cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mice Deficient in Intestinal Epithelium Cytochrome P450 Reductase are Prone to Acute Toxin-induced Mucosal Damage

Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes are a superfamily of heme-containing enzymes involved in the metabolism of various endogenous compounds, including retinoids, glucocorticoids, and eicosanoids, that are postulated to participate in the maintenance and/or development of inflammatory and immune reactions in the intestinal mucosa. To investigate the role of P450 enzymes in intestinal inflammation and immunity, we took advantage of IE-Cpr-null mice, which are deficient in intestinal epithelium of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), the obligate redox partner of all microsomal P450 enzymes. We report that IE-Cpr-null mice, following an acute toxin challenge, had higher levels of pro-inflammatory chemokines and increased tissue damage compared to wild-type mice. IE-Cpr-null mice had normal Peyer's patch numbers and elicited normal secretory IgA (SIgA) responses. However, SIgA baseline levels in IE-Cpr-null mice were consistently elevated over WT littermates. While neither retinoic acid nor glucocorticoid levels in serum and intestinal homogenates were altered in IE-Cpr-null mice, basal levels of arachidonic acid metabolites (11,12-DiHETE and 14,15-DiHETE) with known anti-inflammatory property were significantly lower compared to WT controls. Overall, these findings reveal immunological and metabolic changes resulting from a genetic deficiency in CPR expression in the intestine, and support a role for microsomal P450 enzymes in mucosal homeostasis and immunity.
Lead, attention, and impulsive behavior: changes in a fixed-ratio waiting-for-reward paradigm

Similar to the effects observed in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), experimental animals exposed to lead (Pb) exhibit behaviors attributed to "impulsivity" and "inability to inhibit inappropriate responding." Such behaviors have led some to suggest that Pb exposure is associated with attention deficit. Based on the hypothesis that attention deficits are related to an ineffectiveness of delayed reinforcement, this study examined the effects of chronic postweaning Pb exposure on an FR waiting-for-reward paradigm. Rats were exposed chronically from weaning to 0, 50, or 150 ppm Pb acetate in water and following 40 days of exposure, trained on a fixed-ratio (FR) wait behavioral baseline. A total of 50 lever press responses (FR 50) produced food delivery. After earning an FR pellet, "free" pellets could be obtained by waiting; emission of another lever press reinitiated the FR requirement. "Free" pellets were delivered at increasing intervals (2 s, 4 s, 6 s, etc.). Pb exposure increased response rates on the FR schedule and decreased the mean longest waiting time, but also resulted in a higher number of responses per reinforcer than exhibited by controls. These Pb-induced differences are consistent with an inability to manage delays of reinforcement.
“To Well and Truly Administer”: Female Administrators and Estate Settlement in Newport, Rhode Island, 1730–1776

This essay argues that estate administration endowed women in colonial Newport, Rhode Island, with legal and economic powers that they successfully exercised as they settled decedents’ estates. It ...
Serum LH and FSH levels in mated and unmated proestrous female rats.

The influence of mating during the afternoon and early evening of proestrus on serum LH levels was evaluated in 4–day cycling rats of the Charles River CD strain. Plasma for RIA was obtained by sequential or single cardiac punctures in mated and unmated females. Values of serum LH between 1430 and 1530 were low and resemble those obtained on the morning of estrus in this strain. Serum LH in both mated and unmated animals was high between 1530 and 2030 hr on the day of proestrus. Serum FSH was assayed in animals which were mated or placed in an empty mating arena between the time of 1750 and 1830 on the day of proestrus. There was no significant elevation, over unmated females, in serum FSH between 1900 and 2130 on the day of proestrus or estrus in mated females. The data showed no significant relationship between the levels of serum LH present in proestrous samples and the number of ova ovulated on the following morning. It is clear that mating during the afternoon of proestrus failed to elevate serum LH ...
Veverka receives 2011 Whipple Award: Citation

Joseph Veverka received the 2011 Whipple Award at the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting, held 5–9 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of planetary science.
QCD results from DØ

We present recent results on jet production, dijet angular distributions, W + Jets, and color coherence from p- collisions at √s = 1.8 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider using the DO detector. The data are compared to perturbative QCD calculations or to predictions of parton shower based Monte Carlo models.
An experimental study on intercoronary reflexes.

