cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Where Do Women Get Advice About Weight, Eating, and Physical Activity During Pregnancy?

Abstract Background: Most women report not receiving information about gestational weight gain (GWG) from prenatal providers, but less is known about other sources of information and their potential impacts on GWG. The purpose of this study was to investigate sources of information about diet, physical activity, and weight control during pregnancy, and the impact of information sources on maternal GWG. Materials and Methods: Participants were 183 women with normal weight and 172 women with overweight/obesity who had enrolled in a prenatal lifestyle intervention trial. At 6 weeks postpartum, women were asked whether they had received information about “diet, physical activity, or weight control” from 12 sources uninvolved in the trial (e.g., physician, Internet, and friend) and, if received, the extent to which they followed the advice. Information sources were examined in relation to odds of exceeding Institute of Medicine (IOM) GWG guidelines based on measured weights. Results: Most women reported receiv...
Aluminum nitride piezoelectric microphones as zero-power passive acoustic filters

With the advent of the internet-of-things, sensors that are constantly alert yet consuming near-zero power are desired. Remote sensing applications where sensor replacement is costly or hazardous would also benefit. Piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) convert mechanical or acoustic energy into electrical signals while consuming zero power. When coupled with low-power complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits, a near-zero power sensing system is formed. This work describes piezoelectric MEMS microphones based on aluminum nitride (AlN). The microphones operate as passive acoustic filters by placing their resonant response within bandwidths of interest. Devices are demonstrated with operational frequencies from 430 Hz to greater than 10 kHz with quality factors as large as 3,000 and open-circuit voltages exceeding 600 mV/Pa.
Rapid Single-Exposure Fabrication of 2D and 3D Custom-Modified Interference Patterns by Pattern-Integrated Interference Lithography

The Pattern-Integrated Interference Lithography (PIIL) exposure system is analyzed. Experimental results of custom-modified interference patterns show good agreement with simulations, thus validating the modeling and fabrication methods employed.
Fading into the Background: Unleashing Ubiquitous and Unobtrusive Context Sensing

As computing becomes increasingly embedded into the fabric of everyday life, systems that understand people's context of use are of paramount importance. Regardless of whether the platform is a mobile device, wearable, or smart infrastructure, context offers an implicit dimension that is vital to increasing the richness of human-computer interaction. In my thesis work, I introduce multiple enabling technologies that greatly enhance context awareness in highly dynamic platforms, all without costly or invasive instrumentation. My systems have been deployed across long periods and multiple environments, the results of which show the versatility, accuracy and potential for robust context sensing. By combining novel sensing with machine learning, my work transforms raw signals into intelligent abstractions that can power rich, context-sensitive applications, unleashing the potential of next-generation computing platforms.
Evaluation of fast pyrolysis feedstock conversion with a mixing paddle reactor

Abstract We have developed a pyrolysis reactor based on a unique auger-paddle configuration with heat transfer material (HTM) and proved to achieve high heating rates and fast pyrolysis. We tested ten different biomass types and obtained bio-oil yields ranging from approximately 40% for thermally treated wood, to approximately 57% for crop residues (corn stover) and 67% yield for woody feedstocks (tulip poplar). These results, as well as the solid char yields, are similar to those obtained for the same feedstock using a circulating fluidized bed. Tests conducted without HTM resulted in lower bio-oil yields (ranging from 8 to 18% decrease in yield) and higher char yields with similar changes in magnitude, which is indicative of slow pyrolysis. In addition, a comprehensive study and analysis of the material residence time and mixing characteristics of the novel auger-paddle system is presented. These results demonstrate that an auger-paddle configuration is capable of achieving the high heating rates required for fast pyrolysis.
Darnet: a deep learning solution for distracted driving detection

Distracted driving is known to be the leading cause of motor vehicle accidents. With the increase in the number of IoT devices available within vehicles, there exists an abundance of data for monitoring driver behavior. However, designing a system around this goal presents two key challenges - how to concurrently collect data spanning multiple IoT devices, and how to jointly analyze this multimodal input. To that end, we present a unified data collection and analysis framework, DarNet, capable of detecting and classifying distracted driving behavior. DarNet consists of two primary components: a data collection system and an analytics engine. Our system takes advantage of advances in machine learning (ML) to classify driving behavior based on input sensor data. In our system implementation, we collect image data from an inward facing camera, and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data from a mobile device, both located within the vehicle. Using deep learning techniques, we show that DarNet achieves a Top-1 classification percentage of 87.02% on our collected dataset, significantly outperforming our baseline model of 73.88%. Additionally, we address the privacy concerns associated with collecting image data by presenting an alternative framework designed to operate on down-sampled data which produces a Top-1 classification percentage of 80.00%.
Globular clusters in high-redshift dwarf galaxies: a case study from the Local Group

