cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurements of contact specific low-bias negative differential resistance of single metalorganic molecular junctions

Negative differential resistance (NDR) behaviors of single molecule junctions composed of a thiol-terminated Ru(II) bis-terpyridine (Ru(tpy-SH)2) molecule sandwiched between two gold electrodes are measured using a specifically modified scanning probe microscope break junction technique (SPMBJ) at room temperature. The low-bias (0.623 ± 0.135 V) NDR observed for one of the three conductance groups is contact specific and is caused by a bias induced electrode–molecule coupling changes.
Kinetics of reticuloendothelial phagocytic response to intravenously administered Au198 colloidal gold in rabbits.

Abstract Phagocytosis of colloidal radiogold-Au 198 , observed in the intact animal by external γ-ray scintillation detection techniques, proceeds according to kinetic relations which are compatible with direct observations of the physiological process. The cellular engulfment of colloidal-sized material by the von Kupffer cells of the liver has been described to occur in two stages: ( a ) adherence of the particle to the surface of the cell, and then ( b ) engulfment. Rate measurements of the blood disappearance and of the hepatic deposition of colloidal radiogold-Au 198 are shown here to conform with the kinetic model of the Michaelis-Menten relation: ( a ) a reversible reaction complex is formed by combination of a reactant with a reaction site (such as a reaction center on an enzyme) and ( b ) a nonreversible reaction follows. This parallelism between description of an event and the kinetics determined indirectly recommends reliability of the experimental method employed here for investigation of the phagocytic capacity of the von Kupffer cells of the reticuloendothelial system. These experimental measurements also conform with concepts developed for disappearance of I 131 -tagged denatured serum albumin and carbon particles from the blood stream reported by Halpern and co-workers.
In vitro study of the pressure-velocity relation across stenotic orifices

Abstract In a hand-driven, pulsatile in vitro model, the pressure-velocity relation across stenotic orifices was studied from simultaneous measurements recorded over a wide range of pressure and across different-sized orifices, individually and paired. Velocity spectra were recorded with continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound. In a rigid, noncompliant system, integrated instantaneous maximal velocities precisely register simultaneous integrated pressure gradients without measurable phase shift. Across stenotic orifices of 5 to 10 mm in diameter, the pressure-velocity relation is independent of orifice size for pressures extending from −30 to +240 mm Hg. The relation is quadratic and crosses 0. In this model, application of the simplified Bernoulli equation transforms the relation from curvilinear to linear with a bias toward the derived-pressure axis. In the presence of 2 different-sized orifices, the pressure-velocity relation remains constant, with a given pressure producing 2 identical velocities.
Effect of lithium on the rate of protein synthesis in the sea urchin embryo.

Abstract LiCl has no effect on the rate of protein synthesis, as measured by incorporation of 14C-valine, during cleavage of the sea urchin, Lytechinus. A sharp drop in rate of protein synthesis occurs at the end of cleavage of Li-treated embryos and the rate remains low in subsequent development to a degree which correlates with the degree of vegetalization. The decrease in protein synthesis coincides in timing with that caused by actinomycin D and it is concluded that Li exerts its primary effect on protein synthesis at the transcription level by a decrease in DNA-dependent RNA synthesis. No differential effect of Li could be detected on rate of protein synthesis in animal- and vegetal-half embryos.
A numerical analysis of various cross sheet resistor test structures

Abstract Various four-terminal cross sheet resistor test structures were analyzed to determine the effect of the contact arm width and length on the measured sheet resistance. A nine-point finite difference approximation to the Laplace equation was used with a six-resistor equivalent circuit to solve for the sheet resistance measurement error. The error indicates the difference between the true sheet resistance and the sheet resistance calculated from the van der Pauw formula. The analysis demonstrates that many novel designs are possible. In particular, the Greek-cross sheet resistor is a valid van der Pauw test structure if the arm length is greater than the arm width. This test structure is important in that it allows the accurate measurement of the sheet resistance of a very small region whose width is limited only by the fabrication technology.
Reproductive Toxicity and Lack of Dominant Lethal Effects of 2,4-Dinitrotoluene in the Male Rat

Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were gavaged with 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) dissolved in corn oil at 0, 60, 180, or 240 mg/kg/day for five days. A single oral dose (0.5 mg/kg) of triethylenemelamine was used as a positive control. Induction of dominant lethal events was scored on the basis of early fetal deaths. At the two lower doses, no consistent changes were observed in the numbers of pre-implantation losses, implantation sites, or living or non-living fetuses. The highest dose of 2,4-DNT tested resulted in a marked decrease in the numbers of sperm-positive females (determined by microscopic examination of vaginal smears for sperm) and pregnant females. These two effects diminished in the latter weeks of mating. The low number of pregnant females at the highest dose made meaningful statistical evaluations difficult. The results indicate that 2,4-DNT does not cause dominant lethal mutations but does adversely affect reproductive performance.
Investigation of the dolomites from the Styl'sk deposits

