cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A modified van der Waals equation of state

Abstract A modified van der Waals equation of state is presented. The co-volume in the repulsion term is expressed as a logarithmic function of molar volume. Also, the exponent (typically two) in the attraction term is considered as an adjustable parameter. None of the adjustable parameters are temperature dependent. Preliminary work shows that for reduced temperatures greater than one, the proposed equation is comparable with the Soave modification of Redlich-Kwong equation and the Harmens-Knapp equation.
Three dimensional photon counting imaging

In this paper, we overview an iterative method based on total variation constraint and Bayesian framework to restore photon counting images. A 3D photon counting integral imaging using moving array-lens technique (MALT) is also introduced to improve the visualization of a reconstructed 3D scene. Experimental results verify the feasibility of these methods to enhance the visual quality under photon starved conditions.
Sex-specific modulation of juvenile social play by vasopressin.

Summary Social play activities among juveniles are thought to contribute to the development of social and emotional skills in humans and animals. Conversely, social play deficits are observed in developmental neuropsychiatric disorders. Importantly, many of these disorders show sex differences in incidence, course of the disease, and severity of symptoms. We hypothesized that sex differences in the neural systems controlling social behavior can contribute to these differences. We therefore studied the involvement of the sexually dimorphic vasopressin and oxytocin systems, which have been implicated in these disorders, in juvenile social play behavior. Single-housed 5-week-old juvenile male and female rats were exposed in their home cage to an age-and sex-matched novel conspecific for 10 min, and social play behaviors were recorded. We found no consistent sex differences in duration or elements of social play in vehicle-treated rats. However, intracerebroventricular injection of the specific vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) antagonist (CH2)5Tyr(Me 2 )AVP significantly reduced social play behaviors in males while increasing them in females. Intracerebroventricular injection of the specific oxytocin receptor antagonist desGly-NH2,d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me) 2 ,Thr 4 ]OVT did not alter social play in either sex. To locate the effects of V1aR blockade on social play, we targeted the lateral septum, a sexually dimorphic brain region showing denser vasopressin fibers in males than in females and an abundant expression of V1aR in both sexes. Surprisingly, blockade of V1aR in the lateral septum increased social play behaviors in males, but decreased them in females. These findings suggest sex- and brain region-specific roles for vasopressin in the regulation of social play behavior in juvenile rats.
One Half Gram of Streptomycin in the Treatment of Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Report of 120 Cases

Total number of cases : 120 pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Dosage : 0.25 gram at 12 hour intervals. Temperature (64 cases): 67.2 per cent returned to normal; 12.4 per cent decreased to 99° F. Weight (99 cases): 70.7 per cent gained weight. Sedimentation rate of the red blood cells (100 cases): 62 per cent had a decrease. Converted sputums (87 cases): 45 per cent converted. Exudative lesions (36 cases): 63.8 per cent showed marked to moderate improvement roentgenographically. Cavitation (32 cases): 37.5 per cent were healed or lost to view; 18.8 per cent became smaller. Laryngeal-bronchial tuberculosis (31 cases): 54.8 per cent were healed; 19.3 per cent improved. Toxicity: Not a single case was encountered in our series. Although there was not a sufficient number of the extrapulmonary and thoracic surgery cases for statistical significance, evidence is accumulating that good response occurs in draining sinuses of the rectum, anus, cervical and epididymi; spreads from thoracic surgery; osteoymelitis; and symptomatic relief in urinary tract tuberculosis.
Transamination reactions in the thyroid gland.

Abstract The activity of 11 aminotransferases in homogenates of thyroid glands of normal pigs and human patients with nodular goiter was investigated. Assays were performed using the chromatographic method, with α-ketoglutaric acid as the acceptor of amino groups. In pig thyroid glands, the highest activity is that of aspartate aminotransferase. Less active are alanine, phenylalanine, and branched-chain amino acid (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) aminotransferases. The activity of tyrosine, tryptophan, glycine, and methionine aminotransferases was very low. In homogenates of thyroid glands taken from patients with nodular goiter a high activity of aspartate, valine, leucine, and isoleucine aminotransferases has been observed. The transamination rate of alanine, phenylalanine, and histidine was significantly lower and the transamination rate of other amino acids was negligible. The role of aspartate and aspartate aminotransferase in the thyroid gland was discussed.
On the possibility of universal neural coding of subjective experience.

