cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health Effects of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon dioxide is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, and non-irritating gas produced by incomplete combustion of organic materials. It is present wherever combustion occurs. The major outdoor sources are vehicles (automobiles, light duty truck, heavy trucks, and buses). It also is emitted from power plants and industrial sources. CO also is an indoor pollutant that can reach toxic levels when indoor combustion sources are used without adequate ventilation. The rule is: Never use any indoor combustion source indoors without a vent. This applies to wood stoves and fireplaces (always make certain the fire in completely out before closing the draft to a fireplace). It also applies to kerosene and propane space heaters and even charcoal fueled burners such as a hibachi. During the holiday season of 1998, a family was found dead in their home due t o CO poisoning from use of an unvented hibachi used for warmth. Another source of CO poisoning is in vehicles without proper ventilation or with malfunctioning mufflers. Every year there are reports of accidental deaths from children and adults who are poisoned from staying in a vehicle with the engine running and improper ventilation. The Morbidity/Mortality Weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 11,547 unintentional CO deaths in the US from 1979-1988 (MMWR, 1996). Of these 57% were caused by motor-vehicle exhaust; 83% of these deaths occurred in stationary vehicles. Deaths can occur in a vehicle in a garage even if the windows are open. CO is the leading cause of poisoning in the US. CO in the home can reach toxic levels from the use of defective or improperly installed appliances, from poor ventilation due to blocked chimneys or vents, and from idling vehicles in attached garages.
MedWeaver: integrating decision support, literature searching, and Web exploration using the UMLS Metathesaurus.

Abstract Integrating functions from disparate and widely-distributed information systems has been an interest of the medical informatics community for some time. Barriers to progress have included the lack of network-accessible information sources, inadequate methods for inter-system messaging, and lack of vocabulary translation services. With the advent of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the evolution of the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS), it is now possible to develop applications that integrate functions from diverse, distributed systems. In this paper we describe one such system, MedWeaver, a WWW application that integrates functions from a decision support application (DXplain), a literature searching system (WebMedline), and a clinical Web searching system (CliniWeb) using the UMLS Metathesaurus for vocabulary translation. This system demonstrates how application developers can design systems around anticipated clinical information needs and then draw together the needed content and functionality from diverse sources.
Migraine; Menstruation, Pregnancy and Lactation

Migraine is very common in women of reproductive age with peak prevalence occurring during child-bearing years. Hormonal fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle, menarche, and menopause as well as during treatment with hormonal contraceptive therapy can have a profound effect on migraine. Although migraine tends to improve during pregnancy, many women still need pharmacological treatment with acute or preventive therapy. The fetal safety of medication when used during pregnancy may be different than its safety in the infant during lactation. Women with migraine are at an increased risk of certain hypertensive disorders such as preeclampsia and stroke.
Electric Charge and Electric Fields

This chapter begins our study of electric and magnetic phenomena, collectively called electromagnetism . Electromagnetic forces, like gravitational forces, are fundamental interactions that occur between particles. Just as mass is that property of matter that engenders gravitational attraction, electric charge is a property of certain fundamental particles, like electrons and protons, that causes electromagnetic interaction. Our investigation of electrostatics , the analysis of interactions between charges at rest, is based on a force law for charges and on the concept of electric fields. The force law for charges, called Coulomb's law, is the electrical analogue of the law of universal gravitation. The electric field is an abstract concept used to characterize how the presence of charge alters the properties of the space around that charge.
Application of multi-agent CT among patients with leg-type primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.

7560Background: Although most primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (PCBCL) are highly curable, leg-type PCBCL (PCBCL-LT) is a rare variant with high rates of extracutaneous relapse. Using the Nationa...
Evidence of prefrontal hyperactivation to food-cue reversal learning in adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Abstract Food avoidance in anorexia nervosa (AN) has been hypothesized to occur as a result of deficits in reversal learning and altered neuronal processing of food—cue relationships. Extant findings suggest that those with AN may rely on heightened recruitment of prefrontal regions during initial formation of food—cue learning and difficulty extinguishing these relationships may result from elevated insula activity. We tested this hypothesis by comparing behavioral and neuronal responses to food—cue acquisition and reversal between adolescents with AN and healthy controls. Compared to controls, acquisition of a food—cue association and its reversal were associated with elevated prefrontal activation in adolescents with AN. There were no significant differences between groups in insula activation and no behavioral differences in the ability to acquire or reverse the food—cue association. The results suggest that adolescents with AN recruit prefrontal regulatory networks to acquire and alter expectancies to food. This pattern of top-down prefrontal control suggests that clinical interventions that target changes in food—cue relationships and rely on cognitive control may be less effective. Interventions that alter behavior without reliance on this top-down control may have advantages with this population.
Prokinetics and ghrelin for the management of cancer cachexia syndrome

