cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Trace Levels of Volatile Organic Contaminants in Municipal Drinking Water by Glass Capillary Gas Chromatography Using Simultaneous Flame Ionization and Electron Capture Detection

Abstract A glass capillary gas chromatographic system using simultaneous flame ionization (FID) and electron capture (ECD) detection has been employed for the analysis of trace volatile organic pollutants in a municipal drinking water supply. The use of dual detectors with glass capillary columns allows resolution and detection of both halogenated and non-halogenated compounds simultaneously at less than microgram per liter (ppb) concentrations. By using diethyl ether as a solvent in preparing standard solutions of volatile organic compounds, standardization is made more accurate due to a reduction in solvent masking of early eluting peaks of interest. Additionally, ether shows promise for use in an internal standard method for quantification of VOA. These techniques were found to alleviate problems previously encountered in the analysis of purgeable organics and are described.
Method for culturing mammary epithelial cells in a rat tail collagen gel matrix

Mammary glands are enzymatically dissociated and the resulting tissue digest enriched for epithelial cells by isopycnic banding on a density gradient of Percoll. The cells are embedded within a rat tail collagen gel matrix and fed with the appropriate medium. Growth and differentiation are superior in such a system when compared to culture on plastic, using identical media.
CRT-145 Major clinical Outcomes after Mitral Valve Repair in Low Risk Patients

To report the short-term clinical outcomes of patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation undergoing mitral valve repair. Four hundred forty patients who underwent mitral valve repair between 2003 to August 2012 in our Institution were identified by using a Society of thoracic Surgeon (STS)
Development of fluorinated low temperature glassy carbon films for solid-phase microextraction.

Abstract Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers with supported fluorinated glassy carbon are demonstrated for the first time. Oligo[1,3-dibutadiynylene-1,3-(tetrafluoro)phenylene] was synthesized and heated to temperatures that varied from 200 to 1000 °C to produce the fluorinated glassy carbon. The extent of graphitization of the glassy carbon increased as the processing temperature increased. The fluorinated glassy carbon selectively extracted monohalogenated benzenes from an aqueous solution when compared to the extraction of toluene. The selectivity increased in the order of ϕ-F
Electric-field-induced mixing of high Rydberg-state levels in dielectronic recombination: Mg 1 + and Ca 1 + target ions

The effect on the dielectronic recombination cross section of electric-field-induced mixing of high Rydberg-state (HRS) levels is determined, for both ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{1+}$ and ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{1+}$ target ions. After diagonalizing the energy matrix, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{n}^{\mathrm{DR}}$ is calculated in the isolated resonance approximation as a function of n, the principal quantum number of the HRS electron. From this result, both the total cross section, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\mathrm{DR}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\equiv}}{\mathcal{J}}_{{n}_{\mathrm{}}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{n}^{\mathrm{DR}}}}$, and the total cross section integrated over energy, ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\mathrm{DR}}$\ensuremath{\equiv}F ${\mathrm{de}}_{c}$ ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\mathrm{DR}}$, are obtained. The agreement between theory and experiment for ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\mathrm{DR}}$ is very good in the case of ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{1+}$, while roughly a factor of 2 discrepancy still exists for ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{1+}$.
Multiscale texture segmentation with vector-valued nonlinear diffusions on arbitrary graphs

We propose a novel family of nonlinear diffusion equations and apply it to the problem of texture segmentation. This family can be viewed as an extension of stabilized inverse diffusion equations (SIDEs) which were proposed for restoration, enhancement, and segmentation of scalar-valued signals and images in I. Pollak et al. (2000). Our new diffusion equations can process vector-valued images defined on arbitrary graphs. In addition, we introduce novel ways of utilizing the shape information during the diffusion process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods by showing that they outperform state-of-the-art algorithms on a large number of texture segmentation tasks.
Almost all social choice rules are highly manipulable, but a few aren't

Explores, for several classes of social choice rules, the distribution of the number of profiles at which a rule can be strategically manipulated. In this paper, we will do comparative social choice, looking for information about how social choice rules compare in their vulnerability to strategic misrepresentation of preferences.
Measurement of Cutaneous Microvascular Exudates Using Evans Blue

As an approach to the study of inflammation, strategies were evaluated for quantitative assessment of plasma exudate from the cutaneous microvasculature. Measurements were based on recovery of Evans blue dye (EB) from rat skin. After preliminary studies to evaluate extraction methods, almost complete EB recovery was accomplished by homogenizing tissue in a mixture of acetone, water and sodium sulfate. When sources of potential variation were identified, expression of results as agonist-induced plasma accumulation provided precise results based on EB measurements. Also, the feasibility of parallel biochemical studies was demonstrated.
Dissipation of Intersubband Plasmons in Wide Quantum Wells

