cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound examination of intrinsic foot muscles in patients with 1st metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis

1st MTP arthrodesis often alleviates pain in osteoarthritis of hallux, long term outcomes vary, yet there is little known about potentially modifiable changes in the small muscles of the foot and hallux. This study was performed to determine the changes in the size of the Intrinsic Foot Muscles (IFMs) after the arthrodesis of the 1st metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint by comparing the cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle thickness (MT) of Abductor Hallucis (AbH), Flexor Digitorum Brevis (FDB) and Flexor Hallucis Brevis (FHB) between surgical and non-surgical feet. A convenience sample of 18 feet of 9 subjects (age: 57.56±9.07, weight: 81.33±1.32kg, height: 163.26±11.03cm) with a unilateral history of 1st MTP arthrodesis was recruited. B-mode ultrasound images were collected during sitting and standing positions with a wireless 8-MHz transducer. Hand-held dynamometer was used to measure toe flexion strength. CSA and MT of the surgical feet were significantly lower (P<0.05) for AbH and FHB in both positions. For FDB, the significant difference (P<0.05) was smaller MT in standing. Significantly lower (P<0.05) toe strength was observed in involved toe compared to uninvolved. Greater correlations were seen between toe strength and CSA of FHB and AbH in uninvolved toes compared with involved toes. IFMs in the surgical foot exhibited reduced CSA and MT. Weak core muscles of the foot may result in transmission of shock and forces to the foot skeleton which can lead to skeletal problems such as metatarsalgia, IP joint arthritis etc. that are seen as post-surgical complications. There is nothing in literature that delineates the rehabilitation of foot in this group of patients after surgery. This directs surgeons and clinicians to integrate IFM training in the rehabilitation programs after surgery. Developing appropriate rehabilitation protocols for these patients may help in preventions of post-surgical complications.
q-Homotopy analysis method for solving the seventh-order time-fractional Lax’s Korteweg–de Vries and Sawada–Kotera equations

This article presents exact and approximate solutions of the seventh order time-fractional Lax’s Korteweg–de Vries (7TfLKdV) and Sawada–Kotera (7TfSK) equations using the modification of the homotopy analysis method called the q-homotopy analysis method. Using this method, we construct the solutions to these problems in the form of recurrence relations and present the graphical representation to verify all obtained results in each case for different values of fractional order. Error analysis is also illustrated in the present investigation.
Emerging pharmacological tools to control hydrogen sulfide signaling in critical illness

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been known as a toxic environmental hazard. Discovery of physiological roles of H2S as a neurotransmitter by Kimura and colleagues triggered an intensive research in the biological roles of H2S in the past decades. Manipulation of H2S levels by inhibiting H2S synthesis or administration of H2S-releasing molecules revealed beneficial as well as harmful effects of H2S. As a result, it is now established that H2S levels are tightly controlled and too much or too little H2S levels cause harm. Nonetheless, translation of sulfide-based therapy to clinical practice has been stymied due to the very low therapeutic index of sulfide and the incomplete understanding of endogenous sulfide metabolism. One potential strategy to circumvent this problem is to use a safe and stable sulfide metabolite that may mediate effects of H2S. Alternatively, endogenous sulfide levels may be controlled using specific sulfide scavengers. In this review article, the role of endogenous H2S production and catabolism will be briefly reviewed followed by an introduction of thiosulfate and H2S scavengers as novel pharmacological tools to control H2S-dependent signaling.
Low-cost and reusable carbon black based solar evaporator for effective water desalination

Abstract Solar distillation is considered a low-cost, environmental-friendly approach for freshwater production. However, water output and photothermal efficiency of conventional solar evaporators are low. This study developed highly efficient bilayer photothermal functional films (noted as CBMCE) by depositing carbon black nanoparticles (CBNPs) dispersion on mixed cellulose ester (MCE) support via simple vacuum filtration. To further increase water production, multilayer enhanced evaporators (MEER) were fabricated by coupling optimal CBMCE with polystyrene foam and air-laid paper. The effects of operating conditions on solar evaporation were systematically investigated, including loading rate of CBNPs on MCE, solar power densities, water depths, relative humidity, and different water types (deionized water, synthetic seawater, municipal wastewater, and 13.5 wt% NaCl solution). Experimental results indicated that the average water evaporation rate (AER) increased with increasing incident solar density and decreased with increasing water depths, aqueous solution salinity, and relative humidity. For 13.5 wt% NaCl solution, MEER achieved maximum AER of 5.6 kg·m−2·h−1, enhanced evaporation rate and evaporation efficiency by ~124.0% and ~123.5%, respectively. Economic analysis showed desalination of 13.5 wt% NaCl solution using MEER had a life cycle cost of ~$1.89/m3 fresh water produced. This study demonstrates that MEER are highly efficient, low-cost, and reusable functional materials for solar desalination.
Daycare attendance and asthma control, Asthma Call-back Survey 2012-2014

