cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Macrocyclic ring formation in micelles

Abstract The influenae SDS micelles exert on the course of the chemical reaction initiated by excimer laser photolysis of long-chain bis -dibenzylsulfone detergent molecules is evaluated. In the presence of SDS [2.12]3-paracyclophane forms, in the absence of SDS it does not.
Upregulation of transforming growth factor-beta and interleukin-10 in cows with clinical Johne's disease.

Abstract Johne’s disease progresses through distinct stages including a protracted subclinical stage in which the infection appears to be controlled; followed by a more acute stage in which the host animal demonstrates clinical signs such as diarrhea and weight loss. Little is known about the dynamics of the host immune response during these two phases of disease, however, it is possible that immune modulation in the early stages of disease may play an important role in disease progression. We hypothesized that the clinical stage of Johne’s disease is mediated by the expression of cytokines such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) that may be accompanied by the downregulation of IFN-γ gene expression. In the present study, tissue samples were collected from the ileum, ileocecal junction, ileocecal lymph node, and mesenteric lymph nodes of healthy, subclinically or clinically infected cows. The expression of TGF-β, IL-10, and IFN-γ genes in these tissues was determined by quantitative competitive RT-PCR. The results demonstrate that TGF-β and IL-10 mRNA levels are higher in cows that have progressed to the clinical stage of disease compared to subclinically infected or healthy cows. In contrast, IFN-γ gene expression was significantly higher in subclinically infected cows. These results suggest that a change in the balance of cytokines at the site of infection may contribute to the ability of the host to control Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection.
Koreatown and Korean Small Firms in Los Angeles: Locating in the Ethnic Neighborhoods*

The locations of Korean firms in Los Angeles reflect spatial segmentation in markets and the provision of labor, in that the ethnic neighborhoods facilitate positive business environments for ethnic small firms. While Korean small businesses serve both community needs and broader local markets, firm locations are closely associated with the residential patterns of some ethnic populations. To address the specificity of firm locations, this paper examines Koreatown using historical sources and recent property development, identifies changes in the locational patterns of Korean firms between 1975 and 1986, and analyzes relationships between business density and density of ethnic populations for zip code areas. The findings of this study indicate that both the development of Koreatown and the presence of ethnic neighborhoods are important influences on the location of Korean businesses.
A new shaker for fruit and nut trees

Bark damage at the point of shaker attachment has become a major concern with the widespread use of mechanical harvesters for fruits and nuts. The dynamic displacements of a commercial trunk shaker when clamped to three sizes of Montmorency cherry trees were monitored for damaging effects. Maximum displacements were found to be 2·5 times greater during start-up and shut-down than at steady-state. Relative displacements between the shaker and the trunk were also excessive and can exceed tolerable bark strength limits. Subsequently, attempts were made to eliminate potentially damaging displacements through shaker redesign. A controllable variable-eccentric mass (VEM) was designed and retrofitted into the commercial shaker in place of the original fixed-mass. The design successfully eliminated excessive vibration resulting from low natural frequencies and shaker inertia while retaining the desired motion necessary for fruit removal.
Lassa fever in children

Summary A study was made of fifty febrile children admitted at the children's ward at Nixon Methodist Memorial Hospital, Segbwema, Sierra Leone. Five of these children were shown to have Lassa fever. Their illnesses are described.
Enhanced photocatalytic activity of graphene oxide/titania nanosheets composites for methylene blue degradation

In the present work, we report enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution by using ultra-thin anatase TiO2 nanosheets (NSs) combined with graphene oxide (GO) as a photocatalyst. The two-dimensional ultra-thin anatase TiO2 NSs are fabricated via chemical exfoliation. By completely delaminating a lepidocrocite-type layered protonic titanate HxTi2� x/4□x/4O4 � H2 O( x ¼0.7, □: vacancy) into individual layers through ion exchange with tetrabutylammonium (TBA þ ) cations, well-dispersed ultrathin colloidal Ti0.91O2 NSs with a lateral size up to a few micrometers are obtained. Subsequent acid treatment induces colloidal Ti0.91O2 to reassemble and precipitate into a gelation form, followed by thermal annealing to convert the Ti0.91O2 gelation into anatase TiO2 nanosheets as photocatalyst for methylene blue degradation. TiO2 NSs show a high photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 53.2% due to the ultra-thin thickness for facile electron transfering and large surface area for methylene blue absorption. Moreover, photocatalytic effect can be further improved by simply adding GO suspension to achieve colloidal self-assembly of GO and TiO2 NSs. An optimal GO content of 3 wt% further increases the photocatalytic degradation efficiency to 91.2% due to faster electron–hole seperation and improved surface area provided by GO. This work provides a simple but effective approach by combing graphene oxide with TiO2 nanosheets synthesized via the exfoliation method for methylene blue degradation.
Suppression of binary nucleation in amorphous La-Fe-Sb mixtures.

