cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The CD40-ATP-P2X 7 Receptor Pathway: Cell to Cell Cross-Talk to Promote Inflammation and Programmed Cell Death of Endothelial Cells.

Extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) functions not only as a neurotransmitter but is also released by non-excitable cells and mediates cell-cell communication involving glia. In pathological conditions, extracellular ATP released by astrocytes may act as a "danger" signal that activates microglia and promotes neuroinflammation. This review summarizes in vitro and in vivo studies that identified CD40 as a novel trigger of ATP release and purinergic-induced inflammation. The use of transgenic mice with expression of CD40 restricted to retinal Muller glia and a model of diabetic retinopathy (a disease where the CD40 pathway is activated) established that CD40 induces release of ATP in Muller glia and triggers in microglia/macrophages purinergic receptor-dependent inflammatory responses that drive the development of retinopathy. The CD40-ATP-P2X7 pathway not only amplifies inflammation but also induces death of retinal endothelial cells, an event key to the development of capillary degeneration and retinal ischemia. Taken together, CD40 expressed in non-hematopoietic cells is sufficient to mediate inflammation and tissue pathology as well as cause death of retinal endothelial cells. This process likely contributes to development of degenerate capillaries, a hallmark of diabetic and ischemic retinopathies. Blockade of signaling pathways downstream of CD40 operative in non-hematopoietic cells may offer a novel means of treating diabetic and ischemic retinopathies.
A survey of United States consumer awareness, purchasing, and handling of mechanically tenderized beef products

Abstract Mechanically tenderized beef (MTB) products are non-intact beef products that have been tenderized using blades, needles, or other mechanical processes to improve consumer palatability. MTBs have been associated with outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. MTB labeling was mandated in May 2016; however, consumer awareness of product and label is unclear. A national survey quantified consumer understanding and attitudes surrounding MTBs and its preparation. Many (64%) respondents were unaware that beef is mechanically tenderized; MTB label awareness was also low. Thirty-eight percent of respondents familiar with MTBs held positive attitudes towards MTBs due to price and convenience. Negative attitudes (24%) towards MTBs stemmed from concerns with the process, its “natural”-ness, and safety. Respondents regularly preparing MTBs reported using inside and/or outside color of the beef product (63%), texture (43%), juice/blood appearance (47%), smell (22%), and/or time (51%) to indicate doneness. While 20% of respondents used a thermometer, 62% reported “always” or “most of the time” preparing MTBs to 160℉. Contradictions may result from social desirability bias and optimism bias to portray selves in a positive light while believing personal preparation methods achieve safe results. Timely and targeted messaging with clear and standardized definitions, developed with consumers, are needed to bring awareness of MTBs and other food safety information to all populations.
Health literacy and PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 completion in urogynecology patients.

Our objectives were to describe the health literacy (HL) of urogynecology patients, characterize women with and without adequate HL, and compare errors made on the PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7. English-speaking women presenting to an academic urogynecology clinic in June–July 2018 were invited to complete questionnaires including the Newest Vital Sign™ (NVS), the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory—Short Form 20 (PFDI-20), and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-Short Form 7 (PFIQ-7). An NVS score > 4 indicated adequate HL. Descriptive analyses compared women with and without adequate HL and the rates and types of errors made on the PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7. The mean age of participants (N = 115) was 65 + 15 years; 87% were white/Caucasian; 62% were college-educated. NVS scores indicated likely adequate HL in 61%. Participants at risk for limited HL (39%) were older, less educated, more likely to live alone, and more likely to require assistance to manage their healthcare (all p < 0.05). Those requesting help to complete the questionnaires (29%) had lower HL. Errors occurred more often on the PFDI-20 (44%) than PFIQ-7 (5%) regardless of HL status. Those who received help were less likely to make errors on the PFDI-20 (p < 0.05). Overall 39% of patients were at risk for limited HL. Older age, living alone, less education, and requiring assistance to manage healthcare increased risk of limited HL. Errors were more common on the PFDI-20 than PFIQ-7 regardless of HL status and occurred even when participants received help completing the questionnaires, though less frequently.
Lattice Size and Generalized Basis Reduction in Dimension Three

The lattice size of a lattice polytope P was defined and studied by Schicho, and Castryck and Cools. They provided an “onion skins” algorithm for computing the lattice size of a lattice polygon P in $$\mathbb R^2$$ based on passing successively to the convex hull of the interior lattice points of P. We explain the connection of the lattice size to the successive minima of $$K=(P+(-P))^*$$ and to the lattice reduction with respect to the general norm that corresponds to K. It follows that the generalized Gauss algorithm of Kaib and Schnorr (which is faster than the “onion skins” algorithm) computes the lattice size of any convex body in $$\mathbb R^2$$ . We extend the work of Kaib and Schnorr to dimension three, providing a fast algorithm for lattice reduction with respect to the general norm defined by a convex origin-symmetric body $$K\subset \mathbb R^3$$ . We also explain how to recover the successive minima of K and the lattice size of P from the obtained reduced basis and therefore provide a fast algorithm for computing the lattice size of any convex body $$P\subset \mathbb R^3$$ .
Novel Supplemental Heat Source Evaluation for Swine Farrowing Stalls

