cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing DNA, RNA and protein levels for measuring microbial activity in nitrogen-amended soils

ABSTRACT Multi-omic techniques can offer a comprehensive overview of microbial communities at the gene, transcript and protein levels. However, to what extent these levels reflect in situ process rates is less clear, especially in highly complex habitats such as soils. Here we performed microcosm incubations using soil from a site with a history of agricultural management. Microcosms, amended with isotopically labelled ammonium and urea to simulate a fertilization event, showed nitrification (up to 4.1 ± 0.87 µg N-NO 3 - g -1 dry soil d -1 ) and accumulation of N 2 O after 192 hours of incubation. Nitrification activity (NH 4 + →NH 2 OH→NO 2 - →NO 3 - ) was accompanied by a 6-fold increase in relative expression of the 16S rRNA gene (RNA/DNA) between 10 and 192 hours of incubation for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira . In contrast, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia oxidizer (comammox) nitrifiers showed stable gene expression during incubations but were generally more abundant (DNA level) than their Betaproteobacteria AOB counterparts. A strong relationship between nitrification activity and (mostly) betaproteobacterial ammonia monooxygenase ( amoA ; NH 4 + →NH 2 OH) and nitrite oxidoreductase ( nxrA ; NO 2 - →NO 3 - ) transcript abundances revealed that mRNA levels quantitatively reflected measured activity and were generally more sensitive than the DNA level in the microcosm incubations. Although peptides related to housekeeping proteins from nitrite-oxidizing microorganisms were detected, their abundance was not significantly correlated with activity, revealing that meta-proteomics provided only a qualitative assessment of activity. Altogether, these findings underscore the strengths and limitations of multi-omic approaches for assessing complex microbial communities and provide the molecular means to assess nitrification processes in soils. IMPORTANCE Even though the use of omic approaches has expanded our knowledge of the diversity of microbial communities in natural and engineered systems, it is less clear how well the use of whole community DNA-, RNA- or protein-based approaches reflect microbial activities. To this end, we directly compared the different levels of molecular information (i.e., DNA, RNA or proteins) in order to assess which level best correlated with isotope-based measurements of nitrification activity in agricultural soils after fertilization. This work reveals the strengths as well as the associated limitations of metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and metaproteomic approaches in serving as reliable proxies for examining microbial activities in highly diverse environments like soils.
Helping People Know Whether Measurements Have Good or Bad Implications: Increasing the Evaluability of Health and Science Data Communications:

Patients, policy makers, and the public have access to many types of health and scientific data relevant to various individual and societal decisions. Yet, these audiences often struggle with the m...
Use of truncated areas to measure extent of drug absorption in bioequivalence studies : Effects of drug absorption rate and elimination rate variability on this metric

Purpose. To compare the applicability and accuracy of truncated area (AUCt; where t represents truncated time) versus area to the last quantifiable time point [AUC(O-T)] for assessing bioequivalence. Drugs with either very low or very high intra-subject variability in clearance (CL) were selected for study. Clearance variability was defined by the number of subjects with a quantifiable plasma value (Cp) at each collection time from 24 hrs to last collection time (T).
Tips for Sources of Cost-Free and Open Educational Resources to Reduce Textbook Costs in IT Courses

We describe sources of cost-free and open educational resources (OERs) to reduce and most often eliminate textbook costs in IT courses mined in fifteen years of experience using them in our IT online and face-to-face undergraduate and graduate courses.
Factors Influencing the Propensity to Contract out Health and Human Services in Response to Government Cutbacks: Evidence from US Counties

Government agencies worldwide have faced budget cutbacks. Possible effects of budget cutbacks on the propensity to contract out have been discussed repeatedly; however, empirical evaluations are lacking. This study tests the contingency theory regarding the main factors that influence the propensity to contract out health and human services in response to fiscal stress: cutback levels, training and development, political factors, diversity as a goal, and the role of unions. The empirical analyses used a nationwide survey of health and human services directors in United States (U.S.) county governments, merged from different sources. The findings suggested that managers’ perceptions of cutback levels are a vital predictor of the propensity to contract out health and human services, and multiple factors have varied influences on their decision to do so in cutback situations. Implications for effective contracting strategies to maintain health and human service delivery, as well as preserving a balanced budget, are discussed.
Examining What Variables Lead to Improved Outcomes for Club Sports Participants

Student affairs and campus recreation practitioners trumpet the values of cocurricular experiences and believe that they can have a deep impact on key learning outcomes for participants. This study...
Years in a Retirement Community

