prostatic Response to Pituitary Grafts in Castrate Rats Treated with Testosterone or Dihydrotestosterone

To understand further the effect of prolactin (PRL) on prostatic growth, the present study was undertaken to determine if the augmentation of testosterone (T)stimulated growth by PRL is mediated before or after the formation of dihydrotestoterone (DHT). Mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were castrated and treated with subcutaneous Silastic implants containing either T or DHT. Serum PRL was elevated by grafting, under the kidney capsule, pituitaries from two female rats, while controls received grafts of muscle. Three weeks later, all animals were sacrificed. Animals bearing pituitary grafts had an average serum PRL level of 125 to 140 ng/ml while PRL levels for controls were 15 to 20 ng/ml. T treatment provided 1.37 ± 0.11 ng T/ml serum and the DHT capsules produced serum DHT levels of 1.16 ± 0.12 ng/ml. Under these conditions, the lateral prostate showed a specific growth response to PRL: wet weight, protein content, protein concentration, and DNA levels were all significantly greater in engrafted rats treated with either T or DHT than in their respective controls. On histologic examination, elevated PRL levels were associated with proliferative changes of the lateral lobe which included marked papillary infolding and acinar epithelial hyperplasia. This alteration was similar in both steroid-treated groups. These data show that PRL has the same effect on DHT-maintained lateral lobes as it does on the testosterone-maintained prostate and indicate that the PRL effect is not mediated prior to T conversion to DHT but rather at a site beyond DHT formation.
Studying patients with autoinflammatory diseases: the past, present, and a perspective for the future

Autoinflammatory diseases (AID) are rare disorders characterized by recurrent episodes of systemic and organ-specific inflammation. Studying AID has been limited by the difficulty in finding and enrolling large numbers of patients with these rare illnesses. We used a traditional retrospective chart review to describe patients with AID at a single academic medical center, and compared the results with those of participants within the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry, a multicenter observational pediatric rheumatic disease registry in North America. We discuss the benefits and limitations of these types of studies, and suggest new ways to conduct future research.
Spectroscopy of photonic molecular states in supermonodispersive bispheres

ABSTRACT Strong coupling between whispering gallery modes (WGMs) is studied in polystyrene bispheres by using spatially resolved spectroscopy. The supermonodispersive pairs of spheres (size deviation <0.03%) were selected using their uncoupled WGM peaks positions. By using novel geometries of capturing light by the imaging spectrometer we observed clear spectral signatures of st rong coupling between WGMs for bispheres with mean sizes from 2.9 to 10 Pm. In a special geometry with the collection of light along the axis of bisphere and with the slit of the spectrometer oriented perpendicular to the substrate we observed unusual and characteristic kites in the spectral images of such photonic molecules. We showed that such kites allow unambiguous relating of the split components (antibonding and bonding modes) in the spectral image to their WGM eigenstates in th e uncoupled cavities. In many cases such kites simplify the interpretation of the dense spectral images of bispheres. Using various geometries of the experiments we quantified the dependence of coupling constant on the sizes of spheres for maximally coupled fundamental modes located in the equatorial planes of spheres on the substrate. The results show the feasibility of achieving a coherent WGM-based optical transport in microsphere resonator circuits. Keywords: microresonators, microspheres, whispering gallery modes, coupled microcavities, spectroscopy
Frequent Pattern Discovery in Multiple Biological Networks: Patterns and Algorithms

The rapid accumulation of biological network data is creating an urgent need for computational methods capable of integrative network analysis. This paper discusses a suite of algorithms that we have developed to discover biologically significant patterns that appear frequently in multiple biological networks: coherent dense subgraphs, frequent dense vertex-sets, generic frequent subgraphs, differential subgraphs, and recurrent heavy subgraphs. We demonstrate these methods on gene co-expression networks, using the identified patterns to systematically annotate gene functions, map genome to phenome, and perform high-order cooperativity analysis.
A Cost-Effective Analysis of the U.S. Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) Vaccination Program with Consideration for Delayed Onset of Asthma Following Vzv Infection

