cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Secondary structure map of psoralen-crosslinked adenovirus DNA studied by electron microscopy.

Abstract Rightward (r) and leftward (l) strands of the DNA of adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) were separated and crosslinked at different ionic strengths with 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen trioxsalen. Secondary structures of single-stranded DNA were visualized in the electron microscope as hairpins and looped hairpins. Hairpins were formed at 26°; they increased in number between 20 and 30 m M NaCl and with more than one sequential addition of trioxsalen. To orient the map of these features, heteroduplexes were made between treated r and 1 strands of Ad2 DNA and the untreated complementary strands of Ad2 + ND4. The results show that with Ad2 r, major hairpins form near map positions 5, 10, 30, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 93, and 95 and with Ad2 1, near positions 5, 8, 15, 20, 28, 35, 40, 93, and 95. This indicates that the secondary structures of the r and 1 strands show similar patterns at the ends but differ greatly in the middle of the individual DNA strands. Possible correlations between the sites of secondary structure and of various control elements within Ad2 DNA will be discussed.
Active Pixel Sensors: Are CCD's Dinosaurs?

Charge-coupled devices (CCDs) are presently the technology of choice for most imaging applications. In the 23 years since their invention in 1970, they have evolved to a sophisticated level of performance. However, as with all technologies, we can be certain that they will be supplanted someday. In this paper, the Active Pixel Sensor (APS) technology is explored as a possible successor to the CCD. An active pixel is defined as a detector array technology that has at least one active transistor within the pixel unit cell. The APS eliminates the need for nearly perfect charge transfer--the Achilles' heel of CCDs. This perfect charge transfer makes CCD's radiation 'soft,' difficult to use under low light conditions, difficult to manufacture in large array sizes, difficult to integrate with on-chip electronics, difficult to use at low temperatures, difficult to use at high frame rates, and difficult to manufacture in non-silicon materials that extend wavelength response. With the active pixel, the signal is driven from the pixel over metallic wires rather than being physically transported in the semiconductor. This paper makes a case for the development of APS technology. The state of the art is reviewed and the application of APS technology to future space-based scientific sensor systems is addressed.
A Survey of Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, Sediments Using Two Bioassays with the Amphipod Diporeia spp.

Abstract The Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay ecosystem is identified as an Area of Concern by the International Joint Commission for recognized anthropogenic contamination, which includes sediments. The potential impact of sediment-associated contamination of Saginaw Bay and Saginaw River was evaluated by employing two solid phase bioassays with the amphipod Diporeia spp. (formerly named Pontoporeia hoyi). Two effects examined in the bioassays were mortality after 28 d and avoidance/preference for the sediments after 5 d. Saginaw Bay Station S-61, located off the coast of Tawas Bay, was the only location where bay sediment elicited significant mortality. Although sediment preference tended to increase from the inner bay to the outer bay with S-61 the most preferred, there were no statistical differences among stations. River sediments from all stations collected in December 1989 produced significant mortality, with sediments from Station SR-106, just below the Bay City Waste Water Treatment Plant outfall, producing the greatest response. Sediments from SR-106 were also the most avoided of the river sediments from this first collection. A subsequent collection of sediments in June 1990 from the Saginaw River produced no mortality and no significant avoidance of the sediments. The results from these two bioassay methods suggest the presence of potential contaminant problems in both the bay and river, and indicate that both lethal and sublethal effects may occur.
Retinal degenerations in the dog. I. Rod dysplasia.

Abstract Rod dysplasia is a recessively inherited photoreceptor disease affecting the Norwegian elkhound breed. Rod photoreceptors fail to develop normally; the inner segments are diminutive and the outer segments disorganized and disoriented. This developmental failure is associated with complete absence of electroretinographically recordable rod mediated responses. Cones develop and function normally. Cones are selectively spared in the disease process and degeneration begins only after there is extensive damage to the rod photoreceptors. In the end stages of the disease, the electroretinogram is not recordable and the photoreceptor layer is absent. Gliosis, loss of retinal layer organization and occasional intraretinal pigment epithelial migration are characteristic of the late stage of the disease.
Preparation of autoradiograms for electron microscopy.

FREQUENTLY when examining autoradiograms of biological specimens there is a need for resolution such as can be obtained with the electron microscope. A technique for preparing autoradiograms for electron microscopy has been reported by Liquier-Milward1. The method described here has the advantage of being somewhat simpler in that nuclear emulsion is applied directly to the specimen grids, and the method is suitable for use with ultra-thin sections. Although only results obtained with yeasts and the alpha-emitter polonium-210 are described, other isotopes and biological specimens can be used.
1450mm Five-Stand Tandem Cold Mill Process Control System

The process control system for tandem cold mill is the core of the production line control system. Its operating status influences the stable production of strip directly. In this paper a tandem cold rolling process control system of cold-rolled sheet plant was taken as an object, the structural framework of control system was designed, the composition and function was introduced.
The Effective Interaction Between 3He Quasi-Particles on the Surface of Liquid 4He

