cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Lamella‐Twinned Crystallites and Dislocations in Paraelectric Phases of Bi2O3‐Doped BaTiO3

Defects in the paraelectric phases of BaTiO3 doped with Bi2O3 were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy under two-beam conditions. (111) twin structures were characterized by selected area diffraction and bright-field images. The orientation relationships of the (111) twins were determined using stereograms. Lamella-twinned crystallites included in the paraelectric phases were found in this system. Pure wedge fringes were analyzed in these grains using electron diffraction and imaging techniques. Double diffraction was observed in the overlapped regions of the matrix and the microtwin in the [113] direction, and high-density dislocation loops were seen in some grains. Weak-beam dark-field microscopy techniques were used to observe the dislocation loops, which predominately lay on {100} crystal planes with Burgers vectors a〈100〉, and were found to be pure edge dislocations. Some dislocations were transformed into crystallographic shear planes.
The distribution of labeled low-density lipoproteins across the rabbit thoracic aorta in vivo.

Abstract Transmural concentration profiles of 125 I-labeled low-density lipoproteins (LDL) within the descending thoracic aorta were determined as a function of time following intravenous injection into normal conscious rabbits. The animals were sacrificed after 10 min to 67 h, and the descending thoracic aorta was immediately excised, opened longitudinally, rinsed and frozen. Samples of frozen aorta were sectioned parallel to the intimal surface and washed with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) prior to counting. Up to 4 h, transmural concentration profiles of TCA-precipitable radioactivity had steep gradients near the intimal surface, moderate gradients near the medial-adventitial border, and were relatively flat in the middle of the media. After 24 h, the steep intimal gradient had disappeared. Concentration levels were otherwise comparable to those at 4 h. All gradients disappeared and concentration levels were lower after 67 h. The rate of accumulation of TCA-precipitable radioactivity was initially rapid (measurable concentrations were found throughout the media after only 10 min), although it was less than that of [ 125 I] albumin observed in a previous study. The results are consistent with entry of [ 125 I]LDL into the media from both the luminal and adventitial sides and with gradual degradation of the labeled LDL within the aortic wall. Approximate calculations indicate that the LDL mass transfer resistance associated with the intimal endothelium is about an order of magnitude greater than that associated with the media.
Diffuse familial nephropathy: A clinicopathological study†

Renal tissue specimens from 23 patients with hereditary nephritis were studied by light and immunofluorescent microscopy. The patients were followed from 1 to 11 years and had ophthalmologic, audiologic, and renal function tests performed periodically. Hematuria was present in all patients and was the usual presenting complaint. Proteinuria was present in 71 per cent and hearing loss in 42 per cent. Three women developed renal failure. There was no correlation between morphology, renal function, and urinary sediment except in patients with renal failure. The morphologic picture was one of slow progression, with a mixed glomerular and interstitial nephritis. Glomerular basement membrane thickening was the earliest and most common lesion. By studying serial biopsies of 15 patients, the intermediate histologic lesions were observed for the first time.
Testosterone stimulation of the medial preoptic area and medial amygdala in the control of male hamster sexual behavior : redundancy without amplification

Receptors for gonadal steroids are present in an interconnected network of limbic nuclei. The existence of this network structure has important implications for how steroids control reproductive physiology and behavior. In 1986, Cottingham and Pfaff proposed that properties of a steroid-responsive neural network could include redundancy, amplification, stability and selective filtering. The present study tested the concept of steroid amplification, using male hamster sexual behavior as a model. In the male hamster, the medial amygdaloid nucleus (Me) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) are essential for mating behavior, and both nuclei transduce steroid cues to facilitate copulation. To determine if steroid action at multiple interconnected nuclei amplifies mating, the present study compared sexual behavior in castrated male hamsters bearing unilateral intracranial implants of testosterone in Me or MPOA with that of males with dual testosterone implants in Me and MPOA. Implants that stimulated androgen receptor-containing neurons in Me or MPOA stimulated copulatory behavior above castrate levels. However, behavior of males with dual implants was not significantly different from that of males with single implants. This suggests that steroid action at either MPOA or Me is sufficient to facilitate mating, but dual stimulation of these reciprocally-connected nuclei does not amplify sexual behavior.
On unstable cohomology classes of SLn(Z)

Abstract From algebraic K-theory, we show that there exists a spectral sequence that has real cohomology of SLn(Z) as its E1-terms and converges to the tensor product of a polynomial algebra and an exterior algebra. On the basis of this spectral sequence, we discovered several families of real unstable cohomology classes of SLn(Z).
Thermal equilibrium electronic properties of a-Si:H

