cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutations that confer resistance to broadly-neutralizing antibodies define HIV-1 variants of transmitting mothers from that of non-transmitting mothers

Despite considerable reduction of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV through use of maternal and infant antiretroviral therapy (ART), over 150,000 infants continue to become infected with HIV annually, falling far short of the World Health Organization goal of reaching <20,000 annual pediatric HIV cases worldwide by 2020. Prior to the widespread use of ART in the setting of pregnancy, over half of infants born to HIV-infected mothers were protected against HIV acquisition. Yet, the role of maternal immune factors in this protection against vertical transmission is still unclear, hampering the development of synergistic strategies to further reduce MTCT. It has been established that infant transmitted/founder (T/F) viruses are often resistant to maternal plasma, yet it is unknown if the neutralization resistance profile of circulating viruses predicts the maternal risk of transmission to her infant. In this study, we amplified HIV-1 envelope genes (env) by single genome amplification and produced representative Env variants from plasma of 19 non-transmitting mothers from the U.S. Women Infant Transmission Study (WITS), enrolled in the pre-ART era. Maternal HIV Env variants from non-transmitting mothers had similar sensitivity to autologous plasma as observed for non-transmitting variants from transmitting mothers. In contrast, infant variants were on average 30% less sensitive to paired plasma neutralization compared to non-transmitted maternal variants from both transmitting and non-transmitting mothers (p = 0.015). Importantly, a signature sequence analysis revealed that motifs enriched in env sequences from transmitting mothers were associated with broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) resistance. Altogether, our findings suggest that circulating maternal virus resistance to bnAb-mediated neutralization, but not autologous plasma neutralization, near the time of delivery, predicts increased MTCT risk. These results caution that enhancement of maternal plasma neutralization through passive or active vaccination during pregnancy may potentially drive the evolution of variants fit for vertical transmission.
A SEQUENTIAL ALGORITHM TO IDENTIFY THE MIXING ENDPOINTS IN LIQUIDS IN PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS

A Sequential Algorithm to Identify the Mixing Endpoints in Liquids in Pharmaceutical Applications By Akriti Saxena, M.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biostatistics at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Major Director: V. Ramakrishnan, Ph.D. Associate professor Department of Biostatistics The objective of this thesis is to develop a sequential algorithm to determine accurately and quickly, at which point in time a product is well mixed or reaches a steady state plateau, in terms of the Refractive Index (RI). An algorithm using sequential non-linear model fitting and prediction is proposed. A simulation study representing typical scenarios in a liquid manufacturing process in pharmaceutical industries was performed to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The data simulated included autocorrelated normal errors and used the Gompertz model. A set of 27 different combinations of the parameters of the Gompertz function were considered. The results from the simulation study suggest that the algorithm x is insensitive to the functional form and achieves the goal consistently with least number of time points.
Cardiac glycogenosis. Hemodynamic, angiocardiographic, and electron microscopic findings--report of a case.

The clinical pathologic and the biochemical features of generalized glycogenosis (Type II) are described in a 6-week-old female infant. Cardiac catheterization and angiocardiographic studies were also done; these procedures may be of value in the diagnostic approach to this disease.
Development, Prokaryotic: Variety and Versatility

Prokaryotic developmental cycles may be classified into three main types based on the principle function of the differentiated cell. Some organisms produce dormant cells. These include endospores, cysts, elementary bodies, and akinetes, among others. Some organisms produce specialized cells for nutrient acquisition, primarily nitrogen fixation, such as heterocysts. Some organisms produce specialized cells for dispersal such as swarmer cells and attack phase cells. Examples of each have been studied in some detail. An overview of the regulation of representative types is provided.
First verbs: Language acquisition as cultural learning

Obviously one must be humble in drawing definitive conclusions from a naturalistic investigation of one child learning one language. It is important to point out, however, that many phenomena of language acquisition can only be studied with diary data, that is, data in which all of one child's linguistic productions are systematically documented in a longitudinal fashion (Mervis, et al., in press). The current analysis of T's sentence-construction operations, for example, was only possible because there was available a fairly complete developmental record. In any case, the current study has discovered some interesting facts about this one child's language acquisition that may serve as hypotheses to test with other children learning English and, with proper modification, with children learning other languages. Such generalizations are especially promising in the case of verb-related phenomena, given Maratsos's (1987) finding that the only grammatical structures common to all of the world's languages are basic predicate-argument structures. What I do in this final chapter is three things, each very briefly: First, I summarize the major findings of the study; second, I offer a speculation on the human capacity for language (including a comparison of children and language learning chimpanzees); and third, I look briefly at later language development to see if the current approach may be extended usefully beyond the child's second birthday. Summary of major findings Anyone looking closely at T's early language must, it seems to me, come away with a strong impression of concreteness, particularity, and idiosyncrasy. Many linguists see these features in adult language as well (e.g., Bolinger, 1977; Fillmore, in press; Langacker, 1987), but in the case of the 1- to 2-year-old child they are even more pronounced.
eWorkbooks for Mathematics: Mapping the Independent Learning Experiences of Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities

In this paper we describe small case study exploring how four elementary students with mathematics learning disabilities utilized mobile technology (the eWorkbook) during core math instruction in a general education setting. The lead author designed the eWorkbook intervention to provide a flexible learning experience optimized for diverse learners. Sophisticated video coding software was used to map the actions of the students as they engaged with the tool during the independent practice portion of math instruction. Results related to engagement, independence, accuracy, and specific affordances and barriers to learning with mobile technology are reported.
Issues in feminist film criticism

Acknowledgments Introduction Patricia Erens I. Critical Methodology: Women and Representation Introduction Positive Images Screening Women's Films Linda Artel and Susan Wengraf There's More to a Positive Image Than Meets the Eye Diane Waldman The Place of Women in the Cinema of Raoul Walsh Pam Cook and Claire Johnston Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema Laura Mulvey Film and the Masquerade Theorizing the Female Spectator Mary Ann Doane Hitchock, Feminism, and the Patriarchal Unconscious Tania Modleski Women and Respresentation Can We Enjoy Alternative Pleasure? Jane Gaines II. Rereading Hollywood Films Introduction Gentlemen Consume Blondes Maureen Turim Pre-text and Text in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Lucie Arbuthnot and Gail Seneca The Case of the Missing Mother Maternal Issues in Vidor's Stella Dallas E. Ann Kaplan "Something Else Besides a Mother" Stella Dallas and the Maternal Melodrama Linda Williams Seduced and Abandoned Recollection and Romance in Letter from an Unkown Woman Lucy Fischer Illicit Pleasures Feminist Spectators and Personal Best Elizabeth Ellsworth White Privilege and Looking Relations Race and Gender in Feminist Film Theory Jane Gaines III. Critical Methodology: Feminist Filmmaking Introduction The Political Aesthetics of the Feminist Documentary Film Julia Lesage Feminism, Film, and Public History Sonya Michel Textual Politics Annette Kuhn In the Name of Feminist Film Criticism B. Ruby Rich Rethinking Women's Cinema Aesthetics and Feminist Theory Teresa de Lauretis Dis-Embodying the Female Voice Kaja Silverman IV. Assessing Films Directed by Women Introduction Images and Women Robin Wood Unspoken and Unsolved Tell Me a Riddle Florence Jacobowitz and Lori Spring Desperately Seeking Difference Jackie Stacey Female Narration, Women's Cinema Helke Sander's The All-Round Reduced Personality/Redupers Judith Mayne Feminist or Tendentious? Marleen Gorris's A Question of Silence Mary C. Gentile Anti-Porn Soft Issue, Hard World B. Ruby Rich Variety The Pleasure in Looking Bette Gordon Glossary Selected Bibliography Index
Supreme Court Nominations, Legitimacy Theory, and the American Public: A Dynamic Test of the Theory of Positivity Bias

Social scientists have taught us a great deal about the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court. Unfortunately, however, most research fails to consider how the public's views of political institutions like the Court change over time. But opinions can indeed change, with at least two types of "exogenous" sources - controversial Supreme Court decisions and politicized confirmation hearings - providing engines for attitude change. Events such as these may awaken attitudes from their hibernation, allowing for the possibility of updating. Two types of change seem possible: Attention to things judicial may be associated with exposure to highly legitimizing symbols of judicial power (e.g., robes), symbols that teach the lesson that the Court is different from ordinary political institutions and therefore is worthy of esteem. Gibson and Caldeira refer to this as "positivity bias." Alternatively, events may teach that the Court is not different, that its role is largely "political," and that the "myth of legality" really is a myth. Since so few studies have adopted a dynamic perspective on attitudes toward institutions, we know little about how these processes of attitude change take place. Based on a three-wave national survey of ordinary Americans, we attempt to understand the influence of the Alito nomination/confirmation process on loyalty toward the Supreme Court. Our most important finding is that exposure to advertisements by interest groups for and against Alito's confirmation contributes to the erosion of support for the Court. These advertisements seem to encourage the belief that the Supreme Court is "just another political institution," which, in the political climate in the country, is not an accolade. Politicized confirmation processes therefore seem to have considerable capacity to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court itself.
Acute fever and seizure in a patient with recent atrial fibrillation ablation

Patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation may present critically ill with complications of atrial esophageal fistula, commonly manifesting as neurologic deficits and septicemia difficult to distinguish from other acute etiologies without a high index of suspicion. The temporal variability in fistula formation and symptom presentation, along with their nonspecific features, makes diagnosis often a late finding with historically high morbidity and mortality. We present a patient admitted to a medical intensive care unit with status epilepticus and recurrent positive blood cultures for organisms commonly associated with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chest computed tomography (CT) without contrast, transthoracic echocardiography, and initial neurologic imaging were unhelpful. A diagnosis was ultimately made by upper endoscopy of the esophagus after hematemesis with suspicion for GI bleed, at which point surgical intervention was attempted but without success. This case reviews the clinical features of atrial esophageal fistula formation and its initial diagnosis and management.
Dual and distinct roles for sphingosine kinase 1 and sphingosine 1 phosphate in the response to inflammatory stimuli in RAW macrophages.

Sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) and its product sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) have been implicated in the regulation of many cellular processes including growth regulation, protection from apoptosis, stimulation of angiogenesis, and most recently as mediators of the TNF alpha inflammatory response. In this study we set out to examine the role of SK1/S1P in the RAW macrophage response to the potent inflammatory stimulus LPS. We show that LPS increases cellular levels of SK1 message and protein. This increase is at the transcriptional level and is accompanied by increased SK activity and generation of S1P. S1P is able to cause increases in COX-2 and PGE2 levels in RAW cells. Knock down of SK1 using siRNA is able to inhibit the TNF but not the LPS inflammatory response. Moreover, knock down of SK1 enhances both TNF and LPS-induced apoptosis. These data indicate that there is a dual and distinct role for SK1 and S1P in the TNF and the LPS inflammatory pathways.
Tangential Stress and Marangoni Effects at a Fluid–Fluid Interface in a Hele–Shaw Cell

Abstract Although the depth-averaged equations describing fluid flow in a Hele–Shaw cell resemble those of potential flow, the appropriate tangential stress boundary condition at a fluid–fluid interface is different from that for potential flow. The precise form of this boundary condition is derived herein by solving the complete microscale problem near the interface followed by depth-averaging of the results. The shear stress exerted on the interface by each phase is found to be proportional to its viscosity, the tangential velocity of the interface relative to that in the bulk phase, and the reciprocal of a “slip layer” thickness which depends only on the gap width in the Hele–Shaw cell. The results are applied to the problem of translation of a circular drop or bubble in a Hele–Shaw cell, in the presence of Marangoni effects. For instance, the thermocapillary migration velocity of a circular bubble in a constant temperature gradient is found to be inversely proportional to its radius, in contrast with the case of a spherical bubble migrating in an infinite liquid, for which the velocity is directly proportional to the radius.
Therapeutic application of thalidomide in multiple myeloma

Treatment with thalidomide and dexamethasone was given to 26 patients with active, previously untreated multiple myeloma (MM). Thalidomide was administered in an initial dosage of 200 mg/d for 2 weeks and then increased as tolerated (in 200-mg increments at 2-week intervals) to a maximum daily dose of 800 mg. Dexamethasone was given orally in a dosage of 40 mg/d on days 1 through 4, 9 through 12, and 17 through 20 in odd cycles and 40 mg/d on days 1 through 4 in even cycles at monthly intervals. Response was defined as a decrease in serum and urine monoclonal (M)-protein by 50% or greater. Twenty (77%) of 26 patients with active MM exhibited a therapeutic response. Among the first seven patients treated with a thalidomide dose of 400 mg, grade III to IV skin toxicity developed in two. Drug titration was then stopped and the thalidomide dose maintained at 200 mg/d. Six (86%) of seven patients showed a response after thalidomide dose escalation, whereas 14 (74%) of 19 patients demonstrated a response with a constant thalidomide dose of 200 mg/d. Thalidomide alone produced a response in six (38%) of 16 patients with smoldering or indolent myeloma. The angiogenesis grade was elevated in only 8% of these patients. Thirty-two patients with relapsed myeloma were treated with thalidomide dosed at 200 mg/d, with 200-mg escalations every 2 weeks to a maximum daily dose of 800 mg. Prior chemotherapy had failed and five (16%) patients had experienced relapse following stem cell transplantation. Ten (38%) of the 26 patients who had received at least two cycles of therapy obtained a response.
Intraepithelial epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix, endometrium, and a fallopian tube.

