cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A world ecoregions map for resource reporting

An international project is proposed to create a map showing the world subdivided into macroecosystem regions within each of which ecological conditions are relatively uniform but which show certain natural potentials and limitations. The map should tend to supplement the Dasmann-Udvardy system of biogeographical provinces, being of higher resolution and greater ecological relevance. The primary purpose of the map will be to serve as a reporting structure for information about global resources and environment, though it will be based largely on published information.Maps based on classification of climatic types, vegetation formations, and soil groups, will be synthesized and generalized to delineate the areas to be shown on the ecoregion map. Its delineations will be refined through consultations with local experts, and through the interpretation of low-resolution remote-sensing imagery. The usefulness of the map is considered favourably in relation to national-level policy analysis, environmental monitoring, transfer of agricultural technology, compatibility with remote-sensing systems for monitoring environmental conditions, and agricultural activities, biomass estimation, macroreserve selection, and land management.
Measurement of occlusal contact area effective in mastication.

Abstract An instrument has been developed for measuring the effective occlusal contact area of molar and premolar teeth of one side of the mouth. Subjects are instructed to bite in centric occlusion on a special strip of wax consisting of cellophane fused between two layers of soft opaque wax. Light is passed through this occlusal registration in a cylinder containing a light bulb and two photovoltaic cells. The total quantity of light which passes through translucent areas of the registration is measured on a galvanometer whose scale is calibrated to read in square millimeters of effective occlusal contact area. Area measurements have been made on molar and premolar teeth of 50 subjects. Individual teeth in the registration were blacked out, and the area provided by each tooth was determined by the difference in readings. The area of corresponding maxillary and mandibular teeth did not differ significantly. The average effective occlusal area was 34.8 square millimeters for all subjects and 48.4 square millimeters for those having a complete dentition. The area measured in this manner was only a small fraction of the total occlusal surface area, yet it probably represents the fraction of total area which is involved in mastication because it was found to be well correlated with masticatory performance. The first molar provided 36.7 per cent of the total effective area in a complete dentition. The second molar, third molar, second premolar, and first premolar followed in order of decreasing relative contribution to the total area, with percentages of 27.9, 15.4, 12.9, and 8.1 per cent, respectively. Possible applications of the technique include prediction of chewing performance, assistance in formulating treatment plans, and demonstration of improvement in effective contact area of molar and premolar teeth during orthodontic treatment.
Critical Values of Higher Derivatives of Twisted Elliptic L-Functions

Let be the L-function of an elliptic curve E defined over the rational field . Assuming the Birch–Swinnerton-Dyer conjectures, we examine special values of the rth derivatives, L (r)(E, 1, χ), of twists by Dirichlet characters of when L(E, 1, χ)=⋅⋅⋅=L (r−1)(E, 1, χ)=0.
Evaluation of the Clinical Use of Serum Digoxin Radioimmunoassays

: Of 2,586 consecutive patients admitted to a private general teaching hospital, 370 (14 percent) received digoxin therapy. Serum digoxin assays were performed on 261 of these 370 subjects. In a representative sample of 97 patients, 61 attending physicians were responsible for their care. The mean and median age of the patients was 70 years (range, 39–96 years), and one-quarter of them had a significant degree of renal impairment. Sixty-one percent of the patients were being treated for congestive heart failure (CHF), and the remainder for atrial fibrillation with or without CHF. Overall, 67 percent of the serum digoxin assays were judged to be appropriate, particularly those requested for evaluation of possible digitalis toxicity or the dosage in renal impairment, but only 43 percent of the assays used to assess maintenance therapy or the patient's compliance were deemed appropriate. A significant difference was found in the percentage of appropriate assays rated useful by the physicians, as compared to the percentage of inappropriate assays. Inappropriate serum digoxin assays cost about $30,000 annually in this 680-bed hospital. Stricter criteria for admission assays would eliminate much of this excessive usage.
Thrombotic mechanisms in atherosclerosis.

Atherogenesis is a complex multifactorial process, which is not well understood despite extensive investigation. Progress has been limited by the lack of animal models that fully reproduce all of the important features of clinical atherosclerotic disease, including endothelial injury, smooth muscle
What Is the Histone Code, and Why Is It Important?

