cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delayed life history effects, multilevel selection, and evolutionary trade-offs in the California tiger salamander

Delayed life history effects (DLHEs) occur when fitness in one life stage affects fitness in subsequent life stages. Given their biphasic life cycle, pond-breeding amphibians provide a natural system for studying DLHEs, although these effects are not restricted to species with biphasic life histories. In this study, we used multiple mark-recapture techniques enabled by a large trapping array to monitor components of fitness and resulting DLHEs in a population of the endangered California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense). We found that DLHEs are prominent across all life stage transitions and that there is variation in whether selection acts primarily at the individual or cohort level. We also demonstrated that there is more than an order of magnitude variation in mean cohort fitness, providing tremendous variation for DLHEs to act upon. We documented an evolutionary trade-off between mass at emergence and date of emergence, which may play a role in maintaining the variation in mass (fitness) at emergence. A literature review revealed that such high levels of intercohort variation occur in many other pond-breeding amphibians, and that appropriately documenting the magnitude of intercohort variation requires long-term studies (roughly two population turnovers). Given the profound effect that DLHEs can have on population dynamics, quantifying intercohort variation in mean fitness and the level(s) at which selection acts will be very important for developing accurate models of population dynamics. In general, when developing models of population dynamics, more attention should be paid to variation in mean fitness and not just variation in total numbers.
Mechanisms of fibrosis: the role of the pericyte

Purpose of reviewUntil recently kidney pericytes were little known. This review will update readers about key new findings concerning pericyte abundance, function in kidney vascular biology and major role in fibrogenesis. Moreover readers will become familiar with the central role of pericyte–endoth
A hybrid architecture for programmable computing and evolutionary learning

Abstract The relation between the structure and the computational function of the brain must have a plastic quality in order for it to have developed through the Darwinian mechanism of variation and selection. It is likely that such structure-function plasticity plays a role in ontogenetic learning as well. Present-day digital computers, by contrast, are highly programmable. But this powerful property entails rigidly defined structure-function relations that are generally incompatible with self-organization through evolution. Hybrid systems could combine the advantages of both programmability and evolvability. The system described in this paper comprises a conventional machine that communicates with an evolution-amenable cellular automaton system. The latter learns to use its low-level parallelism through a “copy thy neighbor” evolutionary algorithm. We describe some simulation experiments with the system and consider how direct fabrication might be achieved using silicon as well as nonsilicon technologies.
Internet Technology in Magnetic Resonance: A Common Gateway Interface Program for the World-Wide Web NMR Spectrometer☆

A custom-written Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program for remote control of an NMR spectrometer using a World Wide Web browser has been described. The program, running on a UNIX workstation, uses multiple processes to handle concurrent tasks of interacting with the user and with the spectrometer. The program's parent process communicates with the browser and sends out commands to the spectrometer; the child process is mainly responsible for data acquisition. Communication between the processes is via the shared memory mechanism. The WWW pages that have been developed for the system make use of the frames feature of web browsers. The CGI program provides an intuitive user interface to the NMR spectrometer, making, in effect, a complex system an easy-to-use Web appliance. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.
Planning and management modeling for treated wastewater usage

Due to urban growth, some agricultural lands have been replaced by residential, municipal, and industrial areas. In some cases the remaining agricultural land will not have enough water because of transfers from agriculture to M&I (municipal and industrial) users. Therefore, in many places, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, the use of treated wastewater as a reliable source of irrigation water has already been, or will be, considered in the future. Due to its unique characteristics, this new resource has many challenges that cannot be ignored, such as health issues, water quality, and long- and short-term effects on soils and crops. The study described herein considered the development of a new GIS-based model for planning and managing the reuse of treated wastewater for the irrigation of agricultural and green lands, considering various factors such as population and urban growth. The model is composed of several different modules, including an urban growth model. These modules are designed to help in the decision-making process for allocations of water resources to agricultural areas, considering factors such as crop types, crop pattern, water salinity, soil characteristics, pumping and conveyance costs, and also by comparing different management scenarios. Appropriate crops that can be grown with a specific water salinity and soil characteristics, proper water resources for each farm (according to pumping and conveyance costs, and analysis of water demand, and water supply) can be determined through the application of this model. The model can also rank agricultural areas and open spaces in and near an urban area according to their suitability for irrigated agriculture.
From Sickness to Health: The Twentieth-Century Development of U.S. Health Insurance