M O N D A Y 762 Long-Term Adherence to Self-Injectable Epinephrine Prescription Joyce X.W. Lee, MD, Anil M. Patel, MD, Andrew Q. Pham,MD, Sabrina T. Lee, BS, Jeffrey B. Flores, Joseph S. Yusin, MD, FAAAAI; VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, Los Angeles, CA. RATIONALE: Self-injectable Epinephrine (SIE) is essential for immediate treatment of anaphylaxis. Our study aims to determine long-term adherence approximately 10 years after initial SIE prescription. METHODS: A total of 173 patients who received and filled a SIE prescription between 2002 and 2003 at the VAWest Los Angeles Hospital were identified, of which 82 patients were active in the system in 2013. Patient’s gender, race/ethnicity, age, setting of initial SIE prescription, associated diagnosis, and frequency of SIE refills were collected. A prescription for SIE under the active medication list constituted adherence. RESULTS: Of the 82 patients identified, indications for SIE prescription included 36 for venom allergies, 21 for food allergies, 11 for angioedema, 1 for drug allergy, 3 for immunotherapy, and 10 for unknown etiology. Initial SIEwas prescribed at the following clinical sites: 34 from allergy clinic, 40 from primary care clinic, 3 from emergency department, 1 from hospital discharge, and 4 from miscellaneous/unknown clinics. 37 patients (45%) were adherent to SIE prescription with an average of 9 prescription refills over approximately 10 years. 54 patients (55%) were non-adherent to SIE prescription, of which 20 patients (37%) never refilled after their initial prescription. Patients with venom allergies had the highest adherence rate of 62% (23 patients), while those with angioedema had the lowest rate of 27% (3 patients). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that most patients do not have an active SIE prescription after approximately 10 years, of which 37% patients do not refill after their initial prescription.
Generalized set-propagation operations over relations of more than three variables

This paper extends previously developed generalized set propagation operations to work over relationships among an arbitrary number of variables, thereby expanding the domain of engineering design problems the theory can address. It then narrows its scope to a class of functions and sets useful to designers solving engineering problems: monotonic algebraic functions and closed intervals of real numbers, proving formulas for computing the operations under these conditions. The work is aimed at the automated optimal design of electro-mechanical systems from catalogs of parts; an electronic example illustrates.
Retinogeniculate projections in albino and ocularly hypopigmented rats

The retinogeniculate fiber projections were studied by degeneration methods in several strains of rats with pigmentation in their eyes and pelts ranging from the intensely pigmented self phenotype to the albino. The ipsilateral retinogeniculate input in the self, Irish, and hooded rats, and rats with “bicolor fundus” is located medially within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGd) and is seen as a single lamina of moderately dense degeneration. The contralateral retinogeniculate input in these ocularly pigmented rats is a dense network of degeneration covering all of the LGd except for the region receiving the ipsilateral input which is an area of sparse degeneration forming a “pocket.” There is a general paucity of ipsilateral fibers in albino rats. The ipsilateral projections in albino, light-eyed cream-pelted rats, and the rats with heterochromia irides is seen as several fragmented laminae. The contralateral input to the LGd is evenly distributed, is dense throughout and lacks any discernible “pocket” of sparse degeneration. Only the presence of melanin pigment of optic cup origin appears to correlate positively with the development of normal retinogeniculate projections. Variability was found between animals regardless of the degree of pigmentation shown by the animal. There would appear to be enough genetic modifying factors inducing variation of these fiber projections that the appearance of a particular pattern of input to the LGd should be considered as having only a statistical probability of occurrence.
Dynamics of the Upper Atmosphere

The earth's upper atmosphere is highly dynamic, receiving strong energy inputs both from below in the form of upward propagating waves and from above in the form of electromagnetic and particle radiation from the sun and magnetosphere. Above 100 km the dynamics become increasingly influenced by factors that are of minor importance in the lower atmosphere, in particular by the long mean free paths of particles, which give rise to strong molecular diffusion effects, and by the appearance of an ionized component, which interacts dynamically with the neutral constituents. The study of upper atmospheric dynamics has been motivated by the interesting variety of theoretical problems that arise, as well as by the needs of communications and space applications and by the extensive collection of relevant data from satellites, radars, and optical and geomagnetic observatories. Susumu Kato has been one of the outstanding researchers in the field of upper atmospheric dynamics over the past 3 decades. His book treats a number of topics in areas in that field where he has made major theoretical contributions: acoustic-gravity waves, atmospheric tides, electrodynamics, and ionospheric dynamo effects. No attempt is made to cover the entire field of upper atmospheric dynamics in this book nor to be exhaustive in the treatment of the selected areas, but the variety of topics treated is nonetheless impressive.
Development of novel bifunctional agents with and without tumor imaging ability

