cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metastability and solid solutions of collective decisions

Abstract A fundamental maxim for any theory of social behavior is that knowledge of the theory should not cause behavior that contradicts the theory's assertions. Although this maxim consistently has been heeded in the theory of noncooperative games, it largely has been ignored in solution theory for cooperative games. Solution theory, the central concern of this paper, seeks to identify a subset of the feasible outcomes of a cooperative game that are ‘stable’ results of competition among participants, each of whom attempts to bring about an outcome he favors, rather than to prescribe ‘fair’ outcomes that accord with a standard of equity. We show that learning by participants about the solution theory can cause the outcomes identified as stable by certain solution concepts to become unstable, and discover that an important distinction in this regard is whether the solution concept requires each element of the solution set to defend itself against alternatives rather than relying on other elements for its defense. Finally, we develop a concept of ‘solid’ solutions which have a special claim for stability. The unifying theme of this paper concerns the sense in which certain outcomes of a cooperative game may be regarded as stable, and the extent to which this stability requires that the players are ignorant of the theory. Although the issues raised here have implications for the theory of cooperative games in general, Section 1 establishes the focus of the analysis on collective decision games. Section 2 develops some general perspectives on solution theory which are used in Sections 3 and 4 to evaluate the Condorcet solution, the core, the robust proposals set, von Neumann- Morgenstern solutions and competitive solutions. Section 5 presents the concept of a solid solution and relates this idea to the solution concepts reviewed earlier. We demonstrate that in general a solution concept has a strong claim to stability only if it is solid. Finally, Section 6 concludes by indicating that the basic argument also can be applied to Aumann and Maschler's bargaining sets and, more generally, to solution theory for any cooperative game.
Augmentation of standard depression therapy.

Abstract Objective: This article reviews treatment options (eg, augmentation) for depressed patients with suboptimal clinical responses to an antidepressant. Background: Approximately one third of patients treated with antidepressants exhibit suboptimal or delayed clinical response to these medications. In such cases, alternative options include switching to another antidepressant or adding a second antidepressant. Augmentation strategies include addition of lithium carbonate, atypical antipsychotics, psychostimulants, thyroid hormone (triiodothyronine), pindolol, or buspirone. Conclusions: In approximately half of all antidepressant-resistant cases of major depressive disorder, controlled clinical trials have indicated that augmentation with lithium or thyroid hormone is effective. Other reports suggest that central nervous system stimulants may augment antidepressant activity, but their use is constrained by possible abuse potential. Pindolol therapy has been shown to accelerate clinical response in some but not all studies. Finally, the favorable safety and tolerability profile of buspirone, together with its desirable anxiolytic effects, render it a sound therapeutic option in antidepressant augmentation.
Mitochondrial dysfunction during anoxia/reoxygenation injury of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells

Sinusoidal endothelial cell injury plays a pivotal role in anoxia/reoxygenation liver damage. However, the mechanisms culminating in anoxia/reoxygenation endothelial cell injury remain unclear. Our aims were to determine whether anoxia/reoxygenation injury of sinusoidal endothelial cells causes mitochondrial dysfunction. In cultured rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, the mitochondrial membrane potential, cytosolic free calcium and cytosolic pH were quantitated by means of fluorescent probes and multiparameter digitized video microscopy. Cell viability was measured on the basis of lactate dehydrogenase release, and ATP was quantitated with a luciferin/luciferase assay. Mitochondrial membrane potential was stable during 90 min of aerobic perfusion. After 60 and 90 min of anoxia, mitochondrial membrane potential decreased gradually to 97% +/- 6% and 79% +/- 7% of the basal value, respectively. However, mitochondrial membrane potential decreased abruptly with reoxygenation after 60 min of anoxia to 45% +/- 12% of the basal value and did not recover over 30 min of aerobic perifusion. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential could not be attributed to changes of cytosolic free calcium, cytosolic pH, nitric oxide generation or activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
E-075 Penetrating Intracranial Injury Treated with Fluoroscopically-Guided Noninvasive Removal

Background Spear-like penetrating injuries with retained intracranial foreign bodies have been previously managed with craniotomy and removal in the OR. In this case, with the foreign body traversing both hemispheres, with potential haemorrhage from a large region, we opted for extraction in the angiography suite, with haemorrhage to be managed using endovascular means. Case Report This 20 month-old fell directly onto a pencil, which penetrated her right superomedial orbital wall. She was grossly neurologically intact, other than right eye movements on arrival to the emergency department. A CTA was performed, showing that 14 cm of the pencil were intracranial, traversing the right orbitofrontal region and much of the left hemisphere. The left MCA was narrowed, but there was no intracranial haemorrhage. The right globe appeared intact. The patient was brought to the angiography suite and the pencil was slowly extracted under flouroscopic-guidance and repeated angiography, first in the left hemisphere, and then in the right, once the tip had crossed the midline. Pre- and post-pull angiography demonstrated near normalisation of the caliber of the left MCA after the pencil was removed. The patient initially had mild right-sided hemiparesis, with near complete resolution on follow-up. Vision and extraocular movements are intact. Discussion Due to a potentially wide field of sites of haemorrhage in both hemispheres, we opted to extract this foreign object in the angiography suite rather than the OR. The patient remarkably tolerated the initial injury with minimal deficits and there was no morbidity related to the extraction. Disclosures S. Jernigan: None. B. Gross: None. I. Green-Hopkins: None. S. Robinson: None. D. Orbach: None.
Conditioned Stimulus Effects on Stuttering and GSRs

