cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modification of surface histidine residues abolishes the cytotoxic activity of Clostridium difficile toxin A

Abstract Clostridium difficile toxin A displays both cytotoxic and enterotoxic activities. It has recently been demonstrated that toxin A exerts its cytotoxic effect by the glucosylation of the small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho family. Diethyl pyrocarbonate, at pH 7.0, was used to chemically modify exposed histidine residues on toxin A. Modification of toxin A with diethyl pyrocarbonate abolished both its cytotoxic activity and the ability of the toxin to bind Zn-Sepharose gel. Treatment of toxin A with [ 14 C]-diethyl pyrocarbonate revealed concentration dependent labelling of histidine residues on the toxin molecules. The effects of diethyl pyrocarbonate could be reversed by hydroxylamine treatment. These data suggest the modified histidine residues on toxin A are critical to its cytotoxic activity. Histidine modification had no effect on the glucosyl transferase enzyme activity of toxin A. However, modification abolished the ‘cold’ binding of toxin to bovine thyroglobulin in an ELISA and reduced ligand binding activity in a rabbit erythrocyte haemagglutination assay. The data suggest that the histidine residues may be crucial to the receptor-binding activity of toxin A. Exposed histidines on toxin A are available for zinc chelation, and these have been exploited in the development of a novel purification protocol for toxin A using zinc-chelating chromatography.
Assessment of patients with chronic pain

Summary Chronic pain is a public health concern affecting 20–30% of the population of Western countries. Although there have been many scientific advances in the understanding of the neurophysiology of pain, precisely assessing and diagnosing a patient's chronic pain problem is not straightforward or well-defined. How chronic pain is conceptualized influences how pain is evaluated and the factors considered when making a chronic pain diagnosis. There is no one-to-one relationship between the amount or type of organic pathology and pain intensity, but instead, the chronic pain experience is shaped by a myriad of biomedical, psychosocial (e.g. patients' beliefs, expectations, and mood), and behavioural factors (e.g. context, responses by significant others). Assessing each of these three domains through a comprehensive evaluation of the person with chronic pain is essential for treatment decisions and to facilitate optimal outcomes. This evaluation should include a thorough patient history and medical evaluation and a brief screening interview where the patient's behaviour can be observed. Further assessment to address questions identified during the initial evaluation will guide decisions as to what additional assessments, if any, may be appropriate. Standardized self-reported instruments to evaluate the patient's pain intensity, functional abilities, beliefs and expectations, and emotional distress are available, and can be administered by the physician, or a referral for in depth evaluation can be made to assist in treatment planning.
Bacillus licheniformis corneal ulcer

A 46-year-old woman developed a corneal ulcer after an injury to the right eye. Cultures were positive for Bacillus licheniformis. Although resistant to some antibiotics, the corneal ulcer resolved after treatment with topical, subconjunctival, and intramuscular gentamicin sulfate.
Spatial Variations of PM2.5 During the Pittsburgh Air Quality Study

Measurements of 24 h PM2.5 total mass, sulfate, ammonium, and organic carbon show similar concentrations within experimental error at six sampling locations separated by more than 300 km. The measurements were obtained during summer 2001 in the center of Pittsburgh as well as in less-populated areas upwind and downwind of the city. Measurable differences among the six sites were observed for nitrate and elemental carbon during the same time period. In contrast, measurable differences were observed for total mass and all five chemical species at the same sites during winter 2002. The results suggest that concentrations may be remarkably uniform over large areas due to secondary aerosol production from gases emitted in upwind areas. Meteorological back-trajectories show that concentrations can steadily increase along an airmass trajectory, and that regions downwind of a city such as Pittsburgh may be affected by city emissions; however, PM2.5 levels measured within the city may not be significantly affected...
Genetic amniocentesis at 14 weeks or less.

The recent clinical trials indicate that EA is feasible. The use of ancillary tools, such as ultrasound, requires only a slight modification of the previously established techniques for MA. The amniotic fluid can be obtained and cultured. Combining the reported populations sampled, the procedural and cytogenetic failure rate were 2.0% and 0.3% respectively. The necessary information for prenatal diagnosis in the situations listed previously can be obtained. The one exception to this would be the patient at increased risk for NTD. As noted above, diagnostic levels for AFAFP have been established beginning at 13 weeks gestation. Therefore, amniocentesis before 13 weeks gestation should not be considered an option for these patients. The majority of the findings in these "pilot" studies have been promising, but the issue regarding the safety of EA has not been answered. Harrison et al. theorized that the function of the physiology hydramnios was to "provide a distention growth stimulus to the uterus ... and conversely to share in the maintenance of uterine inhibition." The amniotic fluid is constantly being replaced, having a complete turnover approximately every 3 hours. Does the reduction in volume, for even a short period of time, change the "distensive forces" enough to increase the pregnancy loss rate? Later publications have associated MA with increased rates of congenital orthopedic anomalies and neonatal pulmonary compromise. The true existence of these complications continues to be debated in the literature. Two of the authors have indicated that none of the reported neonates exposed to EA have had such anomalies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Acquisition of i.v. cocaine self-administration in adolescent and adult male rats selectively bred for high and low saccharin intake

