cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying Same Persons from Temporally Synchronized Videos Taken by Multiple Wearable Cameras

Video-based human action recognition benefits from multiple cameras which can provide temporally synchronized, multi-view videos. Cross-video person identification, i.e., determining whether at a given time, persons tracked in different videos are the same person or not, is a key step to integrate such multi-view information for collaborative action recognition. For fixed cameras, this step is relatively easy since different cameras can be precalibrated. In this paper, we study cross-video person identification for wearable cameras, which are constantly moving with the wearers. Specifically, we take the tracked persons from different videos to be the same person if their 3D poses are the same, given that these videos are synchronized. We adapt an existing algorithm to estimate the tracked person's 3D poses in each 2D video using motionbased features. Experiments show that, although 3D pose estimation is not perfect, the proposed method can still lead to better cross-video person identification than using appearance information.
Negotiating the Boundary between Representation and Experience

Nearly all of the work in the historiography of collective memory has focused on issues of historical representation. Still, experience remains its existential ground, and the postmodern emphasis on the rhetoric of historical discourse has incited a reactive interest in human subjectivity. Those scholars stressing representation maintain a sober critical distance from their subject matter. Those favoring experience stress vicarious emotional identification with the historical actors of the past, as if it were possible to make them “come alive again.” The latter approach has long been identified with amateur historians, history buffs, and writers of historical fiction. But since the turn of the twentieth century, some professional historians express openness toward the heuristic value of performative modes of presenting the past for drawing a wider public into an interest in history. I review recent historiographical discussion of the nature and significance of this broader understanding of the historians’ enterprise.
Der Einsatz des Mailings im Fundraising

Das Mailing hatte im Spendenmarkt bis heute seinen festen Platz. Es wird auch im kunftigen Marketing-Mix eine bedeutende Rolle spielen. Allerdings unter etwas anderen Vorzeichen. Wer mehr erreichen will als das gelegentliche Offnen der Brieftasche, kann latente Handlungsbereitschaften nutzen. Viele Menschen sind grundsatzlich bereit, einen Beitrag zum Gemeinwohl beizutragen. Vorausgesetzt sie wissen, was ihr Tun bzw. ihr Nichtstun bewirkt. Nur der informierte Mensch spendet aus freien Stucken mehr und regelmasig. Es reicht nicht aus, an das schlechte Gewissen zu appellieren. Darum wird das Mailing von morgen auf anderen Grundlagen gebaut als die herkommlichen Spendenaufrufe: Es fordert Bewusstsein und Bereitschaft, weil dies die zentralen menschlichen Verhaltenstreiber sind. Und es nutzt „Schubser“ (engl. „nudges“), weil diese handlungsauslosende Impulse liefern, an der Spenderbasis und bei der Pflege und Bindung der Spender. Nicht einmal, sondern immer wieder. Gepflegt wird eine Beziehung, die langsam wachst, getragen von Aufmerksamkeit und Respekt. Aus Fundraising wird Friendraising.
Sulfur Poisoning and Regeneration of NOx Storage−Reduction Cu/K2Ti2O5 Catalyst

A new Cu/K2Ti2O5 catalyst has been developed recently to remove NOx through the NOx storage-reduction (NSR) process. However, its NSR performance in the presence of sulfur has not been investigated. In this article, the sulfur poisoning of the NOx storage-reduction catalyst Cu/K2Ti2O5 and the corresponding deactivation mechanisms are reported for the first time. The effect of the sulfur concentration, adsorption/ regeneration cycling tests, and temperature-programmed regeneration are studied. At low temperatures, the poisoning effect is negligible when the SO2 concentration is lower than 20 ppm, and the sulfated samples can be easily regenerated by 3.5% H2 at 550 °C. However, at high temperatures, the sulfur species are adsorbed on K + sites to form K2SO4 and, consequently, induce a structure transformation from K2Ti2O5 to K2Ti6O13 nanoparticles. The structural change is reversible, and the sulfated catalyst can be regenerated by hydrogen at 650-700 °C.
Metric-based BIM implementation assessment: a review of research and practice

ABSTRACTBuilding information modeling (BIM) is one of the most significant developments in the construction industry, as it introduces new technologies, processes, and interactions into practice. Prior research shows that there is an increasing interest among practitioners and academics to assess maturity, productivity, and performance of BIM implementation. This suggests that as BIM adoption grows, the need for BIM implementation assessment arises to facilitate monitoring, measuring, and improving BIM practices. However, so far, no single study has comprehensively reviewed and reported the existing approaches, metrics, and criteria used for assessing BIM practices. This study aims to review and analyze the literature and synthesize existing knowledge relevant to the topic. The author develops a thematic framework of BIM aspects, BIM goals, and performance evaluation trends to define grounds for assessing BIM implementation. Based on the framework, this research analyzed a total number of 97 references (s...
Cuda a molekuły