We present the reconstructed evolution of rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) luminosities of the most massive Milky Way dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxy, Fornax, and its five globular clusters (GCs) across redshift, based on analysis of the stellar fossil record and stellar population synthesis modelling. We find that (1) Fornax’s (proto-)GCs can generate 10–100 times more UV flux than the field population, despite comprising 3. (3) GC formation can introduce order-of-magnitude errors in abundance matching. We also find that some compact HFF objects are consistent with the reconstructed properties of Fornax’s GCs at the same redshifts (e.g. surface brightness, star formation rate), suggesting we may have already detected proto-GCs in the early Universe. Finally, we discuss the prospects for improving the connections between local GCs and proto-GCs detected in the early Universe.
Self-Reported ADHD and Adult Health in the United States:

Objective: Informed by a social determinants of health framework, we investigate the relationship between self-reported ADHD diagnosis status and adult health, and whether observed associations are...
Time-reversal symmetry-breaking nematic superconductivity in FeSe

FeSe is a unique member of the family of iron-based superconductors, not only because of the high values of ${T}_{c}$ in FeSe monolayer, but also because in bulk FeSe superconductivity emerges inside a nematic phase without competing with long-range magnetic order. Near ${T}_{c}$, superconducting order necessarily has $s+d$ symmetry, because nematic order couples linearly the $s$-wave and $d$-wave harmonics of the superconducting order parameter. Here we argue that the near-degeneracy between $s$-wave and $d$-wave pairing instabilities in FeSe, combined with the sign-change of the nematic order parameter between hole and electron pockets, allows the superconducting order to break time-reversal symmetry at a temperature ${T}^{*}l{T}_{c}$. The transition from an $s+d$ state to an $s+{\mathrm{e}}^{i\ensuremath{\alpha}}d$ state should give rise to a peak in the specific heat and to the emergence of a soft collective mode that can be potentially detected by Raman spectroscopy.
Shifting Gender Roles and Shifting Power Relations

Nepali female migrants are becoming the fastest growing immigrant workforce from the South Asian community, particularly in the service and care work sectors of major cities in the United States. However, to date no study has investigated their work experiences or the impact of their labor on Nepali family life/gender relations in the U.S. and back home in Nepal. As a part of the Nepal Diaspora, these women potentially influence Nepal; as part of transnational workers, these women’s experiences reflect the lives of many other transnational women. Using an ethnographic approach, this paper analyzes how women’s transnational work affects and transforms their personal, family, and community lives; and captures the complexities of these women’s social, cultural, political, and economic realms.
IgG4-Related sclerosing cholangitis in America

Since its first description in the 1960s from the United States, IgG4-SC has been increasingly recognized and reported from around the world. It is the most common extrapancreatic manifestation of type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis and is possibly associated with an accelerated development of secondary biliary cirrhosis if diagnosis is delayed. Obstructive jaundice and constitutional symptoms are the main presenting symptoms, similar to hilar cholangiocarcinoma and primary sclerosing cholangitis, which are the most important differential diagnoses of IgG4-SC. Endoscopy is critical to rule out malignancy. While steroids are the mainstay of initial treatment, and most patients respond rapidly, there is a very high likelihood of relapse, especially in patients with proximal biliary strictures. Initiation of immunomodulators or rituximab may be required to maintain long-term remission. In this chapter we will describe the epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical presentation, and management of IgG4-SC based on studies primarily from the United States.
TCR αβ+/CD19+ cell depletion in haploidentical hematopoietic allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a review of current data

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative option for patients with a variety of diseases. Transplantation from a related haploidentical donor is being increasingly utilized for patients who lack an available human leukocyte antigen matched related or unrelated donor. One of the strategies used for haploidentical transplants involves selective depletion of T cells expressing the αβ T cell receptor and CD19+ B cells prior to transplant. This allows for the removal of cells responsible for graft-versus-host disease and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder but maintains hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells for engraftment (CD34+ cells), as well as cells to elicit graft-versus-tumor effect and provide anti-infective activity (such as gamma-delta T cells and natural killer cells). The aim of this review article is to present and discuss the data available to date from studies utilizing this method of transplantation.
Family Medicine Resident Perspectives on Curricula in Herbal Medicine.

Background and objectives Despite widespread patient use, herbal and dietary supplement education is not required in US-accredited medical schools. Thus, physicians are unprepared to address supplement use with patients. Our objectives were to assess perceived adequacy of medical education on supplements, determine resident perspectives on appropriate placement of curricula in their longitudinal medical education, and evaluate the effects of an innovative workshop on family medicine resident knowledge about supplements and intentions to address this topic with patients. Methods Family medicine residents (N=65) participated in an hour-long workshop covering basic concepts about herbal and dietary supplements, including regulations, literature review techniques, and risk/benefit analysis. The participants completed pre/postworkshop surveys to assess need for increased education and evaluate efficacy of the workshop. Results Most participants (91.9%) thought they should have received more education than provided on supplements and perceived greater need for curricula in undergraduate medical education than in graduate medical education. Only 47.6% received required education on supplements, significantly less than the 72.6% who thought this education should be required (Pl0.05). The workshop increased the proportion of residents planning to address patients' supplement use, increased the frequency residents intend to ask about supplements, and improved resident perceptions of the efficacy of some supplements when used with physician guidance. Conclusions Residents perceived a lack of adequate medical education on the use of herbal and dietary supplements. Results showed a brief workshop increased resident intentions to discuss supplement use with patients. Further education on supplement use may be warranted.
Dough properties, bread quality, and associated interactions with added phenolic compounds: A review

