cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory mechanisms in vascular disease

Mechanisms have been identified by which the vasculature modifies lipids into an atherogenic form, with those modified lipids in turn activating vascular and immune cells, initiating self-perpetuating cycles of inflammation and lipid alteration that lead to atherosclerosis. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms responsible for this lipid-inflammation crosstalk. As we attempt to explain why individuals with apparently matched traditional cardiovascular risk factors develop markedly different levels of vascular disease, we propose that a genotypic, inflammatory substrate might be responsible.
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria in a patient with Klebsiella pneumonia.

. A case of paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH) occurring in a patient with Klebsiella pneumonia is described. The first sign of PCH in the patient was erythrophagocytosis. The Donath-Landsteiner (D-L) antibody exhibited anti-P specificity both serologically and biochemically. The appearance of D-L antibody during fulminating Klebsiella pneumonia strongly suggests their causal relationship.
Pathogenesis of Herpes Simplex Labialis. I. Replication of Herpes Simplex Virus in Cultures of Epidermal Cells from Subjects with Frequent Recurrences

Primary cultures were established with epidermal cells from the skin of 11 patients with frequent episodes of herpes simplex labialis and 13 control subjects with titers of neutralizing antibody to herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 but no history of herpetic disease. Confluent monolayers were exposed to HSV type 1 strain E115, and the infection was monitored by assay of the rate of virus appearance in the culture medium. The mean slope of the virus growth curves ([log10 pfu/ml]/log10 hr) was 9.0 in cultures from patients vs. 9.5 in cultures from controls, and the respective mean titers of virus 53 hr after infection were 10(6.8) and 10(6.5) (differences not statistically significant). Genetically controlled host factors may play some role in the clinical response to HSV infection, but variation in the susceptibility of epidermal cells, the natural target for HSV, is not one of the critical determinations.
Noninvasive diffusive optical imaging of the auditory response to birdsong in the zebra finch

Songbirds communicate by learned vocalizations with concomitant changes in neurophysiological and genomic activities in discrete parts of the brain. Here, we tested a novel implementation of diffusive optical imaging (also known as diffuse optical imaging, DOI) for monitoring brain physiology associated with vocal signal perception. DOI noninvasively measures brain activity using red and near-infrared light delivered through optic fibers (optodes) resting on the scalp. DOI does not harm subjects, so it raises the possibility of repeatedly measuring brain activity and the effects of accumulated experience in the same subject over an entire life span, all while leaving tissue intact for further study. We developed a custom-made apparatus for interfacing optodes to the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) head using 3D modeling software and rapid prototyping technology, and applied it to record responses to presentations of birdsong in isoflurane-anesthetized zebra finches. We discovered a subtle but significant difference between the hemoglobin spectra of zebra finches and mammals which has a major impact in how hemodynamic responses are interpreted in the zebra finch. Our measured responses to birdsong playback were robust, highly repeatable, and readily observed in single trials. Responses were complex in shape and closely paralleled responses described in mammals. They were localized to the caudal medial portion of the brain, consistent with response localization from prior gene expression, electrophysiological, and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. These results define an approach for collecting neurophysiological data from songbirds that should be applicable to diverse species and adaptable for studies in awake behaving animals.
The Latino-ness of type: making design identities socially significant

To reflect on current Latino-themed typography in built environments and marketing venues, this paper examines the early 1990s, barrio-inspired typographic design of Pablo Medina, a Cuban-Colombian-American award-winning designer currently working in NYC, in relation to two diverse socio-aesthetic value systems. The first value system is a modernist ideology, which insists that language and expression can be universal and communicate across racial, ethnic, and cultural differences without carrying any particular meaning, bias, or identity. In contrast, Medina's Cuba typeface is in conversation with an ethnic place approach to cultural production that has its origins in 1960s Latino social movements that sought to affirm the cultural value of barrios. This design approach is often associated with postmodern socio-aesthetic preferences that “localize” culture. I argue that this type's articulation with the urban requires rethinking its postmodern categorization. This short article offers a window into new w...
Reflections on the History of US Cargo Liner Service (Part I)