The objectives of this study were to compare the production impact and energy usage between of a novel supplemental heat source (NSHS) and a conventional heat lamp (HL) in swine farrowing stalls. The NSHS evaluated has a parabolic shaped cover (provides heat to two creep areas) with clear curtains and an infrared heat source with proportional heat output control. Six farrowing turns in two farrowing rooms (24 farrowing stalls per room) were utilized in this study. The six NSHS (12 stall coverage) were randomly assigned to a farrowing stall for the duration of the study and HL assigned to the other 12 stalls. Piglets were weighed at 3 days and at 18 days of lactation using a litter scale and pre-weaning mortality was tracked using farm records. Energy usage was monitored using current sensors on each NSHS and HL energy was verified using a power meter. Data were collected on 113 NSHS and 101 HL litters and analyzed using a Mixed model in JMP 14. There was no statistical difference between the two treatments on ADG P>0.10, there was a tendency for significance for pre-wean mortality P=0.08; NSHS 9.67% (SE=0.82) and HL 12.04% (SE 0.87); and a significant difference was noted in the laid-on mortalities P< 0.05; NSHS 4.05% and HL 6.04%. There was a significant difference, P< 0.01, in the energy usage (NSHS 3.25 kWh d-1, HL6 kWh d-1). Overall the NSHS had a tendency to reduce pre-wean mortality with a significant reduction in laid-on mortalities and reduce energy usage, though no impact was noted on ADG of the piglets.
Association of Dietary, Circulating, and Supplement Fatty Acids With Coronary Risk

TO THE EDITOR: We appreciate that Chowdhury and colleagues (1) have corrected some of the gross errors in their original paper. Of note, the inverse association of intake of long-chain -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is now significant. We also appreciate the sensitivity analysis showing that with exclusion of the outlying SDHS (Sydney Diet Heart Study), the included randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) show benefit of replacing saturated fatty acids (SFAs) with PUFAs. The extreme diet used in that study was never recommended or consumed in the United States. It included a trans fat‐based margarine and probably very little -3 PUFAs, because sunflower oil was used to replace other fats as much as possible. However, other serious problems with Chowdhury and colleagues’ analysis remain. They report that the nonsignificant findings for biomarkers of long-chain -3 fatty acid intake are based on total long-chain -3 PUFAs in only 4 studies. However, in the Supplement Tables, long-chain -3 PUFAs were actually examined in 13 studies, and findings for the specific long-chain PUFAs (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) were robustly and significantly inverse. Thus, the results for both intake and biomarkers for long-chain -3 fatty acids support benefit. Although the findings for RCTs vary, these results would be expected because many of the populations studied had relatively high intake of -3 fatty acids and most individuals would likely experience little benefit. The analysis for -6 PUFAs still includes only 8 studies and omits others included in Jakobsen and coauthors’ (2) pooled analysis of original data and other published papers. The data on intake of -6 PUFAs from the Kuopio Heart Study (3), the study with the most positive association, are erroneous because the denominator is almost double the number of healthy participants. Contrary to what Chowdhury and colleagues state, they apparently included persons with prevalent CVD at baseline instead of limiting the analysis to healthy persons. The original study reported a relative risk (RR) of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.20 to 0.70) for fatal CVD among those with higher intake of PUFAs. Chowdhury and colleagues still do not acknowledge the earlier pooled analysis of primary data based on a larger number of studies, which allowed direct comparisons among different types of fats. In that analysis, substitution of SFAs with PUFAs was associated with lower risks for coronary heart disease (CHD) (2). The large body of data showing that replacing SFAs with monosaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) or PUFAs reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is still not recognized. Although Chowdhury and colleagues say that their conclusions did not change, a more inclusive and correct review of available evidence would support the replacement of SFAs with PUFAs.
Extrapyramidal epilepsy

Non-epileptic paroxysmal movement disorders are rare extrapyramidal diseases. The clinical signs are often excluded from differential diagnosis due to their paucity on clinical examination and low prevalence. The paroxysmal, stereotypical nature of non-epileptic paroxysmal movement disorders, as well as the potential response to benzodiazepines, renders these disorders susceptible to misdiagnosis as epileptic seizures. We report a case of paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia which was misdiagnosed and treated as epilepsy for decades. The major pathophysiological, diagnostic and therapeutic hallmarks of the disease are summarised. Familiarity and inclusion of the disease in the list of conditions that mimic epilepsy, as well as prolonged video-EEG recordings, may prevent diagnostic delays and unnecessary or belated treatments.
First-principles magnetic treatment of the uranium nitride (100) surface and effect on corrosion initiation

