cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ballistic Roll Estimation using EKF Frequency Tracking and Adaptive Noise Cancellation

We present an attitude estimation method for self-guided ballistic munitions from onboard magnetometers. An adaptive feedback filter is used to remove actuator-induced magnetic disturbances whose spectrum overlaps the signal of interest. A state-augmented extended Kalman filter (EKF) is used to estimate roll rate and sensor bias from the filtered data. Experimental results demonstrate that this method is able to accurately estimate the roll without phase delay inherent in other methods.
Instability phenomena in detached plasma regions.

Abstract Wave propagation characteristics, such as plasma frequency and Alfven velocity, are significantly modified by changes in the cold plasma density. Consequently, regions of so-called ‘detached plasma’ which drift through the plasma trough beyond the plasmapause are highly correlated with waves which develop in a wide range of frequencies and which are observed by spacecraft experiments. In particular, for low frequency ELF signals, the association is sufficiently close to suggest that the waves are locally generated within the detached plasma. Hence, the observations can be used to test theoretical models of wave generation, especially by examining the dependence of the observed frequencies and amplitudes on position in the dipole field ( L -shell) and on the measured particle distributions. ULF waves are frequently observed in detached plasma regions. At times it is possible to use the OGO-5 plasma measurements to determine one component of the electric field of these ULF waves, and thereby to infer that the waves are standing mode oscillations of field lines.
Imprinting and the “law of effort”

Abstract Three experiments were designed to test Hess's notion that strength of imprinting is related to effort expended by the chick during initial following. Comparisons were made between imprinting scores by chicks trained under different conditions as follows: ( a ) chick following moving object; ( b ) chick confined in plastic box moving behind a moving surrogate; ( c ) chick confined behind screen and exposed to moving surrogate; ( d ) chick and surrogate both stationary. Data from all three experiments indicated strongly that chicks trained under the first set of conditions showed superior imprinting. Those trained with stationary surrogates showed lowest imprinting scores. The results were taken as agreeing with, though not confirming Hess's “Law of Effort”, since they do not demonstrate conclusively the greater importance of efferent as opposed to afferent variables.
Identification and description of homogeneous subgroups within a sample of misarticulating children

A multivariate, hierarchical clustering procedure was used to identify homogeneous subgroups among 98 misarticulating children age eight years through nine years, six months. Clustering was based o...
Myelopoiesis following phorbol ester exposure in human long-term bone marrow cell culture☆

Phorbol esters have two opposing effects on bone marrow granulocyte/macrophage colony forming cells (CFC-GM): they reduce the number of CFC-GM which respond to colony-stimulating activity (CSA), and they also induce the release of CSA from accessory marrow cells. We questioned whether the direct inhibitory effect of phorbol esters on CFC-GM was reversible and whether phorbol ester-treated accessory bone marrow cells could increase the in vitro recovery of cultured CFC-GM. Normal human bone marrow cells were exposed to phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) for 5 days in liquid cultures. Total nucleated cell counts decreased in a dose-dependent fashion to 42 +/- 6% of control at 5 X 10(-8) M PDB, and CFC-GM decreased to 20 +/- 8% of control. The cultures were then washed to remove PDB and continued for up to 8 weeks. Total cell counts and CFC-GM/ml remained reduced in PDB-pretreated cultures compared to control. To determine whether this was a direct effect of PDB on nonadherent, proliferating cells or whether PDB acted indirectly by affecting adherent, accessory cells, nonadherent bone marrow cells from control and PDB-preincubated cultures were co-cultured for 8 weeks with either control or PDB-preincubated adherent bone marrow cells. Nonadherent cells preincubated with PDB had a similar growth pattern whether or not the co-cultured adherent cells had been preincubated with PDB. In contrast, nonadherent cells preincubated in control medium and co-cultured with PDB-preincubated adherent cells displayed increased numbers of nucleated cells, CFC-GM and adherent hematopoietic islands compared to control. This was associated with increased amounts of CSA present in the culture supernatants. Thus PDB causes an irreversible decrease in CFC-GM in long term marrow cultures but enhances the ability of adherent stromal cells to support normal CFC-GM growth in culture.
What can neuroimaging findings tell us about sleep disorders

Models of the pathophysiology of human sleep disorders have only recently been tested using nuclear medicine assessments, which have greatly increased our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in the human sleep-wake cycle. Dramatic changes in function have been observed in large-scale neuronal networks during sleep. Broad declines in heteromodal-association-cortical function, and relative increases in limbic and paralimbic function have been observed. These cortical areas are responsible for essential aspects of human behavior, allowing us to interact with the world around us and to evaluate the significance of important events in our lives. Preliminary findings suggest that fundamental alterations in the function of these neural systems occur in sleep disorders. In depression, alterations in rapid-eye-movement and slow-wave sleep appear linked to a sleep-related dysfunctional arousal in primary limbic and paralimbic structures (amygdala), and hypofunction in frontal cortical areas. Pharmacologic interventions partially reverse these alterations. Preliminary studies in insomia indicate a subcortical hyperarousal and a failure of sleep to provide normal restoration of function in the prefrontal cortex, leading to chronic sleep deprivation. This review discusses functional neuroimaging data on normal sleep, and on the pathophysiology of insomnia related to depression and primary insomnia.
Fatal Acute Bacterial Myocarditis After Dentoalveolar Abscess