On etudie la composition et la structure de ces dolomites, leur frittabilite et leur aptitude a l'utilisation comme refractaire metallurgique
Activation of Integrin αVβ3 Regulates Cell Adhesion and Migration to Bone Sialoprotein

alpha(V)beta(3), a broadly distributed member of the integrin family of adhesion receptors, has been implicated in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological events, including control of bone density, angiogenesis, apoptosis, tumor growth, and metastasis. Recently, it has been shown that activation of alpha(V)beta(3), its transition from a low- to a high-affinity/avidity state, influences its recognition of certain ligands. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is recognized as an important ligand for alpha(V)beta(3) in processes ranging from bone formation to the homing of metastatic tumor cells. Here, the influence of alpha(V)beta(3) activation on the adhesion and migration of relevant cells to BSP has been examined. Stimulation of lymphoblastoid, osteoblastoid, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with PMA or Mn(2+) markedly enhanced alpha(V)beta(3)-dependent adhesion to BSP. alpha(V)beta(3)-mediated migration of HUVEC or osteoblastic cells to BSP was substantially enhanced by stimulation, demonstrating that alpha(V)beta(3) activation enhances both adhesive and migratory responses. However, adhesion and/or migration of certain tumor cell lines, including M21 melanoma and MDA MB435 and SKBR3 breast carcinoma cell lines, to BSP was constitutively high and was not augmented by alpha(V)beta(3)-activating stimuli. Inhibitors of the intracellular signaling molecules, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with wortmannin, hsp90-dependent kinases with geldanamycin, and calpain with calpeptin, but not MAPKK with PD98059, reduced the high spontaneous adhesion and migration of the M21 cells to BSP, consistent with the constitutive activation of the receptor on these tumor cells. These results indicate that the activation state of alpha(V)beta(3) can regulate cell migration and adhesion to BSP and, by extension, to other ligands of this receptor. The constitutive activation of alpha(V)beta(3) on neoplastic cells may contribute to tumor growth and metastatic potential.
Supporting IAAOC Members: Potential Localized Services

The International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC) is challenged to support its members beyond the national level. The long-standing model of state chapters fulfilling members' needs has been unsuccessful. An updated model for service delivery is suggested to assist IAAOC members.
Biochemical characterization of the rabbit urinary bladder: II. Intracellular concentration of nucleotides

Bladder contraction is mediated by a number of intracellular biochemical reactions including glycolysis, mitochondrial respiration, phosphocreatine kinase, and various ATPases. In order to understand how alterations in intracellular metabolism can affect bladder function (or how alterations in bladder function can affect intracellular metabolism), we must first understand and describe normal bladder metabolism. Using the rabbit as a model for bladder function, the present study compares the intracellular concentrations of a variety of important compounds between the bladder base and body. The intracellular concentrations of phosphocreatine (PC), creatine, ATP, ADP, and AMP were determined in samples of rabbit urinary bladder body and base. The values for PC and creatine were significantly lower in the bladder base than in the bladder body. Adenine nucleotide concentrations were similar in the two sections. The concentrations of NAD + NADH, NADP, CTP, CDP, CMP, GTP, GDP, GMP, and UTP, UDP, UMP were also measured. Of these compounds, the concentrations of GTP and UTP in the bladder body were nearly double those in the bladder base. The intracellular concentrations of the other tissue constituents were similar in the two bladder sections. These studies demonstrate that the bladder is not biochemically homogeneous but that the bladder base and body differ not only functionally but also metabolically. Experiments in which strips of bladder body were incubated in vitro in oxygenated Tyrode's solution containing glucose showed that the tissue concentrations of PC, ATP, GTP, and UTP decreased substantially following 30 min of incubation, with no further decrease during a subsequent 60-min incubation.
Solid Earth Deformations Induced by the Sumatra Earthquakes of 2004–2005: GPS Detection of Co-Seismic Displacements and Tsunami-Induced Loading

The two great Sumatra earthquakes of December 26, 2004, and March 28, 2005, are associated with a number of geodynamic processes affecting Earth’s shape, gravity field and rotation on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, including co-seismic strong motion, static co-seismic displacements, surface loading due to the tsunami, normal modes, and transient post-seismic deformations. The December 26, 2004, earthquake is the first one with Mw >0 observed with space-geodetic techniques. Thus, new insight into the earthquake processes and associated phenomena can be expected from studies of space-geodetic, and particularly GPS, observations. Here we focus on the static co-seismic offsets and the tsunami loading signal. The global patterns of the static co-seismic offsets induced by the earthquakes are determined from time series of daily displacements resulting from an analysis of the GPS data from selected stations of the global IGS network. Our estimates are compared to similar estimates computed in other studies. The differences between the independent estimates are mostly within the uncertainties of the offsets (2 to 4 mm). The global pattern of the computed offsets is in agreement with the spatial fingerprint predicted by a reasonable rupture model. Initial model predictions of the tsunami-induced loading signal show that the peak amplitudes are of the order of 10 to 20 mm. If detectable in GPS time series with low latency, the loading signal could be utilized in a tsunami early warning system.
In vitro contraction of embryonic skin produced by prostaglandins.