The magnetic properties of uranium nitride (UN) surfaces are not well understood experimentally or computationally but they have a significant effect on UN performance as a nuclear fuel. We investigated ferromagnetic (FM), antiferromagnetic (AFM), nonmagnetic (NM), and three hybrid magnetic structures of the most stable UN surface (100). To account for electron correlation and metastability, a U-ramp was performed to an effective Hubbard U-term of 2.0 eV. FM was found to be the most energetically favorable magnetic structure. Type 1 AFM slab was optimized to a new magnetic structure consisting of (100) planes with either all spin-up electrons, all spin-down electrons, or half spin-up and half spin-down electrons on uranium atoms. After OH adsorption to simulate corrosion initiation, the AFM, FM, and NM structures yield relatively similar bond lengths but varying bond angles, adsorption energies, and electronic profiles. Partial charge density maps show varying degradation mechanisms across magnetic structures. Electron localization function reveals more charge localized to AFM uranium atoms with spin-down electrons than uranium atoms with spin-up electrons. This leads to different properties depending on if an adsorbate interacts with a spin-up or spin-down terminated AFM surface. This work supports the physical accuracy of future computational studies toward corroborating with experiments and addressing UN fuel corrosion.
Authors Meet Critics, Katherine Tate - What's Going On? Political Incorporation and the Transformation of Black Public Opinion

Presenter: Katherine A. Tate, Professor, University of California, Irvine This panel will feature Professor Katherine Tate presenting the key research ideas and findings from her book on African American public opinion entitled, What's going on? The following panelists will provide prepared comments on the book after Professor Tate's presentation: Andra Gillespie (Critic) Ismail White (Critic) D’Andra Orey (Critic)
Computational method for nonlinear stochastic optimal control

Nonlinear stochastic optimal control problems are treated such that they are nonlinear in the state dynamics, but are linear in the control. The cost functional is a general function of the state, but the costs are quadratic in the control. The system is subject to random fluctuations due to discontinuous Poisson noise that depends on both the state and control, as well as due to discontinuous Gaussian noise. This general framework provides a comprehensive model for numerous applications that are subject to random environments. A stochastic dynamic programming approach is used and the theory for an iterative algorithm is formulated utilizing a least squares equivalent of a genuine LQG Poisson (LQGP) problem to approximate the nonlinear state space dependence of the LQGP problem in control only in order to accelerate the convergence of the nonlinear control problem. A Poisson jump process that is linear in the control vector, within the context of a nonlinear control problem, is treated in detail.
Teaching International Cross-Cultural Diversity to Hospitality & Tourism Students

(1991). Teaching International Cross-Cultural Diversity to Hospitality & Tourism Students. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 40-45.
CdZnTe Background Measurement at Balloon Altitudes

We report results of an experiment conducted in May 1997 to measure CdZnTe background and background reduction schemes in space flight conditions similar to those of proposed hard X-ray astrophysics missions. A 1 cm^2 CdZnTe detector was placed adjacent to a thick BGO anticoincidence shield and flown piggybacked onto the EXITE2 scientific balloon payload. The planar shield was designed to veto background countsproduced by local gamma-ray production in passive material and neutron interactions in the detector. The CdZnTe and BGO were partially surrounded by a Pb-Sn-Cu shield to approximate the grammage of an X-ray collimator, although the field of view was still ~2 pi sr. At an altitude of 127000 feet we find a reduction in background by a factor of 6 at 100 keV. The non-vetoed background is 9 X 10^{-4} cts /cm^2-sec-keV at 100 keV, about a factor of 2 higher than that of the collimated (4.5 deg FWHM) EXITE2 phoswich detector. We compare our recorded spectrum with that expected from simulations using GEANT and find agreement within a factor of 2 between 30 and 300 keV. We also compare our results with those of previous experiments using passive lead and active NaI shields, and discuss possible active shielding schemes in future astronomy missions employing large arrays of CdZnTe detectors.
Kidney Allograft Survival After Acute Rejection, the Value of Follow‐Up Biopsies

Kidney allografts are frequently lost due to alloimmunity. Still, the impact of early acute rejection (AR) on long-term graft survival is debated. We examined this relationship focusing on graft histology post-AR and assessing specific causes of graft loss. Included are 797 recipients without anti-donor antibodies (DSA) at transplant who had 1 year protocol biopsies. 15.2% of recipients had AR diagnosed by protocol or clinical biopsies. Compared to no-AR, all histologic types of AR led to abnormal histology in 1 and 2 years protocol biopsies, including more fibrosis + inflammation (6.3% vs. 21.9%), moderate/severe fibrosis (7.7% vs. 13.5%) and transplant glomerulopathy (1.4% vs. 8.3%, all p < 0.0001). AR were associated with reduced graft survival (HR = 3.07 (1.92-4.94), p < 0.0001). However, only those AR episodes followed by abnormal histology led to reduced graft survival. Early AR related to more late alloimmune-mediated graft losses, particularly transplant glomerulopathy (31% of losses). Related to this outcome, recipients with AR were more likely to have new DSA class II 1 year posttransplant (no-AR, 11.1%; AR, 21.2%, p = 0.039). In DSA negative recipients, early AR often leads to persistent graft inflammation and increases the risk of new DSA II production. Both of these post-AR events are associated with increased risk of graft loss.
A 2010 Update: What Every Entertainment Lawyer Needs to Know - How to Avoid Being the Target of a Legal Malpractice Claim or Disciplinary Action