Measurements of surface tension and of the velocity of surface sound1 have shown that less than a monolayer of 3He adsorbed on the surface of superfluid 4He behaves like a two-dimensional gas or 3He ‘quasiparticles’ with an effective mass M about 1.3 times the real mass m3. The interaction potential between the surface quasiparticles has been found to be quite weak. When interpreted in terms of an ‘effective interaction’ Vs(q), the analog of the BBP2 interaction V(q) between 3He dissolved in bulk 4He, the data give1 $$ {V^S}\left( {q = 0} \right) = + \left( {0.5 + 2.0} \right)\; \times \;{10^{ - 31}}erg\;c{m^2} $$ (1) The sign and magnitude of Vs (q) are important because they determine whether the adsorbed 3He will become a two-dimensional BCS superfluid at a sufficiently low temperature. In this paper we use some naive theoretical arguments to augment our information about Vs(q) and the possibility of superfluidity.
Statistical Leakage Estimation of Double Gate FinFET Devices Considering the Width Quantization Property

This paper presents a statistical leakage estimation method for FinFET devices considering the unique width quantization property. Monte Carlo simulations show that the conventional approach underestimates the average leakage current of FinFET devices by as much as 43% while the proposed approach gives a precise estimation with an error less than 5%. Design example on subthreshold circuits shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.
1.5V 0.5mW 2MSPS 10B DAC with rail-to-rail output in 0.13μm CMOS technology

This paper presents the design and measurement results of a low power high linear digital-to-analog converter in 0.13 mum CMOS. It is powered by a single 1.5 V power supply offering rail-to-rail output capability. The DAC circuit is based on segmented resistor strings to scale the bandgap voltage references. The design of the advanced class-AB amplifier with rail-to-rail input/output for analog output buffering is given in details. Techniques to improve resistor string matching performance to 10-bit resolution are discussed. An effective output de-glitching circuitry is presented. The DAC can operate at 2.0 MSPS with power consumption of 0.5 mW.
Variability of the oxygen minimum zone in the tropical North Pacific during the late twentieth century

[1] The oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) are especially sensitive to ocean deoxygenation due to the nonlinear dependence of their size on the oxygen inventory. Significant decadal variability has been observed in the extent and intensity of the tropical Pacific OMZ. Here we diagnose the physical and biogeochemical mechanisms behind the interannual and decadal variability of oxygen in the tropical Pacific thermocline using a three-dimensional ocean biogeochemistry model that reproduces the expansion of the tropical Pacific OMZ since the 1980s. On interannual time scales, heat content and respiration rates are strongly influenced by El Nino-Southern Oscillation cycles and the associated changes in upwelling. The resulting changes in solubility and apparent oxygen utilization tend to compensate one another, thus damping the magnitude of oxygen variability. Regional oxygen budget reveals the subtle balance between the lateral and vertical ocean circulation in controlling the physical oxygen supply to the eastern tropical Pacific. Spectral analysis shows that the tropical Pacific oxygen has a stronger variance in decadal time scales than its physical and biological drivers. Our results suggest that the physical oxygen supply and biological oxygen loss are integrated through the finite memory of thermocline waters to produce the multidecadal variability of OMZ.
MASS PROBLEMS AND HYPERARITHMETICITY

A mass problem is a set of Turing oracles. If P and Q are mass problems, we say that P is weakly reducible to Q if for all Y ∈ Q there exists X ∈ P such that X is Turing reducible to Y. A weak degree is an equivalence class of mass problems under mutual weak reducibility. Let be the lattice of weak degrees of mass problems associated with nonempty subsets of the Cantor space. The lattice has been studied in previous publications. The purpose of this paper is to show that partakes of hyperarithmeticity. We exhibit a family of specific, natural degrees in which are indexed by the ordinal numbers less than and which correspond to the hyperarithmetical hierarchy. Namely, for each , let hα be the weak degree of 0(α), the αth Turing jump of 0. If p is the weak degree of any mass problem P, let p* be the weak degree of the mass problem P* = {Y | ∃X (X ∈ P andBLR(X) ⊆ BLR(Y))} where BLR(X) is the set of functions which are boundedly limit recursive in X. Let 1 be the top degree in . We prove that all of the weak degrees , , are distinct and belong to . In addition, we prove that certain index sets associated with are complete.
The central role of EED in the orchestration of polycomb group complexes

Polycomb repressive complexes 1 and 2 (PRC1 and 2) play a critical role in the epigenetic regulation of transcription during cellular differentiation, stem cell pluripotency and neoplastic progression. Here we show that the polycomb group protein EED, a core component of PRC2, physically interacts with and functions as part of PRC1. Components of PRC1 and PRC2 compete for EED binding. EED functions to recruit PRC1 to H3K27me3 loci and enhances PRC1-mediated H2A ubiquitin E3 ligase activity. Taken together, we suggest an integral role for EED as an epigenetic exchange factor coordinating the activities of PRC1 and 2.
Moral and civic responsibility and the commercialization of higher education