After a broad variety of roles and settings, from a youngster transported to a foreign culture speaking an unfamiliar language, to a retired academic playing major roles in his national professional association, I now find myself in a new role and a new setting: I’m one of just over a hundred residents in an independent-living retirement community. It is indeed a setting that is very different from any I had experienced before in my long and variegated life.
Finitely Generated Sets of Fuzzy Values: If "And" Is Exact, Then "Or" Is Almost Always Approximate, And Vice Versa -- A Theorem

In the traditional fuzzy logic, experts’ degrees of confidence are described by numbers from the interval [0, 1]. Clearly, not all the numbers from this interval are needed: in the whole history of the Universe, there will be only countably many statements and thus, only countably many possible degree, while the interval [0, 1] is uncountable. It is therefore interesting to analyze what is the set S of actually used values. The answer depends on the choice of “and”-operations (t-norms) and “or”-operations (t-conorms). For the simplest pair of \(\min \) and \(\max \), any finite set will do—as long as it is closed under negation \(1-a\). For the next simplest pair—of algebraic product and algebraic sum—we prove that for a finitely generated set, if the “and”-operation is exact, then the “or”-operation is almost always approximate, and vice versa. For other “and”- and “or”-operations, the situation can be more complex.
Practical Resilience Analysis of GPGPU Applications in the Presence of Single- and Multi-Bit Faults

Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have rapidly evolved to enable energy-efficient data-parallel computing for a broad range of scientific areas. While GPUs achieve exascale performance at a stringent power budget, they are also susceptible to soft errors, often caused by high-energy particle strikes, that can significantly affect the application output quality. Understanding the resilience of general purpose GPU (GPGPU) applications is especially challenging because unlike CPU applications, which are mostly single-threaded, GPGPU applications can contain hundreds to thousands of threads, resulting in a tremendously large fault site space in the order of billions, even for some simple applications and even when considering the occurrence of just a single-bit fault. We present a systematic way to progressively prune the fault site space aiming to dramatically reduce the number of fault injections such that assessment for GPGPU application error resilience becomes practical. The key insight behind our proposed methodology stems from the fact that while GPGPU applications spawn a lot of threads, many of them execute the same set of instructions. Therefore, several fault sites are redundant and can be pruned by careful analysis. We identify important features across a set of 10 applications (16 kernels) from Rodinia and Polybench suites and conclude that threads can be primarily classified based on the number of the dynamic instructions they execute. We therefore achieve significant fault site reduction by analyzing only a small subset of threads that are representative of the dynamic instruction behavior (and therefore error resilience behavior) of the GPGPU applications. Further pruning is achieved by identifying the dynamic instruction commonalities (and differences) across code blocks within this representative set of threads, a subset of loop iterations within the representative threads, and a subset of destination register bit positions. The above steps result in a tremendous reduction of fault sites by up to seven orders of magnitude. Yet, this reduced fault site space accurately captures the error resilience profile of GPGPU applications. We show the effectiveness of the proposed progressive pruning technique for a single-bit model and illustrate its application to even more challenging cases with three distinct multi-bit fault models.
Rrt Feedback Huddle: a Quality Improvement Tool for a Rapid Response Team

Purpose/Objective: Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) intervene on acutely worsening patients to prevent unnecessary deaths. Multidisciplinary in nature, RRTs must communicate effectively and efficiently to provide quality care to deteriorating patients. Evaluations of these teams are essential. At our institution, trainees reported a lack of feedback on their performance during RRTs. Informal surveys revealed other disciplines shared similar beliefs; however there was not a standardized debriefing process for RRTs. The aim of this project was to implement a standardized interdisciplinary feedback …
The development and validation of three-dimensional printed and silicone based intrapartum cervical models

Objectives Intrapartum cervical exams are traditionally taught by having trainees physically examine patients and then verified by an experienced health care provider. Recently, there have been calls for alternative learning methods due to increasing concerns around patient discomfort and growing medicolegal issues. To ameliorate these shortcomings, a novel approach using 3D printed and silicone-based cervix models was developed as a teaching tool for intrapartum cervical exams. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the construct and face validity of these models. Methods Using silicone and polylactic acid materials, 10 cervices, 2 stands, and 2 fetal skull models were printed. Forty-one labour and delivery healthcare practitioners (19 novices and 22 experts) assessed the dilation and effacement of each model as well as two fetal positions. Construct validity was evaluated by comparing the mean scores between experts and trainees using an independent samples t test. Face validity was assessed by a 5-item questionnaire regarding the realism and teaching usefulness of the models. Results There was statistical significance between the mean total scores of novices and experts (P Conclusions This pilot study demonstrated construct and face validity of 3D-printed and silicone based cervical models as a teaching tool for intrapartum cervical exams. This is a low cost, risk-free and high fidelity teaching method for medical trainees. Future studies should aim to determine its effectiveness in increasing confidence and ability among medical trainees.
Evaluation of selected categories of pet treats using in vitro assay and texture analysis.

