cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of lead on learning in herring gulls: an avian wildlife model for neurobehavioral deficits.

Abstract Lead is one of the most common metals in contaminated ecosystems. Although lead poisoning and mortality have long been known, little is known of the neurobehavioral effects produced by low levels of lead in wild animals. Herein we describe the neurobehavioral effects of lead on learning using herring gulls (Larus argentatus) as a model. Doses used in these studies conducted in the laboratory and in nature were sufficient to produce lead concentrations in feathers that were equivalent to those found in gulls living in the wild. The exposure consisted of a single intraperitoneal injection of 0 and 100 mg/kg lead acetate on day 2; each experiment involved 20–30 chicks in a lead-exposed group, and 20–30 chicks in a control group. We examined walking, begging, feeding, behavioral thermoregulation, individual recognition, and treadmill learning. There were significant differences between control and lead-exposed gulls chicks on all testing days. Learning, as well as improvement of motor skills, was faster for control chicks than lead-injected chicks for the thermoregulatory test, individual recognition, and behavior on a treadmill. Lead-injected chicks improved faster than control chicks only for walking scores. In a test where chicks were shown food under a cup, and then tested with three overturned cups, lead-exposed chicks did not show much improvement, whereas control chicks quickly learned where the food was located. The greatest differences in improvement were on the behavioral thermoregulation test, where lead-exposed chicks showed no improvement with age. Overall, this series of experiments indicated that for tasks involving learning, the disparity in accuracy and ability remained regardless of the number of days since exposure—control chicks sometimes improved and learned quicker than did lead-exposed chicks.
Manufacturers ‘need better quality titanium PM powders’

As delegates at Euro PM 2005 in Prague discuss the future for powder titanium and the FFC process at a special seminar, a plea from a US research group underlines the need for higher purity powder while reporting success in injection moulding titanium using a binder based on naphthalene…
Continuously-Tunable Optical Delay Lines for Reconfigurable Switching and Processing

Tunable optical delay lines have many applications for high-performance switching and processing. We explore the enabling technologies for achieving tunable optical delay lines, various figures-of-merit, and critical engineering challenges.
Hydration status and cardiovascular function: effects of hydration enhancement on cardiovascular function at rest and during psychological stress.

This study examined the effects of a 3-day enhanced hydration regimen on resting cardiac function and reactivity to acute stress. Healthy volunteers (14 male, 14 female) were assigned to one of two groups: Enhanced Hydration and Normal Hydration Group. Participants in the Enhanced Group were given six 1-l bottles of water and instructed to drink two bottles a day in addition to normal fluid intake for 3 days preceding their laboratory session; no extra water was given to the Normal Group. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were recorded during a 10-min baseline, 6-min Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), 5-min recovery, 5-min intermediate baseline, and 3-min Cold Pressor Test. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant Hydration Group×Task interaction for DBP during the cold pressor (p<0.01) with the Enhanced Group exhibiting greater DBP reactivity to cold stress relative to the Normal Group. Analysis revealed significant Hydration Group×Gender interactions for SV and TPR (p<0.05) at rest and during both the PASAT and Cold Pressor Test. Females in the Enhanced Group displayed higher SV and lower TPR relative to Enhanced Group males, whereas females in the Normal Group displayed lower SV and greater TPR relative to Normal Group males. These results suggest that 3-day hydration enhancement influences blood pressure reactivity in both men and women, and that long-term hydration enhancement is related to resting gender differences in cardiac function.
Beyond the operating theatre: Long-term quality of life in spina bifida

Long-term quality of life of a person born with spina bifida, as in any disability, is dependent on the challenges of that disability being recognised, met and overcome, to prevent patients becoming handicapped.
Survival through conus artery collateralization in severe coronary heart disease.

A patient is presented with coronary heart disease and unusually successful collateralization. Arteriography after ten years of angina pectoris revealed complete occlusion of the right coronary artery immediately distal to the conus branch. This remaining artery, together with a small contribution from the sinus node artery, supplied abundant intercoronary anastomoses to all other major branches.
Photon drag effect in nanostructured plasmonic films

Strong enhancement of the photon drag effect due to nanostructuring of the surface has been demonstrated in thin metal films.
The lateral approach for hip arthrography

Despite advances in imaging techniques, hip arthrography is still a useful diagnostic tool. We have found that the lateral approach to the hip joint, with the needle inserted superior to the greater trochanter and parallel to the table top under fluoroscopic control, allows easy advancement of the needle into the lateral hip joint space.
Xenon critical velocity releases from the acitvny satellite: Discussion of attempted optical observations

