cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal stability of ribosomes and RNA from Thermus aquaticus.

Abstract This paper presents data on the physical and chemical properties of the ribosomes and RNA of Thermus aquaticus, an organism able to grow at temperatures up to 79°. Ultracentrifugal analysis of purified ribosomes in 0.01 M Mg2+ demonstrated components sedimenting at 50 S, 70 S and 100 S. Chemical analysis of ribosomes revealed an average content of 59% protein and 41% RNA. When heated in standard buffer, Escherichia coli ribosomes began gradual dissociation at 59° with a T m of 71°. In contrast, T. aquaticus ribosomes were stable up to 79° and had a T m of 86°. T. aquaticus ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was found to be more thermal stable than that of E. coli. However, thermal denaturation profiles of fractionated 16-S and 23-S rRNA of E. coli and T. aquaticus demonstrated that only the 23-S species of T. aquaticus rRNA was more stable than that of E. coli. Thermal denaturation studies revealed that T. aquaticus transfer RNA (tRNA) was stable up to 68° and had a T m of 86°; whereas, E. coli tRNA was only stable up to 55° and had a T m of 80°. The rRNA and tRNA of T. aquaticus was higher in guanine and cytosine than similar components of E. coli. There was a striking correlation between the temperature at which denaturation of ribosomes of T. aquaticus initiates and the maximum growth temperature. These data provide further evidence for the heat stability of thermophilic macromolecules.
Tests for T Invariance in Allowed Nuclear Beta Decay

Various tests of $T$ invariance involving allowed nuclear $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decays are discussed. $T$-violating correlations are calculated to first order in recoil terms $\frac{E}{M}$ and electromagnetic final-state scattering corrections are given.
Development of a Learning Progression for the Formation of the Solar System

This study describes the process of defining a hypothetical learning progression (LP) for astronomy around the big idea of Solar System formation. At the most sophisticated level, students can explain how the formation process led to the current Solar System by considering how the planets formed from the collapse of a rotating cloud of gas and dust. Development of this LP was conducted in 2 phases. First, we interviewed middle school, high school, and college students (N = 44), asking them to describe properties of the current Solar System and to explain how the Solar System was formed. Second, we interviewed 6th-grade students (N = 24) before and after a 15-week astronomy curriculum designed around the big idea. Our analysis provides evidence for potential levels of sophistication within the hypothetical LP, while also revealing common alternative conceptions or areas of limited understanding that could form barriers to progress if not addressed by instruction. For example, many students' understanding o...
Regional and local hydrology of a created riparian wetland system

The hydrology of a created riparian wetland system was characterized for local and regional conditions. Three methods, two laboratory and onein situ, were used to calculate the hydraulic conductivity of the wetland substrate. Hydraulic conductivity values and measured vertical gradients were used to estimate seepage loss to ground water. Surface-water inflow and outflow dominated the hydrologic budget for the wetland. Precipitation, seepage loss, and evapotranspiration were minor components of the hydrologic budget. Water seeping from the wetland into the ground-water-flow system has characteristics of a local ground-water-flow system. Ground-water modeling and particle tracking show that water originating from the wetland seeps into the ground water and flows in the local ground-water system to the southeast portion of the site. Ground-water travel times were estimated to range from 700 to 1,200 days before being discharged to the Olentangy River.
Polymerized whole ragweed: Human safety and immune response☆

Abstract Polymerized ragweed (PRW) has been shown to have reduced allergenicity while maintaining immunogenicity. In order to evaluate whether the reduced allergenicity would permit high initial doses and rapid progression to maintenance, two groups of subjects with ragweed pollenosis were placed on immunotherapy with PRW standardized for antigen E (AgE) content. Group I, 28 subjects, received an initial dose of 100 protein nitrogen units (PNU) (1 μg AgE) and reached a maintenance dose of 1,000 PNU (10 μg AgE) in four weekly injections. In the first 10 wk each subject received 7,850 PNU (78.5 μg AgE). Group II, six subjects, received an initial dose of 100 PNU (1 μg AgE) and after 11 weekly injections received 30,000 PNU (300 μg AgE). No anaphylactic reactions occurred in the study groups. In group I, three large immediate-type local reactions and nine large late-type reactions occurred in 110 injections. Anti-AgE antibody activity in group I rose from a pretreatment mean value of 264 ng AgE bound per milliliter serum to a posttreatment value of 3,182. The major rise occurred after only 4 wk of therapy. In group II, anti-AgE antibody activity rose from 66 to 2,123 after the 11 wk of therapy. IgE antibody to AgE did not change to any extent in either group, and histamine release in response to AgE measured in group II patients did not change. Symptom score evaluation of group I patients revealed a marked decrease in symptoms after therapy with PRW. Immunotherapy with PRW can be initiated at higher doses, with rapid attainment of maintenance dosage with safety resulting in a brisk immune response and symptomatic improvement.
Der Widerstand von Stahl‐ und Verbundbrückenpfeilern gegen hochdynamische Beanspruchung bei Explosion

