cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of nucleoside analogs on telomerase and telomeres in Tetrahymena

The ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase is a specialized type of cellular reverse transcriptase which synthesizes one strand of telomeric DNA, using as the template a sequence in the RNA moiety of telomerase. We analyzed the effects of various nucleoside analogs, known to be chain-terminating inhibitors of retroviral reverse transcriptases, on Tetrahymena thermophila telomerase activity in vitro. We also analyzed the effects of such analogs on telomere length and maintenance in vivo, and on vegetative growth and mating of Tetrahymena cells. Arabinofuranyl-guanosine triphosphate (Ara-GTP) and ddGTP both efficiently inhibited telomerase activity in vitro, while azidothymidine triphosphate (AZT-TP), dideoxyinosine triphosphate (ddITP) or ddTTP were less efficient inhibitors. All of these nucleoside triphosphate analogs, however, produced analog-specific alterations of the normal banding patterns seen upon gel electrophoresis of the synthesis products of telomerase, suggesting that their chain terminating and/or competitive actions differ at different positions along the RNA template. The analogs AZT, 3'-deoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine (d4T) and Ara-G in nucleoside form caused consistent and rapid telomere shortening in vegetatively growing Tetrahymena. In contrast, ddG or ddI had no effect on telomere length or cell growth rates. AZT caused growth rates and viability to decrease in a fraction of cells, while Ara-G had no such effects even after several weeks in culture. Neither AZT, Ara-G, acycloguanosine (Acyclo-G), ddG nor ddI had any detectable effect on cell mating, as assayed by quantitation of the efficiency of formation of progeny from mated cells. However, AZT decreased the efficiency of programmed de novo telomere addition during macronuclear development in mating cells.
A Surprising New Arrhythmia Mechanism in Heart Failure

Heart failure is the most common discharge diagnosis in the United States, with a prognosis worse than many cancers.1 Patients with heart failure die for two reasons: advanced circulatory insufficiency or sudden death.2 We know that continuous online monitoring of cardiac rhythm from patients with advanced heart failure is inevitably abnormal and often shows long runs of irregular and/or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Unlike patients with ventricular tachycardia due to healed myocardial infarction, those with heart failure rarely have ventricular tachycardia inducible by programmed stimulation, and when it is, its prognostic importance is uncertain. Therapy with conventional antiarrhythmics is no more successful in patients with heart failure than in those with serious ventricular arrhythmias due to healed infarction. Given the huge public health impact of the problem and the failure of current pharmacological therapies, one obvious way forward in attacking the problem of sudden death in heart failure is to understand the basic molecular mechanisms underlying arrhythmia susceptibility in this setting. The disordered contractility that characterizes heart failure naturally suggests abnormal intracellular calcium homeostasis, a well-recognized feature of the heart failure phenotype,3,4 as a candidate arrhythmia mechanism, and experimental studies support this idea. Pogwizd and colleagues have used three-dimensional activation mapping in rabbits with volume-overload heart failure to identify focal triggers and repetitive focal activity as a major mechanism underlying VT in this model,5 behaviors that are highly reminiscent of afterdepolarization-related triggering due to intracellular calcium overload. Indeed, their further studies indicated that heart failure–related upregulation of the sodium-calcium exchanger, in the setting of downregulation of the inward rectifier and maintained β-adrenergic responsiveness, markedly increases the propensity for triggered arrhythmias due to intracellular calcium overload.6 More upstream mechanisms implicated as drivers of the “hypertrophy/heart failure” phenotypes in cellular, animal, and human models include calcium-mediated activation of …
Prolonged QTc as a predictor of mortality in acute ischemic stroke.

Objective We sought to examine the relationship of the QTc interval with mortality and functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke, and determine whether a threshold cutoff is present beyond which risk of death increases. Methods The QTc interval was measured for all patients presenting to the emergency department. The outcomes were mortality at 90 days and functional outcome at hospital discharge. The cutoffs were determined plotting martingale residuals. Results Patients with a prolonged QTc interval were more likely to die within 90 days compared with patients without a prolonged interval (relative risk [RR] 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-4.1; P P = .043). Patients with a prolonged QTc interval were also more likely to have poor functional status compared with patients without a prolonged interval (odds ratio 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-3.0; P = .006). This association was not statistically significant after adjusting for age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (odds ratio 1.2; 95% CI 0.7-2.4). The identified threshold cutoffs for increased risk of death at 90 days were 440 milliseconds for women and 438 milliseconds for men. Conclusion There appears to be an increased risk of early death in patients with acute ischemic stroke and a prolonged QTc interval at the time of emergency department presentation. Prognosis appears to be worse with QTc intervals longer than 440 milliseconds in women and longer than 438 milliseconds in men.
Cardiovascular effects of griseofulvin.

