cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection After Laparoscopic Colectomy: An NSQIP Database Analysis

Abstract Background Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication after colon surgery. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors for SSI and its types in laparoscopic colectomy patients using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database. Materials and methods The NSQIP database was queried for patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy from 2011 through 2017. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to evaluate risk factors associated with any SSI, superficial SSI, deep-incisional SSI, and organ-space SSI. Results Of 72,519 patients, 4906 cases of SSI were identified: 2276 superficial SSI, 357 deep-incisional SSI, and 2483 organ-space SSI. Risk factors associated with superficial SSI were admission before procedure (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.47; P Conclusions SSI types in patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy have different risk factors. Modifiable risk factors may provide an opportunity to reduce SSI risk and its associated morbidity.
Longitudinal effects of a novel advanced pneumatic compression device on patient-reported outcomes in the management of cancer-related head and neck lymphedema: A preliminary report.

BACKGROUND Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors experience head and neck lymphedema (HNL), which requires treatment to prevent morbidity. We explore the self-reported outcomes and satisfaction of patients with HNC receiving treatment for HNL with an advanced pneumatic compression device (APCD). METHODS HNC survivors (n = 205) prescribed with an at-home Flexitouch head and neck APCD completed pretreatment and posttreatment self-reported assessments addressing efficacy, function, and symptoms. Participant average age was 60 years with 74% male. Pre-post responses for ≥25 days of use were assessed via the non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. RESULTS Analysis revealed statistically significant improvement in all symptoms and all function items (P < 0.00001). Compliance with prescribed therapy (at least 30 minutes daily) was high with 71% of participants reporting daily use and 87% reporting overall satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS The reported improvements in function and symptoms, and high compliance rate, provide a rationale for a subsequent randomized controlled trial.
Examining middle school teachers’ implementation of a technology-enriched problem-based learning program: Motivational factors, challenges, and strategies

Literature has documented the benefits of problem-based learning (PBL), but also shown significant barriers to using PBL in K–12 education. Yet, the research describing why and how K–12 teachers im...
Justifications of entitlement in grandiose and vulnerable narcissism: The roles of injustice and superiority

Abstract This research examines whether two people can be highly entitled but arrive at that conclusion in different ways. Using a lens of trait narcissism, we hypothesized that individuals high in grandiose narcissism (GN) justify entitlement via perceived superiority whereas individuals high in vulnerable narcissism (VN) justify entitlement via concerns of injustice. Participants across three studies (ns = 135–280) completed narcissism and entitlement measures. Study 1 participants selected domains (e.g., admiration, power) to which they felt entitled and indicated reasons why. Study 2 and 3 tested mediation models with measures of superiority (i.e. perceived status) and injustice (i.e. felt victimhood). We found that both narcissistic variants reported high entitlement. However, people high in GN justified their entitlement with perceived superiority (e.g. “I am naturally deserving”) which mediated associations between GN and entitlement. In contrast, people high in VN justified their entitlement with concerns of injustice (e.g. “I have been disadvantaged in the past”) which mediated associations between VN and entitlement. Three additional studies (ns = 78–243), reported in footnotes, replicated mediation models. This work furthers theoretical understanding on a core trait shared by the narcissistic variants and illuminates differences in how people justify deservingness.
Reading Minds to Write Emails

This essay explains how to write a professional email. It imagines that you are a young attorney in a corporate context. But you can translate that hypothetical frame into any professional context. It takes a fairly formulaic approach to its topic: When you are starting out, you should follow the formula. As you become more experienced and skilled, you will know when and why you should vary from the formula. You should also be attentive to how your colleagues in the work context write their emails and decide whether you should conform to their practices or your own. This essay first considers what the body of your email text should look like, and why. It then reviews technical details about addressing them, writing subject lines, signing them, and adding some other contents, if they are applicable. Of course, you should also carefully proofread and copy-edit any email before sending it.
Challenging diagnosis of indolent systemic mastocytosis isolated to the GI tract

Mastocytosis is a rare group of disorders that presents with heterogenous phenotypes depending on the organ system involved. In the absence of cutaneous involvement-mast cell aggregates that may present as papules, nodules or plaques-classically associated with indolent systemic mastocytosis (SM), the diagnosis of this rare condition is particularly challenging. When localised to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, symptoms of indolent SM are often non-specific and mimic common conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Diagnosis may be suspected by clinical presentation, but biopsy with histopathological analysis is necessary to confirm. We present a rare case of indolent SM without cutaneous features. In the absence of typical cutaneous features, indolent SM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient with persistent GI symptoms refractory to medical treatment, as failure to do so can lead to delay in the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Applications of elastomers in slurry transport

Abstract Due to their excellent resistance against solid particle attack, elastomers are widely being used in slurry transport as wear-resistant materials for components such as slurry pipe liner and slurry pump liner. However, there is limited knowledge on how to properly use elastomers in slurry transport. In this study, the wear mechanisms and wear resistance of two types of widely used elastomers (neoprene and polyurethane) are studied using several test methods, including single point scratch, Coriolis slurry scouring erosion, slurry jet erosion and centrifugal slurry impact erosion. Then, suitable applications of elastomers in slurry transport are discussed. Some examples of the applications of elastomers in slurry transport are also presented.
Decreased availability of nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide is a hallmark of COVID-19.

