cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the ileal microbiota in rejecting and nonrejecting recipients of small bowel transplants

Small bowel transplantation can be a life-preserving procedure for patients with irreversible intestinal failure. Allograft rejection remains a major source of morbidity and mortality and its accurate diagnosis and treatment are critical. In this study, we used pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene tags to compare the composition of the ileal microbiota present during nonrejection, prerejection and active rejection states in small bowel transplant patients. During episodes of rejection, the proportions of phylum Firmicutes (p < 0.001) and the order Lactobacillales (p < 0.01) were significantly decreased, while those of the phylum Proteobacteria, especially the family Enterobacteriaceae, were significantly increased (p < 0.005). Receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed that relative proportions of several bacterial taxa in ileal effluents and especially Firmicutes, could be used to discriminate between nonrejection and active rejection. In conclusion, the findings obtained during this study suggest that small bowel transplant rejection is associated with changes in the microbial populations in ileal effluents and support microbiota profiling as a potential diagnostic biomarker of rejection. Future studies should investigate if the dysbiosis that we observed is a cause or a consequence of the rejection process.
Proving Personal Use: The Admissability of Evidence Negating Intent to Distribute Marijuana

This Note argues that federal district courts should not exclude three increasingly common types of "personal use evidence" under Federal Rules of Evidence 402 and 403 when that evidence is offered to negate intent to distribute marijuana. The three kinds of personal use evidence discussed in this Note are (1) a defendant’s possession of a state-issued medical marijuana card, (2) evidence that a state has legalized possession of marijuana for recreational purposes, and (3) evidence that a defendant suffers from a disease that marijuana arguably treats. Part I examines each of these three categories of personal use evidence and contends that disputes over such evidence are likely to confront district courts with increasing frequency. Part II analyzes objections to the admissibility of personal use evidence on direct examination, focusing primarily on Rules 402 and 403. Part III responds to those objections and argues that the evidence is probative on intent to distribute in federal marijuana-trafficking prosecutions.
Branch and Cut

The performance of branch-and-bound methods for integer programming problems has been dramatically improved by incorporating cutting planes. The resulting technique is known as branch-and-cut. Cutting planes are inequalities that can be used to improve the linear programming relaxation of an integer programming problem. They are added as required, at the root node and also elsewhere in the tree. Problem-specific cutting planes have been developed for many classes of problems. Recently, there has been a great interest in improving and refining general classes of cutting planes, including, for example, Gomory cuts. Branch-and-cut algorithms can exploit parallel computers and multicore architecture in a natural way. Branch-and-cut has also been applied to mixed-integer nonlinear programming problems. Keywords: branch-and-cut; cutting planes; combinatorial optimization; linear programming; integer programming
Personal Integrity and the Conflict between Ordinary and Institutional Values

Values, which give us reasons for acting in certain ways, may be properties of both natural, pre-institutional states of affairs and relations among persons, as well as states of affairs and relations among persons that are constituted and regulated by social and political institutions. We can call these ordinary moral values and institutional values, respectively. The fundamental issue in legal ethics is often represented as a conflict between ordinary moral values and institutional values. However, another conflict which has not been well explored in the legal ethics literature is between agent-neutral institutional values and agent-relative reasons that arise from the lawyer's own ideals and commitments. The value of, for example, the rights of a criminal defendant or the impartial adjudication of disputes does not depend on perspective of the lawyer herself - these things would be genuine objects of ethical concern even if the lawyer was not committed to them. As a result there may be a kind of gap between an agent's own commitments and the values which inform the professional role within which she acts. This gap may lead to a sense of profound moral alienation, caused by the conflict between the impartially justified (or required) actions undertaken in a professional role and the things she values in her ordinary life, such as truth, avoiding humiliating others, and so on. This paper examines a particular kind of agent-relative values - namely, those related to a person's integrity, in the sense of maintaining fidelity over time to one's own commitments and loyalties. Orienting legal ethics, to a greater or lesser extent, around the commitments and loyalties of individual lawyers may seem like a promising strategy to reduce the tension between ordinary and institutional values. In particularly I will look at Daniel Markovits' argument that the standard debate legal ethics has gotten everything backwards, by trying to evaluate the conduct of lawyers in terms of agent-neutral values. Instead of worrying only about impartial value, says Markovits, lawyers should be primarily concerned for their own integrity, and only secondarily oriented toward the agent-neutral reasons that are usually given by way of justification. In response, I argue here that personal integrity should be at best of secondary importance in legal ethics. If, as I believe is the case, legal ethics should be understood as part of a freestanding political morality, then the sorts of ordinary moral concerns that would ordinarily serve as the basis for organizing one's interests and ideals into a coherent life project would be out of place when one is thinking about one's professional life.
A Modeling Approach to Big Data Based Recommendation Engine in Modern Health Care Environment

