cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolution of Wireless Standards for Health Monitoring

Technology is playing a vital role in the improvement of medical field resulting in high life expectancy. The use of wireless networks is one of the modern and efficient ways to monitor health problems remotely. In this context, various wireless monitoring standards are developed to facilities the patient monitoring. Some key standards include IEEE 802.15.4 Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Network (LR−WPAN), IEEE 802.15.6 Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) and ETSI smartBAN. These standards consist of multiple sensors that are used to monitor, process and transmit the vitals to the proper destination. Each standard offers some advantages and limitations over the other standard depending on the scenarios. In this paper, all the above-mentioned standards are compared and analyzed on different parameters such as network type, density, functionality, size and energy efficiency.
Integration of Design Optimization in Finite Element Analysis

Finite Element analysis is the most widely used computer based analysis method. Design optimization algorithms recently integrated into finite element analysis programs provide iteration capabilities not available with manual methods. In the automated optimization, the model is created and the loads are specified. Optimal characteristics such as weight, shape and design are selected. The optimization program checks the design and updates the model until it converges on a best solution to meet the optimal characteristics and design criteria. This paper reviews the optimization algorithms currently used in design optimization for weight, shape, and structural response.
Bacteriophage therapy as a treatment option for transplant infections.

Purpose of review Since initial description of the successful use of intravenous bacteriophage therapy in the United States in 2017, there is widespread interest in using bacteriophage therapy for multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. Recent findings Recent published cases of bacteriophage therapy in transplant candidates and recipients are reviewed highlighting its safety and potential efficacy when used as an adjunct to systemic antibiotics for a variety of clinical indications. An overview of access to bacteriophage therapy in the United States is also provided. Summary The reviewed cases form the basis for ongoing compassionate use of bacteriophage therapy in transplant candidates and recipients with life-threatening MDR infections until data from clinical trials are available to guide therapy.
Information Theoretic Lower Bounds for Feed-Forward Fully-Connected Deep Networks

In this paper, we study the sample complexity lower bounds for the exact recovery of parameters and for a positive excess risk of a feed-forward, fully-connected neural network for binary classification, using information-theoretic tools. We prove these lower bounds by the existence of a generative network characterized by a backwards data generating process, where the input is generated based on the binary output, and the network is parametrized by weight parameters for the hidden layers. The sample complexity lower bound for the exact recovery of parameters is $\Omega(d r \log(r) + p )$ and for a positive excess risk is $\Omega(r \log(r) + p )$, where $p$ is the dimension of the input, $r$ reflects the rank of the weight matrices and $d$ is the number of hidden layers. To the best of our knowledge, our results are the first information theoretic lower bounds.
Plastic mulch use in perennial fruit cropping systems – A review

Abstract Perennial fruit crops are traditionally grown in systems without plastic mulch. However, there may be benefits to plastic mulch use and this review paper considers the use of plastic mulch in perennial fruit systems. Several studies have explored the use of non-biodegradable plastic mulches [polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)] in perennial fruit production systems and have demonstrated the positive impacts they can have on plants largely through modification of the soil environment. Unfortunately, PE and PP mulches are difficult to dispose of due to contamination and lack of recycling facilities and contribute to plastic waste generation. Soil-biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) are alternatives to PE and PP mulches and are designed to be tilled into soil and degrade by soil microbial activity. A few studies have evaluated BDM in perennial fruit production systems and have shown similar impacts on crop growth as PE and PP mulches. The choice of plastic mulch (PE, PP, and BDM) to use in a perennial fruit production system will impact plant growth and productivity, the soil environment, and management of pests and diseases, as well as other soil fauna. Overall, there is no one-size-fits-all plastic mulch in perennial fruit production systems, and mulch choice should be based on the specific crop, growers’ horticultural goals and philosophies, climatic and soil conditions, expected mulch longevity, affordability, commercial availability, and the type of production system (e.g., conventional versus organic). BDMs are presently not widely used in perennial fruit crop production but could be a more sustainable option relative to traditional plastic mulches. Future research should continue to explore different plastic mulch options and investigate long-term impacts of plastic mulches in perennial fruit cropping systems.
Testosterone Therapy After Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Review of Literature

