cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biodiversity and functional genomics in the human microbiome

Over the course of our lives, humans are colonized by a tremendous diversity of commensal microbes, which comprise the human microbiome. The collective genetic potential (metagenome) of the human microbiome is orders of magnitude more than the human genome, and it profoundly affects human health and disease in ways we are only beginning to understand. Advances in computing and high-throughput sequencing have enabled population-level surveys such as MetaHIT and the recently released Human Microbiome Project, detailed investigations of the microbiome in human disease, and mechanistic studies employing gnotobiotic model organisms. The resulting knowledge of human microbiome composition, function, and range of variation across multiple body sites has begun to assemble a rich picture of commensal host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions as well as their roles in human health and disease and their potential as diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
The Accumulation and Transport of Calcium in Barley Roots

The accumulation and transport of Ca by various zones of 6-day old barley roots (Hordeum vulgare L.) were examined with special reference to their relationship to the salt status of the root. The initial salt content had a profound effect on Ca transport and a lesser effect on Ca accumulation. High-salt roots transported Ca in much larger amounts than did low salt roots. In low salt roots the apical zone was more active in transporting Ca to the conducting tissue than were the mid or basal zones However, in high salt roots all zones were about equally active in transporting Ca. The metabolic inhibitor, DNP, had little effect on accumulation but inhibited transport very effectively. The effect of DNP was more pronounced on transport from the apical zone than from the other root zones. Calcium applied anywhere along the root length moved only basally and its polarized longitudinal movement was maintained irrespective of the salt status of the root. The movement of Ca was characterized by a rapid release of preabsorbed Ca and a ready exchange of apoplastic Ca. The hypothesis is presented that cellular Ca is in a relatively mobile state. Its entry into the symplasm is the rate limiting step in longitudinal transport and its overall movement is metabolically controlled.
Degenerative changes in the lumbar spin and early pes pressures

This study was designed to assess the correlation between degenerate joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine and early peak vertical forces attenuated through the lateral calcaneus during the gait cycle. Data was collected from 18 subjects, ranging in age from 22 to 60 years, who had been radiographically diagnosed with DJD of the lumbar spine. Measurement of vertical force over time was obtained using the electrodynograph system with standardized procedure. Results demonstrate that in patients with lumbar DJD the L-sensor, positioned on the lateral condyle of the plantar surface of the calcaneus, shows peak pressures at an early percentage of stance. These results indicate improper attenuation of initial forces through the axial skeleton during the gait cycle, potentially producing chronic overloading responsible for DJD of the lumbar spine. These findings imply that clinicians should consider the effects of high impact forces on an inverted calcaneus when evaluating and treating chronic low-back-pain patients. >
Thrombus localization with emergency cerebral CT.

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence of the hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS) in an acute stroke population (treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) within 90 minutes of stroke onset); to correlate the presence/absence of the sign with arteriographic findings; and to correlate the HMCAS with the volume of subsequent infarction. PATIENTS AND METHODS 55 patients with acute ischemic stroke underwent CT to exclude cerebral hemorrhage and were then treated with intravenous tPA. The neuroradiologist, blinded to the clinical and arteriographic data, sought the HMCAS on the initial and subsequent scans. RESULTS The HMCAS was detected by CT in 19 of 55 (34.5%) patients (one false positive). Arteriograms in 14 of the 18 true positive patients confirmed the CT-predicted middle cerebral artery segment in 12. The 18 patients developed infarcts larger than patients not exhibiting the sign (132 cc vs 52 cc, P less than .002). CONCLUSION The HMCAS does predict middle cerebral artery occlusion and subsequent development of a large infarct.
Preoperative Evaluation of the Thoracic Surgical Patient

The anesthetic preoperative evaluation of a patient prior to ­thoracic surgery can be challenging, but is frequently fruitful. Advances in anesthetic management, noninvasive surgical techniques, and intensive care have gradually but progressively lowered the threshold for declaring patients to be surgical candidates. When it is felt that a patient’s disease is amenable to complete surgical excision, the term “resectable” is employed; when it is felt that the patient can tolerate the proposed procedure, the term “operable” is utilized. The fact that surgical techniques have improved has increased the number of resectable patients, while the improvements in anesthetic and perioperative care have lowered the barriers to operability. Of the only roughly 13% of patients diagnosed with lung cancer who will be cured, virtually all be as a result of surgical resection. Thus, the incentive on the part of the patient to accept a risky operative intervention is greatly increased. The net result is that of a decreasingly robust popu­lation appearing in the preoperative evaluation clinic.
Study on the Surveillance Data and Prevention Measures of Schistosomiasis between 1996 and 2006 in Guangdong Province