A 19 year old woman presented with chest pain after a dental extraction for a dentoalveolar abscess. Electrocardiographic and serum isoenzyme changes were consistent with acute anterior myocardial infarction. At autopsy bacteria were demonstrated, within the myocardium in the absence of a myocardial abscess or endocarditis. This case illustrates the occurrence of isolated acute bacterial myocarditis after a dental extraction.
Assisted Reproduction and the Courts: The Case of California

In this article, the authors analyze appellate court cases heard in California between 1960 and 2000 that focus on the status of children conceived through reproductive technology in an effort to examine the role of the courts in defining parentage and family in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In the absence of legislation, the primary locus of family policy regarding children created via reproductive technology will continue to be the courts.
A novel component of the disulfide-reducing pathway required for cytochrome c assembly in plastids

In plastids, the conversion of energy in the form of light to ATP requires key electron shuttles, the c-type cytochromes, which are defined by the covalent attachment of heme to a CXXCH motif. Plastid c-type cytochrome biogenesis occurs in the thylakoid lumen and requires a system for transmembrane transfer of reductants. Previously, CCDA and CCS5/HCF164, found in all plastid-containing organisms, have been proposed as two components of the disulfide-reducing pathway. In this work, we identify a small novel protein, CCS4, as a third component in this pathway. CCS4 was genetically identified in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii on the basis of the rescue of the ccs4 mutant, which is blocked in the synthesis of holoforms of plastid c-type cytochromes, namely cytochromes f and c6. Although CCS4 does not display sequence motifs suggestive of redox or heme-binding function, biochemical and genetic complementation experiments suggest a role in the disulfide-reducing pathway required for heme attachment to apoforms of cytochromes c. Exogenous thiols partially rescue the growth phenotype of the ccs4 mutant concomitant with recovery of holocytochrome f accumulation, as does expression of an ectopic copy of the CCDA gene, encoding a trans-thylakoid transporter of reducing equivalents. We suggest that CCS4 might function to stabilize CCDA or regulate its activity.
Individuals With a Long Face Growth Pattern and Excess Inferior Scleral Exposure: Is There Improvement After Maxillary (Le Fort I) Advancement and Vertical Shortening?

Purpose Excessive inferior eyelid scleral exposure is considered an unattractive facial feature. The purpose of this study was to identify those patients with long face and excess inferior scleral exposure and then assess the change after maxillary (Le Fort I) advancement and vertical shortening. Materials and Methods To address the research purpose, the authors executed a retrospective case series study. A consecutive series of patients with a long face growth pattern scheduled for orthognathic correction were identified. Standardized photographs were used to document those with excess lower eyelid scleral show. Those patients with excess scleral show were studied to document any change in sclera show before and more than 1 year after maxillary (Le Fort I) osteotomy with advancement and vertical shortening. The pre- and postoperative proportional values of sclera show were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test ( P Results The study group of 10 patients (7 female and 3 male) with excess scleral show was derived from a larger group of 46 patients with long face. Their ages ranged from 15 to 35 years at operation (mean, 23 yr). Maxillary surgical change averaged 6-mm advancement at the incisors (range, 4 to 10 mm), 3-mm vertical shortening at the incisors (range, 1 to 6 mm), and 3-mm vertical shortening at the molars (range, 1 to 6 mm). Average decreases in scleral show of 8 and 6% compared with total eye height were noted in the right and left eyes, respectively. These results were statistically significant ( P Conclusion For the individual with a long face jaw growth pattern and pre-existing excessive lower eyelid sclera show, surgical correction through maxillary advancement and vertical shortening will create a more favorable relation among the orbits, ocular globes, and lower eyelids.
Social deterministic factors to participation in the National Health Insurance Scheme in the context of rural Ghanaian setting

The primary purpose of this study is to identify predictors of complete household enrollment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) among inhabitants of the Barekese sub-district in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Heads of households in 20 communities from the Barekuma Collaborative Community Project site were interviewed to gather data on demographic, socioeconomic status (SES) indicators and complete household subscription in the NHIS. Logistic regression model was used to predict enrollment in the NHIS. Of the 3228 heads of households interviewed, 60 percent reported having all members of their respective households enrolled in the NHIS. Residents in the classified Middle and High SES brackets had 1.47 (95% CI: 1.21-1.77) and 1.66 (95% CI: 1.27- 2.16) times higher odds, respectively, of complete household enrollment compared to their counterparts in the Low SES category. The odds of enrolling in the program tend to increase progressively with the highest level of education attained by the head of the family unit. Eight years after the introduction of the national health insurance policy in Ghana, the reported subscription rate for complete households was about 60 percent in the 20 rural communities that participated in the study. This finding calls for the need to step up further national strategies that will help increase enrollment coverage, especially among the poor and less educated in the rural communities.
A constrained approximation for nuclear barrier penetration and fission