There is no evidence in the anesthetized dog that occlusion of one of the three coronary arteries leads to vasoconstriction in the vascular areas irrigated by the other two arteries. On the contrary, occlusion of one coronary artery appears to lead to a decrease in the resistance of the two adjacent vascular beds in most experiments. The mechanisms and the implications of this effect are discussed.
Pair Approximation for Lattice Models with Multiple Interaction Scales

Pair approximation has frequently proved effective for deriving qualitative information about lattice-based stochastic spatial models for population, epidemic and evolutionary dynamics. Pair approximation is a moment closure method in which the mean-field description is supplemented by approximate equations for the frequencies of neighbor-site pairs of each possible type. A limitation of pair approximation relative to moment closure for continuous space models is that all modes of interaction between individuals (e.g., dispersal of offspring, competition, or disease transmission) are assumed to operate over a single spatial scale determined by the size of the interaction neighborhood. In this paper I present a multiscale pair approximation which allows different sized neighborhoods for each type of interaction. To illustrate and test the approximation I consider a spatial single-species logistic model in which offspring are dispersed across a birth neighborhood and established individuals have a death rate depending on the population density in a competition neighborhood, with one of these neighborhoods nested inside the other. Analysis of the steady-state equations yields several qualitative predictions that are confirmed by simulations of the model, and numerical solutions of the dynamic equations provide a close approximation to the transient behavior of the stochastic model on a large lattice. The multiscale pair approximation thus provides a useful intermediate between the standard pair approximation for a single interaction neighborhood, and a complete set of moment equations for more spatially detailed models.
Effects of cocaine exposure on infant development: A review

We review the effects of maternal cocaine use on the developing human fetus and infant in terms of methodological problems; the physiological action of cocaine on adults and on the developing fetus; the epidemiology of cocaine use; effects on fetal and infant mortality; growth of cocaine-exposed fetuses and infants; physical anomalies; evidence for and against infant withdrawal from cocaine; neurological effects; behavioral effects as shown by the NBAS; findings related to mother-infant interaction and emotional development; and parenting by cocaine-using mothers. Findings in most areas should be considered preliminary due to methodological problems. Published studies of long-term development are not yet available. In general, deleterious consequences of prenatal cocaine exposure are found for some portion of prenatally exposed infants. However, many findings of “no difference” are also available in methodologically well-controlled studies.
The Use of 3D CFD Analysis in the Design of Air Intake Systems as a Visualisation Tool to Optimise Performance in Gas Turbine Applications

An optimised inlet air system design is an important factor in the gas turbine (GT) industry. Optimising the design of the air intake system is an increasingly challenging process as both the layout complexity and range of features that can be included in the intake system expands. These may include a combination of insect or trash screens, weather protection and filtration systems, silencers, anti-icing systems, ventilation system off takes and inlet heating or cooling systems for power augmentation. Poor designs can result in inefficient use of these components as well as losses in engine performance due to excessive pressure losses or distortion in the flow entering the gas turbine. High flow distortion, velocity, pressure or temperature, can induce compressor surge and high acromechanical stresses in compressor blades and vanes. In extreme cases this may result in blade or vane failures. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis is a powerful tool for visualisation of the predicted flow through a hypothetical air inlet system prior to manufacture. The CFD output plots include flow streamlines and contours, of pressure, velocity or temperature, at any plane in the model. These enable pressure losses, flow distortion issues, potential recirculation areas and high local velocities within the system to be reviewed. This allows optimisation of the installation design to minimise system pressure loss and flow distortion, both through the components and at the engine interface. This paper, with reference to case studies of gas turbine applications, highlights the impact that CFD analysis can have on the design of intake systems to ensure that the best overall performance is obtained. The process of developing the CFD geometry and how significant features of an installation are modeled is outlined. Environmental and operational conditions, such as cross winds can impact the flow through an intake system; therefore, incorporation of such factors into the model boundary conditions are covered. Typical output metrics from the CFD analysis are shown from selected case studies; total pressure drop and flow distortion at the interface plane between the intake system and gas turbine. The importance of experienced interpretation of the CFD output to define potential intake design modifications to improve system performance is highlighted. In specific cases model testing has been carried out to validate CFD results. Case study examples are used to show the improvements made in air intake performance that contribute to increased operational efficiency of the gas turbine application.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Outcomes in 15 patients with conjunctival melanoma treated with adjuvant topical mitomycin C: complications and recurrences.

Purpose To report the long-term complications and rate of local recurrence in a cohort of patients with histopathologically confirmed conjunctival melanoma (CM) treated with adjuvant topical mitomycin C (MMC). Design Retrospective, nonrandomized interventional study. Participants Fifteen patients with histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of CM treated with topical MMC. Methods We identified all patients with histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of CM treated with topical MMC between January 1999 and March 2010. Data extracted from the patients' medical records included demographic, clinical, and histopathologic findings; treatments; long-term complications (>6 months) of MMC therapy; recurrent and metastatic disease; and mortality. Main Outcome Measures Prevalence of long-term complications of MMC and development of recurrent disease were assessed. Results Fifteen patients (12 female) received topical MMC a median of 2.8 months (0.37–110.9 months) after the diagnosis of CM. Median age at diagnosis was 62 years (29–82 years), and median length of follow-up was 23.8 months (2.2–130.8 months). Most common complications included injection (n=13), tearing (n=10), irritation (n=9), pain (n=9), and limbal stem cell deficiency with keratopathy (n=4). Twelve patients (80%) experienced at least 1 long-term complication, with failure of resolution of symptoms in 7 of these patients. Local recurrence was associated with longer delay to MMC initiation (2 ±8.0 vs. 30.8 ±11 months, P =0.06). Three patients developed metastases. Recurrence was associated with metastatic disease ( P =0.001). Exenteration was required in 2 patients, 1 of whom developed metastatic disease and died. Conclusions Careful consideration should be given to the use of adjuvant MMC for the treatment of residual intraepithelial disease after the diagnosis of CM given the risk of potential long-term ocular surface toxicities. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Genesis of high Mg# andesites and the continental crust

