cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Intensity Ultrasound Upregulates the Expression of Cyclin-D1 and Promotes Cellular Proliferation in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) hold great potential for cellular based therapeutics and tissue engineering applications and their expansion is an interesting prospect due to their low availability from in vivo sources. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of continuous-wave low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) at 5.0-MHz and 14.0-kPa (<20 mW cm-2 ) on the proliferative capacity, colony-formation efficiency, genetic stability, and differentiation potential of hMSCs. Additionally, potential signaling pathways involved in LIUS-mediated proliferation of hMSCs are studied. Compared to non-stimulated controls, LIUS-treated hMSCs shows a 1.9-fold greater colony-forming efficiency and 2.5-fold higher rate of cell proliferation, respectively. Differential staining and qRT-PCR analysis for selective chondrogenic, osteogenic, and adipogenic markers further confirmed that the LIUS treatment did not impact the multipotency of hMSCs. LIUS-treated hMSCs expressed normal male karyotype. The synthesis of cyclin-D1, a master regulator of cellular proliferation, is upregulated under LIUS and its enhanced mRNA expression under LIUS is noted to be mediated by the activation of both MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. In conclusion, LIUS promotes proliferation and self-renewal capacity of hMSCs.
Neighborhood alcohol outlet density and genetic influences on alcohol use: evidence for gene-environment interaction.

Background Genetic influences on alcohol involvement are likely to vary as a function of the 'alcohol environment,' given that exposure to alcohol is a necessary precondition for genetic risk to be expressed. However, few gene-environment interaction studies of alcohol involvement have focused on characteristics of the community-level alcohol environment. The goal of this study was to examine whether living in a community with more alcohol outlets would facilitate the expression of the genetic propensity to drink in a genetically-informed national survey of United States young adults. Methods The participants were 2434 18-26-year-old twin, full-, and half-sibling pairs from Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Participants completed in-home interviews in which alcohol use was assessed. Alcohol outlet densities were extracted from state-level liquor license databases aggregated at the census tract level to derive the density of outlets. Results There was evidence that the estimates of genetic and environmental influences on alcohol use varied as a function of the density of alcohol outlets in the community. For example, the heritability of the frequency of alcohol use for those residing in a neighborhood with ten or more outlets was 74% (95% confidence limits = 55-94%), compared with 16% (95% confidence limits = 0-34%) for those in a neighborhood with zero outlets. This moderating effect of alcohol outlet density was not explained by the state of residence, population density, or neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions The results suggest that living in a neighborhood with many alcohol outlets may be especially high-risk for those individuals who are genetically predisposed to frequently drink.
Polymorph Selection by Continuous Precipitation

When the dominant rate-mechanisms within a mixed-suspension mixed-product removal (MSMPR) crystallizer are secondary nucleation and size-independent linear crystal growth, the effluent crystal distribution is guaranteed to exhibit a single polymorphic solid form at steady state. However, multiple solid forms are often simultaneously observed during the continuous precipitation of CaCO3. Accounting for agglomeration within the population balance reconciles model predictions with experiments. Here, we elucidate the steady state structure and linear stability features of an agglomeration-enabled continuous precipitator model. We demonstrate that one can make rational process design and operation decisions to select the effluent solid form, regardless of its thermodynamic stability. Specifically, we utilize these results to choose process conditions that yield pure, thermodynamically metastable vaterite during CaCO3 precipitation, based on powder X-ray diffraction, solid-state 43Ca NMR, and scanning electron ...
26 – THE PIVOTAL FUNCTIONS

The entropy production function and the energy retention function are referred to as the pivotal functions of the theory of coupled linear steady-state thermodynamics. This chapter extends their definition and meaning in some generality to the vector and tensor theories and elaborates some of their salient features. The entropy production function is the sum of the products of the thermodynamic fluxes and their conjugate driving forces. If tensorial cross-effects are negligible, the Curie symmetry principle allows one to extend earlier definition of the entropy production function, as one of the two pivotal functions of steady-state thermodynamics to include scalar, vector, and tensor quantities alike. It explains neither the entropy production function nor the energy retention function is determined uniquely. It suffices that the products of whatever are chosen as the generalized fluxes and driving forces have the dimensions of entropy per unit time per unit volume and energy per unit time per unit volume, respectively.
Synthesis of substituted N-phenylmaleimides and use in a Diels–Alder reaction: a green multi-step synthesis for an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory

This paper describes the design and implementation of a minimally hazardous, environmentally friendly, and energy efficient sequential reaction sequence within a sophomore level Organic Chemistry l...
Efficient Waste Transportation and Recycling: Enabling technologies for smart cities using the Internet of Things

