cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanics of photosynthesis assisted polymer strengthening

Abstract Plant cells utilize photosynthesis to produce glucose that is delivered to selected locations to form stiff polysaccharides (e.g., chitin, chitosan, and cellulose), which strengthen the plant structures. Such a photosynthesis-assisted strengthening behavior in plants has rarely been imitated in synthetic material systems. We here propose a synthetic polymer system embedded with extracted plant chloroplasts, which allow for the photosynthesis-assisted mechanical strengthening of the polymer matrix. The strengthening mechanism relies on an additional crosslinking reaction between the photosynthesis-produced glucose and side groups within the polymer matrix. We develop a theoretical framework to model the photosynthesis-assisted strengthening behaviors of polymers. The glucose production of the embedded chloroplasts will be first modeled with a general photosynthesis theory, and the exportation of glucose to the polymer matrix is modeled with an enzyme-assisted mass transport theory. Next, a polymer strengthening network model with glucose molecules as additional crosslinkers is presented. Effects of the illumination period, the concentration of embedded chloroplasts, and the light intensity on the stiffness strengthening are studied. The theoretical results consistently agree with the experimental results of the photosynthesis-assisted polymer strengthening.
Cardiac and Respiratory Sensing from a Hovering UAV Radar Platform

In this paper, we present a novel unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) radar platform to measure people’s heart rate and breathing rate from a distance. The vital drone operates as follows: fly towards the potential human targets, hover and hold its position, and then start sensing the subtle physiological motion through the onboard ultra-wideband (UWB) radar sensor. It is known that the platform motion causes the conventional radar based vital sign detection methods to fail. We propose to use an efficient data-driven method to cancel the unwanted platform fidgeting via signal-of-opportunity and to further refine the motion residual using the denoising algorithm variational model decomposition (VMD) for vital sign detection. For validation, we compare the vital sign detection performance of the UAV radar based approach against a red, green and blue color (RGB) camera based approach which is an onboard camera sensor with three-axis gimbal system for stabilization. The standard real-time pulse oximeter (PPG sensor) is used to provide the ground truth.
Outsiders Within: College Sport as an Avenue to Integrate International Students

The increasingly volatile social, cultural, and political environment in the United States has made it difficult for U.S. institutions of higher learning to retain and integrate international students, especially those from East Asian countries. Drawing upon social identity theory and the acculturation process, this study explored how college sport contributes to international students’ university identification using narrative interviews with East Asian international students who attended college football events at a U.S. university. Findings revealed that international students identified with their co-national peers for socialization purposes at football events and identified with the football spectator subgroup through the influence of domestic students, which contributed to university identity. Theoretically, our research highlighted the dynamics between sport identification, university identity, and acculturation by showing how college sport spectatorship can foster university identification but also create cultural distance within the university community. Findings also offer practical guidelines on how universities can use college sport to initiate organic social interactions between students from different cultures and empower international students to identify as essential members of universities.
Guest Editorial: Special Section on Parallel and Distributed Computing Techniques for Non-Von Neumann Technologies

The title of this special section, Parallel and Distributed Computing Techniques for Non-Von Neumann Technologies, is a bit misleading. Technically, parallel and distributed computers already diverge from the basic architecture that John von Neumann proposed in 1945, although they are still based on processors that execute a sequence of instructions, each of which performs a simple action such as computing an arithmetic result, reading or writing memory, or branching to a new location in the instruction sequence. But what would a computer that is not based on this model of execution look like? The technologies discussed in the following articles are more exotic, more innovative, and more intriguing than what you are likely to encounter in a typical collection of peerreviewed computer-science articles. We hope that these articles will help you view computing in a new light and give you a sense of what the future of computing may look like. Silent-PIM: Realizing the Processing-in-Memory Computing with Standard Memory Requests, by Kim et al. [A1], presents a new approach to performing computation within the computer’s memory system.
HBCU undergraduate students’ perceived stress management and coping skills