Cancer cachexia (CC) is one of the most distressing syndromes for both patients and their families. CC can have an impact on patient reported quality of life and overall survival. It is often associated with symptoms such as fatigue, depressed mood, early satiety, and anorexia. Prokinetic agents have been found to improve chronic nausea and early satiety associated with CC. Among the prokinetic agents, metoclopramide is one of the best studied medications. The role of the other prokinetic agents, such as domperidone, erythromycin, haloperidol, levosulpiride, tegaserod, cisapride, mosapride, renzapride, and prucalopride is unclear for use in cachectic cancer patients due to their side effect profile and limited efficacy studies in cancer patients. There has been an increased interest in the use of ghrelin-receptor agonists for the treatment of CC. Anamorelin HCl is a highly selective, novel ghrelin receptor agonist. A meta-analysis was conducted of the recent randomized trials using anamorelin (daily dose of 50 and 100 mg daily). Results show that both total body weight and lean body mass were significantly increased from baseline in the anamorelin group. Anamorelin did not improve overall survival or hand grip strength, and there were no significant differences between groups for frequency or severity of any adverse events. In this review, the authors discuss the available evidence for the use of prokinetics such as metoclopramide and ghrelin receptor agonists for the treatment of CC.
Reversible homolytic activation of water via metal–ligand cooperativity in a T-shaped Ni(ii) complex

A T-shaped Ni(II) complex [Tol,PhDHPy]Ni has been prepared and characterized. EPR spectra and DFT calculations of this complex suggest that the electronic structure is best described as a high-spin Ni(II) center antiferromagnetically coupled with a ligand-based radical. This complex reacts with water at room temperature to generate the dimeric complex [Tol,PhDHPy]Ni(μ-OH)Ni[Tol,PhDHPyH] which has been thoroughly characterized by SXRD, NMR, IR and deuterium-labeling experiments. Addition of simple ligands such as phosphines or pyridine displaces water and demonstrates the reversibility of water activation in this system. The water activation step has been examined by kinetic studies and DFT calculations which suggest an unusual homolytic reaction via a bimetallic mechanism. The ΔH‡, ΔS‡ and KIE (kH/kD) of the reaction are 5.5 kcal mol−1, −23.8 cal mol−1 K−1, and 2.4(1), respectively. In addition to the reversibility of water addition, this system is capable of activating water towards net O-atom transfer to substrates such as aromatic C–H bonds and phosphines. This reactivity is facilitated by the ability of the dihydrazonopyrrole ligand to accept H-atoms and illustrates the utility of metal ligand cooperation in activating O–H bonds with high bond dissociation energies.
A directional approach to gradual cover

The objective of classic cover location models is for facilities to cover demand within a given distance. Locating a given number of facilities to cover as much demand as possible is referred to as max-cover. Finding the minimum number of facilities required to cover all the demand is the set covering problem. The gradual (or partial) cover replaces abrupt drop from full cover to no cover by defining gradual decline in cover. If classic cover models consider 3 miles as the cover distance, then at 2.99 miles a demand point is fully covered while at 3.01 miles it is not covered at all. In gradual cover, a cover range is set. For example, up to 2 miles the demand is fully covered, beyond 4 miles it is not covered at all, and between 2 and 4 miles it is partially covered. In this paper, we propose, analyze, and test a new rule for calculating the joint cover of a demand point which is partially covered by several facilities. The algorithm is tested on a case study of locating cell phone towers in Orange County, California. The new approach provided better total cover than the cover obtained by existing procedures.
The Development of High Thermal Dissipation Intelligent Power Module Packaging Technology

The paper introduces a 600V/30A intelligent power module packaging structure which uses the thermal interface material (TIM) to be the insulation layer. This layer has the high thermal dissipation capability that helps to transfer the heat generated from power chips. The IPM are utilized for home applications such as air-conditioning, refrigerators, and washing machines etc. By fast switching the power chips to control the motor drive and save the energy. Compared to conventional direct bonded copper (DBC) type IPM, the developed IPM has the lighter packaging structure, simple fabrication process, and lower thermal conduction path that means a good performance will show up when using it for motor drive. Moreover, the TIM type IPM has passed the long term reliability test including thermal cycling test (TCT), highly-accelerated temperature and humidity stress test (HAST), and high temperature storage test (HTS).
Media Use Is Linked to Lower Psychological Well-Being: Evidence from Three Datasets

Adolescents spend a substantial and increasing amount of time using digital media (smartphones, computers, social media, gaming, Internet), but existing studies do not agree on whether time spent on digital media is associated with lower psychological well-being (including happiness, general well-being, and indicators of low well-being such as depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts). Across three large surveys of adolescents in two countries (n = 221,096), light users (<1 h a day) of digital media reported substantially higher psychological well-being than heavy users (5+ hours a day). Datasets initially presented as supporting opposite conclusions produced similar effect sizes when analyzed using the same strategy. Heavy users (vs. light) of digital media were 48% to 171% more likely to be unhappy, to be in low in well-being, or to have suicide risk factors such as depression, suicidal ideation, or past suicide attempts. Heavy users (vs. light) were twice as likely to report having attempted suicide. Light users (rather than non- or moderate users) were highest in well-being, and for most digital media use the largest drop in well-being occurred between moderate use and heavy use. The limitations of using percent variance explained as a gauge of practical impact are discussed.
Becoming all things to all people: Mission in a context of idolatry: Accommodation or fidelity?

