cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finding a context for objectivity

Several and repeated attempts have been made to say what objectivity consists of and why it should be pursued in research. In the first part of this paper two main strategies are singled out, sharing the assumption that there is a way (or different ways) objectivity can be thought of in the abstract (which does not mean without content), and that it can be instantiated in context—and in enough contexts to justify the abstract case. But not only is this assumption open to the objection that objectivity so conceived does not admit of one clear definition (even a disjunctive one) that is appropriate in many or most contexts where we intend the term to do its work. It also does not seem to pay specific attention to what actually constitutes a context of practice, when we think of objectivity in some relation to such context. The aim of this paper is to question how context works both as a mechanism of meaning formation for the concept of objectivity, and as a practical framework for pursuing research objectively. To articulate a suitable notion of context some insight from recent literature in the philosophy of science is first introduced and then adapted to show how research practices successfully achieve objectivity as one of their aims. It will be argued that an idea of context that includes activities which (in a way to be qualified) are relevant and reliable towards a settled aim is the model of practice that makes objectivity a pursuable task in research. This contextual picture of objectivity, it will be suggested, might better serve the purpose of scientific research (including social research) than either of the two descriptive strategies outlined at the beginning of this paper can do.
Reducing climate impacts of beef production: A synthesis of life cycle assessments across management systems and global regions.

The global demand for beef is rapidly increasing (FAO, 2019), raising concern about climate change impacts (Clark et al., 2020; Leip et al., 2015; Springmann et al., 2018). Beef and dairy contribute over 70% of livestock greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), which collectively contribute ~6.3 Gt CO2 -eq/year (Gerber et al., 2013; Herrero et al., 2016) and account for 14%-18% of human GHG emissions (Friedlingstein et al., 2019; Gerber et al., 2013). The utility of beef GHG mitigation strategies, such as land-based carbon (C) sequestration and increased production efficiency, are actively debated (Garnett et al., 2017). We compiled 292 local comparisons of "improved" versus "conventional" beef production systems across global regions, assessing net GHG emission data from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. Our results indicate that net beef GHG emissions could be reduced substantially via changes in management. Overall, a 46 % reduction in net GHG emissions per unit of beef was achieved at sites using carbon (C) sequestration management strategies on grazed lands, and an 8% reduction in net GHGs was achieved at sites using growth efficiency strategies. However, net-zero emissions were only achieved in 2% of studies. Among regions, studies from Brazil had the greatest improvement, with management strategies for C sequestration and efficiency reducing beef GHG emissions by 57%. In the United States, C sequestration strategies reduced beef GHG emissions by over 100% (net-zero emissions) in a few grazing systems, whereas efficiency strategies were not successful at reducing GHGs, possibly because of high baseline efficiency in the region. This meta-analysis offers insight into pathways to substantially reduce beef production's global GHG emissions. Nonetheless, even if these improved land-based and efficiency management strategies could be fully applied globally, the trajectory of growth in beef demand will likely more than offset GHG emissions reductions and lead to further warming unless there is also reduced beef consumption.
Macrophage activation in the lung during the progression of nitrogen mustard induced injury is associated with histone modifications and altered miRNA expression.

Abstract Activated macrophages have been implicated in lung injury and fibrosis induced by the cytotoxic alkylating agent, nitrogen mustard (NM). Herein, we determined if macrophage activation is associated with histone modifications and altered miRNA expression. Treatment of rats with NM (0.125 mg/kg, i.t.) resulted in increases in phosphorylation of H2A.X in lung macrophages at 1 d and 3 d post-exposure. This DNA damage response was accompanied by methylation of histone (H) 3 lysine (K) 4 and acetylation of H3K9, marks of transcriptional activation, and methylation of H3K36 and H3K9, marks associated with transcriptional repression. Increases in histone acetyl transferase and histone deacetylase were also observed in macrophages 1 d and 28 d post-NM exposure. PCR array analysis of miRNAs (miR)s involved in inflammation and fibrosis revealed unique and overlapping expression profiles in macrophages isolated 1, 3, 7, and 28 d post-NM. An IPA Core Analysis of predicted mRNA targets of differentially expressed miRNAs identified significant enrichment of Diseases and Functions related to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, cell movement, cell adhesion, lipid metabolism, and inflammation 1 d and 28 d post NM. miRNA-mRNA interaction network analysis revealed highly connected miRNAs representing key upstream regulators of mRNAs involved in significantly enriched pathways including miR-34c-5p and miR-27a-3p at 1 d post NM and miR-125b-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-30c-5p, miR-19b-3p and miR-148b-3p at 28 d post NM. Collectively, these data show that NM promotes histone remodeling and alterations in miRNA expression linked to lung macrophage responses during inflammatory injury and fibrosis.
A Low Voltage DC Power Electronic Hub to Support Buildings

