cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The separation of chondroitin sulfate disaccharides and hyaluronan oligosaccharides by capillary zone electrophoresis.

Abstract We have developed techniques for the separation of unsulfated (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -(4-deoxy-α- l - threo -hex-4-enopyranosyluronicacid)- d -galactose and - d -glucose), monosulfated (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -(4-deoxy-2- O -sulfo-α- l - threo -hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)- d -galactose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -(4-deoxy-α- l - threo -hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-4-sulfo- d -galactose and -6-sulfo- d -galactose), disulfated (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -(4-deoxy-2- O -sulfo-α- l - threo -hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-4-sulfo- d -galactose and -6-sulfo- d -galactose and 2-acet-amido-2-deoxy-3- O -(4-deoxy-α- l - threo -hex-4-enopy-ranosyluronic acid)-4,6-di- O -sulfo- d -galactose), and trisulfated (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -(4-deoxy-2- O -sulfo-α- l - threo -hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid)-4,6-di- O -sulfo- d -galactose) isomers of chondroitin using capillary zone electrophoresis. In addition, it is possible to separate oligomers of hyaluronan by similar protocols. These techniques represent a rapid, sensitive, and reproducible technique for the assay of these molecules from digests of connective tissues.
Determination of proton magnetization transfer rate constants in heterogeneous biological systems

Two procedures are currently in use for the determination of proton magnetization transfer rate constants between macro-molecular tissue components and water. The first method assumes that there are only two spin baths (macromolecular plus solvent) and that during off-resonance irradiation complete saturation of the “immobile” proton spin bath occurs (S. H. Koenig, R. D. Brown, 111, R. Ugolini, Magn. Reson. Med. 29, 311 (1993)). This approach neglects the possibility of incomplete saturation and polydispersity, and yields an apparent magnetization transfer rate constant, Kapp. The second approach utilizes a formalism which can account for polydispersity and incomplete saturation of the immobile spin bath (K. Kuwata, D. Brooks, H. Yang, T. Schleich, J. Magn. Reson., in press). In this work magnetization transfer rate constants derived by the use of both methods for two systems, ocular lens tissue and cross-linked bovine serum albumin (BSA) were compared. For both samples Kapp was dependent on B2, off-resonance irradiation frequency and power when the first method was used. The second method provided values of the magnetization transfer rate constant that were similar to the values obtained by the first method, as the limit of complete saturation was approached.
Exact dynamics of a reaction-diffusion model with spatially alternating rates

We present the exact solution for the full dynamics of a nonequilibrium spin chain and its dual reaction-diffusion model, for arbitrary initial conditions. The spin chain is driven out of equilibrium by coupling alternating spins to two thermal baths at different temperatures. In the reaction-diffusion model, this translates into spatially alternating rates for particle creation and annihilation, and even negative "temperatures" have a perfectly natural interpretation. Observables of interest include the magnetization, the particle density, and all correlation functions for both models. Two generic types of time dependence are found: if both temperatures are positive, the magnetization, density, and correlation functions decay exponentially to their steady-state values. In contrast, if one of the temperatures is negative, damped oscillations are observed in all quantities. They can be traced to a subtle competition of pair creation and annihilation on the two sublattices. We comment on the limitations of mean-field theory and propose an experimental realization of our model in certain conjugated polymers and linear chain compounds.
The structure-mechanical property relationship of amorphous silicon monoxide thin films

Abstract Amorphous silicon monoxide (SiO x ) thin films were produced by Joule heating and electron bombardment evaporative methods in high vacuum. Real-time force vs. elongation curves were recorded for SiO x films 200–300 nm thick on an instrument known as the nanotensilometer. The elastic modulus, fracture stress and plastic deformation were determined from hard mode tensile testing. The elastic modulus varied from 53 to 75 GPa independent of film preparation method. No plastic deformation was detected for successive tensile pulls on a given specimen. Estimates of plastic deformation never exceeded 0.015% strain at the point of fracture. Failure occurred by brittle fracture and fracture stress ranged from 70 to 380 MPa. The film composition determined by Rutherford scattering gave an x value in SiO x within the range 0.9–1.0 for all films independent of evaporation method. The structure of the SiO x was determined to be of an amorphous character by electron diffraction and structure imaging using transmission electron microscopy.
Structural studies on heparins with unusually high N-acetylgucosamine contents

Abstract Studies bearing on the variations of N-acetylglucosamine contents of heparins have been made. Such variations may be considerable in heparin fractions isolated from the same tissue source. An N-acetylglucosamine concentration of 27% was found in a heparin fraction from hog mucosa, indicating that such a high content of this residue is not unique for whale heparin. Beef lung heparin, previously found only to contain low contents of N-acetylglucosamine, was isolated with 19% of this constituent. The data suggests that high N-acetylglucosamine contents in heparins is more widespread than thought previously. Chemical studies show that the distribution of N-acetylglucosamine residues in whale heparin is similar to that in beef lung or hog mucosa preparations, regardless of the concentration of N-acetyl groups in the latter.
Construction of a series of vectors for high throughput cloning and expression screening of membrane proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