The author analyses Paul's arguments on the issue of idol food in I Cor 8-10. The growing multicultural and multireligious makei?½up of communities all over the world makes the question of Christians participating in rituals where idols are venerated a buming one. Paul's argument is complex, since he calls for complete avoidance of all overt contexts of idolatry, which the Corinthians consider unreasonable and too costly. By arguing about the different viewpoints of the strong and the weak, Garland concludes that Paul is not simply exonerating the eating of idol food by the strong but rather impresses on them how careful they must be in the light of their Christian fellowship with the weak.
Effects of Surprises During Quality Improvement Projects: A Longitudinal Study on Method-Driven Learning in Behavioral Healthcare

Quality improvement teams engage in multiple learning opportunities during an improvement project. These learning opportunities consist of both induced opportunities, such as formal training efforts, and incidental opportunities due to surprises (i.e., events that violate expectations) encountered during problem solving activities. In this paper, we propose that these two types of team learning opportunities can result in method-driven learning (MDL) at the team level. Our data are collected using a unique longitudinal survey design spanning 31 weeks that involved 33 participants in five design for Six Sigma projects conducted in different behavioral healthcare organizations, yielding a total of 562 weekly survey responses. We examine two modes of surprises. Those occurring spontaneously (measured based on self-rated and coder-rated variables) and reflective surprises (measured as externally-induced treatments). Our results show that: 1) the proportion of surprises occurring spontaneously during problem solving activities is positively correlated with team learning (i.e., MDL); and 2) collective reflections on surprises also facilitate team learning. Furthermore, we find evidence that surprises occurring spontaneously can negatively moderate the effect of induced learning opportunities (measured as efforts expended on training) on team learning. However, we find no evidence of such a negative moderation effect for surprises from reflection. Overall, our paper develops a nuanced understanding about the direct and moderating effects of surprises on team learning in the behavioral healthcare context, thereby contributing not only to the quality management literature but also quality improvement practices in behavioral healthcare.
Phonocardiographic features of atrial septal defect.

The heart sounds of 20 patients with uncomplicated atrial septal defect have been analyzed, and the deviations from a normal control group were noted. Following complete closure of the defect 11 patients have been restudied, and the changes produced in the heart sounds by closure of the defect are discussed. By comparison of pre-operative and postoperative heart sounds and electrocardiograms it has been possible to ascribe some abnormalities of the heart sounds to the presence of the left-to-right shunt, and some to the presence of delayed electrical depolarization of the right ventricle.
Differences in post-mating transcriptional responses between conspecific and heterospecific matings in Drosophila

In many animal species, females undergo physiological and behavioral changes after mating. Some of these changes are driven by male-derived seminal fluid proteins, and are critical for fertilization success. Unfortunately, our understanding of the molecular interplay between female and male reproductive proteins remains superficial. Here we analyze the post-mating response in a Drosophila species that has evolved strong gametic incompatibility with its sister species; D. novamexicana females produce only ~1% fertilized eggs in crosses with D. americana males, compared to ~98% produced in within-species crosses. This incompatibility is likely caused by mismatched male and female reproductive molecules. In this study we use short-read RNA sequencing to examine the evolutionary dynamics of female reproductive genes and the post-mating transcriptome response in crosses within and between species. First, we found that most female reproductive tract genes are slow-evolving compared to the genome average. Second, post-mating responses in con- and heterospecific matings are largely congruent, but heterospecific mating induces expression of additional stress-response genes. Some of those are immunity genes that are activated by the Imd pathway. We also identify several genes in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway that are induced in heterospecific, but not conspecific mating. While this immune response was most pronounced in the female reproductive tract, we also detect it in the female head and ovaries. Our results show that the female9s post-mating transcriptome-level response is determined in part by the genotype of the male, and that divergence in male reproductive genes and/or traits can have immunogenic effects on females.
Abstract OT1-03-01: Inhibiting fatty acid synthase to improve efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Background Human Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN) is the sole cytosolic enzyme responsible for de novo synthesis of long chain fatty acids. Unlike normal tissues, cancer cells require FASN dependent fatty acid synthesis for survival. FASN is overexpressed in 70% of newly diagnosed triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and associated with significantly shorter disease free and overall survival. In vitro, FASN overexpression induces resistance to multiple DNA damaging agents including doxorubicin and cisplatin. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI), particularly omeprazole can selectively inhibit FASN enzyme activity at a Ki of 3.4umol. Inhibition of FASN activity with PPIs induces apoptosis selectively in cancer cells with minimal effect on non-malignant breast cell lines. PPIs are well tolerated and are FDA approved for a variety of gastro-intestinal disorders. We hypothesize that PPIs will effectively inhibit FASN activity and improve clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with minimal added toxicity in operable TNBC. Materials and Methods This is a single arm multi -center phase II study of omeprazole 80mg PO BID in combination with standard neoadjuvant anthracycline-weekly taxane chemotherapy (AC-T; Adriamycin 60mg/m2 Cyclophosphamide 600mg/m2 given every q2w with G-CSF or q 3wk x 4 followed by weekly paclitaxel 80mg/m2 x 12) in patients with newly diagnosed clinically stage II or greater TNBC (NCT02595372). Neoadjuvant carboplatin may be offered with weekly paclitaxel at treating physician’s discretion. Patients with prior over the counter or prescription PPI use within 12 months are excluded. An initial core biopsy is performed at baseline, after which patients begin omeprazole monotherapy for a brief period (4-7 days). This is followed by a second research core biopsy and initiation of standard AC-T. PPI is continued until night before definitive surgery. Study follow up ends with definitive surgery and after resolution of known adverse events ( Citation Format: Sagar Sardesai, Alexandra Thomas, Christopher Gallagher, Filipa Lynce, Yvonne Ottaviano, Tarah Ballinger, Brian P Schneider, Anna Maria Storniolo, Susan Perkins, Jian Tian Zhang, Kathy D Miller. Inhibiting fatty acid synthase to improve efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-03-01.
Hollywood movie data analysis by social network analysis and text mining