Objective To understand the trends of prevalent situation after the elimination of schistosomiasis in Guangdong province.Method The snails and infection sources surveillance were carried out in the former endemic areas.Result From 1996 to 2006,54 out of 7749(0.70%) floating population and 575 out of 11498(5.00%) young people living in the endemic areas showed positive in the ELISA.However,they showed a negative result in the examination for eggs in the stools.No living snails were found and no infected cattle and wild rats were detected in the same areas.But through the passive surveillance,90 imported cases were reported between 2004 and 2006.And also 4 acute infectious cases were reported in these three years.Most cases were reported in the Zhujiang River Delta region,which was accounted for 94.44%(82/90) .And most patients were in the 15～55 age group,which was accounted for 78.89(71/90) .Thirty percent of the cases were workers(27/90) .Conclusion The success of schistosomiasis control was consolidated in Guangdong province.Continued surveillance should be carried out,especially of snails and import infection sources.
Magnetic resonance angiography of the aorta and renal arteries.

SUMMARY Recently developed MR angiographic techniques currently provide useful information regarding arterial vascular abnormalities within the abdomen. With further improvements in technique, MR angiography in the abdomen is expected to provide the radiologist and clinician with extensive information regarding vascular pathology without the need for iodinated contrast or intravascular catheters. Further work is needed to evaluate the role of MR angiography with respect to other noninvasive imaging techniques.
Inflammation, Obesity, and Colon Cancer

The general focus of this chapter is to overview the contribution of obesity-­induced intestinal inflammation to colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. Using inflammatory bowel disease as a model, the mechanisms by which gastrointestinal microbes and obesity-associated, adipose-derived mediators of inflammatory increase CRC risk will be discussed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the direct impact of these factors on intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, survival, and neoplastic transformation. Additionally, the influence of inflammatory factors on immune cell function and the indirect effect of altered immunity on intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and survival, and CRC risk will be explored.
Abstract 1855: Structural requirements for the association of the ETS domain transcription factor Elk1 and the androgen receptor in enabling the growth of prostate cancer cells

The ETS domain transcription factor Elk1 tethers the androgen receptor (AR) to chromatin, enabling sustained activation of a set of genes critical for cell growth in established prostate cancer cell lines. This role of Elk1 is independent of the ability of Elk1 to transiently activate immediate early genes in response to phosphorylation by ERK. We compared the structural requirements for the association of AR and Elk1 with that for activation of Elk1 by phosphorylation using mammalian one- and two-hybrid assays. The critical polypeptide segments were mapped by systematic deletion mutagenesis. The amino-terminal A/B domain of AR, which lacks the ligand-binding domain (LBD), was adequate for association with Elk1 and to activate Elk1-AR target genes in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. The AR A/B domain also supported hormone-independent growth of LNCaP cells reflecting the ability of overexpressed natural splice variants of AR, which also lack LBD, to support prostate tumor growth. The association of AR with Elk1 did not require ERK1/2 or serum response factor (SRF), which are the known binding partners of Elk1. We identified two sites on Elk1 that are critical for its association with the AR A/B domain as well as the whole AR molecule. One of those sites spans amino acid residues 297 to 317, overlapping one of two ERK docking sites. The other site on Elk1 mapped to amino acid residues 387 to 397, adjacent to the downstream ERK docking site. The results suggest that the association of AR with Elk1 in situ is direct rather than through the Elk1 ternary complex and that the association may be disrupted by small molecules to selectively inhibit growth signaling in prostate cancer cells. Citation Format: Rayna Rosati, Venkatesh Chari, Mugdha Patki, Manohar Ratnam. Structural requirements for the association of the ETS domain transcription factor Elk1 and the androgen receptor in enabling the growth of prostate cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1855. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1855
Nonthermal Plasma Synthesis of Core/Shell Quantum Dots: Strained Ge/Si Nanocrystals

In this work, we present an all-gas-phase approach for the synthesis of quantum-confined core/shell nanocrystals (NCs) as a promising alternative to traditional solution-based methods. Spherical quantum dots (QDs) are grown using a single-stage flow-through nonthermal plasma, yielding monodisperse NCs, with a concentric core/shell structure confirmed by electron microscopy. The in-flight negative charging of the NCs by plasma electrons keeps the NC cores separated during shell growth. The success of this gas-phase approach is demonstrated here through the study of Ge/Si core/shell QDs. We find that the epitaxial growth of a Si shell on the Ge QD core compressively strains the Ge lattice and affords the ability to manipulate the Ge band structure by modulation of the core and shell dimensions. This all-gas-phase approach to core/shell QD synthesis offers an effective method to produce high-quality heterostructured NCs with control over the core and shell dimensions.
Diabetes, bone and glucose-lowering agents: basic biology