This paper presents the communication, control, and architecture, for a low voltage (nominal 480V) hybrid AC/DC microgrid for supporting small commercial buildings with critical data center loads. The proposed system is based on a dc-power electronic hub (PEH) that seamlessly integrates renewable energy resources, energy storage, and back-up generation to support commercial building economical energy management and reliability. This PEH concept provides a parallelization of critical power to the commercial and industrial buildings leading to increased efficiency and reliability compared to traditional uninterruptable power supplies. The demonstration of the proposed PEH architecture and controls is conducted through a controller hardware in the loop validation.
Statistical Perspective on Functional and Causal Neural Connectomics: A Comparative Study

Representation of brain network interactions is fundamental to the translation of neural structure to brain function. As such, methodologies for mapping neural interactions into structural models, i.e., inference of functional connectome from neural recordings, are key for the study of brain networks. While multiple approaches have been proposed for functional connectomics based on statistical associations between neural activity, association does not necessarily incorporate causation. Additional approaches have been proposed to incorporate aspects of causality to turn functional connectomes into causal functional connectomes, however, these methodologies typically focus on specific aspects of causality. This warrants a systematic statistical framework for causal functional connectomics that defines the foundations of common aspects of causality. Such a framework can assist in contrasting existing approaches and to guide development of further causal methodologies. In this work, we develop such a statistical guide. In particular, we consolidate the notions of associations and representations of neural interaction, i.e., types of neural connectomics, and then describe causal modeling in the statistics literature. We particularly focus on the introduction of directed Markov graphical models as a framework through which we define the Directed Markov Property -- an essential criterion for examining the causality of proposed functional connectomes. We demonstrate how based on these notions, a comparative study of several existing approaches for finding causal functional connectivity from neural activity can be conducted. We proceed by providing an outlook ahead regarding the additional properties that future approaches could include to thoroughly address causality.
Eosinophils in Gastrointestinal disorders- eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases and parasitic infections

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract provides an intriguing organ for considering the eosinophil's role in health and disease. The normal GI tract, except for the esophagus, is populated by eosinophils that are present throughout the mucosa, raising the possibility that eosinophils participate in innate mechanisms of defense. However, data from clinical studies associates increased numbers of eosinophils with inflammatory GI diseases, prompting concerns that eosinophils may have a deleterious effect on the gut. We present clinical features of 4 disease processes that have been associated with eosinophilia and suggest areas requiring investigation as to their clinical significance and scientific relevance.
Convective parameterization for mesoscale models : The Kain-Fritsch Scheme

The Kain-Fritsch (KF) convective parameterization scheme (CPS) is based on the same fundamental closure assumption as the Fritsch-Chappell (FC) (1980) scheme—convective effects are assumed to remove convective available potential energy in a grid element within an advective time period. Its development was motivated by ongoing observational and numerical investigations of mesoscale convective systems that have revealed the potentially significant impact of certain physical processes that were not represented in the FC scheme. For example, in the FC scheme, detrainment from convective clouds to their environment occurs over a limited vertical depth near cloud top. Yet, it has become evident from diagnostic studies (e.g., Leary and Houze 1980; Gamache and Houze 1983) that midlevel detrainment of mass and moisture from deep convective clouds plays an important role in the development of some mesoscale convective systems.
Exploring Zebrafish Genomic, Functional and Phenotypic Data Using ZFIN

The zebrafish model organism database (ZFIN) provides a Web resource of zebrafish genomic, genetic, developmental, and phenotypic data. ZFIN curates and integrates data from current literature and from direct data submissions from laboratories. In addition, ZFIN collaborates with other bioinformatics organizations to provide links to other relevant data. These data can be accessed through a variety of Web-based search and display tools. This unit focuses on some of the basic methods to search, visualize, and analyze ZFIN data, including genes, gene expression, mutants, morphants, transgenics, anatomical structures, and antibodies. ZFIN's GBrowse genome viewer, BLAST, and protocol and antibody wikis are also discussed.
FUNGAL INFECTIONS OF THE NOSE AND PARANASAL SINUSES, PART I

This article, the second of two, examines the following infections in detail: phaeohyphomycosis, bipolaris infections, Exserohilim infections, multiple-fungal infections, allergic dematiaceous sinusitis, Pseudallescheria infections, sporothricosis, basidoiomycetous infections, Paecilomyces infections, penicilliosis, Cryptococcus infections, and others.
Use of Plant Growth Regulators in Blueberry Production in the Southeastern U.S.: A Review

Blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) production has expanded rapidly in the Southeastern U.S. over the past two decades, and various production problems have been encountered. These problems include poor pollination, low fruit set, freeze damage, variable yields, and small fruit size among others. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) have been utilized to overcome some production problems with some degree of success. This paper reviews findings of research that has been conducted over the past few years with PGRs and blueberries in the Southeast.
Mechanisms of sulfur transfer catalysis. Sulfhydryl-catalyzed transfer of thiosulfonate sulfur.