This Letter reports detailed measurements of the dissipation times ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{d}$ of $\ensuremath{\sim}10\mathrm{meV}$ intersubband (ISB) plasmons, and of the (single-particle) transport lifetimes ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$, in a remotely doped 40 nm GaAs quantum well. Introduced here as the time for ISB plasmons to dissipate into other modes of the electron gas, ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{d}$ is deduced from the homogeneous ISB absorption linewidth, measured as a function of sheet concentration and perpendicular dc electric field. Modeling in this and the next Letter [C. A. Ullrich and G. Vignale, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 037402 (2001)] indicates that scattering from rough interfaces dominates ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{d}$, while scattering from ionized impurities dominates ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$.
Learning to swim in a sea of genomic data

A report on the 63rd American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) meeting held in Boston, USA, 22–26 October 2013.
Element-selective chromatographic detection by plasma atomic emission spectroscopy

7 M. M. Mossoba, I. Rosenthal, A. J. Carmichael and P. Reisz, Photochem. Photobiol., 39 (1984) 731. 8 K. Reszka and C. F. Chignell, Photochem. Photobiol., 38 (1983) 281. 9 A. G. Motten, G. R. Beuttner and C. F. Chignell, Photothem. Photobiol., 42 (1985) 9. 10 A. S. W. Li and C. F. Chignell, Photochem. Photobiol., 45 (1987) 191. 11 V. J. Hemmens and D. E. Moore, Photochem. Photobiol., 43 (1986) 247. 12 R. Bonnett, C. Lambert, E. J. Land, P. J. Scourides, R. S. Sinclair and T. G. Truscott, Photochem. Photobiol., 38 (1983) 1. 13 S. Navaratnam, J. L.Hughes, B. J. Parsons and G. 0. Phillips, Photochem. Photobiol., 41 (1985) 375. 14 H. I. Hamoudi, P. F. Heelis, R. A. Jones, S. Nowar, B. J. Parsons, G. 0. Phillips, M. J. Vandenberg and W. J. C. Currie, Photochem. Photobiol., 40 (1984) 35.
Automatic acquisition and initialization of articulated models

Tracking, classification and visual analysis of articulated motion is challenging because of the difficulties involved in separating noise and variabilities caused by appearance, size and viewpoint fluctuations from task-relevant variations. By incorporating powerful domain knowledge, model-based approaches are able to overcome these problem to a great extent and are actively explored by many researchers. However, model acquisition, initialization and adaptation are still relatively under-investigated problems, especially for the case of single-camera systems.In this paper, we address the problem of automatic acquisition and initialization of articulated models from monocular video without any prior knowledge of shape and kinematic structure. The framework is applied in a human-computer interaction context where articulated shape models have to be acquired from unknown users for subsequent limb tracking. Bayesian motion segmentation is used to extract and initialize articulated models from visual data. Image sequences are decomposed into rigid components that can undergo parametric motion. The relative motion of these components is used to obtain joint information. The resulting components are assembled into an articulated kinematic model which is then used for visual tracking, eliminating the need for manual initialization or adaptation. The efficacy of the method is demonstrated on synthetic as well as natural image sequences. The accuracy of the joint estimation stage is verified on ground truth data.
Boundedness of solutions to a time-dependent semiconductor model

In this paper we obtain the boundedness of solutions to a time-dependent semiconductor model with variable electron mobility. The proof is based upon an interpolation inequality which is of interest on its own right.
Family background and academic achievement: Does self-efficacy mediate outcomes?

Research indicates both family background and self-efficacy influence academic outcomes; however, family background also impacts self-efficacy development. The purpose of the current study was to establish whether self-efficacy mediates the relationship between family background and academic achievement. Results indicated family background features were not robust predictors of academic achievement in the current sample, which limited testable mediation pathways. Evidence was found that self-efficacy does mediate the relationship between parental involvement and expectations of academic success. Results also indicated self-efficacy is a strong and consistent predictor of grade point average and expectations of academic success. Based on these findings, it is recommended educators utilize previously developed classroom strategies which have been shown to enhance students’ self-efficacy levels.
IMAGING OF SPORTS INJURIES IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of sports injuries of childhood and adolescence. The injuries discussed are typical of those seen in the skeletally immature athlete. Imaging specialists must be able to apply the full range of imaging modalities when evaluating the injured young athlete.
Buffering of acid rain by leaf tissue of selected crop plants

Abstract The buffering ability of leaf tissue of several crop plants was evaluated by placing sections of leaves in a simulated, sulphuric acid rain solution. Changes in the pH of the solution were followed for up to 4 h with large differences in acid buffering among the plants being measured. It is hypothesized that the buffering could protect crop plants from extensive acid rain injury.
Wave-number stability of a laser diode mounted in a closed cycle helium refrigerator.