Das Antwortverhalten von Stahl-Beton-Verbundkonstruktionen auf eine Explosion ist erst wenig untersucht, die Thematik jedoch hochaktuell. Ausgehend von neuen vorliegenden Erkenntnissen aus der Materialforschung werden ein- und mehrzellige Stahl- und Verbundstutzen der Druckwellenbeanspruchung durch eine Autobombenexplosion ausgesetzt. Der unterschiedliche Lastabtrag und das Widerstandsvermogen von Verbund- und Stahlquerschnitten werden nachgewiesen. Bei der Suche nach einem explosionsresistenten Stutzentyp wird das Augenmerk auf die Querschnittsform der Stutze gerichtet, die den lokalen Lasteintrag beeinflust. In der Studie werden die beobachteten Versagensmechanismen der verschiedenen Stutzentypen aufgezeigt und die Widerstandskraft der einzelnen Querschnittstypen verglichen. Fur die Untersuchungen wurde die Simulations-Software MSC.Dytran der MSC Software Corporation Inc. angewendet. Blast resistance of steel and composite bridge piers. Not much attention has been paid to the response behaviour of steel-concrete composite constructions subjected to explosive load, despite its high interest. Based on current knowledge in material research, single- and multi-cell steel and composite columns are simulated and loaded by car bomb blast pressure. The different load carrying behaviour and resistance capacity of steel and composite cross sections is evaluated herein. In search of a blast resistant column type, special focus is directed to the column cross section shape, which effects the local load transmission. The different failure modes of the column types are investigated and the differing resistance capacity of all cross section types is pointed out in a comparative analysis. In the studies, the simulation software MSC.Dytran developed by MSC Software Corporation is applied.
Slice cutting and partial exposing techniques for three-dimensional texture-based volume rendering

Three-dimensional texture-based volume rendering is a technique that treats a 3D volume as a 3D texture, renders multiple 2D view-oriented slices and blends them into the frame buffers. This technique is thoroughly developed in computer graphics and medical visualization, and widely accepted due to the advancement of computer hardware. This research aims at developing fast parallel slice cutting and partial exposing algorithms used in real-time 3D-texture-based volume rendering for image-guided surgery and therapy planning. In texture-based volume rendering, a large amount of slices are needed to render the volume to achieve high quality image, but for real-time interactive volume rendering, the computation time is critical. Instead of repeating the cutting algorithms for each slice against the volume data as conventional cutting algorithms do, the slice cutting algorithm developed in this paper applies the cutting only to the initial slice, and gets the slice vertexes and 3D texture coordinates for all the others based on the distance between the current slice and the initial slice. The new algorithm dramatically reduces the computation time for slice cutting, and eases the generation of sectional view for a volume. Partial exposing is another useful technique used in volume visualization to reveal important but hidden information. Two depth-based partial exposing algorithms are developed and implemented in this paper. Both partial exposing techniques can work with arbitrary complex, but convex, shapes of cutaway object, and their implementations maintain the interactive frame rate for 3D texture-based volume rendering without apparent performance decline compared to non-cutaway rendering.
CD133 as a marker for regulation and potential for targeted therapies in glioblastoma multiforme.

The CD133 epitope has been identified as a tumor marker for the purification of a subpopulation of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells demonstrating cancer stem cell phenotypes. Isolated tumorsphere-forming CD133(+) GBM cells demonstrated heightened in vitro proliferation, self-renewal, and invasive capacity. Orthotopic transplantation of CD133(+) cells led to the formation of heterogeneous tumors that were phenocopies of the original patient tumor. In this article, the authors discuss the complex regulation of CD133 expression in gliomas, its role in tumorigenesis, and its potential as a marker for targeted and personalized therapeutic intervention.
Tumor necrosis factor-α regulation of the Id gene family in astrocytes and microglia during CNS inflammatory injury

The inhibitors of DNA binding (Id) gene family is highly expressed during embryogenesis and throughout adulthood in the rat central nervous system (CNS). In vitro studies suggest that the Id gene family is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Recently, Id gene expression was shown to be expressed in immature and mature astrocytes during development and upregulated in reactive astrocytes after spinal cord injury. These results suggest that the Id gene family may play an important role in regulating astrocyte development and reactivity; however, the factors regulating Id expression in astrocytes remain undefined. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), a proinflammatory cytokine, is thought to play a crucial role in astrocyte/microglia activation after injury to the CNS. To determine if TNF alpha plays a role in Id gene expression, we exogenously administered TNF alpha into developing postnatal rats. We report that TNF alpha injections resulted in a rapid and transient increase in both cell number and mRNA expression for Id2 and Id3 when compared to levels observed in noninjected or control-injected animals. Id1 mRNA levels were also upregulated after TNF alpha treatment, but to a lesser degree. Significant increases in TNF alpha-induced Id2 and Id3 mRNA were observed in the ventricular/subventricular zone, cingulum and corpus callosum. TNF alpha also increased Id2 mRNA expression in the caudate putamen and hippocampus at the injection site. Id2 and Id3 mRNA+ cells were identified as GFAP+ and S100 alpha + astrocytes as well as ED1+ microglia. This is the first report to show TNF-alpha-induced modulation of the Id gene family and suggests that Id may be involved in the formation of reactive astrocytes and activated microglia in the rodent brain. These results suggest a putative role for the Id family in the molecular mechanisms regulating cellular responsiveness to TNF alpha and CNS inflammation.
Thromboembolic risks of recombinant factor VIIa Use in warfarin-associated intracranial hemorrhage: a case–control study

