cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Memory and the Being of the Subject

This chapter tackles the mind–body problem. It shows that the prolongation of the past into the present, namely, memory is the basis for the continuity of the subject. Thanks to the ability of the brain to focus consciousness on the needs of the present, memory acquires practical role through the function of forgetting. This entails the distinction between pure memory, which is imageless, and memory-images, which condition memory’s passage into the conscious present. Going against Deleuze’s recourse to “word-memory” and the phenomenologist reduction of the past to retention, the chapter shows that memory is the ontological continuity of the being-made. Accordingly, mind–body union is how the mind both overflows the body but also limits itself to the body to support action.
THE DEPOSITION OF PYROLYTIC GRAPHITE

Abstract : The study of the deposition processes in pyrolytic graphite, made from the gas phase, has been largely empirical. The work presented attempts to show that the deposition is controlled by reactions in the gas phase. Experiments were performed at fast and slow rates of growth using natural, pyrolytic, and commercial graphites as substrates. The deposition processes occurring at various temperatures and pressures for all three substrates are described.
The androgen receptor CAG repeat polymorphism and ovarian cancer risk

3250 Evidence from biological and epidemiologic studies suggest a role for androgens and the androgen receptor in ovarian cancer risk. The androgen receptor (AR) is a transcription factor responsible for mediating the physiological effects of androgens, and is present in normal human ovarian epithelial cells and ovarian cancer cell lines. Upon androgen binding, the androgen-AR complex interacts with coregulators and binds to specific DNA sequences in the promoter region of its target genes to influence the transcription of these androgen-responsive genes. A polymorphic CAG repeat in exon 1 of the AR gene encodes a polyglutamine tract that is inversely correlated with the transcriptional activity of this gene. We assessed the association between the functional CAG repeat polymorphism and the risk of ovarian cancer in a nested case-control study within the Nurses’ Health Study. The analysis included 135 invasive ovarian cancer cases diagnosed after blood draw in 1989 and before June 2000, and 435 controls matched on age, menopausal status, postmenopausal hormone use, and date, time, and fasting status at blood draw. The associations between the AR CAG repeat alleles and ovarian cancer risk were examined by using conditional logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The average repeat length and the mean repeat length of the smaller and larger AR alleles were similar in cases and controls (P >0.2). The adjusted OR for each unit increase in repeat length in the larger allele and for each unit increase in the average (CAG)n repeat length was 1.00 (95% CI, 0.92, 1.08) and 1.05 (95% CI, 0.95-1.16), respectively. In contrast, we observed a modest and marginally significant association for each one unit increase in repeat length in the larger allele and ovarian cancer risk (OR= 1.07; 95% CI, 0.99-1.16). Women with one or two long alleles (≥ 25 repeats) compared to both alleles
Chikungunya virus infection impairs osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus, belonging to the genus alphavirus in the family Togaviridae. The virus is spread by the Aedes species (sp.) mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. CHIKV causes Chikungunya fever (CHIKF), where the acute stage of infection is characterized by high fever, headache, rash, and polyarthralgia. In 30-40% of cases, patients develop a chronic stage with debilitating joint pain persisting for months to years imposing a burden on the population in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALY). Presently, no vaccines or treatment options are available for this infection. Prior investigations reveal that CHIKV infection is associated with bone pathology; however, the molecular mechanism underlying CHIKV-induced bone pathology remains poorly defined. Studies show that disruption of osteogenic differentiation and function of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) can lead to bone pathologies. However, to date pathogenesis of CHIKV infection in this context has not been studied. In the current study, we investigated the susceptibility of BMMSCs to CHIKV and studied the effect of infection on BMMSCs-derived osteogenic cells. To our knowledge, for the first time we report that CHIKV can productively infect BMMSCs. We observed a decrease in the intracellular and extracellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and reduction in calcium phosphate deposition in infected cells compared to mock-infected control. Thus, we conclude that CHIKV infects BMMSCs and disrupts function of osteogenic cells. Importance Although studies have shown association of bone pathology and CHIKV infection, the pathogenesis of infection causing altered bone homeostasis is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that BMMSCs are susceptible to CHIKV infection. Furthermore, we observe that infection causes disruption in the function of BMMSC- derived osteogenic cells. Impaired function of these osteogenic cells will likely lead to a disruption in bone homeostasis and in part, provides a mechanism for the observed bone pathology associated with CHIKV pathogenesis.
A Likelihood-based Convolution Approach to Estimate Event Occurrences in Large Longitudinal Incomplete Clinical Data