Objective: To examine the association between daycare attendance and asthma control among children aged 0 to 4 years with asthmaMethods: We analyzed 2012–2014 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor S...
Cancer Cell Intrinsic Expression of MHCII Regulates the Immune Microenvironment and Response to Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Lung Adenocarcinoma

MHC class II (MHCII) expression is usually restricted to antigen presenting cells, but can be expressed by cancer cells. We examined the effect of cancer cell-intrinsic MHC class II (csMHCII) expression in lung adenocarcinoma on T cell recruitment to tumors and response to anti-PD-1 therapy. The functional significance of altering csMHCII expression was explored using two orthotopic immunocompetent murine models of non-small cell lung cancer: CMT167 (CMT) and Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC). We previously showed that CMT167 tumors are eradicated by anti-PD1 therapy, while LLC tumors are resistant. RNA-seq analysis of cancer cells recovered from tumors revealed that csMHCII correlated with response to anti-PD1 therapy, with immunotherapy-sensitive CMT167 cells being csMHCII positive, while resistant LLC cells were csMHCII negative. To test the functional effects of csMHCII, MHCII expression was altered on the cancer cells through loss- and gain-of-function of CIITA, a master regulator of the MHCII pathway. Loss of CIITA in CMT167 decreased csMHCII, and converted tumors from anti-PD-1-sensitive to anti-PD-1-resistant. This was associated with decreased T cell infiltration, lower levels of Th1 cytokines, increased B cell number and decreased macrophage recruitment. Conversely, overexpression of CIITA in LLC cells resulted in csMHCII in vitro and in vivo. Enforced expression of CIITA increased T cell infiltration and sensitized tumors to anti-PD-1 therapy. csMHCII expression was also examined in a subset of surgically resected human lung adenocarcinomas by multispectral imaging, provided a survival benefit and positively correlated with T cell infiltration. These studies demonstrate a functional role for csMHCII in regulating T cell infiltration and sensitivity to anti-PD-1.
Avulsion of a tricuspid valve leaflet during traction on an infected, entrapped endocardial pacemaker electrode: The role of electrode design

Endocardial pacemaker electrodes rely in part upon endocardial fixation proximal to the electrode tip to prevent ejection of the tip from the ventricular apex. Fixation of these electrodes to the superior vena cava and tricuspid valve, in particular, has been reported. Infection of endocardial electrodes necessitates their removal. This report concerns avulsion of a tricuspid valve leaflet during traction on an infected electrode. With the availability of new methods of apical fixation, the utilization of electrode sheathing materials which discourage endocardial fixation would increase the safety of their removal under the circumstances reported herein.
Different assignments as different contexts: predictors across assignments and outcome measures in CS1

This paper reports an analysis of quantitative data obtained during four weeks of a CS1 course. The data consists of programming events logged while students complete eight programming projects and include keystrokes, text pastes, task switches, and run attempts. We analyze the data to answer two related research questions. The first is which commonly studied student programming behaviors generalize well as predictors across programming assignments. The second question is which commonly studied student programming behaviors generalize well as predictors across outcome measures. We find that of the attributes we tested only a small subset are consistent predictors of success across projects, although most have some correlation in some projects. Few attributes were consistent across performance measures. Considering that many intervention strategies use small numbers of projects for student classification, our results suggest that care should be taken in drawing conclusions from data analyzed in the aggregate, both across programming projects and across performance measures.
Heartburn in children and adolescents in the presence of functional dyspepsia and/or irritable bowel syndrome correlates with the presence of sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of heartburn in pediatric patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep disturbances, and psychologic distress.The overlap in symptoms of FD, IBS, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) predicts greater symptom severity and decreased quality of life and presents opportunities for improved diagnostic classification and personalized therapeutics.A cross-sectional observational study of 260 pediatric patients with abdominal pain was conducted. Patients completed standardized questionnaires assessing clinical symptoms, sleep quality, and psychologic symptoms during routine clinical care. Questionnaire data were compared for patients reporting heartburn and not reporting heartburn using χ2 and t tests where appropriate.Gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly more prevalent among patients with a positive report of heartburn (vs a negative report of heartburn): pain with eating (83% vs 67%, P = .007), bloating (63% vs 44%, P = .005), acid regurgitation (47% vs 24%, P ≤ .001), and chest pain (45% vs 20%, P ≤ .001). Likewise, initiating and maintaining sleep (P = .007), arousal/nightmares (P = .046), sleep-wake transition (P = .001), hyperhidrosis during sleep (P = .016), and anxiety (P = .001) and depression (P = .0018) were also significantly increased in patients who reported heartburn versus patients who did not report heartburn.Patients with a positive report of heartburn, whether classified as having FD and/or IBS, had increased gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression than patients with a negative report of heartburn. A better understanding of these associations may allow for personalized treatment for youth with abdominal pain and heartburn as a primary symptom.
Disasters and Environmental Justice Policy 15 Years After Hurricane Katrina: What Has Changed?