Background: Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) may be used for rapid hemostasis in life-threatening hemorrhage. In warfarin-associated intracerebral hemorrhage (wICH), FVIIa use is controversial and may carry significant thromboembolic risks. We compared incidence of baseline thromboembolic risk factors and thromboembolism rates in wICH patients treated with additional rFVIIa to those treated with standard therapy of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and vitamin K alone. Methods: We identified 45 consecutive wICH patients treated with additional rFVIIa over 5-year period, and 34 consecutive wICH patients treated with standard therapy alone as comparison group. We compared the incidence of post-hemorrhage cardiac and extra-cardiac thromboembolic complications between two treatment groups, and used logistic regression to adjust for significant confounders such as baseline thromboembolic risk factors. We performed secondary analysis comparing the quantity of FFP transfused between two treatment cohorts. Results: Both rFVIIa-treated and standard therapy-treated wICH patients had a high prevalence of pre-existing thromboembolic diseases including atrial fibrillation (73% vs 68%), deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) (22% vs 18%), coronary artery disease (CAD) (38% vs 32%), and abnormal electrocardiogram (EKG) (78% vs 85%). Troponin elevation following wICH was prevalent in both groups (47% vs 41%). Clinically significant myocardial infarction (MI), defined as troponin > 1.0 ng/dL, occurred in 13% of rFVIIa-treated and 6% of standard therapy-treated patients (p=0.52). Past history of CAD (p=0.0061) and baseline abnormal EKG (p=0.02) were independently associated with clinically significant MI following wICH while rFVIIa use was not. The incidences of DVT/PE (2% vs 9%; p=0.18) and ischemic stroke (2% vs 0%; p=0.38) were similar between two treatment groups. Recombinant FVIIa-treated patients had lower mean INR at 3 (p=0.0001) and 6 hours (p<0.0001) and received fewer units of FFP transfusion (3 vs 5; p=0.003). Conclusions: Pre-existing thromboembolic risk factors as well as post-hemorrhage troponin elevation are prevalent in wICH patients. Clinically significant MI occurs in up to 13% of wICH patients. rFVIIa use was not associated with increased incidence of clinically significant MI or other venous or arterial thromboembolic events in this wICH cohort.
Beam profile analysis for a 252Cf plasma-desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Abstract An analysis has been made of the characteristics of the secondary ion beam from a 252 Cf ion-source used in a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. Particular attention has been given to factors that contribute to the beam divergence, since this is directly related to the overall sensitivity. Experimental beam profile measurements were made for various settings of target — 252 Cf-source distance, target—acceleration-grid spacing, field-free length and acceleration voltage. A theoretical model has been derived which gives good fits to experimental beam profiles and which can be used as a guide to minimize the beam divergence in a 252 Cf TOF system.
New high-sensitivity hybrid magnetostrictive/electroactive magnetic field sensors

A recently developed class of magnetic field sensors is based on the action of a magnetostrictive material on a piezoelectric material. Described here is a significant improvement on this class, a passive magnetic field sensor made of layers of Terfenol-D {Fe2(Dy0.7Tb0.3)} magnetostrictive material and ceramic PZT-5. These devices show a large magnetic field sensitivity of order 6 kV/T. Application of this device to harvesting vibration energy indicates that more than 10 mW of electrical power can be harvested using a Terfenol-D/PZT/ Terfenol-D sandwich (volume = 1 cm3) from 30 Hz vibrations having an acceleration of 0.5 g.
Genealogies of Religion, Twenty Years On: An Interview with Talal Asad

Interview with Talal Asad on the 20th anniversary of the publication of Genealogies of Religion: Discipline and Reasons of Power in Christianity and Islam.
Continuous EGF application impairs long-term collagen accumulation during wound healing in rats.