Abstract Introduction Although testosterone therapy (TTh) is the standard practice in otherwise healthy hypogonadal men, this therapy has historically been contraindicated in men with a history of prostate cancer. Recent evidence suggests that there is minimal or no prostate cancer growth in the setting of TTh administration in men definitively treated for non-metastatic prostate cancer. Objective To review the evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of TTh in patients previously treated for localized prostate cancer. Methods A literature review of the PubMed database was performed to identify studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of TTh in patients with a history of prostate cancer. Search terms included Testosterone Therapy, Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Radical Prostatectomy, Radiotherapy, External Beam Radiation Therapy, EBRT, Brachytherapy; Prostate Cancer and Hypogonadism, Low Testosterone; Bipolar Androgen Therapy. Results Available literature provides evidence for the safe application of TTh in patients previously treated for prostate cancer with either radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy. Furthermore, there exists evidence that severely hypogonadal levels of testosterone may lead to worse oncological outcomes. More recent research has begun to elucidate the effectiveness of bipolar androgen deprivation therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer. This mechanism of action increases the level of evidence indicating that the traditional management of maintaining testosterone levels at low levels may no longer be standard of care. TTh likely has a role in improved erectile function and other quality-of-life concerns in patients developing testosterone deficiency after being treated for prostate cancer. Conclusions TTh should be offered to select hypogonadal patients who have a history of definitively treated prostate cancer. Adequately designed randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm the safety and efficacy of TTh in this population. Natale C, Carlos C, Hong J, et al. Testosterone Replacement Therapy After Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Review of Literature. Sex Med Rev 2021;9:393–405.
The Substitution of Net Value Added for Earnings in Equity Valuation

The article investigates the usefulness of the substitution of Net Value Added for Earnings in Equity Valuation. The empirical results provide evidence on the predictive power of net value added and the need for a better disclosure of its components.
Biopolymeric systems for the delivery of nucleic acids

Abstract Gene therapy holds great promise for delivering genetic material in the required quantity and at the specific site to treat a plethora of diseases. With their inherent biocompatible, biodegradable, and lower toxicity attributes, biopolymers have found broad application in the delivery of diverse nucleic acids, including plasmid DNA, siRNA, miRNA, shRNA, mRNA, etc. for gene therapy. Following extraction from natural sources, the biopolymers are chemically modified as per the requirement, functionalized, and formulated in nanomaterials with different morphologies, polyplexes, or scaffold for nucleic acid delivery. Further, these formulations are characterized for their properties such as size, zeta potential, transfection efficiency, serum stability, sustained release, and site-specific delivery. This chapter focuses on those biopolymers that have found tremendous application in gene therapy through plasmid DNA, siRNA, miRNA, or mRNA delivery in the current decade, emphasizing their physicochemical and biological properties.
Microbiome-mediated response to pulse fire disturbance outweighs the effects of fire legacy on plant performance

Fire plays a major role in structuring plant communities across the globe. Interactions with soil microbes impact plant fitness, scaling up to influence plant populations and distributions. Here we present the first factorial manipulation of both fire and soil microbiome presence to investigate their interactive effects on plant performance across a suite of plant species with varying life history traits. We conducted fully-factorial experiments on each of 11 species from the Florida scrub ecosystem to test plant performance responses to soils with varying fire histories (36 soil sources), the presence/absence of a microbiome, and exposure to an experimental burn. Results revealed interactive 'pulse' effects between fire and the soil microbiome on plant performance. On average, post-fire soil microbiomes strongly reduced plant productivity compared to unburned or sterilized soils. Interestingly, longer-term fire 'legacy' effects had minor impacts on plant performance and were unrelated to soil microbiomes. While pulse fire effects on plant-microbiome interactions are short-term, they could have long-term consequences for plant communities by establishing differential microbiome-mediated priority effects during post-disturbance succession. The prominence of pulse fire effects on plant-microbe interactions has even greater import due to expected increases in fire disturbances resulting from anthropogenic climate change.
Reversing Physician Hesitancy to Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Patients

Physician hesitancy is said to occur when physicians do not recommend COVID-19 vaccination, and it is a contributing factor for the low vaccination rate for COVID-19 in pregnant women. Physician hesitancy has become a major, unaddressed problem with regard to the quality and safety of obstetrical care. We identify 3 root causes of physician hesitancy and describe how professional ethics in obstetrics should guide in reversing these root causes. They are clinical misapplications of key components of professionally responsible obstetrical practice: therapeutic nihilism, shared decision-making, and respect for patient autonomy. Therapeutic nihilism directs the obstetrician to avoid any clinical interventions during pregnancy to prevent teratogenic effects that might be unknown. Therapeutic nihilism is misapplied when there is a documented net clinical benefit with no evidence of clinical harm. Shared decision directs the obstetrician to only offer but not recommend clinical management. Shared decision-making plays a major role when there is uncertainty in clinical judgment but is misapplied when it becomes a universal model. It does not apply when there is a net clinical benefit. When there is a net clinical benefit, clinical management should be recommended, not simply offered. The ethical principle of respect for patient autonomy plays an indispensable role in decision-making with patients. It is misapplied when it is assumed that respect for autonomy requires physicians not to make recommendations and to defer to and implement patients’ decisions without exception. There is evidence that the obstetrician’s recommendations about the management of pregnancy are the most important factor in a pregnant woman’s decision-making. Simply deferring to the patient’s decisions makes for misapplied respect for patient autonomy. Obstetricians must end physician hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women by reversing these 3 root causes of physician hesitancy. Reversing the root causes of physician hesitancy is an urgent matter of patient safety. The longer physician hesitancy continues and the longer the low vaccine acceptance rate of pregnant women lasts, preventable serious diseases, deaths of pregnant women, intensive care unit admissions, stillbirths, and other maternal and fetal complications of unvaccinated women will continue to occur. Physician hesitancy should not be permitted to influence the response to future pandemics.
Stochastic Models for the Learning Process

SINCE 1949 psychologists have increasingly used mathematics in the study of the learning process. Probability theory has been the keynote in these applications, and thus there is considerable unity in the published work. The applications described here are typical of those made by W. K. Estes, C. J. Burke, and their students (2, 3, 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19), by G. A. Miller, F. C. Frick, and W. J. McGill (25, 26), by F. Restle (27, 28), and by R. R. Bush and F. Mosteller (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23). The purpose of this paper is to give the flavor of these new developments through a few examples, rather than to survey the literature. Three experiments illustrate the use of the new mathematics to provide: (1) a summary description of the course of learning in an experiment; (2) a qualitative distinction between two theoretical positions; (3) a test of the correspondence between elements in one theory and those in the physical world. We also mention a new mathematical problem, interesting in its own right, that has arisen from these applications.
Barth, Žižek & the Cold War: Defending Radical Politics against the Totalitarian Concept

This essay explores the challenge to the totalitarianism thesis as seen in the work of the Swiss Protestant theologian Karl Barth and the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek. At the heart of their critique is the self-righteous historical narrative of the democratic West toward forms of radical thought. The criticism of both Barth and Žižek is not a recommendation of historical communism but an attempt to think otherwise by utilizing elements of the Christian tradition. Both thinkers provide a model of consistently theorizing against the stream of popular social-political ideologies.
Rapid endocytosis of interleukin-15 by cerebral endothelia

Interleukin (IL)-15 receptors are present in the cerebral endothelia composing the blood-brain barrier where they show robust up-regulation by neuroinflammation. To determine how IL15 receptor subunits participate in the endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of IL15, we performed confocal microscopic imaging and radioactive tracer uptake assays in primary brain microvessel endothelial cells and related cell lines transfected with modulatory molecules. By immunostaining and co-localization studies with organelle markers, we showed that IL15 was rapidly endocytosed via lipid rafts and was directed to diverse intracellular pathways. During the course of intracellular trafficking, Alexa dye-conjugated IL15 was partially co-localized with both the specific receptor IL15Rα and the co-receptor IL2Rγ. However, deletion of one of the receptor subunits had only a minor effect in slowing IL15 uptake when primary brain microvessel endothelial cells from the receptor knockout mice were compared with those from wildtype mice. IL15 was trafficked to early, recycling, and late endosomes, to the Golgi, and to lysosomes. The diffuse distribution suggests that IL15 activates multiple endothelial signaling events.
Carbonyl iron therapy for iron deficiency anemia

To determine if elemental carbonyl iron powder is safe and effective therapy for iron deficiency anemia, 20 nonanemic and 32 anemic volunteers were studied. Single doses of 1,000 to 10,000 mg of carbonyl iron (15 to 150 times the 65 mg of iron in the usual dose of ferrous sulfate) were tolerated by nonanemic volunteers with no evidence of toxicity and only minor gastrointestinal side effects. Anemic volunteers (menstruating women who had previously donated blood) were treated with several regimens providing 1,000 to 3,000 mg of carbonyl iron daily in one to three doses for 8 to 28 days. After 12 weeks anemia was corrected in 29 of 32 patients, and serum ferritin was greater than 12 micrograms/L in 14. Hemoglobin regeneration proceeded at a rate similar to that described for therapy with oral iron salts and parenteral iron dextran. There was no evidence of hematologic, hepatic, or renal toxicity, but mild gastrointestinal side effects occurred in a majority of anemic volunteers. Carbonyl iron is an effective, inexpensive treatment for iron deficiency anemia, is accompanied by tolerable side effects and may have an advantage over therapy with iron salts by substantially reducing or eliminating the risk of iron poisoning in children.
Pedagogical Applications of the Video Game Dance Dance Revolution to Aural Skills Instruction

In the video game Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), players earn points by depressing buttons with their feet in time with instructions given on the screen by scrolling arrows. The arrows, which reveal the step components of pre-programmed dance routines, are spaced such that all rhythmic attacks are perfectly coordinated with the beats and/or rhythms of Electronic Dance Music. Many aspects of the game, including its emphasis on accurate rhythmic performance and the presence of an objective, real-time scoring mechanism, cause DDR to have significant implications for musicianship training. This article discusses how DDR may be profitably incorporated into the undergraduate aural skills classroom to help improve sight-reading, rhythm performance, and the dictation of popular music. This article includes both video recorded demonstrations of the game along with a sample curriculum for instructors interested in setting up labs for students to train with DDR. Received January 2009
Phytoplankton Patchiness In The Central Long Island Sound

As shown in the previous study (Wilson et al., 1985), patchiness in chlorophyll a is observed in the northern and southern coastal regions of Long Island Sound. This patchiness is associated with riverine fronts (northern part) or with tidal streaming (southern part) (Bowman and Esaias, 1977). On the other hand, the distribution of chlorophyll a in the central region of Long Island Sound is fairly uniform, which suggests that a critical size of patchiness in the region should be much larger than one kilometer (Fig. 1).
Transcription of DNA from the 70S RNA of Rous Sarcoma Virus II. Structure of a 4S RNA Primer

Abstract The 70S RNA of Rous sarcoma virus contains 4S RNAs which serve as primers for the initiation of DNA synthesis in vitro by the RNA-directed DNA polymerase of the virus. We purified these primers in three different ways—by isolation of the covalent complex between primer and nascent DNA, by differential melting of the 70S RNA, and by two-dimensional electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. The 4S RNAs purified by these procedures were homogeneous and possessed very similar if not identical nucleotide compositions and sequences. The RNAs were approximately 75 nucleotides long, had pG at the 5′ terminus and CpCpAOH at the 3′ terminus, and contained a number of minor nucleotides characteristic of tRNA. In contrast to most tRNA's, the primer lacked rTp and contained Gp (Ψp, Ψp, Cp) Gp (possibly in place of the characteristic sequence GprTpΨpCpGp). At least 50% of the 4S primers available on 70S RNA were utilized in a standard polymerase reaction in vitro.
Communicating Dynamic Behaviors: Are Interactive Multimedia Presentations Better than Static Mixed-Mode Presentations?

Static mixed-mode presentations consisting of verbal explanations illustrated with diagrams have long been used to communicate information. With the advent of multimedia, such presentations have become dynamic, by migrating from paper to the computer and by adding interactivity and animation. The conventional wisdom is that computer-based multimedia presentations are better than printed presentations. However, does the communicative power of mixed-mode representations stem from their careful design to match cognitive processes involved in comprehension or from their interactive and animated nature? This is an important issue that has never been investigated. This paper first presents a cognitive model of comprehension of mixed-mode representations. We describe how this model generates design guidelines for mixed-mode representations that present expository material in two domains - the concrete domain of mechanical systems and the abstract domain of computer algorithms. We then report on a series of studies that compared computer-based interactive multimedia presentations and their paper-based counterparts. Both were designed in accordance with the comprehension model and were compared against each other and against competing representational forms such as books, CD-ROMs, and animations. These studies indicate that the effectiveness of mixed-mode presentations has more to do with their match with comprehension processes than the medium of presentation. In other words, benefits of interactivity and animation are likely being overstated in the current milieu of fascination with multimedia.
Surgical management of disappearing colorectal liver metastases.

Background Owing to expanded surgical indications for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) and improved systemic therapy, hepatic surgeons are increasingly faced with the problem of disappearing (no longer visible on imaging) liver metastasis (DLM). Methods A review of relevant studies was performed. Studies that reported on DLM associated with preoperative chemotherapy for CRLM were identified, and data were synthesized and tabulated. The PubMed database was searched for relevant articles published between January 2000 and December 2012. Results A complete response on imaging does not necessarily equate with a complete clinical or pathological response. Rather, residual macroscopic disease is found in about 25–45 per cent of patients at the time of operation. Even among patients with a complete pathological response, long-term remission occurs in only 20–50 per cent of those treated with systemic therapy. A durable response of DLM is more common following the use of hepatic artery infusion therapy. Conclusion Liver resection should include all original sites of disease if possible.
Bauausführung der Hauptkuppel

Im Juni 1996 wurden von der Niederlassung Dresden der Walter Bau AG vereinigt mit Dywidag als Federfuhrender in Arbeitsgemeinschaften die Arbeiten zum archaologischen Wiederaufbau der Frauenkirche aufgenommen. Beim Mauerwerksbau aus Sandstein waren dabei in Einheit die hohen asthetischen Anforderungen der Gestaltung als auch die weit uber dem Ublichen liegenden ingenieurmasigen Vorgaben fur das Mauerwerk zu bewaltigen. Die Errichtung der zweischaligen Hauptkuppel begann unter Nutzung aller bis dahin gesammelten Erfahrungen im Juni 2002 und wurde am 23. Mai 2003 mit dem Setzen des Schlussteins vollendet.
The inverse cascade range of quasi-geostrophic turbulence

The homogeneous form of the quasi-geostrophic equations are examined from the perspective of the statistical theory of turbulence, utilizing the eddy-damped, Markovian quasinormal EDMQN approximation. After describing the historical origin of this procedure, together with some of its qualitative physics, we focus on an application to the large scales of the mesoscale. The specific problem investigated is an inverse cascade in which the energy source is at the small, thunderstorm-scale range, and the scales considered are all those larger than the forcing scale. We examine in particular the issue of the degree of anisotropy (in stretched coordinates) of the flow, the dependence of the flow on forcing and dissipation, and the applicability of the concept of negative eddy viscosity for the quasi-geostrophic equations.
Continuous concealed ventricular arrhythmias

Abstract Twenty dogs were studied 3 to 9 days after myocardial infarction. None had ventricular arrhythmias during sinus rhythm, and ventricular automaticity (as revealed by sinus nodal crush procedure or vagal stimulation, or both) was within the normal range. With regular atrial pacing or pacing with long-short cycle sequences it was possible to induce ventricular arrhythmias in all animals. Quadrigeminal and pentageminal rhythms (19 of 20 dogs) and trigeminal (17 of 20) and bigeminal ventricular rhythms (8 of 20) were observed. These rhythms which were manifest or partially or entirely concealed were always associated with delayed and fractionated electrical activity within the “infarcted” subepicardium. Continuous electrical activity (electrical activity that bridged the interval between two or more successive beats) was recorded from the infarct zone. Such activity either was manifest as ventricular arrhythmia during atrial pacing or remained concealed until atrial pacing was stopped and then was manifest as ventricular tachycardia.
Differentiation and cancer.

Cancer is discussed from a standpoint of a postembryonic differentiation. A differentiation requires the interaction of an exogenous inductive stimulus with competent precursor cell, which then evolve a new tissue with unique, stable heritable properties distinguishable from the progenitor. Evidence is cited pinpointing the normal stem cells of tissues as the competent target precursor cells in carcinogenesis. The resultant phenotype differs from its progenitor and has stable and unique characteristics. All of the characteristics associated with malignancy are expressed during some stage of development, suggesting that the normal genome contains the information necessary for malignant expression, and that the mechanism of malignancy is probably an alteration of control of genomic expression. Malignant tissue, like normal tissue, maintains itself by proliferation and differentiation of its stem cells; at least, that is what was observed in two tumors examined. In each of these tumors the differentiated progeny of the malignant stem cells proved to be benign. A third tumor was adapted to growth in vitro and under the conditions of the experiments could be modulated by altering the in vitro conditions. These data suggest that direction of the naturally occurring differentiation that occurs in tumors may be a suitable therapeutic alternative to cytotoxic chemotherapy.
Pattern learning by honey bees

Abstract Honey bees learn to recognize flowers on the basis of their odour, colour, and pattern. Previous work had suggested that a flower's pattern is remembered by virtue of several abstract parameters such as spatial frequency, rather than as pictures, but the evidence was not conclusive. New experiments strongly suggest that bees can remember patterns as low-resolution pictures; the resolution is roughly 10°. Control experiments further indicate that flower learning can also involve conditioned inhibition.
Interpolation of Spatial Displacements Using the Clifford Algebra of E4

In this paper we show that the Clifford Algebra of four dimensional Euclidean space yields a set of hypercomplex numbers called double quaternions. Interpolation formulas developed to generate Bezier-style quaternion curves are shown to be applicable to double quaternions by simply interpolating the components separately. The resulting double quaternion curves are independent of the coordinate frame in which the key frames are specified. Double quaternions represent rotations in E 4 which we use to approximate spatial displacements, The result is a spatial motion interpolation methodology that is coordinate frame invariant to a desired degree of accuracy within a bounded region of three dimensional space. Examples demonstrate the application of this theory to computing distances between spatial displacements, determining the mid-point between two displacements, and generating the spatial motion interpolating a set of key frames.
Catalytic partial oxidation of ethanol over noble metal catalysts

The catalytic partial oxidation of ethanol and ethanol-water was investigated over noble metal and metal plus ceria-coated alumina foams at catalyst contact times 80% selectivity and >95% conversion with Rh–Ce catalysts. Rh, Pt, Pd, and Rh–Ru produced less H2, with Pt and Pd producing <50% H2. Pt, Pd, and Rh also produced more CH4 and C2H4 than Rh–Ce. There was a smaller dependence on flow rate for Rh–Ce catalysts than other catalysts. Variation of a factor of 2 produced small changes in H2, and lower flow rates produced less CH4 and C2H4. Autothermal operation was achieved at as low as 10 mol% ethanol in water. Adding water to the Rh–Ce catalyzed reactor increased H2 selectivity and reduced selectivity to CO to <50% due to increased water–gas shift and steam reforming activity. With added water, the selectivity to H2 exceeds 100%, because both ethanol and water contribute H2. Also, the total selectivity of all unwanted products, mostly CH4, is <3% at the H2 production maximum with water addition.
MOISTURE CONTENT AND FLAVOR STABILITY OF BATCH VACUUM FOAM-DRIED WHOLE MILK.

Abstract Fifteen lots of vacuum foam-dried whole milk, ranging in moisture from 1.1-5.1%, were nitrogen-packed in cans containing 0.3-1.1% oxygen in the headspace gas and stored at 73F. Samples were taken from storage at intervals and analyzed for flavor, moisture, TBA number, and headspace oxygen over a period of 26 wk. The time in storage before the first significant change in flavor could be detected was found to increase five- to sixfold when the moisture content of the dry milk was above about 2.8%. A statistical monomolecular layer of water (BET monolayer) occurred at a moisture content of 3.95%. In-package desiccation resulted in reduced flavor stability.
Microbial biosynthesis of designer outer membrane vesicles

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nanoscale proteoliposomes that are ubiquitously secreted by Gram-negative bacteria. Interest in these bioparticles has escalated over the years, leading to discoveries regarding their composition, production, and vaccine potential. Given that many steps in vesicle biogenesis are ‘engineerable,’ it is now possible to tailor OMVs for specific applications. Such tailoring involves modifying the OMV-producing bacterium through protein, pathway, or genome engineering in a manner that specifically alters the final OMV product. For example, targeted deletion or upregulation of genes associated with the cell envelope can modulate vesicle production or remodel the composition of vesicle components such as lipopolysaccharide. Likewise, bacteria can be reprogrammed to incorporate heterologously expressed proteins into either the membrane or lumenal compartment of OMVs. We anticipate that further research in the field of OMV engineering will enable continued design and biosynthesis of specialized vesicles for numerous biotechnological purposes ranging from the delivery of vaccines to the deconstruction of cellulosic substrates.
A fused mitochondrial gene associated with cytoplasmic male sterility is developmentally regulated.

Abstract Sequencing of an open reading frame associated with cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in Petunia has revealed a gene fusion (the Pcf gene) containing the 5′-flanking and amino-terminal transmembrane segment of the ATP synthase proteolipid gene ( atp9 ), parts of the cytochrome oxidase subunit II ( coxll ) coding region, and the carboxyl terminus and 3′-flanking region of an unidentified reading frame ( urfS ). The coxll region has several small deletions and tandem repeats that remove all of the segments coding for the residues involved in copper binding, but may possibly maintain the cytochrome c binding site. Normal atp9 and coxll genes and their transcripts are also present in the sterile cytoplasm. S1 nuclease protection studies identify fused gene transcripts only in CMS lines, with an increase in transcript amount in anthers relative to leaves.
The effect of edge-preserving image smoothing on automatic colonic polyp detection for CT colonography

Low radiation dose requirements create relatively noisy images that contribute to high numbers of false positive detections in CAD for CT colonography. Presumably image denoising techniques such as non-linear, edge-preserving smoothing filters can improve automatic colonic polyp detection in CT colonography by reducing overall per patient false positive rates. Here, we have evaluated multiple edge-preserving smoothing filters to determine whether this is so. Prone and supine scans from 81 asymptomatic, average-risk adults with adenomatous polyps were studied with and without smoothing. FROC curves were generated to analyze CAD results. A single, clinically relevant operating point was compared between the best smoothing filter results and the unsmoothed data. Improvement in performance was observed, but the differences were not found to be statistically significant for average dose CT colonography.
Evaluation of the rodlike cu6sn5 phase in directionally solidified tin — 0.9 wt.% copper eutectic alloys

Abstract Sn — 0.9 wt.% Cu alloys were directionally solidified under controlled conditions after which diameters of the aligned and rodlike Cu 6 Sn 5 eutectic phase were measured as a function of the imposed growth velocity. A rod diameter ( d ) and growth velocity ( V ) relation of d 2 V = constant was found, which is analogous to that established for eutectic phase spacings. A discussion is presented for using the fiber diameter, in lieu of or in addition to the interrod spacing, to evaluate the relation between solidification processing parameters and the observed microstructure.
Mining Propositional Simplification Proofs for Small Validating Clauses

The problem of obtaining small conflict clauses in SMT systems has received a great deal of attention recently. We report work in progress to find small subsets of the current partial assignment that imply the goal formula when it has been propositionally simplified to a boolean value. The approach used is algebraic proof mining. Proofs from a propositional reasoner that the goal is equivalent to a boolean value (in the current assignment) are viewed as first-order terms. An equational theory between proofs is then defined, which is sound with respect to the quasi-order ''proves a more general set theorems.'' The theory is completed to obtain a convergent rewrite system that puts proofs into a canonical form. While our canonical form does not use the smallest subset of the current assignment, it does drop many unnecessary parts of the proof. The paper concludes with discussion of the complexity of the problem and effectiveness of the approach.
A model for the creation of online courseware

This paper describes a project underway at the University of Mississippi to create a Virtual Campus using the Internet and VRML to present laboratories. The initial laboratories were written by a community college biology instructor and translated into CGI scripts by a group of computer science students at the University.The purpose of the project is to utilize the wealth of NASA Earth Observation data in Mississippi Community College Classrooms to improve the quality of science education students receive while also increasing their interest in science. The model for lesson creation allows the teacher to create lesson descriptions that are then translated into scripts to run inside the VRML campus.
The synthesis and thermal curing parameters of a novel quinoxaline monomer with terminal ethynyl thermoset and phenylethynyl intramolecular cycloaddition postcure capability

The Synthesis of 3,3′-bis(4-[3-ethynylphenoxy]phenyl)-7,7′-bis(phenylethynyl)-2,2′-diphenyl-6,6′-biquinoxaline (I) was accomplished by the reaction of 2,2′-bis(phenylethynyl)-5,5′-diaminobenzidine (II) and 4-(3-ethynylphenoxy)benzil. Thermal analysis of I indicated a softening temperature of 107°C, followed by an exotherm above 150°C that corresponded to a independent crosslinking reaction of the terminal acetylene groups and an intramolecular cycloaddition (IMC) reaction of the 2,2′-bis(phenylethynyl)biphenyl moieties. In the synthetic work substantial improvements were made in the synthesis of II. The sample of I was cured at 200°C and the maximum partially cured transition temperature attained was 280°C. A sample of 3,3′-bis(4,[3-ethynylphenoxy]phenyl)-2,2′-diphenyl-6,6′-biquinoxaline (IV) was similarly tested as a model without IMC capability and its corresponding value was 250°C. The difference between these two values is discussed briefly.
Alzheimer's Disease: Assessment of Functional Status

The initial assessments of cognitive, psychologic, and behavioral functioning of 17 adults enrolled in a day care program for victims of Alzheimer's disease are described. These evaluations by the staff, the patients themselves, and their primary caregivers made use of standardized quantitative measures, thus permitting correlational analysis of the data. Little information is available on the relationships between these areas of function in Alzheimer's disease. Such data are useful in determining realistic expectations of patient function by family and staff. They also provide a data base for the longitudinal study of the effects of the disease on these functional areas. Testing established a strong statistically significant association between cognitive and behavioral functions, and between morale and behavioral function. However, only modest correlations between cognitive and psychologic functions were evidenced.
Ovine skin-recirculating γδ T cells express IFN-γ and IL-17 and exit tissue independently of CCR7.

γδ T cells continuously survey extralymphoid tissues, providing key effector functions during infection and inflammation. Despite their importance, the function and the molecules that drive migration of skin-recirculating γδ T cells are poorly described. Here we found that γδ T cells traveling in the skin-draining afferent lymph of sheep are effectors that produce IFN-γ or IL-17 and express high levels of the skin- and inflammation-seeking molecule E-selectin ligand. Consistent with a role for chemokine receptor CCR7 in mediating T cell exit from extralymphoid tissues, conventional CD4 and CD8 T cells in skin-draining lymph were enriched in their expression of CCR7 compared to their skin-residing counterparts. In contrast, co-isolated γδ T cells in skin or lymph lacked expression of CCR7, indicating that they use alternative receptors for egress. Skin-draining γδ T cells were unresponsive to many cutaneous and inflammatory chemokines, including ligands for CCR2, CCR4, CCR5, CCR8, CCR10, and CXCR3, but showed selective chemotaxis toward the cutaneously expressed CCR6 ligand CCL20. Moreover, IL-17+ γδ T cells were the most CCL20-responsive subset of γδ T cells. The data suggest that γδ T cells survey the skin and sites of inflammation and infection, entering via CCR6 and E-selectin ligand and leaving independent of the CCR7-CCL21 axis.
Purification and properties of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase from turkey liver

Abstract Fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) has been purified 360-fold from turkey liver. The purified enzyme appears to be homogeneous by disc gel electrophoresis and has a pH profile indistinguishable from that of the enzyme in crude extracts. Mn 2+ is significantly more effective than Mg 2+ as the essential metal cofactor of this enzyme. The maximal effect of histidine is equivalent to that of EDTA except that EDTA is more efficient at lower concentrations. The histidine effect is decreased with an increase in pH or if substrate is first bound to the enzyme. The enzyme activity is activated equally by d - and l -forms of histidine. Enzyme affinity for the substrate decreases with an increase in pH. The inhibition by high substrate concentrations observed at pH 7.5 is markedly reduced in the absence of chelating activator or when Mg 2 is replaced by Mn 2+ as the metal cofactor. Turkeys liver fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase resembles the enzyme from mammalian sources in that the sensitivity to AMP inhibition is decreased with the increase in pH, temperature, and Mg 2 concentration.
Synthesis, X-ray Structure, and Self-Assembly of Functionalized Bis(2,2‘:6‘,2‘ ‘-terpyridinyl)arenes

meta-Bis(terpyridinyl)phenol has been synthesized from O-benzyl-3,5-di(formyl)phenol in three steps. Its alkylation afforded a series of bisterpyridinylarenes, which can be self-assembled to afford the corresponding hexametallomacrocycles possessing Fe(II), Zn(II), or Ru(II) connectivity.
Fast flexible electronics using transferrable silicon nanomembranes

A systematic review, covering the aspects of material preparation, device fabrication and process integration, is provided for flexible electronics operating in high-frequency domain based on transferrable monocrystalline silicon (Si) nanomembranes (NM). Previously demonstrated methods of releasing Si NM from silicon-on-insulator source substrates and transferring it to flexible substrates are briefly described. Due to the processing temperature limitation of most flexible substrates, a pre-release NM selective doping scheme is used for Si NMs. With proper selections of ion implantation energy and dose, fully doped Si NMs across their entire thickness with very low sheet resistivity can be obtained, allowing flip transfer of the NMs for backside and even double side processing. A general conclusion of preferred low implantation energy for shallower depth ion implantation is identified. The evolvement of radio frequency (RF) flexible Si thin-film transistor (TFT) structures is described in detail. The continuous performance enhancement of TFTs owing to process and TFT structure innovations is analysed. Demonstrations of flexible Si RF switches and RF inductors and capacitors are also briefly reviewed as valuable components of the general flexible device family, some of which also benefit from the pre-release NM doping technique. With the proved feasibility of these basic RF elements and related processing techniques, more complicated flexible RF circuits can be expected. Future research directions are also discussed, including further enhancement of device performance, building more types of semiconductor devices on flexible substrates, and process integration for flexible circuits and systems.
Treatment Outcomes in Undocumented Hispanic Immigrants with HIV Infection

Objective Little is known about the treatment outcomes of undocumented Hispanic immigrants with HIV infection. We sought to compare the treatment outcomes of undocumented and documented patients 12-months after entering HIV care. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of antiretroviral-naive patients 18 years and older attending their first visit at Thomas Street Health Center in Houston, Texas, between 1/1/2003 and 6/30/2008. The study population of 1,620 HIV-infected adults included 186 undocumented Hispanic, 278 documented Hispanic, 986 Black, and 170 White patients. The main outcome measures were retention in care (quarter years with at least one completed HIV primary care provider visit) and HIV suppression (HIV RNA <400 copies/mL), both measured 12-months after entering HIV care. Results Undocumented Hispanic patients had lower median initial CD4 cell count (132 cells/mm3) than documented Hispanic patients (166 cells/mm3; P = 0.186), Black patients (226 cells/mm3; P<0.001), and White patients (264 cells/mm3; P = 0.001). However, once in care, undocumented Hispanic patients did as well or better than their documented counterparts. One year after entering HIV care, undocumented Hispanics achieved similar rates of retention in care and HIV suppression as documented Hispanic and White patients. Of note, black patients were significantly less likely to have optimal retention in care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.65, CI = 0.45–0.94) or achieve HIV suppression (aOR 0.32, CI = 0.17–0.61) than undocumented Hispanics. Conclusions Undocumented Hispanic persons with HIV infection enter care with more advanced disease than documented persons, suggesting testing and/or linkage to care efforts for this difficult-to-reach population need intensification. Once diagnosed, however, undocumented Hispanics have outcomes as good as or better than other racial/ethnic groups. Safety net providers for undocumented immigrants are vital for maintaining individual and public health.
Circanian rhythms—II. Endogenous and exogenous factors controlling reproduction and hibernation in chipmunks (Eutamias) and ground squirrels (Spermophilus)

Abstract 1. 1. Circadian rhythms are demonstrated in field-caught populations of two species of ground squirrels (Spermophilus) and four species of chipmunks (Eutamias), and also in laboratory born Spermophilus. 2. 2. Influences of environmental stimuli on phase and period lengths of the circanian rhythms were investigated. Flexibility in phasing enables adjustment to environmental variations between years while constant period length ensures breeding at the optimal time. 3. 3. Attainment of breeding condition involves a commitment point from which another circanian period is measured. In nature factors influencing the exact date of the commitment point synchronize the rhythms. 4. 4. The characteristics of the circanian rhythm of each species are related to size of animal, predictability and availability of food, and predictability and rigor of winter environment.
The Economist and the Seafood Producer

EAFOOD PRODUCTION ECONOMICS is a relatively new research and extension area for agricultural and resource economists. Currently, there are 13 Sea Grant supported seafood production economics research projects at the University of Maine, University of Rhode Island, University of Maryland, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, North Carolina State University, Clemson University, University of Florida, Texas A&M University, University of California, and Oregon State University. The National Marine Fisheries Service also supports seafood production economics research projects at their own Economic Research Division, their regional offices, and at several universities. Seafood production economics extension work is currently being supported by Sea Grant funds in Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Oregon, and Washington. Several states are also reallocating some Land Grant funds for extension work in seafood production economics.
Expression of 70-kDa Heat-Shock Protein during Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease

Acute lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was induced in unirradiated (LEW x DA)F1 rats by injection of DA parental lymphoid cells. Control rats received the same dose of (LEW x DA)F1 cells. The level of hsp70 at different stages of GVHD was examined in the spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, liver, lung, kidney, heart, and skeletal muscles of GVHD and control animals. Hsp70 was present in all organs analyzed in both groups and, with the exception of the spleen and lymph nodes, detectable levels remained constant during the disease. However, the spleen and lymph nodes of GVHD rats showed distinct changes in the hsp70 levels throughout the course of the disease. Expression of hsp70 in spleen and lymph nodes was augmented 7 and 14 days after induction of the disease. During the last stages of GVHD, 18-21 days after the induction, expression of hsp70 diminished to a level similar to that in untreated and control animals. Elevated levels of hsp70 in lymphoid organs during GVHD suggest an involvement of hsp70 in the pathology of the disease.