cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T2 Magnetic Resonance Assay: Overview of Available Data and Clinical Implications.

Invasive candidiasis is a common healthcare-associated infection with a high mortality rate that can exceed 60% in cases of septic shock. Blood culture performance is far from ideal, due to the long time to positivity and suppression by antifungal agents. The T2 Magnetic Resonance (T2MR) assay is an FDA-approved qualitative molecular diagnostic method that can detect and speciate the 5 most common Candida spp.; namely, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei, in approximately 5 h. In a multicenter clinical trial that included both a prospective and a contrived arm to represent the full range of clinically relevant concentrations of Candida spp., T2MR demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 91.1% and 98.1%, respectively. The utility of T2MR in candidemia depends on the prevalence of disease in each clinical setting. In intensive care units and other high-prevalence settings, the incorporation of T2MR in diagnostic algorithms is very appealing. T2MR is expected to allow timely initiation of antifungal therapy and help with anti-fungal stewardship. In low-prevalence settings, the positive predictive value of T2MR might not be enough to justify initiation of antifungal treatment in itself. The performance of T2MR has not been studied in cases of deep-seated candidiasis. Despite some promising evidence in published clinical trials, further studies are needed to determine the performance of T2MR in invasive candidiasis without candidemia. Overall, experience with T2MR in everyday clinical practice is evolving but, in the right setting, this technology is expected to provide “actionable information” for the management of patients evaluated for candidemia.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms in a regulatory site of VRN-A1 first intron are associated with differences in vernalization requirement in winter wheat.

Winter wheats require a long exposure to cold temperatures (vernalization) to accelerate flowering. However, varieties differ in the length of the period of cold required to saturate the vernalization response. Here we show that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) at the binding site of the GRP2 protein in the VRN-A1 first intron (henceforth, RIP3) are associated with significant differences in heading time after a partial vernalization treatment. The ancestral winter VRN-A1 allele in 'Triple Dirk C' has one SNP in the RIP3 region (1_SNP) relative to the canonical RIP3 sequence, whereas the derived 'Jagger' allele has three SNPs (3_SNPs). Both varieties have a single VRN-A1 copy encoding identical proteins. In an F2 population generated from a cross between these two varieties, plants with the 3_SNPs haplotype headed significantly earlier (P < 0.001) than those with the 1_SNP haplotype, both in the absence of vernalization (17 days difference) and after 3-weeks of vernalization (11 days difference). Plants with the 3_SNPs haplotype showed higher VRN-A1 transcript levels than those with the 1_SNP haplotype. The 3_SNPs haplotype was also associated with early heading in a panel of 127 winter wheat varieties grown in three separate controlled-environment experiments under partial vernalization (36 to 54 days, P < 0.001) and one experiment under field conditions (21 d, P < 0.0001). The RIP3 polymorphisms can be used by wheat breeders to develop winter wheat varieties adapted to regions with different duration or intensity of the cold season.
Cultural Capital at Work: How Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills Are Taught, Trained, and Rewarded in a Chinese Technical College.

Purpose: Community and technical college student employability is a pressing concern in the United States and China. Policy makers focus on developing students’ human capital in the form of credentials and cognitive skills. However, the focus on completion overlooks the role that noncognitive skills and contextual factors may play in student employability. Method: In this exploratory study, conducted among educators and employers in the manufacturing and biotechnology fields in a large eastern Chinese city, we use a cultural capital framework to address the following questions: (a) What forms of cultural capital are valued by educators and employers? (b) How are these forms of capital being cultivated in the classroom? (c) How do considerations of cultural capital influence hiring and workplace training? and (d) What contextual factors influence these phenomena? Inductive thematic analyses of interviews, classroom observation, and notes from factory tours with eight educators and two employers were comple...
Consequences of human IAPP expression in transgenic mice

Amyloid deposits occur in pancreatic islets in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and insulinomas.1–3 Islet amyloid may contribute to the progressive worsening of B-cell function that is observed in NIDDM,4 since its presence is associated with decreased B-cell function in monkeys5 and amyloid was recently demonstrated to cause death of pancreatic islet cells in vitro.6 While it is known that the major constituent of islet amyloid is a 37 amino acid peptide termedislet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP or amylin7,8), it is not known why IAPP forms amyloid in NIDDM. The inherent amyloidogenicity of the peptide is thought to reside in the midsection of the molecule (amino acids 20–29), which is predicted to form beta-pleated sheets and does so in vitro.9 Several species, including primates and cats, produce amyloidogenic forms of IAPP and are prone to islet amyloid development in NIDDM-like syndromes. In species in which non-amyloidogenic IAPP is produced, such as rats and mice, islet amyloid deposits are not observed. However, it appears that production of amyloidogenic IAPP is in itself insufficient for islet amyloid formation to occur, since dog IAPP contains the necessary amyloidogenic sequence, yet amyloid deposits have not been observed in hyperglycemic dogs.10 This finding suggests that some fundamental alteration in B-cell function, perhaps one common to NIDDM and insulinomas,11 must be present for IAPP to deposit as islet amyloid. Alternatively, it has been suggested that overproduction of amyloidogenic IAPP may lead to islet amyloid formation.12
Depth Map Denoising via CDT-Based Joint Bilateral Filter