It is a review of Michael J. Behe’s book titled Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical CHAllenge to Evolution (The Free Press, New York 1996), containing the criticism of evolutionary theory. Author criticizes Behe’s thesis that irreducible complexity of biochemical systems suggest they were designed by an intelligent designer, i.e. that they were not produced gradually by the working of natural selection. According to the author, irreducible complexity can be a result of the action of evolutionary process called gene duplication. He also thinks that the reference to the supernatural factors to explain phenomena occurring in nature has the same value as explanations invoking miracles, and this, according to him, cannot be described as a scientific practice. Scientists should hold on to the principle of methodological naturalism.
A Generic Solution? Pharmaceuticals and the Politics of the Similar in Mexico

In 1997 and 1998 the Mexican government encouraged the introduction of generic drugs into Mexico, Latin America’s biggest and fastest-growing pharmaceutical market. In contrast to the situation in Brazil, where anti-retrovirals and HIV/AIDS treatment have been the centerpiece of a powerful stateled generics “revolution,” in Mexico the move to cheaper, copied medicines has made its strongest mark in the private sector. The rapidly growing pharmaceutical chain Farmacias Similares, whose populist nationalism (“Mexican Products to Help Those Who Have the Least”), affiliated laboratories, political movements, health clinics, and motto—“The Same But Cheaper”—have begun to transform the face of health care provision in that country, raises important questions about whether the emergence of a market for generic medicines does in fact signal the reassertion of “the public” in and for Mexican public health. How does the copied pharmaceutical configure a particular set of political practices and discourses launched in the name of the (Mexican) public interest? In 1997 and 1998, medication shortages and spiraling drug costs prompted Mexican government agencies, health activists, and companies to take action against a looming pharmaceutical and health crisis. Their response was to initiate moves that would facilitate the manufacture and consumption of generic drugs—a term that, in this context, refers to cheaper, legal copies of brand-name drugs—well beyond their long-standing circulation in the public sector’s medical system. These efforts have sparked intense political, regulatory, and public relations battles within the country. Despite the fact that the copies at stake in the Mexican move toward generics are legal (that is, the drugs involved are no longer under patent protection), their emergence has provoked fierce opposition from U.S. and European drug companies, whose commercial monopolies in that country are deliberately being broken or, certainly, targeted by the introduction and promotion of cheaper, copied drugs. Efforts to promote generic drugs in Mexico are part of a powerful set of developments in international pharmaceutical politics in which activist and state mobilizations over access to pharmaceuticals—particularly HIV/AIDS medications— have become a powerful site for the reassertion of the national “public interest” or the “public good” as counterweights to globalized intellectual property regimes. Brazil offers perhaps the best-known example of such a reassertion; its program
Extemporaneous Micro-Mobile Service Execution Without Code Sharing

In mobile edge computing, a mobile or IoT device requests a nearby device to execute some functionality and return back the results. However, the executable code must either be pre-installed on the nearby device or be transferred from the requester device, reducing the utility or safety of device-to-device computing, respectively. To address this problem, we present a micro-service middleware that executes services on nearby mobile devices, with a trusted middleman distributing executable code. Our solution comprises (1) a trusted store of vetted mobile services, self-contained executable modules, downloaded to devices and invoked at runtime; and (2) a middleware system that matches service requirements to available devices to orchestrate the device-to-device communication. Our experiments show that our solution (1) enables executing mobile services on nearby devices, without requiring a device to receive executable code from an untrusted party; (2) supports mobile edge computing in practical settings, increasing performance and decreasing energy consumption; (3) reduces the mobile development workload by reusing services.
A historical perspective with current opinion on the management of atrophic mandibular fractures

The management of atrophic mandibular fractures has been a challenge for maxillofacial surgeons for decades. During the past 70 years, various techniques for treating edentulous mandibular fractures have been advocated. These techniques have been praised, criticized, abandoned, improved, and used in combination with other methods. Although some of the principles of management outlined before the end of World War II are still valid in today's technological era, other concepts did not survive the test of time. The aim of this paper is to examine the evolution of treatment modalities for the management of atrophic mandibular fractures that have been employed over the years. Debates and discussions generated by this topic are included. Current techniques and treatment philosophies with thoughts for future therapies are provided.
Acid phosphatase of azurophilic granules of C3HST4 lymphoma.

A transplantable mouse lymphoblastic tumor with unusual azurophilic granules has been recently reported.
Effect of uniaxial stress on the superconducting transition in YBa2Cu3O7.