Abstract Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is involved in a global outbreak affecting millions of people who manifest a variety of symptoms. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly associated with cardiovascular complications requiring hospitalizations; however, the mechanisms underlying these complications remain unknown. Nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are gasotransmitters that regulate key cardiovascular functions. Methods Blood samples were obtained from 68 COVID-19 patients and 33 controls and NO and H2S metabolites were assessed. H2S and NO levels were compared between cases and controls in the entire study population and subgroups based on race. The availability of gasotransmitters was examined based on severity and outcome of COVID-19 infection. The performance of H2S and NO levels in predicting COVID-19 infection was also analyzed. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify the effects of traditional determinants of gasotransmitters on NO and H2S levels in the patients with COVID-19 infection. Results Significantly reduced NO and H2S levels were observed in both Caucasian and African American COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls. COVID-19 patients who died had significantly higher NO and H2S levels compared to COVID-19 patients who survived. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis of NO and H2S metabolites in the study population showed free sulfide levels to be highly predictive of COVID-19 infection based on reduced availability. Traditional determinants of gasotransmitters, namely age, race, sex, diabetes, and hypertension had no effect on NO and H2S levels in COVID-19 patients. Conclusion These observations provide the first insight into the role of NO and H2S in COVID-19 infection, where their low availability may be a result of reduced synthesis secondary to endotheliitis, or increased consumption from scavenging of reactive oxygen species.
Improving Profitability in East Texas Beef Herds

Texas Beef Partnership in Extension Program utilized a team approach to recommend sound production and financial practices to improve the profitability of an East Texas beef ranch. The team gathered production and financial information annually, evaluated this data in a standardized information system, set production and financial goals, and developed plans to attain these goals. This systematic process identified management practices that lead to improving profitability in beef herds.
Characterizing academic performance in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia with population-based achievement tests.

BACKGROUND Recent shifts from radiation to chemotherapy-based treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have contributed to reduced long-term morbidity. Despite this, ALL survivors remain at increased risk for long-term cognitive impairments. AIM To identify demographic and treatment factors associated with school performance in pediatric survivors of ALL. METHODS We collected standardized test scores for reading, math, and science obtained in a school setting from grades 3-11 in 63 ALL survivors (46.0% boys). Most participants were assessed across multiple grades (median number of grades n = 5, range 1-7), and 269 observations were considered in the analyses. Treatment exposures were extracted from medical records. Socio-economic status was estimated using participation in free/reduced lunch programs at school. Mixed effects linear regression models were conducted to determine factors associated with school performance. RESULTS ALL survivors' scores were comparable to state norms on reading, math, and science performances. On multivariable analysis, participation in free/reduced lunch programs was significantly associated with lower reading scores (β = -12.52; 95% CI -22.26:-2.77, p = .01). Exposure to radiation during treatment was also associated with lower reading test scores (β = -30.81, 95% CI -52.00:-9.62, p = .01). No significant associations between demographics and treatment parameters were observed for math and science test scores. CONCLUSIONS We utilized population-based achievement tests conducted from grades 3-11 to characterize school performance in ALL survivors. Our results imply that survivors with low socio-economic status and those exposed to radiation during treatment could benefit from early monitoring and intervention to maximize academic success.
Production Approach Markup Estimators Often Measure Input Wedges

Output and input market distortions manifest as wedges in the firm's first order conditions. The production approach to markup estimation recovers the markup wedge using the output elasticity for a variable and undistorted input. We show that using the revenue elasticity for any variable input, undistorted or distorted, instead recovers that input's wedge. Our result has two important implications. First, existing findings using the revenue elasticity should be reinterpreted as evidence of input, rather than output, market distortions. Second, future work can use the production approach to study input wedges even when only revenue elasticities are known.
NCVX: A User-Friendly and Scalable Package for Nonconvex Optimization in Machine Learning