Bi-modal image processing can be defined as a series of steps taken to enhance a target image with a guidance image. This is done by using exploitable information derived from acquiring two images of the same scene with different image modalities. However, while the potential benefit of bi-modal image processing may be significant, there is an inherent risk; if noise or defects in the guidance image are allowed to transfer to the target image, the target image could become corrupted rather than improved. In this chapter, we present a new method to enhance a noisy depth map from its color information via the joint bilateral filter (JBF) based on common distance transform (CDT). This method is composed of two main steps: CDT map generation and CDT-based JBF. In the first step, a CDT map is generated that represents the degree of pixel-modal similarity between a depth pixel and its corresponding color pixel. Then, based on the CDT map, JBF is carried out in order to enhance depth information with the aid of color information. Experimental results show that CDT-based JBF outperforms other conventional methods objectively and subjectively in terms of noise reduction, as well as inherent visual artifacts suppression.
International Law and the Ramifications of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

This Note examines the international implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). First, it identifies the relevant provisions of SOX and its impact on securities regulation generally. Second, it discusses how SOX impacts foreign companies that list securities on U.S. exchanges. Third, it analyzes how SOX is different from other U.S. securities regulations and discusses the consequences of its extraterritorial application.
Electron emission from carbon velvet due to incident xenon ions

We present measurements of the ion-induced electron emission from carbon velvet. The results from carbon velvet with high aspect ratio vertical fibers (6.8 μm diameter and 2.6 mm length) show a more than 60% reduction in ion-induced electron emission for normal incident xenon ions over the entire ion incident energy investigated (i.e., 500–2000 eV) when compared to graphite. This is important for plasma-facing surfaces that are exposed to large fluxes of energetic ions, such as beam dumps and chamber walls used to control facility effects in plasma-thruster ground tests.
Permanent magnet motor temperature compensated constant torque control

Abstract Temperature variation changes the flux remanence in the permanent magnets, the residual flux density of ferrite and neodymium magnet will decrease 19% and 12% with a temperature change of 100 degree. For electric motors with permanent magnet establishing the flux, the torque output of the motor will decrease with temperature rise if only the current is held constant. The permanent magnet synchronous motor are the most popular ones used in the electric vehicles for their efficiency, the usual way these motors are controlled is that the current is controlled according to the reference command, since torque is directly proportional to the current. The drawback is that if the temperature variation is nonnegligible, the torque output of the motor will vary noticeably with different temperatures. This article first analyzes the effect of temperature change on the motor; a control method is then introduced to compensate this effect.
Path Planning in Dynamic Environments Using Time-Warped Grids and a Parallel Implementation.

This paper proposes a solution to the problem of smooth path planning for mobile robots in dynamic and unknown environments. A novel concept of Time-Warped Grid is introduced to predict the pose of obstacles in the environment and avoid collisions. The algorithm is implemented using C/C++ and the CUDA programming environment, and combines stochastic estimation (Kalman filter), harmonic potential fields and a rubber band model, and it translates naturally into the parallel paradigm of GPU programming. In simple terms, time-warped grids are progressively wider orbits around the mobile robot. Those orbits represent the variable time intervals estimated by the robot to reach detected obstacles. The proposed method was tested using several simulation scenarios for the Pioneer P3-DX robot, which demonstrated the robustness of the algorithm by finding the optimum path in terms of smoothness, distance, and collision-free, in both static or dynamic environments, and with large number of obstacles.
Compounding effect of vitamin D3 diet, supplementation, and alcohol exposure on macrophage response to mycobacterium infection

Vitamin D3 is known to be a key component in the defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection through the regulation of cytokine and effector molecules. Conversely, alcohol exposure has been recognized as an immune dysregulator. Macrophages were extracted from D3 deficient and sufficient diet mice and supplemented with D3 or exposed to ethanol during ex vivo infection using M. bovis BCG, as a surrogate for Mtb. Results of our study indicate that while exogenous supplementation or alcohol exposure did alter immune response, in vivo diet was the greatest determinant of cytokine and effector molecule production. Alcohol exposure was found to profoundly dysregulate primary murine macrophages, with ethanol-exposed cells generally characterized as hyper- or hyporesponsive. Exogenous D3 supplementation had a normative effect for diet deficient host, however supplementation was not sufficient to compensate for the effects of diet deficiency. Vitamin D3 sufficient diet resulted in reduced cell cytotoxicity for the majority of time points. Results provide insight into the ramifications of both the individual and combined health risks of D3 deficiency or alcohol exposure. Given the clinical relevance of D3 deficiency and alcohol use comorbidities, outcomes of this study have implications in therapeutic approaches for the treatment of tuberculosis disease.
Subjective Hearing Difficulty and Fall Risk

