cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and cognitive impairment in the United States

Declines in heart disease and stroke mortality rates are conventionally attributed to reductions in cigarette smoking, recognition and treatment of hypertension and diabetes, effective medications to improve serum lipid levels and to reduce clot formation, and general lifestyle improvements. Recent evidence implicates these and other cerebrovascular factors in the development of a substantial proportion of dementia cases. Analyses were undertaken to determine whether corresponding declines in age-specific prevalence and incidence rates for dementia and cognitive impairment have occurred in recent years. Data spanning 1 or 2 decades were examined from community-based epidemiological studies in Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana, and from the Health and Retirement Study, which is a national survey. Although some decline was observed in the Minnesota cohort, no statistically significant trends were apparent in the community studies. A significant reduction in cognitive impairment measured by neuropsychological testing was identified in the national survey. Cautious optimism appears justified.
Acetate and bicarbonate hemodialysis in patients with and without autonomic dysfunction

Acetate and bicarbonate hemodialysis in patients with and without autonomic dysfunction. To test the contribution of bicarbonate (Bi) to hemodynamic stability during hemodialysis (HD), we compared the effects of ultrafiltration dialysis with bicarbonate and with acetate under conditions of high-sodium (141 mEq/liter) and low-sodium (130 mEq/liter) dialysate concentrations in 12 stable HD patients. Group 1 was patients (N = 5) who had normal findings on autonomic testing; group 2, patients (N = 7) who had abnormal findings on autonomic testing. All patients and staff were unaware of which dialysate was being used. During the high-sodium dialysate studies, changes in mean blood pressure (MBP), cardiac output (CO), and orthostatic tolerance to standing after HD were similar in both groups of patients with both acetate and bicarbonate dialysate. When the studies were repeated under low-sodium dialysate conditions, several differences emerged between acetate and bicarbonate HD. In group 1, the frequency of adverse symptoms upon standing after HD were reduced with bicarbonate (P Hemodialyse a l'acetate et au bicarbonate chez des malades avec ou sans dysfonctionnement autonome. Afin de tester la contribution des bicarbonates (Bi) a la stabilite hemodynamique au cours de l'hemodialyse (HD), nous avons compare les effets hemodynamiques d'une dialyse avec ultrafiltration avec BiHD ou HD avec acetate (Ac) pour des dialysats riches (141 mEq/litre) ou pauvres (130 mEq/litre) en sodium chez 12 malades HD stables. Les malades du groupe 1 (N = 5) avaient une fonction autonome intacte, alors que ceux du groupe 2 (N = 7) avaient des tests autonomes anormaux. Aucun des malades, ni le personnel n'etaient au courant du dialysat utilise. Pendant les etudes avec un dialysat riche en sodium, les modifications de la pression arterielle moyenne (MBP), du debit cardiaque (CO) et de la tolerance orthostatique a la station debout apres HD etaient identiques dans les deux groupes de malades, avec dialysat Ac ou Bi. Quand ces etudes ont ete repetees avec un dialysat pauvre en sodium, plusieurs differences sont apparues entre Ac et BiHD. Chez les malades du groupe 1, la frequence des symptomes indesirables a la station debout apres HD etait reduite avec BiHD (P
Carbon implications of current and future effects of drought, fire and management on Pacific Northwest forests

Climate change has already begun to impact the structure and function of forest ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest by altering the frequency, intensity, and duration of droughts and heat stress, with implications for widespread environmental and socio-economic change. A major realization is that accumulated physiological stress can ultimately lead to tree mortality and changes in species distributions, particularly in areas away from maritime influences. To ameliorate the effects of drought, insect outbreaks, and reduce the risk of crown fires, various strategies are being tested. To make some of these strategies economical, biomass is proposed as an alternative energy source. At the same time that an increase in harvesting is being considered, there is a desire to increase carbon sequestration by forests to offset, at least in part, greenhouse gas emissions. Assessments are needed to determine current and future impacts of climate change, and to evaluate management options while considering carbon storage benefits and sustainability of ecosystem structure and function. Here we provide an overview of research results from the Pacific Northwest region where forests dominate the landscape and contain among the highest biomass on earth. In this review, we present findings that challenge common assumptions, and suggest a way to predict outcomes of changes in climate and land management in the future. The approach includes the use of observation-driven land system models that integrate the extent that forests are vulnerable to climate change, management practices, and economic considerations. It also requires increased emphasis on in situ and remotely sensed observations and experiments to initialize and test the model, and to track trends in forest condition.
Genetic, enzymatic, and pathogenic studies of the iron superoxide dismutase of Campylobacter jejuni.