The ACTIVNY satellite launched on Sept. 30, 1989 was a platform for a suite of active plasma experiments, including releases of Xe gas to test Alfven's critical velocity effect. Three releases were done over Alaska and three over Utah, all fully illuminated by sunlight. We attempted optical observations from ground stations in the dark, using various low light level imagers and spectrographs, with narrow bandpass filters on XeI and XeII lines and also in white light. Viewing conditions were very good on several releases, the satellite could tracked easily, but we saw no optical evidence of the releases from any wavelength. We discuss the reasons why optical diagnostics in the visible and near infrared failed to detect emissions from the releases.
New Technologies of Internal Defibrillation

This paper reviews recent research seeking to provide more efficient device oriented treatments for atrial and ventricular fibrillation to improve implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Investigators have proposed and tested many innovative technologies that may be included in future ICDs. Amongst the most promising technologies are combined cardiac resynchronization therapy and defibrillation, defibrillation coils in the coronary venous system, critical timing of defibrillation shocks, and pacing during ventricular fibrillation and tachycardia. Atrial defibrillation with ICDs is an area of considerable interest, but is not likely to gain widespread application unless acceptable methods of lowering pain associated with defibrillation shocks are implemented.
Design and synthesis of a potent and selective triazolone-based peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonist

A new series of hPPARα agonists containing a 2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (triazolone) core is described leading to the discovery of 5 (LY518674), a highly potent and selective PPARα agonist.
Microbial correlates of delayed care for pelvic inflammatory disease

Objective:We studied the microbial correlates of time to care and long-term outcomes among pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) patients, as delayed care may increase the risk for reproductive sequelae.Methods:Mean days of pain before care were compared by microbial pathogen (Chlamydia trachomatis only
Improved robust point matching with label consistency

Robust point matching (RPM) jointly estimates correspondences and non-rigid warps between unstructured point-clouds. RPM does not, however, utilize information of the topological structure or group memberships of the data it is matching. In numerous medical imaging applications, each extracted point can be assigned group membership attributes or labels based on segmentation, partitioning, or clustering operations. For example, points on the cortical surface of the brain can be grouped according to the four lobes. Estimated warps should enforce the topological structure of such point-sets, e.g. points belonging to the temporal lobe in the two point-sets should be mapped onto each other. We extend the RPM objective function to incorporate group membership labels by including a Label Entropy (LE) term. LE discourages mappings that transform points within a single group in one point-set onto points from multiple distinct groups in the other point-set. The resulting Labeled Point Matching (LPM) algorithm requires a very simple modification to the standard RPM update rules. We demonstrate the performance of LPM on coronary trees extracted from cardiac CT images. We partitioned the point sets into coronary sections without a priori anatomical context, yielding potentially disparate labelings (e.g. [1,2,3] → [a,b,c,d]). LPM simultaneously estimated label correspondences, point correspondences, and a non-linear warp. Non-matching branches were treated wholly through the standard RPM outlier process akin to non-matching points. Results show LPM produces warps that are more physically meaningful than RPM alone. In particular, LPM mitigates unrealistic branch crossings and results in more robust non-rigid warp estimates.
Factors Associated with Osteoporosis Screening and Recommendations for Osteoporosis Screening in Older Adults

BACKGROUND Osteoporosis screening rates are low, and it is unclear which patient factors are associated with screening and physician recommendations for screening.
Efficacy of the new TwoDay Method of family planning

Objective To test the efficacy of the TwoDay Method, a new fertility awareness–based method of family planning that provides women with simple instructions to identify the days each cycle when they are most likely to become pregnant. Users avoid unprotected intercourse on days when cervical secretions are present on that day or on the day before, to prevent pregnancy. Design Prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter study. Setting Five culturally diverse sites in Guatemala, Peru, and the Philippines. Patient(s) Four hundred fifty women, aged 18–39 years, wishing to use a fertility awareness–based method to prevent or delay pregnancy. Intervention(s) Study participants were followed for up to 13 cycles of method use. Main outcome measure(s) Life table pregnancy rate. Result(s) The first-year pregnancy rate was 3.5 (pregnancies per 100 women/years) with correct use of the method (pregnancies and cycles with no intercourse on identified fertile days), 6.3 with use of a backup method on the fertile days, and 13.7 including all cycles and all pregnancies in the analysis. Conclusion(s) The TwoDay Method offers a valuable addition to the services that reproductive health and other programs can offer. Its efficacy compares well with that of other coitus-dependent family-planning methods; it is easy to teach, learn, and use; and it can address the need of women for simple, accurate instructions for identifying their fertile days.
Eigenvalue bounds of a stochastic Petri net

Stochastic Petri nets are strong tools to model discrete event dynamic systems. To describe the transient properties of the system, it is necessary to find the eigenvalues of the underlying Markov process. However, the state explosion problem, the stiffness problem appearing in many applications, and the intrinsic numerical instability hinder us from getting the complete eigenvalue set. In this paper, the location of the eigenvalues are obtained without generating the reachability set of the stochastic Petri net.
Optimal Investments in Mitigating Agroterrorism Risks