Abstract This paper explores the institutional development of health insurance in the United States. By combining a qualitative history of the development of the market with an empirical analysis of a panel of health insurance data from 1931–1955, the paper identifies a number of factors that influenced the growth of the health insurance market. While demand factors such as increasing income and improvements in medical technology certainly contributed to the growth of the market, supply side factors were also important. There is evidence that hospitals may have contributed to the growth of health insurance as a means of smoothing revenues during the Great Depression. State-level policies that allowed the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans to operate as nonprofits also spurred market growth, as did federal government policies that promoted the link between employment and health insurance.
Specific local histone-DNA sequence contacts facilitate high-affinity, non-cooperative nucleosome binding of both Adf-1 and GAGA factor

Sequence-specific transcription factors need to gain access to regulatory sequences in chromatin. Previous studies utilizing model systems have suggested many mechanisms involved in this process. It is unclear however how these findings relate to natural promoters. The Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase ( Adh ) gene distal promoter is organized into an ordered nucleosome array before multiple transcription factors recognize their sites within this nucleosomal context and activate transcription. Here we used a purified in vitro system to study the binding of the ubiquitous Drosophila transcription factors Adf-1 and GAGA factor to the Adh distal promoter in chromatin. Several nucleosome core particles were assembled on 150 bp DNA fragments containing the Adh distal cis -acting elements in the natural promoter context but different DNA-histone environments. We found that the Adh distal promoter regulatory sequences can position nucleosomes in the same rotational setting as observed in vivo. In one particular nucleosome position, the wrapping of the Adf-1 and adjacent GAGA factor binding sitesaround the histone octamer creates a unique local DNA conformation. High-affinity but non-cooperative nucleosome binding of Adf-1 and GAGA factortherefore occurs, in contrast to the inhibition of Adf-1 and GAGA factor binding in other nucleosome positions. Thus, local histone-DNA sequence contact giving rise to a specific asymmetric nucleosome structure may play important roles in modulating the affinities of transcription factors for their nucleosomal sites.
Response of NiTi shape memory alloy at high strain rate: A systematic investigation of temperature effects on tension–compression asymmetry

Abstract A systematic experimental investigation into the effects of temperature on the stress–strain response of NiTi (55.6 wt.% Ni) shape memory alloy at high strain rate was conducted and compared with the behavior at quasi-static strain rate. Dynamic compression and tension tests, to total strains of 16–24%, were performed at high strain rate (∼1200/s) and under quasi-static conditions at temperatures from −196 to 400 °C. Since the superelastic range for the NiTi alloy used in this work is Af (2 °C) 0 °C and the (thermally induced) martensite phase at lower temperatures. The results indicate differences in the stress–strain response of thermally induced martensite and stress-induced martensite, in terms of plateau stress characteristics and critical stress (as determined by 0.2% strain offset). The observations illustrate a complex interplay of test temperature, stress state (compression and tension) and martensite type (thermally induced vs. stress induced) that lead to the asymmetry in compression vs. tension response of the shape memory alloy in both quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions. This asymmetry was captured in the variation of critical stress with temperature that exhibited a three-stage character, with the critical stress being higher in compression than in tension. These findings have significant implications for the understanding and exploitation of the underlining functional characteristics of shape memory alloys, especially at high strain rates.
FORMATION OF GIANT NUCLEI IN CONTINUOUSLY IRRADIATED TUMORS.

Transplantable malignant tumors of mice and rats have been irradiated continuously for several days by means of embedded glass beads containing Sr90-Y90. Concomitant enlargement of tumor cell nuclei occurs in areas where mitosis is inhibited, i.e. associated with doses of 1200–2000 rads per day and above. Some enlarged cells survive at least a week in areas where the dose rate is much higher than this. Intense incorporation of thymidine into enlarged cells can be seen at least a week after beginning irradiation.
Long-lived transitional states of the geomagnetic field and the two dynamo families

Palaeomagnetic data from lavas produced at the Hawaii and Society Islands hotspots suggest that one or more specific, long-lived field configurations recur during successive polarity reversals spanning perhaps several million years. The apparent quasistationarity of these states and the relative placement of the two recording sites offer a rare opportunity to explore the fundamental geometrical properties of transitional fields.
Treating contaminated sediment with a two-stage base-catalyzed decomposition (BCD) process: bench-scale evaluation

Abstract The New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) Harbor estuary sediment contains polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans ( PCDDs PCDFs ), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and chlorinated pesticides. The U.S. EPA-developed two-stage base-catalyzed decomposition (BCD) process was tested for removal and decomposition of these organic contaminants of concern (OCCs) from the sediment. The Stage 1 process removed OCCs to below the limits of analytical quantitation (LAQs) or the limits of the potentially applicable requirements (LPARs), and concentrated OCCs into a small volume of organic condensate for Stage 2 chemical destruction. The aqueous condensate fractions contained some nondestroyed contaminants, either at levels below LPARs or at levels that could be treated by conventional treatment processes. Factors such as chemical addition, water content, and residence time were examined for their effects on the treatment process. Mass balances were calculated. The distribution of metal contaminants was determined.
Out of "Thin Air": Exploring Phase Changes