It is difficult to follow the history of the US merchant marine without trying to explain what went wrong. The purpose of this paper, which surveys almost two centuries of US cargo liner service, is not so much to point out what went wrong as to discover a few American liner shipping experiments which, for a time, went right. Perhaps, some lessons can be drawn from the histories of Black Ball Line in the early 19th century, States Marine Lines in the mid 20th century and Sea-Land in their formative years. These case studies reveal that being at the right place at the right time with the right idea and the right equipment was always the sine qua non of commercial viability. It will be suggested that a few of these ideas and operational strategies still have value.
Inverse kinetic isotope effects and deuterium enrichment as a function of carbon number during formation of C–C bonds in cobalt catalyzed Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Abstract How the deuterium is enriched in hydrocarbons produced by Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis is of broad scientific interest, particularly to those studying the mechanism of the FT reaction and the formation of hydrocarbons in the Earth's crust or in the nebula. In order to determine whether there is an inverse isotope effect and whether there exists the deuterium enrichment in hydrocarbons during the FT reaction, we performed the H 2 /D 2 switching experiments in cobalt catalyzed FT reactions and found that the values of α H / α D are in a range of 0.93–0.98 under five different reaction conditions, a clear indication of the inverse kinetic isotope effect. We also conducted the H 2 /D 2 competition experiments using an equal molar ratio of D 2 and H 2 as the reagents and found that the H/D ratios in alkanes from C 6 to C 24 obtained are less than 1 and decrease with increasing molecular size. To account for these results, we proposed a modified alkylidene mechanism for the FT reaction. By combining the modified alkylidene mechanism with the Anderson–Schulz–Flory equation, the results obtained in this study can be quantitatively explained and the isotope fractionation patterns and deuterium enrichment observed in abiogenic hydrocarbons produced by the FT-type reactions can be predicted.
Yes I am human: Autobiography of a “retarded career”

A preliminary account of on-going life history research with a “mentally retarded” man is reported. At the time the subject was selected, he was identified by an official agency and by himself as “mentally retarded.” He had been living in group home facilities with other retarded people for 17 years. Midway in the first two years of interviewing, a battery of psychological tests were administered revealing, by such criteria, he was a well-adjusted man of average intelligence. Discussion focuses on comparison of the alternative versions he constructed of his life experiences as a retarded person, before and after the disclosure that he was not mentally retarded.
Aversive-Nonaversive Issue: Tip of the Iceberg

ABSTRACT This article addresses the lack of communication between child behavior analysis (CBA) and what has been referred to as “mainstream clinical child psychology” (MCCP). It is suggested that the emotionality of the aversive-nonaversive debate is attributable in part to a lack of information exchange among these two sub-specialties. Distinct contributions of CBA and MCCP are examined in each of the following four areas: population, assessment, research, and treatment. Recommendations are made for enhancing child clinical psychology by (a) promoting constructive communication, and (b) integrating components of the two approaches.
Inelastic interchannel collisions of pulses in optical fibers in the presence of third-order dispersion

We study the effect of third-order dispersion on the interaction between two solitons from different frequency channels in an optical fiber. The interaction may be viewed as an inelastic collision in which energy is lost to continuous radiation owing to nonzero third-order dispersion. We develop a perturbation theory with two small parameters: the third-order dispersion coefficient d3 and the reciprocal of the interchannel frequency difference 1/Ω. In the leading order the amplitude of the emitted radiation is proportional to d3/Ω2, and the source term for this radiation is identical to the one produced by perturbation of the second-order dispersion coefficient. The only other effects up to the third order are shifts in the soliton’s phase and position. Our results show that the statistical description of soliton propagation in a given channel influenced by interaction with a quasi-random sequence of solitons from other channels is similar to the description of soliton propagation in fibers with weak disorder in the second-order dispersion coefficient.
Experimental energy dependence of aluminium multiple inner-shell ionization from 3.0 to 30.0 MeV oxygen bombardment☆

Abstract Aluminium, Kα, relative-satellite, X-ray yields for initial ionization states with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 additional L-shell vacancies produced from 3.0 to 30.0 MeV oxygen bombardment are shown to be consistent with a multiple-Coulomb reaction mechanism.
Abstract 4262: NR2F1 and SOX9 mediate reprogramming of tumor cells into dormancy: Potential role in dormant bone marrow DTCs

Single disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) found in secondary organs (i.e. bone marrow BM, lung, liver) appear to activate a quiescence program and undergo a dormancy phase triggered by specific tissue microenvironment signals. The timing of this asymptomatic clinical phase may rely on specific signals that convert a previous non-permissive/non-proliferative environment into a permissive one, fueling metastasis development. The mechanisms underlying dormancy and means to maintain this state remain unknown. Here we show that the orphan nuclear receptor NR2F1/COUP-TF1 is silenced in breast and HNSCC tumors, cancer cell lines and MMTV-Neu and -Myc mouse tumor models. Surprisingly, retinoid signaling, stress signaling and microenvironmental cues from target organs (i.e. bone marrow) can induce re-expression of NR2F1 and dormancy of HNSCC cells. Forced NR2F1 re-expression resulted in induction of tumor cell quiescence in vivo and this effect depended on the expression of the transcription factor SOX9 and p27 induction. In contrast, RNAi-mediated silencing of NR2F1 or SOX9 interrupted the quiescence of dormant tumor cells. Further, quiescence induction was associated with p27, p15, p16 and HES-1. Mechanistic analysis revealed that NR2F1 is primarily nuclear and that its expression is activated by MKK6-p38α stress signaling and is negatively regulated by DNA promoter methylation. Lastly, we showed that atRA treatment followed 5-Aza-C treatment reprograms tumorigenic cells into dormancy in an NR2F1-dependent fashion. Our data suggest that re-expression of NR2F1 may promote reprogramming of aggressive tumor cells into dormancy identifying a new target for maintenance therapies for residual disease. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4262. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4262
Medical Imaging Resource Center (MIRC) for veterinary medicine: a digital image teaching file.