Purpose Hearing loss is a risk factor for falls. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between subjective hearing difficulty and risk of falls. Method Community-dwelling older adults, aged 60 years and older, completed a case history; three questionnaires, including the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC); and one functional balance measure, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Pearson and Spearman correlations were calculated, and average scores were plotted according to group and HHIE score category for DHI, ABC, TUG, the number of medications, and the number of recent falls. Results Seventy-four participants were included in this analysis: 28 nonaudiology patients, 18 audiology patients with hearing aids, and 28 audiology patients without hearing aids. Significant positive correlations were noted between HHIE and DHI scores for audiology patients without hearing aids and between HHIE score and number of recent falls for audiology patients with hearing aids. When average scores were plotted for DHI, ABC, TUG, the number of medications, and the number of recent falls according to group and category, there were clear trends toward increased fall risk as HHIE score categories increased (i.e., mild to moderate to severe) based on previously used criteria. Conclusions Overall, a trend was noticed such that, for increasing HHIE score categories, fall risk increased. Significant correlations existed between HHIE score and some of the measures used to indicate fall risk (i.e., DHI score, number of recent falls). Future fall risk research should investigate subjective hearing difficulty as a risk factor, as well as pure-tone audiometric thresholds.
Exploring antiulcer and anti-inflammatory activities of methanolic leaves extract of an Indian mistletoe Helicantes elasticus (Desv.) Danser

Abstract The potential of methanolic leaves extract of H. elasticus in the mitigation of ulcer and inflammation was evaluated in this work. Ethanol and pylorus ligation induced rats were used for the screening of ulcer, whereas the anti-inflammatory activity against acute and chronic phases of inflammation was screened using carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma in rats. The H. elasticus (200 and 400 mg/kg p.o.) was administered to the ethanol and pylorus ligation induced rats. Gastric volume, pH, free acidity and total acidity were estimated in pylorus ligation induced ulcers of rats. Treatment with H. elasticus showed a reduction in ulcer index against ethanol and pylorus ligation induced ulcerations. The antiulcer activity may be due to the antisecretory and cytoprotective effects of the extract. Moreover, it also showed a highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) reduction in carrageenan and cotton pellet induced inflammations. This investigation suggests that H. elasticus leaves possess anti-inflammatory activity and promotes ulcer protection.
Subject 01: exemplary Indigenous masculinity in Cold War genetics.

In 1962 a team of scientists conducted their first joint fieldwork in a Xavante village in Central Brazil. Recycling long-standing notions that living Indigenous people represented human prehistory, the scientists saw Indigenous people as useful subjects of study not only due to their closeness to nature, but also due to their sociocultural and political realities. The geneticists’ vision crystalized around one subject – the famous chief Apowẽ. Through Apowẽ, the geneticists fixated on what they perceived as the political prowess, impressive physique, and masculine reproductive aptitude of Xavante men. These constructions of charismatic masculinity came at the expense of recognizing how profoundly colonial expansion into Mato Grosso had destabilized Xavante communities, stripping them of their land and introducing epidemic disease. The geneticists’ theorizing prefigured debates to come in sociobiology, and set up an enduring research programme that Apowẽ continues to animate even four decades after his death.
Student pharmacists’ role in enhancing ambulatory care pharmacy practice

With a primary care physician shortage, utilization of pharmacists in the ambulatory care setting has proven to have positive economic and clinical outcomes for the practice and for patients. To extend the reach of the pharmacists, students may assist with patient care activities, such as medication reconciliation, point-of-care testing, and counseling. Evidence has shown that students benefit in building confidence, as well as improved perceptions of interprofessional care, while positive patient outcomes are maintained. There are many methods for schools to integrate these experiences early into their curriculum, as well as for students to explore opportunities on their own.
Worked out examples in computer science tutoring

We annotated and analyzed Worked Out Examples (WOEs) in a corpus of tutoring dialogues on Computer Science data structures. We found that some dialogue moves that occur within WOEs, or sequences thereof, correlate with learning. Features of WOEs such as length also correlate with learning for some data structures. These results will be used to augment the tutorial tactics available to iList, an ITS that helps student learn linked lists.
Non-isothermal volume change behavior of saturated sand subjected to minimal vertical effective stress