The nucleation energy of a series of LaxFeySbz modulated elemental reactants was measured as a function of the Fe/Sb ratio over a large composition range while holding the La content constant. The nucleation energy of the ternary compound La0.5Fe4Sb12 with the skutterudite crystal structure was found to depend very strongly on the Fe/Sb ratio in the modulated elemental reactant, with a higher nucleation energy as the Fe/Sb ratio is moved away from the 1:3 stoichiometric value. When the results of this study are compared with those from FeySbz modulated reactants, the addition of lanthanum was found to suppress the nucleation of FeSb2, thereby broadening the Fe/Sb composition range in which the ternary skutterudite compound LaxFe4Sb12 nucleates. This suppression of nucleation of a binary phase on addition of a ternary component to an amorphous intermediate is in agreement with theoretical arguments. The observed suppression of nucleation also provides rational for the observed nucleation of metastable tern...
Effect of laboratory light on tetrazolium reaction and on stability of formazans in various solvents

Studies on purified formazans of blue tetrazolium and triphenyltetrazolium showed that ordinary laboratory fluorescent light of about 52-foot-candle intensity provided sufficient energy for phototransformation in certain nonpolar solvents. Slow reoxidation of formazan to tetrazolium was observed in all solvents tested in the presence or absence of light. Water greatly inhibited the oxidation of the red formazan of blue tetrazolium. The blue formazan of blue tetrazolium isomerized to the red formazan in protic solvents in the presence and absence of light. The photochromie phenomena for the blue formazan of blue tetrazolium and the formazan of triphenyltetrazolium in cyclohexane were completely reversible when exposed to alternate periods of intense light and darkness. Under irradiation, the formazans of blue tetrazolium and triphenyltetrazolium in chloroform solution formed their respective photoformazans; darkness reversed the process, and continued exposure of the same solutions for extended times or at a higher light intensity created a solution whose spectrum was no longer reversibly affected by the presence or absence of light. When alcohol USP is used as the solvent for the quantitative determination of corticosteroids, no light precautions need be observed, although reagent blanks have higher absorbances than light-protected solutions. Exact compensation is made by running samples and standards versus the reagent blank as recommended by the USP. When other solvents and/or tetrazolium reagents are used, special precautions may be required to keep the reagents, developing solutions, and final formazans protected from light to ensure a quantitative reaction.
Examination Findings and Self-Reported Walking Capacity in Patients With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Background and Purpose. Spinal stenosis is a common, often disabling, condition resulting from compression of the cauda equina and nerve roots. This study was designed to: (1) characterize the impairments of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and (2) to identify predictors of self-reported walking capacity. Subjects. Forty-three patients with symptomatic LSS, from 3 specialty clinics, were evaluated. Twenty-eight subjects (65%) were female. The subjects' median age was 73.6 years (X=72.4, SD=10.3, range=45.–90.7), and the median duration of low back pain was 24 months (X=36.6, SD=41.6, range=0–216). Methods. Demographic data, medical history, and information about low back pain and symptoms (eg, numbness, tingling, and lower-extremity weakness) were collected using a standardized questionnaire and physical examination. Results. Twenty-two subjects (51%) had lower-extremity weakness, primarily of the extensor hallucis longus muscle. Thirty-five subjects (81%) had absent or decreased neurosensory responses (eg, pinprick, vibration, reflexes), and 28 subjects (66%) reported that they were unable to walk farther than 2 blocks. Women were more likely than men to report difficulties walking, as were subjects with abnormal Romberg test scores and those with greater pain during walking. Discussion and Conclusion. Pain and balance problems appeared to be the primary factors limiting ambulation in our subjects with LSS.
Development of Chronic and Acute Golden Syrian Hamster Infection Models With Leptospira borgpetersenii Serovar Hardjo

The golden Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is frequently used as a model to study virulence for several Leptospira species. Onset of an acute lethal infection following inoculation with several pathogenic Leptospira species has been widely adopted for pathogenesis studies. An important exception is the outcome following inoculation of hamsters with live L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo, the primary cause of bovine leptospirosis and a cause of human infections. Typically, inoculation of hamsters with L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo fails to induce clinical signs of infection. In this study, the authors defined LD(50) and ID(50) for 2 strains of L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo: JB197 and 203. Both strains infected hamsters with ID(50) values of approximately 1.5 × 10(2) bacteria yet differed in tissue invasion and interaction with leukocytes, resulting in widely divergent clinical outcomes. Hamsters infected with strain 203 established renal colonization within 4 days postinfection and remained asymptomatic with chronic renal infections similar to cattle infected with serovar Hardjo. In contrast, hamsters infected with strain JB197 developed a rapidly debilitating disease typical of acute leptospirosis common in accidental hosts (eg, humans) with an LD(50) of 3.6 × 10(4) bacteria. Evidence that strain JB197 resides in both extracellular and intracellular environments during hamster infection was obtained. Development of models that result in chronic and acute forms of leptospirosis provides a platform to study L. borgpetersenii pathogenesis and to test vaccines for the prevention of leptospirosis.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back on U.S. Floodplains