Ruckenhautexplantate von Huhnerembryonen, mit 50 μg/ml kristallinem Prostaglandin-B1 behandelt, zeigten eine Reduktion, die nach 3 Tagen 23%, nach 4 Tagen 47% und nach 5 Tagen 51% von der ursprunglichen Flache ausmachte. Der Mechanismus der Prostaglandin-induzierten Kontraktionen bleibt noch unklar.
Ramifications of cyber crime and suggestive preventive measures

Computer is now emerging as a new crime tool. The growing menace from crimes committed against computers, or against information on computers, is commanding the attention of various nations. The phenomenal growth of computers and Internet services has engendered the problem of cyber crime proliferation on the account of investigation difficulties and lack of strong evidences. Further, existing laws and preventive measures are not effective to curb such crimes. This lack of legal protection calls for businesses and governments to adopt solid technical measures to protect themselves from those who would steal, deny access to, or destroy valuable information. This paper discusses ramifications of cyber crime including discussion on current and emerging forms of computer related illegalities and tools and techniques used in such crimes. In addition, some preventive measures are suggested that can be taken by corporate houses and law enforcement agencies including framing of new laws and subsequent issues that arise.
Constructing Women's Status: Policy Discourses of University Women's Commission Reports

In this article, Elizabeth J. Allan explores how discourses embedded in university women's commission reports position women as victims, outsiders to the structure and culture of the institution, and as being in need of professional development. Using policy discourse analysis, Allan examines discourses generated by university women's commissions, which are policy-focused groups advocating for gender equity in higher education. Allan analyzes the text of twenty-one commission reports issued at four research universities from 1971 to 1996, and illustrates how dominant discourses of femininity, access, and professionalism contribute to constructing women's status in complex ways and may have the unintended consequence of undermining the achievement of gender equity. She also explores how a caregiving discourse is drawn on and challenges institutional norms of the academic workplace. Allan provides four suggestions for improving university women's commissions, including promoting awareness of policy as disco...
Effects of the Cecal Coccidia on the Ability of Plymouth Rocks to do Muscular Work

Abstract INTRODUCTION MANY observations have been made which suggest that parasitic diseases produce a disruption in host physiology. One physiological disturbance often associated with such infections of poultry origin is muscular weakness. Ackert and Herrick (1928) clearly described the propressive weakness that occurs in chickens infected with Ascaridia galli. Stafseth (1931) associated leg weakness with duodenal coccidiosis. Indeed, chronic coccidiosis has often been implicated as one of the causes of poultry paralysis (Beach and Freeborn, 1930; Mayhew, 1932). The fact that taeniasis also caused paralysis in poultry has been reported (Bayon, 1930; Stafseth, 1931). The myasthenia associated with cecal coccidiosis is detectable on the third day after infection and becomes progressively more severe as the coccidia develop in the mucosa of the cecal pouches. By the end of the fourth day as hemorrhage into the cecal pouches becomes appreciable muscle shows pronounced reduction in glycogen content (Waxler, 1941; Pratt, 1944) and …
Expression of Candida glabrata Adhesins after Exposure to Chemical Preservatives

Adherence of Candida glabrata, an opportunistic yeast pathogen, to host cells is mediated in part by the Epa family of adhesins, which are encoded largely at subtelomeric loci, where they are subject to transcriptional silencing. In analyzing the regulation of the subtelomeric EPA6 gene, we found that its transcription is highly induced after exposure to methylparaben, propylparaben, or sorbate. These weak acid-related chemicals are widely used as antifungal preservatives in many consumer goods, including over-the-counter vaginal products. Culture of C. glabrata with a variety of vaginal products induced expression of EPA6, leading to increased adherence to cultured human cells as well as primary human vaginal epithelial cells. We present evidence that paraben/sorbate induction of EPA6 expression involves both preservative stress and growth under hypoxic conditions. We further show that activation of EPA6 transcription depends on the Flo8 and Mss11 transcription factors and does not require the classic weak-acid transcription factors War1 or Msn2/Msn4. We conclude that exposure of C. glabrata to commonly used preservatives can alter the expression of virulence-related genes.
Suppression of the Inflammatory Immune Response Prevents the Development of Chronic Biofilm Infection Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of prosthetic implant infections, which can become chronic due to the ability of S. aureus to grow as a biofilm. Little is known about adaptive immune responses to these infections in vivo. We hypothesized that S. aureus elicits inflammatory Th1/Th17 responses, associated with biofilm formation, instead of protective Th2/Treg responses. We used an adapted mouse model of biofilm-mediated prosthetic implant infection to determine chronic infection rates, Treg cell frequencies, and local cytokine levels in Th1-biased C57BL/6 and Th2-biased BALB/c mice. All C57BL/6 mice developed chronic S. aureus implant infection at all time points tested. However, over 75% of BALB/c mice spontaneously cleared the infection without adjunctive therapy and demonstrated higher levels of Th2 cytokines and anti-inflammatory Treg cells. When chronic infection rates in mice deficient in the Th2 cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) via STAT6 mutation in a BALB/c background were assessed, the mice were unable to clear the S. aureus implant infection. Additionally, BALB/c mice depleted of Treg cells via an anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody (MAb) were also unable to clear the infection. In contrast, the C57BL/6 mice that were susceptible to infection were able to eliminate S. aureus biofilm populations on infected intramedullary pins once the Th1 and Th17 responses were diminished by MAb treatment with anti-IL-12 p40. Together, these results indicate that Th2/Treg responses are mechanisms of protection against chronic S. aureus implant infection, as opposed to Th1/Th17 responses, which may play a role in the development of chronic infection.
Determining the content and identifying suppliers of public information in electronic form

