cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Approaches for the Detection of Foodborne Viral Pathogens

The human enteric viruses are now recognized as major causes of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis throughout the world. Those of primary epidemiological significance include hepatitis A virus (HAV) and the noroviruses, formerly known as the Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs), or the small round structured viruses (SRSVs) (reviewed in 88). Currently, the noroviruses consist of five genogroups: GI (prototype Norwalk virus); GII (prototype Snow Mountain Agent); GIII (prototype bovine enteric calicivirus); GIV (prototype Alphatron and Fort Lauderdale virus); and GV (prototype Murine norovirus) (Vinje, personal communication). The sapoviruses (previously called Sapporo-like viruses) are genetically related to the noroviruses and have occasionally caused viral gastroenteritis in humans. Both the noroviruses and the sapoviruses are members of the Calicivirideae family, an antigenically and genetically diverse group of gastrointestinal viruses (9, 39, 40). Other viruses that can cause food and waterborne disease include the adenoviruses, astroviruses, the human enteroviruses (polioviruses, echoviruses, groups A and B coxsackieviruses), hepatitis E virus,
Physiological Regulation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Expression

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF) I and II comprise a structurally homologous pair of circulating polypeptides of fundamental importance in mammalian growth processes (1). Although IGF-I is a major mediator of growth hormone (GH) action and is predominantly expressed during postnatal life, while IGF-II is synthesized primarily during fetal development (1,2), the precise roles of either peptide in promoting tissue growth remain at best incompletely understood. In addition the relative contributions of circulating versus locally-produced IGFs toward organ or tissue growth also are unknown. With the advent of cloned probes for mammalian IGF genes (3–8) it has become possible to more accurately assess the biosynthesis of IGFs I and II in various tissues and thus potentially to determine the roles of these growth factors as paracrine, autocrine or endocrine agents. Summarized in this chapter are results of several experiments designed to analyze the mechanisms involved in the control of IGF synthesis in vivo. Our data indicate that during growth of skeletal muscle both systemic and local factors can regulate the production of mRNAs for IGFs I and II. In the kidney peripheral GH administration stimulates IGF-I mRNA in collecting duct cells, with a consequent increase in IGF-I.
A Framework for Characterizing the Evolution of Cyber Attacker-Victim Relation Graphs

Understanding and characterizing the reconnaissance behaviors of cyber attackers is an important problem that has yet to be tackled. As a first step towards tackling this problem, in this paper we propose a novel, graph-theoretic abstraction, dubbed the evolution of attacker-victim relation graphs, for characterizing cyber attackers' reconnaissance behaviors. The framework is centered at describing the similarity between two graphs at adjacent time windows of a certain resolution (e.g., per second vs. per minute). We also conduct a case study focusing on the number of time resolutions that need to be considered in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of attack-victim relation graphs.
A case study of how education labour markets are organized in Japan: mandatory teacher rotation in Japanese public schools

Public teachers in Japan are subjected to a compulsory rotation system where the prefectural board of education governs their entire career paths. Past research has written of the macro- and micro-...
Short term patient outcomes after total knee arthroplasty: Does the implant matter?

Abstract Background Newer implants for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) often gain market share at higher cost with little patient-reported and long-term clinical data. We compared outcomes after TKA using two different implants: DePuy PFC Sigma and Attune. Methods Using a prospective data repository from an academic tertiary medical center, we analyzed 2116 TKAs (1603 Sigma and 513 Attune) from April 2011 through July 2016. Outcomes included length of surgery, length of stay, facility discharge, 90-day reoperation, range of motion (ROM) change, and patient-reported physical function (PCS). Results There was no difference in length of surgery (Attune − 2.87 min, P = 0.143). Implant type was not associated with extended LOS (> 3 days) (OR 0.80, P = 0.439). There was no difference in facility discharge (OR 0.65, P = 0.103). Unadjusted 90-day reoperations were 0.3% for Sigma and 1.0% for Attune cohorts (P = 0.158). Sigma implants were associated with more ROM improvement in unadjusted analyses (+ 2.1 degree improvement P = 0.031). Fifty nine percent of the Sigma cohort and 49% of the Attune cohort achieved the minimal clinically important (MCID) change for PCS improvement, although there was no adjusted difference in achieving MCID (Attune OR 0.84, P = 0.435). There was no adjusted difference in absolute PCS improvement (Attune + 0.12 score, P = 0.864). Conclusions Our data show no difference in physical function and most outcomes between Sigma and Attune. Attune implants had shorter absolute LOS, but there were no differences in extended LOS.
Giant cell arteritis: advances in diagnosis and management

Giant cell arteritis has been widely studied throughout the world. Involvement of cranial vessels can lead to visual loss and strokes. This review primarily focusses on the presentation, diagnosis and treatment. The last 10 years have brought dramatic improvements in the imaging and medical therapies for this condition. After the American College of Rheumatology suggested criteria for the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis, many studies have been performed to find alternatives to a temporal artery biopsy. There is growing evidence that a biopsy may not be needed when one can make a convincing clinical and radiological diagnosis. Although glucocorticoids are the mainstay of treatment and their role has not changed, various biological and non-biological therapies are being used to reduce relapses and prolong remission of symptoms.
Long-term Effects of Disasters on Seniors With Diabetes: Evidence From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