The Midwestern flood of 1993 was a milestone, breaking flow records along 1600 km of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and causing $12 to $16 billion in damages. Since 1993, there has been a widespread perception that the flood caused a fundamental shift in U.S. policies toward flood mitigation and floodplain management. New emphases on flood-damage prevention included widely publicized FEMA buyouts of floodplain properties. In Illinois and Missouri, 8700 properties were acquired at a cost of $56.3 million, but these buyouts are now being massively counterbalanced by new construction on U.S. floodplains. The epicenter of this recent rush onto the floodplain is the St. Louis metropolitan region, with $2.2 billion in new development on land that was under water in 1993. This Policy Forum describes the scale of floodplain encroachment across the United States, explores negative impacts of such encroachment, and outlines alternatives that have been proposed and implemented worldwide.
Challenges of functional imaging research of pain in children

Functional imaging has revolutionized the neurosciences. In the pain field it has dramatically altered our understanding of how the brain undergoes significant functional, anatomical and chemical changes in patients with chronic pain. However, most studies have been performed in adults. Because functional imaging is non-invasive and can be performed in awake individuals, applications in children have become more prevalent, but only recently in the pain field. Measures of changes in the brains of children have important implications in understanding neural plasticity in response to acute and chronic pain in the developing brain. Such findings may have implications for treatments in children affected by chronic pain and provide novel insights into chronic pain syndromes in adults. In this review we summarize this potential and discuss specific concerns related to the imaging of pain in children.
Forest biomass inversion from SAR using object oriented image analysis techniques

Recent advancements in object oriented image classification provide possibilities to investigate new approaches for inversion techniques for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images to derive bio-/geophysical parameters, like forest biomass. A study was performed on ERS and JERS SAR data in the Raco test site in Michigan. Both data sets were acquired within 10 days during summer 1992. Ground reference data were available from 80 forest stands with biomass ranges from early regrowth to mature stands for various pine species. Ecognition software was used to perform image segmentation. It was found that the software generated excellent image objects which correlate spatially well with existing stand boundaries and ecological units. However, the SAR data needed to be pre-filtered to reduce the influence of speckle to achieve better segmentation results. Also, improved segmentation was found when ERS and JERS data were used jointly in the segmentation process. Mean backscatter values of the 4 hectare test stands were compared with the mean backscatter of the larger image objects which contain the test stands. A comparison of the 4 ha test stands with the image objects containing these stands showed a signal correlation with an r/sup 2/ of 0.89. The derivation of biomass was then compared using the stand data only or the image objects only. While the r/sup 2/ values were about 0.1 higher for the stand derived regression equations, virtually the same model coefficients (slope, intercept) were achived with the biomass regression with stand data and image object data. This shows, that models which are developed on carefully selected stand data can be transferred to image objects which resulted from prior segmentation of the SAR data.
Peripheral Vascular Disease–Related Procedures in Dialysis Patients: Predictors and Prognosis

Background and objectives: Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is prevalent among dialysis patients, and many dialysis patients undergo PVD-related procedures. We aimed to examine the risk factors for and prognosis after such procedures in the dialysis setting. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: In a national prospective cohort study of 1041 incident dialysis patients, we examined the factors that are associated with PVD procedures (lower extremity amputations and bypasses) after the start of dialysis. Adjusted risk for PVD procedures of various factors was estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Incidence rates of subsequent cardiovascular events, infectious hospitalizations, PVD- and cardiovascular disease–related mortality, and all-cause mortality were compared for those with and without a PVD procedure. Results: Overall, 217 (21%) patients underwent a PVD procedure after the start of dialysis. For those without diabetes, only PVD history (relative hazard [RH] 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3 to 6.6) and increased fibrinogen (RH 1.2; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.5) predicted PVD procedures. For those with diabetes, increased serum phosphate (RH 1.2; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.4), along with decreased albumin, increased C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, and lower SBP, was associated with risk for PVD procedures. Of those who had a procedure compared with those who did not, 68 versus 30% experienced a subsequent cardiovascular event, 85 versus 66% an infectious hospitalization, 11 versus 2% a PVD-related death, and 81 versus 59% all-cause death (mean follow-up 3.0 yr). Conclusions: Prognosis after PVD procedures is poor, and providers should be aware that risk factors for PVD procedures may differ by diabetes status.
Aging Impairs Recipient T Cell Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors in Response to Transplantation

Background As increasing numbers of older people are listed for solid organ transplantation, there is an urgent need to better understand how aging modifies alloimmune responses. Here, we investigated whether aging impairs the ability of donor dendritic cells or recipient immunity to prime alloimmune responses to organ transplantation. Principal Findings Using murine experimental models, we found that aging impaired the host environment to expand and activate antigen specific CD8+ T cells. Additionally, aging impaired the ability of polyclonal T cells to induce acute allograft rejection. However, the alloimmune priming capability of donor dendritic cells was preserved with aging. Conclusion Aging impairs recipient responses, both T cell intrinsic and extrinsic, in response to organ transplantation.
Bargaining Delays in the Government Formation Process