Abstract An increasing portion of federal government information exists in electronic form, and a debate has begun on the circumstances under which this information should be made available to the public. The existing legal framework is adequate to accommodate appropriate policies, which center on ensuring a diversity of electronic information products and sources. The particular features of electronic information products should be designed to meet consumer needs, considering the differences between electronic and paper information. Public and private sector roles in adding value to electronic information should be defined with an appreciation of the types of value each sector already has added for its own purposes at five different stages of information processing, ranging from the most basic typographic features to distribution to the ultimate consumer.
Characterization of silver ion dissolution from silver nanoparticles using fluorous-phase ion-selective electrodes and assessment of resultant toxicity to Shewanella oneidensis

Silver nanoparticle (Ag NP) dissolution, or ionization from Ag(0) to Ag+, is an important determinant of the nanoparticles' toxicity as silver ions are considered to be a major contributor to Ag NP cytotoxicity. In this work, we characterize ion dissolution from Ag NPs using a selective and dynamic technique, Ag+-selective electrodes (ISEs) with ionophore-doped fluorous sensing membranes. We examined dissolution of various concentrations of Ag NPs (0.3, 3, and 15 μg mL−1) in water and bacterial growth medium in real-time. A decrease in the concentration of free Ag+ was observed as a result of complexation with components of the growth medium. Overall, a greater percentage of the nanoparticles dissolve in growth medium than water (28% vs. 13%). Individual chemical components of the growth medium were examined for their complexation capability, and it was determined that ammonia–silver complexes are the predominant species of dissolved Ag+, with 8.9% occurring as AgNH3+, 87.8% occurring as Ag(NH3)2+, and only 3.3% occurring as free Ag+. After characterizing Ag NP dissolution in growth medium, the viability and growth of Shewanella oneidensis, a ubiquitous beneficial bacterium, were monitored upon exposure to the known in situ levels of Ag+ and Ag NPs. Ag+ and Ag NPs both caused a dose-dependent decrease in bacterial viability and growth rate, though the growth and viability changes upon Ag NP exposure did not correlate with the ISE-measured Ag+. Using ISEs to monitor Ag NP dissolution in the presence of S. oneidensis revealed that the presence of the organisms influences the nanoparticle dissolution profile, a result not previously reported that has significant implications for understanding nanotoxicity. This work lays the foundation for the use of fluorous-phase ISEs as an in situ nanoparticle characterization tool, addressing a critical technology gap in the field of nanoparticle toxicology.
A design study of a permanent magnet quadrupole focused helix traveling-wave tube

Periodic permanent magnet quadrupole (PMQ) lattices have the potential to provide the strong focusing required to successfully transport higher current beams than conventional PPM lattices. We present a design example of a PMQ lattice optimized for a 16 kV, 0.81 A beam along with particle simulations using the electron transport code, MICHELLE 3D. We also present analyses of the interaction of the elliptical beam formed in the PMQ lattice with a helical traveling-wave circuit to provide insights into the advantages afforded by PMQ focusing.
A Theory of Social Decisions

L'A. developpe une theorie descriptive et prescriptive des decisions sociales, c'est-a-dire des decisions prises par organisations sociales telles que les familles, les institutions nationales ou internationales. Les methodes de decisions peuvent etre classees en fonction de differents facteurs (qui prend la decision, qui en est affecte...) et de differentes situations (niveaux de coordination, d'egalite, d'education...)
THE GENERALIZED NATURE OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS : HOW PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE MAY PREDICT ADVERSE EVENTS FROM CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Non-invasive measurements, especially segmental pressure ratios and flow measurements, are useful for gauging the severity of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Although the incidence of PAD is similar for men and women, men are more likely to have severe disease, while women usually have more moderate or asymptomatic disease. Published reports confirm the clinical impression that patients with PAD are more likely to have both coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease than those without PAD. However, the degree of overlap is a function of the sensitivity of the diagnostic assessments for the three conditions. A San Diego population study found that the incidence of PAD may be underestimated, with many patients being asymptomatic. Based on blood flow measurements, the study found that 11.9% of the study population had large vessel PAD. Morbidity from both coronary heart disease and stroke was increased in people with PAD, who were 2.5 times more likely to present with morbidity from cardiovascular disease (CVD) than those who did not have PAD. Several studies have now confirmed the strong predictive value of PAD for subsequent CVD mortality and that the risk of CVD mortality increases with the severity of PAD.
Microbiological Characteristics of Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister)