The simultaneous effects of a conditioned stimulus on the frequency of autonomic arousal responses (GSRs) and stuttering for ten subjects were investigated. GSR and stuttering responses were record...
Field studies of safety security rescue technologies through training and response activities

This paper describes the field-oriented philosophy of the Institute for Safety Security Rescue Technology (iSSRT) and summarizes the activities and lessons learned during calendar year 2005 of its two centers: the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue and the NSF Safety Security Rescue industry/university cooperative research center. In 2005, iSSRT participated in four responses (La Conchita, CA, Mudslides, Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Wilma) and conducted three field experiments (NJTF-1, Camp Hurricane, Richmond, MO). The lessons learned covered mobility, operator control units, wireless communications, and general reliability. The work has collectively identified six emerging issues for future work. Based on these studies, a 10-hour, 1 continuing education unit credit course on rescue robotics has been created and is available. Rescue robots and sensors are available for loan upon request.
Relation of smoking status to outcomes after cardiopulmonary resuscitation for in-hospital cardiac arrest.

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is common and is associated with poor prognosis. Data on the effect of smoking on outcomes after IHCA are limited. We analyzed the Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases from 2003 to 2011 for all patients aged ≥18 years who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for IHCA to examine the differences in survival to hospital discharge and neurologic status between smokers and nonsmokers. Of the 838,464 patients with CPR for IHCA, 116,569 patients (13.9%) were smokers. Smokers were more likely to be younger, Caucasian, and male. They had a greater prevalence of dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease, obesity, and peripheral vascular disease. Atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus with complications were less prevalent in smokers. Smokers were more likely to have a primary diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (14.8% vs 9.1%, p
Fetal well-being: Nonimaging assessment and the biophysical profile

All of the testing methods described above are very good at predicting continued fetal health when test results are reassuring. Each test also suffers from a very poor ability to predict compromise when results are abnormal. Thus, the primary value of antepartum fetal monitoring is in identifying those pregnancies that do not require immediate intervention and may be allowed to continue. Certainly, all pregnant women (regardless of risk status) should monitor fetal movement as part of their fetal surveillance. For patients at risk, a variety of testing schemes are available using combinations of the NST, CST and BPP. There are several reasons for using the NST as the primary testing method for those at risk. Even a small antenatal testing area can accommodate three or four FHR monitors, and a single antenatal testing nurse can perform several NSTs at a time. Because the BPP requires an ultrasound machine and a trained technician to perform, and because only one BPP can be done at a time, many obstetricians who do their own in-office fetal testing are unable to adopt BPP testing as their primary means of surveillance. Additionally, it is more economical to use the NST than the BPP for first-line testing. Assuming charges of $150 and $300 for the NST and BPP, respectively, and assuming that 20% of NSTs are nonreactive and require a BPP for second-line testing, the weekly cost of testing 100 patients is $21,000 for the NST and $37,500 for the BPP. This increase-in-testing cost must be balanced against the small improvement in perinatal mortality rates achieved with the use of the BPP. Because it must be performed in a hospital setting and takes an average of 90 minutes to complete, the CST is more expensive and time-consuming than either the NST or BPP and it is less frequently used as the primary method of fetal testing. In the past the CST was the most commonly used secondary test after a nonreactive NST, but use of the BPP in this situation has now become commonplace. Although the CST still has an important role in fetal testing, the BPP is better suited for use in this setting because of its technical ease and low incidence of abnormal results. Thus, many centers use the NST as the primary mode of testing for the fetus at risk, often with a sonographic assessment of AFV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Production of aflatoxin by Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL-2999 during growth in the presence of curing salts

Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL-2999 was inoculated into meat mixtures with curing salts and into yeast extractsucrose (YES) and sucrose-ammonium salts (SAS) broth with and without curing salts to determine if the presence of curing salts significantly affected growth and aflatoxin production by the mold. The effect of individual curing salts or curing salt mixtures on growth and toxin elaboration by the aspergillus was substrate dependent. When YES broth contained 100 ppm of NaNO2, 2% NaCl, or 1 or 2% NaCl plus 200 ppm of NaNO2 or 200 ppm of NaNO3, growth and/or aflatoxin production was depressed. Biosynthesis of aflatoxin B1 was enhanced by presence of 1 and 4% NaCl in YES broth. The SAS broth containing only NaCl or NaCl combined with nitrite or nitrate yielded less aflatoxin than did control broth or no aflatoxin at all. When compared to the control, an increase in growth and amount of aflatoxin occurred in SAS broth which contained 200 ppm of NaNO3. Sausages containing 100 and 200 ppm NaNO2 and no NaCl supported more mold growth and aflatoxin production than did control sausage with 3% NaCl and 100 ppm of NaNO2. Addition of 2 and 3% NaCl and no nitrite to sausage resulted in less aflatoxin than in control sausage.
Motivation and patch treatment for HIV+ smokers: a randomized controlled trial