Simple thiols catalyze the transfer of a sulfur atom from thiosulfonates to cyanide by way of persulfide intermediates. Kinetic analysis of the formal mechanisms of the rhodanese-catalyzed and thiol-catalyzed transfer reactions has permitted comparative evaluation of the apparent rate constants for cleavage of the sulfur-sulfur bonds of two closely related aliphatic thiosulfonates. The results are relevant to several features of the catalytic mechanism of rhodanese. The simpler catalytic systems are inferior in protecting reactive intermediates from side reactions, as well as in overall efficiency, but appear to surpass the enzyme in formal mechanistic versatility.
Photoreduction of the uranyl ion with argon laser light and ethanol—III: The photochemical reduction of dioxouranium(VI) to dioxouranium(V)

Abstract The photochemical reduction of UO 2 2+ to UO 2 + wit argon laser light and ethanol was studied at 25 and 45°C. Quantum yields for the reduction were determined to be near unity for each temperature, and the yields were compared with those for the photochemical reduction of UO 2 2+ to U 4+ under similar experiment conditions. The results of experiments designed to photochemically reduce UO 2 + were inconclusive.
Europa: Prospects for an Ocean and Life

Life as we know it depends on the presence of three things: liquid water, certain “biogenic” elements (including carbon as well as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, phosphorous, sulfur, and others), and a useful source of free energy. Jupiter’s satellite Europa may meet these criteria, and thus be a possible location for a non-terrestrial biosphere. Recent theoretical and observational evidence has suggested that Europa may possess a subsurface “ocean” of liquid water beneath its icy surface. Theoretical and spectral studies of Europa provide evidence of biogenic compounds, and theoretical models, coupled with measurements of the radiation environment of Europa, are beginning to examine possible sources of free energy. We will consider these requirements for life on Europa, how Europa may or may not meet them, and what the implications are for a possible Europan biosphere. We also discuss the future exploration of Europa.
A little bit about: analyzing and teaching lexical bundles in academic lectures

For English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) students, high academic listening skills are essential in order to succeed at the university level, and yet instructional materials in academic listening often lack authenticity (Flowerdew and Miller 1997). As corpus-based data has become more prevalent and corpus-based findings have become more and more accessible, ESL/EFL instructors are now in a position to investigate how language is actually used in the content classroom and to design lessons accordingly. The present study focuses on the use of lexical bundles, defined as recurrent word combinations, in academic lectures. A small group of lexical bundles which are frequently found in spoken academic language are examined in order to carefully analyze their function in this register, comparing the use of bundles by instructors to that of students. The findings of this comparison are used as the basis for the design of a series of academic listening lesson plans, focusing on those bundles that most often occur in academic lectures and the functions they perform in that context.
Urban Resistance to Neoliberal Democracy in Latin America

Los procesos de democratizacion en America Latina restauraron los derechos laborales y politicos que habian sido negados durante los gobiernos militares que tuvieron lugar entre las decadas de los sesenta y ochenta. El aumento de la subordinacion a las fuerzas del mercado, menos constrenidas por barreras institucionales bajo el modelo neoliberal, debilito, de hecho, la habilidad de los trabajadores para utilizar sus derechos recien restaurados para el mejoramiento de sus condiciones laborales. Este articulo describe como y explica por que las protestas contra las injusticias economicas percibidas bajo estas circunstancias se han trasladado, en las ciudades de toda la region, de la produccion al consumo; y en este dominio del consumo, de los reclamos pro-activos en favor de acceso a vivienda hacia protestas defensivas en contra de iniciativas estatales tendientes a aumentar el costo de los alimentos y los servicios urbanos, y tambien hacia la configuracion de movimientos de solidaridad que desde los paises mas ricos amenazan a las empresas que explotan a los trabajadores latinoamericanos con boicots de consumidores
Lactic acid and protein interactions: implications for the NMR visibility of lactate in biological systems

Abstract The addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to a solution of lactate and alanine resulted in the disappearance of the 1H-NMR resonances from lactate but not alanine. As temperature is increased lactate becomes increasingly NMR visible and after heating above 65°C and cooling to 25°C lactate binding is reduced. With a concentration of 0.2 mM BSA, there was a linear relationship between NMR visible lactate versus total lactate over a range of lactate concentrations of 0.2–35 mM (slope 0.384±0.003) indicating that approx. 60% of the added lactate is not visible in the 1H-NMR spectrum. With a 0.1 mM BSA solution, however, the slope was markedly higher indicating that under these conditions only 25–30% of the lactate was NMR invisible. The results from this study indicate that decreased NMR visibility of lactate in proteinaceous solutions is due to non-specific binding which is dependent on the tertiary structure of the protein. This has important implications not only for the interpretation of in vivo 1H-NMR experiments but also for 13C, and 14C studies of metabolism.
NMR study of 4‐deoxy‐α‐L‐threo‐4‐enohexopyranosyluronic acid (1 → 3)2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐D‐hexoses produced in the enzymic digestion of hyaluronate, chondroitin and chondroitin sulfates