Adolescence and excessive intake of saccharin have each been previously associated with enhanced vulnerability to drug abuse. In the present study, we focused on the relationship between these two factors using male adolescent and adult rats selectively bred for high (HiS) and low (LoS) levels of saccharin intake. On postnatal day 25 (adolescents) or 150 (adults), rats were implanted with an intravenous catheter and trained to self-administer cocaine (0.4 mg/kg) using an autoshaping procedure that consisted of two 6-h sessions. In the first 6 h, rats were given non-contingent cocaine infusions at random intervals 10 times per hour, and during the second 6-h session, rats were allowed to self-administer cocaine under a fixed ratio 1 (FR 1) lever-response contingency. Acquisition was defined as a total of at least 250 infusions over 5 consecutive days, and rats were given 30 days to meet the acquisition criterion. Subsequently, saccharin phenotype scores were determined by comparing 24-h saccharin and water consumption in two-bottle tests to verify HiS/LoS status. Adolescent LoS rats had a faster rate of acquisition of cocaine self-administration than adult LoS rats; however, adolescent and adult HiS rats acquired at the same rate. Both HiS and LoS adolescents had significantly higher saccharin phenotype scores than HiS and LoS adults, respectively. Additionally, saccharin score was negatively correlated with the number of days to meet the acquisition criterion for cocaine self-administration, but this was mostly accounted for by the HiS adolescents. These results suggest that during adolescence, compared with adulthood, rats have both an increased avidity for sweets and vulnerability to initiate drug abuse.
Interaction-aware energy management for wireless network cards

Wireless Network Interface Cards (WNICs) are part of every portable device, where efficient energy management plays a significant role in extending the device's battery life. The goal of efficient energy management is to match the performance of the WNIC to the network activity shaped by a running application. In the case of interactive applications on mobile systems, network I/O is largely driven by user interactions. Current solutions either require application modifications or lack a sufficient context of execution that is crucial in making accurate and timely predictions. This paper proposes a range of user-interaction-aware mechanisms that utilize a novel approach of monitoring a user's interaction with applications through the capture and classification of mouse events. This approach yields considerable improvements in energy savings and delay reductions of the WNIC, while significantly improving the accuracy, timeliness, and computational overhead of predictions when compared to existing state-of-the-art solutions.
A parallel particle-in-cell model for the massively parallel processor

A parallel particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithm is developed for the massively parallel processor (MPP) by mapping particles in a cell randomly to a row of processors to overcome the difficulties of indirect indexing in computing electric fields. Because of this mapping, the algorithm needs only nearest-neighbor communication to sort particles and to collect charge density for each cell. From the cell charge density, this algorithm then calculates electric fields at the cell by fast Fourier transform. The developed PIC code has a speed comparable to that of the vectorized PIC code on CRAY X-MP. The numerical method, the flow chart, and the timing of the MPPPIC code are presented. The results from simulating the plasma instabilities of a cold electron beam in a hot electron background are presented. >
Submicron, fully self-aligned HBT with an emitter geometry of 0.3 μm

A new fully self-aligned heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) process has been developed to fabricate submicron emitter geometries for applications requiring ultra low-power consumption and very high-speed performance. In this novel process approach the emitter, base and collector ohmic contacts are all self-aligned to the emitter mesa. Furthermore, the three ohmic contacts, i.e., emitter, base, and collector are defined and deposited in a single metalization step thereby simplifying the fabrication process. Using this new process we have fabricated HBT emitter geometries as small as 0.3 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ with RF performance of over 130 GHz. To our knowledge, this is the smallest HBT ever reported.
Peripheral Vision The Sites of Organizations

This essay introduces a new form of social ontology and sketches its bearings on the analysis of organizations. The essay begins by contrasting the two social ontological camps — individualism and societism — into which social theory has been divided since its inception. It then describes the new approach, called site ontology, according to which social life is tied to a context (site) of which it is inherently a part. Examples of such ontologies are presented, as is my own thesis that the site of social life is composed of a nexus of human practices and material arrangements. The bearing of the latter ontology on the character, origin, and perpetuation of organizations is then considered, using an academic department as an example. Contrasts are also drawn with various approaches in organizations theory, including rational organizations, neoinstitutionalism, systems theories, and selection theories. A final section considers the complex psychological structure of organizations, working off Karl Weick and...
Predicted change in global secondary organic aerosol concentrations in response to future climate, emissions, and land use change