Abstract An approximation to the time-dependent mean-field theory for barrier penetration by a nucleus is obtained in terms of constrained Hartree-Fock wave functions and a coherent velocity field. A discrete approximation to the continuum theory suitable for practical numerical calculations is presented and applied to three illustrative models. Potential application of the theory to the study of nuclear fission is discussed.
High-resolution infrared spectra of H2–Ne and D2–Ne van der Waals complexes This article is part of a Special Issue on Spectroscopy at the University of New Brunswick in honour of Colan Linton and Ron Lees.

Spectra of weakly bound hydrogen–neon complexes have been studied in equilibrium gas mixtures at relatively high spectral resolution (0.05–0.12 cm–1) using a long-path (112 m), low-temperature (24 K) absorption cell and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Most of the data cover the region of the H2 or D2 fundamental stretching vibrations in the mid-infrared (λ ∼2.4 or 3.3 μm), but results on the pure rotational S0 (0) band of D2–Ne in the far-infrared (λ ∼55 μm) are also included. The spectra are greatly improved compared to the only previous observation. The results serve as a stringent experimental constraint for testing and improving theoretical determinations of the potential-energy surface, which describes the intermolecular forces for the hydrogen–neon system.
Effect of a velocity barrier on the ballistic transport of Dirac fermions

We propose a way to manipulate the transport properties of massless Dirac fermions by using velocity barriers, defining the region in which the Fermi velocity, ${v}_{F}$, has a value that differs from the one in the surrounding background. The idea is based on the fact that when waves travel accross different media, there are boundary conditions that must be satisfied, giving rise to Snell's-type laws. We find that the transmission through a velocity barrier is highly anisotropic, and that perfect transmission always occurs at normal incidence. When ${v}_{F}$ in the barrier is larger than the velocity outside the barrier, we find that a critical transmission angle exists, a Brewster-type angle for massless Dirac electrons.
Completing the data life cycle: using information management in macrosystems ecology research

An important goal of macrosystems ecology (MSE) research is to advance understanding of ecological systems at both fine and broad temporal and spatial scales. Our premise in this paper is that MSE projects require integrated information management at their inception. Such efforts will lead to improved communication and sharing of knowledge among diverse project participants, better science outcomes, and more transparent and accessible (ie “open”) science. We encourage researchers to “complete the data life cycle” by publishing well-documented datasets, thereby facilitating re-use of the data to answer new and different questions from the ones conceived by those involved in the original projects. The practice of documenting and submitting datasets to data repositories that are publicly accessible ensures that research results and data are available to and use-able by other researchers, thus fostering open science. However, ecologists are often unfamiliar with the requirements and information management tools for effectively preserving data and receive little institutional or professional incentive to do so. Here, we provide recommendations for achieving these ends and give examples from current MSE projects to demonstrate why information management is critical for ensuring that scientific results can be reproduced and that data can be shared for future use.
Pharmacological treatment of behavioral and emotional symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: a case for polypharmacy

SUMMARY Behavioral and emotional symptoms are common in Alzheimer’s disease, but often present treatment dilemmas because there are no US FDA-approved treatments for these symptoms, with the exception of treating depression and mania. A common axiom in geriatric psychopharmacology is to avoid polypharmacy so as to minimize drug–drug interactions and side effects. However, there may be rationale for simultaneous use of one or multiple classes of medications, for example, to minimize side effects by giving two or more medications at lower doses to reduce the potential side effects of larger doses of the individual drugs. Symptom clusters can also be targeted by combining medications such as a cholinesterase inhibitor with an antipsychotic, an antipsychotic with an antidepressant or an antidepressant with a hypnotic drug.
EVENODD: an efficient scheme for tolerating double disk failures in RAID architectures

We present a novel method, that we call EVENODD, for tolerating up to two disk failures in RAID architectures. EVENODD employs the addition of only two redundant disks and consists of simple exclusive-OR computations. This redundant storage is optimal, in the sense that two failed disks cannot be retrieved with less than two redundant disks. A major advantage of EVENODD is that it only requires parity hardware, which is typically present in standard RAID-5 controllers. Hence, EVENODD can be implemented on standard RAID-5 controllers without any hardware changes. The most commonly used scheme that employes optimal redundant storage (i.e., two extra disks) is based on Reed-Solomon (RS) error-correcting codes. This scheme requires computation over finite fields and results in a more complex implementation. For example, we show that the complexity of implementing EVENODD in a disk array with 15 disks is about 50% of the one required when using the RS scheme. The new scheme is not limited to RAID architectures: it can be used in any system requiring large symbols and relatively short codes, for instance, in multitrack magnetic recording. To this end, we also present a decoding algorithm for one column (track) in error. >
Fire, demography and the persistence of siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus: Hylobatidae) in a Sumatran rainforest