This study provides a framework to value investments to mitigate possible agroterrorism occurrences in the food supply chain and to determine where these investments would reduce the most risk. This framework is applied to the milk industry, which is one sector of the food industry that could be at risk. Stochastic optimization method is used to determine the costs and risk premiums of alternative investments with real-time tracking possibilities. The real options method along with a portfolio of options, also referred to as the “tomato garden” framework, is used to determine where and when alternative intervention strategies should be implemented to reduce the most risk. Keywords: agroterrorism; radio frequency environmental monitoring; risk premium; milk
Simplifying fault diagnosis in locally managed rural WiFi networks

The last three years have seen a lot of work in making WiFi-enabled Long Distance (WiLD) networking a reality in rural areas. Generally these networks are managed by non-local users who cannot guarantee long term support beyond a pilot. For long term operational sustainability, it is essential that maintenance duties be transferred to local administrators. In this paper, we argue that the research agenda should expand into areas of simplified diagnosis solutions as an en-abler for locally managed WiLD networks. Motivated by real faults we have seen in our own deployment at the Aravind Eye Hospital, we propose a framework to simplify diagnosis and show some initial results towards this direction.
CICADA EMERGENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN RIPARIAN FOREST: INFLUENCES OF WILDFIRE AND VEGETATION COMPOSITION

Annually emerging cicadas are a numerically and ecologically dominant species in Southwestern riparian forests. Humans have altered disturbance regimes that structure these forests such that floods are less common and wildfires occur more frequently than was historically the case. Impacts of these changes on primary consumers such as riparian cicadas are unknown. Because cicadas are consumed by a variety of animal species, disturbances that alter timing of their emergence or abundance could have consequences for species at higher trophic levels. We trapped emerging cicadas (Tibicen dealbatus) in burned and unburned riparian forest plots along the Middle Rio Grande in central New Mexico (USA) to determine effects of wildfire and vegetation structure on their density and phenology. We measured vegetation variables and soil temperature at cicada traps and related these variables to variation in emergence density and phenology. We also experimentally heated soil under emergence traps to examine the relationship between soil temperature and emergence phenology. Emergence density was similar in wildfire and unburned plots, though emergence date averaged earlier in wildfire plots and experimentally heated traps. We identified models containing cottonwood proximity (distance from the nearest cottonwood tree) and cotton- wood canopy coverage as the most parsimonious explanations of emergence density at each trap. Model selection results were consistent with the literature and field observations that showed that cottonwood trees are an essential resource for T. dealbatus. Cottonwood canopy was also correlated with low soil temperatures, which are associated with later emergence dates. Failure of cottonwoods to reestablish following wildfire could result in cicadas emerging at lower densities and at earlier dates. For cicadas to emerge at densities and times that provide the greatest benefits to birds and other riparian-obligate secondary consumers, riparian forests should be protected from fire, and native vegetation in wildfire sites should be restored.
Nascent Spirit of New York or Ghost of Arms Control Past?: The Normative Implications of the Arms Trade Treaty for Global Policymaking

Does the 2013 United Nations (UN) Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) represent what Costa Rica's UN Ambassador called a nascent ‘Spirit of New York’ – a change in the rules of the arms control game in favor of humanitarianism and human rights? Or does it represent business as usual – the ghost of Arms Control past? We are convinced by neither the messianic claims of the ATT's most overheated boosters nor the doom-saying of its most ardent detractors. Rather we argue here that in both the ATT negotiation process and the treaty text, ‘norm entrepreneurs’ like NGOs, Middle Powers and small states have created space for global policy making based on humanitarian and human rights considerations. However, the negotiation and treaty also represent a melding of this ‘maximalist’ human security–civil society approach with UN General Assembly concerns about small arms proliferation and the ‘minimalist’ strategic and commercial interests of the major arms exporters. This hybrid pathway to the treaty's adoption offers possibilities for future global policy making on disarmament and arms control as well as other humanitarian issues.
TVB receptors for cytopathic and noncytopathic subgroups of avian leukosis viruses are functional death receptors.