[1] The sensitivity of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) concentration to changes in climate and emissions is investigated using a coupled global atmosphere-land model driven by the year 2100 IPCC A1B scenario predictions. The Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3) is updated with recent laboratory determined yields for SOA formation from monoterpene oxidation, isoprene photooxidation and aromatic photooxidation. Biogenic emissions of isoprene and monoterpenes are simulated interactively using the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols (MEGAN2) within the Community Land Model (CLM3). The global mean SOA burden is predicted to increase by 36% in 2100, primarily the result of rising biogenic and anthropogenic emissions which independently increase the burden by 26% and 7%. The later includes enhanced biogenic SOA formation due to increased emissions of primary organic aerosol (5–25% increases in surface SOA concentrations in 2100). Climate change alone (via temperature, removal rates, and oxidative capacity) does not change the global mean SOA production, but the global burden increases by 6%. The global burden of anthropogenic SOA experiences proportionally more growth than biogenic SOA in 2100 from the net effect of climate and emissions (67% increase predicted). Projected anthropogenic land use change for 2100 (A2) is predicted to reduce the global SOA burden by 14%, largely the result of cropland expansion. South America is the largest global source region for SOA in the present day and 2100, but Asia experiences the largest relative growth in SOA production by 2100 because of the large predicted increases in Asian anthropogenic aromatic emissions. The projected decrease in global sulfur emissions implies that SOA will contribute a progressively larger fraction of the global aerosol burden.
Performance of Children and Adolescents With Brain Injury on the Lebby-Asbell Neurocognitive Screening Examination for Children and Adolescents

Traumatic brain injuries are one of the leading causes of deaths and disabilities in children and adolescents. There is a need for clinicians to quickly screen for disrupted cognitive functioning to appropriately refer to specialists. The Lebby-Asbell Neurocognitive Screening Examination for Children and Lebby-Asbell Neurocognitive Screening Examination for Adolescents were developed to fill a gap in available measures and create a screening tool to quickly identify impaired neurocognitive functioning. A series of statistical analyses were conducted to determine their clinical utility. A multivariate analysis of variance found a statistically significant difference between those with brain injury (n = 59) from noninjured (n = 190) on the combined dependent variables, F(14, 234) = 46.530, P < .001; Wilks Lambda = .264; partial η2 = .763. The Lebby-Asbell Neurocognitive Screening Examinations for Children and Adolescents are effective neurocognitive screening measures for children and adolescents in identif...
Teaching the non-traditional student

Teaching the non-traditional student is an enlightening experience. To be involved in a classroom situation with a group of non-traditional students is to be in a classroom where the presence of enthusiasm and excitement is easily felt. The non-traditional student brings with him/her a wealth of experience, both personal and work related. This injection of experience and enthusiasm adds immensely to the flavor and authenticity of the teaching environment. He/she can add dimension to your repertoire that you may not have thought of in your wildest imagination. In addition to the above mentioned positive areas of interaction with the non-traditional student, that student also brings with him/her a wealth of problems. Some of their problems are not unlike those of the traditional student; some however are very unique and definitely more demanding.
Cohesin, condensin, and the intramolecular centromere loop together generate the mitotic chromatin spring

Sister chromatid cohesion provides the mechanistic basis, together with spindle microtubules, for generating tension between bioriented chromosomes in metaphase. Pericentric chromatin forms an intramolecular loop that protrudes bidirectionally from the sister chromatid axis. The centromere lies on the surface of the chromosome at the apex of each loop. The cohesin and condensin structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein complexes are concentrated within the pericentric chromatin, but whether they contribute to tension-generating mechanisms is not known. To understand how pericentric chromatin is packaged and resists tension, we map the position of cohesin (SMC3), condensin (SMC4), and pericentric LacO arrays within the spindle. Condensin lies proximal to the spindle axis and is responsible for axial compaction of pericentric chromatin. Cohesin is radially displaced from the spindle axis and confines pericentric chromatin. Pericentric cohesin and condensin contribute to spindle length regulation and dynamics in metaphase. Together with the intramolecular centromere loop, these SMC complexes constitute a molecular spring that balances spindle microtubule force in metaphase.
Early Bronze Age

Canaan lies at the southern extremity of the ecological macrozone commonly known as the Fertile Crescent, on the margins of less fertile regions. As a result, subsistence can be precarious and minor shifts in the climate can have a significant impact.
Changing prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma

Objective This review will enable the reader to discuss prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Data Sources MEDLINE (PubMed) search using the terms allergic rhinitis, asthma, prevalence, risk factors. Study selection Human studies published in the English language since 1978, especially studies of relatively large populations in the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, with cross referencing to earlier relevant studies. Results Current prevalence of allergic rhinitis at 16 years of age in cohorts of British children born in 1958 and 1970 increased from 12% in the earlier cohort to 23% and in the later cohort. Local surveys of allergic rhinitis at approximately 18 years of age in the United States in 1962 to 1965 disclosed prevalence of 15% to 28%, while the national survey of 1976 to 1980 disclosed a prevalence of 26%. Thus, it is uncertain whether prevalence of allergic rhinitis has changed in the United States based on these limited data. Data from several sources indicate worldwide increases in prevalence of asthma. Annual Health Interview surveys indicate increases in prevalence of asthma in the United States from 3.1% in 1980 to 5.4% in 1994, but prevalence among impoverished inner city children has been much higher. Combined prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed asthma among inner city children has been 26% and 27% at 9 to 12 years of age in Detroit and San Diego. Positive family history and allergy are important risk factors for allergic rhinitis and asthma. Prognosis is guarded; allergic rhinitis resolves in only 10% to 20% of children within 10 years, and at least 25% of young adults who have had asthma during early childhood are symptomatic as adults. Conclusion Increases in prevalence remain unexplained, but avoidance of recognized allergens should reduce the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
Servant Leadership Assessment in an Iranian Organizational Context

The purpose of the Servant Leadership Assessment Instrument (SLAI) is to assess seven key dimensions of servant leadership (love, humility, altruism, vision, trust, service, and empowerment) at organizational level. This report is a reflection of applying ...
More is not always better: the genetic constraints of polyploidy

Polyploid cells are a characteristic feature of certain human tissues, and notably many cancers. In a systematic genomic screen in yeast, Storchova and co-workers identified the genetic requirements of tetraploidy. Surprisingly, they showed that only three connected pathways are essential for the viability of tetraploid yeast cells. These data provide exciting new targets that might be essential specifically in polyploid cancer cells.
Prospective comparison of the startle test (recoil) and non-stress test.

Objective : Our purpose was to compare fetal heart rate reaction to external physical stimulation with the non-stress test (NST). Methods : This was a prospective study evaluating documentation of fetal heart accelerations by two methods. The standard NST was performed prior to the ultrasound evaluation. The NST results were not available to the ultrasonographer. M-mode ultrasound was used to establish a stable fetal heart rate. The ultrasound transducer was used to stimulate fetal movement by indentations of the uterus over the fetal small parts. A second fetal heart rate was determined within 15 s after stimulation. Results : A total of 122 patients had 159 studies performed. The fetal heart rate range due to fetal startle (recoil) was &#109 22 to 14 (median of 3) in the 45 fetuses with non-reactive NSTs and 1 to 38 (median of 15) in the 114 fetuses with a reactive NST ( p < 0.001). A receiver operating curve comparing the fetal response to the startle and the NST revealed an area under the curve of 0.9...
Immune-priming in ant larvae: social immunity does not undermine individual immunity

Social insects deploy numerous strategies against pathogens including behavioural, biochemical and immunological responses. While past research has revealed that adult social insects can generate immunity, few studies have focused on the immune function during an insect's early life stages. We hypothesized that larvae of the black carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus vaccinated with heat-killed Serratia marcescens should be less susceptible to a challenge with an active and otherwise lethal dose of the bacterium. We compared the in vivo benefits of prior vaccination of young larvae relative to naive and ringer injected controls. Regardless of colony of origin, survival parameters of vaccinated individuals following a challenge were significantly higher than those of the other two treatments. Results support the hypothesis that ant larvae exhibit immune-priming. Based on these results, we can infer that brood care by workers does not eliminate the need for individual-level immunological responses. Focusing on these early stages of development within social insect colonies can start addressing the complex dynamics between physiological (individual level) and social (collective) immunity.
Typhoid Fever Complicated by Intestinal Perforation: A Persisting Fatal Disease Requiring Surgical Management

In Bangladesh, clinical records of 323 patients with typhoid fever were reviewed to study the incidence, fatality, and optimal therapy of the complication of intestinal perforation. Fifteen patients (4.6%) developed intestinal perforation. Case-fatality rates were six of nine patients treated medically and one of four patients treated surgically for whom the postoperative courses were known. A literature review of 57,864 cases of typhoid fever in developing countries in the antibiotic era revealed that perforation developed in 2.5% of patients, a percentage that was similar to the incidence of 2.8% reported in the preantibiotic era. The median of case-fatality rates in these reports was 43% and the proportion of all reported typhoid deaths attributable to perforation was 25%. The case-fatality rates for patients with perforation were 70% for 410 patients managed medically and 26% for 1,835 patients managed surgically. Although some reports were biased toward placing patients at lower risk into surgical treatment, the large number of patients treated successfully by surgery suggests real improvement in surgical techniques in countries with endemic typhoid fever. These results indicate that intestinal perforation persists as a major cause of death in cases of typhoid fever in developing countries in the antibiotic era and that surgical treatment with use of antibiotic therapy is optimal for this complication.
Creating Securities Markets in Developing Countries: A New Approach for the Age of Automated Trading