Most students easily understand melting, vaporization, boiling, condensation, and freezing based on their daily experiences with water. The conversion of a solid directly to a gas, sublimation, and the conversion of gas to solid, deposition, may be more difficult to grasp because they are unfamiliar. Seeing these phase changes alongside evaporation and condensation may help students to better understand these processes. This Activity illustrates sublimation/deposition with para-dichlorobenzene (mothballs) and evaporation/condensation with water.
Efficient, tightly-confined trapping of 226 Ra

We demonstrate a technique for transferring ${}^{226}$Ra atoms from a three-dimensional magneto-optical trap (MOT) into a standing wave optical dipole trap (ODT) in an adjacent chamber. The resulting small trapping volume (120 $\ensuremath{\mu}$m in diameter) allows for high control of the electric and magnetic fields applied to the atoms. The atoms are first transferred to a traveling-wave optical dipole trap, which is then translated 46 cm to a science chamber. The atoms are subsequently transferred into an orthogonal standing-wave ODT by application of a one-dimensional MOT along the traveling-wave axis. For each stage, transfer efficiencies exceeding 60$%$ are demonstrated.
Effects of Long-term Storage on Sensory and Nutritional Quality of Rolled Oats

: Sixteen samples of regular and quick-cooking rolled oats stored up to 28 y in a reduced oxygen atmosphere in nr 10 cans at ambient temperatures were analyzed for sensory and nutritional quality. A consumer panel evaluated aroma, texture, flavor, aftertaste, and overall acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. Hedonic scores varied from 4.8 to 6.7. Although there was a loss of sensory quality in samples over time, all samples were considered acceptable by at least 3/4 of panelists for use in an emergency. Vitamin B1 amounts ranged from 2.7 to 6.6 μg/g and were highest in some older samples. Vitamin E amounts ranged from 1.3 to 37.8 μg/g and were negatively correlated with headspace hexanal levels. Rolled oats can be included in long-term food storage regimens because of their sensory and nutritional stability when properly packaged and stored.
Strengths and Secondary Trauma in Family Violence Work

The strengths perspective has been a unique contribution by the field of social work to the understanding of the helper-client relationship. This article explores the utility of the strengths perspective as a conceptual framework for research in a qualitative study of secondary trauma with counselors of battered women. An emphasis on strengths allowed the researcher to identify strategies and resources that prevented symptoms of secondary trauma in the majority of counselors. These strengths include a sense of competence about their coping, maintaining an objective motivation for their work, resolving their own personal traumas, drawing on early positive role models of coping, and having buffering personal beliefs. Implications for social work practice, education, and research are discussed.
ChEA: transcription factor regulation inferred from integrating genome-wide ChIP-X experiments

Motivation: Experiments such as ChIP-chip, ChIP-seq, ChIP-PET and DamID (the four methods referred herein as ChIP-X) are used to profile the binding of transcription factors to DNA at a genome-wide scale. Such experiments provide hundreds to thousands of potential binding sites for a given transcription factor in proximity to gene coding regions. Results: In order to integrate data from such studies and utilize it for further biological discovery, we collected interactions from such experiments to construct a mammalian ChIP-X database. The database contains 189 933 interactions, manually extracted from 87 publications, describing the binding of 92 transcription factors to 31 932 target genes. We used the database to analyze mRNA expression data where we perform gene-list enrichment analysis using the ChIP-X database as the prior biological knowledge gene-list library. The system is delivered as a web-based interactive application called ChIP Enrichment Analysis (ChEA). With ChEA, users can input lists of mammalian gene symbols for which the program computes over-representation of transcription factor targets from the ChIP-X database. The ChEA database allowed us to reconstruct an initial network of transcription factors connected based on shared overlapping targets and binding site proximity. To demonstrate the utility of ChEA we present three case studies. We show how by combining the Connectivity Map (CMAP) with ChEA, we can rank pairs of compounds to be used to target specific transcription factor activity in cancer cells. Availability: The ChEA software and ChIP-X database is freely available online at: http://amp.pharm.mssm.edu/lib/chea.jsp Contact: avi.maayan/at/mssm.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The architecture and applications of the motorola DSP56000 digital signal processor family