Over the past several years, data has been growing immensely in all business sectors. While many industries are successful in performing big data analysis to benefit from data sets, health care sector has started to take small steps to move forward. Health care providers and investors are actively investing in data analytical capabilities to successfully benefit from these data sets. This move will help them to have a better understanding of the complexity of changing health care environment. Our goals are to manage and integrate various unstructured health care big data sets in a secure environment, to generate useful knowledge from these unstructured data sets and to translate the knowledge into a working useful practical model. The main focus of this research project work is to build an application system for early identification of diseases. This application system can be a very helpful tool for the health care service providers to improve both overall quality and efficiency in the health care area. The application system is built, using Naive Bayes(NB) classification algorithm running on top of Apache Mahout, to recommend the health conditions of users, readmission rates, treatment optimization, and adverse events. The existing health care approaches are mostly based on standard regression methods, which have limitations. Our focus research work will be on analyzing and using new big data methodologies. We use NB classification algorithm for diagnosing the diseases and providing necessary treatments suggestions. Once the disease is identified, delivering the correct care to the patients should optimize treatment cost. Also average life expectancy of people can be increased if they are treated with the appropriate care from early stages.
Electromagnetic Sensor Arrays—Theoretical Studies

Eddy current probes have been used for decades to detect flaws in metal objects. These probes are unusually sensitive to changes in the proximity distance to the test surface, and special techniques must be used to suppress this proximity signal when searching for flaws. More recently this proximity effect of a test coil has been recognized as useful for robotic sensing, and several sensors of this type are on the market. However, recent scientific advances in the design of eddy current flaw detection probes have not yet been applied to eddy current robotic sensors. A similar situation exists in connection with capacitive sensors, which were initially applied as intruder sensors, and more recently to a small degree, as robotic proximity sensors. A common criticism of these circuit-type sensors is that they do not provide sufficient spatial selectivity to be useful in robotic applications. However, recent studies of flaw detection probes have shown that desirable detection properties can be designed into the probe by using spatial frequency analysis to determine the optimum probe geometry for the task at hand. In this approach the probe is treated as a spatial filter, much like optical signal processing components, but in this case the electromagnetic field is nonradiating (or quasistatic). The purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual base and associated technology for electromagnetic sensor arrays applied to automated manufacturing, maintenance, and NDE. This paper discusses concepts and theory, while the experimental system and measurements are presented in a companion paper [1].
Verteilte Steuerung heterogener Mobiler Roboter

Eine Softwarearchitektur zur Kontrolle heterogener mobiler Roboter wird vorgestellt. Das System besteht aus Verhaltens- und Ressourcenkomponenten, die verteilt auf allen Rechnern des Systems laufen. Komponenten sind unabhangig voneinander und lassen sich einfach zu neuen Missionen zusammenstellen. Besonderes Augenmerk wird auf die Verwaltung und effiziente Nutzung der Ressourcen gelegt.
Covariance Matrix Estimation (Estimated Parameters)

Estimation of covariance matrices of estimated parameters from common estimation procedures are considered. The consistency issue of the covariance matrix estimates is addressed for dependent and nonstationary data. As an application, hypothesis testing for trends in global annual temperature series is performed. Keywords: central limit theorem; estimating equations; global warming; maximum likelihood; method of moments; parameter estimation
CABG or PCI? A cardiothoracic surgeon's perspective. The devil (or truth) is in the details.

The preference for treating multivessel coronary disease with percutaneous interventions is not justified.
Characterization of a rabbit reticulocyte supernatant factor that reverses the translational inhibition of hemin deficiency

Abstract The control of protein synthesis by hemin in rabbit reticulocyte lysate is mediated by the formation of a high molecular weight protein inhibitor (or translational repressor) of polypeptide chain initiation from a precursor (prorepressor), which acts by phosphorylating the M r 35 000 (α) subunit of eIF-2. We originally isolated a post-ribosomal supernatant factor from reticulocyte lysate, distinct from soluble eIF-2, that could completely reverse the inhibition of protein synthesis that occurs when reticulocyte lysate is incubated in the absence of hemin. We have found that this supernatant factor promotes the inactivation of the intermediate form of the translational repressor (generated within 1 h of incubation of the prorepressor in the absence of hemin), but only in the presence of GTP. This inactivation is not seen with the irreversible form of the translational repressor (generated after prolonged incubation of the prorepressor) and does not occur with other nucleoside triphosphates, dGTP or GDP. In addition, the inactivation reaction is not dependent upon Mg2+ and is not mediated by cyclic GMP. When lyate samples were pulsed with [γ-32P]ATP at 15 min of incubation, the addition of the supernatant factor at zero time or after 7 min was associated with preventing or reversing the phosphorylation of eIF-2α. In contrast, another soluble reticulocyte protein termed reversing factor can be separated from the supernatant factor on phosphocellulose, partly overcomes the effect of the irreversible translational repressor, and is associated with increased phosphorylation of eIF-2α.
Evaluating strategic planning systems

A direct methodology for the evaluation of strategic planning systems is illustrated, and contrasted with the indirect evaluation methodologies that have previously been used. The direct methodology involves twelve distinct varieties of assessment of the goals, inputs, outputs, feedback mechanisms, and impacts of the planning system that are made in terms of the system's goals as well as various bodies of external standards.
Major depression, heart rate, and plasma norepinephrine in patients with coronary heart disease.