Abstract A diet rich in phytochemical phenolics has been associated with the reduction of some chronic diseases. Therefore, there has been a growing demand for phenolic-enriched functional foods. Bread is a staple food for most populations, and bread supplemented with phenolic compounds has attracted growing research interests in recent years. Besides improving the antioxidants in bread, adding phenolic compounds also affects dough’s physicochemical properties and qualities because of various interactions with flour constituents. In addition, phenolic compounds may prevent the formation of carcinogens such as acrylamide during baking, thus functioning as an anti-carcinogenic agent in food systems. This review examines recent researches conducted on bread enriched with phenolic compounds and their effects on dough properties, bread quality, associated interactions with gluten and starch macromolecules, as well as potential health benefits regarding bioaccessibility and bioavailability. Research gaps in the area are further identified and future research opportunities are recommended.
The Catalytic Cycle of Water Oxidation in Crystallized Photosystem II Complexes: Performance and Requirements for Formation of Intermediates

Crystals of photosystem II (PSII) contain the most homogeneous copies of the water-oxidizing reaction center where O2 is evolved (WOC). However, few functional studies of PSII operation in crystals have been carried out, despite their widespread use in structural studies. Here we apply oximetric methods to determine the quantum efficiency and lifetimes of intermediates of the WOC cycle as a function of added electron acceptors (quinones and ferricyanide), both aerobically and anaerobically. PSII crystals exhibit the highest quantum yield of O2 production yet observed of any native or isolated PSII (61.6%, theoretically 59 000 μmol O2/mg Chl/h). WOC cycling can be sustained for thousands of turnovers only using an electron acceptor (quinones, ferricyanide, etc.). Simulations of the catalytic cycle identify four distinct photochemical inefficiencies in both PSII crystals and dissolved PSII cores that are nearly the same magnitude. The exogenous acceptors equilibrate with the native plastoquinone acceptor at...
Machine-learning approach to the design of OSDAs for zeolite beta

We report a machine-learning strategy for design of organic structure directing agents (OSDAs) for zeolite beta. We use machine learning to replace a computationally expensive molecular dynamics evaluation of the stabilization energy of the OSDA inside zeolite beta with a neural network prediction. We train the neural network on 4,781 candidate OSDAs, spanning a range of stabilization energies. We find that the stabilization energies predicted by the neural network are highly correlated with the molecular dynamics computations. We further find that the evolutionary design algorithm samples the space of chemically feasible OSDAs thoroughly. In total, we find 469 OSDAs with verified stabilization energies below −17 kJ/(mol Si), comparable to or better than known OSDAs for zeolite beta, and greatly expanding our previous list of 152 such predicted OSDAs. We expect that these OSDAs will lead to syntheses of zeolite beta.
No laughing matter

Helium is one of the most abundant elements in the universe, yet supplies on Earth are running out – a reminder of how precious our resources are, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Unison: Enabling Content Provider/ISP Collaboration using a vSwitch Abstraction

BGP was initially created assuming by default that all ASes are equal. Its policies and protocols, namely BGP, evolved to accommodate a hierarchical Internet, allowing an autonomous system more control over outgoing traffic than incoming traffic. However, the modern Internet is flat, making BGP asymmetrical. In particular, routing decisions are mostly in the hands of traffic sources (i.e., content providers). This leads to suboptimal routing decisions as traffic sources can only estimate route capacity at the destination (i.e., ISP). In this paper, we present the design of Unison, a system that allows an ISP to jointly optimize its intra-domain routes and inter-domain routes, in collaboration with content providers. Unison provides the ISP operator and the neighbors of the ISP with an abstraction ISP network in the form of a virtual switch. This abstraction allows the content providers to program the virtual switch with their requirements. It also allows the ISP to use that information to optimize the overall performance of its network. We show through extensive simulations that Unison can improve ISP throughput by up to 30% through cooperation with content providers. We also show that cooperation of content providers only improves performance, even for non-cooperating content providers (e.g., a single cooperating neighbour can improve ISP throughput by up to 6%).
Nanotechnology in Medicine

Nanotechnology is at the frontier of medicine. It plays a critical role in expanding diversity and reach of the drug or drug-like molecules in patients. Nanoparticles act as a protected transport vehicle for hydrophobic drugs or therapeutics such as mRNA, siRNA, and DNA which are normally not bioavailable. In this chapter, we review the different kinds of non-viral nanocarriers that are being employed in modern-day medicine. We also discuss the challenges to effective delivery and function of these particles as well as their application in various aspects of disease treatment.
An Investigation of Attitudes toward Work Adjustment of the Blind

A scale to measure attitudes toward work adjustment of the blind was developed and administered to 400 subjects. Blindness of the case presented, the relative social status of the occupation held, ...
Methods for imaging individual cilia in living echinoid embryos.