We show a direct impact of El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) related fires on the demography and persistence of the siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), a frugivorous, Southeast Asian rainforest primate. Siamang groups affected by ENSO-related wildfires in a Sumatran rainforest were significantly smaller and experienced significantly lower infant and juvenile survival. Likelihood of infants surviving to subadults was higher by a factor of 2.8 for groups in undisturbed habitat. Burn groups had access to 48% fewer reproductive-size strangling fig trees in their territories, compared to non-burn groups. Dietary and foraging behaviour changes associated with habitat disturbance may result in lower productivity and higher mortality of young animals. Reproductive potential of burn groups is insufficient to offset low survival and groups are unlikely to persist for more than two generations. Increasing frequency of ENSO events increases the likelihood that siamang and other long-lived species that rely on fruiting trees will experience multiple fires within one generation; the resulting reduction in seed dispersal services will slow recovery of burned forest.
Frequency of Missense Mutations in the Coding Region of a Eukaryotic Gene Transferred by Retroviral Vectors

A relatively high mutation rate is probably a major factor in the evolutionary success of retroviruses, because it generates the genetic diversity that helps them to cope with changes in the environment. When using recombinant retroviruses as vectors for gene transfer and gene therapy, it is important to consider the implications of this biological characteristic. Until now, the mutation rate has been studied by using noneukaryotic genes as reporters. Here we report point mutations in the human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (hG6PD) gene transferred by Moloney murine leukemia virus-based vectors into murine bone marrow cells and NIH 3T3 murine fibroblasts. After bone marrow transplantation, we observed an hG6PD with abnormal electrophoretic mobility for 2 out of 34 mice. Next, we studied this phenomenon quantitatively and found 1 electrophoretically abnormal hG6PD variant among 93 independently isolated NIH 3T3 clones, from which we estimate a mutation rate of 1.4 × 10−5 per base pair per replication cycle. Mutations in the transferred gene can thus contribute to the impairment of the effectiveness of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer.
Solving Boundary-Value Problems for Systems of Hyperbolic Conservation Laws with Rapidly Varying Coefficients

We study how boundary conditions affect the multiple-scale analysis of hyperbolic conservation laws with rapid spatial fluctuations. The most significant difficulty occurs when one has insufficient boundary conditions to solve consistency conditions. We show how to overcome this missing boundary condition difficulty for both linear and nonlinear problems through the recovery of boundary information. We introduce two methods for this recovery (multiple-scale analysis with a reduced set of scales, and a combination of Laplace transforms and multiple scales) and show that they are roughly equivalent. We also show that the recovered boundary information is likely to contain secular terms if the initial conditions are nonzero. However, for the linear problem, we demonstrate how to avoid these secular terms to construct a solution that is valid for all time. For nonlinear problems, we argue that physically relevant problems do not exhibit the missing boundary condition difficulty.
Poster: Force feedback and visual constraint for drawing on a terrain: Path type, view complexity, and pseudohaptic effect

We evaluated stylus-based force feedback and a visual constraint alternative for marking paths on a terrain dataset. We further considered effect interactions with factors affecting task difficulty, including path difficulty related to contact geometry and indirect viewing. For example, the performance benefit of force feedback (relative to visual constraint) was minimal when the path lacked laterally-reinforcing geometry. We also show the visual constraint may generate a pseudohaptic effect: subjects report significantly more touch sense than for a no-force condition.
Decoding the Insulin Signal

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Kubota et al. (2012) show how different temporal patterns of insulin are decoded by the AKT signaling network, providing both new mechanistic insights and physiological relevance.
Implementing and sustaining an early rehabilitation program in a medical intensive care unit: A qualitative analysis

Abstract Purpose Early rehabilitation programs in a medical intensive care unit can improve patient outcomes, but clinicians face barriers in implementing and sustaining such programs. We sought to describe a multidisciplinary team perspective regarding how to implement and sustain a successful early rehabilitation program. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 staff and faculty who were involved in the early rehabilitation program at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical Intensive Care Unit. Transcripts were evaluated using the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research Theory. Results Four major constructs emerged as important, as follows: (1) necessary components, (2) implementation strategies, (3) perceived barriers, and (4) positive outcomes. All participants reported that staff buy-in was necessary, whereas having a multidisciplinary team with good communication among team members was reported as helpful by 90% of participants. The most common barrier reported was increased staff workload (80%). All participants (100%) noted improved patient outcomes as an important benefit, and 95% reported improved job satisfaction. Conclusions This qualitative study of a successful early rehabilitation program highlights the importance of assessing and engaging a multidisciplinary team before implementation and the positive outcomes of early rehabilitation on staff by improving job satisfaction and changing the culture of a hospital unit.
Weight Management for Athletes and Active Individuals: A Brief Review