Abstract Background: Although it is now well established that psychiatric depression is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. Elevated heart rate (HR) and plasma norepinephrine (NE), possibly reflecting altered autonomic nervous system activity, have been documented in medically well depressed psychiatric patients, and this pattern is associated with increased risk for cardiac events in patients with CHD. The purpose of this study was to determine whether autonomic nervous system activity is altered in depressed CHD patients. Methods: HR, plasma NE, and blood pressure (BP) were measured in 50 depressed and 39 medically comparable nondepressed CHD patients at rest and during orthostatic challenge. Results: Resting HR ( p = .005), and the change from resting HR at 2, 5, and 10 min after standing ( p = .02, .004, and .02, respectively), were significantly higher in the depressed than in the nondepressed patients. There were no differences between the groups in NE or in BP at rest, or in standing minus resting change scores at any time during orthostatic challenge ( p > .05). Conclusions: Depression is associated with altered autonomic activity in patients with CHD, as reflected by elevated resting HR and an exaggerated HR response to orthostatic challenge. Previously reported differences in NE levels between depressed and nondepressed patients were not replicated.
Prevalence and significance of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related retinal microvasculopathy.

We performed ophthalmologic examinations on 127 subjects with or at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection over a one-year period to determine the prevalence and significance of retinal cotton-wool spots and hemorrhages (AIDS-related retinal microvasculopathy). Of 26 asymptomatic homosexual men, of whom 13 were HIV seronegative and 13 were HIV seropositive, none manifested this retinopathy. Three of 34 patients (9%) with AIDS-related complex and 29 of 67 patients (43%) with AIDS manifested retinopathy on the initial examination. This difference in the prevalence of retinopathy between groups was statistically significant (P
Benzoquinone Inhibits the Voltage-Dependent Induction of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Caused by Redox-Cycling Naphthoquinones☆☆☆

The mitochondrial permeability pore is subject to regulation by a thiol-dependent voltage sensor (Petronilli, V., Costantini, P., Scorrano, L., Colonna, R., Passamonti, S., and Bernardi, P., J. Biol. Chem. 269, 16638-16642, 1994); thiol oxidation increases the gating potential, which increases the probability of pore opening. Monofunctional sulfhydryl-alkylating agents, by preventing formation of the disulfide, inhibit oxidant-induced changes in the gating potential. According to this paradigm, redox-cycling and arylating quinones should have distinct and opposing effects on the voltage-dependent permeabilization of mitochondrial membranes. Freshly isolated rat liver mitochondria were susceptible to a calcium-dependent permeability transition characterized by osmotic swelling and membrane depolarization, both of which were inhibited by Cyclosporine A. 1,4-Naphthoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (menadione), and 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone elicited an increase in gating potential of the permeability pore that was prevented by Cyclosporine A or N-ethylmaleimide and reversed by dithiothreitol. Benzoquinone, on the other hand, inhibited NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase. Accordingly, in mitochondria energized with glutamate plus malate benzoquinone caused a direct, calcium-independent depolarization of membrane potential and mitochondrial swelling that were not inhibited by Cyclosporine A. In contrast, benzoquinone did not interfere with succinate-supported mitochondrial bioenergetics. In fact, adding benzoquinone to succinate-energized mitochondria prevented induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition by all three redox-cycling naphthoquinones. We attribute this to the electrophilic, sulfhydryl-arylating reactivity of benzoquinone. The results suggest that differences in the mechanisms by which quinones of varying chemical reactivity interfere with mitochondrial bioenergetics can be explained in terms of the distinct manner in which they react with the thiol-dependent voltage sensor of the mitochondrial permeability pore.
Anticoccidial Efficacy of Narasin in Floor Pen Trials

Narasin is effective against all species of chicken coccidia when tested in short-term battery cage experiments. The efficacy of narasin at concentrations of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 ppm was evaluated in ten floor pen trials in which commercial broiler production conditions were simulated. To provide intentional exposure to different levels of coccidia challenge, the litter of some pens was seeded with oocysts of each of the pathogenic species of chicken coccidia, whereas some pens were left nonseeded. Weight gain, feed efficiency, and lesion score data from the ten trials were analyzed as one randomized block experiment. Medication with narasin resulted in a significant reduction in lesion scores and significant improvement in weight gain and feed:gain ratios when compared with scores and gain of nonmedicated controls for both seeded and nonseeded pens. Each increase in narasin concentration up to 100 ppm for the seeded pens and up to 80 ppm for the nonseeded pens resulted in a significant reduction in cecal lesion scores. Although maximum weight gain in the seeded pens was obtained with 40 ppm narasin, concentrations greater than or equal to 60 ppm narasin were significantly better than the 40 ppm concentration in improving feed:gain ratios. These results confirm the effectiveness of narasin in controlling coccidiosis in broilers exposed to oocysts in the litter of floor pens. Furthermore, a clear relationship between the response to narasin and the level of oocyst challenge was demonstrated.
The Rub Between Fact and Fiction: Ideology in Lois Lenski’s Regional Maps