The wave‐number stability of a laser diode mounted in a closed cycle helium refrigerator was examined using a CO2 laser heterodyne spectrometer. The set current supplied by a commercial laser diode supply appeared stable enough over the time periods normally used. Temperature control was achieved through both passive and active loop control. A stage of open loop control of the cold tip allowed the closed loop control of diode heat sink to be operated at higher gains than conventionally used. Long‐term stability of the center of the line shape function was better than 10 MHz per hour and the 1‐min average was better than ±5 MHz. Vibration of the diode mount determined the instrument line shape in spite of steps taken to eliminate the vibrations. The line shape had a half‐width of 10 MHz with broad shoulders out to 50 MHz.
Sudden cardiac death due to arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and cystic tumor of the AV node

An 18-year-old white male collapsed suddenly in his home and died. At autopsy, the right ventricle of the decedent was noted to be dilated with marked thinning of the wall focally. Microscopically, the myocardium of the right ventricle was noted to be significantly thinned focally, where transmural infiltration with fibroadipose tissue was noted. Depending on the criteria utilized to render such a diagnosis, these findings were consistent with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Subsequent microscopic examination of the SA and AV node, however, revealed the presence of a cystic tumor of the AV node (CTAVN), a known cause of sudden death from arrhythmia. The case represents the first reported case of ARVC and CTAVN occurring together in the same individual.
Measurement of the cosmic background radiation temperature at 3. 0 cm

effort to measure the long-wavelength spectrum to high accuracy. The result at 3 cm, T/sub CBR/ = 2.91 +- 0.19 K, is in good agreement with the values at neighboring wavelengths, and consistent with previous results.
Host-finding Ability of Bracon hebetor and Its Influence upon Adult Parasite Survival and Fecundity

In laboratory studies the parasite-host interaction between Bracon hebetor Say and Ephestia cautella (Walker) was influenced by migration of host larvae prior to pupation and by parasite females feeding on hosts. Wandering host larvae were attacked 10 times more often than confined hosts. Adult female parasites often paralyze host without oviposition. Survival and fecundity of adult female parasites were directly related to the frequency of host-finding. Host-feeding prolonged adult female parasite survival, but adult male parasites did not host-feed. The effects of starvation were partially reversible when adult female parasites given host at 2- or 5-day intervals were again given host daily. The long reproductive life, short generation time, and reliance upon host as food for adults and offspring should make B. hebetor quite responsive to manipulation of host availability.
Information, risk perceptions, and smoking choices of youth

Conventional wisdom maintains that youths take risks because they underestimate probabilities of harm. Presumably if they knew the true probabilities, they would behave differently. We used the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 to assess whether differences between subjective and objective probabilities that an adverse outcome to self will occur are systematically related to a harmful behavior, initiating smoking. We find that youths are generally pessimistic about probabilities of their own deaths and being violent crime victims. After smoking initiation, youths increase subjective probabilities of death by more than the objective increase in mortality risk, implying recognition of potential harms. Virtually all 12–14 year-olds know that smoking causes heart disease. The minority who believe that smoking causes AIDS are less likely to become smokers; i.e., risk misperceptions deter rather than cause smoking initiation. Messages designed to deter smoking initiation should stress other disadvantages of smoking than just probabilities of harm.
Cefazolin and cephalexin kinetics in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

We studied single-dose cefazolin (CFZ) and cephalexin (CPX) kinetics in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients to establish therapeutic guidelines for two cephalosporins commonly used to treat peritonitis in these patients. CFZ, 10 mg/kg, was given intravenously and intraperitoneally, while CPX, 500 mg, was given orally. CFZ led to serum concentrations of 25 microgram/ml at 24 hr, with a half-life (t 1/2) of 33 hr. CAPD accounted for only 20% of total body clearance. When CFZ was given intraperitoneally, 74% of the dose was absorbed and similar serum concentrations had much the same t 1/2. CPX, on the other hand, had a serum t 1/2 of 8.6 hr and resulted in much lower peritoneal concentrations than CFZ. The kinetic principal of superposition provided a model for the prediction of plasma concentrations after repeated intraperitoneal doses of CFZ. The model predicts that a 10-mg/kg intraperitoneal loading dose, followed by 5-mg/kg doses in each exchange the first day and 2.5-mg/kg doses thereafter, will lead to steady-state plasma concentrations of 50 to 65 microgram/ml. The data suggest that CFZ needs be given only intraperitoneally at doses lower than those in current use. CPX probably adds little to the treatment of peritonitis.
Measuring service content: A scale development

This research presents the development of an instrument for measuring the service content (the degree of intangibility, perishability, simultaneity, and heterogeneity) characterizing a firm's output. Service characteristics are acknowledged to be important strategic variables, and the characteristic of intangibility has been studied extensively. The scale presented here is an improvement over previous methods. In contrast to previous methods that have relied on various categorizations, or that have examined only intangibility or service quality, the scale presented here can provide a numerical measure of all four of the most important service characteristics. This can be used in future research efforts to examine the influence of service characteristics on firm internationalization, firm strategies, and performance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long-term follow-up of 111In-capromab pendetide (ProstaScint) scan as pretreatment assessment in patients who undergo salvage radiotherapy for rising prostate-specific antigen after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term failure patterns in patients who underwent an 111 In-capromab pendetide (ProstaScint) scan as part of their pretreatment assessment for a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level after prostatectomy and subsequently received local radiotherapy (RT) to the prostate bed. Methods: Fifty-eight patients were referred for evaluation of a rising PSA level after radical prostatectomy. All patients had negative findings for metastatic disease after abdominal/pelvis imaging with CT and isotope bone scans. All patients underwent a capromab pendetide scan, and the sites of uptake were noted. All patients were treated with local prostate bed RT (median dose 66.6 Gy). Results: Of the 58 patients, 20 had biochemical failure (post-RT PSA level >0.2 ng/mL or a rise to greater than the nadir PSA), including 6 patients with positive uptake outside the bed (positive elsewhere). The 4-year biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) rates for patients with negative (53%), positive in the prostate bed alone (45%), or positive elsewhere (74%) scan findings did not differ significantly ( p = 0.51). The positive predictive value of the capromab pendetide scan in detecting disease outside the bed was 27%. The capromab pendetide scan status had no effect on bRFS. Those with a pre-RT PSA level of p = 0.003). Conclusion: The capromab pendetide scan has a low positive predictive value in patients with positive elsewhere uptake and the 4-year bRFS was similar to that for those who did not exhibit positive elsewhere uptake. Therefore, patients with a postprostatectomy rising PSA level should considered for local RT on the basis of clinicopathologic factors.
Conferring selectivity to chemical sensors via polymer side-chain selection: thermodynamics of vapor sorption by a set of polysiloxanes on thickness-shear mode resonators