Registry and clinical trials data have been the preferred data source for vast amounts of research effort. However, these data sources offer limited sample sizes, follow-up time, temporal granularity and often focus on a single disease, making them insufficient for modern research. Recent years has seen the emergence of commercial data sets, aggregated from multiple health system, including pharmacy, clinical and claims data. Unlike registry data, these large-scale data sources can contain inaccuracies and may be incomplete, often missing the dates of major health events. In this paper, we develop a method for estimating the dates of major health events that are defined by significant changes in physiology and treatment regimen before and after the event. Our methodology synthesizes information from multiple sources (labs, medications, procedures, billing and claims diagnoses) using a novel convolution-based change detection methodology. We apply our methodology to identifying liver transplant dates for patients who underwent liver transplant from the OptumLabs® Data Warehouse totaling 31,000 transplant patients. For a cohort of 4,000 patients with known transplant date, our method managed to estimate the transplant date within the two-week window for 92% of the cohort. On the vast majority in the data set (84%), the error (absolute difference between the predicted and true transplant dates in days) is less than one week and for almost the entire data set (92%), the errors fall within two weeks of the true date.
Selective Inbreeding: Genetic Crosses Drive Apparent Adaptive Mutation in the Cairns-Foster System of Escherichia coli.

The Escherichia coli system of Cairns and Foster employs a lac frameshift mutation that reverts rarely (10−9/cell/division) during unrestricted growth. However, when 108 cells are plated on lactose medium, the nongrowing lawn produces ∼50 Lac+ revertant colonies that accumulate linearly with time over 5 days. Revertants carry very few associated mutations. This behavior has been attributed to an evolved mechanism (“adaptive mutation” or “stress-induced mutagenesis”) that responds to starvation by preferentially creating mutations that improve growth. We describe an alternative model, “selective inbreeding,” in which natural selection acts during intercellular transfer of the plasmid that carries the mutant lac allele and the dinB gene for an error-prone polymerase. Revertant genome sequences show that the plasmid is more intensely mutagenized than the chromosome. Revertants vary widely in their number of plasmid and chromosomal mutations. Plasmid mutations are distributed evenly, but chromosomal mutations are focused near the replication origin. Rare, heavily mutagenized, revertants have acquired a plasmid tra mutation that eliminates conjugation ability. These findings support the new model, in which revertants are initiated by rare pre-existing cells (105) with many copies of the F’lac plasmid. These cells divide under selection, producing daughters that mate. Recombination between donor and recipient plasmids initiates rolling-circle plasmid over-replication, causing a mutagenic elevation of DinB level. A lac+ reversion event starts chromosome replication and mutagenesis by accumulated DinB. After reversion, plasmid transfer moves the revertant lac+ allele into an unmutagenized cell, and away from associated mutations. Thus, natural selection explains why mutagenesis appears stress-induced and directed.
Early Complications Following Articular Calcaneus Fracture Repair: Evaluation of Open Versus Percutaneous Techniques.

Objectives To assess complications and secondary operations in patients treated with either open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) versus percutaneous fixation of displaced intra-articular calcaneus fractures. Design Retrospective comparative study. Setting Level 1 trauma center. Patients/Participants Ninety-three adult patients with 111 fractures treated by a single orthopaedic traumatologist between 2001 and 2014. Intervention ORIF through an extensile lateral approach or percutaneous reduction and internal fixation. Main Outcome Measurements Wound-healing complications, infections, posttraumatic arthrosis (PTOA), and secondary procedures. Results Fifty patients with 58 fractures underwent ORIF, and 43 patients with 53 fractures had percutaneous fixation. Mean age was 43 years, and 80% were male. Open fractures and two-part fractures were more often treated percutaneously (26% vs 8%, P = 0.03) and (49% vs 31%, P = 0.02), respectively. Patients undergoing percutaneous fixation were more often tobacco users (58% vs 36%, P = 0.04) and with history of alcohol and other substance abuse. Twenty-seven patients (29%) had 28 complications, including 21% with PTOA, with no differences based on type of treatment. Six patients had secondary procedures, with no difference based on type of treatment. Patients with open fractures (P = 0.001) or tobacco abuse (P = 0.005) were more likely to experience complications. Conclusions No differences in complication rates were found for ORIF versus percutaneous fixation. Regardless of fixation technique, patients with open fractures or history of tobacco abuse were more likely to develop complications. Percutaneous reduction and fixation represents an alternative to extensile ORIF in terms of similar early and late complications, particularly in high risk patients. Level of Evidence Therapeutic Level III.
The chemistry of technetium: Toward improved diagnostic agents

Within the last five years significant advances have been made in elucidating the chemistry of technetium. While this element is continually produced in some abundance during the operation of fission nuclear reactors, its practical application has been limited to nuclear medicine. Owing to the development of the “technetium generator” almost two decades ago, 99mTc is now the preferred isotope for many diagnostic studies involving the imaging of internal organs by radioscintigraphic techniques; however, many of the agents employed have yet to be well characterized from a chemical standpoint. Owing to its position in the middle of the periodic table, the chemistry of this element has already proven rich, even when limited to aqueous solution. Subtle chemical differences often control the relative stabilities of the various oxidation states and each oxidation state exhibits more than one geometry. Coordination complexes involving Tc(III), Tc(IV) and Tc(V) tend to predominate in preparations used for diagnosis. Recent synthetic advances now pave the way for new series of technetium compounds with well-described chemistry. Of these, methods for coordinating chelating nitrogen ligands to Tc(V) offer substantial versatility. (This review covers the literature through August, 1981.)
Development of a mitochondrial DNA marker that distinguishes domestic dogs from Washington state gray wolves