To date, the majority of the available studies on the volume change behavior of soils under non- isothermal conditions have focused on fine-grained soils. Only a limited number of investigations have been made available about coarse-grained soils despite their abundance in practice, with contradictory features. To enrich the current knowledge about the volume change behavior of coarse-grained soils under non-isothermal conditions, this investigation presents the results of oedometric tests with temperature control performed on saturated sand. The influence of relative density on the volume change behavior of the tested material under non-isothermal conditions is investigated under a minimal level of applied vertical effective stress. The results show an expansive volume change upon heating and contractive volume change upon cooling for all relative densities. The magnitude of the contraction is more significant than that of the expansion, leading to a residual contractive volume change after one cycle of heating and cooling. The results of this study enrich the current literature about the volume change behavior of coarse-grained soils under non-isothermal conditions. Such competence may be considered for applications at the interface of geomechanics and energy wherein temperature variations occur and characterize the response of coarse-grained soils.
Attention Control: A Cornerstone of Higher-Order Cognition:

For years, psychologists have wondered why people who are highly skilled in one cognitive domain tend to be skilled in other cognitive domains, too. In this article, we explain how attention contro...
Nutrition and Protozoan Pathogens of Humans: A Primer

Protozoa are eukaryotic microbes that are responsible for several important human diseases. Some protozoa infect the gastrointestinal tract via ingestion and cause diarrheal disease. Most notable among the intestinal protozoa are Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium. These pathogens can contribute to undernutrition by decreasing the absorption of nutrients and are particularly problematic in undernourished children from resource-poor areas. Another common mode of transmission of pathogenic protozoa is via arthropod vectors. Among the vector-transmitted protozoa, the malaria parasite is the most important. Malaria and other blood-borne protozoan diseases are associated with hypoglycemia and acidosis associated with the anaerobic metabolism of the parasite. Other important protozoan diseases include trichomoniasis, African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and toxoplasmosis. In general, our knowledge about protozoan infections and nutrition is rather limited. Most studies show that the decreased immunity associated with undernutrition exacerbates disease pathogenesis.
The Emergence of Online Visual Product Reviews: Conceptualizing Needs and Approaches to Analyzing User Generated Photography

Although consumer photography appears as an emerging and essential feature of online reviews, few empirical studies have been introduced. Thus, the purpose of this conceptual study is not only to highlight how visuals can shift the focus and enhance communication among consumers, but to also challenge researchers to find appropriate methodological approaches in analyzing user generated photography of online reviews. In assessing future directions for analyzing user generated photography in online consumer reviews, we offer a few perspectives that may highlight current needs.Although the era of visual product reviews have just begun, their importance is already paramount, and thus a critical dialogue is needed. This conceptual study offers some perspective and urges researchers to turn a critical eye to the emergence of visual product reviews by searching for representative approaches in exploring and analyzing visual data in today’s online consumer environment.
A Unique Case of Orbital Cellulitis and Subperiosteal Orbital Abscess Secondary to Neonatal Tooth Infection in an Infant

Introduction: Primary tooth eruption occurs at approximately six months of age. Neonatal teeth, defined as teeth that erupt within 30 days after birth, are uncommon, estimated to occur in 1:1,000 to 1:30,000 live births. Orbital infections in neonates are exceedingly rare. The small number of cases reported in the literature attribute ethmoid sinusitis as the underlying etiology of most neonatal orbital infections. This report describes orbital cellulitis and subperiosteal orbital abscess resulting from an infected neonatal tooth. Case Description: A 25-day-old, former full term, male presented with one day of fever and right eye swelling. Exam …
18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET imaging compared to conventional imaging in the detection of pelvic nodal metastases in patients with locally advanced or oligometastatic prostate cancer.

36Background: Interest has arisen in the use of prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT imaging to detect prostate cancer at metastatic sites using different tracers. Here, we examined the...
Production and Surface Modification of Cellulose Bioproducts.

Petroleum-based synthetic plastics play an important role in our life. As the detrimental health and environmental effects of synthetic plastics continue to increase, the renewable, degradable and recyclable properties of cellulose make subsequent products the “preferred environmentally friendly” alternatives, with a small carbon footprint. Despite the fact that the bioplastic industry is growing rapidly with many innovative discoveries, cellulose-based bioproducts in their natural state face challenges in replacing synthetic plastics. These challenges include scalability issues, high cost of production, and most importantly, limited functionality of cellulosic materials. However, in order for cellulosic materials to be able to compete with synthetic plastics, they must possess properties adequate for the end use and meet performance expectations. In this regard, surface modification of pre-made cellulosic materials preserves the chemical profile of cellulose, its mechanical properties, and biodegradability, while diversifying its possible applications. The review covers numerous techniques for surface functionalization of materials prepared from cellulose such as plasma treatment, surface grafting (including RDRP methods), and chemical vapor and atomic layer deposition techniques. The review also highlights purposeful development of new cellulosic architectures and their utilization, with a specific focus on cellulosic hydrogels, aerogels, beads, membranes, and nanomaterials. The judicious choice of material architecture combined with a specific surface functionalization method will allow us to take full advantage of the polymer’s biocompatibility and biodegradability and improve existing and target novel applications of cellulose, such as proteins and antibodies immobilization, enantiomers separation, and composites preparation.
RNA Editing in Physarum Mitochondria

