cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FIXING A BROKEN HEART: THE MANAGEMENT OF CARCINOID HEART DISEASE SECONDARY TO PRIMARY OVARIAN CARCINOID TUMOR

Carcinoid heart disease occurs in over 50% of patients with carcinoid syndrome and may be the initial presentation in up to 20% of patients. A 74 year-old Caucasian female with no medical history presented with one month of worsening fatigue, dyspnea, orthopnea and bilateral lower extremity edema.
Testing the Theory of Resilience and Relational Load (TRRL) in Families with Type I Diabetes

The theory of resilience and relational load was tested with 60 couples and their adolescent children (ages 11-18) with type I diabetes (T1D). The couples participated in a stress-inducing conversation task in their home, followed by a random assignment to a two-week intervention designed to increase their relationship maintenance. Before the intervention, stronger communal orientation predicted greater maintenance for husbands and wives, but maintenance only reduced T1D stress for wives. The wives' and adolescents' T1D stress were also correlated, but the husbands' T1D stress was not significantly associated with either of them. Better maintenance was associated with less conflict during couples' conversations. Maintenance was also directly associated with less perceived and physiological stress (cortisol) from the conversation. Finally, wives in the intervention reported the most thriving, communal orientation and the least loneliness. The intervention also reduced adolescents' general life stress, but it did not influence their T1D stress or thriving.
Hierarchical coexistence of universality and diversity controls robustness and multi-functionality in intermediate filament protein networks

Proteins constitute the elementary building blocks of a vast variety of biological materials such as cellular protein networks, spider silk or bone, where they create extremely robust, multi-functional materials by self-organization of structures over many length- and time scales, from nano to macro. Some of the structural features are commonly found in a many different tissues, that is, they are highly conserved. Examples of such universal building blocks include alpha-helices, beta-sheets or tropocollagen molecules. In contrast, other features are highly specific to tissue types, such as particular filament assemblies, beta-sheet nanocrystals in spider silk or tendon fascicles. These examples illustrate that the coexistence of universality and diversity – in the following referred to as the universality-diversity paradigm (UDP) – is an overarching feature in protein materials. This paradigm is a paradox: How can a structure be universal and diverse at the same time? In protein materials, the coexistence of universality and diversity is enabled by utilizing hierarchies, which serve as an additional dimension beyond the 3D or 4D physical space. This may be crucial to understand how their structure and properties are linked, and how these materials are capable of combining seemingly disparate properties such as strength and robustness. Here we illustrate how the UDP enables to unify universal building blocks and highly diversified patterns through formation of hierarchical structures that lead to multi-functional, robust yet highly adapted structures. We illustrate these concepts in an analysis of three types of intermediate filament proteins, including vimentin, lamin and keratin.
On Defining Chaos in the Absence of Time

One of the standard definitions of a chaotic dynamical system on a metric space involves three conditions, one being sensitive dependence on the choice of initial values. Using the recent discovery that the sensitivity hypothesis is a logical consequence of the other two conditions we formulate a time-and-metric independent concept of chaos for foliations which implies the usual definition when the leaves are the orbits of a flow on a manifold. Simple examples are presented to make the point that any reference to “chaos” when either or both of the other standard conditions has not been verified could be quite misleading. In particular, for any integer n > 1 we give an example of a completely integrable n-degree of freedom Hamiltonian system, with compact energy surfaces, having the property that the induced flows on almost all energy surfaces admit sensitive dependence on initial conditions.
DNA-mediated transformation of Ustilago hordei and Ustilago nigra☆

Genetic transformation of Ustilago hordei and U. nigra is reported. Fungal colonies resistant to hygromycin B were selected following exposure of spheroplasts to plasmid pHL1 which contains a U. maydis heat shock gene promoter in transcriptional fusion to a bacterial gene encoding hygromycin B phosphotransferase (Wang et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., 85, 865–869. Transformation frequencies of between 10 and 50 resistant colonies per microgram of DNA per 2 × 107 spheroplasts were obtained for each species. Transformants varied with respect to the number and chromosomal location of integrated vector sequences. The majority of transformed cells retained resistance through many mitotic divisions.
Nontrivial topology and localization in the double exchange model with possible applications to perovskite manganites

The double exchange model describing the coupling between conduction electrons and localized magnetic moments is relevant for a large family of physical systems including manganites. Here we reveal that the one-dimensional double exchange model with an incommensurate magnetic elliptical spiral is a topological insulator with a Chern number $2\mathbb{Z}$ in the two-dimensional space with one physical dimension and one ancillary dimension spanned by the Goldstone mode of the spiral. Moreover, the electronic states can be localized for a strong local exchange coupling. The topological protected edge states are responsible for the pumping of electron charge, and give rise to multiferroic response. Our work uncovers hitherto undiscovered nontrivial topology and Anderson localization in the double exchange model with possible applications to perovskite manganites.
From Barrios to Condos: The Effects of Gentrification on Minority Descriptive Representation

