cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stress-triggered Activation of the Metalloprotease Oma1 Involves Its C-terminal Region and Is Important for Mitochondrial Stress Protection in Yeast

Functional integrity of mitochondria is critical for optimal cellular physiology. A suite of conserved mitochondrial proteases known as intramitochondrial quality control represents one of the mechanisms assuring normal mitochondrial function. We previously demonstrated that ATP-independent metalloprotease Oma1 mediates degradation of hypohemylated Cox1 subunit of cytochrome c oxidase and is active in cytochrome c oxidase-deficient mitochondria. Here we show that Oma1 is important for adaptive responses to various homeostatic insults and preservation of normal mitochondrial function under damage-eliciting conditions. Changes in membrane potential, oxidative stress, or chronic hyperpolarization lead to increased Oma1-mediated proteolysis. The stress-triggered induction of Oma1 proteolytic activity appears to be associated with conformational changes within the Oma1 homo-oligomeric complex, and these alterations likely involve C-terminal residues of the protease. Substitutions in the conserved C-terminal region of Oma1 impair its ability to form a labile proteolytically active complex in response to stress stimuli. We demonstrate that Oma1 genetically interacts with other inner membrane-bound quality control proteases. These findings indicate that yeast Oma1 is an important player in IM protein homeostasis and integrity by acting in concert with other intramitochondrial quality control components.
En bloc resection of inferior vena cava in cytoreductive surgery for bulky retroperitoneal metastatic testicular cancer

Abstract En bloc resection of the inferior vena cava (IVC) has been demonstrated to be of benefit in removing bulky retroperitoneal testicular tumor metastases. The major indications for its use have been to increase the amount of tumor resected, to allow access to large amounts of tumor located posterior to the aorta which would otherwise be inaccessible, to diminish the possibility of massive pulmonary embolism from clot or tumor located in the IVC, and to decrease the risk of major hemorrhage from injury to the IVC, aorta, or one of their branches. To date the surgical morbidity has been acceptable, and no direct mortality has been associated with it.
Institutional Profile: Center for Connected Health

The Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare (MA, USA), is working to create a new model for healthcare delivery, by developing programs and innovative strategies to move care from the hospital or doctor's office into the day-to-day lives of patients. Our technology-enabled and patient-centric connected health initiatives are engaging patients, providers and the connected health community to improve quality and access to care. Many patients 'graduate' from these connect programs empowered and equipped to better manage their own health; and these programs are being successfully integrated across the Partners' network of hospitals and implemented by major employers. Our focus is to innovate, accelerate and operate connected health initiatives to transform healthcare delivery in an era plagued with a rising prevalence of chronic diseases.
THE HYPOTHALAMIC‐PITUITARY‐ADRENAL AXIS IN INFANTILE MALNUTRITION

We studied the circadian rhythm and the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to ovine corticotrophin releasing hormone (oCRH) stimulation and dexamethasone suppression in 32 children with grade II-III marasmus. Children were studied prior to and after nutritional rehabilitation. Mean baseline plasma cortisol concentrations were elevated at admission and decreased significantly after nutritional rehabilitation. Mean +/- SEM plasma cortisol response to oCRH increased from a basal of 480 +/- 41 to a peak of 582 +/- 58 nmol/l at the time of admission, and from a basal of 234 +/- 27 to a peak of 532 +/- 41 nmol/l after caloric rehabilitation. Dexamethasone suppression in the malnourished group was associated with a decrease in the mean +/- SEM basal plasma cortisol concentration from 397 +/- 44 to 171 +/- 44 nmol/l. After caloric rehabilitation, basal cortisol levels decreased from 259 +/- 27 to 22 +/- 5 nmol/l following dexamethasone. Our results support the concept that malnutrition is associated with decreased responsiveness to oCRH and incomplete dexamethasone suppression, and that these abnormalities are restored after nutritional rehabilitation.
Generalized Equivalent Integer Programs and Canonical Problems

The theory of equivalent integer programs is generalized so that a set of minimal canonical problems always exists within each equivalence class. An example is used to demonstrate how highly computation time depends on the particular canonical problem chosen to be solved by implicit enumeration algorithms.
Editorial Commentary: Rifampicin Plus Colistin in the Era of Extensively Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Infections

employthistherapyremainsunknownand resistance may develop on therapy [4, 5]. Approaching the dilemma from an alternate angle, experimental models of infection reveal that rifampicin monotherapy has activity versus XDR Acb, although high-level resistance develops early during monotherapy, presumably through overexpression of efflux pumps or rpoB gene mutation. The combination of colistin plus rifampicin has been shown to prevent the development of resistant mutants and to be synergistic versus a number of Acb isolates, with available in vitro and in vivo datasuggestingsafetyand efficacy.Whether enhanced bacterial killing translates into improved outcomes for critically ill patients infected with XDR Acb nonsusceptible to carbapenems is the focus of the trial by Durante-Mangoni et al in this issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases [6].
Quantification of Defect Dynamics in Unsteady-State and Steady-State Czochralski Growth of Monocrystalline Silicon