Abstract A patient with intraepithelial epidermoid carcinoma of the uterine cervix, endometrium, and a fallopian tube is presented. This abnormality is discussed with particular attention to the association with chronic inflammation. This rare lesion might represent a superficial spread of atypical cervical epithelium to include the endometrium and fallopian tube or could reflect a field change. The effect of this finding upon the prognosis of intraepithelial carcinoma of the cervix is unknown.
Correlation between alkaline activation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki spores and crystal production

The spores of crystal-forming (Cry+) and non-crystal-forming (Cry-) strains of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki and Bacillus cereus were tested for the ability to be activated by 0.1 m K2CO3 (pH 10). Only the spores of crystal-forming strains could be activated, and this phenotype was independent of whether crystals were present with the spores in the activation solution. The spores of a B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki strain that is temperature sensitive for protoxin accumulation could be activated by the alkaline solution when produced at the permissive temperature, whereas spores produced at the nonpermissive temperature were not activated. The results indicate that protoxin in the spore coat is responsible for the alkaline-activation phenotype and may serve an ecological function for the organism.
Preparative routes to luminescent mixed-ligand rhenium(I) dicarbonyl complexes.

A series of mixed-ligand 2,2‘-bipyridine (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) rhenium(I) dicarbonyl complexes that are emissive in fluid solution has been prepared, which includes a new class of the type cis-[Re(CO)2(P−P)(N−N)]+ (where P−P is a chelating diphosphine and N−N is a chelating polypyridine ligand). The four synthetic routes that have been developed rely on either reactive triflate displacement or abstraction of labile chloro ligands, followed by the use of the strong trans-labilizing effect of P donors or direct use of the trans effect of P donors. The spectroscopic, photophysical, and electrochemical properties of these new complexes systematically vary with the net donor ability of the ligands in the coordination sphere, as shown by correlations with Lever's EL parameters. Lifetimes and quantum yields of the bipyridine complexes encompass a broad range, 25−1147 ns and ca. 0.002−0.11, respectively.
An eigenstructure approach for the retrieval of cylindrical harmonics

Abstract In this paper, we present a high resolution spectral estimation method for 2-D isotropic random fields with covariance functions equal to weighted sums of cylindrical harmonics. Such fields are often used to model some types of background noises in geophysics and in ocean acoustics. The approach that we present differs from previous 2-D spectral estimation techniques by the fact that we take maximal advantage of the symmetries implied by both the isotropy and the special covariance structure of these fields. Note that isotropy is the natural generalization to several dimensions of the 1-D notion of stationarity. Our approach is similar in spirit to 1-D harmonic retrieval techniques, such as the MUSIC method, which rely on an eigenanalysis of the covariance matrix. In the 2-D isotropic context, we begin with a Fourier series representation of an isotropic field with respect to the angle θ in a polar coordinate representation of the underlying 2-D space. We then obtain a spectral estimate by performing an eigenanalysis of the covariance matrix of samples of the zeroth-order Fourier coefficient process in order to extract the cylindrical harmonics. We also discuss the estimation of this covariance matrix and present examples to illustrate the high resolution and robustness properties of our procedure.
The path to mechanized shoe production in the United States

In 1800, shoes in the United States were made by craftsmen, each trained to create an entire shoe. A century later, shoes were mass-produced in factories employing dozens of machines and specialized workers. Ross Thomson describes this transition from craft to mechanized production in one of the largest American industries of the nineteenth century.Early shoe machinery originated through innovations made by shoemakers, tailors, and especially machinists. It continued to evolve through a process of "learning by selling," in which sales of one generation of machines led to technological learning and ongoing invention by those who used, serviced, and sold them. As a result of this process, the mechanization of the shoe industry and the manufacturers of the machinery it used -- including such firms as Singer and United Shoe Machinery -- evolved together.In researching the process of industrialization, Thomson examined nearly 8,000 patents. Comparing the patent information with directories for more than eighty American cities, he was able to find out who the inventors were, who employed them, how many patents they held, and the extent to which their inventions were used.Originally published in 1989.A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Effects of Corner Radius on Stagnation-point Velocity Gradients on Blunt Axisymmetric Bodies

Velocity gradient on blunt axisymmetric bodies in stagnation region if pressure distribution is known, using isentropic flow equations
Emotional/behavioral disabilities and gifted and talented behaviors: Paradoxical or semantic differences in characteristics?

The identification of gifted and talented behaviors within students who have an identified exceptionality has resulted in the questioning of traditional profiles of individuals qualifying for services within gifted and special education. Much of this reflection to date has been focused on the characteristics of gifted and talented behaviors exhibited by students with high incidence disabilities (learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders). Absent from the literature has been an examination of the learning and personal characteristics of students identified as having an emotional/behavioral disability who concurrently exhibit gifted and talented behaviors. An exploration of the growing body of literature in the fields of gifted and special education has revealed a number of similar or common characteristics in these two populations that warrant investigation. The purpose of this article is to develop a profile in the aforementioned population to aid in the identification of, and programming for, individuals with an emotional/behavioral disability who exhibit gifted and talented behaviors. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Weakly Compactly Generated Banach Spaces and the Strong Law of Large Numbers

