cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vancomycin prophylaxis in paediatric patients following cardiac surgery: a retrospective evaluation of trough levels and associated variables.

OBJECTIVES Therapeutic drug monitoring during vancomycin administration is recommended. However, little information is available in case of paediatric vancomycin prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to analyse vancomycin trough levels on postoperative day (POD) 2 and 3 after paediatric cardio-surgery to assess the clinical predictors and outcomes associated with vancomycin concentrations and to evaluate whether adjustments are effective to target optimal levels. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in paediatric patients receiving vancomycin prophylaxis after elective cardio-surgery. Adjustments were made if levels between 20 and 30 (halving subsequent dose) or ˃30 mg/l (dose withheld) were found. RESULTS Vancomycin doses of the 100 examined children (3.7-6.4 years) were 12.8 (2.5), 9.4 (5.4) and 9.7 (4.5) mg/kg, on POD1, 2 and 3, respectively (P = 0.0001). The 200 vancomycin trough levels decreased from 16.9 (11.4) on POD2 to 14.6 (8.5) on POD3 (P = 0.003). Overall, 66 troughs were sub-target, 68 reached the optimal target and 66 were supra-target. On POD2 and 3, 32 and 27 dose adjustments were required, leading to a reduced number of patients with supra-target troughs. Neonates showed a higher number of supra-target levels with respect to non-neonatal patients on both POD2 (P = 0.003) and 3 (P = 0.0001). At multivariable regression analysis, vancomycin levels showed independent association with weight and creatinine levels on both POD2 and 3. Vancomycin levels correlated with ventilation days (P = 0.31, P = 0.039), but not with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus positivity (P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS Vancomycin prophylaxis in paediatric cardio-surgery requires strict therapeutic drug monitoring and several dosage adjustments. Supra-target troughs are frequent and neonatal age, weight and creatinine levels significantly affect vancomycin concentrations.
Student Perceptions of Textbooks: Prior Behaviors and Beliefs Can Influence Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Adoption Impact

Many Open Educational Resource (OER) and Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) studies explore cost savings, impact on learning outcomes, and student perceptions of the materials. While OER/ZTC research reports positive student perceptions (Brandle et al., 2019), textbook research reports negative student perceptions of digital textbooks (Behnke, 2018). This study explores student buying behavior and perceptions of textbooks, finding that perceptions toward the usefulness of materials is high when access to materials is high. Given this student perception, textbook purchasing is likely related to outside factors. This study adds to the growing body of research about how OER and ZTC may influence student costs and access to course materials, finding that student attitude toward course materials needs to be considered alongside adoption.
Quantity Recommendation as a Solution to Imbalanced Fertilizer Use? A Field Experiment in Bangladesh

We use a field experiment in Bangladesh to test if two types of variety-specific fertilizer recommendations---government provided, community-level recommendations and plot-specific recommendations based on individual soil tests---affect fertilizer use, yield, and profits. Treatment farmers do not change their fertilizer application behavior in response to either recommendation. One exception is the case of TSP (phosphate fertilizer), which is recommended for all crops but recommended quantities are significantly lower than the baseline average usage. Treatment farmers over-react to the recommendations by stopping TSP use after the intervention. In the soil-testing treatment arm farmers also shift their seed choice to varieties for which their baseline fertilizer consumption aligns with the recommendation. Opting out of using TSP, an essential fertilizer, ultimately hurts productivity as farmers in the community-based recommendation arm experience a 6.6% yield reduction. Attention costs may explain the extensive margin but no intensive margin effect in response to the treatments.
Design of a Truck Appointment System Considering Drayage Scheduling and Stochastic Turn Time

This paper develops a truck appointment system (TAS) considering variability in turn time at the container terminals. The consideration of this operational characteristic is crucial for optimal dra...
Translational Genomics of Cucurbit Oil Seeds

Cucurbitaceae includes more than 950 different species with cucumber, melon, pumpkins, squashes, and watermelon being the most economically important crops. Cucurbit crops are mainly grown for consumption of their mature or immature fruit, but seed production for edible seed or oil extraction is increasing. Although many different species are grown for their seed, species from the Cucurbita and Citrullus genera are the best studied. Due to the economic importance of cucurbit fruit and their relatively small genomes, draft genomes for nine different species are publicly available. Genomic studies of oil seed traits include the mapping of unique seed coat traits like the hull-less trait in Cucurbita and the egusi seed trait in Citrullus. Loci associated with seed size, seed coat color, and fatty acid content have also been identified in some species. Despite these advances, oil seed translational genomics lags behind that for horticultural traits in cucurbits. There is great opportunity for utilizing the abundant genomic resources in cucurbits to advance molecular breeding for seed oil traits.
Novel synthetic pyridyl analogues of CDDO-Imidazolide are useful new tools in cancer prevention