The conformation of 4-deoxy-α-L-threo-4-enohexopyranosyluronic acid (1 3)2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-hexoses was analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. The half-chair (H12) conformation was found in the unsaturated uronide moiety and the chair (Cl) conformation in the hexosamine moiety.
Identifying Better Surgical Candidates Among Recursive Partitioning Analysis Class 2 Patients who Underwent Surgery for Intracranial Metastases

Objective The management of patients with brain metastases is typically dependent on their prognosis. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) is the most commonly used method for prognosticating survival, but has limitations for patients in the intermediate class. The aims of this study were to ascertain preoperative risk factors associated with survival, develop a preoperative prognostic grading system, and evaluate the utility of this system in predicting survival for RPA class 2 patients. Methods Adult patient who underwent intracranial metastatic tumor surgery at an academic tertiary care institution from 1997 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify preoperative factors associated with survival. The identified associations were then used to develop a grading system. Survival as a function of time was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival rates were compared using log-rank analyses. Results A total of 421 (59%) of 708 patients were RPA class 2. The preoperative factors found to be associated with poorer survival were: male gender ( P P = 0.0007), cognitive deficit ( P = 0.0004), nonsolitary metastases ( P = 0.002), and tumor size >2 cm ( P = 0.003). Patients having 0–1, 2, and 3–5 of these variables were assigned a preoperative grade of A, B, and C, respectively. Patients with a preoperative grade of A, B, and C had a median survival of 17.0, 10.3, and 7.3 months, respectively. These grades had distinct survival times ( P Conclusions The present study devised a preoperative grading system that may provide prognostic information for RPA class 2 patients, which may also guide medical and surgical therapies before any intervention is pursued.
A Survey of U.S. Laws for Health Information Security & Privacy

As healthcare organizations and their business associates operate in an increasingly complex technological world, there exist security threats and attacks which render individually identifiable health information vulnerable. In United States, a number of laws exist to ensure that healthcare providers take practical measures to address the security and privacy needs of health information. This paper provides a survey of U.S. laws related to health information security and privacy, which include Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA),Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH).The history and background of the laws, highlights of what the laws require, and the challenges organizations face in complying with the laws are discussed.
Teaching reviewing to graduate students

Incorporating the principles and practices of formal review into a Ph.D. education, smoothly and inexpensively, as part of the existing coursework.
Automatic segmentation and measurement of cells in 3-D

Three-dimensional (3D) data are obtained on biological cells by collecting optical slices at different depths in the cell using confocal laser scanning microscopy. A method has been developed which allows such three-dimensional data to be automatically segmented so that objects within the cell can be identified and labelled. Segmentation allows an object in a field to be recognized as distinct from other objects and from the background. This is done using an algorithm which performs a cell-dependent sequence of image processing functions on each slice of the image data (2D). Identification requires that a single object be recognized as one entity through all of the slices of data (3D). This is done with a 3D labelling routine. In this application, cell nuclei are first defined in 3D, and then structures within them (i.e. chromosome domains) can be identified. Measurements are made on these domains for the purpose of determining the relationship between chromosomal locations and the possibility that they will exchange genetic information.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evaluation of an efficient statistical transport model for turbulent droplet dispersion in dilute combusting sprays

Evaluation of an efficient statistical transport model for turbulent droplet dispersion is made for a dilute spray of methanol droplets injected into a turbulent, axisymmnetric methane-fuelled diffusion flame burning in stagnant air. In the dispersion model, a computational parcel representing a group of physical particles (droplets) is considered to have a normal probability density function (pdf) in space. The mean is determined by Lagrangian tracking through a sequence of stochastically generated turbulent eddies and the variance is evaluated from a statistical formulation based on the linearized particle equations of motion. The basic validity of this model is established through comparison with available experimental data and with theoretical predictions using a conventional stochastic direct modeling approach. The conclusion of the evaluation is that the proposed dispersion model compares favorably with experimental data and provides a valid technique for simulating turbulent combusting sprays with significant computational savings over conventional methods.
Latest results on the anomalous Raman continuum in YBCO and in certain metals