The advent of modern wireless telecommunications and the revolutionary development of ubiquitous computing have led to the rapid growth of a novel paradigm: the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is a collection of devices connected through the Internet with access to computing that enables automated decision making without human intervention. A smart city is a municipality that leverages the use of information and communication technologies in general, and the IoT in particular, to optimize daily operations, such as traffic, transportation, power, water supply networks, waste transportation, law enforcement, education, health care, and other community services. Smart cities around the world are taking advantage of modern technologies to improve their services and enhance the quality of service and welfare for their citizens.
Metabolism of 2,4-Dinitrotoluene by Rat Hepatic Microsomes and Cecal Flora

Dinitrotoluene (DNT) is an industrial chemical used as an intermediate in the production of toluene diisocyanate for the manufacture of polyurethane foams, coatings and elastomers. Technical grade DNT is a potent hepatocarcinogen which produces a dose related incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in Fischer 344 rats (CIIT, 1979). The technical grade material comprises approximately 75% 2,4-DNT, 19.5% 2,6-DNT and 4% other DNT isomers with small amounts of mono-and tri-nitrotoluenes and nitrocresols also present. The major component of the technical grade material, 2,4-DNT, has also been demonstrated to be a hepatocarcinogen in CD-1 rats (Ellis et al., 1979).
Ebola Virus: Pathogenesis and Countermeasure Development

Since its discovery in 1976, Ebola virus (EBOV) has caused numerous outbreaks of fatal hemorrhagic disease in Africa. The biggest outbreak on record is the 2013-2016 epidemic in west Africa with almost 30,000 cases and over 11,000 fatalities, devastatingly affecting Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The epidemic highlighted the need for licensed drugs or vaccines to quickly combat the disease. While at the beginning of the epidemic no licensed countermeasures were available, several experimental drugs with preclinical efficacy were accelerated into human clinical trials and used to treat patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD) toward the end of the epidemic. In the same manner, vaccines with preclinical efficacy were administered primarily to known contacts of EVD patients on clinical trial protocols using a ring-vaccination strategy. In this review, we describe the pathogenesis of EBOV and summarize the current status of EBOV vaccine development and treatment of EVD.
Getting β − α without penguin contributions

Oscillation effects in ${B}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}_{S}{D}^{0}$ and related processes are considered to determine $\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\equiv}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}+\ensuremath{\pi}=2\ensuremath{\beta}+\ensuremath{\gamma}.$ We suggest that ${D}^{0}$ decays to $\mathrm{CP}$ eigenstates used in concert with inclusive ${D}^{0}$ decays provide a powerful method for determining $\ensuremath{\delta}$ cleanly. The $\mathrm{CP}$ asymmetry is expected to be $\ensuremath{\lesssim}40%$ for ${D}^{0}$ decays to non-$\mathrm{CP}$ eigenstates and $\ensuremath{\lesssim}80%$ for decays to $\mathrm{CP}$ eigenstates. This method can lead to a fairly accurate determination of $\ensuremath{\delta}$ with ${O(10}^{8}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{9})$ B mesons.
Dispersion tuning and route reconfiguration of acoustic waves in valley topological phononic crystals.

The valley degree of freedom in crystals offers great potential for manipulating classical waves, however, few studies have investigated valley states with complex wavenumbers, valley states in graded systems, or dispersion tuning for valley states. Here, we present tunable valley phononic crystals (PCs) composed of hybrid channel-cavity cells with three tunable parameters. Our PCs support valley states and Dirac cones with complex wavenumbers. They can be configured to form chirped valley PCs in which edge modes are slowed to zero group velocity states, where the energy at different frequencies accumulates at different designated locations. They enable multiple functionalities, including tuning of dispersion relations for valley states, robust routing of surface acoustic waves, and spatial modulation of group velocities. This work may spark future investigations of topological states with complex wavenumbers in other classical systems, further study of topological states in graded materials, and the development of acoustic devices. The valley degree of freedom gives additional flexibility to tunable phononic and photonic crystals. Here, the authors realise a honeycomb phononic structure where both the size of the cavities and of the air channel can be actively tuned, allowing several functionalities in a broad frequency range.
Fabrication and Analysis of Wearable Bioimpedance Analyzers on Paper and Plastic Substrates

Wearable flexible sensors have recently gained much attention as they have the potential to revolutionize the way we monitor activities of the human body. Electronic sensors fabricated on flexible substrates provide compactness, comfort, and flexibility. In this letter, we report a novel design of wearable and mechanically flexible bioimpedance analyzers. We fabricate the analyzers by printing electronic circuits on paper and plastic substrates. The sensor module is lightweight, comfortable, and can be worn on the wrist to measure the body impedance continuously. Failure analysis is performed by bending the flexible sensor modules with the circuit breaking angles at 53° ± 4° and 42° ± 3° for paper and plastic substrates, respectively. The performance of the flexible sensors is compared with an analyzer developed on a conventional rigid printed circuit board. In an active mode, the paper-based sensor consumes more power (83.3 mW) than the plastic (65.7 mW) and rigid (53.42 mW) sensors. The flexible sensor modules are integrated with dry electrodes, while gel-based Ag/AgCl electrodes are attached to the rigid sensor module for bioimpedance measurements. The experiments are conducted on 12 healthy human subjects by using all three sensor modules. The integrated dry electrodes of the flexible sensor modules provide lower skin-electrode contact impedance along with enhanced convenience, durability, and reusability, as compared to commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes.
Sequence and characterization of shuttle vectors for molecular cloning in Porphyromonas, Bacteroides and related bacteria