Academics, practitioners, and community activists have hotly debated the effects, both positive and negative, of gentrification. Still, political scientists have yet to fully weigh in on the phenomenon. Here, we assess how gentrification affects descriptive minority representation. We find evidence that gentrification negatively impacts minority descriptive representation, specifically black descriptive representation. Gentrification that results in a growing white population negatively affects the election of black councilmembers, and the effect is particularly pronounced when the black population is close to losing its dominance (i.e., it comprises roughly half of the area's population). In contrast, the election of Latino councilmembers is not affected by a growing white population. This suggests that gentrification resulting in demographic shifts has varying effects on descriptive representation, depending on the race and ethnicity of the councilmember and neighborhood, and thus warrants greater attention from political scientists.
Engaging Fathers in Early Obesity Prevention During the First 1,000 Days: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Strategies.

OBJECTIVE Fathers are critical stakeholders in childhood obesity prevention but are difficult to engage. This review presents a new approach to engaging fathers in obesity prevention during the first 1,000 days. METHODS The review focuses on five existing health and social service programs, including prenatal care, pediatric care, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, home visiting, and Early Head Start. For each program, the obesity prevention services provided, evidence of father engagement, and barriers thereto are outlined. Subsequently, policy, systems, and environmental strategies are outlined to address the noted barriers and promote father engagement. RESULTS Although the programs hold great promise in bringing obesity prevention services to fathers, barriers to their engagement are present in the inner (e.g., limited hours of operation, lack of father-specific materials and programming) and outer (e.g., lack of model programs, best practice models, and consistent funding) settings of programs. Policy, systems, and environmental strategies to increase father engagement focus on earmarked funding, changes to national practice guidelines and practitioner training requirements, and the establishment of father-engagement performance metrics. CONCLUSIONS Increasing father involvement in the specified programs will likely increase their engagement in early obesity prevention in an efficient and sustainable manner.
Noninvasive Ventilation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The role of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV) in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been controversial. Over the past two decades, data primarily obtained from Europe have begun to define the clinical characteristics of patients likely to respond, the role of high-intensity NIV, and the potential best timing of initiating therapy. These approaches, however, have not been validated in the context of the U.S. healthcare delivery system. Use of NIV in severe COPD in the United States is limited by the practicalities of doing in-hospital titrations as well as a complex system of reimbursement. These systematic complexities, coupled with a still-emerging clinical trial database regarding the most effective means to deliver NIV, have led to persistent uncertainty regarding when in stable severe COPD treatment with NIV is actually appropriate. In this review, we propose an assessment algorithm and treatment plan that can be used in clinical practice in the United States, but we acknowledge that the absence of pivotal clinical trials largely precludes a robust evidence-based approach to this potentially valuable therapy.
Mechanical Networks Have Robustness Built into Their Topology, Too.

Network topology ensures robust outcomes for information-transferring networks in biology (e.g., signaling and gene regulatory networks). In this issue of Developmental Cell, Yevick et al. (2019) demonstrate that a similar principle holds for the mechanical networks that drive morphogenesis.
Antithymocyte Globulin Versus Interleukin-2 Receptor Antagonist in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Hepatitis C Virus.

Background Hepatitis C virus-positive (HCV+) kidney transplant (KT) recipients are at increased risks of rejection and graft failure. The optimal induction agent for this population remains controversial, particularly regarding concerns that antithymocyte globulin (ATG) might increase HCV-related complications. Methods Using Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and Medicare claims data, we studied 6780 HCV+ and 139 681 HCV- KT recipients in 1999-2016 who received ATG or interleukin-2 receptor antagonist (IL2RA) for induction. We first examined the association of recipient HCV status with receiving ATG (versus IL2RA) using multilevel logistic regression. Then, we studied the association of ATG (versus IL2RA) with KT outcomes (rejection, graft failure, and death) and hepatic complications (liver transplant registration and cirrhosis) among HCV+ recipients using logistic and Cox regression. Results HCV+ recipients were less likely to receive ATG than HCV- recipients (living donor, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.640.770.91; deceased donor, aOR = 0.710.810.92). In contrast, HCV+ recipients who received ATG were at lower risk of acute rejection compared to those who received IL2RA (1-y crude incidence = 11.6% versus 12.6%; aOR = 0.680.820.99). There was no significant difference in the risks of graft failure (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.861.001.17), death (aHR = 0.850.951.07), liver transplant registration (aHR = 0.580.971.61), and cirrhosis (aHR = 0.730.921.16). Conclusions Our findings suggest that ATG, as compared to IL2RA, may lower the risk of acute rejection without increasing hepatic complications in HCV+ KT recipients. Given the higher rates of acute rejection in this population, ATG appears to be safe and reasonable for HCV+ recipients.
Gut dysbiosis and heart failure: navigating the universe within