We describe a primer pair that amplifies a 203 base pair fragment containing 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the cytochrome b region of the mitochondrial DNA that, when sequenced, conclusively distinguishes Washington state gray wolves from domestic dogs. The method is more efficient and cost-effective than other established methods for genetically distinguishing domestic dogs from gray wolves when using potentially degraded scat samples. Further testing may find that the SNP panel is also applicable to studies in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, as these wolves belong to the same distinct population segment as Washington state gray wolves.
Thrombin Generation Kinetics are Predictive of Rapid Transfusion in Trauma Patients Meeting Critical Administration Threshold.

Introduction We hypothesize that a patient (pt) with accelerated thrombin generation, time to peak height (ttPeak), will have a greater odds of meeting critical administration threshold (CAT) criteria (> 3 packed red blood cell [pRBC] transfusions [Tx] per 60 min interval), within the first 24 h after injury, independent of international normalized ratio (INR). Methods In a prospective cohort study, trauma patients were enrolled over a 4.5-year period and serial blood samples collected at various time points. We retrospectively stratified pts into three categories: CAT+, CAT- but receiving some pRBC Tx, receiving no Tx within the first 24 h. Blood collected prior to Tx was analyzed for thrombin generation parameters and prothrombin time (PT)/INR. Results A total of 484 trauma pts were analyzed: injury severity score = 13 [7,22], age = 48 [28, 64] years, and 73% male. Fifty pts met criteria for CAT+, 64 pts CAT-, and 370 received no Tx. Risk factors for meeting CAT+: decreased arrival systolic blood pressure (OR 2.82 [2.17, 3.67]), increased INR (OR 2.09, [1.66, 2.62]) and decreased time to peak OR 2.27 [1.74, 2.95]). These variables remained independently associated with increased risk of requiring Tx in a multivariable logistic model, after adjusting for sex and trauma type. Conclusions Pts in hemorrhagic shock, who meet CAT+ criteria, are characterized by accelerated thrombin generation. In our multivariable analysis, both ttPeak and PT/INR have a complementary role in predicting those injured patients who will require a high rate of Tx.
Two-Color Imaging of Nonrepetitive Endogenous Loci in Human Cells.

Tools for live cell imaging of multiple nonrepetitive genomic loci in mammalian cells are necessary to study chromatin dynamics. Here, we report a new system based on two chromosomally integrated o...
When Knowing is Caring: Examining the Relationship Between Diversity Exposure and PSM:

While public service motivation (PSM) provides an important theory for understanding the motivations that underpin public sector worker behavior, theoretical connections to the institutional forces...
Instruction Level Disassembly through Electromagnetic Side-Chanel: Machine Learning Classification Approach with Reduced Combinatorial Complexity

EM side-channel can be quite effective at instruction level disassembly of the executing program. This leaks IP from Internet of Things (IoT) networks. This may also serve as a benign capability to reverse engineer IoT malware binaries. Power Side Channel instruction level disassembly state-of-the-art is capable of identifying instructions in a 2-3 stage pipeline at 50-200 MHz clock frequency with reasonable accuracy by grouping instructions. EM side-channel works at distance unlike power side-channel. Machine Learning models for instruction identification, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for feature selection, Gaussian Process Classifiers (GPC), Adaptive Boosting (AB), Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for instruction classification were developed. Our results of implementation on a 2-stage pipelined architecture demonstrate that the EM side-channel classification approach identifies instructions in flight with 99% accuracy.
Beethoven's String Quintet in C major, Op. 29, and Brahms's String Sextets: A Wallflower Blooms