Weight management for athletes and active individuals is unique because of their high daily energy expenditure; thus, the emphasis is usually placed on changing the diet side of the energy balance equation. When dieting for weight loss, active individuals also want to preserve lean tissue, which means that energy restriction cannot be too severe or lean tissue is lost. First, this brief review addresses the issues of weight management in athletes and active individuals and factors to consider when determining a weight-loss goal. Second, the concept of dynamic energy balance is reviewed, including two mathematical models developed to improve weight-loss predictions based on changes in diet and exercise. These models are now available on the Internet. Finally, dietary strategies for weight loss/maintenance that can be successfully used with active individuals are given. Emphasis is placed on teaching the benefits of consuming a low-ED diet (e.g., high-fiber, high-water, low-fat foods), which allows for the consumption of a greater volume of food to increase satiety while reducing energy intake. Health professionals and sport dietitians need to understand dynamic energy balance and be prepared with effective and evidence-based dietary approaches to help athletes and active individuals achieve their body-weight goals.
The Escherichia coli dnaN159 Mutant Displays Altered DNA Polymerase Usage and Chronic SOS Induction

The Escherichia coli beta sliding clamp, which is encoded by the dnaN gene, is reported to interact with a variety of proteins involved in different aspects of DNA metabolism. Recent findings indicate that many of these partner proteins interact with a common surface on the beta clamp, suggesting that competition between these partners for binding to the clamp might help to coordinate both the nature and order of the events that take place at a replication fork. The purpose of the experiments discussed in this report was to test a prediction of this model, namely, that a mutant beta clamp protein impaired for interactions with the replicative DNA polymerase (polymerase III [Pol III]) would likewise have impaired interactions with other partner proteins and hence would display pleiotropic phenotypes. Results discussed herein indicate that the dnaN159-encoded mutant beta clamp protein (beta159) is impaired for interactions with the alpha catalytic subunit of Pol III. Moreover, the dnaN159 mutant strain displayed multiple replication and repair phenotypes, including sensitivity to UV light, an absolute dependence on the polymerase activity of Pol I for viability, enhanced Pol V-dependent mutagenesis, and altered induction of the global SOS response. Furthermore, epistasis analyses indicated that the UV sensitivity of the dnaN159 mutant was suppressed by (not epistatic with) inactivation of Pol IV (dinB gene product). Taken together, these findings suggest that in the dnaN159 mutant, DNA polymerase usage, and hence DNA replication, repair, and translesion synthesis, are altered. These findings are discussed in terms of a model to describe how the beta clamp might help to coordinate protein traffic at the replication fork.
Low-frequency reflection-data augmentation by an inpainting method: 1D acoustic media

ABSTRACTThe augmentation of low frequencies is an important problem for inverting seismic reflection data. Through an acoustic-scattering approach, we have characterized how the data down to zero frequency grows in importance with increasing depth and the size of the velocity contrast. We have developed a Hermite distributed approximation functional (HDAF) inpainting method that provides a least-squares fitting of the acoustic-reflection data down to zero frequency. The HDAF data fitting is applied to the first Born approximation for compact velocity contrasts (the top and bottom depth velocities are equal). Several fitting constraints are derived using a Taylor expansion of the reflection data near zero frequency. They provide a coupling with the first Born approximation of the velocity contrast. The method can be extended to the general geophysical case, in which the final velocity i.e., is different from the starting velocity (by use of the distorted-wave Born approximation). Numerical results for 1D t...
"Imponderable Matters: " The Influence of New Trends in History on Appraisal at the National Archives

The field of history has changed a great deal since Theodore Schellenberg wrote The Appraisal of Modern Public Records in 1956. Although trends in social history, Afro-American history, and women's history have suggested new subjects, themes, and periodization for historians during the last twenty years, archivists at the National Archives and Records Administration continue to rely primarily on Schellenberg's guidance in their appraisal of the records of the federal government. The author investigates the criteria used in making appraisal decisions at NARA, looks at some examples of appraisals that considered the new trends in history to greater and lesser extents, and concludes that NARA must take a proactive position on this issue to ensure that tomorrow's archival collection is a well-considered and useful one.
The NEURON Book: hoc, NEURON's interpreter