Most common microdefects in Czochralski silicon, voids and dislocation loops, are formed by agglomeration of point defects, vacancies, and self-interstitials, respectively. Dynamics of formation and growth of the microdefects along with the entire crystal pulling process is simulated. The Frenkel reaction, the transport and nucleation of the point defects, and the growth of the microdefects are considered to occur simultaneously. The nucleation is modeled using the classical nucleation theory. The microdefects are approximated as spherical clusters, which grow by a diffusion-limited kinetics. The microdefect distribution at any given location is captured on the basis of the formation and path histories of the clusters. The microdefect type and size distributions in crystals grown under various steady states as well as unsteady states are predicted. The developed one-dimensional model captures the salient features of defect dynamics and reveals significant differences between the steady-state defect dynamics and the unsteady-state defect dynamics. The model predictions agree very well with the experimental observations. Various predictions of the model are presented, and results are discussed. © 2004 The Electrochemical Society. @DOI: 10.1149/1.1785792# All rights reserved.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Tantalum Nitride on Organosilicate and Organic Polymerbased Low Dielectric Constant Materials

A previously developed metal-organic atomic layer deposition (ALD) tantalum nitride (TaNx) process was employed to investigate the growth of TaNx liners on low dielectric constant (low-k) materials for liner applications in advanced Cu/low-k interconnect metallization schemes. ALD of TaNx was performed at a substrate temperature of 250°C by alternately exposing low-k materials to tertbutylimido-tris(diethylamido)tantalum (TBTDET) and ammonia (NH3), separated by argon purge steps. The dependence of TaNx film thickness on the number of ALD cycles performed on both organosilicate and organic polymer-based low-k materials was determined and compared to baseline growth characteristics of ALD TaNx on SiO2. In order to assess the effect of the deposition of TaNx on surface roughness, atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements were carried out prior to and after the deposition of TaNx on the low-k materials. The stability of the interface between TaNx and the low-k materials after thermal annealing at 350°C for 30 minutes was studied by examining interfacial roughness profiles using cross-sectional imaging in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM). The wetting and adhesion properties of Cu/low-k were quantified using a solid-state wetting experimental methodology after integration of ALD TaNx liners with Cu and low-k dielectrics.
On “Translating” History: A Rejoinder to Ramsay MacMullen

The impatience with “rational behavior” that Ramsay MacMullen expresses in his review essay, “The Translation of History,” has apparently led him to misinterpret portions of our book, Origins of Roman Christianity. Moreover, in addition to locating so-called “factual errors” in our work, he recommends the Kahneman-Tversky attempt to inject psychology (and neuroscience) into market behavior as a kind of “new economics” that challenges the “rational-agent model” and thus supposedly has value in religious history and the social sciences as well. He is incorrect as regards both methods and facts.
Parallel and nested decomposition for factoid questions

Typically, automatic Question Answering (QA) approaches use the question in its entirety in the search for potential answers. We argue that decomposing complex factoid questions into separate facts about their answers is beneficial to QA, since an answer candidate with support coming from multiple independent facts is more likely to be the correct one. We broadly categorize decomposable questions as parallel or nested, and we present a novel question decomposition framework for enhancing the ability of single-shot QA systems to answer complex factoid questions. Essential to the framework are components for decomposition recognition, question rewriting, and candidate answer synthesis and re-ranking. We discuss the interplay among these, with particular emphasis on decomposition recognition, a process which, we argue, can be sufficiently informed by lexico-syntactic features alone. We validate our approach to decomposition by implementing the framework on top of IBM Watson™, a state-of-the-art QA system, and showing a statistically significant improvement over its accuracy.
Illustrated Review of the Embryology and Development of the Facial Region, Part 2: Late Development of the Fetal Face and Changes in the Face from the Newborn to Adulthood

The later embryogenesis of the fetal face and the alteration in the facial structure from birth to adulthood have been reviewed. Part 3 of the review will address the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the changes described in parts 1 and 2.
Input- and Output-Based Shared-Memory Crosspoint-Buffered Packet Switches for Multicast Traffic Switching and Replication

The incorporation of broadcast and multimedia- on-demand services are expected to increase multicast traffic in packet networks, and therefore in switches and routers. Combined input-crosspoint buffered (CICB) switches can provide high performance under uniform multicast traffic, however, at the expense of N2 crosspoint buffers. In this paper, we introduce an output-based shared-memory crosspoint-buffered (O-SMCB) packet switch where the crosspoint buffers are shared by two outputs and use no speedup. The proposed switch provides high performance under admissible uniform and nonuniform multicast traffic models while using 50% of the memory used in CICB switches. Furthermore, the O-SMCB switch provides higher throughput than an SMCB switch with buffers shared by inputs, or I-SMCB, previously proposed, despite the strong similarities between the architectures of these two switches. In this paper, we study the performance of the O-SMCB switch under uniform and nonuniform multicast traffic models and compare it to the I-SMCB switch.
Prognostic significance of ST-segment depression during adenosine perfusion imaging.