IfB is a weakly compactly generated Banach space andf: (S,S, μ) satisfies the strong law of large numbers, thenf=f1+f2, wheref1 is Bochner μ-integrable andf2 is Pettis μ-integrable with Pettis norm 0. The decomposition is unique.
Warning Signs for Suicide in Internet Forums

The presence of 10 warning signs for suicide proposed by the American Association of Suicidology was compared in 215 postings on a suicide forum and 94 postings on a self-injury forum. The suicide forum postings received a higher score on the 10 signs than the self-injury forum postings, and significant differences were found for 6 of the 10 signs: suicidal ideation, purposelessness, trapped, hopelessness, withdrawal, and, in the reverse direction, recklessness. Overall, the findings support the usefulness of the warning signs in identifying suicidal individuals. Language: en
Social class and belonging: Implications for college adjustment

This study addressed the extent to which social class position structures a sense of belonging at college, and the ways in which belonging informs adjustment to college. Among 322 liberal arts college students, social class background was significantly associated with a sense of belonging at college and was marginally related to academic performance but was not related to the quality of the experience they were having at college. Sense of belonging mediated the relationship between class background and adjustment to college.
Sexually Dimorphic Intrasexual Duetting in an Otherwise Monomorphic Green Lacewing (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae, Chrysoperla plorabunda): Sexual Selection or Sex Recognition?

Songs produced during heterosexual duets in a green lacewing, C. plorabunda, are sexually monomorphic. However, individuals of either sex will also engage in intrasexual duets, which can exhibit sexual dimorphism. We confined males and females together in various combinations in a small arena to study the phenotypes, behavioral interactions, and functional roles of duetting in this species. The goal was to test whether sexual selection or sex recognition provided the better explanation of song sexual dimorphism. We determined that the monomorphic form of the intrasexual duet was long and stable, and could take place either between males or between females. Such “standard” intrasexual duetting songs were acoustically indistinguishable from heterosexual songs. However, males could also engage other males in special “fast duets” that sped up and terminated abruptly. Equivalent fast duets were not part of the female repertory. Fast duetting songs between males differed significantly from other types of male or female duetting songs in every measurable characteristic, but their role in the mating system was ambiguous. Contrary to one prediction of the sexual selection hypothesis, fast duetting between males occurred less often in situations where it might be the most useful to males in securing mates, i.e., during male-male-female interactions (trios). In addition, fast songs that started, ended, both started and ended, or neither started nor ended duets were acoustically indistinguishable, making it unlikely that females were choosing males based on such variation. However, songs that “both started and ended” fast duets were associated with a significant mating advantage, indicating a possible role for fast duetting in male-male sexual competition. Because the alternative hypothesis of sex recognition was also supported by some of our results, we conclude that aggressive qualities of male-male fast duets probably mediate intrasexual selection, while their increasing tempo serves as an adaptive response to promote rapid sex recognition by truncating unproductive and potentially dangerous intrasexual duetting.
The optically detected stimulated spin echo as a probe of triplet energy migration in mixed molecular crystals

Abstract Optically detected stimulated spin echoes are applied to the perprotonated traps in isotopically mixed tetrachlorobenzene. Rate constants for trap to trap energy migration are extracted from the echo decays, which become more rapid with increasing trap concentration. The results suggest the importance of trap to trap superexchange in this system.
Surface Re-esterification and photo sintering of titania xerogel thin films

Supraband gap light ( 1 were re-esterified at the surface prior to UV exposure, as confirmed by Fourier Transform IR spectroscopy. Relative hardness tests demonstrated that sols having a high ethanol content, which are subsequently cast into thin films and subjected to UV light exposure under humid conditions, are capable of being hardened. The hardening effect was reduced relative to unexposed xerogel films at all tested humidity levels lacking UV exposure, indicating particle peptization without interparticle bonding. Contact angles significantly decreased for all films exposed to UV light. In contrast, films held in the dark did not change contact angles. Atomic force microscopy indicated nanoparticle growth for UV-exposed films at 40% relative humidity/40 °C. Adsorbed...
Recent research in paleoethnobotany

This article discusses paleoethnobotanical research and results presented in the recent literature. Although archaeobotany is a fairly recent addition to the study of the past, it now encompasses a diverse range of techniques, analyses, and new results. Issues that are prominent in this archaeological subdiscipline include the origins of agriculture, resource use, environmental reconstruction, anthropogenic environmental change, political-economic change, plant cultivation and crop production, plant processing, consumption (diet), and site deposition. Some of the plant identification methods for macrobotanical remains include morphology using light microscopes, histology with the scanning electron microscope, and statistics. The study of microbotanical remains has expanded greatly and now includes pollen, phytolith, chemical, and molecular analyses.
A test of vitamin D benefits on respiratory health mediated through inflammatory markers