Skeletal fragility often accompanies diabetes and does not appear to correlate with low bone mass or trauma severity in individuals with diabetes. Instead (and in contrast to those with osteoporotic bone disease), bone remodelling and bone turnover are compromised in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, contributing to defective bone material quality. This review is one of a pair discussing the relationship between diabetes, bone and glucose-lowering agents; an accompanying review is provided in this issue of Diabetologia by Ann Schwartz (DOI: 10.1007/s00125-017-4283-6 ). This review presents basic science evidence that, alongside other organs, bone is affected in diabetes via impairments in glucose metabolism, toxic effects of glucose oxidative derivatives (advance glycation end-products [AGEs]), and via impairments in bone microvascular function and muscle endocrine function. The cellular and molecular basis for the effects of diabetes on bone are discussed, as is the impact of diabetes on the stem cell niche and fracture healing. Furthermore, the safety of clinically approved glucose-lowering therapies and the possibility of developing a single therapy that would be beneficial for both insulin sensitisation and diabetes bone syndrome are outlined.
Role of Polymerized Micelles on the Calcium Carbonate Mineralization of Nanofibers

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is a well-known chemical adsorbent. In this study, anthraquinone dye adsorption by CaCO3-mineralized nanofibers was evaluated with respect to the chemistry and structure of ionic particles that were seeded into the fibers. Reacted and unreacted surfmers of polyoxyethylene-1-(alkyloxylmethyl) alkyl ether sulfuric ester ammonium salt (PAMS) and polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether ammonium sulfate (PAPS) were added to aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solutions at concentrations above their critical micelle concentration prior to electrospinning. The roles of these polymerized micelles on CaCO3 mineralization (produced by dipping PVA nanofibers into alternating solutions of aqueous CaCl2 and NaCO3) were compared to the roles of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and unseeded PVA nanofibers. Seeding nanofibers with reacted PAMS and PAPS resulted in higher degrees of CaCO3 mineralization than those with unreacted surfmers. PAPS caused even greater degrees of CaCO3 mineralization than other seeds,...
Visual Diagnosis: Vesicular Rash in a Neonate.

1. Leeann Pavlek, MD* 2. John Schmidt, MD* 1. *Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI A 3-day-old girl presents to the emergency department with a vesicular rash on her left leg. She was born at 39 weeks' gestation via an uncomplicated vaginal delivery and went home after 24 hours. No skin findings or any other physical abnormalities were noted at birth. Her mother received appropriate prenatal care and was started on valacyclovir prophylaxis at 36 weeks' gestation after testing positive for herpes simplex virus (HSV) serologies. The infant’s mother has no history of genital or oral ulcers, and no lesions were noted at the time of delivery. The mother took no other medications during pregnancy, and she reports no history of alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drug use. The infant’s rash developed on the morning of presentation. She has otherwise been feeding well and has had no fevers. There has been no exposure to any plants, animals, or lotions. On physical examination, she appears well and is afebrile, with vital signs within age-appropriate limits. Growth parameters include a weight of 3,200 g (38th percentile), length of 52 cm (84th percentile), and head circumference of 34 cm (45th percentile). Skin examination is positive for crusted vesicular lesions arranged in a linear pattern on the posterior left leg, extending from the gluteal fold to the Achilles tendon (Figs 1 and 2). The remainder of her physical examination findings are normal. Figure 1. Vesicles in a linear pattern on the posterior leg. Figure 2. Close-up view of the vesicular lesions with crusting. A full sepsis evaluation is performed. Laboratory tests reveal a normal …
Green's function in waveguides with inhomogeneous dielectrics using the method of broadband green's functions

In this paper, we develop broadband Green's functions for inhomogeneous waveguide with arbitrary shaped boundary using Broadband Green's function with low wavenumber extraction (BBGFL). The waveguide consists of two dielectrics and a linear eigenvalue problem is obtained for the modal solution by using surface integral equations and broadband Green's functions of the reference waveguide. The modes are calculated and are independent of frequency. The broadband Green's functions of the inhomogeneous waveguide is next expressed as a summations of these modes. The convergence of modal summations is accelerated by low wavenumber extractions. The accuracy of the results are verified by comparison with results from direct method of moment (MoM) and HFSS.
An Improved Method for the DCOPF With Losses

This paper discusses the marginal line loss approximation in the dc optimal power flow (DCOPF) and proposes a new methodology that improves the accuracy of current practices. In practice, the DCOPF solution may have significant differences compared to the ac base point that determines marginal losses, and this paper provides the only published example that illustrates this problem to our knowledge. The proposed methodology updates the marginal losses without solving a new ac base point so that the optimal solution accurately reflects system losses. Previously proposed methodologies require nonlinear programming solvers, additional ac power flow solutions, or are less accurate compared to actual losses, and they only give results for one or two test networks. This paper provides results on nine different test networks. The key advantage of the proposed methodology is that it can be easily integrated into current market software.
Comparison of Risk Management Tools Under the CAP of the EU, the US Farm Bill and in the Czech Agriculture

It is due to its strong dependence on the market and natural factors, such as weather conditions and extreme weather events or livestock diseases, agriculture is characterized by high exposure to risks. It is the reason for the important role of mitigation of their impacts in the framework of agricultural politics of many countries of the world. The presentation analyses the various systems of risk management tools in the agricultural policy of the EU, the US and the Czech Republic. In the US the support of risk management tools such as the crop and income insurance is the most important part of the policy. In the CAP of the EU, the support for agricultural insurance plays only a minor role and this support is usually applied on the national level. It is also the case of the Czech agriculture, which is characterized by the prevalence of large corporate farms. This structure creates the important barrier for reasonable application of the risk management tools under the RDP for the period between 2013 and 2020.
Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Microneedles for Microencapsulated Cell Extrusion.

