cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of various bacteria on flavor of cheddar cheese made from pasteurized milk

Summary 1.Thirty-four Micrococcus cultures, originally isolated from cheddar Cheese, had the following effects on the flavor when inoculated into pasteurized milk made into cheddar cheese: Seven had undesirable effects, producing bitter and unnatural flavors; fourteen had no definite effects; thirteen had desirable effects. 2.Strains of micrococci apparently belonging to the same species differed in their effects on the flavor. 3.When used in relatively small numbers, certain strains of propionic acid bacteria improved the flavor of pasteurized milk cheddar cheese, while others had no definite effects; when used in large numbers all the strains improved the flavor, and some of them produced a distinct sweet flavor somewhat resembling that of Swiss cheese. 4.The results suggest the possibility of improving the flavor of pasteur ized milk cheddar cheese by the addition to the milk of various organisms other than the usual cheese cultures.
A fast, high-precision splitter for particle suspensions

Abstract Samples of disaggregated particles, collected from within the water column by means of sediment traps or from the seafloor by means of cores or grabs, often must be split into smaller but representative portions to facilitate analysis. We have designed and tested a simple, precise, and inexpensive sample splitter that uses air pressure to discharge a uniformly mixed particle suspension into two to six equal-sized subsamples. The coefficient of variation of particle concentrations in subsamples produced from sediment trap samples was less than 2%, and less than 4% in subsamples from a core. A sample can be split into six subsamples in less than three minutes. The splitter is fabricated from acrylic and teflon to allow acid cleaning when necessary, and the design isolates the sample to reduce the risk of contamination.
Losing the War before the First Battle: Explant Malignancy in Lung Transplantation

Purpose Despite thorough radiologic evaluation prior to lung transplantation (LTx), explanted lungs occasionally harbor non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the incidence and outcomes for this phenomenon are unknown. We describe our center’s experience with unexpected explant NSCLC and its impact on post-transplant survival. Methods and Materials From April 2007 to April 2012, 522 patients underwent LTx at the Cleveland Clinic. Review of medical records was performed which included surgical pathology of the explanted lung(s), pathologic cancer staging and postoperative course. Specific attention was given to cancer progression and recurrence. Overall survival was determined using Kaplan-Meier method. Results Thirteen patients (2.5% incidence) were noted to have explant NSCLC. Listing diagnosis was UIP in 9 (69%) and COPD in 4 (31%) with 8 undergoing double LTx and 5 undergoing single LTx. Mean age at transplantation was 63 ± 6 years. Time from the last chest CT scan to transplantation was 103 ± 83 days. All malignancies were primary NSCLC with adenocarcinoma in 9 (69%) and squamous cell carcinoma in 4 (31%). 8 patients were Stage I, 4 Stage II and 1 Stage IV. 7 (53%) patients underwent post-transplant cancer treatment. Progression of disease occurred in 8 (62%) patients at a mean follow-up of 9.9 ± 6.5 months, with overall survival 14% at 2 years. [ figure 1 ] Conclusions Despite heightened screening, incidence of unsuspected NSCLC is surprisingly high. Moreover, despite the complete resection afforded by native pneumonectomy and adjuvant therapy, overall survival is poor due to rapid malignant progression. A unique pre-transplant surveillance screening program needs to be devised for this high risk population.
The effects of diesel particulate filters and a low-aromatic, low-sulfur diesel fuel on emissions for medium-duty diesel trucks

Abstract The effects of diesel particulate filters (DPFs) on regulated emissions and organic species were measured for several medium-duty diesel vehicles. Vehicles were measured in three configurations: a baseline California in-use diesel fuel, a low-aromatic, low-sulfur diesel fuel, and a DPF with a low-aromatic, low-sulfur diesel and a more commercial low-sulfur diesel fuel. The organic species measurements included C 1 –C 13 hydrocarbon species, C 1 –C 8 carbonyls, and semi-volatile and PM-based polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Tests on vehicles operating with DPFs showed reductions ranged from 89±2.3% to 98±0.7% for PM, 72±2.5% to 80±0.6% for THC, and 81±1% to 90%±1.3 for CO. Although some fuel effects were observed, they were considerably smaller than those found for the DPFs. Detailed C 1 –C 13 organic gas measurements showed alkenes and carbonyls to be the most prominent compound classes, with formaldehyde, ethene, acetaldehyde, and ethyne having the highest emission rates. Large reductions in alkenes, alkynes, and aromatics were found for the DPF, with smaller reductions also found for alkanes and carbonyls. Total PAC emissions were 4.34, 2.25, and 0.69 mg/mi, respectively, for the baseline fuel, the low-aromatic, low-sulfur diesel fuel and DPF with low-sulfur diesel fuel. The majority of the PACs were found in the semi-volatile phase.
Chemical leukoderma: Fact or fancy