Previous studies have shown that vitamin D has beneficial effects on respiratory health. The role of inflammation as a possible mediator between vitamin D and respiratory health is not well understood. We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006 data (unweighted N = 12,856) to examine the mediating effects of biomarkers of inflammation on associations between vitamin D and respiratory health. Vitamin D was measured by serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D test. Respiratory health was measured by self-reported respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Biomarkers included C-reactive protein (CRP), alkaline phosphatase (AP), and five leukocyte measures. Models controlled for season, age, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and current and former smoking. Lower levels of vitamin D were significantly associated with respiratory symptoms (linear trend p < 0.01) and with COPD (linear trend p < 0.0002) after adjusting for covariates. Adding biomarkers to the models to test for mediation, the vitamin D effect on respiratory health was not a consequence of any single marker but was partially attenuated as a combined result of leukocytes, AP, and CRP. Vitamin D is beneficial to improve respiratory health. Its benefits do not appear to be mediated by any single biomarker examined in this study; rather, benefits of vitamin D may act broadly through multiple mediating mechanisms.
Cross-validation of a portable, six-degree-of-freedom load cell for use in lower-limb prosthetics research

The iPecs load cell is a lightweight, six-degree-of-freedom force transducer designed to fit easily into an endoskeletal prosthesis via a universal mounting interface. Unlike earlier tethered systems, it is capable of wireless data transmission and on-board memory storage, which facilitate its use in both clinical and real-world settings. To date, however, the validity of the iPecs load cell has not been rigorously established, particularly for loading conditions that represent typical prosthesis use. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of an iPecs load cell during in situ human subject testing by cross-validating its force and moment measurements with those of a typical gait analysis laboratory. Specifically, the gait mechanics of a single person with transtibial amputation were simultaneously measured using an iPecs load cell, multiple floor-mounted force platforms, and a three-dimensional motion capture system. Overall, the forces and moments measured by the iPecs were highly correlated with those measured by the gait analysis laboratory (r>0.86) and RMSEs were less than 3.4% and 5.2% full scale output across all force and moment channels, respectively. Despite this favorable comparison, however, the results of a sensitivity analysis suggest that care should be taken to accurately identify the axes and instrumentation center of the load cell in situations where iPecs data will be interpreted in a coordinate system other than its own (e.g., inverse dynamics analysis).
Structural associations of synemin and vimentin filaments in avian erythrocytes revealed by immunoelectron microscopy

Intermediate filament structure and distribution were studied by antibody decoration and low-angle shadowing of sonicated chicken erythrocytes and embryonic erythroid cells. Intermediate filaments containing vimentin and synemin form a three-dimensional network in these cells, interlinking the nucleus and plasma membrane. This filament network is spatially segregated from the marginal band of microtubules, indicating that these two systems do not interact directly in the development or maintenance of cell shape. Incubation of sonicated cells with an antiserum specific for vimentin results in uniform decoration of the intermediate filaments; incubation with antisynemin results in decoration of periodically spaced foci. Measurement of the synemin periodicity under a specified set of sample preparation conditions gives average values of 180 nm for adult erythrocytes and 230 nm for 10 day old embryonic erythroid cells, suggesting some fundamental change in the structure of the filaments during erythropoiesis. Registration of these foci in laterally associated filaments, and decoration of bridges between slightly separated filaments, suggest that synemin mediates crosslinking of intermediate filaments through self-interaction.
Colorimetric determination of dialkyltriazenoimidazoles.

A colorimetric method has been developed for the determination of dialkyltriazenoimidazoles in plasma and urine.
Structural changes induced in glycogen phosphorylase b by the binding of glucose and caffeine

Abstract The allosteric inhibitors glucose and caffeine casuse significant structural alterations in glycogen phosphorylase b (1,4-α- d -glucan:orthophosphate α- d -glucosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.1). Both cause a masking of two sulfhydryl groups and a reduction of binding affinity for AMP. Caffeine produces an alteration in the microenvironment of the binding site for 1-anilin-naphthalene-8-sulfonate, resulting in a decrase of quantum yield of fluorescence and a change in spectral distribution. The binding of glucose is exothermic with an enthalpy of binding of −6.0 kcal/mol. Glucose causes a change in the molecular ellipticity in the pyridoxal-5′-phosphate region. The implications of these results are discussed.
Conformational Barriers To Internal Rotation Of Methyl Vinyl Ketone