Alternations in gut microbial composition (i.e. loss of microbial diversity or 'gut dysbiosis') have been associated with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). It has also been suggested that increased chronic low-level inflammation and immune system dysregulation seen in patients with HFrEF could be related to gut dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability. Hence, the concept of modulating gut microbial composition with the goal of reducing systemic inflammation and controlling HFrEF progression has generated a substantial interest in the scientific community. However, several challenges to the gut dysbiosis theory remain as the exact gut microbial composition in HFrEF patients in these studies is not the same and a common microbiome linked to HFrEF is not yet established. With the advances in culture independent sequencing techniques it has also become evident that the gut microbiome may be much more diverse than previously believed. Further, various 'omic' technologies have enabled us to appreciate the potential role of gut microbial metabolites in various physiological processes in the host. Hence, identification of specific gut microbial metabolites may offer an alternative approach at solving this gut microbiome-HFrEF puzzle. In the current review, we evaluate the concept of gut symbiosis, the potential role of gut dysbiosis in systemic inflammation and HFrEF, and finally highlight the challenges faced by the gut dysbiosis theory in HFrEF and provide a framework for the possible solutions.
Reducing Internalized Homonegativity: Refinement and Replication of an Online Intervention for Gay Men.

We refined and replicated an efficacious brief intervention to reduce internalized homonegativity (IH) with a sample of gay and exclusively same-sex attracted men recruited from outside of LGBT com...
Assessment of Food security situation in Afghanistan

Abstract: Food insecurity is a long-term critical problem in Afghanistan. In 2019, the food and agricultural organization (FAO) noted that more than 53.2% of Afghanistan citizens were food insecure, and a total of 11million habitants need food aid. The main focus of this paper to understand food security variation, mainly where and under what natural and socio-economic situations Afghanistan citizens become susceptible food insecurity. This article provides an overview of food security in Afghanistan with respect to the four principal components of food security, namely food availability, food access, food utilization, and food stability. It identiﬁes the knowledge gaps in these four pillars of food security assessment and makes recommendations to advance the research policy linkage in Afghanistan Agriculture sector. This study also highlights Afghanistan's current food production capabilities and the impact of social-economic factors on the four pillars of food security and suggests different procedures and policies improve it. In conclusion, this study provides a foundation for policy development to advance understanding and qualitative discourse to improve Afghanistan's food security situation.
Early life adversity, pubertal timing, and epigenetic age acceleration in adulthood.

Background Given associations linking early life adversity, pubertal timing, and biological aging, we examined the direct and indirect effects of early life trauma on adult biological aging (via age of menarche). Methods Participants were premenopausal women (N = 183). Path models evaluated whether early life trauma predicted early pubertal timing and thereby, adult epigenetic age acceleration (indexed via four epigenetic clocks: Horvath DNAm Age, Hannum DNAm Age, DNAm PhenoAge, and DNAm GrimAge). Secondary analyses explored the effects of type of trauma (abuse and neglect) and adult chronic stress status (caregiver of child with autism and non-caregiver). Results Early life trauma and earlier age at menarche independently predicted accelerated aging based on one of the four epigenetic clocks, DNAm GrimAge, though early life trauma was not associated with age of menarche. Childhood abuse, but not neglect, predicted faster epigenetic aging; results did not differ by chronic stress status. Conclusions Early trauma and early menarche appear to exert independent effects on DNAm GrimAge, which has been shown to be the strongest epigenetic predictor of mortality risk. This study identifies a potential correlate or determinant of accelerated epigenetic aging-menarcheal age. Future research should address the limitations of this study by using racially diverse samples.
Internal Ties in Slope Deflection and Moment Distribution

Procedure for use in slope deflection and moment distribution methods of analysis when joints of rigid frame are free to translate makes use of imaginary internal ties; in moment distribution these...
Smart Homelessness Service Provision with Machine Learning

Abstract Homelessness presents a long-standing social problem for nearly every community across the world. A key goal of homelessness service provision is to reduce the number of individuals who experience repeated episodes of homelessness. The goal of this work is to determine the feasibility of an automated recommendation system designed to carefully match individuals to homelessness service facilities when they first experience homelessness. Specifically, machine learning methods are used to recommend the exact service facility that a homeless individual can benefit from among other numerous homeless-serving organizations in the Capital Region of New York, based on individual time-variant (e.g., monthly income, age) and time-invariant (e.g., race, sex) features. The data used in the study span a total of 38, 800 individuals seeking federally funded homelessness assistance from 2005 through 2019. The best performing method achieves an accuracy of 81.5%.
Ethics as a Topic of Economic Inquiry: The Social-Theoretic Context