OBJECTIVE To estimate the long-run mortality effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on seniors with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare enrollment and claims data covering four states and ∼10 years. Affected individuals were identified by whether they lived in a county that suffered a high impact and were stratified by whether they moved to a different county following the storms. Propensity scores matched affected and comparison subjects based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the presence of chronic conditions. Our sample consisted of 170,328 matched affected subjects. RESULTS The affected subjects had a nearly 40% higher all-cause mortality risk in the 1st month after the storms, but the difference fell to CONCLUSIONS The propensity matching procedure resulted in the comparison and affected groups having similar observable characteristics. However, we only examined the extreme outcome of mortality, our definition of affected was somewhat crude, and our sample did not include individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage. Our findings highlight the importance of the immediate response to disasters, yet also demonstrate the long-lasting impact disasters can have.
Glia Maturation Factor-Gamma Mediates Neutrophil Chemotaxis Via p38 MAPK and PTEN.

Abstract Cellular chemotaxis is a fundamental process in which cells migrate directionally when they are exposed to external chemical gradients. Recent progress has been made in defining the molecular mechanisms that regulate chemoattractant-induced cell polarity and chemotaxis, including the contribution of p38 MAPK and PTEN dependent migration of neutrophils toward their end target chemoattractants. However, it remains unclear how chemoattractant stimulation regulates F-actin dynamics and PTEN localization in migrating neutrophils. Glia maturation factor (GMFG) is a highly conserved protein expressed mainly in the blood and immune systems. Our lab previously reported that GMFG is upregulated in granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-induced differentiated myeloid cells (Shi Y, et al, Genomics Proteomics Bioinformatics. 2006 Aug;4(3):145–55). Furthermore, while recent studies indicate that GMFG is involved in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton reorganization in microendothelial cells, little is known about the role of GMFG in hematopoietic myeloid cells. In this study, we investigated the role of GMFG in the chemotaxis of differentiated neutrophil-like HL-60 cells and how GMFG mediated neutrophils chemotaxis occurs in response to chemotactic signals. We have now shown that small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of GMFG expression in differentiated neutrophil-like HL-60 cells exhibit greater than 75% inhibition of basal cell migration, that could not be rescued in the presence of chemoattractant FMLP, but could rescued by IL-8. These data suggest that an endogenous expression of GMFG is required for chemotaxis toward end target chemoattractant FMLP, but not for toward intermediate chemokines IL-8. Moreover, immunofluorescence assay shows that gene silencing of GMFG abolished FMLP-induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, localization of phosphatase PTEN, and F-actin reorganization. In contrast, transient overexpression of GMFG in K562 cells significantly enhanced basal cell migration by 2 fold (P=0.01) and chemotaxis toward FMLP by 2.2 fold (P=0.04), but there was no change with IL-8 stimulation. The overexpression of GMFG caused the activation of p38 MAP kinase and increased F-actin expression in the absence of fMLP stimulation. Pretreatment with p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 completely blocked the GMFG-dependent activation of p38 MAPK and enhanced expression of F-actin as well as cell migration. These results suggest that GMFG-induced cell migration in K562 cells is depending on p38 MAPK via F-actin reorganization. Taken together, our findings identify GMFG as a novel factor that mediates the FMLP-induced p38-dependent signal pathway leading to PTEN redistribution and F-actin reorganization during migrating neutrophils toward end target stimulation. These data, if confirmed, implicates GMFG as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in disorders associated with enhanced and pathological neutrophil infiltration.
Physical modeling and analysis of site liquefaction subjected to biaxial dynamic excitations

The paper presents a series of centrifuge tests of level sites consisting of a granular soil deposit, with and without an embedded structure subjected to various biaxial and uniaxial base excitations. The tests were conducted at RPI NEES centrifuge facility to assess the dynamic response characteristics of level deposits and soil-structure interaction (SSI) under multidimensional conditions. Synthetic sinusoidal waves were used as base excitations to test soil models under biaxial and uniaxial shaking. A dense array of accelerometers was used to monitor the deposit response along with pore water pressure transducers. One uniaxial test and two biaxial shaking tests were conducted on three similar soil models, to study the effect of multidirectional shaking on the generation of soil liquefaction for dense deposits. The observed acceleration and pore pressure are used along with non-parametric identification procedures to evaluate the corresponding dynamic shear stress–strain histories. The measured results along with the obtained time histories are used to shed light on the mechanisms of liquefaction occurring through the stratum under multiaxial shaking. It also shows the effect of soil relative density on soil behavior when subjected to biaxial shaking. The soil–structure interaction test showed significant differences in soil behavior at different locations beneath the footing when subjected to biaxial shaking. This difference is associated with coupling in stress–strain in both experiments compared to the more known uniaxial soil behavior.
Factors Influencing Graft Function following MPFL Reconstruction: A Dynamic Simulation Study.

Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction is currently the primary surgical procedure for treating recurrent lateral patellar instability. The understanding of graft function has largely been based on studies performed with normal knees. The current study was performed to characterize graft function following MPFL reconstruction, focusing on the influence of pathologic anatomy on graft tension, variations with knee flexion, and the influence on patellar tracking. Knee squatting was simulated with 15 multibody dynamic simulation models representing knees being treated for recurrent lateral patellar instability. Squatting was simulated in a preoperative condition and following MPFL reconstruction with a hamstrings tendon graft set to allow 0.5 quadrants of lateral patellar translation with the knee at 30 degrees of flexion. Linear regressions were performed to relate maximum tension in the graft to parameters of knee anatomy. Repeated measures comparisons evaluated variations in patellar tracking at 5-degree increments of knee flexion. Maximum graft tension was significantly correlated with a parameter characterizing lateral position of the tibial tuberosity (maximum lateral tibial tuberosity to posterior cruciate ligament attachment distance, r2 = 0.73, p < 0.001). No significant correlations were identified for parameters related to trochlear dysplasia (lateral trochlear inclination) or patella alta (Caton-Deschamps index and patellotrochlear index). Graft tension peaked at low flexion angles and was minimal by 30 degrees of flexion. MPFL reconstruction decreased lateral patellar shift (bisect offset index) compared with preoperative tracking at all flexion angles from 0 to 50 degrees of flexion, except 45 degrees. At 0 degrees, the average bisect offset index decreased from 0.81 for the preoperative condition to 0.71. The results indicate that tension within an MPFL graft increases with the lateral position of the tibial tuberosity. The graft tension peaks at low flexion angles and decreases lateral patellar maltracking. The factors that influence graft function following MPFL reconstruction need to be understood to limit patellar maltracking without overloading the graft or over constraining the patella.
Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay in children with low mental age.

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in very young children with significant cognitive impairment is difficult to diagnose, depriving them of the earliest opportunities for autism-specific intervention. This study delineated specific symptoms in this group, compared to symptoms in children with Global Developmental Delay (GDD) and in ASD with milder developmental delays.Method: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition, Toddler Module revealed symptoms in three groups of toddlers, with mean ages of 17-20 months: (1) ASD and cognitive/language functioning below the 12-month level (ASD-MA < 12 mos; n = 28), (2) GDD (n = 27), and (3) ASD and cognitive/language functioning at or above the 12-month level (ASD-MA ≥ 12 mos; n = 29). Logistic regression models were fit to control for developmental level. Results: Items in all domains (social interaction, communication, repetitive movements) discriminated ASD-MA < 12 mos from GDD. The two ASD groups, matched for age but differing on developmental level, showed strikingly similar ASD symptomatology. Conclusion: ADOS-2 symptoms differentiated ASD-MA < 12 mos from GDD, after controlling for cognitive impairment. Symptoms in the two ASD groups were minimally related to developmental level. The ADOS-2 Toddler Module successfully captured ASD symptomatology even in children whose developmental level was below the recommended ADOS-2 cutoff of 12 months, which may increase their access to early ASD-specific intervention.
Using a newly introduced framework to measure ecological stressor interactions.

Understanding how stressors combine to affect population abundances and trajectories is a fundamental ecological problem with increasingly important implications worldwide. Generalisations about interactions among stressors are challenging due to different categorisation methods and how stressors vary across species and systems. Here, we propose using a newly introduced framework to analyse data from the last 25 years on ecological stressor interactions, for example combined effects of temperature, salinity and nutrients on population survival and growth. We contrast our results with the most commonly used existing method - analysis of variance (ANOVA) - and show that ANOVA assumptions are often violated and have inherent limitations for detecting interactions. Moreover, we argue that rescaling - examining relative rather than absolute responses - is critical for ensuring that any interaction measure is independent of the strength of single-stressor effects. In contrast, non-rescaled measures - like ANOVA - find fewer interactions when single-stressor effects are weak. After re-examining 840 two-stressor combinations, we conclude that antagonism and additivity are the most frequent interaction types, in strong contrast to previous reports that synergy dominates yet supportive of more recent studies that find more antagonism. Consequently, measuring and re-assessing the frequency of stressor interaction types is imperative for a better understanding of how stressors affect populations.
Weed control and crop tolerance with S-metolachlor in seeded summer squash and cucumber