Various neurophysiological experiments have revealed remarkable correlations between cortical neuronal activity and subjective experiences. However, the mere presence of neuronal electrical activity does not appear to be sufficient to produce these experiences. It has been suggested that the explanation for the neural basis of consciousness might lie in understanding the reason that some types of neuronal activity possess subjective correlates and others do not. Here I propose and develop the idea that this difference may be caused by the existence of an elementary nonarbitrary linkage between temporal or spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal activity and their subjective attributes. I also show how cortical neural circuits capable of generating experience-coding patterns could emerge during evolution and brain development, due to the presence of spontaneous stochastic neuronal activity and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. This hypothesis leads to several testable predictions, principal among which is the idea that the neural correlates of consciousness are essentially innate and universal.
Consensus Based Carrier Synchronization in a Two Node Network

Abstract Motivated by synchronous communications, we propose a consensus based carrier synchronization algorithm involving two transceiving units. Our algorithm achieves frequency lock globally and exponentially. Further it also achieves phase synchronization in the following sense. Asymptotically it induces the two transmitters to be either in phase, or out of phase by 180 degrees. We provide a simple method for the transmitters to know if they are out phase by 180 degrees. This constitutes a significant advance over existing carrier synchronization technology which is largely based on Phase Locked Loops that only achieve lock locally.
Cultural Relevance as Program-to-Community Alignment.

Calls for cultural sensitivity in the design and implementation of human services programs have become a standard response to the increasing diversity among the families and communities being served. In this article, we take a critical look at the construct, using data from a multi-year evaluation of a statewide family support program. We examine how selected, locally implemented programs operationalize the state program's cultural sensitivity standard, using both etic and emic approaches; that is, we apply extant cultural competence definitions to assess program cultural sensitivity and document how the program staff articulated their approach to the cultural sensitivity. Findings suggest that programs focus more directly on the immediate cultural relevance of their services, rather than on developing more generalized competencies among their staff. Further, findings indicate that program-to-community alignment may well be a more useful representation of how programs address cultural issues. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High Sensitivity Proteomics Assisted Discovery of a Novel Operon Involved in the Assembly of Photosystem II, a Membrane Protein Complex

Photosystem II (PSII) is a large membrane protein complex that performs the water oxidation reactions of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. The unusual redox reactions in PSII often lead to damage, degradation, and reassembly of this molecular machine. To identify novel assembly factors, high sensitivity proteomic analysis of PSII purified from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was performed. This analysis identified six PSII-associated proteins that are encoded by an operon containing nine genes, slr0144 to slr0152. This operon encodes proteins that are not essential components of the PSII holocomplex but accumulate to high levels in pre-complexes lacking any of the lumenal proteins PsbP, PsbQ, or PsbV. The operon contains genes with putative binding domains for chlorophylls and bilins, suggesting these proteins may function as a reservoir for cofactors needed during the PSII lifecycle. Genetic deletion of this operon shows that removal of these protein products does not alter photoautotrophic growth or PSII fluorescence properties. However, the deletion does result in decreased PSII-mediated oxygen evolution and an altered distribution of the S states of the catalytic manganese cluster. These data demonstrate that the proteins encoded by the genes in this operon are necessary for optimal function of PSII and function as accessory proteins during assembly of the PSII complex. Thus, we have named the products of the slr0144-slr0152 operon Pap (Photosystem II assembly proteins).
Abnormalities in hair trace elements as indicators of aberrant behavior

There are long-standing viewpoints that impulsive and violent behavior may stem from brain dysfunction or damage secondary to head injury, disease, or toxic chemical substances. This research has aimed to examine the relationship between potentially toxic metals and aberrant behavior, especially violent activity, through the nonintrusive technique of hair analysis for trace elements. In an initial study, phase I, it was not possible to replicate findings of others who reported high levels of lead, cadmium, and copper in violent offenders. However, high levels of manganese were found in prison versus control groups. In phase II, the possibility of artifactual results arising from prison cooking utensils was controlled for by sampling early after incarceration. Phase III was included to substantiate the initial post hoc findings in an additional jail population. In both latter phases, significantly elevated manganese levels were found in the hair of violent versus nonviolent subjects (P < .0001). A review of the effects of manganese at deficient and toxic levels does not provide a simple answer as to why manganese levels are elevated in the hair of individuals who have been incarcerated for violent behavior. Our study does not implicate the prison environment or soaps and shampoos used in California prisons. Other factors, such as alcohol, dietary, or psychosocial factors, might influence manganese levels in hair, or any of these factors might function in combination with mild manganese toxicity to contribute to aberrant behavior.
The value of automobile travel time: implications for congestion policy

Abstract Public policy has remained stoutly resistant to the economic profession's call to use congestion tolls to minimize the social costs from automobile congestion. This paper explores this issue by using stated preference models to estimate the value that commuters are willing to pay to save travel time. We find that this value is low and surprisingly insensitive to travel conditions and how toll revenues are used. It appears that even high-income commuters, having adjusted to congestion through their modal, residential, workplace, and departure time choices, simply do not value travel time savings enough to benefit substantially from tolls.
Lateral distortional buckling of monosymmetric I-beams under distributed vertical load

Abstract An energy method is developed for analyzing the lateral buckling behaviour of beams subjected to distributed vertical load, with full allowance for distortion of the web. The paper presents a simple method which uses nonlinear elastic theory to obtain the external work due to buckling, and which obtains a new formulation of total potential energy for a monosymmetric I-beam. The method is validated by comparison with the classical energy methods when distortion of the web is suppressed (rigid web case). For both uniform distributed load and end moments the solution matches the critical lateral load obtained from the classical energy equations. For the case when the web is flexible, a 5th order polynomial shape function is used to describe the web buckling shape. The accuracy of the method is verified by results obtained from ABA QUS. The paper shows that for short beams the classical method seriously overestimates the critical load.
Protecting research subjects--what must be done.