One of the major challenges for membrane protein structural genomics is establishing high-throughput cloning and expression screening methods to obtain enough purified protein in a homogeneous preparation for structural and functional studies. Here a series of ligation independent cloning based vectors were constructed to address this challenge. The feasibility of these vectors was tested with 41 putative membrane proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The efficiency for direct cloning of these target genes from PCR products was 95% (39/41). Over 40% of cloned genes were overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)-RP codon plus strain in the first round of expression screening. For those proteins which showed no expression, three protein fusion partners were prepared and it was found that each of the target proteins could be overexpressed by at least one of these fusions, resulting in the overexpression of two thirds of the cloned genes. This expression platform features high throughput cloning, high flexibility for different constructs, and high efficiency for membrane protein overexpression, and is expected to be useful in membrane protein structural and functional studies.
An A-C Kelvin bridge for the audio-frequency range

THE present trend in electrical measurements indicates the need for a test method by which the ratio and phase angle of current transformers can be measured at adiuo frequencies with the same accuracy as they are now measured at power frequencies. The theoretical aspects of several test methods are being investigated at the National Bureau of Standards. It is essential to this study to determine the extent to which the present test equipment,1 comprising 4-terminal impedors and a mutual inductor in a potentiometer network, can be utilized in high-frequency measurements. As part of this program, an a-c Kelvin bridge has been developed for measuring the characteristics of the 4-terminal impedors at audio frequencies. At present the bridge method permits resistance and phase-angle measurements up to 6,000 cycles per second (cps). A substitution technique is employed in which the bridge is balanced first with the unknown and then with a primary standard having a computable skin effect and phase angle. The resistance of the computable standard is previously adjusted and accurately measured in terms of a d-c standard resistor. The range of adjustment for the standard extends from 0.1 to 0.05 ohm. With additional computable standards now under study, and minor modifications of the circuit, measurements can probably be extended to a minimum resistance of 0.001 ohm and a maximum frequency of 104 cps.
Air pollution threatens the health of children in China.

CONTEXT. China9s rapid economic development has come at the cost of severe environmental degradation, most notably from coal combustion. Outdoor air pollution is associated with >300000 deaths, 20 million cases of respiratory illness, and a health cost of >500 billion renminbi (>3% of gross domestic product) annually. The young are particularly susceptible to air pollution, yet there has been only limited recognition of its effects on children9s health and development. DATA SOURCES/DATA EXTRACTION. To fill this gap, we reviewed relevant published environmental studies, biomedical and molecular/epidemiologic research, and economic and policy analyses. RESULTS. China relies on coal for ∼70% to 75% of its energy needs, consuming 1.9 billion tons of coal each year. In addition to CO2, the major greenhouse gas, coal burning in China emits vast quantities of particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, arsenic, and mercury. Automobiles emit nitrogen dioxide and benzene in addition to particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Seventy percent of Chinese households burn coal or biomass for cooking and heating, which contaminates indoor air. Adverse effects of combustion-related air pollution include reduced fetal and child growth, pulmonary disease including asthma, developmental impairment, and increased risk of cancer. A prospective molecular epidemiologic study of newborns in Chongqing has demonstrated direct benefits to children9s health and development from the elimination of a coal-burning plant. CONCLUSIONS. Recognition of the full health and economic cost of air pollution to Chinese children and the benefits of pollution reduction should spur increased use of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean-fuel vehicles. This is a necessary investment for China9s future.
Elimination of five viruses from sugarcane using in vitro culture of axillary buds and apical meristems

Procedures were developed for the in vitro elimination of Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV), Sugarcane streak mosaic virus (SCSMV), Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and Fiji disease virus (FDV) from infected sugarcane. In vitro shoot regeneration, elongation and virus elimination through meristem tissue culture originating from both apical and axillary shoots were compared. The average rates of regeneration and elongation from apical meristem tissues were 91 and 66%, respectively, with the virus-free rate among elongated shoots ranging from 61–92%. Mature axillary buds were cultivated in vitro to produce axillary shoots, from which meristem tissues were excised and cultured. These meristem tissues regenerated (77–100%) and elongated (55–88%) in culture medium at approximately the same rate as the apical meristems. The average virus elimination rate was 90% among elongated shoots derived from mature axillary buds. All five viruses can be eliminated by meristem tissue culture from both apical and axillary shoots using a standardized procedure. The overall average efficiency of virus-free plant production was 45 and 58% from apical and axillary shoots, respectively. There were no significant differences for shoot induction or virus elimination when the meristems were harvested from either the apical or the axillary shoots. This is the first report of SrMV or SCSMV elimination from sugarcane, as well as elimination of any mixed virus infections. This new method of harvesting meristems from axillary buds greatly expands the amount of material available for therapeutic treatments and thereby increases the probability of eliminating viruses from infected sugarcane.
Actinide immobilization in the subsurface environment by in-situ treatment with a hydrolytically unstable organophosphorus complexant: Uranyl uptake by calcium phytate