Beethoven's String Quintet, Op. 29, has been described as a ‘wallflower’ work that, without enough suitors, remains on the sidelines of the string chamber music repertoire. But in the nineteenth century it had a prominent champion, Joseph Joachim, whose performances of the quintet must have attracted the attention of his close friend, Johannes Brahms. The opening theme of Brahms's String Sextet, Op. 18, is clearly reminiscent of the beginning of Beethoven's quintet. Evidence from Donald Francis Tovey's recollections of Joachim, Joachim's correspondence with the Brahms biographer Max Kalbeck, and the manuscript of Op. 18 shows that Joachim influenced an important revision that aligns the beginning of Brahms's sextet closely with the opening of Beethoven's Op. 29 also in terms of texture and formal design. The striking tremolo opening and virtuosic scale passages in the finale of Beethoven's quintet prefigure similar elements in the last movement of Brahms's Op. 36 sextet. But the deeper relationship between these movements lies in certain shared formal elements: a common emphasis on sound, texture and sharp contrasts between agitato and pastoral elements as defining features of the overall form – and several distinctive similarities of contrapuntal strategy, form and tonal design between the substantial fugatos that dominate the development sections of both movements. It is often observed that Brahms wrote chamber works in pairs. Scholars have often posited that his two string sextets form such a pair, but the separation of four years in their inceptions and his extensive use of Baroque-style materials composed in the 1850s in the later sextet have made this argument tenuous. It now emerges that an unusual pairing feature of Brahms's string sextets is that both works respond to Beethoven's ‘wallflower’ masterpiece.
A risk-averse optimization approach to human-robot collaboration in robotic fruit harvesting

Abstract The marketability and adoption of robotic systems in agriculture is largely limited by economic and technology barriers that prevent highly efficient autonomous operations at a cost that justifies the generally low commodity values. From the technology perspective, autonomous systems exhibit brittleness in uncontrolled, unforeseen, and unlearned situations, prevalent in complex agricultural environments, which leads to inefficient operations and production losses. In this setting, human workers can complement autonomous systems through cooperation to not only minimize the total production cost by reducing the burden on autonomy, but also improve productivity by overcoming the shortfalls of autonomous systems. To this end, the focus of this work is on developing a systematic approach for human-robot collaboration in robotic fruit harvesting. Specifically, the main contribution of this work is in the development of stochastic optimization models for human-robot collaboration using a risk-averse framework to identify optimal harvester servicing policies that minimize the risk of economic losses all while guaranteeing a desired level of financial return. The solution of the models provide optimal policies for a human collaborator to service various sub-systems of a robotic harvester to improve performance in light of any operational inefficiencies in the sub-systems. The developed risk-averse optimization solution is validated in a simulated grove environment using data for various citrus varieties. Economic gains through human collaboration are confirmed through increase in the value of production and the net profit. The simulation results also provide insights into the temporal variation in the required human collaboration during the length of harvesting operation, which can benefit agricultural operations management in effective labor allocation. Furthermore, the intrinsic self-diagnosing ability of the developed model identifies component-level inefficiencies to provide an optimal servicing policy, thereby a human collaborator is not required to maintain situational awareness of the harvesting operation. Finally, it is demonstrated that the models can be solved to optimality in a relatively short time ( ⩽ 2 s ) using standard commercial optimization packages.
The Distant Roots of Beijing’s Palaces

Beijing’s “Forbidden City” was first built between 1406 and 1421 using giant timbers from China’s far southwest. After this massive construction project, the palaces burned repeatedly in the 1500s. These disasters were felt not only in Beijing, but also in remote Sichuan and Guizhou, where the logging projects to supply wood for rebuilding destroyed the growth of centuries and led to outright warfare among the rulers of the region as they competed to cut down the best remaining trees. This two-hundred-year story of disaster and rebuilding reveals how Beijing drew upon the resources of the greater Ming empire.
Spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme in a patient with Noonan syndrome: A clinical report.

Abstract Introduction Currently, there are only 3 reported cases of central nervous system malignancies in patients with Noonan syndrome in the literature, all of which are intracranial pathologies. To our knowledge, there are no cases of spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme reported in the literature. Case description We describe the case of a 12-year-old girl with Noonan syndrome who presented with back pain and new onset neurological deficits and was found to have a spinal cord lesion. T10-L1 laminoplasty with safe maximal resection was done. Postoperative pathological analysis identified this lesion as a high-grade astrocytoma consistent with glioblastoma multiforme. Conclusions Spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme is a rare occurrence in the general population, particularly in a patient with an underlying diagnosis of Noonan syndrome. Patients with spinal cord tumors can present with a multitude of clinical signs and symptoms and treatment should not be delayed.
Comparison of Observations and Predictions of Daytime Planetary-Boundary-Layer Heights and Surface Meteorological Variables in the Columbia River Gorge and Basin During the Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project

The second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2) is an 18-month field campaign in the Pacific Northwest U.S.A., whose goal is to improve the accuracy of numerical-weather-prediction forecasts in complex terrain. The WFIP2 campaign involved the deployment of a large suite of in situ and remote sensing instrumentation, including eight 915-MHz wind-profiling radars, and surface meteorological stations. The evolution and annual variability of the daytime convective planetary-boundary-layer (PBL) height is investigated using the wind-profiling radars. Three models with different horizontal grid spacing are evaluated: the Rapid Refresh, the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh, and its nested version. The results are used to assess errors in the prediction of PBL height within the experimental and control versions of the models, with the experimental versions including changes and additions to the model parametrizations developed during the field campaign, and the control version using the parametrizations present in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Centers for Environmental Prediction operational version of the models at the start of the project. Results show that the high-resolution models outperform the low-resolution versions, the experimental versions perform better compared with the control versions, model PBL height estimations are more accurate on cloud-free days, and model estimates of the PBL height growth rate are more accurate than model estimates of the rate of decay. Finally, using surface sensors, we assess surface meteorological variables, finding improved surface irradiance and, to a lesser extent, improved 2-m temperature in the experimental version of the model.
Judicial Illumination of the Constitutional "Twilight Zone": Protecting Post-Arrest, Pretrial Suspects from Excessive Force at the Hands of Law Enforcement

