cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HutC/FarR-like bacterial transcription factors of the GntR family contain a small molecule-binding domain of the chorismate lyase fold

Numerous bacterial transcription factors contain a DNA-binding helix-turn-helix domain and a signaling domain, linked together in a single polypeptide. Typically, this signaling domain is a small-molecule-binding domain that undergoes a conformational change upon recognizing a specific ligand. The HutC/FarR-like transcription factors of the GntR family are one of the largest groups of transcription factors in the proteomes of most free-living bacteria. Using sensitive sequence profile analysis we show that the HutC/FarR-like transcription factors contain a conserved ligand-binding domain, which possesses the same fold as chorismate lyase (Escherichia coli UbiC gene product). This relationship suggests that the C-terminal domain of the HutC/FarR-like transcription factors binds small molecules in a cleft similar to the substrate-binding site of the chorismate lyases. The sequence diversity within the predicted binding cleft of the HutC/FarR ligand-binding domains is consistent with the ability of these transcription factors to respond to diverse small molecules, such as histidine (HutC), fatty acids (FarR), sugars (TreR) and alkylphosphonate (PhnF). UbiC-like chorismate lyases function in the ubiquinone biosynthesis pathway, and have characteristic charged, catalytic residues. Genome comparisons reveal that chorismate lyase orthologs are found in several bacteria, chloroplasts of eukaryotic algae and euryarchaea. In contrast, the GntR transcription regulators lack the conserved catalytic residues of the chorismate lyases, and have so far been detected only in bacteria. An ancestral, generic small-molecule-binding domain appears to have given rise to the enzymatic and non-catalytic ligand-binding versions of the same fold under the influence of different selective pressures.
Crustal Thickness in the Central Saudi Arabian Peninsula

Summary Comparison of the Rayleigh wave trains of the 1966 February 21 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands, recorded at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Shiraz, Iran, allows an analysis of the dispersion characteristics of the great circle path connecting these cities. Phase and group velocity measurements are closely consistent with a three-layered crustal model, about 35 km thick, along a profile which traverses central Saudi Arabian Peninsula.
Behavioral Constructs and Mammography in Five Ethnic Groups

Intention, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and subjective norms are key constructs of health behavior theories; their predictive validity for cancer screening has not been ascertained in multiethnic populations. Participants were 1,463 African American, Chinese, Filipina, Latina, and White women aged 40 to 74 interviewed by telephone in their preferred languages. The relationship between baseline constructs and mammography 2 years later was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Intention predicted mammography overall and among Whites (odds ratio [OR] = 5.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.4, 10), with racial/ethnic differences in association (p = .020). Self-efficacy predicted mammography overall and among Whites (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.1, 11), with no racial/ethnic interaction. Perceived benefits and subjective norms were associated with screening overall and in some racial/ethnic groups. These results generally support cross-cultural applicability of four of the five constructs to screening with mixed predictive value of measures across racial/ethnic groups. Additional in-depth inquiry is required to refine assessment of constructs.
Femtocell as a Relay: An Outage Analysis

Femtocells promise to increase the number of users served in a given macrocell by creating indoor hotspots through the deployment of home base stations (HBSs) connected to the mobile operator network via cheap backhaul links (i.e., the Internet). However, the interference created by femtocell transmissions may critically impair the performance of the macrocell users. In this paper, a novel approach to the operation of HBSs is proposed, whereby the HBSs act as relays with the aim of improving transmission reliability for femtocell users and, possibly, also macrocell users. The proposed approach enables cooperative strategies between HBS and macrocell base stations (BSs), and is unlike the conventional deployment of femtocells where HBSs operate as isolated encoders and decoders. The performance advantages of the proposed approach are evaluated by studying the transmission reliability of macro and femto users for a quasi-static fading channel in terms of outage probability and diversity-multiplexing trade-off for uplink and, more briefly, for downlink. Overall, the analytical and numerical results lend evidence to the fact that operating femtocells as relays may potentially offset the performance losses associated with the presence of additional active users in the cell due to femtocells and even provide overall performance gains.
High performance visualization technology for engineering education

The authors describe how technology classrooms are being used at Penn State to enhance engineering education and extend the students' knowledge and intuitive understanding with interactive and captivating presentations. Also presented are concepts for future workstation technology classroom design, the use of advanced presentation tools in the classroom, the integration of technology into the curriculum, and the use of visualization tools to enhance hands-on laboratory work for students. Some examples of on-line presentations using technology classrooms in two mechanical engineering courses are presented. >
D = 11 Supermembrane instantons,W ∞ strings and the super Toda molecule

