cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experiments and modeling of a dual-mode, turbulent jet ignition engine:

The dual-mode, turbulent jet ignition system is a promising combustion technology to achieve high diesel-like thermal efficiency at medium to high loads and potentially exceed diesel efficiency at ...
The Impact of Formulation on the Rheological, Tribological, and Microstructural Properties of Acid Milk Gels

Reduction or removal of fat in semisolid foods can negatively affect their textural properties. Also, incorporation of human whole saliva (HWS) with food in the mouth can alter the texture characteristics of foods. Hydrocolloids can be used to improve the texture of reduced or non-fat semisolid foods through different mechanisms, including altering the interaction of food components with saliva compounds. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of HWS and hydrocolloids on rheological, tribological and microstructural behaviors of acid milk gels, a model system for yogurts. 24 acid milk gels were prepared using skim milk, cream, and hydrocolloids (locust bean gum, cellulose gum, corn starch, potato starch, whey protein isolate, and skim milk powder). Standard rheological analyses were carried out for all samples with or without HWS at 8 °C and 25 °C. Tribometry was done at only 25 °C with and without HWS. Samples were also imaged by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Overall, viscosity and viscoelastic moduli (G′ and G′′) decreased when samples were mixed with HWS and tested at 25 °C, but the specific effects were dependent on the type of hydrocolloids used. Friction coefficient decreased with addition of HWS. Addition of hydrocolloids resulted in protein aggregates with thicker chains and clusters, particularly when starch with larger granules was combined with an anionic hydrocolloid. More aggregation and open pores in the acid milk gel protein matrix microstructures were linked to higher viscosity and higher friction. These results improve the understanding of how hydrocolloid selection and HWS impact acid milk gel microstructures, rheological behaviors, and textures; they can be used to design palatable reduced-fat semisolid products.
Host Plant and Thermal Stress Induce Supernumerary Instars in Caterpillars

Environmental stressors may induce variation in the number of larval instars of holometabolous insects. Host plant quality and ambient temperature can both induce this life history shift in the silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Cramer 1775) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). To better understand this phenomenon, we raised larvae on high-quality (kudzu) or low-quality (wisteria) host plants in growth chambers under three temperature regimes (20, 26, and 32°C) that were either constant or diurnally fluctuating (T ± 5°C), and recorded survival and incidence of supernumerary instars. Larvae feeding on the low-quality host and/or experiencing thermal stress were more likely to show supernumerary development (SD). A subset of treatments yielded a mix of SD and TD (typical development) individuals, allowing for comparisons between phenotypes. Under the most stressful treatment (20 ± 5°C, wisteria), development time was 9 days longer in SD than in TD individuals; by contrast, at typical summer temperatures (26 ± 5°C), also on wisteria, total development time did not differ between these two phenotypes. Head capsules of both second and third instars were smaller in SD individuals. A retrospective logistic regression analysis indicated that third-instar head capsule size could be used to predict expression of the SD phenotype. By the ultimate instar, however, there were no detectable differences in head capsule size, and SD and TD individuals did not differ in pupal mass, strongly suggesting that the SD phenotype functions as a compensatory mechanism allowing E. clarus larvae to achieve the same size at metamorphosis (a strong fitness correlate) as TD larvae.
GraphMap: scalable iterative graph processing using NoSQL

Despite having several distributed graph processing frameworks, scalable iterative processing of large graphs is a challenging problem since the graph and intermediate data need a global view of the graph topology in distributed memory. Although some systems support out-of-core iterative computations, they use a single machine and often require fast storage. In this paper, we present a new distributed iterative graph computation framework, called GraphMap, that utilizes a disk-based NoSQL database system for scalable graph processing while ensuring competitive performance. Extensive experiments on several real-world graphs show that GraphMap is more scalable and often faster than existing distributed memory-based systems for various graph processing workloads.
Dorsal Hippocampus ERK2 Signaling Mediates Anxiolytic-Related Behavior in Male Rats.