Defect and donor states in a-Si:H are in thermal equilibrium above about 100 degrees C, with concentrations that depend on temperature and the position of the Fermi energy. This interaction between the electronic and structural states has a profound effect on all the electronic properties. Some aspects of the thermodynamic model for the equilibrium state are reviewed and shown to explain the properties of doped and compensated a-Si:H and the temperature dependence of the defect density in undoped material. The different conductivity behavior of the low-temperature frozen state and the high-temperatures equilibrium are also explained. >
The interaction of polyoma virus with F9 embryonal carcinoma cells and chemically induced differentiated progeny: Fate of the viral DNA and expression of viral antigens

Murine embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells fail to express viral T antigen following infection with polyoma (Py) virus, while some differentiated derivatives are fully susceptible to viral infection. The block to expression in EC cells apparently occurs after adsorption and penetration but prior to the synthesis of early viral proteins. The F9 EC cell line was employed to further investigate the failure of Py gene expression in EC cells as well as the viral susceptibility of certain differentiated cell types. F9 cultures treated with retinoic acid (RA) or RA in combination with dibutyryl cAMP (dBcAMP) are quantitatively induced to differentiate to endodermal cell types. When the fate of the viral DNA was examined in F9 EC cells, free viral DNA was observed early after infection but was eventually lost with continued cell growth. Cultures induced to differentiate in the presence of RA demonstrated limited viral susceptibility which increased with prolonged RA exposure. Polyoma sensitivity did not directly parallel basement membrane antigen production, a marker used to distinguish this differentiated endodermal cell type. Viral gene expression could be obtained if Py DNA was introduced into the cells prior to RA induction. In contrast, the endodermal progeny derived from a dual treatment with RA plus dBcAMP appeared highly refractory to Py infection.
Effect of clouds on photolysis and oxidants in the troposphere

[1] Cloud layers in the troposphere influence photolysis rates (J values) and hence concentrations of chemical species. In order to study the impact of clouds on photolysis rates and oxidants, we have developed a simplified version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Tropospheric Ultraviolet-Visible (TUV) model and have coupled the simplified TUV (otherwise known as the fast TUV (FTUV)) into the NCAR/Atmospheric Chemistry Division global transport chemical model (Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers (MOZART-2)). The FTUV model has the same physical processes as the TUV model, except that the wavelength bins between 121 and 750 nm are reduced from 140 to 17. As a result, FTUV is about 8 times faster than the original TUV. Differences in the calculated photolysis rates between TUV and FTUV are generally less than 5% in the troposphere. Subgrid vertical distributions of clouds are also considered in the calculation of photolysis rates in MOZART-2. The method used in this study is a mixed maximum and random overlap scheme. The subgrid method increases the computation time for photolysis rates by a factor of 3 compared to a simple method in which clouds are uniformly distributed over the MOZART-2 grids. Our calculation shows that the uniform cloud distribution method tends to significantly overestimate back scattering on the top of clouds and overestimates the impact on photochemistry in the troposphere. The results suggest that clouds have important impacts on tropospheric chemistry. Global mean OH concentration increases by about 20% due to the impact of clouds. As a result, the calculated CH4 lifetime changes to 11 years for clear sky and 9 years for cloudy sky. The latter value is closer to the methane lifetime estimated from previous studies. Calculated CO surface concentrations are compared with observed values, showing an improvement when the impact of clouds on the photolysis rates is taken into account. Clouds also have important impacts on tropospheric ozone budget. Our calculation suggest that because of clouds, the globally averaged photolysis rates of J[O3], J[CH2O], and J[NO2] are enhanced in the troposphere by about 12, 13, and 13%, respectively, leading to an 8% increase in the tropospheric O3 concentrations. Our study suggests that clouds strongly influence photolysis rates and hence play an important role in controlling the concentrations of the tropospheric oxidants. Such effects should be carefully considered and included in regional and global chemical transport models.
Digital Video Processing At Jpl

The Video Film Converter is to be described, a precision CRT recording and film scanning device. This is a versatile machine, containing analog and digital positioning circuits having wide ranges of adjustments and is designed with input interfacing circuitry for ultimate connection directly to a digital com-puter. Precision deflection circuits hold the geometrical distortion to about 0.1% without correction over a raster 1" x 1". It contains a precision intensity circuit which utilizes a closed optical loop to linearize intensity. A discussion will be presented considering the tradeoffs concerning bandwidth, resolution, geometric accuracy and intensity linearity.
Interband Electronic Raman Scattering in Semimetals and Semiconductors

In this paper we examine the inelastic scattering of light by interband electronic transitions (interband electronic Raman scattering) in semiconductors and semimetals. A number of general features of the scattering process and the resulting Raman spectrum are examined. We also present detailed calculations of the form and magnitude of the Raman efficiency associated with interband transitions near the $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ point of the Brillouin zone in materials with the gray-tin band structure in zero magnetic field.
High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis on radial compression column of the neurotoxic tri-o-cresyl phosphate and metabolites