Abstract Leukoderma is reported to be caused by chemicals. This type of depigmentation and the chemicals that might cause it have not been clearly documented. We attempted to address this issue by reviewing the Western literature related to this topic. We propose that chemical leukoderma be defined as depigmentation that is caused by the cutaneous application of specific chemicals that destroy the epidermal melanocytes. We found data that suggest a group of agents are capable of killing epidermal melanocytes. Most chemicals in this group are the phenols with an aliphatic or aromatic side chain. There are no data to confirm that chemically pure hydroquinone itself can cause depigmentation. Therefore, we exclude pure hydroquinone as a cause of clinical leukoderma. We propose the hypothesis that some forms of vitiligo vulgaris are in fact chemical leukoderma caused by unidentified melanocytotoxic chemicals in the environment.
Initiation, adherence, and retention in a randomized controlled trial of directly administered antiretroviral therapy.

Directly administered antiretroviral therapy (DAART) can improve health outcomes among HIV-infected drug users. An understanding of the utilization of DAART—initiation, adherence, and retention—is critical to successful program design. Here, we use the Behavioral Model to assess the enabling, predisposing, and need factors impacting adherence in our randomized, controlled trial of DAART versus self-administered therapy (SAT) among 141 HIV-infected drug users. Of 88 participants randomized to DAART, 74 (84%) initiated treatment, and 51 (69%) of those who initiated were retained in the program throughout the entire six-month period. Mean adherence to directly observed visits was 73%, and the mean overall composite adherence score was 77%. These results were seen despite the finding that 75% of participants indicated that they would prefer to take their own medications. Major causes of DAART discontinuation included hospitalization, incarceration, and entry into drug-treatment programs. The presence of depression and the lack of willingness to travel greater than four blocks to receive DAART predicted time-to-discontinuation.
Photometry of Triton 1992–2004: Surface volatile transport and discovery of a remarkable opposition surge

Abstract Triton, the large satellite of Neptune, was imaged by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989 with dark plumes originating in its volatile-rich south polar region. Southern summer solstice, a time when seasonal volatile transport should be at a maximum, occurred in 2001. Ground-based observations of Triton’s rotational light curve obtained from Table Mountain Observatory in 2000–2004 reveal volatile transport on its surface. When compared with a static frost model constructed from Voyager images, the light curve shows an increase in total amplitude. An earlier light curve obtained in 1992 from Mauna Kea Observatory is consistent with the static frost model. This movement of volatiles on the surface agrees with recent imaging results from the Hubble Space Telescope (Bauer, J.M., Buratti, B.J., Li, J.-Y., Mosher, J.A., Hicks, M.D., Schmidt, B.E., Goguen, J.D. [2010]. Astrophys. J. 723, L49–L52). The changes in the light curve can be explained by the transport of nitrogen frost on the surface or by the uncovering of bedrock of less volatile methane. We also find that Triton exhibits a large opposition surge at solar phase angles less than 0.1°. This surge cannot be entirely explained by the effects of coherent backscatter.
Polymerization of mixtures of grass allergens

Mixed grass pollen allergens were precipitated from crude grass extract by 90% saturation with ammonium sulfate. The precipitate was dissolved and polymerized with glutaraldehyde. Polymerized allergens with a molecular weight range of 200,000 to 4,000,000 were isolated. The resultant grass allergen polymers had reduced allergenicity but were capable of absorbing out IgG antibody from sera of 2 patients treated with crude grass allergens. This alteration of allergenicity was intended to reduce the ability of allergens to react with IgE-sensitized cells rather than to modify or destroy antigenic determinants. Prior exposure of allergens to phenol used as a preservative inhibited the polymerization process probably by blocking combining sites with which glutaraldehyde reacts.
Kocuria rhizophila misidentified as Corynebacterium jeikeium and other errors caused by the Vitek MS system call for maintained microbiological competence in the era of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is rapidly becoming a routine method for identification of microorganisms in the United States. Early studies showed strong performance for both commonly used systems, with identification rates of >90%
After-School Matters in Chicago: Apprenticeship as a Model for Youth Programming

In this article, the author draws on a study of an after-school initiative serving inner-city high school students to describe and reflect on ways in which apprenticeship-like experiences support work on a variety of developmental tasks. The author describes key dimensions of the apprenticeship experience, discusses challenges faced by instructors, and reflects on possible effects on participants. Findings suggest that, in addition to strengthening disciplinespecific knowledge and skills and, more selectively, skills needed for carrying out complex tasks, apprenticeship-like learning experiences have interesting self-effects. These experiences lead at least some apprentices to take more responsibility for themselves, to learn to attend more deeply, to learn about themselves, to learn that it is OK to do new things, and to learn that expressing one's thoughts, emotions, or doubts honestly will not have negative consequences. At the same time, apprentices'growth is tentative. Shifting habits, predisposition...
Partitioning sequential circuits for pseudoexhaustive testing