In parliamentary democracies, the transfer of power from one government to the next is sometimes characterized by long periods of negotiations in which party leaders bargain over the composition and policy objectives of a new cabinet. Although these delays can have substantial political and economic consequences, surprisingly little is known about their determinants. Moreover, the few studies that exist reach contradictory conclusions. In this article, the author examines how factors relating to uncertainty and bargaining complexity influence the duration of the government formation process in 16 West European countries from 1944 to 1998. In line with the article’s theoretical expectations, the author finds that factors increasing uncertainty over the type of cabinet that is acceptable always lead to delays in forming governments but that factors increasing bargaining complexity, such as the number of parties and ideological polarization in the legislature, only do so when there is sufficient uncertainty ...
Critical Issues in Therapy Outcome Research

This article attempts to mark the boundaries and the context in which the current research on therapy outcome takes place. It delineates in greater depth the limitations imposed by the positivistic paradigm on the research, and it brings critical theory to bear on the interpretation of the findings. It concludes that the current research is too narrow to present the field of psychotherapy adequately. The positivistic paradigm serves as a metatheory that conceals issues of privilege and power because it leaves the underlying values and assumptions unaddressed. This article’s intent is to remind psychologists of their responsibility to be critical consumers of research and to acknowledge controversial issues regardless of whether their economic interests are served or not
Design of a modular tactile sensor and actuator based on an electrorheological gel

We present the design of a modular tactile sensor and actuator system for observing human demonstrations of contact tasks. The system consists of three interchangeable parts: an intrinsic tactile sensor for measuring net force/torque, an extrinsic tactile sensor for measuring contact distributions, and a tactile actuator for displaying tactile distributions. The novel components are the extrinsic sensor and tactile actuator which are "inside-out symmetric" to each other and employ an electrorheological gel for actuation.
Applying price's equation to survival selection

Several researchers have used Price's equation (from biology theory literature) to analyze the various components of an Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) while it is running, giving insights into the components contributions and interactions. While their results are interesting, they are also limited by the fact that Price's equation was designed to work with the averages of population fitness. The EA practitioner, on the other hand, is typically interested in the best individuals in the population, not the average.In this paper we introduce an approach to using Price's equation which instead calculates the upper tails of population distributions. By applying Price's equation to EAs that use survival selection instead of parent selection, this information is calculated automatically.
Analog classroom assessment of Adderall in children with ADHD.

ABSTRACT Objective This was a randomized, double-blind, crossover study of 30 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that evaluated the time course effects of four doses of Adderall® (5,10,15, and 20 mg), an inactive control (placebo), and a positive control (clinical dose of methylphenidate). Method For each treatment condition, a capsule was administered in the morning and assessments were performed in an analog classroom setting every 1.5 hours across the day. Subjective (teacher ratings of deportment and attention) and objective (scores on math tests) measures were obtained for each classroom session, and these measures were used to evaluate time-response and dose- response effects of Adderall®. Results For doses of Adderall® greater than 5 mg, significant time course effects were observed. Rapid improvements on teacher ratings and math performance were observed by 1.5 hours after administration, and these effects dissipated by the end of the day. The specific pattern of time course effects depended on dose: the time of peak effects and the duration of action increased with dose of Adderall®. Conclusions This documentation of efficacy in a controlled study supports the addition of Adderall® to the armamentarium of psychotropic medications for the treatment of ADHD. The differences in time-response patterns of Adderall® and methylphenidate may help tailor treatment to meet specific clinical needs of different children with ADHD.
Concentration and Determination of Trace Amounts of Several Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Aqueous Samples

7H-Benz(de)anthracene-7-one, fluoranthene, perylene, benzo(a)pyrene, and benzo(ghi)perylene were quantitatively recovered from test solutions containing Vertical Bar3; 10 ng/l. each, by collection on a 10.0 cm long, 0.26 cm dia extraction precolumn packed with 40 jm, C/sub 18/ bonded-phase pellicular material followed by desorption and separation on a 25 cm long, 0.26 cm dia reversed phase liquid chromatography column with 10 jm, C/sub 18/ bonded-phase microparticulate packing. The amount recovered was linear with sample volume through 400 ml. Fluorescence detection of the native fluorescence of these compounds permitted detection limits of about 100 pg. The use of methanol in the mobile phase and in the sample solutions reduced adsorption of the PAH's onto glass and metal surfaces and improved recovery. Application of this extraction method to a 400 ml sample allowed detection of the compounds at sample levels as low as 0.2 ng/l. The method is applicable to the analysis of PAH's in drinking water samples which do not contain particulate matter.
Coexposure to Mercury Increases Immunotoxicity of Trichloroethylene