The intravenous administration of griseofulvin in doses of 3.0 mg/kg to 32 anesthetized open-chest dogs produced marked increments (43%) in isometric systolic force measured by a strain gauge. These changes were accompanied by an increase (22%) in heart rate and a decrease (25%) in blood pressure. The effect was unaltered by clamping the blood supply to and from the adrenal glands or by previous treatment with 1 mg/kg reserpine, 0.4 mg/kg propranolol HCl, 10 mg/kg hexamethonium chloride, 1 mg/kg phentolamine HCl or 2 mg/kg atropine. In 11 anesthetized open-chest rats and 7 isolated rabbit hearts, griseofulvin also increased the force of contraction. It may be inferred from these experiments that griseofulvin has a direct action on the cardiovascular system rather than one mediated through neurogenic or hormonal mechanisms. These cardiovascular changes may occur in patients in whom griseofulvin is used in the treatment of fungus diseases.
Neural network applications to nonlinear time series analysis

An algorithm for training multi-hidden-layer neural networks is presented. The algorithm system for fast training consists of a pseudoinverse matrix least squares procedure used incrementally to solve a nonlinear neural network, together with a preconditioning algorithm to preset the weights for optimum training. The system was applied to the training of chaotic time series from various standard models and compared to corresponding results published in the literature, for the same models using conventional training methods based on the method of steepest descents. In simulation, the training system was shown to obtain equivalent accuracy in a few minutes on a 80386 level PC, whereas the conventional backpropagation algorithm requires considerably more time on a CRAY supercomputer. >
A 2-way laser-assisted selection scheme for handhelds in a physical environment

We present a 2-way selection method to select objects in a physical environment with a novel feedback and transfer of control mechanism. A modulated laser pointer signal sent from a handheld device triggers a photosensitive tag placed in the environment. The tag responds via a standard wireless channel directly to the handheld with information regarding an object it represents. We describe a prototype implementation for a Motorola iDEN i95cl cell phone, discuss the interaction challenges and application possibilities for this physical world selection that extends a common handheld device. We also compare this solution to related attempts in the literature.
The placental specific gene, PLAC1, is induced by the Epstein-Barr virus and is expressed in human tumor cells

Background The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a causal agent in a number of malignancies in humans including hematopoietic tumors and non-hematopoietic tumors. Burkitt’s lymphoma cell lines containing the Epstein-Barr virus have been shown to form tumors in nude mice while clonal derivatives of such cell lines in which the viral genome has been lost do not (JID 177: 1194-1201, 1998; JV 72: 9150-9156, 1998; JV 68: 6069-6073, 1994). The re-introduction of EBV into these EBV negative BLs reconstitutes the tumor phenotype. Thus, EBV-induced cellular genes play critical role in EBV-related tumors.
Novel cell based on reduced single-phase active front end for multicell converters

Multilevel converters are a very interesting alternative for medium and high power drives. One of the more flexible topologies of this type is the multicell converter. This paper presents a new regenerative cell suitable for cascaded multilevel inverters. The cell uses a reduced single-phase active rectifier at the input and an H-bridge inverter at the output side. The cell has a reduced switch count and presents a very good performance, controlling effectively the waveform of the input current and of the output voltage. The results presented in this paper confirm that this medium voltage inverter effectively eliminates low frequency input current harmonics at primary side of the transformer and operates without problem in regenerative mode
Evaluation of Regression Coefficient Estimates Using α-Acceptability

A framework, called α-acceptability, is proposed for evaluating alternatives to the usual least squares estimates of regression coefficients. An estimate is defined to be α-acceptable if it is in the usual (1 - α) 100% confidence region, Estimates which are α-acceptable for large values of α, such as .99 (corresponding to a 1% confidence region) are viewed as statistically indistinguishable from the usual estimates and, in a sense, simply rounded off. Applications to subset selection, ridge regression, and a class of minimax procedures are discussed and illustrated with an example.
WHEN ARE PURE-INJECTIVE ENVELOPES OF FLAT MODULES FLAT?

ABSTRACT The question is answered in terms of flat covers, flat cotorsion modules, and cotorsion envelopes. It is shown that the corresponding class of rings properly contains that of coherent rings. The perfect rings among those are given a ring-theoretic description.
Reduction of Arsenates by Humic Materials

Environmental Context.Reduction of arsenic(v) to arsenic(iii) in the environment is of interest because of the greater toxicity and mobility of the latter. It is important to know to what extent humic materials (which are ubiquitous in soils) can act as abiotic reducing agents, and what factors influence their actions. Abstract.Inorganic arsenates were found to be reduced to arsenite by homogeneous aqueous solutions of several humic and fulvic acids. Because of the concentration dependence of the redox potentials of humics, reduction was shown to be less likely in more concentrated solutions. This was especially true in higher pH ranges, and varied with the type of material used. Ion chromatography, validated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, was used to speciate arsenic after exposure to aqueous humates and fulvates. Reduction of As(v) proceeded in the 20–60% range, depending on the humic or fulvic acid used. The fraction of arsenate that was reduced initially increased with humic concentration, but leveled off as the reduction potential decreased at higher concentrations. Re-oxidation of As(iii) in humic solutions could be achieved by extended bubbling with air. Reduction capacities of two humates tested, as measured by I2 titration, were found to be significantly different.
Isolation and Characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mutants Defective in Chromosome Transmission in an Undergraduate Genetics Research Course