The continental crust has an andesitic composition with high Mg/(Mg+Fe) and Ni contents which may be too high to have formed by differentiation of basaltic magmas. Instead, mantle-derived, high Mg# andesites (HMA) may form a substantial component of the crust. HMA may be produced by partial melting of previously depleted, subsequently metasomatised mantle peridotite. However, they are more likely produced by reaction between ascending melts and mantle peridotite. HMA are less common than basalts among lavas in modern island arcs, but may have been more common in the past, may be produced in specific environments (such as “ridge subduction”), may be more common among plutonic rocks in the lower and middle crust than among lavas at the surface, and may be selectively preserved during later erosion and subduction processes.
The Political Economy of Speculative Attacks in the Developing World

This paper examines the relationship between politics and speculative attacks in developing countries. While a burgeoning literature focuses on the economic determinants of speculative behavior, little attention has been paid to the importance of political factors. I examine the response of international capital markets to electoral and partisan changes in a sample of 78 developing countries using monthly data from January 1975 to December 1998. All other things being equal, the empirical evidence indicates that speculative attacks are more likely (1) under left rather than under right governments and (2) during the period after an election as compared with all other periods. The results suggest that models developed for OECD economies can be used to understand political-economic phenomena in developing countries.
Associational Networks and Welfare States in Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, and Taiwan

This article investigates the structures of civic networks and their roles in steering the political choices of party and union elites regarding the retrenchment or expansion of welfare states in four recently democratized developing countries. Utilizing coaffiliation networks built upon two waves of World Values Surveys and evidence from comparative case studies for Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, and Taiwan, the study develops two explanatory factors that account for variations in welfare politics: cohesiveness and embeddedness. In Argentina and, to a lesser degree, in Taiwan, party and union leaders’ cohesive relationships, being disarticulated from the informal civic sphere, allowed them to conduct elite-driven social policy reforms from above, by launching radical neoliberal reforms (Argentina) or by developing a generous transfer-centered welfare state (Taiwan). In Brazil and South Korea, however, party and union leaders’ durable solidarity embedded in wider civic communities enabled them to resist the retrenchment of welfare states (Brazil) or implement universal social policies (South Korea) based on bottom-up mobilization of welfare demands. This article demonstrates that elites in the formal sector make markedly different political choices when confronting economic crisis and democratic competition depending upon their organizational connections in formal and informal civic networks.
SRAM read performance degradation under asymmetric NBTI and PBTI stress: Characterization vehicle and statistical aging data

Asymmetric BTI aging in circuit paths has shown to cause a time dependent shift in the signal's duty cycle, affecting the performance of circuits such as low power SRAMs whose operation rely on both the positive and negative edges of the clock signal. In this work, we propose the first known on-chip reliability monitor to accurately characterize the impact of asymmetric BTI on SRAM read speed. Statistical data collected from test chip built in a 32nm high-k metal-gate technology shows that (i) the average SRAM read frequency decreases with stress while its variation increases with stress and (ii) both µ and σ of read frequency shift follow a power law dependence on stress time. These observations point to the impact of SRAM peripheral circuit aging on read performance, and the utility of the proposed monitor for characterizing circuit level reliability concerns.
Efficient Detection of Intersections Among Spheres

We present an algorithm for detecting intersection between n spheres in three space, which requires O(n log n) space and O(n log2 n) time.
Mechanism of Action of Bacterial Endotoxin

THE amount of endotoxin required to produce fatal traumatic shock by the intracerebral route is roughly one-twentieth of that required by the intravenous route1. The smaller dose is harmless when given intravenously. Shock following the injection of endotoxin into the brain is therefore the result of an action on the peripheral vessels from a distance—through the sympathetic nervous system. Since the site of the critical lesion produced by sympathetic nerve hyperactivity is in the splanchnic viscera, blockade of the coeliac plexus was used in an effort to prevent the critical lesion. In a previous communication we reported that coeliac blockade by ganglionectomy or by a long-lasting regional anaesthetic prevents death in dogs and rabbits from shock produced by endotoxin given intravenously or intracerebrally1. Some 65 per cent of dogs and rabbits survived a degree of shock that would have produced a mortality exceeding 85 per cent in animals without blockade. Therefore, while endotoxin appears to be capable of acting directly on certain tissues (for example, granulocytes, platelets), the lethal effects of endotoxin appear to be mediated by the catecholamines released in the splanchnic tissues.
Equilibrium Aspects of Folded Chain Polymer Crystals