Abstract Campylobacter jejuni is a microaerobic bacterium that produces an acute, self-limiting, watery or bloody diarrhea in humans. Little is known about how C. jejuni causes disease or even what specific capabilities it requires for survival in vivo. The enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), which catalyzes the breakdown of superoxide radicals to hydrogen peroxide and dioxygen is one of the bacterial cell's major defense mechanisms against oxidative damage. A PCR-based search for sod genes in C. jejuni 81-176 revealed that this bacterium contained at least one sod gene. We cloned and sequenced a sod gene from 81-176 and determined that its predicted protein product was most similar to that of FeSODs (sodB genes). Transcriptional analysis indicated that this gene is monocistronic and may be transcribed from a sigma 70-like promoter. Nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels stained to reveal SOD activities, accompanied by inhibition studies, demonstrated that C. jejuni produces five electrophoretically distinct bands of SOD activity, all of which appeared to be FeSODs. Analysis of an 81-176 sodB strain revealed that all of these FeSOD activities may be products of the one sodB gene that we cloned. The expression and enzymatic activity of the respective sodB and FeSOD produced by both C. jejuni and Helicobacter pylori were examined in Escherichia coli. Both genes were expressed in E. coli, and the proteins produced were enzymatically active. Finally, the ability of the 81-176 sodB strain to survive INT407 cell invasion was found to be significantly decreased (12-fold) compared with that of the parent, suggesting a potential role for SodB in C. jejuni intracellular survival.
How to be a good global communicator

Are you a good global communicator? With the rise in global mergers, outsourcing, and crossborder business, this issue can be critical to your success. We don't all “speak the same language,” even if we're all using English. Each country has a different culture, with different expectations and customs. The authors look at how culture, decision styles, and technology can affect your international business transactions—and how to avoid problems. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
164-GHz MMIC HEMT doubler

In this paper, a MMIC frequency doubler based on an InP HEMT and grounded CPW (GCPW) technology is reported. The doubler demonstrated a conversion loss of only 2 dB and output power of 5 dBm at 164 GHz. The 3 dB output power bandwidth is 14 GHz, or 8.5%. This is the best reported result for a MMIC HEMT doubler above 100 GHz.
Impaired Sperm Maturation in Rnase9 Knockout Mice

Ribonuclease, RNase A family, 9 (RNASE9) is a ribonuclease A superfamily member that is expressed only in the epididymis. It is a small, secreted polypeptide, it lacks ribonuclease activity, and its function(s) is unknown. However, epididymis-specific expression suggests a role in sperm maturation. We generated Rnase9−/− mice to study RNASE9 function in vivo. We confirm that RNASE9 expression is restricted to the epididymis. Within the epididymis, RNASE9 is first detected in midcaput, persists through the distal caput and corpus, and wanes in the cauda. Rnase9−/− mice are born at the expected Mendelian ratio, have normal postnatal growth and development, and have no outwardly apparent phenotype. Spermatogenesis is normal, and Rnase9-null sperm are morphologically normal. Rnase9−/− males have normal fertility in unrestricted mating trials, and fertilization rates in in vitro fertilization assays are indistinguishable from wild-type mice. Visual observations coupled with analyses of sperm velocities shortly after swim out from the corpus shows that motility of Rnase9-null sperm is significantly impaired. However, no differences between wild-type and Rnase9-null sperm are detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis 10–90 min after sperm isolation from the corpus or cauda. Assessment of capacitation-dependent signaling pathways in Rnase9-null sperm showed that, while levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm proteins were normal, there was decreased phosphorylation of protein kinase A substrates upon capacitation compared to wild-type mice. In conclusion, RNASE9 is dispensable for fertility, but the absence of RNASE9 during epididymal transit results in impaired sperm maturation.
Finding cool code: An analysis of source-level causes of temperature effects

Temperature issues have become a first-order concern for microprocessors over the last several microprocessor generations. An increase in on-chip transistor density has led to increased power density and therefore higher on-die temperatures. Higher processor temperatures lead to concerns for both cooling costs and reliability. In the short term, higher temperatures can affect the correctness of calculations or lead to throttling or disabling a processor [1]. Over time, increasing the average execution temperature by 10–15°C can reduce the processor lifespan by as much as half [2].
Interpreting a Helping Hand Cultural Variation in the Effectiveness of Solicited and Unsolicited Social Support

Research has shown that Asians/Asian Americans are less likely to seek social support to deal with stressful situations than European Americans. Two studies examined the effectiveness of two types of social support: support that is sought directly (solicited support) and support received without prompting from the recipient (unsolicited support). It was theorized that receiving unsolicited support may reinforce social belonging and relational ties, whereas soliciting support may pose relational threats for Asian Americans. In contrast, European Americans may be less affected by type of support received. The first study examined culture (European American vs. Asian American) and type of social support (solicited vs. unsolicited) on stress responses to a task in a lab setting. The second study used vignettes of possible stressors with unsolicited or solicited coping techniques. Results supported our hypothesis, with Asian Americans reporting better outcomes from unsolicited support and European Americans showing little difference between support types.
Analysis of DNA Denaturation