As we race toward the as yet unimagined scientific and medical triumphs of the 21st century, no one is more hopeful about the journey than I am. Nevertheless, moving ahead with cutting-edge researc...
The subprogram problem for software metric design

Abstract In the design of software metrics, increasing attention has been given to the complexity arising from the pattern of coupling among subprograms. We call it the “subprogram problem” — to discover the most effective means whereby one might judiciously assign a measure to the subprogram calls appearing in the context of tightly-coupled modules. We phrase our solution in the language of matrix analysis, giving rise to both an exact and an iterative computational approach. The resulting methodology is uniform over a wide range of software metrics, integrating an accounting for the coupling complexity into the extended meaning of a particular metric. A running example is provided, fully illustrating the technique.
Impact of vitamin B6 status on psychological distress in a longitudinal study of HIV-1 infection

Objective: Inadequate vitamin B 6 status has been associated with altered neuropsychiatric function, possibly through its effect on the metabolism of neurotransmitters, including serotonin (5-HT). The present eighteen month longitudinal study evaluated the relationship between vitamin B 6 status and psychological distress in HIV-1 infected individuals, controlling for the influence of negative life events, social support and coping style. Method: Biochemical measurements of nutritional status, and dietary intake evaluations were obtained in HIV-1 seropositive homosexual men, (at baseline: CDC Stages II and III, n = 70; Stage IVA, IVC2 n = 18) at six month intervals. Alterations in nutrient status (e.g., vitamin B 6 adequate to inadequate; inadequate to adequate), were compared with changes in psychological distress, measured by the Profile of Mood States, using a multiple regression analysis. Results: A significant decline in psychological distress was demonstrated with normalization of vitamin B 6 status from inadequate to adequate status (p < 0.02). A decrease in psychological distress was also observed with increased tryptophan intake in subjects who were vitamin B 6 adequate (p < 0.02). Conclusions: Significant effects for the nutritional variables remained even when negative life event stressors, social support, and coping style were controlled, suggesting that vitamin B 6 status may be an important co-factor in determining level of psychological distress over time in HIV-1 infected individuals
The ground state of binary boson mixtures

We consider the ground-state configurations of mixtures of strongly interacting bosons using a variational ansatz: the average correlation approximation (ACA). Using this ansatz, we are able to obtain explicit expressions for the first and second concentration derivatives of the enthalpy which can then be used to interpret the detailed numerical results. The range of ACA accuracy is ascertained by examining the mixtures in the weakly correlated limit. For those systems for which the potential energy core sizes are equal, the ACA gives reliable enthalpy upper bounds and second derivatives. A detailed comparative analysis is made between mixture calculations at fixed pressure and mixture calculations at fixed volume. A hard-sphere boson mixture is used to illustrate relevant points.
Schwinger terms of the super-Virasoro algebra in (1,0) superspace.

We calculate the Schwinger terms of the super-Virasoro algebra for the heterotic string, and the associated anomalous seagull terms, directly from the Lorentz and super-Weyl anomalies using the (1,0) superspace formalism. The various supercurrents in (1,0) superspace are also discussed.
Crystal and molecular structure of cyclotriveratrylene

Slow evaporation of a solution made from rigorously dried toluene and cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) has led to crystals of the guest-free CTV. These belong to the monoclinic space groupP21/n witha=12.582(3),b=9.575(5),c=19.738(5) A,β=95.15(2)°;D c =1.26 g cm−3 forZ=4. Refinement based on 1708 observed reflections led toR=0.045. The nine-membered ring of the CTV has the expected crown conformation.
Minimally invasive management of paraesophageal herniation in the high-risk surgical patient.

Abstract Background: Traditional management of symptomatic paraesophageal herniation involves hernia reduction, hiatal closure, and an antireflux procedure or gastropexy. Patients with significant comorbidities may not tolerate operative repair. A new technique, laparoscopic-assisted endoscopic reduction and fixation of the stomach, may provide a minimally invasive treatment alternative. Methods: Eleven elderly patients with symptomatic paraesophageal herniation were managed with flexible endoscopy and double percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube insertion with or without laparoscopic assistance. Results: All patients presented with a symptomatic paraesophageal hernia. Mean age was 78.3 years (range 72 to 84). Each was deemed at high risk for definitive repair due to preexisting coronary artery disease as well as at least two other serious comorbidities. Hernia reduction and intra-abdominal fixation of the stomach was achieved in each case using flexible endoscopy and double PEG insertion. Laparoscopic assistance for reduction and gastropexy was utilized in 9 cases. Mean operative time was 61 minutes (range 28 to 104). Average length of stay was 2.8 days (range 0 to 12). One minor and three major postoperative complications occurred. Over a mean follow-up of 4.1 months (range 2 to 7), all patients have resumed oral intake and achieved weight gain. Conclusions: Patients with symptomatic paraesophageal herniation require intervention to alleviate symptoms and avoid the complications of gastric incarceration. For the high-risk patient, endoscopic reduction and PEG with laparoscopic assistance appears to provide effective treatment.
Full thickness urethral patch grafts in male rats: An experimental model

