cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase Conjugation with Light of Reduced Spatial Coherence

The phase conjugation imaging technique has the capability for producing diffraction-limited resolution even in severely aberrated imaging systems. In this technique, various beams are mixed in a non-linear medium. An object-bearing beam, passing through the medium, generates a conjugate beam u*, which retraces the path of the original beam u, and the aberrations in u* are then compensated by the aberrations of the imaging system. This process, carried out in real time, is similar to a process developed in static holography in 1965.1–3
Family Meal Patterns and Eating in Children and Adolescents

Publisher Summary Families shape the food preferences and eating behaviors of young people in many ways. Mealtime socialization may be a particularly powerful influence, as youth learn about eating through active observations of their relatives and direct participation in mealtime practices. Family mealtime practices and social norms surrounding the nature of mealtimes have shifted over time. They vary across cultures and economic circumstances. However, the practice of sharing food and eating together is universally central in defining the family as a social group. It is therefore important to consider how family meals may promote good nutrition and healthy weights in children and adolescents. This chapter explores (1) the nutritional and weight-related benefits of family meals; (2) other benefits of family meals for children and adolescents; and (3) strategies for increasing the frequency of family meals. The chapter closes with suggestions for future research to improve our understanding of the potential benefits of family meals and ultimately enhance the design of nutrition programs for youth and families.
Policing Police Robots

The possibility of police robots capable of lethal force and with some degree of autonomy raises questions about what sort of limits and regulations should be imposed on robotic policing. Police robotics raise special questions because of the powers entrusted to the police. This essay considers the law and policy implications of a future where police robots are sophisticated, cheap, and widespread. Drawing upon the rapidly developing body of robotics law scholarship, as well as upon technological advances developing in military robotics — from which domestic policing will surely borrow — we can anticipate well ahead of its practical adoption the kinds of regulatory challenges we will face with the future of robotic policing.
A SMALL‐GROUP SEX EDUCATION/INTERVENTION MODEL FOR THE WELL ELDERLY: A CHALLENGE FOR EDUCATORS

The current study investigated changes that occurred in older adults' knowledge and attitudes about sexual health in the elderly after a two‐session education/ intervention workshop. The subjects were ten well elderly people, ages 61‐91, who attended a senior services day care center. Data were collected via individual interviews using the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale. Results indicated that although modeled judgments may be learned, they may not be expressed because they are socially or personally disfavored. The presumption is that modeling rewarded standards that are too discrepant with one's own moral judgment cannot be assimilated because of cognitive dissonance. Suggestions are given for those who may desire to give similar workshops.
The Role of Regulatory T Cells and Indoleamine-2,3-Dioxygenase in Brain Tumor Immunosuppression

Malignant glioma induced immunosuppression is one of the major hurdles in the way of designing successful antiglioma therapy. Several factors, such as inhibitory dendritic cells (DCs), regulatory T cells (Tregs), inhibitory enzymes, and cytokines contribute to orchestrate a very redundant and potent immunosuppressive microenvironment. Two of the most influential and hence most studied players associated with glioma immunosuppression are Treg and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme, expressed by glioma cells and inhibitory plasmacytoid DCs. Several preclinical studies have shown that targeting Tregs and IDO is a successful and well-tolerated strategy of inducing potent antiglioma response. Based on these results, strategies of Treg depletion and targeting IDO have been tried in clinical settings. In this chapter, we review the literature summarizing the role of Tregs and IDO in glioma immunosuppression and outline the preclinical works, which led to the development of several successful clinical trials to overcome glioma immunosuppression and boost antiglioma immunotherapy.
The effects of weed control technological change on rural communities

Weed control ranks as one of the most time consuming and expensive activities of agricultural production. Since the control of weeds is a major production activity of agriculture, the method employ...
Cinnamic Acid Analogs as Intervention Catalysts for Overcoming Antifungal Tolerance.