When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast Region more than 15 years ago, activists and scholars advocated for environmental justice to be incorporated into disaster policy reform. This resea...
A reference translatome map reveals two modes of protein evolution

Abstract Ribosome profiling experiments demonstrate widespread translation of eukaryotic genomes outside of annotated protein-coding genes. However, it is unclear how much of this “noncanonical” translation contributes biologically relevant microproteins rather than insignificant translational noise. Here, we developed an integrative computational framework (iRibo) that leverages hundreds of ribosome profiling experiments to detect signatures of translation with high sensitivity and specificity. We deployed iRibo to construct a reference translatome in the model organism S. cerevisiae. We identified ∼19,000 noncanonical translated elements outside of the ∼5,400 canonical yeast protein-coding genes. Most (65%) of these non-canonical translated elements were located on transcripts annotated as non-coding, or entirely unannotated, while the remainder were located on the 5’ and 3’ ends of mRNA transcripts. Only 14 non-canonical translated elements were evolutionarily conserved. In stark contrast with canonical protein-coding genes, the great majority of the yeast noncanonical translatome appeared evolutionarily transient and showed no signatures of selection. Yet, we uncovered phenotypes for 53% of a representative subset of evolutionarily transient translated elements. The iRibo framework and reference translatome described here provide a foundation for further investigation of a largely unexplored, but biologically significant, evolutionarily transient translatome.
Saturday Night Seder" and the Affordances of Cultural Arts during COVID-19."

Saturday Night Seder (SNS) was broadcast online on 11 April 2020 as a public celebration of Passover and as a benefit for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation. Part seder, part telethon, and part Broadway theatrical performance, SNS was the first online event to create a national Jewish communal gathering space in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has since been viewed over 1.5 million times. This article examines SNS as a uniquely situated manifestation of COVID-19, and draws attention to the various affordances engendered by SNS for Jewish gathering, learning, and exchange. It draws upon interviews with members of the production team, featured participants, and expert informants, as well as viewer responses from Twitter and YouTube: a dataset that includes 2000 tweets and over 1800 YouTube comments. Collectively, these data suggest that cultural arts productions such as SNS have afforded an expansive network of online Jewish conversations during COVID-19, and have invited a broad audience of Jews and non-Jews into dialogue over Jewish themes and content.
Responses to diotic tone-in-noise stimuli in the inferior colliculus: stimulus envelope and neural fluctuation cues.

Abstract Human detection thresholds in tone-in-noise (TIN) paradigms cannot be explained by the prevalent power-spectrum model when stimulus energy is made less reliable, e.g., in roving-level or equal-energy paradigms. Envelope-related cues provide an alternative that is more robust across level. The TIN stimulus envelope is encoded by slow fluctuations in auditory-nerve (AN) responses - a temporal representation affected by inner-hair-cell (IHC) saturation and cochlear compression. Here, envelope-related fluctuations in AN responses were hypothesized to be reflected in responses of neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC), which have average discharge rates that are sensitive to amplitude-modulation (AM) depth and frequency. Responses to tones masked by narrowband gaussian noise (GN) and low-noise noise (LNN) were recorded in the IC of awake rabbits. Fluctuation amplitudes in the stimulus envelope and in model AN responses decrease for GN maskers and increase for LNN upon addition of tones near threshold. Response rates of IC neurons that are excited by AM were expected to be positively correlated with fluctuation amplitudes, whereas rates of neurons suppressed by AM were expected to be negatively correlated. Of neurons with measurable TIN-detection thresholds, most had the predicted changes in rate with increasing tone level for both GN and LNN maskers. Changes in rate with tone level were correlated with envelope sensitivity measured with two methods, including the maximum slopes of modulation transfer functions. IC rate-based thresholds were broadly consistent with published human and rabbit behavioral data. These results highlight the importance of midbrain sensitivity to envelope cues, as represented in peripheral neural fluctuations, for detection of signals in noise.
A Call to Examine Civic Discourse and Engagement in the Asia-Pacific in an Online World

The rapid pace of technology evolution, the affordability and access to more devices, and the ease at which technology users can get away with certain online behaviors have unintentionally created cyber problems that society is not prepared to face physically, socially, mentally, emotionally, and legally. In an online culture permeated with high-speed technology and a wide variety of communication mediums to choose from, the twenty-first-century digital society perhaps has required the membership of a new type of citizen. The problem is that digital citizens are socialized by peers, not by the generations before them who more or less understand rules and regulations, right from wrong, and good from bad. With a lack of foundational levels of understanding and awareness of what digital citizenship is and what it should look like in terms of appropriate and inappropriate online behavior, it creates a humanistic problem worth considering. We posit that examination of the evolution of a digital society that has emerged in the Information Age is needed to redefine the values of citizenship and community and propose four guiding questions in this pursuit. We additionally suggest that the integration of family and school groups in the efforts to understand online civic discourse and engagement is critical to benefit not only students and educators within schools, but also the parents and community members who support schools.
Rate dependent response and failure of a ductile epoxy and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite

An extensive characterization suite has been performed on the response and failure of a ductile epoxy 55A and uniaxial carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite of IM7 fibers in 55A resin from the quasistatic to shock regime. The quasistatic and intermediate strain rate response, including elastic modulus, yield and failure have are characterized by quasistatic, SHPB, and DMA measurements as a function of fiber orientation and temperature. The high strain rate shock effect of fiber orientation in the composite and response of the pure resin are presented for plate impact experiments. It has previously been shown that at lower impact velocities the shock velocity is strongly dependent on fiber orientation but at higher impact velocity the in-plane and through thickness Hugoniots converge. The current results are compared with previous studies of the shock response of carbon fiber composites with more conventional brittle epoxy matrices. The spall response of the composite is measured and compared with quasistatic fracture toughness measurements.
Regulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ornithine decarboxylase expression in response to polyamine.

The mechanism of yeast ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) regulation in response to polyamines was examined. ODC catalyzes the first step of polyamine biosynthesis, the conversion of ornithine to putrescine. ODC activity was modulated approximately 200-fold by varying the availability of polyamines. Variations in ODC activity were associated with parallel changes in the amount of active enzyme molecules. Regulation of ODC activity did not appear to be mediated by changes in the stability of the enzyme. The half-life of ODC was approximately 75 min and was unaffected by the availability of polyamines. Polyamines had no demonstrable effect on the transcriptional or translational stages of ODC expression. The amount of ODC mRNA and the number of ribosomes associated with the mRNA were constant despite the variations in ODC activity. Unlike translationally controlled genes, the regulation of ODC expression did not require either the 5′- or the 3′-untranslated regions of the ODC gene transcript. While gene dosage experiments indicated that negative trans-acting factors are involved in control of ODC expression, these implied factors did not appear to affect translation of ODC mRNA. The results are interpreted to suggest that polyamines regulate ODC expression at a post-translational step prior to assembly of the active form of the enzyme.
A developing paradigm for the development of bird beaks

Some adaptive radiations are notable for extreme interspecific diversification in one or a few adult traits. How and why have trait differences evolved? Natural and sexual selection often provide answers to the question of why. An answer to the question of how is to be found in the genetic control of the phenotypic traits, especially in the early stages of development, when interspecific differences first become expressed. Recent studies of the molecular genetic control of beak development in Darwin's finches have shown that a signalling molecule (BMP4) plays a key role in the development of large and deep beaks. Expression of this molecule occurs earlier (heterochrony) and at higher levels in species with deep beaks compared with species with more pointed beaks. The implication of this finding is that variation in the regulation of one or a few genes that are expressed early could be the source of evolutionarily significant variation that is subject to natural selection in speciation and adaptive radiation. This view is reinforced by parallel findings with the same signalling molecule in the development of jaw morphology in cichlid fish of the Great Lakes of Africa. Further research into regulatory mechanisms is to be expected, as well as extension to other examples of radiation such as honeycreepers in Hawaii and Anolis lizards in the Caribbean. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 88, 17–22.
Effective Demand, Local Governments and Economic Growth in Post-Mao China: A Spatial Econometrics Perspective

The purpose of this study is to empirically test the validity of Kaldors laws of economic growth in China between 1978 and 2004 and to provide an alternative explanation of sources of Chinese economic growth in a Kaldorian perspective. First, in a spatial econometrics perspective using a regional data set, the present paper empirically verifies that Kaldorian hypotheses on economic growth hold in China during the sample period. Second, it suggests the empirical findings as proving the validity of a demand-side approach. Third, taking this implication, this study provides a more detailed alternative explanation of the sources and processes of economic growth in China during the sample period. Finally, considering a striking finding of the lack of spatial (regional) dependence among Chinese provinces, it also discusses the role of local governments in the development process in China. This study is expected to contribute to the literature as being one of the first studies that identifies sources of Chinese economic growth in demand side.
The incidence and prognostic implication of congenital absence of one umbilical artery.