Abstract Continuous topical application of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to granulation tissue has been demonstrated to increase the rate of collagen accumulation in wounds. Studies from this laboratory have indicated that a single topical application of EGF leads to a short period of elevated wound collagen content, followed by a rapid breakdown of this newly acquired collagen. In light of recent clinical trials of EGF as an aid to wound healing, we studied the long-term effects of continuous EGF injection. Standard polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE) wound cylinders were surgically placed in the dorsal midline of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats received EGF daily for 14 days, at which time all injections ceased. Wound cylinders were removed for analysis from five test animals and five controls on study days 14, 21, 28, and 35. Wound collagen content in EGF-treated animals was significantly higher than in controls on the 14th day of the study (330% higher, P P
Contextual effects on robotic experiments of sensory feedback for object manipulation

Tactile and proprioceptive feedback for prosthetic hand users is assumed to be critical, yet there is no systematic knowledge about how to provide this feedback effectively. Haptic virtual environments are ideal tools with which to manipulate properties of object interaction to build a model of such feedback. This work shows the importance of the environmental context to capture results relevant to prosthetic hand sensory feedback. While an interface utilizing manipulation of a second-order oscillatory spring-mass system at its natural frequency did not show consistent effects of haptic feedback on motor performance, an interface based on manipulation of an object with the competing goals of overcoming friction without breaking the object showed an increase in task performance with the addition of haptic feedback to visual feedback. Contextual effects such as functional relevance should be considered in robotic experiments on the role of multisensory feedback in object manipulation.
Osteotropic factor responsiveness of highly purified populations of early and late precursors for human multinucleated cells expressing the osteoclast phenotype

Recently we have adapted human long-term bone marrow cultures to form multinucleated cells (MNC) that express the osteoclast phenotype and used semisolid culture techniques to identify early (bipotent) and late (unipotent) mononuclear precursors for these MNC. The early precursor can form both osteoclast-like MNC and macrophage polykaryons; the late precursor forms only osteoclast-like MNC. In this study we examined the effects of osteotropic hormones and cytokines of MNC formation from highly purified populations of these early or late mononuclear precursor cells. MNC expressing the osteoclast phenotype were identified by their cross-reactivity with the 23c6 monoclonal antibody, which preferentially identifies osteoclasts. 1,25-(OH)2D3 (10(-8) M), IL-1 beta (10 u/ml), and IL-6 (100 pg/ml) stimulated formation of 23c6-positive MNC from highly purified populations of early or late precursor cells. In contrast, PTH (50 ng/ml) did not act directly on late precursor cells but only stimulated 23c6-positive MNC formation from early precursors. These results show that (1) 1,25-(OH)2D3, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 can stimulate 23c6-positive MNC formation from a highly enriched population of early and late precursors, and (2) PTH does not act on late precursors but may act indirectly on the late precursors.
Measuring the Results of Performance Improvement Interventions

In this study, a web-based questionnaire was used to measure attitudes of members of a professional performance improvement organization relative to adoption and implementation of Level 4 or results-oriented evaluation. Participants were 274 members of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). It was expected that frequency of Level 4 evaluation use could be explained by innovation diffusion or change variables. Findings suggest that the adoption of effective performance improvement measurement systems and processes at the organizational level is relatively low compared to other types of evaluation. This level of adoption is impacted by a complex array of factors. Stakeholder participation in the adaptation of evaluation systems to increase their compatibility with current practices, and experimentation with this type of evaluation on a limited or trial basis may increase the rate of adoption. Management support of the development and adaptation of a results-oriented evaluation system is seen as providing the opportunity for the change process to move forward. Implications for diffusion of this type of evaluation within organizations will be discussed within the context of a HPT Change framework.
Ecology: A leak in the loop.

The shifting nature of positive and negative feedbacks in a woodland region invaded by an exotic grass sheds light on the complexity of managing natural systems. See Letter p.517 Invasive plants can radically change ecosystem function to the detriment of species originally in place. But what happens if the invasive species is eradicated — is the ecosystem changed permanently, or if the ousted plants are replaced can they carry on as before? For this study Stephanie Yelenik and Carla D'Antonio returned to grass-invaded field sites in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to study invader impacts replicated more than two decades on. The invasive grass had altered nitrogen-mineralization levels but decades later the ecosystem had returned to pre-invasion levels. However, the new conditions did not favour native re-establishment; rather, they benefited a new invasive, the nitrogen-fixing tree Morella faya.
Generalized Markoff equations and Chebyshev polynomials