Abstract To determine the significance of ST-segment depression during adenosine perfusion imaging for predicting future cardiac events, 188 patients with interpretable electrocardiograms were assessed 1 to 3 years (mean 21.5 ± 6.6 months) after adenosine testing. At least 1 mm of ST-segment depression was observed in 32 (17%) patients, with ≥2 mm of ST-segment depression in 10 (5.3%). Thirty-seven cardiac events occurred during the study period: 2 cardiac deaths, 5 nonfatal myocardial infarctions, 6 admissions for unstable angina, and 24 revascularizations. Univariate predictors of events were a history of congestive heart failure, previous non—Q-wave myocardial infarction, previous coronary angioplasty, use of antianginal medication, ST-segment depression during adenosine infusion (particularly ≥2 mm), any reversible perfusion defect, transient left ventricular cavity dilation, and the severity of perfusion defects. Multivariate analysis identified ≥2 mm ST-segment depression as the most significant predictor of cardiac events (relative risk [RR] = 6.5; p = 0.0001). Other independent predictors of events were left ventricular dilation (RR = 3.8; p = 0.002), previous coronary angioplasty (RR = 3.3; p = 0.001), a history of non—Q-wave myocardial infarction (RR = 2.3; p = 0.01), and the presence of any reversible defect (RR = 2.0; p = 0.05). We conclude that ST-segment depression occurs uncommonly during adenosine infusion, but the presence of ≥2 mm of ST-segment depression is an independent predictor of future cardiac events and provides information in addition to that obtained from clinical variables and the results of adenosine perfusion imaging.
Skin temperature in the neuropathic diabetic foot.

Abstract Several authors have reported higher skin temperature in the feet of diabetic subjects with autonomic neuropathy. We reexamined this association in a cross-sectional study of 712 veterans with diabetes mellitus. Potential subjects included all diabetic patients enrolled in a general internal medicine clinic at a veterans affairs healthcare system. Sensory neuropathy was defined as any pedal insensitivity to the 5.07 monofilament. Autonomic neuropathy was determined using standard cardiovascular reflex tests. An infrared surface scanner was used to measure foot skin temperature at multiple sites. Subjects with sensory neuropathy had lower mean plantar foot skin temperature than those without (28.4°C vs. 28.9°C, P =.0101). Autonomic neuropathy as a dichotomous variable was unrelated to foot skin temperature. Foot skin temperature, though, negatively correlated with greater drop in systolic blood pressure with standing, which is an indicator of autonomic neuropathy ( r =−.08, P =.0385). Adjustment for potential confounding factors using multiple linear regression analysis resulted in diminution of the associations between foot skin temperature and sensory neuropathy or orthostatic blood pressure drop, but the latter association remained statistically significant in the right foot. Diabetic veterans with sensory or autonomic neuropathy do not have higher foot skin temperature. Our results suggest that skin temperature may be slightly lower with higher orthostatic blood pressure fall. Other causes exist for the frequently observed differences in skin temperature in the feet of diabetic subjects.
Climate warming causes phenological shift in Pink Salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, behavior at Auke Creek, Alaska

Thirty-four years (1972–2005) of water temperature data and extensive biological observations at Auke Creek, Alaska indicate a general warming trend that affected the native pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) population. Serial environmental records at nearby Auke Bay, Alaska over 46 years show trends of increasing air and sea surface temperatures. Trends of increased total precipitation and earlier date of ice out on nearby Auke Lake also occurred, but not at significant rates. Average water temperatures during the incubation of pink salmon in Auke Creek increased at a rate of 0.03 °C yr−1 over the 34-year period. For the 1972–2005 broods, midpoints of fry migrations from Auke Creek ranged between April 2 and May 7, and there was a trend of earlier migration of pink salmon fry at a rate of − 0.5 days yr−1. The migration timing of adult salmon into Auke Creek also showed a trend toward earlier timing. The earlier adult migration combined with warmer incubation temperatures are related to earlier migration of pink salmon fry. If the observed warming trend continues, Auke Creek may become unsuitable habitat for pink salmon. Given the trend for salmon fry to migrate earlier, a larger portion of the population may become mismatched with optimum environmental conditions during their early marine life history. If salmon adults continue to migrate into the creek earlier when water temperatures are commonly high, it will result in increased prespawning mortality.
SAVI: Static-Analysis Vulnerability Indicator

Open source software presents new opportunities for software acquisition but introduces risks. The selection of open source applications should take into account both features and security risks. Risks include security vulnerabilities, of which published vulnerabilities are only the tip of the iceberg. Having an application's source code lets us look deeper at its security. SAVI (Static-Analysis Vulnerability Indicator) is a metric for assessing risks of using software built by external developers. It combines several types of static-analysis data to rank application vulnerability.
Lysosomal enzymes in the bovine adrenal gland. A comparison of medulla and cortex.