In this paper, we present an algorithm for partitioning sequential circuits. This algorithm is based on an analysis of a circuit's primary input cones and fanout values (PIFAN), and it uses a directed acyclic graph to represent the circuit. An invasive approach is employed, which creates logical and physical partitions by automatically inserting reconfigurable test cells and multiplexers. The test cells are used to control and observe multiple partitioning points, while the multiplexers expand the controllability and observability provided by the test cells. The feasibility and efficiency of our algorithm are evaluated by partitioning numerous standard digital circuits, including some large benchmark circuits containing up to 5597 gates. Our algorithm is based upon pseudoexhaustive testing methods where fault simulation is not required for test-pattern generation and grading; hence, engineering design time and cost are further reduced.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Secondary Data for Psychological Research

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a primer for those who have never used, or even considered using, secondary data as a resource for psychological research. Secondary data (SD) can provide a unique methodological tool with which to examine psychological issues and can serve as a valuable contribution to a program of research. However, this important resource may often be overlooked because its use can sometimes appear daunting and time-consuming. We seek to assist new users of SD by describing the process in a step-by-step manner. We address both benefits and challenges to anticipate when using SD, and discuss identifying and acquiring potential datasets, creating a personalized dataset, variable creation, statistical considerations, and the potential problem of conflicting findings when large datasets are used by multiple researchers. Our goal is to encourage researchers who are novices to the approach to consider using SD as an adjunct to their program of research. Secondary data (SD) can provide a unique methodological resource in which to examine psychological issues. Exploring secondary data is often done in concert with other methods, such as experimental and clinical research, to provide a well-rounded examination of a psychological construct or phenomena. However, this important resource may be overlooked because its use can sometimes appear daunting and time-consuming. The purpose of this paper is to draw awareness to the use of secondary data as a valuable adjunct in a program of research, and to serve as a primer to researchers who have not previously used this methodology. Our goal is to demystify the use of secondary data by describing the process in a step-by-step manner. SD can be useful for researchers at any career stage, including graduate students searching for data for a thesis topic, junior faculty looking to augment data used in their research program, or senior researchers seeking pilot data for grant applications. Although the terms archival and secondary data are sometimes used interchangeably in the literature, they are defined differently. Archival data come from examination of primary source documents such as letters, newspaper articles, or school or medical records (see, e.g., Wicke & Silver, 2009). This often requires the complex and time-consuming process of tracking down original records and transcribing these documents to create a workable dataset. The term secondary data refers to data that have been collected and made available by a primary source. Secondary data are often collected for a specific purpose but can also be used to address questions in other fields of research. In addition, general repositories of data exist to aid researchers with factual statistics about a population of interest.
Measured soil–structure interaction for concrete piles subjected to lateral loading

Lateral loads often control the design of deep foundations. This paper focuses on improving the understanding of soil–structure interaction (SSI) of laterally loaded piles and developing p–y curves...
Identification of Beijing Lineage Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Combined Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit Loci 26, 31, and ETR-A

A rapid method for identification of Beijing lineage Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still needed in regions of tuberculosis endemicity, especially if genotyping methods are not readily accessible. After analyzing 1,557 clinical isolates, a PCR method with combined mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit loci 26, 31, and ETR-A for differentiation of Beijing lineage isolates was established, the sensitivity and specificity of which are 94.7% and 98.5%, respectively.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol differentially suppresses cisplatin-induced emesis and indices of motor function via cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the least shrew

We have recently shown that the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist, SR 141716A, produces emesis in the least shrew (Cryptotis parva) in a dose- and route-dependent manner. This effect was blocked by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC). The present study investigates the cannabinoid receptor mechanisms by which Delta(9)-THC produces its antiemetic effects against cisplatin (20 mg/kg, i.p.)-induced emesis as well as its cannabimimetic activity profile (motor reduction) in the least shrew. Intraperitoneal administration of Delta(9)-THC (1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced both the percentage of animals vomiting (ID(50)=1.8+/-1.6 mg/kg) and the frequency of vomits (ID(50)=0.36+/-1.18 mg/kg) in a potent manner. The lowest significantly effective antiemetic dose of Delta(9)-THC for the latter emesis parameters was 2.5 mg/kg. Although Delta(9)-THC reduced the frequency of vomits up to 98%, it failed to completely protect all tested shrews from vomiting (80% protection). The cannabinoid CB(1) antagonist (SR 141716A) and not the CB(2) antagonist (SR 144528), reversed the antiemetic effects of Delta(9)-THC in a dose-dependent fashion. Delta(9)-THC (1, 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, ip) suppressed locomotor parameters (spontaneous locomotor activity, duration of movement and rearing frequency) in a biphasic manner and only the 20-mg/kg dose simultaneously suppressed the triad of locomotor parameters to a significant degree. Subcutaneous (1-10 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal (0.05-40 mg/kg) injection of some doses of SR 141716A caused significant reductions in one or more components of the triad of locomotor parameters but these reductions were not dose dependent. Subcutaneous injection of SR 141716A (0.2, 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) reversed the motor suppressant effects of a 20-mg/kg dose of Delta(9)-THC (ip) in a dose-dependent manner. Relative to its motor suppressant effects, Delta(9)-THC is a more potent antiemetic agent. Both effects are probably mediated via CB(1) receptors in distinct loci.
The Ethylene Receptors ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 and ETHYLENE RESPONSE2 Have Contrasting Roles in Seed Germination of Arabidopsis during Salt Stress