Police brutality is one of the most serious and enduring human rights violations in the United States today. One means by which victims may seek redress is under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which provides a civil cause of action against state actors who deprive individuals of their constitutional rights. This Note examines § 1983 litigation brought by post-arrest, pretrial detainees alleging the use of excessive force by law enforcement officials. There is currently a circuit split regarding whether such claims must be brought under the Fourth Amendment's proscription of unreasonable seizures of the person or the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee that no State will deprive a citizen of liberty without due process of law. This issue's resolution has significance as to the plaintiffs burden of proof, and thus, his or her likelihood of attaining a favorable verdict. This Note contends that the best approach is a hybrid model that involves a synthesis of both Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment standards because it is both practical and mindful of recent lines of U.S. Supreme Court
Entrance Ramps, Tolls, and Express Lanes - Proposals for Decreasing Traffic Congestion in the Patent Office

There are two primary, yet competing, problems burdening the grant of patents by the US Patent & Trademark Office - the questionable quality of the patents being issued and the lack of speed with which patents are granted. This article explores these problems and proposes a multi-tier patent grant system as a potential solution. The article proposes a paradigm, using a highway metaphor, for categorizing patent applications into three types based on the inventor's intent and market realities at the time of filing. From this paradigm, the article proposes that we add additional roads, or create a multi-tier patent grant system, that will address the problems of speed and quality. In addition to the current patent grant system (with some minor modifications), the article proposes adding a Primary Patent (for patents that are not intended to be used in the traditional exclusionary manner) and a Techno-Patent (for patents on rapidly-obsolescing technologies that need to issue quickly). The multiple tracks, as well as additional requirements on inventors, should allow for more complete examination of the patent applications that need it most, addressing the quality of patents. The multiple tracks also allow for different patent applications to be examined differently, depending on the inventor's intended usage, and should address the speed of patent issue.
A new soft-switched contactless battery charger with robust local controllers

A new soft-switched contactless battery charger with an improved local controller is described. The controller consists of a primary-current feedback control circuit in the inverter side and an output-voltage feedback control circuit in the rectifier side. By controlling the primary current of the inverter side, the maximum transferable power through the inductive coupling is automatically kept constant over the entire input voltage and load ranges. As a result, excessive circulating energy in the charger is minimized. Moreover, by incorporating the proposed controller, zero-voltage switching (ZVS) of all power switches is achieved. Finally, the proposed controller provides a tight regulation of the output voltage over the entire load and input voltage ranges without any feedback connection between the rectifier side and the inverter side.
Linear Operators on Normed Spaces

Many of the basic problems of applied mathematics share the property of linearity, and linear spaces and linear operators provide a general and useful framework for the analysis of such problems.More complicated applications often involve nonlinear operators, and a study of linear operators also offers some useful tools for the analysis of nonlinear operators. In this chapter we review some basic results on linear operators, and we give some illustrative applications to obtain results in numerical analysis. Some of the results are quoted without proof; and usually the reader can find detailed proofs of the results in a standard textbook on functional analysis, e.g. see Conway [58], Kantorovich and Akilov [135], and Zeidler [249], [250].
Influence of Ethylene Produced by Soil Microorganisms on Etiolated Pea Seedlings

There is indirect evidence that soil microorganisms producing ethylene (C(2)H(4)) can influence plant growth and development, but unequivocal proof is lacking in the literature. A laboratory study was conducted to demonstrate the validity of this speculation. Four experiments were carried out to observe the characteristic "triple" response of etiolated pea seedlings to C(2)H(4) microbially derived from l-methionine as a substrate in the presence or absence of Ag(I), a potent inhibitor of C(2)H(4) action. In two experiments, the combination of l-methionine and Acremonium falciforme (as an inoculum) was used, while in another study the indigenous soil microflora was responsible for C(2)H(4) production. A standardized experiment was conducted with C(2)H(4) gas to compare the contribution of the microflora to plant growth. In all cases, etiolated pea seedlings exhibited the classical triple response, which includes reduction in elongation, swelling of the hypocotyl, and a change in the direction of growth (horizontal). The presence of Ag(I) afforded protection to the pea seedlings against the microbially derived C(2)H(4). This study demonstrates that microbially produced C(2)H(4) in soil can influence plant growth.
Physical Activity Differentially Affects the Cecal Microbiota of Ovariectomized Female Rats Selectively Bred for High and Low Aerobic Capacity.