Analyzing the success of movies has always been a popular research topic in marketing. Movie title can be important enough to attract audience attention. We investigate the relationship between the most frequently used movie title keywords and Return on Investment (ROI) together with movie performance data.
Abstract 13381: hiPSC of CIITA and B2M KO Derived Cardiac Cells Engineered 3D Spheroid Transplantation Induce Tachycardia in Myocardial Infarction in Swine

Introduction: Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are among one the most significant discoveries in life sciences. As a promising —biological drug for cell therapy, multiple lineages of i...
VARIASI PENERAPAN MOTIF SIWALIMA PADA KAIN BATIK MALUKU DAN MAKNA SIMBOLISNYA KARYA IBU AMELIA OKTOSEJA

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan (1) penerapanmotif siwalimapada kain batik karya Amelia Oktoseja sebagai kerajinan tangan khas Provinsi Maluku yang memiliki nilai sejarah.(2) mengidentifikasi bentuk,fungsi dan makna filosofis motif siwalima pada kain batik produksi Amelia Oktoseja,(3)memberikan gambaran pengetahuan tentang fungsi dari kain batik tersebut kepada masyarakat luas. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan deskriptif kualitatif/kalimat verbal. Jenis penelitian adalah studi kasus yaitu dengan cara mengamati langsung terhadap kasus-kasus yang terjadi dalam proses penerapan motif siwalima pada kain batik Maluku karya Amelia Oktoseja. Variabel penelitian merupakan variabel tunggal yaitu Penerapan Motif Siwalima pada Kain Batik Maluku Karya Amelia Oktoseja.Subjek penelitian adalah Ibu Amelia Oktoseja.Objek penelitian meliputi penerapan motif siwalima pada kain batik khas Maluku karya Amelia Oktoseja. Teknik pengumpulan data dengan cara kepustakaan, observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan instrumen seperti angket atau kuisioner, check list, foto-foto.Teknik analisa data dengan tahapan-tahapan menghimpun data, mereduksi data dan mengklasifikasi data, analisa data menarik kesimpulan dan menyusun laporan. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa (1) Alat dan bahan tidak semua dapat diperoleh di Maluku, ada yang melalui distribusi dari pulau jawa(2)Prosedur penerapan motif siwalima pada kain batik Maluku terbagi menjadi tiga bagian utama yakni proses secara keseluruhan, proses pewarnaan naptol dan proses pewarnaan indigosol.(3)Kain batik dengan motif siwalima memiliki fungsi disesuaikan dengan penerapannya dalam berbagai bidang. Penerapan kain batik Maluku dengan motif siwalima dapat dijumpai dalam bidang pendidikan, pemerintahan, artistik maupun kebutuhan sosial ekonomi masyarakat. Kata kunci: Penerapan, bentuk, fungsi makna simbolis, motif siwalima, kain batik Maluku.
The Impact of a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Lifestyle Intervention on Sleep Among Latina Postpartum Women.