With respect to ordering different fields of scholarly inquiry, ethics is commonly thought to be independent of economics, and, moreover, with ethical principles standing in judgment of economizing actions. In contrast, we explore a line of thought where ethics, politics, and commerce all emerge simultaneously within the same social order. Principles of economizing action are ubiquitous; however, those principles can manifest in different substantive contexts. Ethics is commonly pursued from a normative point of view where theorists advance principles which constitute their visions of goodness. In contrast, we pursue ethics as a social science, the substance of which emerges through the efforts of people to fashion arrangements for living together in close geographical proximity. Within this alternative analytical framework, principles of ethics and of political economy are both emergent features of human interaction within social systems where standards of desirability are likewise emergent outputs of those systems.
Null Subtraction Beamforming for Improved Vessel Resolution in Volumetric Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a vascular imaging technique that has several clinical and preclinical applications. It is generally performed in 2-dimensional (2-D) space, which is not ideal for imaging complicated blood vessel networks. Alternatively, volumetric data can be acquired at a high frame rate with 2-D matrix arrays, although the image quality is reduced. Alternatives to conventional delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming can be used to compensate for the poor resolution and high side lobe levels. The purpose of this research was to determine if the recently developed null subtraction beamforming technique can improve vessel resolution during volumetric CEUS imaging. A tissue-mimicking phantom with a 2.5 mm vessel lumen was perfused with a microbubble contrast agent and imaged with a programmable US scanner (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc) equipped with a 1024-element matrix array transducer (7.5 MHz, Vermon). Volumetric data was acquired and beamformed with both null subtraction and conventional DAS. The resulting temporal maximum intensity projections were compared. Qualitatively, the vessel lumen was clearer and side lobe noise was greatly reduced by null subtraction beamforming. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the vessel was also improved from 9.8 dB for DAS to 13.3 dB for null subtraction. Null subtraction beamforming is a simple technique that improves the quality of volumetric CEUS images acquired using a 2-D matrix array transducer.
Nonlinear Polymer Diffusion with Interchange Reactions

Polymers in a solvent move by Brownian motion with a diffusion rate D(n) where n is the number of bonds in the polymer. By interchange reactions, polymers may exchange bonds (change length). Under the assumption that the polymer lengths are Flory distributed, we obtain a pair of coupled nonlinear diffusion equations in the particle density and average bond number. We introduce a simulation algorithm, borrowed from rarefied gas dynamics, which is useful for general polymer transport problems. Solutions of the nonlinear diffusion equations are found to be in good agreement with simulation results. An example is presented where the diffusion equations fail while the simulation yields the correct results.
Theory of Employment, Money, Interest, and the Capitalist process. the misesian Case Against Keynes

It is my goal to reconstruct some basic truths regarding the process of economic development, and the role played in it by employment, money, and interest. These truths neither originated with the Austrian school of economics, nor are they an integral part of this tradition of economic thinking alone. In fact, most of them were part and parcel of what is now called classical economics, and it was the recognition of their validity that uniquely distinguished the economist from the crackpot. Yet the Austrian school, in particular Ludwig v. Mises and, later, Murray N. Rothbard, has given the clearest and most complete presentation of these truths.1 Moreover, they have also presented their most rigorous defense by showing them to be ultimately deducible from basic, incontestable propositions (such as that man acts and knows what it means to act) so as to establish them as truths whose denial would not only be factually incorrect but, much more decisively, would amount to logical-praxeological contradictions and absurdities.2
Percepções de Empresas de Transporte Coletivo Urbano do Brasil com Relação Ao Atendimento da Norma de Acessibilidade: Um Estudo Quantitativo

Este artigo e o resultado de um levantamento tipo survey, realizado em empresas de transporte coletivo de passageiros do Brasil, que buscou identificar a percepcao das mesmas em relacao a adaptacao da frota de seus veiculos em atendimento as regulamentacoes de acessibilidade no transporte publico de passageiros. Para tal, foi elaborado um questionario fechado, por meio do qual foram pesquisados aspectos relacionados a adaptacao da frota de veiculos, percepcoes e expectativas das empresas, bem como os impactos decorrentes. O questionario foi enviado de forma eletronica para as empresas, recebendo-se 155 retornos. Os resultados mostraram que 42,6% das empresas possuem de 11 a 30% de sua frota adaptada, ou seja, menos da metade de seus veiculos seguem os requisitos de acessibilidade. Alem disso, as empresas relataram que a adaptacao dos veiculos causa aumento de custos e beneficios apenas aos usuarios, sendo que nao ha nenhum tipo de incentivo governamental as empresas. A situacao se agrava ainda mais para as empresas com menor frota.
Diagnosis of Inherited Disorders of Galactose Metabolism