The field of epigenetics is rapidly expanding, and has changed and revised traditional paradigms of inheritance. Epigenetics, literally “beyond genetics” or “in addition to genetics”, is defined as the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur without a change in DNA sequence. Within this presentation, I will focus on modifications of histones, an important mechanism to convey epigenetic information. Histones, small proteins which serve as spools for DNA wrapped in nucleosomes, are critical regulators of the dynamic state of chromatin. They are subject to numerous posttranslational modifications, including acetylation, methylation, ubiquitylation, and phosphorylation. The best characterized modifications are acetylations and methylations. Increased acetylation of histones by histone acetyltransferases is associated with gene activation due to weakened charge attraction between DNA and histone; histone deacetylases in contrast remove acetyl groups leading to gene inactivation. Histone methylation mediated by histone methyltransferases has either positive effects or negative effects on gene expression depending on location and association of other protein complexes. In general, it is difficult to predict gene regulation based on the study of a single histone modification, since it is the combination of these modifications, also called the histone code, which ultimately controls gene expression. I will discuss details of the histone modification, how they regulate gene expression, and also their relevance in disease, especially breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr ES4-2.
Commentary: Sandra H. Johnson, JD, LLM

Prior to the Bergman and Tomlinson cases described in this note, research on legal risks in pain management consistently and uniformly concluded that legal risk for neglect of pain was nearly nonexistent [1]. Medical disciplinary actions were brought against physicians who treated patients for pain with controlled substances, but none had been brought against physicians who allowed patients to suffer through neglect or ignorance [2,3]. Physicians had been sued by patients for malpractice for their use of controlled substances in treating pain, with patients claiming that they had become addicted or had injured someone while under the influence of drugs, but only one known case had been successfully brought against a health care provider for negligence in failing to treat pain [4]. Federal activity, primarily through the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), because of the scope of their jurisdiction and the authorizing statute, has focused on physicians prescribing controlled substances, but not on physicians who fail to do so. Advocates have made significant efforts to assure that medical disciplinary actions against physicians for their prescribing practices now use appropriate standards to evaluate those practices [5]. There has been some success in changing medical board policies and practices through the development and adoption of guidelines for the boards [6–8]. A few medical boards, including California's, have taken action to discipline doctors who have breached medical standards in caring for their patients in pain, although such actions are still rare for several reasons [8]. Legislatures, with California in the lead, have enacted statutes to protect physicians from inappropriate disciplinary action; …
Solvation dynamics at the interface between water and self-assembled monolayers

Molecular dynamics computer simulations are used to study the solvation dynamics following an electronic transition in a chromophore adsorbed at the interface between water and chlorine-terminated self-assembled monolayers. By varying the composition of the monolayer and the degree of chlorination, the role of interface polarity and structure on the relaxation time can be elucidated. The relaxation times are found to be faster at smooth interfaces and at interfaces in which the degree of chlorination is larger. Both the water and the self-assembled molecules contribute to the dynamics. However, we find that most of the water contribution to the relaxation is due to water molecules in the first solvent shell while the monolayer contribution is mostly from chlorine-terminated hydrocarbon molecules in the outer solvation shell of the chromophore. The water relaxation is faster than the monolayer relaxation in each system, but it is always slower than that of bulk water. The validity of linear response theory is discussed, and comparisons are made between the relaxation in the systems studied here, simulations of liquid/liquid interfaces, and experimental solvation dynamics data.
The power of data centers: Opportunities and challenges

While cloud computing holds great promise for reducing capital expenses (capex) and operating expenses (opex) much needs to come together in a diverse ecosystem of the typical data center, in order to truly realize it's full potential vis a vis power. This talk will walk through some possibilities for power reduction and the challenges for realizing these in the future.
Primal-dual properties of sequential gradient-restoration algorithms for optimal control problems 2. General problem

Abstract The problem of minimizing a functional, subject to differential constraints, nondifferential constraints, initial constraints, and final constraints, is considered in connection with sequential gradient-restoration algorithms (SGRA) for optimal control problems. Both the primal formulation and the dual formulation are presented. Depending on whether the primal formulation is used or the dual formulation is used, one obtains a primal sequential gradient-restoration algorithm (PSGRA) or a dual sequential gradient-restoration algorithm (DSGRA). For the problem under consideration, it is found convenient to split the control vector into an independent control vector and a dependent control vector, the latter having the same dimension as the nondifferential constraint vector. This modification enhances the computational efficiency of both the primal formulation and the dual formulation. The system of Lagrange multipliers associated with (i) the gradient phase of SGRA and (ii) the restoration phase of SGRA is examined. For each phase, it is shown that the Lagrange multipliers are endowed with a duality property: they minimize a special functional, quadratic in the multipliers, subject to the multiplier differential equations and boundary conditions, for given state, control, and parameter. These duality properties have considerable computational implications: they allow one to reduce the auxiliary optimal control problems associated with (i) and (ii) to mathematical programming problems involving a finite number of parameters as unknowns.
Prolonged Elevated Heart Rate is a Risk Factor for Adverse Cardiac Events and Poor Outcome after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Introduction Sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity is common after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We sought to determine whether uncontrolled prolonged heart rate elevation is a risk factor for adverse cardiopulmonary events and poor outcome after SAH.
A Neuroevolution Approach to General Atari Game Playing