We present the first direct measurements of ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ as a function of uniaxial stress ${\mathit{p}}_{\mathit{i}}$ (i=a,b,c) along the crystal axes for an untwinned ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ single crystal. ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ is linear in ${\mathit{p}}_{\mathit{i}}$ with slopes ${\mathit{dT}}_{\mathit{c}}$/${\mathit{dp}}_{\mathit{a}}$=-2.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 K/GPa, ${\mathit{dT}}_{\mathit{c}}$/${\mathit{dp}}_{\mathit{b}}$=+1.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 K/GPa, and ${\mathit{dT}}_{\mathit{c}}$/${\mathit{dp}}_{\mathit{c}}$=-0.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 K/GPa. These results confirm predictions based on thermal expansion measurements [C. Meingast et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 1634 (1991)] and show that the small hydrostatic pressure dependence of ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ is due to a cancellation of large and opposite effects in the a-b plane.
Heterocyclic and Organometallic Molecules

In this chapter, edge/vertex weighted molecular graphs that correspond to heterocyclic and organometallic compounds will be studied. The distinction between the term molecular graph for a heterocyclic molecule and orbital network diagram for a π-hydroearbon-metal complex must be carefully made. Another unique feature characteristic of π-hydrocarbon-metal complexes is the presence of Mobius circuits in which an odd number of negative weighted edges (k = − 1) occurs. Circuits with an even number (including zero) of negative unit weighted edges are called Huckel circuits. In electronically neutral AH molecular graphs, there are 4n and 4n + 2 (n = 0, 1, 2,…) circuits. Mobius circuits of 4n and Huckel circuits of 4n + 2 are regarded as being aromatic circuits.
Retention and use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills in parents of infants at risk for cardiopulmonary arrest.

Policies of most neonatal intensive care units include teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to parents or other caretakers prior to infant hospital discharge. However, little is known about CPR skills retention in this population or the outcome of parents' use of CPR. This is a study to measure CPR skills 6 months following CPR training to identify characteristics predicting successful performance and to determine if parents used CPR. A sample of 100 parents or related caretakers of infants at risk for an out-of-hospital respiratory or cardiac arrest 6 months following CPR training were asked to demonstrate CPR on an infant mannequin and 94 agreed to participate. Although they were excluded from the study if they had a CPR course within the past 2 years, 37% had taken CPR sometime in the past. Only one third of participants (n = 31, 33%) were able to perform satisfactory CPR. Those who demonstrated satisfactory CPR skills were more likely to have had previous CPR training and to have experienced higher levels of social support at the time of training than those who achieved unsatisfactory CPR performance ratings (p < .05). A logistic regression analysis revealed previous CPR training, social support, and level of anxiety at time of CPR training to be the most important predictors of CPR skills retention. Seven parents reported using CPR to resuscitate their infant who had suffered a respiratory arrest. All seven were successful. CPR skills decay is significant for caregivers of infants at high risk for cardiopulmonary arrest. Parents should be encouraged to review the steps of CPR frequently and to attend refresher classes. A significant proportion of parents of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit are called upon to use CPR and are able to use it appropriately.
Economic Perspectives on Homelessness

The response of economics to the homelessness that arose after 1980 has evolved from oblivion, to wonderment and almost ideological controversy, to a sober evaluation of what could and does work. That is probably progress. This progress has been hampered by a severe lack of reliable data, even today. It has been aided by the experience that the economics profession has had with unemployment. For economists, it has been natural to think about the lack of a place to live the same way they think about the lack of a place to work. The analogy has meant that economists have concentrated on aggregates and on explanations, rather than the nitty-gritty of helping individual people, or even evaluating the efficacy of specific programmes. But that is changing.
Abstract P019: Albuminuria in Mid-Life and Older-Age and Risk of Dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background: Dementia is increasingly appreciated to have important vascular disease contributions. Albuminuria and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) define chronic kidney diseas...
Composition of estuarine sediment microbiome from a chronosequence of restored urban salt marshes