Entropy of mixing is shown to be the driving interaction for the endothermic physisorption process of organic vapor partitioning into seven systematically side-chain-modified (polar, acidic, basic, polarizable side groups and groups interacting via H-bridges) polysiloxanes on thickness-shear mode resonators. Each sensor was exposed to seven analytes, selected for their diversity of functional groups. This systematic investigation of sorption yields benchmarking data on physisorption selectivity: response data and modeling reveal a direct correlation of partition coefficients with interactions between specific polymer side chains and analyte functional groups. Partition coefficients were determined for every polymer/analyte pairing over the 273−343 K range at 10 K intervals; from partition coefficient temperature dependence, overall absorption enthalpies and entropies were calculated. By subtracting the enthalpy and entropy of condensation for a given pure analyte, its mixing entropy (primarily combinator...
Sea surface stress measurements

Sea-surface stress measurements were made from a rigid tower in shallow water near San Diego, California, by both the direct covariance and inertial dissipation techniques. Stress estimates from the dissipation technique were generally higher than the directly measured values, with average drag coefficients of 0.99 x 10-3 and 0.77 x 10-3, respectively, for 8-m wind speeds of 5 to 7 m s-1. In the inertial subrange, ratios of vertical to streamwise velocity spectra averaged 1.06 ± 0.16, significantly less than the isotropic value of 4/3 observed over land, suggesting that turbulence over water may be altered by the presence of waves.
A 350μW CMOS MSK transmitter and 400μW OOK super-regenerative receiver for Medical Implant Communications

A 350 muW MSK direct modulation transmitter and a 400 muW OOK super-regenerative receiver (SRR) are implemented in 90 nm CMOS technology. The transceiver tunes 24 MHz in frequency steps smaller than 2 kHz and is designed to meet the specifications of the Medical Implant Communications Service (MICS) standard in the 402-405 MHz band. The transmitter meets MICS mask specifications with data rates up to 120 kbps, and the receiver has a sensitivity better than -99 dBm with a data rate of 40 kbps or -93 dBm with a data rate of 120 kbps.
Adenovirus Protein VII Functions throughout Early Phase and Interacts with Cellular Proteins SET and pp32

Adenovirus protein VII is the major component of the viral nucleoprotein core. It is a highly basic nonspecific DNA-binding protein that condenses viral DNA inside the capsid. We have investigated the fate and function of protein VII during infection. “Input” protein VII persisted in the nucleus throughout early phase and the beginning of DNA replication. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that input protein VII remained associated with viral DNA during this period. Two cellular proteins, SET and pp32, also associated with viral DNA during early phase. They are components of two multiprotein complexes, the SET and INHAT complexes, implicated in chromatin-related activities. Protein VII associated with SET and pp32 in vitro and distinct domains of protein VII were responsible for binding to the two proteins. Interestingly, protein VII was found in novel nuclear dot structures as visualized by immunofluorescence. The dots likely represent individual infectious genomes in association with protein VII. They appeared within 30 min after infection and localized in the nucleus with a peak of intensity between 4 and 10 h postinfection. After this, their intensity decreased and they disappeared between 16 and 24 h postinfection. Interestingly, disappearance of the dots required ongoing RNA synthesis but not DNA synthesis. Taken together these data indicate that protein VII has an ongoing role during early phase and the beginning of DNA replication. The adenovirus nucleoprotein core consists of doublestranded genomic DNA, the highly basic viral proteins VII, V, and (mu), as well as protein IVa2 and the 55-kDa terminal protein (1, 5, 19, 25, 31, 33, 34, 42). Protein VII is the major protein component of the core with an estimated 1,070 copies present per virion (9) and is primarily responsible for establishing viral chromatin structure. It can potently condense DNA in vitro and in vivo and also repress transcription (3, 6, 21, 35). This is consistent with the highly condensed configuration of viral chromatin found within the virion. When delivered to the nucleus, the chromatin is silent prior to stimulation by the viral transcriptional activator E1A (13). We and others have reported that protein VII from infectious viral particles enters the nucleus along with viral DNA and remains associated with it, suggesting that the protein VII-DNA complex is the substrate for transcriptional activation by E1A during early phase (8, 15, 18, 21). Moreover we found that protein VII can associate with E1A protein in vitro (21). In this report we have studied the fate and function of protein VII during the early phase of infection. We demonstrate that virus-derived “input” protein VII persists in the nucleus throughout early phase and the beginning of viral DNA replication, suggesting that it has an ongoing role in gene regulation and perhaps DNA replication. During this period protein VII is found in discrete nuclear dot structures and viral DNA continues to associate with protein VII.
Status epilepticus: Divergence of sympathetic activity and cardiovascular response