Cell-hydrogel based therapies offer great promise for wound healing. The specific aim of this study was to assess the viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells immobilized in atomized alginate capsules (3.5% (w/v) alginate, d = 225 µm ± 24.5 µm) post-extrusion through a three-dimensional (3D) printed methacrylate-based custom hollow microneedle assembly (circular array of 13 conical frusta) fabricated using stereolithography. With a jetting reliability of 80%, the solvent-sterilized device with a root mean square roughness of 158 nm at the extrusion nozzle tip (d = 325 μm) was operated at a flowrate of 12 mL/min. There was no significant difference between the viability of the sheared and control samples for extrusion times of 2 h (p = 0.14, α = 0.05) and 24 h (p = 0.5, α = 0.05) post-atomization. Factoring the increase in extrusion yield from 21.2% to 56.4% attributed to hydrogel bioerosion quantifiable by a loss in resilience from 5470 (J/m3) to 3250 (J/m3), there was no significant difference in percentage relative payload (p = 0.2628, α = 0.05) when extrusion occurred 24 h (12.2 ± 4.9%) when compared to 2 h (9.9 ± 2.8%) post-atomization. Results from this paper highlight the feasibility of encapsulated cell extrusion, specifically protection from shear, through a hollow microneedle assembly reported for the first time in literature.
HER-2/neu (erbB-2) and the Cell Cycle

Signaling by the HER-2 proto-oncogene product results in the activation of several biochemical pathways, which in turn modulate the expression and function of cell cycle regulators. These alterations of cell cycle regulatory molecules may be critical for the conception and maintenance of the transformed phenotype conferred by HER-2 gene amplification and overexpression. On the other hand, blockade of HER-2 function with a therapeutic intent will require the reversal of these effects on cell cycle regulatory molecules in order for these interventions to be effective. Data is presented to suggest that the G1 cyclin D1 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27KIP1 may be involved in subversion of the G1/S traverse by signaling pathways activated by HER-2 function.
Incidence of Non-Salivary Gland Neoplasms in Patients with Warthin Tumor: A Study of 73 Cases

Warthin tumor is the second most common benign parotid neoplasm. Its association with non-salivary gland neoplasms has been sporadically reported. We reviewed clinical records of Warthin tumor diagnosed on aspiration cytology and surgical pathology to determine if there is any association with other extra-salivary gland malignant neoplasms. Computer search was made for all cases of Warthin tumor diagnosed in the parotid gland by aspiration cytology and surgical pathology at our institution between January 2007 and August 2016. Clinical records of all cases were reviewed for any associated malignant neoplasms and any surgical follow up. All available cytology and histologic material was reviewed. Seventy-three patients (mean 66.9, M:F 1.1:1, age range 43 to 87 years) with Warthin tumor were identified. 45 (62%) were diagnosed on aspiration cytology only, 19 (26%) had cytologic diagnosis as well as concordant surgical follow up, and 9 (12%) were diagnosed based on surgical pathology only. Average age for patients with and without secondary malignancy was 70.5-years, and 63.4-years, respectively (p 0.05). Twenty-seven (37.0%) patients harbored a malignant neoplasm. Association of extra salivary gland malignant neoplasms in 37.0% of our cases suggest that the prevalence of secondary non-salivary neoplasms in patients harboring Warthin tumor might have been underestimated. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most commonly associated non-salivary malignant neoplasm. The association of Warthin tumor with smoking plays an important role in this increased rate of malignancy, and this is supported by the fact that smoking is highly associated with head and neck and lung cancers.
Targeting prostaglandin receptor EP2 for adjunctive treatment of status epilepticus.