The far infrared (450 to 50 cm-1) spectrum has been recorded for gaseous methyl vinyl ketone. The asymmetric torsion for the s-trans conformer was observed at 116 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum of the gas with two accompanying hot bands and the corresponding torsion of the s-cis conformer was observed at 87 cm-1 with an additional hot band occurring at 84 cm-1. From these data the potential function for internal rotation of the asymmetric top has been determined and the following potential constants have been evaluated: V1 = 180±9, V2 = 827±107, V3 = 113±8, and V4 = 150±34 cm-1. From these data it has been determined that the s-trans conformer is the predominant form at ambient temperature and the enthalpy difference between the s-trans and s-cis conformers is 280 cm-1 (800 cal/mol) for the vapor. The calculated trans-cis barrier is 827 cm-1 (2.36 kcal/mol) and the cis-trans barrier is 547 cm-1 (1.56 kcal/mol). These results are compared to similar quantities in related molecules.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effect of Lime Juice on Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella enterica Inactivation during the Preparation of the Raw Fish Dish Ceviche

Ceviche is a raw fish dish common in Peru and other Latin American counties. The most characteristic feature of ceviche is the use of lime juice for marinating or "cooking" the raw fish. Confirmed cases of cholera in Peru, New Jersey, and Florida have been associated with ceviche. Although the effect of organic acids on pathogenic bacteria has been well characterized, few data exist on the effect of these acids in seafood systems. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of lime juice marination on pathogens likely to be present in ceviche. Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillet pieces were inoculated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella enterica (>7 log CFU/g) and incubated at 25 and 4°C for 30 or 120 min in the presence of fresh lime juice at concentrations typical for the preparation of ceviche. Similar levels of cells were also inoculated into fresh lime juice without tilapia. Surviving cells were enumerated on selective (xylose lysine Tergitol 4 and thiosulfate-bile-citrate-sucrose) and nonselective (tryptic soy agar) media. V. parahaemolyticus levels were reduced to below detection limits (∼5-log reduction) under all conditions studied. Salmonella strains on tilapia were much more resistant to inactivation and were only slightly reduced (∼1- to 2-log reduction). Salmonella and V. parahaemolyticus inoculated directly into lime juice without tilapia were all reduced to below detection limits (∼5-log reduction). A typical ceviche recipe reduces V. parahaemolyticus risk significantly but is less effective for control of S. enterica.
Ultrastructural evidence for astroglial histogenesis of the monstrocellular astrocytoma (so‐called monstrocellular sarcoma of brain)

Five astrocytomas grade III to IV, three fibrosarcomas and two so-called monstrocellular sarcomas were compared by light and electron microscopy in an attempt to determine the histogenesis of the last neoplasm. The bizarre giant cells characteristic of the monstrocellular tumor were found to be quite similar to those of the grade III to IV astrocytomas. Ultrastructural similarities between the monstrocellular tumor and astrocytomas and dissimilarities between these tumors and fibrosarcomas support an astrocytic origin; the authors suggest that these peculiar tumors be called monstrocellular astrocytomas or astrocytoma: monstrocellular variant.
Whatever became of Kurt Lewin? Reactions to Nuttin's quasi-social analysis of social behaviour

Critique de la coupure faite par Nuttin entre psychologie sociale et psychologie generale et refus d'une restriction excessive du champ de conceptualisation de la psychologie sociale. Constat d'opposition entre la definition de Nuttin et la pratique generale actuelle, d'ou la necessite de remettre en question cette definition. Refus de considerer la psychologie avec les memes criteres que les sciences physiques. Defense de l'interactionisme sujet-environnement face a l'etude de la seule relation inter-subjective pronee par Nuttin dans son concept «d'homosocial»
Biological basis of stress-related mortality.

Abstract It is believed in primitive society that physical health depends on harmonious social relations and that sickness follows social disruption. The mortality patterns of adults in modern society support this view, but its biological basis is not widely appreciated. This essay reviews the mechanisms by which chronic psychological arousal produces chronic physiological arousal and, in turn, specific biological pathology. The brain sets for the body a broad pattern of physiological and metabolic activity and enforces it by control over the autonomic and endocrine systems. Under conditions of arousal the brain sets a pattern of catabolism, mobilizing all the mechanisms that produce energy for “coping” and suppressing the mechanisms that store energy or use it for growth, repair, and surveillance against pathogens. As part of this adaptive response the brain mobilizes cardiac, vascular, and renal mechanisms to raise blood pressure. When arousal is chronic, the high pressure causes damage which, in interaction with a variety of arousal-induced chemical changes, leads to endstage diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. The biological causes of cancer and diabetes are not fully known but seem to be powerfully influenced by arousal-induced endocrine patterns. Treatment of arousal pathology at the end stages has been highly technological, of limited success, and very expensive. The leading alternative has been an attempt to prevent endstage disease by treating mild hypertension on a mass scale (23–60 million patients in U.S.) with potent drugs. As drugs block peripheral pressor mechanisms, the brain drives them to compensate and to require blocking by additional drugs. Over the decades of prophylaxis for which drugs are intended, their cumulative iatrogenic effects are likely to be serious. Psychosocial treatments for mild hypertension (including placebo, relaxation techniques, and social support) appear to be quite effective. These treatments appear to work by reducing chronic arousal, and tend not to evoke compensatory or iatrogenic responses. The extraordinary sensitivity of the brain and the neuro-endocrine system to psychosocial intervention suggests that in modern, as in primitive society, these are the treatments that will prove safest and most effective.
Catheter-Related Leuconostoc Bacteraemia in a Pregnant HIV-Infected Woman