There is a lack of shuttle vectors to be needed for investigations into the genetics of Porphyromonas gingivalis and related species. To better understand the prevalence of candidates for such tools, we have examined multiple strains of black-pigmented anaerobes (clinical and laboratory isolates) for plasmids. As no plasmids were found in P. gingivalis strains, we have used the pYH420 plasmid, derived from P. asaccharolytica, as backbone to construct a shuttle vector in combination with pUC19 from Escherichia coli. Nucleotide sequence determination of the pYH420 plasmid revealed that it contained a gene with similarity to rep from plasmid pTS1 (isolated from Treponema denticola) as well as a homolog of mobA, a member of a gene family found on mobilizable genetic elements found in the genus Bacteroides. We constructed the pG106 and pG108 shuttle vectors using parts of the pUC19 and pYH420 vectors. This resulted in a vector with a multiple cloning site (MCS) in the lacZ gene enabling us to perform blue-white colony selection. The pG106 and pG108 shuttle vectors are electro-transformable into E. coli, P. gingivalis and B. thetaiotaomicron, where they are stable. We demonstrated that these vectors were suitable in these species for applications of molecular cloning including complementation and gene expression studies. Using the pG108 vector, we complement the hcpR mutant strain of P. gingivalis and rescued its NO 2 - -sensitive phenotype. We also performed a gene expression study using the P-glow BS2 fluorescent reporter gene and the ahpC promoter in B. thetaiotaomicron.
Black Press Scholarship: Where We Have Been, Where We Are, and Where We Need to Go

Since the 1970s, the black press has been the topic of numerous television documentaries, books, scholarly and trade articles, and theses and dissertations. They have included biographies of the pe...
Assessment of Stabilized Hydrogen Peroxide for Use in Reducing Campylobacter Levels and Prevalence on Broiler Chicken Wings.

ABSTRACT Poultry processing establishments use antimicrobial aids on broiler parts to minimize Campylobacter contamination. A silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide (SHP) product was assessed for use as an antimicrobial processing aid. In a series of experiments, wing segments with skin were inoculated with 103 to 107 cells of Campylobacter coli, followed by treatment with SHP at 15,000 or 30,000 mg/L, peroxyacetic acid (PAA) at 300 or 3,000 mg/L (parts per million), or water. Each treatment was applied by either dip or spray. Rinsates from each wing segment were analyzed for direct counts and prevalence of Campylobacter. Treatment with SHP or PAA significantly reduced Campylobacter levels compared with water controls by up to 2.22 log CFU/mL. At high inoculum levels (106 to 107), SHP and PAA applied by dip had up to 1.27 log CFU/mL further reductions of Campylobacter levels compared with spray-treated wing segments. Additionally, wing drumettes were observed to retain higher levels and prevalence of Campylobacter recovery compared with wing flats at a low inoculation level (103). The results indicated that there was no carryover effect of SHP (same day versus 24 h) and dip treatment with SHP or PAA decreased Campylobacter recovery on broiler chicken wing segments compared with a water control. Although a 2-log reduction was modest, SHP had similar efficacy as the commonly used processing aid PAA. SHP shows potential for further investigation as an antimicrobial processing aid for use on poultry parts. HIGHLIGHTS
The Fermi-Löwdin self-interaction correction for ionization energies of organic molecules.

(Semi)-local density functional approximations (DFAs) suffer from self-interaction error (SIE). When the first ionization energy (IE) is computed as the negative of the highest-occupied orbital (HO) eigenvalue, DFAs notoriously underestimate them compared to quasi-particle calculations. The inaccuracy for the HO is attributed to SIE inherent in DFAs. We assessed the IE based on Perdew–Zunger self-interaction correction on 14 small to moderate-sized organic molecules relevant in organic electronics and polymer donor materials. Although self-interaction corrected DFAs were found to significantly improve the IE relative to the uncorrected DFAs, they overestimate. However, when the self-interaction correction is interiorly scaled using a function of the iso-orbital indicator zσ, only the regions where SIE is significant get a correction. We discuss these approaches and show how these methods significantly improve the description of the HO eigenvalue for the organic molecules.
Reliability of Magnetoelastic Switching of Nonideal Nanomagnets with Defects: A Case Study for the Viability of Straintronic Logic and Memory

The emerging field of $s\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}r\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}n\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}r\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}o\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}n\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}c\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}s$ may be able to sustain Moore's Law by replacing transistors with switches in which electrically generated strain flips the state of a nanomagnet---an extremely energy-efficient platform for Boolean logic and memory. Can it really work, though? Considering realistic nanomagnets with localized or extended structural defects, the authors find that those flaws increase the switching-error probability by orders of magnitude, making logic applications inconceivable. Even memory applications, more forgiving of errors, are dubious. This calls into question the viability of straintronics for Boolean computing.
Policy considerations for scaling up access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for adolescent girls and young women: Examples from Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda

Adolescent girls and young women (aged 15-24 years; AGYW) continue to carry a disproportionate burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) helps reduce the risk of acquiring HIV for persons at substantial risk, including AGYW. As countries plan for the rollout of PrEP across sub-Saharan Africa, PrEP policies and programs could address the unique needs of AGYW. The purpose of this analysis was to identify policy considerations to improve AGYW access to PrEP. After reviewing the literature, we identified 13 policy considerations that policymakers and stakeholders could evaluate when developing or reviewing PrEP-related policies. We sorted these considerations into five categories, which together comprise an AGYW Access to PrEP Framework: AGYW-friendly delivery systems, clinical eligibility and adherence support, legal barriers and facilitators, affordability, and community and AGYW outreach. We also reviewed policies in three countries (Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda) to explore how PrEP-related policies addressed these considerations. Some of these policies addressed some of the 13 policy considerations, but none of the policies directly addressed the unique needs of AGYW for accessing PrEP. To improve access to PrEP for AGYW, country policies could include specific components that address these 13 considerations. To reach AGYW effectively, each country could use the 13 considerations we have identified to analyze current policies to identify existing programmatic barriers to AGYW accessing HIV services and address these barriers in PrEP-related policies.
Uptown Cigarettes: A Comparison of Media Treatments in the African American Market and the General Market

This paper provides a case study of the media treatment of the planned test market introduction of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company's Uptown cigarettes. Due to the health hazards related to smoking, particularly among African Americans, controversy mounted within the African American community of the Philadelphia test market. Specifically, African Americans demanded that the company withdraw its test marketing plans. The ensuing media controversy forced R. J. Reynolds (RJR) to withdraw the product. The company's treatment of the issue in the general market versus African American media was regrettably duplicitous. The Uptown controversy is used as background for the theoretical implications of business issues involving matters of race and ethnicity.
The Unity and Diversity of Pentecostal Theology: A Brief Account for the Ecumenical Community in the West

Pentecostal theology is marked by an inherent struggle for self-realization as well as unity and ecumenical integration. A realistic portrayal of worldwide Pentecostalism is confronted with homogeneous and romanticized depictions or false stereotypes. Global Pentecostalism and Pentecostalism in the West are intertwined in a significant theological and ecumenical manner that allows an ecumenical perspective focused on the West to shed light on the unity of Pentecostal theology, the relationship of Pentecostal theology to the ecumenical traditions, and the integration of Pentecostal theology in broader Christian commitments to social justice, peace, and the conservation of the creation. A particular point of convergence exists between Western and worldwide Pentecostal theology in the social activism of the movement. Contemporary Pentecostalism is in transition towards becoming a diversified contributor to the shape of global Christianity and the renewal of the theological agenda.
Thermal ion orbit loss and radial electric field in DIII-D

A relatively simple model for the generation of the radial electric field, Er, near the outboard boundary in a tokamak is presented. The model posits that Er is established to supply the return current necessary to balance the thermal ion orbit loss current. Comparison with DIII-D data is promising. Features of the model that promote a more negative edge Er are higher ion temperature, lower density, lower impurity ion content, and a shorter pathlength for orbit loss. These scalings are consistent with experimentally established access to the high-confinement mode edge transport barrier.
Odontoid Fracture in a Child Occupying a Child Restraint Seat

General agreement exists regarding the importance of using infant and toddler car seats. However, current guidelines regarding the proper time to change the direction of a convertible safety seat are still debated. We report a case in which an unusual, but preventable, injury was sustained by a child occupying a "properly" installed child restraint device. The rarity and potential seriousness of this injury illustrates the safety advantage of using rearward facing infant car seats as long as possible during infancy. CASE REPORT A 10-month-old girl weighing 8.04 kg (17 lb 14 oz) occupied a properly installed forward facing convertible safety seat located in the rear seat of an automobile involved in an accident.
Optimal adjustment of the atrio-aortic left ventricular assist device (AA-LVAD)

The authors document a protocol for optimal timing of the LVAD based on reduced heart oxygen consumption. Timing is studied using a closed-loop analog model of the heart, vascular system, and the LVAD. Results indicate that the pump should begin ejection immediately after the close of the aortic valve and that the pump filling pressure should pump set to a value which produces maximum filling of the pump and maximum ventricular unloading. The optimization of the pump ejection pressure is a trade-off between left-ventricular O/sub 2/ and stroke volume and mean arterial pressure. >
Collaboration Processes and Institutional Structure: Reexamining the Black Box