This paper describes the architecture and applications of the DSP56001, a RAM-based member of the Motorola DSP56000 family of high performance, user-programmable CMOS digital signal processors. The DSP56001 has 512 × 24 bits of program RAM and special on-chip bootstrap hardware to download user programs from an external memory or host processor. The DSP56001 also contains two 256 × 24 bit data RAM's and two 256 × 24 bit ROM lookup tables for Mu-law/A-law to linear data conversion and sine/cosine functions. The processor architecture and instruction set are highly parallel, executing 10.25 million instructions per second with a 20.5 MHz clock. Fixed point arithmetic is performed by a 24 × 24 bit, non-pipelined multiply-accumulator with 56 bit product accumulation. Extensive I/O capability is provided by a full-speed memory expansion port, a byte-wide host processor interface, an asynchronous serial communications interface and a time division multiplexed, synchronous serial interface.
TreeCAM: decoupling updates and lookups in packet classification

Packet Classification is a key functionality provided by modern routers. Previous approaches --- TCAM and algorithmic --- perform well in either lookup efficiency (power and number of accesses) or update effort but not both. To perform well in both, we propose TreeCAM, which employs three novel ideas. (1) Dual versions of TreeCAM's decision tree to decouple lookups and updates: A coarse version with a few thousand rules per leaf achieves efficient lookups and a fine version with a few tens of rules per leaf reduces update effort. (2) Interleaved layout of the rules in the TCAM: Combined with the fine version's few rules per leaf, the layout enables us to bound our worst-case update effort. (3) Path-by-path updates to enable update work to be interspersed with packet lookups (i.e., non-atomic updates), eliminating packet buffering or packet drops during update. Using simulations of 100,000-rule classifiers, we show that TreeCAM performs well in both lookups and updates: (1) 6--8 TCAM subarray accesses per packet, matching modern TCAMs. (2) close to an idealized TCAM in worst-case update effort while requiring little buffering of packets.
Two-point correlation as a feature for histology images: Feature space structure and correlation updating

The segmentation of tissues in whole-slide histology images is a necessary step for the morphological analyses of tissues and cellular structures. Previous works have demonstrated the potential of two-point correlation functions (TPCF) as features for tissue segmentation, however the feature space is not yet well understood and computational methods are lacking. This paper illustrates several fundamental aspects of TPCF feature space and contributes a fast algorithm for deterministic feature computation. Despite the high-dimensionality of TPCF feature space, the features corresponding to different tissues are shown to be characterized by low-dimensional manifolds. The relationship between TPCF and the familiar co-occurrence matrix is highlighted, and it is shown that costly cross correlations are not necessary to achieve an accurate segmentation. For computation, the method of correlation updating, based on the linearity of the correlation operator, is proposed and shown to achieve up to a 67X speedup over frequency domain computation methods. Segmentation results are demonstrated on multiple tissues and natural texture images.
EVALUATION OF PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF IMPULSIVITY IN CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

We used an assessment that involved competing reinforcer dimensions in a concurrent-schedules arrangement to examine the effects of stimulant medication on impulsivity (i.e., sensitivity of choices to reinforcer immediacy relative to rate, quality, and effort) with 4 students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The assessments were administered in the context of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced reversal design. Reinforcer immediacy was the most influential dimension for 3 of the students and the second most influential dimension for 1 of the students across placebo and medication conditions; medication did not affect these sensitivities.
Employing cognitive chunking techniques to enhance sight-reading performance of undergraduate group-piano students:

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of cognitive chunking techniques among first-semester group-piano music majors. The ability to group discrete pieces of information into larger, more meaningful chunks is essential for efficient cognitive processing. Since reading keyboard music and playing the piano is a cognitively complex task, the ability to recognize patterns and execute the necessary motor skills is critical for proficiency in sight-playing. Three groups of beginning group-piano students (N = 43) worked on 12 sight-reading examples during six class sessions. A control group rehearsed the examples without benefit of rhythm or pitch drills. Two experimental groups drilled either rhythm or pitch patterns prior to practicing the sight-reading exercises. Following the treatment phase, all subjects were tested on three sightreading examples to determine whether rhythmic and pitch chunking drills impacted reading performance at the keyboard. Subjects were evaluated on rhythmic accuracy, p...
Built-in self-test of molecular electronics-based nanofabrics

We propose a built-in self-test (BIST) procedure for nanofabrics based on chemically-assembled electronic nanotechnology. We also present a recovery procedure through which we can identify defect-free nanoblocks and switchblocks in the nanofabric under test. The proposed BIST and recovery procedures are based on the reconfiguration of the nanofabric to achieve complete fault coverage of different types of faults. We show that a large fraction of defect-free blocks can be recovered using a small number of BIST configurations. The proposed BIST procedure is well suited for regular and dense architectures that have high defect densities.
Trichopteran Communities of Streams Associated with Aspen and Conifer Forests: Long-Term Structural Change