Treats are important contributors to the economics of the U.S. pet product industry. Not only do pet owners use them to build an emotional bond or interact with their pets, but treats also can deliver functional or health benefits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the digestion and safety of selected commercial treats by measuring their in vitro dry matter disappearance (DMD) using the modified in vitro method of Boisen and Eggum, which was developed to simulate in vivo digestibility of nonruminant animals. Twenty-five commercial treats were classified into six categories based on their appearance, size, and functionality. These categories included biscuit, chew, dental, meat product, rawhide, and cat treat. Each commercial product was analyzed in triplicate and in vitro DMD was calculated after enzymatic digestion and incubation. A wide variation in DMD was observed among and within different treat categories in both gastric and gastric + small intestinal phases of digestion. For the gastric phase, DMD ranged from 8.40% to 92.20%, whereas intestinal phase digestion had a DMD range of 35.10-100% (P 85%) after the intestinal phase, whereas DMD of rawhide treats varied from 35.10% to 95.70%. Principal component analysis, in addition, has visually shown that rawhide treats displayed the largest portion of variation from the other treats. A low DMD at gastric phase is a concern because it may pose a risk for gastrointestinal blockage and intolerance, particularly for treats of large size that remained intact during this phase. In vitro DMD results can be used as a potential predictor of in vivo digestibility, facilitate recommendations about pet treat safety for professionals and manufacturers in the pet industry, and assist pet owners in the treat selection process and with treat purchasing decisions.
Factors Affecting Use and Misuse of Epinephrine Autoinjectors in Pediatric Patients

BACKGROUND/ RATIONALE Anaphylaxis is a life threatening condition that is estimated to occur in 1.6% of the United States’ population. The first-line treatment of anaphylaxis in the community setting is the use of auto-injectable epinephrine (EA). Correct use of EA is surprisingly low, ranging from 16-32%. HYPOTHESIS / RESEARCH QUESTION We aimed to identify factors that …
Reviewing Thermophysical Properties of Silk Fibers: A Case Study for the Need for Complementary Measurement Techniques

A recent interest in the mechanical properties of spider silk has also brought about investigations into the thermal properties of thin fibers, often with contradictory results. Because of the high length-to-diameter ratio of fibers, two key obstacles arise during their thermal characterization: the need to develop non-standard techniques to measure properties and the lack of reliable methods to confirm the validity of those measurements. This is especially important since standard reference materials are difficult or impossible to produce at these small scales. This paper presents a review on the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of spider dragline silk and how the use of a suite of measurement techniques that complement each other can bound the uncertainty of the measured property. The properties of silkworm silks are then presented as evidence of a field where complementary techniques could be applied to resolve property discrepancies. This complementary approach to validating novel techniques will increase the confidence in measured properties and will open new avenues of thermal science applications.
Can Higher Education Ameliorate Racial/Ethnic Disadvantage? An Analysis of the Wage Assimilation of College-Educated Hispanic Americans:

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States, but quantitative research on the various components of this population has not received extensive investigation. College-educated Hisp...
Theoretical model for the separated flow around an accelerating flat plate using time-dependent self-similarity

The prediction of unsteady forces on an accelerating plate is improved by including the sweeping effect of the free-stream flow in the equations that approximate the inviscid evolution of the separated flow structures. This effect is represented by a similarity variable that combines the temporal variation of the length scale and angle of attack, and which introduces an implicit time scale into the vortex dynamics and force histories.
The genetic basis of adaptation through the evolution of self-fertilization

Abstract Although adaptation can be realized through the fixation of beneficial alleles that increase viability, many plant populations may adapt through the evolution of self-fertilization, especially when pollination becomes inefficient. However, the genetic basis of adaptation through the evolution of selfing remains unclear. Using population genetic models, I study adaptation through the fixation of alleles that increase the selfing rate (selfing modifiers) from new mutations or/and standing variation. For adaptive alleles unrelated to selfing, it is known that selfing promotes adaptation from a new mutation only when the beneficial alleles are recessive, and the probability of adaptation from standing variation is nearly independent of dominance, and always decreases with the selfing rate. In contrast, for adaptation through the evolution of selfing, when it occurs by fixation of a newly arisen mutation, a population that already has a high selfing rate may be more (less) likely to adapt than outcrossers even when the modifier is dominant (recessive) if the modifier is weakly (strongly) selected. Also, adaptation from standing variation is more likely through recessive modifier alleles, with the highest fixation probability found in partially selfing populations, but fixation is fastest when dominance is intermediate. When there are multiple modifiers, adaptation through new mutations is more likely when selfing is controlled by few large-effect rather than many slight-effect modifiers. This study suggests that to understand the genetic basis of adaptation, it is necessary to determine the ecological and genetic advantages of adaptive alleles. Significance statement This study, by deriving the selective coefficient and effective population size, investigated the genetic basis of adaptation through fixation of modifier alleles that increase the selfing rate, which is shown to differ in several aspects from that through evolution of mating-unrelated alleles. Specifically, when adaptation is from new mutations, the dominance of a selfing modifier allele below which selfing increases the fixation probability depends on the strength of pollen limitation and pollen discounting. Adaptation from standing variation is more likely through recessive modifier alleles and in populations with an intermediate selfing rate. This work suggests it is important to have a mechanistic understanding of how adaptive alleles increase individual fitness in environment that is unfavorable to the population.
Potential for leaching of heavy metals and metalloids from crystalline silicon photovoltaic systems.