Abstract Exact instanton solutions toD = 11 spherical supermembranes moving in flat target space-time backgrounds are constructed. Our starting point is super Yang-Mills theories, based on the infinite-dimensionalSU(∞) group, dimensionally reduced to one time dimension. In this fashion the super Toda molecule equation is recovered preserving only one supersymmetry out of theN = 16 that one would have obtained otherwise. It is conjectured that the expected critical target space-time dimensions for the (super)membrane,(D = 11) D = 27 is closely related to that of the noncritical (super)W ∞ strings. A BRST analysis of these symmetries should yield information about the quantum consistency of the(D = 11) D = 27 dimensional (super)membrane. Comments on the role that skyrmions might play in the two types of spinning membrane actions constructed so far is presented in the conclusion. Finally, the importance that integrability on light lines in complex superspaces has in other types of solutions is emphasized.
The Rat Genome Database curation tool suite: a set of optimized software tools enabling efficient acquisition, organization, and presentation of biological data.

The Rat Genome Database (RGD) is the premier repository of rat genomic and genetic data and currently houses over 40 000 rat gene records as well as human and mouse orthologs, 1771 rat and 1911 human quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and 2209 rat strains. Biological information curated for these data objects includes disease associations, phenotypes, pathways, molecular functions, biological processes and cellular components. A suite of tools has been developed to aid curators in acquiring and validating data objects, assigning nomenclature, attaching biological information to objects and making connections among data types. The software used to assign nomenclature, to create and edit objects and to make annotations to the data objects has been specifically designed to make the curation process as fast and efficient as possible. The user interfaces have been adapted to the work routines of the curators, creating a suite of tools that is intuitive and powerful. Database URL: http://rgd.mcw.edu
Post-Exposure Evaluation of Thermal Barrier Coatings by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

High temperature behavior of air plasma sprayed (APS) thermal barrier coatings (TBC) was investigated in this study by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to examine cross-sectional morphology of exposed TBC. It was found that characteristic EIS spectra were obtained effectively to differentiate variant post-exposed TBC such as isothermal oxidation and cyclic oxidation. In addition, the type and length of high temperature exposure were qualitatively discernible from the EIS data. A model of an EIS alternative current (AC) equivalent circuit was proposed quantitatively to relate the EIS parameters to the morphological properties of the exposed TBC and functional relationships have been established between them. From the results, EIS has been identified capable of monitoring the microstructure of post-exposed TBC and evaluating TBC damage.
The Limits of Well-Being

What are the limits of well-being? This question nicely captures one of the central debates concerning the nature of the individual human good. For rival theories differ as to what sort of facts directly constitute a person's being well-off. On some views, well-being is limited to the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain. But other views push the boundaries of well-being beyond this, so that it encompasses a variety of mental states, not merely pleasure alone. Some theories then draw the line here, limiting well-being to the presence of the appropriately broadened set of mental states. But still others extend the limits of well-being even further, so that it is constituted in part by facts that are not themselves mental states at all; on such views, well-being is partly constituted by states of affairs that are “external” to the individual's experiences.In this essay, I want to explore some of this debate by focusing on a particular stretch of the dialectic. That is, I want to think hard about a particular connected series of arguments and counterarguments. These arguments – or, at least, the concerns they seek to express – emerge naturally in the give and take of philosophical discussion. Together they make up a rather simple story, whose plot, in very rough terms, is this: first there is an attempt to push the limits of well-being outward, moving from a narrow to a broader conception; then comes the claim that the resulting notion is too broad, and so we must retreat to a narrower conception after all.
Managers' information search behaviour using executive information systems

Which characteristics of managers' information search behaviour distinguish successful from less successful use of (executive) information systems? This article addresses this question by employing a new process-tracing approach in an exploratory laboratory study with fifty managers as participants. Building upon and extending existing theoretical models, three main factors are identified relating to information search behaviour that together explain 31% of the variance in the objectively assessed outcome performance. Key characteristics are the initial use of a broad and structured 'checklist' scanning approach, followed by a limited number of strongly focused deeper investigations. An explanatory model relating the above and other characteristics of decision-making processes to various aspects of outcome performance, and its implications for both IS research and the design and use of (executive) information systems are discussed.
A comparison of bolus injection of landiolol versus oral administration of propranolol before cardiac computed tomography