Abstract The Markoff equation is x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 3 x y z , and all of the positive integer solutions of this equation occur on one tree generated from ( 1 , 1 , 1 ) , called the Markoff tree. In this paper, we consider trees of solutions to x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = x y z + A . We say a tree satisfies the unicity condition if the maximum element of an ordered triple in the tree uniquely determines the other two. The unicity conjecture says that the Markoff tree satisfies the unicity condition. In this paper, we show that there exists a sequence of real numbers { c n } such that each tree generated from ( 1 , c n , c n ) satisfies the unicity condition, and that these trees converge to the Markoff tree. We accomplish this by recasting polynomial solutions as linear combinations of Chebyshev polynomials, showing that these polynomials are distinct, and evaluating them at certain values.
Resistance of Solanum berthaultii foliage to potato tuberworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Ovipositional behavior, larval establishment, and development biology of the potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella Zeller, were compared on foliage of 2 accessions of wild, insect-resistant potato species, Solanum berthaultii Hawkes, and that of a popular processing potato cultivar, Atlantic (S. tuberosum L.). Total egg deposition (on and off foliage) on S. berthaultii was (approximately equal to 1/2 that on Atlantic in both free-choice and no-choice assays. In no-choice tests, only 11% of all eggs laid were deposited on foliage of S. berthaultii compared with a 92% deposition rate on foliage of Atlantic, suggesting the presence of a chemical or physical deterrent or the absence of ovipositional stimulants on foliage of S. berthaultii. A large proportion of larvae placed on Atlantic dipersed to the abaxial leaf surface and constructed a protective silk tent before initiating feeding. Only 1 neonate placed on S. berthaultii constructed a silk tent, and no neonates dispersed to the abaxial surface. Mortality of larvae confined to the foliage of S. berthaultii (accession Ber 331) was (approximately equal to 7 times greater than that of larvae on Atlantic. Leaf area consumption by individual larvae was approximately equal to 50% less on the wild species compared with cultivated potato. Larvae reared on S. berthaultii produced pupae which weighed significantly less than their siblings reared on Atlantic. Collectively, these negative impacts on potato tuberworm suggest that foliage of S. berthaultii express characteristics, that if under genetic regulation, might be useful in creating potato tuberworm-resistant potato cultivars through traditional breeding or molecular approaches.
An artificial immune system approach to document clustering

It has recently been shown that artificial immune systems (AIS) can be successfully used in many machine learning tasks. The aiNet, one such AIS algorithm exploiting the biologically-inspired features of the immune system, performs well on elementary clustering tasks. This paper proposes the use of the aiNet to more complex tasks of document clustering. Based on the immune network and affinity maturation principles, the aiNet performs an evolutionary process on the raw data, which removes data redundancy and retrieves good clustering results. Also, Principal Component Analysis is integrated into this method to reduce the time complexity. The results are compared with some classical document clustering methods - Hierachical Agglomerative Clustering and K-means.
Lysophospholipids Increase Interleukin-8 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Abstract Objectives. We have previously described that bioactive lysophospholipids—lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC)—are present in ascitic fluids from patients with ovarian cancer. To understand the role of these lipids in ovarian cancer, we investigated the effects of these lipids on interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in ovarian cancer cells. IL-8 is a proinflammatory and proangiogenic factor, which is potentially involved in ovarian cancer development. Methods. The Clontech PCR-Select cDNA subtraction method (Clontech Laboratories, Inc., Palo Alto, CA) was used to identify genes potentially regulated by LPA in HEY and OCC1 ovarian cancer cell lines. Northern blot analysis was used to confirm and examine IL-8 mRNA regulation by lysolipids. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for detecting secreted IL-8. Results. We describe here that LPA, S1P, and SPC increased mRNA levels (2- to 7-fold) and protein secretion (2- to 12-fold) of IL-8 from ovarian cancer cells (HEY, OCC1, and SKOV3) in vitro. These regulations were both dose- and time-dependent. All three lipids increased the stability IL-8 mRNA in HEY cells. In contrast to malignant ovarian cancer cells, immortalized human ovarian epithelial cells did not respond to any of these lipids to increase the secretion of IL-8, although these cells secreted similar basal levels of IL-8 (310 pg/ml/10,000 cells). Two breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and T47D) secreted lower basal levels of IL-8 (48-80 pg/ml/10,000 cells), compared with ovarian cancer cells (200–500 pg/ml/10,000 cells). MCF7 cells responded to LPA, but not S1P and SPC, by increasing the secretion of IL-8. T47D and MCF10A, an immortalized breast cell line, did not respond to LPA, S1P, or SPC to increase IL-8 secretion. Conclusions. LPA, S1P, and SPC regulate the mRNA and protein levels of the proinflammatory and proangiogenic factor IL-8 in ovarian cancer cells. The pathological significance of these regulations in ovarian cancer remains to be further investigated.
Sporotrichoid cutaneous Mycobacterium avium complex infection.

Abstract Mycobacterium avium complex, a common opportunistic pathogen among patients with AIDS, usually manifests as disseminated disease involving the lung, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal tract. Primary cutaneous infections with M avium complex are extremely rare, and most cutaneous lesions are caused by dissemination. Cutaneous manifestations thus far reported include scaling plaques, crusted ulcers, ecthyma-like lesions, verrucous ulcers, inflammatory nodules, panniculitis, pustular lesions, and draining sinuses. Localized skin involvement resembling sporotrichosis is unusual and to our knowledge has been reported only once in the English-language literature. We describe an additional case of primary cutaneous M avium complex infection manifesting as sporotrichosis-like lesions on a patient with AIDS. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:S249-50.)
Ureteral injuries in colorectal surgery: an analysis of trends, outcomes, and risk factors over a 10-year period in the United States.