Abstract The embryos of echinoids (sea urchins and sand dollars) serve as excellent models for studying cilia differentiation and stages of the cilia life cycle including ciliogenic initiation, growth, maintenance, and retraction. Early in echinoid development, uniform motile cilia form on all cells simultaneously but then rapidly differentiate into multiple cilia types that differ in morphology, motility, and signaling sensitivity. Metal ion treatments that shift germ layer boundaries and thereby “animalize” or “vegetalize” embryos can be used to enrich for low-abundance cilia types rendering those specialized cilia and the differentiation processes they exhibit much easier to study. The experimental advantages of having robust cilia growth and differentiation is tempered by the challenge of restraining ciliated embryos well enough to view the process of ciliogenesis live. We have developed four observation chambers as modifications of the Kiehart chamber for long-term light microscopic imaging of ciliated echinoid embryos. One of these systems employs paramagnetic beads to render ciliated larvae magnetic so they can be gently and reversibly trapped directly under the objective lens. With this magnetic trapping system, the larva can be positioned and repositioned until they achieve the orientation with the clearest view of any cilia of interest. These methods of gentle embryo restraint allow normal embryo development and the normal ciliogenic cycle and ciliary differentiation processes to continue in direct view. Sequential image series can then be collected and analyzed to quantitatively study the wide spectrum of cilia behaviors and properties that arise in developing echinoid embryos.
Differentiating among stages of cognitive impairment in aging: Version 3 of the Uniform Data Set (UDS) neuropsychological test battery and MoCA index scores.

Introduction Federally funded Alzheimer's Disease Centers in the United States have been using a standardized neuropsychological test battery as part of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set (UDS) since 2005. Version 3 (V3) of the UDS replaced the previous version (V2) in 2015. We compared V2 and V3 neuropsychological tests with respect to their ability to distinguish among the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) global scores of 0, 0.5, and 1. Methods First, we matched participants receiving V2 tests (V2 cohort) and V3 tests (V3 cohort) in their cognitive functions using tests common to both versions. Then, we compared receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve in differentiating CDRs for the remaining tests. Results Some V3 tests performed better than V2 tests in differentiating between CDR 0.5 and 0, but the improvement was limited to Caucasian participants. Discussion Further efforts to improve the ability for early identification of cognitive decline among diverse racial groups are required.
Capozzola, Christopher, Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America’s First Pacific Century: New York: Basic Books, 471 pp., $35.00, ISBN 978-1-5416-1827-5, Publication Date: May 2020

Christopher Capozzola’s Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America’s First Pacific Century chronicles the long and turbulent relationship between the United States and th...
Relocation of phosphofructokinases within epithelial cells is a novel event preceding breast cancer recurrence that accurately predicts patient outcomes.

Although recurrent cancers can become life threatening, little is known about the intracellular events required for cancer recurrences. Due to this lack of mechanistic information, there is no test...
Supportive care for the prevention of nausea, vomiting and anorexia in a phase 1B study of selinexor in advanced cancer patients: an exploratory study.

Introduction. Clinical observations of cancer patients treated with selinexor have reported high incidence of nausea and anorexia. The study objective was to investigate the adoption of prophylactic olanzapine for the prevention of nausea, vomiting and anorexia in cancer patients receiving selinexor and standard chemotherapy. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed supportive care interventions in patients receiving selinexor and recorded frequency of adverse events (NCI-CTAE). Association between categorical variables were analyzed using Fisher’s exact tests; repeated measures analysis was performed to assess weight changes over time. Results. Of 124 evaluable patients, 83 (66.9%) were female, 93 were white (75.0%), and the most common cancer was ovarian (N = 30, 24.2%). One hundred and four patients (83.9%) received olanzapine, of which 93 (89.4%) were prophylactically treated, the majority (86.5%) receiving low 2.5 mg daily dose. Other anti-emetics included ondansetron in 90 patients (72.6%), dexamethasone prescribed in 50 patients (40.3%) and metoclopramide in 49 patients (39.5%), while aprepitant/fosaprepitant (N = 2, 1.6%) were prescribed infrequently. Cancer patients receiving prophylactic olanzapine (N = 93) compared to patients who never received olanzapine (N = 20) had more Grade 1 + anorexia (31.2% vs 20.0%), less nausea (53.8% vs 70.0%), less vomiting (33.3% vs 40.0%), and increased hyperglycemia (29.0% vs 10.0%), but differences were non-statistically significant. In addition, there was minimal weight loss over time in both groups and no statistically significant differences in weight loss between groups. Conclusion. Prophylactic olanzapine decreased nausea, vomiting and maintained weight over 3 months but did not prevent anorexia in patients receiving selinexor and chemotherapy. Low dose olanzapine was well tolerated but associated with hyperglycemia.
How to pose material design problems for flow through porous media applications?: Sensitivity of dissipation rate to medium's permeability holds the key.