In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), ethylene responses are mediated by a family of five receptors that have both overlapping and nonoverlapping roles. In this study, we used loss-of-function mutants for each receptor isoform to determine the role of individual isoforms in seed germination under salt stress. From this analysis, we found subfunctionalization of the receptors in the control of seed germination during salt stress. Specifically, loss of ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 (ETR1) or ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE4 (EIN4) leads to accelerated germination, loss of ETR2 delays germination, and loss of either ETHYLENE RESPONSE SENSOR1 (ERS1) or ERS2 has no measurable effect on germination. Epistasis analysis indicates that ETR1 and EIN4 function additively with ETR2 to control this trait. Interestingly, regulation of germination by ETR1 requires the full-length receptor. The differences in germination between etr1 and etr2 loss-of-function mutants under salt stress could not be explained by differences in the production of or sensitivity to ethylene, gibberellin, or cytokinin. Instead, etr1 loss-of-function mutants have reduced sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) and germinate earlier than the wild type, whereas etr2 loss-of-function mutants have increased sensitivity to ABA and germinate slower than the wild type. Additionally, the differences in seed germination on salt between the two mutants and the wild type are eliminated by the ABA biosynthetic inhibitor norflurazon. These data suggest that ETR1 and ETR2 have roles independent of ethylene signaling that affect ABA signaling and result in altered germination during salt stress.
A New Look at an Immortal DNA Hypothesis for Stem Cell Self-Renewal.

Copyright: © 2012 Mull JL, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Thirty years ago Cairns and Potten first noted that intestinal epithelial cells fail to produce carcinomas at a rate proportionate to the number of divisions they undergo throughout their lifetimes [1,2]. This observation led to the formation of the immortal DNA strand hypothesis: the suggestion that somatic stem cells segregate their DNA asymmetrically, retaining an “immortal” DNA template while passing on newly formed chromatids to daughter cells. A distinct, yet related, idea posits that somatic stem cells divide infrequently, maintaining a state of relative quiescence. In tandem, mitotic quiescence and asymmetric DNA segregation are thought to spare stem cells from accumulating mutations as they divide to replenish their respective tissues [3].
Simplification and improvement of tetrahedral models for simulation

Most 3D mesh generation techniques require simplification and mesh improvement stages to prepare a tetrahedral model for efficient simulation. We have developed an algorithm that both reduces the number of tetrahedra in the model to permit interactive manipulation and removes the most poorly shaped tetrahedra to allow for stable physical simulations such as the finite element method. The initial tetrahedral model may be composed of several different materials representing internal structures. Our approach targets the elimination of poorly-shaped elements while simplifying the model using edge collapses and other mesh operations, such as vertex smoothing, tetrahedral swaps, and vertex addition. We present the results of our algorithm on a variety of inputs, including models with more than a million tetrahedra. In practice, our algorithm reliably reduces meshes to contain only tetrahedra that meet specified shape requirements, such as the minimum solid angle.
The Role of Deep Venous Thrombosis Prophylaxis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures. Venous thromboembolism is a rare, but potentially serious complication of ACL reconstructions and having a thorough understanding of the potential risk factors could help to minimize the incidence of postoperative deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. We review some of the literature on the risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Although current data does not support the routine use of thromboprophylaxis in all patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, it is important for the clinician to be aware that some consideration should be given for initiating pharmacological prophylaxis in some patients who may be at increased risk for thromboembolic disease.
Extreme events as shaping physiology, ecology, and evolution of plants: toward a unified definition and evaluation of their consequences

Here we consider how extreme events, particularly climatic and biotic, affect the physiology, development, ecology and evolution of organisms, focusing on plants. The marked effects on organisms are of increasing interest for ecological prediction, given the natural and anthropogenic changes in spectra of extreme events being induced by global change. Yet there is currently a paucity of knowledge or even a common world-view of how extreme events shape individuals, communities and ecosystems. We propose that extreme events need be defined in terms of organismal responses of acclimation and of de-acclimation or hysteresis. From this definition we proceed to develop a number of hypotheses, including that fitness effects of extreme events occur primarily during recovery. We review evidence that, on the evolutionary time scale, selection is virtually absent except during extreme events; these drive strong directional selection, even to trait fixation and speciation. We describe a number of new tools, both conceptual and technological, that are now at hand or that merit rapid development. Contents I. Introduction 22 II. Moving to an organismally based definition of extreme events 22 III. Features to discern in extreme events 26 IV. Additional challenges in the study of extreme events 27 V. Evolutionary dimensions 29 VI. The mandate for new conceptual tools for ecological and evolutionary prediction 34 VII. Tools in hand, and tools needed, to study extreme events 35 VIII. Conclusions 37 Acknowledgements 37 References 38.
A clinically relevant orthotopic xenograft model of ependymoma that maintains the genomic signature of the primary tumor and preserves cancer stem cells in vivo