BACKGROUND:Iatrogenic ureteral injuries during colorectal surgical procedures are rare. Little is known about their incidence, associated outcomes, and predisposing factors.OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to examine the trends of iatrogenic ureteral injuries in the United States over a decad
On the kinematics of finite strain plasticity

Abstract In this paper, the representation of the kinematics of inelastic flow problems involving finite strains and rotations is discussed. The concept of multiplicatively decomposing of the deformation gradient into elastic and plastic components is utilized, where the plastic deformation gradient represents a stress-free, relaxed configuration. Here, it is demonstrated that the choice of relaxed configuration is not essential in the problem solution. Therefore, the kinematic decomposition of elastic-plastic deformation may be chosen to best analyse the specific material model of concern. This is demonstrated by analysing two specific materials, the planar single crystal and the glassy polymer, using various kinematic representations.
Development of higher-order spectra for randomly excited quadratic non linear systems: Volterra functional series approach

Higher order spectral analysis techniques are often used to identify nonlinear interactions in modes of dynamical systems. More specifically, the auto and cross- bispectra have proven to be useful tools in testing for the presence of quadratic nonlinearities based on a system's stationary response. In this paper a class of mechanical system represented by a second-order nonlinear equation of motion subject to random forcing is considered. Analytical expressions for the second-order auto- and cross-spectra are determined using a Volterra functional approach and the presence and extent of nonlinear interactions between frequency components are identified. Numerical simulations accompany the analytical solutions to show how modes may interact nonlinearly producing intermodulation components at the sum and/or difference frequency of the fundamental modes of oscillation. A closed-form solution of the Bispectrum can be used to help identify the source of non-linearity due to interactions at specific frequencies. Possible applications include structural health monitoring where damage is often modeled as a nonlinearity. Advantages of using higher-order spectra techniques will be revealed and pertinent conclusions will be outlined.
A simple 4-dimensional nonfacet

An infinite family of simple (i.e. 4-valent) 4-dimensional convex polytopes is constructed with the property that no 5-dimensional convex polytope has each of its 4-dimensional faces combinatorially equivalent to just one member of this family.
Transport and retention of aqueous dispersions of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in sandstone

Abstract We evaluate the transport of surface-treated superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles in Boise-sandstone rocks by injecting aqueous dispersions of the particles into core plugs. Several different surface treatments yield stable dispersions of these particles, but provide very different transport characteristics. Effluent concentration histories are measured to obtain the particle retention in the rock. The results are used to optimize the particle surface coating so that the reservoir application requirements for the functional nanoparticles can be achieved. The application of interest here requires the nanoparticles to adsorb to oil/water interfaces. Our earlier experiments ( Yu et al., 2010 ) showed that the paramagnetic nanoparticles stabilized with small negatively-charged citrate ligands have little retention in sedimentary rocks, but their preferred adsorption at the oil/water interfaces in rock pores was not achieved. A major improvement in surface coating optimization is achieved by creating a crosslinked polymer film that wraps around the nanoparticle so that it does not detach from the particle surface even under the harsh reservoir conditions. To fine-tune the coating to satisfy the reservoir application requirements, co-polymers and ter-polymers with different constituent monomers are employed. Nanoparticles stabilized with (poly-styrene sulfonate–alt-maleic acid) coating show a good adsorption tendency at the oil/water interfaces, while with very low adsorption at rock surface (~0.02 mg/m2). The dispersion also has long-term stability even at high salinity (8 wt% NaCl). Other polymers, such as (polyacrylic acid–r-butyl acrylate), (polyacrylic acid–b-styrene sulfonic acid), and (polyacrylic acid–r-butyl acrylate–b-styrene sulfonic acid), were also tested. The coating with the last polymer (PAA–PBA–PSS) provides a very low retention of particles in the rock, but only marginal preferred adsorption at oil/water interfaces.
Calcium mobilization in C5a-stimulated adult and newborn bovine neutrophils.

Calcium (Ca2+) is an important second messenger central to many neutrophil (PMN) functional activities. Impaired Ca2+ mobilization in newborn PMNs following membrane perturbation could be one of the mechanisms underlying observed abnormalities in neonatal PMN function. To compare Ca2+ mobilization in bovine newborn and adult PMNs, cytosolic Ca2+ responses after stimulation with recombinant human C5a (rHC5a) were measured. PMNs from normal newborn calves (N=6) and adult cows (N=5) were loaded with fura-2/AM for 60 min at room temperature and the fluorescence changes monitored following stimulation with 0.1, 1, 10, or 50 nM rHC5a in Ca2+-containing buffer. Resting levels of Ca2+ in both newborn (54.6±1.9 nM) and adult (57.3±1.8 nM) bovine PMNs were comparable. After stimulation with rHC5a, a rapid rise of cytosolic Ca2+ was observed, which peaked within 20 sec and was followed by a sustained phase of elevated Ca2+ lasting up to 20 min. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in peak levels of cytosolic Ca2+ obtained by newborn and adult PMNs at 0.1, 10, and 50 nM rHC5a. At 1 nM rHC5a, newborn PMNs reached significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of cytosolic Ca2+ (217.9 ± 21.7 nM) than did adult PMNs (158.7 ± 7.9 nM). At 1 nM rHC5a, newborn PMNs also sustained higher levels of cytosolic Ca2+ for 3 min following the peak. At all concentrations of rHC5a tested, the time required to reach the peak and the duration of the peak were comparable in both populations. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+-free buffer with 1 mM EGTA), resting levels of cytosolic Ca2+ were lower in both newborn (33.3 ± 2.9 nM) and adult PMNs (27.9 ± 2.4 nM) and the magnitude of the peak response to rHC5a was diminished at all concentrations of agonist. Additionally, in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, the return to basal cytosolic Ca2+ levels occurred rapidly and the sustained phase of increased cytosolic Ca2+ seen with rHC5a-stimulated PMNs in Ca2+-containing buffer was virtually eliminated. These results indicate that bovine PMNs respond well to rHC5a, that stimulated newborn bovine PMNs can mobilize Ca2+ as efficiently as adult PMNs, and that the sustained cytosolic Ca2+ response to rHC5a in both age groups requires both release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores as well as influx of extracellular Ca2+. Such data suggest that observed functional deficits in newborn bovine PMNs are probably not related to improper mobilization of Ca2+ following stimulation.
Function Mapping: A Sound Practice for System Design