A comparison of the trichopteran communities of streams associated with aspen, spruce-fir, and nixed-conifer forests demonstrated significant differences in structure. Though tri- chopteran species composition in aspen-associated and spruce-fir associated streams was virtually identical, relative abundances of shredder and grazer Trichoptera differed significantly in the two types of streams. The ratio of shredder to grazer trichopteran biomass in aspen streams was 1:17 while in conifer streams, the dominance was reversed with a shredder to grazer biomass ratio of 3:1. The difference in dominance of functional groups in the two types of streams was attributed to the order-of-magnitude greater standing crop of detritus found in the conifer streams. It is hypothesized that the greater accumulation of detritus in conifer streams is the result of habitat modification by logs. Five times the number of logs were found in conifer streams as compared to aspen streams. The greater accumulation of logs in the conifer streams is attributed to lower rates of decomposition of conifer wood. The data suggest a general model for long-term structural change in trichopteran communities of the southern Rocky Mountains and I suggest that these long-term changes result from changes in quantity and quality of wood inputs during forest succession.
Intravascular Pyogenic Granuloma Arising in an Acquired Arteriovenous Malformation: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

Background. Pyogenic granuloma, also known as lobular capillary hemangioma, is a benign vascular skin tumor. Intravascular variant of this vascular tumor is rare and such a variant arising in another hemangioma is extremely unusual. Objective. The objective was to present a patient with an intravascular pyogenic granuloma arising in an acquired arteriovenous malformation of the palm. Methods. We report a case and review the literature. Result. A 44-year-old woman presented with an easy-bleeding and ulcerative nodule with a hyperkeratotic collaret on her right palm for 3–4 months. The nodule measured 6 × 6 mm in size and was tender. Under the clinical impression of pyogenic granuloma, the lesion was totally excised and the microscopic examination revealed an intravascular pyogenic granuloma in the papillary dermis with an underlying arteriovenous malformation. Conclusion. A rare composite vascular tumor is reported, and our case presented as a red eroded nodule surrounded by a keratotic collaret, which was easily misdiagnosed as pyogenic granuloma clinically. We suggest that any pyogenic granuloma-like lesion should be palpated carefully, and if a nodule is present, surgical excision rather than cryotherapy or laser ablation should be considered.
Obesity and pulmonary complications in critically injured adults.

Background Pulmonary complications following injury significantly contribute to subsequent mortality. Obese patients have preexisting risk factors for pulmonary complications, and are at risk for these complications following elective surgery. Whether or not obesity contributes to pulmonary complications after critical injury is poorly understood. Methods A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of critically injured adults requiring at least 48 h of intensive care was performed. Patients were classified into the following body mass index groups: ≤ 18.5 kg/m 2 (underweight); 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m 2 (normal); 25 to 29.9 kg/m 2 (overweight); 30.0 to 39.9 kg/m 2 (obese); and ≥ 40.0 kg/m 2 (severely obese). Outcomes included the rates of ARDS and pneumonia, the placement of a tracheostomy tube, and in-hospital mortality rate. Results A total of 1,291 patients were available for analysis, and 30% of these patients were classified as either obese or severely obese. The age-, gender-, and severity-adjusted rate of ARDS was lower in severely obese patients (odds ratio, 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13 to 0.99) compared to normal weight patients. The rates of pneumonia (37%), tracheostomy (10%), and in-hospital mortality (11%) did not differ among the groups. Despite no difference in pulmonary complications, the severely obese group had an ICU length of stay that was 4.8 days (95% CI, 1.8 to 7.7 days) longer than the normal weight group. Conclusion Obesity does not appear to be an independent risk factor for increased pulmonary complications after critical injury, but severely obese patients are likely to require longer ICU stays. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00170560
Structure-based design, synthesis and validation of CD4-mimetic small molecule inhibitors of HIV-1 entry: conversion of a viral entry agonist to an antagonist