College students in U.S. higher education institutions experience stress and anxiety. The psychological problems students encounter are roadblocks to college success. Due to historical and socio-ec...
Perspectives of Stakeholders About an Early Result Acceptance Program to Complement the Residency Match in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Importance The residency application process is flawed, costly, and distracts from the preparation for residency. Disruptive change is needed to improve the inefficiencies in current selection processes. Objective To determine interest in an early result acceptance program (ERAP) among stakeholders in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), and to estimate its outcome in future application cycles. Design, Setting, and Participants Surveys of stakeholders in March 2021 queried interest in ERAP across the US. Respondents included OBGYN residency applicants, members of the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs, OBGYN clerkship directors, and residency program directors. Statistical analysis was performed from March to April 2021. Exposures Respondents completed surveys sent by email from the Association of American Medical Colleges (to OBGYN applicants and members of the Group on Student Affairs), the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (to clerkship directors), and the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (to program directors). Main Outcomes and Measures Applicants and program directors indicated their interest in participating in ERAP, and clerkship directors and members of the Group on Student Affairs indicated their likelihood of recommending ERAP using a 5-point Likert scale. Results Respondents included 879 (34.0%) of 2579 applicants to OBGYN, 143 (50.3%) of 284 residency program directors, 94 (41.8%) of 225 clerkship directors, and 51 (32.9%) of 155 student affairs deans. The majority of respondents reported being either somewhat or extremely likely to participate in ERAP, including 622 applicants (70.7%) and 87 program directors (60.8%). Interest in ERAP was independent of an applicant’s reported board scores, medical school type, race, number of applications submitted, or number of interviews completed. Among program directors, those at university programs were more likely to participate. Stakeholders supported a limit of 3 applications for ERAP, to fill 25% to 50% of residency positions. Estimating the outcome of ERAP using these data suggests 26 280 to 52 560 fewer applications could be submitted in the regular match cycle. Conclusions and Relevance Stakeholders in the OBGYN application process expressed broad support for the concept of ERAP. The majority of applicants and programs indicated that they would participate, with potentially substantial positive impact on the application process. Careful pilot testing and research regarding implementation are essential to avoid worsening an already dysfunctional application process.
An Autograded, Open Educational Resource Assessment Tool for Astronomy Using MyOpenMath

We present an Open Educational Resource system that instructors can use to assign automatically graded, randomized, and scaffolded assessment questions for astronomy classes.
Agroecosystem management in the 21st century: it is time for a paradigm shift.

The success of modern agricultural and forestry production can largely be attributed to monoculture systems using a few select species and heavy chemical inputs. This drive for maximizing yield and profit has caused serious environmental problems such as land- and water degradation and increased land-clearing. Modern agriculture is thus threatening its own foundations: land, water, forests, and biodiversity. During the past thirty years, however, the positive benefits of integrated land-use systems such as agroforestry to the producer and the environment have gradually been recognized. Combining trees and crops in spatial or temporal arrangements has shown to improve food and nutritional security and mitigate environmental degradation, offering a sustainable alternative to monoculture production. By providing supportive and complementary roles with a flexible approach, agroforestry offers specific social and environmental benefits across a range of landscapes and economies. It is time for us to eschew the artificial dichotomy between agriculture and forestry, embrace the values and benefits offered by time-tested traditional land-use systems such as agroforestry, infuse scientific investments for their development, and encourage their incorporation into agricultural development paradigms.
Discovering Teleconnected Flow Anomalies: A Relationship Analysis of Dynamic Neighborhoods (RAD) Approach

Given a collection of sensors monitoring a flow network, the problem of discovering teleconnected flow anomalies aims to identify strongly connected pairs of events (e.g., introduction of a contaminant and its removal from a river). The ability to mine teleconnected flow anomalies is important for applications related to environmental science, video surveillance, and transportation systems. However, this problem is computationally hard because of the large number of time instants of measurement, sensors, and locations. This paper characterizes the computational structure in terms of three critical tasks, (1) detection of flow anomaly events, (2) identification of candidate pairs of events, and (3) evaluation of candidate pairs for possible teleconnection. The first task was addressed in our recent work. In this paper, we propose a RAD (Relationship Analysis of spatio-temporal Dynamic neighborhoods) approach for steps 2 and 3 to discover teleconnected flow anomalies. Computational overhead is brought down significantly by utilizing our proposed spatio-temporal dynamic neighborhood model as an index and a pruning strategy. We prove correctness and completeness for the proposed approaches. We also experimentally show the efficacy of our proposed methods using both synthetic and real datasets.
Flow Cytometric Detection of Aberrant Chromosomes

This report describes the quantification of chromosomal aberrations by flow cytometry. Both homogeneously and heterogeneously occurring chromosome aberrations were studied. Homogeneously occurring aberrations were noted in chromosomes isolated from human colon carcinoma (LoVo) cells, stained with Hoechst 33258 and chromo-mycin A3 and analyzed using dual beam flow cytometry. The resulting bivariate flow karyotype showed a homogeneously occurring marker chromosome of intermediate size. Heterogeneously occurring aberrations were quantified by slit-scan flow cytometry in chromosomes isolated from control and irradiated Chinese hamster cells and stained with propidium iodide. Heterogeneously occurring dicentric chromosomes were detected by their shapes (two centromeres). The frequencies of such chromosomes estimated by slit-scan flow cytometry correlated well with the frequencies determined by visual microscopy.
New Directions for Measurement in Management Research