Background Poor sleep is associated with adverse outcomes among postpartum women. Exercise may improve sleep, but this has not been well examined in the postpartum period. Purpose To examine the impact of a culturally modified, individually tailored lifestyle intervention on sleep outcomes among postpartum Latina women. Methods Estudio PARTO was a randomized controlled trial aimed at reducing Type 2 diabetes among Latina women with abnormal glucose tolerance in pregnancy. Participants were randomized to a lifestyle (i.e., diet and exercise; n = 70) or a health and wellness control intervention (n = 78) in late pregnancy (baseline). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measure sleep quality (PSQI score), onset latency (minutes per night), duration (hours per night), efficiency (percentage of the time in bed asleep), and daytime dysfunction at baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum. Results Mean PSQI score (6.56 ± 3.87), sleep duration (6.84 ± 1.75 hr/night), and sleep efficiency (79.70% ± 18.10%) did not differ between the arms at baseline. Mixed-effects models indicated a greater decrease of 1.29 in PSQI score (i.e., improved sleep quality) in the lifestyle versus health and wellness arm (95% confidence interval [CI] = -2.50 to -0.08, p = .04) over follow-up. There was the suggestion of a smaller decrease in sleep duration (mean = 0.48 hr/night, 95% CI = -0.10 to 1.06, p = .10) in the lifestyle versus health and wellness arm. There were no statistically significant differences in other sleep outcomes between arms. Conclusions Findings suggest that lifestyle interventions improve sleep quality but not sleep duration, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, or daytime dysfunction in postpartum Latina women and, therefore, may hold promise for improving subsequent mental and physical health in this population. Clinical trials registration NCT01679210.
Multimodal high-resolution system for embryonic imaging combining optical coherence tomography and light sheet fluorescence microscopy

We developed a high-resolution multimodal system for mouse embryonic imaging that combines Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM). LSFM Illumination is restricted to fluorophores in the focal volume, and collecting the light using a microscope objective increases the signal from that plane and reduces the noise coming from outside of the plane. Colinearly aligning this modality with the OCT beam allows one to acquire the structural information from the same plane that is illuminated by the LSFM beam. A 3D image of 9.5 day mouse embryo was captured using this multimodal system.
Changes in Relative Fundamental Frequency Under Increased Cognitive Load in Individuals With Healthy Voices.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cognitive load on relative fundamental frequency (RFF) in individuals with healthy voices. Method Twenty adults with healthy voices ...
A Tale of Two Cities: The Development of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Between Baltimore and Milan

Trauma is a pressing public health epidemic. Serious injury is the leading cause of death in the world and it is associated with a significant human and social burden in terms of disability, cost, and loss of productivity. The recognition of traumatic injuries as an addressable public health epidemic rather than unavoidable accidents has led to the evolution and expansion of trauma systems. Improved understanding of shock and resuscitation as well as general advances in diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques have greatly improved the survival of critically injured patients. However, their effectiveness is limited if they cannot be accessed rapidly. Trauma systems provide an organized approach to deliver rapid initial treatment, promoting optimal care along a continuum from prehospital care through rehabilitation. The implementation of a well-run trauma system for the management of severely injured trauma patients reduces mortality. Setting up a trauma system can be complicated. Financial, political, and logistic challenges must be overcome. A local champion can be invaluable to drive the process. Often, external support and advocacy will also be helpful, particularly if that person resonates locally, as well. This is a story of such a collaboration that has had huge impact on a major metropolitan area.
Network Hardware Algorithms

Over the past 10-15 years the area of Network Algorithms has grown from a collection of isolated algorithms and analysis methods into a cohesive body of research and development. The problems in this area are characterized by several requirements, of which speed, scalability and simplicity are the most important. For algorithms designed to operate in high-speed router hardware, there is the additional stringent constraint of low heat dissipation. We overview the development of Network Algorithms, emphasizing algorithms designed for high-speed hardware implementations. Specifically, we describe the algorithms and analysis methods developed for bandwidth partitioning, routing and security applications. We highlight the crucial role of randomization and probabilistic techniques in simplifying the implementation while delivering high performance.
Entre risque objectif et risque perçu : de la nécessaire prise en considération des représentations sociales de la dangerosité pour une optimisation de son évaluation

Les professionnels de la sante et de la justice sont de plus en plus sollicites pour evaluer le risque de recidive et la dangerosite des personnes qui leur sont confiees. Mais le risque « acceptable » pour les uns n’equivaut pas necessairement a celui des autres, nos evaluations dependant de nos perceptions et representations sociales specifiques quant a la dangerosite. Ces differentes manieres d’apprehender le danger presentant chacune une certaine utilite sociale, leur prise en consideration simultanee, rendue possible par un travail pluridisciplinaire, ne peut qu’etre source d’enrichissement pour chaque professionnel y participant et d’amelioration de l’evaluation de la dangerosite.
Biochemical Studies of Bacterial Sporulation and Germination V. PURINE NUCLEOSIDE PHOSPHORYLASE OF VEGETATIVE CELLS AND SPORES OF BACILLUS CEREUS