This Account provides an overview of a multidisciplinary consortium focused on structure-based strategies to devise small molecule antagonists of HIV-1 entry into human T-cells, which if successful would hold considerable promise for the development of prophylactic modalities to prevent HIV transmission and thereby alter the course of the AIDS pandemic. Entry of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into target T-cells entails an interaction between CD4 on the host T-cell and gp120, a component of the trimeric envelope glycoprotein spike on the virion surface. The resultant interaction initiates a series of conformational changes within the envelope spike that permits binding to a chemokine receptor, formation of the gp41 fusion complex, and cell entry. A hydrophobic cavity at the CD4-gp120 interface, defined by X-ray crystallography, provided an initial site for small molecule antagonist design. This site however has evolved to facilitate viral entry. As such, the binding of prospective small molecule inhibitors within this gp120 cavity can inadvertently trigger an allosteric entry signal. Structural characterization of the CD4-gp120 interface, which provided the foundation for small molecule structure-based inhibitor design, will be presented first. An integrated approach combining biochemical, virological, structural, computational, and synthetic studies, along with a detailed analysis of ligand binding energetics, revealed that modestly active small molecule inhibitors of HIV entry can also promote viral entry into cells lacking the CD4 receptor protein; these competitive inhibitors were termed small molecule CD4 mimetics. Related congeners were subsequently identified with both improved binding affinity and more potent viral entry inhibition. Further assessment of the affinity-enhanced small molecule CD4 mimetics demonstrated that premature initiation of conformational change within the viral envelope spike, prior to cell encounter, can lead to irreversible deactivation of viral entry machinery. Related congeners, which bind the same gp120 site, possess different propensities to elicit the allosteric response that underlies the undesired enhancement of CD4-independent viral entry. Subsequently, key hotspots in the CD4-gp120 interface were categorized using mutagenesis and isothermal titration calorimetry according to the capacity to increase binding affinity without triggering the allosteric signal. This analysis, combined with cocrystal structures of small molecule viral entry agonists with gp120, led to the development of fully functional antagonists of HIV-1 entry. Additional structure-based design exploiting two hotspots followed by synthesis has now yielded low micromolar inhibitors of viral entry.
A new CMR protocol for non-destructive, high resolution, ex-vivo assessment of the area at risk simultaneous with infarction: validation with histopathology

Background In the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the aim of reperfusion and pharmacologic therapies is to salvage areas of ischemic, but reversibly injured myocardium within the area-at-risk (AAR). The current histopathologic reference standard requires administration of microspheres, destructive sectioning of the heart, the use of tissue stains, and digital photography to delineate the AAR, infarction, and to calculate salvage. We evaluated a newly developed CMR protocol that potentially provides non-destructive, high-resolution, ex-vivo assessment of the AAR simultaneous with infarction. Methods Four canines underwent 50-minute occlusion of the LAD coronary followed by reperfusion. Imaging was performed 5-days post-AMI. The main goal of the protocol was to create 3 distinct myocardial gadolinium concentrations delineating viable AAR, infarcted AAR and remote myocardium. This was achieved by (1) injecting gadolinium (0.3-0.4mmol/kg) in-vivo to differentially accumulate in infarction, (2) providing a wait time to allow washout of gadolinium from viable myocardium, (3) injecting another dose of gadolinium prior to sacrifice using the same process as if administering microspheres for determining the AAR by pathology. For validation purposes, microspheres (2-8μm, ThermoScientific) were mixed with gadolinium in this step. Finally, (4) the heart was extracted and ex-vivo 3-dimensional-delayed-enhancement-CMR imaging was performed. The heart was sectioned into short-axis slices and photographed under UV-light to delineate the AAR (absence of microspheres) and after staining with triphenyltetrazoliumchloride to delineate infarction. Histopathology and ex-vivo-CMR images were analyzed by 2 blinded observers.
Relative adrenal insufficiency in critical illness

Objective: To review the effects of critical illness on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) function in human and veterinary medicine. Data sources: Data from human and veterinary literature was reviewed. Human data synthesis: Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) appears to be common in critically ill human patients with sepsis or septic shock. Hypotension that is refractory to fluid therapy and requires vasopressors is the most common presentation of RAI in the human intensive care unit (ICU). Many investigators now advocate the use of a low-dose adrenocorticotropin hormone stimulation test to diagnose RAI. It is important to evaluate for the presence of adrenal dysfunction, because current data suggest that treatment with ‘stress’ or low doses of glucocorticoids (200–300 mg hydrocortisone daily) may improve patient outcome in humans. Veterinary data synthesis: There is a paucity of controlled studies in the veterinary literature regarding the effects of critical illness on HPA function. The results of these studies are varied. However, research models of sepsis and hemorrhagic shock suggest the existence of RAI in animals. Prospective clinical studies are needed to further examine pituitary–adrenal response to severe illness in veterinary patients, and to determine if there are therapeutic options, including glucocorticoid administration, which will improve patient outcome in animals. Conclusions: RAI is well documented in critically ill human patients, yet little is known about adrenal dysfunction in veterinary critically ill patients. A small number of studies suggest that RAI may exist in certain subpopulations of veterinary patients. The syndrome of RAI could be considered as a differential diagnosis in seriously ill veterinary patients that fail to respond to appropriate therapy, especially when hypotension refractory to fluid and vasopressor therapy is encountered. This disorder may represent a previously unidentified syndrome in critically ill veterinary patients with important therapeutic implications.
Beliefs of liberal arts mathematics students regarding the nature of mathematics