Aerobic, heterotropic microorganisms of Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) were isolated from raw crab, cooked crab, crab meats obtained during commercial processing, and from retail crab meat samples. Each microbial isolate was then identified to the genus level employing the revised replica plating procedure. Microbial groups most commonly isolated from crab meat were, in the order of predominance, Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Arthrobacter, Micrococcus, Flavobacterium-Cytophaga, and Bacillus sp. Proteus, Staphylococcus, yeasts, Vibrio, and Lactobacillus sp. were found less frequently in some samples. Distribution patterns of microbial flora in crab meat revealed the presence of three classes of microorganisms. Microorganisms that originated from the raw crab and gained predominance by growth during refrigerated storage were Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Flavobacterium-Cytophaga sp. Those that originated from the crab but did not grow in meat were Arthrobacter and Bacillus sp. Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, and Proteus sp. were introduced during processing, but they did not grow in the refrigerated crab meat.
Case-Control Evaluation of an Adult Diphtheria Immunization Program in Ukraine

In response to concerns about diphtheria vaccine efficacy, a case-control study was undertaken in Ukraine in 1996 to determine whether those recently immunized were indeed protected from disease, whether multiple doses were more protective, whether contact with children was related to disease, and whether there were detectable differences in protective efficacy between Western and Russian vaccines. In each of the three sites (one rural and two urban), 60 adults with laboratory-confirmed cases of diphtheria were identified from health center records along with 2 adult controls, who were matched to the case by neighborhood. Demographic and vaccination data were gathered from health center records. Using conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios, it was determined that cases were more likely to have had no vaccine in the year prior to the index data (odds ratio, 5.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.8-9.0), for a vaccine efficacy of 80%. Two doses gave greater protection, living with children increased disease risk, and no difference was detectable between the Russian and Western vaccines.
Soil Chemical and Physical Properties That Differentiate Urban Land-Use and Cover Types

We investigated the effects of land use and cover and surface geology on soil properties in Baltimore, MD, with the objectives to: (i) measure the physical and chemical properties of surface soils (0?10 cm) by land use and cover; and (ii) ascertain whether land use and cover explain differences in these properties relative to surface geology. Mean and median values of each variable measured across all plots showed that soil properties varied considerably. Chemical properties generally varied more than physical properties.
Interaction between the solar wind and the lunar atmosphere

Abstract Flow of the solar wind plasma about the Moon is examined in two limiting cases. Attenuation of the lunar atmosphere is found to be controlled by either flow pattern, while accretion from the solar wind can be important only under rather restrictive conditions. The expected composition and mass of the lunar atmosphere are discussed.
Myocarditis Temporally Related to the Use of Gefitinib (Iressa)

Gefitinib is a new drug that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2003 for non-small cell cancer of the lung refractory to first- and second-line therapy. It is regarded as a rather safe drug with common adverse effects that include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, acne, and dry skin. However, it was reported in Japan to be associated with interstitial pneumonitis (2%-3% of subjects), presumably as a manifestation of a hypersensitivity reaction. The Food and Drug Administration studied this in US patients and found only a 0.3% occurrence and a slightly less than 0.1% mortality due to interstitial pneumonitis. To our knowledge, there has not been an association with fulminant myocarditis or acute myocarditis. We report the case of a 71-year-old man who died as a result of fulminant myocarditis 1 week after starting to take this new class of agent, gefitinib. On the basis of his medical history and our findings, we feel it necessary to consider hypersensitivity myocarditis related to gefitinib the probable cause of death.
Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch

Current prescribed interventions for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and other metabolic disorders along with lifestyle modifications often do not result in meaningful improvement in cardiovascular outcomes. In contrast, an emerging body of literature from the past decade has described dramatic and sustained improvements in both blood sugar and cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with T2D that undergo surgery for morbid obesity. Various surgical options exist for the treatment of obesity and its comorbidities, but the biliopancreatic diversion and duodenal switch (BPD-DS) results both in the greatest weight reduction and most pronounced improvement in obesity related metabolic conditions.
Kinematic comparison of bell contraction by four species of hydromedusae

Bell form strongly affects the hydrodynamic performance of swimming hydromedusae. Although the relationship between bell shape and hydrodynamic parameters has been documented for static models of different bell shapes, the dynamic differences in contraction characteristics of different bell shapes have not been described. This is an important issue in medusan motion because the way in which medusan bells contract may influence the effect of bell shape on swimming performance. We measured differences in bell morphologies and wake velocities during swimming by two prolate (streamlined) and two oblate (disc shaped) forms of hydromedusae. Our results indicate that propulsion by prolate medusae is fundamentally different than that of oblate forms. Prolate species were characterized by contraction over the entire length of the bell and produced a narrower, higher velocity jet. Oblate medusae contracted primarily near the bell margin, and produced a broader, lower velocity jet. Prolate medusae achieved higher velocities but lower Froude propulsion efficiencies than oblate medusae. The adaptive value of these patterns are interpreted in terms of foraging and life history patterns.
Adeno-associated virus-delivered artificial microRNA extends survival and delays paralysis in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse model.