Heart rate (HR) reduction is essential to achieve good image quality for cardiac computed tomography (CCT). We evaluated the efficacy of a bolus injection of landiolol, an ultra-short acting β-blocker, without the administration of oral β-blocker to reduce HR prior to CCT. We enrolled 678 consecutive patients who underwent CCT from December 2011 to March 2012 and divided them into three groups, which were a propranolol group (n = 277), a low-dose landiolol group (n = 188), and a high-dose landiolol group (n = 213). Patients in the propranolol group received oral propranolol (10–20 mg) prior to CCT. Patients in the low-dose and high-dose landiolol groups were administered a bolus injection of landiolol (0.125 mg/kg), while the high-dose group received an additional 3.75 mg of landiolol if the baseline HR was ≥75/min. Although the average HR was significantly lower in the propranolol group (61.6 ± 8.0/min) than in the low-dose landiolol group (64.1 ± 7.4/min, P < 0.001), there was no significant difference in the image quality (P = 0.91). Among patients with baseline HR ≥75/min, the average HR tended to be lower in the high-dose landiolol group (67.2 ± 6.9/min) compared with the low-dose landiolol group (69.0 ± 6.9/min, P = 0.10), and there was a corresponding difference in image quality between these two groups (P = 0.02). In conclusion, Although the decrease of HR was significantly larger in the propranolol group than in the landiolol groups, the image quality was similar. Among the patients who received landiolol, a higher dose was associated with a lower HR and better image quality. Further investigation to assess higher-dose bolus injection of landiolol or bolus injection following oral administration of a β-blocker would be needed.
Microbial Detection Method Based on Sensing Molecular Hydrogen

A simple method for detecting bacteria, based on the time of hydrogen evolution, was developed and tested against various members of the Enterobacteriaceae group. The test system consisted of (1) two electrodes, platinum and a reference electrode, (2) a buffer amplifier, and (3) a strip-chart recorder. Hydrogen evolution was measured by an increase in voltage in the negative (cathodic) direction. A linear relationship was established between inoculum size and the time hydrogen was detected (lag period). Lag times ranged from 1 h for 1 million cells/ml to 7 h for 1 cell/ml. For each 10-fold decrease in inoculum, length of the lag period increased 60 to 70 min. Based on the linear relationship between inoculum and lag period, these results indicate the potential application of the hydrogen-sensing method for rapidly detecting coliforms and other gas-producing microorganisms in a variety of clinical, food, and other samples.
Metabolic clearance of insulin in man.

Metabolic clearance of insulin was measured, under circumstances of acutely and chronically altered endogenous plasma insulin, employing 1-131 bovine insulin (5 mc./mg., Abbott Laboratories) as tracer and the technic of constant infusion to equilibrium. Compared to normal subjects, clearance of radioiodinated insulin was unaffected by diabetes, was increased 25 per cent in obese subjects with hyperinsulinemia and did not change when their plasma insulin was reduced by seven days of fasting. Acute fourto fifteenfold elevation of endogenous insulin by glucose or tolbutamide injections to normal and obese subjects also failed to change clearance of radioiodinated insulin. These data support the assumption that alterations of plasma insulin in those circumstances largely reflect alterations in insulin secretion. However, in both normal and diabetic subjects, simultaneous clearances of unlabeled porcine insulin and radioiodinated insulin were also performed and disparate results obtained. Mean values were: unlabeled 861 ml./min. (Normals), 788 ml./min. (Diabetics) ; radioiodinated 227 ml./min. (Normals) ; 202 ml./min. (Diabetics). Ratio of unlabeled to radioiodinated clearance 3.8 (Normals), 4.1 (Diabetics). Because of this discrepancy, it is uncertain which clearance value affords the more accurate estimate of peripheral insulin delivery rate.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic lung resection.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic lung resections are rapidly gaining popularity around the world due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure when compared to the traditional thoracotomy incision. Nevertheless, only 5-20% of anatomic lung resections performed in the U.S. are done via the VATS approach (1,2). Numerous publications, similar to the current study by Dr. Wang and colleagues (3), have demonstrated the feasibility of VATS lobectomy (4,5). There are many single institution retrospective studies demonstrating superiority of VATS lobectomy over the standard thoracotomy approach (6-8). If VATS lobectomy is so much better than open thoracotomy, why are there still an overwhelming majority of lung resections being performed through the standard open thoracotomy approach? Why hasn't VATS lobectomy procedure reached the same status as laparoscopic cholecystectomy? The answer may be simple. Currently, there is no level I evidence that VATS lobectomy is better than open thoracotomy approach. However, at the same time, there has never been a prospective randomized trial comparing laparoscopic cholecyctectomy versus open cholecystectomy either. To be fair, the analogy between lung resection and gallbladder resection may not be completely accurate. As oppose to cholecystectomy, the risk of life-threatening intraoperative hemorrhage from lung resection is much higher due to its anatomic proximity to great vessels such as pulmonary arteries and veins. When these bleeding complications occur, patients decompensate quickly. Our group has recently showed that VATS lobectomy incurred a higher intraoperative complication rate than open thoracotomy approach (1). Unlike cholecystectomy, intraoperative complications during VATS lobectomy are often immediately life-threatening. This may be the real reason why VATS has not been as rapidly adopted as other minimally invasive procedures. The size of the incision may not be the main cause of postoperative pain in open thoracotomy if one minimizes rib spreading and avoid compressing the intercostals nerve bundles. The major determinant of postoperative length of stay for lobectomy patients is usually the duration of air leak. In light of the aforementioned points and the potential deadly bleeding complications from VATS, most thoracic surgeons have not adopted this technique widely. There is no doubt that in centers of excellence, VATS lobectomy can be performed with more superior outcomes than the standard thoracotomy approach. However, as competent and ethical surgeons, we must inform our patients of potential benefits and risks of both VATS and thoracotomy approach prior to proceeding with the operation.
Estimating cavity tree and snag abundance using negative binomial regression models and nearest neighbor imputation methods