Residual herbicides remain the primary tool for efficient weed control in cucurbit crops because of the lack of crop tolerance to many POST herbicide options. Field experiments were conducted in New Jersey in 2018 and 2019 to determine weed control efficacy and tolerance of direct-seeded cucumber ‘Python' and summer squash ‘Gold Prize’ to S-metolachlor applied at 0.7 or 1.4 kg ai ha–¹ at planting (PRE) or when crops reached the second- to third-leaf stage (EPOST). Regardless of applied rate, S-metolachlor PRE or EPOST provided 96% to 100% control 3 wk after planting (WAP) of smooth pigweed, large crabgrass, and giant foxtail. S-metolachlor PRE significantly improved American black nightshade and carpetweed control 3 WAP with respect to bensulide, and smooth pigweed with respect to clomazone + ethalfluralin. Summer squash showed excellent tolerance, regardless of S-metolachlor rate or timing of application, with stunting not exceeding 17% 4 WAP and 3% 7 WAP at the 1.4 kg ha–¹ rate. Marketable yield decreased by 15% with S-metolachlor PRE or POST at 1.4 kg ha–¹ with respect to clomazone + ethalfluralin, a reduction not noted when comparing with bensulide or the handweeded control. Marketable fruit number plant–¹ and individual fruit weight were not affected by S-metolachlor applications. Conversely, cucumber was more sensitive to S-metolachlor than summer squash was with 30% seedling emergence reduction and 36% to 43% stunting 4 WAP when S-metolachlor was applied PRE at 1.4 kg ha–¹. EPOST application resulted in 15% to 26% cucumber injury 1 wk after treatment. Marketable yield declined by 21% and 39% with the 0.7 and 1.4 kg ha–¹ rates of S-metolachlor, respectively, compared with clomazone + ethalfluralin. Therefore, S-metolachlor may be a novel alternative to already labeled residual herbicides for summer squash, but unacceptable injury and yield reduction do not support its registration on cucumber. Nomenclature: Bensulide; clomazone; ethalfluralin; S-metolachlor; American black nightshade, Solanum americanum Mill.; carpetweed, Mollugo verticillata L.; giant foxtail, Setaria faberi Herrm.; large crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.; smooth pigweed, Amaranthus hybridus L.; cucumber, Cucumis sativus L.; summer squash, Cucurbita pepo L.
The Aging Brain: by Timothy R. Jennings, Grand Rapids, MI, BakerBooks, 2018, 286 pp., $16.99 (softcover), ISBN-13: 978-1433830532

The purpose of The Aging Brain is to provide a comprehensive guide of normal brain aging development and a practical guide for ways to optimize brain changes in functioning into later life. Most pe...
Suitability of food resources for Proprioseiopsis mexicanus, a potentially important natural enemy in eastern USA agroecosystems

The phytoseiid Proprioseiopsis mexicanus has been collected from a wide range of plants in the western hemisphere, including many cucurbit agroecosystems in South Carolina, USA. Our aim was to characterize the lifestyle of P. mexicanus and its potential as a natural enemy of Tetranychus urticae, a common pest in cucurbits. We determined developmental time, pre-oviposition time, and fecundity of females on pollen-only diets from a commercial Typha spp. supplement source, Citrullus lanatus, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Delosperma cooperi, Trifolium incarnatum, and on T. urticae and a combination of T. urticae and Typha spp. pollen. Female development time differed based on diet—development was fastest on C. lanatus and D. cooperi diets (ca. 3 days) and slowest on Typha pollen diet (ca. 5 days). Pre-oviposition time was shorter for females fed C. lanatus and T. incarnatum (1.6 days) and longest when fed Typha pollen (3.1 days). Citrullus lanatus, T. incarnatum, and D. cooperi pollen diets resulted in more eggs/day compared to other diets. Cucurbita moschata pollen resulted in the lowest oviposition rate (0.69 eggs/day). Because these pollens varied in size, we examined pollen size as a factor in developmental and reproductive success. With the exception of Typha pollen, small-pollen diets (C. lanatus, D. cooperi, and T. incarnatum) resulted in faster development, shorter pre-oviposition time, and higher fecundity than large-pollen diets (Cucurbita spp.). We concluded that P. mexicanus is a generalist predator that may require pollen for survival and reproduction, but alone this species may not be an effective predator of T. urticae.
Geology of the American Southwest: A Journey through Two Billion Years of Plate-Tectonic History

Preface Notes and abbreviations Introduction 1. Growth of a continent: formation and stabilization of continental lithosphere 2. Tantalizing time 3. The international connection: breakup of a supercontinent 4. Stability to orogeny: transformation of the Western Margin 5. Pangea! Collision with Gondwana 6. Deserts to dinosaurs 7. Western orogeny 8. The modern Southwest References Glossary Index.
Counter-Elites Swimming Up-Stream: The Challenge of Pursuing a Political Rights Agenda where Economic Rights Trump

: I would like to thank for their valuable comments the participants of the Conference on Law and Human Rights in Global History, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, March 2012
Using Science to Shape Policy

The Clean Air Act (CAA) is responsible for dramatically improving United States air quality over the last 40 years. The scientific community has served as the backbone of that improvement. Experimental sciences, animal toxicology and controlled human exposures, have played valuable roles in deciphering the mechanisms of air pollution-related health effects and in some cases clearly demonstrating the overt health effects that result from exposure to air pollutants. However, at times the research community is unaware of how their contributions to science are used to inform policy decisions in the context of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Within this chapter, researchers will gain a better understanding of the legislative history and requirements of the CAA. Additionally, the chapter will detail how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency evaluates the scientific evidence that forms the basis of each NAAQS along with the resulting steps taken to inform policy decisions. The chapter will conclude with a discussion of the uncertainties that still shape air quality policy, the shift that has taken within the air pollution research community towards the examination of multipollutant exposures, and the potential future of air quality policy.
Racist America: Roots, Current Realities, and Future Reparations