Aims To test the efficacy of two smoking cessation interventions in an HIV+ sample: standard care (SC) treatment plus nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) versus more intensive motivationally-enhanced (ME) treatment plus NRT.
Monkeypox Disease Transmission in an Experimental Setting: Prairie Dog Animal Model

Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is considered the most significant human public health threat in the genus Orthopoxvirus since the eradication of variola virus (the causative agent of smallpox). MPXV is a zoonotic agent endemic to forested areas of Central and Western Africa. In 2003, MPXV caused an outbreak in the United States due to the importation of infected African rodents, and subsequent sequential infection of North American prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) and humans. In previous studies, the prairie dog MPXV model has successfully shown to be very useful for understanding MPXV since the model emulates key characteristics of human monkeypox disease. In humans, percutaneous exposure to animals has been documented but the primary method of human-to-human MPXV transmission is postulated to be by respiratory route. Only a few animal model studies of MPXV transmission have been reported. Herein, we show that MPXV infected prairie dogs are able to transmit the virus to naive animals through multiple transmission routes. All secondarily exposed animals were infected with MPXV during the course of the study. Notably, animals secondarily exposed appeared to manifest more severe disease; however, the disease course was very similar to those of experimentally challenged animals including inappetence leading to weight loss, development of lesions, production of orthopoxvirus antibodies and shedding of similar levels or in some instances higher levels of MPXV from the oral cavity. Disease was transmitted via exposure to contaminated bedding, co-housing, or respiratory secretions/nasal mucous (we could not definitively say that transmission occurred via respiratory route exclusively). Future use of the model will allow us to evaluate infection control measures, vaccines and antiviral strategies to decrease disease transmission.
Low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg body weight) was injected into spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, and plasma glucose and triglyceride concentrations measured 10 days later. Neither mean (+/- SEM) plasma glucose (130 +/- 3 v 136 +/- 3 mg/dL) nor triglyceride (93 +/- 6 v 108 +/- 7 mg/dL) concentrations increased in WKY rats. In contrast, both plasma glucose (141 +/- 3 v 262 +/- 36) and triglyceride (121 +/- 8 v 196 +/- 7 mg/dL) concentrations increased significantly (P less than .01) following administration of STZ in SHR. Furthermore, when SHR previously injected with STZ were fed a diet enriched in fructose, they had a further increase (P less than .01) in both plasma glucose (343 +/- 38 mg/dL) and triglyceride (774 +/- 57 mg/dL) concentrations. Plasma triglyceride concentration also increased significantly (P less than .05) when STZ-injected WKY rats ingested the fructose-enriched diet, but plasma glucose levels still remained within the normal range (152 +/- 5 mg/dL). These results indicate that SHR were more sensitive to the effects of a decrease in pancreatic beta-cell function (STZ) and an increase in insulin resistance (fructose feeding) than WKY rats.
Time course of right ventricular pressure-overload induced myocardial fibrosis: relationship to changes in fibroblast postsynthetic procollagen processing

Myocardial fibrillar collagen is considered an important determinant of increased ventricular stiffness in pressure-overload (PO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Chronic PO was created in feline right ventricles (RV) by pulmonary artery banding (PAB) to define the time course of changes in fibrillar collagen content after PO using a nonrodent model and to determine whether this time course was dependent on changes in fibroblast function. Total, soluble, and insoluble collagen (hydroxyproline), collagen volume fraction (CVF), and RV end-diastolic pressure were assessed 2 days and 1, 2, 4, and 10 wk following PAB. Fibroblast function was assessed by quantitating the product of postsynthetic processing, insoluble collagen, and levels of SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine), a protein that affects procollagen processing. RV hypertrophic growth was complete 2 wk after PAB. Changes in RV collagen content did not follow the same time course. Two weeks after PAB, there were elevations in total collagen (control RV: 8.84 ± 1.03 mg/g vs. 2-wk PAB: 11.50 ± 0.78 mg/g); however, increased insoluble fibrillar collagen, as measured by CVF, was not detected until 4 wk after PAB (control RV CVF: 1.39 ± 0.25% vs. 4-wk PAB: 4.18 ± 0.87%). RV end-diastolic pressure was unchanged at 2 wk, but increased until 4 wk after PAB. RV fibroblasts isolated after 2-wk PAB had no changes in either insoluble collagen or SPARC expression; however, increases in insoluble collagen and in levels of SPARC were detected in RV fibroblasts from 4-wk PAB. Therefore, the time course of PO-induced RV hypertrophy differs significantly from myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction. These temporal differences appear dependent on changes in fibroblast function.
Atriopeptin II elevates cyclic GMP, activates cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase and causes relaxation in rat thoracic aorta