Anne Colby, Thomas Ehrlich, Elizabeth Beaumont & Jason Stephens, 2003 San Francisco, CA, Jossey‐Bass $28.0 (hbk), 352 pp. ISBN 0 7879 6515 4 Derek Bok, 2003 Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Pres...
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Resistance to the Small Molecule Maturation Inhibitor 3-O-(3′,3′-Dimethylsuccinyl)-Betulinic Acid Is Conferred by a Variety of Single Amino Acid Substitutions at the CA-SP1 Cleavage Site in Gag

The compound 3-O-(3',3'-dimethylsuccinyl)-betulinic acid (DSB) potently and specifically inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication by delaying the cleavage of the CA-SP1 junction in Gag, leading to impaired maturation of the viral core. In this study, we investigated HIV-1 resistance to DSB by analyzing HIV-1 mutants encoding a variety of individual amino acid substitutions in the CA-SP1 cleavage site. Three of the substitutions were lethal to HIV-1 replication owing to a deleterious effect on particle assembly. The remaining mutants exhibited a range of replication efficiencies; however, each mutant was capable of replicating in the presence of concentrations of DSB that effectively inhibited wild-type HIV-1. Mutations conferring resistance to DSB also led to impaired binding of the compound to immature HIV-1 virions and loss of DSB-mediated inhibition of cleavage of Gag. Surprisingly, two of the DSB-resistant mutants retained an intermediate ability to bind the compound, suggesting that binding of DSB to immature HIV-1 particles may not be sufficient for antiviral activity. Overall, our results indicate that Gag amino acids L363 and A364 are critical for inhibition of HIV-1 replication by DSB and suggest that these residues form key contacts with the drug in the context of the assembling HIV-1 particle. These results have implications for the design of and screening for novel inhibitors of HIV-1 maturation.
CogSketch: sketch understanding for cognitive science research and for education

Sketching is a powerful means of working out and communicating ideas. Sketch understanding involves a combination of visual, spatial, and conceptual knowledge and reasoning, which makes it both challenging to model and potentially illuminating for cognitive science. This paper describes CogSketch, an ongoing effort of the NSF-funded Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center, which is being developed both as a research instrument for cognitive science and as a platform for sketchbased educational software. We describe the idea of open-domain sketch understanding, the scientific hypotheses underlying CogSketch, and provide an overview of the models it employs, illustrated by simulation studies and ongoing experiments in creating sketch-based educational software.
Anthesis synchronization and floral morphology determine diurnal patterns of ragweed pollen dispersal

Abstract Diurnal cycles of pollen dispersal are an important aspect of gene flow between wind-pollinated plants. Previous attempts to correlate these cycles with variation in meteorological factors have had little success. In Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) and other species which produce aeroallergenic pollen, these cycles also present a major burden to public health. In a large field dominated by A. artemisiifolia, we collected measurements of low-atmosphere pollen concentration and pollen release from individual A. artemisiifolia flowers. We then constructed a relatively simple model that relates early morning variations in relative humidity to the probability distribution of anther dehiscence initiation timing and incorporates quantitative data on the progression of diurnal pollen release from individual male flowers. The model successfully predicts normalized pollen concentration above the field. We suggest that the extension of a tiny floral organ unique to this genus and some closely related taxa explains a ubiquitous, but previously overlooked, large-scale feature in patterns of A. artemisiifolia pollen dispersal. Our study shows that pollen release at the flower scale is a physiological characteristic that is intrinsically bimodal, but highly asynchronous anther rupture caused by variations in relative humidity sometimes obscures this effect and determines the overall pattern of pollen release at the scale of the entire field. We suggest that future attempts to predict diurnal pollen dispersal cycles should consider direct observations of species-specific floral development and morphology.
Establishing Developmental Genetics in a Self-fertilizing Fish (Krytolebias marmoratus)

Kryptolebias marmoratus is a synchronous hermaphroditic vertebrate that utilizes an ovotestis for reproduction. This fish develops externally, is easy to maintain, and has about a 100-day life cycle, making it a desirable developmental genetic model organism. Here, we present a pilot zygotic mutant screen utilizing the common chemical mutagen, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) to establish genetics in this model species. Selection of clonal stocks and optimal conditions for mutagenizing this fish are presented and the types and frequencies of zygotic mutants are documented in comparison to other fish models. Kryptolebias marmoratus is an exemplar model organism that will complement future developmental genetic screens in vertebrates.
Addressing Violence by Female Partners Is Vital to Prevent or Stop Violence Against Women Evidence From the Multisite Batterer Intervention Evaluation