A method utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed for the analysis of tri-o-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) and its possible metabolites, o-cresyl dihydrogen phosphate, di-o-cresyl hydrogen phosphate, o-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, o-cresol, saligenin cyclic-o-tolyl phosphate [2-(o-cresyl)-4H-1:3:2:benzodioxaphosphoran-2-one], salicylic acid, salicylaldehyde, hydroxymethyl TOCP (di-o-cresyl o-hydroxymethylphenyl phosphate), and dihydroxymethyl TOCP (o-cresyl di-o-hydroxymethylphenyl phosphate). TOCP and its possible metabolites were analyzed on a reverse-phase C18 cartridge fitted into RCM-100 radial-compression separation system. Compounds were separated using a linear gradient of 25 to 80% acetonitrile in 2% aqueous acetic acid at a flow rate of 1.3 ml/min in a period of 22 min. Quantification was achieved by monitoring the ultraviolet absorbance of the column eluates at 254 nm and measuring peak areas. Retention times and peak areas were highly reproducible for all compounds analyzed. The relationship between peak area and amount injected was linear over a 100-fold range for all compounds analyzed. The minimum detectable level was 3 ng for salicylaldehyde, 25 ng for o-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and salicylic acid, and 50 ng for the remaining compounds. A mixture of TOCP and its possible metabolites was added to samples of cat liver, kidney, and plasma and then extracted and analyzed. High recovery and reproducibility for most compounds was observed in tissues analyzed.
Inhibition of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase increases lipopolysaccharide induced inhibition of apoptosis in neutrophils by activating extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

Abstract Background. Prolonged polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) survival has been implicated in tissue injury after sepsis. Previously we reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibits PMN apoptosis via the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Conversely, the p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is involved in the spontaneous apoptosis of PMNs. The interaction between these 2 pathways and their ability to regulate apoptosis during sepsis remain largely undefined. We hypothesize that there is interaction between the ERK and p38 pathways during sepsis. Methods. PMNs were isolated from healthy volunteers by Ficoll gradient centrifugation and red blood cell sedimentation. Cells were then pretreated for 1 hour with the ERK inhibitor (PD98059, 10 μmol/L), p38 inhibitor (SB203580, 1 μmol/L), or vehicle. After treatment with LPS, apoptosis and MAPK activity were correlated. Results. LPS stimulation significantly inhibits PMN apoptosis compared with unstimulated cells. Furthermore, inhibition of ERK significantly abrogates this effect, whereas inhibition of p38 augments LPS induced inhibition of apoptosis. Elk-1 phosphorylation (ERK target) is significantly increased by LPS alone and by inhibition of the p38 pathway during LPS stimulation. This correlates with ERK phosphorylation by Western blot. Conclusions. These data show that p38 inhibition enhances ERK activity during endotoxemia. Furthermore, these data suggest that cooperation between ERK and p38 MAPK pathways dictates the apoptotic potential of PMNs during inflammatory states. (Surgery 2001;130:242-8.)
Droplet model for sound absorption in fluids near the critical point

Abstract The dynamic droplet model of critical fluids is applied to understanding critical fluid sound absorption. The resonance frequency of an oscillating droplet is used to explain the scaling on frequency and temperature observed in sound absorption data.
Radioiodine and Pregnancy

The fetal thyroid begins to accumulate radioiodine around the 12th week of pregnancy. Iodide easily crosses the placenta and fetal thyroid uptake can be effectively blocked by administration of radioiodine to the mother. Therapeutic administration of radioiodine to the mother will usually result in fetal hypothyroidism and may be associated with attention deficit disorders and impairment of figurative memory in the offspring. The hazard to a fetus from exposure to a family member, not the mother, who has been treated with radioiodine is very small and can be minimized by adherence to standard post treatment guidelines. Lactating mothers who have received standard diagnostic doses of 131I or who have been treated with 131I should not breast-feed their infant from that point forward. Breast-feeding in future pregnancies is not contraindicated. Pregnancy testing within 48 hours before 131I administration to potentially fertile women is a wise clinical practice. Demonstrated effects of radioiodine on spermatogenesis suggest that it is wise to recommend a 120-day waiting period between radioiodine and fertilization.
Radiative transfer in layered media and its connection to the O'Doherty-Anstey formula

We examine radiative transfer theory, which accounts for the multiple scattering of waves, in a layered medium composed of randomly placed thin beds excited by a 1D source. At its most basic level, radiative transfer predicts that the wavefield separates into ac oherent, or wavelike, part and an incoherent, or diffusive, flow after a length scale known as a mean free path. The dynamic properties of the coherent and incoherent wavefield are linked. For 1D Rayleigh scatterers, or thin beds, we show that the exponential decay of the coherent wave predicted by radiative transfer corresponds to the decay predicted by the O’Doherty– Anstey formula. This equivalence reveals an underlying relationship between radiative transfer and mean field theory. Finite-difference simulations of the scalar wave equation with randomly placed thin beds demonstrate the diffusive behavior of the incoherent energy at late times.
LIS1 and NudE Induce a Persistent Dynein Force-Producing State