Two new analogues of CDDO-Imidazolide (CDDO-Im), namely 1-[2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl]-4(-pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole ("CDDO-2P-Im") and 1-[2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl]-4(-pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazole ("CDDO-3P-Im") have been synthesized and tested for their potential use as chemopreventive drugs. At nanomolar concentrations, they were equipotent to CDDO-Im for inducing differentiation and apoptosis in U937 leukemia cells. As inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to carcinogenesis, we also assessed their cytoprotective potential. The new compounds suppressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells and significantly elevated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinone reductase (NQO1) mRNA and protein levels in various mouse tissues in vivo. Most importantly, pharmacokinetic studies performed in vitro in human plasma and in vivo showed that each new analogue was more stable than CDDO-Im. Much higher concentrations of the new derivatives were found in mouse liver, lung, pancreas and kidney after gavage in contrast to CDDO-Im. Because of their better bioavailability and their excellent anti-inflammatory profile in vitro, CDDO-2P-Im and CDDO-3P-Im were tested for prevention in a highly relevant mouse lung cancer model, in which A/J mice develop lung carcinomas after injection of vinyl carbamate, a potent carcinogen. CDDO-2P-Im and CDDO-3P-Im were as effective as CDDO-Im for reducing the size and the severity of the lung tumors.
First-Order Ordinary Differential Equations

First-order ordinary differential equations have some rather special properties, which result for the most part because they can only contain a limited number of terms. In fact, all linear first-order ordinary differential equations can easily be solved. This is in contrast to higher-order ordinary differential equations that become much more difficult to solve when, for example, they contain variable coefficients. Furthermore, some methods exist to solve a pretty large class of nonlinear first-order ordinary differential equations, which is generally not the case for higherorder nonlinear equations.
Extending the Examination of Audience Involvement With Media Personae: Response to Brown

A large body of research has demonstrated that audience involvement with media characters can facilitate media effects in important ways. Over time, our understanding of the various processes of audience involvement has grown more nuanced but the relationships among these constructs remains unclear. As Brown notes in his paper, some conceptual confusion persists and we still lack a comprehensive model for understanding these interrelationships. Brown's paper offers a crucial step forward by positing a model of how individuals progress from transportation and parasocial relationships to identification and worship based upon increases in intensity and duration. Here I discuss some of my additional thoughts on these interrelationships that were inspired by Brown's fine work in advancing this model
Efficiently Inducing Determinations: A Complete and Systematic Search Algorithm that Uses Optimal Pruning

Determinations are a useful type of functional knowledge representation. Applications include knowledge-based systems, analogical reasoning, database design, and robotic sensing systems. This paper presents an efficient, batch algorithm for inducing all minimal determinations from observed data. The algorithm is based on breadth-first search and runs in polynomial time and space given a user-supplied parameter limiting the maximum size of a determination. The algorithm uses probabilistic measures to induce determinations despite noisy data. One key contribution is the identification of an enumeration order in the space of possible determinations that affords a complete and systematic search. Another contribution lists axioms that relate neighboring states and allow the construction of pruning rules. A third contribution formulates a perfect hash function for states in this space and facilitates optimal use of the pruning rules. This paper also sketches an algorithm that can incrementally revise a set of determinations given additional data.
Abstract 4533: Mechanism of anti-proliferative effects of sanguinarine in pancreatic cancer cells: A label-free quantitative proteomics approach

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, with a meager (∼3%) 5-year survival rate. The incidence of pancreatic cancer nearly equals its death rate as this neoplasm is associated with poor responsiveness to conventional chemotherapies. Therefore, it's crucial to identify newer mechanism-based agents and targets to effectively manage pancreatic cancer. Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that the plant alkaloid sanguinarine (13-methyl(1,3)benzodioxolo (5,6-c)-1,3-dioxolo (4,5-i) phenanthridinium possesses strong antiproliferative effects against human pancreatic carcinoma cells (Cancer Letters 249; 198-208, 2007). In this study, employing a large-scale Nano-ESI ultra high resolution label-free quantitative proteomics, we attempted to determine the mechanism of sanguinarine's biological response in human pancreatic cancer cells. Based on pilot experiments, we selected BxPC-3 cells and a 1 microM sanguinarine treatment for 24 hours for our proteomics study. Proteins from control and sanguinarine-treated BxPC-3 cells were digested with trypsin followed by nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Following LC/MS/MS acquisition, the data were searched against the Swiss-Prot human proteome database using Sequest HT search engine under the Proteome Discoverer 1.4 software (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Following protein identification, the LC/MS/MS data was aligned using Chromalign and quantitation of peptides was performed on the processed data using Sieve 2.1 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). A cumulative data of a total of 6 replicates (2 biological and 3 technical) were run and analyzed. Upon comparison with untreated control, 37 proteins (from a total of 3108) showed +1.8 fold significant differential expressions (p value <0.05). These proteins can be categorized under distinct biological functions: 1) cellular assembly and organization, 2) cellular function and maintenance, 3) inflammatory response, and 4) cell death and survival. On further data analysis and validation using real-time qPCR and Western blot analyses, we identified the dual specificity phosphatase-4 (DUSP4), as a novel target of sanguinarine in pancreatic cancer cells. In order to determine the clinical relevance of DUSP4 in pancreatic cancer cells, we determined the expression profile of DUSP4 in a tissue microarray (TMA) containing a wide range of pancreatic cancer tissue (different stages) and normal pancreas tissue from autopsy. We found that that DUSP4 is markedly downregulated in cancerous pancreatic tissues. Our data identified, for the first time, DUPS4 as a potential tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer and a novel target of sanguinarine. However, further studies are needed to validate our findings in detailed in vitro and in vivo studies.
A longitudinal, naturalistic study of information search & use behavior as implicit feedback for user model construction & maintenance