This unit provides a detailed method for evaluating in situ DNA denaturation by flow cytometry. The principal technique is based upon the metachromatic properties of acridine orange. This technique has a number of advantages over traditional biochemical methods, but requires very precise methodology; the result is excellent clarity and differentiation between single-stranded and double-stranded DNA. This unit provides full details on the correct use of acridine orange together with an excellent discussion of the pitfalls and problems. Keywords: flow cytometry; DNA denaturation; acridine orange; metachromatic dyes; differential staining; single-stranded DNA; double-stranded DNA
Electromyographic Investigations of the Tongue and Circumoral Muscular Sling with Fine-Wire Electrodes

The electromyographic (EMG) examination of 11 normal individuals in whom bipolar fine-wire indwelling electrodes were placed showed no EMG activity during rest periods and only very slight to slight activity during normal oral functionsmduring aberrant oral activity, such as thumb-sucking, the orbicularis oris and genioglossus muscles gave a marked EMG response and the buccinator muscles were slightly active. These findings may help explain the classical malocclusions seen in tongue-thrusters and thumb-suckers.
Spotlighting for visible light communications and illumination

The trend toward solid state lighting with white LEDs has motivated much research for using these devices to provide wireless broadband data communications. Much work in this area has attempted to fit VLC into currently dominant indoor lighting modes, which broadcast the light in a wide field to achieve uniform coverage throughout a room. In this paper we explore spotlighting, which is appropriate lighting for many scenarios, as an alternative for implementing high datarate VLC. We find that spotlighting VLC has several benefits over uniform lighting implementations, including enabling higher datarate densities within a room and less channel distortion. We also introduce a hybrid scheme that combines spotlighting with uniform lighting to provide wide area data coverage as well as high-datarate “white hot spots” where needed.
Soluble Material on Ash from Active Central American Volcanoes

Eruptions of six active volcanoes in Central America provided 57 volcanic ash samples in the past 7 yrs which were unaffected by rain. The ash samples were leached with water which was analyzed for Cl, F, SO4, Na, Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Zn, and Cu, all of which were usually present. The analytical data were examined in terms of time of eruption, eruptive cycle, and physical character of the vent. It was found that the leachate material came primarily from the surface of ash particles, consisted of chemicals commonly found in volcanic gases and sublimates, and was more abundant in ash from a deep vent. It was concluded that much of the soluble material was deposited on the ash surface from volcanic gas during eruption. Isopach mapping indicated that the total amount of ash falling within the 2.5-mm-thickness contour during the 48-day eruption of Cerro Negro in 1968 was 17 million tons; more than 21,000 tons of soluble material were contained in this ash. If projected to the world scale and over geologic time, the soluble material on volcanic ash appears to account for the Cl and SO4 which Rubey (1951) found to be in excess in the oceans.
Stat1-dependent and -independent pathways in IFN-γ-dependent signaling

The paradigm that emerged from studies during the past decade established a central role for Jak-Stat (signal transducer and activator of transcription) signaling pathways in promoting the diverse cellular responses induced by interferon gamma (IFN-gamma). However, recent studies have shown that the IFN-gamma receptor activates additional signaling pathways and can regulate gene expression by Stat1-independent pathways. The diversity of gene-expression patterns mediated by Stat1-dependent and -independent mechanisms and the balance between these two pathways play an important role in the biological response to IFN-gamma.
A Probabilistic Approach to Measuring Robustness in Computing Systems

System builders are becoming increasingly interested in robust design. We believe that a methodology for generating robustness metrics helps the robust design research efforts and, in general, is an important step in the efforts to create robust computing systems. The purpose of the research in this paper is to quantify the robustness of a resource allocation, with the eventual objective of setting a standard that could easily be instantiated for a particular computing system to generate robustness metric. We present our theoretical foundation for robustness metric and give its instantiation for a particular system.
Dynamic Relay Node Placement in Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper we present an online algorithm that attacks the problem of placing relay nodes in regions where high localized congestion is detected. Congestion refers to the network overload caused by excess concurrent attempts of wireless devices to access the common shared channel. Our algorithm uses the expected transmission delay (ETD) metric based on both current measurements and history observations over a window of time and is used by the nodes to identify the level of congestion in the local environment of the node. Our scheme uses a dissemination probing mechanism to exchange statistical local information periodically which are used to detect the congested area. Detailed simulation results illustrate the working and benefits of our approach.
Influence of diet composition, dry-matter intake, milk production and energy balance on time of post-partum ovulation and fertility in dairy cows