This paper addresses the challenge of learning to play many different video games with little domain-specific knowledge. Specifically, it introduces a neuroevolution approach to general Atari 2600 game playing. Four neuroevolution algorithms were paired with three different state representations and evaluated on a set of 61 Atari games. The neuroevolution agents represent different points along the spectrum of algorithmic sophistication—including weight evolution on topologically fixed neural networks (conventional neuroevolution), covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA–ES), neuroevolution of augmenting topologies (NEAT), and indirect network encoding (HyperNEAT). State representations include an object representation of the game screen, the raw pixels of the game screen, and seeded noise (a comparative baseline). Results indicate that direct-encoding methods work best on compact state representations while indirect-encoding methods (i.e., HyperNEAT) allow scaling to higher dimensional representations (i.e., the raw game screen). Previous approaches based on temporal-difference (TD) learning had trouble dealing with the large state spaces and sparse reward gradients often found in Atari games. Neuroevolution ameliorates these problems and evolved policies achieve state-of-the-art results, even surpassing human high scores on three games. These results suggest that neuroevolution is a promising approach to general video game playing (GVGP).
Differentiating the roles of IR measurement and simulation for power and temperature-aware design

In temperature-aware design, the presence or absence of a heatsink fundamentally changes the thermal behavior with important design implications. In recent years, chip-level infrared (IR) thermal imaging has been gaining popularity in studying thermal phenomena and thermal management, as well as reverse-engineering chip power consumption. Unfortunately, IR thermal imaging needs a peculiar cooling solution, which removes the heatsink and applies an IR-transparent liquid flow over the exposed bare die to carry away the dissipated heat. Because this cooling solution is drastically different from a normal thermal package, its thermal characteristics need to be closely examined. In this paper, we characterize the differences between two cooling configurations—forced air flow over a copper heatsink (AIR-SINK) and laminar oil flow over bare silicon (OIL-SILICON). For the comparison, we modify the HotSpot thermal model by adding the IR-transparent oil flow and the secondary heat transfer path through the package pins, hence modeling what the IR camera actually sees at runtime. We show that OIL-SILICON and AIR-SINK are significantly different in both transient and steady-state thermal responses. OIL-SILICON has a much slower short-term transient response, which makes dynamic thermal management less efficient. In addition, for OIL-SILICON, the direction of oil flow plays an important role by changing hot spot location, thus impacting hot spot identification and thermal sensor placement. These results imply that the power- and temperature-aware design process cannot just rely on IR measurements. Simulation and IR measurement are both needed and are complementary techniques.
On-line real-time task scheduling on partitionable multiprocessors

Multiprocesssor systems have emerged as an important computing means for real-time applications and have received increasing attention than before. However until now, little research has been done on the problem of on-line scheduling of parallel tasks with deadlines in partitionable multiprocessor systems. In this paper, we propose a new on-line scheduling algorithm, called Deferred Earliest Deadline First (DEDF) for such systems. The main idea of the DEDF algorithm is to defer the scheduling as late as possible, so that a set of jobs is scheduled at a time instead of one at a time. For processor allocation using DEDF, we have introduced a new concept-Available Time Window (ATW). By using ATW the system utilization can be improved and thereby enabling the system to meet the deadline of more number of tasks. Simulation results for a hypercube indicate that the DEDF algorithm performs significantly better than the earlier proposed Buddy/RT and Stacking algorithms for a wide range of work loads.
Active Noise Control of Bluff-Body Flows Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators

In this experimental study DBD plasma actuators are used to control acoustic radiation from circular cylinder models in uniform cross-flow at Reynolds number of ReD = 85,000. Circular cylinders in cross-flow are chosen for study since they represent a generic flow geometry that is similar in all essential aspects to a landing gear oleo or strut. The minimization of the unsteady flow separation from the models and associated large-scale wake vorticity by using actuators reduces the radiated aerodynamic noise. Two actuation strategies are used: spanwise and streamwise oriented actuators. Near field microphone measurements and detailed study of the near wake using LDA are presented in the paper. Both spanwise and streamwise actuators give nearly the same noise reduction level of 12.6 and 14dB, respectively, and similar changes in the wake velocity profiles. The contribution of the actuator induced noise is found to be small compared to the natural shedding noise. Nomenclature D = cylinder diameter d = cylinder wall thickness D Re = Reynolds number based on cylinder diameter D St = Strouhal number based on cylinder diameter x = streamwise spatial coordinate, measured from the cylinder axis y = cross-stream spatial coordinate, measured from the cylinder axis
Detecting Lack of Identification in GMM

In the standard linear instrumental variables regression model, it must be assumed that the instruments are correlated with the endogenous variables in order to ensure the consistency and asymptotic normality of the usual instrumental variables estimator. Indeed, if the instruments are only slightly correlated with the endogenous variables, the conventional Gaussian asymptotic theory may still provide a very poor approximation to the finite sample distribution of the usual instrumental variables estimator. Because of the crucial role of this identification condition, it is common to test for instrument relevance by a first-stage F-test. Identification issues also arise in the generalized method of moments model, of which the linear instrumental variables model is a special case. But I know of no means, in the existing literature, of testing for identification in this model. This paper proposes a test of the null of underidentification in the generalized method of moments model.
Recursive displacement estimation and restoration of noisy-blurred image sequences