Abstract Acid ribonuclease, acid deoxyribonuclease, cathepsin, acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase activity were measured in 0.3 M sucrose homogenates of bovine adrenal medulla and cortex. Significant amounts of each of these enzymes were associated with the mitochondrial fractions of each tissue. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of the mitochondrial fractions showed that the acid hydrolases were present in particles distinct from mitochondria and, in medulla, distinct from chromaffin granules. Each of the hydrolases exhibited an acid pH optimum. Acid hydrolase activity of homogenates and of density gradient fractions was increased after several freeze-thaw cycles, upon incubation at 50° for 10 min, upon incubation at 37°, pH 9.0, for 15 min, after exposure to 0.1% Triton X-100, and with sonication for 60 sec. It was concluded from these data that in both cortex and medulla the acid hydrolases are associated with a population of subcellular organelles that possess the characteristics of lysosomes.
Viscoelastic properties of branched polyethylene melts

The dynamic mechanical properties of branched polyethylenes in the molten state were determined in the frequency range 10−3–10 radians/sec. The materials tested have remarkably similar rheological properties even though they vary greatly in molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. The similarity in properties is attributed to the influence of long chain branching on the relaxation spectra. A mechanistic argument is proposed to relate the observed behavior to molecular entanglement coupling. The concept of entanglement coupling involving long-chain branching leads to the expectation that the quasi-Newtonian and non-Newtonian viscosities of branched polymers may be either greater or less than those of linear polymers of the same species, which have comparable molecular weights. This is borne out by experiment.
Physiological and molecular basis for ALS inhibitor resistance in Bromus tectorum biotypes

Summary Primisulfuron-resistant (AR and MR) and -susceptible (AS and MS) Bromus tectorum biotypes were collected from a Poa pratensis field at Athena, Oregon, and in research plots at Madras, Oregon. Studies were conducted to characterize the resistance of the B. tectorum biotypes. Whole plant bioassay and acetolactate synthase (ALS) enzyme assay revealed that the AR biotype was highly resistant to the sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides, primisulfuron and sulfosulfuron and to a sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone (SCT) herbicide, propoxycarbazone-sodium. However, the AR biotype was not resistant to imazamox, an imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide. Results of the whole plant bioassay studies showed that the MR biotype was moderately resistant to all ALS inhibitors tested. However, there were no differences in ALS sensitivities between the MR and MS biotypes. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis of the als gene demonstrated a single-point mutation from C to T, conferring the exchange of the amino acid proline to serine at position 197 in the AR biotype. However, this mutation was not found in the MR biotype. Results of this research indicate that: the resistance of the AR biotype to SU and SCT herbicides is based on an altered target site due to a single-point mutation; resistance in the MR biotype is not due to a target site mutation.
Characterization of Isolates of Meloidogyne from Rice-Wheat Production Fields in Nepal

Thirty-three isolates of root-knot nematode were recovered from soil samples from rice-wheat fields in Nepal and maintained on rice cv. BR 11. The isolates were characterized using morphology, host range and DNA sequence analyses in order to ascertain their identity. Results indicated phenotypic similarity (juvenile measurements, perennial pattern, host range and gall shape) of the Nepalese isolates with Meloidogyne graminicola, with minor variations. The rice varieties LA 110 and Labelle were susceptible to all of the Nepalese isolates, but differences in the aggressiveness of the isolates were observed. Phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of partial internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rRNA genes indicated that all Nepalese isolates formed a distinct clade with known isolates of M. graminicola with high bootstrap support. Furthermore, two groups were identified within the M. graminicola clade. No correlation between ITS haplotype and aggressiveness or host range was found among the tested isolates.
G-band frequency-steering antenna array design and measurements

This paper discusses design of a micro-fabricated frequency-steered waveguide slot array and its radiation pattern measurements over a 130GHz to 180GHz frequency range. The array is designed in a reduced-height WR-5 waveguide, and the slot spacing, size and position are optimized using HFSS. The array was fabricated in the PolyStrata™ process by Nuvotronics, LLC. The measured return loss of the 20-element travelling-wave array is below 12dB from 130 to 180GHz. The radiation patterns agree well with simulations are exhibit about 1degree/GHz of scanning. The measurements were performed in a calibrated quasi-optical setup.
Endocrine and paracrine control of sperm production in stallions

The specific nature and relative contribution of the major hormones involved in regulation of reproductive function of the stallion are not well defined nor have paracrine or autocrine factors been identified. Over the last 12 years, our laboratory has been engaged in characterizing the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (HPT) in stallions. A number of endocrine factors and mechanisms important for normal reproductive function have been investigated. Studies investigating poor fertility in stallions suggest that a closer look at the testicular level is warranted. For a complete understanding of intratesticular control mechanisms including cell-to-cell interactions in the stallion, studies on the actions of paracrine/autocrine factors such as growth factors, inhibin, activin, and oxytocin are needed. In other species, paracrine/autocrine systems appear to be important in modulating endocrine control of testicular function and spermatogenesis.
Mentoring and Student Persistence in College: A Study of the Washington State Achievers Program