To study changes in plasma catecholamine concentrations and their relationship to changes in systemic and pulmonary vascular pressures, we induced status epilepticus by intravenous administration of bicuculline in 5 anesthetized, paralyzed, ventilated adult sheep. Status epilepticus was accompanied by marked elevations in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels (390-fold and 163-fold, respectively) and by marked elevations in systemic and pulmonary vascular pressures. Vascular pressure returned to normal in 60 minutes, despite plasma catecholamine levels that remained elevated for the 3-hour duration of the study. Mild metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia were also noted. We discuss the implications of these findings with regard to the management of hypotension during status epilepticus.
Chicken Ovalbumin Upstream Promoter-Transcription Factor II (COUP-TFII) regulates growth and patterning of the postnatal mouse cerebellum.

COUP-TFII (also known as Nr2f2), a member of the nuclear orphan receptor superfamily, is expressed in several regions of the central nervous system (CNS), including the ventral thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and spinal cord. To address the function of COUP-TFII in the CNS, we generated conditional COUP-TFII knockout mice using a tissue-specific NSE-Cre recombinase. Ablation of COUP-TFII in the brain resulted in malformation of the lobule VI in the cerebellum and a decrease in differentiation of cerebellar neurons and cerebellar growth. The decrease in cerebellar growth in NSECre/+/CIIF/F mice is due to reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis in granule cell precursors (GCPs). Additional studies demonstrated that insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) expression was reduced in the cerebellum of NSECre/+/CIIF/F mice, thereby leading to decreased Akt1 and GSK-3β activities, and the reduced expression of mTOR. Using ChIP assays, we demonstrated that COUP-TFII was recruited to the promoter region of IGF-1 in a Sp1-dependent manner. In addition, dendritic branching of Purkinje cells was decreased in the mutant mice. Thus, our results indicate that COUP-TFII regulates growth and maturation of the mouse postnatal cerebellum through modulation of IGF-1 expression.
Unique Functional Characteristics of the Polymerization and MAP Binding Regulatory Domains of Plant Tubulin

An understanding of the regulation of microtubule polymerization and dynamics in plant cells requires biochemical information on the structures, functions, and molecular interactions of plant tubulin and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that regulate microtubule function. We have probed the regulatory domain and polymerization domain of purified maize tubulin using MAP2, an extensively characterized mammalian neuronal MAP. MAP2 bound to the surface of preformed, taxol-stabilized maize microtubules, with binding saturation occurring with one MAP2 molecule per five to six tubulin dimers, as it does with mammalian microtubules. MAP2 binding and dissociation analyses revealed two affinity classes of binding sites on maize microtubules: a high-affinity site 12 dimers apart that may be homologous to the mammalian MAP2 binding site and an additional low-affinity site also 12 dimers apart that may be homologous to the mammalian tau binding site. MAP2 corrected in vitro folding errors in taxol-stabilized maize microtubules and reduced the critical concentration of maize tubulin polymerization eightfold, from 8.3 to 1.0 microM. However, MAP2 dissociated much more readily from maize microtubules than from mammalian microtubules and induced the assembly of maize tubulin into aberrant helical ribbon polymers that remained stable for prolonged periods. Our results indicated that MAP2 binds to maize tubulin via a partially specific, low-fidelity interaction that reflects unique structural and functional properties of the polymerization and regulatory domains of plant tubulin and possibly of the tubulin binding domains of undocumented MAPs that regulate microtubule function in plant cells.
An implementation of scatter search to train neural networks for brain lesion recognition

In recent years, the use of computer aided diagnosis (CAD) has achieved acceptance in mammography and other areas. To facilitate automated detection of brain abnormalities, we propose a novel method for quickly training neural networks to classify brain images. Our method outperforms traditional neural network training methods by achieving a better balance between classification accuracy and training time.
Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhi Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Patterns Associated with International Travel