An attractive approach to decreasing the probability of actinide migration in the subsurface is to transform the ions into a less mobile form by remote treatment. We have under development a process that relies on a polyfunctional organophosphorus complexant to sequester the mobile metal ions by complexation/cation exchange. The insoluble complex subsequently decomposes, transforming the actinides into phosphate mineral forms as a thermodynamically stable isolation medium. In this report, we briefly describe the process with focus on the cation exchange behavior of the calcium salt of the organophosphorus sequestrant.
Thermal decomposition of (CH3)2SnX2 (XF, SO3F, or SO3CF3)

Abstract The TG and DTA of (CH 3 ) 2 Sn(SO 3 F) 2 , (CH 3 ) 2 Sn(SO 3 CF 3 ) 2 , and (CH 3 ) 2 SnF 2 were carried out under a dynamic nitrogen atmosphere. The decomposition of (CH 3 ) 2 Sn(SO 3 F) 2 proceeds via (CH 3 ) 2 SnF(SO 3 F) ultimately giving SnO 2 . (CH 3 ) 2 SnF 2 , however, decomposes concurrently with sublimation near 360 °C, whereas (CH 3 ) 2 Sn(SO 3 CF 3 ) 2 first loses C 2 F 4 , forming the transient species (CH 3 ) 2 Sn(SO 3 CF 3 )(SO 3 F) between 120 and 310°C, after which the product appears to sublime in the range 310–450°C.
Blood Sampling in the Rat: Current Practices and Limitations

Historically, blood samples have been taken by puncture of the orbital sinus under light ether anaesthesia. In the last decade, there was concern over the use of ether as an anaesthetic. Furthermore, in recent years, more attention has been focused on the need to improve current laboratory practices for the benefit of animal welfare. Exposure for 2 min to a CO2/O2 mixture produced acute hyperkalaemia and changes in a range of haematological parameters. Hyperkalaemia in some individuals reached pathological levels when compared to values normally obtained from ether-anaesthetised animals. Together with published data, our findings indicate that the use of a 70:30 mixture of CO2/O2 as an anaesthetic in rats is questionable. With isoflurane, the only consistent findings following exposure for 5 minutes were a slight downward trend in the red blood cell parameters and in potassium, and an increase in glucose. These changes probably represent an effect of prolonged exposure to isoflurane. Therefore, to avoid variation in these parameters, the duration of exposure should be limited to 3 min. When comparing sublingual to retro-orbital blood sampling after 2 min exposure to 4% isoflurane, no major differences were found in the plasma chemistry parameters examined. However, interference with plasma amylase levels following sampling from the sublingual vein has been suspected in one toxicity study. The acute effect of blood removal over 24 h on the main haematological parameters consisted of decreases in red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB) and haematocrit (HCT), which were similar for blood removal exceeding 7.5% but below 15% of circulating blood volume, and were positively related to the amount of blood loss beyond 15%. There were no biologically significant effects on these parameters below 7.5%. Time to recover from the effects of the bleed was also proportional to the volume taken, and was estimated to range from 48 h for amounts between 5% and 7.5%, 12 days for 7.5% to 20%, and 19 days for amounts above 20 %. The collection of up to 20% of the circulating blood volume over 24 h did not affect the welfare of rats, as indicated by the absence of mortality and clinical signs and the lack of effects on body weight and food consumption.
Advances in methods of light-scattering spectroscopy

We present here a survey on the progress of techniques and instruments of light-scattering spectroscopy in recent years. Emphasis is on advances made in photon correlation since 1974. A brief review on related fields, such as perturbed angular correlation measurements in nuclear physics, digital correlation in radio science, and laser Doppler velocimetry, is presented.
Purification and characterization of a recombinant α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from Clostridium perfringens

Abstract Clostridium perfringens α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (αNAG) hydrolyzed the terminal N-acetyl-α- d -galactosamine from the blood type A2 antigen producing H antigen, blood type O. Blood type O is universally compatible in the ABO system. Purification of the native enzyme is difficult with very low yields. To obtain the enzyme in satisfactory yield, the gene encoding the clostridial enzyme was cloned in an Escherichia coli T7 expression system. A highly purified preparation of recombinant αNAG was obtained from cell lysates by ion-exchange chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The final preparation was homogeneous by SDS–PAGE with a molecular mass of 71.96 kDa and the native molecular weight of 72.42 kDa. The enzyme was highly selective for terminal N-acetylgalactosamine residues. No other significant exoglycosidase activities, particularly neuraminidase, were detected. The pH optimum of the enzyme was between 6.5 and 7.0 and activity was relatively unaffected by ionic strength. ELISA experiments demonstrated activity against blood type A2 epitope. These characteristics were similar to those of native αNAG from C. perfringens. With adequate expression in E. coli, sufficient recombinant αNAG enzyme mass can be obtained for potential use in enzymatic conversion of human blood type A2 red blood cells to universally transfusable type O red blood cells.
Prostate cancer: Oncological vs functional outcomes for RARP--finding a balance.