Limited availability of in vitro and in vivo model systems has hampered efforts to understand tumor biology and test novel therapies for ependymoma, the third most common malignant brain tumor that occurs in children. To develop clinically relevant animal models of ependymoma, we directly injected a fresh surgical specimen from a 9-year-old patient into the right cerebrum of RAG2/severe complex immune deficiency (SCID) mice. All five mice receiving the initial transplantation of the patient tumor developed intracerebral xenografts, which have since been serially subtransplanted in vivo in mouse brains for 4 generations and can be cryopreserved for long-term maintenance of tumorigenicity. The xenograft tumors shared nearly identical histopathological features with the original tumors, harbored 8 structural chromosomal abnormalities as detected with spectral karyotyping, maintained gene expression profiles resembling that of the original patient tumor with the preservation of multiple key genetic abnormalities commonly found in human ependymomas, and contained a small population (<2.2%) of CD133+ stem cells that can form neurospheres and display multipotent capabilities in vitro. The permanent cell line (BXD-1425EPN), which was derived from a passage II xenograft tumor and has been passaged in vitro more than 70 times, expressed similar differentiation markers of the xenograft tumors, maintained identical chromosomal abnormalities, and formed tumors in the brains of SCID mice. In conclusion, direct injection of primary ependymoma tumor cells played an important role in the generation of a clinically relevant mouse model IC-1425EPN and a novel cell line, BXD-1425EPN. This cell line and model will facilitate the biological studies and preclinical drug screenings for pediatric ependymomas.
Comparative cost-effectiveness of fine needle aspiration biopsy versus image-guided biopsy, and open surgical biopsy in the evaluation of breast cancer in the era of affordable care act: A changing landscape

Background Proven as a time challenged and cost-effective sampling procedure, the use of FNAB has still remained controversial among the scientific community. Currently, other minimally invasive sampling procedures such as ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) and image guided core needle biopsy (IG-CNB) have become the preferred sampling procedures for evaluation of breast lesions. However, changes in the medical economy and the current growing emphasis on cost containment in the era of the Affordable Care Act make it necessary to stimulate a renewed interest in the use of FNAB as the initial diagnostic sampling procedure. This study was designed to define the changing trend in the practice of tissue sampling during the last several years, and to assess the comparative effectiveness and appropriateness of the procedure of choice for breast cancer diagnosis. Methods After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, the computer database of the Pathology Department, University of Florida, College of Medicine-Jacksonville at UF Health was retrospectively searched to identify all breast biopsy pathology reports issued during the period of January 2004 to December 2011. The inclusion criteria were all women that underwent any of the following biopsy types: FNAB, US-FNAB, IG-CNB, and surgical biopsy (SB). Diagnostic procedures were identified using current procedural terminology (CPT) codes recorded on claims from the UF Health Jacksonville patient accounting application files. The data obtained was used to determine which technique has the best cost-effectiveness in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The outcome variable for this project was a positive breast cancer diagnosis resulting from these methodologies. The predictor variable was the biopsy type used for sampling. The rate of cancer detection for each procedure was also determined. Results Among the four groups of procedures compared, the lower cost was attributed to FNAB, followed by US-FNAB, and SB. IG-CNB was the most costly procedure, even more expensive than SB. The more costs associated with IG-CNB compared to SB is related to the expense involved in the use of localizing devices and also attempts to sample a lesion more than once. More importantly, cancer yield by FNAB was the highest among all the procedures under study. Conclusion This study confirms the comparative effectiveness of FNAB in the evaluation of patients with breast cancer and justifies serious endorsement of this procedure as the initial diagnostic sampling modality for its unique potential in rapid reporting and cost-saving. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2015;43:605–612. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interactions between urbanization, heat stress, and climate change