An upper-level genetics research course was developed to expose undergraduates to investigative science. Students are immersed in a research project with the ultimate goal of identifying proteins important for chromosome transmission in mitosis. After mutagenizing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, students implement a genetic screen that allows for visual detection of mutants with an increased loss of an ADE2-marked yeast artificial chromosome (YAC). Students then genetically characterize the mutants and begin efforts to identify the defective genes in these mutants. While engaged in this research project, students practice a variety of technical skills in both classical and molecular genetics. Furthermore, students learn to collaborate and gain experience in sharing scientific findings with others in the form of written papers, poster presentations, and oral presentations. Previous students indicated that, relative to a traditional laboratory course, this research course improved their understanding of scientific concepts and technical skills and helped them make connections between concepts. Moreover, this course allowed students to experience scientific inquiry and was influential for students as they considered future endeavors.
Life-Cycle Emissions of Alternative Fuels for Transportation: Dealing with Uncertanties

Author(s): Contadini, J. Fernando; Moore, Robert M.; Sperling, Daniel; Sundaresan, Meena | Abstract: A principal motivation for introducing alternative fuels is to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. A comprehensive evaluation of the reductions must include all Life Cycle activities from the vehicle operation to the feedstock extraction. This paper focuses on the fuel upstream activities only. We compare the results and methods of the three most comprehensive existing fuel upstream models in the U.S.A. and we explore the differences and uncertainties of these types of analyses. To explicitly include the impact of uncertainties, we create a new model using the following approaches:- Instead of using a single value as input, the new model deals with ranges around the most probable value- Ranges are discussed and calibrated by an expert network, in terms of their relative probability.- Probabilistic function techniques are applied to study the impact of the uncertainties on the model output.The paper also presents the rationale and benefits of using each of the alternative approaches that are discussed and reviewed.
Utility of Secondary Structure in Phylogenetic Reconstructions Using nrDNA ITS Sequences - An Example from Potalieae (Gentianaceae: Asteridae)

Abstract The gentians (Gentianaceae, Asteridae) form a morphologically and ecologically diverse group of plants with interesting phytochemical and medicinal properties. The family contains six tribes, but phylogenetic relationships among the three more derived tribes (Gentianeae, Helieae, and Potalieae) are considered ambiguous. In an attempt to resolve alignment ambiguity and provide better scientific support for relationships, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA was aligned for several gentian sequences with reference to the ITS secondary structure proposed for Anvillen radiata (Asteraceae) using Dynalign. We present here the first secondary structure of ITS for Gentianaceae, which may guide alignment of ITS data in other asterids taxa. The study included 42 species, with representatives from tribes Chironieae, Gentianeae, Helieae, and Potalieae, and with the majority of species from Potalieae. Phylogenetic analyses based on secondary structure alignment using parsimony an...
Acoustic Emissions in Wood

Wood, like many heterogeneous materials, provides many interesting AE challenges. It is a biological material that has evolved to perform many functions. It is anisotropic, and it is heterogeneous over a very wide range of length scales. It is hydroscopic, and its mechanical properties are extremely sensitive to moisture content. From an AE standpoint it is an extremely dynamic material in that there are numerous microstructural phenomena that lead to AE activity, however, it is highly attenuative, particularly in a direction perpendicular to the grain.
Substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency of aldo-keto reductases with phospholipid aldehydes

Phospholipid oxidation generates several bioactive aldehydes that remain esterified to the glycerol backbone (‘core’ aldehydes). These aldehydes induce endothelial cells to produce monocyte chemotactic factors and enhance monocyte–endothelium adhesion. They also serve as ligands of scavenger receptors for the uptake of oxidized lipoproteins or apoptotic cells. The biochemical pathways involved in phospholipid aldehyde metabolism, however, remain largely unknown. In the present study, we have examined the efficacy of the three mammalian AKR (aldo-keto reductase) families in catalysing the reduction of phospholipid aldehydes. The model phospholipid aldehyde POVPC [1-palmitoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine] was efficiently reduced by members of the AKR1, but not by the AKR6 or the ARK7 family. In the AKR1 family, POVPC reductase activity was limited to AKR1A and B. No significant activity was observed with AKR1C enzymes. Among the active proteins, human AR (aldose reductase) (AKR1B1) showed the highest catalytic activity. The catalytic efficiency of human small intestinal AR (AKR1B10) was comparable with the murine AKR1B proteins 1B3 and 1B8. Among the murine proteins AKR1A4 and AKR1B7 showed appreciably lower catalytic activity as compared with 1B3 and 1B8. The human AKRs, 1B1 and 1B10, and the murine proteins, 1B3 and 1B8, also reduced C-7 and C-9 sn-2 aldehydes as well as POVPE [1-palmitoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine]. AKR1A4, B1, B7 and B8 catalysed the reduction of aldehydes generated in oxidized C16:0-20:4 phosphatidylcholine with acyl, plasmenyl or alkyl linkage at the sn-1 position or C16:0-20:4 phosphatidylglycerol or phosphatidic acid. AKR1B1 displayed the highest activity with phosphatidic acids; AKR1A4 was more efficient with long-chain aldehydes such as 5-hydroxy-8-oxo-6-octenoyl derivatives, whereas AKR1B8 preferred phosphatidylglycerol. These results suggest that proteins of the AKR1A and B families are efficient phospholipid aldehyde reductases, with non-overlapping substrate specificity, and may be involved in tissue-specific metabolism of endogenous or dietary phospholipid aldehydes.
Monitoring recovery from substance abuse: rationales, methods and challenges.