From the early 1940s until the late 1960s, Lois Lenski embarked on an exploration of American regions through children’s books. This body of work, which has become known as Lenski’s Regional Series, began by exploring the regions Lenski herself experienced each year as she traveled from Connecticut to Florida for her health. As Lenski realized the importance and success of these books, demonstrated by a Newberry Medal award for Strawberry Girl in 1946, she broadened her reach to include more geographical areas of the United States including such states as California and South Dakota. Through her books, Lenski emphasizes the importance of community and shared nationhood even across regional lines. This paper examines Lenski’s regional series first from her own purpose in aiming for objectivity and fact that she could communicate to children of other regions, instructing and exposing them to new ways of life. Second, this paper considers the paratextual elements of the Regional series, the forewords and the maps that accompany each book, to reveal the ideology that Lenski unconsciously incorporates into her stories. A product of her time, Lenski may have been influenced by the government’s American Guide Series, created by the Federal Writers’ Project, which demonstrates the same successes and flaws. Lenski’s maps in particular demonstrate the influence of a particular time, the layering of fact and fiction, and the reflection of Lenski’s personal values of certain regional characteristics. Recognition of the ideology incorporated into Lenski’s series remains important as child readers receive not objective fact, but one perspective of their nation.
Pervasive communications in healthcare

The evolution of wireless communication technologies opened the way to the definition of innovative eHealth systems aimed at providing a continuous and remote support to patients and new instruments to improve the workflow of the medical personnel. This paper presents a survey of wireless communication technologies currently applied in eHealth systems, deeply analysing communication standards, protocols and performance results achieved in this field. The analysis of advantages and drawbacks of current technologies introduces also the definition of new research issues and possible solutions for future eHealth systems.
3D IPAC — A new passives and actives concept for ultra-miniaturized electronic and bioelectronic functional modules

This paper describes an innovative 3D IPAC (Integrated Passive and Active Components) concept for ultra-miniaturized and highly-functional sub-systems, going beyond discrete passives and Integrated Passive Devices (IPDs). The 3D IPAC concept consists of an ultra-thin 3D structure made of low loss and ultra-thin glass substrates with small-diameter through-vias, and ultra-thin active devices and thin or thick passive films or thin discrete passives on both sides. The first part of the paper describes the benefits of the 3D IPAC concept. The second part of the paper describes a wireless power telemetry module for a bioelectronic system application, and provides proof-of-concept demonstrations for the thinfilm passive components as a building block in the 3D IPAC telemetry module.
One-trial versus incremental-paired associate learning

Summary Two experiments were conducted to test several implications of incremental and all-or-none theories of learning. In both experiments, Ss were given alternate learning and test trials on lists of word responses paired with consonant-syllable stimuli. The major findings were: (1) items learned late in training (difficult items) showed more shifts from correct on one trial to non-correct on the next than did those learned earlier (easy items); (2) the proportion of items never previously correct which became correct on each trial increased with training; (3) overlearning increased both immediate and delayed retention; (4) the mean number of correct responses gradually increased over a series of five successive recall trials in spite of the fact that no learning trials were given. These findings were interpreted as compelling evidence for an incremental theory of learning, but incompatible with present all-or-none formulations.
A new method of assessing the state of charge of implanted cardiac pacemaker batteries.

S INCE the advent of lmplantable cardiac pacemakers m the treatment of complete atnoventricular block, slgmficant numbers of pacemaker batteries have become exhausted for varlous reasons long before antlclpated Moreover, premature battery failure has usually occurred with little or no warning, thereby endangering the life of the patient Thus, it became obvious to us that a simple way of determmmg, in vlvo, the approximate state of charge of the pacemaker batteries would be valuable This study and the method developed 1s based upon the fact that, as the batteries release their electric charge, mercuric oxide IS converted to free metalhc mercury which can be quantltatlvely assessed readily by roentgen methods
Compound-Nucleus Decay via the Emission of Heavy Nuclei

The typical compound-nucleus decay populates two very distinct mass regions. Evaporation produces nuclei with mgsses of four or less, while fission produces nuclei close to one-half the mass of the compound nucleus. The mass regions populated are so different that the two decay processes have been generally considered to be also quite different, as indicated even by their names. Such a dichotomy is stressed in the formalisms commonly used to calculate the decay widths. Light-particle evaporation is treated by applying the principle of detailed balance to connect the compound nucleus with the residue nucleus plus evaporated particle at infinite separation, whereas the transition-state formalism' applied to the saddle point is used for fission decay.
Picosecond molecular switch based on the influence of photogenerated electric fields on optical charge transfer transitions