Disruption of fungal cell wall should be an effective intervention strategy. However, the cell wall-disrupting echinocandin drugs, such as caspofungin (CAS), cannot exterminate filamentous fungal pathogens during treatment. For potency improvement of cell wall-disrupting agents (CAS, octyl gallate (OG)), antifungal efficacy of thirty-three cinnamic acid derivatives was investigated against Saccharomyces cerevisiae slt2Δ, bck1Δ, mutants of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and MAPK kinase kinase, respectively, in cell wall integrity system, and glr1Δ, mutant of CAS-responsive glutathione reductase. Cell wall mutants were highly susceptible to four cinnamic acids (4-chloro-α-methyl-, 4-methoxy-, 4-methyl-, 3-methylcinnamic acids), where 4-chloro-α-methyl- and 4-methylcinnamic acids possessed the highest activity. Structure-activity relationship revealed that 4-methylcinnamic acid, the deoxygenated structure of 4-methoxycinnamic acid, overcame tolerance of glr1Δ to 4-methoxycinnamic acid, indicating the significance of para substitution of methyl moiety for effective fungal control. The potential of compounds as chemosensitizers (intervention catalysts) to cell wall disruptants (viz., 4-chloro-α-methyl- or 4-methylcinnamic acids + CAS or OG) was assessed according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute M38-A. Synergistic chemosensitization greatly lowers minimum inhibitory concentrations of the co-administered drug/agents. 4-Chloro-α-methylcinnamic acid further overcame fludioxonil tolerance of Aspergillus fumigatus antioxidant MAPK mutants (sakAΔ, mpkCΔ). Collectively, 4-chloro-α-methyl- and 4-methylcinnamic acids possess chemosensitizing capability to augment antifungal efficacy of conventional drug/agents, thus could be developed as target-based (i.e., cell wall disruption) intervention catalysts.
Investigation of real gas effects on combustion and emissions in internal combustion engines and implications for development of chemical kinetics mechanisms

Real gas effects on combustion and emissions in internal combustion engines are investigated using three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics. The Peng–Robinson equation of state is implemented...
Chemokine biology of NK cells and γδ T cells

Natural killer (NK) cells and γδ T cells are populations of lymphocytes that mediate immunity against pathogens and malignant tumors. Both generally exhibit significant cytotoxicity, produce high levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and share the expression of cellular receptors (generally designated NK receptors) for the detection of MHC class I and class Ib proteins and other cell surface proteins. NK cells are large granular lymphocytes that play important roles in host defense against viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections as well as in the surveillance for malignant cells. In addition to their cytotoxic capabilities, NK cells serve as regulators of immune responses through the release of a variety of cytokines and chemokines. NK cells are bone marrow-derived lymphocytes that were originally characterized by their ability to spontaneously mediate lysis of certain tumor cell lines, their large granular morphology, and their lack of a T cell receptor and CD3 complex. NK cells do not use the specialized gene rearrangement machinery that assembles T and B cell antigen receptors. Instead, NK cells express both inhibitory and activating cell surface receptors. Inhibitory receptors include C-type lectin family receptors, such as Ly49 and CD94/NKG2, or Ig superfamily receptors such as killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). These receptors generally recognize MHC class I (class Ia) and class Ib (HLA-E in human and Qa-1 in mice) proteins. A number of activating receptors on NK cells have been described that are alternative forms of Ly49, KIR family (termed KAR), and CD94/NKG2 receptors and that have similar specificities as their inhibitory forms. In addition, unique activating receptors are also expressed such as the NKG2D receptor that recognizes MICA/B, Rae1, and H60, CD16 that binds to IgG, NKp44/NKp46 that recognize viral hemagglutinins, and NKp30 whose ligands are not well characterized. The primary peripheral NK cells present in humans and mice are mature cells with decreasing frequencies in blood, spleen, and bone marrow, respectively. Human NK cells comprise 15% of all circulating lymphocytes and can be divided into two subsets, CD56bright and CD56dim, each subset having unique functional attributes and distinct roles in the human immune response [1].
Corporate Venture Capital as a Strategic Exit for Existing Venture Capital Investors

Existing corporate venture capital literature has focused on how the needs of the startup and incumbent firms influence relationship formation. We complement these works by considering whether the ...
Bemisia tabaci Interaction with Cotton Leaf Curl Virus