Purpurinimides, derived from chlorophyll-a, are tumor avid, stable in vivo and show a strong absorption in the near IR region (700 nm) with a high singlet oxygen (>50%) producing efficiency. Such a characteristic could be useful in treating large and deeply seated tumors by photodynamic therapy (PDT). These long wavelength photosensitizers can be used as vehicles to deliver the imaging agents to tumors. Therefore, by linking suitable tumor imaging moiety with purpurinimide could produce a novel bifunctional agent, which could possess the desired photo physical properties for both tumor detection as well as photodynamic therapy. Such image guided therapy would represent an archetype for cancer treatment.
Probabilistic radiative transfer—Two simply coupled spectral lines

Abstract The diffusion of radiation in a pair of coupled spectral lines formed by electron transitions between two excited levels and a common lower level is formulated in terms of probability functions for the case of a plane-parallel atmosphere. The equations are solved numerically for the four distributions with depth in the atmosphere for the probability that a photon formed in a specified line at a particular depth eventually escapes in a specified line. The behavior of the solutions is interpreted on the basis of simple probability models. An equation expressing the difference in the source functions of the lines in terms of the probability functions is derived and discussed.
Spontaneous Perforation of the Extrahepatic Biliary Tree in Infancy A Case Report

Spontaneous perforation of the bile duct in infancy is rare, with less than 55 cases described in the literature to date. The authors report the case of a 30-day-old neonate who presented with a 2-week history of progressive abdominal distension and intermittent jaundice. Disofenin technicium 99m sequential scintiscanning provided a preoperative noninvasive confirmation of the diagnosis of biliary ascites secondary to spontaneous perforation of the extrahepatic biliary tract. Distal common bile duct atresia was identified intraoperatively, and end-to-side Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy was performed, with an uneventful postoperative recovery. The etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of spontaneous neonatal biliary perforation is discussed.
Calculation of electrostatic forces and torques in MEMS using path-independent integrals

Surface- or path-independent integrals based on the Maxwell stress tensor can be used to compute the forces and torques on micromachined electrostatic devices. The connection of these integrals with charge concentration near the edge of thin plate-like devices (combdrives) is discussed. To illustrate the use of these path-independent integrals, the force acting on a periodic array of asymmetric combdrives is evaluated.
STUDIES ON THE BIOLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN GONADOTROPINS. IV. COMPARISON WITH TWO NEW PREPARATIONS OF HPG FROM THE URINE OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

ABSTRACT Two new preparations of human pituitary gonadotropin (HPG) from postmenopausal urine obtained by carbunite adsorption and by kaolin-zeolite adsorption, respectively, were tested in the assay system employing the simultaneous response of the ovary and uterus in the immature rat. The parameters of these assays then were compared with similar parameters obtained from HPG made by the kaolin-acetone method. The constants of the assays for HPG from postmenopausal urine prepared by these 3 different methods did not differ. OUR previous studies of human gonadotropins have shown a close similarity of human pituitary gonadotropin (HPG) from the urine of postmenopausal or castrated women when prepared by different extraction methods (1). Specifically, HPG prepared by the kaolin-acetone method or by the ultranltration method gave the same constants in a biologic assay system utilizing the simultaneous response of the ovary and uterus of intact rats. Furthermore, the same constants were obtained when HPG was ...
Bladder Injuries During Laparoscopic Orchiopexy: Incidence and Lessons Learned

Purpose: Laparoscopic orchiopexy is a safe operation. However, the bladder can be injured during creation of the transperitoneal tunnel for the cryptorchid testis. We reviewed our experience with this complication.Materials and Methods: We searched the operative notes of patients who had undergone laparoscopic orchiopexy between August 15, 2002 and October 1, 2008, and identified bladder injuries and their treatment.Results: A total of 93 patients underwent laparoscopic orchiopexies for 101 undescended testes during the study interval, with 3 procedures resulting in bladder injuries. The 3 operations varied with regard to whether the injury was recognized intraoperatively or postoperatively, and repaired in an open or laparoscopic fashion.Conclusions: Bladder injury during laparoscopic orchiopexy is a rare but serious complication that can be managed by an open or laparoscopic approach. We recommend placement of a urethral catheter and syringe assisted drainage of all urine from the bladder at the beginni...
High Capacity, Reversible Silicon Thin-Film Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The properties of amorphous 250 nm and 1 μm silicon films deposited by radio-frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering on copper foil are investigated using X-ray diffractιon, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical methods. Galvanostatic half-cell electrochemical measurements conducted between 0.02 and 1.2 V using a lithium counter electrode have shown that the 250 nm Si thin films exhibit an excellent reversible specific capacity of nearly 3500 mAh/g when tested for 30 cycles. The high reversible capacity and excellent cyclability of the 250 nm sputtered silicon thin films suggest excellent adhesion between Si and Cu leading to high capacity retention. SEM analysis conducted on the 250 nm Si films after the 30th charge suggests the good adhesion of the ∼2 μm diam "plates" of silicon to the copper substrate.
Repetition effects with kinesthetic and visual-kinesthetic stimuli