Summary Cytoplasmic dynein is responsible for many aspects of cellular and subcellular movement. LIS1, NudE, and NudEL are dynein interactors initially implicated in brain developmental disease but now known to be required in cell migration, nuclear, centrosomal, and microtubule transport, mitosis, and growth cone motility. Identification of a specific role for these proteins in cytoplasmic dynein motor regulation has remained elusive. We find that NudE stably recruits LIS1 to the dynein holoenzyme molecule, where LIS1 interacts with the motor domain during the prepowerstroke state of the dynein crossbridge cycle. NudE abrogates dynein force production, whereas LIS1 alone or with NudE induces a persistent-force dynein state that improves ensemble function of multiple dyneins for transport under high-load conditions. These results likely explain the requirement for LIS1 and NudE in the transport of nuclei, centrosomes, chromosomes, and the microtubule cytoskeleton as well as the particular sensitivity of migrating neurons to reduced LIS1 expression.
Housing Finance Reform: Should There Be a Government Guarantee?

In 2007 and 2008, the mortgage market failed. It failed in a number of dimensions: Default rates rose to their highest levels since the great depression, and mortgage liquidity ground to a halt. This failure has produced recriminations: Blame has been laid at the feet of borrowers, brokers, lenders, investment banks, investors and government and quasi-government entities that guaranteed mortgages. These recent events have produced an important debate: Whether the U.S. mortgage market requires a federal guarantee in order to best serve consumers, investors and markets. My view is that such a guarantee is necessary. I will divide my argument into four areas: (1) I will argue that the United States has had a history of providing guarantees, either implicit or explicit, regardless of its professed position on the matter. This phenomenon goes back to the origins of the republic. It is in the best interest of the country to acknowledge the existence of such guarantees, and to price them appropriately before, rather than after, they become necessary. (2) I will argue that in times of economic stress, such as now, the absence of government guarantees would lead to an absence of mortgages. (3) I will argue that a purely "private" market would likely not provide a 30 year fixed rate pre-payable mortgage. I think that this is no longer a particularly controversial statement; what is more controversial is whether such a mortgage is necessary — I will argue that it is. (4) I will argue that in the absence of a federal guarantee, the price and quantity of mortgages will vary across geography. In particular, rural areas will have less access to mortgage credit that urban areas, central cities will have less access than suburbs. Condominiums already are treated less favorably than detached houses, and this difference is likely to get larger in the absence of a guarantee.
Jean-Marie Teno’S Documentary Modernity: From Millennial Anxiety To Cinematic Kinship

This article examines discourses and cinematic representations of modernity in two documentary films by the Cameroonian director Jean-Marie Teno. In the first of these films, A Trip to the Country (2000), Teno investigates how ideals and aspirations of modernity as a state-sponsored project in Cameroon have their roots in the colonial period, and his film is characterized by a strong sense of anxiety linked to the turn of the millennium. In the second, Sacred Places (2009), modernity is given a different affective resonance and is linked to the pleasure of cinematic consumption in Ouagadougou as Teno situates African cinema in relation to its “brother,” the djembe drum. I argue here that a shift occurs between these two films and their affective engagements with modernity; this is a transition from a sense of millennial anxiety to a thematics of what I call “cinematic kinship.” I ultimately suggest that this shift allows Teno to outline new social roles for the African filmmaker as well as new relationships between African cinema and local publics. Resume: Cet article examine les discours et les representations cinematographiques de la modernite dans deux films documentaires du directeur camerounais Jean-Marie Teno. Dans le premier de ces films, Un voyage au pays (2000), Teno etudie comment les ideaux et les aspirations de la modernite (un projet parraine par l’Etat au Cameroun) ont leurs racines dans la periode coloniale, et son film est caracterise par un fort sentiment d’anxiete associe a la fin du millenaire. Dans le deuxieme intitule Sacred Places (2009), le principe de modernite est presente avec une resonance affective differente et est lie au plaisir de la consommation cinematographique a Ouagadougou, alors que Teno compare le cinema africain a son “frere artistique,” le djembe. Cet article demontre que chaque film s’engage dans un rapport affectif different avec la modernite; le sentiment d'anxiete du millenaire ressenti dans le premier film laisse place a une thematique differente que j’appelle “la parente cinematographique” dans le deuxieme film. Cet article suggere en conclusion que cette evolution permet a Teno d'esquisser de nouveaux roles sociaux pour le cineaste africain ainsi que de nouvelles relations entre le cinema africain et les publics locaux.
Cytotoxic tumor necrosis factor activity produced by equine alveolar macrophages: preliminary characterization.