Abstract A consecutive series of 1,500 placentas has been examined with particular reference to the number of blood vessels in the umbilical cord. Complete absence of one umbilical artery occurred in 15 instances. In 7 infants there were some congenital abnormalities noted on examination; 3 were of major, character. One infant was stillborn. The anomaly occurred 3 times in one of twins. In a series of 100 twin placentas, one umbilical cord lacked one artery in 7 cases. The majority of these twins were monozygous. It is concluded that the observation of congenital lack of one umbilical artery at the time of delivery may be of significant benefit to some affected infants by drawing attention to the possible presence of correctible congenital anomalies in the baby.
Matched FSK/PSK radar

In this paper, a novel radar signaling scheme designated as matched FSK/PSK signaling is introduced. An overall radar system which implements matched FSK/PSK signaling along with the appropriate processing scheme is given. Radars of this type are shown to be capable of generating FSK/PSK signals optimally matched to any arbitrary target response. The radar signals consist of bursts of pulses, whose frequencies are chosen by a random selection process with a probability density function based on the radar target's spectral content, and whose phases are a pseudo-random spreading sequence. The capability of the radar to match its illumination to a target could prove to be vital in tracking low observable targets. Additionally, the spectral agility of the matched FSK/PSK system allows for spectrally adaptive signaling. Adaptive signaling could not only aid target tracking, but also provide information about the target that could be used for target identification purposes. >
A simple and reliable turbidimetric and kinetic assay for alpha-amylase that is readily applied to culture supernatants and cell extracts

A simple, reliable and sensitive assay for alpha-amylase activity is reported, together with its theoretical derivation, that overcomes many of the problems encountered with other assays, especially when attempting to assay alpha-amylase activity in crude cell extracts or culture supernatants. The method relies on the reduction in turbidity that occurs upon digestion of a starch suspension with alpha-amylase. The initial rate of decrease in turbidity is shown to be proportional to a wide range of enzyme concentrations, permitting a rapid spectrophotometric and kinetic determination of alpha-amylase activity.
Organic geochemistry of the 9.6 km Bertha Rogers No. 1. well, Oklahoma

Abstract Organic geochemical analyses of fine-grained rocks from the 9.590 km Bertha Rogers No. 1 well have been carried out: total organic carbon, Soxhlet extraction and silica gel chromatography, C15+ saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, pyrolysis, kerogen analysis, X-ray diffraction and visual kerogen analysis. Rocks ranged in age from Permian to Ordovician; the well has an estimated bottom hole temperature of 225°C. Some data from this study are inconsistent with conventional theories concerning the generation and thermal destruction of hydrocarbons. For example, appreciable amounts of C15+ gas-condensate-like hydrocarbons are present in very old rocks currently at temperatures where current theory predicts that only methane and graphite should remain. Also, substantial amounts of pyrolyzable C15+ hydrocarbons remain on the kerogen in these deeply buried Paleozoic rocks. This suggests, at least in somes cases, that temperatures much higher than those predicted by current theory are required for generation and thermal destruction of hydrocarbons. The data from this well also suggest that original composition of organic matter and environment of deposition may have a much stronger influence on the organic geochemical characteristics of fine-grained sediments than has previously been ascribed to them. The results from this well, from other deep hot wells in which temperatures exceed 200°C, and from laboratory experiments, suggest that some of the basic concepts of the generation and maturation of petroleum hydrocarbons may be in error and perhaps should be reexamined.
Moulting in phacopid trilobites

Phacopid trilobites, unlike most trilobites, lack functionally articulated libregenae. This distinction presumably dictated ecdysial strategies which were fundamentally different from those forms with sutured cephala. Phacops rana (Green) and Greenops boothi (Green) from the Middle Devonian Hamilton Group (New York) are preserved in circumstances which illustrate certain aspects of their moulting behaviour. Undisturbed exuviae display five different moult patterns; these suggest two basic modes of exuviation in phacopid trilobites (Body-upright and Body Inversion Moult Procedures).Certain Hamilton beds yield clusters of Phacops comprising complete and/or moulted remains. Complete trilobites in body clusters display varied orientations which, when considered in conjunction with exuvial patterns in moult clusters, suggest ecdysial procedures that involved body inversion and erratic tergal contractions (Body Inversion Moult Procedures). Ensembles where in thoracopygidia are upright and outstretched indicate hyperextension of the thorax and disarticulation of the cephalo-thoracic suture (Body-upright Moult Procedures). Phacops moult ensembles are characterised by inverted and tightly recurved thoracopygidia, whereas Greenops ensembles comprise outstretched, usually upright thoracopygidia with cephala that are frequently upright. Classic ‘Salterian’ patterns are uncommon in Phacops rana and have not been recognised in Greenops boothi. Variations in moult procedure are attributed to differences in functional morphology and substrate consistency.
Effect of intravesical nitric oxide therapy on cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis.