Recent simulations of polymer crystallization have stimulated questions about thermodynamic vs kinetic control of thickness in folded chain crystals. Free energy landscapes and equilibrium crystal thickness L* and width W* are analyzed for a polyethylene-like material with classical nucleation and growth and with a similar polymer theory that includes entropy effects from folds and cilia. Small crystals that form from one or a few macromolecules must contain folded chains; these equilibrium structures grow with constant aspect ratio L*/W* = σe/σs, the quotient of basal and lateral specific surface energies. The fold/cilium entropy increases the effective σe, leading to crystals that are about 50% thicker than the classical L*. Another consequence of the surface entropy is an equilibrium amorphous fraction that increases with crystallization temperature Tc. Equilibrium crystal growth requires that thickness L* increase by refolding previously crystallized stems until the extended chain thickness Lnax is ac...
Possible observation of Pb0 and Pb1 centers at irradiated (100)Si/SiO2 interface from electrical measurements

By the use of ac conductance measurements, we have observed two distinct defects with different capture cross sections at the x‐ray irradiated (100)Si/SiO2 interface. The capture cross section for one defect is a strong function of energy, while the other one is basically independent of energy. There is a strong possibility that these two interface defects correspond to the Pb0 and Pb1 centers seen in the electron spin resonance experiments. The fact that we do not observe the same behavior on (111) samples lends support to this hypothesis.
Vitamin Plasma Levels in Long-Term Enteral Feeding Patients

Plasma levels of vitamins were determined in eight patients who were nourished with long-term enteral feeding using commercial formulas. The type and quantity of the formula were individually tailored to the patients' needs. Caloric intake (mean ± SEM) amounted to 1564 ± 97 kcal/day. Vitamins intake from the formulas, expressed as percent of Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA), was as follows: pantothenic acid, 222 ± 44%; vitamin B12, 206 ± 34%; vitamin C, 376±51% ; thiamine, 207± 34%; niacin, 207± 34%; riboflavin, 207 ± 34%; pyridoxine, 222 ± 17%; biotin, 113 ± 13%; vitamin A, 93 ± 4%; and folic acid, 104 ± 14%. Plasma levels of thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and vitamin B12 were within normal limits in all patients. Two patients had lower than normal plasma levels of nicotinic acid despite the high intake. Plasma biotin levels were above normal in all patients, with a mean of 931 ± 140 pg/ml (N: 200-500 pg/ml). Ascorbic acid levels were within or above normal, but no corr...
Condensed-matter physics: magnetic fields without magnetic fields.

Exquisite control of quantum systems has allowed researchers to connect reality to ideas of how an exotic form of particle transport known as the quantum Hall effect can occur in the absence of a magnetic field. See Letters p.237 & p.241 The quantum Hall effect leads to topologically protected edge states, and for a long time was thought to exclusively emerge in the presence of an external magnetic field. But in 1988, Duncan Haldane proposed a model in which this exotic electronics structure arises without this requirement. He proposed that, in a honeycomb lattice with a staggered flux, the necessary ingredients for a quantum Hall effect would be inherent in the material itself. The principles behind this concept were later recruited to design topological insulators, but in its original expression, the Haldane model has not been observed in the laboratory. In this issue of Nature, two groups report on progress connected to the Haldane model. Gregor Jotzu et al. report the first realization of the Haldane model and Pedram Roushan et al. show how it can be precisely measured. Jotzu et al. use ultracold fermions to realize the breaking of time-reversal and inversion symmetry — the two main requirements of the model — by implementing a circular modulation of the lattice position and an energy offset between neighbouring sites. Roushan et al. use superconducting quantum circuits — a Josephson junction sandwiched between superconducting electrodes — to realize a non-interacting form of the Haldane model with a single qubit and an interacting two-qubit model through a new experimental setup called 'gmon' coupling architecture. Their setup allows them to characterize both cases by measuring the Berry curvature, a feature that all topological structures have in common.
Application of Continuous Thermodynamics to Natural-Gas Mixtures

This work reviews recent progress in the application of continuous thermodynamics towards calculation of phase equilibria in natural-gas mixtures. In such mixtures, there may be too many components to identify each component individually. Continuous thermodynamics provides a theoretical framework for representing the composition of a portion of the natural-gas mixture by a continuous distribution function. Advances in continuous thermodynamics are discussed in three areas :(1) Characterization and representation of composition in a many-component mixture(2) Development and application of molecular-thermodynamic models for continuous mixtures, and(3) Implementation of efficient numerical techniques for solving material-balance and phase-equilibrium equations. While continuous thermodynamics provides a useful tool for calculation of phase equilibria in natural-gas mixtures, successful implementation requires better chemical-analytical characterization methods. Further, improved semi-theoretical techniques must be developed to relate experimental characterization information to physically significant parameters in molecular-thermodynamic models.
Dirofilaria immitis: do filarial cyclooxygenase products depress endothelium-dependent relaxation in the in vitro rat aorta?