A longitudinal, naturalistic study of the online information search and use behavior of seven users is being conducted during a four-month period to understand how behavior can be used as implicit sources of evidence for user model construction and maintenance. Users are provided with laptops and printers, and their activities are monitored with logging software, paper instruments and weekly interviews. The goal of the study is to develop methods for using online search and use behaviors to predict document usefulness in order to unobtrusively build and maintain a model of the user's interests.
Recombination Activating Genes, RAG1 and RAG2

This article has no abstract. Keywords: recombination activating genes, rag1 and rag2
Effect of Adenosine Monophosphate, Adenosine Diphosphate, and Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide on Adenosine Triphosphate-dependent Carbon Dioxide Fixation in the Autotroph Thiobacillus neapolitanus

The observation that adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent CO2 fixation in extracts of chemosynthetic and photosynthetic autotrophs may be regulated in part by adenosine monophosphate (AMP) was extended to the strict autotroph Thiobacillus neapolitanus (X). In addition, this report presents data which include adenosine diphosphate (ADP) in the regulatory role. When the primary CO2 acceptor, ribose-5-phosphate, was replaced by ribulose-1,5-diphosphate, no inhibition of CO2 fixation occurred unless the Mg++ concentration was limiting. A molar ratio of 5:1 AMP or ADP to ATP reduced the specific activity (micromoles of CO2 fixed per milligram of protein per minute) of the extracts from 0.22 to 0.12 and 0.11, respectively. The reported stimulation of the carboxylative phase of ATP-dependent CO2 fixation by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH2) was investigated. Adding NADH2 to the extracts did not stimulate CO2 fixation, even at carbonate levels from 0.05 to 30 μmoles, except in the absence of ribose-5-phosphate. Slight increases in CO2 fixation were noted when the assay system was incubated in air instead of the usual helium atmosphere.
Design Lead Time Predictions

Changing Federal and state requirements for developing transportation projects are having an adverse effect on estimates of engineering costs. Environmental laws in particular are rendering historical engineering cost data unreliable for manpower planning and budget preparation. A method that avoids historical experience has been developed for forecasting design lead times and for predicting the distribution pattern of project man-hours on major freeway projects. A computer can generate lead time plots from recent accounting records and other project-related information. The basic accounting data is less than 1 yr old yet the lead time plots span up to 10 yr. As quickly as new design procedures are adopted, they can be reflected in the lead-time curves. This method saves the long wait for historical project cost data to accumulate.
Increasing Breast Milk Production for Premature Infants With a Relaxation/Imagery Audiotape

Many women whose premature infants are hospitalized in a newborn intensive care unit choose to express breast milk for their babies. Yet anxiety, fatigue, and emotional stress are powerful inhibitors of lactation. To facilitate the breast-feeding experience, intervention mothers were given a 20-minute audio cassette tape based on relaxation and visual imagery techniques. At a single follow-up expression of milk at the hospital approximately 1 week after enrollment, they expressed 63% more breast milk than a randomized group of control mothers. The fat content of the breast milk in the two groups was not significantly different. Among a small group of mothers whose infants were receiving mechanical ventilation, the increase in milk volume compared with that of control mothers was 121%. Longer-term effects of the relaxation/imagery approach (such as extending the duration of breast-feeding or reducing parental stress after hospital discharge) and the physiologic basis for the increased volume of expressed milk (improved milk production v more efficient milk ejection) are appropriate topics for future research.
Termination of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia by intravenous adenosine in a child.