Objective Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons, resulting in progressive muscle weakness, paralysis, and death within 5 years of diagnosis. About 10% of cases are inherited, of which 20% are due to mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene. Riluzole, the only US Food and Drug Administration–approved ALS drug, prolongs survival by only a few months. Experiments in transgenic ALS mouse models have shown decreasing levels of mutant SOD1 protein as a potential therapeutic approach. We sought to develop an efficient adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated RNAi gene therapy for ALS. Methods A single-stranded AAV9 vector encoding an artificial microRNA against human SOD1 was injected into the cerebral lateral ventricles of neonatal SOD1G93A mice, and impact on disease progression and survival was assessed. Results This therapy extended median survival by 50% and delayed hindlimb paralysis, with animals remaining ambulatory until the humane endpoint, which was due to rapid body weight loss. AAV9-treated SOD1G93A mice showed reduction of mutant human SOD1 mRNA levels in upper and lower motor neurons and significant improvements in multiple parameters including the numbers of spinal motor neurons, diameter of ventral root axons, and extent of neuroinflammation in the SOD1G93A spinal cord. Mice also showed previously unexplored changes in pulmonary function, with AAV9-treated SOD1G93A mice displaying a phenotype reminiscent of patient pathophysiology. Interpretation These studies clearly demonstrate that an AAV9-delivered SOD1-specific artificial microRNA is an effective and translatable therapeutic approach for ALS. Ann Neurol 2016;79:687–700
A CASE OF COLON CANCER WITH HYPOGONADOTROPIC HYPOGONADISM AND TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS

低ゴナドトロピン性性腺機能低下症と結節性硬化症に大腸癌を合併した1例を経験した.症例は36歳,男性.腹部膨満感を訴え,来院した.入院時現症では腹部の圧痛,膨満を認め,また,顔面の脂腺腫・性器の発育不全を認めた.てんかんを指摘されており,他院で治療を受けていた.諸検査にて,回盲部腫瘤による腸閉塞と診断,当日手術を施行した.開腹所見では,盲腸癌であった.術後2・3日目にてんかん発作を認めた他は経過順調であった.テストステロン補充療法・抗癌剤投与を行ったが,1年6カ月で再発し,死亡した. 結節性硬化症は顔面の皮疹・痙攣発作・知能発育遅延を3主徴とする疾患である.本症例の低ゴナドトロピン性性腺機能低下症は思春期前より低ゴナドトロピン状態が持続し, 2次成長を欠いた類富官体型を呈する例であった.
Oxygen Consumption and Respiratory Evaporation of the Emu and Rhea

with units as in equation 3. Although the data in equation (4) represent 58 species, only the Ostrich and Cassowary weighed more than 10 kg. Equation (4) is statistically indistinguishable from a comparable equation presented by King and Farner (1961) for birds weighing 0.125-10.0 kg. The relation between avian evaporative water loss and body weight conforms to a pattern similar to that for metabolism and body weight. Bartholomew and Dawson (1953) presented data for avian species ranging from 10.8 to 147 g, showing that evaporative water loss per unit weight is inversely related to body weight. Crawford (1965) proposed a tentative equation relating these variables in birds:
Pythium Root Dysfunction of Creeping Bentgrass

Pythium root dysfunction (PRD), a disease of relatively young stands of creeping bentgrass turf, is commonly misdiagnosed as take-all patch. Symptoms of PRD typically appear during the summer month...
Experimental infection in mice of Cryptosporidium muris isolated from a camel

Cryptosporidium muris-like oocysts in 5 g of camel feces were concentrated by the Sheather sugar flotation method, saline-washed, pelleted and reconstituted to an approximate concentration of 2.5 million per ml. One- to 2-microliters inocula were given per os to 25 2- to 20-day-old mice, with 15 contact control litter-mates. The 15- and 20- day inoculates had acid-fast-positive fecal smears by day-12 after inoculation. Necropsies of mice inoculated at 2 and 5 days of age showed colonization only of gastric glands by day-12, and day-27, respectively. Control mice were negative. Identical methods using similar oocysts from cattle produced no evidence of transmission.
“Railway Spine,” Trains, Migration, and Mobility in Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake

In The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri’s 2003 novel that chronicles the lives of two generations of an Indian Bengali family in the United States, Ashoke Ganguli—a first-generation Bengali immigrant who, a...
29th annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