BackgroundAnxiety disorders are the most common neuropathologies worldwide, but the precise neuronal mechanisms that underlie these disorders remain unknown. The hippocampus plays a role in mediati...
Psychological Outcomes Associated with Stay-at-Home Orders and the Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on Daily Life.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the widespread implementation of extraordinary physical distancing interventions (e.g., stay-at-home orders) to slow the spread of the virus. Although vital, these interventions may be socially and economically disruptive, contributing to adverse psychological outcomes. This study examined relations of both stay-at-home orders and the perceived impact of COVID-19 on daily life to psychological outcomes (depression, health anxiety, financial worry, social support, and loneliness) in a nationwide U.S. community adult sample (N = 500; 47% women, mean age = 40). Participants completed questionnaires assessing psychological outcomes, stay-at-home order status, and COVID-19's impact on their daily life. Being under a stay-at-home order was associated with greater health anxiety, financial worry, and loneliness. Moreover, the perceived impact of COVID-19 on daily life was positively associated with health anxiety, financial worry, and social support, but negatively associated with loneliness. Findings highlight the importance of social connection to mitigate negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outcomes of truncus arteriosus repair and predictors of mortality.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to identify patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality in infants with truncus arteriosus. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of a large administrative database, the National Inpatient Sample data set of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the years 2002 to 2017. We also sought to evaluate the resource utilization in the subgroup of subjects with truncus arteriosus and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Neonates with truncus arteriosus were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Hospital and patient factors associated with inpatient mortality were analyzed. RESULTS Overall, 3009 neonates met inclusion criteria; a total of 326 patients died during the hospitalization (10.8%). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization was 7.1%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Significant risk factors for mortality were prematurity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-4.22; P = .002), diagnosis of stroke (aOR = 26.2; 95% CI: 10.1-68.1; P < .001), necrotizing enterocolitis (aOR = 3.10; 95% CI: 1.24-7.74; P = .015) and presence of venous thrombosis (aOR = 13.5; 95% CI: 6.7-27.2; P < .001). Patients who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support or had cardiac catheterization procedure during the hospitalization had increased odds of mortality (aOR = 82.0; 95% CI: 44.5-151.4; P < .001, and aOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 0.98-2.77; P = .060, respectively). CONCLUSION 22q11.2 deletion syndrome was associated with an inverse risk of death despite having more noncardiac comorbidities; this patient subpopulation also had a higher length of stay and increased cost of hospitalization.
Coopetition in IR Research

Coopetitions are activities in which competitors cooperate for a common good. Community evaluations such as the Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) are prototypical examples of coopetitions in information retrieval (IR) and have now been part of the field for almost thirty years. This longevity and the proliferation of shared evaluation tasks suggest that, indeed, the net impact of community evaluations is positive. But what are these benefits, and what are the attendant costs? This talk will use TREC tracks as case studies to explore the benefits and disadvantages of different evaluation task designs. Coopetitions can improve state-of-the-art effectiveness for a retrieval task by establishing a research cohort and constructing the infrastructure---including problem definition, test collections, scoring metrics, and research methodology---necessary to make progress on the task. They can also facilitate technology transfer and amortize the infrastructure costs. The primary danger of coopetitions is for an entire research community to overfit to some peculiarity of the evaluation task. This risk can be minimized by building multiple test sets and regularly updating the evaluation task.
Comparison of Cost and Perioperative Outcome Profiles for Primary and Revision Posterior Cervical Fusion Procedures.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective analysis. OBJECTIVE To compare perioperative outcomes and hospitalization costs between patients undergoing primary or revision posterior cervical discectomy and fusion (PCDF). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA While prior studies found differences in outcomes between primary and revision anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), risk, and outcome profiles for posterior cervical revision procedures have not yet been elucidated. METHODS Institutional records were queried for cases involving isolated PCDF procedures to evaluate preoperative characteristics and outcomes for patients undergoing primary versus revision PCDF between 2008 and 2016. The primary outcome was perioperative complications, while perioperative and resource utilization measures such as hospitalization length, required stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), direct hospitalization costs, and 30-day emergency department (ED) admissions were explored as secondary outcomes. RESULTS One thousand one hundred twenty four patients underwent PCDF, with 218 (19.4%) undergoing a revision procedure. Patients undergoing revision procedures were younger (53.0 vs. 60.5 yrs), but had higher Elixhauser scores compared with the non-revision cohort. Revision cases tended to involve fewer spinal segments (3.6 vs. 4.1 segments) and shorter surgical durations (179.3 vs. 206.3 min), without significant differences in estimated blood loss. There were no significant differences in the overall complication rates (P = 0.20), however, the primary cohort had greater rates of required ICU stays (P = 0.0005) and non-home discharges (P = 0.0003). The revision cohort did experience significantly increased odds of 30-day ED admission (P = 0.04) and had higher direct hospitalization (P = 0.03) and surgical (P < 0.0001) costs. CONCLUSION Complication rates, including incidental durotomy, were similar between primary and revision PCDF cohorts. Although prior surgery status did not predict complication risk, comorbidity burden did. Nevertheless, patients undergoing revision procedures had decreased risk of required ICU stay but greater risk of 30-day ED admission and higher direct hospitalization and surgical costs.Level of Evidence: 3.
Ogden Commons Case Study: A Comparative Look at the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Opportunity Zone Incentive Tax Programs