Cotton leaf curl disease is the major biotic threat to cotton production in India and Pakistan. The typical symptoms of the disease on cotton and several other malvaceous and solanaceous plant species include vein swelling and formation of leaf-like outgrowths called enations. Severely infected leaves show rolling with spirally twisted leaf petioles, branches and the main stem. Severely infected plants become stunted in growth resulting in high yield losses and poor fiber quality. In association with essential disease-specific satellite components beta DNA satellite and a nonfunctional alpha satellite the disease is caused by a group of whitefly-transmitted Geminiviruses belonging to the genus Begomovirus of the family Geminiviridae. Like other Begomoviruses Cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) is exclusively transmitted by a whitefly vector, Bemisia tabaci in a circulative, persistent manner, and can be retained from few days to the entire life period of the whitefly. The virus is not transmitted transovarially by the vector. Whiteflies require an acquisition threshold period ranging from 15 min to 4 h and an inoculation threshold period of 5 min to 1 h to successfully transmit the virus depending upon the virus strain, host plant, vector behavior and the abiotic factors. Up to 8 h latent period is also required between the acquisition and inoculation periods for successful transmission of the virus to new plants. The transmission efficiency is greatly improved with an increase in acquisition and inoculation periods and number of whiteflies. The virus has mixed effects on the biology and behavior of whiteflies. Despite the importance of virus-vector interactions in disease epidemiology and spread the studies on interactions between CLCuV and B. tabaci are still in infancy. This chapter reviews the basic interactions between this very important virus-vector system.
Growth of graded twisted Calabi-Yau algebras

Abstract We initiate a study of the growth and matrix-valued Hilbert series of N -graded twisted Calabi-Yau algebras that are homomorphic images of path algebras of weighted quivers, generalizing techniques previously used to investigate Artin-Schelter regular algebras and graded Calabi-Yau algebras. Several results are proved without imposing any assumptions on the degrees of generators or relations of the algebras. We give particular attention to twisted Calabi-Yau algebras of dimension d ≤ 3 , giving precise descriptions of their matrix-valued Hilbert series and partial results describing which underlying quivers yield algebras of finite GK-dimension. For d = 2 , we show that these are algebras with mesh relations. For d = 3 , we show that the resulting algebras are a kind of derivation-quotient algebra arising from an element that is similar to a twisted superpotential.
Academic and Social Support Services for International Students: Current Practices

International students make valuable intellectual, cultural, and economic contributions to host-country colleges and universities. Some U.S. institutions enrolling greater numbers of international students offer a variety of specialized services designed to support students’ social adjustment, academic achievement, and language development in ways that potentially lead to greater retention and international student engagement. In this exploratory study, researchers analyzed website content to describe the types of support services offered by the top 20 U.S. universities with the greatest enrollment of international students in 2016. Implications are offered for U.S. higher education leaders interested in offering services to attract, support, and retain international students in an uncertain national political environment.
Kim Dae Jung: Exile in America and Its Aftermath

This chapter addresses a dilemma faced by Reagan in dealing with a number of thorny diplomatic issues related to Kim Dae Jung’s status. Reagan was successful in persuading Chun to reduce Kim’s sentence and to allow his exile in America. When Kim began to undertake political activities in America, the Reagan administration encountered diplomatic friction with the Chun government. When Kim returned home in February 1985, South Korean security agents made a major diplomatic blunder by mistreating Kim and his American “escorts” at Kimpo Airport. The furor over Kim’s return home beclouded the atmosphere for Chun’s visit to the United States. While the South Koreans proposed that Reagan should publicly praise Chun’s leadership in achieving democratic development, he refused to accept this proposal and exhibited a deliberate gesture of distance from Chun.
Tongue symptoms, suspension force and duration during operative laryngoscopy.