Recent studies have advocated using the total dissipation rate under topology optimization to realize material designs involving the flow of fluids through porous media. However, these studies decided how to pose the design problem, such as maximizing the total dissipation rate for some situations while minimizing for others, by solving one-dimensional problems and justifying their choices using numerical experiments. The rigor is lacking -- a bottleneck for further scientific advancements to computational material design. This paper provides the missing theoretical justification. We identify four classes of boundary value problems using the adjoint state method and analytically calculate the sensitivity of the total dissipation rate to the permeability field. For two of those classes in which the flow of fluids is pressure-driven, the sensitivity is positive -- the total dissipation rate increases if the medium's permeability increases. While for the other two classes, in which the flow is velocity-driven, the trend is the opposite. These sensitivities provide rigorous answers to the central question: how to pose a material design problem for flow through porous media applications. The impact of our work is multi-fold. First, this study further elevates the role of the dissipation rate in posing well-posed material design problems using topology optimization. Second, besides the theoretical significance, the results benefit computational scientists and practitioners to realize optimal designs. Third, given their simplicity yet far-reaching impact, both the approach and results possess immense pedagogical value.
Neocortical Simulation for Epilepsy Surgery Guidance: Localization and Intervention

New surgical and localization techniques allow for precise and personalized evaluation and treatment of intractable epilepsies. These techniques include the use of subdural and depth electrodes for localization, and the potential use for cell-targeted stimulation using optogenetics as part of treatment. Computer modeling of seizures, also individualized to the patient, will be important in order to make full use of the potential of these new techniques. This is because epilepsy is a complex dynamical disease involving multiple scales across both time and space. These complex dynamics make prediction extremely difficult. Cause and effect are not cleanly separable, as multiple embedded causal loops allow for many scales of unintended consequence. We demonstrate here a small model of sensory neocortex which can be used to look at the effects of microablations or microstimulation. We show that ablations in this network can either prevent spread or prevent occurrence of the seizure. In this example, focal electrical stimulation was not able to terminate a seizure but selective stimulation of inhibitory cells, a future possibility through use of optogenetics, was efficacious.
Prime Numbers And Data Encryption

Most modern encryption software is based on the unpredictability of prime numbers. This paper will show why both solvable and unsolvable Galois groups would provide a superior unpredictability algorithm to most systems currently in use.
The Adoption of Best-Management Practices by Louisiana Dairy Producers

This study examines the adoption of best-management practices (BMPs) in terms of the total number of practices implemented up to a certain period, using count data analysis. Poisson and negative binomial regressions were used to examine the likely determinants of producers' decisions to adopt greater numbers of technologies, and the specific case of dairy producers' adoption of BMPs was explored. Our results emphasize the significant effect of producers' awareness of the efforts to control non-point source pollution, information about BMPs, farm size, producer's educational attainment, and risk aversion on the number of BMPs adopted.
A polymeric capillary electrophoretic microfluidic device for separation and electrospray ionization of small molecules

We have used an embossed plastic microfluidic system for rapid electrophoretic separation of small molecules and electrospray ionization. We have also visualized the separation of compounds by observation of dyes in microfluidic systems and electrospray from the edge of the device. We used a lithographically produced silicon master to emboss channels in ZEONOR 1020R plastic. An oxygen plasma or chromic acid was used to convert the plastic channel surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic for the separation of molecules in aqueous solution. The channel was scaled by thermal bonding of a cover piece of the same plastic material. The microfluidic device for electrophoretic separation and fluorescence detection had a separation channel 50 /spl mu/m wide, 20 /spl mu/m deep and 3.0 cm long. This was used to separate two dye molecules, Rhodamine B and Texas Red. The microfluidic device for electrospray ionization directly from the chip had a separation channel 30 /spl mu/m wide, 10 /spl mu/m deep, and 10 /spl mu/m wide, terminating in a nozzle-like pyramid fabricated at the edge of device. The sample volume injected through the cross junction for fluorescence detection device was approximately 1.2 nl and two dyes were separated within 8 seconds with the application of an electric field 300 V/cm.
Performance of three pneumatic probe samplers and four analytical methods used to estimate aflatoxins in bulk cottonseed.