Heat stress (HS) is a leading cause of weather-related human mortality. As temperatures continue to increase due to climate change, HS is expected to worsen. HS can be magnified in urban areas because of the urban heat island effect. We use an urban canyon model coupled to a land surface model to quantify present-day and projected mid-21st century rural and urban HS for boreal summer over the U.S. and southern Canada and examine the effects of three urban density classes on HS. Five indices of HS are implemented in the model [the NWS Heat Index (HI), Apparent Temperature (AT), Simplified Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, Humidex, and Discomfort Index]. The present-day urban-rural contrast in HS differs according to which index is used. The HI and Humidex have higher urban-rural HS for all density classes than defined by temperature alone. Future urban HS is amplified by 0.5–1.0 °C for the AT, HI, and Humidex compared to temperature alone. For four cities examined in further detail, climate change by mid-century increases the number of high HS days and nights in both rural and urban areas, the magnitude being highly dependent on HS index, urban density class, and each city’s climatic setting. Houston exhibits noteworthy mid-century increases in high heat stress nights, with more than half of summer nights qualifying as high HS in not only urban areas but also rural areas, indicating the need to consider vulnerability and adaptive capacity of both rural and urban populations in the context of climate change.
Management Science Implementation: Experiences of a Practicing O.R. Manager

This paper is a commentary on the experiences of a practicing OR manager involved in the application of management science in a large public enterprise. These experiences show that implementation is not the aftermath of a scientific investigation; it is an integral part of the problem solving and system design process. Through the analysis of several practical difficulties encountered in the OR/MS application, an implementation strategy is suggested which proposes re-examination of the optimality concept and the interdisciplinary teamwork approach to OR/MS implementation.
Fiscal Straitjacket: The Politics of Macroeconomic Reform in Brazil, 1995–2002

Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso will be remembered for his administration's accomplishments as well as the problems his government left unresolved. On the one hand, fiscal policy represents one of Cardoso's success stories: the Plano Real curbed inflation, established economic stability, and enabled the central government to rein in subnational governments' out-of-control spending patterns, which had been a key source of macroeconomic instability. However, the question remains whether Brazil can truly escape from the political and economic consequences of past fiscal profligacy. Despite many successes, Cardoso's own policies have created additional obstacles that future administrations will necessarily confront, in particular a dramatic increase in Brazil's internal debt. Observers of Brazil should count both sides of the accounting ledger when evaluating the Cardoso administration. Much has been gained, but the costs of those gains must be recognised and the impact of those gains on the range of policy choice available to future administrations understood. This article explores the factors that contributed to Brazil's macroeconomic difficulties prior to 1995, and then explores how the Plano Real provided the Cardoso administration with leverage to constrain the capacity of subnational actors to affect Brazil's economy. Subsequently, however, the paper describes how the Cardoso administration's policies have created Brazil's current 'fiscal straitjacket', and concludes by discussing how Cardoso's policies will constrain future administrations.
Rifampin induces alterations in mycophenolic acid glucuronidation and elimination: implications for drug exposure in renal allograft recipients.

Background Exposure to mycophenolic acid (MPA) and its main metabolites (MPA 7-O-glucuronide [MPAG] and MPA acyl-glucuronide [AcMPAG]) is characterized by a large interindividual and intraindividual variability, resulting in part from variability in glucuronidation (via uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase isoforms) and excretion via multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2). It can be hypothesized that drugs interfering with glucuronidation and excretion will alter (Ac)MPA(G) exposure. Methods This prospective, open-label, nonrandomized, controlled pharmacokinetic interaction study included 8 stable renal allograft recipients, all treated with mycophenolate mofetil. Rifampin (INN, rifampicin), administered once daily (600 mg/d) for 8 days, was used as the probe drug because of its known effects on both uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase activity and MRP2 transport capacity. A 12-hour pharmacokinetic time-concentration profile was assessed before rifampin administration was started, and this was repeated on the last day of rifampin administration. Total and free MPA, MPAG, and AcMPAG concentrations in plasma and urine were measured by use of HPLC with tandem mass spectrometry detection. Results Total MPA area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from 0 to 12 hours decreased significantly after rifampin coadministration (17.5% decrease [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.18%-29.9%]; P = .0234). This was mainly a result of a decrease in total MPA AUC from 6 to 12 hours (32.9% decrease [95% CI, 15.4%-50.4%]; P = .0078), representing decreased enterohepatic recirculation. Free MPA AUC from 6 to 12 hours decreased significantly, by 22.4% (95% CI, 4.71%-49.5%; P = .0391). Total MPAG and AcMPAG AUC from 0 to 12 hours increased by 34.4% (95% CI, 13.5%-55.4%; P = .0156) and 193% (95% CI, 30.3%-355%; P = .0078) respectively. Urinary recovery of MPAG and AcMPAG increased significantly (P = .0078), but renal clearance of these glucuronides did not change after rifampin coadministration. Conclusion This study demonstrates an interaction between mycophenolate mofetil and rifampin, which is a result of induction of MPA glucuronidation and possibly also rifampin-associated alterations in MRP2-mediated transport of MPAG and AcMPAG. This interaction should be taken into account when rifampin or other drugs influencing pregnane X receptor activity are coadministered with mycophenolate mofetil. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2006) 80, 509–521; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2006.08.002
Sex differences in pain