Despite its importance, measurement has received less attention in the management sciences than it deserves. Currently, there is an over-reliance on a narrow set of methods of measuring cognitive, affective, motivational, attitudinal and individual difference constructs that are often of interest in behavioural management research. The authors argue that there is a need to expand the scope of the measurement methods commonly employed by management researchers and that a greater diversity of measurement methods would benefit the field by contributing to theory development and the pursuit of new areas of research. The goals of this review are twofold: (1) to increase awareness among management researchers of the alternative measurement methods that can capture many of the cognitive, affective, motivational, attitudinal and individual difference constructs of interest; (2) to critically evaluate how these methods can and should be used, with a focus on both the strengths and limitations of each method. This review focuses on three classes of measures: physiological and biological measures; experience-sampling measures; and implicit measures. These measures have had a tremendous impact on the research and theories of other fields such as marketing and economics, despite still being in their infancy. The authors believe that these three classes of measures have the potential to impact the nature and scope of management research and theory as well.
Expanding the theory of planned behavior to predict healthy eating behaviors

Purpose – This paper aims to test whether overall and specific healthy eating behaviors and intentions could be better predicted by expanding the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to include a healthy eater identity. Major health organizations suggest increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to address the growing number of overweight and obese individuals, yet researchers have questioned the degree to which existing behavioral intervention programs sufficiently explain healthy eating behaviors. Design/methodology/approach – Adult women (N = 79) completed questionnaires related to TPB components and healthy eater identity. Participants then recorded food consumption for four days using food diaries and food frequency questionnaires. Findings – Using hierarchical multiple regressions, the authors demonstrated that identity as a healthy eater was a significant predictor of healthy eating intentions beyond the TPB components and a significant predictor of fruit and low-fat dairy consumpti...
Factors Affecting Selectivity of Brilliant Green-Phenol Red Agar for Salmonellae

Commercial brilliant green (BG)-sulfa agar was found to be nonselective toward a test series of Enterobacteriaceae. Various formulations of BG were prepared by using Trypticase soy agar (BBL) as a base. Results were more reproducible when BG dye was added after sterilization than before. Sulfonamides improved selectivity as compared with brilliant green alone. Sulfanilamide (SN) was slightly more selective for salmonellae than other sulfonamides tested. Bile salts and sodium dodecyl sulfate markedly reduced the toxicity of BG to all the test bacteria. Enterobacter strains were most difficult to inhibit. A combination of 5 mg of BG and 1 g of SN/liter prevented growth of Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli and retarded growth of Enterobacter strains. The BG-SN agars were superior in selectivity to a series of commercial agars tested, and numbers of salmonellae recovered on BG-SN agar and Trypticase soy agar (BBL) were the same. Brilliant green agars with various degrees of selectivity are described.
Relationship status predicts lower restrictive eating pathology for bisexual and gay men across 10-year follow-up

Objective Cross-sectional studies support that bisexual and gay (BG) men are at increased risk for eating pathology, and romantic relationships may buffer against risk; however, no studies have examined this association longitudinally. The current study examined how romantic relationships impact the trajectory of eating pathology in BG versus heterosexual men. Method BG (n = 51) and heterosexual (n = 522) men completed surveys of health and eating behaviors at baseline and 10-year follow-up. Results For BG men, being single at baseline prospectively predicted an increase in Drive for Thinness scores over 10-year follow-up. Additionally, for BG men in relationships at baseline, lower relationship satisfaction predicted an increase in Drive for Thinness scores over time. Conversely, these relationship variables did not predict trajectory of eating pathology for heterosexual men. Discussion Implications for theoretical models of risk, including objectification theory and sexual minority stress theory, and prevention, including peer-led cognitive dissonance based interventions, are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:700–707)
A Simulation Study of Access Protocols for Optical Burst-Switched Ring Networks

In this paper, we consider a WDM metro ring architecture with optical burst switching. Several access protocols are proposed and their performance is analyzed by simulation.
Modeling alignment shift of soldered optical fiber

Solder is often used as an adhesive to attach optical fibers to a circuit board. In this proceeding we will discuss efforts to model the motion of an optical fiber during the wetting and solidification of the adhesive solder droplet. The extent of motion is determined by several competing forces, during three "stages" of solder joint formation. First, capillary forces of the liquid phase control the fiber position. Second, during solidification, the presence of the liquid-solid-vapor triple line as well as a reduced liquid solder volume leads to a change in the net capillary force on the optical fiber. Finally, the solidification front itself impinges on the fiber. Publicly-available finite element models are used to calculate the time-dependent position of the solidification front and shape of the free surface.
Hybrid peptide-polyketide natural products: biosynthesis and prospects toward engineering novel molecules.