Summary A fit 6-year-old child developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia at the end of an operation for adenotonsillectomy. Sinus rhythm was rapidly restored with intravenous adenosine.
On dislocations in the fluxon lattice: some “atomic” calculations

Abstract The calculations described in this letter result in dislocations having the actually observed configurations, but show that dislocations are not stable without pinning, and that the two types observed have the same energy but slightly different Peierls “wells”.
Social-ecological Influences on Teen Dating Violence: A Youth Rights and Capabilities Approach to Exploring Context

Prevention science suggests that teen dating violence (TDV) prevention be directed at multiple levels of youth’s social-ecological environments, from person to relationship, community, and societal levels. Yet, little is known about community and societal influences on TDV. We used a human rights capabilities approach to explore social-ecological environment influences TDV. Through 3 focus groups and 11 interviews, we asked 37 youth and 21 adults in a racially and socioeconomically diverse, Southeastern US school district to share their views on how environment influences TDV. A four-person team conducted thematic coding. Results revealed themes and contrasts across youth and adult understandings of context and capabilities in TDV. The capabilities approach provides a promising framework for understanding school and community influences on TDV.
Social factors that contribute to attrition in MOOCs

In this paper, we explore student dropout behavior in a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC). We use a survival model to measure the impact of three social factors that make predictions about attrition along the way for students who have participated in the course discussion forum.
Concomitant immunity in hamsters bearing syngeneic transplants of tumors induced by para-adenovirus 7, simian adenovirus 7, or 9,10-dimethylbenzanthracene.

Studies in an inbred line of hamsters have revealed that animals bearing tumor transplants reject a second graft of the same cells. This resistance was specific and was manifested against tumor cells induced by viruses (PARA-adenovirus 7, simian adenovirus 7) or chemicals (9,10-dimethylbenzanthracene). Studies designed to measure dose-response revealed that tumor-bearing hamsters were 10 to more than 100 times as refractory to challenge by a given cell line as were normal hamsters. Nevertheless, this immunity did not prevent continued growth of the primary transplant. Immunite Concomitante Chez des Hamsters Portant des Greffons Syngeniques de Tumeurs Induites par L'adenovirus 7-para, L'adenovirus 7 Simien ou le Dimethyl-9, 10-Benzoanthracgne Des travaux sur une lignee consanguine de hamsters ont revele que les animaux porteurs de greffons de tumeurs rejettent un second greffon de memes cellules. Cette resistance est specifique et se manifeste a l'egard de cellules tumorales induites par des virus (admenovirus 7-PARA, adenovirus 7 simien) ou par des produits chimiques (dimethyl-9, 10-benzoanthracene). Les essais “dose-reponse” out montre que les hamsters porteurs de tumeurs sont de 10 a 100 fois plus refractaires a l'attaque des cellules d'une certaine lignee que les hamsters normaux. Neanmoins, cette immunite n'empeche pas le developpement constant du greffon primitif.
Transformation of the Gram-positive honey bee pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae, by electroporation.

Abstract In this study we developed an electrotransformation method for use with the Gram-positive bacterium Paenibacillus larvae—a deadly pathogen of honey bees. Combining multiple Bacillus electrotransformation methods to generate an initial protocol, we then optimized the following parameters for use with P. larvae: cell density of culture at harvest time, contents of the washing/electroporation solution, field strength of the electrical pulse, recovery growth medium, and recovery time period. With the optimized method, we achieved an average transformation efficiency of 1.9 × 105 transformants/μg DNA. The method is substantially different from the only other electrotransformation method for a Paenibacillus species found in the literature. This work should facilitate the study of the several previously discovered natural plasmids of P. larvae, and is a step toward developing a genetic system for this species.
Synthesis and solvent‐dependent micellization of the amphiphilic block copolymer poly(styreneboronic acid)‐block‐polystyrene

The amphiphilic organoboron block copolymer poly (styreneboronic acid)-block-polystyrene (PSBA-b-PS )h as been prepared through a postpolymerization modification route from the silicon-functionalized block copolymer poly(4- trimethylsilylstyrene)-block-polystyrene (PSSi-b-PS). PSBA-b- PS is obtained through highly selective reaction of PSSi-b- PS with BBr3 at room temperature and subsequent hydroly- sis of the BBr2-functionalized intermediate. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrate that PSBA-b-PS undergoes pH dependent micellization in aqueous solution. Different morphologies could be realized by using different mixtures of water and organic solvents. V C 2010 Wiley Period- icals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2438-2445, 2010
Spatial and temporal patterning distinguishes the locomotor activating effects of dizocilpine and phencyclidine in rats.