Galactose metabolism occurs through an evolutionarily conserved pathway in which galactose and uridine diphosphoglucose are converted to glucose-1-phosphate and uridine diphosphogalactose through the action of three sequential enzymes: galactokinase (GALK, EC 2.7.1.6), galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT, EC 2.7.7.12), and uridine phosphogalactose 4'-epimerase (GALE, EC 5.1.3.2). Inborn errors of galactose metabolism occur with impaired activity for each of the enzymes. Classical galactosemia is the most common and the most severe of these diseases and is caused by deficiency of the GALT enzyme, affecting from approximately 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 30,000 live births. Deficiency of GALE is the rarest of the three diseases. Assays for galactitol and galactose-1-phosphate and methods for assaying enzyme activities of GALT, GALK, and GALE are provided here. Interpretation of diagnostic results for screen-positive newborns or symptomatic patients, as well as therapeutic interventions based on biochemical phenotype and molecular genotype, are also included as decision trees.
EFFECT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM (HP) AND HYPERTHYROIDISM (HT) ON 125 I-EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR (EGF) SPECIFIC BINDING (S.B.) TO NEWBORN (NB) LUNG (L) AND BRAIN (B) PLASMA MEMBRANE (PM)

Receptor mediated role of EGF in fetal/neonatal L development and stimulating multiplication of B glial cells is well established. T4 enhances L maturation and CNS myelination. EGF receptor and T4 interactions were explored by examining the effect of HP and HT on S.B. of 125I-EGF to NB (<24 hours) rabbit LPM and BPM. NB were made HP by administering .05% PTU in drinking water at 24c of pregnancy. HT was achieved by administering 100ug/kg (I.M.) of T4 to the doe on 29th and 30th d. of gestation. LPM and BPM were isolated and characterized by protein % recovery, DNA and 5′-nucleotidase assay. S.B. of 125I-EGF to LPM or BPM was assessed at 37°C, pH 7.45 after 75′ of incubation. (ANOVA,*p<.01) From these preliminary results we suggest that T4 status of the Id. NB may influence the development of B but not L EGF R.
The endocrine regulation of uterine blood flow in the nonpregnant uterus: A review

Abstract Evidence is presented to demonstrate the role of steroid hormones in the regulation of blood flow through the nonpregnant uterine vasculature. Estrogens appear to increase blood flow, as documented by the observed increases in flow during proestrus and estrus, as well as the response to exogenous hormone stimulation in laboratory animals. The mechanism for the stimulation of blood flow is apparently indirect, and mediated by another vasoactive agent(s) which remains unknown at this time. Conversely, progesterone decreases estrogen-induced uterine blood flow, protably by depleting the amount of available cytoplasmic estrogen receptor.
The ingredients of a success recipe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the antecedents of successful South Asian opportunity diaspora entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it examines the successful South Asian diaspora opportunity entrepreneurs’ (DOE) interactions with their country of origin and country of residence. Design/methodology/approach – With a qualitative approach, this study employs the NVivo software to examine a set of semistructured interviews of eight South Asian diaspora entrepreneurs. Findings – The qualitative analysis in this study suggests that a South Asian DOE with a college education, previous industry-related experience, prior startup experience, and a tendency to attribute entrepreneurship talent to training rather than birth exhibits a high-entrepreneurial venture growth rate. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis suggests that a south Asian DOE who emphasizes market analysis, accentuates building the right team of employees, and pursues adventurous choice of financing (i.e. bootstrapping or small bank) ...
Curcumin Inhibits Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis by Blocking IL-12 Signaling Through Janus Kinase-STAT Pathway in T Lymphocytes

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a CD4(+) Th1 cell-mediated inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disease of the CNS that serves as an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS). IL-12 is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in the induction of neural Ag-specific Th1 differentiation and pathogenesis of CNS demyelination in EAE and MS. Curcumin (1,7-Bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic phytochemical isolated from the rhizome of the medicinal plant Curcuma longa. It has profound anti-inflammatory activity and been traditionally used to treat inflammatory disorders. In this study we have examined the effect and mechanism of action of curcumin on the pathogenesis of CNS demyelination in EAE. In vivo treatment of SJL/J mice with curcumin significantly reduced the duration and clinical severity of active immunization and adoptive transfer EAE. Curcumin inhibited EAE in association with a decrease in IL-12 production from macrophage/microglial cells and differentiation of neural Ag-specific Th1 cells. In vitro treatment of activated T cells with curcumin inhibited IL-12-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2, tyrosine kinase 2, and STAT3 and STAT4 transcription factors. The inhibition of Janus kinase-STAT pathway by curcumin resulted in a decrease in IL-12-induced T cell proliferation and Th1 differentiation. These findings highlight the fact that curcumin inhibits EAE by blocking IL-12 signaling in T cells and suggest its use in the treatment of MS and other Th1 cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.
Pilot study of a myostatin antagonist in dogs with cardiac cachexia.