Photovoltaics (PV) are a rapidly growing technology as global energy sectors shift towards “greener” solutions. Despite the clean energy benefits of solar power, photovoltaic panels and their structural support systems (e.g., cement) often contain several potentially toxic elements used in their construction. Determining whether these elements have the potential to leach into surrounding environments should be a research priority, as panels are already being implemented on a large scale. In this study, we analyzed soil taken from beneath photovoltaic modules to determine if they are being enriched by metals (lead, cadmium, lithium, strontium, nickel, barium, zinc, and copper) and metalloids (selenium) present in panel systems. The soil samples were collected from directly beneath c-Si photovoltaic modules and adjacent fields. Samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Selenium, strontium, lithium, nickel, and barium levels measured in soil samples increased significantly in samples closer to PV systems. There were no significant differences in lead or cadmium levels near vs. far from the PV systems. Despite concentration differences for some elements near vs. far from the panel systems, no elements were, on average, present in concentrations that would pose a risk to nearby ecosystems. PV systems thus remain a cleaner alternative to traditional energy sources, such as coal, especially during the operation of these energy production systems.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography-Derived Flux As a Measure of Physiological Changes in Retinal Capillary Blood Flow.

Purpose To compare optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)-derived flux with conventional OCTA measures of retinal vascular density in assessment of physiological changes in retinal blood flow. Methods Healthy subjects were recruited, and 3 × 3-mm2 fovea-centered scans were acquired using commercially available swept-source OCTA (SS-OCTA) while participants were breathing room air, 100% O2, or 5% CO2. Retinal perfusion was quantified using vessel area density (VAD) and vessel skeleton density (VSD), as well as novel measures of retinal perfusion, vessel area flux (VAF) and vessel skeleton flux (VSF). Flux is proportional to the number of red blood cells moving through a vessel segment per unit time. The percentage change in each measure was compared between the O2 and CO2 gas conditions for images of all vessels (arterioles, venules, and capillaries) and capillary-only images. Statistical significance was determined using paired t-tests and a linear mixed-effects model. Results Eighty-four OCTA scans from 29 subjects were included (age, 45.9 ± 19.5 years; 14 male, 48.3%). In capillary-only images, the change under the CO2 condition was 168% greater in VAF than in VAD (P = 0.002) and 124% greater in VSF than in VSD (P = 0.004). Similarly, under the O2 condition, the change was 94% greater in VAF than in VAD (P = 0.004) and 57% greater in VSF than in VSD (P = 0.01). Flux measures showed significantly greater change in capillary-only images compared with all-vessels images. Conclusions OCTA-derived flux measures quantify physiological changes in retinal blood flow at the capillary level with a greater effect size than conventional vessel density measures. Translational relevance OCTA-derived flux is a useful measure of subclinical changes in retinal capillary perfusion.
Strobe photography mapping of cell membrane potential with nanosecond resolution.

Abstract The ability to directly observe membrane potential charging dynamics across a full microscopic field of view is vital for understanding interactions between a biological system and a given electrical stimulus. Accurate empirical knowledge of cell membrane electrodynamics will enable validation of fundamental hypotheses posited by the single shell model, which includes the degree of voltage change across a membrane and cellular sensitivity to external electric field non-uniformity and directionality. To this end, we have developed a high-speed strobe microscopy system with a time resolution of ~ 6 ns that allows us to acquire time-sequential data for temporally repeatable events (non-injurious electrostimulation). The imagery from this system allows for direct comparison of membrane voltage change to both computationally simulated external electric fields and time-dependent membrane charging models. Acquisition of a full microscope field of view enables the selection of data from multiple cell locations experiencing different electrical fields in a single image sequence for analysis. Using this system, more realistic membrane parameters can be estimated from living cells to better inform predictive models. As a proof of concept, we present evidence that within the range of membrane conductivity used in simulation literature, higher values are likely more valid.
Dynamical Spiral State in Two-Dimensional Hubbard Model