Abstract Status epilepticus (SE) is an emergency condition that can cause permanent brain damage or even death when generalized convulsive seizures last longer than 30 min. Controlling the escalation and propagation of seizures quickly and properly is crucial to the prevention of irreversible neuronal death and the associated morbidity. However, SE often becomes refractory to current anticonvulsant medications, which primarily act on ion channels and commonly impose undesired effects. Identifying new molecular targets for SE might lead to adjunctive treatments that can be delivered even when SE is well established. Recent preclinical studies suggest that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an essential inflammatory mediator for the brain injury and morbidity following prolonged seizures via activating four G protein-coupled receptors, namely, EP1-EP4. Given that EP2 receptor activation has been identified as a common culprit in several inflammation-associated neurological conditions, such as strokes and neurodegenerative diseases, selective small-molecule antagonists targeting EP2 have been recently developed and utilized to suppress PGE2-mediated neuroinflammation. Transient inhibition of the EP2 receptor by these bioavailable and brain-permeable antagonists consistently showed marked anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in several rodent models of SE yet had no noticeable effect on seizures per se. This review provides overviews and perspectives of the EP2 receptor as an emerging target for adjunctive treatment, together with the current first-line anti-seizure drugs, to prevent acute brain inflammation and damage following SE.
Evaluation of distance facilitation and technology in an interprofessional simulation exercise.

Introduction This paper explores two objectives: (1) effectiveness of interprofessional education facilitators utilizing distance technology to facilitate and debrief an interprofessional exercise with students located on the islands Oahu and Hawai'i Island (Hilo), and (2) impact of technology on the simulation experience for facilitators and students. Methods Four disciplines participated in an interprofessional hospital discharge exercise for the same geriatric patient case. Two questions administered to facilitators and students after each session focused on: (1) satisfaction with the students' ability to work through the simulation, and (2) satisfaction with the use of distance technology. Results Results showed no significant differences when comparing students to facilitators for the students' ability to work through the simulation. Students gave significantly lower satisfaction scores with distance technology than faculty. There were no significant differences in scores among disciplines between either facilitators or students. Pharmacy distance students had significantly lower scores for satisfaction with the simulation exercise and for the role of distance technology compared to other students. Qualitative analyses showed trend improvements over five semesters in four technology areas; volume, noise, difficulty with clarity/understanding, and seating location/placement issues for the on-site group, but only significant improvement with clarity/understanding in the distance group. Conclusions Interprofessional simulation exercises can be successfully facilitated from both on-site and distance site without compromising students' ability to work through the exercise. Satisfaction with distance technology was lower for distance student groups.
13.12 – Glial Cells*

Glia produce trophic factors, ensheath axonal extensions, regulate neurotransmitter and ion concentrations, and remove toxins and debris from the extracellular space of the central nervous system (CNS), maintaining an extracellular milieu that is optimally suited for neuronal function.Consequently, glial functional impairments, as well as physiological reactions of glia to injury, have the potential to induce and/or exacerbate neuronal dysfunction.This mini-review showcases contemporary evidence provoking reformulation of concepts of the interdependence between glia and neurons in modulating final pathways of neuropathologic injury. The chapter commences with a discussion on the role of the various cells in maintaining optimal CNS function both during development and later life-stages, followed by a discussion on their role in mediating neurotoxicity.
Kirby's Rule of 20: the veterinary nurse's critical patient checklist part 2

Kirby's Rule of 20 is a patient checklist including 20 parameters that should be checked daily in the critically ill patient. It reviews the established evidence-based information regarding patient...
The Need for Environmental Justice Never Ends Because Externalities Persist

The Trump administration has been explicit in its intent to rollback environmental regulations aimed at controlling key sources of pollution. These include efforts to reverse current policy initiatives to combat climate change and protect the integrity of the national air and watersheds. The purported rationale, in sum, is that current policy initiatives to protect the environment are over burdensome and retard economic growth. This age-old argument is wholly focused on one side of the equation, the costs of regulation. However, in reality, these regulations also provide substantial benefits that, by all legitimate estimates, far outweigh the purported costs. At the heart of this cost–benefit analysis that underpins environmental regulations is the fundamental reason government becomes involved in environmental regulation in the first place: externalities. And when viewed objectively, we see that externalities disproportionately impact communities that are already marginalized. In fact, the marginalization of these communities is often directly associated with externalities. The purpose of this article is to discuss the current posture of the Trump administration toward environmental deregulation within the context of externalities. The goal is to remind us that most environmental problems emanate from externalities; that externalities do not cease simply by removing regulatory obstacles to their existence; and that externalities disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
New Composition Based Technique for Solidification Cracking Resistance Evaluation

Predicting the occurrence of solidification cracking during the solidification of metallic alloys by numerical simulation is a crucial move for avoiding such defects. Several models are widely available, however, the application of such are impacted due to the specific and not accessible parameters required. A simple, composition-based approach to rank solidification cracking susceptibility is presented. The procedure links computational thermodynamic and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to provide an evaluation tool for solidification cracking. The method is related to the liquid filling phenomena in dendritic arms during solidification, which plays a critical role in solidification cracking phenomena. The dendritic profiles were constructed using the fraction of solid calculated by commercial thermodynamic software packages. The calculated results were compared with experimental solidification cracking data and showed satisfactory accuracy. The method capability to rank the solidification cracking propensity of similar alloys based on composition provides an important new operative tool to aid alloy development in welding and additive manufacturing related areas.
Collective Effects on the Operation of free Electron Lasers with an Axial Guide Field