Optimizing nonconvex (NCVX) problems, especially those nonsmooth (NSMT) and constrained (CSTR), is an essential part of machine learning and deep learning. But it is hard to reliably solve this type of problems without optimization expertise. Existing general-purpose NCVX optimization packages are powerful, but typically cannot handle nonsmoothness. GRANSO is among the first packages targeting NCVX, NSMT, CSTR problems. However, it has several limitations such as the lack of auto-differentiation and GPU acceleration, which preclude the potential broad deployment by non-experts. To lower the technical barrier for the machine learning community, we revamp GRANSO into a user-friendly and scalable python package named NCVX, featuring auto-differentiation, GPU acceleration, tensor input, scalable QP solver, and zero dependency on proprietary packages. As a highlight, NCVX can solve general CSTR deep learning problems, the first of its kind. NCVX is available at https://ncvx.org, with detailed documentation and numerous examples from machine learning and other fields.
Long-term changes in visual mechanisms following differential stimulation of color and luminance channels during development.

Publisher Summary The anatomical and physiological data of the mammalian visual system strongly support that visual information is processed through parallel channels. Consistent correlations in the morphological and physiological characteristics of cells (e.g., soma size, dendritic spread, conduction velocity, receptive field size, response linearity, sustained or transient nature of response, ON-, OFF-, or ON-OFF center response), have resulted in investigators classifying retinal ganglion cells and thalamic neurons into functional groups, such as the W-, X-, and Y-cell classification developed in cat, and the color-opponent (parvocellular, chromatic, narrow-band) and luminance channel (magnocellular, achromatic, broad-band, brightness) distinction in monkey. Human psychophysical studies strongly support the existence of parallel visual channels. Recent psychophysical studies have tried to relate visual performance to underlying channels by determining thresholds under highly constrained stimulus and adaptation conditions. As a result of recent advances in the characterization of these channels at the neural level, there has been a corresponding resurgence of interest in how the responses of visual channels relate to visual perception. Attempts to parcel out the functions of these channels have included a variety of approaches; for example, neuroanatomical pathway tracing, electrophysiological recording, histochemical correspondences, selective chemical lesions, and psychophysical tests at isoluminance. Another approach to investigating structure/function relationships is through selective deprivation during development. An animal model is utilized that possesses a well-developed central visual system based on a relatively simple photoreceptor organization to stimulate the opponent-color and luminance channels during development.
Wage stickiness and the non-neutrality of money: A cross-industry analysis

Abstract The paper provides an empirical test of sticky wage models of business fluctuations by focusing on industry level cross-sectional implications that emerge. This breaks the observational equivalence, existing at the aggregate level, between rational expectations, long-term contracting and imperfect information models. The specific implication tested is whether output responses to nominal disturbances (industry Phillips Curve slopes) are inversely related to wage indexation elasticities. The Phillips Curve slopes are found to vary across industries for the Canadian economy, but bear no relationship to indexation elasticities, casting doubt on the role of nominal wage rigidity in generating the observed non-neutrality of money.
Chapter 17 Clinical neurophysiology of respiration

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the clinical neurophysiology (CNP) of respiration. The chapter focuses on the electrodiagnostic techniques, normal values, and abnormalities that may be revealed in disorders of respiration. Intercostal nerve conduction technique is of value for the neuropathies of truncal nerves, such as diabetic thoraco-abdominal radiculopathy or segmental zoster paralysis. However, they are time-consuming with variable compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs). Thus, intercostals nerve conduction is not part of the standard electrophysiological assessment of respiratory muscle function. Diaphragmatic needle electromyography (EMG) traces lend themselves to power spectral analysis. Power spectral analysis is a useful method in the assessment of diaphragmatic muscle fatigue in which the mean frequency drops. Measurement of the automated interference pattern analysis or special software modification of turn parameters may help distinguish the neuromuscular disorders involving the diaphragm. The needle EMG of the diaphragm is safe, causes little discomfort, and provides an excellent record of the diaphragmatic and chest-wall muscle activities.
A Spatial Constraint Problem

Three-dimensional geometric constraint solving is a rapidly developing field, with applications in areas such as kinematics, molecular modeling, surveying, and geometric theorem proving. While two-dimensional constraint solving has been studied extensively, there remain many open questions in the arena of three-dimensional problems. In this paper, we continue the development of our previous work on configuring a set of points and planes in three-space so that the configuration satisfies a given system of constraints. The constraint system considered consists of six geometric elements and pairwise constraints between triples of the elements. We first review the basic techniques developed in our earlier work germane to the current problem and explain how the problem we consider in this paper occurs. We then demonstrate how to solve the case of a geometric constraint system with four points and two planes.
High Energy Probes of Semiconductors: X-Rays