Deviating from the most widely described approach for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), researchers have reported the exceptional outcomes of a Retzius-sparing approach in which they pass through the pouch of Douglas and avoid transecting all structures anterior to the prostate.
IgSF8: a developmentally and functionally regulated cell adhesion molecule in olfactory sensory neuron axons and synapses

Here, we investigated an Immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily protein IgSF8 which is abundantly expressed in olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons and their developing synapses. We demonstrate that expression of IgSF8 within synaptic neuropil is transitory, limited to the period of glomerular formation. Glomerular expression decreases after synaptic maturation and compartmental glomerular organization is achieved, although expression is maintained at high levels within the olfactory nerve layer (ONL). Immunoprecipitations indicate that IgSF8 interacts with tetraspanin CD9 in the olfactory bulb (OB). CD9 is a component of tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs), specialized microdomains of the plasma membrane known to regulate cell morphology, motility, invasion, fusion and signaling, in both the nervous and immune systems, as well as in tumors. In vitro, both IgSF8 and CD9 localize to puncta within axons and growth cones of OSNs, consistent with TEM localization. When the olfactory epithelium (OE) was lesioned, forcing OSN regeneration en masse, IgSF8 was once again able to be detected in OSN axon terminals as synapses were reestablished. Finally, we halted synaptic maturation within glomeruli by unilaterally blocking functional activity and found that IgSF8 did not undergo exclusion from this subcellular compartment and instead continued to be detected in adult glomeruli. These data support the hypothesis that IgSF8 facilitates OSN synapse formation.
TEMPLATE AND RIBOSOMAL RIBONUCLEIC ACIDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHLOROPLASTS AND THE CYTOPLASM OF EUGLENA GRACILIS.

Zone centrifugation of the RNA derived from the cytoplasm of Euglena gracilis produces one broad peak (19 s). The chloroplast RNA yields two components (14 s and 19 s). The two chloroplast components appear to have the same nucleotide composition, which is sharply different from that of the cytoplasmic 19 s material. Template RNA, studied through its ability to stimulate preincubated Escherichia coli ribosomes, appears as two well-defined sedimentation peaks (11 to 13 s and 22 s). Similar sedimentation values for template RNA were obtained with chloroplast and cytoplasmic RNA, but the proportion of the heavy and light components was markedly different in the two preparations. The chloroplasts contain a considerably greater amount of template RNA than does the cytoplasm. It is also higher than that of Esch. coli. Lysis of the chloroplasts results in a separation of part of this material from the ribosomes. This template RNA can be recovered in the 100,000 g supernatant fraction of the lysed chloroplasts. The partially depleted chloroplast ribosomes are dependent on added template RNA for their amino-acid-incorporating activity. The cytoplasmic ribosomes, which are considerably more active than the chloroplast particles, contain much less template RNA. Furthermore,a preincubation of the cytoplasmic ribosomes which produces a partial dependency on added RNA templates fails to reduce their template RNA content. The results indicate that ribosomes from various sources differ with respect to their interaction with endogenous template RNA. A possible regulatory role for the ribosomes in the process of protein synthesis is suggested.
Adaptive blocking in the QR factorization

On most high-performance architectures, data movement is slow compared to floating point (in particular, vector) performance. On these architectures block algorithms have been successful for matrix computations. By considering a matrix as a collection of submatrices (the so-called blocks), one naturally arrives at algorithms that require little data movement. The optimal blocking strategy, however, depends on the computing environment and on the problem parameters. On parallel machines, tradeoffs between individual floating point performance and overall system performance also come into play. Current approaches use fixed-width blocking strategies which are not optimal. This paper presents an adaptive blocking methodology for determining a good blocking strategy systematically. We demonstrate this technique on a block QR factorization routine on a distributed-memory machine. Using timing models for the high-level kernels of the algorithm, we can formulate in a recurrence relation a blocking strategy that avoids adding extra delays along the critical path of the algorithm. This recurrence relation predicts performance well since we base our timing models on observed data, not other simplistic measures. Experiments on the Intel iPSC/1 hypercube show that, in fact, the resulting blocking strategy is as good as any fixed-width blocking strategy, independent of problem size and the number of processors employed. So while we do not know the optimum fixed-width blocking strategy unless we rerun the same problem several times, adaptive blocking provides close to optimum performance in the first run. We also mention how adaptive blocking can result in performance portable code by automating the generation of the timing models.
A gas density detector for use in space

Ionized gas density monitor as meteoroid detector, describing operation in ionization chamber, proportional counter and glow tube modes
Outpatient Management of Heart Failure in the United States, 2006–2008