Three new results are presented regarding the nearly flat electronic Raman continuum found in the cuprate superconductors. (1) Its properties are quite different for untwinnedYBa2Cu3O7 in (bb) and (cc) polarization geometries. In (cc) the cross-section dσ/dω falls off with increasing ω, rather than gently rising as in (bb), and it shows a rather strong resonance towards 2.8 eV. (2) The continuum in YBa2Cu3Ox behaves differently with oxygen doping in (bb) relative to (aa), growing in strength with increasing x. [D. Reznik et al., this conference] (3) The T-dependence of the linewidth Γ of the 115 cm−1 “Ba” phonon mode for 10<T<300K can be explained using a phenomenological model in which the phonon decays either into two phonons or into the electronic continuum; the cusp in Γ at Tc follows from that of dσ(T)/dω at T=Tc. Finally, we test suggestion that the Raman continuum results from Fermi surface nesting by studying the hcp metal Dy, which is nested. There the continuum is found to be less flat but somewhat similar to that of the cuprate superconductors.
Detection of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus from live poultry markets in Guangzhou, China: a surveillance report.

Purpose A virologic surveillance program for A(H7N9) virus was conducted from April 15, 2013 to February 14, 2014 in Guangzhou, aiming to clarify the geographical distribution of A(H7N9) viruses among live poultry markets (LPMs) and poultry farms in Guangzhou. Virological and serological surveys of poultry workers were also conducted to evaluate the risk of poultry-to-human transmission of the A(H7N9) virus. Methods 36 retail LPMs, 6 wholesale LPMs and 8 poultry farms were involved in our surveillance program. About 20 live poultry and environmental samples were obtained from each surveillance site at every sampling time. Different environmental samples were collected to represent different poultry-related work activities. RT-PCR and virus culture were performed to identify the A(H7N9) virus. Hemagglutinin inhibition assay and RT-PCR were conducted to detect possible A(H7N9) infection among poultry workers. Results A total of 8900 live poultry and environmental samples were collected, of which 131(1.5%) were tested positive for A(H7N9) virus. 44.4% (16/36) of retail LPMs and 50.0% (3/6) of wholesale LPMs were confirmed to be contaminated. No positive samples was detected from poultry farms. A significant higher positive sample rate was found in environmental samples related to poultry selling (2.6%) and slaughtering (2.4%), compared to poultry holding (0.9%). Correspondingly, A(H7N9) viruses were isolated most frequently from slaughter zone. In addition, 316 poultry workers associated with the 19 contaminated-LPMs were recruited and a low seroprevalence (1.6%) of antibody against A(H7N9) virus was detected. An asymptomatic A(H7N9) infection was also identified by RT-PCR. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of conducting effective surveillance for A(H7N9) virus and provides evidence to support the assumption that slaughtering is the key process for the propagation of A(H7N9) virus in retail LPMs. Moreover, the ability of A(H7N9) virus to cross species barrier is proved to be still limited.
Adopting 540-degree fusion to correct cervical kyphosis.

Abstract Background Two cases of severe cervical spine kyphotic deformity resulting from late effects of infection were successfully corrected by combined anterior and posterior instrumentations in a single operative sitting. Case description Case 1 is a 43-year-old man who developed severe cervical kyphosis from C5-6 discitis over a few months despite long-term antibiotic therapy. He was neurologically intact except for severe neck pain and obvious deformity. Case 2 is a 40-year-old woman who had a previous wound infection five years before presentation. There was gradual worsening of swan neck deformity at the C2-3 and C5-6 levels with some spinal cord compression worsening her baseline myelopathy. The patients were placed and maintained in cervical traction on the Stryker frame for the duration of the procedure. Both cases required anterior approach initially to achieve some release of dense scar tissue using a high-speed drill. The wounds were then closed and patients were rotated to the prone position for further release of fused bony elements, including the facets. Lateral mass screws and plates were placed. In Case 2, additional instrument to the occipital was performed to stabilize the C2 using a U-shaped cervical rod. Once adequate reduction had been achieved, the patients were rotated back to supine position for further corpectomy and fibular construct fusion with plates. Conclusion In cases of severe kyphotic deformity complicating infectious vertebral destruction, the spinal alignment can be achieved safely by a multi-step technique combining the anterior as well as posterior surgical approaches.
The timecourse of induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA and protein in the rat hippocampus following voluntary exercise

In this study we examined the timecourse of induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA and protein after 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 28 days of exercise in the rat. To measure the expression of mRNA for individual BDNF exons we utilized a semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique, while BDNF protein was assessed using commercial ELISA kits. We demonstrated that the distance run by animals increased significantly (P<0.05) after 4 weeks. BDNF protein was significantly (P<0.05) increased after 4 weeks of exercise, while the mRNA for individual BDNF exons increased significantly (P<0.05) over the timecourse (exon I after 1 and 28 days and exons II and V after 28 days). The Morris water maze was then utilized to demonstrate that 3 weeks of prior exercise enhanced the rate of learning on this task. Exercise, therefore, was shown to modulate BDNF induction in a time-dependent manner, and this may translate to improvements in neurotrophin-mediated tasks within the CNS.
Improved electron-beam ion-trap lifetime measurement of the Ne 8 + 1 s 2 s 3 S 1 level