Abstract Blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages (AM) were harvested from foals (aged 46 days to 6 months) and cultured in either medium alone or medium containing 10 μg/ml bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After 24 h, culture supernates were collected and analyzed for cytotoxic activity on sensitized L929 cells. Both monocytes and AM that had been treated with LPS produced significantly more cytotoxic activity than the same cell type exposed to medium lacking LPS. LPS-treated macrophages secreted significantly more cytotoxic activity (120± 17.8 U/ml) than did LPS-treated monocytes (47.3±17.0 U/ml); however, constitutive production of cytotoxin by monocytes was higher (16.7±4.1 versus 1.2±1.2 U/ml). The identification of the cytotoxin as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was strongly suggested by its reactivity with a rabbit antiserum directed against the N-terminal 15 amino acids of human TNF. TNF secretion by AM increased in a dose-dependent manner between LPS concentrations of 0.0001 and 1 μg/ml, then leveled off. Most of the cytotoxic TNF activity produced by AM was secreted within the first 8 h after initial contact with LPS. Macrophage supernatant TNF was stable over a pH range of 6–11, but lost activity when kept at a pH less than 6. Equine TNF also was destroyed by exposure for 1 h to temperatures more than 60°C. TNF bioactivity was recovered as a single peak after crude macrophage supernate was subjected to analysis by either anion exchange or gel filtration chromatography (molecular weight approximately 56 000).
An Experimental Study on the Origin of T-Waves Based on Determinations of Effective Refractory Period from Epicardial and Endocardial Aspects of the Ventricle

The effective refractory period was determined at the surface and in the deeper layers of the dog heart and was correlated with the surface T-waves. A small delay in recovery of cardiac excitability appeared at the surface when T-waves were negative and in the deeper layers when T-waves were positive. Acute injury produced by ligation of the coronary artery caused a marked acceleration of recovery in the deeper layers, sometimes extending to the surface.
From Mao Zedong to Michael Jackson: Revisualizing culture and history in the YouTube age:

There is an array of mash-up videos on YouTube, and its Chinese equivalent Tudou, that use visual footage from a Cultural Revolution performance with pop music soundtracks ranging from Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ to the rap song ‘Ninja’ by Jay Chou, a Taiwanese Mandopop star. In merging temporal and regional sights and sounds in this manner, these videos playfully remap history and the contemporary moment. At first glance the commentary posted to these videos seems like little more than unreflexive praise or unrelated venting. Yet comparing the conversations that take place on YouTube and Tudou reveals a good deal about the cultural and historical understandings of the people making the comments. In the following pages I will analyse these mash-ups and their posted commentary on YouTube and Tudou. In combination they create a dialogue that frequently aligns with regionally bound understandings of culture, politics, and history, even as they undermine that sense of local unity with their dissent. The Chine...
Current and Evolving Guidelines for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C

Up to 3% of the world’s population, or 170 million people, are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV).1 The prevalence of chronic HCV infection ranges from 0.1% to more than 10% in different countries, with the highest prevalence rates (10% to 15%) found in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions. It is estimated that there are 2.7 to 3.9 million HCV chronic carriers in the United States and 5 million HCV carriers in Western Europe, with a higher prevalence of HCV in Eastern Europe.2-4 Recent reports indicate that HCV infection currently accounts for up to two-thirds of newly diagnosed cases of chronic liver disease in the United States.5 In Mexico, liver disease ranks fifth among most common causes of death, with alcoholic liver disease being the dominant etiology, followed by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and chronic hepatitis C.6 A systematic review of reactivity to antibody against HCV (anti-HCV) in Mexico showed a weighted mean prevalence rate of 0.37%, lower than prior estimates of 1%.7 HCV can be classified into six major genotypes based on sequence divergence of 30%, which differ by geographic distribution, with HCV genotype 1 being the most prevalent one in North America, South America, and Western Europe. Genotype 1 affects two-thirds (63-70%) of individuals with chronic hepatitis C in Mexico, similar to the prevalence of this genotype in the United States.7 HCV is efficiently transmitted by percutaneous exposure to infectious blood. Following acute HCV infection, up to 85% of adults will develop chronic infection and approximately 20% (range 5-25) of chronically infected individuals may develop cirrhosis after 25 to 30 years of infection.8 Children infected at a young age and women have lower rates of cirrhosis on long-term follow-up (2-6%). Persons most likely to have chronic HCV infection are those who received a blood transfusion prior to 1992 or have past or current injection drug use. However, other groups are at risk, such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or history of multiple sexual contacts, persons with hemophilia who received clotting factor concentrates before 1987, patients who have been on hemodialysis, persons who received an organ transplant before 1992, those with unexplained elevation of serum aminotransferase levels, and children born to HCV-infected mothers. Chronic HCV infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and may progress to cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the need for liver transplantation, albeit at variable rates.9 Chronic hepatitis C is the leading indication for liver transplantation in many countries, accounting for more than one third (37-41%) of all liver transplants in the United States.10 Several factors appear to accelerate the progression of chronic hepatitis C, including advanced age, male gender, excessive alcohol intake,
Randomized trial of four noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus prevention interventions for children