The identification of TVB S3 , a cellular receptor for the cytopathic subgroups B and D of avian leukosis virus (ALV-B and ALV-D), as a tumor necrosis factor receptor-related death receptor with a cytoplasmic death domain, provides a compelling argument that viral Env-receptor interactions are linked to cell death (4). However, other TVB proteins have been described that appear to have similar death domains but are cellular receptors for the noncytopathic subgroup E of ALV (ALV-E): TVB T , a turkey subgroup E-specific ALV receptor, and TVB S1 , a chicken receptor for subgroups B, D, and E ALV. To begin to understand the role of TVB receptors in the cytopathic effects associated with infection by specific ALV subgroups, we asked whether binding of a soluble ALV-E surface envelope protein (SU) to its receptor can lead to cell death. Here we report that ALV-E SU-receptor interactions can induce apoptosis in quail or turkey cells. We also show directly that TVB S1 and TVB T are functional death receptors that can trigger cell death by apoptosis via a mechanism involving their cytoplasmic death domains and activation of the caspase pathway. These data demonstrate that ALV-B and ALV-E use functional death receptors to enter cells, and it remains to be determined why only subgroups B and D viral infections lead specifically to cell death. Cytopathic retroviruses have been shown to induce cell death (cytopathic effect [CPE]) upon infection of their target cells. Such viruses include avian leukosis viruses (ALVs), avian reticuloendotheliosis viruses (REVs), avian hemangioma viruses (AHVs), feline leukemia viruses (FeLVs), human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs, and SIVs), visna vi
Vascular endothelial growth factor-B expression in postischemic rat brain

Background Vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B) protects against experimental stroke, but the effect of stroke on VEGF-B expression is uncertain.
A Twelve‐Year Longitudinal Analysis of Positive Youth Development Among Rural African American Males

The positive youth development model was explored on a sample of 378 rural African American males to determine its usefulness in predicting HIV-related risk behaviors. Confidence in ability to self-regulate and sense of competence to be successful in the future were associated with having caring, involved, vigilant parents. Confident, competent males were more likely to connect with prosocial peers, which in turn provided opportunities to reinforce norms and values to dissuade and avoid engaging in risky behaviors. Growth mixture modeling results identified two subgroups with distinct developmental trajectories of risky behaviors. Group differences were associated with several components of positive youth development. Implications for future research and preventive interventions are discussed.
Targeted resequencing of two genes, RAGE and POLL, confirms findings from a genome-wide scan for adaptive evolution and provides evidence for positive selection in additional populations

The availability of multiple genome-wide human polymorphism datasets has led to an increase in efforts to scan the genome for signals of positive selection. As a result, the number of loci in the human genome predicted to be adaptively evolving increases monthly. Yet, these numerous genome-wide scans have identified minimally overlapping sets of candidate loci, potentially due to biases in genotype versus sequence data or power of statistical tests to detect selection in different time frames. Because of these issues, a critical step is to confirm the evidence for positive selection through direct sequencing. In this study, we describe the resequencing and analysis of two loci, RAGE and POLL, that were identified by a recent genome-wide scan of the Perlegen data to be under selection in the Han Chinese population. By resequencing these loci in additional populations, we have found that the evolutionary history of these regions is more complex than observed in the initial genome-wide scan and that the sweep patterns are shared across several populations. The resequencing data provide evidence for selection on RAGE in the non-African populations and on POLL in the Asian and Sub-Saharan African populations. In addition to confirming the signatures of selection from the genome-wide scan, direct resequencing reveals more extensive patterns of selection than the genotype data.
A field test of female mate preference for male plumage coloration in eastern bluebirds

A growing body of evidence shows that female birds use male plumage coloration as an important criterion in mate choice. In the field, however, males with brighter coloration may both compete better for high quality territories and be the object of female choice. Positive associations between territory quality, male-male competitive ability, and female preferences can make it difficult to determine whether females actively choose the most ornamented males. Male eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) display brilliant ultraviolet (UV)-blue plumage coloration on their heads, backs, wings, and tails, and chestnut coloration on their breasts which is positively correlated with condition, reproductive effort, and reproductive success. We tested the hypothesis that female bluebirds prefer males that display brighter and more chromatic coloration by widowing males in the field and allowing replacement females to choose partners. We controlled for the influence of territory quality on female choice by widowing dyads of males with adjacent territories. We found no evidence that UV-blue or chestnut plumage coloration, body size, or body condition predicted the male with which females would pair. We found no support for the hypothesis that the coloration of male eastern bluebirds functions as a criterion in female mate choice.
Contractual Incompleteness, Contingent Control Rights, and the Design of Internet Portal Alliances

We test theoretical propositions from the literature on information and control in interfirm agreements using a sample of over 100 Internet portal alliance contracts. The literature on information and control in alliances suggests that the use of verifiable performance measures to allocate state-contingent control rights depends (a) on the precision of the information about the realized state and (b) on the level of information asymmetry between the two parties regarding the preferences of each. We test these propositions by looking at how the timing of agreements (a proxy for environmental uncertainty) and exclusivity restrictions (a proxy for incentive conflict) impact the use of a subset of available performance measures. Consistent with a signaling model of the allocation of contingent control rights, we find that contracts involve fewer contingent control rights as industries have matured. Where incentive conflicts are potentially greater, more contingent control rights are used.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus type IV pili mediate interactions with diatom‐derived chitin and point to an unexplored mechanism of environmental persistence