A behavioral pattern monitor was used to assess the effects of dizocilpine (MK-801) and phencyclidine on the spatial and temporal patterns of locomotion and investigatory behavior in rats. The monitor provided both quantitative measures of crossovers, rearings and holepokes and qualitative measurement of the spatial and temporal patterns of locomotion. Dizocilpine (0.004–0.5 mgkg) and phencyclidine (0.25–5.0 mgkg) produced similar, dose-dependent increases in locomotor activity. At small doses, dizocilpine and phencyclidine increased investigatory holepokes, while at larger doses, both drugs significantly decreased the number of holepokes. Rearings were reduced similarly by the larger doses of each drug. Both dizocilpine and phencyclidine produced perseverative spatial patterns of locomotion, especially at larger doses. However, the locomotor patterns produced by these drugs were found to be dissimilar in spatial quality. After phencyclidine, animals frequently circled the perimeter of the monitor chamber or moved repetitively in horseshoe or figure-8 patterns. By contrast, rats given dizocilpine completed small rotations about either end of the chamber. Pretreatment with a small dose (0.02 mgkg) of haloperidol, prior to either dizocilpine (0.5 mgkg) or phencyclidine (5.0 mgkg) had no effect on the increase in locomotor activity or the decreases in investigatory holepokes produced by the drugs. However, haloperidol altered the effects of phencyclidine on the spatial and temporal patterns of locomotion, suggesting that sigma receptors or other haloperidol-sensitive binding sites, may influence the quality but not the quantity of phencyclidine-induced hyperactivity.
Binding of SO3 to fly ash components: CaO, MgO, Na2O and K2O

Abstract Fly ash plays an important role in the retention and oxidation of SOx species in the coal flue gas stream, particularly in the oxy-combustion of coal where the sulfur trioxide (SO3) concentration is of great concern. Density functional theory was employed to examine the binding mechanism of SO3 to several of the various metal oxides that compose coal fly ash, including calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium oxide and potassium oxide, to better understand the interactions between the gaseous SO3 and the metal oxide surfaces. Results from the calculations show the trend that SO3 binds more strongly to Mg
Simultaneous and stereoselective formation of planar and axial chiralities in enantiopure sulfinyl iron diene complexes.

Enantiopure (1Z,3E)-1-sulfinyl dienes bearing an o-dithianylphenyl group can be prepared and complexed with (bda)Fe(CO)3 to afford the corresponding sulfinyl diene iron(0) tricarbonyl complexes. This diastereoselective complexation introduces planar and axial chirality simultaneously, with a high degree of facial selectivity as well as atropselectivity. Dynamic kinetic resolution is likely to be the origin of the atropselectivity.
Aberrant association of promyelocytic leukemia protein-retinoic acid receptor-α with coactivators contributes to its ability to regulate gene expression

The aberrant association of promyelocytic leukemia protein-retinoic acid receptor-alpha (PML-RARalpha) with corepressor complexes is generally thought to contribute to the ability of PML-RARalpha to regulate transcription. We report here that PML-RARalpha acquires aberrant association with coactivators. We show that endogenous PML-RARalpha interacts with the histone acetyltransferases CBP, p300, and SRC-1 in a hormoneindependent manner, an association not seen for RARalpha. This hormone-independent coactivator binding activity requires an intact ligand-binding domain and the NR box of the coactivators. Confocal microscopy studies demonstrate that exogenous PML-RARalpha sequesters and colocalizes with coactivators. These observations correlate with the ability of PML-RARalpha to attenuate the transcription activation of the Notch signaling downstream effector, CBF1, and of the glucocorticoid receptor. This includes attenuation of the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) and FLJ25390 target genes of the endogenous glucocorticoid receptor. Furthermore, treatment of NB4 cells with all-trans-retinoic acid, which promotes PML-RARalpha degradation, resulted in increased activation of GILZ. On the basis of these findings, we propose a model in which the hormone-independent association between PML-RARalpha and coactivators contributes to its ability to regulate gene expression.
SU‐DD‐A4‐03: A Validation Study of Concurrent Multimodality Segmentation

Purpose: The acquisition of multiple images of varied yet complementary information is rapidly becoming the norm in radiotherapytreatment planning. Beside CTdata sets, PET and/or MRI or MRS images are also being used to aid in the definition of the target volume (or normal structures) for treatment optimization. We have been developing new methods to integrate available imaginginformation (anatomical and/or physiological) for concurrent target registration and segmentation. Towards this goal, we have investigated several clustering and active contour methods for simultaneous 2D/3D segmentation/registration of multi‐modality images consisting of combinations of PET, CT, or MRI datasets. In this work, we present a phantom validation study of this approach. Method and Materials: A commercial anthropomorphic head phantom of average human size was used. Targets consisting of plastic spheres and rods were placed throughout the cranium section of the phantom. Tap water was used for CTimaging. For MRI and PET imaging, the water inside the phantom was doped with CuNO3 and 18F‐FDG, respectively. The cold spots spheres were considered as the segmentation targets (four spheres each is 25.4 mm in diameter). The rods were used as landmarks to assist in alignment. A geometric deformable model known as the multi‐valued level set (MVLS) method was applied as our computational vehicle. Results: The MVLS algorithm achieved 90% segmentation accuracy and less than 2% volume error when integrating all of the three modalities. This is contrasted with 74% segmentation accuracy and 4.4% volume error when using CT‐based systems only. Conclusion: We have validated a semi‐automatic method for integrating information from different imaging modalities. Our phantom study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed image integration approach. This approach could potentially provide radiologists/oncologists with reliable and efficient tools to analyze simultaneously different modality data in different cancer sites. This work was supported by ACS‐IRG‐58‐010‐50 grant.
Regional variations of contractile activity in isolated rat lymphatics.