This article presents a reanalysis of data from Gondolf's (2012) article in this journal on reoffending by men in the 15-month period subsequent to participation in batterer intervention programs. Gondolf concludes that violence by the female partners "was relatively low and does not appear to influence the program outcome in terms of men's reassault" (p. 10). The reanalyzed data lead to the opposite conclusion. The policy and practice implications are that the high rate of assault by women, including initiation of violence by female partners, needs to be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of programs to prevent and stop violence against women.
Merulius incarnates Schwein., a Rare Mushroom with Highly Selective Antimicrobial Activity

In the course of our search for new drug candidates from polypores, we studied a rare North American mushroom, Merulius incarnatus (Corticiaceae). Th e polypores and corticioid fungi are members of Aphyllophorales, a group of morphologically complex, terrestrial Basidiomycetes. Many of these fungi are saprobic wood decayers and most often are found on logs, stumps, or other dead wood. Polypores are considered by many as a major source of pharmacologically active natural products. Th eir secondary metabolites exhibit a wide range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, anticancer, cardiovascular, anti-infl ammatory, antioxidant, immunostimulating, nematocidal, and other activities (Zjawiony, 2004). Merulius incarnatus Schwein. (1822), also known under the later name Phlebia incarnata Nakesone et Bursdall (1994), can be found on dead logs and stumps of hardwoods, particularly those of white oak, beech, maple, and birch in the southeastern United States. It grows in overlapping clusters, usually with Stereum ostrea (Blume et T.Nees) Fr., mostly in the fall months (September–November). M. incarnatus is a rather small mushroom (2–5 cm in diameter), with a very characteristic bright coral pink color of the upper cap—hence, the common name Coral Woodcrust. Th e fruiting body is irregularly shaped, elliptical or semicircular, slightly convexed without stem. Th e pore surface is whitish and veined. Th e spores are white, elliptical, and 2–4 μm in diameter. Th e mushroom gives the yellow to orange test reaction with KOH.
meta-PPISP

Summary: A number of complementary methods have been developed for predicting protein-protein interaction sites. We sought to increase prediction robustness and accuracy by combining results from different predictors, and report here a meta web server, meta-PPISP, that is built on three individual web servers: cons-PPISP ( http://pipe.scs.fsu.edu/ppisp.html), Promate (http://bioportal.weizmann.ac.il/promate), and PINUP (http://sparks.informatics.iupui.edu/PINUP/). A linear regression method, using the raw scores of the three servers as input, was trained on a set of 35 nonhomologous proteins. Cross validation showed that meta-PPISP outperforms all the three individual servers. At coverages identical to those of the individual methods, the accuracy of meta-PPISP is higher by 4.8 to 18.2 percentage points. Similar improvements in accuracy are also seen on CAPRI and other targets. Availability: meta-PPISP can be accessed at http://pipe.scs.fsu.edu/meta-ppisp.html Contact: zhou@sb.fsu.edu Supplementary information: Data sets, linear regression coefficients, and details of prediction results are shown at the site of the meta-PPISP server.
Changes in testosterone mediate the effect of winning on subsequent aggressive behaviour

Testosterone concentrations rise rapidly in the context of competitive interactions and remain elevated in winners relative to losers. Theoretical models suggest that this divergent neuroendocrine response serves to mediate future dominance behaviours. Although research in animal models provides compelling support for this model, evidence for its applicability to human social behaviour is limited. In the current study, men and women were randomly assigned to experience a series of victories or defeats, after which aggressive behaviour was assessed using a well-validated behavioural measure. Winning produced elevated testosterone concentrations relative to losing in men, but not women. More importantly, testosterone reactivity to competition mediated the effect of winning on subsequent aggressive behaviour in men, but not women. We discuss limitations of the current study (e.g., the status manipulation may have affected other variables not measured in the study including competitiveness and physical activity expended), as well as discuss a potential neural mechanism underlying the effect of testosterone reactivity on aggressive behaviour.
Mentalizing under Uncertainty: Dissociated Neural Responses to Ambiguous and Unambiguous Mental State Inferences

The ability to read the minds of others (i.e., to mentalize) requires that perceivers understand a wide range of different kinds of mental states, including not only others’ beliefs and knowledge but also their feelings, desires, and preferences. Moreover, although such inferences may occasionally rely on observable features of a situation, perceivers more typically mentalize under conditions of “uncertainty,” in which they must generate plausible hypotheses about a target's mental state from ambiguous or otherwise underspecified information. Here, we use functional neuroimaging to dissociate the neural bases of these 2 distinct social–cognitive challenges: 1) mentalizing about different types of mental states (beliefs vs. preferences) and 2) mentalizing under conditions of varying ambiguity. Although these 2 aspects of mentalizing have typically been confounded in earlier research, we observed a double dissociation between the brain regions sensitive to type of mental state and ambiguity. Whereas ventral and dorsal aspects of medial prefrontal cortex responded more during ambiguous than unambiguous inferences regardless of the type of mental state, the right temporoparietal junction was sensitive to the distinction between beliefs and preferences irrespective of certainty. These results underscore the emerging consensus that, rather than comprising a single mental operation, social cognition makes flexible use of different processes as a function of the particular demands of the social context.
Tunable long-wavelength vertical-cavity lasers: the engine of next generation optical networks?