Using survey data on the third cohort of scholarship recipients in the Washington State Achievers (WSA) program, this study first examined how the assignment of college mentor and student engagement in mentoring vary based on student and institutional characteristics and then examined the relationship between mentor assignment and different mentoring aspects of the WSA program and student persistence in college. The results from this project indicated that Asian American students were more likely to have an assigned college mentor and that Hispanic students were more likely than White students to turn to their college mentors for support and encouragement and had a higher level of perceived importance of their overall experiences with mentors. Among all WSA recipients, having an assigned college mentor was positively related to the probability of persisting in college; among those who had an assigned college mentor, the probability of persisting was positively associated with the extent to which the recipients turn to mentors for support and encouragement and with their perceived importance of experiences with mentors.
RICH GROWTH MEDIUM ENHANCES ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION SENSITIVITY and INHIBITS CELL DIVISION IN ssb MUTANTS OF Escherichia coli K-12

— –DNA single-strand binding protein mutants (ssb) of Escherichia coli K-12 exhibit much greater UV radiation sensitivity when plated on rich medium (RM) than when plated on minimal medium (MM). However, when comparing UV-irradiated ssb-113 cells (previously known as exrB and lexC113) incubated in RM vs MM, no difference was observed in DNA degradation or in the repair of incision breaks that arose during excision repair. Although UV-irradiated ssb-113 cells incubated in RM did resume DNA synthesis slightly sooner than those incubated in MM, and there was a small increase in the production of DNA double-strand breaks in these cells, the most dramatic difference noted, however, was the much enhanced filamentation of irradiated cells incubated in RM vs MM. Therefore, we suggest that most of the RM-enhanced U V radiation sensitivity in ssb-113 cells is due to an inhibitory effect of RM on cell division rather than on DNA repair.
Locality-driven high-level I/O aggregation for processing scientific datasets

Scientific I/O libraries, like PnetCDF, ADIOS, and HDF5, have been commonly used to facilitate the array-based scientific dataset processing. The underlying physical data layout information, however, is usually hidden from the upper layer's logical access. Such mismatching can lead to poor I/O. In this research, we have observed performance degradation in the case of concurrent sub-array accesses, where overlaps among calls that access sub-arrays led to high contention on storage servers due to the logical-physical mismatching. We propose a locality-driven high-level I/O aggregation approach to address these issues in this work. By designing a logical-physical mapping scheme, we try to utilize the scientific dataset's structured formats and the file systems' data distribution to resolve the mismatching issue. Therefore the I/O can be carried out in a locality-driven fashion. The proposed approach is effective and complements the existing I/O strategies, such as the independent I/O and collective I/O strategy. We have also carried out experimental tests and the results confirm the performance improvement compared to existing I/O strategies. The proposed locality-driven highlevel I/O aggregation approach holds a promise for efficiently processing scientific datasets, which is critical for the data intensive or big data computing era.
Experimental and Computational Study of the Quenching of Carbon Steel

An investigation of the quenching of 1080 carbon steel cylinders has been carried out to determine the validity of a quenching process model for carbon steels. The process model included a description of the austenite-pearlite and austenite-martensite transformations in carbon steels, temperature-dependent material properties, and an elastic-plastic stress analysis. The model was simulated using the finite element method (FEM). An experimental study of the quenching of 1080 steel cylinders in water and two types of polymeric quenchants has also been carried out. The temperatures at three points within the cylinder during quenching were measured using thermocouples. The hardness and residual stress distributions along a cross-section of the quenched cylinders were determined using a Rockwell hardness test and an X-ray diffraction technique, respectively. The temperature-time histories, residual stress, and hardness distributions predicted from the FEM simulation of the quenching model were found to be in good agreement with the corresponding measurements. The quenching process simulation described in the study appears to be a promising tool for the design of heat-treatment process parameters for carbon steels.
Ail Binding to Fibronectin Facilitates Yersinia pestis Binding to Host Cells and Yop Delivery

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, evades host immune responses and rapidly causes disease. The Y. pestis adhesin Ail mediates host cell binding and is critical for Yop delivery. To identify the Ail receptor(s), Ail was purified following overexpression in Escherichia coli. Ail bound specifically to fibronectin, an extracellular matrix protein with the potential to act as a bridge between Ail and host cells. Ail expressed by E. coli also mediated binding to purified fibronectin, and Ail-mediated E. coli adhesion to host cells was dependent on fibronectin. Ail expressed by Y. pestis bound purified fibronectin, as did the Y. pestis adhesin plasminogen activator (Pla). However, a KIM5 Δail mutant had decreased binding to host cells, while a KIM5 Δpla mutant had no significant defect in adhesion. Furthermore, treatment with antifibronectin antibodies decreased Ail-mediated adhesion by KIM5 and the KIM5 Δpla mutant, indicating that the Ail-fibronectin interaction was important for cell binding. Finally, antifibronectin antibodies inhibited the KIM5-mediated cytotoxicity of host cells in an Ail-dependent fashion. These data indicate that Ail is a key adhesin that mediates binding to host cells through interaction with fibronectin on the surface of host cells, and this interaction is important for Yop delivery by Y. pestis.
Anticoagulation and Coagulation Management for ECMO