Lactating Holstein-Friesian cows from two calving groups (no. = 90) were studied during the early post-partum period to determine the effect of dry-matter intake (DM1), 40 g/kg fat-corrected milk (FCM) production, energy balance (EB), parity, and food additives (calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids [CaLCFA] and niacin) on the recrudescence of ovarian function and establishment of pregnancy. Cows that ovulated early during the post-partum period (15 to 21 days after calving) consumed more food and tended to produce more FCM compared with cows ovulating later (22 to 42 days or after 42 days). Primiparous cows had lower EB and tended to have longer intervals to first ovulation compared with multiparous cows but the average interval to pregnancy was similar for primiparous and multiparous cows. Feeding CaLCFA tended to extend the interval to first service and decreased pregnancy rate. Production characteristics (including DMI and FCM production) seem to determine interval from calving to first ovulation as well as interval from calving to pregnancy (days open). Fertility was affected negatively by feeding CaLCFA.
A Best Approximation Evaluation of a Finite Element Calculation

We discuss an electrostatics problem whose solution must lie in the set S of all real n-by-n symmetric matrices with all row sums equal to zero. With respect to the Frobenius norm, we provide an algorithm that finds the member of S which is closest to any given n-by-n matrix, and determines the distance between the two. This algorithm makes it practical to find the distances to S of finite element approximate solutions of the electrostatics problem, and to reject those which are not sufficiently close.
Lipomobilization in periparturient dairy cows influences the composition of plasma nonesterified fatty acids and leukocyte phospholipid fatty acids

The periparturient period is characterized by sudden changes in metabolic and immune cell functions that predispose dairy cows to increased incidence of disease. Metabolic changes include alterations in the energy balance that lead to increased lipomobilization with consequent elevation of plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations. The objective of this study was to establish the influence of lipomobilization on fatty acid profiles within plasma lipid fractions and leukocyte phospholipid composition. Blood samples from 10 dairy cows were collected at 14 and 7 d before due date, at calving, and at 7, 14, and 30 d after calving. Total lipids and lipid fractions were extracted from plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The degree of lipomobilization was characterized by measurement of plasma NEFA concentrations. The fatty acid profile of plasma NEFA, plasma phospholipids, and leukocyte phospholipids differed from the composition of total lipids in plasma, where linoleic acid was the most common fatty acid. Around parturition and during early lactation, the proportion of palmitic acid significantly increased in the plasma NEFA and phospholipid fractions with a concomitant increase in the phospholipid fatty acid profile of leukocytes. In contrast, the phospholipid fraction of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in leukocytes was diminished during the periparturient period, especially during the first 2 wk following parturition. This study showed that the composition of total plasma lipids does not necessarily reflect the NEFA and phospholipid fractions in periparturient dairy cows. These findings are significant because it is the plasma phospholipid fraction that contributes to fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids. Increased availability of certain saturated fatty acids in the NEFA phospholipid fractions may contribute to altered leukocyte functions during the periparturient period.
Measuring, Monitoring and Modeling Quality of Life

Issues addressed include use of multi-dimensional vs. single scalar approaches to measuring quality of life. The former seems preferable to the latter. This is illustrated by reference to examples from the national accounts systems approach, using objective data only, as proposed by Nestor Terleckyj, and the local use of questionnaires and interviews to deal with subjective feelings and reactions as reported in the citizen-type panel arrangements suggested by Norman Johnson and Edward Ward. Ways of allowing for trends and dynamic changes are examined and, inter alia, audits and other devices are suggested for detecting emerging needs for new roles and social-institutional arrangements. Areas that may lie beyond any such measurement and detection systems are also examined.
Role of βARK in Long-Term Agonist-Promoted Desensitisation of the β2-Adrenergic Receptor

Phosphorylation of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2AR) is the initial event that underlies rapid agonist-promoted desensitisation. However, the role of phosphorylation in mediating long-term beta 2AR desensitisation is not known. To investigate this possibility, we performed intact cell phosphorylation studies with COS-7 cells transiently expressing an epitope tagged wild-type beta 2AR and found that receptor phosphorylation in cells treated with 1 microM isoproterenol for 24 h was approximately 4-fold over the basal state. This finding suggested that persistent phosphorylation of the receptor might contribute to functional long-term desensitisation which we further explored with mutated beta 2AR lacking the determinants of phosphorylation by the beta AR kinase (beta ARK), PKA or both. In CHW cells expressing the WT beta 2AR, pretreatment with 1 microM isoproterenol for 24 h reduced the isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP response by 82 +/- 5%. Substitution of the PKA sites with alanines had no effect on the extent of desensitisation (77 +/- 6%, P = NS compared to WT). In contrast, desensitisation was only 49 +/- 4% (P < 0.001 compared to WT) when the beta ARK sites were similarly substituted. Removal of both the beta ARK and PKA sites impaired desensitisation to the same extent as the beta ARK mutant. The extent of receptor loss (downregulation) was the same among all of the cell lines used and therefore could not account for the observed differences in desensitisation. Cellular beta ARK activity, assessed by a rhodopsin phosphorylation assay, was equivalent in all cell lines and was unaffected by agonist treatment. PKA activity, however, was dynamically regulated, increasing 4-fold over basal levels after 15 min of isoproterenol and returning to near basal levels after 24 h. The lower level of PKA activity after long-term agonist exposure may therefore have contributed to the apparent lack of effect of removing PKA sites. Nonetheless, long-term desensitisation was clearly attenuated with beta 2AR lacking beta ARK phosphorylation sites. These findings show that in addition to its role in regulating short-term desensitisation, beta ARK-mediated phosphorylation is an important mechanism underlying long-term desensitisation of the beta 2AR as well.
Unexplained Graft Dysfunction after Heart Transplantation—Role of Novel Molecular Expression Test Score and QTc-Interval: A Case Report