The existence of the long-range antiferromagnetic (AF) state adjacent to the superconducting (SC) phase is a prominent feature for the copper-oxide high-T c superconductors. Doping of holes (or electrons) induces the transition from one (AF) into the other (SC). To properly understand the doping effects, many authors1-4 have studied the problem of a single hole doped into the two-dimensional (2D) AF background by the single-band Hubbard model or t - J model, which has been proposed5 to describe the basic physics in the CuO 2 layers. The single hole propagator is shown1-3 to have a quasi-particle-like coherent peak emerges at the bottom of the incoherent band with a small weight, while its incoherent part persists within an large energy scale which could be properly regarded as the local dynamical spin-polaron effect4. As doped hole could gain its most important energy through the local spin-polaron effect, it is reasonable to expect the same picture valid through a finite doping regime. On the other hand, the quasi-particle-like coherent part of the doped hole is closely related to the long wave-length behavior of the system with a more sensitive energy scale. Both of them could be changed drastically even at small doping, which will be discussed in the present work.
Re-Development, Recovery and Mitigation After the 2010 Catastrophic Floods: The Pakistani Experience

In the summer of 2010 Pakistan experienced floods of unimaginable and unprecedented scale since its creation in 1947. These floods affected over 78 districts that cover 100,000 km2 of the country and impacted 20 million people of which 14 million required immediate assistance. Due to breeched levees, water flowed to rural floodplains destroying agricultural land and resulting in mass destruction of houses and a high internal displacement of people. Alongside many roads, bridges and transportation routes were destroyed, causing havoc to the overall infrastructure in many regions across the country. These catastrophic floods were considered a national tragedy and required comprehensive relief and recovery efforts. This chapter first outlines the existing disaster management system in the country along with the recent developments and improvements in plans and policies. The chapter then addresses the response and recovery efforts that have been underway since the floods which have focused on reconstructing homes, community infrastructure such as schools, roads and bridges, addressing massive internal displacement, and the loss of livelihoods especially for farmers affected by the destruction of agricultural land. Some examples of efforts of disaster recovery, mitigation and sustainable economic development by the government, international and local non-governmental organizations and by international agencies such as the United Nations are also provided in the chapter.
Brief Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

This chapter describes a brief cognitive/behavioral therapy for a young man experiencing panic disorder with agoraphobia and dependent personality. Although some may quarrel with the appellation brief when applied to a case seen for approximately 37 visits, we believe, together with Budman and Gurman (1988), that brief therapy is best defined by its planned character, attitudes of the therapist about therapy objectives, maintenance of clear and specific foci, high level of therapist activity, and flexible use of interventions and time. Wells (1982) takes a similar view in what he has characterized as “goal-oriented extended treatment.”
The pH Dependence of the Affinity, Kinetics, and Cooperativity of Ligand Binding to Carp Hemoglobin, Cyprinus carpio

The pH dependence of the equilibrium and kinetics of ligand binding to carp hemolysate and the purified hemoglobin components of carp hemolysate with O2 and CO has been studied. The affinity of carp hemoglobin for O2 at alkaline pH is 160 times that at acid pH. A large but significantly different pH effect on the affinity for CO is observed. pH also has different effects on the kinetics of the reactions with the two ligands. The change in the rate of O2 dissociation over the pH range studied is 10 times that found for the rate of CO replacement by NO; and as previously reported, the change in the rate of combination of CO is twice that of O2. The value of n in the Hill equation is pH-dependent for both ligands, being maximal at neutral pH and decreasing as the pH is shifted from neutrality. This decrease in the value of n is shown to be due not to heterogeneity in the carp hemoglobin but to be the result of an apparent decrease in the cooperativity of the ligand-binding reaction. At pH 5.6 and below, the value of n is 1.0 for CO and 0.75 for O2 indicating no cooperativity. Below pH 5.6 and above pH 8.0, all equilibrium and kinetic constants are found to be unaffected by further pH changes. These results and the low, constant values of n are consistent with the hypothesis that at acid pH, carp hemoglobin, whether liganded or not, remains in a single low affinity conformation, perhaps that normally associated with the deoxygenated state. The hemoglobin appears to approach a similar situation at alkaline pH where the molecule has a high affinity similar to that of the ligand-saturated state.
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS”: KANT ON THE HANG ZUM BÖSEN AND THE UNIVERSAL EVIL OF HUMANITY

This paper offers a new interpretation of the propensity to evil and its relation to Kant's claim that the human race is universally evil. Unlike most of its competitors, the interpretation presented here neither trivializes Kant's claims about the universal evil of humanity nor attributes a position to him that is incompatible with his repeated insistence that we are blameworthy for actions only when we could have acted differently. This interpretation also accounts for a number of otherwise bewildering claims in the Religion and makes sense of the analogy Kant draws between the propensity to evil and addiction.
Intracellular Membrane Targeting and Suppression of Ser880 Phosphorylation of Glutamate Receptor 2 by the Linker I-Set II Domain of AMPA Receptor-Binding Protein

