cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical features and outcomes of hospitalized patients co-infected with covid-19 and hiv: A case series

INTRODUCTION Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be a major cause of mortality worldwide. Advanced age and a number of chronic diseases have been investigated as risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Likewise, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been proposed as a potential risk factor for COVID-19, however, the possible relationship between HIV and COVID-19 has remained difficult to fully elucidate due to a paucity of data. We describe a case series of 11 patients co-infected with HIV and SARS-CoV-2. CASE PRESENTATION Between March 20, 2020 and May 5, 2020, 11 patients with HIV were admitted for COVID-19at an underserved community hospital in Brooklyn, NY. . Patients ranged from 39 to 78 years of age. Seven patients were men and four patients were women. Seven patients were African American and four patients were Hispanic. All 11 patients possessed HIV RNA viral loads less than 40 copies/ml. The mean CD4 count was 556 cells/ml (range 171-1123 cells/ml). Nine patients were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Six patients required invasive mechanical ventilation;five of the six patients died. Two of these five patients were not on ART, prior to admission and two of them developed acute respiratory distress syndrome during their hospital course. The mean length of stay was 10.9 days (range 2-21 days). Three of the six survivors were readmitted within 30 days for CHF exacerbation, bacterial pneumonia and COPD exacerbation. All three patients recovered without complications. At six-month follow-up, no mortalities were reported among the six surviving patients. DISCUSSION This case series presents a unique sample of African American and Hispanic patients co-infected with HIV and SARS-CoV-2. This is the first case series to report long term outcomes among minority population. The high mortality rate in this case series (45%) is also notable in comparison to prior research. This elevated mortality rate may reflect an increased burden of comorbidities in HIV patients. Further research is required to reveal if ART therapy reduces risk of poor outcomes, and if so, which regimen may confer protection against COVID-19.
PEÑARROCHA FARGAS, MARIELA. Alternativas. Mujeres, género e historia. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona, 2020. 246 páginas. ISBN: 978-84-9168-411-4

Alternativas: mujeres, genero e historia is a compilation of several research papers by a group of female historians from the University of Barcelona and the University of Valencia. With a pedagogical purpose (to serve as theoretical basis for university degree subjects), they aim to explain the relation between the concepts of gender and history. By means of a variety of texts where different activities are described, roles assumed by men and women are revealed. The book covers a wide periodization: from ancient history to our days, and invites us to reflect on and revise historical, cultural, political and social issues from a gender-aware perspective. This approach is focused on rooting out from the study of human and power relations the idea of what is “natural”.
Landmark-Based Central Venous Catheters

This chapter describes the fundamental tenets of landmark-based central venous catheter insertion, including the physiologic and historical basis for this approach to venous access. As the gold-standard for central venous vascular access, landmark-based insertion is the most commonly utilized approach to CVC line placement. This chapter pays special attention to the complications reported by previous authors regarding access via the internal jugular, subclavian, axillary, and femoral central veins.
Tibetan Buddhist Pilgrims and the covid-19 pandemic

Vajrayana Buddhism, like all of the world’s major religions, places high importance on the ancient practice of pilgrimage for spiritual development and maintenance of spiritual health. The negative...
Topics in Nucleic Acids Structure: Noncanonical Helices and RNA Structure

This chapter builds upon nucleic acid concepts introduced in the prior two chapters to include a description of alternative hydrogen bonding schemes in nucleic acids, non-canonical helical and hybrid structures, DNA mimics, overstretched and understretched DNA, and RNA structure and folding, including secondary and tertiary-structure RNA modeling.
Intermediary Metabolism of Carbohydrates and Other Fuels

The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of many cell types, each with different functions and metabolic requirements, These are combined into a variety of structures which may be just as different metabolically as they are anatomically and functionally. Although considerable progress has been made in the separation and study of these different cell types (see Volume 1 of this Handbook), results from such studies may not necessarily reflect cerebral metabolism in vivo. It is, after all, the interaction of the various cell types that determines the unique character of cerebral function and metabolism. When j the cells are separated, this aspect is lost to a greater degree in brain than in other organs which do not rely as heavily on intercellular communication. In view of these considerations, the emphasis of this chapter is on studies conducted in vivo.
Walking economy during cued versus non-cued self-selected treadmill walking in persons with Parkinson's disease.