The Opportunity Zone (OZ) tax incentive to invest in economically distressed areas across the United States was introduced in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This Article examines the Ogden Commons project, a mixed-use development in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood, as a case study for OZ investments. Ogden Commons represents an appropriate implementation of the OZ incentive, but its successes also demonstrate the program’s shortfalls. For example, unlike other federal economic development programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), OZ investors have few restrictions with regards to the projects they invest in. This much touted great flexibility for the OZ investments comes at the expense of little oversight. This lack of oversight is only ameliorated when OZ projects include funds from other federal, state, or local programs in their capital stack as the Ogden Commons project has done. It is only because of these other programs’ requirements that projects must conduct responsive community needs assessments and surveys, which-- for a program aimed at addressing distressed areas-- should have been required for OZ projects from the start. Furthermore, the developer is using both qualified opportunity funds and LIHTCs to finance the different phases of the Ogden Commons project allowing for the comparison of these very different tax incentives. While the Ogden Commons project demonstrates a positive use of the OZ incentive, the tax incentive needs serious reforms to ensure that the OZ program will actually achieve its objective and justify the massive taxpayer dollars being spent on the initiative.
Oxidative stress induces inflammation of lens cells and triggers immune surveillance of ocular tissues

Recent reports have challenged the notion that the lens is immune-privileged. However, these studies have not fully identified the molecular mechanism(s) that promote immune surveillance of the lens. Using a mouse model of targeted glutathione (GSH) deficiency in ocular surface tissues, we have investigated the role of oxidative stress in upregulating cytokine expression and promoting immune surveillance of the eye. RNA-sequencing of lenses from postnatal day (P) 1- aged Gclcf/f;Le-CreTg/- (KO) and Gclcf/f;Le-Cre-/- control (CON) mice revealed upregulation of many cytokines (e.g., CCL4, GDF15, CSF1) and immune response genes in the lenses of KO mice. The eyes of KO mice had a greater number of cells in the aqueous and vitreous humors at P1, P20 and P50 than age-matched CON and Gclcw/w;Le-CreTg/- (CRE) mice. Histological analyses revealed the presence of innate immune cells (i.e., macrophages, leukocytes) in ocular structures of the KO mice. At P20, the expression of cytokines and ROS content was higher in the lenses of KO mice than in those from age-matched CRE and CON mice, suggesting that oxidative stress may induce cytokine expression. In vitro administration of the oxidant, hydrogen peroxide, and the depletion of GSH (using buthionine sulfoximine (BSO)) in 21EM15 lens epithelial cells induced cytokine expression, an effect that was prevented by co-treatment of the cells with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a antioxidant. The in vivo and ex vivo induction of cytokine expression by oxidative stress was associated with the expression of markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), -SMA, in lens cells. Given that EMT of lens epithelial cells causes posterior capsule opacification (PCO), we propose that oxidative stress induces cytokine expression, EMT and the development of PCO in a positive feedback loop. Collectively these data indicate that oxidative stress induces inflammation of lens cells which promotes immune surveillance of ocular structures. HighlightsO_LIImmune surveillance of ocular structures occurs in mouse eyes deficient in glutathione. C_LIO_LIOxidative stress upregulates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., GDF15, CSF1) in lens cells in vitro and in vivo. C_LIO_LIThe upregulation of cytokines in lens cells is associated with markers of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition phenotype. C_LIO_LIOxidative stress-induced inflammation and associated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition may play a role in the development of posterior capsule opacification. C_LI
LITERATURE STUDY: THE DIFFERENCE IN RISK OF FALLS BEFORE AND AFTER CHAIR-BASED EXERCISE ON ELDERLY

Introduction: Indonesian Ministry of Health Research stated that in 2017 the population of the elderly reached 23.66 million people (9.03%) and also predicted that it will continue to increase. The aging process causes declined physical capacity and mental, which makes the elderly have a higher risk of falls. One of the preventions of falls in the elderly is physical exercise to increase muscle strength and joint mobility. Chair-based Exercise is a physical exercise done by sitting, consisting of aerobic and muscle resistance exercise with Thera Band. Purpose: To analyze the risk of falls in the elderly before and after Chair Based Exercise. Method: This study used literature synthesis. Keywords collected the Articles due to the topic in the research proposal. Result: 13 articles were reviewed in this study. Most articles have similarities in research design, analysis techniques, sample characteristics, total sample, duration of the intervention, and effect of the intervention studied. The differences mainly on the age of the sample and the intervention method. The similarities between the articles and research proposal mostly on sample characteristics and measuring the risk of falls. The difference mostly in a total of the sample, research design, analysis technique, duration and method of the intervention. Conclusion: Only a few articles published Chair Based Exercise as an intervention method. There are similarities in the interventions given in the form of combination training, and it was found that the risk of falls was improved in the elderly. Therefore, research on the effect of Chair Based Exercise on the risk of falls in the elderly needs to be realized by enriching various inputs from literature studies.
Genetic and biological factors in sleep