Synthetic atriopeptin II, an atrial natriuretic factor with potent vasodilatory effects, was studied in isolated strips of rat thoracic aorta to determine its actions on contractility, cyclic nucleotide concentrations and endogenous activity of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases. Atriopeptin II was found to relax aortic strips precontracted with 0.3 microM norepinephrine whether or not the endothelial layer was present. Relaxation to atriopeptin II was closely correlated in a time- and concentration-dependent manner with increases in cyclic GMP concentrations and activation of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (cyclic GMP-kinase). The threshold concentration for all three effects was 1 nM. Atriopeptin II (10 nM for 10 min) produced an 80% relaxation, an 8-fold increase in cyclic GMP concentrations and a 2-fold increase in cyclic GMP-kinase activity ratios. Atriopeptin II did not significantly alter cyclic AMP concentrations or cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity. These data suggest that cyclic GMP and cyclic GMP-kinase may mediate vascular relaxation to a new class of vasoactive agents, the atrial natriuretic factors. Similar effects have been observed with the nitrovasodilator, sodium nitroprusside, and the endothelium-dependent vasodilator, acetylcholine. Therefore, a common biochemical mechanism of action that includes cyclic GMP accumulation and activation of cyclic GMP-kinase may be involved in vascular relaxation to nitrovasodilators, endothelium-dependent vasodilators and atrial natriuretic factors.
Can feedback solve the too-big-to-fail problem?

The observed central densities of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) are significantly lower than the densities of the largest (Vmax about 35 km/s) subhalos found in dissipationless simulations of Galaxy-size dark matter hosts. One possible explanation is that gas removal from feedback can lower core densities enough to match observations. We model the dynamical effects of supernova feedback through the use of a time-varying central potential in high resolution, idealized numerical simulations and explore the resulting impact on the mass distributions of dwarf dark matter halos. We find that in order to match the observed central masses of M_star about 10^6 M_sun dSphs, the energy equivalent of more than 40,000 supernovae must be delivered with 100% efficiency directly to the dark matter. This energy requirement exceeds the number of supernovae that have ever exploded in most dSphs for typical initial mass functions. We also find that, per unit energy delivered and per cumulative mass removed from the galaxy, single blow-out events are more effective than repeated small bursts in reducing central dark matter densities. We conclude that it is unlikely that supernova feedback alone can solve the "Too Big to Fail" problem for Milky Way subhalos.
A mathematical model of α-catenin dimerization at adherens junctions in polarized epithelial cells

The protein α-catenin is found as a monomer or homodimer. As a monomer, α-catenin can bind to β-catenin, which localizes to the plasma membrane at the site of adherens junctions (AJs) in polarized epithelial cells. As a dimer, α-catenin can bind to actin filaments, affecting the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. At usual cytoplasmic concentrations, α-catenin is found predominantly in monomeric form. It is currently thought that α-catenin cannot simultaneously bind β-catenin and homodimerize, and that the dynamics of binding and unbinding from β-catenin, possibly coupled with lower diffusion near an AJ, are sufficient to locally accumulate α-catenin monomers and homodimers. Using a mathematical model of α-catenin dynamics, I show that α-catenin must transiently homodimerize while bound to β-catenin in order for homodimers to form, even in the presence of a spatial diffusion gradient.
Multifunctional Integrated Sensors for Multiparameter Monitoring Applications

We present multifunctional integrated sensors (MFISES) that combine temperature, humidity, pressure, air speed, chemical gas, magnetic, and acceleration sensing on a single 2-mm $\times 2$ -mm die. We fabricate the MFISES in a wafer scale encapsulation process to hermetically seal the sensor functions with moving parts at low vacuum, and then surface micromachine the environmental sensors on top of the sealed layer. The encapsulation process provides very stable conditions for the pressure, magnetic, and acceleration sensors, and enables the deployment of the MFISES in dynamic environmental conditions without special postprocess packaging. We quantify the performance requirements for sensor applications in weather stations, indoor climate control, road activity monitoring, chemical sensing, and parking monitoring. We compare the performance of the MFISES to the application requirements to demon- strate the utility of an integrated sensor in a wide range of applications. [2014-0117]
Comment on Witten's mass hierarchy

Abstract It is pointed out that in a class of supersymmetric models introduced recently by Witten, the generation of a mass hierarchy of many orders of magnitude requires a delicate adjustment of coupling constants at each order of perturbation theory.
Remotely-sensed vegetation indices identify mosquito clusters of West Nile virus vectors in an urban landscape in the northeastern United States.