Background Gait impairments related to Parkinson's disease (PD) include variable step length and decreased walking velocity, which may result in poorer walking economy. Auditory cueing is a common method used to improve gait mechanics in PD that has been shown to worsen walking economy at set treadmill walking speeds. It is unknown if auditory cueing has the same effects on walking economy at self-selected treadmill walking speeds. Objectives To determine if auditory cueing will affect walking economy at self-selected treadmill walking speeds and at speeds slightly faster and slower than self-selected. Methods Twenty-two participants with moderate PD performed three, 6-minute bouts of treadmill walking at three speeds (self-selected and ± 0.22 m·sec-1). One session used cueing and the other without cueing. Energy expenditure was measured and walking economy was calculated (energy expenditure/power). Results Poorer walking economy and higher energy expenditure occurred during cued walking at a self-selected and a slightly faster walking speed, but there was no apparent difference at the slightly slower speed. Conclusion These results suggest that potential gait benefits of auditory cueing may come at an energy cost and poorer walking economy for persons with PD at least at some treadmill walking speeds.
Unintended Consequences of Punishment

Because punishments are intended to control children9s behavior, many people assume that the major—and perhaps the sole—consequence of punishment is teaching children to behave as they ought. Yet the use of punishment is (I will argue) counterproductive. Furthermore, the use of punishment has additional unintended consequences. I will attempt to demonstrate how children perceive punishments and what those unanticipated consequences are. These illustrations rest on the nature of reasoning itself, although they are bolstered by empirical evidence. Although this conference is about the use of corporal punishment, most of what I have to say applies to using any type of punishment—including, of course, physical punishment. First, punishments give pain and therefore teach children that at least under some conditions, it is all right to give pain to others. The law of excluded middle asserts that things must be either of one class or not of that class. I believe this law is fundamental to rational thought. Even very young children come to understand it and can therefore reason that parents are either good or not good when they punish. Let me begin with the assumption that children believe their parents are good. If good people do good things, then if they punish, it must be good to give pain. If good people do bad things, then even if giving pain is bad, it is all right to do some bad things. That is, if a parent uses punishments, then either the parent is doing something right and it is right to give pain or the parent is doing something wrong and it is all right to do something wrong.
Ribonuclease and Oligoribonucleotide Synthesis III. OLIGONUCLEOTIDE SYNTHESIS WITH 5'-SUBSTITUTED URIDINE 2',3'-CYCLIC PHOSPHATES

Abstract The nucleotides, 5'-O-phosphoryl uridine 2',3'-cyclic phosphate and 5'-O-methylphosphoryl uridine 2',3'-cyclic phosphate, and the dinucleotides obtained from the reaction of these compounds with uridine have been synthesized and characterized. The 5'-substituted nucleotides were prepared to serve as nonpolymerizing substrates in kinetic studies of oligoribonucleotide synthesis. Reaction conditions were obtained which allowed a comparison of the synthetic activity of the native enzyme and the synthetically active derivative, e-dinitrophenyllysine-41-ribonuclease. Irrespective of substrate, the synthetic activity of the dinitrophenylated enzyme differed from that of unmodified ribonuclease with regard to optimal pH, proportionality to enzyme concentration, reaction velocity, and the effect of substrate concentration. In reactions catalyzed by ribonuclease A, the kinetic parameters (Km and Vm) for synthetic activity were identical with either nonpolymerizing pyrimidine cyclic phosphate. The e-dinitrophenyllysine-41-ribonuclease-catalyzed reactions yielded kinetic values which varied with the 5'-substituent of the cyclic phosphate. Relative to native ribonuclease, the apparent affinity (Km) of the substrates for the modified enzyme was not diminished, although the reaction velocity (Vm) was reduced. Analysis of the data suggests that the lysine-41 residue is not essential for pyrimidine cyclic phosphate binding, but may participate in the catalytic process required for synthetic activity.
Some Ergonomic Considerations in the Design of Materal Handling Devices

Material handling devices (MHD's) are being proliferated in factory workplaces to prevent workers from being injured due to the lifting of heavy loads. These devices require exertions which have not been adequately studied from an ergonomic perspective. Jobs with MHDs often require complex 3-dimensional movements and loaded axial rotation. One type of MHD, an articulated arm, was used to investigate the effects of inertial load, arm joint friction, and positioning accuracy requirements. The kinematic variables of peak push and pull hand forces, velocities, and accelerations were measured or computed in both a task that allowed sagittally symmetric postures as well as one in which loaded axial torso rotation was required. Greater inertial loads increased the peak push and pull hand forces in all cases by an average of 20%. The activation of a 40 psi brake at both joints of the articulated arm increased the peak hand forces by about 40% on average and decreased the peak velocities and accelerations in both ...
Quality of carbohydrates in the diet and their effect on metabolic control of type 2 diabetes

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the parameters of metabolic control and quality of carbohydrates (CHO) of the diet in individuals with type 2 diabetes, controlled with diet and/or Metformin. In 108 men and women aged between 18 and 60 years, glycosylated hemoglobin A (HbA1c) between 6% and 10%, without sulfonylureas or insulin theraphy; were examined through two separate surveys of 24-hour recall. The CHO intake, GI, GL of diet was analyzed. Values of HbA1c were collected from medical records. Data was tabulated in SPSS version 17 software. The Pearson correlation test was used to analyze the degree of association between variables, considering significant at p < 0.05. The mean HbA1c was 7.3 ± 1.3%, CHO consumption was 219.8 ± 27.0 g/day; GI was 74.9 ± 11.3% and GL was 164.0 ± 22.04 g. A significant positive correlation was found out between the CHO intake (r = 0.290, P < 0.05), GI (r = 0.70, p < 0.001), GL (r = 0.225, p < 0.05) of diet and HbA1c levels in the individuals. In conclusion the study showed that the quality of CHO, mainly GI, are strongly associated with metabolic control of DM 2.
Bicarbonate-enhanced peroxidase activity of Cu, Zn SOD: is the distal oxidant bound or diffusible?