Abstract A concept for a picosecond molecular switch is demonstrated using a photoinduced electron transfer reaction in a covalently linked, fixed distance donor–acceptor molecule D–A linked to a perylene-3,4-dicarboximide chromophore, C. The chromophore C possesses a strong charge transfer transition in its optical spectrum. Selective excitation of C within D–A–C using 530 nm, 130 fs laser pulses produces1 * C, which undergoes singlet–singlet energy transfer to produce1 * D, which in turn transfers an electron to A. If the D–A–C system is selectively excited with 416 nm, 130 fs laser pulses to produce D + – A − –C prior to excitation of C with 530 nm, 130 fs laser pulses, a 25% lower yield of1 * C is generated. The intense local electric field produced by D + – A − causes a 15 nm electrochromic red shift of the charge transfer absorption of C. Thus, the absorption of C at 530 nm is significantly diminished by the presence of D + – A − . The need to use two laser pulses with different wavelengths to observe these effects, and the resulting picosecond time response makes it possible to consider applications of this concept in the design of molecular switches.
The mass distribution for spontaneous fission of 252Cf

Abstract The distribution of mass in the spontaneous fission of 252Cf has been investigated by the radiochemical determination of the fission yields for 35 mass chains. Absolute fission yields were measured for four nuclides, 99Mo, 111Ag, 132Te and 140Ba. Ratios of the yields of fission product isomers to total chain yields were determined for 115gCd, 125gSn, 127mTe and 129mTe. A comparison of this work with that of previous investigators has resulted in “recommended” yields for 51 mass chains.
The SLAC wrist : Scapholunate advanced collapse pattern of degenerative arthritis

Four thousand wrist x-ray films were reviewed to establish the pattern of sequential changes in degenerative arthritis of the wrist. After eliminating all other arthritides, we studied 210 cases of degenerative arthritis. The most common pattern (57%) was arthritis between the scaphoid, lunate, and radius; 27% of cases occurred between the scaphoid, trapezium, and trapezoid; a combination of these two patterns occurred in 15%. Twenty operations were performed on 19 patients with the scapholunate advanced collapse pattern. Eighteen of 19 patients had less pain postoperatively and none required pain medication. Flexion-extension and radial-ulnar deviation motions showed considerable improvement after the operation.
283 PULMONARY NEUROENDOCRINE CELLS (PNEC) IN NEONATAL RATS WITH CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA (CDH)

283 PULMONARY NEUROENDOCRINE CELLS (PNEC) IN NEONATAL RATS WITH CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA (CDH)
Interaction of DDT with sodium channels in squid giant axon membranes.

Abstract The effects of DDT on the sodium channel gating mechanism were studied with internally perfused squid giant axons under voltage clamp conditions. In contrast to earlier studies, DDT has pronounced effects on the sodium conductance system of squid axons. Internal application of 1 × 10 −4 M DDT had no effect on the activation time constant (τ m ) or on the peak current, but the falling phase of the sodium current and the tail current upon repolarization were slowed dramatically (τ tail = 3–13 ms). The sodium inactivation process became second order after DDT treatment. The time constant of the fast phase (τ 1 ) was identical to τ h recorded in the control axon, while the time constant of the slow phase (τ 2 ) was more than 10 times greater. The voltage dependence of τ 2 was different from τ h , increasing with depolarization. The steady-state inactivation curve was shifted in the direction of hyperpolarization by 6–8 mV, but even after prolonged depolarizing pulses, the sodium conductance did not inactivate completely. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that a population of sodium channels modified by DDT activates normally but is then retained in a second open state which inactivates slowly.
Soil carbon dioxide fluxes in northern semiarid grasslands

Abstract The high indigenous soil organic carbon content, root biomass, and microbial populations in prairie soils provide a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is important in the carbon budget of grasslands. Soil chambers were used to measure soil CO2 flux from a grazed mixed-grass prairie (GP), nongrazed mixed-grass prairie (NGP), and grazed western wheatgrass (WWG) [Pascopyrum smithii (Rybd) Love] grasslands in the Northern Great Plains, USA. Objectives were to quantify soil CO2 fluxes for each site and to determine the contribution of soil temperature, soil water content, and air temperature to soil CO2 flux. Soil CO2 fluxes were measured on each site about every 21 d at 13:00 h during the 25 April–27 October growing period from 1996 to 2000 for NGP and GP and from 1996 to 1998 for WWG. Dormant period fluxes were measured on the GP from 28 October to 26 April from 1999 to 2001. In addition, five sequential daytime measurements were made on each site for 3 days each year. Fluxes were low in the spring and autumn and peaked concurrent with biomass in late June to mid-July. Maximum fluxes for these dissimilar managed grasslands averaged 5.8 g CO2-C m−2 d−1 for NGP, 6.9 g CO2-C m−2 d−1 for GP, and 6.1 g CO2-C m−2 d−1 for WWG. Soil fluxes measured during the dormant period decreased to near zero during the months of December, January, and February and then increased rapidly in March as soil temperatures increased. Daily soil flux during the growing period averaged 3.5 g CO2-C m−2 d−1 for NGP, 4.3 g CO2-C m−2 d−1 for GP, and 4.0 g CO2-C m−2 d−1 for WWG. Dormant period fluxes for the GP averaged 0.5 g CO2-C m−2 d−1. Regression analysis indicated that soil temperature accounted for 65%, soil water content 5%, and air temperature 3% of flux variability. Growing period soil CO2 flux over years averaged 728 g CO2-C m−2 and dormant period CO2 flux averaged 86 g CO2-C m−2. A predictive relationship describing the response of soil CO2 flux to changes in soil temperature was developed using the minimum, maximum, and optimum soil temperatures for soil CO2 flux. The model provides an estimate of the important dormant period soil flux component in annual ecosystem carbon budgets.
Morphometric evaluation of first sacral ganglia of man