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine effects of nitric oxide (NO) donors on bladder hyperactivity induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis. Materials and Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of CYP (100 mg./kg.), and then their micturition pattern including mean micturition volume and the number of micturitions during 24 hours was recorded in a metabolic cage before and after CYP treatment. Forty-eight hours after CYP injection, bladder function under urethane anesthesia was evaluated by cystometry with continuous saline infusion (0.04 ml. per minute) or under isovolumetric conditions (0.8 ml. bladder volume). NO donors, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP, 2 mM) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 1 mM), and an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 20 mM) were administered intravesically. Direct action of SNAP on bladder afferent neurons was also tested in a patch-clamp recording study. Results: The number of micturitions significantly increased during the first 24 hours after CYP injection (19.0 ± 0.88 versus 92.1 ± 16.3 micturitions/24 hours, mean ± SE, n=25) (p 2+ channel currents were suppressed by approximately 30%. Conclusions: Intravesical NO donors can suppress CYP-induced bladder hyperactivity. We hypothesize that the effect of NO donors is not due to smooth muscle relaxation, but rather due to an inhibitory effect on bladder afferent pathways that was manifested by an increase in intercontraction interval without changes in contraction amplitude. NO donors may be considered as a possible treatment of CYP-induced and other types of bladder inflammation.
Ontogeny of antioxidant enzymes in the fetal lamb lung.

Pulmonary antioxidant enzyme ontogeny has been reported in species with a, relatively short gestation such as hamsters, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. We examined the ontogeny of the antioxidant enzyme system together with the surfactant phospholipid disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) in fetal lamb lung (term is 148 days). Lung tissue from 36 fetuses with gestational ages ranging from 121 to 145 days were assayed for DSPC content and for the activities of three antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismu-tase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Between 121 and 145 days gestation superoxide dismutase activity increased from 25 × 4 to 139 × 18 IU/mg DNA, catalase activity from 164 × 23 to 483 × 48 IU/mg DNA, glutathione peroxidase activity from 301 × 33 to 447 × 53 IU/mg DNA, and DSPC content from 0.48 × 0.04 to 1.61 × 0.11 mg/mg DNA. During the final 15–20% of gestation in the fetal lamb antioxidant enzyme activity rises sharply in parallel with the development of the surfactant system.
Lithosphere peridotites of the Kaapvaal craton

Abstract A large number of garnet peridotite xenoliths from the lithosphere below the Kaapvaal craton are too orthopyroxene-rich and SiO2-rich to have formed as residues from a normal mantle peridotite source by the extraction of basalt or komatiite. However, they can be understood as originally harzburgite rocks (i.e., olivine + orthopyroxene) which formed as either residues or cumulates from a source material that was also enriched in SiO2 compared to normal mantle peridotite or its pyrolite analogue. These harzburgites could have crystallized as cumulates from ultrabasic magmas that were higher in SiO2 than most komatiites, magmas that would have required extensive melting (> 50%) of normal mantle peridotite to form, possibly in a gigantic plume. Alternatively, the harzburgites may have crystallized directly from a high-SiO2 terrestrial magma ocean during the birth of the Earth, or from a high-SiO2 source formed by the mixing of impacted chondritic materials with normal mantle peridotite later in time. Whatever the case, there appear to have been unusual geological circumstances involved in the formation of the continental lithosphere below the Kaapvaal craton.
Incorporating in-cylinder pressure data to predict NOx emissions from spark-ignition engines fueled with landfill gas/hydrogen mixtures

A 0.745 L 2-cylinder spark-ignition engine was operated with compressed natural gas and with simulated landfill gas (60% CH4 and 40% CO2 by volume) containing hydrogen concentrations of 0, 30%, 40%, and 50% (by volume of the CH4 in the fuel) at constant rpm. This empirical data was compared with predictions from three existing semi-empirical engine models, using a first-law-based finite heat release model to correlate measured incylinder pressure data and burn rate for each fuel mixture. Of the three models only a two zone model incorporating thermal and prompt NOx came within 25% of predicting the measured NOx emissions.
Interdependence of vision and audition among inexperienced and experienced tennis players

Experienced (n = 14) and inexperienced (n = 12) tennis players were tested for response to a tennis ball hit to either the right, left, or directly at them under two auditory conditions. In one con...
The effect of insurance status on bariatric surgical outcomes

Introduction In 1991, the NIH Consensus Conference on Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity emphasized the importance of epidemiologic research in bariatric surgery: "The effects of surgical therapy should be defined in various subgroups stratified for gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, comorbidity, and fat distribution". Nearly twenty years later, the answer to whether socioeconomic status impacts outcomes remains unresolved. Methods Prospective data collected on bariatric surgical patients at 555 facilities participating in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (BSCOE) program were collected between June 2007 and September 2009. 65,410 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 8,537 patients had insurance provided by Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); 7,090 with Medicare and 1,808 with Medicaid insurance. Demographic, clinical, perioperative and postoperative data were compared between patients with CMS insurance (CMS) and those whose surgery was covered by other insurers (non-CMS). Results CMS patients differ sharply from those covered by private insurance in terms of mean age (years) (53.0 vs 44.3; p Conclusions Patients insured by Medicare and Medicaid undergoing bariatric surgery present with a higher risk profile and suffer worse postoperative outcomes compared to those covered by private carriers. While the CMS patients may have the most to gain from the surgery, they also bring higher risks.
Lack of in vitro repair of x-ray-induced chain breaks in DNA by the polynucleotide-joining enzyme.