There is significant risk today that lawyers will become the target of a disciplinary or legal malpractice action, especially given the complexity of the law and advances in technology that reduce the amount of time that lawyers have to reflect about client matters. This risk is heightened by the increased competition in the bar to deliver legal services in a cost-effective manner, the sophistication of clients who expect competent, efficient and reasonably priced services, and the litigious nature of consumers. The risk is further exacerbated by the ever-changing methods and rules for electronic communication and the storage of information. The magnitude of the risk is underscored by the prediction that law school graduates “will be the subject of three or more claims of legal malpractice before finishing a career.” This article examines some good practice standards that minimize the risk that a lawyer will become the target of a legal malpractice or disciplinary action. These standards should also reduce the risk of a lawyer becoming the object of a disqualification or Rule 11 motion. This article discusses these standards in the entertainment law context but they also apply to a variety of practice areas.
Constraints on mechanisms for the growth of gully alcoves in Gasa crater, Mars, from two-dimensional stability assessments of rock slopes

Abstract The value of slope stability analyses for gaining insight into the geologic conditions that would facilitate the growth of gully alcoves on Mars is demonstrated in Gasa crater. Two-dimensional limit equilibrium methods are used in conjunction with high-resolution topography derived from stereo High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) imagery. These analyses reveal three conditions that may produce observed alcove morphologies through slope failure: (1) a ca. >10 m thick surface layer that is either saturated with H 2 O ground ice or contains no groundwater/ice at all, above a zone of melting H 2 O ice or groundwater and under dynamic loading (i.e., seismicity), (2) a 1–10 m thick surface layer that is saturated with either melting H 2 O ice or groundwater and under dynamic loading, or (3) a >100 m thick surface layer that is saturated with either melting H 2 O ice or groundwater and under static loading. This finding of three plausible scenarios for slope failure demonstrates how the triggering mechanisms and characteristics of future alcove growth would be affected by prevailing environmental conditions. HiRISE images also reveal normal faults and other fractures tangential to the crowns of some gully alcoves that are interpreted to be the result of slope instability, which may facilitate future slope movement. Stability analyses show that the most failure-prone slopes in this area are found in alcoves that are adjacent to crown fractures. Accordingly, crown fractures appear to be a useful indicator of those alcoves that should be monitored for future landslide activity.
On the brain-state-in-a-convex-domain neural models

Abstract We propose and investigate new types of neural network models. They can be viewed as discrete linear systems operating on closed and bounded, that is, compact, convex domains. We first analyze the dynamic behavior of a neural network model on an arbitrary convex domain. Then, we analyze two specific cases: when the convex domain is a ball, and the case when the convex domain is a simplex. The equilibrium points of the proposed neural models are located and their stability is investigated. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd
The future of biologies in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract The development of highly effective biological therapies directed against T cells in several animal models of autoimmune disease has prompted trials of similar approaches in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, it is unlikely that these approaches will abrogate long-standing disease. Indeed, considerable evidence indicates that although T cells likely play a critical role in induction of RA, non-T-cell-dependent pathways become increasingly dominant as the disease progresses. According to this model, specific T-cell therapies are likely to be most effective in early disease, whereas individualized combinations of biologies targeted against pathways dominating in the recipient's synovium are more likely to be efficacious in established disease.
Decreased suburethral prostatic microvessel density in finasteride treated prostates: a possible mechanism for reduced bleeding in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Purpose: We evaluated the influence of finasteride on prostatic microvessel density to elucidate a mechanism of decreased bleeding in finasteride treated patients with hematuria secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and Methods: A total of 22 patients with clinical BPH and gross hematuria who underwent prostate reductive surgery between 1998 and 2000 were prospectively evaluated. The prostate from 10 finasteride treated and 12 untreated patients was immunohistochemically stained for CD-34. Microvessel density analysis was performed by quantifying positive stained blood vessels located within the stroma of hyperplastic nodules as well as in the suburethral portion of the prostate.Results: Mean microvessel density plus or minus standard deviation in finasteride treated patients was significantly lower in the suburethral portion of the prostate versus untreated controls (14.0 ± 2.8 versus 20.2 ± 5.3 vessels per high power field, p <0.05). In the nodular hyperplasia there was no statistica...
TRK-immunoreactivity in the monkey central nervous system: Forebrain

Neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF) mediate their effects through interactions with high-affinity tropomycin-related kinase (trk) receptors. The present study employed a polyclonal antibody to characterize the distribution of trk-immunoreactive neurons within the nonhuman primate brain. Both young adult and aged cebus and rhesus monkeys displayed trk-immunoreactive neurons within all subdivisions of the basal forebrain. Colocalization studies revealed that between 66% and 76% of trk-immunoreactive basal forebrain neurons also expressed immunoreactivity for the low-affinity p75 NGF receptor, an excellent marker for cholinergic basal forebrain cells. In this experiment, most single-labeled basal forebrain neurons contained only trk immunoreactivity, whereas 4% of basal forebrain neurons expressed only the low-affinity p75 NGF receptor. Scattered trk-immunoreactive neurons also were observed within the caudate nucleus and putamen. Although dual-localization studies with choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were not performed, striatal neurons codistributed with ChAT-immunoreactive cells, and both types of cells were similar in size and morphology. This suggests that trk immunoreactivity is expressed within cholinergic interneurons within the primate striatum. Finally, lightly stained trk-immunoreactive neurons were observed within the stratum oriens of the hippocampal formation and within the hypothalamus. These data indicate that both cholinergic and, possibly, noncholinergic forebrain neurons express the protein for the high-affinity trk receptor, which transduces the signal mediating the trophic effects of neurotrophins. In addition, the pattern of trk immunoreactivity was preserved in two aged (26 and 29 years old) rhesus monkeys, suggesting that the expression of trk, for the most part, is sustained throughout the lifetime of the organism. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Obturator hernia is an unsuspected diagnosis

background We present 6 patients with obturator hernia, from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Natalspruit Hospital, South Africa, bringing the total in the English literature to 676. This study was undertaken to examine the pitfalls in diagnosis and methods of treatment of this highly fatal condition. patients All patients were women, with an average age of 79 years. All were emaciated and in poor general condition, with dementia (4 patients), airway disease (3), cardiac disease (3), and disseminated carcinoma (1). For 5 of the 6 patients, the diagnosis was made at laparotomy. One patient died postoperatively. results The diagnosis was made from a lump in the upper thigh, felt vaginally or rectally, and a positive Howship-Romberg and/or a HanningtonKiff sign. Radiographs, contrast studies, computed tomography scans, and herniography are helpful in making a diagnosis. In an emergency situation, lower midline laparotomy is preferred. Electively, other procedures and laparoscopic repair may be performed. conclusion Mortality (10% to 50%) is common due to the poor condition of the patients and the delay in diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis may lower the high morbidity and mortality associated with this condition.
Hepatic abscess due to occult biliary stones

The advent of radiologic percutaneous drainage of abdominal abscesses has revealed that a significant percentage involve a fistulous communication to other organs or structures. We present two cases in which abscessograms revealed unsuspected fistulous communication to an incompletely or intermittently obstructed biliary tree with retained stones.
Synthesis of magnetic nanocomposites and alloys from platinum–iron oxide core–shell nanoparticles

This paper presents a systematic study on the generation of iron platinum-containing magnetic nanocomposites and alloys from Pt@Fe2O3 core–shell nanoparticle precursors. These core–shell nanoparticles were made using a sequential synthetic approach. They could form FePt alloys and alloy-containing nanocomposites through a solid-state reaction at >400 °C. The chemical compositions of FePt alloys were controllable by using Pt@Fe2O3 core–shell nanoparticles that had the designed Pt core diameter and iron oxide shell thickness. We show that face-centred tetragonal (fct) FePt@Fe core–shell nanoparticles could be made from Pt@Fe2O3 core–shell nanoparticles with 5% hydrogen in argon (v/v). Furthermore, various FePt alloys and alloy-containing nanocomposites including metastable intermediate phases could be obtained. The materials were characterized by high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. These materials could have potential applications as permanent hard magnets and data storage media.
Direct evidence of hydrogen spillover from Ni to Cu on Ni–Cu bimetallic catalysts

Abstract The spillover of hydrogen from Ni to Cu was directly observed on bimetallic Ni–Cu thin films and nanoparticles by hydrogen temperature programmed desorption (TPD) via depositing Cu atoms onto Ni surfaces precovered with atomic hydrogen. The spillover of hydrogen between metals could result in over counting of active sites by hydrogen selective adsorption methods, and also provides a new concept for catalyst design.
On the order of growth of ring Q-homeomorphisms at infinity

where M is the conformal modulus of a family of curves in R and K ≥ 1 is a certain constant. In other words, the modulus of any family of curves is distorted by at most a factor of K. Capacities and moduli form the basis of the main geometric method in the contemporary theory of mappings. In this connection, the following class of mappings was studied [2]: Let G be a domain in R , n ≥ 2, and let Q D : , → ∞ [ ] 1 be a measurable function. A homeomorphism f G n : → R = R ∪ ∞ { } is called a Q-homeomorphism if
Glial pathology in an animal model of depression: Reversal of stress-induced cellular, metabolic and behavioral deficits by the glutamate-modulating drug riluzole