An earlier electron-beam ion-trap (EBIT) lifetime measurement of the Ne[sup 8+] 1s2s hthinsp;[sup 3]S[sub 1] level has been improved upon, reducing the uncertainties to less than the scatter in the existing theoretical calculations. The new result, 91.7[plus minus]0.4 [mu]s, agrees with the previous value, but is more precise by a factor of 4. The new value distinguishes among theoretical values, as agreement is obtained only with those calculations that employ [open quotes]exact[close quotes] nonrelativistic or relativistic wave functions. Routes to measurements with even higher accuracy are discussed. [copyright] [ital 1999] [ital The American Physical Society]
Endolith microborings and their preservation in Holocene-Pleistocene (Bahama-Florida) ooids

Holocene ooids from Joulters Ooid Shoal (Bahamas) are bored in various ways by blue-green algae that groove along the grain surface, reside just beneath the grain surface, and tunnel extensively a few tens of microns within the grain. The microborings, morphologically distinctive, are documented with scanning electron micrographs of open borings and resin casts. Gentle dissolution of ooid aragonite permits identification of several algal genera by light microscopy and enables comparison with the microboring casts. Pleistocene ooids from the Miami Limestone (Florida) contain natural casts of microborings, some of which are similar in form to Holocene examples. Significantly, these aragonite casts are more resistant to solution than surrounding ooid aragonite. They remain after most of the ooid is leached away and survive replacement of the ooid by low-Mg calcite. Dissolution or precipitation may occur along the walls of microborings, causing morphological alteration during their preservation. This points out a difficulty in the specific identification of endoliths on the basis of fossilized microborings in ancient rocks composed of original aragonite grains.
Nutcracker esophagus: GERD or an esophageal motility disorder.

Abstract A retrospective study was performed to determine the frequency of acid-related esophageal dysfunction in an unselected group of patients with nutcracker esophagus (NE). Five hundred seventy-two consecutive patients who underwent esophageal manometry and pH testing at one institution were evaluated. Forty-one percent were referred for evaluation of chest pain, 39% for reflux symptoms, and 20% for dysphagia, nausea, or epigastric pain. Esophageal manometry and 24-h pH monitoring were performed using standard methods. NE was defined as amplitude of phasic contractions of ≥180 mm Hg in any manometric tracing at any level of the esophagus. Abnormal total reflux was defined as >4% of the time with the esophageal pH 50% of periods with pH Forty-five patients met criteria for NE, with acid-related abnormalities found in 77%. Forty-nine percent had abnormal acid exposure time, 16% had positive symptom indexes with normal acid exposure, and 5% had endoscopic esophagitis. An additional 7% had only an increased number of reflux episodes with normal acid exposure and symptom indexes. The prevalence of NE was significantly higher in patients referred for chest pain than for typical reflux symptoms (14.3% vs 4.5%). Seventy-four percent of the patients with NE and chest pain did not have classic reflux symptoms. Seventy-six percent of 34 evaluable subjects who had been started on acid suppression were either improved or symptom free at an average of 10.7 months of follow-up.
Schistosomiasis models with two migrating human groups

We propose, in this paper, models of schistosomiasis that incorporate several realistic features including two human habitats, migration between these, negative binomial distribution of schistosomes within human hosts, disease-induced mortality in both human and snail hosts, and others. The qualitative and quantitative mathematical properties are analyzed. Numerical simulations help examine the dynamics and suggest some properties of these models that we were unable to prove mathematically. Partial results are extended to models with multiple human groups, and numerical simulations also support the results. Explicit thresholds for the survival of schistosomes are established. Control strategies derived from these thresholds are also discussed.
A Stock/Flow Model Of Defining Racially Integrated Neighborhoods

This article discusses the appropriate measurement of neighborhood racial integration and proposes a new operational definition. A neighborhood is integrated if currently (1) its stock of household...
Early Nutrition Support Modifies Immune Function in Patients Sustaining Severe Head Injury