We have shown previously that chronic (32 weeks) exposure to occupationally relevant concentrations of the environmental pollutant trichloroethylene (TCE) induced autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in autoimmune-prone MRL1/1 mice. In real-life, individuals are never exposed to only one chemical such as TCE. However, very little is known about the effects of chemical mixtures on the immune system. The current study examined whether coexposure to another known immunotoxicant, mercuric chloride (HgCl2), altered TCE-induced AIH. Female MRL1/1 mice were treated for only 8 weeks with TCE (9.9 or 186.9 mg/kg/ day in drinking water) and/or HgCl2 (260 mg/kg/day, sc). Unlike mice exposed to either TCE or HgCl2 alone, mice exposed to both toxicants for 8 weeks developed significant liver pathology commensurate with early stages of AIH. Disease development in the coexposed mice was accompanied by a unique pattern of antiliver and anti-brain antibodies that recognized, among others, a protein of approximately 90 kDa. Subsequent immunoblotting showed that sera from the coexposed mice contained antibodies specific for heat shock proteins, a chaperone protein targeted by antibodies in patients with AIH. Thus, although TCE can promote autoimmune disease following chronic exposure, a shorter exposure to a binary mixture of TCE and HgCl2 accelerated disease development. Coexposure to TCE and HgCl2 also generated a unique liver-specific antibody response not found in mice exposed to a single toxicant. This finding stresses the importance
High-speed systolic architectures for finite field inversion and division

Based on a new reformulation of the extended Euclidean algorithm, systolic architectures suitable for VLSI implementations are proposed for finite field inversion and division in this paper. The architectures proposed in this paper can achieve O(m2) area-time complexity, O(m) latency, and critical path delays of two logic gates. These architectures show improved performances when compared with previously proposed architectures.
Abnormal splicing in the N‐terminal variable region of cardiac troponin T impairs systolic function of the heart with preserved Frank‐Starling compensation

Abnormal splice-out of the exon 7-encoded segment in the N-terminal variable region of cardiac troponin T (cTnT-ΔE7) was found in turkeys and, together with the inclusion of embryonic exon (eTnT), in adult dogs with a correlation with dilated cardiomyopathy. Overexpression of these cTnT variants in transgenic mouse hearts significantly decreased cardiac function. To further investigate the functional effect of cTnT-ΔE7 or ΔE7+eTnT in vivo under systemic regulation, echocardiography was carried out in single and double-transgenic mice. No atrial enlargement, ventricular hypertrophy or dilation was detected in the hearts of 2-month-old cTnT-ΔE7 and ΔE7+eTnT mice in comparison to wild-type controls, indicating a compensated state. However, left ventricular fractional shortening and ejection fraction were decreased in ΔE7 and ΔE7+eTnT mice, and the response to isoproterenol was lower in ΔE7+eTnT mice. Left ventricular outflow tract velocity and gradient were decreased in the transgenic mouse hearts, indicating decreased systolic function. Ex vivo working heart function showed that high afterload or low preload resulted in more severe decreases in the systolic function and energetic efficiency of cTnT-ΔE7 and ΔE7+eTnT hearts. On the other hand, increases in preload demonstrated preserved Frank-Starling responses and minimized the loss of cardiac function and efficiency. The data demonstrate that the N-terminal variable region of cardiac TnT regulates systolic function of the heart.
System Identification and Nonlinear Factor Analysis for Discovery and Visualization of Dynamic Gene Regulatory Pathways

DNA microarray time-series provide the information vital to estimate the dynamic regulatory pathways and therefore predict the dynamic interaction among genes in time. While dynamic system identification theory has been applied to many fields of study, due to some practical limitations, this theory has been widely used to analyze DNA microarray time series. In this paper, we describe some of these limitations and propose a hierarchical model utilizing nonlinear factor analysis methods to analyze time-series DNA microarray data and identify the dynamic regulatory pathways. The proposed model is applied to model the eukaryotic cell cycle process using a popular dataset of cell cycle time-series. The results indicate that the proposed method can successfully predict the dynamic pathway involved in the process.
Review article: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, bile acid malabsorption and gluten intolerance as possible causes of chronic watery diarrhoea.

Summary Background Chronic watery diarrhoea is one of the most common symptoms prompting GI evaluation. Recently, new diagnostic considerations have emerged as possible factors in chronic diarrhoea. Aim To review available data regarding diagnosis and treatment of chronic diarrhoea with an emphasis on bacterial overgrowth and bile acid malabsorption. Methods A systematic search of the English language literature of chronic diarrhoea was performed focused on three possible aetiologies of diarrhoea: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), idiopathic bile salt malabsorption (IBAM), gluten responsive enteropathy. Results Recent studies suggest that SIBO and bile acid malabsorption may have been underestimated as possible causes of chronic watery diarrhoea. Gluten intolerance with negative coeliac serology is a contentious possible cause of watery diarrhoea, but requires further research before acceptance as an entity. Conclusion In patients with otherwise unexplained chronic watery diarrhoea, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and bile salt malabsorption should be considered and investigated.
Characteristics of Prostate Cancers Detected at Prostate Specific Antigen Levels Less Than 2.5 ng/ml