The requirement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that agricultural products susceptible to aflatoxin contamination contain aflatoxin at levels < or =20 parts per billion for consumer-ready products has led to the establishment of inspection programs by various industries. In Arizona, cottonseed samples from 100 ton piles are collected by an accumulation of 3 or more probings with a pneumatic probe. When sampling compacted cottonseed piles, the large official pneumatic probe (7.6 x 127 cm) decreases in efficiency. Two smaller probes (1.9 x 127 cm and 1.9 x 254 cm ) were therefore developed and tested for their suitability for sampling cottonseed piles. Three rapid analytical methods (one thin-layer chromatographic and 2 immunochemical) were tested for suitability as on-site assay systems. An analysis of variance of the analytical test results showed no differences between the various probes tested. Of the rapid methods, however, only the AflaTest-P immunoaffinity column gave results similar to those of the official AOAC thin-layer chromatography method. In terms of safety, however, all methods prevent material contaminated above regulatory limits from reaching the consumer.
Apoptosis and Altered Dendritic Cell Homeostasis in Lupus Nephritis Are Limited by Anti-CD154 Treatment

Autoimmunity results from a failure in central and/or peripheral tolerance; however, the events that initiate and maintain this dysfunction remain unclear. To better understand the mediators involved in autoimmunity, we investigated the cellular mechanisms maintaining disease in the (SWR × NZB)F1 (SNF1) mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus. Previously, we have shown that autoimmunity in this model is dependent on CD40-CD154 interactions. Herein, our studies reveal that the severity of disease in SNF1 mice correlates with a marked increase in the frequency of apoptotic splenocytes, including a higher proportion of apoptotic dendritic cells (DC) in vivo. In addition, we demonstrate a significant disease-related increase in the absolute number of splenic CD11chigh DC. The increased DC number appears to be attributable to DC proliferation and enhanced migration to the spleen, most likely induced by elevated splenic expression of secondary lymphoid chemokine. Importantly, these imbalances in apoptosis, secondary lymphoid chemokine expression, and DC homeostasis were reduced or normalized by anti-CD154 treatment. Thus, our data demonstrate CD154-dependent regulation of apoptosis and DC homeostasis in mice with lupus-like autoimmune disease. We suggest that these mechanisms comprise an autostimulatory loop, maintaining the cascade of autoimmunity by DC presentation of self-Ags derived from apoptotic cells and CD154-mediated costimulation.
Iterative method for bioluminescence tomography based on the radiative transport equation

Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is a new molecular imaging modality, which helps study cancer and other diseases, develop drugs, and so on. This technology localizes and quantifies a bioluminescent source inside a living transgenic mouse, and is very useful in many biomedical applications. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm based on the radiative transport equation to reconstruct the bioluminescence source distribution from data measured on the external surface of a mouse. Our approach transforms the transport equation into an integral equation of the second kind, and establishes a linear system to link the measured photon fluence rate with the unknown light source variables. A regularization measure is taken to overcome the ill-posedness of the inverse problem. Then, an iterative optimization technique with a simple constrain is employed to compute the desirable solution. The physical phantom experiments have been performed to demonstrate the feasibility of the reconstruction method, and evaluate its performance in terms of source location and power estimation.
The EAL domain containing protein STM2215 (rtn) is needed during Salmonella infection and has cyclic di-GMP phosphodiesterase activity.

Salmonella Typhimurium gene STM2215 (rtn) is conserved among many enterobacteriaceae. Mutants lacking STM2215 poorly colonized the liver and spleen in intraperitoneal infection of mice and poorly colonized the intestine and deeper tissues in oral infection. These phenotypes were complemented by a wild-type copy of STM2215 provided in trans. STM2215 deletion mutants grew normally in J774A.1 murine macrophages but were unable to invade Caco-2 colonic epithelial cells. Consistent with this finding, mutants in STM2215 produced lower levels of effectors of the TTSS-1. STM2215 is a predicted c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase, but lacks identifiable sensor domains. Biochemical analysis of STM2215 determined that it is located in the inner membrane and has c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase activity in vitro dependent on an intact EAL motif. Unlike some previously identified members of this family, STM2215 did not affect motility, was expressed on plates, and in liquid media at late exponential and early stationary phase during growth. Defined mutations in STM2215 revealed that neither the predicted periplasmic domain nor the anchoring of the protein to the inner membrane is necessary for the activity of this protein during infection. However, the EAL domain of STM2215 is required during infection, suggesting that its phosphodiesterase activity is necessary during infection.
Accurate estimation of sea surface temperatures using dissolution‐corrected calibrations for Mg/Ca paleothermometry

[1] Paired δ18O and Mg/Ca measurements on the same foraminiferal shells offer the ability to independently estimate sea surface temperature (SST) changes and assess their temporal relationship to the growth and decay of continental ice sheets. The accuracy of this method is confounded, however, by the absence of a quantitative method to correct Mg/Ca records for alteration by dissolution. Here we describe dissolution-corrected calibrations for Mg/Ca-paleothermometry in which the preexponent constant is a function of size-normalized shell weight: (1) for G. ruber (212–300 μm) (Mg/Ca)ruber = (0.025 wt + 0.11) e0.095T and (b) for G. sacculifer (355–425 μm) (Mg/Ca)sacc = (0.0032 wt + 0.181) e0.095T. The new calibrations improve the accuracy of SST estimates and are globally applicable. With this correction, eastern equatorial Atlantic SST during the Last Glacial Maximum is estimated to be 2.9° ± 0.4°C colder than today.
Control of Stable Ribonucleic Acid Chain Initiation in Escherichia coli During Diauxie Lag