The incredible growth of the Internet and data transmission are pushing the bandwidth requirements for fiber networks and expansion of metro and local area networks at an unprecedented pace. One of the key requirements for a great expansion of optical networks is low cost, high-performance tunable lasers that are easily packaged and coupled to fiber. The paper reviews the terrain of both materials and device technologies that are currently driving this optical revolution and speculates on the future directions and if a single, all encompassing technology, the "Holy Grail," might be realized by any of the contenders.
Physician Communication Regarding Prostate Cancer Screening: Analysis of Unannounced Standardized Patient Visits

PURPOSE Prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a con - troversial issue. The present study aimed to explore physician behaviors during an unannounced standardized patient encounter that was part of a randomized controlled trial to educate physicians using a prostate cancer screening, interac- tive, Web-based module. METHODS Participants included 118 internal medicine and family medicine physicians from 5 health systems in California, in 2007-2008. Control physicians received usual education about prostate cancer screening (brochures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Intervention physicians participated in the prostate cancer screening module. Within 3 months, all physicians saw unannounced standardized patients who prompted prostate cancer screening discussions in clinic. The encounter was audio-recorded, and the recordings were transcribed. Authors analyzed physician behaviors around screening: (1) engage- ment after prompting, (2) degree of shared decision making, and (3) final recom - mendations for prostate cancer screening. RESULTS After prompting, 90% of physicians discussed prostate cancer screen- ing. In comparison with control physicians, intervention physicians showed somewhat more shared decision making behaviors (intervention 14 items vs con- trol 11 items, P <.05), were more likely to mention no screening as an option (intervention 63% vs control 26%, P <.05), to encourage patients to consider different screening options (intervention 62% vs control 39%, P <.05) and seek- ing input from others (intervention 25% vs control 7%, P <.05). CONCLUSIONS A brief Web-based interactive educational intervention can improve shared decision making, neutrality in recommendation, and reduce PSA test ordering. Engaging patients in discussion of the uses and limitations of tests with uncertain value can decrease utilization of the tests.
Once More the Logos Asarkos

Does confession of Christ's pre-existence involve positing a Logos who ‘before’ Christ's conception was simply ‘not yet’ incarnate? The author confesses inadequacies of his previous attempts on this disputed question, and offers improvements.
Simultaneous input and state estimation of linear discrete-time stochastic systems with input aggregate information

In this paper, we present filtering algorithms for simultaneous input and state estimation of linear discrete-time stochastic systems when the unknown inputs are partially known, i.e., when some aggregate information of the unknown inputs is available as linear equality or inequality constraints. The stability and optimality properties of the filters are presented and proven using two complementary perspectives. Specifically, we confirm the intuition that the partial input information improves the performance of the filters when a linear input equality constraint is given. On the other hand, given a linear inequality constraint, we show that the estimate error covariance is decreased but the estimates may be biased.
Unmet healthcare needs and health status: Panel evidence from Korea.

Abstract Aims Even though basic healthcare services have been considered human rights, studies on optimal level of healthcare utilization have produced mixed results. A growing body of literatures has been using unmet healthcare needs, a subjective survey measure, to find inequity in healthcare. But no studies so far have tried to reveal the association of unmet needs with health outcomes so it was hard to get the public's attention. To answer it, this study tries to reveal the associations between unmet healthcare needs and health outcomes. Methods A 4-year Korean panel dataset of 7,717 persons (31,668 person-years) were analyzed. Unmet healthcare needs were asked (if yes, its reason was also surveyed) if the respondent ever felt healthcare services were needed but could not receive it in the past 12 months. A health-related quality of life instrument (EQ-5D) and self-rated health were used as dependent variables. To avoid simultaneity, 1-year lagged outcome variables were used. And to control for unobserved individual heterogeneity, fixed effects estimation was also run based on Grossman's human capital model. Findings Since 2009, more than 14.5% of the study population had reported unmet healthcare needs. When 1-year lagged health outcome variables were regressed on unmet needs, compared to the means, unmet needs were found to associate with 1% decline in EQ-5D and 4.5% decline in self-rated health. Unmet needs due to mild symptoms were not related with outcomes in fixed effects estimation among the elderly. Conclusions Even though causal inference were not found, the association between unmet needs and health outcomes were established. Recognizing demand side determinants of healthcare was a strength of this study.
The effects of drugs on embryonic development