Abstract Purpose Suspension laryngoscopy is a commonly performed procedure in otolaryngology. During the procedure, the laryngoscope applies direct force to the tongue. Postoperative tongue symptoms include pain, swelling, numbness, taste disturbance, and rarely motor deficits. Duration and magnitude of force applied have previously been associated with post-operative throat and tongue pain, respectively. We sought to correlate postoperative tongue symptoms with magnitude of force applied and/or duration of suspension and investigate any risk factors for tongue morbidity. Materials and methods A sample of patients undergoing suspension laryngoscopy between 2015 and 2018 were prospectively recruited. Those with preexisting tongue symptoms, disease or surgery were excluded. Patients completed preoperative and postoperative questionnaires evaluating tongue swelling, numbness, motion and taste disturbance. Symptoms were subjectively scored on a visual scale from 0 to 10. Patient demographics, past medical and social history were also recorded. Intraoperative pressures were measured using a spring force scale, positioned between the suspension arm and Mayo stand. Initial and end suspension forces and duration of suspension were recorded. Results 120 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 63 completed both preoperative and postoperative questionnaires. 6 patients (9.5%) experienced postoperative tongue symptoms. Suspension force and duration of suspension were not significantly predictive of postoperative tongue symptoms. While all symptomatic patients were current or former cigarette smokers, smoking status was not found to be a statistically significant factor. Conclusions Neither suspension forces nor duration of suspension were predictive of postoperative tongue morbidity. Further research is needed to evaluate the role of smoking status on postoperative tongue symptoms.
Quality insight: data quality is a requirement for product quality

In business and industry, the focus is often solely on product quality. This is okay, provided we recognise the multitude of other factors that can impinge on product quality. The premise of this article is that product quality is a function of data quality. As such, data quality is a requirement for product quality. This article presents a combination of the qualitative and quantitative framework for enhancing product quality on the basis of assessing the quality of the input data.
Metabolic Implications of Using BioOrthogonal Non-Canonical Amino Acid Tagging (BONCAT) for Tracking Protein Synthesis

BioOrthogonal Non-Canonical Amino acid Tagging (BONCAT) is a powerful tool for tracking protein synthesis on the level of single cells within communities and whole organisms. A basic premise of BONCAT is that the non-canonical amino acids (NCAA) used to track translational activity do not significantly alter cellular physiology. If the NCAA would induce changes in the metabolic state of cells, interpretation of BONCAT studies could be challenging. To address this knowledge-gap, we have used a global metabolomics analyses to assess the intracellular effects of NCAA incorporation. Two NCAA were tested: L-azidohomoalanine (AHA) and L-homopropargylglycine (HPG); L-methionine (MET) was used as a minimal stress baseline control. Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were used to characterize intracellular metabolite profiles of Escherichia coli cultures, with multivariate statistical analysis using XCMS and MetaboAnalyst. Results show that doping with NCAA induces metabolic changes, however, the metabolic impact was not dramatic. A second set of experiments in which cultures were placed under mild stress to simulate real-world environmental conditions showed a more consistent and more robust perturbation. Pathways that changed include amino acid and protein synthesis, choline and betaine, and the TCA cycle. Globally, these changes were statistically minor, indicating that NCAA are unlikely to exert a significant impact on cells during incorporation. Our results are consistent with previous reports of NCAA doping under replete conditions and extend these results to bacterial growth under environmentally relevant conditions. Our work highlights the power of metabolomics studies in detecting cellular response to growth conditions and the complementarity of NMR and LCMS as omics tools.
Assessing Teachers’ Environmental Citizenship Based on an Adventure Learning Workshop: A Case Study from a Social-ecological Systems Perspective

More sustainable environmental behavior and management is necessary if we are to sustain human well-being; however, current educational practices are not well aligned to support the development of ...
Wireless steerable vision for live insects and insect-scale robots