ABSTRACT Salt marshes play an important role in the global nutrient cycle. The sediments in these systems harbor diverse and complex bacterial communities possessing metabolic capacities that provide ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and removal. On the East Coast of the United States, salt marshes have been experiencing degradation due to anthropogenic stressors. Salt marsh islands within Jamaica Bay, New York City (USA), are surrounded by a large highly urbanized watershed and have declined in area. Restoration efforts have been enacted to reduce further loss, but little is known about how microbial communities develop following restoration activities, or how processes such as nitrogen cycling are impacted. Sediment samples were collected at two sampling depths from five salt marsh islands to characterize the bacterial communities found in marsh sediment including a post-restoration chronosequence of 3-12 years. We used 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing to define alpha and beta diversity, taxonomic composition, and predicted metabolic profile of each sediment sample. We found significant differences in alpha diversity between sampling depths, and significant differences in beta diversity, taxonomic composition, and predicted metabolic capacity among the five sampling locations. The youngest restored site and the degraded natural sampling site exhibited the most distinct communities among the five sites. Our findings suggest that while the salt marsh islands are located in close proximity to each other, they harbor distinct bacterial communities that can be correlated with the post-restoration age, marsh health, and other environmental factors such as availability of organic carbon. IMPORTANCE Salt marshes play a critical role in the global nutrient cycle due to sediment bacteria and their metabolic capacities. Many East Coast salt marshes have experienced significant degradation over recent decades, thought largely to be due to anthropogenic stressors such as nitrogen loading, urban development, and sea-level rise. Salt marsh islands in Jamaica Bay (Queens/Brooklyn NY) are exposed to high water column nitrogen due to wastewater effluent. Several receding marsh islands have been subjected to restoration efforts to mitigate this loss. Little is known about the effect marsh restoration has on bacterial communities, their metabolic capacity, or how they develop post-restoration. Here we describe the bacterial communities found in marsh islands including a post-restoration chronosequence of 3-12 years and one degraded marsh island that remains unrestored.
Age at gonadectomy and risk of overweight/obesity and orthopedic injury in a cohort of Golden Retrievers.

Introduction In the United States, gonadectomy is common and widely promoted as a component of responsible pet ownership. The recent publication of several studies examining the effect of gonadectomy on future health has challenged long-held assumptions and recommendations for gonadectomy in companion animals. The purpose of this study was to characterize the associations between gonadectomy and two outcomes: overweight/obesity and orthopedic injuries, in a large prospective study of Golden Retrievers. Methods Age at gonadectomy was divided into four categories: intact (reference), ≤ 6 months, > 6 months ‒ ≤ 12 months, and > 12 months. Dogs with a Purina Body Condition Score of 7 or greater were classified as overweight or obese. Orthopedic injuries considered were the first instance of veterinary-reported cranial cruciate ligament injury and clinically evident osteoarthritis. We performed survival analyses on a cohort of Golden Retrievers to estimate the associations of interest using proportional hazards. We adjusted for age at study enrollment, owner-reported activity level, and dog’s sex. Results Compared to intact dogs, all gonadectomy age categories showed increased risk for the development of overweight/obesity. (≤ 6 months, HR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.36–2.40), p-value: 12 months, HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.24–1.96, p-value: 0.0001). Compared to intact dogs, dogs who were ≤ 6 months at gonadectomy had increased risk for orthopedic injury (HR: 4.06, 95% CI: 2.15–7.67, p-value: <0.00001). Discussion This study presents prospectively acquired data demonstrating that gonadectomy is a risk factor for both overweight/obesity and chronic non-traumatic orthopedic injuries in a prospective cohort of Golden Retrievers. Our data suggest that gonadectomy at any age is a risk factor for overweight or obesity, but delaying gonadectomy until dogs are at least 6–12 months of age may help to decrease the risk for orthopedic injury.
109: Increasing Intima-Media Thickness Across Successive Birth Cohorts, 1926–1946

Abstracts: SER-CSEB 2005 Joint Meeting: Epidemiology Without Borders : a Joint Meeting of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and the Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Toronto, Canada, June 27-30, 2005
Correction: Lesion evolution and neurodegeneration in RVCL-S: A monogenic microvasculopathy

In the article “Lesion Evolution and Neurodegeneration in RVCL-S: A Monogenic Microvasculopathy” by Ford et al.,1 the following sentence was omitted from the Study Funding statement: “This work was supported by Clayco Foundation, Energy 4A Cure Foundation, Cure CRV Research and The Foundation for Barnes Jewish Hospital (MB, MKL, DH, JJM, JPA).” The authors regret the omission.
Mechanical Complications of Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Review.

Importance Mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction include left ventricular free-wall rupture, ventricular septal rupture, papillary muscle rupture, pseudoaneurysm, and true aneurysm. With the introduction of early reperfusion therapies, these complications now occur in fewer than 0.1% of patients following an acute myocardial infarction. However, mortality rates have not decreased in parallel, and mechanical complications remain an important determinant of outcomes after myocardial infarction. Early diagnosis and management are crucial to improving outcomes and require an understanding of the clinical findings that should raise suspicion of mechanical complications and the evolving surgical and percutaneous treatment options. Observations Mechanical complications most commonly occur within the first week after myocardial infarction. Cardiogenic shock or acute pulmonary edema are frequent presentations. Echocardiography is usually the first test used to identify the type, location, and hemodynamic consequences of the mechanical complication. Hemodynamic stabilization often requires a combination of medical therapy and mechanical circulatory support. Surgery is the definitive treatment, but the optimal timing remains unclear. Percutaneous therapies are emerging as an alternative treatment option for patients at prohibitive surgical risk. Conclusions and Relevance Mechanical complications present with acute and dramatic hemodynamic deterioration requiring rapid stabilization. Heart team involvement is required to determine appropriate management strategies for patients with mechanical complications after acute myocardial infarction.
Higher education and violent revolutionary activism under authoritarianism: Subnational evidence from Iran:

Existing research shows that education reduces the likelihood of individuals’ participation in political violence and increases conventional political participation, such as voting. However, how do...
Association of Ablative Radiation Therapy With Survival Among Patients With Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer.