In vitro approaches have facilitated mechanistic studies designed to look at the timing, accuracy and efficiency of insertional editing of newly synthesized RNAs. Because different assays are required for these distinct RNA populations, the two approaches are discussed separately. Importantly, upon incubation under editing conditions, nucleotide insertion into previously synthesized, unedited RNA was not observed, even though newly transcribed RNA made during the ‘’chase’’ reaction was fully edited . The lack of unedited regions in RNAs labeled in isolated mitochondria under standard, non-limiting nucleotide concentrations and the proximity of RNA editing to the site of transcription, coupled with the inability of the editing activity to insert nucleotides into previously synthesized RNAs, argue that there is a limited ‘’window of opportunity’’ for editing in Physarum mitochondria. Given the proximity of nucleotide insertion to the active site of transcription, it is likely that the Physarum mitochondrial RNA polymerase plays some role, direct or indirect, in the editing process. Nonencoded nucleotides are known to be added very close to the growing end of the RNA chain in Physarum mitochondria , and it is possible that they are added concurrently with RNA synthesis. Although transcription normally is templated, many RNA polymerases are capable of adding nucleotides in a nontemplated or pseudotemplated manner. Much of the mitochondrial genome of Physarum has yet to be sequenced, and it is possible that additional types of editing events may yet be discovered upon characterization of the remaining genes and their RNA products.
Influence of equatorial diatom processes on Si deposition and atmospheric CO2 cycles at glacial/interglacial timescales

[1] The causes of the glacial cycle remain unknown, although the primary driver is changes in atmospheric CO2, likely controlled by the biological pump and biogeochemical cycles. The two most important regions of the ocean for exchange of CO2 with the atmosphere are the equatorial Pacific and the Southern Ocean (SO), the former a net source and the latter a net sink under present conditions. The equatorial Pacific has been shown to be a Si(OH)4-limited ecosystem, a consequence of the low source Si(OH)4 concentrations in upwelled water that has its origin in the SO. This teleconnection for nutrients between the two regions suggests an oscillatory relationship that may influence or control glacial cycles. Opal mass accumulation rate (MAR) data and δ15N measurements in equatorial cores are interpreted with predictions from a one-dimensional Si(OH)4-limited ecosystem model (CoSINE) for the equatorial Pacific. The results suggest that equatorial Pacific surface CO2 processes are in opposite phase to that of the global atmosphere, providing a negative feedback to the glacial cycle. This negative feedback is implemented through the effect of the SO on the equatorial Si(OH)4 supply. An alternative hypothesis, that the whole ocean becomes Si(OH)4 poor during cooling periods, is suggested by low opal MAR in cores from both equatorial and Antarctic regions, perhaps as a result of low river input. terminations in this scenario would result from blooms of coccolithophorids triggered by low Si(OH)4 concentrations.
Cortisol-mediated synchrinization of circadian rhythm in urinary potassium excretion.

Conscious chair-acclimatized squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) studied with lights on (600 lx) from 0800 to 2000 hr daily (LD 12:12) display a prominent circadian rhythm in renal potassium excretion. The characteristics of this rhythm were reproduced in adrenalectomized monkeys by infusing 5 mg cortisol and 0.001 mg aldosterone, or 5 mg cortisol alone, between 0800 and 0900 kr daily. When the timing of cortisol administration (with or without aldosterone) was phase-delayed by 8 hr, the urinary potassium rhythm resynchronized by 80% of the cortisol phase shift, but only after a transient response lasting 3-4 days. With the same daily dose of adrenal steroids given as a continuous infusion throughout each 24 hr, urinary potassium excretion showed free-running oscillations no longer synchronized to the light-dark cycle. These results indicate that the circadian rhythm of plasma cortisol concentration acts as an internal mediator in the circadian timing system, synchronizing a potentially autonomous oscillation in renal potassium excretion to environmental time cues and to other circadian rhythms within the animal.
The Availability of Competitive Foods and Beverages to Middle School Students in Appalachian Virginia Before Implementation of the 2014 Smart Snacks in School Standards.

The study objective was to examine the nutritional quality of competitive foods and beverages (foods and beverages from vending machines and a la carte foods) available to rural middle school students, before implementation of the US Department of Agriculture's Smart Snacks in School standards in July 2014. In spring 2014, we audited vending machines and a la carte cafeteria foods and beverages in 8 rural Appalachian middle schools in Virginia. Few schools had vending machines. Few a la carte and vending machine foods met Smart Snacks in School standards (36.5%); however, most beverages did (78.2%). The major challenges to meeting standards were fat and sodium content of foods. Most competitive foods (62.2%) did not meet new standards, and rural schools with limited resources will likely require assistance to fully comply.
Relationship of Route of Inoculation and Nature of Toxin Preparation to Bioassay of Clostridium perfringens α-Toxin in Mice