Abstract Endothelial cells modulate the function of their underlying smooth muscle. Thus, altered endothelial behavior could be important in the pathogenesis of vascular and lymphatic diseases, including human and animal filariasis. Endothelium-dependent relaxation is depressed in both in vivo canine femoral artery of dogs infected with Dirofilaria immitis and in vitro rat aorta exposed to adult D. immitis . The experiments reported here were designed to determine if filarial cyclooxygenase products could depress endothelium-dependent relaxation in vitro . Pretreatment of the parasites, but not the vascular ring, with either indomethacin or aspirin, prevented filarial-induced depression of relaxation. Analysis of heartworm-conditioned medium by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry revealed two peaks in the biologically active medium that were not present in the control. One peak had a retention time and chromatographic profile characteristic of derivatized PGD 2 standard, and the other was not identified. Incubation of the vascular ring with PGD 2 mimicked filarial-induced depression of endothelium-dependent relaxation at low, but not high, concentrations of acetylcholine. Thus, filarial PGD 2 may be involved in altered endotheliumdependent relaxation seen in heartworm-infected dogs.
A goodness-of-fit test for inhomogeneous spatial Poisson processes

We introduce a formal testing procedure to assess the fit of an inhomogeneous spatial Poisson process model, based on a discrepancy measure function D c (t; 0) that is constructed from residuals obtained from the fitted model. We derive the asymptotic distributional properties of D c (t;θ) and develop a test statistic based on them. Our test statistic has a limiting standard normal distribution, so that the test can be performed by simply comparing the test statistic with readily available critical values. We perform a simulation study to assess the performance of the proposed method and apply it to a real data example.
Spectral distribution of UV-B irradiance derived by synthetic model compared with simulation results of TUV and ground measurements

Multifilter rotating shadowband radiometers are deployed in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) UV-B (ultraviolet-B) Monitoring and Research Program to measure UV-B irradiances at seven discrete wavelengths. A synthetic model is used to construct the continuous spectral distribution, from which irradiance integrals can be performed for various purposes. The derived spectral data are posted for public use through a web accessible database. Although the synthetic model has been validated with a certain data set, few works have been seen to compare the results of the synthetic model with simulations of other widely accepted models such as TUV. Through this comparison the validation of the synthetic model can be further confirmed and alternative techniques for constructing spectral irradiances from discrete narrowband measurements can also be explored. In this study the data from the USDA UV-B Monitoring and Research Program are used to evaluate the synthetic model and to explore the capability of the TUV model for constructing continuous spectra from discrete measurements. Simulations of the TUV model are compared with discrete measurements, erythema-weighted broadband measurements, and the results of the synthetic model. Good agreements between derived results by using TUV model and the synthetic model with measurements in general further confirm the validation of the synthetic model. Generally, the spectral irradiances constructed by using synthetic model are lower than those by using the TUV model at very shorter wavelengths (<301 nm) and at the wavelengths of 315-342 nm, but are higher at other wavelengths. The ratio of erythemal doses derived by using the TUV simulation to broadband measurements varies between 0.87-1.02. Constructed erythemal doses by using the TUV simulation are closer to broadband measurements than those obtained by using the synthetic model. These results suggest that the TUV model may be a good alternative to accurately estimate continuous spectral distributions from discrete measurements.
Role of the Mga regulon in the resistance of M type 4 Streptococcus pyogenes to phagocytosis

Abstract M type 4 Streptococcus pyogenes is a frequent cause of infections, yet little is known concerning its anti-phagocytic factors. We investigated the role of the Mga regulon on growth in blood by inactivating individual genes within this regulon. Ablation of mrp4, emm4, or sof4 reduced streptococcal growth in human blood. Inactivation of enn4 had little impact on streptococcal growth in blood. Thus, expression of mrp, emm, and sof were required for optimal resistance to phagocytosis of M type 4 S. pyogenes. M proteins from class II serotypes contribute to resistance to phagocytosis by binding C4BP, a regulator of complement activation. Our data indicate that there is an additional pathway for resistance in these streptococci that is mediated by the binding of fibrinogen. Fibrinogen was required for growth of M type 4 S. pyogenes in blood and Mrp4 was the major fibrinogen-binding protein on these bacteria. Fibrinogen–Mrp interactions prevented activation of the classical pathway, thereby contributing to the ability of these streptococci to evade phagocytosis.
The molecular basis for cold agglutination: effect of receptor density upon thermal amplitude of a cold agglutinin.

Abstract Cold agglutinin MKV is a Waldenstrom macroglobulin that agglutinates human erythrocytes in the cold by binding N -acetylneuraminosyl-containing carbohydrate chains on their surfaces. Neuraminidase-treated cells are not agglutinated but their reactivity can be restored by allowing them to adsorb hematoside (NeuNAcα2-3Galβ1-4Glcβ1-ceramide). When between 7 × 104 and 106 molecules are adsorbed per cell, the cells are agglutinated at 0° but not at 37°. When over 106 molecules of hematoside are adsorbed, they are agglutinated at both 0° and 37°. The density of receptors on the erythrocyte surface can thus influence the thermal amplitude of cold agglutinins.
Simultaneous measurement of rat brain cortex PtO2 using EPR oximetry and a fluorescence fiber-optic sensor during normoxia and hyperoxia

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry is a promising, relatively non-invasive method of monitoring tissue partial pressure of oxygen (PtO2) that has proven useful in following changes in PtO2 under various physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions. Optimal utilization of the method will be facilitated by systematic comparisons with other available methods. Here, we report on the absolute values and changes of rat brain PtO2 using EPR oximetry and the OxyLite, an oxygen monitor based on fluorescence quenching, at adjacent locations in the same brain. EPR oximetry utilizes an implanted oxygen-sensitive material and reports tissue PtO2 at the surface of the material. OxyLite measures PtO2 using the fluorescence lifetime of a chromophore fixed to the tip of an optical fiber that is inserted into tissue. Measurements were made at a depth of 2–3 mm into the cortex during normoxia and during breathing of carbogen (95% O2:5% CO2) followed by a return to normoxia. We conclude that in this study (1) PtO2 values reported by the two methods are similar but not exactly the same, (2) both methods can record a baseline and rapid changes in PtO2, (3) changes in PtO2 induced by increasing FiO2 from 0.26 to 0.95 (carbogen) were similar by the two methods and (4) in some rats breathing carbogen, absolute values of PtO2 were above the sensitive range of the OxyLite method.
Interval from prostate biopsy to robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: effects on perioperative outcomes

OBJECTIVE To determine whether shorter intervals (<4 and 6 weeks) between prostate biopsy and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) have a detrimental effect on perioperative outcomes, as recent studies showed that open RP shortly after prostate biopsy does not adversely influence surgical difficulty or efficacy, but RARP relies solely on visual cues rather than tactile sensation to determine posterior surgical planes of dissection. PATIENTS AND METHODS A series of 559 patients undergoing RARP from March 2004 to July 2007 was retrospectively reviewed. The interval between prostate biopsy and RARP was determined and patients with intervals of ≤4 weeks were compared to those >4 weeks. Patient characteristics and perioperative outcomes were analysed to determine statistically significant differences between the groups. This comparison was then repeated with a ≤6- vs >6-week interval, and examined with a multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS In the ≤4-week group (27 patients) vs the >4-week group (509 patients), there was a significantly (P 6-week group (455 patients) there was a smaller but still significantly higher rate of complications (13.6% vs 6.4%). These results were still significant when controlling for patient and disease characteristics and the ‘learning curve’. There was also a significantly higher rate of transfusion in the ≤6-week group (3.7%) than the >6-week group (0.7%). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that RARP should be delayed after prostate biopsy; RARP within 6 weeks of biopsy was associated with a greater risk of complications even when controlling for disease and patient characteristics.
Extension of Animal QTLdb: QTL meta-analysis on the fly

The Animal QTLdb was created to warehouse, compare and facilitate meta-analyses of QTL results from multiple, independent experiments. To date, more than 13,930 cattle, chicken, pigs and sheep QTL have been curated into the database. A number of meta-analysis studies have been carried out in several livestock species, but the results are not readily comparable due to the use of different models and scenarios for statistical inference in these studies. Each analysis is not only time consuming, but also not trivial for a biologist to rerun when new data are added. On the other hand, the continuing rapid increase of QTL data demands a better and faster way to combine QTL data in order to speed up the discovery of causal variants that underlie each QTL. We have implemented two simple, non-parametric meta-analysis methods to perform real-time QTL meta-analysis on the fly. One method is a simple plot of QTL counts at each centiMorgan (cM) along a chromosome; the other method is a kernel density distribution plot of such counts. In both methods, the presence of QTL is computed to indicate the most likely QTL locations supported by available data. This function is available on the QTLdb when users visualize a QTL relative to a chromosome of cattle, chicken, pig or sheep. We are actively working to implement more practical and robust meta-analysis methods to facilitate better focused QTL data mining.
Differential regulation of TGF-β2 by hormones in rat uterus and mammary gland