Cavity tree and snag abundance data are highly variable and contain many zero observations. We predict cavity tree and snag abundance from variables that are readily available from forest cover maps or remotely sensed data using negative binomial (NB), zero-inflated NB, and zero-altered NB (ZANB) regression models as well as nearest neighbor (NN) imputation methods. The models were developed and fit to data collected by the Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the US Forest Service in Washington, Oregon, and California. For predicting cavity tree and snag abundance per stand, all three NB regression models performed better in terms of mean square prediction error than the NN imputation methods. The most similar neighbor imputation, however, outperformed the NB regression models in predicting overall cavity tree and snag abundance.
Children as bellwethers of recovery: Dysfunctional systems and the effects of parents, households, and neighborhoods on serious emotional disturbance in children after Hurricane Katrina

Background: Over 160 000 children were displaced from their homes after Hurricane Katrina. Tens of thousands of these children experienced the ongoing chaos and uncertainty of displacement and transiency, as well as significant social disruptions in their lives. The objectives of this study were to estimate the long-term mental health effects of such exposure among children, and to elucidate the systemic pathways through which the disaster effect operates.Methods: The prevalence of serious emotional disturbance was assessed among 283 school-aged children in Louisiana and Mississippi. These children are part of the Gulf Coast Child & Family Health Study, involving a longitudinal cohort of 1079 randomly sampled households in the two states, encompassing a total of 427 children, who have been interviewed in 4 annual waves of data collection since January 2006. The majority of data for this analysis was drawn from the fourth round of data.Results: Although access to medical care for children has expanded considerably since 2005 in the region affected by Hurricane Katrina, more than 37% of children have received a clinical mental health diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or behavior disorder, according to parent reports. Children exposed to Hurricane Katrina were nearly 5 times as likely as a pre-Katrina cohort to exhibit serious emotional disturbance. Path analyses confirm the roles played by neighborhood social disorder, household stressors, and parental limitations on children's emotional and behavioral functioning.Conclusions: Children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the effects of disasters. They have limited capacity to independently mobilize resources to help them adapt to stressful postdisaster circumstances, and are instead dependent upon others to make choices that will influence their household, neighborhood, school, and larger social environment. Children's mental health recovery in a postdisaster setting can serve as a bellwether indicator of successful recovery or as a lagging indicator of system dysfunction and failed recovery.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:S17-S27)
Current trends in classroom management: Implications for gifted students

Teacher training in classroom management can lead to positive results for gifted children in the regular classroom.
Merging microsatellite data: enhanced methodology and software to combine genotype data for linkage and association analysis

Correctly merged data sets that have been independently genotyped can increase statistical power in linkage and association studies. However, alleles from microsatellite data sets genotyped with different experimental protocols or platforms cannot be accurately matched using base-pair size information alone. In a previous publication we introduced a statistical model for merging microsatellite data by matching allele frequencies between data sets. These methods are implemented in our software MicroMerge version 1 (v1). While MicroMerge v1 output can be analyzed by some genetic analysis programs, many programs can not analyze alignments that do not match alleles one-to-one between data sets. A consequence of such alignments is that codominant genotypes must often be analyzed as phenotypes. In this paper we describe several extensions that are implemented in MicroMerge version 2 (v2). Notably, MicroMerge v2 includes a new one-to-one alignment option that creates merged pedigree and locus files that can be handled by most genetic analysis software. Other features in MicroMerge v2 enhance the following aspects of control: 1) optimizing the algorithm for different merging scenarios, such as data sets with very different sample sizes or multiple data sets, 2) merging small data sets when a reliable set of allele frequencies are available, and 3) improving the quantity and 4) quality of merged data. We present results from simulated and real microsatellite genotype data sets, and conclude with an association analysis of three familial dyslipidemia (FD) study samples genotyped at different laboratories. Independent analysis of each FD data set did not yield consistent results, but analysis of the merged data sets identified strong association at locus D11S2002. The MicroMerge v2 features will enable merging for a variety of genotype data sets, which in turn will facilitate meta-analyses for powering association analysis.
Collateral vessel number, plaque burden, and functional decline in peripheral artery disease