As treatment for substance abuse has become widely available monitoring of recovery from this disorder has also become an increasingly important clinical activity. Purposes of patient monitoring include the facilitation of recovery, assessing the quality of the recovery, continued provision of treatment, and modifying treatment plans depending on recovery (either intensifying or reducing it)
The Four-Foci Taxonomy for Smart City Design: Towards a Conceptual Framework

Complex socio-political, economic, and environmental challenges have increased the demand for more effective data management and information access. The notion of a smart city has recently evolved to mean a city that is well-endowed by information and communication technologies that complement the physical infrastructure, enhancing the city’s social and environmental assets. A city may be defined as “smart” or “intelligent” when investments in human capital, social capital, transportation, and communication infrastructure drive sustainable physical and economic development. Through participatory governance, managed growth should result in a high quality of life and wise natural resource management. Several models for designing a smart city exist, and after analyzing various studies, these models were grouped according to their foci: (1) technological, (2) business, (3) political, and (4) environmental. While the proposed models each have strengths, each model shares four key limitations: (1) limited integration of the local system and global system, (2) scant attention to holistic sustainability, (3) minimal consideration of human factors and human-environment interaction, and (4) inability to address significant urban changes. Takeda’s (1990) four-phase research approach was adopted for this research project, the four phases being Phase I (Awareness), Phase II (Suggestion), Phase III (Development), and Phase IV (Evaluation). The research was conducted in several studies. This paper reports on Study 1, which followed a two-phase exploratory and conceptual approach (Phases I & II), in which an in-depth analysis of several smart city case studies reported in the literature was performed. The purpose was to examine promising smart city 2 models, and critique their effectiveness. Using a literature review, the authors solidified their understanding of smart city design. A taxonomy of key categories of concern when designing a smart city, called the Four-Foci Taxonomy, is proposed in the paper.
Response of Gonads and Gonaducts of Ambystoma Larvae to Treatment with Sex Hormones.

ConclusionsThe presented data indicate that estrogens produce sex reversal in male salamanders, while testosterone propionate exerts no corresponding influence upon genetical females. As in adult animals, the secondary sex characters respond also in the larval salamanders to the administration of sex hormones. The female hormone stimulates slightly the larval Mullerian ducts, and the male hormone causes an extensive and very precocious stimulation of the larval Wolffian ducts and cloacal glands. It is remarkable that the estrogens affect most profoundly the male gonads and the testosterone the male secondary sex characters. The hormones do not induce original formation of gonoducts; they stimulate only the secondary (functional) enlargement of parts of ducts already present. It has been shown by means of parabiosis that the testes of males release some inductive substance which inhibits the development of the ovaries of female cotwins and indirectly may cause some genetic females to continue development i...
Design & Analysis of Microstrip Patch Antenna Using Different Dielectric Materials for WiMAX Communication System

This Paper presents Microstrip patch antenna for WiMAX communication system which operate at 5.8 GHz frequency band. The main objective of this paper is to design and observe the performance of the designed microstrip patch antenna for different dielectric materials. The size of the designed antenna has been also miniaturized. Better performance is observed for FR4 and dupont-951 dielectric material. For FR4 radiation efficiency is-2.776 dB and total efficiency is -3.026 dB at 5.8 GHz, this indicates better performance. And for dupont-951 the return loss is much lower comparing to the other dielectric materials used in this research, which is -16.609 dB. Also for dupont-951 and FR4, VSWR is found 1.35 and 1.7 respectively which is desirable. Also the size of the antenna has been reduced. In this paper we also observed and analyzed the radiation pattern of far field region, gain, radiation efficiency and total efficiency for different dielectric materials.
Bionomics and Nest Structure of Pogonomyrmex ocddentalis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Twenty colonies of Pogonomyrmex ocddentalis (Cresson) were excavated at Casper, Wyoming to determine the total number of ants occurring in colonies during the winter and to ascertain the location of the queen. An additional 13 colonies were excavated at Casper at the rate of 1 colony per month over an entire year to observe the effect of soil temperatures on the activities of this ant. The structure of each colony was mapped, and the location of seed chambers and amount of seed stored were determined. Inquilines associated with P. occidcntalis were the cetoniids Cremastocheilus knochi LeConte, C. saucia LeConte, and the tenebrionid Aracoschisus armatus Horn. The 2 last-mentioned species were collected from chambers containing the overwintering worker ants.
Solvatochromism and Conformational Changes in Fully Dissolved Poly(3-alkylthiophene)s