In recent years, standards have begun to formalize the concepts of systems engineering, capturing the long understood idea that functionality and structure are the key elements of sound practice. This paper introduces a novel and successful technique for doing system design that goes to the "heart of the matter". Functionality is initially derived from system requirements and then structure is determined from the functionality, setting the stage for software and hardware development. The technique is called function mapping.
Variability in immunologic reconstitution following bone marrow transplantation

Abstract Following the first successful bone marrow transplant which corrected both a genetically based immunodeficiency disease and a second marrow transplant that corrected an immunologically based marrow aplasia, 25 additional successful marrow transplants have been reported. In this report three patients are described to illustrate both the variability in the clinical and laboratory manifestations of combined immunodeficiency disease and the variability in the degree and pattern of immunologic reconstitution following marrow transplantation. These three patients emphasize that many factors that may influence the successful outcome of marrow grafting are not well understood and each patient must be considered as a unique undertaking.
The assignment problem with external interactions

The classical assignment problem matches n jobs to n machines in a way that minimizes total assignment costs. To allow for the possibility of diverting internal jobs outside the machine shop and accepting external jobs into the machine shop, we define the assignment problem with external interactions (APEX) as a linear assignment problem with a single unrestricted arc. A feasible solution of APEX may involve up to twice as many assignments as an assignment problem of the same size. An efficient sequential shortest path algorithm is developed for APEX. The algorithm uses initialization heuristics to obtain a dual feasible solution that satisfies the complementary slackness conditions with a partial set of assignments. Primal feasibility is then obtained through a shortest augmenting path algorithm that makes the remaining assignments. As APEX can be formulated as a minimum-cost network flow problem and as a standard assignment problem of larger size, we compare the proposed algorithm with state-of-the-art network flow and assignment approaches. The algorithm developed here has much smaller storage requirements than have alternative approaches. In addition, extensive computational results demonstrate that it is from 2 to 52 times faster.
Active Teaching and Learning in Cross‐National Perspective

Recent developments in globalization, education, and technology suggest exciting possibilities for cross-national active teaching and learning in international studies. This paper reviews scholarship on the potential for systematic and intentional cross-national pedagogical innovations in international studies. Three critical themes are identified and explored: culture and cross-national education, collaboration across contexts, and the need for systematic assessment. Each plays an important role in facilitating effective active teaching and learning cross-nationally. A broader examination of the opportunities and challenges of cross-national education in international studies suggests guidelines for a systematic, collaborative cross-national approach to an emerging active teaching and learning research agenda.
Mechanisms of tolerance induced by TGFβ‐treated APC: CD4 regulatory T cells prevent the induction of the immune response possibly through a mechanism involving TGFβ

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta)-treated antigen-presenting cells (APC) pulsed with antigen induce tolerance in mice, i.e. inhibition of IFN-gamma production and delayed type hypersensitivity response. Although evidence suggests that regulatory T cells are involved, their mechanism of action is currently unknown and is the subject of the present study. Both CD4 and CD8 splenic T cells from mice injected i.v. with adherent thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal exudate cells cultured with TGF beta(2) and antigen (TGF beta-treated APC) transferred tolerance to naive recipients. Interestingly, TGF beta-treated APC from class II knockout mice were unable to induce tolerance in wild-type mice, whereas wild-type TGF beta-treated APC could induce tolerance in CD8 knockout mice. TGF beta was detected in cultures of lymphoid cells from mice injected with TGF beta-treated APC, and treatment with anti-TGF beta antibody in vivo impaired tolerance induction. TGF beta appeared to be involved in both the development of CD4 regulatory T cells and the effector function of the CD4 regulatory T cells. In summary, the important findings in this study are that CD4, and not CD8, regulatory T cells are required for tolerance induced by TGF beta-treated APC in naive mice, and tolerance appears to be mediated by a mechanism involving TGF beta.
The clinical neurobiology of drug craving