Summary Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a naturally occurring bacterium common in coastal waters where it concen- trates in shellfish through filter feeding. The bacte- rium is a human pathogen and the leading cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis. Presently there is little information regarding mechanisms of environmental persistence of V. parahaemolyticus or an accurate early warning system for outbreak prediction. Vibrios have been shown to adhere to several substrates in the environment, including chitin, one of the most abundant polymers in the ocean. Diatoms are abun- dant in estuarine waters and some species produce chitin as a component of the silica cell wall or as extracellular fibrils. We examined the role of specific surface structures on the bacterium, the type IV pilins PilA and MshA, in adherence to diatom-derived chitin. Biofilm formation and adherence of V. para- haemolyticus to chitin is mediated by the ability of the bacterium to express functional type IV pili. The amount of adherence to diatom-derived chitin is con- trolled by increased chitin production that occurs in later stages of diatom growth. The data presented here suggest late-stage diatom blooms may harbour high concentrations of V. parahaemolyticus and could serve as the foundation for a more accurate early warning system for outbreaks of this human pathogen.
Implementation of Generalized Method of Moments

In this paper we have developed a framework to extend the GMM technique to any arbitrary tesselation, both linear and higher order. Further, we have demonstrated that integration rules can be easily derived from those for the triangulations. In a companion paper in this conference, we have presented a set of results obtained using these techniques on arbitrary triangulations of surfaces. Future work in this area will lead to application of these techniques to a wide array of complicated and realistic geometries.
Generalized railway tank car safety design optimization for hazardous materials transport: Addressing the trade-off between transportation efficiency and safety

North America railways offer safe and generally the most economical means of long distance transport of hazardous materials. Nevertheless, in the event of a train accident releases of these materials can pose substantial risk to human health, property or the environment. The majority of railway shipments of hazardous materials are in tank cars. Improving the safety design of these cars to make them more robust in accidents generally increases their weight thereby reducing their capacity and consequent transportation efficiency. This paper presents a generalized tank car safety design optimization model that addresses this tradeoff. The optimization model enables evaluation of each element of tank car safety design, independently and in combination with one another. We present the optimization model by identifying a set of Pareto-optimal solutions for a baseline tank car design in a bicriteria decision problem. This model provides a quantitative framework for a rational decision-making process involving tank car safety design enhancements to reduce the risk of transporting hazardous materials.
Studies on the orientations of the mitochondrial redox carriers. Orientation of the chromophores of cytochrome b--c1 complex with respect to the plane of a cytochrome b--c1 complex--lipid model membrane.

Abstract Orientations of the active site chromophores of the mitochondrial cytochrome b - c 1 complex incorporated into liposomes have been investigated in hydrated oriented multilayers of proteoliposome membranes using optical and epr spectroscopy. The hemes of cytochromes c 1 and b were found to be oriented with the normal to their heme planes lying approximately in the plane of the proteoliposome membrane. Rieske's iron-sulfur center was oriented with the z -axis of the g tensor parallel to the plane of the membranes. It is concluded that the cytochrome b - c 1 complex has a structural asymmetry which causes it to orient with respect to the lipid bilayer.
Measurement of the resonant lengths of infrared dipole antennas

The resonant lengths of infrared dipole antennas at 10.6 and 3.39 lm are experimentally investigated. For this purpose, submicron-sized microbolometers coupled to dipole antennas with lengths between 0.7 and 20 lm were fabricated on a SiO2-on-Si substrate. The response of the detector to 10.6 lm radiation shows a first resonance for an antenna length between 1.0 and 2.5 lm. A subsequent zero and a second attenuated resonance are observed as the antenna length increases. Similar behavior is observed for illumination at 3.39 lm, with a first resonance occurring at a length shorter than 1 lm. The results permit evaluation of an eAective dielectric permittivity and shows the eAect of the surface impedance of the metal on the propagation of current-wave on the antenna. The resonance behavior is further studied by changing the irradiation conditions of the detectors. Air-side and substrate-side illumination exhibit identical resonant antenna lengths, but diAerent eAciencies of power collection. The antenna patterns as a function of incident angle have also been measured at 10.6 lm, showing a transition from a primary broadside lobe to the development of side lobes for longer antennas. Finally, an antenna response is measured at visible frequencies. Our measurements point out similarities, as well as diAerences, between infrared antennas and their counterparts at microwave frequencies, and provide insights useful for the design optimization of planar infrared antennas. ” 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Radiocarbon ages for the timing of debris avalanches at Mombacho Volcano, Nicaragua