Abstract 1. Purine nucleoside phosphorylase was purified from the vegetative cells and spores of Bacillus cereus var. terminalis. The enzymes from the vegetative cell and the spore were found to have similar physical and catalytic properties. A mutant (strain 29) with only 2% of the level of enzyme activity in the vegetative cell also had a comparably low level in the spore. 2. The vegetative cell enzyme is inducible by inosine. Nevertheless, sporulation in the absence of inducer leads to high enzyme levels in the sporulating cell and spore, presumably due to endogenous changes during the stationary phase preceding spore development. The enzyme activity in mutant strain 29 appeared to be constitutive. 3. Spores of mutant strain 29 with only 3% of the level of enzyme activity of wild type spores germinated in response to inosine as rapidly and as completely as did the wild type spores.
Chelle L. Gentemann Receives 2013 Charles S. Falkenberg Award: Citation

Dr. Chelle Gentemann is a worthy recipient of the Charles S. Falkenberg Award. Through her leadership at both national and international levels, Chelle has contributed significantly to improving the accuracy, accessibility, and utility of satellite-derived fields of sea surface temperature (SST) for a wide range of applications, including numerical weather forecasting, operational oceanography, and climate research.
Variable Selection for Gaussian Graphical Models

We present a variable-selection structure learning approach for Gaussian graphical models. Unlike standard sparseness promoting techniques, our method aims at selecting the most-important variables besides simply sparsifying the set of edges. Through simulations, we show that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art in recovering the ground truth model. Our method also exhibits better generalization performance in a wide range of complex real-world datasets: brain fMRI, gene expression, NASDAQ stock prices and world weather. We also show that our resulting networks are more interpretable in the context of brain fMRI analysis, while retaining discriminability. From an optimization perspective, we show that a block coordinate descent method generates a sequence of positive definite solutions. Thus, we reduce the original problem into a sequence of strictly convex (‘1,‘p) regularized quadratic minimization subproblems for p 2 {2,1}. Our algorithm is well founded since the optimal solution of the maximization problem is unique and bounded.
Can Preoperative Psychological Assessment Predict Outcomes After Temporomandibular Joint Arthroscopy

Purpose Psychological assessment has been used successfully to predict patient outcomes after cardiothoracic and bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preoperative psychological assessment could be used to predict patient outcomes after temporomandibular joint arthroscopy. Materials and Methods Consecutive patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) who could benefit from arthroscopy were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. All patients completed the Millon Behavior Medicine Diagnostic survey before surgery. The primary predictor variable was the preoperative psychological scores. The primary outcome variable was the difference in pain between the pre- and postoperative periods. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the Pearson product-moment correlation were used to determine the association between psychological factors and change in pain. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed using a mixed-effects linear model and multiple linear regression. A P value of .05 was considered significant. Results Eighty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Seventy-five patients completed the study and were included in the final analyses. The mean change in visual analog scale (VAS) pain score 1 month after arthroscopy was −15.4 points (95% confidence interval, −6.0 to −24.7; P Conclusions This study has identified a weak association between chronic anxiety and the magnitude of pain decrease after arthroscopy for TMD. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of chronic anxiety in the outcome after surgical procedures for the treatment of TMD.
Nitrogen speciation in upper mantle fluids and the origin of Earth's nitrogen-rich atmosphere

Compared with the other terrestrial planets, Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen-rich. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that nitrogen is readily degassed from oxidized mantle beneath Earth's subduction zones.
A mixed-method approach to understanding the experiences of non-deployed military caregivers.

Given the unprecedented operational tempo of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and the heavy involvement of the Reserve and National Guard, the stress that military families are exposed to is distinct from stress in earlier conflicts, with little empirical data to inform the impact on non-deployed military caregivers or “home caregivers.” The study seeks to examine the experiences of home caregivers during deployments, with a focus on the impact of deployment on the caregiver’s well-being. We conducted 50 qualitative interviews and 1,337 survey interviews with home caregivers who experienced at least one deployment. The structured qualitative interview focused on caregiver experiences during deployment. The quantitative data centered on caregiver well-being and household and relationship hassles. The qualitative interview notes were the unit of analysis and traditional methods were used to analyze the data. The quantitative data were analyzed using regression models. The qualitative data revealed key deployment-related household challenges that caregivers experience and the effect of those challenges on caregivers. Multivariate analyses of the quantitative data explored differences in caregivers’ emotional well-being, household and relationship hassles. The results showed important component and deployment experience differences. Caregivers affiliated with the National Guard and those with more months of deployment reported significantly poorer emotional well-being, and more household and relationship hassles. Given the important role that maternal well-being has on child and family functioning, it is critical to understand how the stress of deployment is affecting mothers in their daily routines, especially during potentially high stress periods.
Stimulus Generalization of Imprinting

Chicks were imprinted with a bluish object, then tested with different spectral values ranging to yellow-green. A systematic decrement in following was related to the stimulus series, although there was considerable generalization to all test values, which increased during testing. These data lead us to question the "irreversibility" of imprinting.
Daily feeding schedule and housing on incidence of activity-stress ulcer