Polyketides and nonribosomal peptides are two groups of secondary metabolites found in many microorganisms and plants. Biosynthesis and genetic engineering of polyketide and nonribosomal peptide natural products are active areas in both academia and industry. The current renaissance of the field is driven by: (a) the unparallel biological activities and enormous commercial value of these natural products, the use of which remains to be the single most successful strategy for new drug discovery; (b) the extraordinary structure, mechanism, and catalytic reactivity of the polyketide synthases (PKSs) and nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) that provide an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the molecular mechanism of enzyme catalysis, molecular recognition and protein-protein interaction; and (c) the remarkable versatility and amenability of their biosynthetic machineries via combinatorial biosynthesis that allow the generation of novel compounds and chemical structural diversity that are difficult to access by other means (1, 2, 3).
How illegal are tropical small-scale fisheries? An estimate for arapaima in the Amazon

Abstract Illegal fishing is a problem that affects about 30% of the world fisheries capture, but most studies on the topic to date have focused on large-scale fisheries, leaving tropical small-scale fisheries nearly unstudied even though they possess many features that foster illegal fishing. This article investigated illegal fishing practices for Arapaima spp. in the Lower Amazon Basin, using semi structured interviews and catch and enforcement data. It was found that 77% of the arapaima landings were illegal, with most specimens being caught below the minimum size limit or during the closed season. Also, 86% and 43% of the interviewees stated they have observed declining trends in the landings and size of arapaima, respectively. Finally, spatial and temporal patterns of arapaima landings were not matched by rule enforcement activities. Inadequate enforcement of management rules, combined with geographical dispersion of fishing activities, appear to be a key factors allowing for high levels of illegal fishing, which contribute to the decline of fish populations.
Placental norepinephrine transporter development in the ovine fetus

The placenta has been shown to be a site of expression of several of the monoamine membrane uptake transporters. However, the development and relative contribution of transport-dependent mechanisms to placental catecholamine clearance in vivo have not been demonstrated. These studies were designed to determine the development of the placental norepinephrine transporter (NET) and the relative contribution of transport dependent mechanisms to whole body and placental catecholamine clearance. Norepinephrine clearance and production rate were determined in 122 ± 1 day gestation chronically catheterized fetal sheep. Placental clearance was shown to account for over 40 per cent of total intrauterine clearance and, of the clearance in the placenta, nearly 50 per cent was uptake, transport-dependent as shown by specific pharmacologic blockade. NET transport expression was examined by measurement nisoxetine binding in placenta and compared with binding in the frontal cortex of fetal, newborn and adult animals. Nisoxetine is a selective ligand for the norepinephrine transporter. Nisoxetine binding was 20-fold greater in placenta than in frontal cortex. Placental transporter binding decreased modestly in between 99 days gestation and term (145 days) but did not change in frontal cortex. These results suggest that expression of the norepinephrine transporter in the placenta is associated with a significant capacity for neurotransmitter re-uptake in utero. Given the high fetal norepinephrine production rate, this capacity is important for fetal homeostasis. This site of transporter expression may be important in the pathogenesis of derangements in catecholamine production in the fetus and in the adverse effects on the fetus of drugs, such as cocaine, which block catecholamine re-uptake.
Gluteal muscle composition differentiates fallers from non-fallers in community dwelling older adults.

Background Impaired balance, loss of mobility and falls are major problems associated with changes in muscle in older adults. However, the extent to which muscle composition and related performance measures for different lower limb muscles are associated with falls in older individuals is unclear. This study evaluated lower limb muscle attenuation, intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) infiltration and muscle performance in older fallers and non-fallers.
Structural assessment of monodisperse ceramic composites

Methods for determining the dependence of the average distance between particles in monodisperse composites are analyzed. A more accurate method of determining the average distance between particles in disperse systems with an indication of the coordination number taking account of the volume density, connectedness, and degree of compaction of the system on the basis of the corpuscular and percolation models is proposed. A comparison of experiments and the calculations performed with the more accurate method show good agreement. The method is applicable for composite, porous, and colloidal systems.
The orientation of D-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Abstract d -β-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase of beef heart mitochondria is a lipid-requiring enzyme, bound to the inner membrane. The orientation of this enzyme in the membrane has been studied by comparing the characteristics of the enzyme in mitochondria and ‘inside-out’ submitochondrial vesicles. We observe that the enzymic activity is (1) latent in intact mitochondria; (2) relatively stable to trypsin digestion in mitochondria but rapidly inactivated in submitochondrial vesicles by this treatment; and (3) released more rapidly from submitochondrial vesicles by phospholipase A2 digestion than from mitochondria. Conclusive evidence that d -β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase is localized on the matrix face of the mitochondrial inner membrane is provided by the correlation that the enzyme is released from submitochondrial vesicles before the membrane becomes leaky to cytochrome c . The arrangement of d -β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in the membrane is discussed within a generalized classification of the orientation of proteins in membranes. The evidence indicates that d -β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase is an amphipathic molecule and as such is inlaid in the membrane, i.e. the enzyme is partially inserted into the hydrophobic milieu of the membrane, with the polar, functional end extending into the aqueous milieu.
Ultra High Vacuum Electrochemistry with Conducting Polymers