Radiocarbon-dated lake sediments provide minimum-limiting ages for two major debris avalanches originating from Mombacho Volcano in Nicaragua. A basal age from Lake El Gancho indicates that the northeast debris avalanche (Las Isletas) occurred sometime before ∼140 to 345 A.D. Basal ages from Lakes Blanca and Verde indicate that the southern (El Crater) debris avalanche occurred sometime before ∼270 to 650 A.D. Both events therefore occurred in the space of a few centuries, yet there is strong evidence that the mechanisms varied for destabilization of each flank. Possibly, the influence of a developing hydrothermal system lead first to deeper structural failure in the substrata to produce the Las Isletas sector collapse, progressing to higher level destabilization within the edifice and the El Crater collapse.
Sexually transmitted infection diagnoses among Hispanic immigrant and migrant men who have sex with men in the United States

Hispanic immigrant/migrant men who have sex with men (MSM) should be at higher risk for sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus (STIs/HIV) given individual-level factors associated with the migration process that have been theorised to increase susceptibility to STIs/HIV among migrant populations. However, relatively little is known if these individual level factors are actually associated with the STI prevalence among this population. During 2005-2007, 2576 men and women foreign-born Hispanics were surveyed at three community-based organisations offering services to immigrant/migrant communities in the US. We analysed demographic characteristics, sexual risk behaviours, migration patterns, and factors associated with STI diagnoses (syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea) in the past 12 months among Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM. Of 1482 Hispanic immigrant/migrant men surveyed who reported having sex in the past 12 months, 353 (24%) reported sex with a man, and of these, 302 answered questions regarding whether or not they had been diagnosed with a bacterial STI in the past year. Of these 302 men, 25% reported being married; 42% self-identified as being heterosexual and 20% as bisexual. Twenty-nine (9.6%) men reported that they had received an STI diagnosis in the past year. In the multivariate logistic regression model, men who reported receiving money or goods for sex had increased odds of a self-reported STI diagnosis. The prevalence of bacterial STIs among Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM is lower than the prevalence of bacterial STIs among other MSM in the United States. Nevertheless, receiving money or goods for sex was significantly associated with a self-reported STI diagnosis among Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM. It is important to understand factors contributing to participation in exchange sex among this population. HIV/STI prevention interventions tailored to non-gay identifying MSM are important for Hispanic immigrant/migrant MSM.
Uneven inputs of woody debris to Appalachian streams from superstorm Sandy

Headwater streams are the beginnings of fluvial networks and therefore fill a critical role in the development of the Earth’s drainages. Therefore, it is important that we understand the role that disturbances have on these systems and how they translate disturbance downstream. Hurricane Sandy struck the eastern seaboard of the United States in late October 2012 and produced record snowfall in the Appalachian Mountains, which caused widespread destruction of trees and subsequent deposition of large wood (LW; pieces ≥1.0 m × 0.05 m) in many headwater streams throughout the region. We investigated these effects in 25 West Virginia headwater streams and found varying levels (0%–195% change from previous annual data; 0–820 LW pieces·km−1) of new wood additions. When compared with years prior to Sandy, the rate of LW deposition was significant across all size classes and streams (p < 0.0001). We also found a significantly (p < 0.01) negative pattern of LW impact based upon elevation, with higher elevations rec...
Cancer Vaccines: The Molecular Basis for T Cell Killing of Tumor Cells

This issue of The Oncologist provides the reader with two important reviews on the subject of cancer vaccines. In these reviews, the authors address the rationale and biology supporting the use of immune-response enhancing cancer vaccines in human clinical trials. Although the titles of the manuscripts are similar, the subject is large and these two well-known research groups provide unique perspectives with little overlap of content. As with so many areas of human biology and disease, the field of tumor immunology has benefitted tremendously by the application of molecular genetic technologies to the study of the critical mechanisms of antigen recognition, antigen processing and effector cell generation. This progress in elucidating the molecular events operative in the generation of an anti-tumor response justifies the translation of the many animal models of tumor vaccine therapy into clinical trials, especially for those tumors known to be unusually susceptible to immunotherapy.
Fifteen-Minute Detection of Streptococcus pyogenes in Throat Swabs by Use of a Commercially Available Point-of-Care PCR Assay

Since 2002, our clinical microbiology laboratory has routinely performed Streptococcus pyogenes PCR on throat swabs using a previously described LightCycler assay which uses Roche analyte-specific reagent (ASR) primers and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes ([1][1]). The complexity
Go to the Mattresses: A New Method for Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocyte Maturation.