Abstract Sleep is an extremely complex state that exhibits substantial diversity in human populations, and rapidly accumulating research indicates many of these differences are at least partially attributable to genetic contributions. Genetic polymorphisms affecting sleep timing, length, and quality have all been identified, along with other features further influencing how an individual’s sleep behavior is affected by their environment. These range from the subtle and unnoticeable without advanced analytic tools to the profound and pathologic with impacts upon everyday life. This chapter overviews findings on the breadth of genetic contributions to sleep patterns, as well as other biological factors that interact with genetics to affect sleep, such as sex, hormonal regulation, and comorbid diseases.
BioLeaF: A Bio-plausible Learning Framework for Training of Spiking Neural Networks

Our brain consists of biological neurons encoding information through accurate spike timing, yet both the architecture and learning rules of our brain remain largely unknown. Comparing to the recent development of backpropagation-based (BP-based) methods that are able to train spiking neural networks (SNNs) with high accuracy, biologically plausible methods are still in their infancy. In this work, we wish to answer the question of whether it is possible to attain comparable accuracy of SNNs trained by BP-based rules with bio-plausible mechanisms. We propose a new bio-plausible learning framework, consisting of two components: a new architecture, and its supporting learning rules. With two types of cells and four types of synaptic connections, the proposed local microcircuit architecture can compute and propagate error signals through local feedback connections and support training of multi-layers SNNs with a globally defined spiking error function. Under our microcircuit architecture, we employ the Spike-Timing-Dependent-Plasticity (STDP) rule operating in local compartments to update synaptic weights and achieve supervised learning in a biologically plausible manner. Finally, We interpret the proposed framework from an optimization point of view and show the equivalence between it and the BP-based rules under a special circumstance. Our experiments show that the proposed framework demonstrates learning accuracy comparable to BP-based rules and may provide new insights on how learning is orchestrated in biological systems.
Particle Interactions with Vortices

The interaction of particles with vortices is important in many technological and environmental applications. The primary effect of vortical flows on suspended particles and droplets is to generate a dispersion pattern in which the particulate phase tends to migrate from the vortex core and concentrate on the edges of the vortices. Note that this is the exact opposite to the behaviour of bubbles interacting with vortices (Chapter XVIII), because the particulate phase is more dense than the fluid phase. The resulting dispersion of the particles is important in the design of combustion systems in which the degree of mixing controls combustion efficiency and the generation of soot. Also, the effectiveness of wire and plate electrostatic precipitators depends on the interaction of the particles with the vortices generated by the supporting structure. The spread of fires by firebrands entrained by large scale vortices in atmospheric flows is another example of the importance of particle interaction with vortices. Several other important industrial and environmental applications are discussed in a recent review article by Hunt (1991).
Peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes mediate dissemination of murine cytomegalovirus.

Abstract Cytomegalovirus is transmitted with blood and organs from seropositive individuals, although the particular leukocyte population harboring latent or persistent virus remains poorly characterized. Murine cytomegalovirus, tagged with the Escherichia coli lacZ gene, was used to identify cells in which virus replicates during acute infection of immunocompetent mice. Recombinant murine cytomegaloviruses, RM461, RM460, and RM427, were constructed to express beta-galactosidase under control of the human cytomegalovirus ie1/ie2 promoter/enhancer. The lacZ gene was inserted between the ie2 and sgg1 genes in RM461 and RM460, disrupting a 0.85-kb late transcript that was found to be dispensable for replication in cultured cells as well as for infection of mice. In BALB/c mice, lacZ-tagged and wild-type viruses exhibited a similar 50% lethal dose and all had the capacity to latently infect the spleen. Peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes were the major infected leukocyte cell type, as demonstrated by the ability of infected cells to adhere to glass and to phagocytize latex beads; however, these cells did not exhibit typical monocyte markers. Plaque assay for virus and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal) staining of frozen sections of organs from infected mice revealed that the major target organs included the spleen, adrenal glands, liver, and salivary glands, although tissues as diverse as brown fat and lungs were also involved. Individual blue-staining cells were readily identified in all infected tissues. These studies identified a mononuclear phagocyte, possibly a macrophage or dendritic cell precursor, as the vehicle of virus dissemination during acute infection, and demonstrate the utility of using lacZ-tagged murine cytomegalovirus for tropism, pathogenesis, and latency studies.
Mid-Frequency Propagation Modeling Using the Waveguide Invariant

Abstract : Random variability in shallow water will induce variability in a propagating acoustic field. The long-term goal of this research is to quantify how random variability in the ocean environment translates into random variability in the acoustic field and the associated signal processing algorithms in the midfrequency (1-10 kHz) band. In the present funding cycle, the emphasis is on the waveguide invariant. Constructive and destruction interference is an inevitable consequence of multipath acoustic propagation in shallow water. If the ocean environment is sufficiently benign, the so-called waveguide invariant describes the resulting interference pattern. The waveguide invariant, usually designated as beta, has traditionally been regarded as a low-frequency phenomenon. The objectives of the present work are twofold: first, to extend the waveguide invariant concept so it may be incorporated into midfrequency signal processing algorithms, and second to quantify the limitations on these algorithms imposed by shallow-water internal waves.
The effect of magnification on sonographically measured nerve cross-sectional area.