Associations of collateral vessels and lower extremity plaque with functional decline are unknown. Among people with peripheral artery disease (PAD), we determined whether greater superficial femoral artery (SFA) plaque burden combined with fewer lower extremity collateral vessels was associated with faster functional decline, compared to less plaque and/or more numerous collateral vessels. A total of 226 participants with ankle–brachial index (ABI) median and collateral vessel number ≥6; Group 4 (worst), maximum plaque area > median and collateral vessel number <6. Functional measures were performed at baseline and annually for 2 years. Analyses adju...
Persistence of net heterotrophy in lakes during nutrient addition and food web manipulations

Net ecosystem production (NEP) is the difference between gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (R). We estimated in situ NEP using three independent approaches (net CO2 gas flux, net O 2 gas flux, and continuous diel O2 measurements) over a 4‐7 yr period in a series of small lakes in which food webs were manipulated and nutrient loadings were experimentally varied. In the absence of manipulation, these lakes were net heterotrophic according to all three approaches. NEP (NEP 5 GPP-R) was consistently negative and averaged 235.5 6 3.7 (standard error) mmol C m 22 d 21 . Nutrient enrichment, in the absence of strong planktivory, tended to cause increases in estimates of both GPP and R (estimated from the continuous O2 data) but resulted in little change in the GPP/R ratio, which remained ,1, or NEP, which remained negative. When planktivorous fish dominated the food web, large zooplankton were rare and nutrient enrichment produced positive values of NEP by all three methods. Among lakes and years, daily values of NEP ranged from 2241 to 1175 mmol m 22 d 21 ; mean seasonal NEP was positive only under a combination of high nutrient loading and a planktivore-dominated food web. Community R is significantly subsidized by allochthonous sources of organic matter in these lakes. Combining all lakes and years, we estimate that ;26 mmol C m 22 d 21 of allochthonous origin is respired on average. This respiration of allochthonous organic matter represents 13 to 43% of total R, and this fraction declines with increasing GPP.
The effect of copper tripeptide and tretinoin on growth factor production in a serum-free fibroblast model.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of copper tripeptide and tretinoin on normal and keloid-producing dermal fibroblasts in a serum-free in vitro model. The cellular response was described in terms of ...
Educators' Perceptions of NRT Misuse

What has been the impact of high stakes achievement testing on curriculum and testing practice? How serious is the problem of cheating on Standardized achievement tests? What steps can we take to improve the validity of test-based information for a variety of educational purposes?
Evidence-based Practices to Promote Exclusive Feeding of Human Milk in Very Low-birthweight Infants

Recent studies suggest a dose-response relationship between the amount of fortified human milk (FHM) received by very low-birthweight and extremely low-birthweight infants and protection from select prematurity-specific morbidities. However, the feeding of high doses of FHM in this population often is precluded by insufficient maternal milk volume and the replacement of FHM feedings with calorie-dense infant formulas to achieve adequate weight gain. This article reviews the evidence for preventing, diagnosing, and treating insufficient maternal milk volume and slow infant weight gain while receiving FHM and highlights the utility of incorporating technologies from human milk science, such as maternal milk volume records and the creamatocrit procedure, into routine neonatal intensive care unit practice.
A Model-based Approach to the Security Testing of Network Protocol Implementations

Software is inherently buggy and those defects can lead to security breaches in applications. For more than a decade, buffer overflows have been the most common bugs found "in the wild" and they often lead to critical security issues. Several techniques have been developed to defend against these types of security flaws, all with different rates of success. In this paper, we present a systematic approach for the automated testing of network protocol server implementations. The technique is based on established black-box testing methods (such as finite-state model-based testing and fault-injection) enhanced by the generation of intelligent, semantic-aware test cases that provide a more complete coverage of the code space. We also demonstrate the use of a model-based testing tool that can reliably detect vulnerabilities in server applications.
Regulation of the CgPdr1 Transcription Factor from the Pathogen Candida glabrata

Candida glabrata is an opportunistic human pathogen that is increasingly associated with candidemia, owing in part to the intrinsic and acquired high tolerance the organism exhibits for the important clinical antifungal drug fluconazole. This elevated fluconazole resistance often develops through gain-of-function mutations in the zinc cluster-containing transcriptional regulator C. glabrata Pdr1 (CgPdr1). CgPdr1 induces the expression of an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter-encoding gene, CgCDR1. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has two CgPdr1 homologues called ScPdr1 and ScPdr3. These factors control the expression of an ABC transporter-encoding gene called ScPDR5, which encodes a homologue of CgCDR1. Loss of the mitochondrial genome (ρ0 cell) or overexpression of the mitochondrial enzyme ScPsd1 induces ScPDR5 expression in a strictly ScPdr3-dependent fashion. ScPdr3 requires the presence of a transcriptional Mediator subunit called Gal11 (Med15) to fully induce ScPDR5 transcription in response to ρ0 signaling. ScPdr1 does not respond to either ρ0 signals or ScPsd1 overproduction. In this study, we employed transcriptional fusions between CgPdr1 target promoters, like CgCDR1, to demonstrate that CgPdr1 stimulates gene expression via binding to elements called pleiotropic drug response elements (PDREs). Deletion mapping and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that a single PDRE in the CgCDR1 promoter was capable of supporting ρ0-induced gene expression. Removal of one of the two ScGal11 homologues from C. glabrata caused a major defect in drug-induced expression of CgCDR1 but had a quantitatively minor effect on ρ0-stimulated transcription. These data demonstrate that CgPdr1 appears to combine features of ScPdr1 and ScPdr3 to produce a transcription factor with chimeric regulatory properties.
Relative cost and outcomes in the intensive care unit of acute lung injury (ALI) due to pandemic influenza compared with other etiologies: a single-center study