Purpose: The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial reported that 15% of men with a prostate specific antigen less than 4 ng/ml and a normal digital rectal examination have biopsy detectable prostate cancer. However, limited published data describe the tumor features of prostate cancer detected at low prostate specific antigen levels (less than 2.5 ng/ml).Materials and Methods: A total of 1,278 men underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy by 1 surgeon between 2003 and 2008. We describe the clinicopathological features of 77 patients with a preoperative prostate specific antigen of less than 2.5 ng/ml.Results: Of the men with a low prostate specific antigen (less than 2.5 ng/ml) tumor 51 (66%) had findings suspicious for prostate cancer on digital rectal examination. Indications for prostate biopsy in the remainder of men included an increased prostate specific antigen velocity, hematospermia and abnormal transrectal ultrasound findings. Prostate cancer was detected at transurethral resection of the prostate i...
An algorithm for identifying dominant-edge metabolic pathways

Metabolic pathway analysis seeks to identify critical reactions in living organisms and plays an important role in synthetic biology. We present in this paper an algorithm, DOMINANT-EDGE PATHWAY, for identifying a thermodynamically favored dominant-edge pathway forming a particular metabolite product from a particular reactant in a metabolic reaction network. The metabolic network is represented as a graph based on the stoichiometry of the reactions. The problem is formulated to first identify the path between the reactant and product with a limiting reaction based on Gibbs free energy changes, and then to augment this path with supplementary pathways with the goal of balancing the overall stoichiometry. Results of three representative test cases show that our algorithm efficiently finds potentially preferred reaction routes, offering a substantial run-time advantage over commonly used enumeration-based approaches.
Unexpected Luxury: Wild Silk Textile Production among the Yoruba of Nigeria

AbstractMulberry silk produced in China is the type most recognized and used in silk garments. There are at least seven additional silk fiber sources. The Yoruba are a large ethnic group in Nigeria who use native silk that they call sanyan from the Anaphe moth as one of their most prized fiber resources. Throughout colonial and post-colonial history, both Nigerians and others investigated methods for domesticating wild silk production. Yoruba strip cloth, called aso-oke includes three main categories: sanyan, etu and alari, each appropriate for persons of high social standing and for important occasions, displaying cultural significance. Cotton becomes used as a substitute for expensive silk yarns, being dyed the traditional color of the silk fabrics. To the Yoruba aesthetic, the purpose of something is more important than its actual form. Even as weavers now produce the traditionally sanyan cloths with substitute fibers, the cloth's glory remains.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND OXYGEN ON THE STRENGTH OF ELASTOMERS

Abstract 1. A linear relationship has been found to hold for SBR vulcanizates between the logarithm of the rate of steady tearing and the logarithm of air pressure, over the range 10 Pa to 100 kPa. The slope varied from 0.08 for a C-C crosslinked material to 0.18 for a polysulfide-crosslinked material. Similar effects of air pressure were found in the rate of crack propagation under intermittent loading. They are attributed to attack of oxygen (in air) on highly stressed bonds, either sulfidic or hydrocarbon. 2. Approximately linear relationships were found to hold between the logarithm of the rate of steady tearing and the reciprocal of test temperature for temperatures between 25°C and 130°C. Apparent activation energies were deduced from the slopes, of 135 kJ/mole for a polysulfide-crosslinked SBR compound, 105 kJ/mole for a C-C crosslinked SBR compound, and 85 kJ/mole for a sulfur vulcanizate of BR. For SBR, these values were independent of air pressure. 3. These activation energies are far too large ...
Analysis of serological result of measles in uncertain patients in 2008 in Baiyin

Objective:To understand incidence of measles which help to supply basis of its control and elimination.Methods:The serological results of suspected measles cases in Baiyin were analyzed.Results:A total of 255 serums of suspected measles cases were detected,138 measles IgM antibodies were positive,its positive rate was 54.1%.The confirmed cases were mainly concentrated in 0～5 years old,accounted for 50.0%,6～9 years old was 21.7%.There were 111 cases in rural areas,accounted for 80.4%,much more than city.The attack peak was from May to July and the incidence was 88.4%.In all cases,25.4% were immunized,68.1% didn′t immunized and 6.5% were unknown.Conclusion:To further strengthen routine immunization,improve the immunization rate and vaccination quality,in time carry out measles vaccine mass immunization,improve the immunity levels of susceptible population,blocking the prevalence of measles in the population.
Review Essay: Recent Titles on the History of Jews and Muslims in France and North Africa