In the current era of immunosuppressive medications there is increased observed incidence of graft dysfunction in the absence of known histological criteria of rejection after heart transplantation. A noninvasive molecular expression diagnostic test was developed and validated to rule out histological acute cellular rejection. In this paper we present for the first time, longitudinal pattern of changes in this novel diagnostic test score along with QTc-interval in a patient who was admitted with unexplained graft dysfunction. Patient presented with graft failure with negative findings on all known criteria of rejection including acute cellular rejection, antibody mediated rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy. The molecular expression test score showed gradual increase and QTc-interval showed gradual prolongation with the gradual decline in graft function. This paper exemplifies that in patients presenting with unexplained graft dysfunction, GEP test score and QTc-interval correlate with the changes in the graft function.
Large-scale web video event classification by use of Fisher Vectors

Event recognition has been an important topic in computer vision research due to its many applications. However, most of the work has focused on videos taken from a fixed camera, known environments and basic events. Here, we focus on classification of unconstrained, web videos into much higher level activities. We follow the approach of constructing fixed length feature vectors from local feature descriptors for classification using an SVM. Our key contribution is the study of the utility of Fisher Vector representation in improving results compared to the conventional Bag-of-Words (BoW) approach. Such coding has shown to be useful for static image classification in the past but not applied to video categorization. We perform tests on the challenging NIST TRECVID Multimedia Event Detection (MED) dataset, which has thousand hours of unconstrained user generated videos; our approach achieves as much as 35% improvement over the BoW baseline. We also offer an analysis of possible causes of such improvements.
A Politics of Institutional Choice Post-Communist Presidencies

This work uses incomplete contracting theory to account for variation in the specific and residual powers of post-Communist presidencies. It uses evidence from 24 post-Communist countries to test theories of institutional choice that link presidential powers to economic reform, institutional legacies, party systems, and social cleavages. It argues that two factors can account for variation in presidential powers: the bargaining power of the electoral favorite and the degree of uncertainty over the electoral outcome. It tests this model in greater detail against four cases: Russia, 1991; Estonia, 1992; Russia, 1993; Belarus, 1994. Three insights flow from these cases. First, political institutions can be analyzed as the by-products of power-seeking politicians making choices under varying degrees of uncertainty. Second, despite the great uncertainty of the transition, actors understand their interests and strategies. Third, high uncertainty compels political actors to hedge their bets when designing politi...
A UspA2H-Negative Variant of Moraxella catarrhalis Strain O46E Has a Deletion in a Homopolymeric Nucleotide Repeat Common to uspA2H Genes

Moraxella catarrhalis strains can express either a UspA2 protein or a UspA2H protein. The latter protein is encoded by a gene that possesses a homopolymeric nucleotide tract containing eight adenine (A) residues [i.e., a poly(A) tract] which is located near the 5′ end. A spontaneous UspA2H-negative variant of M. catarrhalis strain O46E, designated O46E.U2V, was found to have a uspA2H poly(A) tract that contained seven A residues. Northern blot analysis of total RNA from the O46E parent strain revealed a readily detectable uspA2H mRNA transcript, whereas little or no uspA2H transcript was detectable in total RNA from the UspA2H-negative variant O46E.U2V. The 5′ end of the uspA2H genes from both the O46E parent strain and the O46E.U2V variant were ligated to a promoterless lacZ gene to prepare translational fusions for use as reporter constructs. The level of β-galactosidase activity expressed by the fusion construct containing eight A residues in its poly(A) tract was 200-fold greater than that obtained with the construct that had seven A residues. Site-directed mutagenesis of the 5′ end of the uspA2H gene confirmed that translation was initiated at a GTG codon located 21 nucleotides (nt) upstream of the poly(A) tract. Primer extension analysis determined that the transcriptional start site of the uspA2H gene was located 291 nt upstream from the GTG translational start codon. This poly(A) tract was also found to be present in the uspA2H genes of other M. catarrhalis strains.
Influence of multiple water‐quality characteristics on copper toxicity to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Water quality influences the bioavailability and toxicity of copper to aquatic organisms. Understanding the relationships between water-quality parameters and copper toxicity may facilitate the development of site-specific criteria for water quality and result in better protection of aquatic biota. Many studies have examined the influence of a single water-quality parameter on copper toxicity, but the interactions of several characteristics have not been well studied in low-hardness water. The goal of the present research was to examine the interactions among water-quality characteristics and their effects on copper toxicity to larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, DOC source, pH, and hardness on acute copper toxicity were determined using a complete factorially designed experiment. Hardness, pH, DOC, and interaction of pH and DOC all significantly affected copper toxicity. A predictive model based on these data described 88% of the variability in copper toxicity. This model also explained 58% of the variability in copper toxicity for an independent dataset of South Carolina (USA) waters. The biotic ligand model underpredicted the acute copper toxicity to fathead minnows when compared with observed values.
Analysis of Thick Laminated Composites