Research in choice reaction time typically has revealed that reaction time is faster for repeated events than for nonrepeated events. The two experiments reported examined the characteristics of the repetition effect when two successively presented stimuli were either both kinesthetic or both visual-kinesthetic. A stimulus-priming paradigm in which the prime-target stimulus sequence was either a repetition or a nonrepetition of movement-direction information was employed. The data revealed that the typical repetition effect occurred within and between modalities, with repetitions yielding faster reaction times than nonrepetitions, and that the interstimulus time intervals did not alter the benefit of a repetition.
Effect of imidazole on renal gluconeogenesis.

Abstract The metabolic effects of imidazole were tested in rat renal cortex. Imidazole enhanced the activity of renal cortical phosphodiesterase in vitro. Imidazole inhibited glucose production in a dose-dependent fashion from a variety of substrates in the gluconeogenic pathway proximal to the triose phosphates. The stimulation in renal gluconeogenesis resulting from isoproterenol and parathyroid hormone was inhibited by imidazole. These changes correlated with an inhibition of the augmented levels of renal cortical cyclic AMP levels produced by these hormones. These studies indicate that imidazole is an effective activator of phosphodiesterase in intact renal cells and lend further support to the suggestion that the stimulation of renal gluconeogenesis produced by isoproterenol and parathyroid hormone is mediated by a release of cyclic AMP.
El periódico El Americano (París, 1872—74) y la independencia de Cuba

(2004). El periodico El Americano (Paris, 1872—74) y la independencia de Cuba. Romance Quarterly: Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 257-268.
Denitrification activity, wood loss, and N2O emissions over 9 years from a wood chip bioreactor

Abstract Loss of nitrate in subsurface drainage water from agricultural fields is an important problem in the Midwestern United States and elsewhere. One possible strategy for reducing nitrate export is the use of denitrification bioreactors. A variety of experimental bioreactor designs have been shown to reduce nitrate losses in drainage water for periods up to several years. This research reports on the denitrification activity of a wood chip-based bioreactor operating in the field for over 9 years. Potential denitrification activity was sustained over the 9-year period, which was consistent with nitrate removal from drainage water in the field. Denitrification potentials ranged from 8.2 to 34 mg N kg−1 wood during the last 5 years of bioreactor operation. Populations of denitrifying bacteria were greater in the wood chips than in adjacent subsoil. Loss of wood through decomposition reached 75% at the 90–100 cm depth with a wood half-life of 4.6 years. However, wood loss was less than 20% at 155–170 cm depth and the half-life of this wood was 36.6 years. The differential wood loss at these two depths appears to result from sustained anaerobic conditions below the tile drainage line at 120 cm depth. Pore space concentrations of oxygen and methane support this conjecture. Nitrous oxide exported in tile water from the wood chip bioreactor plots was not significantly higher than N2O exports in tile water from the untreated control plots, and loss of N2O from tile water exiting the bioreactor accounted for 0.0062 kg N2O-N kg−1 NO3-N.
Chemical energetics in repeated contractions of frog sartorius muscle at 0° C