Growing evidence indicates that glia pathology and amino-acid neurotransmitter system abnormalities contribute to the pathophysiology and possibly the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder. This study investigates changes in glial function occurring in the rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) after chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), a rodent model of depression. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of riluzole, a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for the treatment of amyotrophic laterosclerosis, known to modulate glutamate release and facilate glutamate uptake, on CUS-induced glial dysfunction and depressive-like behaviors. We provide the first experimental evidence that chronic stress impairs cortical glial function. Animals exposed to CUS and showing behavioral deficits in sucrose preference and active avoidance exhibited significant decreases in 13C-acetate metabolism reflecting glial cell metabolism, and glial fibrillary associated protein (GFAP) mRNA expression in the PFC. The cellular, metabolic and behavioral alterations induced by CUS were reversed and/or blocked by chronic treatment with the glutamate-modulating drug riluzole. The beneficial effects of riluzole on CUS-induced anhedonia and helplessness demonstrate the antidepressant action of riluzole in rodents. Riluzole treatment also reversed CUS-induced reductions in glial metabolism and GFAP mRNA expression. Our results are consistent with recent open-label clinical trials showing the drug's effect in mood and anxiety disorders. This study provides further validation of hypothesis that glial dysfunction and disrupted amino-acid neurotransmission contribute to the pathophysiology of depression and that modulation of glutamate metabolism, uptake and/or release represent viable targets for antidepressant drug development.
Direct Redox Regulation of F-Actin Assembly and Disassembly by Mical

Different types of cell behavior, including growth, motility, and navigation, require actin proteins to assemble into filaments. Here, we describe a biochemical process that was able to disassemble actin filaments and limit their reassembly. Actin was a specific substrate of the multidomain oxidation-reduction enzyme, Mical, a poorly understood actin disassembly factor that directly responds to Semaphorin/Plexin extracellular repulsive cues. Actin filament subunits were directly modified by Mical on their conserved pointed-end, which is critical for filament assembly. Mical posttranslationally oxidized the methionine 44 residue within the D-loop of actin, simultaneously severing filaments and decreasing polymerization. This mechanism underlying actin cytoskeletal collapse may have broad physiological and pathological ramifications.
Acute toxicity of oil and bilge cleaners to larval American oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

The study examines the toxicities to oyster larvae of three bilge cleaners and No. 2 fuel oil, as well as a detergent which is used to clean larval culture containers. The three bilge cleaners and the one detergent were tested alone and in combination with No. 2 fuel oil. No. 2 fuel oil was also tested alone. The toxicity of these compounds to oyster larvae was determined in the laboratory under simulated hatchery conditions. Water levels of petroleum hydrocarbons were found to cause significant larval mortality. (JMT)
On the Worth of Perfect Information in Bandits with Random Discounting

Abstract A discrete-time bandit process is a sequential decision problem in which one selects from a finite number of stochastic processes at each stage, and receives as a reward the product of the value of the observed process and a discount factor. In the classical formulation of the problem, the sequence of discount factors is known in advance, but the distributions governing the observations on the stochastic processes are not known. In this paper we consider the case in which the discount sequence is random and compare the reward of observers who have information about the discount sequence from the start with those who do not. In particular, we obtain bounds on the expected rewards for processes in which the discount sequence is random.
FFTS with near-optimal memory access through block data layouts

Fast Fourier transform algorithms on large data sets achieve poor performance on various platforms because of the inefficient strided memory access patterns. These inefficient access patterns need to be reshaped to achieve high performance implementations. In this paper we formally restructure 1D, 2D and 3D FFTs targeting a generic machine model with a two-level memory hierarchy requiring block data transfers, and derive memory access pattern efficient algorithms using custom block data layouts. Using the Kronecker product formalism, we integrate our optimizations into Spiral framework. In our evaluations we demonstrate that Spiral generated hardware designs achieve close to theoretical peak performance of the targeted platform and offer significant speed-up (up to 6.5x) compared to naive baseline algorithms.
Electronically stimulated dissociation of NO2 on Pt(111).