The past decade has been one of enormous change in the securities trading industry. Automation of trading systems, led by the continental European exchanges and US ‘electronic communications networks’ (ECNs), has resulted in significant declines in trading costs, massive increases in turnover, internationalization of trading and settlement system operations, and major reforms in exchange governance. Yet the policy advice given to developing country governments looking to create or expand securitized finance in their markets has been largely unaffected by these developments. This is unfortunate, as developing countries now have the opportunity to leapfrog the evolving infrastructure of the mature markets and to define the global efficient frontier in trading technology, exchange governance, investor access and market structure regulation. This paper analyses the technological and economic forces driving change in the securities trading industry, and examines the implications for developing markets.
Fault-tolerant control of induction motor drive for automotive Belt-Alternator-Starter application

In this paper, fault-tolerant control methodology developed for an induction motor drive used for automotive Belt-Alternator-Starter (BAS) application is presented. In particular, this paper addresses the operation of the induction machine in generating mode of operation with the high voltage battery disconnected. A novel pre-charging method was developed using the isolated gate drive power supplies in the inverter for the initial voltage build up in the high voltage dc side. Once the voltage builds up successfully, the control algorithm sustains the voltage to the commanded value and ensures stable operation of the electric power generation system. Detailed simulation models were developed to simulate the impact of the value of the dc bus capacitance, the control structure, gains and the control loop times on the dynamic performance of the drive under the worst case transient conditions. The proposed control algorithm was implemented on a developmental system and stable operation was achieved under all operating conditions including load dump scenarios.
International Space Station Leak Localization Using Attitude Response Data

This paper presents a new method to localize air leaks on the international space station based on the spacecraft attitude and rate behavior produced by a mass expulsion force of the leaking air. Thrust arising from the leak generates a disturbance torque, which is estimated using a real-time unscented filter with a dynamical model, including external disturbances such as aerodynamic drag and gravity gradient. The leak location can be found by estimating the moment arm of the estimated disturbance torque, assuming that the leak is caused by only one hole. Knowledge of the vent thrust magnitude and its resulting disturbance torque is needed to estimate the moment arm. The vent thrust direction is assumed to be perpendicular to the structure surface, and its magnitude is determined using an extended Kalman filter with a nozzle dynamics model. There may be multiple leak locations for a given response,buttheactualgeometricstructureofthespacestationeliminatesmanyofthepossiblesolutions.Numerical results show that the leak localization method is very efficient when used with the conventional sequential hatch closure or airflow induction sensor system.
Multi-Body Dynamic Simulation of the Meniscus in a Computational Knee Model

The menisci have an important multifunctional role in the human knee. They protect the joint articular cartilage (by acting as a buffer between femoral and tibial surfaces while loading), provide joint lubrication, and increase joint stability (by providing congruity between femoral and tibial articular surfaces) [1]. The menisci also effectively distribute contact forces over the articular surfaces by increasing the contact surface of the joint [2].Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Linkage strategies for genetically complex traits. III. The effect of marker polymorphism on analysis of affected relative pairs.

The results from the second paper of this series are reexamined for markers that are not completely polymorphic. A maximum lod score (MLS) criterion is defined for affected relative pairs. The expected MLS (EMLS) is calculated as a function of the marker polymorphic information content (PIC) for various values of lambda R (relative risk ratio) and different relative types by using simulations. An m-allele model with equal allele frequencies is employed. The EMLS is calculated for two sampling strategies: scheme 1, which uses pairs only, and scheme 2, which also includes additional informative relatives. For scheme 2, the percent of the maximum achievable EMLS (i.e., for a marker with a PIC of 1.0) is approximately equal to the marker PIC value for all relative types. For scheme 1, the EMLS is greatly diminished unless PIC is high, especially for distant relatives. For example, scheme 1 is not cost-effective for sibs unless PIC greater than .7; for second- and third-degree relatives, PIC must be greater than .85. Therefore, in general, it will be worthwhile to type additional relatives in linkage studies using affected pairs. The comparative value of sibs versus distant relatives depends on lambda R, recombination theta, and PIC. For large lambda R and PIC values, distant relatives are preferred. Alternatively, for smaller lambda R and PIC values, sibs are best.
Isolated left ventricular non-compaction controversies in diagnostic criteria, adverse outcomes and management

Isolated left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a morphological abnormality of excessive trabeculation of the LV, often complicated by ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias and cardioembolism. Advances in cardiovascular imaging and widespread availability of imaging technology have led to an increase in the diagnosis of LVNC imposing a need for evidence-based imaging diagnostic criteria. Although recent studies have addressed the utility of newer diagnostic methodologies and the incidence of adverse events in this condition, the diagnosis and management remain controversial. In this review, we provide an overview of the current controversies in the clinical diagnosis of LVNC, and suggest a management approach.
Improving needle visualization by novice residents during an in-plane ultrasound nerve block simulation using an in-plane multiangle needle guide.