For structural studies, the most useful probe of the solid state is the high energy photon. Only short wavelength photons can be used to determine the crystal structure of an ordered material, and it is not possible to give a full description of the electronic structure of a solid without some knowledge of the atomic coordinates. Fortunately, using computer automated x-ray probing devices, it is almost a routine task to obtain accurate crystal structure information. In fact, with new bright sources of x-rays, it may also become possible to obtain surface structural information. Another useful function of x-rays is to probe the valence charge density of a semiconductor. The experimental determination of valence charge densities is difficult but not impossible, and some very good data exist for diamond and zinc-blende semiconductors. Finally, x-rays can be used to monitor temperature effects by studying Debye-Waller factors.
Depolarization-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells requires permissive, low level NGF receptor stimulation and activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase

Neuronal activity is required for normal neural development. Excessive activity can cause abnormal growth of neural processes and may contribute to formation of epileptic foci. Using PC12 cells, we investigated mechanisms by which depolarization regulates neurite growth. Depolarization with 45 mM KCl induced neurite outgrowth only if NGF receptors were partly activated by overexpression of p140trkA or by treatment with a low concentration of NGF that alone was insufficient to stimulate neurite formation. Depolarization-induced neurite growth was reduced by inhibitors of L-type Ca2+ channels, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein (CaM) kinases II and IV, and transcription. These results identify a novel mechanism by which depolarizing stimuli synergize with subthreshold activation of NGF receptors to induce neurite growth through a Ca2+ and CaM kinase-dependent signal transduction pathway.
Social Dynamics of FLOSS Team Communication Across Channels

This paper extends prior investigation into the social dynamics of free and open source (FLOSS) teams by examining the methodological questions arising from research using social network analysis on open source projects. We evaluate the validity of data sampling by examining dynamics of communication centralization, which vary across multiple communication channels. We also introduce a method for intensity-based smoothing in dynamic social network analysis.
A polyhedral study of the mixed integer cut

General purpose cutting planes have played a central role in modern IP solvers. In practice, the Gomory mixed integer cut has proven to be among the most useful general purpose cuts. One may obtain this inequality from the group relaxation of an IP, which arises by relaxing non-negativity on the basic variables. We study the mixed integer cut as a facet of the master cyclic group polyhedron and characterize its extreme points and adjacent facets in this setting. Extensions are provided under automorphic and homomorphic mappings.
Carcinoembryonic antigen in intraepithelial neoplasia of the uterine cervix.

Abstract Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was elevated (>2.5 ng. per milliliter) in 29 of 100 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). CEA concentration was related to the amount of intraepithelial neoplasia and to the presence of glandular extension. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of tumor cells was unrelated to CEA levels. CEA values returned to normal within 8 weeks following surgery in 77 per cent of patients. A persistently elevated (>5.0 ng. per milliliter) plasma CEA value following conization was associated with residual CIN in the cervix. These results suggest that sequential CEA determinations may be of value in the follow-up of those cervical cancer patients who initially have high plasma antigen levels.
Film Theory and Contemporary Hollywood Movies, edited by Warren Buckland

Digital technologies have encouraged scholars and critics to consider an old question — what is cinema? — with renewed vigor. Until recently, though, the investigation of how changes in film techno...
OWA neurons: a new class of fuzzy neurons

The OWA (ordered weighted averaging) aggregation operators are described. It is shown how these operators provide aggregations which are said to be guided by linguistic quantifiers. There is a close connection between these quantifier-guided aggregations and the process of neuron aggregation. This connection is used to suggest a novel family of neurons called OWA neurons. Situations where these OWA neurons have more desirable characteristics than the classic neurons are discussed. It is shown that the OWA neurons are amenable to the currently popular learning paradigms such as backpropagation. >
Modeling stylized invariance and local variability of prosody in text-to-speech synthesis

This paper investigates the stylized invariance and local variability of prosody patterns by using a speech database containing two repetitions of 1000 sentences. The two repetitions (separated by a time span of 6 months) were recorded by a single professional speaker, who was instructed to read these sentences in the same reading style. It was observed statistically that the two repetitions have fairly wide variations in prosodic features and the variations can be up to 50% of the full dynamic range of the speaker. This shows the inadequacy of traditional prosody models that focus on capturing the universal invariance of prosody as precise as possible. In this paper, we propose to model prosody by capturing its stylized invariance and retaining local variability with a soft prediction strategy, which predicts an acceptable region rather than a single fixed point in the multi-dimensioned prosody space. A prosodic-constrained unit selection algorithm is devised under the soft prediction strategy.
Kinetics of the micromirror chemical sensor