To evaluate the effectiveness of four NIHL prevention interventions at improving knowledge, attitudes, and intended behaviors regarding sound exposure and appropriate use of hearing protective strategies in children. Design: A randomized trial of the four interventions with a non-intervention comparison group. Questionnaires were completed prior to, immediately after, and three months after each intervention. Study: Interventions included: (1) A classroom presentation by older-peer educators, (2) A classroom presentation by health professionals, (3). Exploration of a museum exhibition, and (4). Exploration of an internet-based virtual museum. A comparison group received no intervention. Study sample: Fifty-three fourth grade classrooms (1120 students) participated in the study. Results: All interventions produced signifi cant improvements but the number of improvements decreased over time. In terms of effectiveness, the classroom programs were more effective than the internet-based virtual exhibit, which was more effective than the visit to the museum exhi- bition. Self-reported exposures indicated that as many as 94.5% of participants were at risk for NIHL. Conclusions: Interpersonal, interactive educational interventions such as the classroom program are more effective and have longer impact than self-directed learning experiences for NIHL and tinnitus prevention, however each may have an important role in promoting hearing health in elementary school students.
Positive and Negative Selection on the Human Genome

The distinction between deleterious, neutral, and adaptive mutations is a fundamental problem in the study of molecular evolution. Two significant quantities are the fraction of DNA variation in natural populations that is deleterious and destined to be eliminated and the fraction of fixed differences between species driven by positive Darwinian selection. We estimate these quantities using the large number of human genes for which there are polymorphism and divergence data. The fraction of amino acid mutations that is neutral is estimated to be 0.20 from the ratio of common amino acid (A) to synonymous (S) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at frequencies of > or =15%. Among the 80% of amino acid mutations that are deleterious at least 20% of them are only slightly deleterious and often attain frequencies of 1-10%. We estimate that these slightly deleterious mutations comprise at least 3% of amino acid SNPs in the average individual or at least 300 per diploid genome. This estimate is not sensitive to human population history. The A/S ratio of fixed differences is greater than that of common SNPs and suggests that a large fraction of protein divergence is adaptive and driven by positive Darwinian selection.
FDA's Activities Supporting Regulatory Application of “Next Gen” Sequencing Technologies

Applications of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies require availability and access to an information technology (IT) infrastructure and bioinformatics tools for large amounts of data storage and analyses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) anticipates that the use of NGS data to support regulatory submissions will continue to increase as the scientific and clinical communities become more familiar with the technologies and identify more ways to apply these advanced methods to support development and evaluation of new biomedical products. FDA laboratories are conducting research on different NGS platforms and developing the IT infrastructure and bioinformatics tools needed to enable regulatory evaluation of the technologies and the data sponsors will submit. A High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment, or HIVE, has been launched, and development and refinement continues as a collaborative effort between the FDA and George Washington University to provide the tools to support these needs. The use of a highly parallelized environment facilitated by use of distributed cloud storage and computation has resulted in a platform that is both rapid and responsive to changing scientific needs. The FDA plans to further develop in-house capacity in this area, while also supporting engagement by the external community, by sponsoring an open, public workshop to discuss NGS technologies and data formats standardization, and to promote the adoption of interoperability protocols in September 2014. LAY ABSTRACT: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are enabling breakthroughs in how the biomedical community is developing and evaluating medical products. One example is the potential application of this method to the detection and identification of microbial contaminants in biologic products. In order for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be able to evaluate the utility of this technology, we need to have the information technology infrastructure and bioinformatics tools to be able to store and analyze large amounts of data. To address this need, we have developed the High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment, or HIVE. HIVE uses a combination of distributed cloud storage and distributed cloud computations to provide a platform that is both rapid and responsive to support the growing and increasingly diverse scientific and regulatory needs of FDA scientists in their evaluation of NGS in research and ultimately for evaluation of NGS data in regulatory submissions.
Stepfamily Communication Strengths: Understanding the Ties That Bind.