Better outpatient management of heart failure might improve outcomes and reduce the number of rehospitalizations. This study describes recent outpatient heart-failure management in the United States. We analyzed data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey of 2006–2008, a multistage random sampling of non-Federal physician offices and hospital outpatient departments. Annually, 1.7% of all outpatient visits were for heart failure (51% females and 77% non-Hispanic whites; mean age, 73 ± 0.5 yr). Typical comorbidities were hypertension (62%), hyperlipidemia (36%), diabetes mellitus (35%), and ischemic heart disease (29%). Body weight and blood pressure were recorded in about 80% of visits, and health education was given in about 40%. The percentage of patients taking β-blockers was 38%; the percentage taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARBs) was 32%. Medication usage did not differ significantly by race or sex. In multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models, a visit to a cardiologist, hypertension, heart failure as a primary reason for the visit, and a visit duration longer than 15 minutes were positively associated with ACEI/ARB use; and a visit to a cardiologist, heart failure as a primary reason for the visit, the presence of ischemic heart disease, and visit duration longer than 15 minutes were positively associated with β-blocker use. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was negatively associated with β-blocker use. Approximately 1% of heart-failure visits resulted in hospitalization. In outpatient heart-failure management, gaps that might warrant attention include suboptimal health education and low usage rates of medications, specifically ACEI/ARBs and β-blockers.
Factors Limiting IPM-Compatibility of New Disease Control Tactics for Apples in Eastern United States

Economic constraints in the production of apples and perhaps other horticultural crops limit the adoption of many new IPM-friendly technologies. Because of the diminishing profit margins and the co...
Neuromuscular and Biomechanical Adaptations of Patients With Isolated Deficiency of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament

BackgroundFunctional adaptations of patients with posterior cruciate ligament deficiency (grade II) are largely unknown despite increased recognition of this injury.HypothesisPosterior cruciate ligament-deficient subjects (grade II, 6- to 10-mm bilateral difference in posterior translation) will present with neuromuscular and biomechanical adaptations to overcome significant mechanical instability during gait and drop-landing tasks.Study DesignControlled laboratory study.MethodsBilateral comparisons were made among 10 posterior cruciate ligament-deficient subjects using radiographic, instrumented laxity, and range of motion examinations. Biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics of the involved limb of the posterior cruciate ligament-deficient subjects were compared to their uninvolved limb and to 10 matched control subjects performing gait and drop-landing tasks.ResultsRadiographic (15.3 ± 2.9 to 5.6 ± 3.7 mm; P =. 008) and instrumented laxity (6.3 ± 2.0 to 1.4 ± 0.5 mm; P <. 001) examinations demo...
Oxidation of amines and sulfides by 3-bromo-4,5-dihydro-5-hydroperoxy-4,4-dimethyl-3,5-diphenyl-3h-pyrazole

The reaction of 3-bromo-4,5-dihydro-5-hydroperoxy-4,4-dimethyl-3,5-diphenyl-3H-pyrazole with tertiary amines and sulfides produced amine oxides and sulfoxides in high yield with k2's for amines similar to those reported for reaction of amines with a 4a-hydroperoxyflavin.
A Numerical Model of the Depth-Dependent, Wind-Driven Upwelling Circulation on a Continental shelf

Abstract A numerical model of the upwelling circulation on a continental shelf is presented which employs f-plane dynamics. is continuously stratified, and assumes that all quantities are uniform alongshore with a local mass balance in the plane perpendicular to the coast at the seaward boundary. The model is an extension of the study by Allen (1973a) to include nonlinear effects, by the use of the complete conservation of density equation, variable shelf topography, and Richardson-number-dependent vertical eddy coefficients. A number of spinup experiments for a wind stress impulsively applied at t = 0 are discussed, to show that the width and strength of the coastal jet are dependent on the magnitude and form of the horizontal and vertical eddy coefficients as well as on details of the advective velocity field. Geostrophic shear in the longshore flow outside the coastal jet region, which may result in a poleward undercurrent, is only slightly altered by an upwelling event. Sloping shelf geometry intensif...
Quantitative analysis of herpes simplex virus in cranial nerve ganglia

A susceptible individual exposed to herpes simplex virus (HSV) will develop latent infection in multiple cranial nerve ganglia. There are a few quantitative studies of the viral load within the trigeminal ganglion, but none that investigate other cranial nerve ganglia. In this study, human trigeminal, geniculate, vestibular (Scarpa's) and cochlear (spiral) ganglia were obtained from willed body donors. Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the HSV DNA polymerase gene was performed on ipsilateral ganglion sets from the same individual. Viral load, expressed as HSV genomes per 105 cells, was significantly greater in the vestibular ganglion (mean +/- SD, 176705 +/- 255916) than in the geniculate (9948 +/- 22066), cochlear (3527 +/- 9360), or trigeminal (2017 +/- 5578) ganglia. There was not a significant correlation among ganglia from the same individual. The results support the hypothesis that neuronal subpopulations have variable susceptibility to HSV infection.
Non-invasive comminution of renal calculi using pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy - histotripsy