During glucose-lactose diauxie lag, Escherichia coli synthesizes ribonucleic acid (RNA) at about 7% of the rate in exponentially growing cells. RNA synthesis could be restored to the log-phase rate within 3 min after the addition of glucose to the culture (shift-up). This stimulation occurred equally well in the presence of chloramphenicol and therefore did not require the synthesis of new proteins. RNA synthesis could also be stimulated by the addition of glycerol, but only after a delay of 15 to 20 min. Glycerol stimulation occurred more rapidly in cells preadapted by prior growth on glycerol and occurred immediately in a mutant (glpR) constitutive for the enzymes of glycerol catabolism. Measurement of a parameter related to the rate of initiation of stable (ribosomal and transfer) RNA chains showed that the initiation of transcription of these stable RNA species was completely inhibited during the diauxie lag, but could be restored to the rate characteristic of log-phase cells by shift-up with glucose. Sucrose gradient analysis of RNA purified from cells after a glucose shift-up indicated an increased rate of accumulation of the ribosomal and transfer RNA species. It is proposed that a specific mechanism to inhibit the initiation of transcription of ribosomal and transfer RNA operates during diauxie lag. This inhibitory mechanism is governed by the level of cellular energy resources insofar as the inhibition is readily reversed by metabolizable energy sources.
Phase diagram of the two-dimensional negative-U Hubbard model.

Theoretical arguments and numerical calculations are used to discuss the phase diagram of the two-dimensional negative-U Hubbard model. Our results are consistent with (1) a vanishing transition temperature at half-filling but with a ground state having both superconducting and charge-density-wave long-range order, and (2) a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition at a finite temperature into a superconducting state with power-law decay of the pairing correlations away from half-filling.
A framework for optimal assistive robot placement for event recognition

We present the development of a novel system that optimally positions a number of robots in an assistive environment and can be used in a domestic environment inhabited by an elderly or disabled person, for event recognition. Placement of the robots is done by means of the Extended Max Sum Decentralized Coordination algorithm. The robot used is based on the iRobot Create platform that is controlled by a laptop and carries a number of multimodal sensors. The sensor readings are taken into account during the optimal placement process, in addition to the environment layout, in order to maximize the system's effectiveness.
Polarization of high-intensity high-harmonic generation

We have discovered that the polarization of high harmonics generated by intense, short, elliptically polarized laser pulses is rotated with respect to the incident laser polarization. This strong-field effect is a test of models of intense laser-atom processes.
Fractalkine/CX3CL1 protects striatal neurons from synergistic morphine and HIV-1 Tat-induced dendritic losses and death.

Fractalkine/CX3CL1 and its cognate receptor CX3CR1 are abundantly expressed in the CNS. Fractalkine is an unusual C-X3-C motif chemokine that is important in neuron-microglial communication, a co-receptor for HIV infection, and can be neuroprotective. To assess the effects of fractalkine on opiate-HIV interactive neurotoxicity, wild-type murine striatal neurons were co-cultured with mixed glia from the striata of wild-type or Cx3cr1 knockout mice ± HIV-1 Tat and/or morphine. Time-lapse digital images were continuously recorded at 20 min intervals for up to 72 h using computer-aided microscopy to track the same cells repeatedly. Co-exposure to Tat and morphine caused synergistic increases in neuron death, dendritic pruning, and microglial motility as previously reported. Exogenous fractalkine prevented synergistic Tat and morphine-induced dendritic losses and neuron death even though the inflammatory mediator TNF-α remained significantly elevated. Antibody blockade of CX3CR1 mimicked the toxic effects of morphine plus Tat, but did not add to their toxicity; while fractalkine failed to protect wild-type neurons co-cultured with Cx 3 cr1-/--null glia against morphine and Tat toxicity. Exogenous fractalkine also normalized microglial motility, which is elevated by Tat and morphine co-exposure, presumably limiting microglial surveillance that may lead to toxic effects on neurons. Fractalkine immunofluorescence was expressed in neurons and to a lesser extent by other cell types, whereas CX3CR1 immunoreactivity or GFP fluorescence in cells cultured from the striatum of Cx3cr1-/- (Cx3cr1GFP/GFP) mice were associated with microglia. Immunoblotting shows that fractalkine levels were unchanged following Tat and/or morphine exposure and there was no increase in released fractalkine as determined by ELISA. By contrast, CX3CR1 protein levels were markedly downregulated. The results suggest that deficits in fractalkine-CX3CR1 signaling contribute to the synergistic neurotoxic effects of opioids and Tat. Importantly, exogenous fractalkine can selectively protect neurons from the injurious effects of chronic opioid-HIV-1 Tat co-exposure, and this suggests a potential therapeutic course for neuroAIDS. Although the cellular mechanisms underlying neuroprotection are not certain, findings that exogenous fractalkine reduces microglial motility and fails to protect neurons co-cultured with Cx3cr1-/- mixed glia suggest that fractalkine may act by interfering with toxic microglial-neuron interactions.
Beryllium in Metamorphic Environments (emphasis on aluminous compositions)