This study used systems theory to examine the communication strategies that differentiate “strong” stepfamilies from stepfamilies having more difficulty, inductively deriving a composite of stepfamily “communication strengths.” A total of 90 in-depth interviews were conducted with stepparents, parents, and stepchildren from 30 stepfamilies. The stepfamilies, regardless of their strength, faced 7 primary challenges in their development: “feeling caught,” regulating boundaries with a noncustodial family, ambiguity of parental roles, “traumatic bonding,” vying for resources, discrepancies in conflict management styles, and building solidarity as a family unit. However, the communicative tactics used to manage them differed according to the strength of the stepfamily. In general, strong stepfamilies reported using everyday talk, more openness, spending time together as a family, communicating clear rules and boundaries, engaging in family problem solving, promoting a positive image of the noncustodial parent, and more consistency in perceptions about the severity of their problems. Implications for appropriate boundary integration in stepfamilies are discussed.
Plasma deflagration and the properties of a coaxial plasma deflagration gun

The concept of plasma deflagration is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Deflagration is a heating process which adds energy to a flowing stream under expansion. The equations governing the process are the same as the detonation "snowplough" process; therefore, deflagration is nothing more than the second solution of the set of conservation equations.The deflagration process is thoroughly studied in the field of chemical combustion. An analogy between combustion and magnetized plasma is made, and the second law of thermodynamics is invoked in the discussion on the limits of the existence of deflagration solutions. The deflagration process that occurs in a gaseous discharge can accelerate particles to very high velocities at relatively low thermal energy. The deflagration discharge wave always propagates towards the high gas pressure and the high magnetic field region. The wave can be made stationary by injecting neutral gas into the wave. The discharge zone is thick, which reduces the local current density with a given total current and the erosion of electrodes can thus be reduced.A coaxial plasma gun has been designed, based on the deflagration principle, which demonstrates the features predicted by the deflagration hypothesis. The energy of the plasma stream thus produced exceeds 10 keV (> 108 cm/sec with D2).The discharge wave is found to be thick and the wave is quasi-stationary inside the gun barrel. Besides the high velocity capabilities, the gun can focus the plasma to a very small area. This provides a unique opportunity to perform plasma injection experiments with strong magnetic fields (> 100 kG).
Fungal endophytes: modifiers of plant disease.

Many recent studies have demonstrated that non-pathogenic fungi within plant microbiomes, i.e., endophytes (“endo” = within, “phyte” = plant), can significantly modify the expression of host plant disease. The rapid pace of advancement in endophyte ecology warrants a pause to synthesize our understanding of endophyte disease modification and to discuss future research directions. We reviewed recent literature on fungal endophyte disease modification, and here report on several emergent themes: (1) Fungal endophyte effects on plant disease span the full spectrum from pathogen antagonism to pathogen facilitation, with pathogen antagonism most commonly reported. (2) Agricultural plant pathosystems are the focus of research on endophyte disease modification. (3) A taxonomically diverse group of fungal endophytes can influence plant disease severity. And (4) Fungal endophyte effects on plant disease severity are context-dependent. Our review highlights the importance of fungal endophytes for plant disease across a broad range of plant pathosystems, yet simultaneously reveals that complexity within plant microbiomes presents a significant challenge to disentangling the biotic environmental factors affecting plant disease severity. Manipulative studies integrating eco-evolutionary approaches with emerging molecular tools will be poised to elucidate the functional importance of endophytes in natural plant pathosystems that are fundamental to biodiversity and conservation.
Human Rights Provide Justification for the Health in All Policies Approach

On 10-14 June, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will host the 8th Global Conference on Health Promotion in Helsinki, Finland. The Global Conference will highlight Health in All Policies (HiAP), an approach that has evolved over the past quarter century – arising out of a focus on primary health care in the 1978 Alma Alta Declaration and emphasizing intersectoral action on underlying determinants of health in the 1986 Ottawa Charter. In reviewing national experiences with the HiAP approach and establishing guidance for implementation at all levels of governance, this Conference presents an opportunity to advance HiAP through the application of human rights, applying human rights to justify the mainstreaming of health in the development and implementation of public policy. Viewing HiAP as instrumental to a rights-based approach to health, it is necessary for the Global Conference to consider the beneficial application of “health-related rights” to the HiAP approach.
(2SR,4aSR,8aSR)-6-Oxoperhydro­naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid

In the title racemic compound, C11H16O3, the mol­ecule adopts a conformation that places its carboxyl group in an equatorial position. Mol­ecules aggregate by hydrogen-bond pairing of carboxyl groups, yielding centrosymmetric dimers that are arranged into layers in the (020) planes.
Reversal of the Progression of Fatal Coronavirus Infection in Cats by a Broad-Spectrum Coronavirus Protease Inhibitor