AMPA receptor-binding protein (ABP) is a multi-postsynaptic density-95/discs large/zona occludens (PDZ) protein that binds to the glutamate receptor 2/3 (GluR2/3) subunits of the AMPA receptor and is implicated in receptor membrane anchorage. A palmitoylated form of ABP localizes to spine heads, whereas a nonpalmitoylated form is found in intracellular clusters. Here, we investigate intracellular cluster formation by ABP and the ability of ABP to associate with GluR2 while in these clusters. We show that ABP interacts with intracellular membranes via the ABP linker I (LI)-set II (SII) subdomain, a region consisting of ABP linker 1 and PDZ4, -5, and -6. This suggests that cluster formation results from LI-SII ABP association with the membrane of a vesicular structure. We present evidence that ABP can self-associate at intracellular membrane surfaces via interactions involving SII. ABP in such membrane clusters can bind and retain GluR2 that has trafficked endocytotically from the plasma membrane. Phosphorylation of GluR2 at serine 880, proximal to the ABP binding site, has been implicated by others in the release of ABP from GluR2 and the mobilization of AMPA receptors for trafficking. We show that binding of GluR2 to ABP blocks phosphorylation of serine 880. This suggests that ABP can stabilize its own association with GluR2. We discuss a model in which ABP can form a protein scaffold at a vesicular membrane that is capable of binding GluR2, leading to formation of an intracellular AMPA receptor pool. Receptors in such a pool may contribute to receptor endocytotic and exocytotic trafficking and recycling.
Towards a Theory of Actor Computation

In this paper we present preliminary results of a rigorous development of the actor model of computation. We present an actor language which is an extension of a simple functional language, and provide a precise operational semantics for this extension. Our actor systems are open distributed systems, meaning we explicitly take into account the interface with external components in the specification of an actor system. We define and study various notions of equivalence on actor expressions and systems. We show that the usual tripartite family of testing equivalence relations collapses to two in the presence of fairness. We define a notion of operational bisimulation as a tool for establishing equivalence under fairness assumptions, and illustrate its use.
Outbreak of varicella in a highly vaccinated preschool population.

Summary Background Varicella vaccine is available for private purchase in Beijing, with single dose recommended for children aged ≥12 months before 2013. Despite the success achieved in reducing varicella incidence, varicella outbreaks continued to occur, including in schools and kindergartens among highly vaccinated children. We investigated a varicella outbreak in a preschool with high varicella vaccination coverage in Haidian district, Beijing. Methods Through questionnaires, data including children's medical and vaccination history were collected from their parents. A case of varicella was defined as an acute, generalized, maculopapulovesicular rash without other apparent cause in a child in the preschool from March 10 through March 29, 2010. Attack rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated children were calculated, and the analyses of vaccine effectiveness (VE) and of risk factors for breakthrough disease (varicella occurring >42 days after vaccination) were conducted. Results A total of 12 cases occurred during the outbreak, and ten of them (83.3%) had breakthrough varicella. The index case with mild varicella occurred in a child who had been vaccinated four years previously. Questionnaires were returned for all of 150 children in the preschool. Of all the 150 children, 144 (96.0%) had no prior history of varicella disease. Among these children, 135(93.7%) had received single-dose varicella vaccine before the outbreak. VE was 84.5% [95% confidence interval ( CI ): 62.8%∼93.5%] in preventing varicella of any severity, and VE was 92.2% (95% CI : 81.4%∼96.8%) against moderate to severe varicella. Age at vaccination ( P =0.124 and 1, respectively). All the varicella cases with vaccination history verified through immunization records had received varicella vaccine and measles-mumps-rubella vaccine >30 days apart. Conclusions Breakthrough infection with fever in vaccinated person may be as infectious as varicella in unvaccinated persons. High single-dose varicella vaccination coverage is effective in reducing varicella incidence, but not sufficient to prevent outbreak. To control varicella outbreak a second dose may deserve additional consideration.
Arrival of the Fermion Superfluid