Abstract Solvent free polymer solid electrolytes based on high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) complexed with alkali metal salts are compatible with ultra high vacuum (UHV). This has been taken advantage of in the design of electrochemical cells for electrochemical synthesis as well as reduction/oxidation of polypyrrole in UHV. This allows in situ application of surface spectroscopies (XPS) to study the material as a function of its state of oxidation.
Mit hoher Ausbeute verlaufende Eintopfsynthese eines paramagnetischen Nickelquadrats durch Anionentemplat-gesteuerten Selbstaufbau

Ein Tetrafluoroborat-Ion dient als Templat bei der Synthese eines paramagnetischen molekularen Nickelquadrats und bleibt danach im Hohlraum eingeschlossen (siehe Struktur im Kristall). Mit anderen Templat-Ionen gelang die Synthese nicht.
Cloning of an apparent splice variant of the rat N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NMDAR1 with altered sensitivity to polyamines and activators of protein kinase C.

Abstract Molecular cloning identified complementary DNA species, from a rat ventral midbrain library, encoding apparent splice variants of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NMDAR1 (which we now term NR1a). Sequencing revealed that one variant, NR1b, differs from NR1a by the presence of a 21-amino acid insert near the amino end of the N-terminal domain and by an alternate C-terminal domain in which the last 75 amino acids are replaced by an unrelated sequence of 22 amino acids. NR1b is virtually identical to NR1a in the remainder of the N- and C-terminal domains, at the 5' and 3' noncoding ends, and within the predicted transmembrane domains and extracellular and cytoplasmic loops. These findings suggest that the two forms of the receptor arise by differential splicing of a transcript from the same gene. Sequencing of other clones indicates the existence of a third variant, NR1c, identical to NR1b in its C terminus but lacking the N-terminal insert. NR1b RNA injected into Xenopus oocytes generated functional homomeric NMDA channels with electrophysiological properties distinct from those of NR1a homomeric channels. NR1b channels exhibited a lower apparent affinity for NMDA and for glutamate. NR1b channels exhibited a lower affinity for D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid and a higher affinity for Zn2+. The two receptor variants showed nearly identical affinities for glycine, Mg2+, and phencyclidine. Spermine potentiation of NMDA responses, prominent in oocytes injected with rat forebrain message, was also prominent for NR1a receptors, but was greatly reduced or absent for NR1b receptors. Treatment with the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate potentiated NMDA responses in NR1b-injected oocytes by about 20-fold; potentiation of NMDA responses in NR1a-injected oocytes was much less, about 4-fold. These findings support a role for alternate splicing in generating NMDA channels with different functional properties.
Vitamin requirements: Relationship to basal metabolic need and functions

The dietary requirements for most water-soluble vitamins in homeothermic animals, particularly vitamins utilized in energy-related pathways, are related directly to metabolic rate. As a consequence, vitamin requirements are similar when expressed relative to empirical functions of metabolic body size, e.g. (Wtkg)3/4 or body surface area. The vitamin requirements for a range of animals are expressed relative to their corresponding rates of basal metabolism. Data for the rates of ascorbic acid production and turnover in animals that produce ascorbic acid are also compared with the ascorbic acid requirements and turnover in humans and guinea pigs, species that require ascorbic acid as a dietary essential. Factors that are most important in dictating the relative need for a given vitamin from a chemical perspective include chemical stability, the relative number of catalytic events that are involved in the process, the nature of the interactions with associated enzymes, and the presence or absence of pathways for partial synthesis or regeneration of the given vitamin. Vitamins that are required daily in millimolar amounts are usually less stable chemically, are involved in numerous reactions, and often exist in tissues as dissociable cofactors. In contrast, vitamins that are required daily in micromolar amounts are involved in fewer reactions and are often covalently bound to the proteins or enzymes for which they serve as cofactors. Development of the preceding concepts allows linkages of relative vitamin requirements to energy utilization and related biochemical and oxidative processes, which can aid in developing a better understanding of the integrative nature of nutritional and biochemical relationships.
Clear cells and thyroid transcription factor I reactivity in sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the thyroid gland

Clear cells have been described in mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands, but to our knowledge these cells have not been recognized as a distinctive component of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia of the thyroid gland. We report four examples in which sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the thyroid gland contained a minor component (10% to 30%) of clear cells. The four tumors occurred in women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis whose ages ranged from 38 to 52 years. All four patients presented with thyroid nodules, but two also had enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Although two tumors metastasized to multiple cervical lymph nodes and one recurred in the soft tissues of the neck, all four patients are disease-free 6 months to 6 years after surgical treatment. The locally aggressive behavior of the first three tumors was probably related to their size, rather than to the presence of clear cells. Microscopically, these tumors showed the classical features of sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with eosinophilia, as well as nests of clear cells that appeared to be glycogen-rich squamous cells. Although the four tumors were thyroglobulin negative, two were immunoreactive to thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1), supporting the idea that they originated from squamous metaplasia of follicular epithelium rather than from solid cell nests of the ultimobranchial body.
Immunosenescence: deficits in adaptive immunity in the elderly