Abstract Most chemical sensors involve a sensitizing coating that interacts with the chemical species to be detected to produce a change in some physical parameter which can then be measured. The speed of response of the sensor depends to a large extent on the nature of this chemical interaction. Here we explore the kinetics of the micromirror chemical sensor, a reflective-type optical-fiber sensor, for two different interactions: (1) the detection of hydrogen at high concentrations using palladium films; (2) organic vapor detection using a plasma-polymerized fluorocarbon film. For hydrogen detection, where the palladium films are very thin (∼ 10 nm), the kinetics are determined by the complex nature of the surface chemistry; the presence of oxygen changes the speed of the sensor response. For organic vapor detection, the fluorocarbon film is much thicker (∼1 μm) and the speed of response is determined by diffusion of the organic molecules through the fluorocarbon film.
The Gospel of Thomas (Pynchon): Abandoning Eschatology in Gravity’s Rainbow

It is tempting to read Thomas Pynchon’s sprawling masterpiece Gravity’s Rainbow —with its shell-shocked refugees fleeing across a missile-pocked, post-war landscape—as an eschatological text that plays out religious end-times scenarios. However, an invented citation from the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas included as a chapter epigraph—“Dear Mom, I put a couple of people in hell today”—suggests that we should do otherwise. In grafting a playful fragment about Jesus, judgment, and hell onto Thomas , Pynchon parodies a common need to read eschatological themes back into non-eschatological texts. In doing so, he also provides a powerful heuristic for interpreting his own book. Ultimately, Pynchon’s own rocket-gospel is likewise a non-eschatological text. Like Thomas, Gravity’s Rainbow stymies readers’ efforts to derive a clear eschatology from it—or to read one back into it. In this essay, I contend that Pynchon enacts a number of strategies to keep his audience from reading classic end-times scenarios into his own work, all of which are prefigured by the Gospel of Thomas .
Aminodextran as a Migration Moderator in Capillary Gel Electrophoresis of Charged Polysaccharides

Aminodextran (AD) is shown here as an effective electrolyte additive for a size-dependent separation of hyaluronate (HA) oligomers in capillary gel electrophoresis. AD interacts mainly with the negatively charged HA through an ion-exchange mechanism, while its participation is dependent on the polymer chain size. The degree of complexation and, consequently, electrophoretic mobility can be adjusted through charge density in the analyte or additive molecules through a choice of pH or addition of competing ions to the separation buffer. This approach enables adequate separation, in a large molecular-size range, without the need for highly viscous polymer solutions, thus simplifying a buffer replacement between the runs. Through a proper choice of buffer components, resolution of the individual HA polymer chains up to molecular masses of about 70 000 Da was achieved in less than 45 min. The migration behavior is discussed and presented in combination with its descriptive models.
Simple constrained-optimization view of acetate overflow in E. coli

The production of acetate by aerobically growing E. coli is examined. The problem is formulated in terms of a flow network that has as its objective maximal ATP synthesis. It is found that when loads are imposed and flux constraints exist either at the level of NADH turnover rate or the activity of a key Krebs cycle enzyme, switching to acetate overflow is predicted. Moreover, the result found for the latter constraint can be shown to be formally equivalent to a correlation experimentally determined for the specific rate of acetate production by E. coli K-12.
Paving the planet: impervious surface as proxy measure of the human ecological footprint

Fundamental questions regarding the human-environment-sustainability problematic remain contested. What are the relative roles of population, consumption, and technology with respect to sustainability? How can sustainability be measured? Numerous metrics have been developed to address these controversial questions including ideas of carrying capacity, environmental sustainability indices, and ecological footprints. This work explores the question: is pavement a proxy measure of human impact on the environment? We explore and evaluate the use of satellite derived density grids of constructed area (aka ‘pavement’ or ‘impervious surface’) in the calculation of national and subnational ‘ecological footprints’. We generated a global constructed area density grid for the 2000—2001 period using satellite observed nighttime lights and a population count grid from the US Department of Energy. Satellite data inputs to the population product include MODIS landcover, SRTM topography and high-resolution imagery. Calib...
Energy price increase and its impact on agricultural production: Evidence from Hawaii

Abstract The impact of energy price increases on the production of three major agricultural crops by small growers on the Big Island of Hawaii is examined with the aid of a linear programming model. The major conclusion is that higher energy costs have not significantly affected the net revenues of small growers. Net revenues appear to be relatively inelastic elastic to the changes in energy costs. The study results also indicate that an increase in energy price does not affect all small growers uniformly. The mix of labor and capital and the price of output play an important role in determining the effect of energy price increases on crop production. The study further shows that farms are faced with many constraints that seriously limit factor substitution.
Confirmation of dust condensation in the ejecta of supernova 1987a.