SummaryThe polynucleotide-joining enzyme does not repair (in one step) the single-strand chain breaks produced in DNA by x-irradiation in aqueous media. Preliminary data on the chemical nature of the ends of the broken strands suggest that nuclease action (to ‘clean’ the termini), followed by polymerase action, is necessary before the irradiated DNA would become a substrate for the polynucleotide-joining enzyme.
Human Calcium Transport Protein CaT1

Transcellular calcium transport occurs in many epithelial tissues including intestine, kidney, and placenta. We identified the human ortholog (hCaT1) of a recently cloned rat calcium transport protein, CaT1, that mediates intestinal calcium uptake. hCaT1 messenger RNA is present in the gastrointestinal tract, including esophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. High levels of hCaT1 transcripts are also present in pancreas, placenta, prostate, and salivary gland, while moderate levels are present in liver, kidney, and testis. hCaT1 mRNA is also expressed in the colorectal cancer cell line, SW480, and the chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, K-562. The hCaT1 gene was assigned to the long arm of chromosome 7, bands q33-34, by fluorescence in situ hybridization. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, hCaT1 promotes saturable Ca(2+) uptake with a Michaelis constant of 0.25 mM. Our studies suggest a role for hCaT1 in cellular calcium uptake in a variety of tissues, including the transcellular calcium transport pathway in intestine.
The Emerging Role of Ion/Ion Reactions in Biological Mass Spectrometry: Considerations for Reagent Ion Selection:

The advent of ionization methods that can produce multiply charged gaseous ions has enabled the development of gas-phase ion/ion reactions in analytical mass spectrometry. Ion/ion chemistry has pro...
Computational Analysis of Fluid-Wall Interactions in Micro- and Nano-Domains

In many micro-scale fluid dynamics problems, molecular-level processes can control the interfacial energy and viscoelastic properties at a liquid-solid interface. This leads to a flow behavior that is very different from those similar fluid dynamics problems at the macro-scale. Presently, continuum modeling fails to capture this flow behavior. Molecular dynamics simulations have been applied to investigate these complex fluid-wall interactions at the nano-scale. Results show that the influence of the wall crystal lattice orientation on the fluid-wall interactions can be very important. To address those problems involving interactions of multiple length scales, a coupled atomistic-continuum model has been developed and applied to analyze flow in channels with atomically smooth walls. The present coupling strategy uses the molecular dynamics technique to probe the non-equilibrium flow near the channel walls and applies constraints to the fluid particle motion, which is coupled to the continuum flow modeling in the interior region. We have applied this new methodology to investigate Couette flow in micro-channels.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The Arabidopsis transposable element Tag1 is widely distributed among Arabidopsis ecotypes

Tag1 is an autonomous transposable element (3.3 kb in length) first identified as an insertion in the CHL1 (NRT1) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana. Tag1 has been found in the Landsberg erecta ecotype of A. thaliana but not in Columbia or WS. In this paper, 41 additional ecotypes were examined for the presence of Tag1. Using an internal Tag1 fragment as probe, we found that DNA form 19 of the 41 ecotypes strongly hybridized to Tag1. Almost all of the Tag1-containing ecotypes had only one or two copies of Tag1 per haploid genome, as determined by Southern blot analysis. The only exception, Bf-1 from Bretagny-sur-Orge, France, had four copies. Two ecotypes, Di-G and S96, gave identical Southern blot patterns to that of Landsberg erecta and were subsequently shown to contain Tag1 at the same two positions found in Landsberg erecta (loci designated as Tag1-2 and Tag1-3). Two other ecotypes, Ag-0 and Lo-1, had a Tag1 element located at Tag1-2 but not at Tag1-3. The distance between these two loci was determined to be 0.37 cM. Analysis of DNA from two related species, A. griffithiana and A. pumila, showed that both species contain sequences that hybridize to Tag1 and that could be amplified with an oligonucleotide specific to the terminal inverted repeats of Tag1. These results show that Tag1 and related elements are present, and may be useful for insertional mutagenesis, in many A. thaliana ecotypes and several Arabidopsis species.
Conditional uncertainty analysis and implications for decision making: the case of WIPP.

Uncertainty analyses and the reporting of their results can be misinterpreted when these analyses are conditional on a set of assumptions generally intended to bring some conservatism in the decisions. In this paper, two cases of conditional uncertainty analysis are examined. The first case includes studies that result, for instance, in a family of risk curves representing percentiles of the probability distribution of the future frequency of exceeding specified consequence levels conditional on a set of hypotheses. The second case involves analyses that result in an interval of outcomes estimated on the basis of conservative assumptions. Both types of results are difficult to use because they are sometimes misinterpreted as if they represented the output of a full uncertainty analysis. In the first case, the percentiles shown on each risk curve may be taken at face value when in reality (in marginal terms) they are lower if the chosen hypotheses are conservative. In the second case, the fact that some segments of the resulting interval are highly unlikely—or that some more benign segments outside the range of results are quite possible—does not appear. Also, these results are difficult to compare to those of analyses of other risks, possibly competing for the same risk management resources, and the decision criteria have to be adapted to the conservatism of the hypotheses. In this paper, the focus is on the first type (conditional risk curves) more than on the second and the discussion is illustrated by the case of the performance assessment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. For policy-making purposes, however, the problems of interpretation, comparison, and use of the results are similar.
Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy affecting an African American man: identification of a novel 15-base pair NOTCH3 duplication.