This work focused on the analysis of laminated composite structures with a thick cross section. This investigation involved both analytical and experimental work. An efficient finite element analysis was proposed for analyzing thick laminated composite structures. The major feature of the analysis was that each element in the analysis can ac commodate several layers having different ply orientations. A three-dimensional finite ele ment program was developed during the investigation for calculating the stresses, strains, and deformations of thick laminated composite bends. In order to verify the analysis and the numerical calculations, experiments were also performed. Thick composite bends, made from 120 layers of T300/976 graphite/epoxy prepregs, were fabricated and tested during the experiments. Numerical solutions generated from the program were compared with the experimental data. Excellent agreements were found between the analytical solu tions and the results of the tests. Accordingly, the proposed a...
Phytic acid in health and disease

Phytic acid (PA), a major phosphorus storage compound of most seeds and cereal grains, contributes about 1 to 7% of their dry weight. It may account for more than 70% of the total kernel phosphorus. PA has the strong ability to chelate multivalent metal ions, especially zinc, calcium, and iron. The binding can result in very insoluble salts that are poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, which results in poor bioavailability (BV) of minerals. Alternatively, the ability of PA to chelate minerals has been reported to have some protective effects, such as decreasing iron-mediated colon cancer risk and lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides in experimental animals. Data from human studies are still lacking. PA is also considered to be a natural antioxidant and is suggested to have potential functions of reducing lipid peroxidation and as a preservative in foods. Finally, certain inositol phosphates, which may be derived from PA, have been noted to have a function in second messenger transduction systems. The potential nutritional significance of PA is discussed in this review.
Paradise Lost? The Payment of British Authors in 19th Century America’s Copyright Wilderness

The payment by American publishers to British authors during the mid-19th century, when the works of British authors did not have any American copyright protection, has been presented as evidence that authors can be well paid without the need of copyright protection. The empirical support for this claim putatively comes from a UK Royal Commission Report published in 1878. In this paper I examine the evidence put forward in the Royal Commission Report, as well as data on payments to British Authors from a leading American publisher during the mid-1800s. This reexamination of the Royal Commission Report, combined with the examination of publishing costs, lead to a conclusion that most British authors were not paid by American publishers and the majority of those who were paid received considerably less than they would have received under copyright. Further, two additional historical factors, a cartel-like agreement among leading American publishers and an American market that was larger than the British market, make the instances of American payments to British authors an overestimate of the likely author payments that would exist in a world without copyright.
G-protein signaling in chemotaxis

Publisher Summary Much of our current understanding of chemotaxis-signaling pathways through G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is derived from studies on the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, and mammalian neutrophils. Chemotaxis is the directed migration of cells in response to concentration gradients of extracellular signals. In unicellular organisms, such as bacteria and amoebae, chemotaxis is frequently used as a foraging mechanism. Recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate chemotaxis have revealed the important and diverse roles played by G proteins. These studies not only highlight the critical function of G proteins as molecular switches, but also show how their signaling in the context of chemotactic signaling networks allows cells to translate the directional information of external concentration gradients into directional movement. Recent work also provides some insight into the mechanisms of PI3K and PTEN localization in Dictyostelium. Future work will need to examine how these signaling networks interact, and new models need to be developed that can account for both directional sensing and polarization.
Health Issues Concerning Inhalation of Petroleum Diesel and Biodiesel Exhaust