The Cu,Zn SOD catalyzes the bicarbonate-dependent oxidation of a wide range of substrates by H2O2. A mechanism in accord with this activity has been described. It involves the generation of a strong oxidant (Cu(I)O, Cu(II)OH, or Cu(III)) by reaction of the active site Cu with H2O2, followed by oxidation of bicarbonate to CO3-* that in turn diffuses from the active site to oxidize the various substrates in free solution. Recently, an alternative mechanism, entailing firmly bound HCO3- and CO3-*, has been proposed [J. Biol. Chem. 278 (2003) 21032-21039]. We present data supporting the diffusible CO3-* and discuss the properties of this system that can be accommodated in this way and that preclude bound intermediates.
How International is Entrepreneurship

Nine major entrepreneurship, international business (IB), and management journals used by the Financial Times to rank business schools were examined to see if the amount of international entrepreneurship (IE) research published in major entrepreneurship, IB, and management journals is increasing over time. Findings from two time periods spaced a decade apart indicate that although IE content more than doubled in the entrepreneurship journals, only a modest increase occurred in the international business journals and no increase occurred in the management journals. We proposed and found that: (1) entrepreneurship journals tend to favor replication studies while IB and management journals prefer nonreplications; and (2) because replication is straightforward while nonreplication is more difficult to conceptualize and execute, there are many more replication than nonreplication IE studies. As a result, IE studies appear more frequently in entrepreneurship journals. Managerial and scholarly implications are discussed.
What Role Does Commitment Play Among Writers With Different Levels of Creativity

Commitment involves how a person invests resources in a work role over long periods of time. Creativity is a novel, appropriate variation that is embraced by a field of gatekeepers and transforms the symbolic domain. This qualitative analysis (Cohen's kappas of .62, .86, .68 across three coders) addresses the different roles that commitment plays in the careers of 36 writers, depending on what level of creative influence the literary field has attributed to the writer's work. The sample was segmented into genre conformers who played by established literary rules (M = 0.15, SD = 0.18), experimentalists whose innovations have not yet caught on widely (M = 0.80, SD = 0.17), and domain transformers who changed the canon (M = 1.32, SD = 0.27). For genre conformers, commitment compensates. They invest technique in the craft of writing to improve their social standing among other writers, editors, and critics within the field. For experimentalists, commitment defies. They translate their selves into words by twi...
Military Textual Analysis and Chat Research

Military use of chat, as a grassroots technology, has become so widespread in the last fifteen years that Joint communities have just begun to scratch the surface of this robust communications technology. Historically, IRC room-based chat has been the preferred paradigm for tactical users, due to its ease of use and robustness on high-jitter networks. Migration to XMPP-based chat is now being discussed for a way forward, though this change in protocol raises many questions for the current concept of operations (CONOPS), especially for edge, tactical, users. This special session will focus on current research being performed within DoD to analyze current usage of chat, in order to assist Fleet users both today and in the future.
Early Life Stage (ELS) Toxicity of Sucralose to Fathead Minnows, Pimephales promelas

Sucralose, an intense artificial sweetener, has been detected in wastewater and surface waters at concentrations ranging from ng/L to low µg/L. Although over a hundred studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety of sucralose for human consumption, few studies have focused on the chronic ecotoxicological effects of this compound in fish. As a remedy to this data gap, an early-life stage toxicity test was conducted to assess the effects of sucralose on hatching, survival, and growth of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Hatching, survival, and growth were unaffected by 98 mg/L of sucralose. The Lowest-Observed-Effect Concentration (LOEC) and the No-Observed-Effect Concentration (NOEC) for fathead minnows determined by this study are >98 and 98 mg/L, respectively. The results from this study suggest that the concentrations of sucralose detected in the environment are well below those required to cause adverse effects to developing aquatic organisms.
Stomach distention as a regulation of fluid intake

Rats kept on a 23.5-h/day water-deprivation schedule were given 30 min access to four solutions, each on a separate test day, which were comprised of the factorial combination of two temperatures (12° and 37°C) and two NaCl concentrations (150 and 450 mOsm/kg). Food, which was available ad lib, and solution consumption measures were taken. More 37°C 150-mOsm/kg solution, which has the fastest stomach clearance rate of the four, was consumed than of the other three; short-term and long-term food consumption measures were differentially affected by the solution’s temperature and concentration. The hypothesis that cues of preabsorptive satiety originate from stomach distention was supported.
Online Auctions as Advertising Revenue in the Media Mix