Importance Surgical resection has been considered the only curative option for patients with pancreatic cancer. Nonoperative local treatment options that can provide a similar benefit are needed. Emerging radiation techniques that address organ motion have enabled curative radiation doses to be given in patients with inoperable disease. Objective To determine the association of hypofractionated ablative radiation therapy (A-RT) with survival for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with a novel radiation planning and delivery technique. Design, setting, and participants This cohort study included 119 consecutive patients treated with A-RT between June 2016 and February 2019 and enrolled in a prospectively maintained database. Patients were treated with a standardized technique within a large academic cancer center regional network. All patients with localized, unresectable, or medically inoperable pancreatic cancer with tumors of any size and less than 5 cm luminal abutment with the primary tumor were eligible. Interventions Ablative RT (98 Gy biologically effective dose) was delivered using standard equipment. Respiratory gating, soft tissue image guidance, and selective adaptive planning were used to address organ motion and limit the dose to surrounding luminal organs. Main outcomes and measures The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes included incidence of local progression and progression-free survival. Results Between 2016 and 2019, 119 patients (59 men, median age 67 years) received A-RT, including 99 with T3/T4 and 53 with node-positive disease, with a median carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level greater than 167 U/mL. Most (116 [97.5%]) received induction chemotherapy for a median of 4 months (0.5-18.4). Median OS from diagnosis and A-RT were 26.8 and 18.4 months, respectively. Respective 12- and 24-month OS from A-RT were 74% (95% CI, 66%-83%) and 38% (95% CI, 27%-52%). Twelve- and 24-month cumulative incidence of locoregional failure were 17.6% (95% CI, 10.4%-24.9%) and 32.8% (95% CI, 21.6%-44.1%), respectively. Postinduction CA19-9 decline was associated with improved locoregional control and survival. Grade 3 upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 10 patients (8%) with no grade 4 to 5 events. Conclusions and relevance This cohort study of patients with inoperable LAPC found that A-RT following multiagent induction therapy for LAPC was associated with durable locoregional tumor control and favorable survival. Prospective randomized trials in patients with LAPC are warranted.
Equivalent Behavioral Facilitation to Tactile Cues in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The alerting network, a subcomponent of attention, enables humans to respond to novel information. Children with ASD have shown equivalent alerting in response to visual and/or auditory stimuli compared to typically developing (TD) children. However, it is unclear whether children with ASD and TD show equivalent alerting to tactile stimuli. We examined (1) whether tactile cues affect accuracy and reaction times in children with ASD and TD, (2) whether the duration between touch-cues and auditory targets impacts performance, and (3) whether behavioral responses in the tactile cueing task are associated with ASD symptomatology. Six- to 12-year-olds with ASD and TD participated in a tactile-cueing task and were instructed to respond with a button press to a target sound /a/. Tactile cues were presented at 200, 400, and 800 ms (25% each) prior to the auditory target. The remaining trials (25%) were presented without tactile cues. Findings suggested that both groups showed equivalent alerting responses to tactile cues. Additionally, all children were faster to respond to auditory targets at longer cue–target intervals. Finally, there was an association between rate of facilitation and RRB scores in all children, suggesting that patterns of responding to transient phasic cues may be related to ASD symptomatology.
Truly Visual Caller ID? An Analysis of Anti-Robocall Applications and their Accessibility to Visually Impaired Users

Robocalls interrupt daily activity, cause financial harm, and influence users to ignore calls from unfamiliar numbers. Service providers and developers have created Anti-Robocall applications to attempt to restore trust in the phone and decrease the impact of robocalls on daily life. However, whether or not such applications meet accessibility standards and are therefore usable by vulnerable populations, particularly the visually impaired, is unknown. In this paper, we use a combination of the W3C’s Mobile Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (MWCAG) and interviews with 11 visually impaired users to establish accessibility metrics for Anti-Robocall applications. We then evaluate 56 Anti-Robocall applications for Android to assess whether they met the needs of the visually impaired community. Our results indicate that 100% of the applications fail to meet all basic accessibility guidelines including minimum color contrast, button labels (to assist screen readers), and automatic audible alerts. As a result, we show that despite the availability of a variety of tools to help developers identify and correct these problems, this important class of applications does not meet basic accessibility requirements. We conclude by suggesting viable paths forward that ensure inclusion and protection for the visually impaired community.
Relationship Between Pitch Volume and Subjective Report of Injury in High School Female Fast-Pitch Softball Pitchers.