Typhoid fever is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, causing an estimated 16 million cases and 600,000 deaths annually. Although overall rates of the disease have dramatically decreased in the United States, the number of travel-related infections has increased in recent decades. Drug resistance among Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi strains has emerged worldwide, making antimicrobial susceptibility testing an important function in public health laboratories. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) subtyping of food-borne and waterborne pathogens has proven to be a valuable tool for the detection of outbreaks and laboratory-based surveillance. This retrospective study examined the distribution of PFGE patterns of S. enterica serotype Typhi isolates from patients with a history of international travel. Isolates were collected as part of a passive laboratory-based antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance study. Isolates were PFGE subtyped by using the restriction enzyme XbaI to restrict the total genomic DNA. Isolates indistinguishable with XbaI were further characterized using the restriction enzyme BlnI. A total of 139 isolates were typed, representing travel to 31 countries. Restriction fragment patterns consisted of 14 to 18 fragments ranging in size from 580 to 40 kbp. Seventy-nine unique PFGE patterns were generated using XbaI. Isolates from the same geographic region did not necessarily have similar PFGE patterns. Of the 139 isolates, 46 (33%) were resistant to more than one antimicrobial agent (multidrug resistant [MDR]). Twenty-seven (59%) of 46 MDR isolates had indistinguishable PFGE patterns with both XbaI and BlnI. It appears that MDR S. enterica serotype Typhi has emerged as a predominant clone in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Who develops carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy: An analysis of obesity, gestational weight gain, and parity

PurposeTo examine the prevalence, onset, and risk factors of carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy.MethodsMaternal electronic medical records were linked to birth certificate records using social security number. The outcome of carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy was defined as ICD9 code 354.0 given at a prenatal visit. Chi-square, t-test, and adjusted logistic regression were performed.ResultsWe analyzed 17,623 prenatal visits from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from 1/2003–12/2007. Mean maternal age was 26.4 (6.5) years, with 21% white, 69% black, and 46% overweight or obese. Ninety-one (2.8%) mothers participated in 765 prenatal visits given a carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis code. Compared to mothers without carpal tunnel syndrome, mothers with carpal tunnel syndrome were older (29.72 (5.42) versus 26.04 (6.37) years, p = 0.005), gained more weight during pregnancy (40.65 (10.13) pounds versus 34.2 (9.41) pounds, p = 0.04), and more likely to have college education (69.9% versus ...
Differences between amorphous indium oxide thin films

A series of � 60 nm thick indium oxide thin-films, all amorphous as determined by x-ray diffraction, were found to have physical and electrical properties that depended on the temperature of deposition. The carrier mobility and film conductivity decreased with decreasing deposition temperature; the best electrical properties of high mobility and conductivity were observed at a deposition temperature just below the temperature at which crystalline films formed. The density of the film also decreased with deposition temperature from 7.2 g/cm 3 at þ50 1C to 5.3 g/cm 3 at � 100 1C.
Risk Factors for Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

BACKGROUNDPharmacologic prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) presents a unique challenge because of coagulopathies associated with the disease. When evaluating whether these patients require VTE prophylaxis upon hospitalization, it would be advantageous if risk factors for the development of VTE in this population were known.OBJECTIVETo evaluate risk factors associated with the development of VTE in patients with CLD.METHODSA retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patients admitted to the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital from October 2006 to July 2010 with a diagnosis of CLD and VTE were matched in a 1:3 fashion with CLD patients without VTE. The primary objective was to determine whether there were significant differences in laboratory values between the 2 groups.RESULTSDuring this time, 27 patients with CLD (1.0%) were diagnosed with VTE. These patients had significantly lower median aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (47 vs 70 U/L, p =...
FAM83B-mediated activation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling cooperates to promote epithelial cell transformation and resistance to targeted therapies.

// Rocky Cipriano 1 , Kristy L.S. Miskimen 1 , Benjamin L. Bryson 1 , Chase R. Foy 1 , Courtney A. Bartel 1 , Mark W. Jackson 1,2 1 Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 2 Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio Correspondence: Mark W. Jackson, email: // Keywords : FAM83B, transformation, drug resistance, CRAF, PI3K Received : May 9, 2013, Accepted : May 10, 2013, Published : May 11, 2013 Abstract Therapies targeting MAPK and AKT/mTOR signaling are currently being evaluated in clinical trials for several tumor types. However, recent studies suggest that these therapies may be limited due to acquired cancer cell resistance and a small therapeutic index between normal and cancer cells. The identification of novel proteins that are involved in MAPK or AKT/mTOR signaling and differentially expressed between normal and cancer cells will provide mechanistically distinct therapeutic targets with the potential to inhibit these key cancer-associated pathways. We recently identified FAM83B as a novel, previously uncharacterized oncogene capable of hyperactivating MAPK and mTOR signaling and driving the tumorigenicity of immortalized human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC). We show here that elevated FAM83B expression also activates the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and confers a decreased sensitivity to PI3K, AKT, and mTOR inhibitors. FAM83B co-precipitated with the p85α and p110α subunits of PI3K, as well as AKT, and increased p110α and AKT membrane localization, consistent with elevated PI3K/AKT signaling. In tumor-derived cells harboring elevated FAM83B expression, ablation of FAM83B decreased p110α and AKT membrane localization, suppressed AKT phosphorylation, and diminished proliferation, AIG, and tumorigenicity in vivo. We propose that the level of FAM83B expression may be an important factor to consider when combined therapies targeting MAPK and AKT/mTOR signaling are used. Moreover, the identification of FAM83B as a novel oncogene and its integral involvement in activating PI3K/AKT and MAPK provides a foundation for future therapies aimed at targeting FAM83B in order to suppress the growth of PI3K/AKT- and MAPK-driven cancers.
Recovery of a tropical stream after a harvest-related chlorine poisoning event.