The linearized gain for a free electron laser is analyzed for a configuration in which an axial magnetic guide field is present in addition to the static helical wiggler field. It is assumed that the wiggler period is much greater than the electron beam radius and, hence, we neglect radial variations in the wiggler field amplitude. The treatment of the gain proceeds from a solution of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations, and is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the gain for a tenuous beam in the small-signal regime. Collective effects arising from relatively dense beams are discussed in the last part.
Limitations of lymphoblastoid cell lines for establishing genetic reference datasets in the immunoglobulin loci

Abstract Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) have been critical to establishing genetic resources for biomedical science. They have been used extensively to study human genetic diversity, genome function, and inform the development of tools and methodologies for augmenting disease genetics research. While the validity of variant callsets from LCLs has been demonstrated for most of the genome, previous work has shown that DNA extracted from LCLs is modified by V(D)J recombination within the immunoglobulin (IG) loci, regions that harbor antibody genes critical to immune system function. However, the impacts of V(D)J on data generated from LCLs has not been extensively investigated. In this study, we used LCL-derived short read sequencing data from the 1000 Genomes Project (n=2,504) to identify signatures of V(D)J recombination. Our analyses revealed sample-level impacts of V(D)J recombination that varied depending on the degree of inferred monoclonality. We showed that V(D)J associated somatic deletions impacted genotyping accuracy, leading to adulterated population-level estimates of allele frequency and linkage disequilibrium. These findings illuminate limitations of using LCLs for building genetic resources in the IG loci, with implications for interpreting previous disease association studies in these regions. Author summary Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) are cells that have been manipulated to proliferate indefinitely in order to provide a replenishable source of DNA. However, because these cell lines are derived from B cells which have undergone V(D)J recombination they contain somatic deletions within regions of the genome that encode antibody genes. Although several large collaborative projects have utilized DNA from LCLs to generate invaluable genomic resources for the scientific community, the negative impacts of cell line artifacts in these regions of the genome have not been fully appreciated. In this study, we used newly released sequencing data from a large collection of LCLs to determine that the non-inherited artificial deletions within the antibody gene loci can have detrimental effects on downstream genetic analyses.
Bhaktivedānta Swami and Buddhism: a Case Study for Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding

His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda was a highly revered ācārya (“lineage teacher of significance”) from the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava (GV) tradition, an important Hindu lineage of Kṛṣṇa bhakti (“devotional love of God”) that historically can be traced back to the venerated saint Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu in sixteenth-century Bengal. Among a variety of other groundbreaking achievements, Bhaktivedānta Swami is notable for being the founding Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York City in 1966. At a surprising rate, it quickly became a large international movement and, therefore, is an interesting case study for theologies of religion in the contemporary, global era.
Excitation Spectra of Optically Excited Rare-Gas Atoms Physisorbed on Metal Surfaces

In the last decade, Flynn and coworkers (1–4) have extensively examined the optical excitation spectra of rare-gas atoms physisorbed on various metal surfaces as a function of coverage. The data were obtained by the use of differential reflectance methods with synchrotron radiation. The primary spectroscopic effort has focused on the way the substrate modifies levels of the free adsorbate, and on any newly formed excited configurations, which arise through the interaction of the adsorbate atom with the metal surface. The striking changes in the optical excitation spectra have been interpreted as due to the formation of a neutral excited adsorbate configuration on some surfaces and an ionized one on others (1–4). At high coverage (>1 monolayer), the spectra are clearly visible and resemble comparable excitations observed in absorption for both vapor phase and condensed rare gases. However, in the low coverage limit, the peak in the spectrum remains strong for some adatom-substrate combinations, while it completely vanishes for others. For instance, at low coverage the adsorption peaks of Xe on Al, Ti and Au, and Kr on Au are virtually eliminated while those of Xe and Ar on Mg, Kr and Ar on Al and Ar on Au persist (1–4). Arguments against the foregoing interpretation of the optical data have been recently made (5).
Primary sensory nerves mediate in part the protective mesenteric hyperemia after intraduodenal acidification in rats

Abstract Background: The mechanism of intraduodenal HCl-induced mesenteric hyperemia is unknown. In anesthetized rats, the hypothesis that the primary sensory nerves mediate the intraduodenal HCl-induced protective mesenteric hyperemia was tested. Methods: The hyperemic response in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and superficial villus damage after intraduodenal bolus administration of saline, 0.03N, or 0.1N HCl were measured. These changes induced by 0.1N HCl after mucosal anesthesia (1% lidocaine) or afferent nerve ablation (125 mg/kg subcutaneous capsaicin) were evaluated. The duodenal villus damage induced by intraduodenal perfusion of 0.1 N HCI after mucosal afferent nerve stimulation by intraduodenal capsaicin or afferent nerve ablation by subcutaneous capsaicin was examined. Results: Intraduodenal bolus administration of HCI produced a dose-related increase in SMA blood flow and villus tip damage. The mesenteric hyperemia induced by 0. 1N HCI was significantly reduced, but the villus tip damage was not altered by prior intraduodenal lidocaine or subcutaneous capsaicin. The deep duodenal villus damage produced by intraduodenal perfusion of 0. 1N HCl was decreased by intraduodenal but increased by subcutaneous capsaicin. Conclusions: The capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves mediate in part the HCl-induced mesenteric hyperemia. They protect against the deep but not the superficial duodenal villus damage induced by HCI.
An Austrian Theory of the Firm