Abstract The volume, number, and frequency distribution of diameters of cytons (cell bodies) of the first sacral ganglion from 20 persons of different ages have been estimated by semiautomatic methods of measurement and programmed calculation and plotting. The volume of the ganglion increases from infancy through childhood and probably attains adult values (mean ± SD, 189.8 ± 40.9 mm 3 ) towards the end of the first decade of life. The number of cytons per ganglion in children (3, 4 and 5 years old) was within the adult range; a 7-month-old infant had the lowest number of cytons per ganglion. The regression line of number of cytons on age did not indicate decreasing number with age, although it may be significant that the two highest numbers were found in the ganglia of persons 3 and 12 years old. The frequency distribution of the diameters of cytons was unimodal in the 7-month-old infant (diameters ranged from 14 to 58 μm); the distribution was more complex in adults, with an initial peak at approximately 35 to 40 μm and a superimposed hump at larger diameter categories (diameters ranged from 15 to 110 μm).
Direct thrombectomy using the Penumbra thromboaspiration catheter for the treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

Objective Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare cause of stroke. A 21 year-old female presented to our institution in a rapidly deteriorating neurological state following failed systemic heparin therapy for treatment of superior sagittal sinus (SSS) thrombosis. Methods The patient underwent emergent mechanical thrombectomy of the thrombosed SSS using the 0.054-inch Penumbra catheter. No adjuvant direct pharmacologic and/or mechanical thrombectomy was performed. Results Successful venous recanalization was achieved using the Penumbra system. The patient improved symptomatically following the intervention, and she made a complete neurological recovery within 30 days. At 6-month follow-up, the patient had returned to work and school and remained neurologically intact. A repeat MRV showed complete sinus recanalization. Conclusion Direct mechanical thrombectomy using the Penumbra system provided rapid sinus recanalization for the treatment of symptomatic cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. This device is a valuable addition to the neurointerventional armamentarium.
Electron-beam Dosimetry using the Radiation-induced Fluorescence of Polyethylene

WE have recently examined various effects of high-speed electron radiation on the properties of polyethylene. Among other effects, we observed that the intensity of fluorescence (excited by mercury-lamp illumination of a polyethylene sample previously electron-beam irradiated) increased linearly with radiation dosage in the range from 0 to 40 Mrads. The fluorescence is persistent, reproducible and easily measured, and thus may be useful for dosimetry applications.
The occurrence of fungi in activated sludge

The population of a biological system in a sewage treatment plant is formed of a fortuitous assemblage of microorganisms, members of which are continually dropped out while additional members are recruited. Many of these organisms are active throughout the year. Fewer yeasts than filamentous fungi are found by the plating technique. The population is about evenly divided between species producing their spores in dry states and in wet states. The fungus population includes species which under certain circumstances are able to use a wide variety of substrates from simple sugars to complex carbohydrates and hydrocarbons.
Aurintricarboxylic Acid Blocks in Vitro and in Vivo Activity of YopH, an Essential Virulent Factor of Yersinia pestis, the Agent of Plague

Yersinia are causative agents in human diseases ranging from gastrointestinal syndromes to Bubonic Plague. There is increasing risk of misuse of infectious agents, such as Yersinia pestis, as weapons of terror as well as instruments of warfare for mass destruction. YopH is an essential virulence factor whose protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity is required for Yersinia pathogenicity. Consequently, there is considerable interest in developing potent and selective YopH inhibitors as novel anti-plague agents. We have screened a library of 720 structurally diverse commercially available carboxylic acids and identified 26 YopH inhibitors with IC50 values below 100 mum. The most potent and specific YopH inhibitor is aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), which exhibits a Ki value of 5 nm for YopH and displays 6-120-fold selectivity in favor of YopH against a panel of mammalian PTPs. To determine whether ATA can block the activity of YopH in a cellular context, we have examined the effect of ATA on T-cell signaling in human Jurkat cells transfected with YopH. We show that YopH severely decreases the T-cell receptor-induced cellular tyrosine phosphorylation, ERK1/2 activity, and interleukin-2 transcriptional activity. We demonstrate that ATA can effectively block the inhibitory activity of YopH and restore normal T-cell function. These results provide a proof-of-concept for the hypothesis that small molecule inhibitors that selectively target YopH may be therapeutically useful. In addition, it is expected that potent and selective YopH inhibitors, such as ATA, should be useful reagents to delineate YopH's cellular targets in plague and other pathogenic conditions caused by Yersinia infection.
Sodium valproate increases pupillary responsiveness to a cholinergic agonist in responders with mania.