A review of the literature demonstrated the difficulties in evaluating the teratogenic effect of drugs in man. Since epidemiologic studies provide suggestive rather than definitive data and results of the current drug testing in laboratory animals may not be applicable to man, the need to develop alternative methods of predicting teratogenicity was apparent. To develop such techniques by studying a possible mechanism of teratogenesis, experiments were performed using a teratogenic folic acid-deficiency and antagonism with 9-methyl pteroylglutamic acid in the pregnant rat. Embryos developing abnormally in response ot this regimen consumed oxygen at a significantly decreased rate. Similar significant reductions in oxygen consumption were found both in rat embryos malforming in response to maternal vitamin A acetate administration, and in mouse embryos in response to teratogenic doses of diphenylhydantoin. It was suggested that such measurements of oxidative metabolism or related techniques may have application in predicting drug teratogenicity and could aid present epidemiologic and empiric approaches to identification of human teratogens.
A cure for the blues: opsin duplication and subfunctionalization for short-wavelength sensitivity in jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Arthropods have received much attention as a model for studying opsin evolution in invertebrates. Yet, relatively few studies have investigated the diversity of opsin proteins that underlie spectral sensitivity of the visual pigments within the diverse beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera). Previous work has demonstrated that beetles appear to lack the short-wavelength-sensitive (SWS) opsin class that typically confers sensitivity to the “blue” region of the light spectrum. However, this is contrary to established physiological data in a number of Coleoptera. To explore potential adaptations at the molecular level that may compensate for the loss of the SWS opsin, we carried out an exploration of the opsin proteins within a group of beetles (Buprestidae) where short-wave sensitivity has been demonstrated. RNA-seq data were generated to identify opsin proteins from nine taxa comprising six buprestid species (including three male/female pairs) across four subfamilies. Structural analyses of recovered opsins were conducted and compared to opsin sequences in other insects across the main opsin classes—ultraviolet, short-wavelength, and long-wavelength. All nine buprestids were found to express two opsin copies in each of the ultraviolet and long-wavelength classes, contrary to the single copies recovered in all other molecular studies of adult beetle opsin expression. No SWS opsin class was recovered. Furthermore, the male Agrilus planipennis (emerald ash borer—EAB) expressed a third LWS opsin at low levels that is presumed to be a larval copy. Subsequent homology and structural analyses identified multiple amino acid substitutions in the UVS and LWS copies that could confer short-wavelength sensitivity. This work is the first to compare expressed opsin genes against known electrophysiological data that demonstrate multiple peak sensitivities in Coleoptera. We report the first instance of opsin duplication in adult beetles, which occurs in both the UVS and LWS opsin classes. Through structural comparisons of known insect opsins, we suggest that opsin duplication and amino acid variation within the chromophore binding pocket explains sensitivity in the short-wavelength portion of the visible light spectrum in these species. These findings are the first to reveal molecular complexity of the color vision system within beetles.
Tears of the rotator cuff.

SUMMARY The diagnosis of a torn rotator cuff can be readily established by arthrography. It must be suspected in any patient with shoulder pain with or without a history of injury. Under circumstances in which spontaneous healing cannot be expected, early surgical repair should provide consistent satisfactory results. Late reconstruction now can yield good results with either the free biceps graft or the freeze dried cadaver graft.
Effect of increased magnesium on recovery from ischemia in rat and rabbit hearts.

Perfusates containing high magnesium concentrations have been suggested to have a protective effect for ischemic myocardium, but the mechanism for such an effect is unclear. We investigated the recovery of isolated perfused rabbit and rat hearts from ischemia under varied conditions of increased Mg. Hearts were made ischemic in the presence of normal 1.2 mM Mg or elevated 15 mM Mg. Rabbit hearts, which show minimal alteration in contractility in the presence of 15 mM Mg, were not protected from ischemia by high Mg perfusate. Rat hearts, which have a large negative inotropic response to 15 mM Mg, exhibited significantly better recovery of mechanical function following ischemia in the presence of high Mg than following ischemia with normal Mg. This protective effect was abolished by increasing both Ca and Mg in the perfusate to prevent the decline in contractility that normally occurred with Mg. Reperfusion with 15 mM Mg after ischemia also had no protective effect if the rat heart had been made ischemic in the presence of normal Mg. We conclude that elevated Mg protects ischemic myocardium only under circumstances in which it has a negative inotropic effect before the onset of ischemia, i.e., in the rat heart perfused with normal Ca. These results suggest that the mechanism of protection by high Mg involves sparing of ATP. However, the different responses to Mg of the species studied in these experiments should be a caution against extrapolating such results from rat hearts to other species.
Compressive Strength and Microstructural Properties of Fly Ash–Based Geopolymer Concrete

AbstractThis study examines the role of alkali hydroxide and its concentration on the microstructure and compression strength of fly ash–based geopolymer concrete. Geopolymer is an innovative ceramic material, composed of long chains and networks of inorganic molecules, that is used as an alternative to conventional portland cement for civil infrastructure applications. Some of the advantages of geopolymer concrete are its fast setting time, rapid strength development, and its significantly reduced carbon footprint. In this study, aluminosilicate geopolymers with different alkaline solutions [NaOH, KOH, Ba (OH)2, and LiOH] were prepared by mixing Class C (9.42% CaO) and Class F-fly ash (1.29% CaO). The samples were cured under different experimental conditions and then tested for compressive strength. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) have been used to identify the new phases formed in the geopolymeric matrix. The results revealed that micros...
Intracranial detection of movement-related potentials for operation of a direct brain interface