AbstractOnline auctions hosted by newspapers to enhance the media mix are relatively new compared to other models of online advertising. This study examined the Ventura County Star newspaper’s open-cry, “going-going-gone” deadline, 12-day local online auctions for seven months. During these same months, the Ventura County Star deployed online banner ads. This research study investigated the effectiveness of the Ventura County Star newspaper’s local online auction format by the advertising revenue generated from local auctions for seven months compared to concurrent revenue generated from online banner ads during the same time frame. In addition, it examined local online auctions’ page impressions to investigate how much traffic was increased to the site. Based on the metrics provided by Netgravity software, findings demonstrated that local online auctions’ revenue surpassed banner ad revenue and traffic was increased to the site.
Successful treatment of tinea capitis with 2% ketoconazole shampoo.

Background Oral antifungal drugs are required for effective treatment of tinea capitis. Topical antifungal shampoo's, namely ketoconazole 2% shampoo or products with selenium sulfide or salicylic acid are recommended as adjunctive therapy. Topical antifungal monotherapy has not been successful in the treated of tinea capitis. The purpose of this open study was to evaluate ketoconazole 2% shampoo as a monotherapy for the treatment of tinea capitis. Method A total of 16 black children, aged 3–6, all with proven tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton tonsurans, were treated daily for 8 weeks with 2% ketoconazole shampoo for a total of 56 treatments. Clinical and mycologic examinations were performed every 2 weeks and again at 4 weeks following treatment. The number of colonies were counted on each plate after each visit. Patients with positive cultures after 8 weeks were placed on oral griseofulvin; those with negative cultures were followed monthly by culture for an additional 12 months. Results Marked clinical improvement occurred in all patients within 2 weeks and absence of pruritus was noted by the patients as early as 2–6 days. After 8 weeks of shampoo, 14 of the 15 (93%) children were clinically healed. Mycologically, the cultures dropped from a confluent growth of T. tonsurans to less than 100 colonies within 2 weeks; fewer than 50 at week 4 and 20 colonies or fewer after week 6. At 8 weeks of treatment the number of colonies remained at 20 or fewer. Six of the 15 children (40%) had negative cultures after 2, 4, and 6 weeks. One child relapsed at the first 4-week follow-up visit. Five of 15 (33%) of the children remained culturally negative for 12 months post-treatment. Conclusions Ketoconazole 2% shampoo alone reduces the number of viable arthroconidia in children with tinea capitis thus reducing the transmissibility and contagious nature of the disease. Unexpectedly, complete cure was obtained in 5/15 (33%) of the children. The children remained clinically and mycologically clear as long as one year after treatment.
Chronic non-specific spinal epidural granuloma

The entity of chronic non-specific spinal epidural granuloma is presented. A brief review of the literature is appended together with personal experience with a series of four cases. The various radiological techniques and findings helpful in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis are discussed.
The Numbers Game and the Profitability of the British Trade in Slaves

More than a century after its termination the slave trade in Africa remains a controversial topic. In particular, disputes continue to wax strong over the profitability of the Atlantic slave trade, on three major dimensions: first, the degree of competition characteristic of the market in slaves; second, the typical magnitude of the rate of profit achieved by enterprises engaged in the “peculiar” industry; third, the status of Eric Williams's hypothesis on the contribution of the slave trade to European industrialization.
A tight-binding description of high-temperature superconductors

A single tight-binding model, with transferable parameters, provides a good description of the electronic structures of all currently known high-temperature superconductors, in the sense that results in the local density approximation are satisfactorily reproduced. Using this model, one can study the effects of atomic substitutions, vacancies, and structural modifications.
Controversies in blood-level monitoring: reexamining its role in the treatment of epilepsy.

Summary: This article reexamines the role of blood-level monitoring (therapeutic drug monitoring, TDM) of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the current treatment of epilepsy and identifies situations in which TDM can be useful. Basic pharmaco-kinetic and pharmacodynamic principles are reviewed, with specific emphasis on kinetics of absorption/distribution/metabolism, elimination half-life, time to steady state, and plasma drug concentrations. The relationship between AED intensity of effect (pharmacodynamics) and plasma concentration (pharmacokinetics) is expressed mathematically, examined in the context of the major old and new AEDs, and integrated with a historical look at the role of TDM. Situations in which TDM can be useful in the modern treatment of epilepsy are presented and discussed. For both older and newer AEDs, TDM is useful in six clinical situations: establishing “baseline” effective concentrations, evaluating potential causes for lack of efficacy, evaluating potential causes for toxicity, evaluating potential causes for loss of efficacy, judging “room to move’ or when to change AEDs, and minimizing predictable problems. TDM remains a valuable tool in the modern treatment of epilepsy. It can be selectively and appropriately utilized to help maximize seizure control and minimize side effects if levels are obtained in response to a patient-specific pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic issue or problem.
Synthesis of cyclopentadienide derivatives