I am pleased to welcome you to the 29th annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). I will begin my comments by examining a series of problems that face medicine in general and the specialty of infectious diseases in particular. Because of my own parochial vantage point, I will look initially at problems that are unique to infectious disease specialists in the United States, although many have broader implications. I will also state at the outset that the specific problems I will address do not represent a comprehensive list of all of the ills facing American or worldwide medicine or infectious diseases. After briefly examining some of these issues, I will try to place them into a broader context of problems facing medicine throughout the world. In my initial discussion, I will deal with six issues that vary greatly in their importance and impact. These include, first, the practical question of the timing and format of the annual meeting of the IDSA. I will then discuss problems relating to reimbursement for specialists who work in clinical areas, such as infectious disease, in which there are no "gimmicks" or procedures. I will follow with a brief look at some of the issues of satisfaction with lifestyle and practice style among those of us who are primarily in the business of treating patients. Threats to medical research, the loss of prestige of US medicine, and problems in controlling even common infections in the United States round out the eclectic list of topics that form the basis for my initial discussion. As most of you know, the Council of the IDSA at its spring meeting in April 1991 voted to change the format of the annual meeting and to move toward a separation in place and time of the annual meeting from the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC). The secretary of the IDSA then sent two letters to the membership requesting input concerning these decisions. Almost 500 letters were received. Most IDSA members supported a change in format of the annual meeting, but a clear majority
Serious maternal complications in relation to severe pre-eclampsia: a retrospective cohort study of the impact of hospital volume.

Objective We examined rates of serious maternal complications in relation to severe pre-eclampsia based on the delivering hospital's annualised volume. Design Retrospective cohort study. Population and setting Singleton deliveries (n = 25 782 235) in 439 hospitals in the USA. Methods Annualised hospital volume was categorised as 25–500, 501–1000, 1001–2000 and >2000. Main outcome measures Rates of in-hospital maternal death and serious maternal complications, including puerperal cerebrovascular disorders, pulmonary oedema, disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute renal, heart and liver failure, sepsis, haemorrhage and intubation in relation to severe pre-eclampsia. We derived adjusted risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), from hierarchical Poisson regression models. Results Severe pre-eclampsia was associated with an 8.7-fold (95% CI 7.6, 10.1) risk of composite maternal complications, with similar RRs across levels of hospital volumes. However, compared with hospitals with low annual volume (<2000), maternal mortality rates in relation to severe pre-eclampsia were lower in high volume hospitals. The rates of serious maternal complications were 410.7 per 10 000 to women who delivered in hospitals with a high rate of severe pre-eclampsia (≥2.12%) and 584.8 per 10 000 to women who delivered in hospitals with low severe pre-eclampsia rates (≤0.41; RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.24, 2.45). Conclusions While the risks of serious maternal complications in relation to severe pre-eclampsia was similar across hospital delivery volume categories, deaths showed lower rates in large delivery volume hospitals than in smaller volume hospitals. The risk of complications was increased in hospitals with low compared with high severe pre-eclampsia rates. Tweetable abstract Hospital volume had little impact on the association between severe pre-eclampsia and maternal complications.
Relative Water Content, Bidirectional Reflectance and Bidirectional Transmittance of the Interior of Detached Leaves During Dry Down.

Remotely sensing the water status of plants and the water content of canopies remain long-term goals of remote sensing research [1]. Estimates of canopy water content commonly involve measurements in the 900nm to 2000nm portion of the optical spectrum [1]. We have used optical polarization techniques to remove leaf surface reflection and to demonstrate that the visible light reflected by the interior of green healthy corn leaves measured in situ inversely depends upon the leaf relative water content (RWC) [2]. In the research reported here, we again used optical polarization techniques in order to remove the leaf surface reflection from our measurements. This allowed us to monitor the interiors of detached corn leaf samples during leaf dry down measuring for each sample the RWC, bidirectional spectral reflectance and bidirectional spectral transmittance over the wavelength range 450nm to 2,500nm. Our new results like our earlier results show light scattered by the leaf interior measured in the visible wavelength region generally increased as leaf RWC decreased. However, the spectral character and the much improved signal noise of our new results shows the RWC-linked visible light scattering changes are due to leaf structural changes. Our new results show that scattering changes that occur with changing leaf RWC are not attributable to molecular configuration changes in cellular pigments.
Zika Virus Infects Intermediate Progenitor Cells and Post-mitotic Committed Neurons in Human Fetal Brain Tissues

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is associated with microcephaly in fetuses, but the pathogenesis of ZIKV-related microcephaly is not well understood. Here we show that ZIKV infects the subventricular zone in human fetal brain tissues and that the tissue tropism broadens with the progression of gestation. Our research demonstrates also that intermediate progenitor cells (IPCs) are the main target cells for ZIKV. Post-mitotic committed neurons become susceptible to ZIKV infection as well at later stages of gestation. Furthermore, activation of microglial cells, DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis of infected or uninfected cells could be found in ZIKV-infected brain tissues. Our studies identify IPCs as the main target cells for ZIKV. They also suggest that immune activation after ZIKV infection may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ZIKV-related microcephaly.
ROS-Activated Hydrogen Sulfide (H 2 S) Donors Exhibit Protections in H 2 O 2 -Induced Cellular Oxidative Damage