ABSTRACT Rationale for the study – Veterinary radiology has a need for software to facilitate the creation of digital image teaching files. The Medical Imaging Resource Center (MIRC) is widely used in medicine to create teaching cases and store data from clinical trials. This open-source software was identified as a solution for use in veterinary medicine. Methodology – The additional fields needed to adapt the system for veterinary use were identified as sex, species, and breed. Breed and species codes from the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and from the Standard Nomenclature of Veterinary Diseases and Operations (SNVDO) were gathered and correlated. Results – The sex fields added were male, male neutered, female, and female neutered. The breed and species codes were combined into a single term. These were coded in eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and added to the software's veterinary document template and search capabilities. Conclusions – MIRC was successfully ad...
Spectroscopic evidence for the symmetric location of tyrosines D and Z in photosystem II.

Saturation-recovery EPR spectroscopy has been used to probe the location of the redox-active tyrosines, YD (tyrosine 160 of the D2 polypeptide, cyanobacterial numbering) and YZ (tyrosine 161 of the D1 polypeptide), relative to the non-heme Fe(II) in Mn-depleted photosystem II (PSII). Measurements have been made on PSII membranes isolated from spinach and on PSII core complexes purified from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. In the case of Synechocystis PSII, site-directed mutagenesis of the YD residue to either phenylalanine (Y160F) or methionine (Y160M) was done to eliminate the dark-stable YD.species and, thereby, allow direct spectroscopic observation of the YZ. EPR signal. The spin-lattice relaxation transients of both YD. and YZ. were non-single-exponential due to a dipolar interaction with one of the other paramagnetic species in PSII. Measurements on CN(-)-treated, Mn-depleted cyanobacterial PSII, in which the non-heme Fe(II) was converted into its low-spin, diamagnetic state, proved that the non-heme Fe(II) was the sole spin-lattice relaxation enhancer for both the YD. and YZ. radicals. This justified the use of a dipolar model in order to fit the saturation-recovery EPR data, which were taken over the temperature range 4-70 K. The dipolar rate constants extracted from the fits were identical in magnitude and had the same temperature dependence for both YD. and YZ.. The observation of identical dipolar interactions between YD. and YZ. and the non-heme Fe(II) shows that the distance from each tyrosine to the non-heme Fe(II) is the same.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Barriers to the health maintenance organization for the over 65's.

Abstract What are the barriers that impede and prevent those over age 65 from considering a health maintenance organization (HMO) as an alternative to traditional Medicare supplementary insurance? In an attempt to answer this question, structured interviews were conducted with 260 elderly people. The barriers examined include knowledge deficits, lack of exposure to information, general resistance to change, the difficulties of integrating the ‘new’ with old insurance patterns, and value stances that may limit the adoption of HMOs by some elderly. Also discussed are educational strategies that may enhance the possibility of the elderly's consideration of the HMO as a viable option.
The ‘birth-and-assassination’ process

A new variant of a branching process is introduced, with sufficient conditions for it to persist and to die out. The model is applied to discuss the asymptotic stability of a new type of queuing process. © 1990.
Quantitative localization of [3H]TCP binding in rat brain by light microscopy autoradiography.

The anatomical localization of phencyclidine (PCP)/σ-opiate receptors in rat brain was determined by quantitative light microscopy autoradiography using the new ligand N-(1-[2-thienyl]cyclohexyl)[3H]TCP). TCP is a potent analog of PCP which possesses a higher affinity for PCP/σ-opiate receptor than those PCP itself. The higest of [3H]TCP binding was detected in the hippocampus. Intermediate levels were found in frontal cortex, striatum, amygdala and cerebellum. Specific [3H]TCP binding was undetectable in anterior commissure and corpus callosum. The distribution pattern of [3H]TCP binding sites is similar to the pattern obtained with [3H]PCP but more sharply defined. On the basis of its greater potency and specificity, [3H]TCP may prove superior to [3H]PCP as a molecular probe for the study of brain sigma opiate/phencyclidine receptors.
High frequency synchronous Buck converter using GaN-on-SiC HEMTs

GaN-on-SiC technology has been widely used in radiofrequency (RF) power amplifiers to achieve high power density at very high frequencies due to the enhanced power handling capabilities provided by the SiC substrate and very high transition frequencies of GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs). Along with other well-known advantages of GaN, such as high breakdown voltage and high temperature operation, these characteristics make GaN-on-SiC technology suitable for power electronics applications. This paper explores the use of GaN-on-SiC depletion-mode HEMTs in switched-mode power converters, targeting high efficiencies at switching frequencies in the tens of Megahertz range. The fundamental limits of the technology are analyzed, and design principles and guidelines are given to exploit the capabilities of the devices. Results are presented for a 10 W, 20 V synchronous Buck converter prototype operating at 10 to 40 MHz. Measured efficiency peaks above 96% at 10 MHz and remains above 90% over a wide range of operating conditions. To demonstrate the applicability of the technology, the Buck converter switching at 20 MHz is used as a supply modulator to track a 3 MHz envelope signal with greater than 90% average efficiency.
Synthesis of [18F]phencyclidines for glutamate receptor mapping