Aging is associated clinically with increases in the frequency and severity of infectious diseases and an increased incidence of cancer, chronic inflammatory disorders and autoimmunity. These age-associated immune dysfunctions are the consequence of declines in both the generation of new naive T and B lymphocytes and the functional competence of memory populations. These alterations collectively are termed immunosenescence.
Comparison of Two Indwelling Central Venous Access Catheters in Dogs Undergoing Fractionated Radiotherapy

Twenty dogs with neoplasms requiring multiple radiation treatments received either percutaneous vascular access catheters (PVACs; Cook, Bloomington, IN) or subcutaneous vascular access ports (SVAPs; Vascular-Access-Ports, Norfolk Medical Products, Inc., Skokie, IL); 10 dogs were entered in each group. All catheters were implanted and removed aseptically and the catheter tips were cultured during implant removal. Complications with PVACs included mild incisional swelling and redness and accidental severance or rupture of the catheter. Complications with SVAPs included incisional or port swelling, bruising or redness, hematoma formation, and pain. Ports in 4 of these dogs could not be used for 1 to 3 days after surgery because of swelling and pain. Surgical wound complications, when pooled for comparison, occurred significantly more frequently with the SVAPs (P = .023). Wound complications associated with both catheters were self-limiting and resolved within 7 days. Bacterial cultures were positive in two PVACs and four SVAP tips, however, none of these dogs had clinical signs of infection or sepsis. Although both types of indwelling catheters were functional in a clinical setting, PVACs were preferred to SVAPs for dogs undergoing radiation therapy because of decreased time for implantation and fewer overall complications.
Mutational analysis of the α-1 repeat of the cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger

The Na+-Ca2+ exchanger contains internal regions of sequence homology known as the α repeats. The first region (α-1 repeat) includes parts of transmembrane segments (TMSs) 2 and 3 and a linker modeled to be a reentrant loop. To determine the involvement of the reentrant loop and TMS 3 portions of the α-1 repeat in exchanger function, we generated a series of mutants and examined ion binding and transport and regulatory properties. Mutations in the reentrant loop did not substantially modify transport properties of the exchanger though the Hill coefficient for Na+ and the rate of Na+-dependent inactivation were decreased. Mutations in TMS 3 had more striking effects on exchanger activity. Of mutations at 10 positions, 3 behaved like the wild-type exchanger (V137C, A141C, M144C). Mutants at two other positions expressed no activity (Ser139) or very low activity (Gly138). Six different mutations were made at position 143; only N143D was active, and it displayed wild-type characteristics. The highly specific requirement for an asparagine or aspartate residue at this position may indicate a key role for Asn143 in the transport mechanism. Mutations at residues Ala140 and Ile147 decreased affinity for intracellular Na+, whereas mutations at Phe145 increased Na+ affinity. The cooperativity of Na+ binding was also altered. In no case was Ca2+ affinity changed. TMS 3 may form part of a site that binds Na+ but not Ca2+. We conclude that TMS 3 is involved in Na+ binding and transport, but previously proposed roles for the reentrant loop need to be reevaluated.
Structure and Function in Rhodopsin: Mapping Light-Dependent Changes in Distance between Residue 65 in Helix TM1 and Residues in the Sequence 306−319 at the Cytoplasmic End of Helix TM7 and in Helix H8†

Spin-labeled double mutants of rhodopsin were produced containing a reference nitroxide at position 65, at the cytoplasmic termination of helix TM1, and a second nitroxide in the sequence of residues 306−319, which includes the cytoplasmic termination of helix TM7 and nearly the entire surface helix H8. Magnetic dipole−dipole interactions between the spins are analyzed to provide interspin distance distributions in both the dark and photoactivated states of rhodopsin. The distributions, apparently resulting from the conformational flexibility of the side chains, are found to be consistent with the structural model of rhodopsin in the dark state derived from crystallography. Photoactivation of the receptor triggers an increase in distance between residues in TM7, but not those in H8, relative to the reference at position 65 in TM1. The simplest interpretation of the result is a movement of the cytoplasmic portion of TM7 away from TM1 by 2−4 A.
Leachate chemistry of field-weathered spent mushroom substrate