Background Critical illness due to 2009 H1N1 influenza has been characterized by respiratory complications, including acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and associated with high mortality. We studied the severity, outcomes, and hospital charges of patients with ALI/ARDS secondary to pandemic influenza A infection compared with ALI and ARDS from other etiologies.
Foraging ecology of black bears in urban environments: guidance for human‐bear conflict mitigation

Urban environments offer wildlife novel anthropogenic resources that vary spatiotemporally at fine scales. Property damage, economic losses, human injury, or other human-wildlife conflicts can occur when wildlife use these resources; however, few studies have examined urban wildlife resource selection at fine scales to guide conflict mitigation. We studied black bears (Ursus americanus) in the urban area of Aspen, Colorado, USA from 2007 to 2010 to quantify bear foraging on natural and...
Mechanical Dreams: Democracy and Technological Discourse in Twentieth-Century France

Someone examining the technological artifacts of France over the past century might be stunned by their epic scale and profound evolution. Perusing artifacts at each end of the past century, the Eiffel Tower and the plutonium breeder reactor at Creys-Malville, can elucidate these aspects. While their large scales certainly evoke strong reactions, their respective meanings are vastly different. The Eiffel Tower reflected republican engineering, with each equally-sized member structured rationally and functioning harmoniously as the eminently public monument reaches skyward. By contrast, the breeder communicates its technocratic-authoritarian style by several steel strata of security shielding, which house plutonium, the deadly namesake of the ancient Greek underworld, far from the public. The public can freely mingle at the Eiffel Tower unhampered by police or guards.1 The proprietors of the breeder grudgingly welcome the public with a solar-heated visitors center (placed outside the security perimeter), replete with heroic, pressed-plastic photos of experts designing, building, and operating a seminal symbol of energy engineers’ expertise.
The Physiological Basis of Voluntary Food Intake (Appetite

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses the most pertinent literature on the physiology of food intake and presents discussion on questions such as “Can Human Beings Choose Wisely in Accordance with Their Nutritional Needs?” and “Can Animals Choose Food Correctly?” The effect of proteins on food intake and the effect of amino Acid, water-soluble vitamins, fats and fat-soluble vitamins have been discussed. It presents the role of essential minerals such as; phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, zinc, cobalt, and manganese on food intake. Not only do the nutrients present in diets influence the food intake of animals, but the endocrines are of utmost significance. The chapter presents a technique of investigation used in obtaining information on the effect of the endocrines on food intake. The role of deleterious compounds on voluntary food intake and protection against it has been discussed. It summarizes the physiological mechanism determining food intake.
Crystal Structure and Ferrimagnetism in NiMn O 3 and CoMn O 3

X-ray diffraction studies of individual crystals of NiMn${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and CoMn${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ show that these compounds have the structure of ilmenite (space group $R\overline{3}$). The crystals have a plate-like crystal habit with the threefold symmetry axis perpendicular to the faces of the platelet. Positions of atoms within the unit cell have been determined by comparing calculated structure factors with those obtained from x-ray powder patterns. There are two Ni-O-Mn configurations that appear to be favorable to a magnetic superchange interaction, and these are sufficient to extend magnetic ordering in three dimensions.
Estimating Medicare Advantage Lock-In Provisions Impact on Vulnerable Medicare Beneficiaries

Beginning January 2006, Medicare beneficiaries will have limited ability to change health plans. We examine the Medicare managed care enrollment and disenrollment behavior of traditionally vulnerable beneficiaries from 1999-2001 to estimate the potential impact of the new enrollment restrictions. Findings that several such groups were more likely to make multiple health plan elections, leave their managed care plan midyear, and/or have higher voluntary disenrollment rates and transfers to original fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare suggest that the lock-in provisions may have greater negative impacts on vulnerable beneficiaries. This article identifies several recommendations that CMS might consider to lessen the detrimental effects on at-risk groups.
Horizontal chip-scale cascade impactor with integrated resonant mass balances