Vision serves as an essential sensory input for insects but consumes substantial energy resources. The cost to support sensitive photoreceptors has led many insects to develop high visual acuity in only small retinal regions and evolve to move their visual systems independent of their bodies through head motion. By understanding the trade-offs made by insect vision systems in nature, we can design better vision systems for insect-scale robotics in a way that balances energy, computation, and mass. Here, we report a fully wireless, power-autonomous, mechanically steerable vision system that imitates head motion in a form factor small enough to mount on the back of a live beetle or a similarly sized terrestrial robot. Our electronics and actuator weigh 248 milligrams and can steer the camera over 60° based on commands from a smartphone. The camera streams "first person" 160 pixels-by-120 pixels monochrome video at 1 to 5 frames per second (fps) to a Bluetooth radio from up to 120 meters away. We mounted this vision system on two species of freely walking live beetles, demonstrating that triggering image capture using an onboard accelerometer achieves operational times of up to 6 hours with a 10-milliamp hour battery. We also built a small, terrestrial robot (1.6 centimeters by 2 centimeters) that can move at up to 3.5 centimeters per second, support vision, and operate for 63 to 260 minutes. Our results demonstrate that steerable vision can enable object tracking and wide-angle views for 26 to 84 times lower energy than moving the whole robot.
“A Woman Question and a Race Problem”: Attending to Intersectionality in Children’s Literature

Historical narratives of Black women often focus solely on racial discrimination without acknowledging the structural and systemic gender-based discrimination they faced. Crenshaw’s concept of inte...
Culturing Rat Sympathetic Neurons from Embryonic Superior Cervical Ganglia for Morphological and Proteomic Analysis

Sympathetic neurons from the embryonic rat superior cervical ganglia (SCG) have been used as an in vitro model system for peripheral neurons to study axonal growth, axonal trafficking, synaptogenesis, dendritic growth, dendritic plasticity and nerve-target interactions in co-culture systems. This protocol describes the isolation and dissociation of neurons from the superior cervical ganglia of E21 rat embryos, followed by the preparation and maintenance of pure neuronal cultures in serum-free medium. Since neurons do not adhere to uncoated plastic, neurons will be cultured on either 12 mm glass coverslips or 6-well plates coated with poly-D-lysine. Following treatment with an antimitotic agent (Ara-C, cytosine β-D-arabinofuranoside), this protocol generates healthy neuronal cultures with less than 5% non-neuronal cells, which can be maintained for over a month in vitro. Although embryonic rat SCG neurons are multipolar with 5-8 dendrites in vivo; under serum-free conditions, these neurons extend only a single axon in culture and continue to be unipolar for the duration of the culture. However, these neurons can be induced to extend dendrites in the presence of basement membrane extract, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), or 10% fetal calf serum. These homogenous neuronal cultures can be used for immunocytochemical staining and for biochemical studies. This paper also describes optimized protocol for immunocytochemical staining for microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP-2) in these neurons and for the preparation of neuronal extracts for mass spectrometry.
The impact of anti-gay bias on verdicts and sentencing with gay defendants

Previous research has documented conviction bias against gay men in stereotype-consistent crimes driven by moral outrage, stereotype consistency, and anti-gay bias. However, research has not demons...
Polymer-supported, photo-redox catalysts prepared from unimolecular photo-redox catalyst/initiator systems

Abstract Unimolecular, photo-redox catalyst/initiator systems can effectively synthezise their own polymer-support that can then be used to affect recovery and reuse of the resulting supported catalyst. We show that α-bromo ester-containing Ru(bpy)3- and phenothiazine-derivatives (common photo-redox catalysts) can undergo visible light-facilitated radical polymerizations to form polymer-supported photo-redox catalysts that can facilitate photo-redox [2+2] cycloadditions and metal-free borylations in a recyclable manner.
Abstract 16957: Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Wall Stresses Evolve in Parallel With Diameter Growth

Introduction: Guidelines for ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) repair use ATAA diameter, with repair recommended at ≥5.5cm, but ATAA biomechanics may better predict acute type A dissection ...
An experimental approach for crown to whole-canopy defoliation in forests

Canopy defoliation is an important source of disturbance in forest ecosystems that has rarely been represented in large-scale manipulation experiments. Scalable crown to canopy level experimental d...
Primary lateral sclerosis: clinical and laboratory features in 25 patients.