PCP-like potency; 2) developing rapid synthetic methods for incorporating 18F (t% = 110 min) into these compounds for use in in vivo mapping of the glutamate receptor complex by PET. We have shown that 3-a&1o-4-fluoroPCP (2) retains the high binding affinity and pharmaco ogical potency of 3-aminoPCP (2): IC50-300 and 200 nM, respectively, in the 4H-TCP competitive binding assay and ED50t4.48 and 4.55 p/mol/kg, respectively, in the mouse platform test. The synthesis of 4-[18FJfluoro-3-aminoPCP (6) was achieved by nucleophilic displacement of bromide in 4-bromo-3-nitroPCP (4) by nca [ 18F]fluoride ion, followed by reduction of the nitro intermediat (5) with stannous chloride/HCl. In a typi a1 synthesis 22 mCi of [f8F]Tluoride affords 0.60 mCi (EOS) of 4-[1gF]fluoro-3-aminoPCP in a synthesis time of 115 min. Purification was achieved by reverse-phase HPLC. Biological evaluation of this new fluorine-18 ligand is in progress.
The second-order elastic constants of an AgBr-(56.6%) AgCl mixed crystal from 20°C to 400°C

Initial measurements of the second-order elastic constants of an AgBr-(56.6%) AgCl mixed crystal have been made from 20-400°C. Over this temperature range, C' 1 1 decreased by 44%, C' by 71%, C 44 by 22%, C 11 by 53%, C 12 by 40%, and B s by 46%. The decreases in the elastic constants are linear until approximately 280°C, whereupon all but C' begin to decrease more rapidly than linearly with variations from linearity of 4-20% at 400°C and C' remains linear at all temperatures. This anomalous behavior is similar to other silver halide physical properties and may be attributed to the unusually high defect concentration at high temperatures. Similar elastic constant changes are seen in superionic conductors near the superionic transition, indicating that the silver halides may be starting the transition to a superionic state when the halide sublattice melts and the transition is frustrated.
Reversal of baseline relations and stimulus equivalence: I. Adults.

Following the emergence of two four-member equivalence classes (A1B1C1D1 and A2B2C2D2), 5 students were exposed to a series of phases including a baseline conditional discrimination reversal (i.e., choosing D2 was reinforced and D1 punished given Sample A1; choosing D1 was reinforced and D2 punished given Sample A2), the delayed introduction of CD/DC transitivity/equivalence probes, DE conditional discrimination training, a second baseline conditional discrimination reversal (i.e., choosing C2 was reinforced given B1, etc.), and a return to original baseline reinforcement contingencies. Results showed that baseline and symmetry probe performances were extremely sensitive to baseline modifications. In contrast, patterns on transitivity/equivalence probes remained predominantly consistent with the originally established equivalence classes, although there were exceptions on some E probe relations for 2 subjects. The dissociation between baseline and symmetry versus transitivity/equivalence patterns may have important implications because it is not easily accounted for by current models of equivalence phenomena.
Identification of linear antigenic sites on the Porphyromonas gingivalis 43-kDa fimbrillin subunit.

The fimbrillin of Porphyromonas gingivalis is thought to be an important virulence factor that mediates adherence to host surfaces. The linear immunogenic and antigenic structure of P. gingivalis fimbrillin was investigated with synthetic pep-tides corresponding to the amino acid sequence predicted from the cloned fimbrillin gene for P. gingivalis 2561. A series of continuous and overlapping pep-tides corresponding to the entire sequence of P. gingivalis fimbrillin was used to immunize Wistar rats. The resulting polyclonal antibodies were used to test the antigenicity of the 43-kDa fimbrillin protein by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis. All the peptides elicited specific antibodies directed to the corresponding peptides but differed in their ability to elicit antisera that cross-reacted with either native or denatured fimbrillin. Antisera to various C-terminal one-third peptides were more reactive to the denatured monomeric form of fimbrillin by Western blot analysis. Antisera to peptide 99-110 was by far the most reactive against the native form of the oligomeric fimbrillin as well as the partially denatured oligomeric form of fimbrillin. The results indicate that amino acid residues 99-110 on the native fimbrillin protein are accessible to antibody binding and that the immunogen 99-110, when conjugated to thyroglobulin, is able to mimic an epitope on the 43-kDa fimbrillin.
Rate-compatible low-density parity-check codes with rate-compatible degree profiles