Passive leaching by rainfall and snowmelt is a popular method to treat piles of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) before its reuse. During this field weathering process, leachate percolates into the underlying soils. A field study was conducted to examine the chemistry of SMS leachate and effects of infiltration. Two SMS piles were deposited (90 and 150 cm in height) over a Typic Hapludult and weathered for 24 mo. Leachate was collected biweekly using passive capillary samplers. The SMS leachate contained high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC; 0.8-11.0 g L(-1)), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; 0.1-2 g L(-1)), and inorganic salts. The pH, electrical conductivity, and acid neutralizing capacity were 6.6 to 9.0, 21 to 66 ds m(-1), and 10 to 75 mmolc L(-1), respectively. Inorganic chemistry of the leachate was dominated by K+, Cl-, and SO24-. Leachate DOC was predominantly low molecular weight (<1000 Da) organic acids. During 2 yr of weathering, the 90-cm SMS pile released (per cubic meter of SMS) 3.0 kg of DOC, 1.6 kg of dissolved N, and 26.6 kg of inorganic salts. The 150-cm pile released (per cubic meter of SMS) 2.8 kg of DOC, 0.7 kg of dissolved N, and 13.6 kg of inorganic salts. The 150 cm pile retained more water and exhibited lower net nitrification compared with the 90-cm pile. The top 90 cm of soil retained 20 to 89% of the leachate solutes. Weathering of SMS in piles of 90 cm depth or greater may adversely affect ground water quality.
Friendship as a Voluntary Relationship: Evidence from National Surveys

This paper focuses on voluntary friendships. Drawing from Fischer's (1975) subcultural theory of urbanism, it is hypothesized that voluntary interaction with friends will be characteristic of individuals who live in urban areas. Friendship is also expected to be characteristic of high-SES, young, unmarried and childless individuals. An underlying rationale is that friendship occurs when individuals are relatively free from obligatory ties, duties and other constraints on their free choices. NORC data from 1974-83 are used to test the hypotheses. In the analysis, a distinction is made between involvement with friends outside the neighbourhood and social involvement with neighbours. The findings indicate that income, age, marital status and number of children significantly influence voluntary friendships. In addition, interaction analyses (product term) suggest that combinations of the independent variables produce the greatest effect on friendship.
Simple model for backbending.

Backbending in even-even nuclei is fitted by mixing a ground state, \ensuremath{\beta}, or \ensuremath{\gamma} band described by the variable moment of inertia formula with a superband characterized by a constant moment of inertia and applying the standard band coupling formalism or constant interband interaction. Very accurate results are obtained in all cases. The interband interaction remains small, and its oscillatory behavior is well reproduced. The predictive power of the model is emphasized.
β-Adrenergic and endothelin receptor interaction in dilated human cardiomyopathic myocardium

Abstract Background: Although end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by defects in β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) activity and increased endothelin-1 (ET-1), possible interactions between these 2 systems remain to be defined. Accordingly, the goal of this study was to determine the effects of ET receptor activation on β-AR signaling through measurement of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in normal and DCM myocardium. Methods and Results: Myocardial sarcolemmal preparations were prepared from normal human (n = 6), dilated cardiomyopathic (n = 10), and ischemic cardiomyopathic (ICM, n = 10) tissue. Basal cAMP production was measured in the presence of ET-1 alone (10 −6 to 0 −9 mol/L) as well as after (−)isoproterenol (10 −6 to 10 −2 mol/L) or forskolin (0.05 to 30.0 μmol/L) stimulation. β-AR and ET receptor profiles were determined by radiolabeled ligand assays. ET-1 inhibited basal cAMP production in all preparations in a concentration-dependent manner. However, β-AR-stimulated cAMP production by either isoproterenol or forskolin was not significantly affected by ET-1. β-AR receptor density was reduced, and a selective reduction of the ET B receptor occurred in both forms of DCM. Conclusions: Under basal conditions, ET receptor stimulation reduced cAMP levels, which may influence contractility, particularly with DCM.
Characteristics of Porescale Vortical Structures in Random and Arranged Packed Beds of Spheres

The characteristics of pore scale vortical structures observed in moderate Reynolds number flow through mono-disperse packed beds of spheres are examined. Our results come from direct numerical simulations of flow through (i) a periodic, simple cubic arrangement of 54 spheres, (ii) a wall bounded, close packed arrangement of 216 spheres, and (iii) a realistic randomly packed tube containing 326 spheres with a tube diameter to sphere diameter ratio of 5.96. Pore Reynolds numbers in the steady inertial (10 ≲ Re ≲ 200) and unsteady inertial (Re ≈ 600) regimes are considered. Even at similar Reynolds numbers, the vortical structures observed in flows through these three packings are remarkably different. The interior of the arranged packings are dominated by multi-lobed vortex ring structures which align with the principal axes of the packing. The random packing and the near wall region of the close packed arrangement are dominated by helical vortices, elongated in the mean flow direction. In the simple cubic packing, unsteady flow is marked by periodic vortex shedding which occurs at a single frequency. Conversely, at a similar Reynolds number, the vortical structures in unsteady flow through the random packing oscillate with many characteristic frequencies.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Individual and Relationship Factors That Differentiate Female Offenders With and Without a Sexual Abuse History