Beryllium is an element thought to be largely associated with igneous and hydrothermal processes and the world’s major economic Be deposits are largely igneous or hydrothermal. However, metamorphic rocks also play a major role in the Be budget of the Earth’s crust. Beryllium enrichments in pegmatites and hydrothermal deposits are associated with granitic systems that many geoscientists think are derived from melting of metasedimentary rocks, with metapelites being the most fertile for Be (e.g., London and Evensen, this volume). Consequently, metamorphism plays an important role in the cycling beryllium from sediments to granitic systems. The emphasis of my chapter is on rocks of pelitic composition or otherwise relatively rich in aluminum such as bauxite and metamorphosed peraluminous pegmatites (see also Franz and Morteani, this volume) and on the minerals making up these rocks. It concerns beryllium in metamorphic environments where beryllium was not introduced during metamorphism. Two major questions are addressed: (1) average and range of Be contents of metamorphic rocks, and (2) the effect of metamorphism on their beryllium content. Addressing both questions requires not only extensive data on metamorphic rocks, but also a comparable database of beryllium contents of unmetamorphosed precursor sediments. In general, beryllium is analyzed much less often than other trace elements, and as far as I am aware, there have been no systematic large-scale studies of Be in pelitic rocks or any other rock type. For example, Terry Plank (pers. comm. 2001) finds that there still is not enough high quality data to consider its behavior in marine sediments as has been done for other trace elements (Plank and Langmuir 1998). Beryllium minerals, including both silicates and oxides, are rare in most metamorphic rocks, although a surprisingly large number of species has been found. This scarcity undoubtedly reflects the low abundance of Be in …
The potential of microbial enzymes as diagnostic reagents

There has been a rapid growth in the application of microbial enzymes for diagnosis in the area of clinical chemistry. The reasons behind this trend are discussed. Descriptions and illustrations are given of the use of microbial enzymes in the determination of metabolic marker analytes; in the assay of antibiotics, analgesic and chemotherapeutic drugs, and in the quantitation of antibody-antigen interactions.
Optical monitoring of activity of many neurons in invertebrate ganglia during behaviors

Optical methods for monitoring neuron activity were developed because these methods lend themselves to simultaneous multiple-site measurements. With the use of new voltage-sensitive dyes, the dye-related pharmacology and photodynamic damage appear to be relatively unimportant. Using multiple-site measurements made with a 124-element photodiode array, we estimated that approximately 30 of the 200 neurons present in theNavanax buccal ganglion make action potentials during feeding and that approximately 300 of the 1100 neurons present in theNavanax buccal ganglion make are active during the gill-withdrawal reflex. The fact that a light mechanical touch to the siphon skin activated such a large number of neurons in the abdominal ganglion suggests that understanding the neuronal basis of the gill-withdrawal reflex and its behavioral plasticity may be forbiddingly difficult.
Effect of Noble Element Alloying on Passivity and Passivity Breakdown of Ni

Financial support of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) through project WP-1415 is greatly appreciated.
Atmospheric mercury near Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir in southern Idaho

Abstract Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) were measured over 2-week seasonal field campaigns near Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir in south-central Idaho from the summer of 2005 through the fall of 2006 and over the entire summer of 2006 using automated Tekran Hg analyzers. GEM, RGM, and particulate Hg (HgP) were also measured at a secondary site 90 km to the west in southwestern Idaho during the summer of 2006. The study was performed to characterize Hg air concentrations in the southern Idaho area for the first time, estimate Hg dry deposition rates, and investigate the source of observed elevated concentrations. High seasonal variability was observed with the highest GEM (1.91 ± 0.9 ng m −3 ) and RGM (8.1 ± 5.6 pg m −3 ) concentrations occurring in the summer and lower values in the winter (1.32 ± 0.3 ng m −3 , 3.2 ± 2.9 pg m −3 for GEM, RGM, respectively). The summer-average HgP concentrations were generally below detection limit (0.6 ± 1 pg m −3 ). Seasonally averaged deposition velocities calculated using a resistance model were 0.034 ± 0.032, 0.043 ± 0.040, 0.00084 ± 0.0017 and 0.00036 ± 0.0011 cm s −1 for GEM (spring, summer, fall and winter, respectively) and 0.50 ± 0.39, 0.40 ± 0.31, 0.51 ± 0.43 and 0.76 ± 0.57 cm s −1 for RGM. The total annual RGM + GEM dry deposition estimate was calculated to be 11.9 ± 3.3 μg m −2 , or about 2/3 of the total (wet + dry) deposition estimate for the area. Periodic elevated short-term GEM (2.2–12 ng m −3 ) and RGM (50–150 pg m −3 ) events were observed primarily during the warm seasons. Back-trajectory modeling and PSCF analysis indicate predominant source directions to the SE (western Utah, northeastern Nevada) and SW (north-central Nevada) with fewer inputs from the NW (southeastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho).