cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of lead extraction in young adults.

Background Extraction of pacemaker and defibrillator leads in young adults may be technically challenging because of more extensive fibrosis and calcification in this patient population. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine outcomes of lead extraction (LE) in young adults at our institution. Methods We retrospectively identified all patients who underwent LE at our institution between January 1, 2007, and May 31, 2016. Patients were divided by age into 2 groups: Results Patients in group 2 had a higher overall average number of leads extracted per procedure compared to group 1 (1.64 ± 0.80 vs 1.45 ± 0.64; P Conclusion LE can be performed safely and effectively in young adults. Despite the lower number of leads extracted per procedure and the similar lead dwell time, younger adults more frequently required the use of femoral extraction tools, thus highlighting the importance of performing these procedures in centers with advanced expertise in extraction techniques.
Economic and Environmental Life Cycle Optimization of Noncooperative Supply Chains and Product Systems: Modeling Framework, Mixed-Integer Bilevel Fractional Programming Algorithm, and Shale Gas Application

In this work, we propose a general modeling framework for the economic and environmental life cycle optimization of supply chains and product systems with noncooperative stakeholders. This framework is based on the functional-unit-based life cycle optimization approach and the leader–follower Stackelberg game structure to capture the decentralized feature and noncooperative relationships between multiple stakeholders across the product life cycle. The leader enjoys the priority of decision-making to optimize both its own economic performance and the life cycle environmental performance of the supply chain or product system. After the observation of leader’s decisions, the follower takes actions correspondingly to optimize its own economic performance. The resulting problem is formulated as a mixed-integer bilevel fractional program to account for conflicting objectives and interactions among different stakeholders. Design and operational decisions for both leader and follower are taken into consideration,...
Comparison of a fluorescence polarization based competition assay and a novel lambda phage based assay for screening inhibitors of the S100B-p53 interaction

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 1108 Elevated levels of S100B protein are observed in several types of cancer, including malignant melanoma, where S100B interacts directly with tumor suppressor p53 inactivating it and contributing to the proliferation of the cancer cells ( 1, 2 ). Therefore, inhibitors of the S100B-p53 interaction would be useful for treating cancers where S100B levels are high and p53 is wild-type such as in malignant melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and astrocytomas. As part of a rational drug design program, two assays for screening small compounds that bind S100B and inhibit the S100B-p53 interaction have been developed. A fluorescent polarization competition (FPC) assay uses an N-terminal FITC-labeled peptide derived from p53 for use in competition experiments with low molecular weight compounds. This durable assay was used to successfully detect lead compounds that inhibit the S100B-p53 interaction. In addition, several compounds screened using the FPC assay were further tested in a new lambda bacteriophage-based protein association assay, the Lamba2Hybrid system. In this system, proteins of interest are displayed on the phage heads as C-terminal fusions to the major phage capsid protein D. The phages carry resistance to either Kanamycin or Chloramphenicol, and co-infection to form a Cmlr/Kanr host cell is used to determine protein-protein interaction. Double infection of an E. coli cell is very rare for wild type lambda phage, but expression of protein binding partners on their heads forces interacting phage to infect a single cell. Since the interaction occurs ex vivo and prior to cell infection, soluble proteins, peptides or small molecules can be added to inhibit binding. While the lambda phage-based assay gave results comparable to those of the FPC assay, it identified an additional compound not detected by the FPC assay screen. This compound has been shown to bind outside the p53 peptide binding cleft of S100B explaining why it was not detected by the FPC assay. (1) Lin, J., Blake, M., Tang, C., Zimmer, D., Rustandi, R. R., Weber, D. J., and Carrier, F. (2001) Inhibition of p53 transcriptional activity by the S100B calcium-binding protein, J Biol Chem 276 , 35037-41. (2) Lin, J., Yang, Q., Yan, Z., Markowitz, J., Wilder, P. T., Carrier, F., and Weber, D. J. (2004) Inhibiting S100B restores p53 levels in primary malignant melanoma cancer cells, J. Biol. Chem. 279 , 34071-34077.
Top Executive Goal Orientations’ Effects on Environmental Scanning and Performance: Differences Between Founders and Nonfounders:

Firms differ in the extent to which they scan their environments, which ultimately affects their performance. Although upper echelons theory suggests that top executives’ individual-level attributes affect firm strategy and performance, our understanding of how these attributes affect firms’ environmental scanning remains weak. Advancing knowledge in this area is important because such scanning is a key first step in strategic decision making. We theorize that top executives’ goal orientations (i.e., inherent motivations that shape what individuals generally seek to accomplish when engaging in challenging tasks) affect their firms’ environmental scanning. Specifically, firms whose top executives exhibit higher learning goal orientations (i.e., they seek knowledge in an effort to improve) or higher performance prove goal orientations (i.e., they seek to demonstrate their competence to others) might engage in more environmental scanning than firms whose top executives have higher performance avoid goal orie...
Ideals Without Institutions: Understandings of Democracy and Democratic Participation Among Ecuadorian Youth

Many scholars of democratization have identified citizen support for democracy as an important determinant of democratic consolidation and deepening. Fewer have explored in depth what everyday citizens actually understand democracy to mean. If mass values shape democratic prospects, what specific notion of “democracy” are the masses inclined to support? This study addresses this question through focus groups conducted with 186 young people in Ecuador, a country that has epitomized challenges of democratic discontent and instability in Latin America. As compared to the dominant survey-based literature, interactive focus group conversations offer a more complex and complete picture of youth democratic perspectives, thus sharpening our analysis of the link between citizen attitudes and democratic performance. Findings have relevance for contemporary debates about “authoritarian drift” in the region, showing youth as strongly invested in democratic freedoms, though highly skeptical of the institutions that allegedly guarantee them. More broadly, the analysis provides a window into how youth conceive of and practice democracy in contexts of unstable democratization.
The Residue Calculus

Section 1 is devoted to the residue theorem and to techniques for evaluating residues. In the remaining sections we apply the residue theorem to evaluate various real integrals. This material provides a good training ground for the techniques of complex integration. The student who is anxious to move on can skip the final several sections of the chapter at first reading.
SCHOLARLY COMMUNICATION: Librarians as publishers

L'activite de rendre accessibles sur Internet certains documents tels que des theses, des periodiques ou des images fait-elle pour autant des bibliothecaires des editeurs a part entiere ? En quoi les bibliotheques virtuelles sont-elles assimilables a des editeurs electroniques ? L'auteur compare le role du bibliothecaire qui gere des collections numeriques et celui de l'editeur, dans un contexte professionnel en pleine mutation.
Is Dante a cosmopolitan

This article attempts to answer the question ‘Is Dante a Cosmopolitan?’ or, more specifically, ‘Does Dante’s advocacy for a world empire in Monarchia constitute a cosmopolitan theory of politics?’ Cosmopolitanism grew out of fifth-century B.C.E. Greece and has gained increasing traction among both moral philosophers and political scientists in recent decades. Contemporary scholars, particularly in the field of international relations theory, often list Dante as an early advocate for global governance. Dante is offered as a stepping stone between the cosmopolitans of the ancient world and Kantian liberals. Yet none of these scholars have really explored how well Monarchia fits into this tradition. This paper examines the text of Dante’s Monarchia in light of cosmopolitan political theory. It finds that, while Dante does share some key concerns with modern cosmopolitan thinkers, he ultimately fails to provide a model (even a primitive one) of cosmopolitan ethics or cosmopolitan government.
Longitudinal Test of Forgiveness and Perceived Forgiveness as Mediators between Religiosity and Marital Satisfaction in Long-Term Marital Relationships

Substantial research has found relations between religiosity and martial satisfaction. More longitudinal studies are needed to understand the inner-workings of this relationship. Over a four-year p...
The compact gradient recovery discontinuous Galerkin method for diffusion problems

Abstract We introduce a new family of schemes, labeled Compact Gradient Recovery (CGR), for handling parabolic partial differential equations within the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) framework, with as the ultimate goal the discretization of diffusive flux terms in advection-diffusion systems such as the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. Like other DG approaches for diffusion, this family of schemes is based on the mixed formulation, where an auxiliary variable is introduced (but not stored between timesteps) to approximate the solution gradient. To maximize accuracy, wherever interface approximations are necessary within the mixed formulation, our schemes apply the Recovery concept originally introduced by Van Leer and Nomura [1] . However, unlike Recovery DG, our new family of schemes is based on a nearest-neighbor stencil and does not require differentiation of the recovered solution, which can introduce large errors for shear diffusion problems. By design, the new schemes fill the void between the highly accurate Recovery DG schemes and existing mixed-form and penalty-based formulations. Fourier analysis is performed on Cartesian and simplex meshes to determine the order of accuracy and timestep-size stability limits for different solution polynomial orders p. Similar to other DG approaches for diffusion, our proposed schemes make use of a jump penalization factor when solving for the gradient along interfaces; the effect of this parameter is explored through Fourier analysis, allowing an informed recommendation regarding its value. In addition to exploration of the new scheme, the analysis includes previously unknown properties of the widely used BR2 scheme under a broad set of configurations. Our new approach is verified using a comprehensive suite of test problems (scalar Laplacian diffusion, shear diffusion, and compressible Navier-Stokes) on different mesh types and compared to the gold-standard, nearest-neighbor approach for diffusion, the BR2 scheme; our new scheme performs favorably with regard to accuracy of the solution, accuracy of the solution gradient, and timestep size without a substantial increase in computational cost.
Gaming Economics in the Middle School Classroom

A prime concern for middle school educators is for students to become knowledgeable and skilled in the areas of economics and personal finance. Some of the reasons underscoring this concern include...
Notch-Mediated Determination of Hair-Bundle Polarity in Mechanosensory Hair Cells of the Zebrafish Lateral Line

The development of mechanosensory epithelia, such as those of the auditory and vestibular systems, results in the precise orientation of mechanosensory hair cells. After division of a precursor cell in the zebrafish's lateral line, the daughter hair cells differentiate with opposite mechanical sensitivity. Through a combination of theoretical and experimental approaches, we show that Notch1a-mediated lateral inhibition produces a bistable switch that reliably gives rise to cell pairs of opposite polarity. Using a mathematical model of the process, we predict the outcome of several genetic and chemical alterations to the system, which we then confirm experimentally. We show that Notch1a downregulates the expression of Emx2, a transcription factor known to be involved in polarity specification, and acts in parallel with the planar-cell-polarity system to determine the orientation of hair bundles. By analyzing the effect of simultaneous genetic perturbations to Notch1a and Emx2, we infer that the gene-regulatory network determining cell polarity includes an undiscovered polarity effector.
In vitro production and distribution of flavonoids in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. is known as a common Chinese medicinal herb used to harmonize the effects of other ingredients in most Chinese herbal prescriptions. The rapid production of flavonoids in vitro remains unknown in G. uralensis Fisch. To investigate the in vitro adventitious root regeneration and flavonoid accumulation characteristics in G. uralensis for restrictions on collecting wild plants, suspension cultural and freezing microtomy with histochemical assays were carried out. We reported that multiple adventitious roots were initiated from hypocotyls and stems of G. uralensis. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was more conducive than NAA (1-naphthaleneacetic acid) in inducing G. uralensis adventitious roots, but the addition of 6-BA (6-benzylaminopurine) and KT (kinetin) suppressed the formation of adventitious roots. While the concentration of IBA was 1.0 mg L−1, the flavonoid content and yield were the highest at 19.96 mg g−1 and 1.23 mg g−1, respectively. The optimum medium for adventitious root induction was 1/4-strength Murashige and Skoog’s medium containing 0.1 mg L−1 IBA. The content of flavonoids in adventitious roots and apicals cultured in vitro was higher than that in suspension callus, reaching 3.87 times the callus flavonoid content. The histochemical localization of flavonoids showed that G. uralensis flavonoids mainly distributed in the epidermal parenchyma cells of the callus outer layers and gradually accumulated in cell wall and cell gaps of the epidermis and endodermis of adventitious roots along with the primary growth of adventitious roots, indicating that there were no flavonoids in the roots at the early stage of adventitious roots formation. The results showed that calli inducing adventitious roots and apicals for 30 days obtained the highest yield of flavonoid, indicating effective production for flavonoids instead of wild culture. AlCl3 ethanol solution was better than NaOH aqueous solution in terms of chromogenic and localization effects. We concluded that the highest yield of flavonoid and effective production for flavonoid instead of wild culture could be obtained from calli inducing adventitious roots and apicals.
Differentiating Large from Small Bowel

The different segments of a bowel are usually difficult to differentiate, but some characteristic features can be used as guides. The upper limit of bowel diameter is 3 cm for small bowel, 6 cm for the colon, and 9 cm for the cecum – the 3/6/9 rule. The stomach is located in the left upper quadrant and consists of characteristic mucosal folds called rugae. The small bowel, located centrally within the abdomen, has valvulae conniventes (plicae circulares) which are thin mucosal folds traversing the entire lumen. The more peripheral large bowel has thick haustral folds which, unlike valvulae conniventes, extend partially across the lumen. The contents of different segments of the bowel vary; stomach contains fluid and air, small bowel contains fluidlike succus entericus with little to no air, and large bowel contains the largest volume of air along with faeces.
The long-term but not short-term use of benzodiazepine impairs motoric function and upregulates amyloid β in part through the suppression of translocator protein

Abstract Many elderly American women use CNS depressant benzodiazepine (BZD) to ameliorate anxiety or insomnia. However, the chronic use of BZD (cBZD) is prevalent, causing adverse effects of BZD that include movement deficit. We previously reported that cBZD upregulates neurotoxic amyloid β42 (Aβ42) and downregulates neuroprotective translocator protein (TSPO) in the cerebellum, the brain area of movement and balance. The aim of the current study is two-fold: 1) to determine a direct effect of TSPO (inhibition) on cBZD-induced Aβ42 and Aβ-associated molecules; Aβ-producing-protein presenilin-1 (PS1) and Aβ-degrading-enzyme neprilysin and 2) to determine whether Aβ42 upregulation and motoric deficit occur upon a long-term (cBZD) rather than a short-term BZD (sBZD) treatment. Old female mice received BZD (lorazepam) for 20 days (cBZD) or 3 days (sBZD) with or without prototype TSPO ligand PK11195 and were tested for motoric performance for 3 days using Rotarod. ELISA was conducted to measure Aβ42 level and neprilysin activity in cerebellum. RT-PCR and immunoblot were conducted to measure the mRNA and protein levels of TSPO, PS1, and neprilysin. cBZD treatment decreased TSPO and neprilysin but increased Aβ42 accompanied by motoric deficit. Chronic PK11195 treatment acted as a TSPO inhibitor by suppressing TSPO expression and mimicked or exacerbated the effects of cBZD on all parameters measured except for PS1. None of the molecular and behavioral changes induced by cBZD were reproduced by sBZD treatment. These data suggest that cBZD upregulates Aβ42 and downregulates neprilysin in part through TSPO inhibition, the mechanisms distinct from sBZD, collectively contributing to motoric deficit.
Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors and Joint Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Older Veterans with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background In recent years, dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors have been added to the diabetes treatment algorithm. Few published studies have shown that the use of DPP-4 inhibitors is associated with joint pain. To our knowledge, no population-based studies in the United States have studied this association. Objective To evaluate the association between a new prescription of DPP-4 inhibitors and joint pain within 1 year among older veterans with diabetes. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of older veterans (aged ≥66 years) who were dually enrolled in Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA; N = 134,488). Data were derived from linked Medicare claims and VHA electronic health records from 2008 to 2010. Diabetes during the baseline and joint pain during the follow-up period were identified with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Filled prescriptions for DPP-4 inhibitors during the baseline period were identified from Medicare Part D and VHA pharmacy records. The adjusted associations between DPP-4 inhibitors and joint pain were examined with logistic regressions. Results Approximately 8.4% of the 134,488 study patients received at least 1 prescription for DPP-4 inhibitors and 11.7% were diagnosed with joint pain during the follow-up period. An unadjusted analysis showed significant differences in joint pain by DPP-4 inhibitor status (12.9% among users vs 11.6% among nonusers; P <.0001). In a fully adjusted model, having a DPP-4 inhibitor prescription had higher odds of joint pain (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.24) compared with no prescription for a DPP-4 inhibitor. Conclusion In a cohort of older veterans who did not have documented joint pain at baseline, a prescription for DPP-4 inhibitors was significantly associated with a newly documented joint pain.
Synthesis of spiroimidazolidin-2-ones via intramolecular N-carbamoyliminium ion cyclization reactions

Die Umsetzung der I-Iydantoine (I) mit Alkyllithiumoder Grignard-Reagentien fuhrt zu den Addukten (II) und (III), von denen (IIIa) durch intramolekulare Cyclisierung zu den diastereomeren Spiroverbindungen (IV) und (V) reagiert.
Critical dynamics of anisotropic antiferromagnets in an external field

We numerically investigate the nonequilibrium critical dynamics in three-dimensional anisotropic antiferromagnets in the presence of an external magnetic field. The phase diagram of this system exhibits two critical lines that meet at a bicritical point. The nonconserved components of the staggered magnetization order parameter couple dynamically to the conserved component of the magnetization density along the direction of the external field. Employing a hybrid computational algorithm that combines reversible spin precession with relaxational Monte Carlo updates, we study the aging scaling dynamics for the model C critical line, identifying the critical initial slip, autocorrelation, and aging exponents for both the order parameter and the conserved field, thus also verifying the dynamic critical exponent. We further probe the model F critical line by investigating the system size dependence of the characteristic spin wave frequencies near criticality and measure the dynamic critical exponents for the order parameter including its aging scaling at the bicritical point.
Renal Neoplasia in Tuberous Sclerosis: A Study of 41 Patients.

Abstract Objective To study the clinical features and identify unique renal neoplasia subtypes and their prognostic implications in individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Patients and Methods The Mayo Clinic nephrectomy registry included 37 patients with TSC diagnosed between 1970 and 2018. Four additional patients were identified from the pathology consultation and autopsy files. All available renal tumors were further characterized using immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Clinicopathologic features and follow-up were obtained from the medical record. The American Association for Cancer Research Project GENIE registry was accessed using cBioPortal for molecular profiling of angiomyolipoma (AML). Results A total of 276 renal tumors from 41 patients were analyzed. Renal tumors were classified into 9 distinct morphological subtypes, with AML predominating (238 [86%]). Interestingly, all these tumors acted in a benign fashion except one renal cell carcinoma with clear cells and fibromyomatous stroma and one epithelioid AML that metastasized. Molecular profiling studies revealed that epithelioid AMLs were enriched for alterations of TP53, RB1, and ATRX. Eight patients died of direct complications of TSC, including 3 of end-stage renal disease. To date, none have died of a renal epithelial neoplasm. Conclusion The identification of unique renal neoplasia subtypes may provide important clues to establish a diagnosis of TSC, and in the somatic setting, this finding has important implications for accurate prognostication. These tumors tend to be indolent, and only 2 of 276 tumors in our study exhibited metastatic behavior. Our results support multidisciplinary management with a focus on preservation of renal function.
Implementing Augmented Reality in Academic Libraries

Column description. The Technology column examines current and developing technology topics in libraries. The column’s focus is creative uses of technology, introductions to new technologies, and c...
What Explains an Increase in the Processor-Retailer Margin? New Insights from the U.S. Fresh Beef Market