The current clinically available procedure for non-invasively treating renal calculi, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), suffers from the fact that it can result in incomplete fractionation of the stone and confer damage to both renal and extra-renal tissues. We assessed the feasibility of using histotripsy to non-invasively erode kidney stones to fine debris and performed a comparison study with a piezoelectric lithotripter. Eight Ultracal-30 model stones were treated for five minutes with each modality. The results show the following: (1) 100% of stone debris produced by histotripsy was less than 100 µm in diameter, while 32% of that produced by lithotripsy exceeded 2 mm. (2) Histotripsy achieved a stone erosion rate of 26 mg/min; the fragmentation rate with lithotripsy was 111 mg/min. (3) Treatment of stones embedded in a tissue-phantom for visualizing cavitation damage indicated that minimal collateral damage is produced by each modality. (4) Acoustic backscatter measurements suggest that loss of stone mass is highly correlated with the extent of bubble cloud activity with histotripsy.
Evaluating face trustworthiness: A model based approach.

Judgments of trustworthiness from faces determine basic approach/avoidance responses and approximate the valence evaluation of faces that runs across multiple person judgments. Here, based on trustworthiness judgments and using a computer model for face representation, we built a model for representing face trustworthiness (study 1). Using this model, we generated novel faces with an increased range of trustworthiness and used these faces as stimuli in a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging study (study 2). Although participants did not engage in explicit evaluation of the faces, the amygdala response changed
Medical video mining for efficient database indexing, management and access

To achieve more efficient video indexing and access, we introduce a video database management framework and strategies for video content structure and events mining. The video shot segmentation and representative frame selection strategy are first utilized to parse the continuous video stream into physical units. Video shot grouping, group merging, and scene clustering schemes are then proposed to organize the video shots into a hierarchical structure using clustered scenes, scenes, groups, and shots, in increasing granularity from top to bottom. Then, audio and video processing techniques are integrated to mine event information, such as dialog, presentation and clinical operation, from the detected scenes. Finally, the acquired video content structure and events are integrated to construct a scalable video skimming tool which can be used to visualize the video content hierarchy and event information for efficient access. Experimental results are also presented to evaluate the performance of the proposed framework and algorithms.
Permian and Triassic greenhouse crises

Paleoclimatic time series from Permian and Triassic paleosols reveal transient episodes of unusually warm and wet conditions, interrupting long periods of cool and dry conditions usual for calcareous red paleosols. Some of these paleoclimatic events are known from stomatal index of fossil Lepidopteris leaves to have been episodes of elevated global atmospheric CO2. The magnitude of 19 known Permian and Triassic greenhouse crises varied considerably, and they offer new evidence for the relationship between paleoclimate and atmospheric CO2 levels. These greenhouse crises also had marked effects on global lowland vegetation, introducing frost-sensitive tropical lycopsids to high latitudes and drought-tolerant conifers to low latitude lowlands. Greenhouse events punctuate phases in plant evolution (Ottokaria–Callipteris, Plumsteadia–Rufloria, Lidgettonia–Tatarina, Pleuromeia, and Dicroidium–Scytophyllum floras). Greenhouse events also punctuate the evolution of reptilian dynasties (successive pelycosaur, dinocephalian, dicynodont, rhynchosaur and dinosaur faunas) and respiratory adaptations (such as enlarged bony secondary palate). Greenhouse crises of the Late and Middle Permian were the most severe known, and suggest a role for atmospheric pollution with CH4 and CO2 in those mass extinction events, probably from thermogenic cracking of coals by intrusive feeder dikes of flood basalts. Because of formalities in boundary definition these mass extinctions are neither “end-Permian” nor “end-Guadalupian”, but upper Changhsingian and mid-Capitanian, respectively.
Optical interconnects for high-performance computing systems

Advanced optical interconnect technologies can enable significantly higher radix and higher bandwidth network switches. These can provide lower power, higher bandwidth, and lower latency networks for future high-performance computing systems.
Scale-independent criteria and scale-dependent agents determining the structure of a ground cricket mosaic hybrid zone (Allonemobius socius -Allonemobius fasciatus)

The structure of the hybrid zone between the ground crickets, Allonemobius socius and Allonemobius fasciatus, approximates an environmental mosaic based on temperature/moisture at regional spatial scales. In the present study, we show that the micro-geographic spatial structure (i.e. single fields) of this hybrid zone is governed by the same criteria. Thus, the criteria that structure this hybrid zone are scale independent, even though the agents that implement these criteria may differ at various scales (climate, latitude, and elevation at regional scales; grass height, slope aspect, and field use at micro-geographic scales). Additionally, the study demonstrates a previously unknown barrier to genetic exchange in this system that acts before conspecific sperm precedence. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 94, 777–796.
Papanicolaou tests diagnosed as atypical by a cytotechnologist and downgraded to benign by a pathologist: a measure of laboratory quality.