Abstract We have successfully performed 10 patch graft urethroplasties in adult male rats utilizing non-hairbearing penile skin with microsurgical technique. This model allows us to study the histology of the full thickness patch graft and the effects of various irritants such as contrast material, genitourinary irrigant, urine, and lubricant. We will describe the surgical technique, and representative microsurgical sections of the neourethra will be presented.
A theoretical investigation of the CH ··· O interaction between substituted phenylacetylenes and water

Abstract The CH ··· O H-bonding interactions between water and various para-substituted phenylacetylenes have been calculated using the AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital method which had been previously shown to be accurate for CH ··· O interactions. Both the interaction energy and the H···O distances vary linearly with the deprotonation energies calculated by the same method.
Maternal Smoking, Passive Tobacco Smoke, and Neural Tube Defects

BACKGROUND Although cigarette smoke is a well-established toxin and harmful to the developing embryo, the evidence for an independent effect on the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs) is mixed. In this study, we examined the relation between NTDs and maternal exposures to cigarette smoke, including passive smoke exposure. METHODS We used cases and controls from the large, multistate, population-based National Birth Defects Prevention Study. A total of 1041 NTD cases and 5862 live birth controls, delivered during 1997 to 2004, were available for analyses. Mothers were interviewed by telephone between 6 weeks and 24 months after delivery. Participation rates were 71% for NTD case mothers and 69% for control mothers. RESULTS Compared with nonsmokers (and also not exposed to passive cigarette smoke), mothers exposed only to passive smoke had an increased NTD odds ratio (OR, 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4–2.0), adjusted for race–ethnicity, and study center. There was no increased OR for mothers who actively smoked 24 or fewer cigarettes per day. Mothers who smoked 25 or more cigarettes per day had an elevated OR (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.9–3.0), but the OR adjusted for race–ethnicity, and center was compatible with the null. CONCLUSION Results suggest that maternal exposure to passive smoke is associated with NTDs. Women who plan on becoming pregnant should minimize their exposure to passive smoke and refrain from smoking. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Another Look at Downslope Winds. Part II: Nonlinear Amplification beneath Wave-Overturning Layers

Abstract Numerical mountain wave simulations have documented that intense lee-slope winds frequently arise when wave-overturning occurs above the mountain. Explanations for this amplification process have been proposed by Clark and Peltier in terms of a resonance produced by linear-wave reflections from a self-induced critical layer, and by Smith in terms of solutions to Long's equation for flow beneath a stagnant well-mixed layer. In this paper, we evaluate the predictions of these theories through numerical mountain-wave simulations in which the level of wave-overturning is fixed by a critical layer in the mean flow. The response of the simulated flow to changes in the critical-layer height and the mountain height is in good agreement with Smith's theory. A comparison of Smith's solution with shallow-water theory suggests that the strong lee-slope winds associated with wave-overturning are caused by a continuously stratified analog to the transition from subcritical to supercritical flow in conventional...
Do rates of intercellular adhesion measure the cell affinities reflected in cell-sorting and tissue-spreading configurations?

Abstract These experiments constitute the first experimental test of the hypothesis that the rates of adhesion between cells measure the intensities of adhesion or tissue affinities that could explain cell sorting and tissue spreading. For any set of relative adhesive intensities between cells in a heterogeneous population, a corresponding minimal free energy configuration can be calculated. This is the cell distribution toward which both cell sorting and tissue spreading should lead. Equilibrium configurations were determined for combinations of 7-day embryonic retina (R) with liver (L) and heart (H), both of which became completely enveloped by R. To produce these results, the adhesive intensities would have to fall in the sequences: L-L > L-R > R-R; and H-H > H-R > R-R. To determine whether the rates of adhesion fall into these same sequences, we have devised a new technique which measures the rates of adhesion between pairs of already-formed cell aggregates of like and unlike kinds. These fall in the sequence L-L ≧ H-H > L-H > R-R > H-R > L-R. If these rates paralleled the corresponding intensities of adhesion at configurational equilibrium, both L and H should have become only partially enveloped by R. Thus the rates at which adhesions are initiated do not predict the relative adhesive intensities that could explain the observed tissue configurations.
Study of H2S Adsorption and Water Regeneration of Spent Coconut-Based Activated Carbon