This study compared general education students’ beliefs about the nature of mathematical behaviour with those of mathematics majors and mathematics faculty at both at the start and at the completion of an inquiry-based mathematics course. The course was designed to provide students with authentic experiences in doing mathematics. Results from an initial survey were consistent with findings from earlier studies of similar groups (e.g. prospective elementary teachers): participants viewed the subject as a body of facts and procedures that were at best loosely connected. However, data showed dramatic changes in general education students’ mathematical beliefs by the end of the course; on the post-survey, general education students scored on par with mathematics majors. This work suggests that the mathematical beliefs of these students can be changed. Mathematics is a living subject which seeks to understand patterns that permeate both the world around us and the mind within us. - Everybody Counts (National Research Council, 1989) Influenced by what he was taught in school, the average person regards mathematics as a series of techniques of use only to the scientist, the engineer, and perhaps the financier. - Morris Kline
Multimedia object modelling and storage allocation strategies for heterogeneous parallel access storage devices in real time multimedia computing systems

The improvements in disk speeds have not kept up with improvements in processor and memory speeds. Conventional storage techniques, in the face of multimedia data, are inefficient and/or inadequate. Here, an efficient multimedia object allocation strategy is presented. We describe a multimedia object model, the object and storage device characteristics, and the fragmentation strategy. A bipartite graph approach is used for mapping fragments to storage devices and a cost function is used to determine an efficient allocation of an object and to balance the loads on the devices. >
Male-Specific Coliphages as Indicators of Thermal Inactivation of Pathogens in Biosolids

Male-specific (F+) coliphages have been proposed as a candidate indicator of fecal contamination and of virus reduction in waste treatment. However, in this and earlier work with a laboratory thermophilic anaerobic digester, a heat-resistant fraction of F+ coliphage populations indigenous to municipal wastewater and sludge was evident. We therefore isolated coliphages from municipal wastewater sludge and from biosolid samples after thermophilic anaerobic digestion to evaluate the susceptibility of specific groups to thermal inactivation. Similar numbers of F+ DNA and F+ RNA coliphages were found in untreated sludge, but the majority of isolates in digested biosolids were group I F+ RNA phages. Separate experiments on individual isolates at 53 degrees C confirmed the apparent heat resistance of group I F+ RNA coliphages as well as the susceptibility of group III F+ RNA coliphages. Although few F+ DNA coliphages were recovered from the treated biosolid samples, thermal inactivation experiments indicated heat resistance similar to that of group I F+ RNA phages. Hence, F+ DNA coliphage reductions during thermophilic anaerobic digestion are probably related to mechanisms other than thermal inactivation. Further studies should focus on the group III F+ RNA coliphages as potential indicators of reductions of heat-resistant pathogens in thermal processes for sludge treatment.
Correction of an active space telescope mirror using a gradient approach and an additional deformable mirror

High development cost is a challenge for space telescopes and imaging satellites. One of the primary reasons for this high cost is the development of the primary mirror, which must meet diffraction limit surface figure requirements. Recent efforts to develop lower cost, lightweight, replicable primary mirrors include development of silicon carbide actuated hybrid mirrors and carbon fiber mirrors. The silicon carbide actuated hybrid mirrors at the Naval Postgraduate School do not meet the surface quality required for an optical telescope due to high spatial frequency residual surface errors. A technique under investigation at the Naval Postgraduate School is to correct the residual surface figure error using a deformable mirror in the optical path. We present a closed loop feedback gradient controller to actively control a SMT active segment and an additional deformable mirror to reduce residual wavefront error. The simulations and experimental results show that the gradient controller reduces the residual wavefront error more than an integral controller.
Activity-Dependent Plasticity of Calcium Clearance From Crayfish Motor Axons

Previous studies of a crayfish explant culture demonstrated that regenerating motor axons with high impulse activity develop more rapid clearance of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ than those with low impuls...
The American Experience and Contribution

Fagg Foster comes to a consideration and assessment of the American experience unabashedly as an American patriot, but certainly an atypical one. He seeks to identify primary attributes of that experience that contribute to its emergence as the world’s leading political economy. Some examples: He regards the three-century experience with the American frontier to be fortuitously and significantly unique in important and continuing ways. He considers the American Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States to be historically peerless and dramatically consequential in their stipulations of the structure and function of democratic governments. He reminds us of the extent to which these documents have been copied, mimicked and adapted for use elsewhere by those in pursuit of non-invidious self-governance. In his emeritus years he reads the autobiographical literature of Jefferson in search of the latter’s early recognition of distinguishing attributes of the American experience and its relevance for contemporary inquiry.
Development of methodology for recording colonic myoelectrical activity in the infant primate.