The modern Theory of the Firm uses the concept of rent and makes implicit assumptions about equilibrium. An Austrian (Market Process) Theory of the Firm should have something to say about each of these. Two strategic perspectives are analyzed, the neoclassical microeconomic perspective (using the Ricardo-Marshall approach to rent) and the Market Process perspective (using the Fetter approach to rent). In a neoclassical world, rents indicate "unsolved" or unexploited "inefficiencies" as every hypothetical outcome is viewed against the standard of perfect competition. By contrast, in the Market Process world there is no single ideal standard by which to measure any particular outcome. All action takes place in an open ended universe in which the future is continually being created, in which competition is a "discovery process."
Integration of Creativity into Website Design

The desire to achieve a sound design of a product and its interaction with humans runs the gamut from the simplest hardware products to the most complex information technology systems. This paper proposes a conceptual framework highlighting the central role of creativity in ergonomic design of websites. The integration of creativity helps to achieve synergy of the three dimensions in ergonomic design: functionality, usability, and affectivity. A factor structure of website creativity is further discussed in terms of its relation to the ergonomic design framework. Suggestions for the realization of website creativity are provided, and future research directions are discussed.
Does the Use of Derivatives Impact Bank Performance? A Case Study of Relative Performance During 2002-2009

This study investigates whether the use of derivatives by US banks have impacted the performance of these banks. Data in this study was collected over the period of 2002-2009, with the study focusing on five US banks. In the first stage of the study financial ratios Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), Efficiency Ratio, Cost of Funding Earning Assets, Net Interest Margin would be calculated to measure the performances while regression analysis would be used in the second stage to measure the sensitivity of using of the derivatives in these banks to their performance. The result from the study suggested a positive correlation between the banks performance and usages of derivatives. The study also showed a positive correlation between the efficiency of these banks and the usage of derivatives.
A Centennial History of the Prime Number Theorem

Among the thousands of discoveries made by mathematicians over the centuries, some stand out as significant landmarks. One of these is the prime number theorem, which describes the asymptotic distribution of prime numbers. It can be stated in various equivalent forms, two of which are: $$\pi \left( x \right) \sim \frac{x} {{\log x}}as\quad x \to \infty ,$$ (1) and $${p_n} \sim \,n\,\log \,n\,as\,n\, \to \infty.$$ (2)
Temporal and spatial structure in a daily wildfire-start data set from the western United States (1986–96)

The temporal and spatial structure of 332 404 daily fire-start records from the western United States for the period 1986 through 1996 is illustrated using several complimentary visualisation techniques. We supplement maps and time series plots with Hovmoller diagrams that reduce the spatial dimensionality of the daily data in order to reveal the underlying space–time structure. The mapped distributions of all lightning- and human-started fires during the 11-year interval show similar first-order patterns that reflect the broad-scale distribution of vegetation across the West and the annual cycle of climate. Lightning-started fires are concentrated in the summer half-year and occur in widespread outbreaks that last a few days and reflect coherent weather-related controls. In contrast, fires started by humans occur throughout the year and tend to be concentrated in regions surrounding large-population centres or intensive-agricultural areas. Although the primary controls of human-started fires are their location relative to burnable fuel and the level of human activity, spatially coherent, weather-related variations in their incidence can also be noted.
A lead-induced behavioral disorder

Abstract Mice were exposed to lead from birth by substituting solutions of lead acetate (2, 5, and 10 mg/ml) for the drinking water of mice 12 hours after parturition. Controls received equal concentrations of sodium acetate. There were no deaths in mothers or offspring due to treatment, but growth and development were retarded in the lead-treated offspring. It has recently been suggested that lead exposure may account for some incidences of hyperactivity and retardation in children. Activity of offspring was measured between 40 and 60 days of age for four consecutive days. Treated mice were more than three times as active as age-matched controls. These studies show that chronic ingestion of lead can produce a significant behavior disorder in mice.
X-ray study of the plastic deformation in zinc single crystals

Abstract Plastic deformation in zinc single crystals was studied in its earliest stage by using the Schulz technique. Elliptical ring-shaped imperfections were detected near the crystal surface. The X-ray pattern of the ring can be accounted for by no more than ten dislocation loops, possibly originating from a single source. Some possible mechanisms for the formation of the observed band-like structures from the rings are discussed.
Science and the Social Contract in Renouvier

Renouvier criticized Comte’s positivist philosophy of science and proposed a social contract approach for dealing with normative questions in philosophy of science as well as moral philosophy. Renouvier then questioned Kant’s distinction between practical and theoretical reason and argued that judgments concerning epistemic warrant must be freely made in the same way that moral judgments are made. What counts as scientific knowledge depends on a consensus within the scientific community that develops over time through critical inquiry in much the same way that a legitimate contract governing society at large must. But a scientific contract consisting of conventionally held theories and methods depends for its justification on a larger social contract that guarantees freedom of inquiry.
Case report: robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureterocalicostomy with long-term follow-up.