Are there sex differences in pain? For experimentally delivered somatic stimuli, females have lower thresholds, greater ability to discriminate, higher pain ratings, and less tolerance of noxious stimuli than males. These differences, however, are small, exist only for certain forms of stimulation and are affected by many situational variables such as presence of disease, experimental setting, and even nutritive status. For endogenous pains, women report more multiple pains in more body regions than men. With no obvious underlying rationale, some painful diseases are more prevalent among females, others among males and, for many diseases, symptoms differ between females and males. Sex differences in attitudes exist that affect not only reporting, coping, and responses to treatment, but also measurement and treatment. So many variables are operative, however, that the most striking feature of sex differences in reported pain experience is the apparent overall lack of them. On the other hand, deduction from known biological sex differences suggests that these are powerful sex differences in the operation of pain mechanisms. First, the vaginal canal provides an additional route in women for internal trauma and invasion by pathological agents that puts them at greater risk for developing hyperalgesia in multiple body regions. Second, sex differences in temporal patterns are likely to give rise to sex differences in how pain is "learned" and stimuli are interpreted, a situation that could lead to a greater variability and wider range of pains without obvious peripheral pathology among females. Third, sex differences in the actions of sex hormones suggest pain-relevant differences in the operation of many neuroactive agents, opiate and nonopiate systems, nerve growth factor, and the sympathetic system. Thus, while inductive analysis of existing data demonstrate more similarities than differences in pain experience between females and males, deductive analysis suggests important operational sex differences in its production.
Natural Law Revisited: Wild Justice and Human Obligations for Other Animals

This essay lays out preliminary grounds for an alternative theological approach to animal ethics based on closer consideration of natural law theory and ethological reports of wild justice compared with dominant animal rights perspectives. It draws on Jean Porter’s interpretation of scholastic natural law theory and on scientific narratives about the laws of nature to navigate the difficult territory between nature and reason in natural law. In Western societies, attempts to detach from our animal roots have fostered forms of legal provisions that treat animals as property rather than as living, social beings entangled with human societies.
Current Status and Trends in Muskegon Lake, Michigan

ABSTRACT A long-term monitoring program was initiated in 2003 to determine the ecological status of Muskegon Lake, a Great Lakes Area of Concern. This paper presents data generated from the first 3 years of the monitoring program, discusses how the data are being used to establish and justify lake restoration targets, and assesses how water quality conditions have changed over time. Between 1972 and 2005, lake-wide averages of total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus from the water surface have declined from 68 to 27 μg/L and from 20 to 5 μg/L, respectively. In addition, average chlorophyll α concentrations have declined from 25 to 6 μg/L over this period, while Secchi disk depths have increased from 1.5 to 2.2 m. Wastewater diversion, and perhaps dreissenid filtering activity, is most likely responsible for these changes. However, nitrate concentrations have increased from 70 to 270 μg/L over the same time period. During 2003–2005, phytoplankton abundance and fish catch were lower in the spring c...
The Egyptian Uprisings from 2011 to 2013: Who Says They Were About Democracy?

Following the 2011 uprisings in many Middle Eastern states, academics were quick to discuss these events within the context of Huntington’s “Third Wave” of democratization (Sarihan 2012). The problem with connecting the third wave of democratization to the Arab Spring, in terms of Egypt, is the assumption that the 2011 uprising against Mubarak was about democracy. The demands of the Revolution were bread, freedom, and social justice. The majority of the population was not asking for democracy, at least not as a primary concern. After conducting over 170 interviews in Egypt between June and December 2013, I find that the 2011 uprising was less about democracy and more about the economy and social justice. While a small number of media savvy activists well versed in democratic theory proclaimed that they were fighting for democracy, this did not mean that the millions on the streets were fighting for the exact same cause. We must recognize the difference between the statements of organized groups with limited membership, such as the April 6th Youth Movement, and the demands of the general population. In fact, from my interviews I find that the average Egyptian has neither a procedural nor institutional understanding of democracy. Most Egyptians’ definition was limited to freedom of opinion. Additionally, the demand for freedom in the abstract sense does not necessarily equate with democracy.
Two-Phase Turbulent Flow Interactions in a Simulated Rocket Motor with Acoustic Waves*