1. Systematic Racism 2. Slavery Unwilling to Die 3. The White Racial Frame 4. Contemporary Racial Framing 5. Racial Oppression Today 6. White Privileges and Black Burdens 7. Systematic Racism 8. Antiracist Strategies and Solutions
Crash Characteristics of Thin-Walled Cylindrical Tubing

The large deformation crush behavior of axially loaded thin-walled circular columns was studied using an experimental approach. Many specimens were crushed by uniaxial quasi-static loads to establish a data base. The maximum load capacity, wavelength of buckled folds, mode shapes and post-mean buckling load magnitude were determined for many specimens. These values were then expressed in terms of cross- sectional geometry parameters, tube length and material properties. Based on the results obtained, empirical design formulations were developed for predicting the crush characteristics, including mode of collapse, of circular columns. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 863693.
Effects of Estrogen and Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators on Hemostasis and Inflammation

: Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT), tamoxifen, and raloxifene all share an increase of about three-fold in the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Currently, it is thought that HRT transiently increases the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), followed by subsequent reduction in risk, at least among women with established coronary heart disease. Raloxifene and tamoxifen are not known to share this apparent clinical effect. Study of hemostasis and inflammation factors, as surrogate end points, can be useful to form hypotheses concerning the pathophysiology related to clinical effects of these agents. Data presented here suggest differences among these agents that might relate to differences in clinical outcomes. From the vascular perspective, future studies need to focus on interactions of treatment with these biochemical parameters and their genetic correlates in order to define low- or high-risk subgroups for intervention with these therapies.
The Right Representation for Discovery: Finding the Conservation of Momentum

The representation of knowledge has a central role in the processes of discovery. A representation includes both the declarative formalisms that express knowledge and the procedural operators that are used to manipulate the formalisms. The role of representations in discovery is investigated by examining a case of law induction, the discovery of the conservation of momentum, using two different representations: (i) mathematical sentences and (ii) diagrams. The discovery is unlikely under the mathematical approach but feasible under the diagrammatic approach, as demonstrated by a computational model that simulates the discovery. Comparison of the approaches demonstrates again that the right representations are important for success in discovery and highlights the advantages in this instance of the diagrammatic representation, which include: the ability to encode information conveniently about the geometry of experimental setups; methods for comparing magnitudes of different properties; the possibility of organizing items of information deliberately to aid in making inferences; and, permitting the use of computationally inexpensive perceptual inferences.
Color Differences in the Afro-American Community and the Differences They Make:

What is the role of skin-color differences in Afro-American society and politics? In recent years, there has been an upsurge of interest in the phenomenon, especially among historians (Morton, 1985). The purpose of this brief article is to analyze recent socialscience survey data on the significance of color stratification among Afro-Americans. It has long been argued that there are significant social-class differences between lightand darker-skin Blacks, as well as differences in social and political attitudes (Frazier, 1957, p. 18; Myrdal, 1944, 1962, pp. 695-700). In this article, we test the validity of this hypothesis about skin-color differences among Black Americans and the differences they make in terms of social and political attitudes.
Formation of protein-rich coatings around lipid droplets using the electrostatic deposition method.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether protein-rich coatings could be formed around lipid droplets using an electrostatic deposition method. These coatings were assembled using two methods: (i) β-lactoglobulin was adsorbed to β-lactoglobulin-pectin-coated lipid droplets; (ii) β-lactoglobulin-pectin complexes were adsorbed to β-lactoglobulin-coated lipid droplets. Composite particles, consisting of lipid droplets with protein-rich biopolymer coatings, could be formed using both approaches (e.g., at pH 4, the protein surface load could be increased from 3 to 59 mg m−2). These composite particles could be made small (d < 500 nm) and relatively stable to gravitational separation at certain protein concentrations. Nevertheless, aggregation and sedimentation occurred at sufficiently high protein concentrations because of charge neutralization. The composite particles remained stable after they were heated above the thermal denaturation temperature of the globular proteins at pH 4. When the heated co...
Angiotensin II, oxidative stress and skeletal muscle wasting.

Muscle atrophy (cachexia) is a muscle wasting syndrome associated with several pathological conditions in humans such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, AIDS, cancer and renal failure, and the presence of cachexia worsens outcome. Many of the conditions associated with cachexia are accompanied by stimulation of the reninangiotensin system and elevation in angiotensin II (ang II) levels. Ang II infusion induces skeletal muscle atrophy in rodents and mechanisms include increased expression of the E3 ligases atrogin-1/MuRF-1, an elevated rate of ubiquitin-proteasome mediated proteolysis and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, closely mimicking conditions of human cachexia. Ang II-induced oxidative stress contributes to muscle atrophy in a mouse model. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase- and mitochondria-derived ROS contribute to ang II-induced oxidative stress. Specific targeting of ROS and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase/mitochondria cross-talk could be a beneficial, novel therapy to treat cachexia.
The development of handedness and dichotic ear listening asymmetries in relation to school achievement: A longitudinal study