Ever since the discovery of Bose-Einstein condensation in an atomic Bose gas in 1995, physicists have been searching for its analog, the fermion superfluid in atomic Fermi gases. Fermion superfluids are expected to exhibit quantum phenomena on the macroscopic scale, just as Bose-Einstein condensates do. Making use of a process called Feshbach resonance, which allows the interaction between atoms to be increased strongly, several groups have recently reported evidence on fermion superfluids. In his Perspective, [Ho][1] highlights the report by [ Chin et al .][2], who have directly observed a pairing gap, a key property of a fermion superfluid. Their interpretation is strongly supported by the theoretical calculation of [ Kinnunen et al .][3] Ho argues that the evidence accumulated so far provides an overwhelming case for the realization of fermion superfluids. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5687/1114 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/305/5687/1128 [3]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/305/5687/1131
A pilot study to evaluate self initiated computer patient education in children with acute asthma in pediatric emergency department

Objective: The goal of the study was to investigate the feasibility and acceptance of an interactive computer assisted asthma education program in the pediatric emergency department (ED) for children with acute asthma exacerbations. Methods: A pre-post non- randomized study was designed for children age 3 to 18 years at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children, Baltimore. An interactive computer-assisted educational program, Patient Education and Motivation Tool (PEMT), was designed using learning theories, to teach children about asthma and its management. Sixty nine children were enrolled during an ED visit for acute asthma between May 2006 and November 2006. Socio-demographic and asthma knowledge information was gathered using questionnaires. An attitudinal survey was used to assess the acceptance of the program. Results: Eighty one percent (n=56) of the children found PEMT very easy to use, and seventy five percent (n=52) agreed to use it in near future. There was a significant thirteen percent improvement in knowledge of asthma after the completion of this computer assisted asthma education program (p=0.01). Conclusion: PEMT is highly acceptable and is an effective way to provide asthma education in an ED setting.
Metabolism of Aflatoxin B1 and Its Metabolism-Dependent and Independent Binding to Rat Hepatic Microsomes

The NADPH-mediated metabolism of aflatoxin B1 by rat hepatic microsomes was studied by means of difference spectroscopy. A decrease in absorbance at 360 nm, due to the disappearance of aflatoxin B1 during its metabolism, was caused by the formation of a metabolite having a spectral peak at 398 nm. From the solubility, spectral, and microsomal binding characteristics, this metabolite appears to be aflatoxin B2a (aflatoxin hemiacetal). Difference spectroscopic studies on microsomes reisolated from incubation mixtures containing aflatoxin B1 with or without NADPH showed that aflatoxin B1 was bound to microsomes, giving a complex having a spectral peak at 360 nm; this binding did not require NADPH and the complex could be separated by gel filtration chromatography. A metabolite of aflatoxin B1, the formation of which was NADPH-dependent, was bound to microsomes, yielding a complex having a spectral peak at 405 nm; this complex was not dissociated by gel chromatography on by treatment with trichloracetic acid or extraction with chloroform and acetone. SKF 525-A and L-cysteine inhibited the formation of this complex, the former by inhibiting the metabolic conversion of aflatoxin B1 to aflatoxin B2a and the latter by blocking the binding of the metabolite to microsomes. Aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin B2a appeared to bind to different sites on the microsomes. A change in pH caused an alteration in the structure of aflatoxin B2a and its extraction with chloroform. pH equilibria for this phenomenon were estimated to be 3.00 and 7.35. Based on these studies, it is proposed that aflatoxin B2a, under alkaline conditions, cleaves to yield a dialdehyde derivative(s) which binds to microsomes, forming Schiff bases with free amino groups. These studies also indicate that, under certain conditions, rat hepatic microsome-mediated conversion of aflatoxin B1 to a water-soluble metabolite, which appears to be aflatoxin B2a, represents a major metabolic pathway.
Mechanisms of biphasic insulin-granule exocytosis – roles of the cytoskeleton, small GTPases and SNARE proteins

The release of insulin from pancreatic islets requires negative regulation to ensure low levels of insulin release under resting conditions, as well as positive regulation to facilitate robust responsiveness to conditions of elevated fuel or glucose. The first phase of release involves the plasma-membrane fusion of a small pool of granules, termed the readily releasable pool; these granules are already at the membrane under basal conditions, and discharge their cargo in response to nutrient and also non-nutrient secretagogues. By contrast, second-phase secretion is evoked exclusively by nutrients, and involves the mobilization of intracellular granules to t-SNARE sites at the plasma membrane to enable the distal docking and fusion steps of insulin exocytosis. Nearly 40 years ago, the actin cytoskeleton was first recognized as a key mediator of biphasic insulin release, and was originally presumed to act as a barrier to block granule docking at the cell periphery. More recently, however, the discovery of cycling GTPases that are involved in F-actin reorganization in the islet β-cell, combined with the availability of reagents that are more specific and tools with which to study the mechanisms that underlie granule movement, have contributed greatly to our understanding of the role of the cytoskeleton in regulating biphasic insulin secretion. Herein, we provide historical perspective and review recent progress that has been made towards integrating cytoskeletal reorganization and cycling of small Rho-, Rab- and Ras-family GTPases into our current models of stimulus-secretion coupling and second-phase insulin release.
Association of Hypertension, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, and Metabolic Syndrome with Obesity: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 to 2004