The toxicity of Clostridium perfringens was determined in mice utilizing three different routes of inoculation. There was marked variation in the minimum lethal dose with the different routes; the largest amount was required for the intracutaneous route, less for the intravenous route, and least with the intraperitoneal route. The relationship of toxicity to the lecithinase content of different toxin preparations was assayed. It was found that the toxicity of toxin preparations in different states of purification was not correlated with their lecithinase content.
STAQ: A route toward low power, Multicolor nanoscopy

Nanoscopy has now become a real procedure in fluorescence microscopy of living cells. The STED/RESOLFT family of nanoscopy approaches has the best prospects for delivering high speed imaging, but the history of STED includes a continuing struggle to reduce the deactivation power applied, along with difficulties in achieving simultaneous multicolor images. In this manuscript, we present a concept for a similar real-time nanoscopy, using a new class of bipartite probes that separate the luminescent and quenching functions into two coupled molecules. In particular, the STAQ (Superresolution via Transiently Activated Quencher) example we show herein employs the excited state absorbance (not ground state) of the partner to accept energy from and quench the luminescent dye. The result is that much less deactivation power is needed for superresolved (∼50 nm) imaging. Moreover, the TAQ partner excited by the “donut” beam is shown to quench several different visible dyes via the same mechanism, opening the door to easier multicolor imaging. We demonstrate three dyes sharing the same deactivation and show examples of superresolved multicolor images. We suggest STAQ will facilitate the growth of real-time nanoscopy by reducing confounding photodamage within living cells while expanding the nanoscopist's palette. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:343–355, 2015. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
Afferent influences on the development of the brain stem auditory nuclei of the chicken: Otocyst ablation

The effects of embryonic deafferentation on the morphological development of the avian cochlear nuclei, n. angularis (NA) and n. magnocellularis (NM), were investigated. The right otocyst was surgically removed from chick embryos at 55 to 60 hours of incubation and the subsequent development of total volume, neuron number, and neuron cross-sectional area were studied with quantitative methods in animals sacrificed at 2-day intervals between embryonic days 9 and 19 and at 28 days posthatching. The development of NA and NM is severely affected by otocyst ablation. Between embryonic days 9 and 19, a large group of NA neurons in the medioventral portion of the nucleus on the perated side moves to an ectopic ventromedial position, while the remainder of this nucleus stays in its normal dorsolateral position. Beginning about day 13 of incubation, the normal increase in the volume of NA and the size of its neurons becomes progressively retarded and 40% of its neurons are lost. The growth of NM is also retarded after day 11 of incubation and the growth of mean neuron size is retarded after day 15. There is a 30% loss of neurons in NM which begins after embronic day 11. The results indecate the primary cochlear fibers make a critical contribution to the growth and maintenance of their target neurons. The absence of this facilitative influence following otocyst ablation becomes apparent just at the time synapses would normally be formed between the promary auditory afferents and the brain stem auditory neurons. The abnormal movement of neurons in nucleus angularis to an ectopic position after otocyst ablation suggests that primary auditory afferents may serve to stabilize the position of their target cells within the developing brain.
Polymorphs of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethene (FOX-7): Isothermal compression versus isobaric heating

Abstract Raman spectroscopy was used to examine polymorphic changes in 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethene (FOX-7) single crystals under: isothermal compression to 15 GPa and isobaric heating to 500 K. Changes in the Raman spectra were observed at ∼2.0 and ∼4.5 GPa, and at ∼390 K and ∼450 K. These onsets are in general accord with previously reported onsets from IR measurements under isothermal compression and from X-ray diffraction measurements under isobaric heating, respectively. In contrast to recent suggestions, we show that the high pressure polymorphs have different vibrational structures, and likely different crystal structures, than the high temperature polymorphs.
Direct effects of soybean varietal selection and Aphis glycines -resistant soybeans on natural enemies

The direct effects of three soybean parentages, each represented by an Aphis glycines-resistant and susceptible isoline, on the fitness and performance of two key predators (Orius insidiosus and Harmonia axyridis) were evaluated in the laboratory. Predators were reared from hatch through adulthood in Petri dishes with cut trifoliolate leaves of the designated soybean variety, using eggs of Ephestia kuehniella as surrogate prey to eliminate prey-mediated effects of the host plant. Preimaginal survival and development, sex ratio, adult longevity, fecundity, and size were compared among treatments and a no-plant control. An additional experiment compared life-history parameters of predators caged with soybean versus Ipomoea hederacea (ivyleaf morning glory). Aphid resistance reduced the adult longevity of H. axyridis, but O. insidiosus was unaffected by resistance traits. However, adult O. insidiosus lived longer on soybeans with Group C base genetics than the other soybean varieties. Other parameters were not affected by soybean base genetics or resistance, but both predators generally performed worse on soybean than on I. hederacea or no-plant controls. The results suggest that soybean varietal selection, particularly with respect to A. glycines-resistance, may directly affect biological control agents. Also, implications of the generally poor suitability of soybean for natural enemies are discussed within the context of current crop production practices.
CERES: the next generation of earth radiation budget measurements

NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) is part of an international program for studying the Earth from space using a multiple-instrument, multiple-satellite approach. The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) experiment is designed to monitor changes in the Earth s radiant energy system and cloud systems and to provide these data with sufficient simultaneity and accuracy to examine critical cloud/climate feedback mechanisms which may play a major role in determining future changes in the climate system. The first EOS satellite (Terra), scheduled for launch this year, and the EOS-PM satellite, to be launched in late 2000, will each carry two CERES instruments. The first CERES instrument was launched in 1997 on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The CERES TRMM data show excellent instrument stability and a factor of 2 to 3 less error than previous Earth radiation budget missions. The first CERES data products have been validated and archived. The data consist of instantaneous longwave and shortwave broadband radiances, top-of-atmosphere fluxes, scene types, and time and space averaged fluxes and albedo. A later data product will combine CERES radiances and high- resolution imager data to produce cloud properties and fluxes throughout the atmosphere and at the surface.
Reversal of renal failure and paraplegia after thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair

Repair of ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms is complicated by high rates of perioperative paraplegia, renal insufficiency, and mortality. This report describes a patient with a ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm in whom preoperative acute renal failure was reversed with hemodialysis, aortic replacement, and renal revascularization. Prompt cerebrospinal fluid drainage reversed delayed-onset postoperative paraplegia and led to immediate, complete neurologic recovery.
Sex, citizenship and the state in Nigeria: Islam, Christianity and emergent struggles over intimacy

In this article, the author uses the belligerence toward alternative sexualities in Nigeria as a point of departure for a critical appraisal of the terms of inclusion and exclusion in the country's body politic. This belligerence has thrown up a rare alliance of the state, religious leaders and the print media. Attributing this alliance to the postcolonial crisis over the functions of masculinisation and power, the author suggests that anti-gay resentment is a straw man for a ruling elite facing growing socio-economic pressure. This shunting-off of sexual ‘others’ from the terrain of public action has profound implications for the way modern Nigerian citizenship is understood.
Enhanced LPS-induced TNFα production in heat-shocked human promonocytic cells: regulation at the translational/post-translational level

Heat shock proteins (hsps) play an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and protecting cells from various insults. Recent evidence also implicates hsps in the regulation of the immune response, particularly the inflammatory process. In the present study, we showed that human promonocytic cells (THP-1) produced elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) after incubation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) when cells were pre-stressed by a mild heat shock (HS) of 42 degrees C (1.5 h) followed by recovery at 37 degrees C (3 h) in comparison with non-stressed cells also stimulated with LPS. This enhanced TNF alpha production was not due to changes in nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappa B) activation, TNF alpha transcription rates, or mRNA stability. Thus, an effect at the translational or posttranslational level is likely responsible. Elevated production of TNF alpha was not observed when cells were stimulated with LPS immediately after stress or when HS temperature was increased to 43 degrees C. This negative effect of HS is likely due to a harmful effect of temperature. Moreover, enhanced LPS-induced TNF alpha production was not observed after differentiation of promonocytes into macrophage-like cells. Thus, our results show that the stress temperature, recovery period, and differentiation stage of the cell modulate the effect of HS on the inflammatory process.
Direct, intraoperative observation of ~0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations in awake human cortex: implications for fMRI.

Abstract An almost sinusoidal, large amplitude ~ 0.1 Hz oscillation in cortical hemodynamics has been repeatedly observed in species ranging from mice to humans. However, the occurrence of ‘slow sinusoidal hemodynamic oscillations’ (SSHOs) in human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies is rarely noted or considered. As a result, little investigation into the cause of SSHOs has been undertaken, and their potential to confound fMRI analysis, as well as their possible value as a functional biomarker has been largely overlooked. Here, we report direct observation of large-amplitude, sinusoidal ~ 0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations in the cortex of an awake human undergoing surgical resection of a brain tumor. Intraoperative multispectral optical intrinsic signal imaging (MS-OISI) revealed that SSHOs were spatially localized to distinct regions of the cortex, exhibited wave-like propagation, and involved oscillations in the diameter of specific pial arterioles, indicating that the effect was not the result of systemic blood pressure oscillations. fMRI data collected from the same subject 4 days prior to surgery demonstrates that ~ 0.1 Hz oscillations in the BOLD signal can be detected around the same region. Intraoperative optical imaging data from a patient undergoing epilepsy surgery, in whom sinusoidal oscillations were not observed, is shown for comparison. This direct observation of the ‘0.1 Hz wave’ in the awake human brain, using both intraoperative imaging and pre-operative fMRI, confirms that SSHOs occur in the human brain, and can be detected by fMRI. We discuss the possible physiological basis of this oscillation and its potential link to brain pathologies, highlighting its relevance to resting-state fMRI and its potential as a novel target for functional diagnosis and delineation of neurological disease.
Cloning and expression of a pseudo-ovalbumin gene.