Advances in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management have helped to reduce complications compared with its inception but they remain high. The principal causes of mortality and morbidity are bleeding and thrombosis. The nonbiologic surface of an extracorporeal circuit provokes a massive inflammatory response leading to consumption and activation of procoagulant and anticoagulant components. The vast differences in neonatal and adult anticoagulation and transfusion requirements demands tremendous clinical knowledge to provide the best care. Increased use of thrombelastogram will complement other methods currently being used to improved care. Methods to recognize the level of thrombin formation at the bedside could help reduce neurologic complications. ECMO requires a multidisciplinary team approach to achieve the best outcomes.
Phosphorylation of placental membrane proteins by a calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase.

Summary The 30 000 g precipitate of homogenized rat placenta was incubated with 32 P-adenosine triphosphate (ATP); several endogenous proteins were specifically phosphorylated in the presence of 0.5 mm calcium and phosphatidylserine (105K protein at mid pregnancy, and 78K protein at the latter part of pregnancy). The calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase activity in the 30 000 g precipitate was six times greater than the activity in the supernatant fraction. The total protein kinase C activity in the precipitate was considerably greater at the end of pregnancy than it was at mid pregnancy. Diethylaminoethyl cellulose-purified membrane-bound protein kinase C was slightly inhibited by inhibitors of lipoxygenase, NDGA or ETYA, but not by SHAM or BW 755 C. Haemin and polylysine strongly inhibited this activity.
A bandwidth-optimized reduced-complexity equalized multicarrier transceiver

A bandwidth-optimized and equalized multicarrier transceiver that achieves near-optimum performance at a practical complexity level is described. The equalizer used is a relatively short FIR filter whose taps and delay are set to optimize the performance of the multicarrier transceiver. Simulation results on a set of carrier-serving-area digital subscriber loops are also presented to demonstrate the separate and joint effects of bandwidth optimization and equalization on performance. Finally, the intriguing idea of using a pole-zero equalizer to achieve the high performance of long FIR equalizers at a much lower implementation cost is investigated.
Response of Young-of-the-Year Cutthroat Trout to Manipulation of Habitat Structure in a Small Stream

Abstract In Mack Creek, a third-order stream flowing through a 450-year-old coniferous forest in Oregon's Cascade Mountains, population size of young-of-the-year cutthroat trout Salmo clarki was positively correlated with length of stream edge and area of lateral habitat. Lateral habitats included backwaters and eddies at the margin of the channel that made up 10–15% of total stream area. Lateral habitat area was reduced at higher or lower streamflow, but the length of channel perimeter formed by lateral habitats was never less than twice the length of the reach. In an experimental manipulation of lateral habitat before the emergence of young fish from the redd, an increase in lateral habitat area of 2.4 times the area observed in control reaches resulted in a 2.2-times greater density of age-0 cutthroat trout. Young-of-the-year fish were virtually eliminated from stream sections with reduced area of lateral habitat. Growth was not affected by the greater density of fish in reaches with enhanced lateral h...
Therapeutic Potential and Critical Analysis of the PCSK9 Monoclonal Antibodies Evolocumab and Alirocumab

Objective: To review the mechanism of action for PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies and critically evaluate the therapeutic potential of evolocumab and alirocumab in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Data Sources: Ovid MEDLINE search from 1980 to August 2015 using the terms PCSK9, evolocumab, and alirocumab with forward and backward citation tracking. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English-language trials and studies assessing the mechanism, efficacy, or safety of PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies were included. Data Synthesis: PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies have a potent ability to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by almost 50% in controlled trials: −47.49% (95% CI = −69.6% to −25.4%). They have an acceptable safety profile with no significant elevations in Creatine Kinase (CK) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.54 to 0.96) or serious adverse events (OR = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.18), and preliminary evidence suggests reductions in myocardial infarction (OR = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.26 to 0.93). Although it is ...
Hinduism, Modernity and Knowledge: India