The gut microbiota is considered a relevant factor in obesity and associated metabolic diseases, for which postmenopausal women are particularly at risk. Increasing physical activity has been recognized as an efficacious approach to prevent or treat obesity, yet the impact of physical activity on the microbiota remains under-investigated. We examined the impacts of voluntary exercise on host metabolism and gut microbiota in ovariectomized (OVX) high capacity (HCR) and low capacity running (LCR) rats. HCR and LCR rats (age = 27wk) were OVX and fed a high-fat diet (45% kcal fat) ad libitum and housed in cages equipped with (exercise, EX) or without (sedentary, SED) running wheels for 11wk (n = 7-8/group). We hypothesized that increased physical activity would hinder weight gain, increase metabolic health and shift the microbiota of LCR rats, resulting in populations more similar to that of HCR rats. Animals were compared for characteristic metabolic parameters including body composition, lipid profile and energy expenditure; whereas cecal digesta were collected for DNA extraction. 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon Illumina MiSeq sequencing was performed, followed by analysis using QIIME 1.8.0 to assess cecal microbiota. Voluntary exercise decreased body and fat mass, and normalized fasting NEFA concentrations of LCR rats, despite only running one-third the distance of HCR rats. Exercise, however, increased food intake, weight gain and fat mass of HCR rats. Exercise clustered the gut microbial community of LCR rats, which separated them from the other groups. Assessments of specific taxa revealed significant (p<0.05) line by exercise interactions including shifts in the abundances of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Relative abundance of Christensenellaceae family was higher (p = 0.026) in HCR than LCR rats, and positively correlated (p<0.05) with food intake, body weight and running distance. These findings demonstrate that exercise differentially impacts host metabolism and gut microbial communities of female HCR and LCR rats without ovarian function.
Vortex lattice melting in untwinned and twinned single crystals of YBa2Cu3O7- delta.

The melting transition in twinned and untwinned single crystals is measured resistively in fields up to 8 T as a function of the angle between the c axis and the a-b plane. The angular dependence follows the Lindemann criterion with ${\mathit{c}}_{\mathit{L}}$=0.15. The suppression of melting by strong pinning by twin boundaries is demonstrated.
Iodophenylpentadecanoic acid-myocardial blood flow relationship during maximal exercise with coronary occlusion

Imaging {sup 123}I-labeled iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (IPPA) uptake and clearance from the myocardium following exercise has been advocated as a means of detecting myocardial ischemia because fatty acid deposition is enhanced and clearance prolonged in regions of low flow. However, normal regional myocardial blood flows are markedly heterogeneous, and it is not known how this heterogeneity affects regional metabolism or substrate uptake and thus image interpretation. In five instrumented dogs running at near maximal workload on a treadmill, {sup 131}I-labeled IPPA and 15-micron 46Sc microspheres were injected into the left atrium after 30 sec of circumflex coronary artery occlusion. Microsphere and IPPA activity were determined in 250 mapped pieces of myocardium of approximately 400 mg. Myocardial blood flows (from microspheres) ranged from 0.05 to 7.6 ml/min/g. Deposition of IPPA was proportional to regional flows (r = 0.83) with an average retention of 25%. The mean endocardial-epicardial ratio for IPPA (0.90 {plus minus} 0.43) was similar to that for microspheres (0.94 {plus minus} 0.47; p = 0.08). Thus, initial IPPA deposition during treadmill exercise increases in proportion to regional myocardial blood flow over a range of flows from very low to five times normal.
Equivalence of kernel machine regression and kernel distance covariance for multidimensional phenotype association studies.

Summary Associating genetic markers with a multidimensional phenotype is an important yet challenging problem. In this work, we establish the equivalence between two popular methods: kernel-machine regression (KMR), and kernel distance covariance (KDC). KMR is a semiparametric regression framework that models covariate effects parametrically and genetic markers non-parametrically, while KDC represents a class of methods that include distance covariance (DC) and Hilbert–Schmidt independence criterion (HSIC), which are nonparametric tests of independence. We show that the equivalence between the score test of KMR and the KDC statistic under certain conditions can lead to a novel generalization of the KDC test that incorporates covariates. Our contributions are 3-fold: (1) establishing the equivalence between KMR and KDC; (2) showing that the principles of KMR can be applied to the interpretation of KDC; (3) the development of a broader class of KDC statistics, where the class members are statistics corresponding to different kernel combinations. Finally, we perform simulation studies and an analysis of real data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study. The ADNI study suggest that SNPs of FLJ16124 exhibit pairwise interaction effects that are strongly correlated to the changes of brain region volumes.
Durability of early prosthetic dialysis graft cannulation: Results of a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial

Abstract Purpose: Initiation of hemodialysis frequently requires temporary central venous catheterization, which leads to subsequent venous stenosis in 50% of patients. These lesions severely limit upper extremity dialysis fistula creation. The present study was undertaken to determine whether early cannulation (EC) allowed omission of temporary venous catheterization without affecting perioperative morbidity and long-term graft patency. Methods: Seventy-nine prosthetic grafts for hemodialysis were placed in 76 patients over a 40-month period. Patients who required hemodialysis between 24 and 72 hours after surgery were assigned to EC. The remaining grafts underwent late cannulation (LC) after postoperative day 14. All grafts were constructed with a 6 mm stretch-expanded polytetrafluoroethylene conduit in the brachial artery–to–axillary vein position. Statistical analysis of cumulative primary patency estimates and patient survival data were determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test, patient variables were compared using χ 2 and Fisher's exact test, and multivariate analysis was performed using Cox's proportional hazard model. Results: Forty-eight patients underwent EC and 31 underwent LC. There were no significant differences regarding age (mean, 61.5 years), history of diabetes, congestive heart failure, hematocrit level (mean, 30%), or presence of peripheral vascular disease. Thrombosis occurred before cannulation in one of 48 ECs (2.0%) and one of 31 LCs (3.2%). There were no episodes of cannulation hemorrhage or wound infection in either group. Cumulative primary patency estimates for EC were 0.89, 0.82, and 0.70 at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. These were not significantly different from the LC estimates of 0.86, 0.78, and 0.74 at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Overall, patients who had a history of peripheral vascular disease had a significantly decreased 12-month patency rate (60% vs 74%; p = 0.05). Central venous catheters were omitted in 47 of 48 EC patients. Conclusion: EC of prosthetic dialysis grafts does not increase perioperative morbidity rates or decrease 12-month cumulative primary patency rates. (J Vasc Surg 1997;25:1002-6.)
Antioxidant enzymes in lymphocytes from normal subjects and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: increased glutathione peroxidase activity in CLL B lymphocytes.

Summary. The activities of several enzymes that protect against oxidative injury were determined in blood lymphocytes from patients with B chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and from normal subjects. Similar glutathione reductase (GR), catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities were found in normal and CLL lymphocytes. Higher glutathione peroxidase (GP) activity was found in CLL lymphocytes. This activity in CLL B lymphocytes was 2-fold higher than that of normal B lymphocytes, and 3-fold higher than that of T lymphocytes from either source. Several disease processes have been associated with decreased glutathione peroxidase activity. Our finding with CLL B lymphocytes is believed to be the first example of an increased GP activity in a disease. It may reflect either the expansion of a rare type of B cell population or be an expression of the malignant process.
Large deformation possible in every isotropic elastic membrane

This paper is concerned with static solutions of finitely deformed elastic membranes regarded as thin shells. It deals with deformations that can be maintained, in the absence of body force, in every isotropic elastic membrane by the application of edge loads and/or uniform normal surface loads on the major surfaces of the thin shell-like body. The solutions, which are valid for both compressible and incompressible materials, are obtained with the use of a strain energy response function which depends on the metric tensor of the membrane in its deformed configuration. The main results are summarized by several theorems and their corollaries in accordance with three mutually exclusive cases for which the initial undeformed surface of the membrane (which may be a sector of a complete or closed surface) is, respectively, developable, spherical and a surface of variable Gaussian curvature satisfying certain differential criteria. The corresponding deformed surfaces are, respectively, a plane or a right circular cylinder, a sphere and a surface of constant mean curvature. These results are exhaustive in that they represent all finite deformation solutions possible in every isotropic elastic material characterized by the strain energy response mentioned above. Also discussed are some special cases of the general results and several families of solutions in terms of an alternative description which should be useful in application and which permit easy interpretations.
Spectrochemical analysis by the copper spark method.

A system of spectrochemical analysis is described in which 0.1 ml of a hydrochloric acid solution of the sample is evaporated on the ends of a pair of flat-topped copper electrodes which are then excited in a spark. Absolute sensitivities for different elements ranging from 10−10 to 10−6 gram have been obtained. The lower limits measurable by visual comparison with standard plates are given for 64 elements. The visual method gives results accurate to a factor of two over a range from the lower limit up to about 10 micrograms. The accuracy can be increased, with some loss in sensitivity, by densitometry with an internal standard, an average deviation from the mean of 3 to 8 percent being obtained depending on whether a spectroscopic buffer is used. In addition to high sensitivity the method has the advantage that a great many elements can be determined in one exposure, so that almost any sample which can be obtained in hydrochloric acid can be analyzed for impurities without special calibration. The method was developed for the analysis of plutonium samples and is the result of considerable cooperative effort. The original stimulus was due to Professor G. K. Rollefson of the University of California at Berkeley, whose work was then considerably expanded at Chicago by the authors. Valuable contributions were also made by Dr. Raymond G. Russell, Dr. Wayne W. Marshall, Miss Irene Corvin, and the many analysts who used the method during its evolution. No special mention of the plutonium application is made in the present paper.
Foliar nitrogen in relation to plant traits and reflectance properties of New Hampshire forests.