The electronically stimulated dissociation of NO{sub 2} on Pt(111) by 5--800-eV electrons has been studied through state-selective, time-of-flight detection of the NO product above the surface. The NO leaves as a direct dissociation product, whereas the O atom remains on the surface. We find a 10--15-eV dissociation threshold, which is much more energetic than the 3.1-eV gas-phase value. Because of rapid decay via resonant tunneling from substrate levels, the shallower adsorbate valence excitations have lifetimes that are too short to produce observable dissociation. The threshold corresponds to ionization of 3{ital b}{sub 2} and double ionization of 1{ital a}{sub 2} levels. Holes in these levels cannot be resonantly filled by substrate electrons and have the longest lifetimes relative to Auger decay. Screening of the hole(s) by the metal proceeds via rehybridization between the substrate levels and the 6{ital a}{sub 1} orbital of the molecule. The screening charge not only determines the lifetime, but is expected to change the excited-state ONO bond angle and NO bond length. In the gas phase this results in considerable internal excitation of the NO product. On the metal surface, however, vibrational excitation above {nu}=2 is not observed: The relative populations for {nu}=0,1,2 are (1.0):(0.96):(0.52). The averagemore » rotational energy (800 K for each vibrational level) is only 50% warmer than the zero-point energy of the ground-state bending motion of the adsorbate. Thus the screening charge must be less than unity. The observation of shifts to higher translational energy for higher rotational and vibrational states indicates the presence of different charge-transfer screening densities for the 3{ital b}{sub 2}{sup {minus}1} and 1{ital a}{sub 2}{sup {minus}2} excitations.« less
Measuring perceived crowding for high‐density river recreation: The effects of situational conditions and personal factors

The authors examined the interaction of 3 situational variables (activity type, location, and encounter type) on 3 predictors of perceived crowding (perceived, preferred, and tolerable encounter levels). A total of 310 kayakers and canoers and 356 rafters completed on‐site and mail‐back surveys regarding their trip on the Nantahala River in North Carolina during Summer 1994. A multiple regression analysis showed that preferred and perceived encounters were more effective predictors of perceived crowding than tolerable encounter levels, but the relative effect of these measures depended on the situational context. Respondents’ ability to specify tolerable encounter levels depended on their level of specialization. Any attempt to establish use limits must carefully consider all the aspects of the river use situation and recognize that multiple capacities may be related to location, activity, and type of use to be encountered.
Glycine reverses 7-chlorokynurenic acid-induced inhibition of [3H]MK-801 binding

7-Chlorokynurenic acid (7-Cl KYNA) has been reported to attenuate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor functioning by a potent and selective inhibitory action mediated at the strychnine-insensitive glycine recognition site of the NMDA complex. Here we report that 7-Cl KYNA dose-dependently inhibits [3H]MK-801 binding to the PCP receptor, and that this effect is reversed by addition of glycine. Since [3H]MK-801 binding is a measure of channel activation, our results are consistent with the hypotheses that 7-Cl KYNA exerts its NMDA receptor antagonism by acting at the glycine site, and that activation of the glycine site is required for NMDA channel activity to occur.
Synthesis of enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure 2(S)-amino-6(R)-hydroxy-1,7-heptanedioic acid dimethyl ester hydrochloride from cycloheptadiene.

The complete carbon framework of enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure 2(S)-amino-6(R)-hydroxy-1,7-heptanedioic acid dimethyl ester hydrochloride was derived from cycloheptadiene in six steps utilizing an amino acid-derived acylnitroso Diels−Alder reaction as the key step. This versatile amino diester has been previously used to synthesize amino-differentiated diaminopimelic acid (DAP) and biologically active analogues. In addition, after formation of a novel aminoxy diketopiperazine, the newly formed carboxyl groups were differentiated by a novel transpeptidation of the amino acid that directed the stereochemistry of the initial cycloaddition.
Comments on “Changes to the North Atlantic Subtropical High and Its Role in the Intensification of Summer Rainfall Variability in the Southeastern United States”

AbstractIn a recent article, Li et al. examined changes in the summer-season location of the western ridge of the North Atlantic subtropical high from 1948 to 2007 because there has been an increase in interannual summer rainfall variability in the southeastern United States. The following major conclusions by Li et al. are incorrect: the western ridge has undergone a significant westward trend since the late 1970s; the western ridge had increased meridional movement during 1978–2007 compared to 1948–1977; and global warming appears to be contributing to the westward expansion of the western ridge. Results presented in this paper reveal that the western ridge has been moving eastward over the past three decades, there was no change in latitudinal variance, and a westward movement of the western ridge should not be linked to global warming.
Approximating the performance of a last mile transportation system

The Last Mile Problem refers to the provision of travel service from the nearest public transportation node to a home or office. We study the supply side of this problem in a stochastic setting, with batch demands resulting from the arrival of groups of passengers who request last-mile service at urban rail stations or bus stops. Closed-form approximations are derived for the performance of Last Mile Transportations Systems (LMTS) as a function of the fundamental design parameters of such systems. An initial set of results is obtained for the case wherein a fleet of vehicles of unit capacity provides the Last-Mile service, and each delivery route consists of a simple round trip between the rail station or bus stop and a single passenger’s destination. These results are then extended to the general case in which the capacity of a vehicle is a small number (up to 20). It is shown through comparisons with simulation results that the approximations perform consistently well for a broad and realistic range of ...
Error-free phase correction of interferograms using digital all-pass filters