The real-dollar processor-retailer margin of fresh beef in the United States increased by more than 30% from 2011 to 2016, a substantial and rare increase for a major agricultural product. In the meantime, the processor-retailer markup ratio increased from 35-39% to 43-47%. We investigate the increase in industry markup ratio by constructing structural models of demand and supply and employing product-level data. Estimation results suggest that the increase is not driven by price collusion of retailers; instead, it is because the industry switches from processor-led pricing in 2011-14 to retailer-led pricing in 2015-16. The switch of supply conduct positively correlates with the growth of private beef brands during the period. The correlation has implications regarding antitrust policies, echoing growing empirical evidence showing that vertical integration may result in a net anticompetitive effect and harm consumers. Counterfactual simulations show that the annual consumer surplus of fresh beef would be 14.0% or over $370 million larger had processor-led pricing remained the supply conduct of the U.S. beef industry in 2015-16.
Anaerobic membrane bioreactor model for design and prediction of domestic wastewater treatment process performance

Abstract Anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater that produces energy and low levels of biosolids for disposal has the potential to replace conventional aerobic processes. Here we propose a generic model for anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) that incorporates hydrolysis and dispersed growth microbial metabolism of particulate and soluble substrates, including a size-exclusion constraint based upon the pore size of submerged membranes. The model can be expanded to include attached growth systems, such as anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBRs) within the staged anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor (SAF-MBR) system. Model development entailed: (1) acquisition of key kinetic metabolic parameters based on independent batch studies, (2) creation of a matrix of metabolic processes, and (3) development of a model that describes the relevant mass balances in the system. The utility of the model is demonstrated for dynamic simulations of a pilot-scale second generation SAF-MBR treating municipal wastewater (SAF-MBR 2.0). System outputs include the COD of the system effluent (= permeate), recirculated bulk COD and MLSS, gas production rate and composition, and dissolved methane concentration. These parameters are critical for system design and assessment. Predictions of performance by a pilot-scale system agreed well with monitored values, typically with less than 10% error, indicating that the developed model and independent batch assays for model calibration can enable reliable systems-level performance simulations.
Bone morphogenetic proteins: Biology, biochemistry and reconstructive surgery, 0‐12‐450745‐x, 1996, T. Sam Lindholm, Ed., R. G. Landes Company (Academic Press), Austin, TX, 312 pp, $69.95

Your reviewer (presumably like many readers) is interested in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the nature and state of work in this field even though he is not currently performing research involving demineralized bone matrix (DBM) or bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). From that perspective, this seems to be an excellent text (both in context and physical quality) at a reasonable price. However, it appears to the reviewer that the book should also be of value of those in the field for at least two reasons—it broadly captures the perspective and experience of a number of non-U.S. researchers, and it contains an extremely comprehensive list of DBM and BMP citations (689) from 1951–1995. In a contributed introduction, Marshall R. Urist calls the book “a landmark volume” and that seems appropriate.
Cultural swarms: knowledge-driven problem solving in social systems

In this paper we investigate how diverse knowledge sources interact to direct individuals in a swarm population. We identify three basic phases of problem solving that are generated by the swarm population in the solution of real valued function optimization problems. The question that we are interested in answering is how these phases derive from the interaction of various sources of cultural knowledge in the belief space of a population. We map the central tendency of a subset of individuals that are influenced by each knowledge source over time at the meta-level. The resultant patterns suggest the presence of "cultural swarms" where various knowledge sources take turns at leading and following in the exploration and exploitation of the problem space. This suggests that the social interaction of individuals coupled with their interaction with a culture within which they are embedded provides a powerful vehicle for the solution of complex problems.
Isotopic evolution of snowmelt 1. A physically based one-dimensional model

[1] The 18O/16O ratio of snowmelt from a seasonal snowpack typically increases with time as the melting process progresses. This temporal evolution is caused by isotopic exchange between liquid and ice as meltwater percolates down the snow column. Consequently, hydrograph separations of spring runoff using the bulk snow composition as the new water end-member will be erroneous. Accurate determinations of the new water input should take into account the temporal variation of the snowmelt. Here we present a one-dimensional (1-D) physically based model for the isotopic evolution of snowmelt. Two parameters, the effective rate of isotopic exchange between water and ice and the ice to liquid ratio of the exchange system, are important for controlling the range and temporal pattern of the isotopic variation in snowmelt. For all plausible values of these parameters the modeled isotopic signature of snowmelt changes by 1–4‰ as snowmelt progresses. These isotopic shifts will affect the results of hydrograph separations.
Taxonomy of Azotomonas Species

The ability of two strains of Azotomonas insolita and one strain classified only as Azotomonas species to use molecular nitrogen was investigated by use of several techniques. Molecular 15N2 incorporation by growing cultures of Azotomonas was inconsistent and limited. In addition, attempts to demonstrate nitrogen fixation in growing cultures by the radioactive 13N2 technique were negative. Experiments were done in which the total nitrogen content of a culture was determined by a micro-Kjeldahl method. None of these experiments resulted in a significant increase in total nitrogen. Attempts to show a diauxie effect, that is, transition from growth on NH4+ to N2, were also unsuccessful. Nitrogen fixation by cell-free extracts of A. insolita was negative, as determined by reduction of N2 to NH3, and reduction of cyanide, of acetylene, and of azide. These negative results suggest that the taxonomic reclassification of the genus Azotomonas should be considered.
Direct Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Advanced Spermatogenic Cells: In Search of an In Vitro System to Model Male Factor Infertility

Differentiation of stem cells into spermatogenic lineages in vitro provides a unique window into the biological mechanisms responsible for driving pluripotent stem cells into essential progeny—haploid spermatids and viable sperm—as well as provides an innovative approach for determining novel root causes for male infertility. Our recent work outlined a novel approach for differentiating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into advanced spermatogenic lineages including haploid spermatids with correct parent-of-origin genomic imprints on two loci. The work described here in this chapter provides a foundation for building a true in vitro model for human spermatogenesis with which to model, diagnose and potentially treat male factor infertility.
Lignin and Mn peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of phenolic lignin oligomers.

The oxidation of phenolic oligomers by lignin and manganese peroxidases was studied by transient-state kinetic methods. The reactivity of peroxidase intermediates compound I and compound II was studied with the phenol guaiacol along with a β-O-4 phenolic dimer, trimer, and tetramer. Compound I of both peroxidases is much more reactive than compound II. The rate constants for these substrates with Mn peroxidase compound I range from 1.0 × 105 M-1 s-1 for guaiacol to 1.1 × 103 M-1 s-1 for the tetramer. Reactivity is much higher with lignin peroxidase compound I with rate constants ranging from 1.2 × 106 M-1s-1 for guaiacol to 3.6 × 105 M-1 s-1 for the tetramer. Rate constants with compound II are much lower with Mn peroxidase exhibiting very little reactivity. The rate constants dramatically decreased with both peroxidases as the size of the substrate increased. The extent of the decrease was much more dramatic with Mn peroxidase, leading us to conclude that, despite its ability to oxidize phenols, Mn2+ is ...
Improvement in dilated cardiomyopathy after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Young severely obese patients with advanced heart failure may not be suitable candidates for cardiac transplantation because of surgical morbidity and availability of adequately sized donor hearts. Methods and Results We report 2 patients with severe systolic dysfunction and Class IV heart failure despite maximal medical therapy who were considered for cardiac transplantation. Because of their severe obesity, transplantation was not considered an optimal therapy, and both were referred for bariatric surgery. The individuals had nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Both underwent laparoscopic vertical gastrectomy, minimizing surgical risk while providing definitive reduction in gastric volume. They experienced substantial weight loss and resolution of dyspnea. Inotrope infusion was discontinued in 1 dobutamine-dependent individual. They achieved weight reduction of 46 to 52 kg after the surgery. End-systolic volume index improved from 64 to 49 mL/m2 and from 66 to 39 mL/m2. Left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 20% to 45% and from 25% to 39%. They remain symptom-free and are no longer listed for transplant at 2 years' follow-up. Conclusions Bariatric surgery may lead to improvement in left ventricular systolic dysfunction in young morbidly obese individuals with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Potential explanations for the improvement in left ventricular function include reduced direct toxic effects of adiposity on cardiomyocytes and improved hemodynamics after weight loss. The potential for bariatric surgery to provide an alternative to heart transplantation in extreme obesity merits further study.
Comparative assessment of the chemical and adsorptive characteristics of leachates from a municipal and an industrial landfill

Leachates from two landfills, one municipal and one industrial, were compared with respect to their chemical and adsorptive characteristics. Concentrations of most inorganic constituents were as much as an order of magnitude higher for the industrial leachate. The concentration of organic matter in that leachate, measured as total organic carbon (TOC), was more than two orders of magnitude greater than that of the municipal leachate. Gel permeation studies suggested similar molecular weight distributions for the organic fractions of the two leachates, but specific priority pollutants identified were different. The adsorptive characteristics of the waste samples with respect to activated carbon were evaluated using TOC as a lumped parameter expression of organic matter concentration. Adsorption equilibria and rates for the municipal leachate system were reasonably well described by treating TOC as a single component for modeling purposes. The industrial ieachate required a multicomponent approach. Ideal adsorbed solution theory was used in this case to characterize the behavior of a set of hypothetical TOC components. The approach was able to account, to some degree, for the competitive interactions evident among organic solutes comprising the mixture.
Asymptotic formulas for Toeplitz and Wiener-Hopf operators

For certain analytic functions f, the expression trace {f(Tn[φψ]) − f(Tn[φ]Tn[ψ])} is computed asymptotically. Here Tn[σ] is the finite Toeplitz matrix generated by the function σ. The analogous expression for Wiener-Hopf operators is also computed asymptotically. These results in turn yield information concerning the asymptotic behavior of determinants of finite Toeplitz and Wiener-Hopf operators with discontinuous generating function.
Electron-spin resonance studies of oxidation photosensitized by ferric chloride, of some alcohols in rigid glasses

Abstract Ferric chloride-photosensitized oxidations of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol (3), 2-propanol, 1-butanol (5), 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-2-propanol (7), 1-pentanol, cyclopentanol, and cyclohexanol were conducted in the cavity of an e sr spectrometer at temperature between −150 and -196°, with high-pressure, mercury lamp as the light source except for rigid glasses of 7 plus ferric chloride, all of the photolyzed alcohols investigated generated e s r-detectable free-radicals. The effects of temperature of the concentrations of the radicals formed in the riged glasses indicated that the production of free radicals derived from alcohols involves an active intermediate trapped in the photolyzed, ferric chloride-alcohol rigid glass. In almost all classes, the intensities of the signals of the e s r-detectable radicals increased after photolysis was discontinued when the temperatures of the photolyzed, rigid galsses were increased, the intensities of the signals generated by the radicals increased initially, until radical recombinations became the predominant raection based on hyperfine splittings of the e s r spectra, a free-radical site could be assigned to the hydroxyl-bearing carbon atom of all of the alcohols investigated, except 3,5 and 7. As the temperature of the rigid galsses were increased, changes in hyperfine splittings of the e s r spectra of the radicals derived from alcohols were observed, these changes probably reflect increased molecular motion of the photolyzed alcohols.
Motility-related proteins as markers for head and neck squamous cell cancer.

Hypothesis Increased cell motility is a hallmark of cancer cells. Proteins involved in cell motility may be used as molecular markers to characterize the malignant potential of tumors. Methods Molecular biology and immunohistochemistry techniques were used to investigate the expression of a selected panel of motility-related proteins (Rho A, Rac 2, Cdc42, PI(3)K, 2E4, and Arp2) in normal, premalignant, and squamous cell cancer cell lines of human head and neck origin. To assess the clinical potential of these proteins as molecular markers for cancer, immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-fixed head and neck cancer specimens (n = 15). Results All six motility-associated proteins were overexpressed in the premalignant and squamous cell cancer cell lines relative to normal keratinocytes. Immunohistochemistry with Rho A and Rac 2 showed increased staining in areas of cancer but not in normal tissue. Conclusion Proteins involved in cell motility can be used as markers for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The head and neck cell lines used in this study may be used as a model to further investigate cell motility. Molecular markers of motility could have a significant impact on the diagnosis and staging of cancers originating from differentiated non-motile cells.
What human sociobiology has to offer economic anthropology and vice versa

Abstract Certain striking similarities exist between formal economic anthropology and human sociobiology. These similarities include a focus on the individual, the assumptions of maximization and scarcity, emphasis on human flexibility, and a discontent with functionalism. These two approaches can be seen as complementary, not in opposition to each other. The concepts of ultimate and proximate causality are employed to integrate in some ways the formal economic and human sociobiological perspectives within anthropology. Cross-cultural data on twin infanticide, Blackfoot warfare, and the Tiwi system of marriage illustrate how the two theoretical orientations complement each other and, when integrated, provide a more complete understanding of certain behavioral phenomena.
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate-mediated stabilization of mouse neuroblastoma cell neuritis microtubules exposed to low temperature.

MICROTUBULES appear to play an important role in maintaining neurites of mouse neuroblastoma cells1 and of cultured chick spinal ganglia2 under normal in vitro conditions, perhaps serving as cytoskeletal elements3. However, a feature of many kinds of microtubules is their dissociation upon exposure to cold3–6. Usually, exposure to a temperature of 0–4° C for 30–60 min is sufficient to depolymerize such microtubules and often results in an alteration of cellular form.
Cell motility and microtubules in cultured fibroblasts from patients with Kartagener syndrome

Patients with Kartagener syndrome (KS) show defects in ciliary and flagellar movement that are usually associated with the partial or total absence of dynein side arms from axonemal microtubules. Dynein is essential for such movements, but its involvement in other cellular (particularly microtubule-related) processes is unknown. It has recently been reported that neutrophils from KS patients show impaired motility including responses to chemotactic stimuli, suggesting that dynein-like proteins may be generally involved in motile processes. In support of this, we have now found that spontaneous motility of cultured skin fibroblasts from KS patients is also markedly impaired. Three cell lines derived from skin explants of KS patients with deficient dynein side arms in nasal cilia and eight cell lines derived from normal volunteers were studied. Fibroblasts were seeded into dishes containing colloidal gold-coated cover glasses [Albrecht-Buehler, 1977], incubated for 24h at 37 degrees C, and the area of cell "phagokinetic" tracks determined. Each cell line studied in this manner reproducibly displayed an amount of spontaneous motility characteristic for that cell line. The mean track area (+/- SE) for all control cells studied was 14.6 +/- 0.5 X 10(3) micron2 whereas for KS fibroblasts was 8.7 +/- 0.4 X 10(3) micron2 (P less than 0.001). Immunofluorescence microscopy using antitubulin and antihuman 210 K MAP antibodies revealed no differences in the staining patterns between control and KS fibroblasts. Pinocytic rates were identical, and the complement of tubulin and major microtubule associated proteins as seen on one-dimensional SDS polyacrylamide gel autoradiographs appeared similar for control and KS cells. Thus, the observed motility defect is probably not the result of alterations in the occurrence or distribution of microtubules or in the occurrence or binding of the major microtubule-associated proteins. This defect in cellular motility may be related to the absence of dynein or may reflect another independent cellular defect.
Microseisms recorded at Berkeley

The cause and nature of microseisms have been the subject of much study since the beginning of instrumental seismology. As yet, however, there is no uniformity of opinion on either the nature of the movement or the cause. The periods of microseisms vary from a fraction of a second to a minute or more, and the amplitudes are frequently many microns. There is one class of microseisms with a period-range of four to ten seconds that is recorded all over the world on seismographs with appreciable magnification for motions of these periods. Only microseisms of this class will be considered in this discussion.
Physiological evidence for an interaction between helix XI and helices I, II, and V in the melibiose carrier of Escherichia coli.

In a previous study 23 residues in helix XI of the cysteine-less melibiose carrier were changed individually to cysteine. Several of these cysteine mutants (K377C, A383C, F385C, L391C, G395C) had low transport activity and they were white on melibiose MacConkey fermentation plates. After several days of incubation of these white clones on melibiose MacConkey plates a rare red mutant appeared. The plasmid DNA was then isolated and sequenced. The two second site revertants from K377C were I22S and D59A. This change of aspartic acid to a neutral residue suggests that physiologically there is an interaction between K377 and D59 (possibly a salt bridge). The revertants from A383C were in positions 20 (F20L) and 22 (I22S and I22N). Revertants of F385C were intrahelical changes (I387M and A388G) and a change in C-terminal loop (R441C). Revertants of L391C were in helix I (I22N, I22T and D19E) and helix V (A152S). Revertants of G395C were in helix I (D19E and I22N). We suggest that there is an interaction between helix XI and helices I, II, and V and proximity between these helices.
Simvastatin enhances hippocampal long-term potentiation in C57BL/6 mice

Statins inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, and they are widely used to control plasma cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular disease. However, emerging evidence indicates that the beneficial effects of statins extend to the CNS. Statins have been shown to improve the outcome of stroke and traumatic brain injury, and statin use has been associated with a reduced prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia. However, prospective studies with statins in AD have produced mixed results. Recently, we reported that simvastatin, a widely used statin in humans, enhances learning and memory in non-transgenic mice as well as in transgenic mice with AD-like pathology on a mixed genetic background. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of simvastatin on learning and memory remain elusive. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of acute simvastatin treatment on hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a cellular model of learning and memory, in brain slices from C57BL/6 mice. Our results demonstrate that a prolonged in vitro simvastatin treatment for 2-4 h, but not a short-term 20-min exposure, significantly increases the magnitude of LTP at CA3-CA1 synapses without altering basal synaptic transmission or the paired-pulse facilitation ratio in hippocampal slices. Furthermore, we show that phosphorylation of Akt (protein kinase B) is increased significantly in the CA1 region following 2-hour treatment with simvastatin, and that inhibition of Akt phosphorylation suppresses the simvastatin-induced enhancement of LTP. These findings suggest activation of Akt as a molecular pathway for augmented hippocampal LTP by simvastatin treatment, and implicate enhancement of hippocampal LTP as a potential cellular mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of simvastatin on cognitive function.
Pauli’s Exclusion Principle in Spinor Coordinate Space

The Pauli exclusion principle is interpreted using a geometrical theory of electrons. Spin and spatial motion are described together in an eight dimensional spinor coordinate space. The field equation derives from the assumption of conformal waves. The Dirac wave function is a gradient of the scalar wave in spinor space. Electromagnetic and gravitational interactions are mediated by conformal transformations. An electron may be followed through a sequence of creation and annihilation processes. Two electrons are branches of a single particle. Each satisfies a Dirac equation, but together they are a solution of the curvature condition. As two so identified electrons approach each other, the exclusion principle develops from the boundary conditions in spinor space. The gradient motion does not allow the particles to overlap. Since the spinor-gradient of the scalar wave function is odd in the coordinates, the sign of the wave function must change at the electron-electron boundary. The exclusion principle becomes geometry intrinsic and all electrons are combined into one field. Further applications are proposed including the possibility of improved numerical calculations in atomic and molecular systems. There also may be extensions to nuclear or particle physics. Implications are expected for the properties of rotating objects in a gravitational field.