To assess the development of dichotic ear asymmetries and handedness, 208 male school children were evaluated in kindergarten and at Grades 2 and 5 (ages 66, 92, and 130 months of age, respectively) with a dichotic listening task and a hand preference test. The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) also was administered at each of the three grade levels. There was significant variability in handedness scores over time only for those subjects whose scores at initial testing, that is, in kindergarten, identified them as non-right-handers. Both right and left handers had a significant increase in dichotic listening scores over time; however, only right handers had a significant right ear advantage at each evaluation. Regression analyses showed that combined hand preference scores and ear recall scores at each probe when combined accounted for almost 44% of the variance in WRAT achievement scores at Grade 5. Ear asymmetry scores, however, were not predictive of school achievement.
Understanding the role of medical experts during a public health crisis digital tools and library resources for research on the 1918 Spanish influenza

Humanities scholars, particularly historians of health and disease, can benefit from digitized library collections and tools such as topic modeling. Using a case study from the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, this paper explores the application of a big humanities approach to understanding the impact of a public health official on the course of the disease and the response of the public, as documented through digitized newspapers and medical periodicals.
Whole body positron emission tomography imaging of activated lymphoid tissues during acute simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6PD infection in rhesus macaques.

Mechanisms of acute retroviral pathogenesis have been examined during primary infection of rhesus macaques with simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6PD (SHIV(89.6PD)). During acute infection, between initial exposure and establishment of antigen-specific immune responses that stabilize the virus burden, rapid immune system changes influence the viral set-point and dictate subsequent steps in disease progression. In a previous study, we described specific patterns of lymphocyte activation during acute SHIV(89.6PD) infection. We now extend these studies to describe lymphoid tissue activation, using whole body positron emission tomography (PET) and the radioactive tracer 2-[(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Within a few days after primary infection by intravenous, intrarectal, or intravaginal routes, PET-FDG imaging revealed a distinct pattern of lymphoid tissue activation centered on axillary, cervical, and mediastinum lymph nodes. Increased tissue FDG uptake preceded fulminant virus replication at these sites, suggesting that a diffusible factor of host or viral origin was responsible for lymphoid tissue changes. These data show that activation of lymphoid tissues in the upper body is an early response to virus infection and that diffusible mediators of activation might be important targets for vaccine or therapeutic intervention strategies.
On the asymptotic behavior of sums of multidimensionally indexed semi-stable random variables

Let be a sequence of identically distributed random variables with semi–regularly varying tails. We assume, whenever the random variables are integrable, that the mean is zero. As in the one dimensional case we are able to show that all normalized partial sums of weighted random variables cannot converge to one (a.s.) whenever our random variables have either a (1+e) moment or, in the non-L 1case, they fail to possess a (1−e) moment, for some e>0. The additional assumptions in this extension of the case are extremely mild. Moreover, the conclusions hold for almost any partition of
Chemical evolution of gaseous air pollutants down-wind of tropical megacities: Mexico City case study

Abstract The photochemical evolution of a polluted air parcel originating in a tropical megacity was modeled for 3 days using a box model with detailed gas-phase chemistry. The parcel was initialized with concentrations typically observed in Mexico City for nitrogen oxides (80 parts per billion on a molar basis, or ppbv), carbon monoxide (3000 ppbv), non-methane hydrocarbons (1700 ppb on a carbon basis, or ppbC) and formaldehyde (23.9 ppbv). Vigorous ozone production occurred during day 1, followed by gradual net destruction during the next 2 days. Other major inorganic products were nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide (35 and 16 ppbv, respectively at the end of day 3), while organic products included ketones (83 ppbv), organic hydroperoxides (25 ppbv), peroxyacyl nitrates (28 ppbv), aldehydes (18 ppbv), organic acids (16 ppbv), alkyl nitrates (10 ppbv) and alcohols (0.2 ppbv). Also produced was multitude of different polyfunctional compounds, present individually at small concentrations, but with significant summed concentrations (68, 49 and 1.5 ppbC, respectively, for compounds having 2, 3 or 4 functional groups), which could contribute to the formation of secondary aerosols. The overall reactivity of the parcel (daytime concentrations of hydroxy, hydroperoxy and organic peroxy radicals; and cumulative hydroxyl radical loss rates) remained relatively constant and high on days 2 and 3. This persistent gas-phase reactivity suggests that urban areas could affect regional and global tropospheric chemistry. However, it remains unclear whether heterogeneous losses, on aerosol particles, reduce this reactivity while simultaneously changing aerosol chemical, microphysical and radiative properties relevant to weather and climate.
For Spacious Skies: Self-Separation with "Autonomous Flight Rules" in US Domestic Airspace