Background: Immunosuppression after severe head injury has been characterized by a depressed CD4 (T-helper/inducer)-CD8 (T-suppressor/cytotoxic) ratio and decreased T-lymphocyte responsiveness. Some investigators propose that this immunocompromized state is the result of an injury-associated hypermetabolic response and inadequate nutrient delivery during the immediate postinjury recovery phase. Previous observations from our institution demonstrated a preserved CD4-CD8 ratio in severe closed-head injury (CHI) patients receiving early parenteral nutrition (PN). It was unclear whether early PN or other aspects of patient care eliminated the characteristic depression in cellular immunity. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the effect of early PN on the immune function of CHI patients. Methods: Nine patients sustaining severe CHI were prospectively randomized to either early PN (n = 4) at day 1 or delayed PN (n = 5) at day 5. Total nutrient administration was delivered at 2 g of protein/kg p...
Abstract 4229: Dichamanetin, a C-benzylated flavonoid from Piper sarmentosum inhibits cell growth and induces G1 cell cycle arrest in cancer cells through mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis

Dichamanetin (C29H24O6) is a rare C-benzylated flavanoid isolated as a major metabolite from Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae). Dichamanetin significantly decreased the cell viability of various types of cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, characterized by G1 arrest of the cell cycle. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism whereby dichamanetin exerts its cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells in vitro. We examined the involvement of ROS-signaling components (ROS levels, NF-kB transcription factor, mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA damage, and proteasome inhibition) and demonstrated that the antiproliferative effect of cancer cells is partially mediated by induction of oxidative stress. Dichamanetin treatment did not significantly inhibited proteasome, but inhibited moderately PARP-1 enzyme activity. Additionally, FACS analysis with JC-1 fluorescent dye established significant deviation of mitochondrial membrane potential by dichamanetin in treated cells. The present data therefore supports dichamanetin as an active anti-proliferative metabolite that acts in part through mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Acknowledgment This research was supported by Program Project Grant P01-CA125066 funded by the National Cancer Institute, NIH. We also wish to acknowledge the plant taxonomists who collected the plant material used in this investigation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4229. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4229
Woriað Þa Winsalo: The bonds of exile in “The Wanderer”

The Old English elegy “The Wanderer” poignantly dramatizes a transition from the pre-Christian world of the Germanic comitatus, in which the self is fashioned though the social bonding of lord and companions in the meadhall, to the more individualistic guilt-culture of Christianity. As the speaker recalls to himself the isolation resulting from the fragmentation of the war-band, he internalizes the forms of hall-enclosure. The poem's imagery describes a painful but necessary process of self-enclosure that will sustain the wanderer until his final inclusion in a heavenly fœstnung. The process is characterized by the opposition of wyrd to metud, terms that in Old English literature are often opposed. The former is an exterior, chaotic force antagonistic to humanity's enclosures while the latter represents the Christian God in its aspect of creator and protector of cosmic order. The speaker's strange lament that “the wine-halls wander” should not be emended or translated away, for it is part of the poem's complex association of hall and self.
Personalised care and the genome

Using family history to target genomic investigation may be the way forward One of the universal goals of medicine is to give each patient the most appropriate care. To this end we constantly seek new ways to tailor care. Nothing is more personal than a person’s genetic make-up. Recently, Roberts and colleagues sought to determine the predictive capacity of whole genome sequencing for 24 common diseases using mathematical modelling based on twin studies, and they concluded that this technique does not provide a useful risk assessment for the most common diseases.1 As many have pointed out, neither twin studies nor mathematical modelling are new approaches to assessing heritability, but this study’s findings struck a chord with both the popular and the scientific press, with real time comment from CNN Health (http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/), Time (www.time.com/time/), Nature NewsBlog (http://blogs.nature.com/news/), and the BMJ .2 Whole genome sequencing—the complete reading of the roughly 3.2 billion base pairs of DNA that makes each individual unique—captures the imagination of scientists and the public alike. Today, little more than a decade since the human genome was first sequenced, the cost of whole genome sequencing is a fraction of what it was, and the richness of the data has increased 100-fold. With this decrease in cost comes increasing excitement that this technology will be the crystal ball we seek, identifying predisposition and …
Healthcare Reform: A Prescription for the 2010 Republican Landslide?

Less than two years ago, Barack Obama was sworn in as president amidst proclamations of a partisan realignment. But in this fall’s midterms, scores of his fellow Democrats lost their jobs. The best evidence suggests that Obama’s signature accomplishment—passage of a healthcare reform bill that had long eluded progressives—played a key role in the historic defeat. It also highlighted the delicacy of partisan regimes, particularly those prematurely designated as realignments by academic or popular observers.
Stable Optimization With Application To Syntactic Learning

The recent development of an algebra for the manipulation of decision trees has allowed the implementation of an algorithm for generating all the irreducible forms of a decision tree. An irreducible is a syntactic form for a decision tree which is guaranteed to be optimal for some cost criterion (for example, an expected testing cost). However, each irreducible is optimal only under certain stability conditions. Thus, in the absence of specific costing information, the more demanding the stability conditions for an irreducible, the less generally useful the tree. This paper illustrates, by means of an example, a syntactic approach to decision tree inference in which all the irreducible decision trees which are consistent with respect to a given set of training examples are generated, and a test for stability is used to narrow down the selection of a reasonable inference model.
An approximation algorithm for a file-allocation problem in a hierarchical distributed system