A recursive model-based maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator that simultaneously estimates the displacement vector field (DVF) and intensity field from a noisy-blurred image sequence is developed. By simultaneously estimating these two fields, information is made available to each filter regarding the reliability of estimates that they are dependent upon. Nonstationary models are used for the DVF and the intensity field in the proposed estimator, thus avoiding the smoothing of boundaries present in both. The advantage of the proposed SDIE (simultaneous displacement and intensity field estimation) algorithm is that the error inherent in estimating the DVF is taken into account in the filtering of the intensity field. A second advantage is that, through the use of the nonstationary VCGM (vector coupled Gauss-Markov) and STCGM (spatiotemporal coupled Gauss-Markov) models, boundaries in both the DVF and the intensity fields are preserved. The performance of the proposed SDIE algorithm was shown to be superior to that of the Wiener-based PR algorithm and the 2-D Kalman filter in estimating the DVF and intensity field, respectively, from a noisy-blurred image sequence. >
Stroke with intracranial stenosis is associated with increased platelet activation in sickle cell anemia.

Background Overt stroke in sickle cell anemia (SCA) is associated with intracranial stenosis and thrombus formation. Platelet activation is critical for thrombus formation. Procedure Platelet activation studies were performed in 50 subjects: 18 SCA patients with history of stroke or abnormal transcranial Doppler (TCD) and intracranial stenosis seen by magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), 7 SCA patients with history of stroke or abnormal TCD but no intracranial stenosis, 13 SCA patients with no history of stroke or abnormal TCD, and 12 healthy African-Americans. Results Of the 18 patients with intracranial stenosis, 11 (61%) had evidence of the moyo-moya phenomenon on MRA. SCA children with intracranial stenosis had a significantly greater total white cell count compared to both healthy African-American controls and SCA patients in the steady-state (P < 0.001). In addition, SCA patients with history of stroke or abnormal TCD had a significantly higher platelet count compared to healthy African-American controls (P < 0.002). The percentage of platelet surface P-selectin expression was significantly greater in patients with intracranial stenosis compared to the other groups (P < 0.05), particularly in individuals that did not have the moya-moya phenomenon seen on MRA. Conclusion Stroke with intracranial stenosis is associated with increased platelet activation in sickle cell anemia, and further investigation is needed on the role of anti-platelet agents in this high-risk population. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 1192–1197. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Illegal Immigration and Second‐best Import Tariffs

A version of the small-union Meade model is presented to analyze the illegal immigration problem in the context of import tariffs. Two possible host nation objectives are considered: (i) to control the level of illegal immigration to a given target; or (ii) to choose an illegal immigration level that maximizes national welfare. Available policy instruments are import tariffs/subsidies, border, and internal enforcement levels. The second-best tariff on imports from the source nation (for illegal immigration) can be of either sign. It depends on the effect of the tariff on the wage rate and the pattern of substitutability in consumption. In scenario (ii), greater enforcement may be justified if it reduces labor inflow and thereby contracts the protected sector. If enforcement is too costly, tariff policy may substitute for it to exploit monopsony power in the labor market and to counter the distortionary effects of labor flows.
Using Student Ratings and Consultation to Improve Instruction.

Summary. The effect upon teaching of feedback from student ratings was compared with the effect produced when such feedback was supplemented by consultation from a more experienced teacher. Consultation enhanced the positive effect of the feedback in terms of later student ratings. The effect upon student achievement in the classes of the teachers involved tended to be positive but not consistent across courses.
A comparison of accidental and nonaccidental trauma: it is worse than you think

BACKGROUND: Child abuse, or nonaccidental trauma (NAT), is a major cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality, and is often unrecognized. Our hypothesis was that injuries due to accidental trauma (AT) and NAT are significantly different in incidence, injury, severity, and outcome, and are often unrecognized. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to carry out an examination of the differences between pediatric injuries due to AT and NAT regarding incidence, demographics, injury severity, and outcomes. METHODS: A 4-year retrospective review of the Trauma Registry at Children's Medical Center Dallas, a large Level I pediatric trauma center, comparing incidence, age, race, trauma activation, intensive care unit (ICU) need, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and mortality between AT and NAT patients was carried out. RESULTS: There were 5948 admissions, 92.5% were AT and 7.5% were NAT victims. The NAT patients were younger (1.8 ± 3.3 years vs. 6.8 ± 4.2 years for AT patients; p CONCLUSIONS: NAT victims differ significantly from the AT patients, with a greater severity of injury and a 6-fold higher mortality rate. Delayed recognition of NAT occurred in almost 20% of the cases. It is generally accepted that NAT is underestimated. Its increased mortality rate and severity of injury are also not well recognized compared to the typical pediatric trauma child. Language: en
Biomarkers for Acute Kidney Injury: Where Are We Today? Where Should We Go?