But what it was that inscrutable Ahab said to that tiger – yellow crew of his – these were words best omitted here; for you live under the blessed light of the evangelical land. Only the infidel sharks in the audacious seas may give ear to such words, when, with tornado brow, and eyes of red murder, and foam-glued lips, Ahab leaped after his prey. Much of the flexibility of NEURON is due to its use of a built-in interpreter, called hoc (pronounced “hoak”), for defining the anatomical and biophysical properties of models of neurons and neuronal networks, controlling simulations, and creating a graphical user interface. In this chapter we present a survey of hoc and how it is used in NEURON. Readers who seek the most up-to-date list of hoc keywords and documentation of syntax are referred to the online Programmer's Reference (see link at http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/docs/docs.html). This can also be downloaded as a pkzip archive for convenient offline viewing with any WWW browser. The standard distribution for MSWindows includes a copy of the Programmer's Reference which is current as of the date of the NEURON executable that it accompanies (see the “Documentation” item in the NEURON program group). NEURON's hoc is based on the floating point calculator by the same name that was developed by Kernighan and Pike (1984).
Climate Change Vulnerabilities and Adaptation Options for Forest Vegetation Management in the Northwestern USA

Recent vulnerability assessments, conducted in diverse regions in the northwestern United States, indicate that many commonalities exist with respect to projected vulnerabilities to climate change. Dry forests are projected to have significant changes in distribution and abundance of species, partially in response to higher temperature and lower soil moisture, but mostly in response to projected increases in extreme events and disturbances—drought, wildfire, and insect outbreaks. Wildfire and mountain pine beetles have caused extensive mortality across millions of hectares in this region during the past decade, and wildfire area burned is projected to increase 200%–300% by mid-21st century. Science–management partnerships associated with recent assessments have identified an extensive list of adaptation options, including both strategies (general planning) and tactics (on-the-ground projects). Most of the options focus on increasing resilience to disturbances and on reducing current stressors to resource conditions. Adaptation options are generally similar across the biogeographically diverse region covered by assessments, suggesting that there may be a limit on the number of feasible responses to climate change. Federal agencies in the northwestern United States are now using these assessments and adaptation approaches to inform sustainable resource management and planning, mostly through fine tuning of existing practices and policies.
Coinfection with type 1 and type 2 PRRSV

PORCINE reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is characterised by reproductive failure in breeding females and respiratory distress in pigs of all ages, particularly in young pigs (Zimmerman and others 2012). The causative agent, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), is endemic to nearly all pig-rearing regions. PRRSV is divided into type 1 (formerly European) and type 2 (formerly North American) genotypes, with approximately 50 to 70 per cent nucleotide identity between the two genotypes. The distribution of type 1 and type 2 PRRSV is not strictly restricted by continents anymore; type 1 and type 2 PRRSVs are circulating globally. In addition, coinfection with both type 1 and type 2 PRRSVs is prevalent on some farms (Choi and others 2015). Several type 1- or type 2-based commercial vaccines have been developed and used to combat PRRS. However, no combined type 1 and type 2 vaccine is commercially available. Considering this, what vaccination strategies should be implemented to control coinfection with two genotypes: vaccination with a type 1 vaccine alone, vaccination with a type 2 vaccine alone, or concurrent vaccination with both a type 1 and a type 2 vaccine? In a paper summarised on p 291 of this issue of Veterinary Record , Choi and others (2016), from a research group lead by Chanhee Chae, compare commercial type 1 and type 2 PRRSV vaccines against heterologous dual challenge, adding to papers already published by this research group investigating the pathogenicity of type 1 and type 2 PRRSV coinfection as well as vaccination strategies. A type 1 PRRSV isolate SNUVR090485 (isolated in Korea in 2009) and a type 2 PRRSV isolate SNUVR090851 (isolated in Korea in 2010) were compared for their pathogenicity in the form of single or dual infections in three-week-old conventional pigs infected via the intranasal inoculation route …
Catalytic stereoselective synthesis of diverse oxindoles and spirooxindoles from isatins.

A strategy for the efficient two-step synthesis of triazole derivatives of oxindoles and spirooxindoles is presented. Using a common set of N-propargylated isatins, a series of mechanistically distinct stereoselective reactions with different combinations of nucleophiles and catalysts provide access to diverse hydroxy-oxindoles, spiroindolones, and spirocyclic oxazoline structures. The resulting N-propargylated oxindoles are then converted to triazoles using copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions. Overall, this strategy affords a 64-member pilot-scale library of diverse oxindoles and spirooxindoles.
Regulation of γ-Secretase Activity in Alzheimer's Disease

The γ-secretase complex is an intramembrane aspartyl protease that cleaves its substrates along their transmembrane regions. Sequential proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein by β- and γ-secretase produces amyloid β-peptides, which are the major components of amyloid plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. The γ-secretase complex is therefore believed to be critical in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Here we review the range of factors found to affect the nature and degree of γ-secretase complex activity; these include γ-secretase complex assembly and activation, the integral regulatory subunit CD147, transient or weak binding partners, the levels of cholesterol and sphingolipids in cell membranes, and inflammatory cytokines. Integrated knowledge of the molecular mechanisms supporting the actions of these factors is expected to lead to a comprehensive understanding of the functional regulation of the γ-secretase complex, and this, in turn, should facilitate the develop...
Isolated severe right atrial dilatation demonstrated on planar TI-201 myocardial imaging.