A coconut shell-based activated carbon was studied as hydrogen sulfide adsorbent in four subsequent adsorption/regeneration cycles. The regeneration of exhausted carbon was done using washing with cold and hot water with a defined ratio of water volume to the unit weight of carbon. The observed changes in the capacity were linked to such surface features of activated carbons as pH and porosity. The cold and hot water washing result in the similar capacity for H2S adsorption. After the first adsorption run the capacity of carbon for hydrogen sulfide adsorption significantly decreased (around 60%). The subsequent runs revealed more or less constant capacity with similar efficiency for the removal of sulfur species. The results indicate that after the first run the most active adsorption cites located in small pores are exhausted irreversibly. The sulfur adsorbed on those sites is strongly bound as elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid. Despite this, the carbon surface was found to have other adsorption/oxidati...
Prolactin and thyrotropin responses to ECT after pindolol administration. A placebo controlled study

Abstract The effect of pindolol, a β-receptor blocker with potent 5-HT 1 receptor antagonistic properties, on the prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH) responses to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was systematically studied in 12 female depressed patients. In a balanced order, crossover design, the patients were given placebo or pindolol 5 mg orally, 1 h prior to bilateral ECT. The last five patients were additionally tested with 10 mg pindolol during the third ECT. Plasma levels of PRL and TSH increased in all three trials, but no consistent effect of pindolol on these hormonal responses could be demonstrated. Pindolol tended to attenuate seizure duration, especially at the 10 mg dose. The participation of 5-HT 1 receptor activity in the secretion of PRL and TSH during ECT remains uncertain.
Regulation of ApoB Secretion by the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Requires Exit from the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Interaction with ApoE or ApoB

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) is required for the hepatic assembly and secretion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). The LDL receptor (LDLR) promotes post-translational degradation of apoB and thereby reduces VLDL particle secretion. We investigated the trafficking pathways and ligand requirements for the LDLR to promote degradation of apoB. We first tested whether the LDLR drives apoB degradation in an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated pathway. Primary mouse hepatocytes harboring an ethyl-nitrosourea-induced, ER-retained mutant LDLR secreted comparable levels of apoB with LDLR-null hepatocytes, despite reduced secretion from cells expressing the wild-type LDLR. Additionally, treatment of cells with brefeldin A inhibited LDLR-dependent degradation. However, this rescue was reversible, and degradation of apoB occurred upon removal of brefeldin A. To characterize the lipoprotein reuptake pathway of degradation, we employed an LDLR mutant defective in constitutive endocytosis and internalization of apoB. This mutant was as effective in reducing apoB secretion as the wild-type LDLR. However, the effect was dependent on apolipoprotein E (apoE) as only the wild-type LDLR, and not the endocytic mutant, reduced apoB secretion in apoE-null cells. Treatment with heparin rescued a pool of apoB in cells expressing the endocytic mutant, indicating that reuptake of VLDL via apoE still occurs with this mutant. Finally, an LDLR mutant defective in binding apoB but not apoE reduced apoB secretion in an apoE-dependent manner. Together, these data suggest that the LDLR directs apoB to degradation in a post-ER compartment. Furthermore, the reuptake mechanism of degradation occurs via internalization of apoB through a constitutive endocytic pathway and apoE through a ligand-dependent pathway.
Uptake of serum-opsonized Francisella tularensis by macrophages can be mediated by class A scavenger receptors

The bacterium Francisella tularensis is highly infective, and this is one of the chief attributes that has led to its development as a bioweapon. Establishment of infection requires efficient uptake of F. tularensis by host macrophages, which provide a safe in vivo environment for F. tularensis replication. Little is known, however, about the cellular entry mechanisms employed by this organism. This report shows that efficient uptake of F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) by macrophages is dependent on a heat-sensitive serum component and is mediated in part by types I and II class A scavenger receptors (SRA), demonstrating for the first time that SRA can act as a receptor for opsonized pathogens. Specifically, uptake of serum-opsonized LVS was partially blocked by general scavenger receptor inhibitors [fucoidan and poly(I)] and was largely inhibited by a specific function-blocking antibody against SRA. A role for SRA in LVS binding was confirmed by showing that ectopic expression of SRA in human embryonic kidney cells conferred the capacity for robust serum-dependent LVS binding. Finally, SRA-/- macrophages ingested significantly fewer LVS than did macrophages from wild-type mice. These findings support a novel role for SRA in innate immunity and suggest a potential therapeutic approach for modulating F. tularensis infection, namely, blocking SRA as a means of hindering F. tularensis access to its intracellular niche.
The distonic ion ·CH2CH2CH+OH, keto ion CH3CH2CH=O +·, enol ion CH3CH=CHOH+·, and related C3H6O+· radical cations. Stabilities and isomerization proclivities studied by dissociation and neutralization-reionization