SUMMARY 1. Harvest-related poisoning events are common in tropical streams, yet research on stream recovery has largely been limited to temperate streams and generally does not include any measures of ecosystem function, such as leaf breakdown. 2. We assessed recovery of a second-order, high-gradient stream draining the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, 3 months after a chlorine-bleach poisoning event. The illegal poisoning of freshwater shrimps for harvest caused massive mortality of shrimps and dramatic changes in those ecosystem properties influenced by shrimps. We determined recovery potential using an established recovery index and assessed actual recovery by examining whether the poisoned reach returned to conditions resembling an undisturbed upstream reference reach. 3. Recovery potential was excellent (score ¼ 729 of a possible 729) and can be attributed to nearby sources of organisms for colonisation, the mobility of dominant organisms, unimpaired habitat, rapid flushing and processing of chlorine, and location within a national forest. 4. Actual recovery was substantial. Comparison of the reference reach with the formerly poisoned reach indicated: (1) complete recovery of xiphocaridid and palaemonid shrimp population abundances, shrimp size distributions, leaf breakdown rates, and abundances of oligochaetes and mayflies on leaves, and (2) only small differences in atyid shrimp abundance and community and ecosystem properties influenced by atyid shrimps (standing stocks of epilithic fine inorganic and organic matter, chlorophyll a, and abundances of chironomids and copepods on leaves). 5. There was no detectable pattern between any measured variables and distance downstream from the poisoning. However, shrimp size-distributions indicated that the observed recovery may represent a source-sink dynamic, in which the poisoned reach acts as a sink which depletes adult shrimp populations from surrounding undisturbed habitats. Thus, the rapid recovery observed in this study is consistent with results from other field studies of pulse chlorine disturbances, harvest-related fish poisonings, and recovery of freshwater biotic interactions, but it is unlikely to be sustainable if multiple poisonings deplete adult populations to the extent that juvenile recruitment does not offset adult shrimp mortality.
Leak point pressure use for intraoperative adjustment of the continence mechanism in patients undergoing continent cutaneous urinary diversion

Abstract Objectives. Failure of the continence mechanism is the most common cause of unsatisfactory results and the need for revision in patients with continent cutaneous urinary diversion. We believed that incontinence in these patients could be eliminated or minimized by using the concept of leak point pressure intraoperatively to make appropriate adjustments and thus ensure adequate continence postoperatively. Methods. The appropriate ileocolonic bowel segment for continent urinary diversion was isolated. Whenever the appendix was available, the unaltered or minimally altered appendicocolic junction was used for continence. In the absence of an appendix, the tapered distal ileum and reinforced ileocecal valve were used. Intraoperative leak point pressure (pressure at which leakage occurs) was measured before detubularization using a simple standing column manometer and arterial line tubing. Whenever leakage occurred at pressure less than 75 to 80 cm H 2 O, adjustment of the continence mechanism was performed and leak point pressure measurement was repeated to ensure adequate continence. Results. Seventy-seven patients had long-term follow-up (30 to 100 months). These included 41 in whom the native appendix was used and 36 in whom the terminal ileum and ileocecal valves were used. Adjustment of the continence mechanism was required in 32 of the 41 patients in whom the native appendicocolic junction was used and in all 36 patients in whom the tapered ileum and ileocecal valve were used. After adjustment, all patients attained leak pressures over 80 cm H 2 O. At the last follow-up visit, all 77 patients were continent on intermittent catheterization every 3.5 to 6 hours. None has required revision of the continence mechanism. Conclusions. Intraoperative measurement of leak point pressure is valuable in predicting the need for adjusting the continence mechanism and eliminating or substantially minimizing the need for subsequent revision.
Miniaturized lead sensor based on lead-specific DNAzyme in a nanocapillary interconnected microfluidic device.

A miniaturized lead sensor has been developed by combining a lead-specific DNAzyme with a microfabricated device containing a network of microfluidic channels that are fluidically coupled via a nanocapillary array interconnect. A DNAzyme construct, selective for cleavage in the presence of Pb2+ and derivatized with fluorophore (quencher) at the 5‘ (3‘) end of the substrate and enzyme strands, respectively, forms a molecular beacon that is used as the recognition element. The nanocapillary array membrane interconnect is used to manipulate fluid flows and deliver the small-volume sample to the beacon in a spatially confined detection window where the DNAzyme is interrogated using laser-induced fluorescence detection. A transformed log plot of the fluorescent signal exhibits a linear response (r2 = 0.982) over a Pb2+ concentration range of 0.1−100 μM, and a detection limit of 11 nM. The sensor has been applied to the determination of Pb2+ in an electroplating sludge reference material, the result agreeing wi...
Enhancement of intestinal water absorption and sodium transport by glycerol in rats

Wapnir, Raul A., Maria C. Sia, and Stanley E. Fisher.Enhancement of intestinal water absorption and sodium transport by glycerol in rats. J. Appl. Physiol.81(6): 2523–2527, 1996.—Glycerol (Gly) is ...
Studies of Auditory-Visual Differences in Human Time Judgment: 1. Sounds are Judged Longer than Lights:

Prior studies have repeatedly shown that short sounds were judged to be of longer duration than physically equivalent lights. Six experiments are reported which confirm the robustness of this auditory-visual difference in time judgment and highlight two factors which contribute to its continued presence, movement for vision and intensity for audition.
Resurfaced shape complementary proteins that selectively bind the oncoprotein gankyrin.