Drug craving has re-emerged as a relevant and important construct in the pathophysiology of addiction with its inclusion in DSM-V as a key clinical symptom of addictive disorders. This renewed focus has been due in part to the recent neurobiological evidence on craving-related neural activation and clinical evidence supporting its association with drug use, relapse, and recovery processes. This review covers the neurobiology of drug craving and relapse risk with a primary focus on cocaine addiction and a secondary emphasis on alcohol addiction. A conceptualization of drug craving on the continuum of healthy desire and compulsive seeking, and the associated neurobiological adaptations associated with the development of an increased craving/wanting state is presented. Altered dopamine neurochemistry as well as disrupted prefrontal control and hyperactive striatal-limbic responses in experiencing drug cues, stress, drug intake and in basal relaxed states are identified as neurobiological signatures that predict drug craving and drug use. Thus, the clinical and neurobiological features of the craving/wanting state are presented with specific attention to alterations in these cortico-limbic-striatal and prefrontal self-control circuits that predict drug craving and relapse risk. The methodological challenges that need to be addressed to further develop the evolving conceptual approach to the neuroscience of drug craving is presented, with a focus on identification and validation of biomarkers associated with the craving state and treatment approaches that may be of benefit in reversing the neurobiological adaptations associated with drug craving to improve treatment outcomes in addiction.
Invariant functions on symplectic representations

Abstract We study invariants on symplectic representations of a connected reductive group. Our main result is that the invariant moment map is equidimensional. We deduce that the categorical quotient is a fibration over an affine space with rational generic fibers. Of particular interest are representations where these fibers are points. We show that they are cofree. Our main tool is a symplectic version of the local structure theorem.
Are survival processing memory advantages based on ancestral priorities

Recent research has suggested that our memory systems are especially tuned to process information according to its survival relevance, and that inducing problems of "ancestral priorities" faced by our ancestors should lead to optimal recall performance (Nairne & Pandeirada, Cognitive Psychology, 2010). The present study investigated the specificity of this idea by comparing an ancestor-consistent scenario and a modern survival scenario that involved threats that were encountered by human ancestors (e.g., predators) or threats from fictitious creatures (i.e., zombies). Participants read one of four survival scenarios in which the environment and the explicit threat were either consistent or inconsistent with ancestrally based problems (i.e., grasslands-predators, grasslands-zombies, city-attackers, city-zombies), or they rated words for pleasantness. After rating words based on their survival relevance (or pleasantness), the participants performed a free recall task. All survival scenarios led to better recall than did pleasantness ratings, but recall was greater when zombies were the threat, as compared to predators or attackers. Recall did not differ for the modern (i.e., city) and ancestral (i.e., grasslands) scenarios. These recall differences persisted when valence and arousal ratings for the scenarios were statistically controlled as well. These data challenge the specificity of ancestral priorities in survival-processing advantages in memory.
Production of extracellular proteases from Staphylococcusaureus strain V8 in dialysis culture

Abstract An optimized dialysis culture system consisting of a ‘media reservoir’ of visking tubing containing 90 ml of 4 × nutrient broth bathed in 10 ml of the same culture medium has been developed for production of staphylococcal protease. Aeration of cultures by shaking at 200 rpm was essential for high yields of activity. Comparison of protease production in dialysis and batch culture systems showed the former is a more convenient method for the production of Staphylococcus aureus protease.
AS/400 ImagePlus system view

Storage space, loss of documents, misfiled and misplaced documents, and document retrieval are just a few of the problems of processing large volumes of paper. High storage costs, lost productivity, personnel costs, and poor responsiveness are some of the results. Until recently, technology could not provide a cost-effective method for reducing this paper flow. IBM designed its midrange ImagePlus™ system to provide an effective and comprehensive solution to both the paper and the work-flow problems. The AS/400™ ImagePlus system provides an imaging environment for departmental installations of up to 256 workstations. This system combines the image-handling capabilities of the IBM ImagePlus Workstation Program, the user interface and case/folder processing of the AS/400 Workfolder Application Facility, with the image storage and retrieval capabilities of the optical storage support subsystem. All together, these facilities provide a high configurable system capable of handling high volumes of transactions.
An Acoustooptic FM Receiver Demonstrating Some Principles of Modern Signal Processing

An acoustooptic FM receiver can be constructed by using a Bragg sound cell plus some simple optics and electronics. This application has significant pedagogical value because, in spite of the simplicity of implementation, it demonstrates a wide variety of physical and electrical principles applicable to modern signal processing. In this paper, we include a tutorial on the principles of acoustooptics which provides a background sufficient for the understanding of the Bragg cell FM receiver described in the text. The FM receiver we have built has a frequency resolution of 200 kHz, enough to separate FM stations. A general guideline for controlling this resolution will also be discussed. The project has been used as a demonstration for senior-level undergraduate students in an electrical engineering design class.