A new approach for the design of rate-compatible low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes is presented. The approach uses a sequence of rate-compatible degree profiles based on row and column constraints of the parity-check matrices of the sequence of codes. Simulation results show that LDPC codes constructed in this manner perform better than rate-compatible LDPC codes constructed using other known techniques.
Ultrastructure of the retina of Drosophila melanogaster: The mutant ora (outer rhabdomeres absent) and its inhibition of degeneration in rdgB (retinal degeneration-B)

The Drosophila mutant ora lacks rhodopsin in the R1-6 set of photoreceptors and has a diminution of the photopigment containing rhabdomeres of R1-6. Newly emerged flies have rhabdomeres, albeit small, which extend from the distal rhabdomere cap to the proximal basement membrane. As the fly ages, these are reduced until only distal remnants remain. Carotenoid deprivation does not protect ora flies from rhabdomere loss. When first characterized, ora was designated as a non-formation mutant rather than a degeneration mutant. The truth lies between, since rhabdomeres diminish with age but cells do not die. The plasmalemma of R1-6 have unusual dense striated areas like the “zippers” described earlier for the Drosophila mutant norpA. Similar membranes are also present within the receptor somata, especially in young flies. The latter probably become internalized from the plasmalemma. They are likely not related to the diminished rhabdomeres as claimed earlier. R7 and R8 have normal rhabdomeres, and in particular...
Challenges with duty hour reforms: a survey of residency program directors.

Challenges with Duty Hour Reforms: A Survey of Residency Program Directors Lisa L. Willett, MD, Vineet Arora, MD, MAPP, Andrew J. Halvorsen, MS, Karen M. Chacko, MD, Saima Chaudhry, MD, Furman S. McDonald, MD, MPH University of Alabama at Birmingham; University of Chicago, Ill; Office of Educational Innovations, Internal edicine Residency Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn; Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal edicine, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Aurora, Colo; Hofstra North Shore-Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Manhasset, NY; General Internal Medicine – Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Paramagnetism in X-irradiated chalcogenide glasses and crystals

Abstract In semiconducting chalcogenide glasses, X-irradiation at 77 K produces paramagnetic responses which are similar to those produced by optical excitation at band gap energies. These ESR signals can be bleached with light of less than band gap energies. There is evidence that X-irradiation at low temperature creates a greater density of metastable centers which can subsequently be populated or depopulated (rendered paramagnetic) optically by excitation with low intensities ( ≈ 10 mW cm −2 ) of band-gap light. In addition to the usual optically induced responses, X-irradiation in the chalcogenide glasses also produces signals attributable to impurities such as copper and iron. In pure crystalline As 2 Se, X-irradiation at 77 K produces only centers associated with Cu 2+ impurities.
Adaptive image feature prediction and control for visual tracking with a hand-eye coordinated camera

An adaptive method for visually tracking a known moving object with a single mobile camera is described. The method differs from previous methods of motion estimation in that both the camera and the object are moving. The objective is to predict the location of features of the object on the image plane based on past observations and past control inputs and then to determine an optimal control input that will move the camera so that the image features align with their desired positions. A resolved motion rate control structure is used to control the relative position and orientation between the camera and the object. A geometric model of the camera is used to determine the linear differential transformation from image features to camera position and orientation. To adjust for modeling errors and system nonlinearities, a self-tuning adaptive controller is used to update the transformation and compute the optimal control. Computer simulations were conducted to verify the performance of the adaptive feature prediction and control. >
A grotesque measure for Marietta

Abstract The story of the ‘Big Chicken’ is about a franchise sign that became a representative symbol for Marietta, Georgia. This typical American suburban community, immersed in a contextual field of the sameness of endless franchise businesses, found it required a unique ‘centre’ for defining itself. In a comparison to the grotesque, this sign questions the norms of transition, scale and context. It has become a visual locator in a community epitomized by the marginal. This story of the Big Chicken thus provides a discussion of the problems of perceiving suburban communities and how their inhabitants relate to the built environment.
Application of nonparametric binary regression to evaluate the sensitivity of explosives

The performance of slapper detonators depends on the sensitivity of the explosive material within the detonators to a voltage stimulus. A series of experiments is typically used to estimate the sensitivity of the explosive material by subjecting individual detonators to various stimulus levels. The traditional methods for selecting stimulus levels and analyzing the resulting binary data are based on a parametric probit model that relates the probability of detonation to the level of the voltage stimulus. In this article, we explore an alternative method for analyzing the binary data using nonparametric regression. The use of this alternative method is illustrated by analyzing the ungrouped binary data resulting from a series of 25 tests that were used to characterize a single lot of detonators. We conclude that nonparametric regression can be very useful in visualizing the underlying relationship between a binary response and a covariate, even when the sample size is relatively small.
Post‐Mortem Changes in Muscle II. Chemical and Physical Changes in Pork