Building on previous models of collaboration processes, this article expands and revises the antecedent-process-outcome framework used to explain collaboration. The article discusses why this framework needs to be expanded to include the element of institutional structure. We propose a modified framework to explain collaboration that includes a typology of citizen-based, agency-based, and mixed partnerships. Furthermore, the article draws from the expansive body of literature on watershed collaboration to propose additional antecedents that influence institutional structures and, in turn, alter the process patterns in the collaboration “black box.”
Advancements in the Home Modification Field

Abstract M. Powell Lawton can be credited for important advancements in the home modification field. His work extended beyond theoretical contributions to practical efforts that directly impact older adults' lives. Developments in home modification research, assessment approaches, and the service delivery system can be attributed to his influence. Lawton's efforts shaped the home modification field with the recognition that a supportive physical environment can enable an older adult to successfully adapt to declining functional abilities.
Recordings of diaphragmatic electromyograms during cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation accurately predict phrenic nerve injury

Background Cryoballoon ablation has been associated with a significant incidence of phrenic nerve injury (PNI). Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether recordings of diaphragmatic compound motor action potentials (CMAP) on a modified lead I during cryoballoon ablation can predict PNI. Methods Cryoballoon ablation was performed in 109 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). During ablation of the right-sided pulmonary veins, the phrenic nerve was paced from the superior vena cava. The right and left arm electrodes from a 12-lead ECG were positioned 5 cm above the xiphoid process and 16 cm along the right costal margin. The amplitude of CMAP was recorded on lead I during ablation. Results Cryoballoon was applied 424 times in 211 right-sided veins. PNI occurred in 7 (6.4%) patients. The average CMAP amplitude did not significantly change in patients without PNI from the initial average CMAP amplitude of 0.34 ± 0.18 mV to 0.32 ± 0.17 mV (P = .58). In patients who developed PNI, there was a significant decrease in the initial average CMAP amplitude during the ablation from 0.33 ± 0.14 mV to 0.09 ± 0.05 mV (P Conclusion Recording of CMAP amplitude on a modified lead I is reliable and could be early and sensitive method for predicting PNI in patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation for AF.
Effect of antibrain synaptosomal fraction serum and complement on evoked potentials and impedance.

L'introduction du «complement» (serum de cobaye) dans le corps genouille lateral du chat, produit une diminution des potentiels evoques photiques et de l'impedance cerebrale. Ces effets sont prevenus par l'application locale d'un anti-serum reagissant specifiquement avec les synaptosomes cerebraux.
Influence of Exotic Earthworms on the Soil Organic Horizon and the Rare Fern Botrychium mormo

Abstract: Forests north of the last glacial extent have no native earthworms. Exotic earthworms are now colonizing forests that are naturally free of earthworms. It is currently unknown how these exotic earthworms might affect rare plants. To determine whether there is an association between the presence of an exotic earthworm species and extirpation of the rare fern Botrychium mormo, I surveyed 28 populations documented and counted previously. I estimated current population sizes of B. mormo, soil horizon thickness, earthworm species present, and carbon content, nitrogen content, and pH of the A soil horizon. Two earthworm species were abundant, Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrobaena octaedra. Dendrobaena octaedra had no significant association with any soil variable or with B. mormo extirpation. Lumbricus rubellus was significantly associated with B. mormo extirpation and a mull humus type. Where L. rubellus was present, O1 and O2 horizons were significantly thinner. I conducted a laboratory microcosm experiment to determine whether L. rubellus could create the conditions it was associated with in the field. Microcosms with L. rubellus resulted in a significant reduction in the thickness of the O1 and O2 horizon and a significant increase in the thickness of the A horizon. This experiment suggests that L. rubellus created the conditions with which it was associated in the field. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) of B. mormo was best explained by the O2 depth, which implies that this soil layer supplies a critical resource. My results support the idea that exotic earthworms alter the forest floor, leading to negative changes in native vegetation.
Ischemic Brain Edema and the Osmotic Gradient between Blood and Brain

The relationship of the osmotic pressure gradient between blood and brain, and the development of ischemic brain edema was studied. Focal cerebral ischemia was produced by left middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Brain osmolality was determined with a vapor pressure osmometer, brain water content by wet-dry weight, and tissue sodium and potassium contents by flame photometry. Permeability of the BBB was tested by Evans blue. Measurements were made from the ischemic cortex within 14 days of occlusion. Brain osmolality increased from 311 +/- 2 to 329 +/- 2 mOsm/kg by 6 h after occlusion. Serum osmolality did not change significantly. The osmotic gradient between blood and brain peaked at approximately 26 mOsm/kg. Brain osmolality then decreased to 310 +/- 2 mOsm/kg by 12 h after occlusion and remained at about that same level. Water content increased progressively within 1 day of occlusion, then gradually decreased by 14 days. Brain tissue sodium plus potassium content did not increase within 6 h of occlusion, and Evans blue extravasation was not seen within that time. These findings indicate that an osmotic pressure gradient contributes to the formation of edema only during the early stage of cerebral ischemia. Furthermore, the increase in brain osmolality is not related to tissue electrolyte change or BBB disruption to protein.
Long‐term responses of the kuparuk river ecosystem to phosphorus fertilization