Abstract A Pseudo-ovalbumin gene, bearing significant nucleotide sequence homology to the ovalbumin gene, has been cloned from genomic chick DNA. Similar to the authentic ovalbumin gene, the pseudo-gene is a unique sequence gene in the chick genome and is expressed at a low level in the immature chick oviduct. In contrast to the ovalbumin gene, expression of the pseudo-gene in the oviduct is not inducible by estrogen. The concentration of pseudo-gene RNA is only ∼0.01% of that of authentic ovalbumin mRNA in estrogen-stimulated oviduct cells. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the two sequence related genes may reveal the molecular basis of differential response to steroid hormone induction in the same tissue.
Spectroscopic in situ Measurements of the Relative Pt Skin Thicknesses and Porosities of Dealloyed PtMn (Ni, Co) Electrocatalysts

X-ray adsorption near edge structure (XANES) data at the Co or Ni K-edge, analyzed using the Δμ difference procedure, are reported for dealloyed PtCox and PtNix catalysts (six different catalysts at different stages of life). All catalysts meet the 2017 DOE beginning of life target Pt mass activity target (>0.44 A mgPt–1), but exhibit varying activities and durabilities. The variance factors include different initial precursors, dealloying in HNO3 vs H2SO4, if a postdealloying thermal annealing step was performed, and different morphologies (some with a multi PtMx core and porous Pt skin, some single core with nonporous skin). Data are obtained at the initial beginning of life (BOL, ∼200 voltage cycles) and after 10k and 30k (end of life, EOL) voltage cycles following DOE protocol (0.6–1.0 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode). The Δμ data are used to determine at what potential (Vpen) the Pt skin is penetrated by O. The durability, related to a drop in the electrochemical surface areas (ECSAs) after extens...
Flutter analysis of cascades using a two dimensional Euler solver

Flutter analysis of a cascade of blades in compressible flow is presented, with each blade of the cascade modeled as a typical section having pitching and plunging degrees of freedom. The aerodynamic forces are obtained from an unsteady, 2-D cascade solver based on the Euler equations. To reduce the computational time, an influence coefficient technique and a pulse response technique are also used to obtain the unsteady force coefficients for any frequency and phase angle. The predicted steady and unsteady aerodynamic forces for selected cascade geometries and flow conditions correlate well with the available experimental and analytical data.
Biogeography of the Chaetodontidae: an analysis of allopatry among closely related species

A recent survey of chaetodontid osteology has produced a hypothesis of relationships among 22 osteological-ly distinct genera and subgenera. Fourteen supra-specific taxa have distributions that are Indo-Pacific or larger. Most sister taxa inferred by osteology are broadly sympatric. The basal dichotomy within the large genus Chaetodon contrasts monophyletic groups centered in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific with little overlap. Divergence of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific distributions is correlated with the closing of the Tethys seaway 18–13 million years ago. Distributional data of Burgess (1978) and Allen (1980) are reevaluated in the context of putative species pairs and complexes. Species in nearly two thirds of these complexes (18 of 31) are distributed allopatrically. Eight complexes are examined in more detail. Five of these eight contain at least one peripherically isolated species. Distributions of species in four complexes indicate that previously wide-spread species were cleaved more symmetrically. Sympatric distributions within two species pairs indicate that the more narrowly distributed species in each pair arose through central isolation within a broadly distributed ancestor. The area of central isolation corresponds to the classical center of origin. A new hypothesis of vicariance followed by dispersal may partially explain the diversity gradient so prominently featured in dispersal-oriented tropical marine biogeography.
Damage detection of engine bladed-disks using multivariate statistical analysis

The timely detection of damage in aero-engine bladed-disks is an extremely important and challenging research topic. Bladed-disks have high modal density and, particularly, their vibration responses are subject to significant uncertainties due to manufacturing tolerance (blade-to-blade difference or mistuning), operating condition change and sensor noise. In this study, we present a new methodology for the on-line damage detection of engine bladed-disks using their vibratory responses during spin-up or spin-down operations which can be measured by blade-tip-timing sensing technique. We apply a principle component analysis (PCA)-based approach for data compression, feature extraction, and denoising. The non-model based damage detection is achieved by analyzing the change between response features of the healthy structure and of the damaged one. We facilitate such comparison by incorporating the Hotelling's statistic T 2 analysis, which yields damage declaration with a given confidence level. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated by case studies.
Passive mode locking of a Nd(3+):YAG laser with a two-photon absorber.

A glass cell containing rhodamine 6G dissolved in methanol has been used for passively mode locking a Nd:YAG laser. (AIP)