SUMMARY The chemical changes occurring from 0 to 24 and/or 48 hr post-mortem were followed in longissimus dorsi muscle from 18 pork carcasses. In an attempt to induce soft, watery pork, one side from each of 13 carcasses was placed at 37°C immediately after slaughter, and the other side of each carcass was subjected to -29°C. Values for pH, glycogen, total reducing sugars, and lactic acid differed markedly at 0 time. Carcasses from Poland China pigs showed a stoichiometric relationship between the post-mortem decrease in glycogen and the corresponding accumulation of lactic acid and total reducing sugars. This relationship was less apparent in Hampshire pigs. The 37°C treatment did not consistently result in soft, watery and pale muscle, as was expected from other reports. This suggests that exposure of muscle to a low pH at a high temperature per se does not necessarily cause the soft, watery, and pale appearance. A loss in fibrillar water-binding capacity as a result of low pH values and high muscle temperatures confirmed earlier investigations. However, the decrease in fibrillar water-binding capacity as a result of the low pH at high muscle temperatures did not usually make the muscle appear soft and watery. Results indicate that even though a loss in fibrillar water-binding capacity occurs as a consequence of a low pH and high temperature, and is a characteristic frequently encountered in soft, watery muscle, low fibrillar water-binding capacity by itself is not the primary causal factor in making pork muscle appear soft and watery. Post-mortem levels of ATP, creatine phosphate, lactic acid, total reducing sugars and glycogen are reported and compared with literature values.
Estimation of mediation effects for zero-inflated regression models.

The goal of mediation analysis is to identify and explicate the mechanism that underlies a relationship between a risk factor and an outcome via an intermediate variable (mediator). In this paper, we consider the estimation of mediation effects in zero-inflated (ZI) models intended to accommodate `extra' zeros in count data. Focusing on the ZI negative binomial (ZINB) models, we provide a mediation formula approach to estimate the (overall) mediation effect in the standard two-stage mediation framework under a key sequential ignorability assumption. We also consider a novel decomposition of the overall mediation effect for the ZI context using a three-stage mediation model. Estimation of the components of the overall mediation effect requires an assumption involving the joint distribution of two counterfactuals. Simulation study results demonstrate low bias of mediation effect estimators and close-to-nominal coverage probability (CP) of confidence intervals. We also modify the mediation formula method by replacing `exact' integration with a Monte Carlo integration method. The method is applied to a cohort study of dental caries in very low birth weight adolescents. For overall mediation effect estimation, sensitivity analysis was conducted to quantify the degree to which key assumption must be violated to reverse the original conclusion.
Predictive effects of structural variation on citation counts

A critical part of a scientific activity is to discern how a new idea is related to what we know and what may become possible. As the number of new scientific publications arrives at a rate that rapidly outpaces our capacity of reading, analyzing, and synthesizing scientific knowledge, we need to augment ourselves with information that can effectively guide us through the rapidly growing intellectual space. In this article, we address a fundamental issue concerning what kinds of information may serve as early signs of potentially valuable ideas. In particular, we are interested in information that is routinely available and derivable upon the publication of a scientific paper without assuming the availability of additional information such as its usage and citations. We propose a theoretical and computational model that predicts the potential of a scientific publication in terms of the degree to which it alters the intellectual structure of the state of the art. The structural variation approach focuses on the novel boundary-spanning connections introduced by a new article to the intellectual space. We validate the role of boundary-spanning in predicting future citations using three metrics of structural variation—namely, modularity change rate, cluster linkage, and Centrality Divergence—along with more commonly studied predictors of citations such as the number of coauthors, the number of cited references, and the number of pages. Main effects of these factors are estimated for five cases using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models of citation counts. Key findings indicate that (a) structural variations measured by cluster linkage are a better predictor of citation counts than are the more commonly studied variables such as the number of references cited, (b) the number of coauthors and the number of references are both good predictors of global citation counts to a lesser extent, and (c) the Centrality Divergence metric is potentially valuable for detecting boundary-spanning activities at interdisciplinary levels. The structural variation approach offers a new way to monitor and discern the potential of newly published papers in context. The boundary-spanning mechanism offers a conceptually simplified and unifying explanation of the roles played by commonly studied extrinsic properties of a publication in the study of citation behavior. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Implementing dynamic GOP in video encoding

Techniques for dynamic GOP in video encoding are proposed in this paper. Comparing to the average-sampling of current standard fixed GOP structure, with dynamic GOP the encoder has great freedom in I-, P- and B-frame selection. The dynamic GOP structure keeps temporal importance information of frames in the encoded video, which helps in adaptation to bandwidth decrease and temporal-SNR quality tradeoff decision. It also helps in storing more information with restricted resource, results in code efficiency increasing and better user perception. An effective temporal importance metric is also proposed in this paper. The results are validated by experiments.
f-vectors and h-vectors of simplicial posets