A long-term stream fertilization experiment was performed to evaluate the potential eutrophication of an arctic stream ecosystem. During 16 years of summer phosphorus (H3PO4) fertilization, we observed a dramatic change in the community structure of the Kuparuk River on the North Slope of Alaska. A positive response to fertilization was observed at all trophic levels with increases in epilithic algal stocks, some insect densities, and fish growth rates. After approximately eight years of P fertilization, bryophytes (mosses) replaced epilithic diatoms as the dominant primary producers in the Kuparuk River. The moss impacted NH4+ uptake rates, benthic gross primary production, habitat structure, and insect abundance and species composition. This study documents the long-term changes in an arctic tundra stream in response to nutrient enrichment. Predicting stream ecosystem responses to chronic perturbation requires long-term observation and experiments.
Regularized B-spline network and its application to heart arrhythmia classification

This paper presents an effective learning scheme that combines B-spline modeling and regularized neural networks. Essential issues of structural design and learning process are discussed. Regularization theory is leveraged to design the topological structure of the network. A training algorithm is derived for the learning of both synaptic weights and B-spline coefficients. The approach is then applied to the medical problem of heart arrhythmia detection, particularly the detection of premature ventricular contraction. Promising results demonstrate the potential benefits of the proposed method.
Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clinical Isolates with Altered Phagocytosis by Human Macrophages Due to a Truncated Lipoarabinomannan

Phenotypically distinct clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are capable of altering the balance that exists between the pathogen and human host and ultimately the outcome of infection. This study has identified two M. tuberculosis strains (i.e. HN885 and HN1554) among a bank of clinical isolates with a striking defect in phagocytosis by primary human macrophages when compared with strain Erdman, a commonly used laboratory strain for studies of pathogenesis. Mass spectrometry in conjunction with NMR studies unequivocally confirmed that both HN885 and HN1554 contain truncated and more branched forms of mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan (ManLAM) with a marked reduction of their linear arabinan (corresponding mainly to the inner Araf-α(1→5)-Araf unit) and mannan (with fewer 6-Manp residues and more substitutions in the linear Manp-α(1→6)-Manp unit) domains. The truncation in the ManLAM molecules produced by strains HN885 and HN1554 led to a significant reduction in their surface availability. In addition, there was a marked reduction of higher order phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosides and the presence of dimycocerosates, triglycerides, and phenolic glycolipid in their cell envelope. Less exposed ManLAM and reduced higher order phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosides in strains HN885 and HN1554 resulted in their low association with the macrophage mannose receptor. Despite reduced phagocytosis, ingested bacilli replicated at a fast rate following serum opsonization. Our results provide evidence that the clinical spectrum of tuberculosis may be dictated not only by the host but also by the amounts and ratios of surface exposed mycobacterial adherence factors defined by strain genotype.
THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF NORMAL HUMAN FIRST TRIMESTER PLACENTA.

First trimester human placentae were studied with the electron microscope. The syncytial trophoblast has microvilli within which are structures similar to those seen in stereocilia. The syncytial trophoblast cytoplasm has four distinct types of granules. One type is seen not only in the syncytial trophoblast, but is apparently in transit across the basement membrane, connective tissue, and upon the walls of blood vessels. These granules are felt to be nutritive lipid. A second type of granule, arising from Golgi membranes, is identical to secretory granules of human term placenta. The prior literature on granules in the syncytial trophoblast is discussed. A hypothesis is presented that the secretory granules may be the steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone. Glycogen accumulations occur in both epithelial cell types. Cells are seen representing transition forms between the cytotrophoblast and syncytial trophoblast. Hofbauer and Langhans cells are more numerous as compared with term. Capillaries occur showing a marked constriction, an extensive endothelial lining, and no smooth muscle coat. A hypothesis is presented to explain the marked capillary constriction.
Multi-dimensional radiative transfer in non-isothermal cylindrical media with non-isothermal bounding walls

A systematic approach for the exact calculation of multi-dimensional radiative heat flux in a cylindrical emitting-absorbing non-isothermal medium with non-isothermal bounding walls is described. Closed form exact solutions are obtained for radiative transfer inside (finite and infinite) cylinders and concentric cylinders with prescribed three-dimensional temperature distribution. For the special case of one-dimensional cylindrically symmetric situation, the exact solution obtained in the present work is shown to be equivalent to the exact solution obtained in a previous study, although the solution presented here is much more elegant in approach and simpler in form. Numerical results are also presented for the case of isothermal media bounded by piecewise isothermal walls.
Prostaglandin E2 Suppresses Antifungal Immunity by Inhibiting Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 Function and Interleukin-17 Expression in T Cells