This work presents design and fabrication of a chip-scale horizontal cascade aerosol impactor capable of collection, size separation and real-time concentration measurement of airborne particles. The presented microsystem consists of two attached micromachined silicon chips: 1. the main SOI chip, where the resonant mass balances, micro-nozzles, and air feedthroughs are formed, and 2. a silicon sealing cap with air-path cavities and feedthroughs for electrical and vacuum connections. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a fully micromachined cascade impactor. During laboratory tests on a two stage prototype, particle concentrations for two particle cut-off sizes of 140 nm and 40 nm were successfully measured.
Site Specific TEM Specimen Preparation for Characterization of Extended Defects in 4H-SiC Epilayers

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an important semiconductor for high temperature, high voltage and high power electronic applications. Unfortunately, SiC still has not reached its potential in these applications due to the presence of extended defects in epilayers, which degrade the performance of SiC-based devices. In this work, focused ion beam (FIB) is employed to prepare site-specific cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens allowing direct characterization of unwanted in-grown stacking faults (IGSFs) and basal plane dislocations (BPDs). IGSFs are known to decrease breakdown voltages and increase leakage currents in SiC diodes [1]; however, their nucleation mechanism is currently not established. BPDs can form recombination-induced stacking faults, which lead to device performance degradation over time [2]. Recently, KOH etching of the substrate was reported to cause conversion of BPDs to electrically benign threading edge dislocations (TEDs) in the epilayer. However, for some BPDs this conversion was also associated with a shift in the locations of etch pits [3]. In this study, FIB and TEM are used to explain the nucleation mechanism of IGSFs and the previously observed shift in the locations of BPDs.
Evaluation of Quality of Death Cause Surveillance in Rural Area of Chengdu

Objective To evaluate the quality of death cause surveillance in rural area of Chengdu.Methods A total of 625 death cases randomly selected were surveyed by using verbal autopsies scale.The results were compared with the routine death reporting cards the data reported through death cause network direct reporting system to identify the accuracy of these reports.Results The consistent KAPPA was 0.4,the sensitivity and positive predictive value was 75%,and the rate of mis-classification was 25%.Conclusion The quality of death cause surveillance in rural area of Chengdu was high.The death patterns concluded by surveillance data analysis wers believable.
Application of ICP-MS to determine heavy metals distridution in vegetables

Objective To detect heavy metals distribution in edible vegetables( eggplant,zucchini,lotus root,tomato,carrot and potato) by using ICP-MS system,to provide scientific basis for eating vegetables reasonably. Methods Take 6 kinds of vegetables which often eating in northern area as experimental materials,conduct sample pretreatment by microwave digestion,6 kinds of vegetables were determined by ICP-MS of heavy metals distribution in the vegetable skin and the vegetable meat. Results In the same kind of vegetables,vegetable skin significantly absorbed much more heavy metals( Cr,As,Cd,Pb,Hg,B,Cu and Ni) than the vegetable meat. The content of Pb and Cu are much more than the other heavy metals,and exceed the national limit standard heavily. In 6 kinds of vegetable skins,the average content of metal Cr was 4. 8 times that of in the vegetable meat,the average content of metal As was 14. 7 times than that of in the vegetable meat,the averagecontent of metal Cd was 3. 4 times than that of in the vegetable meat,the average content of metal Pb was3. 1 times than that of in the vegetable meat,the average content of metal Hg was12. 5 times than that of in the vegetable meat,the average content of metal B was14. 9 times than that of in the vegetable meat,the average content of metal Cu was 3. 2 times than that of in the vegetable meat,the average content of metal Ni was 6. 2times than that of in the vegetable meat. Conclusions The content of heavy metals in vegetable skin were accumulated mostly than vegetable meat. According to the National food hygiene standards,heavy metals Pb and Cu pollution is more serious,threat to residents' health potentially.
Inhibition of the phosphorylation of nonhistone chromosomal proteins by cordycepin and xylosyladenine in L1210 cells in vitro.

Cordycepin and xylosyladenine were tested for their inhibitory effect upon the phosphorylation of nuclear proteins in L1210 cells in vitro . As indicated by isoelectric focusing of urea-soluble nuclear proteins, the phosphorylation of acidic nonhistone chromosomal proteins was strongly inhibited by both nucleosides, particularly in the presence of the adenosine deaminase inhibitor, 29-deoxycoformycin. These observations may explain, in part, the inhibitory effect of both drugs upon transcription.
Blocking elevated VEGF-A attenuates non-vasculature Fragile X syndrome abnormalities