Acute kidney injury (AKI)10 is an important health problem. Patients who develop AKI have markedly increased in-hospital mortality, and they have an increased likelihood of morbidity and mortality over the long term even if they do survive. Current treatments focus on supportive care and avoiding the potential for injury, such as from nephrotoxic drugs and intravenous contrast agents. Potentially more-specific therapies have been identified with animal models, but they have not demonstrated efficacy in subsequent human clinical trials, in part because AKI is difficult to identify before there is loss of organ function, at which point the damage may be irreversible. Therefore, there has been much interest in the development of biomarkers for identifying AKI in its earliest stage, when interventions might be more successful. There is also keen interest in stratifying the patients at greatest risk for AKI so that preventive treatments can be initiated in a timely fashion. In this Q&A, 5 researchers with vast clinical experience in AKI and biomarker development discuss the current status of the field (for suggested readings on this topic, see the Data Supplement that accompanies the online version of this Q&A at http://www.clinchem.org/content/vol60/issue2). What aspects of AKI do you study? Lakhmir Chawla: I am involved in the study of inflammation and AKI, AKI biomarkers, AKI risk prediction, AKI as a cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and AKI therapeutics. Kianoush Kashani: I am currently working on risk stratification models for prediction of AKI, novel biomarkers of early detection of AKI, derivation and validation of a renal angina model, and development and validation of electronic surveillance tools for early detection of AKI. John Kellum: I am interested in all forms of AKI, but mainly those that arise as a consequence of critical illness—so sepsis-induced AKI is at the top of the …
Identifying frailty in hospitalized older adults with significant coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize physiological variation in hospitalized older adults with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) and evaluate the prevalence of frailty in this sample, to determine whether single-item performance measures are good indicators of multidimensional frailty, and to estimate the association between frailty and 6-month mortality. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: Inpatient hospital cardiology ward. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred nine consecutive inpatients aged 70 and older admitted to a cardiology service (n=309; 70% male, 84% white) with minimum two-vessel CAD determined using cardiac catheterization. MEASUREMENTS: Two standard frailty phenotypes (Composite A and Composite B), usual gait speed, grip strength, chair stands, cardiology clinical variables, and 6-month mortality. RESULTS: Prevalence of frailty was 27% for Composite A versus 63% for Composite B. Utility of single-item measures for identifying frailty was greatest for gait speed (receiver operating characteristic curve c statistic=0.89 for Composite A, 0.70 for Composite B) followed by chair-stands (c=0.83, 0.66) and grip strength (c=0.78, 0.57). After adjustment, composite scores and single-item measures were individually associated with higher mortality at 6 months. Slow gait speed (≤0.65 m/s) and poor grip strength (≤25 kg) were stronger predictors of 6-month mortality than either composite score (gait speed odds ratio (OR)=3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.1–13.1; grip strength OR=2.7, 95% CI=0.7–10.0; Composite A OR=1.9, 95% CI=0.60–6.1; chair-stand OR=1.5, 95% CI=0.5–5.1; Composite B OR=1.3, 95% CI=0.3–5.2). CONCLUSION: Gait speed frailty was the strongest predictor of mortality in a population with CAD and may add to traditional risk assessments when predicting outcomes in this population.
Specific inhibition of capped mRNA translation in vitro by m7G5′ pppp5′G and m7G5′pppp5′- m7G