It has been a good decade for English-language scholarship on the shared history of France and North Africa, with several titles taking a particular interest in the region’s Jews. Given the much-discussed rise of French antisemitism and what is frequently labeled integrisme (a term often translated as “extremism” or “fundamentalism”), it is important that these histories explore not only the relations between Jews and Muslims but also the historical circumstances—and, notably, state policies and social movements—that created, reified, or transformed religious and ethnic identities in France and its empire. These new “entangled histories,” as Sarah Stein puts it, not only encourage historians to study Jews and Muslims together but also rightfully give the Maghreb a prominent speaking part in the historical drama of modern France (Stein, 6). The three works discussed here belong to a new scholarly trend that has emerged in response to the late arrival of postcolonial studies to the Zionism-buffered shores of Jewish history. As a result, they feature colonialism and, even more centrally, decolonization at the heart of their stories. All three of the books under discussion examine French colonial rule in North Africa, its demise, and the transformations it entailed in Europe. Particularly central is the considerable human exodus from North Africa, including the departure of almost all of the region’s Jews. Two of these books, namely, Maude Mandel’s Muslims and Jews in France: The History of a Conflict and Ethan Katz’s The Burdens of Brotherhood: Muslims and Jews from North Africa to France, though quite different from each other, take broad perspectives on what has become a timely, charged, and media-grabbing topic, especially since the Charlie Hebdo and Hyper-Cacher attacks of January 2015.
Control of Cat Walking and Paw-Shake by a Multifunctional Central Pattern Generator

Central pattern generators (CPGs) are oscillatory neuronal networks controlling rhythmic motor behaviors such as swimming, walking, and breathing. Multifunctional CPGs are capable of producing multiple patterns of rhythmic activity with different periods. Here, we investigate whether two cat rhythmic motor behaviors, walking and paw-shaking, could be controlled by a single multifunctional CPG. To do this, we have created a parsimonious model of a half-center oscillator composed of two mutually inhibitory neurons. Two basic activity regimes coexist in this model: fast 10 Hz paw-shake regime and a slow 2 Hz walking regime. It is possible to switch from paw-shaking to walking with a short pulse of conductance in one neuron, and it is possible to switch from walking to paw-shaking with a longer pulse of excitatory conductance in both neurons. The paw-shake and walking rhythms generated by the CPG model were used as input to a neuromechanical model of the cat hindlimbs to simulate the corresponding rhythmic behaviors. Simulation results demonstrated that the multifunctional half-center locomotor CPG could produce movement mechanics and muscle activity patterns typical for cat walking or paw-shake responses if synaptic weights in selected spinal circuits were altered during each behavior. We propose that the selection of CPG regimes and spinal circuitry is triggered by sensory input from paw skin afferents.
Developmental delays and autism: Screening and surveillance

Screening and surveillance are crucial components to the early detection of developmental disorders in children, which enables early interventions that provide the best chances for improved outcomes. Identifying a developmental disorder is the initial step in evaluating the disorder. Surveillance is a flexible, continuous, longitudinal process aimed at identifying concerns, and it should be performed at every well-child visit. Screening involves administering a brief, standardized tool normalized for specific ages and stages of development to identify any developmental delays or specific concerns such as autism. Screening is recommended at every office visit and whenever a parent expresses a concern. Two general types of screening tests are available: problem-specific screening and broadband developmental screening. For each type, there are multiple different tests available that can be administered by a parent or a health care provider. Factors to consider in the test selection are the age range for which it is intended, time it takes to complete and score, cost, whether the test is paper-based or electronic, and the language availability.
In their words A qualitative analysis of the overlap in victimization and offending

The strong and consistent relationship between criminal involvement and victimization is one of the most persistent documented findings within criminological research. However, there is little stud...
Dynamically equivalent manipulator for space manipulator system. 1

In this paper, we discuss the problem of how a free-floating space manipulator (SM) can be mapped to a conventional, fixed-base manipulator which preserves its dynamic and kinematic properties, and thus is called dynamically equivalent manipulator (DEM). The DEM concept allows one to use a conventional manipulator system to simulate a free-floating space manipulator connected to a space station, spacecraft, or satellite, without complicated experimental set-ups. This paper presents the theoretical development of the DEM concept, and demonstrates its dynamic and kinematic equivalence to the SM.
Specimen Preparation, Special Techniques, and Applications of the Scanning Electron Microscope