Objective: To evaluate lymphatic contractile activity in different regions of the lymphatic system in a single animal model (the rat thoracic duct, mesenteric, cervical, and femoral lymphatics) in response to changes in lymph pressure and flow.Methods: The systolic and diastolic diameters of isolated, cannulated, and pressurized lymphatic vessels were measured. Contraction frequency, ejection fraction, and fractional pump flow were determined. The influences of incrementally increased transmural pressure (from 1 to 9 cm H2O) and imposed flow (from 1 to 5 cm H2O transaxial pressure gradient) were investigated.Results: The authors determined regional differences in lymphatic contractility in response to pressure and imposed flow. They found the highest pumping (at the optimal pressure levels) in mesenteric lymphatics and lowest pumping in thoracic duct. All lymphatics had their optimal pumping conditions at low levels of transmural pressure. Different degrees of the flow-induced inhibition of the pump were ...
Complementary oligonucleotide binding to transfer RNA

Abstract Association constants between Escherichia coli tRNA Tyr and oligoribonucleotides complementary to its sequence were determined by equilibrium dialysis. A tetramer was judged to bind to complementary single-stranded regions of the RNA molecule when its equilibrium constant was greater than twice the sum of the equilibrium constants of the constituent trimers. In the case of a tetramer binding to the anticodon loop, a study of the temperature dependence of the association constant revealed a much higher value of T m than obtained with model compounds. A scan of the tRNA Tyr sequence with complementary trimers and tetramers identified four regions of the cloverleaf which were available for binding. These are: (1) the four 3′-terminal residues; (2) most of the anticodon loop; (3) a portion of the dihydrouracil loop and (4) some of the sequences in the variable-length region. In the latter two cases, the oligomers which bind may compete with the native tRNA structure. Nevertheless, oligomers which bind to one part of the tRNA molecule are generally found not to affect association constants of oligomers binding elsewhere on the tRNA. Similar equilibrium dialysis experiments with tRNA f Met reveal little difference in the regions of the cloverleaf available for oligomer binding.
Spatial relationships among the active and allosteric sites of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase

Abstract NMR experiments were conducted to map distances among various loci on Escherichia coli carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase. Three paramagnetic probes, viz., Mn2+, Cr3+-ATP, and nitroxide spin-labels were used in experiments designed to measure the 1 T 1 (longitudinal relaxation rate) of various nuclei in enzyme complexes with these paramagnetic species. The distance between the monovalent cation activator site and enzyme-bound Cr3+-ATP was determined using three different monovalent cations, 133Cs+, 15NH4+, and Li+ (6Li and 7Li). Substantial paramagnetic effects were observed on the 1 T 1 values for all four nuclei and the M+ to Cr3+ distance was ∼4 A. Additional NMR data with 133Cs+ and Mn2+ were used to obtain the distance between the two cation activator sites, monovalent and divalent, and a Mn2+ to Cs+ distance of 8.0 A was calculated, corroborating earlier work [ F. M. Raushel, P. M. Anderson, and J. J. Villafranca (1983) Biochemistry 22, 1872–1876]. Three separate sulfhydryl sites on carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase were spin-labeled with 3-maleimido-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidinyl-1-oxy. Each of these enzyme-nitroxide complexes was used to examine the paramagnetic influence on the 1H of l -glutamate and l -ornithine and also the 1H and 31P of IMP and UMP. Small paramagnetic effects were observed on these nuclei and only lower limits on the distance from each nitroxide could be obtained. Thus both l -ornithine and l -glutamate are >11 A from each sulfhydryl site while IMP and UMP are >15 A from these sites. A topographical map is presented based on these data and data from our previous NMR studies that show the spatial relationship among the active-site components of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase.
Fault tolerance in autonomous acoustic arrays

Abstract The problem of fault tolerance in autonomous disposable fiber-optic-based acoustic arrays is considered. The principal source of failures over relatively short mission times is node outage due to battery run-down resulting in possible network failure, degradation in the beam power pattern, and possible loss of critical processing elements. Network integrity in the presence of node failures requires an optical bypass capable of bypassing several adjacent failed nodes. The effect of node failure on the beam power pattern is principally in the side lobes rather than in the main beam, and is amenable to relatively simple solutions for the case of failures near the ends of the array, but failures near the center are more intractable. The loss of critical processing elements can be dealt with by distributing the processing load over processing elements located in each telemetry node of the network, thereby turning the array into a distributed parallel computer.
Customer choices of manufacturer versus retailer brands in alternative price and usage contexts