Absorption spectroscopy is commonly utilized to probe optical properties that can be related, among other things, to the conformation of single, isolated conjugated polymer chains in solution. It is frequently suggested that changes in peak positions of optical spectra result from variations in the stiffness of polymer chains in solution because this modifies the conjugation length. In this work we utilize ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and all atom molecular dynamic (AA-MD) simulations to closely probe the relationship between the conformation of single-chains of poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (P3ATs) and their optical properties. SANS results show variations in the radius of gyration and Kuhn length as a function of alkyl chain length, and structure, as well as the solvent environment. Furthermore, both SANS and MD simulations show that dissolved P3HT chains are more rigid in solvents where self-assembly and crystallization are possible. Shifts in P3AT optical properties were also observed for different solvent environments. However, these changes were not correlated to the changes in polymer conformation. Furthermore, changes in optical properties could not be perfectly described by generalized solvent-solute interactions. AA-MD simulations provide new insights into specific polymer-solvent interactions not accounted for in generalized solvatochromic theory. This work highlights the need for experiments and molecular simulations that further inform the specific role of solvent molecules on local polymer conformation and on optical properties.
Multi-domain disfluency and repair detection.

This paper investigates automatic detection of different types of self-repairs in spontaneous speech under different social contexts, from casual conversations to government hearings. The work shows that a simple CRF-based model is effective for cross-domain training, which is important for contexts where annotated data is not available. The approach explicitly represents common types of disfluencies observed in multi-domain data both in the model state space and the features extracted. In addition, the model incorporates an expanded state space for recognizing the repair structure, unlike prior work that annotates only the reparandum.
Treatment of Hip Fractures in Patients with Parkinson's Syndrome on Levodopa Therapy

1. There is substantial evidence that continued administration of levodopa is the most effective treatment for reversing the symptoms of Parkinson's syndrome. 2. There were sixteen fractured hips among 550 patients receiving levodopa during a thirty-six month period of clinical drug investigation. Because of beneficial effects of levodopa therapy, fracture management may be the same as for the average elderly patient who does not have neurological disease. 3. Complications were fewer and prognosis better in patients taking levodopa than in those we treated prior to the use of this drug. 4. In patients on levodopa, the indications for replacement prostheses are the same as for normal elderly patients.
Potential Reuse of Oncology Drugs in the Treatment of Rare Diseases

Cancer research has made remarkable progress with the help of advancing genomics techniques, resulting in more precise clinical application and many new anticancer drugs on the market. By contrast, very few treatment options are available for rare diseases that are often progressive, severe, and life-threatening. In this opinion we elaborate on the possible association between cancers and rare diseases across three different levels including clinical observation, crosstalk between germline mutation and somatic mutation, and shared biological pathways. Consequently, by utilizing systematic drug-repositioning approaches, and taking safety issues into consideration, we suggest that oncology drugs have great potential for reuse in the treatment of rare diseases.
Do not throw the baby out with the bath water: a guide for using non-significant results in practice

Acting on results that are not statistically significant is challenging for clinicians. Such results are often interpreted as evidence of lack of association or as useless evidence. We provide a framework for interpreting and applying non-significant results at the point of care using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
Postoperative Complications and Long-Term Survival After Complex Cancer Resection

Recent attention has focused on the ability to rescue patients from postoperative complications and prevent short-term mortality. However, it is unknown whether patients rescued from complications after complex cancer resections have long-term survival outcomes similar to those of patients without complications. From 2005 to 2009 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data, the study identified elderly patients who underwent resection for cancers of the esophagus, lung, or pancreas. The association of risk-adjusted long-term survival with serious complications, minor complications, and no complications was analyzed. The study included 905 patients with esophageal cancer, 12,395 patients with lung cancer, and 1966 patients with pancreatic cancer. The serious complication rates were respectively 17.4, 9.5 and 11.8 %. The patients with serious complications had lower 5-year survival rates than those with no complications even if they were rescued and survived 30 days (20 vs 43 % for esophagus, 29 vs 54 % for lung, and 10 vs 21 % for pancreas cancer). Even after patients who died within 180 days after surgery were excluded from the analysis, a decrement in risk-adjusted long-term survival was observed among the patients with serious complications after all three procedures. The association between complications and long-term survival was not explained by differences in receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy Patients who undergo complex cancer resection and experience serious complications have diminished long-term survival, even if they are “rescued” from their complications. This finding persists even when deaths within 6 months after surgery are excluded from the analysis. Metrics of surgical success should consider terms beyond 30 and even 90 days as well as the long-term consequences of surgical complications.
Active movement of the Cascade landslide complex in Washington from a coherence-based InSAR time series method