Abstract Background: The cholinergic hypothesis of affective disorders predicts that mania is a hypocholinergic state relative to monoaminergic activity. Treatments that increase cholinergic sensitivity are expected to improve manic symptoms. Valproic acid is an effective treatment for mania. Little, however, is known about the cholinergic effects of this agent. Methods: Ten male hypomanic or manic patients were treated with valproic acid (1500–2000 mg) for 2 weeks. Cholinergic sensitivity was assessed before, and after treatment using graded concentrations of pilocarpine eyedrops (0.03–2.0%). Pupil size changes were quantified using an infrared pupillometer and ED 50 values were referenced to maximal dilation with 0.5% tropicamide. Results: Valproate treatment decreased Bech mania ratings and ED 50 values ( p 50 ( r = .76; p Conclusions: These results provide support for the cholinergic-adrenergic hypothesis. Moreover, similar pupillary reactions to valproic acid and lithium treatments suggest that these agents may share a common action on muscarinic receptors.
Ezh2 Lines Up the Chromatin in T Regulatory Cells

Epigenetic modulation is critical for regulating the development and function of T cells. In this issue of Immunity, DuPage et al. (2015) show that the chromatin-modifying enzyme Ezh2 induced by CD28 costimulation is essential for regulatory T (Treg) cell maintenance during activation and differentiation.
Sweating Exercise Stimulation during Circulatory Arrest

We have direct evidence of neurogenic stimulation of human exocrine sweating by muscular exercise. Sweating was markedly increased when warmed venous blood was prevented fromn reaching the heat-loss center in the hypothalamus.
RNApasta: a tool for analysis of RNA structural alignments

The study of RNA sequence structural alignments has become an important part of characterising noncoding RNAs. We developed RNApasta, a Java program with a graphical interface, to perform analysis and editing of RNA alignments. RNApasta can be used to generate statistics for modelling RNAs and to develop homogeneous subsets of alignments that contain variability. RNApasta includes several functions to characterise variation in stem and loop lengths, including phylogenetic analysis of this variation; as an example, we analyse variation in mir-31 pre-microRNA loop length variation, demonstrating that the sequences with longer loops had a single evolutionary origin.
Microsomal activation of benzo[a]pyrene to mutagens by Alligator mississippiensis in vitro: induction by 3-methylcholanthrene

Abstract The metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) to mutagens by liver microsomes of the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, was studied as a function of induction by pretreatment with 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC). 3MC-pretreatment greatly enhanced the microsomal-mediated oxidation of BaP to mutagens in the umu mutagenicity assay. Analysis of the BaP metabolite profile by reversed-phase HPLC showed that this increase in mutagenicity of BaP corresponded to an increase in the formation of BaP-diols, tetrols and diol epoxide as compared with untreated alligators. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the microsomal fractions indicated the presence of additional protein bands within the 50kDa molecular weight region in microsomes of 3MC-pretreated alligators. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of a protein band of about 50 kDa that cross-reacted with a polyclonal antibody to rabbit P450LM4 and a monoclonal antibody to scup P450E. The former recognizes both CYPIA1 and CYPIA2 in liver microsomes from 3MC-treated rats and the latter is believed to be orthologous to these isoforms; thus, our data suggest the 3MC-inducible liver microsomal P450 is the alligator orthologue of one of these isoforms. The results also suggest that 3MC induces P450 in A. mississippiensis with structural and functional similarity to forms present in mammals.
Reliability and expected loss : A unifying principle

We provide a unified, theoretical basis on which measures of data reliability may be derived or evaluated, for both quantitative and qualitative data. This approach evaluates reliability as the “proportional reduction in loss” (PRL) that is attained in a sample by an optimal estimator. The resulting measure is between 0 and 1, linearly related to expected loss, and provides a direct way of contrasting the measured reliability in the sample with the least reliable and most reliable data-generating cases. The PRL measure is a generalization of many of the commonly-used reliability measures. We show how the quantitative measures from generalizability theory can be derived as PRL measures (including Cronbach's alpha and measures proposed by Winer). For categorical data, we develop a new measure for the general case in which each of N judges assigns a subject to one of K categories and show that it is equivalent to a measure proposed by Perreault and Leigh for the case where N is 2.
Determination of okadaic acid content of dinoflagellate cells : A comparison of the HPLC-fluorescent method and two monoclonal antibody ELISA test kits