Follow-up of Papanicolaou (Pap) tests diagnosed as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS) by a cytotechnologist and downgraded to benign by a pathologist has not been measured. Squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) follow-up rates were obtained for Pap tests diagnosed as ASCUS (288) or AGUS (94) and downgraded to benign and for Pap tests diagnosed as repair (231). Statistically significant associations were seen between 7 cytotechnologists and between 7 pathologists and ASCUS, AGUS, downgraded ASCUS, and downgraded AGUS rates. The percentage of downgraded ASCUS cases compared with all ASCUS cases per pathologist ranged from 4.8% to 43.7%. Statistically significant associations between pathologists and SIL follow-up rates for downgraded ASCUS diagnoses were seen. The SIL follow-up rate for repair (7.9%) was similar to that for a downgraded ASCUS (11.0%) or AGUS (7.3%). The parameters of downgraded ASCUS and AGUS Pap test interpretations are good quality indicators of individual performance and overall laboratory quality. American governmental regulations require that a Papanicolaou (Pap) test screened and diagnosed as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS) by a cytotechnologist must be reviewed by a pathologist. 1 Because ASCUS is the most common diagnosis of epithelial cell abnormalities, 2 the frequency of referral of an ASCUS diagnosis by cytotechnologists strongly affects the frequency of overall laboratory rates of diagnoses given as “atypical.” However, the referral rates of cytotechnologists for such atypical diagnoses rarely have been analyzed in the literature. 3-6
Characteristics of infant homicides: findings from a U.S. multisite reporting system.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe homicides of infants (children Language: en
Realizing Video Time Decoding Machines with recurrent neural networks

Video Time Decoding Machines faithfully reconstruct bandlimited stimuli encoded with Video Time Encoding Machines. The key step in recovery calls for the pseudo-inversion of a typically poorly conditioned large scale matrix. We investigate the realization of time decoders employing only neural components. We show that Video Time Decoding Machines can be realized with recurrent neural networks, describe their architecture and evaluate their performance. We provide the first demonstration of recovery of natural and synthetic video scenes encoded in the spike domain with decoders realized with only neural components. The performance in recovery using the latter decoder is not distinguishable from the one based on the pseudo-inversion matrix method.
Risk factors for recurrent colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community-dwelling adults and children

OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors for recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization. DESIGN Prospective cohort study conducted from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2012. SETTING Five adult and pediatric academic medical centers. PARTICIPANTS Subjects (ie, index cases) who presented with acute community-onset MRSA skin and soft-tissue infection. METHODS Index cases and all household members performed self-sampling for MRSA colonization every 2 weeks for 6 months. Clearance of colonization was defined as 2 consecutive sampling periods with negative surveillance cultures. Recurrent colonization was defined as any positive MRSA surveillance culture after clearance. Index cases with recurrent MRSA colonization were compared with those without recurrence on the basis of antibiotic exposure, household demographic characteristics, and presence of MRSA colonization in household members. RESULTS The study cohort comprised 195 index cases; recurrent MRSA colonization occurred in 85 (43.6%). Median time to recurrence was 53 days (interquartile range, 36-84 days). Treatment with clindamycin was associated with lower risk of recurrence (odds ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29-0.93). Higher percentage of household members younger than 18 was associated with increased risk of recurrence (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.02). The association between MRSA colonization in household members and recurrent colonization in index cases did not reach statistical significance in primary analyses. CONCLUSION A large proportion of patients initially presenting with MRSA skin and soft-tissue infection will have recurrent colonization after clearance. The reduced rate of recurrent colonization associated with clindamycin may indicate a unique role for this antibiotic in the treatment of such infection.
Integrating RFID with Wireless Sensor Networks for Inhabitant, Environment and Health Monitoring

Radio frequency identification (RFID) and wireless sensor networks (WSN) have been popular in industrial and academic field due to their ability in identity identification and data transmission respectively. Both RFID and wireless sensor networks have undergone huge development separately. In this paper, it has been discussed how helpful and effective it will be when RFID and WSN have been combined together. It also discusses about some applications of this integrated technology in the field of precious animal and patient health monitoring where real time information is of utmost importance. A system structure of the integrated RFID and WSN has been introduced and the simulation results show that the new system outperforms traditional RFID monitory system in terms of the cost of deployment, updating delay and tag capacity requirement.
A uniplanar 90-GHz Schottky-diode millimeter-wave receiver

A 90 GHz Schottky-diode receiver based on a double slot antenna fed by a coplanar-waveguide (CPW) transmission line is presented. The double slot antenna is placed on an extended hemispherical high-resistivity silicon substrate lens. The uniplanar receiver results in a 9.3/spl plusmn/0.3 dB measured SSB conversion loss at 88-90 GHz including antenna and IF circuit losses and a 1-dB loss due to the use of a nonoptimal matching cap layer at the silicon lens-air interface. The calculated conversion loss agrees very well with the RF measurements. The uniplanar double-slot antenna receiver is very small, less than 1.1/spl times/4 mm including the RF/IF filter, and is compatible with monolithic two- and three-terminal devices on GaAs substrates. The application areas are in millimeter-wave receivers for automotive systems, communication systems, and radiometric linear imaging arrays. >
Mo1580 Influence of Aspirin on Predictive Value of Positive Fecal Occult Blood in African Americans and Hispanics