1. Recovery oxygen consumption (ΔO2) was measured in aerobic, unpoisoned frog sartorius muscles at 0° C following a series of repeated tetani. 2. For a series of tetani having nearly identical tension—time integrals, ΔO2 was dependent on the interval between tetani and reached a maximal value for intervals equal to or greater than 200 sec. 3. For a series of tetani at short (5 sec) intervals, ΔO2 was not distinguishable from ΔO2 following a single long tetanus having a tension-time integral similar to that of the sum of the series. 4. A model is proposed to account for these observations in terms of the initial chemical reactions (Δ ∼ P) including a saturable non-steady state reaction which utilizes about 1 μmole Δ ∼ P/g and which is superimposed on an energy utilization proportional to the tension—time integral. Measurements of ΔO2 and Δ ∼ P as functions of tetanic duration and interval between tetani are consistent with such a model. 5. These experiments show that, in addition to parameters usually considered, the previous contractile history of a muscle plays a significant role in determining the chemical energy cost of an isometric contraction.
Mandibular molar with C-shaped canal

This case report describes a mandibular molar with a C-shaped canal. Radiographically, the tooth had a normal morphological appearance with 2 distinct and separate roots. However, the pulp chamber door had only 2 root canal orifices, a mesiolingual orifice and a buccal C-shaped trough that was continuous from the normal location of the mesiobuceal canal to the location of the distal canal. The trough was extensive and persisted along the entire length and width of the C-shaped root canal. During endodontic treatment of the tooth, it became evident that the C-shaped canal bifurcated into a mesiobuceal and a distal canal in the apical 2 mm of the root. It appears that this case demonstrates the morphological pattern of the true C-shaped canal.
Thermal contact conductance between aligned, unidirectional carbon/epoxy resin composites under vacuum conditions

This paper investigates the thermal contact conductance across carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites under vacuum conditions at discrete contact pressures. Samples with unidirectional, continuous fibers oriented at 0 and 90 degrees to the contact interface are analyzed in 0/0 and 90/90 test configurations. Experimental results are compared with analytical data obtained using theory developed for homogeneous, isotropic, metallic contacts. As with earlier experiments in air, variations in the experimental data show the importance of material anisotropy and heterogeneity in governing thermal contact conductance between composites. While metallic theory can incorporate the anisotropic influence of fiber orientation, it fails to account for the distinct contributions of both fiber and matrix to the composite contact problem. 21 refs.
Evidence for vagal involvement in the eating elicited by adrenergic stimulation of the paraventricular nucleus

We examined the role of the vagus nerves in mediating the eating and preprandial drinking seen after injection of norepinephrine (NE) into the region of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus of satiated rats. Complete subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (confirmed by gastric secretion tests) abolished the NE-elicited eating response, whether the diet used was lab chow, milk, or a milk-chow misture, and attenuated, by 38%, the NE-elicited drinking response. These effects occurred independently of changes in body weight or daily food intake imposed by vagal surgery. The vagotomized rats retained the capacity to rapidly increase eating in response to food deprivation or insulin injection challenges, indicating that the effect of vagotomy on NE-induced eating was not due to some non-specific impairment. Efferent vagal blockade of intact rats with systemic injections of atropine methyl nitrate (0.4 mg/kg) prior to central NE infusions yielded similar results. Finally-selective section of the coeliac branch of the vagus produced a 49% reduction of NE, elicited eating, as compared with a 29% reduction in water intake, while selective section of the gastric plus hepatic vagal branches, leaving only the coeliac branch intact, did not significantly affect either ingestive response. Both of these selectively vagotomized groups displayed an unimpaired capacity to increase food intake in response to systemic insulin injections. These results suggest participation of efferent vagal mechanisms in the adrenergic feeding, and, to a lesser extent, drinking phenomena and are consistent with a particular role for some function under coeliac vagal control (perhaps insulin secretion) in modulating the effects of NE on feeding behavior.
Safe, Legal, Rare … and Early: Gender and the Politics of Abortion

Abstract Much social science research suggests that men and women have similar abortion policy preferences. But this inference may be incorrect because studies have focused on understanding preferences regarding the reasons women may seek abortions, while neglecting preferences as they pertain to the timing of abortions. Analysis of responses to a team module of the 2006 Cooperative Congressional Election Study indicated that women in the sample were more likely than men to support legal abortion for any reason, but they were also more likely than men to restrict that support to the first trimester for non‐elective abortions. This elective‐but‐early policy captured the preferences of a large number of respondents, suggesting that politicians and researchers should account for the timing dimension of the abortion issue.
Integrating experimental and computational approaches for the proteogenomic characterizations of microbial communities