The public and regulatory agencies will question the comparative health risks from inhaling Biodiesel (BDE) and petroleum diesel (PDE) exhaust. The principal health concern for inhaled PDE is lung cancer from the respirable soot, which contains known mutagens and carcinogens. Epidemiology suggests that heavy occupational exposures to PDE may slightly increase lung cancer risk; however, the magnitude of the risk is uncertain and controversial. Inhalation of high concentrations of PDE is also irritating to the lung. Lifetime inhalation exposures of rats to high concentrations of PDE causes chronic lung disease and an increase in lung tumors associated with the soot. Identical exposures are not carcinogenic in Syrian hamsters, and produce equivocal results in mice. Similar tumor responses of rats to PDE soot and mutagen-poor carbon black suggest that the organic mutagens are not important in the rat response. The responses of rat and monkey lungs to inhaled PDE soot differ, and it is now considered unlikely that the rat lung tumor results are applicable to humans. There are no epidemiological studies of inhaled BDE, and no published inhalation carcinogenicity studies. At this time, the relative health effects of Biodiesel and petroleum diesel exhaust can best be estimated by comparing the soot mass produced, the mutagenicity of organic emissions, and the irritant potentials of the two materials when inhaled. BDE contains less soot mass than PDE, and a greater portion of BDE soot is soluble. The soluble organic fraction of BDE soot is less mutagenic than that of PDE soot. These differences suggest that the carcinogenic potential of inhaled Biodiesel exhaust is probably less than that of petroleum diesel exhaust. Little is known about the relative irritant potentials of inhaled Biodiesel and petroleum diesel exhaust. Depending on the fuel, engine, and operating conditions, irritating gases and vapors can be greater or lesser for BDE than for PDE. The persistence and irritancy of BDE soot in the lung should be tested in animals. Overall, our present information suggests that the health risks of Biodiesel might be less than for petroleum diesel, and that the future of Biodiesel fuels will be limited more by economic factors than by health concerns.
Low frequency of TEL-AML1 in relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia supports a favorable prognosis for this genetic subgroup.

Low frequency of TEL-AML1 in relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia supports a favorable prognosis for this genetic subgroup
First Look: The Qiang People of Sichuan

(2002). First Look: The Qiang People of Sichuan. Asian Anthropology: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 195-206.
Lessons from Ginsberg: An analysis of elephant butchery tools

Abstract Actualistic studies have contributed greatly to our understanding of the past. In this paper, we analyze six stone bifaces used to butcher a 23 year-old African Elephant. Detailed records from this study allow us to illustrate how stone tool reduction is not necessarily a linear process, especially when attempting to use metrics to quantify the amount of reduction over time. Through long-term use of stone tools in butchery, we show that overall reduction was minimal even with successive resharpening events. The utility of these tools raise questions about the role of large bifaces in both Paleoindian and other hunter-gatherer contexts where bifaces may have been used as butchery or long-life tools. Our results suggest that bifaces are superior tools for maintaining an effective cutting edge during prolonged use. These findings may further explain the use of large bifaces among Paleoindian and other foraging populations.
Optical spectroscopy facilitated characterization of acute atrial lesions

A novel method for characterizing RFA lesions in atrial tissue is presented based on optical spectroscopic sensing of tissue endogenous metmyoglobin content. We validate this approach through real-time measurements in ex vivo swine atrial samples.
A Review and Analysis of Beef Carcass Weight Increases: Economic, Biological, and Industry Relationships1

Abstract A definite uptrend is apparent in the average dressed weight of beef carcasses since 1975. The influence of increased use of exotic breeds, increased selection for growth in breeds, and the use of crossbreeding in the U.S. cattle industry is hypothesized to be the important factors associated with this trend. In addition to the upward trend, cyclical variation is also apparent in the average dressed weight of beef carcasses. This study explains the directional movements in quarterly dressed weights of beef carcasses using Ordinary Least Squares Regression. A linear trend variable is used to capture the influence of genetics and management while economic variables are used to account for the cyclical variation. The model developed describes 88% of the variation in average dressed weights between 1975 and 1990. The increasing weight of beef carcasses has a number of implications for the future of the industry. These implications involve reallocation of resources at the producer level, changes in feeding time and methods, and modified methods for processing and marketing fabricated meats for the processing sector, and new retail cuts of beef for the meat retailer and consumer.
Arguing about firewall policy

In this paper, we present a new framework to analyze firewall policy by using argumentation. At the core of this new idea is extending firewall rules with the concept of “reasons” and arguing about the reasons, not the rules. Depending on how the reasons are designed, the resulting framework can be useful in a number of ways: new anomalies in a firewall policy can be identified while, at the same time, stronger recommendations can be given to resolve those anomalies that are detected.
Making the Connections across Institutional Types and Academic Programs: Recommendations for Institutional Research Practice and Future Research.