Abstract This article offers a context-dependent theory of how price changes influence consumer purchase choice for fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) for manufacturer (large household share) and retailer (small household share) brands. The theory proposes that the influence of price on demand is systematically very sensitive to context effects; more specifically, the theory includes the hypothesis that elasticity is much greater when the price change results in the manufacturer and retailer brands having the same price compared to when the price change keeps the manufacturer brand price above the retailer brand price. The implicit and/or explicit association with higher quality with the manufacturer versus retailer brand may be the main reason for buying the higher priced manufacturer brand. Decreasing the price of the manufacturer brand to equal the retailer brand's price takes away the primary reason for buying the retailer brand (i.e., saving money); increasing the price of the retailer brand to equal the manufacturer brand's price has the same effect. The empirical findings in the studies that this article reports support the hypothesis and confirm Scriven and Ehrenberg's [2004. Consistent consumer responses to price changes. Australas. Mark. J. 12(3), 21–39] major conclusion that relative order of price is more important than relative distance.
Generation of multiply charged peptides and proteins by radio frequency acoustic desorption and ionization for mass spectrometric detection.

The design and implementation of a radio frequency acoustic desorption ionization (RADIO) source has been demonstrated for the analysis of multiply charged peptides and proteins. One µL aliquots of melittin, BNP-32, and ubiquitin (∼1 µg of analyte) were deposited onto a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrode before radio frequency actuation for desorption. Continuous electrospray parallel to/above the sampling surface enabled the ionization of desorbed species. Detection by a hybrid linear ion trap Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer confirmed the intact and dissociated species observed during MS and MS/MS experiments, respectively.
Supply chain vs. supply chain: using simulation to compete beyond the four walls

It has been said, in this world of virtual corporations, that it is no longer companies that compete, but supply chains. When you look at the model of a corporation today, the traditional vertically-integrated business seems to be a thing of the past. A prime example of this is Nike. They own no factories, trucks or stores, yet are one of the world's most successful retail firms. Today's supply chains reflect this trend in that few firms control the entire supply chain from end to end. Most companies rely on a mix of suppliers, transportation resources, assemblers, warehousing firms and retail outlets to bring their product to the market. As a result of this mix of outside firms, it is often difficult to know the impact of changes or poor performance on the supply chain. What is needed is a tool that can give visibility to the entire supply chain and that allows for the testing of numerous "what-if" scenarios, such as outsourcing, consolidating vendors, collaborative planning or implementing e-business. Only with this capability will you and all of your supply-chain partners be able to effectively compete against your competitors' supply chains.
Attributes Associated with Eye Care Use in the United States: A Meta-Analysis

Objective To model the factors that are associated with the use of eye care services among the US population with and without diabetes, stratifying by age group. Design Meta-analysis. Participants We analyzed data from 3 datasets: the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System combined years 2006–2009, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey combined years 2005–2008, and the National Health Interview Survey year 2008. For all 3 datasets, we analyzed data from all survey participants aged 40 years or older who participated in vision-related survey modules. Methods We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess associations between any eye care use within the previous year and 14 indicators of patient demographics and health. We estimated separate regressions for persons with and without diabetes stratified by age group. We combined estimates across datasets using a random effects model estimated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms. Main Outcome Measures Use of eye care in the previous year and personal factors associated with eye care use. Results Annual eye care use rates ranged from 46% to 51% in participants without diabetes and 64% to 72% in participants with diabetes. For people with and without diabetes, health insurance, an eye disease diagnosis, and higher income were associated with higher odds of eye care use. Being male was associated with lower odds of eye care use in some diabetes status and age group categories. Other variables, such as more education, being married, black race, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, health status, heavy drinking, and limited ability to read small print, were associated with eye care use in only some diabetes status and age group categories. Conclusions Our findings indicate that economic and ocular health factors are associated with the greatest odds of annual eye care use. Access to health insurance and income levels greater than $35 000 US dollars (value at the time of interview) are associated with eye care use independently of other demographic factors. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease risk: are we looking at the wrong hormones?

Two-thirds of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are women, owing largely to the fact that women outlive men (https://www.alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2012.pdf). Women's increased longevity, however, is not sufficient to explain the fact that women are 1.5 times more likely than men to develop the disease (Gao et al., 1998). After age 80, the incidence of AD is much higher in women than in men, such that the proportion of women with AD is almost twice the proportion of men with the disease (e.g., Zandi et al., 2002; Plassman et al., 2007). Moreover, once diagnosed with AD, women decline more rapidly, both cognitively and functionally, compared to men (Ito et al., 2011; Tschanz et al., 2011).
Postural and Object-Oriented Experiences Advance Early Reaching, Object Exploration, and Means–End Behavior