The ability to reprogram adult mammalian somatic cells to a pluripotent state has proven to be a paradigm shifting discovery.1–3 In 2007, this reprogramming technology was translated to the engineering of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) using skin fibroblasts by both the Yamanaka (transduction of c-Myc, Oct3/4, SOX2, and Klf4) and Thomson (transduction of Oct3/4, SOX2, Nanog, and Lin28) laboratories.2,3 Importantly, human donors could be fully phenotyped, and their hiPSCs, which retain their genetic blueprint, could be isolated and used to study human disease mechanisms in vitro.4 Given the potential use of these cells in understanding and treating disease, Feaster et al, in this issue of Circulation Research, optimize the culture conditions to promote the differentiation of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Article, see p 995 Our current understanding of the mechanisms that govern heart development and the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases have emerged primarily from genetic research models, such as the mouse and zebrafish. These genetic animal models, however, are limited in their ability to recapitulate the phenotype of patients with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, efforts in the past focused on the isolation of adult human cardiomyocytes from either an endomyocardial biopsy or from a surgical or pathological specimen. The yield from these samples was low, and the ability to obtain tissue from normal subjects was limited and not without risk. Novel insights into cardiogenesis, gained from the study of embryonic stem cells, have been instrumental …
Risk factors associated with portomesenteric venous thrombosis in patients undergoing restorative proctocolectomy for medically refractory ulcerative colitis.

AIM Data on risk factors for portomesenteric venous thrombosis (PMVT) following abdominal surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with PMVT after surgical treatment for UC. METHOD Patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) including diverting ileostomy closure for medically refractory UC were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Patient-related, disease-related and treatment-related variables were collected. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess factors associated with PMVT. RESULTS Of the 521 patients completing surgical treatment for UC between 2006 and 2012, symptomatic PMVT occurred in 36 (7%), which resulted in a significantly increased hospital stay (P < 0.001). Patients developing PMVT were younger (P = 0.014), had a lower preoperative albumin level (P = 0.037) and were more likely to have been taking steroids within 1 month before surgery (P = 0.006). The combined incidence of PMVT was comparable between patients having a three-stage and two-stage management (6% vs. 8%, P = 0.43), but the relative incidence of PMVT after RPC + IPAA was 8%, significantly higher than the 4% after total abdominal colectomy (TAC) (P = 0.005) and the 2% after subsequent completion proctectomy (CP) + IPAA (P = 0.038). Multivariate analysis confirmed that RPC + IPAA was associated with a significantly greater risk of PMVT than CP + IPAA (OR = 4.9, P = 0.003) or TAC (OR = 3.5, P = 0.011). Preoperative steroid use was an independent factor for PMVT (OR = 5.8, P = 0.006). CONCLUSION Steroid use 1 month before surgery is associated with an increased risk of PMVT. A staged restorative proctocolectomy does not increase the overall incidence of PMVT.
Surprisal Metrics for Quantifying Perturbed Conformational Dynamics in Markov State Models.

Markov state models (MSMs), which model conformational dynamics as a network of transitions between metastable states, have been increasingly used to model the thermodynamics and kinetics of biomolecules. In considering perturbations to molecular dynamics induced by sequence mutations, chemical modifications, or changes in external conditions, it is important to assess how transition rates change, independent of changes in metastable state definitions. Here, we present a surprisal metric to quantify the difference in metastable state transitions for two closely related MSMs, taking into account the statistical uncertainty in observed transition counts. We show that the surprisal is a relative entropy metric closely related to the Jensen–Shannon divergence between two MSMs, which can be used to identify conformational states most affected by perturbations. As examples, we apply the surprisal metric to a two-dimensional lattice model of a protein hairpin with mutations to hydrophobic residues, all-atom simu...
Stimulation of splanchnic afferents reflexly relaxes tracheal smooth muscle in dogs

Although chemical stimulation of abdominal visceral afferents has been shown to reflexly increase cardiovascular and ventilatory function, the effect of stimulating these afferents on airway smooth muscle is unknown. Therefore, we recorded transverse smooth muscle tension from an innervated segment of trachea in chloralose-anesthetized dogs while we topically applied capsaicin (200 micrograms/ml) and bradykinin (0.01-10 micrograms/ml) to the serosal surfaces of the stomach, small intestine, and gallbladder. Application of these irritant substances to the stomach and small intestine decreased tracheal tension and increased mean arterial pressure. However, application of capsaicin and bradykinin to the gallbladder had only small effects on both of these variables. Cutting the splanchnic nerves abolished or greatly attenuated the decreases in tension and increases in mean arterial pressure, whereas cutting the vagi had no effect on them. We conclude that stimulation of splanchnic afferent endings in the stomach and small intestine reflexly relaxes tracheal smooth muscle in dogs. This effect may be one component of the constellation of autonomic responses reflexly evoked by abdominal visceral pain and inflammation.
Epidemic Situation and Control Effect of Tuberculosis in Zhabei District of Shanghai during 2005-2010