Heterogeneity in urban landscapes can influence the effectiveness of mosquito-borne disease control. We used remotely sensed vegetation indices to discriminate among mosquito habitats within a dens...
A deep-sea in-situ suspended sediment sampling system

Abstract A prototype deep pump filtration system, designed to sample suspended particulate matter in the deep sea, has been developed for use with an in-situ optical nephelometer used to locate zones of high particulate concentration. The filtration system, which has essentially an unlimited depth capability, can sample large volumes of water and is limited only by the concentration of the suspended load and the clogging characteristics of the filter, thereby being ideally suited for use in areas of extremely low particulate concentration. In its present configuration, the unit is capable of collecting as much as 200 mg of suspended sediment per lowering. The system is compact in design and may easily be integrated with any instrument platform, or used independently. In addition, the membrane filtration method utilized provides a convenient means of sample handling during analysis with a minimum of contamination.
Measurement of the turbulent kinetic energy budget of a planar wake flow in pressure gradients

Turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget measurements were conducted for a symmetric turbulent planar wake flow subjected to constant zero, favorable, and adverse pressure gradients. The purpose of this study is to clarify the flow physics issues underlying the demonstrated influence of pressure gradient on wake development, and provide experimental support for turbulence modeling. To ensure the reliability of these notoriously difficult measurements, the experimental procedure was carefully designed on the basis of an uncertainty analysis. Three different approaches were applied for the estimate of the dissipation term. An approach for the determination of the pressure diffusion term together with correction of the bias error associated with the dissipation estimate is proposed and validated with the DNS results of Moser et al (J Fluid Mech (1998) 367:255–289). This paper presents the results of the turbulent kinetic energy budget measurement and discusses their implications for the development of strained turbulent wakes.
The Seasonality of Convective Events in the Labrador Sea

Modeling deep convection is a key challenge for climate science. Here two simulations of the Labrador Sea circulation obtained with the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) run at a horizontal resolution of 7.5km are used to characterize the response of convection to atmospheric forcing and its seasonal variability over the period 1980‐2009. The integrations compare well with the sparse observations available. The modeled convection varies in three key aspects over the 30 years considered. First, its magnitude changes greatly at decadal scales. This aspect is supported by the in situ observations. Second, the initiation and peak of convection (i.e., initiation and maximum) shift by 2‐3 weeks between strong and weak convective years. Third,thedurationofconvectionvariesbyapproximatelyonemonthbetweenstrongandweakyears.Thelast two changes are associated with the variability of the time-integrated surface heat fluxes over the Labrador Sea during winter and spring, while the first results from changes in both atmospheric heat fluxes and oceanic conditions through the lateral inflow of warm Irminger Water from the boundary current system to the basin interior. Changes in surface heat fluxes over the convective region are linked to large-scale modes of variability,theNorthAtlanticOscillationandArcticOscillation.Implicationsformodelingtheclimatevariability of the Labrador basin are discussed.
Trends and Cardiovascular Mortality Effects of State-Level Blood Pressure and Uncontrolled Hypertension in the United States

Background— Blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality and has lifestyle and healthcare determinants that vary across states. Only self-reported hypertension status is measured at the state level in the United States. Our aim was to estimate levels and trends in state-level mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), the prevalence of uncontrolled systolic hypertension, and cardiovascular mortality attributable to all levels of higher-than-optimal SBP. Methods and Results— We estimated the relationship between actual SBP/uncontrolled hypertension and self-reported hypertension, use of blood pressure medication, and a set of health system and sociodemographic variables in the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We applied this relationship to identical variables from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to estimate state-specific mean SBP and uncontrolled hypertension. We used the comparative risk assessment methods to estim...
Multiple Divergent ITS1 Copies Were Identified in Single Tomato Genome Using DGGE Analysis

The intra-genomic variation in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has led to misleading conclusions in the evolutionary analysis of plants; understanding this variation is critical for correct evolutionary analysis based on ITS sequences. To reveal the ITS variation in tomato, entire copies of ITS1 sequences within tomato species were separated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequence analysis. ITS1 copies varied significantly in sequence composition, but not in sequence length within the same tomato cultivar. DNA sequence similarity of the ITS1 copies was 77–100 %. Moreover, AT and GC contents in ITS1 copies from each tomato cultivar were significantly different, ranging from 50.4 to 64.3 % for GC and from 35.7 to 49.6 % for AT. However, the length variation of ITS1 was insignificant, ranging from 279 to 282 bp. Multiple copies of divergent ITS1 present in the tomato genome indicate that some copies may be paralogues. In conclusion, DGGE technique is a reliable and novel approach to reveal the entire ITS copy variation and the possible evolutionary relationship of tomato.
Embedded Training for Complex Information Systems

One solution to providing affordable operator training in the workplace is to augment applications with intelligent embedded training systems. Intelligent embedded training is highly interactive: trainees practice problem-solving tasks on the prime application with guidance and feedback from the training system. We group the necessary assistance mechanisms into three layers: (1) an application interface layer, (2) an action interpretation layer, and (3) a training services layer. We discuss these layers, their interactions, and our prototype implementation of each one.
Surface characteristics and adhesion behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7: role of extracellular macromolecules.