Background:The relationship between pitch volume and injury is well-represented within baseball literature. However, the impact of softball pitch volume on injury epidemiology is limited.Hypothesis...
Chapter 3 The bacterial reaction center

Publisher Summary The idea that the initial photochemical reaction in bacterial photosynthesis is the oxidation of a bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) complex in a special site, or “reaction center,” developed from pioneering studies by L.N.M. Duysens and R.K. Clayton. Reaction centers of the purple, nonsulfur photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodospirillaceae) have proved easier to isolate than those of other photosynthetic organisms. In a typical procedure, chromatophore membranes are first collected from broken cells by differential centrifugation. Mild disruption of the membranes with lauryldimethylamine-N-oxide or other non-ionic detergent solublizes the reaction centers, leaving most of the antenna BChl in a particulate fraction that is removed by centrifugation. Sucrose-gradient centrifugation or fractionation with ammonium sulfate is sometimes used at this point. The reaction centres are then purified by column chromatography on a cationic resin, such as DEAE-Sephacryl in the continuing presence of a low concentration of detergent, and are concentrated by pressure dialysis. Reaction centres isolated from Rb. sphaeroides, Rb. capsulatus and Rs. Rubrum contain three polypeptides in 1:1:1 stoichiometry, with a total molecular weight of about 10 5 .
Secrets of actin-based motility revealed by a bacterial pathogen

Actin-based cell motility is a complex process involving a dynamic, self-organizing cellular system. Experimental problems initially limited our understanding of this type of motility, but the use of a model system derived from a bacterial pathogen has led to a breakthrough. Now, all the molecular components necessary for dynamic actin self-organization and motility have been identified, setting the stage for future mechanistic studies.
Evaluation of degradation in amorphous silicon solar cells

It is pointed out that lack of understanding of light-induced degradation in a-Si:H has prevented not only its reduction, but also its basic characterization. That is, there has been no quantitative index of material stability that can be used as a criterion of material quality, thus precluding evaluation of preparation conditions or comparative stability of different materials. From the recently developed stretched-exponential description of degradation, it is shown that the saturated behavior is the only reliable criterion, although it is little used. A recent atomic model for the metastable defects that is consistent with this description and explains most defect properties is summarized. This model is an adaptation of a model for the metastable DX centers in GaAs and differs from the usual Si-Si bond-breaking models in a-Si:H in that it is based on foreign atoms. >
Neuropsychological Sequelae of Chronic Medical Disorders in Children and Youth

Neuropsychologists have been largely concerned with the evaluation of neurologic conditions that result in impairment in intellectual functioning. The majority of both clinical work and published research has been done with adults. By comparison, clinical child neuropsychology remains in its infancy. These statements were true when this chapter was first written in 1989, and remain largely true today, 5 years later.
The Conceptual-Level Design Approach to Complex Systems

The increasing complexity and heterogeneity of current-day systems makes early design trade-offs and analysis a necessity. Typically such exploration is performed at a time that specifications are incomplete or ill-defined, and no behavioral or structural descriptions have been formulated. The only information available are properties of the system and its components, such as abstract functionality, complexity, constraints and cost functions. In present design practice, this level of abstraction, henceforth called the conceptual-level, is addressed in an ad-hoc fashion without much support from tools or without utilizing existing data and models. This paper proposes a methodology and framework to support conceptual-level design. It consists of a distributed data modeling environment combined with a set of appropriate user interfaces.
Effect of external peer review on cesarean delivery rates: A statewide program

Objective To assess the effectiveness of a joint-specialty society and health department statewide peer-review program to reduce cesarean rates. Methods Forty-five of the 165 hospitals with active delivery services were reviewed between 1989 and 1993. Differences in total and repeat cesarean rates and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) rates were compared by hospital review status using Student t tests and linear regression for the years before and after completion of the program. Results Reviewed hospitals reduced their total cesarean rate by 3% and repeat cesarean rate by 0.7%, and increased their VBAC rate by 14.6% compared with nonreviewed hospitals, for which the respective reduction in rates was 1%, 0.6%, and 12.7%. Statistically, there was no difference between reviewed and nonreviewed hospitals in terms of rate changes. Conclusion This joint-specialty society and health department peer review had no apparent impact on cesarean rates.
Chloroplast Glutathione Reductase

Glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) activity is present in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. The pH dependence and substrate concentration for half-maximal rate are reported and a possible role in chloroplasts is proposed.
Review and update of the guidelines for review of gynecologic cytology in the course of litigation