Leuconostoc species are Gram-positive coccobacilli that are members of the family of streptococcaceae . They are rarely encountered in clinical medicine and in the past were considered culture contaminants. More recently they have been recognized as a potential pathogen causing opportunistic infections. Unlike other Gram-positive cocci Leuconostoc spp. are intrinsically resistant to vancomycin. Here we present a case of fever and Leuconostoc spp. bacteraemia in a pregnant HIV-infected woman requiring parenteral nutrition via central venous access for severe hyperemesis gravidarum. The infection was successfully treated with catheter removal. To our knowledge this is the first report of bacteremia with this organism in pregnancy as well as in an adult HIV infected patient. Issues of possible misidentification of this organism as alpha-hemolytic streptococcus are discussed. J Med Cases. 2012;3(6):331-333 doi: https://doi.org/10.4021/jmc822w
Order of elicited responses on a questionnaire as a measure of topic salience

Two studies among US college students ( N 1 = 88; N 2 = 329) were conducted to examine the relationship between the order in which responses are offered on a questionnaire and the ranked importance of those responses. In both studies it was found that approximately one third (32%; 31%) of the listed attributes were ranked in the order of mention. Expanding the criteria to include adjacent categories raised the overlap to about two thirds (64%; 65%). The findings gained in both studies were independent of gender. In addition, in Study II topic importance/involvement among the respondents was measured; the results indicated it was not a factor in this trend. The factor which did influence the order of mention and rankings was the number of categories used by the respondents. When more than 7 categories were used, the stability of mention and rankings tended to become erratic.
A source of stability in metabolic networks

Abstract The generally observed monotonic dependence of enzyme activity on substrate concentration is utilized to give a plausible account of some aspects of the behavior of complex biochemical networks on the “metabolic” time scale. The adduced dynamical equations are shown to prescribe a “canalized” metabolic behavior, in which flow lines in state space tend to converge, mapping a wide range of initial states into a smaller number of final states. This behavior is contrasted with the density conserving flow of phase points in classical Hamiltonian systems. An explanation is suggested for the stability of cellular metabolism to the addition of new components during evolution.
The Strange Case of the Disappearing Special Districts: Toward a Theory of Dissolution

The United States experiences thousands of local boundary changes each year, which is important because boundaries determine service delivery, shape economic development, and set the parameters for intergovernmental relationships. Using census data from 1987 to 2002, this study creates a model to account for special district dissolution and disappearance. In addition, it examines whether the immediate characteristics of individual districts are related to their disappearance. The study finds that special district disappearances are driven by (a) changes in service demands, (b) state restrictions on local governments, and (c) the actions of public entrepreneurs. In addition, a special district that is overseen by elected officials is less likely to disappear than a district governed by political appointees.
Finiteness of Minimal Modular Symbols for SLn

Let K/Q be a number field with ring of integers O, and let Γ⊂SLn(O) be a finite index subgroup. Using a classical construction from the geometry of numbers and the theory of modular symbols, we exhibit a finite spanning set of the highest nonvanishing rational cohomology group of Γ.
Envelope level crossing rate in mobile-to-mobile underwater fading channels

An analytical model for mobile-to-mobile underwater communications is presented. From the analytical model, the envelope level crossing rate is derived for a non-isotropic scattering environment. The obtained analytical results are compared with measured data. The close agreement between the analytical and empirical curves confirms the utility of the proposed model.
Cystic fibrosis: demonstration of an abnormality in mucopolysaccharides in cultured lymphoid lines.

Cultured lymphoid cells of both homozygotes and heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis could be distinguished from those of normals by (1) growth pattern, gross clumping, and (2) a relative increase in dermatan sulfate, with a normal total mucopolysaccharide content. Lines derived from the genetic mucopolysaccharidoses also had these characteristics, but their total mucopolysaccharide content was markedly increased. These observations support the hypothesis that the cellular disturbance in cystic fibrosis resides in those cellular regions whose functions would be altered by mucopolysaccharide composition.