The preparation of sm~ll quantities of the various cyclopentadienyl derivatives of the transition metals by use of alkali metal cyclopentadienides is at times inconvenient because of the variable titer of solutions ~these compounds and the necessary precautions to protect the reagent from hydrolysis and/or oxidation. The rapid conversion of iron(II) chloride to ferrocene by the reaction with thalliu~I) cyclopentadienide has been reported (1) in conjunction with an investigation of the ionic character of the thallium compound, and the metathetical reaction (2) of chloropentacarbonylmagnese(I) with this reagent yielded G~ -cyclopentadenylpentacarbonylmagnese(I) which was converted to 7r-cyclopentadienyltricarbonylmanganese(I). The recent characterization (3) of a number of binuclear halogen-bridged palladium-olefin compounds by conversion to the mononuclear acetonylacetonates via the reaction with thallium(I) acetonylacetonate led us to attempt the preparation of the mononuelear ~-cyclopentadienyl derivatives of the halo-bridged palladiumolefin compounds by the reaction with thalliu~I) eyclopentadienide. Several (K-cyclopentadienyl derivatives were successfully isolated by this technique which prompted us to examine the scope of this reaction with other transition metal halides and to reexamine the methods for the preparation of
Diffusion of Responsibility and Restaurant Tipping: Cheaper by the Bunch

The amount tipped by 396 groups of restaurant diners was a function of the number of people eating together as well as the size of the bill. One-third of the variability in tipping was explained by the norm that tip should equal 15% of bill. In addition, consistent with a new theory of division of responsibility, variation around this norm was an inverse power function of group size, specifically, 18%/N'22.
Voluntary consumption of ethanol during pregnancy, lactation, and post-lactation in mice

Interest in ethanol and women has grown within the last decade, especially with regard to the adverse effects of drinking during pregnancy. Of particular interest to our research are the studies which have shown that ethanol intake decreases during pregnancy in human females (R. E. Little et al., J. Stud. Akohol, 37 (1976) 375 379) and non-human primates (R. H. Elton et al., J. Stud. AZcohoZ, 38 (1977) 2181 2183). The purpose of our studies was to provide more information on the issue of pregnancy and voluntary consumption of ethanol. We measured voluntary consumption of 10% (v/v) alcohol by C57BL/6J mice in a two-bottle choice situation in nonpregnant, pregnant, lactating, and post-lactating mice. Our data demonstrate: (1) a decrease in self-selection during pregnancy, (2) an even further decrease in alcohol intake during lactation, and (3) a gradual increase in alcohol consumption following removal of pups. Decreases in alcohol consumption were accompanied by increases in water intake. Though changes in taste, olfaction, ethanol metabolism, or other factors can possibly explain these results, it seems more reasonable to speculate that these changes in alcohol intake are related to hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy and lactation. This hormonal hypothesis is supported by animal studies which have reported that ovariectomy decreases alcohol consumption which is reversed by estrogen replacement therapy. Furthermore, ovariectomy appears to increase sensitivity to alcohol (T. P. Stortebecker, Acta Puthol. MicrobioE. Stand., 41 (1939) 104 119). Our own data from studies on the effect of ovariectomy on the response to ethanol also support a hormonal interpretation.
Induction of pituitary sensitivity to interleukin-1: a new function for corticotropin-releasing hormone.

Abstract Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), corticotropin (ACTH), and glucocorticoids during inflammatory stress is now considered a key function of interleukin-1 (IL-1). Current dogma suggests that in vivo ACTH release due to IL-1 is indirect and entirely results from IL-imediated-CRH release from the hypothalamus. The present findings show that low levels of exogenous or endogenous CRH can sensitize the pituitary gland to the direct ACTH releasing activity of IL-1. Once sensitized, IL-1 induced ACTH release is not inhibitable by the CRH antagonist, α-helical (αh) CRF [9-41]. Thus, IL-1 effects ACTH release at the level of both the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Perhaps more importantly, the results suggest pituitary sensitization to cytokines, such as IL-1, as a new function for CRH. This action would represent a novel interactive point between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems whereby very mild psychological or physical stress could have a profound impact on an inflammatory response by increasing pituitary sensitivity to immunological mediators such as IL-1.
Metatranscriptomic profiles of Eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) fed on second generation feedstocks