Experiments were conducted using enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells to investigate the influence of extracellular macromolecules on cell surface properties and adhesion behavior to quartz sand. Partial removal of the extracellular macromolecules on cells by a proteolytic enzyme (proteinase K) was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The proteinase K treated cells exhibited more negative electrophoretic mobility (EPM) at an ionic strength (IS) e 1 mM, a slightly lower isoelectric point, and were less hydrophobic as compared to the untreated cells. Potentiometric titration results indicated that the total site concentration (i.e., the total amount of exposed functional groups per cell) on the treated cells was approximately 22% smaller than the untreated cells, while the dissociation constants were almost identical. Analysis of the EPM data using soft particle theory showed that the removal of extracellular macromolecules resulted in polymeric layers outside the cell surface that were less electrophoretically soft. The more negative mobility for the treated cells was likely due to the combined effects of a change in the distribution of functional groups and an increase in the charges per unit volume after enzyme treatment and not just removal of extracellular macromolecules. The proteolytic digestion of extracellular macromolecules led to a significant difference in the cell adhesion to quartz sand. The adhesion behavior for treated cells was consistent with DLVO theory and increased with IS due to less negativity in the EPM. In contrast, the adhesion behavior of untreated cells was much more complex and exhibited a maximum at IS ) 1 mM. The treated cells exhibited less adhesion than the untreated cells when the IS e 1 mM due to their more negative EPM. However, when the IS g 10 mM, a sudden decrease in the removal efficiency was observed only for the untreated cells even through EPM values were similar for both treated and untreated cells. This result suggested that an additional non-DLVO type interaction, electrosteric repulsion, occurred at higher IS (g10 mM in this study) for the untreated cells due to the presence of extracellular macromolecules that hindered cell adhesion to the quartz surface. This finding provides important insight into the role of macromolecule-induced E. coli O157:H7 interactions in aquatic environments.
On the multivariate generalized gamma distribution with exponential correlation

In this paper, we study the multivariate generalized gamma distribution with exponential correlation and identical fading parameters. Expressions for the joint distribution and the joint central moments are derived. Using the derived expressions, the outage probability for multi-branch selection combining receiver over a correlated generalized gamma fading channels is obtained.
Kidney-heart interactions: epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment.

Heart disease accounts for approximately half of the deaths of patients with ESRD (1–3). In the past 5 yr, there has been increasing recognition of both coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in ESRD patients, as these are the two typical presentations of heart disease in ESRD patients. It is also clear that many patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and a GFR of <60 ml/min are at risk for heart disease; many of these patients succumb to heart disease before reaching dialysis (4–6). This review includes a brief overview of the problem, a discussion of CAD and LVH, and an examination of the benefits of reducing BP and proteinuria on both the heart and the kidney and concludes with a brief section on treatment options for individuals with this disorder. A growing awareness of heart disease in individuals with kidney disease as a major public health concern has increased sharply because of the revelation that there are millions of Americans with reduced kidney function (2). This fact, coupled with the understanding that many individuals with CKD do not reach dialysis because they die of heart disease (6), has expanded the concern about heart disease in both patients with CKD and patients with ESRD. Of interest is that whereas many superb prospective, randomized clinical trials have defined the scope of the appropriate therapy for heart disease in patients with normal kidney function, relatively few trials have addressed the issue in patients with kidney disease. Thus, the literature on cardiovascular disease (CVD) has focused on individuals without kidney disease, and guidelines regarding the management of heart disease in patients with ESRD in CKD, therefore, are largely opinion based (7). The two clinical presentations of heart disease in patients with kidney disease are atherosclerotic …
The Dependence of Dielectric Properties on Composition Variation in Ba0.6Sr0.4(YTa)yTi1-2yO3

Abstract : Ba(0.5)Sr(0.4)(YTa)Ti(1-2y)O3 has been shown to have properties which are promising for tunable applications requiring low dielectric constant 1. Ba(0.6)Sr(0.4)(YTa)(y)Ti(1-2y)O3 with y </= 0.10 has been synthesized and well-characterized using x-ray diffraction, EDAX, and Raman Spectroscopy. The dependence of the dielectric properties on concentration, y, of Y and Ta are discussed along with implications for improved performance in device applications.
4Pi spectral self-interference microscopy

Spectral self-interference microscopy (SSM) relies on the balanced collection of light traveling two different paths from the sample to the detector, one direct and the other indirect from a reflecting substrate. The resulting spectral interference effects allow nanometer-scale axial localization of isolated emitters. To produce spectral fringes the difference between the two optical paths must be significant. Consequently, to ensure that both contributions are in focus, a low-numerical-aperture objective lens must be used, giving poor lateral resolution. Here this limitation is overcome using a 4Pi apparatus to produce the requisite two paths to the detector. The resulting instrument generalizes both SSM and 4Pi microscopy and allows a quantification of SSM resolution (rather than localization precision). Specifically, SSM is shown to be subject to the same resolution constraints as 4Pi microscopy.
Effects of substrate crystallographic orientations on crystal growth and microstructure development in laser surface-melted superalloy single crystals. Mathematical modeling of single-crystal growth in a melt pool (Part II)