Metastable ion decompositions, collision-activated dissociation (CAD), and neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry are utilized to study the unimolecular chemistry of distonic ion ·CH2CH2CH−OH (2+·) and its enol-keto tautomers CH3CH=CHOH−· (1 +·) and CH3CH2CH=O +· (3+·). The major fragmentation of metastable 1+·–3+· is H· loss to yield the propanoyl cation, CH3CH2C≡O+. This reaction remains dominant upon collisional activation, although now some isomeric CH2=CH-CH+ OH is coproduced from all three precursors. The CAD and neutralization-reionization (+NR+) spectra of keto ion 3 +· are substantially different from those of tautomers 2+· and 1+·. Hence, 3+· without sufficient energy for decomposition (i. e. , “stable” 3+·) does not isomerize to the ther-modynamically more stable ions 2+· or 1+·, and the 1,4-H rearrangement H-CH2CH2CH=O+·(3 +·) → CH2CH2CH+ O-H (2 +·) must require an appreciable critical energy. Although the fragment ion abundances in the + NR + (and CAD) spectra of 1 +· and 2 +· are similar, the relative and absolute intensities of the survivor ions (recovered C3H6O+· ions in the +NR+ spectra) are markedly distinct and independent of the internal energy of 1 +· and 2 +·. Furthermore, 1 +· and 2 +· show different MI spectra. Based on these data, distonic ion 2 +· does not spontaneously rearrange to enol ion 1 +· (which is the most stable C3H6O+· of CCCO connectivity) and, therefore, is separated from it by an appreciable barrier. In contrast, the molecular ions of cyclopropanol (4 +·) and allyl alcohol (5 +·) isomerize readily to 2 +·, via ring opening and 1,2-H− shift, respectively. The sample found to generate the purest 2 +· is α-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone. Several other precursors that would yield 2 +· by a least-motion reaction cogenerate detectable quantities of enol ion 1 +·, or the enol ion of acetone (CH2=C(CH3)OH+·, 6 +·), or methyl vinyl ether ion (CH3OCH=CH 2 +· , 7 +·). Ion 6 +· is coproduced from samples that contain the —CH2—CH(OH)—CH2— substructure, whereas 7 +· is coproduced from compounds with methoxy substituents. Compared to CAD, metastable ion characteristics combined with neutralization-reionization allow for a superior differentiation of the ions studied.
Direct conversion of plant biomass to ethanol by engineered Caldicellulosiruptor bescii

Ethanol is the most widely used renewable transportation biofuel in the United States, with the production of 13.3 billion gallons in 2012 [John UM (2013) Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States]. Despite considerable effort to produce fuels from lignocellulosic biomass, chemical pretreatment and the addition of saccharolytic enzymes before microbial bioconversion remain economic barriers to industrial deployment [Lynd LR, et al. (2008) Nat Biotechnol 26(2):169-172]. We began with the thermophilic, anaerobic, cellulolytic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, which efficiently uses unpretreated biomass, and engineered it to produce ethanol. Here we report the direct conversion of switchgrass, a nonfood, renewable feedstock, to ethanol without conventional pretreatment of the biomass. This process was accomplished by deletion of lactate dehydrogenase and heterologous expression of a Clostridium thermocellum bifunctional acetaldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase. Whereas wild-type C. bescii lacks the ability to make ethanol, 70% of the fermentation products in the engineered strain were ethanol [12.8 mM ethanol directly from 2% (wt/vol) switchgrass, a real-world substrate] with decreased production of acetate by 38% compared with wild-type. Direct conversion of biomass to ethanol represents a new paradigm for consolidated bioprocessing, offering the potential for carbon neutral, cost-effective, sustainable fuel production.
B Cell-Specific Expression of B7-2 Is Required for Follicular Th Cell Function in Response to Vaccinia Virus

Follicular Th (T(FH)) cells are specialized in provision of help to B cells that is essential for promoting protective Ab responses. CD28/B7 (B7-1 and B7-2) interactions are required for germinal center (GC) formation, but it is not clear if they simply support activation of naive CD4 T cells during initiation of responses by dendritic cells or if they directly control T(FH) cells and/or directly influence follicular B cell differentiation. Using a model of vaccinia virus infection, we show that B7-2 but not B7-1 deficiency profoundly impaired T(FH) cell development but did not affect CD4 T cell priming and Th1 differentiation. Consistent with this, B7-2 but not B7-1 was required for acquisition of GC B cell phenotype, plasma cell generation, and virus-specific neutralizing Ab responses. Mixed adoptive transfer experiments indicated that bidirectional interactions between CD28 expressed on activated T cells and B7-2 expressed on follicular B cells were essential for maintenance of the T(FH) phenotype and GC B cell development. Our data provide new insight into the source and nature of molecules required for T(FH) cells to direct GC B cell responses.
MagArray Biochips for Protein and DNA Detection with Magnetic Nanotags: Design, Experiment, and Signal-to-Noise Ratio