Four thousand years ago on the Indian subcontinent priests (Brahmans) were teaching Hinduism’s most ancient texts, the Vedas, to the sons of privileged families. These Vedas, preserved and memorized in a liturgical language, included a curriculum of sacrifi cial formulas, incantations, and magical spells that assumed a host of deities capable of responding to appropriately framed human petitions. Brahmans specialized in framing those petitions to the deities by performing fi re sacrifi ces accompanied by correctly intoned Vedic recitations. After 1947 India became a sovereign democratic republic committed, according to its constitution, to social, economic and political justice; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; and equality of status and of opportunity. Article 45 of India’s constitution declared that “the State shall endeavour (sic.) to provide, within a period of ten years ... for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years”. The language used by India’s national leaders while drafting their constitution was English – the language of a foreign power that had ruled sections of India since 1757. During the intervening 4,000 years, what happened to the knowledge of those ancient Vedas, to the language in which they were composed, to the training in textual memorization by which that knowledge was transmitted, and to the Brahman priestly reciters, preservers, and expanders of the Vedic curriculum? This article will examine the Hindu knowledge traditions in ancient India, their differences from Buddhist and Jain knowledge traditions, their modifi cations in subsequent centuries, the knowledge traditions of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims who settled in India, the educational policies introduced by the British colonial rulers after 1757, the educational policies adopted by independent-India’s government after 1947, and the emergence of militant Hindu groups with their own views of educational knowledge and how to introduce that knowledge into India’s current school curricula.
The Application of CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing in Caenorhabditis elegans

Genome editing using the Cas9 endonuclease of Streptococcus pyogenes has demonstrated unparalleled efficacy and facility for modifying genomes in a wide variety of organisms. Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the most convenient multicellular organisms for genetic analysis, and the application of this novel genome editing technique to this organism promises to revolutionize analysis of gene function in the future. CRISPR-Cas9 has been successfully used to generate imprecise insertions and deletions via non-homologous end-joining mechanisms and to create precise mutations by homology-directed repair from donor templates. Key variables are the methods used to deliver the Cas9 endonuclease and the efficiency of the single guide RNAs. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated editing appears to be highly specific in C. elegans, with no reported off-target effects. In this review, I briefly summarize recent progress in CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing in C. elegans, highlighting technical improvements in mutagenesis and mutation detection, and discuss potential future applications of this technique.
Absorption and Retention of Radioactive Phosphorus by Chicks

Abstract THE role of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D in the prevention and the healing of rickets in the chick has been reported from many laboratories. In studies made by O’Neil et al., 1948; Driggers et al., 1951; and Sherley et al., 1951, radioactive phosphorus was used in determining the fate of phosphorus in laying hens. Their findings indicated that most of the phosphorus absorbed from the digestive tract is placed in the egg and the skeleton. About 5 percent of the dietary phosphorus actually appears in the egg. Branson, Banks and Dodson (1947) reported that vitamin D accelerated the over-all metabolism of inorganic phosphorus. Reported in this manuscript are data showing the influence of vitamin D2 and D3 and certain water soluble vitamins on phosphorus mobilization in chicks as indicated through the use of radioactive phosphorus (P32). Experiment 1. Day-old White Leghorn cockerels were fed a ration (Ration 1) deficient . . .
The Nature of Fluorine Modified Oxide Surfaces: An NMR Study

Fluorine modified oxide surfaces have received considerable attention both as research materials and as commercial catalysts. Pulsed NMR has been used to directly observe protons and fluorine on fluorine modified silica, alumina, and aluminosilicates. The center of mass of the 19F spectra is consistent with values reported for covalent silicon-fluorine and aluminum-fluorine bonds. The proton and fluorine concentrations have been investigated as a function of sample preparation.
Biology and Damage of the Willow Shoot Sawfly in Willow and Cottonwood

The willow shoot sawfly, Janus abbreviatus (Say), is a shoot-boring pest of willow and poplar. Although present in southern Canada and the eastern half of the United States, it has been little studied, particularly in the southern states. The insect overwinters as a larva in a cocoon within its gallery. While reports from other locations mention only 1 generation, studies at Stoneville, Miss., reveal 3 complete generations/yr. Adults girdle and kill terminals and branches with a series of punctures, and larvae tunnel shoots causing die-back and breakage. Shoot mortality caused by 1st-generation adults averaged 91% in a willow nursery, but the rate of injury dropped to 67 and 30% for 2nd and 3rd generations due to parasitoids, disease, and seasonal decline in shoot susceptibility. Cultural practices in the nursery can help minimize damage.
Selectively Patterned Notch Filter Waveguides for Optofluidic Biosensors

An integrated filter utilizing liftoff-based selective patterning is designed, fabricated, and demonstrated. The waveguide acts as a notch filter in the collection path of an optofluidic device and exhibits ??~1.4nm and ~22dB rejection over 18mm.
Model-Based Systematic Design and Analysis Approach for Unseeded Combined Cooling and Antisolvent Crystallization (CCAC) Systems

A novel model-based systematic analysis and design approach for unseeded combined cooling and antisolvent crystallization (CCAC) processes has been proposed and evaluated for the crystallization of aspirin in ethanol–water mixture. The approach can be easily implemented in practice using automated lab reactors, and gives the optimal times for the start of a linear cooling profile or constant antisolvent addition rate. According to the proposed analysis, based on the sensitivity of the solubility surface, the simplified operating procedures should either belong to cooling first or antisolvent first strategy, depending on whether the initial solution locates at temperature sensitive region or antisolvent concentration sensitive region. The proposed approach can be used to produce operating surfaces based on which the performance of combined cooling and antisolvent crystallization systems can be understood and operating strategies rapidly designed depending on the initial concentration, solvent composition a...
Assessing Predation Risks for Small Fish in a Large River Ecosystem between Contrasting Habitats and Turbidity Conditions