In order to study developmental aspects of colonic motility, we have developed a minaturized electrophysiologic recording system for use in the infant primate rhesus (Macaca mulatta). Technical considerations including absence of rectal valves, decreased tissue thickness and small colonic diameter limit application of standard non-surgical recording methodology in this model. In-vivo testing with 4 different bipolar electrode probe configurations yielded satisfactory quality recordings only with silver chloride suction electrodes. Using this system, colonic slow waves and spike action potentials were studied in 6 infant primates (ages 1 to 7 months) both fasting and following a standard liquid meal of 10 cc/kg. In response to feeding, colonic spike potentials increased from 7.8 ± 1.7 to 14.2 ± 4.1 within 15 minutes (mean spikes ± SEM / 5 min interval). The observed response of the distal colon to a meal in this model is similar to the response reported in adult humans using intraluminal recording techniqu...
Model-based image reconstruction of chemiluminescence using a plenoptic 2.0 camera

Resolving the 3-D structure of translucent objects is of fundamental interest in combustion research. Recent progress in light-field imaging systems provides a single-shot, single-access-point imaging tool for volumetric image reconstruction. However, when a translucent object being imaged has low contrast edges, the conventional block-matching depth reconstruction algorithm used in commercial plenoptic cameras performs poorly. To solve this problem, this paper investigates reconstructing translucent objects using a model-based image reconstruction (MBIR) method. Preliminary simulation results illustrate that useful 3D object information can be resolved using MBIR methods. However, severe z-direction dispersion is observed in the reconstructed images due to the limited angular variation of incident light rays.
Guardian Function of Mitsugumin 53 in Cell Membrane Repair and Metabolic Syndrome

Mistugumin 53 (MG53) is an essential molecule in facilitating cellular membrane repair. A member of the TRIM protein family, MG53 possesses a RING domain functioning as an E3 ligase to mediate the down-regulation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) in insulin signaling. Conflicting results have been presented that elevated MG53 expression may serve as a causative factor for the development of metabolic syndrome. This study was designed to test whether high-fat diet (HFD) treatment alters the expression and function of MG53 within mice models of metabolic syndrome. Western blotting showed that MG53 expression does not change within the skeletal and cardiac muscles of mice subjected to HFD treatment. This data contradicts earlier findings presented by Song et al. (Nature, 494: 375-379, 2013), who claimed that MG53 expression is markedly elevated in animal models of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Rather, we found that stress provoked by metabolic syndrome in the mice models actually reduced MG53 levels in the serum. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that skeletal muscle fibers of HFD-induced mice experience localization of intracellular MG53 around mitochondria. The reduced MG53 serum levels observed may explain the compromised tissue regenerative capacity of diabetic patients. Clustering of MG53 around mitochondria may represent an adaptive response to metabolic stress. Overall, our study supports the guardian function of MG53 in cell membrane repair and metabolic syndrome. Therapeutic approaches for an elevation of MG53 expression in tissues that bypasses its interaction with IRS-1 may be a novel approach to treating human diseases with degenerative tissue repair functions.
Study on Stiffness Improvement of Minicar Body

The model of the steel structure of minicar body is analyzed by the finite element analysis software MSC.Marc again and again.The vibration model of car body within certain frequency range is obtained.According to the modal anasysis,the further improvement of the car body is put forward,which provides a very valuable foundation for optimum improvement of car body stiffness.
Biological correlates of clinical heterogeneity in primary dementia

While there is considerable variation in the clinical expression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the determinants of this clinical heterogeneity remain unclear. Platelet membrane fluidity (PMF) identifies a subgroup of patients with AD with distinct clinical features that appear to be genetically determined. Results from an integrated series of studies suggest a cellular substrate for the increase in PMF associated with this clinical subgroup, and a model for the participation of the PMF locus in the pathophysiology of AD is proposed. In addition to this approach, studies of the neuropathologic and neurochemical determinants of major depression and psychosis in the context of primary dementia are presented. The results may explain the different prognoses associated with these behavioral syndromes in patients with AD, as well as the symptoms of the syndromes themselves.
Screening for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a global health burden and is among the most common and deadliest of all malignancies worldwide. The goal of screening programs is to detect tumors in earlier, curable stages, consequently reducing disease-specific mortality. The issue of screening has great relevance to thoracic surgeons, who should play a leading role in the debate over screening and its consequences. The burden is on thoracic surgeons to work in a multidisciplinary setting to guide and treat these patients safely and responsibly, ensuring low morbidity and mortality of potential diagnostic or therapeutic interventions.
Pitcher's elbow: medial elbow pain in the overhead-throwing athlete.

Overhead athletes subject their elbows to significant valgus stresses throughout the throwing cycle. A steady rise in the number of medial-sided elbow injuries over the years has lead to increased awareness regarding the pathophysiology of the “pitcher’s elbow.” As our understanding of the functional anatomy and throwing biomechanics has become more sophisticated, we have seen a concurrent improvement in the outcomes associated with managing these injuries. Despite this improvement, continued anatomical and biomechanical research is still needed to further optimize outcomes and return to sport.