MagArray™ chips contain arrays of magnetic sensors, which can be used to detect surface binding reactions of biological molecules that have been labeled with 10 to 100 nm sized magnetic particles. Although MagArray chips are in some ways similar to fluorescence-based DNA array chips, the use of magnetic labeling tags leads to many distinct advantages, such as better background rejection, no label bleaching, inexpensive chip readers, potentially higher sensitivity, ability to measure multiple binding reactions in homogeneous assays simultaneously and in real-time, and seamless integration with magnetic separation techniques. So far, the technology of MagArray chips has been successfully used to perform quantitative analytic bioassays of both protein and nucleic acid targets. The potential of this technology, especially for point-of-care testing (POCT) and portable molecular diagnostics, appears promising, and it is likely that this technology will see significant further performance gains in the near future.
Effects of self-esteem and academic performance on adolescent decision-making: an examination of early sexual intercourse and illegal substance use

Abstract Purpose To determine whether higher self-esteem and higher academic performance among youth reduce the likelihood of early sexual intercourse and illegal substance use. Methods Using data from waves I–III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study used multivariate logistic regression, stratified by gender and controlling for known covariates, to examine relationships between self-esteem and academic performance and youth decision-making, specifically self-reported initiation of sexual intercourse and use of illegal substances. Self-esteem was constructed as an ascending scale of 10 Likert-scaled survey items. Academic performance was assessed using the most recent grades from English, Math, Science, and History. Results Among virginal adolescents, higher self-esteem at baseline had no effect on sexual debut 1 year later. However, higher self-esteem at baseline among females corresponded with a significantly lower likelihood of illegal substance use 1 year later (OR, .96; p = .003). In terms of academic performance at baseline, girls averaging "A" grades as compared with girls averaging "C" grades or lower were significantly less likely to initiate sexual intercourse 1 year later (OR, .52; p = .004). Additionally among girls, being an "A" student or a "B" student was associated with lower odds of illegal substance use, compared with students who averaged "C" grades or lower ( p Conclusions This study suggests that bolstering self-esteem and improving academic performance among young girls may have specific benefits in sexual decision-making and substance-related risk-taking.
Criminal Thinking: A Fixed or Fluid Process?

This research examined whether levels of criminal thinking are fixed or fluid across situational contexts. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that criminal thinking and antisocial attitudes wou...
Cerebral oximetry levels during CPR are associated with return of spontaneous circulation following cardiac arrest: an observational study

Objectives Cerebral oximetry using near-infrared spectroscopy measures regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO 2 ) non-invasively and may provide information regarding the quality of cerebral oxygen perfusion. We determined whether the level of rSO 2 obtained during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is associated with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival in Emergency Department (ED) patients presenting with cardiac arrest. Methods We conducted a retrospective, observational study of adult ED patients presenting at an academic medical centre with cardiac arrest in whom continuous cerebral oximetry was performed. Demographic and clinical data including age, gender, presenting rhythm and mean rSO 2 readings were abstracted. Cerebral oxygenation was measured with a commercially available oximeter. Results A convenience study sample included 59 patients ages 18–102 years (mean age 68.7 ± 14.9 years); 50 (84.7%) were men. Presenting rhythms included pulseless electrical activity (21), asystole (20) and ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia (17). 24 patients (40.6%) had ROSC and only 1 (1.7%) survived to hospital discharge. Patients with and without ROSC were similar in age and presenting cardiac rhythms. The mean of mean rSO 2 levels was higher in patients with ROSC, 43.8 (95% CI 40.1 to 47.6) compared with those without ROSC, 34.2 (95% CI 30.6 to 37.8); p=0.001. 91.7% of patients with ROSC had a rSO 2 of 30% or greater compared with 62.9% in those without ROSC (p=0.01). The area under the curve for mean rSO 2 as a predictor of ROSC was 0.76 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.89). Conclusions In ED patients with cardiac arrest higher cerebral oxygen saturations are associated with higher rates of ROSC.
Isolates of Diaporthe-Phomopsis from weeds and their effect on soybean

Greenhouse and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the identity and pathogenicity of Diaporthe- Phomopsis species complex recovered from eight weed species. The identifications of the eight isolates representing four taxa, including two apparently undescribed species of Phomopsis, were based on colony features in pure culture, morphology of alpha or beta-conidia, and internal transcribed spacer sequences. Of the eight isolates, Phomopsis sp. A. from Eclipta prostrata (eclipta), Phomopsis longicolla isolates from both Ipomoea lacunosa (pitted morning-glory) and Chamaesyce nutans (nodding spurge), and Diaporthe phaseolorum from Desmanthus illinoensis (Illinois bundle-flower) caused significant levels of infection on soybean hypocotyls, pods, and seeds. These four isolates from weed species also caused systemic infection of seed similar to the soybean isolate of P. longicolla. Diaporthe phaseolorum isolated from Caperonia palustris (Texasweed) and Aster exilis (slender aster), Phomopsis sp. B. from Sida spinosa (prickly sida), and Phomopsis sp. A from Polygonum aviculare (prostrate knotweed) were not pathogenic to soybean. This is the first demonstration that Phomopsis sp. A, P. longicolla, and D. phaseolorum isolated from eclipta, pitted morning- glory, nodding spurge, and Illinois bundle-flower cause seed infection of soybean.
The Role of Macromolecular Damage in Aging and Age-related Disease