A numerical study of two-phase turbulent flows in a simulated solid rocket motor with acoustic oscillations has been carried out. The main purpose is to study the interactions between particle dynamics and gas-phase flowfield in an oscillatory environment and on this basis to further explore the particle effects on combustion instability in a solid rocket motor. The physical model consists of an axisymmetric chamber with a closed head end. As a first approach, premixed gas and particle mixtures are injected into the chamber through the side walls to simulate the evolution of combustion products from solid propellants. Aluminum particle is selected in this work due to its extensive use as combustion stabilizer in practical solid rocket motors. Periodic pressure oscillations are imposed at the exit to simulate acoustic standing waves in the chamber. The analysis is based on a two-phase flow model in which the Eulerian approach is used for the gas phase. The coupling between the two phases are treated by adding appropriate source terms in the gas-phase conservation equations. The Lagrangian approach is employed for the particle phase in order to resolve detailed particle dynamics. The numerical technique for the gas phase is based on a preconditioning technique previously developed to overcome computational difficulties for chemically reacting flows at low Mach numbers. Results in the present study show that turbulence kinetic energy follows the sinusoidal motion but with different phase compared with the mean velocity. An oscillatory flow may provide additional mechanisms to transfer kinetic energy from periodic motions to turbulence flow, and consequently may increase turbulence intensity in various parts of the chamber. On the other hand, the shear waves arising from acoustic oscillations are substantially damped because of the turbulence-enhanced viscous effects. As a result, the acoustic waves in the turbulent flow exhibits a 1-D pattern except in the near-wall region. Observations of particle trajectories reveal a strong turbulence effect on particle dispersion.
MÖSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPY OF ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS AND THEIR INDUSTRIAL UTILIZATION: by Enver Murad and John Cashion. (2004) Kluwer Academic Publishers, Norwell, Massachusetts 417 p. ISBN: 1 4020 7726 2. $165.00.

The technique of Mossbauer spectroscopy is celebrating its fiftieth year since Rudolf Mossbauer’s seminal paper (1958) that yielded him the Nobel Prize in 1961. Mossbauer spectroscopy has long shared with wet chemistry the distinction of being a gold standard for determinations of Fe3+ and Fe2+ in solid materials, including a host of geological materials—especially including minerals. Technology and methodology in this discipline have changed rapidly over the past two decades, including such advances as the development of the milliprobe Mossbauer (McCammon 1994; Sobolev et al. 1999) and the development of spectrometers that can routinely acquire spectra of sample masses <2 mg (for Fe-rich samples). Many of the classic book references that describe this technique are badly out of date, and the community has managed with periodic technique descriptions in the form of various review papers. Into this setting comes the recent book by Enver Murad and John Cashion. Both authors …
Clinical Experience with the Mentor Bladder Stimulator. III. Patients with Urinary Vesical Hypotonia

The Mentor bladder stimulator has been implanted in 5 patients with vesical hypotonia. Of these patients 3 empty the bladder with low residua and sterile urine postoperatively. Pain is the primary side effect in patients with incomplete lower motor neuron lesions or vesical hypotonia of unknown etiology.
Escherichia coli O157: H7 Acid Tolerance and Survival in Apple Cider.

The survival of two Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43889 and 43895) and a control strain E. coli was compared in apple cider and in Trypticase soy broth (TSB) adjusted to low and high pH. The O157:H7 strains were detectable in apple cider after 14 to 21 days at 4°C, whereas the control strain could not be detected (> 4-log reduction) after 5 to 7 days. During the first 14 days of storage at 4°C, the levels of strain 43889 decreased by ~3 logs, whereas levels of strain 43895 were unchanged. Survival of O157:H7 strains and the control strain were unaffected by the presence of potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate, except in one instance. Sodium benzoate caused a decrease of 57% in strain 43895 after 21 days, but ~104 CFU/ml still remained. In TSB adjusted to pH 2, 3, 4, 11 or 12, strain 43895 was again the more resistant of the O157:H7 strains, both of which were more durable than the control strain. The O157:H7 strains (especially strain 43895) withstood pH 2 with a minimal drop in CPU after 24 h, whereas n...
Structural Basis of Alcohol Inhibition of the Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel ELIC.

The structural basis for alcohol modulation of neuronal pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) remains elusive. We determined an inhibitory mechanism of alcohol on the pLGIC Erwinia chrysanthemi (ELIC) through direct binding to the pore. X-ray structures of ELIC co-crystallized with 2-bromoethanol, in both the absence and presence of agonist, reveal 2-bromoethanol binding in the pore near T237(6') and the extracellular domain (ECD) of each subunit at three different locations. Binding to the ECD does not appear to contribute to the inhibitory action of 2-bromoethanol and ethanol as indicated by the same functional responses of wild-type ELIC and mutants. In contrast, the ELIC-α1β3GABAAR chimera, replacing the ELIC transmembrane domain (TMD) with the TMD of α1β3GABAAR, is potentiated by 2-bromoethanol and ethanol. The results suggest a dominant role of the TMD in modulating alcohol effects. The X-ray structures and functional measurements support a pore-blocking mechanism for inhibitory action of short-chain alcohols.
Phase I Trial: SABR and Ipilimumab—Letter

Tang and colleagues (September 20 issue; ref. [1][1]) report the results of a phase I clinical trial combining stereotactic ablative radiotherapy with ipilimumab in patients with metastatic solid tumors, in which 10% of patients achieved a partial response rate in lesions outside of the irradiated