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a well-known antioxidant and exhibits promising protective effects in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. To investigate the chemistry and biology of H2S, people often use H2S releasing agents (known as H2S donors) to mimic enzymatic H2S synthesis. Herein, we report the design and evaluation of a series of caged-carbonyl sulfide (COS) compounds, which comprise the first class of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered H2S donors. These compounds release COS upon activation, which is quickly converted to H2S by the ubiquitous enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA). These donors are stable in aqueous solution and do not release H2S spontaneously, but rather release H2S in the presence of ROS, such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). We demonstrate that such H2S release can be regulated by donor structure modifications and demonstrate that COS/H2S donation can be triggered in live cells by both exogenous and endogenous ROS. In addition, cellular studies indicate that these donors significantly attenuate H2O2-induced cellular oxidative damage, suggesting potential applications of the caged-COS compounds as prodrugs in H2S-related therapies.
How does obesity lead to insulin resistance

Experiments on mice show that an enzyme called DNA methyltransferase 3a is involved in insulin resistance via an epigenetic mechanism.
Anesthesia and Sleep: A Search for Mechanisms and Research Approaches

traditional and recent approaches to research addressing the possible mechanisms of deliberate altered consciousness produced by exogenous agents (anesthesia) have included particularly research by neurophysiologists, neurochemists, physical chemists, and more recently biophysicists. At least two Nobel Prize winners have directed their attention to possible mechanisms of action of anesthetic agents (3, 16, 25). Many intellectual leaders in various fields of science have questioned the nature and interrelationship of the sleep, the anesthetic, the comatose, and the awake states. For a time, some fifty to seventy-five years ago, drug-induced altered consciousness was actually considered to be related to an interference with the supply and utilization of oxygen at the cellular level in the brain (27, 30).
Spiritual Well-Being Scale Ethnic Differences between Caucasians and African-Americans:

The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWB) has been used to examine the various levels of well-being with a variety of groups. However, the scale has not been examined in terms of the impact of ethnicity on scale results specifically comparing Caucasians and African-Americans. This study, which was a follow-up to previous quantitative/qualitative studies, examined the impact of ethnicity in terms of Caucasians and African-Americans. The SWB Scale was administered to 119 Caucasians and 97 African-Americans. Factor analysis was used to determine the validity of the scale with regard to ethnicity. The results showed three scale factors for the Caucasians (religious well being, life satisfaction/purpose, future) and five scale factors for the African-Americans (connection with God, satisfaction with God and day-to-day living, future /life contentment, personalized relationship with God, meaningfulness). Ethnic differences in the SWB Scale are addressed with recommendations for further research.
Assessing the productivity and profitability of the Solar Market Garden

Abstract Successful scale-up of any development project requires a deep understanding of the real-world economics of the intervention, and compelling evidence that such an investment would be worthwhile. This cost-benefit estimate is typically assessed in two ways: (a) by comparing the coefficient of impact along some margin measured in an impact evaluation ( β ˆ ) to the unit implementation cost of the project, and/or (b) by conducting adoption studies, where autonomous adoption is assumed to indicate that the adopter has deemed the investment worthwhile (i.e., financially sustainable). However, these two techniques can be particularly difficult for development engineering projects that are large at the unit scale (or are group-based) and for projects that may have impacts on many margins or outcomes at once. Here we present the framework for, and analysis from, a field monitoring campaign in the interim evaluation period for community-scale solar-powered irrigation systems (Solar Market Gardens, or SMGs) in northeast Benin, West Africa. We used this interim monitoring to directly construct a CBA, and to document the pathways of impact actually at play for a project hypothesized ex-ante to have potential economic, food security, and gender impacts. We monitored all garden activity a the individual and group level for most of the dry season, including total production, sales, home consumption, input use, marketing, and labor (a key factor often overlooked when considering the cost of agricultural development projects). By combining production and sales data with cost information, we show that the most productive agricultural groups using the system only in the dry season would be profitable in a full cost-recovery model with no economies of scale, but that lower performing groups would not; we also show that many plausible scale-up models and financing mechanisms would be profitable. We then show how this type of monitoring can complement impact evaluation by elucidating different pathways of impact that could be used to understand heterogeneity in outcomes among beneficiaries. We document variance both within and between groups across numerous potential pathways of impact for the SMG; the heterogeneity in intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) across these indicators highlights the importance of understanding the causal chain(s), especially for cross-sectoral development engineering projects like the SMG. We conclude by discussing how this monitoring effort fits into the larger evaluation of the SMG, and how such data have been used to both adaptively refine the project, improving the likelihood for successful scale-up.