T helper 17 (Th17) cells play an important role in mucosal host defense through production of the signature cytokines IL-17 and IL-22. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been shown to enhance IL-17 production by mature Th17 cells. However, when present during Th17 cell differentiation, we found that PGE2 inhibited the transcription factor IRF4 and suppressed production of IL-17 but not IL-22. We show that IRF4 was required for IL-17 expression but inhibited IL-22 expression, highlighting the potential for discordant regulation of these two cytokines in Th17 cells. The pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans produces PGE2, and we found that it uses PGE2- and IRF4-dependent mechanisms to specifically inhibit induction of IL-17 during Th17 cell differentiation. Blockade of host PGE2 during infection led to increased IL-17 production from CD4(+) T cells and increased survival of mice. These findings suggest that host- or pathogen-derived PGE2 can act directly on Th17 cells during differentiation to inhibit IL-17-dependent antimicrobial responses.
Strategy and Sentiment: Mobilizing Heritage in Defense of Place

This paper examines the processes through which notions of heritage confer historic significance upon places—particularly young sites and structures. Using data drawn from observations of public meetings, media accounts, planning documents and interviews with key activists, I show how a forty-year-old equestrian showground in Santa Barbara, California was defended using claims of history and heritage common to historic preservation struggles. The case suggests that the conceptual fluidity of heritage allows actors to attach its powerful meanings to sites that are not particularly old. Conclusions also discuss the role of ritual in forging links between heritage and place, and the viability of heritage claims in varying locales and for groups of differing statuses.
JAMES BOYD. Japanese-Mongolian Relations, 1873–1945: Faith, Race and Strategy

Folkestone, Kent: Global Oriental, 2011. 280 pp. US$107.00, hardcover. In the twentieth century, Japan has played a fundamental role in the Mongolian region. Even today, Japan is one of the main de...
Turbulent compressibility of protogalactic gas

The star formation rate in galaxies should be related to the fraction of gas that can attain densities large enough for gravitational collapse. In galaxies with a turbulent interstellar medium, this fraction is controlledby the effective barotropic index y = d log P/d log p which measures the turbulent compressibility. When the cooling time-scale is smaller than the dynamical time-scale, y can be evaluated from the derivatives of cooling and heating functions, using the condition of thermal equilibrium. We present calculations of y for protogalaxies in which the metal abundance is so small that H 2 and HD cooling dominates. For a heating rate independent of temperature and proportional to the first power of density, the turbulent gas is relatively 'hard', with γ ≥ 1, at large densities, but moderately 'soft', γ ≤ 0.8, at densities below around 10 4 cm - 3 . At low temperatures the density probability distribution should fall rapidly for densities larger than this value, which corresponds physically to the critical density at which collisional and radiative de-excitation rates of HD are equal. The densities attained in turbulent protogalaxies thus depend on the relatively large deuterium abundance in our Universe. We expect the same physical effect to occur in higher metallicity gas with different coolants. The case in which adiabatic (compressional) heating resulting from cloud collapse dominates is also discussed, and suggests a criterion for the maximum mass of Population III stars.
Patient acceptance of an information sheet about cardiopulmonary resuscitation options.

Objective: To determine initial patient acceptance of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation/do-not-resuscitate orders (CPR/DNR) information sheet intended to facilitate early discussion of CPR preferences.
A Role for Calcium in Regulating Apoptosis in Rat Thymocytes Irradiated in Vitro

Thymus-derived lymphocytes undergo death after γ-irradiation via a pathway termed apoptosis, or programmed cell death. An early step in this pathway is the production of nucleosome-sized fragments of DNA. DNA fragmentation was used as the endpoint in these investigations to examine apoptosis in lymphocytes extracted from the rat thymus and irradiated in vitro. In unirradiated thymocytes the level of DNA fragmentation rose to 15% by the first hour of culture, where it remained approximately constant until the fifth hour. In contrast, thymocytes irradiated with a dose of 2·5 Gy exhibited a large and dramatic increase in DNA fragmentation beginning 2h postirradiation. DNA fragmentation measured 6h after irradiation was detected after as little as 0·25 Gy and reached a maximum of 90% with 10Gy. Metabolic control of DNA fragmentation after irradiation was evidenced by the suppression of DNA fragmentation when thymocytes were incubated with cyclohexamide or actinomycin D. When γ-irradiated thymocytes were incub...
Piecewise hierarchical p-version curved shell finite element for heat conduction in laminated composites

Abstract This paper presents a nine-node three-dimensional curved shell finite element formulation for linear steady-state heat conduction in laminated composites where the temperature approximation for the laminate is piecewise hierarchical and is derived based on the P-version. The temperature approximation for the element is developed by first establishing a hierarchical temperature approximation for each lamina of the laminate and then by imposing inter-lamina continuity conditions of temperature at the interface between the laminas. The approximation functions and the nodal variables for a lamina are derived directly from the Lagrange family of interpolation functions of order pξ, pη and kPζ. This is accomplished by first establishing one-dimensional hierarchical approximation functions and the corresponding nodal variable operators in the ξ, η and kζ directions for the equivalent (3, 3 and 1 node) configurations that correspond to pξ + 1, pη + 1 and kpζ + 1 equally spaced nodes in the ξ, η, and kζ directions and then taking their products. The nodal variables for the laminated shell element are derived from the nodal variables of the laminas and the inter-lamina continuity conditions of temperature. The element formulation ensures C0 continuity of temperature across inter-element as well as the inter-lamina boundaries.
Management of neoplastic polyps in inflammatory bowel disease