Background Hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia are common conditions associated with obesity. This study provides current estimates of the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome according to the severity of obesity in men and women participating in the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Study Design Data from a representative sample of 13,745 US men and women who participated in the NHANES between 1999 and 2004 were reviewed. Overweight and obesity classes 1, 2, and 3 were defined as a body mass index of 25.0 to 29.9, 30.0 to 34.9, 35.0 to 39.9, and≥40.0 kg/m 2 , respectively. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the 2004 National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/American Heart Association conference proceedings. Results With increasing overweight and obesity class, there is an increase in the prevalence of hypertension (18.1% for normal weight to 52.3% for obesity class 3), diabetes (2.4% for normal weight to 14.2% for obesity class 3), dyslipidemia (8.9% for normal weight to 19.0% for obesity class 3), and metabolic syndrome (13.6% for normal weight to 39.2% for obesity class 3). With normal weight individuals as a reference, individuals with obesity class 3 had an adjusted odds ratio of 4.8 (95% CI 3.8 to 5.9) for hypertension, 5.1 (95% CI 3.7 to 7.0) for diabetes, 2.2 (95% CI 1.7 to 2.4) for dyslipidemia, and 2.0 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.8) for metabolic syndrome. Conclusions The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome substantially increases with increasing body mass index. These findings have important public health implications for the prevention and treatments (surgical and nonsurgical) of obesity.
Can cognitive restructuring reduce the disruption associated with perfectionistic concerns

We investigated the utility of a brief cognitive restructuring intervention in inoculating perfectionists from their typical negative responses to evaluative threat. In particular, we wanted to examine whether cognitive restructuring could reduce perfectionists' negative affect and cognitions about a speech task. We were also interested in analyzing the pattern of within-session change across a variety of affective and cognitive measures as a function of this cognitive intervention. Sixty female undergraduate students delivered a speech before a small audience. We used a 2 (Group) × 2 (Condition) design to investigate the effects of perfectionism and intervention type on subjects' negative affect and cognitions related to the evaluative task. Participants high and low in perfectionistic concern over mistakes (CM; group) were randomly assigned to receive either a cognitive restructuring or distraction intervention (Condition) prior to the speech task. Individuals high in CM reported significantly more negative cognitive and affective responses to the evaluative task than low CM subjects; however, cognitive restructuring was successful in reducing cost and probability estimates for all subjects' most feared predictions for the impending speech. Moreover, these cognitive changes were associated with lower ratings of self-reported anxiety in comparison to subjects in the distraction condition. Interestingly, cognitive restructuring did not affect subjects' more global ratings of negative affect or negative thoughts about the speech. Our results provide some preliminary but encouraging implications for the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring in the treatment of perfectionism.
Mechanical ventilation for asthma: a 10-year experience.

Background. Asthmatics requiring admission to the intensive care unit and/or mechanical ventilation have increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to examine morbidity and mortality in patients requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation for asthma over a 10-year period. This study also reviews the clinical features and management of these patients. Methods. We performed a retrospective review of medical records over a 10-year period of adult patients who required mechanical ventilation for a primary diagnosis of asthma. The study was conducted at a university-affiliated, county hospital. Results. One hundred twenty-seven patients with 162 episodes of asthma requiring mechanical ventilation were identified. The majority of the patients (64%) were women. The predominant ethnicity was African-American (65%). These patients had multiple risk factors for asthma mortality, including recent hospital admissions, prior episodes of near-fatal asthma, medication non-compliance, and poor ou...
Age-related impaired proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells is associated with an increase in both IL-10 and IL-12

Reflective of age-associated decline in immune function among elderly individuals is a decrease in in vitro T cell proliferative ability. Impaired T cell proliferation in the elderly may result from disruption of the well-balanced network of regulatory cytokines produced during an immune response. The purpose of this study was to identify age-related changes in the production of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12, and to determine whether in vitro T cell proliferation can be enhanced in the elderly by modulation of these two key cytokines. The superantigen Staphyloccocus entertoxin B (SEB) was used to stimulate proliferation and IL-10 and IL-12 production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro. Proliferation was determined by standard tritiated thymidine uptake. Cytokine levels in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. We observed impaired SEB-induced proliferation of PBMC in the elderly that is comparable to that seen with the polyclonal mitogen Con A. This age-related decline in proliferation was associated with increased production of both IL-10 and IL-12. Modulation of PBMC proliferative response with either recombinant IL-12 or IL-10-neutralizing antibodies can boost proliferation of elderly PBMC to the levels seen in unmodulated young controls.