Coronaviruses infect animals and humans causing a wide range of diseases. The diversity of coronaviruses in many mammalian species is contributed by relatively high mutation and recombination rates during replication. This dynamic nature of coronaviruses may facilitate cross-species transmission and shifts in tissue or cell tropism in a host, resulting in substantial change in virulence. Feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) causes inapparent or mild enteritis in cats, but a highly fatal disease, called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), can arise through mutation of FECV to FIP virus (FIPV). The pathogenesis of FIP is intimately associated with immune responses and involves depletion of T cells, features shared by some other coronaviruses like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. The increasing risks of highly virulent coronavirus infections in humans or animals call for effective antiviral drugs, but no such measures are yet available. Previously, we have reported the inhibitors that target 3C-like protease (3CLpro) with broad-spectrum activity against important human and animal coronaviruses. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of our 3CLpro inhibitor in laboratory cats with FIP. Experimental FIP is 100% fatal once certain clinical and laboratory signs become apparent. We found that antiviral treatment led to full recovery of cats when treatment was started at a stage of disease that would be otherwise fatal if left untreated. Antiviral treatment was associated with a rapid improvement in fever, ascites, lymphopenia and gross signs of illness and cats returned to normal health within 20 days or less of treatment. Significant reduction in viral titers was also observed in cats. These results indicate that continuous virus replication is required for progression of immune-mediated inflammatory disease of FIP. These findings may provide important insights into devising therapeutic strategies and selection of antiviral compounds for further development for important coronaviruses in animals and humans.
Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography of congenital cavitary optic disc anomaly (CODA).

Aim To report the finding of extension of the 4th hyper-reflective band and retinal tissue into the optic disc in patients with cavitary optic disc anomalies (CODAs). Methods In this observational study, 10 patients (18 eyes) with sporadic or autosomal dominant CODA were evaluated with enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) and colour fundus images for the presence of 4th hyper-reflective band extension into the optic disc. Results Of 10 CODA patients (18 eyes), five patients (8 eyes) showed a definite 4th hyper-reflective band (presumed retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)) extension into the optic disc. In these five patients (seven eyes), the inner retinal layers also extended with the 4th hyper-reflective band into the optic disc. Best corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/20 to 20/200. In three patients (four eyes), retinal splitting/schisis was present and in two patients (two eyes), the macula was involved. In all cases, the 4th hyper-reflective band extended far beyond the termination of the choroid into the optic disc. The RPE extension was found either temporally or nasally in areas of optic nerve head excavation, most often adjacent to peripapillary pigment. Compared with eyes without RPE extension, eyes with RPE extension were more myopic (mean dioptres −0.9±2.6 vs −8.8±5, p=0.043). Conclusions The RPE usually stops near the optic nerve border separated by a border tissue. With CODA, extension of this hyper-reflective band and retinal tissue into the disc is possible and best evaluable using EDI-OCT or analogous image modalities. Whether this is a finding specific for CODA, linked to specific gene loci or is also seen in patients with other optic disc abnormalities needs further evaluation.
“Spontaneous” Leukemia Developing in G3H Mice Following Inoculation, In Infancy, with AK-Emkemic.∗:

Summary1. Seven of 14 C3H mice inoculated when less than 12 hours old with Ak leukemic extracts developed leukemia at 8 to 11 months of age. 2. Four of 6 C3H mice inoculated. when less than 12 hours old, with cell suspensions prepared from Ak embryos. developed leukemia at 8 1/2 months of age. 3. No leukemia resulted when mice more than 12 hours old were used for inoculation. 1. These experiments suggest that spontaneous mouse leukemia may be caused by an agent, which is transmitted from one generation to another, like that of chicken lymphomatosis.
The Impact of Uncertainty, Threat, and Political Identity on Support for Political Compromise

ABSTRACTThis work examines the impact of uncertainty and threat on support for political compromise. In Study 1, uncertainty, threat, and support for compromise were measured. Uncertainty increased support for compromise only when paired with positive or neutral affect. Studies 2 and 3 used an experimental design to examine the impact of incidental affect on support for political compromise as a function of political identification. Uncertainty was more likely to increase support for compromise in positive or neutral contexts and for political moderates and liberals. The combination of uncertainty and threat led conservatives to express reduced support for compromise.
Preoperative diagnosis of right nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve by CT scan: report of a case and review of the literature.

Objective The nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve (NRILN) is a nerve anomaly that is associated with the developmentally aberrant subclavian artery. Thus, it is possible to predict NRILN by preoperative diagnosis of an aberrant subclavian artery. The purpose of this study was to report a new case of this anomaly and to assess the possibility of diagnosis of an aberrant subclavian artery preoperatively by CT scan of the neck, underline how such recognition is crucial for the prevention of intraoperative nerve damage and review the literature. Methods We report a case of thyroid surgery associated with a right NRILN diagnosed preoperatively by CT scan of the neck. Results The preoperative CT scan showed a retroesophageal aberrant right subclavian artery. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy for a multinodular goiter. She had identification of recurrent laryngeal nerve on the left side and NRILN on the right side. Postoperatively, the patient had normal vocal cord function on laryngoscopy. Conclusion It was possible to predict preoperatively a right NRILN by identifying an aberrant right subclavian artery on the CT film of the neck, which likely enabled the prevention of vocal cord paralysis.
Effect of PEEP on discharge of pulmonary C-fibers in dogs.

Although positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is believed to depress cardiac output and arterial pressure by compressing the vena cava and the heart, it is unclear whether PEEP also depresses th...