Objective Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia with in-plane needle approaches can be challenging due to difficult needle visualization. We hypothesized that an in-plane, multiangle needle guide can help reduce the time it takes novice regional anesthesiologists to perform a simulated ultrasound-guided nerve-targeting procedure and enhance the visualization of the needle. Design Crossover simulation study. Setting Simulation environment at an academic institution. Subjects Volunteer trainees in their postgraduate years 1 and 2. Methods Sixteen subjects were randomized to repeat a single nerve targeting simulation task four times with and four times without a needle guide. End points were time to complete the nerve targeting, needle visualization, number of passes, and needle approximation to the target. Results The needle guide reduced median time to complete the task by 27% (95% confidence interval: 4–44%) and increased the odds of an acceptable needle visualization by 355% (95% confidence interval: 171–737%). A learning benefit for the time outcome was also noted, with multiple attempts regardless of whether the needle guide was used or not. Conclusions A needle guide can help reduce the time needed to complete a simulated nerve targeting procedure and enhance needle visualization for the novice sonographer in a phantom gel simulation. There was no significant reduction in the number of needle passes or in improvement of target approximation noted.
NCIR: a database of non-canonical interactions in known RNA structures

The secondary and tertiary structure of an RNA molecule typically includes a number of non-canonical base–base interactions. The known occurrences of these interactions are tabulated in the NCIR database, which can be accessed from http://prion.bchs.uh.edu/bp_type/. The number of examples is now over 1400, which is an increase of >700% since the database was first published. This dramatic increase reflects the addition of data from the recently published crystal structures of the 50S (2.4 A) and 30S (3.0 A) ribosomal subunits. In addition, non-canonical interactions observed in published crystal and NMR structures of tRNAs, group I introns, ribozymes, RNA aptamers and synthetic oligonucleotides are included. Properties associated with these interactions, such as sequence context, sugar pucker conformation, glycosidic angle conformation, melting temperature, chemical shift and free energy, are also reported when available. Out of the 29 anticipated pairs with at least two hydrogen bonds, 28 have been observed to date. In addition, several novel examples, not generally predicted, have also been encountered, bringing the total of such pairs to 36. Added to this list are a variety of single, bifurcated, triple and quadruple interactions. The most common non-canonical pairs are the sheared GA, GA imino, AU reverse Hoogsteen, and the GU and AC wobble pairs. The most frequent triple interaction connects N3 of an A with the amino of a G that is also involved in a standard Watson–Crick pair.
Passive 3D Scene Reconstruction via Hyperspectral Imagery

We present the framework for a novel structure from motion (SFM) pipeline to generate 3D reconstructions of low-resolution hyperspectral imagery (HSI). Generating 3D models from a sequence of raw HSI datacubes, where each image pixel retains its spectral content of the scene, significantly expands the analysis currently possible with HSI. In addition to traditional HSI anomaly detection and spectral matching, a 3D spatial model of the scene allows for additional viewing from previously undefined viewpoints, digital elevation map generation, and enhanced object classification capabilities. State-of-the-art SFM techniques are utilized and enhanced by leveraging the spectral content recorded at each image pixel. We explore the potential of this HSI SFM pipeline using an experimental aerial data set collected using a stabilized, 160-band hyperspectral sensor on an aerial platform.
Leafy spurge effects on patterns of plant species richness

The objective of this study was to simultaneously evaluate the impact of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) on plant species richness within and among a wide variety of vegetation types typical of the region. The study was conducted in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in southwestern North Dakota where 11 plant associations were identified as being particularly susceptible to invasion by leafy spurge. Representative infested and non-infested stands of the 11 associations were sampled using the protocol described by the National Vegetation Classification System. To evaluate the effects of leafy spurge infestation across a variety of vegetation types, the 11 associations were grouped into 1 of 4 general physiographic/vegetative units (floodplain, grassland, woodland, and shrubland). Species richness per sampled infested stand was reduced by an average of 51% (P < 0.05) in 7 of the 11 sampled associations. Total species richness in infested stands averaged 61% less than species richness within their non-infested counterparts for 10 of the 11 associations. Thirty species common to the majority of the associations were completely absent from infested stands and classified as sensitive, whereas 25 were minimally impacted and classified as persistent species. The overall effects of leafy spurge on species richness is complex and probably involves patterns of soil moisture, nutrient conditions, and disturbance that influence the abundance and distribution of all alien plants in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. However, because of the considerable redundancy in species distribution among a wide variety of plant associations and an aggressive control program, overall species richness does not appear to be threatened by infestations of leafy spurge at this time.
PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF FEASIBLE ATHOS INTERCEPT TRAJECTORIES