Autonomous Flight Rules (AFR) are proposed as a new set of operating regulations in which aircraft navigate on tracks of their choice while self-separating from traffic and weather. AFR would exist alongside Instrument and Visual Flight Rules (IFR and VFR) as one of three available flight options for any appropriately trained and qualified operator with the necessary certified equipment. Historically, ground-based separation services evolved by necessity as aircraft began operating in the clouds and were unable to see each other. Today, technologies for global precision navigation, emerging airborne surveillance, and onboard computing enable traffic conflict management to be fully integrated with navigation procedures onboard the aircraft. By self-separating, aircraft can operate with more flexibility and fewer flight restrictions than are required when using ground-based separation. The AFR concept proposes a practical means in which self-separating aircraft could share the same airspace as IFR and VFR aircraft without disrupting the ongoing processes of Air Traffic Control. The paper discusses the context and motivation for implementing self-separation in US domestic airspace. It presents a historical perspective on separation, the proposed way forward in AFR, the rationale behind mixed operations, and the expected benefits of AFR for the airspace user community.
Moral Creationism: The Science of Morality and the Mutiny of Romantic Relativism

Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of scientific research into the nature of our moral psychology that demonstrates that human morality is fully grounded in the natural world and, thus, part of our evolved nature. Yet, many, if not most, scholars in the social sciences and humanities remain sceptical or pessimistic. Looking at a number of these recurrent concerns, I identify the source of this resistance as ‘moral creationism’: a set of beliefs, grounded in relativism and romanticism, about morality as irreducibly complex, holistic and non-decomposable, and that, therefore, implicates the scientific approach to morality as irrelevant, misguided, or in the extreme, itself somehow taboo or unethical. I demonstrate that moral creationism is intellectually unfounded by examining evidence on moral diversity and universality, moral and conventional norms, emotion and reasoning in moral judgment, moral conflict, moral progress and religion and morality. I argue that rejecting moral creationism not only prevents an inaccurate view of our moral psychology, but also has implications for the plausibility and justification of various normative theories, for reforming the practice of moral philosophy and can inform applied ethical areas. Without the protective strategy of moral creationism as a default position, humanists as well as scientists will both benefit as already fruitful inquiry, constructive engagement, collaboration and incorporation of novel investigative methods across disciplines can continue to grow.
EGTA modulates equatorial currents in frog lenses.

A combination of a vibrating probe with microelectrodes was used to study the effects on the equatorial K+ current, J, of perturbing the frog lens by removing Ca2+ from the bathing medium. The results were different in the absence and presence of EGTA. In the absence of EGTA the reversal potential (PDJ=0) remained near the Nernst potential; the input resistance, R, and the resistance of the segment of the K+ current loop being studied, RJ, decreased; the driving force (PD-PDJ=0) increased; and J increased fourfold. In the presence of EGTA J did not increase more than twofold; the current-voltage relationship became linear; RJ did not decrease and both the PD and the reversal potential, PDJ=0, became less negative with time. These findings, which are dependent on the use of the vibrating probe, were unexpected, and they were explored by studying the effects of removing Na+ from the medium. Substituting TMA for Na+ did not increase J. Removal of Ca2+ and the addition of EGTA to a Na+-free medium in which frog lenses were bathed resulted in a decrease in RJ, and an increase in J; J varied inversely with the concentration of Na+ in the medium. The changes were reversible. A mechanism to account for the changes is proposed.
Use of Transmembrane Peptides to Investigate Arginine Interactions with Lipid Bilayers

With a pK > 12, the guanidinium side chain of arginine (Arg; R) is positively charged over a very wide pH range. There has been much recent discussion concerning the energetics of Arg inserting into a lipid bilayer, or Arg crossing a lipid bilayer. The topic holds significant intrinsic intellectual interest and also is important for understanding the gating mechanism of voltage-dependent transmembrane channels. We address this problem by direct experimental observation using a designed transmembrane peptide that has interfacial tryptophan (Trp; W) anchors. Within membrane-spanning, alpha-helical GWALP23, acetyl-GGALW5LALALAL12ALALALW19LAGA-amide (Vostrikov, et al. 2008. J Am Chem Soc 130, 12584), we have substituted either R12 or R14 near the putative helix midpoint. Models suggest that the W5 and W19 side chains project from essentially the same side of the GWALP23 alpha-helix, with R14 projecting from the opposite face and R12 from the same face as the W5 and W19 anchors. The R12 side chain in effect is situated between the W anchors. Based upon solid-state NMR spectra from oriented lipid/peptide samples, specifically the deuterium quadrupolar splittings from several 2H-labeled alanines in each Arg-containing peptide, the properties of these sequence isomers depend heavily upon the location of the Arg. We find that GWALP23-R14 adopts a transmembrane orientation with a tilt of about 17° in DOPC (compared to a tilt of about 6° for GWALP23 itself). By contrast, GWALP23-R12 seems to assume several different orientations with respect to a hydrated bilayer of DOPC; one or more of these orientations may represent surface-bound peptide.
Effect of Adhesive Flaws on the Strength of Adhesive Joints