The link between prior sexual abuse and female offending is one of the most consistent findings within the etiology of female offending. It is not, however, part of every female offender's life history. Working from research on the impact of abuse on individuals, the current article examines the individual and relationship factors that differentiate female offenders (n = 131) with a history of sexual abuse and female offenders without a history of sexual abuse. Results from chi-square, t test, and logistic regression analyses indicated that offenders with a history of sexual abuse were more likely to report their household as loving, were more deeply involved in the criminal justice system, had more difficulty staying employed, and were more likely to be involved in an abusive relationship. Implications of the results are discussed.
Trends in tropical circulation over the pacific during the last decade

The Aqua spacecraft decadal time span generated a vast volume of data that can be used for climate change studies. Here we use these data to investigate the tropical circulation response to global warming during the last decade. We use the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Advance Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) data obtained on Aqua spacecraft to determine the trends in the surface and mid-troposphere temperatures, as well as trends in cloudiness, Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) and precipitation over the West and East Pacific in 2002-2011. The Aqua instruments deliver accurate, simultaneous measurements of the state of the atmosphere twice per day. We find that the tropical (Walker) circulation over Pacific Ocean has been accelerating during this last decade.
Glassy State and Seed Storage Stability: A Viability Equation Analysis

Abstract Dry seeds exist generally in a glassy (or vitrified) state. The high viscosity of the glassy state would be expected to have a retarding effect on deteriorative reactions in the cytoplasm. Thus the glassy state may be considered to be a biophysical barrier for seed deterioration. The present study aims to test the hypothesis that seed storage stability is associated with the glassy state. With the equations derived from the seed viability equation, we have calculated the maximum temperature (Tmax) for long-term storage of corn, pea and soybeans. The Tmax for long-term seed storage is found to be in a good agreement with the glass transition temperature (Tg) in each instance, suggesting that seed deterioration would be accelerated when seeds are not in the glassy state. Experiments with soybeans given accelerated ageing show that the loss of glassy state is followed by a rapid decrease in seed viability. These observations provide indirect evidence that the glassy state may play a significant role in seed storage stability.
Disparities in antidepressant use in pregnancy

Background—The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association both recommend pharmacotherapy for perinatal depression when the benefits outweigh the risks. While minority adults are less likely to use antidepressant medications compared to Non-Hispanic Whites, whether this pattern occurs among pregnant women is unclear. Objective—We sought to determine the frequency of antidepressant medication use reported during ambulatory care visits for pregnant women and whether these rates varied by race. Methods—We combined the 2006–2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) to obtain nationally representative estimates of outpatient preventive care visits for pregnant women. We then obtained estimates of the prevalence of reported depression and antidepressant use during outpatient visits for pregnant women. To determine whether these estimates varied by race, we used multivariable logistic regression analyses accounting for survey design using SAS 9.2 (PROC SURVEYLOGISTIC) to estimate odds ratios of reported antidepressant use after adjustment for age, insurance status and region of the country. Results—Antidepressant use was reported during 2.2% of all outpatient visits for pregnant women. Providers indicated a depression diagnosis in 4.5% of visits. Among visits for depressed pregnant women, providers reported antidepressant use 25.4% of the time for all visits. Antidepressant use during pregnancy varied significantly by race/ethnicity. Among visits for NonHispanic White women, 3.1% included a code for antidepressant use vs. just 1.0% for Non-White women (P<0.0001). After adjustment for age, insurance status, and region of the country, this association persisted with Non-Hispanic White (vs. Non-White) pregnant women having higher odds of antidepressant use (adjusted OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.1, 5.3).
AB INITIO AND RESONANCE RAMAN STUDIES OF HEXAFLUORO-1,3-BUTADIENE

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University; Department of Chemistry, University of Oregon; Steacie Institute of Molecular Science, National Research Council of Canada
Neutral Molecule Receptor Systems Using Ferrocene's “Atomic Ball Bearing” Character as the Flexible Element

Fourteen novel ferrocene derivatives have been designed to serve as receptors for low molecular weight diamines. The compounds that have been prepared and fully characterized possess two ferrocenedicarboxylic acid residues bridged by amide formation in their respective 1‘-positions by 4,4‘-benzidinyl (15), 3,3‘-dimethoxy-4,4‘-benzidinyl (16), 2,7-fluorenyl (17), 3-methoxy-2,7-fluorenyl (18), 4-N-piperazinoanilinyl (19), N,N‘-4,4‘-bipiperdinyl (20), and 4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 (21). In two cases, ferrocenecarboxylic acid was bridged by spacers attached using 1-methylene groups. The bridges in these cases were 4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 (22) and 1,5-diaminoanthraquinone (24). In a single case, ferrocenecarboxylic acid was bridged by 1,5-dicarbonylnaphthalene (25). In one additional case, the bridge was created by formation of an imine followed by hydrogenation, but both compounds (26, 27) proved to be relatively unstable. Attempts to increase solubility afforded the N-ethylated derivative 28 of 15 and the derivati...