Stanely, R.P., f-vectors and h-vectors of simplicial posets, Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra 71 (1991) 319-331. A simplicial poset is a (finite) poset P with d such that every interval [6, x] is a boolean algebra. Simplicial posets are generalizations of simplicial complexes. The f-vector f(P) = (f,, f,, , ,f_,) of a simplicial poset P of rank d is defined by f; = #{x E P: [6, x] g B,, I}, where B,,, is a boolean algebra of rank i + 1. We give a complete characterization of the f-vectors of simplicial posets and of Cohen-Macaulay simplicial pose&, and an almost complete characterization for Gorenstein simplicial posets. The Cohen-Macaulay case relies on the theory of algebras with straightening laws (ASL’s).
Noise in a phase sensitive strain monitoring system

Noise measurements indicate that the strain resolution of our 3/spl times/3 detection system is limited by the phase noise due to the source /FFP combination. The shape of the noise distribution suggests that noise in the filter wavelength dominates at frequencies above 100 Hz. The noise floor supports previous measurements of nanostrain resolution in this instrument. Significant improvement to the resolution of a sensor system based on this approach, therefore, will require low-noise drive voltages for the FFP (fiber Fabry-Perot filter) up to the limits of the digitization process.
Contribution of copy-number variation to Down syndrome-associated atrioventricular septal defects.

Contribution of copy-number variation to Down syndrome–associated atrioventricular septal defects
Area and the rapid radiation of Hawaiian Bidens (Asteraceae)

Aim To estimate the rate of adaptive radiation of endemic Hawaiian Bidens and to compare their diversification rates with those of other plants in Hawaii and elsewhere with rapid rates of radiation. Location Hawaii. Methods Fifty-nine samples representing all 19 Hawaiian species, six Hawaiian subspecies, two Hawaiian hybrids and an additional two Central American and two African Bidens species had their DNA extracted, amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced for four chloroplast and two nuclear loci, resulting in a total of approximately 5400 base pairs per individual. Internal transcribed spacer sequences for additional outgroup taxa, including 13 non-Hawaiian Bidens, were obtained from GenBank. Phylogenetic relationships were assessed by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The age of the most recent common ancestor and diversification rates of Hawaiian Bidens were estimated using the methods of previously published studies to allow for direct comparison with other studies. Calculations were made on a per-unit-area basis. Results We estimate the age of the Hawaiian clade to be 1.3–3.1 million years old, with an estimated diversification rate of 0.3–2.3 species/million years and 4.8 × 10−5 to 1.3 × 10−4 species Myr−1 km−2. Bidens species are found in Europe, Africa, Asia and North and South America, but the Hawaiian species have greater diversity of growth form, floral morphology, dispersal mode and habitat type than observed in the rest of the genus world-wide. Despite this diversity, we found little genetic differentiation among the Hawaiian species. This is similar to the results from other molecular studies on Hawaiian plant taxa, including others with great morphological variability (e.g. silverswords, lobeliads and mints). Main conclusions On a per-unit-area basis, Hawaiian Bidens have among the highest rates of speciation for plant radiations documented to date. The rapid diversification within such a small area was probably facilitated by the habitat diversity of the Hawaiian Islands and the adaptive loss of dispersal potential. Our findings point to the need to consider the spatial context of diversification – specifically, the relative scale of habitable area, environmental heterogeneity and dispersal ability – to understand the rate and extent of adaptive radiation.
Response of benthic foraminifers to sewage discharge and remediation in Santa Monica Bay, California.

Abstract Examination of a time series of foraminiferal assemblage distributions on the continental shelf and slope of Santa Monica Bay from 1955 to 1997–1998 suggests that the benthic microfauna have been greatly affected by the quality and character of the municipal sludge and wastewater discharged into the bay over the last half-century by the Hyperion Treatment Plant serving the greater Los Angeles area. Five species dominate both the living and dead foraminiferal assemblages of the 1997–1998 surface samples, including Eggerella advena, Trochammina pacifica, Bulimina denudata, Buliminella elegantissima, and Epistominella bradyana. Temporal patterns of relative species abundances for both living and dead assemblages, as well as toxicity tests measuring amphipod survival and sea urchin fertilization success, show improvement since the sewage treatment program was enhanced in 1986. None of these trends are evident 10 years earlier, coincident with the onset of a Pacific Decadal Oscillation warming trend. This fact suggests that remediation, and not climate change, is responsible for the faunal changes observed. Even with remediation, however, all foraminiferal faunal trends have not returned to early-outfall levels. The organic-waste indicating species T. pacifica shows a slow decline in abundance as sewage treatment and sludge disposal activities have improved, whereas a dramatic increase in the abundance of the pioneer colonizer of impacted regions, E. advena, has occurred, often with a reciprocal response by B. denudata. Also evident is a dramatic shift in the abundance of the once-dominant species Nonionella basispinata and Nonionella stella, which were unable to recolonize Santa Monica Bay since the two major outfalls (5- and 7-mile) began discharging. Temporal variations in species abundances, as well as range expansions, contractions, and the inability to recolonize areas previously, or presently, impacted, suggests that foraminifers are a useful tool in defining areas affected by waste discharge.
Friendship quality in youth sport: relationship to age, gender, and motivation variables.