The guidelines for review of gynecologic cytology in the course of litigation were initially written by the American Society of Cytopathology in 2000 and have been reviewed and reapproved several times since then. This communication seeks to summarize the background for these guidelines and details the issues that were addressed in the most recent review.
Message in a bottle: decoding medication injury patterns in the gastrointestinal tract

Medication injury in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a rapidly evolving topic. Increasing endoscopy together with an ageing population, polypharmacy, and a burgeoning drug industry offer heightened opportunities to observe the unintended side effects of therapeutic ingestants. In this review, we emphasise the most commonly encountered medication injuries involving the GIT, as well as emerging agents and mimics. While topics are organised by organ system, the reader should keep in mind that injury patterns are generally not site-specific. As such, awareness of these major morphologic patterns can be translated to multiple tissue sites to more broadly facilitate the diagnostic process.
Characterization and comparison of progesterone receptor in hamster vagina and uterus.

To measure tissue specificity for specific progesterone binding, various tissues (liver, kidney, vagina, uterus, spleen, duodenum, heart) and serum were analyzed from proestrous hamsters. Of the tissues examined, only the uterus and vagina contained a protein in cytosol with the physicochemical properties of a progesterone receptor (Rp) (i.e. high binding affinity for progesterone, limited binding capacity, hormonal binding specificity, a 6–7 S sedimentation coefficient in low ionic medium). In contrast, the progesterone-binding component in kidney and liver cytosol appears to be CBG, based on its lower affinity for progesterone (KA = 5–9 × 107 M−1) and its 4–5 S sedimentation coefficient. Progesterone binding was not detectable in serum or in cytosol fractions derived from heart, spleen or duodenum. Following ovariectomy, vaginal cytosol Rp levels decreased; but they rapidly increased to levels greater than those measured prior to ovariectomy in response to oestrogen replacement therapy. Treatment of these animals with progesterone, depleted Rp from the cytosol of uterus and vagina, whereas such treatment did not affect the level of the progesterone binder in liver or kidney. Thus, these results confirm the presence of specific Rp in hamster uterine cytosol, and establish that hamster vaginal cytosol contains Rp with physicochemical properties: consistent with those expected of a steroid receptor; similar, if not identical, to those of uterine Rp; and distinctly different from the progesterone binding components present in “nontarget” tissues.
Common property, forest management and the Indian Himalaya

This article examines contributions to the literature on common property regimes that govern natural resources. The article also seeks to analyse the relevance of this literature for resource management in the Indian Himalaya. Writings on common property have been instrumental in developing a theoretical justification for decentralisation of envir onmental policies around the world. Nonetheless, they have been relatively inattentive to issues of power and the larger socio-political context within which most common prop erty regimes are embedded. Research in the Himalayan mountains not only stands to benefit from using theoretical approaches based on studies of common property, but can also enrich the study of common property because of the long history of commons management in the region.
A place for everything: chromosomal integration of large constructs.

We have developed an easy, reliable two-step method for the insertion of large DNA fragments into any desired location in the E. coli chromosome. The method is based on the recombineering of a small (~1.3 kbp) “Landing Pad” into the chromosome at the insertion site, to which the large construct is subsequently delivered via I-SceI endonuclease excision from a donor plasmid. To demonstrate the power of this method, we here show the insertion of a fragment containing the entire lac operon (~9 kbp) into four predefined novel locations in the E. coli chromosome, a feat not possible with existing technologies. In addition, the chromosomal breaks induced by landing pad excision provide sufficient selective pressure that positive selection by antibiotics is unnecessary, making precise, exact insertion without extraneous sequence possible.
Genetic variants of the LIN28B gene predict severe radiation pneumonitis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiation therapy

Abstract Background LIN28 is an RNA-binding protein that not only plays key roles in multiple cellular developmental processes and tumourigenesis, but also is involved in tissue inflammatory response. However, no published study has investigated associations between genetic variants in LIN28 and radiation-induced pneumonitis (RP) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive radiation therapy. Methods We genotyped eight potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of LIN28A (rs11247946 T>C, rs3811464 C>T, rs11581746 T>C, and rs12728900 G>A) and LIN28B (rs314280 G>A, rs12194974 G>A, rs17065417 A>C and rs314276 C>A) in 362 patients with NSCLC, who received definitive radio(chemo)therapy. The associations between RP risk and genotypes were assessed by hazards ratio (HR) in Cox proportional hazards regression analysis with time to event considered with and without adjustment for potential confounders. Results Multivariate analyses found that patients carrying LIN28B rs314280 AG and AA/AG or rs314276 AC and AA/AC genotypes had a higher risk of grade ⩾3 RP (for rs314280 AG and AA/AG versus GG, adjusted HR=2.97 and 2.23, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.32–6.72 and 1.01–4.94, P =0.009 and 0.048, respectively; for rs314276 AC and AA/AC versus CC, adjusted HR=2.30 and 2.00, 95% CI=1.24–4.28 and 1.11–3.62, and P =0.008 and 0.022, respectively). Further stratified analyses showed a more consistent and profound risk in the subgroups of age Conclusion Genetic variants of LIN28B , but not LIN28A , may be biomarkers for susceptibility to severe RP in NSCLC patients. Large, prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.
A two-dimensional population density approach to modeling the dLGN/PGN network