A unique set of diguanosine cap analogues containing a 5'-5' tetraphosphate linkage instead of the normal triphosphate was synthesized by chemical methylation of G5'pppp5'G. Both 7-methylguanosine products, m7G5'pppp5'G and m7G5'pppp5'm7G, acted as potent inhibitors of capped brome mosaic virus (BMV) RNA translation in the homologous wheat germ protein synthesis system. Inhibition of in vitro protein synthesis required the presence of the 7-methyl group on guanosine and was specific for capped mRNA. In comparison with the partial cap analogue, m7GTP, the methylated diguanosine tetraphosphate structures were 25-50 fold more potent inhibitors of in vitro protein synthesis. Analysis of the in vitro translation products of the four species of BMV RNA showed a differential sensitivity to inhibition by m7G5'pppp5'm7G.
Relationship between Optical Coherence Tomography Retinal Parameters and Visual Acuity in Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose To investigate the relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT)-derived measurements of retinal morphology and visual acuity in patients with diabetic macular edema. Design Retrospective cross-sectional study. Participants A total of 67 consecutive patients (67 eyes) with diabetic macular edema (DME) who underwent Stratus OCT imaging (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA). Methods Best-corrected Snellen visual acuity was recorded for each patient. Raw exported Stratus OCT images for each patient were analyzed using custom software entitled "OCTOR," which allows the precise positioning of prespecified boundaries on individual B-scans. Thickness, volume, and intensity were calculated for neurosensory retina and subretinal fluid. In addition, photoreceptor outer segment (POS) thickness was quantified. Main Outcome Measures Optical coherence tomography-derived measurements of retinal morphology and visual acuity. Results The Spearman coefficient values (r) of the correlation between OCTOR-derived measurements of central subfield thickness, intensity, subretinal fluid volume, and POS thickness and the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuities were 0.3428 ( P = 0.005), −0.2658 ( P = 0.03), −0.2683 ( P = 0.38), and −0.3703 ( P = 0.002), respectively. Multivariate models with stepwise selection revealed a cumulative R 2 of 0.4305 in the total study population, with R 2 of 0.4999 and 0.7628 in the untreated and prior focal laser groups, respectively. Conclusions Subanalysis and quantification of OCT features in eyes with DME seem to be of value. In particular, POS thickness seems to be an important predictor of function and visual acuity in patients with DME. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
A host factor absent from Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis MG1363 is required for conjugative transposition.

Summary In matings between Lactococcus lactis strains, the conjugative transposons Tn916 and Tn919are found in the chromosome of the transconjugants in the same place as in the chromosome of the donor, indicating that no transposition has occurred. In agreement with this, the frequency of L. lactis transconjugants from intraspecies matings is the same whether the donor contains the wild-type form of the transposon or the mutant Tn916-int1, which has an insertion in the transposon's integrase gene. However, in intergeneric crosses with Bacillus subtilis or Enterococcus faecalis donors, Tn916 and Tn919 transpose to different locations on the chromosome of the L. lactis transconjugants. Moreover, Tn916 and Tn919 could not be transferred by conjugation from L. lactis and B. subtilis, E. faecalis or Streptococcus pyogenes. This suggests that excision of these elements does not occur in L. lactis. When cloned into E. coli with adjacent chromosomal DNA from L. lactis, the conjugative transposons were able to excise, transpose and promote conjugation. Therefore, the inability of these elements to excise in L. lactis is not caused by a permanent structural alteration in the transposon. We conclude that L. lactis lacks a factor required for excision of conjugative transposons.
Chemical synthesis of nanoparticles for artificial pinning centers in YBCO coated conductors

Ceria nanoparticles were prepared using a solution based approach using cerium (III) acetate as a starting material and cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (CTAOH) as a precipitating agent and surfactant. The presence of the surfactant CTAOH helps prevent agglomeration of the nanoparticles. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), the particle size was determined to be 3.5 – 4 nm. The structure and properties of these CeO2 nanoparticles have been analyzed.
Surgery and prognosis of duodenal gastrinoma as a duodenal neuroendocrine tumor

It has become increasingly clear that duodenal gastrinomas are the most common cause of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES). However, attempts to find these tumors before and during surgery for ZES have had limited success until duodenotomy (opening the duodenum) was described. The routine use of duodenotomy in patients with non-familial gastrinoma increases the number of duodenal tumors found, and the immediate and long-term cure-rate. The increase in cure-rate appears to be secondary to increased detection of small, previously undetectable duodenal gastrinomas. Duodenotomy detects small tumors (<1 cm) in the proximal duodenum. It does not detect more duodenal gastrinomas per patient, nor does it detect tumors in unusual duodenal locations. Duodenotomy decreases the death-rate associated with these tumors. However, it has not affected the rate of development of liver metastases. Duodenotomy is a critical method to find duodenal gastrinomas. It should be routinely performed in all surgery to find and remove gastrinoma for cure of ZES.
Distribution of the Major Nitrogenous Compounds and Amino Acids in Chicken Urine

Abstract THE MAJOR nitrogenous compounds in urine from adult chickens have been determined by numerous investigators (Paton, 1910; Sharpe, 1912; Katayama, 1924; Mayrs, 1924; Davis, 1927; Coulson and Hughes, 1930; Edwards and Wilson, 1954) but the results are highly variable and incomplete. We are not aware of any reports on the distribution of nitrogen in the urine of growing chickens or of the amino acid composition of chicken urine. This report is concerned with these facets of avian biochemistry. PROCEDURE Male White Leghorn chicks, 5 to 6 weeks of age, were prepared by the operative technique of Newberne et al. (1957) and urine was collected quantitatively for a period of at least 3 days. The experimental diets, which have been described (Laerdal et al., 1957), were supplied for approximately one week before collections were started. There were two types of diets, a practical-type, corn-soya diet and purified diets which contained different …
Acute Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Cardiac Abnormalities: Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy or Neurogenic Stunned Myocardium? a case report