Dysplasia-associated lesions or masses (DALMs) are a heterogeneous population of lesions with different endoscopic and morphologic features. Non-adenoma-like DALMs should be removed via colectomy. Adenoma-like DALMs that occur outside areas of colitis can be treated like sporadic adenomas and removed by polypectomy. Recent data suggest that adenoma-like DALMs located within areas of colitis should be removed by polypectomy with complete excision and multiple biopsies of the site. As long as there is no flat dysplasia or adenocarcinoma elsewhere in the colon, a colectomy is not required. However, this group of patients requires increased colonoscopic surveillance.
Scanning kelvin probe analysis of welded stainless steel

Abstract Welded type 316L stainless steel parts with different surface finish and passivation treatment have been evaluated by Scanning Kelvin Probe Analysis (SKPA). The stainless samples were cut from welded pipes of 2″ diameter. One set of samples had been electropolished, while the other set had been mechanically polished. In addition, one sample in each set was passivated after welding in an organic solution containing oxidizing and complexing components. SPKA carried out in humid air clearly identified the locations of the weld area and the heat affected zone (HAZ) in the mechanically polished sample. Electropolishing and passivation re-established a uniform passive layer. These results have been confirmed by pitting scans carried out in 0.1 M KCl.
Singlet Excited Oxygen as a Mediator of the Antibacterial Action of Leukocytes

Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes kill a colorless mutant strain of Sarcina lutea much more readily than a carotenoid-containing strain. A similar protective effect has been reported in the organism during photodynamic inactivation, where it is attributable to the quenchintg of singlet excited oxygen by carotenoids. The findings with leukocytes support the suggestion that singlet excited oxygen acts as one of the mediators of their bactericidal action.
Association of Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli with trichomes of Phaseolus vulgaris

Diseased hypocotyls of Phaseolus vulgaris infected with Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli had fungal hyphae wrapped around and colonizing trichomes. Trichomes on uninoculated control plants appeared healthy, with no signs of damage. Trichomes may provide an entry point for Fusarium invasion of roots.
A hierarchical search algorithm for discrete element method of greatly differing particle sizes

Purpose – A critical step toward an efficient contact detection algorithm is to localize the contact search to the immediate neighborhood of each particle. In particular, cell‐based algorithms are simple and require O(N) computations but become inefficient when the particles are not roughly the same diameter. The purpose of this paper is to describe a hierarchical search method with the simplicity and efficiency of the neighbor search algorithm but which is insensitive to size gradation.Design/methodology/approach – In this method, particles are allocated to cells based on their location and size within a nested hierarchical cell space. Contact searches are limited to neighboring particles of equal size within their own hierarchy and occasionally with particles of larger size when no contacts are found within their own hierarchy.Findings – The method is shown to be effective for the most severe case of highly segregated particle distributions in which a large particle is surrounded by particles of much sm...
The capability of SAR systems for iceberg detection and characterization

Abstract During the winter of 1977, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) program was carried out on the east coast of Canada. Part of this program included the detection and identification of icebergs. A preliminary interpretation and the radar design criteria for radar systems directed at the detection and identification of icebergs using a synthetic aperture radar are presented. The study showed that a synthetic aperture radar imagery can be used to detect icebergs in a variety of sea clutter; to identify icebergs by shape characteristics, to estimate size information from iceberg shadow detail, to discriminate between icebergs and ships, and to do these in all-weather conditions. This information is important in the design of a system directly applicable to iceberg operations. The results of this study form the basis of any future system designs for iceberg detection and characterization.
Status of the Florida State University superconducting linear accelerator

Abstract The Florida State University Superconducting Linac has completed its first year of operation. The accelerator consists of 14 independently phased niobium (explosively bonded to copper), superconducting, rf cavities, injected by a FN tandem Van de Graaff. The history of the project, its present status and recent developments are outlined.
Repeat versus primary slings in patients with intrinsic sphincter deficiency

Introduction and hypothesis Our goal was to compare outcomes of repeat vs. primary synthetic slings in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).
Evaluation of patients with heart failure.

Heart failure is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular diseases in the United States, and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and costs. Prompt diagnosis may help decrease mortality, hospital stay, and costs related to treatment. A complete heart failure evaluation comprises a comprehensive history and physical examination, echocardiogram, and diagnostic tools that provide information regarding the etiology of heart failure, related complications, and prognosis in order to prescribe appropriate therapy, monitor response to therapy, and transition expeditiously to advanced therapies when needed. Emerging technologies and biomarkers may provide better risk stratification and more accurate determination of cause and progression.