Abstract Objectives Cardiac cachexia, a loss of lean body mass caused by heart disease, often accompanies congestive heart failure (CHF). Blocking myostatin, which is a protein that inhibits muscle growth, appears to greatly enhance muscle size and strength in rodent models and human clinical trials. The objective of this study was to evaluate a dog-specific myostatin antagonist (CAP-031) in a pilot study to test its safety and efficacy in dogs with CHF and cardiac cachexia. Animals Dogs with CHF and cardiac cachexia. Methods Eligible dogs received four weekly subcutaneous injections of CAP-031. Endpoints were body weight, body condition score (BCS, on a 1–9 scale), muscle condition score (MCS, on a five-point scale, where 0 = no muscle loss and 4 = severe muscle loss), appetite, and a quality of life (QOL) score. Results Seven dogs with CHF and moderate-to-severe cachexia were enrolled in the study. For the six dogs that completed the study, the median age was 8.8 years (range 6.4–10.6). At baseline, the median body weight was 27.0 kg (range 17.3–62.0), the median BCS was 4 (2–5), and median MCS was 3 (3–4). There were no significant changes in body weight, BCS, appetite, or QOL score. The change in MCS (from a median of 3 at baseline to a median of 2.5 at week 4) was not statistically significant ( p = 0.06). Conclusions The myostatin antagonist appeared to be well tolerated in most dogs. Earlier identification of cachexia is important, and randomized, controlled trials of myostatin antagonists or other drugs to treat cardiac cachexia are needed.
Histology, Cell Types, and Functional Correlation of Islets of Langerhans

The pancreatic islets, first described in 1869 by Langerhans,1 are compact round, ovoid, or less regular groups of polygonal epithelial cells irregularly distributed within the lobules of the exocrine portion of the organ (Fig. 1). The question whether or not the islets are surrounded by a connective tissue capsule has received a good deal of attention, mainly because of its presumed importance for theories of transitions between exocrine and endocrine cells. The most extensive review of this problem is that of Kraus,2 who lists many of the earlier authors in the field as supposing the existence of a true capsule, but also quotes a nearly equal number of writers as being opposed to that supposition. The present consensus, already intimated by Kraus and reflected in more recent reviews3.15,4.44* appears to be that the islands are surrounded by a more or less complete “pseudocapsule” formed by connective tissue fibers which are continuous with those of the interstitial septa of the exocrine part of the pancreas. While there is a gradual increase in the amount of intra- and extrainsular connective tissue with advancing age,5 the formation of a true capsule around the islets does not occur in the healthy organ.
Is there a greater incidence of abdominal pregnancy in developing countries? Report of four cases.

Early ectopic pregnancies often are unrecognized in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. Some of these untreated tubal pregnancies abort into the peritoneal cavity and continue as advanced abdominal pregnancies. Of 72 ectopic pregnancies that were treated surgically over a 67-month period 4 fetuses were found to be implanted in the abdomen. 2 of these proceeded to term and viable normal infants were delivered. 1 in 18 ectopic pregnancies were of advanced gestation in the abdomen. This incidence is higher than has been reported previously and is related to the poor utilization of medical care by pregnant women in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. (authors)
Protective immunization against experimental Bacteroides (Porphyromonas) gingivalis infection

The effects of immunization in modulating the pathogenesis of Bacteroides (Porphyromonas) gingivalis infection in a murine model system were examined. BALB/c mice were immunized by intraperitoneal injection with B. gingivalis ATCC 53977 (one injection per week for 3 weeks), or with a lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS) extract (one injection per week for 3 weeks), or with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; one intravenous or intraperitoneal injection) from this same strain. Two weeks after the final immunization, the mice were challenged by subcutaneous injection of B. gingivalis ATCC 53977. Mice immunized with bacteria had no secondary lesions and no septicemia, whereas mice immunized with LIS extract had few secondary lesions and no septicemia. Mice immunized with LPS and nonimmunized mice demonstrated secondary abdominal lesions and septicemia after challenge. Bacterial cells and LIS extract, but not LPS, induced serum antibody and antigen reactive lymphocytes, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblot, Western immunoblot transfer, and in vitro lymphoproliferative responses. The present study suggests that immunization with a LIS extract or whole cells may induce a protective response against experimental B. gingivalis infection.
Coarse-grain reconfigurable ASIC through multiplexer based switches

We present an ASIC architecture with coarse-grain reconfigurability that uses accelerators to improve performance over fine-grain reconfigurable architectures. A reconfigurable FFT ASIC was built as a proof of concept, and it successfully demonstrated valid switch operation for reconfiguration.
Model of Behavior of Materials with Delaminations under Hydrogen Embrittlement Conditions

We consider fracture growth controlled by fluid diffusion into the fracture. If the fluid is accumulated inside the fracture, after some incubation period, it starts growing under the pressure of the accumulated fluid. An important example is given by hydrogen induced cracking. Hydrogen absorbed by a metal is typically dissolved in the lattice in the proton form. Some of the protons reach the surface of a pre-existing or freshly created cracks where they recombinate with electrons and form molecular hydrogen in the crack cavity. Because usually the molecular form of hydrogen is thermodynamically more stable, this process leads to accumulation of gas hydrogen inside the crack. Then, the fracture often takes place even in the absence of any external loading, that is, only under the excessive hydrogen pressure. Another example is given by heating of water saturated rock. If due to the heat diffusion, the water evaporates/boils inside the cracks, the pressure exerted by the vapor can cause the cracks to propagate, increasing the crack sizes by orders of magnitude.
Comparison of kinematic and kinetic methods for computing the vertical motion of the body center of mass during walking.

The vertical excursion of the body center of mass (BCOM) was calculated using three different techniques commonly used by motion analysis laboratories. The sacral marker method involved estimating vertical BCOM motion by tracking the position of a reflective marker that was placed on the sacrum of subjects as they walked. The body segmental analysis technique determined the vertical motion of the BCOM from a weighted average of the vertical positions of the centers of mass of individual body segments for each frame of kinematic data acquired during the data trial. Anthropomorphic data from standard tables were used to determine the mass fractions and the locations of the centers of mass of each body segment. The third technique involved calculating BCOM vertical motion through double integration of force platform data. Data was acquired from 10 able-bodied, adult research subjects – 5 males and 5 females – walking at speeds of 0.8, 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 m/s. A repeated measures ANOVA indicated that at the slowest walking speed the vertical excursions calculated by all three techniques were similar, but at faster speeds the sacral marker significantly (p < 0:001) overestimated the vertical excursion of the BCOM compared with the other two methods.
Analysis of Multi-Unit Variance Components Models with State Space Profiles

We apply the Kalman Filter to the analysis of multi-unit variance components models where each unit's response profile follows a state space model. We use mixed model results to obtain estimates of unit-specific random effects, state disturbance terms and residual noise terms. We use the signal extraction approach to smooth individual profiles. We show how to utilize the Kalman Filter to efficiently compute the restricted loglikelihood of the model. For the important special case where each unit's response profile follows a continuous structural time series model with known transition matrix we derive an EM algorithm for the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimation of the variance components. We present details for the case where individual profiles are modeled as local polynomial trends or polynomial smoothing splines.
C3a Receptor Modulation of Granulocyte Infiltration after Murine Focal Cerebral Ischemia is Reperfusion Dependent

The complement anaphylatoxin C3a contributes to injury after cerebral ischemia in mice. This study assesses the effect of C3a receptor antagonist (C3aRA) on leukocyte infiltration into the ischemic zone. Transient or permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced in wild-type C57Bl/6 mice. Intraperitoneal C3aRA or vehicle was administered 45 mins before or 1 h after occlusion. Twenty-four hours after occlusion, we harvested brain tissue and purified inflammatory cells using flow cytometry. Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 protein levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and ICAM-1 and C3a receptor (C3aR) expression was confirmed via immunohistochemistry. In the transient MCAO model, animals receiving C3aRA showed smaller strokes, less upregulation of C3aR-positive granulocytes, and less ICAM-1 protein on endothelial cells than vehicle-treated animals; no significant differences in other inflammatory cell populations were observed. C3a receptor antagonist-treated and vehicle-treated animals showed no differences in stroke volume or inflammatory cell populations after permanent MCAO. These data suggest that blocking the binding of C3a to C3aR modulates tissue injury in reperfused stroke by inhibiting the recruitment of neutrophils to the ischemic zone. It further establishes antagonism of the C3a anaphylatoxin as a promising strategy for ameliorating injury after ischemia/reperfusion.
Interfacing with aerosols: Concept, place, and time☆

Abstract Aerosols possess some unique properties which give them a special value for interfacing with many types of analytical instruments. From their earliest use in flame spectrometry to their present-day application to state-of-the-art instruments for trace and ultratrace analysis, aerosols have fulfilled a special role in analytical chemistry. The properties which give aerosols their particular value for interfacing bulk liquid solutions with various detection systems are described in this paper, as are specific applications to organic and inorganic analyses.
Estimation of tropical rain forest aboveground biomass with small-footprint lidar and hyperspectral sensors