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited mental retardation. In exploring abnormalities associated with the syndrome, we have recently demonstrated abnormal vascular density in a FXS mouse model (Galvan and Galvez, ). One of the most prominent regulators of vascular growth is VEGF-A (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A), suggesting that FXS is associated with abnormal VEGF-A expression. In addition to its role in vascular regulation, VEGF-A also induces cellular changes such as increasing cell proliferation, and axonal and neurite outgrowth independent of its effects on vasculature. These VEGF-A induced cellular changes are consistent with FXS abnormalities such as increased axonal material, dendritic spine density, and cell proliferation. In support of these findings, the following study demonstrated that FXS mice exhibit increased expression of VEGF-A in brain. These studies suggest that increased VEGF-A expression in FXS is contributing to non-vascular FXS abnormalities. To explore the role of VEGF-A in mediating non-vascular FXS abnormalities, the monoclonal antibody Bevacizumab was used to block free VEGF-A. Bevacizumab treatment was found to decrease FXS Synapsin-1 expression, a presynaptic marker for synapse density, and reduce FXS testicle weight to control levels. Blocking VEGF-A also alleviated FXS abnormalities on novel object recognition, a test of cognitive performance. These findings demonstrate that VEGF-A is elevated in FXS brain and suggest that its expression promotes non-vascular FXS abnormalities. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 14-25, 2017.
“Hot Moms”: Sexual Objectification and Motherhood

The purpose of the current study was to explore the sexual objectification of mothers, with an emphasis on understanding women’s perceptions of and feelings about the commonly used term “hot mom” and how sociocultural appearance-related ideals and pressures may affect mothers and mothers-tobe. We hypothesized that feeling greater pressure to be a “hot mom” and failing to meet standards of a “hot mom” would be related to higher levels of selfobjectification, body dissatisfaction, appearance anxiety, and eating disturbance, as well as lower self-esteem and a more negative view of the concept itself. A total of 92 female participants between 25 and 65 years old (M=42.31, SD=7.62) completed an online survey that included measures of self-objectification, body image, anxiety, self-esteem, and eating behavior. Participants also completed a “hot mom” specific questionnaire regarding their views of what a “hot mom” is and how they feel about it. Participants’ definitions of “hot mom” focused primarily on physical appearance and mentality or psychological well-being. Feelings about the concept of “hot mom” were predominantly negative. Consistent with our hypotheses, wanting to be a “hot mom” was correlated with higher levels of eating disturbance and body surveillance, a central feature of self-objectification. In addition, feeling greater pressure from a spouse or romantic partner to be a “hot mom” was associated with lower self-esteem and increased appearance anxiety. The results are discussed in the context of the potential transformation from feminist liberation to detrimental sexual objectification in how we perceive mothers.
Demystifying the diagnosis of gliomas.

Grading of gliomas of the central nervous system remains a controversial subject among neuropathologists. Different grading systems have proliferated, likely due to the inability of one system to completely classify all tumors. Most of the systems used today are based on the 1929 system of Bailey and Cushing. As expected, all of the systems have their advantages and proponents, as well as their drawbacks. Dissension among various institutions regarding grading systems and the propagation of different grading systems via publications in medical journals also serve to confuse the clinicians responsible for the care of patients with brain tumors, largely neurologists, neuro-oncologists, and neurosurgeons.
Point-of-Sale Tobacco Marketing to Youth in New York State.

Abstract Purpose To assess youth exposure to menthol versus nonmenthol cigarette advertising, we examined whether menthol cigarette promotions are more likely in neighborhoods with relatively high youth populations. Methods We linked 2011 New York State Retail Advertising Tobacco Survey observational data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey demographic data. Multivariable models assessed the relationship between neighborhood youth population and point-of-sale cigarette promotions for three brands of cigarettes, adjusting for neighborhood demographic characteristics including race/ethnicity and poverty. Results Menthol cigarette point-of-sale marketing was more likely in neighborhoods with higher proportions of youth, adjusting for presence of nonmenthol brand marketing, neighborhood race/ethnicity, neighborhood poverty, and urban geography. Conclusions Data from the 2011 Retail Advertising Tobacco Study linked to block level census data clearly indicate that price reduction promotions for menthol cigarettes are disproportionately targeted to youth markets in New York State.
Combined Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Epicardial and Endocardial Late Potential Ablation for Treatment of Brugada Storm: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A 34-year-old man with Brugada syndrome (BrS) presented with electrical storm, manifested as multiple appropriate shocks from his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator over a period of 7 hours. He had not tolerated prior treatment with quinidine, and had self-discontinued cilostazol citing persistent palpitations. After stabilization with intravenous isoproterenol, an electrophysiology study was performed but no spontaneous or induced ventricular ectopic beats were identified. A three-dimensional (3D) endocardial electro-anatomic map of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), pulmonic valve, and pulmonary artery, as well as a 3D epicardial map of the RVOT, were created. Low voltage, complex, fractionated electrograms and late potentials were targeted for irrigated radiofrequency ablation both endocardially and epicardially. Post-procedure, he was maintained on cilostazol (referring clinician preference), and has had no further ventricular tachyarrhythmia episodes over the past forty-one months. We propose that this novel ablation strategy may be useful for acute management of selected patients with BrS.