In Experiment 1 the number and size of ulcers resulting from exposure to an activity-stress procedure were inversely related to the length of the pre-stress experience with either 1 hr or 2 hr daily feeding schedules. In Experiment 2, rats housed in group cages during the pre-stress period were more vulnerable to the ulcerogenic effects of the activity-stress procedure. A pellet food or powdered food treatment condition failed to provide significant group differences. Vulnerability to stress-ulcer is discussed in terms of the disparity of the environmental conditions between the acclimation period and the activity-stress period.
Targeted Brain Hypothermia Induced by an Interstitial Cooling Device in Human Neck: An Experimental Study

In recent years, mild or moderate hypothermia during which brain temperature is reduced to 30–35°C, has been proposed for clinical use as an adjunct for achieving protection from cerebral ischemia during cardiac bypass injury [Nussmeier 2002], carotid endarterectomy [Jamieson et al., 2003] and resection of extra-cranial aneurysm [Wagner and Zuccarello 2005], as well as stroke and traumatic brain injury [Marion et al., 1996; Marion 1997]. It has been shown that a reduction in brain temperature as small as 2°C substantially reduced ischemic cell damage [Clark et al., 1996], or improved significantly post-ischemic regional histopathology [Wass et al., 1995]. Most of the currently used clinical studies have examined only systemic hypothermia by whole body cooling. The major methodological drawback of this approach is slow cooling rate (∼0.5°/hour) due to the large volume of the human body and arteriovenous shunt vasoconstriction [Krieger et al., 2001; Marion et al., 1997; Schwab et al., 1998]. Whole body cooling does induce systemic complications. The systemic risks may outweigh the beneficial effects of neuro-hypothermia in the current clinical practice. Selective brain cooling which keeps the rest of body at normal temperature, on the other hand, can be used to maximize the neuroprotection of hypothermia.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
BOUNDARY-LAYER ION DENSITY PROFILES AS MEASURED BY ELECTROSTATIC PROBES.

Ion-density profiles in boundary layers associated with supersonic flow of shock-heated air over a flat plate have been measured by cylindrical and flush-mounted electrostatic probes. A method of cylindrical-probe data interpretation presented accounts for the effects of a plasma drift velocity. An appropriate method for flush-probe interpretation also is given. The experiments were carried out in a pressure-driven shock tube at 0.1 torr initial shock tube pressure, and ranged over five orders of magnitude in freestream charge density from 10 ions/ cm to 10 ions/cm. The experimental profiles were compared to theoretical profiles derived on the basis of a zero-order boundary-layer theory, assuming frozen flow. Good agreement with the zero-order theory is obtained below 10 ions/cm. Above 10 ions/cm^ experimental evidence indicates that the boundary layer begins to depart from the theoretical assumption of frozen flow.
The nuclear hormone receptor family member NR5A2 controls aspects of multipotent progenitor cell formation and acinar differentiation during pancreatic organogenesis

The orphan nuclear receptor NR5A2 is necessary for the stem-like properties of the epiblast of the pre-gastrulation embryo and for cellular and physiological homeostasis of endoderm-derived organs postnatally. Using conditional gene inactivation, we show that Nr5a2 also plays crucial regulatory roles during organogenesis. During the formation of the pancreas, Nr5a2 is necessary for the expansion of the nascent pancreatic epithelium, for the subsequent formation of the multipotent progenitor cell (MPC) population that gives rise to pre-acinar cells and bipotent cells with ductal and islet endocrine potential, and for the formation and differentiation of acinar cells. At birth, the NR5A2-deficient pancreas has defects in all three epithelial tissues: a partial loss of endocrine cells, a disrupted ductal tree and a >90% deficit of acini. The acinar defects are due to a combination of fewer MPCs, deficient allocation of those MPCs to pre-acinar fate, disruption of acinar morphogenesis and incomplete acinar cell differentiation. NR5A2 controls these developmental processes directly as well as through regulatory interactions with other pancreatic transcriptional regulators, including PTF1A, MYC, GATA4, FOXA2, RBPJL and MIST1 (BHLHA15). In particular, Nr5a2 and Ptf1a establish mutually reinforcing regulatory interactions and collaborate to control developmentally regulated pancreatic genes by binding to shared transcriptional regulatory regions. At the final stage of acinar cell development, the absence of NR5A2 affects the expression of Ptf1a and its acinar specific partner Rbpjl, so that the few acinar cells that form do not complete differentiation. Nr5a2 controls several temporally distinct stages of pancreatic development that involve regulatory mechanisms relevant to pancreatic oncogenesis and the maintenance of the exocrine phenotype.
Use of Early-Successional Managed Northern Forest by Mature-Forest Species during the Post-Fledging Period