Objective : The objective of this study was to characterize the clinical features and natural history of primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). Background : PLS is a motor neuron disorder defined by corticospinal and corticobulbar tract dysfunction without clinically significant lower motor neuron involvement. Methods : We collected data from 25 patients with PLS seen in 2 academic neurology departments over a 5-year period. Results : The PLS population represented approximately 3% of acquired motor neuron disease cases seen during that period. Twenty-three patients (92%) presented with lower limb weakness, spasticity, or difficulty with ambulation. None presented with upper limb symptoms. Eleven patients (44%) developed bulbar symptoms. All patients had hyperreflexia and increased muscle tone. Muscle weakness was observed in 15 patients (60%) and tended to be mild and asymmetric. Needle electromyography (EMG) was normal or showed only fasciculations in 15 patients (60%); 10 patients had features of mild active denervation, consisting of fibrillation or positive sharp wave potentials, but the extent of these findings did not satisfy World Federation of Neurology electrophysiological criteria for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Fourteen patients (52%) continued independent ambulation. Of the 10 patients with active denervation on EMG, 6 (60%) required a walker, scooter, or wheelchair at a mean follow up of 6.2 years. There were no fatalities over the 5-year period. Conclusions : Our experience supports the observation that PLS progresses more slowly than other forms of acquired motor neuron disease, particularly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Follow-up data suggest that patients with active denervation changes develop greater disability.
Restart Policies with Dependence among Runs: A Dynamic Programming Approach

The time required for a backtracking search procedure to solve a problem can be minimized by employing randomized restart procedures. To date, researchers designing restart policies have relied on the simplifying assumption that runs are probabilistically independent from one another. We relax the assumption of independence among runs and address the challenge of identifying an optimal restart policy for the dependent case. We show how offline dynamic programming can be used to generate an ideal restart policy, and how the policy can be used in conjunction with real-time observations to control the timing of restarts. We present results of experiments on applying the methods to create ideal restart policies for several challenging search problems using two different solvers.
Metabolic Site and Time Course of Cortisol Action on Glucose Uptake, Lactic Acid Output, and Glucose 6-Phosphate Levels of Rat Thymus Cells in Vitro

Abstract In rat thymus cells exposed under aerobic conditions to a glucose pulse, cortisol at 10-6 m reduces the rates of glucose uptake and lactic acid output, and reduces the magnitude of the glucose-induced increase in glucose 6-phosphate. Effects are discernible by 15 to 20 min of exposure to cortisol. These results are interpreted as showing that cortisol produces a block at the level of glucose transport or phosphorylation, or both. Under anaerobic conditions a marked Pasteur effect is observed, and all the above effects of cortisol are abolished.
Ideological Deportation: The Case of Kwong Hai Chew

Kwong Hai Chew was a Chinese seaman and the first Chinese elected official of the National Maritime Union. When he returned from a trip to Asia during the Korean War, he was detained and excluded by the Attorney General on national security grounds as a subversive. After he was detained two years, the Supreme Court in 1953 ruled he could not be detained without any notice of the charges against him. However, it took fourteen years of litigation to reverse the Attorney General's determination. He was finally naturalized by court order in 1967. His case illustrates the dangers of the use of secret evidence in immigration proceedings. This case study is part of a larger legal historical work that examines McCarthy era political repression in New York's Chinatown. That repression occurred principally through the medium of immigration law enforcement.
Designing a polyvalent inhibitor of anthrax toxin

Screening peptide libraries is a proven strategy for identifying inhibitors of protein‐ligand interactions. Compounds identified in these screens often bind to their targets with low affinities. When the target protein is present at a high density on the surface of cells or other biological surfaces, it is sometimes possible to increase the biological activity of a weakly binding ligand by presenting multiple copies of it on the same molecule. We isolated a peptide from a phage display library that binds weakly to the heptameric cell-binding subunit of anthrax toxin and prevents the interaction between cell-binding and enzymatic moieties. A molecule consisting of multiple copies of this nonnatural peptide, covalently linked to a flexible backbone, prevented assembly of the toxin complex in vitro and blocked toxin action in an animal model. This result demonstrates that protein‐protein interactions can be inhibited by a synthetic, polymeric, polyvalent inhibitor in vivo. Anthrax toxin is produced by Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, and is responsible for the major symptoms of the disease 1 . Clinical anthrax is rare, but there is growing concern over the potential use of B. anthracis in biological warfare and terrorism. Although a vaccine against anthrax exists, various factors make mass vaccination impractical. The bacteria can be eradicated from the host by treatment with antibiotics, but because of the continuing action of the toxin, such therapy is of little value once symptoms have become evident. Thus, a specific inhibitor of the toxin’s action might prove a valuable adjunct to antibiotic therapy. The toxin consists of a single receptor-binding moiety, termed protective antigen (PA), and two enzymatic moieties, termed edema factor (EF) and lethal factor (LF) 2
Abstract 20120: Protease-activated Receptor 4 Deficiency Reduces Atherosclerosis