Total okadaic acid (okadaic acid plus methylokadaic acid) in acclimated clones of the dinoflagellates Prorocentrum hoffmannianum and P. lima was determined using the HPLC-fluorescent method, UBE ELISA test kit, and Rougier ELISA test kit. The nonokadaic acid-producing species. Amphidinium klebsii, Prorocentrum mexicanum, P. micans, P. cassubicum, and Gambierdiscus toxicus were examined using the same methods of analysis. All three methods yielded consistent results for P. hoffmannianum which produces only okadaic acid. However, results of the three methods were not consistent for P. lima which produces both okadaic acid and methylokadaic acid. The UBE ELISA demonstrated little or no cross-reactivity with methylokadaic acid; whereas, the Rougier ELISA demonstrated varying degrees of cross-reactivity with that analog. Analyses of nonokadaic acid producing-species yielded negative results, with one exception. The Rougier ELISA demonstrated reactivity with extracts of G. toxicus. Since outbreaks of DSP may be caused by okadaic acid, methylokadaic acid, or a combination of these toxins, both ELISA kits may underestimate total toxin present in toxic shellfish.
Platelet cytochrome P-450: A possible role in arachidonate-induced aggregation

Abstract Platelet microsomes were shown to contain cytochromes P-450 and b 5 and their respective reductases, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-cytochrome b 5 reductase. Metyrapone and carbon monoxide (CO), two inhibitors of cytochrome P-450, inhibited both the arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation and the formation of aggregating factors from arachidonic acid by isolated microsomes. In addition metyrapone produced a type II spectral change with platelet microsomal cytochrome P-450. The data suggest that cytochrome P-450 may play a role in the complex enzyme systems which convert arachidonic acid to the platelet aggregating factors, cyclic endoperoxides and thromboxane A 2 .
Plasmid-Determined Resistance to Hexachlorophene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Plasmid-containing strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were screened for resistance to disinfectants. Two plasmids, pMG1 and pMG2, were found to determine hexachlorophene resistance.
Bites and Stings of Hymenoptera, Caterpillar and Beetle

AbstractInsects compose a very large group of creatures that bite or sting but only a few are truly venomous in the sense that they inject a venom into human victims. Anaphylaxis from a Hymenoptera sting is the most serious reaction from this group and is estimated to account for approximately half of the annual fatalities from venomous bites and stings in the United States. Epinephrine, Benadryl®, steroids, hyposensitization, local tissue management and symptomatic and supportive care are discussed.
Gravitational deflection of light at 1{ 2 / 1 } PPN order

We compute in parametrized form the effect of source-velocity terms in the gravitational deflection of light. Internal rotation corresponds to sources of order ∈3 where\( \in ^2 \sim GM_ \odot /R_ \odot c^2 \sim (v/c)^2 \). We find for rigidly rotating models of the Sunand of Jupiter that, in each case, this effect is of order 10−6 arc sec. A very high accuracy that may be achievable by future space-bourne instruments is thus necessary for its detection.
Extreme spatial variations in crime density in Baltimore County, MD

A salient characteristic of the geography of crime in the US is the presence of extremely sharp geographic variations. These variations may be significant indicators of local environmental inequalities and may have implications for fear of crime and crime contagion, and may also be indicators of potential or actual neighborhood instability. Such micro-level variations are not generally apparent on small scale maps of urban crime. Previously, micro-level analysis of this gradient phenomenon has been inhibited by the confluence of large volumes of data over large areas, a plethora of possible boundaries that might be used for the purpose of data aggregation, and practical difficulties in the identification of gradients in the context of small units of analysis. The present study attempts to identify steep crime gradients and to characterize the physical and social circumstances under which they occur. Analysis was based on 97,880 geocodable incidents reported in 2000 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Crime densities were calculated for 5324 census blocks that experienced at least one crime incident. A steep gradient for the purpose of this research was the juxtaposition of blocks in the highest and lowest quintiles in terms of crime density. Using residential and commercial land uses as a filter, some 259 blocks satisfied the gradient criterion. Further analysis linked these blocks to their parent block groups for the purpose of identifying their social attributes. In addition, six clusters of blocks were investigated in the field. A typology of adjacencies identified six categories.
Recent Expansion of the Telomeric Complex in Rodents: Two Distinct POT1 Proteins Protect Mouse Telomeres

Human telomeres are protected by shelterin, a complex that includes the POT1 single-stranded DNA binding protein. We found that mouse telomeres contain two POT1 paralogs, POT1a and POT1b, and we used conditional deletion to determine their function. Double-knockout cells showed that POT1a/b are required to prevent a DNA damage signal at chromosome ends, endoreduplication, and senescence. In contrast, POT1a/b were largely dispensable for repression of telomere fusions. Single knockouts and complementation experiments revealed that POT1a and POT1b have distinct functions. POT1a, but not POT1b, was required to repress a DNA damage signal at telomeres. Conversely, POT1b, but not POT1a, had the ability to regulate the amount of single-stranded DNA at the telomere terminus. We conclude that mouse telomeres require two distinct POT1 proteins whereas human telomeres have one. Such divergence is unprecedented in mammalian chromosome biology and has implications for modeling human telomere biology in mice.
Life, the Universe and anything goes

Our Place in the Cosmos. By Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Dent: 1993. Pp. 190. £16.99.