Abstract Previous work from this laboratory has shown that transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) mRNA is abundant in the pregnant uterus. In the present study, we examined the synthesis and secretion of TGF-β1,2 and 3 in the rat uterus and mammary gland and show differential secretion and expression of TGF-β2 in a tissue specific manner. Elevated levels of TGF-β2 were detected in late pregnant maternal plasmas (> 100 pM), and in the milk (> 500 pM) during early lactation. High concentrations of TGF-β2 (> 200 pM) were also detected in uterine fluids collected from ovariectomized adult rats after high dose estrogen treatment. TGF-β2 mRNA levels were elevated in lobuloalveolar epithelial cells isolated from pregnant mammary gland. Three major transcripts of 3.5, 4.0, and 4.7 kb were seen, of which the 4.7 kb, dominates. Mammary glands of estrogen treated ovariectomized rats showed a similar pattern of TGF-β2 transcripts. In contrast, four major TGF-β2 mRNA transcripts of 5.7, 4.7, 4.0, and 3.5 kb, with the dominant species of 4.0 and 5.7 kb, were observed in uteri from the estrogen treated animals up to 48 h after the last estrogen injection. This suggests that TGF-β2 is regulated in a tissue specific manner. We conclude that the secretion of TGF-β2 is tightly regulated by hormones and that estrogen and prolactin are critical factors in the tissue-specific regulation of the local production of TGF-β2 in the mammary gland and female reproductive tract.
Renormalization group flow of quartic perturbations in graphene: Strong coupling and large- N limits

We explore the renormalization group flow of quartic perturbations in the low-enegy theory of graphene, in the strong Coulomb coupling and large-$N$ limits, where $N$ is the number of fermion flavors. We compute the anomalous dimensions of the quartic couplings $u$ up to leading order in $1∕N$ and find both relevant and irrelevant directions in the space of quartic couplings. We discuss possible phase diagrams and relevance for the physics of graphene.
Computer-Generated Holograms in Biology and Medicine

Holographic images of diagnostic scan data can be invaluable in many medical procedures. The method described here makes possible the efficient computer generation of holograms.
Loss Aversion and the Framing of the Health Care Reform Debate

The high-stakes debate over health care reform captured the public’s attention for nearly a year. Options ranging from fully nationalized insurance to maintaining the status quo were considered, though little consensus as to the appropriate solution emerged. Most surveys indicated an agreement that a problem existed with the current health care system and a clear and consistent majority favored taking some action on health care reform. However, clear public support for any specific reform proposal was difficult to muster since most individuals also indicated satisfaction with their own health care. This paper explores this disconnect in public opinion within the context of loss aversion. We note that even as elites actively attempted to frame the issue to counteract the public’s loss averse tendencies, these strategies met with little success in generating support for Obama’s reform plan. However, we also argue that these loss averse tendencies will now work against any Republican efforts to repeal the health reform legislation.
Superconductivity at 34 K in the K/Ba/Bi/O system

Abstract The critical temperature for superconductivity in the (Ba, K)BiO 3 system has been increased to 34 K. With each such increase of T c in a system containing no copper it becomes increasingly likely that the mechanisms for superconductivity in the Bi-based and the Cu-based oxide superconductors are very closely related to each other. Since the (Ba, K)BiO 3 superconductors possess the cubic perovskite structure, the mechanism for high T c would then not related directly to the two-dimensional character of the copper oxide superconductors or to the magnetism in such systems.
Use of an industrial distributed control system in conjunction with Matlab/Simulink for process control education

Abstract The paper demonstrates how a four-tank laboratory process equipped with a modern distributed control system (DCS) is used in different control engineering laboratories for the undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes the utilization of commercial tools for DCS engineering as well as the design and commissioning of traditional and advanced control solutions. Matlab/Simulink tools are connected via OPC to extend the laboratory scope with rapid control prototyping and hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Using the same pilot plant, DCS and scientific computing environment in different courses lowers the costs, allows the reutilization of results and enables an efficient lab organization. It also supports the process of learning the inner context of different process control related subjects.
Action-centered inhibition: Effects of distractors on movement planning and execution

Abstract Subjects produced rapid pointing movements to targets that were sometimes accompanied by nearby distractors. Responses were slower when distractors were present. Furthermore, distractors that appeared along the path of the movement were more disruptive than those that appeared beyond the movement target. Analysis of the responses revealed that both the time to initiate the movements, and the movements themselves were affected by the distractors. Additionally, the initial ballistic portions of the movements were unaffected by the location of the distractor, but the final corrective phase of movement was affected. The results provide new insights into the nature of the representations within which people conduct plans and the control of movement.
A Framework for Engineering the Collective Behavior of Complex Rhythmic Systems.