Introduction: The primary aim of this investigation was to determine whether use of write-zoom magnification affects sonographically determined cross-sectional area (CSA) of peripheral nerves. Methods: CSAs of the median (MN) and posterior interosseous (PIN) nerves were measured in 22 limbs from 11 asymptomatic volunteers using both standard imaging and write-zoom magnification. CSA measurements were repeated on the same images 1 week later. Results: The average CSA of write-zoomed images for the MN was significantly larger at both measurement sessions (week 1: 11.1 mm2 write-zoom vs. 10.0 mm2 standard, P = 0.019; week 2: 11.8 mm2 vs. 10.4 mm2, P = 0.023). Similar differences were noted for the PIN (week 1: 2.3 mm2 vs. 1.9 mm2, P = 0.002; week 2: 2.5 mm2 vs. 1.9 mm2, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Write-zoom magnification may significantly increase the measured CSA of peripheral nerves. These changes appear to be more substantial when smaller nerves are measured. Muscle Nerve 51: 30–34, 2015
Cloud Collapse and Fragmentation

Interstellar clouds are thought to undergo a rapid phase of collapse in the process of contracting to form stars. Break-up during this collapse phase is termed fragmentation. Computer codes capable of calculating the hydrodynamics of cloud collapse in three spatial dimensions have been used to study the fragmentation process. Fragmentation into binary or multiple protostellar systems is the preferred outcome of collapse; only very slowly rotating, high thermal energy clouds, or clouds starting from power-law initial density profiles, avoid fragmentation and form single stars.
An integrated, conditional model of information extraction and coreference with application to citation matching

Although information extraction and coreference resolution appear together in many applications, most current systems perform them as independent steps. This paper describes an approach to integrated inference for extraction and coreference based on conditionally-trained undirected graphical models. We discuss the advantages of conditional probability training, and of a coreference model structure based on graph partitioning. On a data set of research paper citations, we show significant reduction in error by using extraction uncertainty to improve coreference citation matching accuracy, and using coreference to improve the accuracy of the extracted fields.
Linkages between denitrification and dissolved organic matter quality, Boulder Creek watershed, Colorado

[1] Dissolved organic matter (DOM) fuels the majority of in-stream microbial processes, including the removal of nitrate via denitrification. However, little is known about how the chemical composition of DOM influences denitrification rates. Water and sediment samples were collected across an ecosystem gradient, spanning the alpine to plains, in central Colorado to determine whether the chemical composition of DOM was related to denitrification rates. Laboratory bioassays measured denitrification potentials using the acetylene block technique and carbon mineralization via aerobic bioassays, while organic matter characteristics were evaluated using spectroscopic and fractionation methods. Denitrification potentials under ambient and elevated nitrate concentrations were strongly correlated with aerobic respiration rates and the percent mineralized carbon, suggesting that information about the aerobic metabolism of a system can provide valuable insight regarding the ability of the system to additionally reduce nitrate. Multiple linear regressions (MLR) revealed that under elevated nitrate concentrations denitrification potentials were positively related to the presence of protein-like fluorophores and negatively related to more aromatic and oxidized fractions of the DOM pool. Using MLR, the chemical composition of DOM, carbon, and nitrate concentrations explained 70% and 78% of the observed variability in denitrification potential under elevated and ambient nitrate conditions, respectively. Thus, it seems likely that DOM optical properties could help to improve predictions of nitrate removal in the environment. Finally, fluorescence measurements revealed that bacteria used both protein and humic-like organic molecules during denitrification providing further evidence that larger, more aromatic molecules are not necessarily recalcitrant in the environment.
Central Gating Mechanisms That Regulate Event-Related Potentials and Behavior

Previous work in our laboratory showed that the mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF) and frontal granular cortex (FC) jointly regulate the activity in the thalamic reticular nucleus (R). The R neurons project specifically into relay nuclei and, when activated, inhibit the specific transmission of sensory information through the thalamus to primary receptive cortex. The MRF has a generalized inhibitory effect on the R cells and can produce generalized disinhibition of sensory channels, as is known to occur during orienting responses. The frontal cortex, on the other hand, provides specific and tonic excitation of individual R cells and can selectively turn off specific sensory channels, as is known to occur during selective attention. Our more recent work has focused on the cellular mechanisms in the frontal cortex that result in the specific sensory gating that occurs during operationally defined states of behavioral attention. The occurrence of the event-related potential (ERSP) in the FC seems to be the harbinger of both EEG desynchronization and sensory channel selection. Both of these latter event-related activities are explainable by FC effects on R cells. We have found that during an ERSP in the FC, in the underlying tissue: (a) norepinephrine (NE) is released, (b) cAMP is activated, (c) extracellular potassium ion activity is reduced, and (d) slow membrane potential shifts occur in some of the neurons. These results suggest that the same neuromodulatory mechanism exists in the cortex as is known to operate in a model preparation, the sympathetic ganglion.
Granulomatous appendicitis: Crohn’s disease, atypical Crohn’s, or not Crohn’s at all?