The purpose of this study was to examine age and gender differences in the quality of sport friendship, assess the relationship between friendship quality and motivation related variables, and obtain additional support for the validity of the Sport Friendship Quality Scale (SFQS; Weiss & Smith, 1999). Tennis players (N = 191, ages 10–18 years) completed the SFQS and other measures salient to the questions of the study. A MANOVA revealed that adolescent athletes ages 14–18 years rated loyalty and intimacy, things in common, and conflict higher than did younger players, ages 10–13 years, who in turn rated companionship and pleasant play higher. Girls rated self-esteem enhancement and supportiveness, loyalty and intimacy, and things in common higher than did boys, who rated conflict higher. Regression analysis indicated that companionship and pleasant play, conflict resolution, and things in common predicted higher tennis enjoyment and commitment. The collective findings— confirmation of the SFQS six-factor ...
Protein extraction using the sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (NaDEHP) reverse micellar system.

The reverse micellar system of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (NaDEHP)/isooctane/brine was used for liquidliquid extraction of proteins. We investigated the solubilization of cytochrorne-c and 0-chymotrypsin into the NaDEHP reverse micellar phase by varying the pH and NaCl concentration in the aqueous phase. At neutral pH and relatively low ionic strength, the proteins are extracted into the micellar phase with high yield. By contacting the micellar phase with a divalent cation (e.g., Ca") aqueous solution, the reverse micelles are destabilized and release the protein molecules back into an aqueous solution for recovery. This method separates the proteins from the surfactant with very high overall efficiencies. 0 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Computational fluid-structure interaction of a deformable flapping wing for micro air vehicle applications

Motivated by micro air vehicle applications, a fluid-structure coupling procedure between a NavierStokes solver and a three-dimensional FEM beam solver is presented along with selected results highlighting some of the aerodynamics implications. The fluid model includes laminar, the k e − turbulence closure, and a filter-based k e − closure. The structural model is based on an asymptotic approximation to the equations of elasticity. Using the slenderness as the small parameter, the equations are decomposed into two independent variational problems, corresponding to (i) crosssectional, small-deformation and (ii) longitudinal, large deformation analyses. A model example problem corresponding to a NACA0012 wing of aspect ratio 3 in pure heave motion is presented and the results compared against available experiment data. Quantitative comparisons with experiment are done for the rigid wing and the implications of wing flexibility on aerodynamics are presented in a qualitative sense. It was observed that phase lag of the wing tip displacement relative to the flapping motion becomes more pronounced as the fluid density increases.
Geometrical symmetry breaking

In this paper we continue the geometrical investigation of certain symmetry-breaking mechanisms previously begun. We consider first a geometrical interpretation of gauge field interactions with spinors when the spinor bundle structure is taken into account, and recover in this way the ABJ anomaly. These ideas are then applied to a model of symmetry breaking within the light pseudoscalar-meson octet, and a formula for the Cabibbo angleθ is obtained which yields sinθ≈0.228 04.
Identification of Alzheimer's Disease Using Incomplete Multimodal Dataset via Matrix Shrinkage and Completion

Incomplete dataset due to missing values is ubiquitous in multimodal neuroimaging data. Denoting an incomplete dataset as a feature matrix, where each row contains feature values of the multi-modality data of a sample, we propose a framework to predict the corresponding interrelated multiple target outputs (e.g., diagnosis label and clinical scores) from this feature matrix. This is achieved by applying a matrix completion algorithm on a shrunk version of the feature matrix that is augmented with the corresponding target output matrix, to simultaneously predict the missing feature values and the unknown target outputs. We shrink the matrix by first partition the large incomplete feature matrix into smaller submatrices that contain complete feature data. Treating each target output prediction from the submatrix as a task, we perform multi-task learning based feature and sample selections to select the most discriminative features and samples from each submatrix. Features and samples which are not selected from any of the submatrices are removed, resulting in a shrunk feature matrix, which is still incomplete. This shrunk matrix together with its corresponding target matrix (of possibly unknown values) are finally simultaneously completed using a low rank matrix completion algorithm. Experimental results using the ADNI dataset indicate that our proposed framework yields better identification accuracy at higher speed compared with conventional imputation-based identification methods.
A Process Theological Interpretation of the Primeval History in Genesis 2–11.

Genesis 2–11, or the primeval history of the Yahwist tradition, has been assessed theologically in several ways by biblical commentators over the years. The author suggests that this portion of the biblical text may be analyzed from the perspective of a process theological hermeneutic to gain new insights. In particular, one may observe the progressive involvement of Yahweh in the creative activity of establishing a world order, which is not always perfect in its developmental advance. Such a portrayal reflects not an omnipotent deity of classical theology, but rather a personal deity deeply related to the on-going creative processes of this world. Such perceptions of God dovetail well with the assumptions of process theology.