We have developed an engineering framework which utilizes experiment-based phase models to tune complex dynamic structures to desired states; weak, nondestructive signals are employed to alter interactions among nonlinear rhythmic elements. In this manuscript, we present an integrated overview and discussion of our recent studies in this area. Experiments on electrochemical reactions were conducted using multielectrode arrays to demonstrate the use of mild model-engineered feedback to achieve a desirable system response. Application is made to the tuning of phase difference between two oscillators, generation of sequentially visited dynamic cluster patterns, engineering dynamically differentiated cluster states, and to the design of a nonlinear antipacemaker for the destruction of synchronization of a population of interacting oscillators.
Immunological study of a neurofilament protein variant (S150) with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract Ten polyclonal neurofilament antibodies were tested for domain specificity with immunoblots of chymotrypsin digests of a neurofilament protein of 150 kDa (NF 150K). In contrast to most monoclonal antibodies previously reported, the five polyclonal antibodies which showed domain specificity reacted with the 40 kDa α-helical rod domain of the molecule. (With one exception, monoclonal antibodies reacted with the 200 kDa carboxy-terminal peripheral domain.) Of these ten polyclonal antibodies only two reacted with an isoelectric variant of NK 150 K (S150) isolated by Liem and collaborators (Wong, J., Hutchison, S.B. and Liem, R.K.H. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 10867–10874) from bovine brain. 13 monoclonal antibodies were also tested for reactivity with S150 protein. With one exception, none of these antibodies reacted with this variant, not even a monoclonal antibody which we have previously shown to react with a non-phosphorylated epitope located in the rod domain of NF 150K. We suggest that either there are modifications other than dephosphorylation in the S150 isoelectric variant or, alternatively, that it is not derived from NF 150K.
A local search mechanism for peer-to-peer networks

One important problem in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks is searching and retrieving the correct information. However, existing searching mechanisms in pure peer-to-peer networks are inefficient due to the decentralized nature of such networks. We propose two mechanisms for information retrieval in pure peer-to-peer networks. The first, the modified Breadth-First Search (BFS) mechanism, is an extension of the current Gnuttela protocol, allows searching with keywords, and is designed to minimize the number of messages that are needed to search the network. The second, the Intelligent Search mechanism, uses the past behavior of the P2P network to further improve the scalability of the search procedure. In this algorithm, each peer autonomously decides which of its peers are most likely to answer a given query. The algorithm is entirely distributed, and therefore scales well with the size of the network. We implemented our mechanisms as middleware platforms. To show the advantages of our mechanisms we present experimental results using the middleware implementation.
How context affects electronic health record-based test result follow-up: a mixed-methods evaluation.

Objectives Electronic health record (EHR)-based alerts can facilitate transmission of test results to healthcare providers, helping ensure timely and appropriate follow-up. However, failure to follow-up on abnormal test results (missed test results) persists in EHR-enabled healthcare settings. We aimed to identify contextual factors associated with facility-level variation in missed test results within the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system. Design, setting and participants Based on a previous survey, we categorised VA facilities according to primary care providers’ (PCPs’) perceptions of low (n=20) versus high (n=20) risk of missed test results. We interviewed facility representatives to collect data on several contextual factors derived from a sociotechnical conceptual model of safe and effective EHR use. We compared these factors between facilities categorised as low and high perceived risk, adjusting for structural characteristics. Results Facilities with low perceived risk were significantly more likely to use specific strategies to prevent alerts from being lost to follow-up (p=0.0114). Qualitative analysis identified three high-risk scenarios for missed test results: alerts on tests ordered by trainees, alerts ‘handed off’ to another covering clinician (surrogate clinician), and alerts on patients not assigned in the EHR to a PCP. Test result management policies and procedures to address these high-risk situations varied considerably across facilities. Conclusions Our study identified several scenarios that pose a higher risk for missed test results in EHR-based healthcare systems. In addition to implementing provider-level strategies to prevent missed test results, healthcare organisations should consider implementing monitoring systems to track missed test results.
Improvements in Superplastic Performance of Commercial AA5083 Aluminium Processed by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion

An improvement in superplastic performance, as measured by elongation to failure, was achieved in an AA5083 aluminum alloy. Equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) processing was performed on commercially available hot rolled AA5083 material, in order to refine the microstructure to achieve superplastic characteristics. The ECAE process offered several potential advantages in the processing of an SPF-grade aluminum alloy. The first was the ability to introduce a high level of energy into the structure through localized shearing, which developed a well-defined sub-grain structure and ultimately a refined microstructure upon recrystallization. Secondly, with ECAE there is the unique ability to achieve the desirable microstructure in bulk form without reducing the dimensions of the starting material, as is the case in conventional roll processing of SPF sheet materials. Total elongation of >350% was measured at a temperature of 550°C and strain rate of 5x10 -4 . This was an increase in elongation of over 150% compared to the same material processed by convention thermal mechanical processing (TMP) techniques, designed to produce a fine grain microstructure in sheet material. Past work on the same commercial AA5083 material using an appropriate TMP schedule, revealed <200% elongation was achievable at the same temperature and strain rate. Through conventional thermal mechanical processing (a series of heat treatments and hot and cold rolling steps), the minimum grain size achieved was typically limited to 10 μm, but with ECAE an average grain size <2 μm was produced, after the recovery heat treatment step.