Background: Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery is being applied to a growing number of procedures. Patient and Methods: A 32-year-old woman with ureteropelvic obstruction underwent a robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureterocalicostomy in 2005. She had an uncomplicated surgery with minimal blood loss and post-operative course. Results: Imaging done serially after surgery remained stable. She became pregnant about 2 years later and ultimately required percutaneous nephrostomy for flank pain and worsening hydronephrosis in the third trimester. Nephrostogram after delivery showed a patent anastomosis, and the nephrostomy tube was removed. Conclusions: Robotic-assisted laparoscopy is an option for patients who require ureterocalicostomy. Long-term outcome at 3 years is favorable.
Fastigiobulbar and dentatothalamic influences on hippocampal cobalt epilepsy in the cat

The modes of influence of the fastigic bulbar and dentatothalamic pathways on the hippocampus were studied by electrical stimulation to components of these pathways during different stages of cobalt hippocamla epilepsy in cats During intercital events (e.g., spiking or slow waves) stimulation ti fastigal nucleus, n. reticularis gigantocellularis, dentate (lateral) nucleys or ventralis lateralis often reculted in prolonged desyntchronization and interruption of epileptiform activity. During itcus fastigiobulbar stimulation often stopped the seizures in the clonic phase, and in 7 of 8 cats the average seizure durations were shorter with ictal stimulation (statistically significant in 3 cats). In 5 to 8 cats interictal stimulation prolonged the average interval (statistically significant in 2 cats). Dentatothalamic stimulation duriong serizures appeared to either terminate the seizure in the clonic phase or prolong the seizure, whcih it did not on the average in 4 to 5 cats (statistically signficant in 1 cat). The phenomenological logical results indicate a net inhibitory influence by the fastigiobulbar pathway and an excitatory action by the dentatophalamic path to the ventral hippocampus. However, statistical tests of the reliability of these effects suggest that such a model may be oversimplified.
Absolute spectrophotometry of hot subluminous stars from voyager

Abstract We present absolute far UV (900 to 1200 A) spectrophotometry of two hot subluminous stars, BD +28°4211, an sdO, and G191-B2B, a DA white dwarf. These observations, obtained with the Voyager ultraviolet spectrometers, are combined with other data to produce complete absolute energy distributions extending from the Lyman limit at 912 A to 1 μm. For BD +28°4211, this energy distribution is closely approximated by a single power law. Alternately, the energy distribution of G191-B2B is well matched by a single pure H model atmosphere whose effective temperature and gravity are independently determined from spectroscopy. These two distinct results indicate that simple models provide good agreement with observed energy distributions, even at the shortest wavelengths. Comparisons of the Voyager absolute calibration with previous rocket results are discussed, including the recent rocket observations of BD +28°4211 and G191-B2B.
Umbilical Varix in a Cirrhotic Patient.

A 46-year-old male with alcohol-induced Child’s class A liver cirrhosis (MELD 10) presented with profuse bleeding from his umbilicus. The patient described being at his usual state of health until 2 hours prior to presentation, at which time he experienced blood spurting from his umbilicus. He immediately applied local pressure to his abdomen and presented to our hospital. The patient denied associated abdominal pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, or gastrointestinal bleeding. He denied prior similar bleeding episodes, lightheadedness, dizziness, visual blurriness, or palpitations. On examination, he had normal vitals signs and a small, reducible umbilical hernia with an overlying blood clot, but no active bleeding. He had mild splenomegaly and evidence of caput medusae without ascites. He had a normal complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, and an INR of 1.2. Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) revealed umbilical varices as the cause of the bleeding (Figure 1). The umbilical varices appeared to originate from the splenic vascular bed. The patient was taken to surgery for ligation of the umbilical variceal feeding vessel. He had no recurrence of bleeding over the next 12 months. Portal hypertension-associated bleeding is one of the well-known complications of liver cirrhosis. Cutaneous bleeding from umbilical varices, however, is an extremely rare complication of portal hypertension, and bleeding from ruptured umbilical varices tend to be severe and fatal.1 Management of bleeding umbilical varices has been surgical, but one reported case was treated with creation of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for portal venous pressure decompression.2 Our case is unique in that the origin of the umbilical varix was the splenic venous system.