In the first ten years of commercial availability of the scanning electron microscope (SEM), the instrument has been applied in many fields in the physical and biological sciences. In this chapter, we shall present illustrative examples of the types of problems in materials science for which the SEM can provide useful information to the analyst. By no means are these examples a complete description of the scope of SEM applications. A more adequate appreciation of the wide range of SEM studies that have been carried out can be obtained by consulting the proceedings of the yearly conferences on scanning electron microscopy.(1,2)
Variability in hospital costs for carotid artery revascularization.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to understand drivers of cost for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) and to compare variation in cost among cases performed by vascular surgery (VS) with other services (OSs). Methods We collected internal hospital claims data for CEA and CAS between September 2013 and August 2015 and performed a financial analysis of all hospital costs including room accommodations, medications, medical and surgical supplies, imaging, and laboratory tests. Cases were stratified by presence of symptoms and procedure type, and costs of procedures performed by VS were compared with those performed by OSs. Results The cohort comprised 144 patients (78 asymptomatic, 66 symptomatic; 44 CAS, 100 CEA) receiving unilateral revascularization. VS (24 CAS, 70 CEA) and neurosurgery and neurointerventional radiology services (20 CAS, 30 CEA) performed all procedures. Age (71 ± 9 years vs 70 ± 11 years; P = .8) and length of stay (1.7 ± 2.1 days vs 2.2 ± 2.4 days; P = .73) were similar for VS and OSs. Symptoms were present before revascularization for 46% and were more commonly treated by OSs (78% vs 29%; P Conclusions VS average hospital costs were lower for asymptomatic CAS and all CEAs compared with OSs. Drivers of higher cost appear to be attributed to variation in physicians' practice as well as patients' complexity, affording an opportunity to reduce cost by establishing standard practices when appropriate.
Metabolic composition of apple rootstock rhizodeposits differs in a genotype-specific manner and affects growth of subsequent plantings

Abstract Apple replant disease (ARD) negatively impacts apple tree health and reduces crop yield in new orchards established on sites previously grown to the same or related species. Use of tolerant rootstock genotypes can diminish the growth limiting effects of ARD, and while current research characterizes differential root gene expression by ARD tolerance among genotypes, the potential role of genotype-specific rhizodeposits contributing to ARD tolerance has not been intensively examined. A Q-TOF LC/MS metabolic profiling approach targeting phenolic compounds was used to characterize water-soluble phenolic rhizodeposit metabolites collected from water percolated through the rhizosphere of apple rootstocks planted in pasteurized quartz sand. Four rootstock genotypes (two with ARD field tolerance, G935 and G41, and two with ARD susceptibility, M9Nic29 and M26) differed in both rhizodeposit composition of metabolites and quantity over the course of time, with overall quantity of metabolites increasing as leaf area increased. Total metabolite quantity recovered did not differ with relative rootstock tolerance to ARD. Benzoic acid levels were consistently higher in rhizodeposits derived from G935, while rutin was higher in M26. Phloridzin and phloretin, two compounds previously examined in relation to apple root disease pathogenesis, were higher in the ARD-susceptible M9Nic29 at the inception of the experiment, but did not differentiate ARD tolerant from susceptible genotypes at later time assessments. Other untargeted compounds, identified by accurate mass, mass spectral features, and retention time, separated rootstocks according to ARD tolerance, but their chemical identity remains unconfirmed. Orchard soil treated with apple rhizodeposits had lower pH than soil collected from no-tree controls. Seedling growth in rhizodeposit treated soils differed according to rootstock genotype in a subsequent bioassay, but not according to expected replant tolerance. Differences in metabolite composition of rhizodeposits according to rootstock genotype, and temporal dynamics of their production during early stages of rootstock growth following dormancy, offer insight apple rootstock rhizodeposition, and provide the basis to further investigate their impact on soil chemistry, soil microbiology, and plant health.
Experiential practice learning: Providing a theoretical knowledge foundation

Abstract: Using experiential activities is one way to provide alternative content that moves groupwork practice away from the structured curriculum-driven or facilitator-driven approach, and moves groupwork practice more toward the direction of group activity that promotes cooperative group member learning and growth. However, we should recognize the importance of providing a theoretical knowledge foundation prior to learning about experiential practice; it is vital to learn the foundational knowledge pertinent to the successful use of experiential activities in groups. Keywords: activities; group planning; group stages; group types; theoretical knowledge; support; group work; groupwork
Hybridized plasmons in graphene nanorings for extreme nonlinear optics

Abstract The exotic plasmonic properties of highly doped graphene monolayer have opened new doors to develop advanced nanophotonic devices. It has been successfully experienced that the incident field can become substantially intense enough to convert the fundamental laser frequency into both even and odd high-order harmonics via a nonlinear phenomenon. In this work, using highly doped graphene nanorings with semimetallic behaviour, we analyzed the formation of high-harmonic generation using both finite-element method (FEM) and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations. Employing the inherent anharmonic charge-carrier dispersion of graphene and choosing accurate geometrical sizes for the atomic scale nanorings allow for the generation of third-harmonic (∼730 nm) with high intensity, substantial quality factor ( Q -factor), and significant conversion efficiency up to η THG ∼0.0014%. By realizing the hybridization of excited plasmons, we showed that the unique spectral response of graphene allows for the generation of gate-tunable and efficient higher order harmonic formation along the visible spectrum. We believe that the proposed atomic-scale platform has a strong potential to be used for advanced and integrated photonic devices.
Shaping Terahertz Beams with High-efficiency All-dielectric Metasurfaces

We demonstrate high-efficiency (>70%) all-dielectric Terahertz metasurfaces operating in the transmission mode. Example devices include high numerical-aperture (NA-0.9) meta-lenses as well as cylindrical vector beam generator.