Influence of Aspirin on Predictive Value of Positive Fecal Occult Blood in African Americans and Hispanics Suresh Kumar Nayudu*, Vinaya Gaduputi, Vamshidhar Vootla, Jasbir S. Makker, Bhavna Balar, Sridhar Chilimuri Division of Gatroenterology and Hepatology, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY; Department of Medicine, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY Background: Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) has been used as screening modality for colorectal cancer. A positive FOBT may be due to a variety of reasons including colorectal cancer. It was reported in previous studies that low dose Aspirin decreases specificity of FOBT. Our study evaluates the effect of low dose Aspirin on adenoma and advanced adenoma detection rates in African Americans and Hispanics with positive FOBT. Methods: We conducted retrospective observational study between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2010, at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, New York. We reviewed endoscopy database of patients who underwent colonoscopy for positive occult blood. We also reviewed demographic, medical and laboratory data. We included patients above 50 years of age who were at average risk for colon cancer. We excluded patient with thrombocytopenia, coagulation disorders, chronic kidney disease and cirrhosis. We also excluded patients who were on Warfarin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). We analyzed data using SAS JMP 10. Results: There were a total of 107 patients who met the inclusion criteria. There were 29 patients (27%) on Aspirin and 78 (73%) were not. There was no difference in mean age (65.9 vs. 65.4), and gender ratio (male 48% vs. 50% and female 52% vs. 50%) between two groups. Adenoma detection (31% vs. 42%) and advanced adenoma detection rates (3.45 % vs. 7.69) were lower in aspirin group compared to non-aspirin group. However on subset analysis (table 1 and 2), adenoma and advanced adenoma detection rates were lower in aspirin group except African American women where adenoma detection (50% vs. 33%) and advanced adenoma detection rates (17% vs. 0%) were higher in aspirin group compared to non-aspirin group. Conclusion: Aspirin use decreased specificity of fecal occult blood testing in detecting colonic adenomas and advanced adenomas in African Americans and Hispanics. However in African American women we noticed a trend towards higher adenoma and advanced adenoma detection rates in individuals on Aspirin. Although it did not reach statistical significance further studies are needed to evaluate these findings.
On the Error Structure of Impedance Measurements Simulation of FRA Instrumentation

A new paradigm is introduced for the investigation of errors in frequency-domain measurements. The propagation of errors from time-domain measurements to the desired complex variables in the frequency domain was analyzed for the frequency response analysis (FRA) algorithm, one of two techniques commonly used for spectroscopy measurements. Errors in the frequency domain were found to be normally distributed, even when the errors in the time-domain were not normally distributed and when the measurement technique introduced bias errors. For additive errors in time-domain signals, the errors in the real and imaginary impedance were found to be uncorrelated, and the variances of the real and imaginary parts of the complex impedance were equal. The equality of variances was realized except for cases where the time-domain signals contained proportional errors. The statistical characteristics of the results were in good agreement with experimental observations.
Managing bone mineral density with oral bisphosphonate therapy in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibition

The use of adjuvant aromatase inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. The oral bisphosphonate, risedronate - dosed as the US Food and Drug Administration approved for the treatment or prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis - appears to mitigate bone loss associated with 2 years of adjuvant anastrozole in women with early-stage breast cancer.
Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding Therapy on Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACTPurpose: This systematic review examined the efficacy of hippotherapy or therapeutic horseback riding (THR) on motor outcomes in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Databases were searched for clinical trials of hippotherapy or THR for children with CP. Results: Nine articles were included in this review. Although the current level of evidence is weak, our synthesis found that children with spastic CP, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I–III, aged 4 years and above are likely to have significant improvements on gross motor function as a result of hippotherapy and THR. Evidence indicates that 45-min sessions, once weekly for 8–10 weeks, result in significant effects. Conclusions: The current literature on hippotherapy and THR is limited. Large randomized controlled trials using specified protocols are needed to more conclusively determine the effects on children with CP. From the current evidence, it appears that hippotherapy and THR have positive effects on gross mo...
An Arg-Gly-Asp peptide stimulates constriction in rat afferent arteriole.

The potential role of integrins in the myogenic mechanism was studied in the rat afferent arteriole (AA) by fluorescence immunolocalization and microperfusion of isolated AA. Confocal fluorescence ...
Percept—Percept Couplings:

Relations among percepts in the organized perceptual world are called percept—percept couplings. If these couplings are assigned a causal interpretation they present a challenge to a theory of direct perception. Experimental evidence of percept-percept coupling is reviewed and the case for a causal interpretation of these relations is examined. It is concluded that the causal interpretation is plausible and that the facts of percept—percept couplings need to be addressed by advocates of a theory of direct perception.