The effects of 3 weeks of social (control), postural, or object-oriented experiences on 9- to 21-week-old infants’ (N = 42) reaching, exploration, and means–end behaviors were assessed. Coders recorded object contacts, mouthing, fingering, attention, and affect from video. Postural and object-oriented experiences advanced reaching, haptic exploration of objects, and developing means–end behavior compared to social experience. Object-oriented experience best-advanced means–end behavior. The results suggest that the development of novel behaviors is dependent on multiple subsystems and can be similarly advanced by addressing a variety of these subsystems. They also suggest that past experiences with active object exploration can facilitate early information processing and the development of early knowledge.
Dynamic rate and FEC adaptation for video multicast in multi-rate wireless networks

Video multicast over Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) faces many challenges due to varying channel conditions and limited bandwidth. A promising solution to this problem is the use of packet level Forward Error Correction (FEC) mechanisms. However, the adjustment of the FEC rate is not a trivial issue due to the dynamic wireless environment. This decision becomes more complicated if we consider the multi-rate capability of the existing wireless LAN technology. In this paper, we propose a novel method which dynamically adapts the transmission rate and FEC for video multicast over multi-rate wireless networks. In order to evaluate the system experimentally, we implemented a prototype using open source drivers and socket programming. Our experimental results show that the proposed system significantly improves the multicast system performance.
Branching and Fringing in Microstructure Electron Flow

Recent experimental work in the Westervelt laboratory at Harvard has succeeded in directly imaging electron flow in two degree of freedom electron gasses formed in semiconductor microstructures. Here, we give a brief account of the unexpected high resolution of the resulting images, the surprising branching of the flow which was observed, and the survival of quantum fringing beyond where it was thought to have been obliterated by thermal effects.
The iron and subunit binding sites of hemerythrin. The role of histidine, tyrosine and tryptophan.

Of the three tyrosine residues available for nitration by tetranitromethane in hemerythrin, nitration of tyrosine residue 70 has no effect on dissociation of octomers to monomers, but nitration of tyrosines 18 and/or 67 results in dissociation to monomers. The latter data suggests these residues are important for subunit association. The reactive sulfhydryl, the modification of which produces dissociation, was protected as a mixed disulfide during the nitration but was regenerated for analysis of the state of association. Residue 70 can be selectively modified because of its exposed position and perhaps because of its slightly lower pKa of 6.9, compared to 7.3 as an average of all nitrotyrosines in a completely nitrated hemerythrin. Solvent perturbation studies in 20% Me2SO indicate that 3 tyrosines, in agreement with the nitration results, and 2 tryptophan residues are exposed; however, oxidation at a 2-fold molar excess of N-bromosuccinimide oxidizes three tryptophan whereas a 3.5-fold excess oxidizes all four, but results in a rapid active site destruction. Photo-oxidation with methylene blue results in oxidation of only two tryptophan residues. These data have been interpreted to indicate that two tryptophans are free and two are involved in subunit association. Photo-oxidation with methylene blue results in the destruction of three histidines but no decrease in active site absorption. Histidine modification with diethyloxydiformate shows that three histidines react with no change in active site absorption. These results indicate that four histidines are unreactive toward these modifying agents and are therefore either buried or are ligands to the iron.
How Many Bits are Needed to Store Term Frequencies

Search algorithms in most current text retrieval systems use index data structures extracted from the original text documents. In this paper we focus on reducing the size of the indices by reducing the amount of space dedicated to store term frequencies. In experiments using TREC Ad Hoc [2, 3] corpora and query sets, we show that it is possible to store the term frequency in only two bits without decreasing retrieval performance.
Calozodion wadei, a new genus and species of apseudid tanaidacean (Crustacea) from Jamaica, West Indies

(1973). Calozodion wadei, a new genus and species of apseudid tanaidacean (Crustacea) from Jamaica, West Indies. Journal of Natural History: Vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 499-507.
The Effect of Cigarette Smoke-derived Oxidants on the Inflammatory Response of the Lung.

Abstract The inhalation of cigarette smoke triggers a marked cellular influx in the lung, and this inflammation is believed to play a central role in the development of smoke-related lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Studies demonstrate that smoke-derived oxidants are a major factor in this inflammatory reaction to cigarette smoke. These oxidants can overwhelm the lung's antioxidant defenses, and they can upregulate inflammation by a number of mechanisms. Free radicals directly stimulate the production of chemotactic compounds such as 8-isoprostane. In addition, smoke-derived oxidants can activate several intracellular signaling cascades including nuclear factor kappa B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and AP-1. This transcriptional activation induces the expression of cytokines and intracellular adhesion molecules that facilitate the trafficking of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes into the lung. Moreover, oxidants can promote chromatin remodeling that facilitates the expression of proinflammatory genes by stimulating the acetylation of histone residues in the nucleosome. This leads to conformational changes that enhance expression by rendering the gene more accessible to binding to transcriptional factors. Thus, the oxidant–antioxidant imbalance generated by cigarette smoke can promote inflammation, which is critical to the functional decline that occurs in both asthma and COPD patients. Future research is needed to better define the effects of smoke-derived oxidants on lung inflammation and to determine the most efficacious strategies for generating significant antioxidant protection in the lung.