The interaction of two populations of integrate-and-fire-or-burst neurons representing thalamocortical cells from the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and thalamic reticular cells from the perigeniculate nucleus (PGN) is studied here using a population density approach. A two-dimensional probability density function that evolves according to a time-dependent advection-reaction equation gives the distribution of cells in each population over the membrane potential (v) and de-inactivation level (h) of the low-threshold Ca^2^+ current I"T. The response of the dLGN/PGN network is studied for optic tract stimulation protocols of different amplitude, duty cycle, and frequency.
Metabolic activity of developing rabbit lung.

Summary: The uptake and metabolism of [3H]leucine, [U-14C]glucose, and [3H]palmitate were studied in rabbits aged −3, 1, 7, 28, and 90 days up to 1–1.5 years. Although lung composition did not change markedly, there were great differences in lung metabolism between the perinatal period (late fetal and newborn) and later stages of development. Leucine incorporation into lung protein was highest (3.1–3.4 nmol/mg protein/hr) in late fetal and newborn rabbits and decreased rapidly thereafter. Palmitic acid incorporation decreased during the first week after birth from 150 nmol/100 mg/hr to 85 nmol/100 nig/hr at 7 days of age; it increased thereafter to 170 nmol/100 mg/hr at 4 weeks of age and remained at that level throughout the entire period studied. Glucose uptake and lactate production were higher in fetal lungs than in all other age groups. Lipid biosynthesis from glucose was 2–4 times higher in fetal lungs than at all other ages; furthermore, more than 60% of glucose carbon atoms channeled into lipid was incorporated into fatty acids, whereas at all other ages glucose was chiefly a precursor of lipid glycerol. Speculation: Our data suggest that late fetal lung has a high metabolic activity that corresponds to the high synthetic demands of a rapidly growing and differentiating organ. Our study shows a higher glucose uptake in fetal and newborn lung than at later ages. Of special significance is the finding that lipid and, especially, fatty acid synthesis from glucose, is highest in the fetal lung. Since glucose is incorporated chiefly into phospholipids, the 7–8 times higher incorporation of glucose carbons into phospholipid fatty acid could have special significance for surfactant biosynthesis.
Irresistible Integrals: Symbolics, Analysis and Experiments in the Evaluation of Integrals

The problem of evaluating integrals is well known to every student who has had a year of calculus. It was an especially important subject in 19th century analysis and it has now been revived with the appearance of symbolic languages. In this book, the authors use the problem of exact evaluation of definite integrals as a starting point for exploring many areas of mathematics. The questions discussed in this book, first published in 2004, are as old as calculus itself. In presenting the combination of methods required for the evaluation of most integrals, the authors take the most interesting, rather than the shortest, path to the results. Along the way, they illuminate connections with many subjects, including analysis, number theory, algebra and combinatorics. This will be a guided tour of exciting discovery for undergraduates and their teachers in mathematics, computer science, physics, and engineering.
Calmodulin methyltransferase is an evolutionarily conserved enzyme that trimethylates Lys-115 in calmodulin

Calmodulin (CaM) is a key mediator of calcium-dependent signalling and is subject to regulatory post-translational modifications, including trimethylation of Lys-115. In this paper, we identify a class I, non-SET domain protein methyltransferase, calmodulin-lysine N-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.60). A polypeptide chosen from a fraction enriched in calmodulin methyltransferase activity was trypsinized and analysed by tandem mass spectrometry. The amino-acid sequence obtained identified conserved, homologous proteins of unknown function across a wide range of species, thus implicating a broad role for lysine methylation in calcium-dependent signalling. Encoded by c2orf34, the human homologue is a component of two related multigene deletion syndromes in humans. Human, rat, frog, insect and plant homologues were cloned and Escherichia coli-recombinant proteins catalysed the formation of a trimethyllysyl residue at position 115 in CaM, as verified by product analyses and mass spectrometry. Calmodulin is a key mediator of calcium-dependent signalling and is subject to post-translational modifications. Here, evolutionarily conserved methyltransferases are identified which trimethylate Lys-115 of calmodulin, implying a broad role in calcium-dependent signalling.