Abstract Background: Crohn's disease isolated to the appendix has primarily been documented in case reports. We contribute a series with longterm followup and a literature review. Study Design: A retrospective review of 1,133 consecutive appendectomy specimens over the 6-year period ending in 1994 identified seven patients with isolated granulomatous appendicitis. Two patients presented before the review period. These nine patients are reviewed and 156 patients identified in the world literature. Results: Granulomatous appendicitis usually presents as an indolent course of appendicitis. No patient developed enterocutaneous fistula after appendectomy in our series. A mean followup of 7.3 years in our patients revealed no evidence of Crohn's disease. Conclusions: Granulomatous inflammatory disease isolated to the appendix differs from typical Crohn's disease with a decreased occurrence of enterocutaneous fistulas and rare recurrence. Consequently, isolated granulomatous appendicitis without small bowel or cecal involvement may not represent true Crohn's disease. Patients can be treated with minimal morbidity by appendectomy alone. If isolated granulomatous appendicitis does represent Crohn's disease, its longterm course in the majority of patients is extremely benign.
Evidence for polymorphism in the cytochrome P450 2D50 gene in horses

Metabolism is an essential factor in the clearance of many drugs and as such plays a major role in the establishment of dosage regimens and withdrawal times. CYP2D6, the human orthologue to equine CYP2D50, is a drug-metabolizing enzyme that is highly polymorphic in humans leading to widely differing levels of metabolic activity. As CYP2D6 is highly polymorphic, in this study it was hypothesized that the gene coding for the equine orthologue, CYP2D50, may also be prone to polymorphism. Blood samples were collected from 150 horses, the CYP2D50 gene was cloned and sequenced; and full-length sequences were analyzed for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), deletions, or insertions. Pharmacokinetic data were collected from a subset of horses following the administration of a single oral dose of tramadol and probit analysis used to calculate metabolic ratios. Prior to drug administration, the ability of recombinant CYP2D50 to metabolize tramadol to O-desmethyltramadol was confirmed. Sequencing of CYP2D50 identified 126 exonic SNPs, with 31 of those appearing in multiple horses. Oral administration of tramadol to a subset of these horses revealed variable metabolic ratios (tramadol: O-desmethyltramadol) in individual horses and separation into three metabolic groups. While a limited number of horses of primarily a single breed were studied, the variability in tramadol metabolism to O-desmethyltramadol between horses and preliminary evidence of what appears to be poor, extensive, and ultra-rapid metabolizers supports further study of the potential for genetic polymorphisms in the CYP2D50 gene in horses.
High-Resolution Fourier Transform Emission Spectroscopy of the A6Σ+-X6Σ+ System of CrD

Abstract The CrD molecule has been investigated at high resolution in the 700nm-1 μm spectral region using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The CrD molecules were formed in a chromium hollow cathode lamp operated with neon gas and a trace of deuterium. Compared with the previous work on this molecule the present spectra provide greatly improved measurements of line positions and allow the analysis of several new bands. The rotational analysis of the 0-1, 0-0, 1-0, and 1-2 bands has been performed providing the following principal molecular constants for the ground X6Σ+ state: ωe = 1183.1958(21) cm−1, ωexe = 15.6006(9) cm−1, B e = 3.175443(21) cm −1 , and r e = 1.654730(5) A . The excited A6Σ+ state, with principal constants T00 = 11559.7206(6) cm−1, ΔG( 1 2 ) = 1066.4202(10) cm−1, Be = 2.762705(13) cm−1, and re = 1.774034(4) A, is involved in several perturbations. The observed perturbations in the ν = 0 and ν = 1 vibrational levels are similar to those observed previously in the ν = 0 vibrational level of the A6Σ+ state of CrH. these perturbations arise from interactions with a nearby a4Σ+ state with preliminary molecular constants: T00 = 11 176 cm−1, Be = 3.19 cm−1. This state located below the A6Σ+ state and is the lowest excited state of this molecule, supporting the conclusions of our previous work on CrH.
InGaAsP vertical-cavity lasers