Abstract We used interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data from the ALOS-1 satellite to investigate the active movement of landslides along the Columbia River Gorge from 2007–2011. To increase the spatial extent of the deformation signal, we developed a coherence-based small-baseline subset (SBAS) method and derived the time series of the landslide movement. We find no significant movement on the previously mapped Washougal, Sakamania, Oregon Shore, and Wind Mountain landslides. However, we document the slow movement of the Redbluff landslide, which is part of the Cascade Landslide Complex. The InSAR data reveal up to approximately 25 cm of line-of-sight displacement over the 4-year observation period. The Redbluff landslide is seasonally activated, with accelerated movement observed during the early winter of each year. The amplitude of the seasonal signal is variable from year-to-year, with the greatest movement observed in early winter of 2009 and 2011. To assess the triggering mechanisms, we compared the displacement time series data with local precipitation data. The deformation correlated well with precipitation, implying the slow movement is controlled by rainfall that infiltrates to the base of the slide.
Improved quality of service in wireless sensor Network with mobile sink

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is an emerging field in the broader area of wireless networking; with application ranges from surveillance to health care. One of the major quality of service (QoS) degradation factor is last hop bottle neck in WSN, which results in low throughput and valuable energy depletion of the nodes; resulting in degradation of overall network lifetime and latency. This paper provides in depth simulation and analysis of sink mobility strategies to overcome the last hop bottle neck issue. We have investigated different sink mobility strategies with different speeds depending upon network load and traffic to bring optimized results. The paper is aimed in finding a substantial solution to the problem using cross layer protocols. Simulations are carried out in OPNET Modeler v 14.5 to investigate ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4) various important quality of service parameters in WSN.
A wild origin of the loss-of-function lycopene beta cyclase (CYC-b) allele in cultivated, red-fleshed papaya (Carica papaya)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY The red flesh of some papaya cultivars is caused by a recessive loss-of-function mutation in the coding region of the chromoplast-specific lycopene beta cyclase gene (CYC-b). We performed an evolutionary genetic analysis of the CYC-b locus in wild and cultivated papaya to uncover the origin of this loss-of-function allele in cultivated papaya. METHODS We analyzed the levels and patterns of genetic diversity at the CYC-b locus and six loci in a 100-kb region flanking CYC-b and compared these to genetic diversity levels at neutral autosomal loci. The evolutionary relationships of CYC-b haplotypes were assessed using haplotype network analysis of the CYC-b locus and the 100-kb CYC-b region. KEY RESULTS Genetic diversity at the recessive CYC-b allele (y) was much lower relative to the dominant Y allele found in yellow-fleshed wild and cultivated papaya due to a strong selective sweep. Haplotype network analyses suggest the y allele most likely arose in the wild and was introduced into domesticated varieties after the first papaya domestication event. The shared haplotype structure between some wild, feral, and cultivated haplotypes around the y allele supports subsequent escape of this allele from red cultivars back into wild populations through feral intermediates. CONCLUSIONS Our study supports a protracted domestication process of papaya through the introgression of wild-derived traits and gene flow from cultivars to wild populations. Evidence of gene flow from cultivars to wild populations through feral intermediates has implications for the introduction of transgenic papaya into Central American countries.
Embracing discordance: Phylogenomic analyses provide evidence for allopolyploidy leading to cryptic diversity in a Mediterranean Campanula (Campanulaceae) clade

The Mediterranean Basin harbors a remarkable amount of biodiversity, a high proportion of which is endemic to this region. Here, we present an in-depth study of an angiosperm species complex, in which cryptic taxonomic diversity has been hypothesized. Specifically, we focus on four currently recognized species in the Roucela complex, a well-supported clade in the Campanulaceae/Campanuloideae: Campanula creutzburgii, C. drabifolia, C. erinus, and C. simulans. This study takes a phylogenomic approach, utilizing near-complete plastomes and 130 nuclear loci, to uncover cryptic diversity and test hypotheses regarding hybridization and polyploidy within this clade. Genome size estimates recovered tetraploid and octoploid lineages within the currently recognized, widespread species C. erinus, showing an east-west geographic pattern. Though genomic data clearly differentiate these two cytotypes, we failed to discern morphological differences. The formation of a cryptic octoploid lineage, distributed across the eastern Mediterranean, is hypothesized to be the result of an allopolyploid event in which one parental morphology is retained. The tetraploid C. erinus and C. creutzburgii (also a tetraploid) are implicated as parental lineages. Our results highlight the utility of target-enrichment approaches for obtaining genomic datasets for thorough assessments of species diversity and the importance of carefully considering gene-tree discordance within such datasets.
Surgical Site Infections and Associated Operative Characteristics.