Abstract The mathematical model developed for single-crystalline solidification in laser surface melting (LSM) described in Part I [Acta Mater 2004;52:4833–4847] was used to compute the dendrite growth pattern and velocity distribution in the 3D melt pool for various substrate orientations. LSM experiments with single-crystal nickel-base superalloys were conducted for different orientations to verify the computational results. Results show that the substrate orientation has a predominant effect on crystal growth pattern, and simultaneously influences the magnitude and distribution of dendrite growth velocity in the melt pool. The selected 〈1 0 0〉 growth variants and the number of the chosen growth variants are dependent on the substrate orientation. The maximum velocity ratio (dendrite growth velocity over the beam velocity, V/Vb) in the melt pool is a function of melt-pool geometrical parameters and the substrate orientation. The largest maximum velocity-ratio among the symmetric orientations is 1.414 for the (0 0 1)/[1 1 0] and ( 0 1 1 ) / [ 0 1 1 ¯ ] orientations, while that value for asymmetric orientations is 1.732 for the ( 0 1 1 ) / [ 1 1 1 ¯ ] orientation. Good agreement was obtained between the predicted and experimentally observed microstructures. The results are discussed with the susceptibility to stray grain formation as a function of substrate orientations and melt-pool geometrical parameters. These findings have some important implications for single-crystal surface processing.
Activities of Mutant Prevention Concentration-Targeted Moxifloxacin and Levofloxacin against Streptococcus pneumoniae in an In Vitro Pharmacodynamic Model

The differential effects of moxifloxacin and levofloxacin on the development of resistance in four Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates were examined by using an in vitro pharmacodynamic model. Therapeutic regimens (moxifloxacin: peak, 4.5 μg/ml; half-life [ t 1/2 ], 12 h; and levofloxacin: peak, 6 μg/ml; t 1/2 , 6 h) were tested against two fluoroquinolone-susceptible isolates (strains 79 and ATCC 49619) and KD2138 and KD2139 ( parC and gyrA mutants, respectively, of ATCC 49619). Mutant prevention concentration (MPC)-targeted regimens with modified pharmacokinetics of each drug were simulated to match the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) above the MPC for the two fluoroquinolones. Moxifloxacin MICs and MPCs (MIC/MPC) for isolates 79, ATCC 49619, KD2138, and KD2139, respectively, were 0.125 and 0.5, 0.125 and 0.5, 0.25 and 8, and 0.25 and 4 μg/ml. Levofloxacin MICs and MPCs for the same isolates were 1 and 4, 0.5 and 2, 1 and 64, and 0.5 and 32 μg/ml, respectively. Therapeutic levofloxacin concentrations led to isolation of mutants of ATCC 49619 (S79Y in ParC), KD2138 (S81Y in GyrA), and KD2139 (S79Y in ParC). Therapeutic moxifloxacin concentrations against the gyrA mutant KD2139 resulted in outgrowth of a mutant with a ParC substitution (S79Y) but caused no emergence of mutants of the other three isolates. MPC-targeted moxifloxacin (lower-than-normal peak = 0.75 to 1.5 μg/ml, administered at levofloxacin9s t 1/2 ) caused growth of a GyrA variant (S81Y) of KD2138 and a ParC variant (S79Y) of KD2139, while no mutants of ATCC 49619 were recovered. MPC-targeted levofloxacin (higher-than-normal peak = 14.5 to 29.5 μg/ml, administered at moxifloxacin9s t 1/2 ) against KD2138 and KD2139 did not prevent the development of the mutations observed in therapeutic regimens, but resistance in the fluoroquinolone-susceptible ATCC 49619 was no longer noted. Normalization of the respective AUC/MPC ratios of moxifloxacin and levofloxacin did not eliminate differences in resistance selectivity of the two agents in all cases. We conclude that the reduced recovery of resistant mutants of S. pneumoniae following moxifloxacin exposure compared to levofloxacin may be due to intrinsic differences between the drugs. Increasing the concentration and exposure ( t 1/2 ) to exceed the MPC may prevent mutations from occurring in fluoroquinolone-susceptible strains. However, this strategy did not prevent the selection of secondary mutants in strains with preexisting mutations. Further study of the MPC concept to evaluate these relationships is warranted.
The treatment of hyperthyroidism in children