The influence of interior and surface flaws in Z-shaped adhesive joints of carbon/epoxy wind turbine blades is examined using finite element method. Contour integral method is used for evaluating the stress intensity factors at the flaw tips, while the strength of the joint is assessed through the crack initiation and propagation simulation. The effect of adhesive shear modulus has also been investigated.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Long-Term Use of Fluoxetine in Bulimia Nervosa: A Retrospective Study

AbstractWe evaluated retrospectively the efficacy of long-term fluoxetine treatment in 19 consecutive outpatients with bulimia nervosa (18 females and 1 male; mean age: 29.5 + 6.6 years) who had been treated with fluoxetine for more than 3 months (43.5 + 18.1 weeks) following an apparent initial positive response, defined as a clearcut improvement of bulimic symptoms with a reduction in frequency of binges and purges in the first 6 to 8 weeks. Their mean duration of illness was 9.7 + 5.8 years. Data were gathered retrospectively in reference to three distinct periods: immediately prior to the onset of treatment with fluoxetine (Baseline), 6 to 8 weeks into treatment (Weeks 6 to 8), and at the end of treatment if fluoxetine had been discontinued or at the time of data collection if the patient had still been on it (Follow-up). At Baseline 13, patients met criteria for either major depression or dysthymia or both. At Follow-up, 13 of 19 patients were still on fluoxetine whereas 6 patients had discontinued i...
Small polaron transport and pressure dependence of the electrical resistivity of La 2 − x Sr x NiO 4 ( 0 x 1 . 2 )

Measurements of the electrical resistivity $\ensuremath{\rho}$ as a function of temperature T and pressure $P(Pl~1.6\mathrm{GPa})$ are reported on ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{x}{\mathrm{NiO}}_{4}$ $(0l~xl~1.2).$ A compositionally induced $M\ensuremath{-}I$ transition occurs for $xg~0.9.$ The data suggest small dielectric polaron conduction, with thermal-activated behavior at high temperatures and with three-dimensional variable range hopping at low temperatures for all compositions. Pressure is shown to weakly affect $\ensuremath{\rho},$ for example, near room temperature a rate of $\ensuremath{-}8.2%/\mathrm{GPa}$ $(d\ensuremath{\rho}/dP=\ensuremath{-}0.57\mathrm{m}\ensuremath{\Omega}/\mathrm{GPa})$ is observed for $x=0.8.$ Fits to the data for the same composition in the temperature range $100\mathrm{K}l~Tl~300\mathrm{K}$ provide a thermally activated polaron hopping energy ${E}_{A}=30.3\mathrm{meV}$ and ${\mathrm{dE}}_{A}/dP=\ensuremath{-}2.80(\mathrm{m}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{G}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{a}).$ No superconductivity was observed at pressures up to 1.6 GPa and temperatures down to 4.2 K for any of the studied compositions. Our measurements provide strong evidence for polaron-dominated electrical conduction in these charge transfer gap materials.
Generalised bargaining sets for cooperative games

Although theM1 -bargaining set for games with side payments is known to exist, it frequently contains payoffs which are highly inequitable. For this reason the more restrictedM2-bargaining set is of interest. SinceM2 is not known to exist in general, this paper introduces anM*-bargaining set, contained inM1 and containingM2, and presents an existence theorem. For the class of symmetric, simple games with decreasing returns, theM2 -bargaining set is shown to exist, and a fairly severe restriction on payoffs satisfyingM2 -stability is obtained.
Organic Radicals As Spin Filters

Molecular spintronics has received extensive interest in recent years. Due to their favorable properties such as long spin coherence lengths and an amenability to fine-tuning via chemical substituents, organic materials play a prominent role in this field. Here we discuss how organic radicals may act as spin filters in the coherent tunneling regime and how they may be tuned to filter either majority- or minority-spin electrons by adding electron-donating or -withdrawing substituents. For a set of benzene-based model systems, we identify dips in the spin-resolved transmission, which may be caused by destructive interference, as a desirable feature when aiming for efficient spin filtering. Furthermore, the qualitative predictions made for our model systems are shown to be transferable to larger stable radicals.
Bubble dynamics near the onset of single-bubble sonoluminescence.

A number of groups have reported measurements of the location in the parameter space of bubble size versus acoustic pressure amplitude of shape- and size-stable bubbles. For air/water systems, a general trend emerges: stable bubbles are found on one of two line paths in this space defined by their range of acoustic pressure. Bubbles on the higher-pressure path emit light. There have been few studies of the transition between these two paths. In this work we describe our observations of this transition regime. In this regime, a slow time scale oscillation (period 2--7 s) in the bubble size, position, and phase of flash timing can be observed. At lower dissolved gas concentrations, a hysteresis in the bubble size as a function of acoustic pressure is observed, complementing previous light intensity measurements reported in the literature.
The deposition and stripping of thin films of silver at gold and platinum electrodes

Summary The deposition and stripping current-voltage plots for thin films of silver at gold and platinum electrodes have been investigated. The effects of two electrode pretreatments on these plots were related to the surface state of the electrode resulting from the pretreatment. Evidence supporting the assumption that the activity of the deposit can be related to the fraction of the electrode surface covered by the deposit was presented.