This chapter sheds light on the ways in which institutional research (IR) professionals can be involved in the development and/or modification of high-quality academic programs. Suggestions from authors within this volume for how IR can assist in accomplishing these goals will be integrated and organized in alignment with Terenzini's (1993) three tiers of organizational intelligence.
Objective Assessment of Surgical Technical Skill and Competency in the Operating Room

Training skillful and competent surgeons is critical to ensure high quality of care and to minimize disparities in access to effective care. Traditional models to train surgeons are being challenged by rapid advances in technology, an intensified patient-safety culture, and a need for value-driven health systems. Simultaneously, technological developments are enabling capture and analysis of large amounts of complex surgical data. These developments are motivating a "surgical data science" approach to objective computer-aided technical skill evaluation (OCASE-T) for scalable, accurate assessment; individualized feedback; and automated coaching. We define the problem space for OCASE-T and summarize 45 publications representing recent research in this domain. We find that most studies on OCASE-T are simulation based; very few are in the operating room. The algorithms and validation methodologies used for OCASE-T are highly varied; there is no uniform consensus. Future research should emphasize competency assessment in the operating room, validation against patient outcomes, and effectiveness for surgical training.
Transitioning Preterm Infants From Parenteral Nutrition: A Comparison of 2 Protocols.

Background: Growth in preterm infants is compromised during the transition phase of nutrition, when parenteral nutrition (PN) volumes are weaned with advancing enteral nutrition (EN) feeds, likely due to suboptimal nutrient intakes during this time. We implemented new PN guidelines designed to maintain optimal nutrient intakes during the transition phase and compared growth outcomes of this cohort with a control group. Materials and Methods: A chart review was conducted on infants born <32 weeks’ gestation, before (control group) and after (study group) a new transition PN protocol was implemented in the neonatal intensive care unit. Weight parameters and nutrient intakes were calculated for the transition phase and compared between the 2 groups. Results: Demographic and clinical characteristics of the 2 groups were comparable except for higher rates of sepsis in control group. Weight-for-age z scores at birth, at 1 week of life, and at the start of the transition phase were similar. At the end of the tra...
Computational single-photon depth imaging without transverse regularization

Depth profile reconstruction of a scene at low light levels using an active imaging setup has wide-ranging applications in remote sensing. In such low-light imaging scenarios, single-photon detectors are employed to time-resolve individual photon detections. However, even with single-photon detectors, current frameworks are limited to using hundreds of photon detections at each pixel to mitigate Poisson noise inherent in light detection. In this paper, we discuss two pixelwise imaging frameworks that allow accurate reconstruction of depth profiles using small numbers of photon detections. The first framework addresses the problem of depth reconstruction of an opaque target, in which it is assumed that each pixel contains exactly one reflector. The second framework addresses the problem of reconstructing multiple-depth pixels. In each scenario, our framework achieves photon efficiency by combining accurate statistics for individual photon detections with a longitudinal sparsity constraint tailored to the imaging problem. We demonstrate the photon efficiencies of our frameworks by comparing them with conventional imagers that use more naive models based on high light-level assumptions.
Everything you splice can and will be used against you

Age-related human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) exhaustion and myeloid-skewed hematopoiesis are associated with an increased risk of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and leukemic transformation. Secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that evolved from prior MDS carries mutations in genes encoding the RNA processing machinery, but how alternative RNA splicing distinguishes aging HSPCs from leukemic stem cells (LSCs) and whether modulation of RNA splicing could sensitize LSCs to therapies have not been determined. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and splice isoform-specific PCR, Crews et al. uncovered RNA splice isoform signatures that distinguish normal young and old HSPC from their malignant counterparts. By comparing transcriptomes and splice isoform profiles of normal young and old HSPC, the authors first showed that differential splicing regulation, epigenetic regulation and inflammation pathways are associated with HSPC aging. By performing RNA-seq of flow cytometry purified secondary AML progenitors they identified the spliceosome as the most commonly disrupted gene set compared with normal progenitors. Pathway-specific analyses showing that spliceosome disruption was associated with splicing alterations of stem cell regulatory genes, inflammatory genes, or anti-apoptosis genes allowed the authors to generate a splice isoform signature for LSC. This finding could be prognostically relevant because an unsupervised clustering analysis of datasets from the Cancer Gene Atlas showed 6 distinct subgroups based on splice isoform signatures, some of which were associated with a distinct overall survival advantage or disadvantage. Last, the authors tested the hypothesis that LSC maintenance was dependent on the demonstrated aberrant splicing by treating patient-derived AML specimens with an inhibitor of the SF3B subunit of the spliceosome, 17S-FD-895. The authors were able to reverse the prosurvival splice isoform switching by triggering exon skipping in anti-apoptotic genes MCL1, BCL2L1, and BCL2 . This selectively inhibited in vitro clonogenicity and self-renewal, as well as the in vivo serial transplantation potential of LSC, compared with that of normal HSPC in xenografted mice, presumably because of selective reliance by on the prosurvival signals. This study provides a proof-of-concept that the deleterious mutations that characterize some forms of AML can be used against them. L. A. Crews et al. , RNA splicing modulation selectively impairs leukemia stem cell maintenance in secondary human AML. Cell Stem Cell 10.1016/j.stem.2016.08.003 (2016). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909(16)30250-8