Several decades of research have shown that macromolecular damage increases with age and that damage to protein, DNA, lipids, and other macromolecular components appears to be important factors in specific age-related diseases. The strongest evidence that macromolecular damage is a causative factor in aging comes from studies using manipulations that increase life span. However, it is currently unclear whether damage to macromolecules plays a role in the actual processes of aging. In other words, is macromolecular damage driven by aging or is it that damage to a key molecular component directly causes aging?
Crowdworker filtering with support vector machine

Crowdsourcing has been recognized as a possible technique to complement costly user studies, usability studies, relevance judgment for information retrieval studies, and training set build-up for automatic document classification. However, the quality of crowdworkers varies by diverse factors and we often cannot tell whether their answers are right or wrong immediately due to the lack of gold standard answers. In this paper, we present a machine-learning based crowdworker filtering technique that can be used to assess workers immediately after they finish their assigned tasks. A Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based crowdworker filter, called a Smart Crowd Filter (SCFilter), was used to predict the probability that each label is correct and identifies those crowdworkers that consistently provide answers that are unlikely to be correct. To verify the performance of the SCFilter, a bad worker detection simulation test and an experiment in an actual crowdsourcing environment at the Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) website were performed. In the simulation test, bad worker detection performance was assessed in terms of precision and recall. In the experiment at the AMT website, a statistically significant improvement was observed for automatic document classification.
Beam reflection from lossy dielectric layers

A beam incident upon a slightly lossy layered dielectric structure at special (phase-matched) angles displays abnormal absorption and lateral beam shift on reflection. The amplitude of the reflected beam can be calculated either by a conventional transform technique or by a quasi-particle method. Different wave-number (k) expansions of the reflection coefficient may be employed for calculation of reflected beam properties. The convergence of these expansions is limited by the presence of poles and zeros and by the rapidity of dispersion in k of the reflection coefficient. The series expansions used in the quasi-particle method are not limited by the zeros and converge better for far fields than for fields on the reflecting surface; moreover, they permit faster numerical calculation of beam properties.
Diagnosis and laparoscopic management of a fallopian tube torsion following Irving tubal sterilization: A case report

Tubal torsion is a very rare but serious clinical entity. Its occurrence has been reported following Pomeroy tubal ligation and laparoscopic tubal cauterization. The following case report will be the first one describing a tubal torsion after an Irving tubal ligation in a patient who also had a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This study includes the presentation of a case of tubal torsion that is diagnosed and managed laparoscopically and the review of the literature through a computerized search of MEDLINE for relevant cases in the English literature published between January 1966 and July 1999. The patient is a 26-year-old woman with a history of PID and Irving tubal ligation. She presented with a second episode of acute right lower quadrant pain. The patient underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy and was found to have a 6 x 5 cm hemorrhagic and necrotic fallopian tube consistent with torsion of the right tube. A right salipingectomy was done laparoscopically. Combination of PID and tubal sterilization in the medical history of a patient presenting with acute or intermittent pelvic pain may suggest tubal torsion.
Isradipine Rescues Alpha-synuclein Toxicity in a Zebrafish Model of Parkinson’s Disease by Upregulating Autophagy (S7.003)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of isradipine, an L-type calcium channel blocker of the dihydropyridine class, on a genetic model of Parkinson’s disease pathology in zebrafish. BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data support the potential disease-modifying effect of exposure to dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers in Parkinson’s disease. Prior studies suggest this effect may be mediated through modulation of calcium toxicity in “pacemaker” dopaminergic neurons, despite the presence of Lewy pathology in other neuron types. Meanwhile, several L-type calcium-channel blockers have also been shown to induce autophagy, the lysosome-dependent process by which cells dispose of damaged organelles and protein aggregates. This process, implicated in a range of neurodegenerative disease, can dispose of toxic oligomers of alpha-synuclein. METHODS: Zebrafish overexpressing human alpha-synuclein were treated with isradipine and the effects on overall survival, induction of autophagy, and synuclein accumulation were measured. These results were also compared to those obtained in zebrafish in which autophagy was inhibited by morpholino knockdown of the autophagy-related protein LC3. RESULTS: Isradipine treatment upregulated autophagy as assessed by GFP-LC3 and significantly improved the survival of alpha-synuclein overexpressing zebrafish. The rescue was abrogated by knockdown of LC3. CONCLUSIONS: Isradipine treatment rescues neuronal toxicity in an alpha-synuclein overexpression model of Parkinson’s pathology in an autophagy-dependent fashion. Disclosure: Dr. Prabhudesai has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lulla has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bronstein has nothing to disclose.
The Effects of the Surface on the Mechanical Properties of Metals

The surface as a physical discontinuity affects many of the mechanical properties of metals. The basic consequences of the existence of the surface, its influence on dislocation dynamics, and finally the resulting effects on macroscopic plastic behavior are discussed.