Second generation lignocellulosic feedstocks are being considered as an alternative to first generation biofuels that are derived from grain starches and sugars. However, the current pre-treatment methods for second generation biofuel production are inefficient and expensive due to the recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose. In this study, we used the lower termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), as a model to identify potential pretreatment genes/enzymes specifically adapted for use against agricultural feedstocks. Metatranscriptomic profiling was performed on worker termite guts after feeding on corn stover (CS), soybean residue (SR), or 98% pure cellulose (paper) to identify (i) microbial community, (ii) pathway level and (iii) gene-level responses. Microbial community profiles after CS and SR feeding were different from the paper feeding profile, and protist symbiont abundance decreased significantly in termites feeding on SR and CS relative to paper. Functional profiles after CS feeding were similar to paper and SR; whereas paper and SR showed different profiles. Amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways were downregulated in termites feeding on SR relative to paper and CS. Gene expression analyses showed more significant down regulation of genes after SR feeding relative to paper and CS. Stereotypical lignocellulase genes/enzymes were not differentially expressed, but rather were among the most abundant/constitutively-expressed genes. These results suggest that the effect of CS and SR feeding on termite gut lignocellulase composition is minimal and thus, the most abundantly expressed enzymes appear to encode the best candidate catalysts for use in saccharification of these and related second-generation feedstocks. Further, based on these findings we hypothesize that the most abundantly expressed lignocellulases, rather than those that are differentially expressed have the best potential as pretreatment enzymes for CS and SR feedstocks.
Promoting Innovative Thinking

Innovation is the engine of scientific progress, yet we do not train public health students to think creatively. I present the key concepts within an evidence-based method currently taught at the University of Texas. Habitual thought patterns involve deeply held framed expectations. Finding alternatives generates originality. Because frame breaking is difficult, a series of innovation heuristics and tools are offered including enhancing observation, using analogies, changing point of view, juggling opposites, broadening perspective, reversal, reorganization and combination, and getting the most from groups. Gaining cognitive attributes such as nonjudgment, willingness to question, mindfulness, and plasticity is also emphasized. Students completing the class demonstrate substantial increases on a standardized test of idea fluency and originality, more joyful attitudes toward science, and more pluralistic approaches.
Bifurcation of higher dimensional tori

Bifurcation theory is concerned with the study of differential equations which depend upon a real parameter e. For certain critical values of the parameter one finds a structural change in the behavior of the solutions of the differential equation. Such a change is oftentimes called a bifurcation. The first systematic investigation of bifurcation phenomena in an n-dimensional space (n>2) was probably in the paper of E. HOPF [13] in 1942. Specifically HOPF studied a family of ordinary differential equations in R"
Quantum perturbation theory for the level splitting in billiards

A perturbation theory is developed for the level splitting due to dynamical tunneling in two-dimensional billiards. Using a scattering-matrix approach, the splittings are expressed in terms of a matrix element connecting quasimodes localized in the subspace of positive and negative angular momentum, in analogy to the familiar degenerate double-well problem. The theory is shown to work well for billiards which are integrable, mixed, and strongly chaotic.
A quantitative analysis of Oka's lemma

In this paper, we will examine a strong form of Oka’s lemma which provides sufficient conditions for compact and subelliptic estimates for the $${{\overline\partial}}$$ -Neumann operator on Lipschitz domains. On smooth domains, the condition for subellipticity is equivalent to D’Angelo finite type and the condition for compactness is equivalent to Catlin’s condition (P). As an application, we will prove regularity for the $${{\overline\partial}}$$ -Neumann operator in the Sobolev space W s , $${0\leq s < \frac{1}{2}}$$ , on C 2 domains.
Digital Decoding Design for Phase Coded Imaging System

This paper develops a digital decoding design for the imaging system with phase coded lens. The phase coded lens is employed to extend the depth of filed (DoF), and the proposed design is used to restore the special-purpose blur caused by the lens. Since in practice the imaging system inevitably contains manufacturing inaccuracy, it is often difficult to obtain precise point spread function (PSF) for image restoration. To deal with this problem, we develop a flow for designing filters without PSF information. The imaging system first takes a shot of a well-designed test chart to have a blur image of the chart. This blur image is then corrected by using the perspective transformation. We use both of the image of the test chart and the corrected blur image to calculate a minimum mean square error (MMSE) filter, so that the blur image processed by the filter can be very alike to the test chart image. The filter is applied to other images captured by the imaging system in order to verify its effectiveness in reducing the blur and for showing the capability of extending the DoF of the integrated system.
Accelerated Phagocytosis of Amyloid-β by Mouse and Human Microglia Overexpressing the Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor Receptor