A file allocation problem in a hierarchical distributed computer network is examined. It is shown that the problem is NP-hard. An approximation algorithm is suggested. It is estimated that the approximation algorithm has a high chance of obtaining the optimal solution. Experimental results show that the difference between the optimal solution and the solution generated by the approximation algorithm is no more than 4% away from the optimal solution.
27-day cycle in the rainfall at Los Angeles

IN each of two Los Angeles rain seasons (Table 1) rainfall was concentrated in the first half of arbitrarily chosen 27-d intervals. This suggests the existence of a rainfall component with a period near 27 d. The phase was roughly constant throughout the 5-yr interval from mid-1966 to mid-1971. Usually, however, over the preceding 46 yr studied, the phase changed from year to year, only occasionally remaining constant for 2 or 3 yr. Figure 1 is a graph of the 5-d mean positions, plotted on the third day, of the principal centre, or cell of highest pressure of the semipermanent East Pacific high pressure cell in the region 19 to 50°N and 120 to 165°W for the 1973 winter (Los Angeles is at 34°3′N and 118°14′W). On average, the cell was more southward during rainier halves and more northward during drier halves of the 27-d intervals. The oscillation seems to be greater and more regular in winter than in other seasons.
Mechanical and thermal properties of physical vapour deposited alumina films. Part I Thermal stability

Thermal stability of non-reactive physical vapour deposited alumina films of varying thickness on Al2O3-TiC and Si substrates, deposited at two different substrate biases, is examined. Substrate curvature measurements were used to determine the deposition stress and stress development during thermal cycling and annealing. Thermal cycling experiments revealed that the films deposited on Al2O3-TiC substrates become irreversibly more compressive on heating and annealing while films deposited on Si substrates become irreversibly more tensile. The deposition stress was found to be independent of film thickness, substrate material, and substrate bias during deposition. The thermal stability was independent of film thickness and substrate bias during deposition.
Hallucinogens as discriminative stimuli in animals: LSD, phenethylamines, and tryptamines.

Background Although man’s first encounters with hallucinogens predate written history, it was not until the rise of the sister disciplines of organic chemistry and pharmacology in the nineteenth century that scientific studies became possible. Mescaline was the first to be isolated and its chemical structure determined. Since then, additional drugs have been recovered from their natural sources and synthetic chemists have contributed many more. Given their profound effects upon human behavior and the need for verbal communication to access many of these effects, some see humans as ideal subjects for study of hallucinogens. However, if we are to determine the mechanisms of action of these agents, establish hypotheses testable in human subjects, and explore the mechanistic links between hallucinogens and such apparently disparate topics as idiopathic psychosis, transcendental states, drug abuse, stress disorders, and cognitive dysfunction, studies in animals are essential. Stimulus control by hallucinogens has provided an intuitively attractive approach to the study of these agents in nonverbal species.
Effects of Caenorhabditis elegans sgk-1 mutations on lifespan, stress resistance, and DAF-16/FoxO regulation

The AGC family serine–threonine kinases Akt and Sgk are similar in primary amino acid sequence and in vitro substrate specificity, and both kinases are thought to directly phosphorylate and inhibit FoxO transcription factors. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, it is well established that AKT-1 controls dauer arrest and lifespan by regulating the subcellular localization of the FoxO transcription factor DAF-16. SGK-1 is thought to act similarly to AKT-1 in lifespan control by phosphorylating and inhibiting the nuclear translocation of DAF-16/FoxO. Using sgk-1 null and gain-of-function mutants, we now provide multiple lines of evidence indicating that AKT-1 and SGK-1 influence C. elegans lifespan, stress resistance, and DAF-16/FoxO activity in fundamentally different ways. Whereas AKT-1 shortens lifespan, SGK-1 promotes longevity in a DAF-16-/FoxO-dependent manner. In contrast to AKT-1, which reduces resistance to multiple stresses, SGK-1 promotes resistance to oxidative stress and ultraviolet radiation but inhibits thermotolerance. Analysis of several DAF-16/FoxO target genes that are repressed by AKT-1 reveals that SGK-1 represses a subset of these genes while having little influence on the expression of others. Accordingly, unlike AKT-1, which promotes the cytoplasmic sequestration of DAF-16/FoxO, SGK-1 does not influence DAF-16/FoxO subcellular localization. Thus, in spite of their similar in vitro substrate specificities, Akt and Sgk influence longevity, stress resistance, and FoxO activity through distinct mechanisms in vivo. Our findings highlight the need for a re-evaluation of current paradigms of FoxO regulation by Sgk.