Cardiac abnormalities can be seen with subarachnoid hemorrhage. To date, there have been isolated case reports of transient left ventricular apical ballooning cardiomyopathy, also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients suffering from subarachnoid hemorrhage. An adult female was brought to the emergency department with somnolence. A 3 × 3 mm ruptured basilar aneurysm was found and successfully embolized. Two days after the patient developed acute heart failure. Troponin-I was elevated to 4.2 (normal <0.4). On ECG, new symmetric T wave inversion in V3, V4, V5 with prolonged QT were evident. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed severe systolic dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 20% and akinetic apex along with the distal left ventricular segments, consistent with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Myocardial contrast echocardiography showed a decrease in capillary blood flow and volume in the akinetic areas with delayed contrast replenishment, sparing the basal segments. A repeat study 2 weeks later showed near normalization of the perfusion parameters. The patient improved with medical management. A repeat echocardiogram, a month later revealed an ejection fraction of 45% with no identifiable wall motion abnormality. Our case, as well as others reported previously, supports the diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage who fulfill the clinical and imaging description of this syndrome.
The Polymorphic Life History of Tetrahymena patula

SYNOPSIS. Dimorphic populations of Tetrahymena patula L-FF result when this organism is grown axenically in Loefer's medium supplemented with aqueous lettuce extract. The two different cell types in these cultures are identified as “macrostomes”and “microstomes.” Isolation of microstomes and macrostomes from the dimorphic cultures has shown that both cell types reproduce by binary fission in this medium, and further that each cell type will occasionally give rise to the other under these conditions. Isolation experiments have also shown that both microstomes and macrostomes from the dimorphic cultures are capable of giving rise to the reproductive cyst. The cells which are liberated from the cyst have small mouths but are best referred to as “tomites,” in order to distinguish them from the self-perpetuating microstomes described above. The relatively small, rapidly swimming tomites will either transform into macrostomes or reproduce as microstomes. The life histoy of T. patula thus consists of three cell types as follows, each capable of giving rise to the other two: a macrostome, a microstome, and a tomite. Silver preparations of the dimorphic cultures have shown that oral replacement takes place. This consists of resorption of the oral apparatus and its replacement by differentiation of new mouth parts from an anarchic field of kinetosomes which arises immediately posterior to the old oral apparatus. It is suggested that this process is involved in the macrostome-microstome interconversions. Growth curves were determined for T. patula feeding on a variety of substrates. These data indicate that this species is extremely well adapted as a carnivore. It grows very poorly on bacteria, but will grow well in axenic culture if aqueous lettuce extract is provided. The lettuce extract greatly reduces the generation time and increases the maximum cell density. Loss of the micronucleus in stain L-FF is reported and discussed. The loss may be an indication that this strain has entered the senile phase of the Maupasian life cycle.
Cisplatin-induced bradycardia and the importance of the QT interval

Cisplatin is a very common chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Bradycardia is a rare, though potentially severe, side effect of this medication. Here we present the case of a young woman with ovarian cancer who demonstrated significant short-lived cardiotoxicity associated with cisplatin treatment.
Glycated Collagen Decreases Urokinase Plasminogen Activator (uPA) Activity in Endothelial Cells

Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. Reduced angiogenesis contributes to morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients, since it leads to improper wound healing and reduced blood flow to vital organs (Martin, 2003). Extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation is an initial step in angiogenesis, and the plasminogen system is a driving force behind this degradation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Weyl’s Theorems

The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe some recent results and to give some examples that illustrate and make rather sharp the following three theorems concerning perturbation of spectra of linear operators, each often called Weyl’s Theorem in the literature.
Saliva Alcohol Reagent Strips in Altered Response Protocols

The prehospital care provider has been limited in his or her initial assessment of patients due to having available only a limited number of simple diagnostic tests. There has not been an accurate field test available to rule out significant ethanol intoxication. We designed a prospective trial for the prehospital setting to test the utility of a rapid, semi-quantitative, saliva alcohol reagent strip for patients with an altered level of consciousness. We found that these strips were useful in ruling out significant ethanol intoxication as a cause of an altered level of consciousness with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 94.4%, but were not useful in accurately predicting the blood alcohol level. We conclude that these reagent strips are useful in the prehospital setting to provide information about patients with an altered level of consciousness.
Genomic Organization of Human Transcription Initiation Complexes

A repertoire of transcription initiation factors engage the core promoter of mRNA genes to recruit RNA polymerase (Pol) II to initiate transcription, yet their precise spatial organization remains unclear. Using ChIP-exo, here we detail the interactions and genomic organization of initiation factors TBP, TFIIB, and Pol II at mRNA genes and within CpG islands. We find that when Pol II moves into a transcriptionally paused state, TBP/TFIIB remain at the promoter. We show that TBP and TFIIB bound to the core promoter at two separate, resolvable locations that coincided with sites of divergent transcription initiation. We also examine the precise binding of TBP at Pol III transcribed tRNA genes. We find that TBP crosslinked to tRNA genes in a similar manner as at Pol II transcribed genes. This comprehensive and high resolution genome-wide detection of the initiation machinery produces a consolidated view of transcription initiation events humans at Pol II coding and Pol III transcribed tRNA genes.
Automation, Job Creation, and Unemployment