Several recent studies have shown that the mass-based concentration of nitrogen in foliage (%N) is positively correlated with canopy near-infrared reflectance (NIRr) and midsummer shortwave albedo across North American forests. Understanding the mechanisms behind this relationship would aid in interpretation of remote sensing imagery and improve our ability to predict changes in reflectance under future environmental conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which foliar nitrogen at leaf and canopy scales covary with leaf- and canopy-scale structural traits that are known to influence NIR scattering and reflectance. To accomplish this, we compared leaf and canopy traits with reflectance spectra at 17 mixed temperate forest stands. We found significant positive associations among %N and NIRr at both the leaf and canopy scale. At the canopy scale, both %N and NIRr were correlated with a number of structural traits as well as with the proportional abundance of deciduous and everg...
Explanations of How Love Crosses Class Lines: Cultural Complements and the Case of Cross-Class Marriages

Sociologists know little about how actors explain their attraction to a partner who grew up in a different social class or why their accounts are likely. This is problematic as one form of social class heterophily is relatively common—heterophily by class origin. Drawing upon data from interviews with college-educated respondents in heterophilous marriages by class origin (n = 60) as well as interviews with college-educated respondents in homophilous marriages by class origin (n = 20), this article shows that respondents in heterophilous and homophilous marriages say that they appreciate their spouse for different reasons. Whereas actors in homophilous relationships by class origin explain their appreciation for their spouse in terms of cultural similarities, respondents in heterophilous marriages by class origin explain their appreciation of their spouse in terms of “cultural complements”—the obverse of the dispositions they dislike in themselves and attribute to their own upbringing. The article theorizes that accounts of cultural complements are enabled by the social organization of culture by class.
Sex differences in corpus callosum: influence of prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal undernutrition.

Abstract The functional significance of sex differences in the size of the corpus callosum was investigated using a prenatal alcohol exposure paradigm that influences the fetal hormonal milieu. Adult male and female Long-Evans rats were selected from one of 3 prenatal treatment histories: prenatal alcohol-exposed (35% ethanol-derived calories), nutritional control (0% ethanol-derived calories) or standard control (lab chow). Subjects were assessed for open field activity at 85 days of age. At 100 days of age, midline sagittal areas of the corpus callosum and the anterior commisure were determined for these subjects. Male control subjects had significantly larger callosal areas than female controls. Prenatal alcohol exposure significantly decreased the total callosal area, and abolished this sexual dimorphism. When the callocal measurements were analyzed using Denenberg's regions, differential effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, undernutrition and sex were dissociable by subarea. There were no significant sex differences or effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in the midline sagittal area of the anterior commissure. Callosal size 0as negatively correlated to open field activity, suggesting a possible role in normal exploratory behavior and to the overactivity observed after prenatal alcohol exposure.
Role of platelets and thrombosis in mechanisms of acute occlusion and restenosis after angioplasty

The vascular disruption produced by angioplasty initiates platelet deposition through the processes of platelet adhesion and recruitment of circulating platelets to form an enlarging mural platelet thrombus. Thrombin produced by simultaneous activation of the coagulation cascade by subendothelial connective tissue structures enhances platelet deposition and stabilizes the forming thrombus with enmeshing fibrin. Platelet recruitment involves the expression of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor for fibrinogen and other cytoadhesive proteins including fibronectin, thrombospondin and von Willebrand factor. Platelet deposition and thrombus formation caused by angioplasty appear to be important in the development of 2 complications: acute thrombotic occlusion and restenosis. Experimental mechanical vascular injury produces a predictable, although rather variable, amount of vascular narrowing due to transient smooth muscle cell proliferative intimal lesion formation. This intimal thickening by proliferating smooth muscle cells is in part mediated by platelet mitogens, particularly platelet-derived growth factor, which are released into the damaged vessel from platelets at the time of angioplasty. Platelet-derived growth factor may also be released from other associated vascular and blood cells in response to mechanical injury, e.g., endothelium, monocyte/macrophage and smooth muscle cells themselves. The actual mitogens, and their cells of origin, that mediate restenosis after therapeutic angioplasty remain to be established. Various oral antiplatelet agents have been shown to reduce arterial thrombotic occlusion in a number of controlled clinical trials, e.g., aspirin in transient ischemic attacks and unstable angina, aspirin and dipyridamole in saphenous vein coronary artery bypass and progression of peripheral vascular disease and dipyridamole in artificial heart valves. Acute arterial thrombosis may require more potent, immediate and transient intervention, e.g., monoclonal antibody to platelet receptor expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)