Summary Of twenty-three children with hyperthyroidism treated at the University Hospital since 1925, nineteen were subjected to subtotal thyroidectomies and four were treated without surgery. Included in the group of children operated on were nine complete arrests, three nearly complete arrests, five recurrences, and two deaths. The patients not operated on were all successfully treated by conservative management. The average period of time for the treatment of the patients operated on was six weeks, while that of those not operated on was seven months. A review of previous reports on the treatment of childhood thyrotoxicosis is presented and the use of roentgen therapy is discussed briefly. It is pointed out that children deserve an adequate trial of medical management before surgery is advised and that in a considerable number of them surgery is neither necessary nor desirable.
Extreme Conservation of the psaA / psaB Intercistronic Spacer Reveals a Translational Motif Coincident with the Evolution of Land Plants

Although chloroplast transcriptional and translational mechanisms were derived originally from prokaryote endosymbionts, chloroplasts retain comparatively few genes as a consequence of the overall transfer to the nucleus of functions associated formerly with prokaryotic genomes. Various modifications reflect other evolutionary shifts toward eukaryotic regulation such as posttranscriptional transcript cleavage with individually processed cistrons in operons and gene expression regulated by nuclear-encoded sigma factors. We report a notable exception for the psaA-psaB-rps14 operon of land plant (embryophyte) chloroplasts, where the first two cistrons are separated by a spacer region to which no significant role had been attributed. We infer an important function of this region, as indicated by the conservation of identical, structurally significant sequences across embryophytes and their ancestral protist lineages, which diverged some 0.5 billion years ago. The psaA/psaB spacers of embryophytes and their progenitors exhibit few sequence and length variants, with most modeled transcripts resolving the same secondary structure: a loop with projecting Shine-Dalgarno site and well-defined stem that interacts with adjacent coding regions to sequester the psaB start codon. Although many functions of the original endosymbiont have been usurped by nuclear genes or interactions, conserved functional elements of embryophyte psaA/psaB spacers provide compelling evidence that translation of psaB is regulated here by a cis-acting mechanism comparable to those common in prokaryotes. Modeled transcripts also indicate that spacer variants in some plants (e.g., aquatic genus Najas) potentially reflect ecological adaptations to facilitate temperature-regulated translation of psaB.
The U.S. Long Term Care System: Development and Expansion of Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities as an Innovative Model for Aging in Place

The current U.S. health and long term care systems are inadequately prepared to meet the diverse and changing needs of the rapidly growing senior population. This paper describes the importance of naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) to promote the health and mental well being of older individuals through the collaborative efforts of formal and informal home and community based services and support. NORCs are considered a crucial model for aging in place since older adults prefer to remain in the comfort of their homes, and services can be provided in a much more efficient and cost effective manner. This paper examines the strengths, opportunities, and challenges of existing NORCs and discusses the need for the development and expansion of additional NORC programs as an innovative and viable solution for older adults aging in place.
The principles of wound healing

Wound healing is an ever-changing field, as new insights are made into its mechanisms through basic science research, thus driving development of new therapies. In this paper, we present the current molecular models of wound healing and scar formation in the three phases: inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. New cellular signaling pathways such as mechanotransduction through the transforming growth factor-beta and integrin pathways have opened up various targets for wound therapy. Other therapies such as negative pressure devices and anti-microbial peptides are being improved as more data becomes available. Cutting edge treatments in gene therapy like Regranex are under heavy investigation, as are various treatments whose molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated such as electrostimulation and Substance P. A promising area in wound treatment research is the use of bone marrow derived stem cell therapy, where research in animal models has shown these stem cells are able to differentiate into kera...
Home Food Environment Observations Using a Photo Voice Texting Method With Parents

Objective:The nearly ubiquitous use of smartphones provides novel opportunities to assess home environments without significant time commitment or invasion of privacy. This study aimed to describe photo and text observations collected through self-assessments of home food behaviors and the home food environment. Design, Setting and Participants: Forty-three parents (57% non-Hispanic white; 35.7% Hispanic; 7.3% other) of a preschool aged child were recruited at childcare facilities in central Texas. For two weeks, researchers prompted participants via text to complete a series of self-assessments addressing food in the home and nutrition practices using grounded theory. Topics included: meal preparation, family mealtime, food in the home, goal-setting to improve family food and nutrition behaviors. Utilizing personal mobile phones, participants sent a photo and brief text reflection for each assignment. Participants were assisted in short and long-term goal setting to address identified nutrition barriers. Outcome Measures and Analysis: Photos and reflections were analyzed thematically using NVivo 10. Results: A common barrier included conflicting family schedules, which interfered with cooking and eating meals at home together. Food preferences for non-nutritional foods were a common barrier to providing fresh fruits and vegetables. Common goals included creating weekly menu plans, involving children in meal preparation and providing balanced meals based on family food preferences of fruits and vegetables. Conclusions and Implications: Photo reflections prompted participants to increase their awareness of home eating behaviors and to promote positive changes with goal setting. Photo Voice activities may allow researchers and health professionals to connect with busy parents, potentially empowering parent’s assessment of their home environments and recognize the need for change. Funding: Texas State University, Research Enhancement Program.