A direct brain interface for control of assistive technologies is being developed based on intracranial detection of movement-related potentials. Subjects for this research are patients who have electrodes implanted for monitoring purposes prior to epilepsy surgery. Triggered averaging is used to create event-related potential (ERP) templates related to specific movements. These templates are then cross-correlated with the electrocorticogram (ECoG) to identify individual ERPs. Results from 7 subjects with varying electrode placements have yielded detection accuracies as high as 92%, 100%, and 89% with false-positive identifications of 2%, 4%, and 2% respectively.
ED approach to electrical toothbrush associated hand injury, a unique case of non-oropharyngeal injury

Puncture wounds are common injuries treated in the emergency department (ED). Prior studies have shown that toothbrushes are common reservoirs for oral flora, especially in regions near the head of the toothbrush near the bristles. ED providers must be aware of the danger associated with bacterial contamination of the associated wound and should be familiar with different pathogens and options for treatment. We present a unique case of a 30-year-old male with non-intraoral injury who presented to the ED after puncturing his left palm with the metal post of an electric toothbrush.
Transition-Metal-Catalyzed C–H Bond Addition to Carbonyls, Imines, and Related Polarized π Bonds

The transition-metal-catalyzed addition of C–H bonds to carbonyls, imines, and related polarized π bonds has emerged as a particularly efficient and powerful approach for the construction of an incredibly diverse array of heteroatom-substituted products. Readily available and stable inputs are typically employed, and reactions often proceed with very high functional group compatibility and without the production of waste byproducts. Additionally, many transition-metal-catalyzed C–H bond additions to polarized π bonds occur within cascade reaction sequences to provide rapid access to a diverse array of different heterocyclic as well as carbocyclic products. This review highlights the diversity of transformations that have been achieved, catalysts that have been used, and types of products that have been prepared through the transition-metal-catalyzed addition of C–H bonds to carbonyls, imines, and related polarized π bonds.
Wild ungulate herbivory suppresses deciduous woody plant establishment following salmonid stream restoration

Abstract Domestic and wild ungulates can exert strong influences on riparian woody vegetation establishment, yet little is known about how wild ungulate herbivory affects riparian restoration in the absence of cattle. We evaluated elk (Cervus elaphus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) impacts on the establishment of deciduous woody riparian plantings along 11 km of Meadow Creek, a steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) salmon stream in northeastern Oregon, USA. We compared survival and growth between protected and unprotected plantings (from wild ungulates), and assessed the contribution of the plantings to the total deciduous woody cover after two growing seasons. Riparian use by wild ungulates was estimated by tracking a subset of the deer and elk populations using global positioning system telemetry collars. Elk riparian use was 11 times greater than deer, and in contrast to elk, deer were functionally absent from greater than 50% of the restored reach. Wild ungulate herbivory decreased planting survival by 30%, and growth by 73%, and was most detrimental to cottonwood (Populus balsamifera; increased likelihood of mortality by 5 times and suppressed growth by more than 90%). Herbivory impacts resulted in survival rates below regional criteria (50%) for restoration success after only two growing seasons. Naturally recovering shrubs accounted for 99% of the deciduous woody cover, and were mostly composed of the same species or genera as those planted. Our results suggest that wild ungulate herbivory can impede riparian restoration along salmonid streams by suppressing woody plant establishment and recovery.
Management and Surgical Options for Articular Defects in the Shoulder

Isolated, full-thickness chondral lesions of the glenohumeral joint are a significant pathology encountered by laborers, athletes, and the elderly. A thorough history should be obtained in any patient presenting to the office with shoulder pain and concern for the etiology being an articular cartilage defect. The first-line imaging should include plain radiographs of the glenohumeral joint; MRI and CT can be ordered as necessary to provide greater detail. Typically, the initial treatment of glenohumeral chondral disease is nonsurgical; however, many surgical treatment options have been refined to provide pain relief, create reparative tissue, or restore the articular surface.
A collaborative dependence analysis framework

Compiler optimizations discover facts about program behavior by querying static analysis. However, developing or extending precise analysis is difficult. Some prior works implement analysis with a single algorithm, but the algorithm becomes more complex as it is extended for greater precision. Other works achieve modularity by implementing several simple algorithms and trivially composing them to report the best result from among them. Such a modular approach has limited precision because it employs only one algorithm in response to one query, without synergy between algorithms. This paper presents a framework for dependence analysis algorithms to collaborate and achieve precision greater than the trivial combination of those algorithms. With this framework, developers can achieve the high precision of complex analysis algorithms through collaboration of simple and orthogonal algorithms, without sacrificing the ease of implementation of the modular approach. Results demonstrate that collaboration of simple analyses enables advanced compiler optimizations.
Smart Nanocomposite Coatings with Chameleon Surface Adaptation in Tribological Applications