Abstract Surgical site infection (SSI) contributes significantly to surgical morbidity. Patient factors and operative factors contribute to the risk of development of SSI. This review focuses on understanding operative characteristics that are associated with an increased risk of SSI. Much attention has been given to protocol care to reduce SSI, such as hair removal, skin preparation, and pre-operative antibiotic agents. Even with this, the appropriate antibiotic and re-dosing regimens often remain a challenge. Other operative factors such as blood loss/transfusion, emergency/urgent cases, duration of the operation, type of anesthesia, and resident involvement are also potentially modifiable to reduce the risk of SSI. Data are reviewed to highlight the increased risk associated with such factors. Strategies to reduce risk, such as operative care bundles, have significant promise to reduce the incidence of SSI for any given procedure.
Characteristic of a digital correlation radiometer back end with finite wordlength

The performance characteristic of a digital correlation radiometer signal processing back end (DBE) is analyzed using a computer simulator. The particular design studied here corresponds to the airborne Hurricane Imaging radiometer which was jointly developed by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, University of Michigan, University of Central Florida and NOAA. Laboratory and flight test data is found to be in accord with the simulation results. Overall design seems to be optimum for the typical input signal dynamic range at the DBE input. It is found that the performance of the digital kurtosis could be improved by lowering the DBE input power level. An unusual scaling between digital correlation channels, observed in the instrument data, is confirmed to be a DBE characteristic.
Coordinate-Free Formulation of the Cartesian Stiffness Matrix

In the paper we study the Cartesian stiffness matrix using methods of differential geometry. We show that the stiffness of a conservative mechanical system is described by a ( 2 0 ) tensor and that components of the Cartesian stiffness matrix are given by evaluating this tensor on a pair of basis twists. Our formulation leads to three important results: (a) The stiffness matrix does not depend on the parameterization of the manifold; (b) The stiffness matrix depends on the choice of a connection on the manifold; and (c) The standard definition of the Cartesian stiffness matrix assumes an asymmetric connection and this is the reason that the matrix is, in general, asymmetric.
Intein-mediated assembly of tunable scaffoldins for facile synthesis of designer cellulosomes

In this study, extended artificial scaffoldins possessing multiple cohesin modules were created in vivo by employing split-intein-mediated protein ligation. Artificial scaffoldins having one Clostridium thermocellum cohesin (Coht), one carbohydrate binding module (CBM) from Clostridium cellulolyticum scaffolding protein CipC, and one to five cohesins (Cohc) derived from CipC, were assembled. These scaffoldins were used to assemble cellulosomal enzyme complexes for investigating the interplay among endoglucanase, exoglucanase, and scaffoldin-borne CBM, on the hydrolysis of a model microcrystalline cellulose substrate, Avicel. The cellulosomal complexes were assembled in vitro by incubating recombinant C. thermocellum endoglucanase (At) and C. cellulolyticum exoglucanase (Ec), with the various artificial scaffoldins. Under a fixed total cellulase concentration, improved hydrolysis is noted by recruiting both Ec and At on the same scaffoldin, for all scaffoldins tested, compared with free cellulases. The improvement is more profound with scaffoldins having a higher Cohc/Coht ratio (i.e., increased Ec/At ratio). Furthermore, among scaffoldins having the same Cohc/Coht ratio, highest rates of Avicel hydrolysis are noted when Coht, and hence an endoglucanase, is situated next to the CBM and not flanked by Cohc. These results point to the importance of using scaffoldins with sufficiently high numbers of cohesin units to achieve an optimal exo-/endo-glucanase ratio to create efficient designer cellulosomes. Furthermore, intein-trans-splicing is proven here to be an effective method for assembling complex scaffoldins and more intricate cellulosomes.
129Xe NMR AS A PROBE OF STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS IN MICROPOROUS SOLIDS

ABSTRACT Anisotropic chemical shifts were measured for 129 Xe sorbed in ALPO-11 and NMe 4 montmorillonite. The loading dependence in ALPO-11 was explained in terms of dynamic averaging of a statistical distribution of three distinguishable xenon types. Discrete populations of xenon atoms in AgA zeolite give information on Ag siting, and diffusion processes. Evidence is presented that low temperature NMR properties of xenon in NaY often are artifacts produced by poor thermal conduction.
The discipline of epidemiology: engaging in the full breadth of population health science.