Background Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the best characterized genetic cause of vascular dementia and stroke and has been extensively reported in European and Asian populations. Objective To report the pathological and genetic analysis of CADASIL in an African American man with a 15–base pair NOTCH3 duplication. Design Case report. Setting University hospital. Patient A 78-year-old man with dementia, recurrent strokes, a family history of similar neurological disease, and white matter abnormalities seen on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Main Outcome Measures Brain pathology and genetic analysis of NOTCH3. Results The patient's brain showed widespread arteriopathy in large and small arteries. Using electron microscopy, granular osmiophilic material typical of CADASIL was identified abutting the plasma membrane of smooth muscle cells. Brain extracts contained elevated NOTCH3 protein levels. Sequencing of the NOTCH3 gene revealed a novel 15–base pair heterozygous duplication in exon 7, which is predicted to direct expression of a protein that contains 5 extra amino acids, including a cysteine residue. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first reported pathological and genetic analysis of an African American patient with CADASIL. The mutation in NOTCH3 is the longest duplication within this gene yet reported.
Suicidal risk during treatment with clozapine: a meta-analysis

Abstract Objective Suicide remains a major cause of premature mortality among patients with schizophrenia. Evidence of reduced suicidal risk with available psychiatric treatments is limited, but emerging data suggest such an effect of clozapine in chronically psychotic patients, leading us to compile the reported evidence. Method We searched for published studies with contrasting rates of suicides or attempts by psychotic patients treated with clozapine vs. other agents. Results Among six such studies, random-effects meta-analysis indicated a substantially lower overall risk of suicidal behaviors with clozapine vs. other treatments (risk-ratio 3.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7–6.3; p Conclusion Long-term treatment with clozapine was associated with three-fold overall reduction of risk of suicidal behaviors. However, available findings are quantitatively inconsistent, well-designed studies remain rare, and the only randomized trial did not find reduced risk of completed suicide. Additional randomized comparisons among modern treatments for psychotic disorders are required to clarify their impact on mortality.
Studies on the secretory and cytotoxic actions of caffeine on the ferret gastric mucosa

Abstract Gastric secretory tests were performed on conscious, chronic fistula ferrets during basal conditions and after intraperitoneal administration of caffeine in order to determine the sensitivity of this species to caffeine. Electron microscopic study was undertaken on mucosal specimens obtained from the gastric fundus of animals at peak response times after treatment with optimal doses of caffeine in order to correlate ultrastructure with physiologic states. These experiments have demonstrated that gastric secretion in the ferret is stimulated by a wide range (1.56–50 mg/kg) of doses. Acid output is significantly increased by parenteral caffeine in this species as it is in man and the cat, but not in the dog or rat. Caffeine exerted a profound effect on volume (water) output of the stomach but did not appreciably affect acid concentration. Gastric bleeding was induced by parenteral caffeine in 25 to 43% of stimulated ferrets receiving low or high doses, respectively. Notable mucosal vascular congestion was seen by light and electron microscopy, and ultrastructural damage to capillary endothelial cells was frequently seen in specimens obtained from animals at the peak response time. Cytotoxic responses were also seen in parietal cells, and to a lesser degree in chief cells, but the ultrastructure of mucus and argentaffin cells was unaltered. The present study lends credence to the hypothesis that early vascular changes in the gastric mucosa, induced by caffeine administration, might contribute to hemorrhagic or other forms of mucosal damage.
Transitive Anosov flows and pseudo-Anosov maps

Abstract A TRANSITIVE Anosov flow on a closed manifold M is one with the qualitative behavior of a geodesic flow on a surface of negative curvature, that is global hyperbelocity and dense periodic set. A psedo-Anosov map is a homeomorphism of closed surface that has finitely many prescribed prong singlarities and is smooth and hyperbolic elsewhere: we refer to the Orsay Thurston Seminar for details [2]. We will show that Birkhoff's surfaces of section[1] can be used to established a close connection between these systems then M has dimension 3. This extends the srgery techniques of [4,5] to produce all the transitive Anove flows in dimension 3.
Silent Scars of Healing Hands: Oral Histories of Japanese American Doctors in World War II Detention Camps

(2006). Silent Scars of Healing Hands: Oral Histories of Japanese American Doctors in World War II Detention Camps. The Oral History Review: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 134-136.