Background The human gastrointestinal tract is a complex ecosystem containing a delicate balance of human and microbial cells involved in an intricate symbiotic relationship. In general, the microbial constituency helps maintain a healthy environment and aids in the efficient digestion. However, environmental and/or genetic factors may result in an altered bacterial composition that manifests in a diseased condition, such as Crohn’ sd isease. The recent availability of genomic-based molecular technologies such as whole community genome sequencing and whole community proteomics have provided unique capabilities of profiling the compositions and activities of this microbiome without having to cultivate its membership.
Visual evoked potentials in dementia: A meta-analysis and empirical study of Alzheimer's disease patients

A meta-analytic review of flash and pattern reversal visual evoked potential research indicates that elderly demented patients have longer P100 latencies than age-matched control subjects. In the present empirical research, patients with research diagnoses of probable Alzheimer's disease were compared with sex- and age-matched control subjects using P100 latencies of visual evoked potentials (VEP) elicited by flash and pattern reversal. As compared to control subjects, Alzheimer's disease patients showed significantly longer P100 latencies of the VEP elicited by pattern reversal; the flash P100 only marginally distinguished them. These findings are discussed within the context of VEP recording practices, patient selection, sex and age matching of control subjects, and the visual system.
LE CONTE, ROYCE, TEGGART, BLUMER: A BERKELEY DIALOGUE ON SOCIOLOGY, SOCIAL CHANGE, AND SYMBOLIC INTERACTION

The tradition of sociological discourse at the University of California at Berkeley antedates departmentalization by-more than seven decades. Berkeley's sociology is treated in this article as a dialogue with the ghost of Comte, embracing the works of Joseph Le Conte, Josiah Royce, Frederick Teggart, and Herbert Blumer. That dialogue ultimately produced a prolegomena to a phenomenological theory of social change that has yet to be fully developed. The central concepts of this incipient theory of social change are “release and reverie.” The dimensions and potentiality for this theory are elaborated, and the contribution of Berkeley's sociology to macrosociological issues is indicated.
Google Body: 3D human anatomy in the browser

Google Body gives any user access to 3D anatomy information typically reserved for physicians and medical students. The user can peel away and add back layers of anatomy, rotate and zoom, select entities such as muscles and nerves, and search. Direct links to any view of the male or female model -- with an optional user-supplied annotation -- can be forwarded to friends, family, or physicians. And it all works from a browser, smartphone, or tablet.
Leader length and secondary structure modulate mRNA function under conditions of stress

Simian virus 40-based plasmids that direct the synthesis of preproinsulin in cultured monkey cells were used to study the effects of mRNA structure on translational efficiency. Lengthening the leader sequence enhanced translation in this system. The enhancement was most obvious when an unstructured sequence (two, four, or eight copies of the oligonucleotide AGCTAAGTAAGTAAGTA) was inserted upstream from a region of deliberate secondary structure; the degree of enhancement was proportional to the number of copies of the inserted oligonucleotide. Lengthening the leader sequence on the 3' side of a stem-and-loop structure, in contrast, did not offset the potentially inhibitory effect of the hairpin structure. Both the facilitating effect of length and the inhibitory effect of secondary structure were demonstrated most easily under conditions of mRNA competition, which was brought about by an abrupt shift in the tonicity of the culture medium. These experiments suggest a simple structural basis for the long-recognized differential response of viral and cellular mRNAs to hypertonic stress. The fact that the translatability of structure-prone mRNAs varies with changes in the environment may also have general implications for gene expression in eucaryotic cells.
The effect of learning styles on the navigation needs of Web-based learners

Abstract Web-based training with all its potential benefits is growing at a tremendous rate; however most current systems provide a “one-size-fits-all” approach to the delivery of the material. Two approaches that try to improve end-user learning have emerged: adaptation of the material content and/or adaptation of the material presentation mode. As a subset of the material presentation approach, two modes have been discussed in the literature: learner control vs. system control. It has been discussed that if the amount of learning is dependent on the material presentation mode and the learning style of the users, more effective systems that adapt to this relationship could be developed. This paper analyzes the results of an exploratory experiment completed by 58 subjects. It first measured their learning style preferences (using a version of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory Tool) and compared it to their actual visits of linked Web-pages. The study found that learners classified as “Explorers” tended to “jump” more and created their own path of learning (learner control), while subjects classified as “Observers” tended to follow the suggested path by clicking on the “Next” button (system control). In addition, test scores for explorers who did jump were higher than explorers who did not jump, while conversely observers who did not jump scored higher than observers who did jump.