The article focuses on job opportunities provided by mechanization and automation. A machine technology creates jobs in the long run when production cost is high preventing mass sale of products du...
A Viscous Continuous Adjoint Approach for the Design of Rotating Engineering Applications

A viscous continuous adjoint formulation for optimal shape design is developed and applied. The arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian version of the unsteady, compressible Reynoldsaveraged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with a generic source term is considered, and from these governing ow equations, an adjoint formulation centered around nding surface sensitivities using dierential geometry is derived. This surface formulation provides the gradient information necessary for performing gradient-based aerodynamic shape optimization. To analyze the eectiveness of the methodology, two design cases in a rotating reference frame are considered. A two-dimensional test case consisting of a rotating airfoil at a low Reynolds number is studied. The shape of the airfoil is then optimized for drag minimization with a geometric constraint. In three-dimensions, the formulation is demonstrated using the well-known NREL Phase VI wind turbine geometry.
Processing of Emotional Information in Major Depressive Disorder: Toward a Dimensional Understanding

Several decades of research converge on the formulation that individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibit negative biases in their processing of emotional information. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that traditional betweengroup comparisons have obscured the substantial heterogeneity of cognitive and affective dysfunction that is associated with depressive symptomatology. In this article, we review the findings of research examining attention to and memory for negative emotional information using a more dimensional perspective on depression. Specifically, we explore studies that assess cognitive biases along a continuum of depressive symptom severity and consider the influence of co-occurring dimensions of functioning, in particular the severity of anxiety symptoms. Finally, we identify critical empirical questions and issues in this growing literature.
Ultrasound and contrast enhanced ultrasound sonography evaluation of intestinal acute graft-vs-host disease

SUMMARY Intestinal acute graft-vs-host disease (I-GVHD) is a life-threatening complication after allografting. Non-invasive bedside procedures to evaluate extension and treatment response are still lacking. Standard ultrasound sonography (US) detects bowel wall thickening (BWT) in I-GVHD and helps to identify its extension (single or multiple sites at once). Color doppler US detects blood flow at arterioles level. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound sonography (CEUS) can detect microcirculation changes (MVC) of the bowel wall at capillary level, real time, and even bedside. CEUS allows evaluating, with dedicated software, quantitatively wash-in and washout curves of blood flowing through the thickened bowel wall, giving time intensity curves, which help to monitor treatment response as for Chron’s disease. Patients with I-GVHD with clinical relevant improvement may still have quiescent active disease. CEUS allows identifying, qualitatively and quantitatively, patients with I-GVHD with clinical improvement but with still active disease.
Protective effects of EAAT2 over-expression on a mouse model of pilocarpine-induced status epileptics

Objective The purpose of this experiment is to study the effect of excitatory amino acid transporter 2(EAAT2) over expression on status epileptics(SE) and SE-induced neuronal death.Methods The mouse SE models were established by intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine on EAAT2 transgenic mice and wild-type mice.Three days after SE,brains were harvested and cut into 40 m sections.EAAT2 level was determined by immunostaining.Survived neurons were detected by cresyl violet staining.Somatostatin-positive neurons were also detected by immunostaining.Cell numbers in hippocampal CA1 and hilus of dentate gyrus were counted and compared between the transgenic and wild-type animals.Results Compared with the wild-type animals,EAAT2 was over-expressed in the transgenic mice.A significant larger dose of pilocarpine was needed to induce SE in EAAT2 transgenic mice,compared with the dose for the wild-type animals(657±119.9 mg/kg,n=4 vs 344±40.3 mg/kg,n=4;P0.05).Three days after SE,the relative pyramidal cell number in CA1 was 0.56 in the wild-type mice,while the relative cell number was 0.9 in the EAAT2 transgenic animals.The post-SE cell number in the hippocampus CA1 pyramidal layer was higher in the EAAT2 transgenic mice than that in the wild-type animals.In the DG hilus,the relative post-SE cell numbers were 0.11 and 0.67 in the wild-type animals and EAAT2 transgenic mice,respectively.In the wild-type animals,the relative number of somatostain-positive cells was 0 in the DG hilus after SE.However,the number was 0.4 in the EAAT2 transgenic mice.Conclusion Our results indicate that over-expressed EAAT2 has significant protective effect on SE and SE-induced neuronal death.Over-expressed EAAT2 may modulate the excitotoxity during seizure by enhancing extracellular glutamate uptake.