Increased cellular levels of protein–protein interactions involving the ankyrin repeat oncoprotein gankyrin are directly linked to aberrant cellular events and numerous cancers. Inhibition of these protein–protein interactions is thus an attractive therapeutic strategy. However, the relatively featureless topology of gankyrin’s putative binding face and large surface areas involved in gankyrin-dependent protein–protein interactions present a dramatic challenge to small molecule discovery. The size, high folding energies, and well-defined surfaces present in many proteins overcome some of the challenges faced by small molecule discovery. We used split-superpositive Green Fluorescent Protein (split-spGFP) reassembly to screen a 5 × 109 library of resurfaced proteins that are shape complementary to the putative binding face of gankyrin and identified mutants that potently and selectively bind this oncoprotein in vitro and in living cells. Collectively, our findings represent the first synthetic proteins that...
Treatment of the Diabetic, Autoimmune db/db Mouse with Thymosin

The subjects of the present study are the genetically diabetic mouse C57BL/KsJ-db/db (or db/db) and its nondiabetic heterologous strain C57BL/KsJ-db/m (db/m). These animals have a life span of approximately 6 to 8 months and exhibit the glycosuria (at least 2 mg/100 ml as adults), polyuria, polydipsia, and obesity (maximum weight of 45 g) expected in diabetes mellitus. Hummel et al. (1966) first described the db/db mouse from an endocrinological viewpoint. Pathological changes are limited in most cases to degranulation and degeneration of pancreatic β cells due to the short life span of the mouse (Heiniger and Dorey, 1981). The infiltration of lymphocytes around the pancreatic islet cells has been reported with juvenileonset insulin-dependent diabetes (LeCompte, 1958; Gepts, 1965; Egeberg et al., 1976; MacCuish and Irvine, 1975) and occasionally with the adult-onset type (LeCompte and Legg, 1972). It has been shown that this disease may be transferred using spleen cells of the animals with streptozotocin-induced diabetes (Buschard and Rygaard, 1977) or by injecting human diabetic peripheral blood lymphocytes into athymic nude mice (Buschard et al., 1978). Handwerger et al. (1980) suggested that this ability to induce diabetes in nondiabetic subjects is due to the transfer of lymphocytes reactive to antigens on β cells of the islets of Langerhans.
Interaction of Prechill and Chill Durations on Diapausing Prepupal Larvae of the Yellowheaded Spruce Sawfly (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) and Associated Parasitoids

Prechill duration and chill duration have significant effects individually and interactively on diapause of the yellowheaded spruce sawfly, Pikonema alaskensis (Rohwer). Average time of emergence (weeks postchill) decreased with increased prechill (time between cocoon formation and chilling) and chill durations. Some treatments gave very low percentage of emergence. At 15°C, diapause development in the sawfly requires 23-24 wk. With short prechill durations (e.g., 3-6 wk) and chill durations of less than 12 wk, diapause development proceeded much slower at 0°C than at 15°C. However, with chill durations of 12 or more wk, diapause development was completed in much less than 23-24 wk (between 4 and 11 wk), at least for part of the population. Most of the rest of the population had their diapause developmental “clocks” reset to zero and spent an additional 23-24 wk in diapause development. A small percentage (about 1%) remained as prepupal larvae for over 70 wk. Percentage of emergence for three ichneumonid species increased with increased chill duration. The percentage of emergence of two ichneumonid species was affected by prechill duration, chill duration, and the prechill-chill interaction. The percentage of emergence of a tachinid parasitoid was unaffected by any treatment. Although times of emergence were unaffected by either prechill or chill duration for four species of ichneumonids, those for one ichneumonid and the tachinid decreased with increased prechill and chill durations.
The influence of hydrological conditions on dissolved and suspended constituents in the Missouri River

Physical and chemical constituents of the Missouri River near Brownville, Neb. U.S.A. were studied during the period May, 1970 through December, 1972. Considerable variation in river discharge was observed. The changing hydrological conditions affected the concentrations of both the dissolved and suspended constituents in the river. Rain and snowmelt runoff increased the river discharge and also contributed to increased turbidity and total suspended solids. A number of parameters including total phosphorus, total organic nitrogen, oxygen demand and certain metals correlated with increased suspended solids. However, most of the major anions and cations measured showed decreased concentrations as a result of increased river discharge.
Recurring Competitive Reactions: Desorption of Methane and Molecular Hydrogen From Cu(001)

Methane and molecular hydrogen desorption from a methyl and hydrogen exposed Cu(001) surface is investigated. Both gaseous products are observed nearly simultaneously within two temperature regimes...