Abstract Tropical forests are an important component of the global carbon balance, yet there is considerable uncertainty in estimates of their carbon stocks and fluxes, which are typically estimated through analysis of aboveground biomass in field plots. Remote sensing technology is critical for assessing fine-scale spatial variability of tropical forest biomass over broad spatial extents. The goal of our study was to evaluate relatively new technology, small-footprint, discrete-return lidar and hyperspectral sensors, for the estimation of aboveground biomass in a Costa Rican tropical rain forest landscape. We derived a suite of predictive metrics for field plots: lidar metrics were calculated from plot vertical height profiles and hyperspectral metrics included fraction of spectral mixing endmembers and narrowband indices that respond to photosynthetic vegetation, structure, senescence, health and water and lignin content. We used single- and two-variable linear regression analyses to relate lidar and hyperspectral metrics to aboveground biomass of plantation, managed parkland and old-growth forest plots. The best model using all 83 biomass plots included two lidar metrics, plot-level mean height and maximum height, with an r 2 of 0.90 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 38.3 Mg/ha. When the analysis was constrained to plantation plots, which had the most accurate field data, the r 2 of the model increased to 0.96, with RMSE of 10.8 Mg/ha (n = 32). Hyperspectral metrics provided lower accuracy in estimating biomass than lidar metrics, and models with a single lidar and hyperspectral metric were no better than the best model using two lidar metrics. These results should be viewed as an initial assessment of using these combined sensors to estimate tropical forest biomass; hyperspectral data were reduced to nine indices and three spectral mixture fractions, lidar data were limited to first-return canopy height, sensors were flown only once at different seasons, and we explored only linear regression for modeling. However, this study does support conclusions from studies at this and other climate zones that lidar is a premier instrument for mapping biomass (i.e., carbon stocks) across broad spatial scales.
Thylakoid conformational changes accompanying membrane protein phosphorylation

Abstract The effect of reversible membrane phosphorylation on the room temperature linear dichroism signal of magneto-oriented pea thylakoids was investigated. Membrane phosphorylation, induced by photoreduction of the plastoquinone pool, resulted in a change in the linear dichroism signal in the region of the red absorption band of chlorophyll. The optical change was due to modifications in selective polarized light scattering which have been shown to be indicative of alterations in the degree of membrane stacking. No changes in linear dichroism due to a reorientation of pigments were observed. It is concluded that phosphorylation of the membrane results in about a 10% destacking of the thylakoids and that this conformational change is implicated in energy redistribution between the two photosystems.
The hexamerization domain of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor: structural clues to chaperone function

The hexameric structure of the D2 ATP-binding module of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF), a chaperone involved in SNARE complex disassembly, was recently determined. This structure and the previously determined structure of the DNA polymerase III delta' subunit have far-reaching biological significance because these modules are related to diverse ATPases that promote the assembly, disassembly and operation of various protein complexes.
A physics-based, dynamic electro-thermal model of silicon carbide power IGBT devices

This paper presents an algorithm to model the temperature dependent characteristics of SiC IGBT devices. In this method the electro-thermal behavior of the device is modeled using a numerical model. The proposed electro-thermal model is based on the Kraus IGBT electrical model coupled with the Elmore thermal model, which represents the propagation delay of the heat flux through the physical geometry of each layer. This model is used to evaluate the electro-thermal behavior and heat transfer performance of the device package. The parameters of the model are extracted from the three-dimensional finite element (FE) for computation of the transient thermal impedance. The accuracy of the developed model is verified by comparing the obtained results with those resulting from an analytical simulation and experimental results.
Bargaining in an Asymmetrical Power Structure

This study utilized a gaming experiment to compare the bargaining processes and outcomes in an asymmetrical power structure against those of a more balanced setting. Bargaining in the unbalanced co...
Lipostatic control of body weight: Evidence of humoral mediation

Pairs of rats were implanted with chronic venous cannulae and cross-perfused in order to investigate the role of humoral factors in the regulation of body weight. Five-hour-deprived rats were cross-perfused with obese, normal weight, or lean partners on each of 4 successive days. Relative to the control condition (normal-weight partner), animals with obese partners consumed less and those with lean partners consumed more food immediately after blood-mixing. The results suggest that a humoral factor, related to total body fat, is involved in the long-term regulation of body weight. No conclusions are drawn as to the chemical nature of the factor or the mechanism by which intake is altered, but possible involvement of palatibility factors is discussed.
The organization and geography of Japanese R&D: results from a survey of Japanese electronics and biotechnology firms

The paper reports the results of a mail survey of and personal interviews with R&D managers of the largest Japanese electronics and biotechnology firms regarding the organizational and geographic dimensions of their R&D activities. The results indicate that the importance of multi-functional teams for Japanese R&D has been overemphasized. The transfer of employees between R&D and manufacturing and joint meetings are judged as being the most important factors in ensuring the information transfer between the two corporate functions. The findings indicate that basic research facilities have significant locational flexibility. However, applied research and production engineering need to be in close proximity to manufacturing. The differences between the electronics and biotechnology industries were only rarely significant.
A microcomputer alternative for information handling: REFLES

Abstract REFLES is a microcomputer-based system for data retrieval in library environments. The problem of information retrieval is discussed from a theoretical point of view, followed by an analysis of the reference process and data thereby gathered, leading to a description of REFLES in terms of its hardware and software. REFLES, a prototype system at present, currently functions in a test environment. Examples of data contained in the system and of its use are presented. Future considerations and speculations on other versions of the system conclude the paper.