Abstract Shortly after its outburst, we suggested that supernova 1987a might condense a dust shell of substantial visual optical thickness as many classical novae do and predicted that dust might form within a year after the explosion. A critical examination of recent optical and infrared observations reported by others confirms that dust grains had begun to grow at a temperature of 1000 K after 300 days and that the dust shell had become optically thick by day 600. After day 600, the infrared luminosity closely followed the intrinsic luminosity expected for thermalized 56Co gamma rays, demonstrating that the luminosity is powered by radioactivity and that the dust is outside the radioactivity zone. The infrared luminosity sets an upper limit to the soft intrinsic bolometric luminosity of a pulsar central engine. This upper limit for the pulsar in supernova 1987a is the same luminosity as the Crab pulsar has today 936 years after its formation. It is unlikely that the rotation rate for a pulsar in supernova 1987a can be much higher than approximately 30 revolutions per sec. The relatively long time required for the shell to grow to maximum optical depth as compared with the dust in nova shells may be related to the relatively low outflow velocity of the condensible ejecta.
Tracking replication enzymology in vivo by genome-wide mapping of ribonucleotide incorporation

HydEn-seq, a new sequencing method that maps the distribution of ribonucleotides misincorporated by low-fidelity DNA polymerases in budding yeast, reveals unexpected strand-specific replication patterns in both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.
Research Note---Quantity Discounts in Differentiated Consumer Product Markets

In this paper, we extend the standard Hotelling model of product differentiation to incorporate a second dimension of consumer heterogeneity that relates to the quantity of the product consumers wish to buy. This extension allows us to derive optimal nonlinear pricing rules chosen by competing sellers when offering differentiated products in the marketplace. It also permits us to assess whether sellers find it optimal to offer quantity discounts in such a setting, and the implications of such discounts on their profitability. We find that offering quantity discounts corresponds, indeed, to equilibrium behavior. The extent of discounting declines the less differentiated the products. Surprisingly, when sellers offer to consumers a choice between two different-sized packages, their profits are, at most, as high as when such a choice is unavailable. Moreover, when utilizing nonlinear pricing rules is not feasible, the profits of the sellers actually decline when they offer consumers a choice between different-sized packages. A limited empirical investigation supports the comparative statics we derive in our theoretical model.
Anthropometric measurements and epithelial ovarian cancer risk in African-American and White women.

Previous studies of anthropometric factors and ovarian cancer risk have been inconsistent and none have evaluated the association among African–American women. Data from a population-based, case–control study of 593 cases and 628 controls were used to evaluate ovarian cancer risk in relation to weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed and established risk factors were adjusted for using logistic regression models, stratified by race. Among all races, weight at age 18, WHR, weight and BMI one year prior to interview were associated with elevated ovarian cancer risk. When stratified by race, the association between WHR and ovarian was similar among Whites and among African Americans. However, African–American women in the fourth quartile of height had an elevated risk of ovarian cancer (OR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.3–7.8), but this risk was not apparent in Whites (OR = 1.0; 95% CI␣ = 0.7–1.4). These findings support the hypothesis that obesity is an important risk factor of ovarian cancer among African–Americans and Whites and also suggest that height may be a risk factor specific to African–Americans.
Capacity of small B cell‐enriched populations to stimulate mixed lymphocyte reactions: marked differences between irradiated vs. mitomycin C‐treated stimulators

To investigate whether small B cells can stimulate mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR), highly purified populations of large vs. small B cell fractions were tested for their capacity to evoke MLR across Mls vs. H-2 barriers. Large B cell fractions stimulated high MLR to Mls and H-2 determinants, irrespective of whether the stimulators were exposed to irradiation or pretreated with mitomycin C. In accord with the findings of others, irradiated small B cell fractions proved to be very poor stimulators of MLR. Significantly, however, mitomycin C-treated small B cell fractions elicited high MLR, particularly to Mls determinants. The finding that small B cell fractions treated with irradiation are poor stimulators of T cells correlates with the known radiosensitivity of B cells. In this respect, the widely held view that small B cells do not have antigen-presenting cell (APC) function rests largely on studies with irradiated B cells. The present finding that T cells respond well to small B cells treated with mitomycin C, however, indicates that small B cell fractions do have APC function. Whether the APC function of small B cells reflects a response to resting B cells per se rather than to cells undergoing activation in vitro, however, remains to be ascertained.
Anomalous Hall effect and electron transport in ferromagnetic MnBi films

The electron transport properties of highly c-axis oriented MnBi thin films of various thicknesses have been investigated. Samples are metallic but the low temperature resistivity shows an unusual T3 dependence. Transverse Hall effect measurements show that both the ordinary and anomalous Hall coefficients decrease with decreasing temperature below 300 K, but the ordinary Hall coefficient (R0) undergoes a sign reversal around 105 K, where the magnetic anisotropy also changes sign. Analysis of the Hall data for various samples shows that the anomalous Hall coefficient (Rs) exhibits a strong ρ2 dependence, where ρ is the longitudinal resistivity.
The BAI subfamily of adhesion GPCRs: synaptic regulation and beyond

The brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitors 1–3 (BAI1–3) comprise a subfamily of adhesion G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors are highly expressed in the brain and were first studied for their ability to inhibit angiogenesis and tumor formation. Subsequently, BAI1 was found to play roles in apoptotic cell phagocytosis and myoblast fusion. Until recently, however, little was known about the physiological importance of the BAI subfamily in the context of normal brain function. Recent work has provided evidence for key roles of BAI1–3 in the regulation of synaptogenesis and dendritic spine formation. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the BAI subfamily with regard to downstream signaling pathways, physiological actions, and potential importance as novel drug targets in the treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases.
Activation of the inositol trisphosphate second messenger system by cAMP in a mouse fibroblast cell line.

Intracellular Ca2+ mobilization events were assessed in mouse L cells, which contain native prostaglandin E1 receptors and transfected human β2 adrenergic receptors. Both Fura2 (single cell measurements) and Quin 2, (cuvette assays) were used to determine [Ca2+]i levels. Our results demonstrate that in the transfected cells there is a dose-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i in response to isoproterenol (0.1 nM–100 nM), which is inhibited by the β-adrenergic antagonist, propranolol, and is a result of intracellular Ca2+ release. [Ca2+]1 in these cells was also increased by prostaglandin E1, 8 bromo cyclic AMP, and aluminum fluoride. Both 8 bromo cAMP and isoproterenol induced a rapid increase in the levels of IP1, IP2, and IP3. The data presented demonstrate that the elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP induces an increase in IP3 production which leads to an elevation in [Ca2+];. We propose that this cyclic AMP dependent activation of the IP3 generating system occurs at a post-receptor site.
The use of dansyl lysine to assess heat damage and thermotolerance of normal tissues.

Abstract The fraction of cells excluding the fluorescent dye dansyl lysine has previously been shown to correlate well with heat-induced cell killing in a variety of mammalian cell lines and in murine tumors in vivo . Here we evaluate the usefulness of dansyl lysine as a probe for assessment of thermal damage and for measuring the kinetics of thermotolerance development and decay in murine normal tissues. Skin cells were heated in vivo with an initial treatment of 44°C for 20 min by local radiofrequency. Bone marrow cells were heated at 42.5°C for 20 min by whole body water bath immersion. Cell suspensions were prepared, heated in vitro for various lengths of time at 44°C (skin) or 43°C (bone marrow), and scored for the fraction of dansyl lysine-excluding cells. Skin and bone marrow cells expressed maximum thermotolerence by 8 and 6 hr, respectively and returned to normal heat sensitivity by 48 and 146 hr, respectively. The assay was not useful with skeletal muscle and liver, as we were not successful in obtaining viable, dansyl lysine-excluding cells from these tissues. Also, in our hands red blood cells, normal human leukocytes, mouse spleen and thymus cells all failed to stain dansyl lysine even after extreme heating. Dansyl lysine staining, particularly when combined with flow cytometry analysis, has been shown to be a useful method for assessing thermal damage and thermotolerance relatively rapidly in all tumor systems tested to date, and, as shown here, may possess utility in measuring similar endpoints for certain nonclonogenic normal tissues.
Polarizing the Nazarov Cyclization: The Impact of Dienone Substitution Pattern on Reactivity and Selectivity

The impact of dienone substitution on the Nazarov cyclization has been examined in detail. Substrates bearing different substituents at each of four positions on the dienone backbone were systematically probed in order to identify trends leading to higher reactivity and better selectivity. Desymmetrization of the pentadienyl cation and oxyallyl cation intermediates through placement of polarizing groups at both the C-2 and C-4 positions was found to be particularly effective. These modifications allowed cyclizations to occur in the presence of catalytic amounts of mild Lewis acids. It was also found that stereoconvergent cyclization of mixtures of E and Z isomers of alkylidene β-ketoesters occurred via an efficient isomerization process that occurred under the reaction conditions.
Connection Between the Asymptotic Behavior and the Sign of the Discontinuity in One-Dimensional Dispersion Relations

Starting from one-dimensional dispersion relations (either fixed-transfer or partial-wave), information on the sign of absorptive part which follows from unitarity, and in some cases analyticity in the Mandelstam ellipse in the $t$ plane and polynomial boundedness, we derive various consequences of physical interest, e.g., a high-energy lower bound on the forward scattering amplitude, the minimum fluctuation of the sign of the discontinuity across the left-hand cut in the partial-wave dispersion relations, etc. In the derivations, the positiveness of the absorptive part plays an essential role by allowing us to construct a Herglotz function which has a well-known asymptotic behavior.
Blood Vessel Segmentation of Fundus Images by Major Vessel Extraction and Subimage Classification