Isolated enlargement of the right chambers of the heart is uncommon in adults. It usually occurs secondary to subacute bacterial endocarditis involving the tricuspid or pulmonic valves (or both) and often is seen in drug addicts. The authors present an uncommon case involving a patient with AIDS and tricuspid endocarditis associated with isolated severe right atrial dilatation. Planar adenosine stress TI-201 myocardial perfusion imaging showed a large photopenic defect in the lower right chest in the region of the right atrium. First-pass and gated blood pool studies showed right atrial enlargement. TI-201 myocardial imaging confirmed the severe dilatation of the right atrium, which appeared as a photopenic area. The study also revealed a prolonged pulmonary transit time of 12 seconds.
Simulations of nonlinear effects on the Carrier-Envelope phase for ultrashort pulses

Simulations, using the full-vector Maxwell equations, are presented of nonlinear effects on the carrier-envelope phase for pulse durations in the two-optical-cycle range. The pulses propagate in sapphire crystal.
Esophageal hiatus hernia.

In many cases, hiatus hernia does not cause any symptoms. The most frequent symptom is retrosternal or epigastric distress. Other symptoms include belching, fullness in the upper abdomen, and regurgitation.Complications include hemorrhage, esophagitis and stricture of the esophagus. Surgical treatment should be used only in cases in which complications are a serious problem or in cases in which the patients do not respond to adequate medical treatment.
Stratification Based Hierarchical Clustering Over a Deep Web Data Source.

This paper focuses on the problem of clustering data from a hidden or a deep web data source. A key characteristics of deep web data sources is that data can only be accessed through the limited query interface they support. Because the underlying data set cannot be accessed directly, data mining must be performed based on sampling of the datasets. The samples, in turn, can only be obtained by querying the deep web databases with specific inputs. Unlike existing sampling based methods, sampling costs, and not the computation or memory costs, are the dominant consideration in designing the technique for sampling. We have developed a new methodology for addressing the clustering problem on the deep web. Our work includes three new ideas, which are a method for stratifying a deep web data source, an algorithm for hierarchical clustering based on stratified sampling, and a two phase technique for sampling, which includes a representative sampling in the first phase, and sampling focusing on the boundary points between the clusters in the second phase. We have evaluated our approach using two synthetic and one real data set. Our experiments show that each of the three ideas we have introduced leads to significant improvements in accuracy and efficiency of clustering a hidden data source. Specifically, we improve the accuracy of the clusters obtained (measured by average distance to centers) by up to 20% over the existing approach. Compared in another way, our method can achieve the same accuracy with up to 25% fewer samples, thus reducing the sampling cost.
ER Chaperone BiP/GRP78 Is Required for Myelinating Cell Survival and Provides Protection during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Myelinating cells synthesize large amounts of membrane protein through the secretory pathway, which makes these cells particularly sensitive to perturbations of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Ig binding protein (BiP), also known as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), is a critical ER chaperone that also plays a pivotal role in controlling the cellular response to ER stress. To examine the potential importance of BiP to myelinating cells, we used a conditional knock-out approach to BiP gene inactivation in oligodendrocytes during development, in adulthood, and in response to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of the inflammatory demyelinating disorder multiple sclerosis (MS). During development, mice lacking functional BiP gene expression in oligodendrocytes developed tremors and ataxia and died before reaching maturity. When BiP gene inactivation in oligodendrocytes was initiated in adulthood, the mice displayed severe neurological symptoms including tremors and hind-limb paralysis. The inactivation of BiP in oligodendrocytes during development or in adulthood resulted in oligodendrocyte loss and corresponding severe myelin abnormalities. Mice heterozygous for the oligodendrocyte-specific inactivation of BiP, which were phenotypically normal without evidence of neuropathology, displayed an exacerbated response to EAE that correlated with an increased loss of oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, mice in which the BiP gene was specifically inactivated in developing Schwann cells displayed tremor that progressed to hindlimb paralysis, which correlated with diminished numbers of myelinating Schwann cells and severe PNS hypomyelination. These studies demonstrate that BiP is critical for myelinating cell survival and contributes to the protective response of oligodendrocyte against inflammatory demyelination.
Teaching Photosynthesis: Some Thoughts