Microglia surrounding Aβ plaques in Alzheimer's disease and in the APPV717F transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease have enhanced immunoreactivity for the macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor (M-CSFR), encoded by the proto-oncogene c-fms. Increased expression of M-CSFR on cultured microglia results in proliferation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase. We transfected mouse BV-2 and human SV-A3 microglia to overexpress M-CSFR and examined microglial phagocytosis of fluorescein-conjugated Aβ. Flow cytometry and laser confocal microscopy showed accelerated phagocytosis of Aβ in mouse and human microglia because of M-CSFR overexpression that was time- and concentration-dependent. In contrast, microglial uptake of 1-μm diameter polystyrene microspheres was not enhanced by M-CSFR overexpression. Microglial uptake of Aβ was blocked by cytochalasin D, which inhibits phagocytosis. M-CSFR overexpression increased the mRNA for macrophage scavenger receptor A, and fucoidan blocking of macrophage scavenger receptors inhibited uptake of Aβ. M-CSFR antibody blocking experiments demonstrated that increased Aβ uptake depended on the interaction of the M-CSFR with its ligand. These results suggest that overexpression of M-CSFR in APPV717F mice may prime microglia for phagocytosis of Aβ after immunization.
The Health Care Systems Of China And India: Performance And Future Challenges

Both China and India have recently committed to injecting new public funds into health care. Both countries are now deciding how best to channel the additional funds to produce benefits for their populations. In this paper we analyze how well the health care systems of China and India have performed and what determines their performance. Based on the analysis, we suggest that money alone, channeled through insurance and infrastructure strengthening, is inadequate to address the current problems of unaffordable health care and heavy financial risk, and the future challenges posed by aging populations that are increasingly affected by noncommunicable diseases.
Marriage as a reproductive contract: Patterns of marriage, divorce, and remarriage.

Patterns of marriage, divorce, remarriage, and redivorce were examined in several representative Western cultures through survey questions and archival data to test the hypothesis that marriage and divorce can be understood as expressions of underlying gender-specific, fitness maximization strategies. Differences between males and females were found for the relationship between age and patterns of both marriage and divorce, with females being far more likely at almost all ages to initiate divorce proceedings than males. Once divorced, however, formerly married females were less likely to remarry than formerly married males. The presence of children from a prior marriage had the effect of further decreasing the likelihood of remarriage for females, but not for males. Formerly married males without children tended to remarry females who had never been married, whereas just the opposite was true for divorced males with children. Consistent with our view of marriage as a reproductive contract, the absence of children was not only conducive to divorce and remarriage, but appeared to increase the likelihood of redivorce as well.
A spectroscopic search for colliding stellar winds in O-type close binary systems. III - 29 UW Canis Majoris

The orbital-phase variations in the optical emission lines and UV P Cygni lines of the massive O-type binary 29 UW Canis Majoris are investigated in a search for evidence of colliding winds. High SNR spectra of the H-alpha and He I 6678-A emission lines are presented, and radial velocity curves for several features associated with the photosphere of the more luminous primary star are given. The H-alpha features consists of a P Cygni component that shares the motion of the primary, and which probably originates at the base of its wind, and a broad, stationary emission component. It is proposed that the broad emission forms in a plane midway between the stars where the winds collide. A simple geometric model is used to show that this placement of the broad component can explain the lack of orbital velocity shifts, the near-constancy of the emission strength throughout the orbit, the large velocities associated with the H-alpha wings, and the constancy of the velocity range observed.
Detection of viable Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef by propidium monoazide real-time PCR

Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with food has caused many serious public health problems in recent years. However, only viable cells of this pathogen can cause infections, and false-positive detection caused by dead cells can lead to unnecessary product recalls. The objective of this study was to develop and optimize a method that combines propidium monoazide (PMA) staining with real-time PCR to detect only viable cells of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef. PMA is a DNA intercalating dye that can penetrate compromised membranes of dead cells and bind to cellular DNA, preventing its amplification via a subsequent PCR. Three strains of E. coli O157:H7 (505B, G5310 and C7927) at concentrations of 10(0) to 10(8)CFU/mL were used as live cells. Dead cells were obtained by heating cell suspensions at 85°C for 15 min. Suspensions were treated with PMA and the optimized assay was applied to artificially contaminated ground beef with two different fat contents (10% and 27%). DNA was extracted and amplified by TaqMan® real-time PCR assay targeting the uidA gene for detection of E. coli O157:H7. Plasmid pUC19 was added as an internal amplification control (IAC). A treatment of 25 μM PMA with a 10-min light exposure on ice was sufficient to eliminate DNA from 10(8) dead E. coli O157:H7 cells/mL. The optimized assay could detect as low as 10(2) CFU/mL viable E. coli O157:H7 in pure culture and 10(5) CFU/g in ground beef, in the presence of 10(6)/mL or g of dead cells. With an 8-h enrichment, 1 CFU/g viable E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef was detectable without interference from 10(6) dead cells/g. In conclusion, the PMA real-time PCR could effectively detect viable E. coli O157:H7 without being compromised by dead cells.
Electron Spin Resonance Study of the Reaction between Sodium and Poly-4-vinylbiphenyl