This paper presents a novel three-stage blood vessel segmentation algorithm using fundus photographs. In the first stage, the green plane of a fundus image is preprocessed to extract a binary image after high-pass filtering, and another binary image from the morphologically reconstructed enhanced image for the vessel regions. Next, the regions common to both the binary images are extracted as the major vessels . In the second stage, all remaining pixels in the two binary images are classified using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) classifier using a set of eight features that are extracted based on pixel neighborhood and first and second-order gradient images. In the third postprocessing stage, the major portions of the blood vessels are combined with the classified vessel pixels. The proposed algorithm is less dependent on training data, requires less segmentation time and achieves consistent vessel segmentation accuracy on normal images as well as images with pathology when compared to existing supervised segmentation methods. The proposed algorithm achieves a vessel segmentation accuracy of 95.2%, 95.15%, and 95.3% in an average of 3.1, 6.7, and 11.7 s on three public datasets DRIVE, STARE, and CHASE_DB1, respectively.
Intelligent Optical Correlator

By extracting the basic rectangular features of an object from a digitized Fourier transform image, one can calculate the scale factor and rotational angle of a rectangular object and use them to derotate and scale the input image. Thus, a scale- and rotational-invariant optical correlator is achieved. The accuracy of the computed scale and orientation parameters yielded by this approach ensures nominal correlator performance for object recognition and tracking applications. The concept and system implementation of such an intelligent optical correlator are discussed, and the results of performance analysis are presented.
Effect of feeding Mucuna pruriens on helminth parasite infestation in lambs

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Mucuna pruriens is a tropical legume anecdotally reputed to have anthelmintic properties. This study was conducted to examine the validity of such claims. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to determine if ingestion of Mucuna seeds reduces helminth parasite infestation in lambs. Materials and methods Thirty-six Dorper × Katahdin ram lambs were assigned to three treatments, a cottonseed meal based control diet, a diet in which Mucuna replaced cottonseed meal and the control diet with levamisole (7.5 mg/kg body weight) administration. All diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The 12 lambs in each treatment were assigned randomly to 4 pens, each containing 3 lambs. Lambs were trickle infected three times per week by gavage with infectious Haemonchus contortus larvae (2000 larvae/lamb) for 3 weeks. Results Levamisole treatment decreased fecal egg counts by 87% and abomasal worm counts by 83%. Mucuna intake did not statistically affect fecal egg counts or abomasal worm counts, though numerical ( P > 0.10) reductions of 7.4% and 18.1%, respectively were evident. Anemia indicators, feed intake, and lamb growth were unaffected by treatment. Conclusions Levamisole reduced the Haemonchus parasite burden in lambs significantly but feeding Mucuna reduced the burden by levels unlikely to eliminate the clinical effects of parasitism.
Geospatial analysis of barrier island beach availability to tourists.

This study geospatially analyzes beach availability for global recreational tourism management with focus on a case study of Jekyll Island off the coast of Georgia, USA. Aerial digital imagery in combination with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data and geographic information system (GIS) mapping and analysis are employed to delineate accurate shorelines with regard to accessible and available beach area. This analysis demonstrates geospatial techniques for the identification, delineation, qualification and geovisualization of dry beaches, a popular tourist destination worldwide that is subjected to diurnal flooding by tides. The accurate depiction of shorelines using remotely sensed differences in Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) and Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) levels is required to identify dry beach areas available for coastal tourism and management. Such information allows tourists to choose beach areas suitable for recreational or ecological activities. Dry beach availability also assists coastal restoration managers to plan and implement beach conservation measures. Results predict shoreline changes and dry beach access while promoting minimal impacts by tourists on fragile coastal dune ecosystems.
Melanoma and the tumor microenvironment

Melanoma arises through the accrual of mutations in genes critical for proliferation and survival. Although melanoma had been traditionally conceptualized as a cell-autonomous event, increasing evidence supports the notion that these tumors are not isolated entities but rather depend, interact with, and react to the adjacent microenvironment. Melanoma is composed of not only the malignant cells but also the supporting stroma, which includes fibroblasts, endothelial cells, immune cells, soluble molecules, and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Tumor cells actively interact with the microenvironment in a bidirectional manner through molecular signals that modulate the malignant phenotype. This article briefly reviews the molecular basis of melanomagenesis as well as the interplay of melanoma with other cells of the tumor microenvironment and components of the ECM. It also discusses the influence of the microenvironment on therapeutic targeting of melanoma, highlighting recent studies that propose novel strategies to target tumor-microenvironment interactions.