Long wavelength surface emitting lasers (LWSEL) have important applications in optical fiber communications due to their inherent single-longitudinal mode operation and the ease of coupling into fibers. The high packing density and wafer scale testing capability make them potential low cost sources for optical fiber systems. However, high Auger recombination rates inherent to long wavelength materials and technological problems in fabricating long wavelength DBR mirrors have slowed the development of LWSELs compared to that of (In)GaAs vertical cavity lasers. In this paper, we present results on two devices which have achieved the highest reported operation temperatures of LWSELs to date. In the first section we discuss an optically pumped InGaAsP laser utilizing a GaAs/AlAs mirror fused to the InGaAsP structure. These devices operate at temperatures as high as 144 degree(s)C. The fusing process, room temperature lasing characteristics, and high temperature operation are discussed. In the next section, we present results of an electrically contacted, two-dielectric mirror structure which operates at temperatures as high as 66 degree(s)C, the highest operation temperature of an electrically pumped laser to date. The room temperature and high temperature lasing characteristics are described, as are the effects of non-uniform injection in the active region. In the final section of the paper, we discuss design considerations for room temperature, CW operation.
Three-dimensional nodal diffusion and transport methods for the analysis of fast-reactor critical experiments☆

Abstract An interface-current nodal formulation is developed for the solution of the multigroup neutron diffusion and transport equations in three-dimensional Cartesian geometry. The nodal diffusion method uses polynomial approximations equivalent to those used in the nodal expansion method (NEM), while the nodal transport method is based on the approximation of exact one-dimensional integral equations. The transport scheme employs a double P-1 expansion of the surface angular fluxes in conjunction with either isotropic or angle-dependent approximations to the angular dependence of the transverse-leakage terms. The transport formulation does not involve an iteration on the scattering source, and identical iterative strategies are used to solve the interface-current equations obtained in both methods. Numerical results for a ZPPR fast-reactor critical experiment show that the nodal diffusion method produces spatially-converged solutions with significant reductions in computational cost relative to the finite-difference method. Use of the nodal transport scheme eliminates over 80% of the error due to the use of diffusion theory, with computational costs within a factor of two of nodal diffusion theory.
Balance studies on compartmental systems with stochastic inputs

Abstract For a population of identical one compartment systems with daily inputs which are random samples from a stationary distribution the mean of the daily balance (balance = input minus excretion) taken over the population of compartments or over days for one compartment is linearly dependent on input with a slope which is independent of the distribution of the inputs and an intercept which depends only on the mean of the distribution of intakes. Analytical and simulation studies on a model with three daily inputs gives essentially similar results. Even if the inputs are not from a stationary distribution but the inputs to a population of compartments are all from the same distribution, one still obtains a linear regression of the mean of the daily balance over the population of compartments, on intake for any particular day but this no longer holds from day to day. This provides a theoretical basis for the interpretation of balance studies on populations of individuals when the daily intakes of an element under study cannot be kept constant.
Caffeine Reduces Time-of-Day Effects on Memory Performance in Older Adults

For most older adults, memory performance depends on the time of day, with performance being optimal early in the morning and declining during the late afternoon hours. In the present study, we asked whether this decline could be ameliorated by a simple stimulant, caffeine. Adults over the age of 65 who considered themselves “morning types” were tested twice over an interval of 5 to 11 days, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. Participants ingested either coffee with caffeine or decaffeinated coffee at both sessions. Participants who ingested decaffeinated coffee showed a significant decline in memory performance from morning to afternoon. In contrast, those who ingested caffeine showed no decline in performance from morning to afternoon. The results suggest that time-of-day effects may be mediated by nonspecific changes in level of arousal.
X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies of carbon‐fiber surfaces. 19. Surface chemical changes during electrochemical oxidation in base

Electrochemical oxidation of polyacrylonitril-based carbon fibers in a basic electrolyte was studied and the surface chemical changes monitored by core and valence-band x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. These studies show that potentiostatic treatment under strongly oxidizing conditions in a sodium hydroxide electrolyte for 20 min leads to a surface consisting of a substantial amount of weakly attached carbonate ions with a lesser contribution from carboxylate and other C/O groups attached to the carbon-fibre surface. The valence-band spectrum for a carboxylated carbon fibre calculated by a multiple-scattered wave Xα calculation on a Co 2 - -substituted coronene (C 36 O 12- 24 ) shows that a carboxylate-functionalized carbon fiber would make only a partial contribution to the observed spectrum, which shows considerable similarities with the spectrum of the carbonate ion. The weakly attached carbonate ions were reduced in surface concentration by repeated washing.
Birth seasonality among peasant cultivators: the interrelationship of workload, diet, and fertility.

The monthly distribution of live births was analyzed over a 51-year period, 1926–1976, for a rural Taiwan fishing community. Unlike previous studies of birth seasonality, monthly distributions of births did not deviate from what would be expected by chance. This new case is shown to be consistent with the suggestion, developed by Pasternak during a study of birth seasonality in two Taiwan farming communities, that for peasant cultivators the annual cycle of production exerts a more decisive influence on birth seasonality than time of marriage or attributes of temperature, rainfall, or workload. An hypothesis that links the productive cycle to conceptions through the intervening variable of diet is presented and successfully tested using several sets of data on monthly births. A direct effect of nutrition on human fertility, suggested by recent studies of reproductive performance under conditions of nutritional stress, may largely explain seasonality of conceptions and births in populations that experience significant seasonal variation in diet.
Probability matching in the right hemisphere.