Abstract This address was delivered by Harold I. Feldman, MD, MSCE, at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Epidemiology in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 26, 2017. Dr. Feldman is George S. Pepper Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine, and Chair, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise in kidney disease epidemiology. Dr. Feldman pioneered the integration of epidemiology and renal medicine with his first studies of dialyzer reuse and hemodialysis vascular access morbidity. He is internationally renowned in nephrology and clinical epidemiology and an architect of one of the largest and most successful epidemiological research programs in chronic kidney disease. For over 15 years, he has led NIH's Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study, placing him at the helm of the “Framingham Study of Renal Disease”. It has elucidated the chronic kidney disease–specific relationships of mineral dysmetabolism and cardiovascular complications; dietary sodium and heart failure; novel vascular stiffness metrics and renal disease progression; cardiovascular biomarkers and heart failure; and cognitive decline and renal dysfunction, among others. He has also led the nation's largest trials targeting hemodialysis vascular access morbidity, discovered the benefits of transplantation before dialysis dependence, elucidated racial disparities and the role of genetics in kidney failure, and shaped our understanding of the toxicity from unregulated reuse of medical devices. He is the past President of the American College of Epidemiology and directs one of the nation's largest clinical epidemiology and biostatistics programs. Dr. Feldman has an MD from Boston University and an MSCE from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Epidemiological Society.
New light on the pancreatic cyst conundrum

Pancreatic cysts present a clinically challenging conundrum of great concern. First, as a result of the common availability of high resolution imaging technology, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cysts are being increasingly identified as unsuspected-incidental findings during abdominal evaluations for other unrelated reasons, such as auto accidents, abdominal pain, liver, spleen, gall bladder, kidney and pelvic disorders.
Perioperative Care of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have an intrinsic defect where disfavorable anatomic features, combined with increased airway resistance, leads to airway compromise when there is an insufficiently countered net upper airway (UA) dilator muscle force [1]. Patients with OSA are therefore more vulnerable during anesthesia and sedation, as the effects of loss of wakefulness and supination are compounded by drug-induced depression of all muscle activity and of arousal responses, so that they cannot respond well to hypoxemia, hypoventilation, or even asphyxia [2, 3].
Translational Challenges of Rat Models of Upper Extremity Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury.

There are approximately 17,500 new spinal cord injury (SCI) cases each year in the United States, with the majority of cases resulting from a traumatic injury. Damage to the spinal cord causes eith...
A SIGGS information theoretic characterization of qualitative knowing: cybernetic and SIGGS theory models

My purpose here is to develop a SIGGS information theoretic characterization of qualitative knowing so as to render explicit the real and possible limitations on what are generally categorized as cybernetic models in their use for theorizing about epistemic states of affairs. I will argue that open system theoretical models are necessary conditions to an adequate information theoretic characterization of qualitative knowing. ‘Qualitative knowing’ refers to the set of formal epistemological conditions possible to obtain of a person or persons which define cognitive sensitive awareness of unique properties of persons, events, or objects. The locution ‘cognitive sensitive awareness’ can be explicated in terms of a disjunctive recursive logical structure necessary to adequately describe sensitive human behavior having cognitive significance.
Formal Development of MST

In this chapter, we present a brief overview of some elements of formal multiple scattering theory that will be useful in our subsequent discussion. As is customary, we assume that the Hamiltonian, H 0, for a noninteracting system has only a continuous spectrum, while the Hamiltonian, H = H O +V, for the physical (interacting) system has the same continuous spectrum, but may possess a discrete spectrum of bound states below the continuum. Thus, it is assumed that V does not support bound states in the continuous part of the spectrum. These assumptions are unlikely to limit significantly the application of MST in the context of electronic structure calculations. More detailed discussions of these and other commonly made assumptions in scattering theory may be found in the literature. A summary of some formal concepts of scattering theory is given in Appendix F.
Managing the vanishing North American hunter: a novel framework to address declines in hunters and hunter-generated conservation funds

As long as the funding mechanism supporting state wildlife conservation relies heavily on hunter-generated funds, declines in hunter participation are a threat to the conservation of both game and ...
Temporal and Spatial Changes in Bromine Incorporation into Drinking Water–Disinfection By-Products in Pennsylvania

AbstractBromide concentrations have been changing in rivers in Pennsylvania. Elevated bromide in source waters at drinking water treatment plant intake locations is expected to increase the formati...
The Evolution of a Pauline Toxic Text

The earliest followers of Jesus authored their identity narrative within the metanarrative of Jewish faith, thereby creating a new Jewish-Jesus sect. The Christian identity narrative arose as a new story and could not call upon either a Jewish or a Pagan metanarrative for its justification. It was a new creation inspired by the Spirit and authored by Paul. With his guidance, the Pagan followers of Jesus, Christians, articulated their personal and communal experiences of empowerment by the Spirit in a new identity narrative that would in time establish itself as the dominant metanarrative for Western civilization. Members of the Jewish-Jesus community in Jerusalem immediately denied the validity of the Christian narratives. They sought to subjugate the new story to their official and dominant story: that one had to be Jewish in order to follow Jesus. Paul urges the Christians to remain faithful to their personal stories of empowerment by the Spirit. Unfortunately, he also resorts to the use of toxic texts to disenfranchise his Jewish opponents.