[Objective]To evaluate the epidemic characteristics and control effect of tuberculosis in Zhabei district of Shanghai. [Methods]With the descriptive statistics,the epidemiological data of tuberculosis from 2005 to 2010 were analyzed,which included the distribution characteristics of sex,age,occupation,region and season among residents with different types of household registration. [Results]The incidence of floating population(58.32/lakh) was higher than that of local residents(33.89/lakh) significantly(χ2=85.69,P0.01).The rate of new smear positive TB cases of local residents(34.08%) was higher than that of floating population(26.21%) significantly(χ2=9.76,P0.01).A majority of TB patients were male,and male patients in floating population was significantly more than male patients in local residents(χ2=12.70,P0.01).Among local residents,most of patients were people aged 45~54 years old,which accounted for 29.68%.In floating population,most of patients were people aged 25~34 years old,which accounted for 32.37%.The main occupation of patients in local residents and floating population was retirement and jobless respectively.The cure rate of new smear positive TB cases of local residents(87.68%) was higher than that of floating population(78.22%) significantly(χ2=6.00,P0.05). [Conclusion]The incidence of tuberculosis in Zhabei district of Shanghai is lower than the national average level,but is higher than average level of Shanghai.According to the differences in TB epidemic characteristics between local residents and floating population,the key point to reduce the incidence is to improve the early discovery of TB patients,and strengthen the TB control and prevention in floating population.
Sensor Information's Visual Research of Battlefield Environment Based on GIS

The current available Geographic Information System(GIS) only gives out the geographic data,which does not satisfy the requirement of sensor image simulation,such as the radar and infrared etc.Based on this,this paper gives out a new method of battlefield's visual simulation using radar and infrared sensors,and the method is based on the foundation of sensor information.Firstly the battlefield terrain building method and the technology of 3D modeling are discussed based on the analysis of GIS.Secondly based on the analysis of SAR imaging simulation principle and the theory of infrared imaging simulation,the sensor information data of SAR imaging and infrared imaging simulation are built.Finally the simulation results of SAR imaging and infrared imaging are given out using view simulation software,Vega's radar imaging module,RadarWorks,and infrared imaging module,SensorVision.The simulation result shows the effectiveness of the method.At the same time the method is a supplement for GIS's.
Community capacity-building in disaster mental health resilience: a pilot study of an academic/faith partnership model

We describe an academic/faith partnership approach for enhancing the capacity of communities to resist or rebound from the impact of terrorism and other mass casualty events. Representatives of several academic health centers (AHCs) collaborated with leaders of urban Christian-, Jewish-, and Muslim faith-based organizations (FBOs) to design, deliver, and preliminarily evaluate a train-the-trainer approach to enhancing individual competencies in the provision of psychological first aid and in disaster planning for their respective communities. Evidence of partner commitment to, and full participation in, project implementation responsibilities confirmed the feasibility of the overall AHC/FBO collaborative model, and individual post-training, self-report data on perceived effectiveness of the program indicated that the majority of community trainees evaluated the interventions as having significantly increased their: (a) knowledge of disaster mental health concepts; (b) skills (self-efficacy) as providers of psychological first aid and bereavement support services, and (c) (with somewhat less confidence because of module brevity) capabilities of leading disaster preparedness planning efforts within their communities. Notwithstanding the limitations of such early-phase research in ensuring internal and external validity of the interventions, the findings, particularly when combined with those of earlier and subsequent work, support the rationale for continuing to refine this participatory approach to fostering community disaster mental health resilience, and to promoting the translational impact of the model. An especially important (recent) example of the latter is the formal recognition by local and state health departments of program-trained lay volunteers as a vital resource in the continuum of government assets for public health emergency preparedness planning and response.
Characterization of variant neuroblastoma clones with missing or altered sodium channels

Variant neuroblastoma cell clones were selected for resistance to the cytotoxic effects of neurotoxins that cause persistent activation of sodium channels. Three classes of variant clones were obtained: sodium channel-deficient clones, which have markedly reduced numbers of functional sodium channels; scorpion toxin-resistant clones, which have sodium channels with an altered interaction with scorpion toxin; and parental-type clones, which have functional sodium channels similar to the ones from N18 cells but have other heritable alterations that confer toxin resistance. The frequency of conversion to all three variant phenotypes was enhanced by treatment with the missense mutagen N-methyl-N9-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), suggesting that all three variant phenotypes are the result of mutational events. Incorporation of [35S]methionine into the alpha-subunit of the sodium channel (Mr = 270,000; pI = 5.8 +/- 0.2) was studied in normal and variant clones by affinity chromatography on wheat germ agglutinin/Sepharose followed by analysis of labeled polypeptides by 1- and 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Sodium channel-deficient clones do not synthesize the alpha-subunit of the sodium channel, suggesting that mutations in these clones block expression of the gene for this protein subunit. The scorpion toxin-resistant clone LV10 synthesizes an alpha-subunit which has a molecular weight and pI similar to those of the parental clones within the resolution of the methods used.