Abstract We present a novel method for the phase correction of FT-IR interferograms that can produce spectra free of photometric errors. It is based on the design and application of an all-pass digital filter whose phase response is the opposite to that of the interferogram. After filtering, the interferogram becomes nearly (or completely, depending on the computational effort) phase-error-free and subsequent Fourier transforming yields accurate spectra. To virtually eliminate any photometric error, this method can be followed up by the Mertz method, which given that the filtered interferogram is nearly symmetric, will generate no errors. Without the filtering, Mertz method was shown to introduce photometric error in FT-IR spectra. When stored filter coefficients are used, this method is orders of magnitude faster than the Mertz method, while still keeping the photometric error within acceptable levels. This advantage of the method could be used, for example, in hyper-spectral imaging applications where a large amount of spectra from infrared focal plane arrays needs to be collected and processed in (near) real time. The method can be easily implemented in DSP circuits. Examples of phase correction of double-sided interferograms using both the Mertz and the all-pass filter method were given and photometric accuracy compared.
Elongation and folding of nascent ricin chains as peptidyl-tRNA on ribosomes: the effect of amino acid deletions on these processes.

Ricin A-chain was used as a test protein to study the effects of deletion of codons on the riboomal synthesis, release and chaperone-mediated folding of the proteins. Synthesis of wild-type ricin and five mutant proteins was carried out in anEscherichia colicell-free coupled transcription/translation system from otherwise identical non-linearized plasmids. The deletions involved small numbers of contiguous amino acid residues at different points from the N terminus to the C terminus of the wild-type protein. Deletion of the N-terminal 20 amino acid residues caused a 45% reduction in total protein synthesis whereas deletion of the next three amino acid residues caused a 1.5-fold increase in synthesis compared with wild-type with an accumulation of full-length polypeptides as peptidyl-tRNA in the ribosomal P site. Intermediate levels of synthesis and release were seen with the other three mutants. Enzymatic activity was detected only with wild-type protein and a mutant lacking the C-terminal five amino acid residues. These were the only ricin species in which chaperone-dependent reactions could be detected by fluorescence from coumarin incorporated with methionine at the N-terminus of the proteins. By using sparsomycin to block termination of full-length peptidyl-tRNA, it was demonstrated that the chaperone-mediated reactions detected by fluorescence occur on the ribosomes and involve folding of the nascent protein as peptidyl-tRNA. The results presented provide a direct demonstration of two points of fundamental importance: folding of nascent proteins involving chaperone-mediated reactions can occur on riboomes and i directly related to the conformation of the native enzyme. Deletion of amino acid residues at different points from the N terminus to the C terminus affect the reaction of elongation, chaperone-mediated folding and release of full-length protein.
New records of Merriam’s Shrew ( Sorex merriami ) from western North Dakota

Despite having a broad geographic distribution, Merriam’s Shrew ( Sorex merriami Dobson 1890) is known from a relatively few, widely-scattered localities. In North Dakota, the species was known from only a single poorly-preserved specimen collected in 1913 near Medora. We recently collected two new specimens of Merriam’s Shrew from Billings and McKenzie counties in the western quarter of the state. These specimens confirm the presence of S. merriami in North Dakota and better define the northeastern edge of the species’ distribution.
Abdominoplasty-related nerve injuries: systematic review and treatment options.

Background: Abdominoplasty is a common cosmetic procedure; nerve injury is an underexplored risk of the procedure. Objective: The authors review existing literature to examine the incidence and treatment of nerve injuries after abdominoplasty procedures and provide a treatment algorithm based on their results. Methods: A search of the literature on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was undertaken. After full-text review, 23 articles met our criteria. Any mentions of nerve injury, including references to a lack of nerve injury, were documented. All data were pooled for analysis. From our combined data, we calculated the risks of postabdominoplasty nerve injury by dividing the total number of nerve injuries by the total number of patients. Results: Pooled data showed that 1.94% of patients sustained specific nerve injury, and 1.02% of patients sustained permanent injury after abdominoplasty. In addition, 7.67% experienced decreased sensation, 1.07% reported chronic pain, and 0.44% reported temporary weakness or paralysis. Nerves directly injured were the lateral femoral cutaneous (1.36% of patients) and iliohypogastric (0.10%) nerves. Nerves injured from surgical positioning were the brachial plexus (0.10%), musculocutaneous (0.10%), radial (0.05%), sciatic (0.19%), and common peroneal (0.05%) nerves. Conclusions: Although our results showed a low incidence of postabdominoplasty nerve injury, the lasting impact on affected patients' quality of life can be significant. Appropriate and timely treatment by a multidisciplinary team is critical to optimize patient outcomes. Better reporting of nerve injuries in future studies of abdominoplasty will provide more accurate information about the incidence and consequences of these injuries. Level of Evidence: 4 ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Sudan black B, a new stain for chromosome smear preparations.

Various combinations of Sudan black B (SBB) in some of the lower fatty acids and related acids have been used to stain the chromosomes of smear preparations of onion root-tips prefixed in 2 parts o...