Abstract Poly-4-vinylbiphenyl (PVB) fractions of various molecular weights could be reacted with alkali metals in dimethoxyethane to form polyradical anions which were found to be stable at low temperature. The study of the line width of ESR signals obtained with high and low molecular weight PVB polyradical anions indicated electron delocalization over the polymer chains and extensive intramolecular exchange. The extent of reaction of sodium with PVB was found to be smaller than with 4-ethylbiphenyl, the model unit segment. The theoretical interpretation of the hyperfine structure of the radical anion of 4-ethylbiphenyl helped to understand the ESR spectra of PVB polyradical anions degraded at room temperature.
Adaptive bolus chasing computed tomography angiography by a local linear time and space parameter varying model: modeling, control, identification, and experimental results

A high contrast to noise ratio (CNR) is always desirable for contrast-enhanced computed tomography angiography (CTA). To ensure a high CNR of the vascular images in CTA and potentially reduce the radiation exposure and contrast usage, an adaptive bolus chasing method is proposed and evaluated compared to the existing constant-speed method. The proposed method is based on a local time and space parameter varying model of the contrast bolus. Optimal scan time for the next segment of the vasculature is estimated and predicted in real time and guides the computed tomography (CT) scanner table movement that guarantees that each segment of the vasculature is scanned with the maximum possible enhancement. Simulations and experimental results show that the proposed bolus chasing method outperforms the conventional constant-speed method substantially.
Experimental Characterization of a Small-Scale Downdraft Gasifier for Biomass Waste

Biomass is essentially organic garbage obtained from many sources of dead or live vegetation including yard waste. According to recent data, approximately sixty million bone dry tons of biomass are produced in California each year [1]. Of this, only five million tons are used for the generation of electricity. At a global scale, 8700 Tg of biomass (dry matter) were burned without energy recovery in 1991. This number has increased especially in developing countries with the main sources being the savannas, agricultural waste, tropical forests, and fuel wood. Inefficient burning of waste, through combustion in open-air or in open dumps are a significant source of pollutants leading to possible health effects. An alternative to open air combustion is gasification, which involves the conversion of biomass to generate synthesis gas (syngas) by adding heat and limited amounts of oxygen. Several gasifying agents can be utilized, but air is commonly used in small-scale gasifiers. The use of air causes a large molar fraction of nitrogen in the syngas composition. This papers shows the experimental results obtained with a commercially available small-scale downdraft gasifier. Woodchips obtained from a nearby landfill are used as input to the gasifier and temperatures, flow rates, and syngas composition are reported and analyzed.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
OF CALDECOTTS AND KINGS

The authors mark the twentieth anniversary of the classic study by Weitzman et al., which found considerable gender stereotyping in picture books for preschool children, by replicating and extending their study with an updated sample that includes books by Black illustrators. The authors find evidence that female characters and female relationships receive considerably more attention in recent books by both conventional illustrators and Black illustrators than they did in the late 1960s. They also find, consistent with the liberal feminist aims of Weitzman et al., evidence that male and female characters are shown in a more egalitarian fashion than they were in the late 1960s in books by mainstream authors. Finally, they discover that, consistent with the aims of recent Black feminist theorists, Black illustrators are more apt than others to highlight women's involvement in an ethic of caring and an ethic of personal accountability.
Comparison of leucine aminopeptidase from human lens, beef lens and kidney, and hog lens and kidney

Antisera specific for leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) were prepared. Using these antisera in immunodiffusion tests, the identity of LAP isolated from beef lens and kidney is demonstrated. The same pertains to hog lens and kidney LAP. As indicated by only partial fusion of the immunoprecipitates in immunodiffusion plates, leucine aminopeptidases isolated from hog and beef are antigenically similar but not identical. These tests also indicate substantial similarity between a component in human lens homogenates and bovine or hog LAP. Microcomplement fixation tests corroborate these observations and indicate that, under these conditions, LAP from beef lens and kidney, or hog lens and kidney, are indistinguishable. However, there is an approximate 8.5% amino acid sequence difference between beef and hog LAP. Microcomplement fixation tests with human lens homogenate also corroborate immunodiffusion results and indicate an approximate 19% amino acid sequence difference between beef and human LAP. These data establish that LAP is a species-specific enzyme and they indicate that it is not organ specific. Maximal complement fixation occurs at approximately 0.1 microgram antigen per tube in those assays in which pure aminopeptidases were tested. This permits standardization of the microcomplement fixation assay for LAP under these conditions. Maximal complement fixation occurs at 160-200 micrograms human lens homogenate per tube. Assuming that in this quantity of homogenate there is 0.1 microgram LAP, then it can be calculated that LAP comprises about 0.05% of the lens protein. This agrees closely with the percentage of LAP in hog and beef lenses. Thus, the reduced LAP activity reported for human lens tissue appears not to result from an absence of the enzyme but rather, may be due to diminished catalytic competency of the enzyme in aged human lens tissue (see Taylor and Juhngen , 1984). The unit evolutionary period, 4.7-5.8 X 10(6) years, indicates that LAP has been highly conserved during evolution.