Abstract Previously it has been shown that the left hemisphere, but not the right, of split-brain patients tends to match the frequency of previous occurrences in probability-guessing paradigms ( Wolford, Miller, & Gazzaniga, 2000 ). This phenomenon has been attributed to an “interpreter,” a mechanism for making interpretations and forming hypotheses, thought to reside exclusively in the left hemisphere. In this study with a split-brain patient, we had him guess one of two types of faces, stimuli known to be preferentially processed in the right hemisphere of this patient. Unlike previous studies using other kinds of stimuli, the right hemisphere matched the frequency of the previous occurrences of a face-type, but the left hemisphere did not.
Inflammatory Fibroid Polyp of the Gallbladder Bearing a Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor Alpha Mutation

The inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) is a benign lesion occurring in the digestive tract, mostly in the stomach and small bowel, composed of fibrovascular tissue infiltrated by inflammatory cells i...
The DBA/1Bg and DBA/2Bg Y chromosomes compared for their effects on male sexual behavior.

Mount, intromission, and ejaculation number and latency were measured in male mice of the DBA/1Bg, DBA/2Bg, and DBA/2.DBA/1-YBg congenic strains. The DBA/2 and DBA/2.DBA/1-Y congenic strains differ in the source of their Y chromosome. Fifty percent of the DBA/2 and 13 percent of the DBA/2.DBA/1-Y males mounted at least once in the test of male copulatory behavior. There were no other significant differences between these two congenic strains. This finding suggests that the Y chromosome has an effect on the proportion of mice that mount in this test.
A stretchable electrode array for non-invasive, skin-mounted measurement of electrocardiography (ECG), electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG)

This paper reports a class of stretchable electrode array capable of intimate, conformal integration onto the curvilinear surfaces of skin on the human body. The designs employ conventional metallic conductors but in optimized mechanical layouts, on soft, thin elastomeric substrates. These devices exhibit an ability to record spontaneous EEG activity even without conductive electrolyte gels, with recorded alpha rhythm responses that are 40% stronger than those collected using conventional tin electrodes and gels under otherwise similar conditions. The same type of device can also measure high quality ECG and EMG signals. The results suggest broad utility for skin-mounted measurements of electrical activity in the body, with advantages in signal levels, wearability and modes of integration compared to alternatives.
Long-range structural restraints in spin-labeled proteins probed by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Magic-angle spinning NMR studies of 13C,15N-enriched proteins containing a covalently attached nitroxide spin label are presented, with the goal of using paramagnetic relaxation enhancements in the solid state to obtain long-range structural restraints. A 56 aa protein, B1 immunoglobulin-binding domain of protein G (GB1), was used as a model system, with nitroxide spin labels incorporated at residues 28 (α-helix) or 53 (β4-strand) via site-directed spin labeling. The presence of nitroxide spin labels in the GB1 analogues results in negligible pseudocontact shifts and large enhancement of the transverse relaxation rates for a number of residues, as detected by 2D 15N-13Cα correlation spectroscopy. The experimentally observed relaxation rate enhancements are found to be highly correlated with the distance of 1H, 15N, and 13Cα nuclei from the electron spin, with significant relaxation effects observed for nuclei up to ∼20 A away, thus providing valuable information about the protein fold on length scales ina...
Development of Infectious Clones for Virulent and Avirulent Pichinde Viruses: a Model Virus To Study Arenavirus-Induced Hemorrhagic Fevers

Several arenaviruses can cause hemorrhagic fever diseases (VHFs) in humans, the pathogenic mechanism of which is poorly understood due to their virulent nature and the lack of molecular clones. A safe, convenient, and economical small animal model of arenavirus hemorrhagic fever is based on guinea pigs infected by the arenavirus Pichinde (PICV). PICV does not cause disease in humans, but an adapted strain of PICV (P18) causes a disease in guinea pigs that mimics arenavirus hemorrhagic fever in humans in many aspects, while a low-passaged strain (P2) remains avirulent in infected animals. In order to identify the virulence determinants within the PICV genome, we developed the molecular clones for both the avirulent P2 and virulent P18 viruses. Recombinant viruses were generated by transfecting plasmids that contain the antigenomic L and S RNA segments of PICV under the control of the T7 promoter into BSRT7-5 cells, which constitutively express T7 RNA polymerase. By analyzing viral growth kinetics in vitro and virulence in vivo, we show that the recombinant viruses accurately recapitulate the replication and virulence natures of their respective parental viruses. Both parental and recombinant virulent viruses led to high levels of viremia and titers in different organs of the infected animals, whereas the avirulent viruses were effectively controlled and cleared by the hosts. These novel infectious clones for the PICV provide essential tools to identify the virulence factors that are responsible for the severe VHF-like disease in infected animals.