‘Life is Bottled Sunshine’ is a fourword summary of the significance of photosynthesis for life on Earth. We all know the importance of the audio visual tools for communicating scientific principles to the students. During my 40 years of teaching BS to PhD level students, I have found that they have learned some of the photosynthesis concepts faster and with ease when they were encouraged to imagine themselves either (a) as molecules participating in exciton transfer from antenna to reaction center molecules, or as electrons/ protons moving through the Z-scheme; or (b) as scientists of the past describing their own results. Further, the inclusion of analogies, photographs and personal aspects of the discoverers fascinates students as they absorb the scientific concepts. In addition, simple movies such as those showing Photosystem II, exciton transfer, and rotating ATP Synthase imprint the dynamic nature of the processes in their minds. In this Chapter, I discuss some thoughts about teaching. In my experience, a historical perspective inspires students to learn and encourages a desire to solve problems.
COMPLICATIONS OF NITROUS OXIDE ANESTHESIA FOR EAR SURGERY

SUMMARY Middle ear pressure measured in surgical patients has been as high as 450 mm H2O after only 15 to 20 minutes of nitrous oxide inhalation. This increase in pressure bulges the eardrum outward and complicates otologic procedures such as replacement of the tympanic membrane or closing of a perforation. Increased middle ear pressure can also contribute to postoperative pain, delirium, nausea, and vomiting. Furthermore, discontinuation of nitrous oxide brings a decrease in middle ear pressure that can displace a tympanic graft. For all these reasons, many authors suggest avoiding nitrous oxide anesthesia for surgical procedures on the middle ear: tympanoplasty, stapedectomy, ossicular repositioning, and mastoidectomy. Finally, the possible lingering presence of nitrous oxide within the middle ear makes it wise to avoid nitrous oxide for all surgical patients who have middle ear disease and abnormalities of the eustachian tube. Because of the possibility of tympanic membrane rupture during or after nitrous oxide anesthesia, specific information concerning previous otologic surgery should be obtained prior to anesthesia. Patients especially vulnerable are those with acute or chronic middle ear infections or inflammation or scarring of the nasopharynx. Techniques that promote rapid recovery from anesthesia and the early return of pharyngeal reflexes facilitate venting of middle ear gas through the eustachian tube. The clinician can prevent the diffusion problem encountered with nitrous oxide by using a mixture of oxygen and air as the vaporizing vehicle for a more potent halogenated agent. If the anesthetist wants to use nitrous oxide, however, the lowest concentration feasible (50% or less) should be combined with a more potent agent for the shortest period possible and then discontinued as soon as the level of anesthesia is adequate.
Sonographic Detection of Necrotizing Fasciitis

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare, life-threatening, flesh-eating bacterial infection that quickly destroys soft tissue beneath the skin. Left untreated, it can result in the loss of limbs or even death. A diagnosis is most often made through laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography (CT), and sonography. This case study demonstrates the use of sonography to assist in the detection and characterization of necrotizing fasciitis. In this case, CT provided the necessary diagnostic information to accurately diagnose necrotizing fasciitis. The prompt diagnosis for this patient facilitated expedited treatment in an effort to stem progressive damage to the affected limb.
Improved Superresolution Imaging Using Telegraph Noise in Organic Semiconductor Nanoparticles

Small semiconductor structures often exhibit “telegraph noise”. If the number of charge carriers is small, then spontaneous changes in the number of carriers can lead to abrupt switching between two or more discrete levels, leading to burst noise or popcorn noise in transistors. We have observed similar behavior in the fluorescence of organic semiconductor nanoparticles, where typical carrier populations are often less than ∼10 carriers per nanoparticle. Spontaneous changes in the number of charges results in abrupt switching between 2 or more fluorescence intensity levels, because the charges act as highly efficient fluorescence quenchers. The equilibrium number of charges is determined by competition between a photodriven ionization process and spontaneous recombination. Doping with redox-active molecules also affects the balance. Nanoparticles of the conjugated polymer PFBT doped with the fullerene derivative PCBM, rapidly establish a fluctuating steady-state population of tens of hole polaron charge c...
Living in a Gender-Binary World: Implications for a Revised Model of Consumer Vulnerability

Baker, Gentry, and Rittenburg’s (2005) model of consumer vulnerability outlines the personal, social, and structural characteristics that frame consumers’ experiences of vulnerability in the market...
Genome editing technologies and their potential to treat neurologic disease.

Genome editing refers to a process of making precise and permanent changes in the genetic code of cells, tissues, and whole organisms. The first step in this process is to program an enzyme called a nuclease to bind to a precise DNA sequence, whereby the enzyme will cut the DNA. This double-stranded break will in turn induce the cell to make a repair at that site, which will change the DNA sequence. The repair mechanism can be utilized to either knock out or introduce selected genes. Given how rapidly gene editing systems are influencing diverse applications in biomedical research, biotechnology, and agriculture,1 clinical applications in neurology to repair genetic mutations causing disease, or to incorporate genes that might be of therapeutic benefit, are on the near horizon. The following cases illustrate how such an approach may be used to develop new ex vivo (case 1) and in vivo (case 2) therapies for neurologic disease, respectively, and highlight some of the translational challenges of using these molecular reagents safely and ethically in patients.