System-level mission design for NEO (Near Earth Object) mitigation requires a set of feasible intercept trajectories from the Earth to the NEO. Previous trajectory analyses in the literature optimize on time of flight and other classic trajectory design parameters. However, for trajectories to be used within a system-level mission design, a figure of merit based on systems design constraints is useful to select optimum intercept trajectories. It is shown in this report that such a figure of merit can be used to select best intercept trajectories for the Athos Defined Threat (DEFT) scenario constructed for this conference.
Multi-Block Copolymers in Selective Solvent: A Brownian Dynamics Simulation

We performed Brownian Dynamics simulations of multiblock copolymers of A and B polymers in a solvent selective for the A block at a volume fraction of 20%. Tri-, penta- and heptabocks were simulated. Fourier transformation reveals micellar clusters arranged in a BCC lattice, in agreement with scattering experiments. The clusters were analyzed using a percolation approach and we observed larger clusters when the outermost block was in the poor solvent condition. The ratio of number of loops to bridges decreases as the number of blocks in the copolymer increases, as does the polydispersity. Increased penalty of looping as the number of blocks increases leads to a larger number of smaller clusters with more bridges.
Broadband backscatter based technique to identify the presence of skimming electronics on payment terminals

This paper presents a broadband, RF backscatter-based sensing method to identify the presence of payment terminal tampering, particularly using small, unwanted electronics such as payment skimmers in close proximity to a 5.8 GHz RFID tag. The broadband nature of this methodology makes it resilient to false alarms from interfering RF signals. Consistent detection of a conductive object is achieved by tracking long term changes in both magnitude and phase of the backscattered signal. In laboratory measurements, the presence of thin metal wires was determined for distances up to two wavelengths from the tag.
Ultraviolet “Point Radiation” Focussed Through a Quartz Rod and Effect on Fundulus Heart Beat.∗:

In a series of papers, the first of which appeared in 1912, Tschachotin1 described a method of focussing ultraviolet radiation into a cell by means of a system of quartz oculars and objectives in a microscope. The following experiments make use of a principle well-known to physicists, and recently demonstrated by Wolf2 to be of value in biological experiment, namely that ultraviolet radiation will follow a quartz rod, be it straight or bent, because of internal reflection. If the rod is drawn out to a fine point, radiation effects may be limited to a small area.As will be seen from the accompanying sketch, a quartz rod was placed at right angles and close to the burner of a mercury-vapor lamp. A shutter control was interposed between the rod and the burner. The length of the rod was 29 cm. with a 45° bend at 1.0 cm. from the tip. (In order to minimize “leakage”, the area just above the tip was painted with opaque paint, or in some cases covered with a glass cap.) The rod was held in place by a universal j...
In Situ Control of Underwater-Pinning of Organic Droplets on a Surfactant-Doped Conjugated Polymer Surface

Controlling the pinning of organic droplets on solid surfaces is of fundamental and practical interest in the field of material science and engineering, which has numerous applications such as surface cleaning, water treatment, and microfluidics. Here, a rapid in situ control of pinning and actuation of organic droplets is demonstrated on dodecylbenzenesulfonate-doped polypyrrole (PPy(DBS)) surfaces in an aqueous environment via an electrochemical redox process. A dramatic change of the pinning results from the transport of DBS– molecules between the PPy(DBS) surface and the aqueous environment, as well as from a simultaneous alternation of the surface oleophobicity to organic liquids during the redox process. This in situ control of the droplet pinning enables a stop-and-go droplet actuation, applicable to both polar and apolar organic droplets, at low voltages (∼0.9 V) with an extremely low roll-off angle (∼0.4°).
Study on the Adaptive Noise Injection in Back Propagation Training

In this paper a novel way of injecting adaptive noise into the weights and biases of the multilayer perceptron to improve the generalization performance is presented. During the training period, the noise level multiplied to the weights and biases is adjusted with the gradient of the cost function, and approaches zero gradually. By injecting noise into both the weights and biases of the network or the input vectors of the training sets, the generalization performance is greatly enhanced.
One trial conditioning with apomorphine is blocked by cycloheximide.

Abstract Rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of substantia nigra were treated with 0.05 mg/kg apomorphine and observation of their circling behavior was made. Twenty minutes after the apomorphine treatment they were injected with saline or 2 mg/kg cycloheximide. Two weeks after drug treatment, control animals exhibited rapid contralateral rotation in response to being placed in the rotation environment. This conditioned rotation was not observed in cycloheximide-treated animals. After the first test trial animals received a second apomorphine administration, this time followed by saline injection in both groups. Subsequent to the second apomorphine treatment both groups showed conditioned rotation.
Prebiotic chemistry and atmospheric warming of early Earth by an active young Sun

An energetic process is needed to convert N2 into compounds essential for life. Simulations show that interactions between powerful solar flares and Earth’s magnetic field could have facilitated nitrogen fixation in the early atmosphere.
SNAP Participants' Eating Patterns over the Benefit Month: A Time Use Perspective.