Smart nanocomposite tribological coatings were designed to respond to changing environmental conditions by self-adjustment of their surface properties to maintain good tribological performance in any environment. These coatings have been dubbed “chameleon” because of their ability to change their surface chemistry and structure to avoid wear. The first “chameleon” coatings were made of WC, WS2, and DLC; these coatings provided superior mechanical toughness and performance in dry/humid environmental cycling. In order to address temperature variation, the second generation of “chameleon” coatings were made of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in a gold matrix with encapsulated nano-sized reservoirs of MoS2 and DLC. High temperature lubrication with low melting point glassy ceramic phases was also explored. All coatings were produced using a combination of laser ablation and magnetron sputtering. They were thoroughly characterized by various analytical, mechanical, and tribological methods. Coating toughness was remarkably enhanced by activation of a grain boundary sliding mechanism. Friction and wear endurance measurements were performed in controlled humidity air, dry nitrogen, and vacuum environments, as well as at 500–600 °C in air. Unique friction and wear performance in environmental cycling was demonstrated.
Serum 25-OH vitamin D level in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Introduction 25-OH vitamin D level is an immediate precursor metabolite of the active form of vitamin D that leads to expression of more than 200 genes. Aims The aim of our study was to examine 25-OH vitamin D deficiency ( Methods We assessed 25-OH vitamin D serum level in 41 SSD patients (54% of males, 46% with first episode, 63% during sunny season [May to October]), mean age 30 ± 10.4 years, within first days of hospitalization. The serum 25-OH vitamin D level was analysed with electrochemiluminiscence, using imunoanalysators Elecsys Roche. Results The serum level was significantly higher in sunny season (41.3 ± 27.2 nmol/L) than in November to April (28.4 ± 11.2 nmol/L): t-test, P Conclusions The high prevalence of 25-OH vitamin D deficiency (
Heterogeneity and Stability in Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an indispensable role in controlling tolerance and immunity against self- and foreign antigens. The failure of Tregs to properly function is the direct cause of systemic and chronic inflammation as well as immune suppression. It is now evident that Tregs are highly heterogeneous populations depending on the surface phenotypes, cytokine profiles, and anatomical locations. Yet, our understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways underlying such heterogeneity is very limited. Furthermore, some Tregs lose the phenotype (and suppressive functions) and instead acquire pathogenicity. Since utilizing Tregs as a tool for immunotherapy is being implemented in many clinical settings, it is of utmost importance to understand the precise mechanisms by which the loss of Treg phenotype (and function) is prevented. In this review, both cellular and molecular factors involved in Treg heterogeneity and stability are discussed.
Factors associated with perceived accuracy of the Undetectable = Untransmittable slogan among men who have sex with men: Implications for messaging scale-up and implementation

Introduction Recent research has shown high efficacy of HIV treatment for reducing the risk of HIV transmission to sexual partners. As the efficacy of treatment as prevention (TasP) has proliferated, a new messaging campaign, Undetectable = Untransmittable, has been gaining popularity. The purpose of this paper was to assess factors associated with the perceived accuracy of this TasP messaging strategy among a large and diverse sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in order to inform subsequent efforts at large-scale and implementation of the HIV prevention message. Methods We conducted a nationwide survey of GBMSM in the U.S. recruited from an online social networking site and a mobile sexual networking app. We analysed data from 12,222 GBMSM separately by HIV status to examine sociodemographic and behavioural factors associated with ratings of the accuracy of the Undetectable = Untransmittable message, which included the option to indicate not understanding what "undetectable" meant. Results Among HIV-negative and unknown men, multivariable linear regression indicated that being on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), identifying as gay or queer (versus bisexual or straight), recent serodiscordant condomless anal sex (CAS), testing every six months or more often, less concern about sexually transmitted infection (STI) infection, and lower perceived risk of HIV infection were the factors with the largest independent effect on rating the Undetectable = Untransmittable statement as more accurate. Fewer factors emerged as associated with accuracy ratings among HIV-positive participants-reporting an undetectable viral load, a lifetime acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) diagnosis, and lower concern about STI infection were the factors most strongly associated with rating the statement as more accurate. Conclusions The findings of the current study highlight variability in the perceived accuracy of the Undetectable = Untransmittable message, suggesting potential subgroups who might benefit from targeted educational campaigns, perhaps broadcast utilizing sexual networking apps. Numerous factors, particularly among HIV-negative and unknown GBMSM, were associated with rating the message as more accurate. In particular, being on PrEP and testing regularly were two of the variables most strongly associated with higher accuracy ratings among HIV-negative GBMSM, suggesting HIV prevention services as potential points of intervention for increasing HIV knowledge and decreasing HIV stigma.