Abstract This study examined predation risk for juvenile native fish between two riverine shoreline habitats, backwater and debris fan, across three discrete turbidity levels (low, intermediate, high) to understand environmental risks associated with habitat use in a section of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, AZ. Inferences are particularly important to juvenile native fish, including the federally endangered humpback chub Gila cypha. This species uses a variety of habitats including backwaters which are often considered important rearing areas. Densities of two likely predators, adult rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and adult humpback chub, were estimated between habitats using binomial mixture models to examine whether higher predator density was associated with patterns of predation risk. Tethering experiments were used to quantify relative predation risk between habitats and turbidity conditions. Under low and intermediate turbidity conditions, debris fan habitat showed higher relative predation...
Effect of transradial coronary procedures on structure and function of radial artery explored by intravascular ultrasound

Objective:To evaluate the effect of transradial coronary procedures including transradial angiography and transradial intervention on structure and function of radial artery using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).Method:The 61 patients who were to receive elective transradial coronary procedures including transradial angiography and transradial intervention were enrolled.Among them,25 patients received the first transradial coronary procedures,and another 36 patients received the repeat transradial coronary procedures.The right radial artery was examined with IVUS before transradial procedures,then 0.8 mg of sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) was administered and repeat image of right radial artery was obtained after 5 minutes.The measurements were done from the points of 10 mm (distal),60 mm (proximal) proximal to the puncture site.The parameters of IVUS measurements including minimum luminal diameter (MLD),intimal-medial thickness (IMT),lumen area (LA),vessel area (VA),intima-media cross-sectional area (IMcsa) were compared between first and repeat transradial procedures group at baseline,and above parameters were compared between before and after NTG was administered.To calculated the nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NMD),and compared the NMD between first and repeat transradial procedures group.Result:In the distal radial artery,the MLD and LA of repeat transradial procedures group were smaller than those of first group (P0.05 and P0.01),whereas the IMT and IMcsa of repeat group were significantly greater than those of first group (P0.01 and P0.01),but there was no difference in the VA of right radial artery between the two groups.In the proximal radial artery,there were no significant differences in the LA,MLD,VA,IMT and IMcsa between the two groups.After NTG was administered,the MLD,LA and VA of distal radial artery in first group were larger than those before NTG was administered (P0.01),in repeat group,they were also larger than those before NTG was administered (P0.05),but the NMD of repeat group was smaller than that of first group (P0.05).Conclusion:Transradial coronary procedures can thicken the intima-media of radial artery,leading to the diminish of lumen diameter,but the vasodilatory properties of radial artery declined.
361 Endoscopic Gastrojejunostomy Using a Lumen-Apposing Metal Stent in a Porcine Gastric Outlet Obstructiion Model

s / Pancreatology 13 (2013) S1–S80 S36 Methods: Under general anesthesia, 11 female Yorkshire pigs underwent gastrojejunostomy with a 4-cm length lumen-apposing metal stent. After gastrostomy formation using a needle knife, the jejunumwas drawn into the stomach with alligator forceps. A jejunotomy was then performed in the gastric cavity, which was followed by deployment of a lumenapposing metal stent under fluoroscopic guidance. Next, the first portion of the duodenum was resected by an endoscopic linear stapler via laparoscopy, thereby creating the GOO model. Oral feeding was resumed 24 h after the procedure, and animals were euthanized at 1, 2, and 4weeks after the operation. Results: Side-to-side gastrojejunostomy was successfully completed endoscopically in 10/11 animals. One case failed due to jejunal perforation during jejunotomy. The mean gastrojejunostomy procedure time was 41 min (range 15–94 min). No pigs died before the planned sacrifice date. At the end of 4 weeks, two pigs showed significant weight gain with a maximum increase of 101% from their initial body weight. Histological examination revealed adequate submucosal apposition without evidence of necrotic changes in all 10 experimental pigs. Conclusions: Creating a gastrojejunostomy endoscopically using a lumen-apposing metal stent seems to be a safe, feasible, durable, and reproducible method.
Cancer Care Among Immigrants to North America

Immigrants to the United States come from all over the world and bring with them disparate life views, beliefs, and cultures. As they face unique challenges adapting to a new country, these belief systems shape every aspect of their new lives including how they seek and respond to medical care. This chapter addresses the cancer-related beliefs and behaviors of immigrants to North America, with an emphasis on what occurs in the United States. Immigrant patients from around the world hold unique views of cancer—what it is, why it happens, and what should be done in response. Here, we display the varied understanding of this complex disease held by people from different countries and cultures. We address their understanding of etiology and their opinions about whether preventive measures should be pursued, what should be done in response to a cancer diagnosis, and about the treatment that should be applied.