Abstract. In eastern North America, after the young fledge, both adult and juvenile mature-forest birds may use regenerating clearcuts, although which species frequent early-successional forest and during which life stages is not well documented. To assess whether birds nesting in mature forest in north-central Minnesota use regenerating clearcuts 2–10 years old, we netted after birds fledged (2006–2009) and during the breeding season (2009). In addition, we monitored Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) nests and banded nestlings in adjacent mature forest and estimated the age at which juveniles used regenerating clearcuts. While banding, we also recorded nests of any species encountered opportunistically in regenerating clearcuts as evidence of breeding in this cover type. During July and August, we captured 4556 birds of 62 species, of which 1746 (38%) were of 28 mature-forest species. As reported elsewhere, most (76%) mature-forest birds we captured were of only a few species: Ovenbird, American Redstart (S...
Forecasting global biodiversity threats associated with human population growth

Abstract The size and growth of the human population are often cited as key factors in threats to Earth’s biodiversity, yet the extent of their contribution to the endangerment and extinction of other species has remained unclear. Moreover, it could be valuable to know what additional threats may arise from continued human population growth. Here we quantify a model of the relationship between human population density and the number of threatened mammal and bird species by nation. Our multiple regression analysis revealed that two predictor variables, human population density and species richness (of birds and mammals), account for 88% of the variability in log-transformed densities of threatened species across 114 continental nations. Using the regression model with projected population sizes of each nation, we found that the number of threatened species in the average nation is expected to increase 7% by 2020, and 14% by 2050, as forecast by human population growth alone. Our findings strongly support the notion that abating human population growth is a necessary, if not sufficient, step in the epic attempt to conserve biodiversity on the global scale.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of Peptides Bound to Chaperones

Abstract The analysis of transferred nuclear Overhauser effects (trNOEs) in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra provides information about the conformation and mode of binding of small molecules bound to large molecules. This technique has been applied to synthetic peptides bound to molecular chaperones, proteins that modulate the folding and assembly of other proteins. Peptides are found to adopt an extended conformation with hsp70 or a helical conformation in association with hsp60, probably reflecting the nature of the respective chaperone binding sites. In addition, the observation by NMR of a highly mobile internal polypeptide segment in a native protein that regulates hsp60 activity prompted studies on the corresponding synthetic peptide. NMR data show that the mobile segment is nearly as flexible in the native protein as it is in the synthetic peptide. This peptide binds to hsp60 in a distinct turn conformation, suggesting that the mobile segment is involved in the hsp60 regulatory function. The trNOE NMR experiments are technically straightforward and should be applicable to many other systems. Practical aspects of the technique and strategies for optimizing its interpretation are discussed.
The relationship between symptoms and insight in schizophrenia: a longitudinal perspective

It has been suggested that deficits in symptom awareness and attribution in schizophrenia are relatively independent of core symptoms of the disorder. Many studies report conflicting findings, however, which may be explained by differences in study design and target population. In this study 33 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed longitudinally using standard symptom and insight measures, with analyses focusing on associations with psychotic, depression and anxiety symptoms. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses showed significant but only moderate associations between insight and symptoms of depression and disorganization, with no consistent relationships with positive and negative symptoms. Higher levels of depression were associated with improved awareness and attribution, whereas higher levels of disorganized symptoms were associated with deficits in awareness and attribution. The results are compared with the previous literature, and it is suggested that insight deficits in schizophrenia may vary depending on factors such as course and phase of illness.
Pulmonary vascular diseases: in search of a hub among the spokes—an exercise in hypothesis generation

Right from the start of this essay I must dispense with the royal “we” to make it clear for the readers: what comes next is the product of a personal gedankenexperiment (thought experiment). Pulmonary vascular disorders, which frequently lead to pulmonary hypertension, are complex and multifactorial. One glance at the pulmonary hypertension classification list, which is revised every decade, makes this clear. According to Daniel Kahneman,1 complexity reduces the validity of a forecast, claim, or hypothesis—hence our need for algorithms and large databases, which help us in making decisions. Both diagnostic or treatment algorithms and databases are hypothesis-free. These tools, which are based on statistical information gathered from large but sometimes not homogenous cohorts, are used for forecasting and prognostication. As the clinical pulmonary hypertension community is surviving the 6-minute walk crisis in search of new end points, it has occurred to many in this community that hypothesis testing first requires hypothesis generation. According to Kahneman, this gets us into the territory of uncertainty and unpredictability—in his words, into “low-validity environments.” Depending on your degree of risk aversion, you may not be comfortable in such an environment. However, comfort comes from the testing of the hypotheses, which is the step that follows the hypothesis-generating first step. There are many ways to skin a cat and many ways to generate a hypothesis. For this particular exercise, my approach is to identify the spokes—and I will need to explain why I call a spoke a spoke, and I will need to declare to what degree the identification or recognition of a spoke may be biased. Similar to the level or validity of evidence rating, I will rate my bias the following way: little bias (A), moderate bias (B), and probable high bias (C). My hope is that the reader will enjoy this exercise as much as I did.