Individuals receiving monthly benefits through the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) often fall short of food at the end of the month and some report feelings of hunger. To investigate this situation, we used time diaries from the 2006–08 American Time Use Survey and Eating & Health Module to identify the timing of days where respondents reported no eating occurrences. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, a logit model, and a simulated benefit month. We found that SNAP participants were increasingly more likely than nonparticipants to report a day with no eating occurrences over the benefit issuance cycle. This supports the view that there is a monthly cycle in food consumption associated with the SNAP monthly benefit issuance policy.
Domestic animals and leisure

Neil Carr describes his book’s moral objective as ‘trying to make people think about animal suffering, to question whether it is right, and to think about how it should be stopped’ (x). All of the ...
Robust retrieval of noisy text

We examine the effects of simulated OCR errors on Boolean query models for information retrieval. We show that even relatively small amounts of such noise can have a significant impact. To address this issue, we formulate new variants of the traditional models by combining two classic paradigms for dealing with imprecise data: approximate string matching and fuzzy logic. Using a recall/precision analysis of an experiment involving nearly 60 million query evaluations, we demonstrate that the new fuzzy retrieval methods are generally more robust than their "sharp" counterparts.
The membrane systems of the mitochondrion. III. The isolation and properties of the outer membrane of beef heart mitochondria.

The outer membrane of beef heart mitochondria is composed of a detachable sector (S) and an invariant sector (K). These separate fractions (K and S) have been isolated and examined in detail, and the results were described in the preceding two communications. This communication describes the preparation and properties of the composite outer membrane fraction. This membrane fraction contains all the enzymes of the citric acid cycle and other ancillary enzyme systems present in the S and K fractions. As isolated, it is essentially devoid of any electron transfer components, accounts for the estimated mass of the outer membrane, contains about 25–30% phospholipid by dry weight, and resembles the intact outer membrane.
Natural history of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia treated with hypomethylating agents

Hypomethylating agents (HMA) are the most commonly used therapeutic intervention in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Due to the lack of CMML-specific clinical trials, the impact of these agents in the natural history of CMML is not fully understood. We present the largest retrospective series of CMML (n = 151) treated with HMA. Mean age at diagnosis was 69 years (range 50-88). According to the CMML-specific prognostic scoring system (CPSS): 17 (15%) were low-risk, 45 (39%) intermediate-1 risk, 42 (36%) intermediate-2, and 12 (10%) high-risk. 35 (23%) patients received single agent azacitidine, 73 (48%) single agent decitabine, and 43 (29%) combinations. With a median follow-up of 17 months, overall response rate (ORR) was 75%, with 41% achieving complete response (CR). Median overall survival (OS) was 24 months (95%CI: 20-28) and event-free survival 14 months (95%CI: 11-17). By multivariate analysis, age < 70 years, higher levels of hemoglobin, absence of blast in peripheral blood and lower CPSS cytogenetic risk predicted for better OS. CR was significantly higher in those patients treated with decitabine (58.3%) when compared with azacitidine (20.6%) (P < .001). 13 patients (9%) received allo-SCT after a median of 4 cycles of HMA. 66 patients (50%) had HMA failure: 26 primary (34%) and 50 secondary (66%), including 35 (46%) that transformed to AML. Outcomes after HMA failure were poor with OS of 7 months (95%CI: 3-12). In conclusion, HMA are effective in CMML but new agents and combinations are needed. This data could be a benchmark for further drug development in CMML.
Sodium bisulfate and a sodium bisulfate/tannin mixture decreases pH when added to an in vitro incubated poultry cecal or fecal contents while reducing Salmonella Typhimurium marker strain survival and altering the microbiome.

ABSTRACTThe objective of the present study was to investigate the ability of animal feed-grade sodium bisulfate (SBS) and a mixture of sodium bisulfate/tannin to inhibit the growth of Salmonella using an anerobic in vitro mixed cecal culture to mimic the conditions within the chicken cecum. An initial inoculum of Salmonella Typhimurium was introduced to an anerobic dilution solution containing 1/3000 diluted cecal bacteria and solids consisting of ground chicken feed and different percentages of solid SBS or SBS/tannin, and surviving organisms were enumerated. Two different experimental designs were employed. In the “unadapted” treatment, the S. Typhimurium was added at the beginning of the culture incubation along with cecal bacteria and chicken feed/SBS or chicken feed/SBS/tannin. In the “adapted” treatment, S. Typhimurium was added after a 24 hour pre-incubation of the cecal bacteria with the chicken feed/SBS or chicken feed/SBS/tannin. Adding SBS resulted in reduction of pH in the cultures which paral...