Objective: Platelet activation is emerging as a critical process in both the formation and propagation of atherosclerosis. The coagulation protease thrombin activates platelets by cleavage of protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4) in mice. Recent studies have demonstrated direct thrombin inhibitors reduce atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice. However, PAR4 deficiency had no effect on atherosclerosis in the apolipoprotein E (Apoe-/-) mouse model. The objective of this study was to re-examine the role of PAR4 deficiency in atherosclerosis using the alternative low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient mouse model. Methods and Results: To examine the effects of PAR4 deficiency on early atherosclerotic formation, low-density lipoprotein receptor deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice that were either PAR4+/+ (n = 11) or PAR4-/- (n = 12) were fed a fat-enriched diet (21% milk fat) and infused with angiotensin II (AngII; 1,000 ng/kg/min) for 28 days. PAR4 deficiency reduced AngII-induced aortic root atherosclerosis (+...
Vortex liquid state in an electron irradiated untwinned YBa2Cu3O7- delta crystal.

We report on the temperature and field dependencies of the resistivity of an untwinned $\mathrm{Y}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ single crystal before and after 1 MeV electron irradiation in fields up to 8 T. We show, for the first time, direct suppression of the first order vortex liquid-to-solid phase transition due to the controlled introduction of point defects, and that transport in the vortex liquid is dominated by viscosity rather than by single vortex pinning. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the first order vortex transition can be recovered by reducing the density of point defects through subsequent annealing of the sample.
Joint Signal Detection (d) and Estimation (e) Under Prior Uncertainty: New Results

When estimation of signal waveform or signal parameters takes place under prior uncertainty as to whether or not the signal is actually present [p(H/sub 1/) /sub 0/] estimation based on the assumption that p(H/sub 1/) = 1 can result in estimates that can be seriously in error. Moreover, such estimators and estimates are themselves biased, with unknown bias if the "noise only" (q(H/sub 0/) > 1) state is not properly accounted for. The present paper extends the original analyses of Middleton and Esposito [1a, 1b], and more recent work of the present author [2], to include canonical estimation in generalized noise for least mean square error (LMSE) estimators and for (unconditional) maximum likelihood estimators (UMLE'S), which last were not available before in the case of the UMLE. [In addition, the verbal presentation includes new threshold results, obtained for correlated noise samples (the author's so-called quasi-equivalent (QE) noise models), where only the first order pdf w/sub 1(Z)/ and covariance k/sub z/ of the noise process are available [2].]
Nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation and cycling by Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze (Menyanthaceae)

Abstract In 1980, the seasonal changes in nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of various plant parts of Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze, together with aspects of nitrogen and phosphorus cycling by this species were studied in an oxbow lake of the river Waal (The Netherlands). The nitrogen and phosphorus stores of the water, seston, sediment and macrophyte compartments were assessed each month. The underground Nymphoides structures had high nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations before and after the main growing season, while during summer the aboveground plant parts had high nutrient contents. Nymphoides peltata accumulated maximum amounts of nitrogen (334 mmol m−2) and phosphorus (56.6 mmol m−2) in July. The upper layers of the bottom appeared to be an enormous nutrient reservoir (94–99% of total) of which the largest part was not directly available to Nymphoides. Nutrient uptake from the sediments by N. peltata is suggested by the fact that the bottom and/or interstitial water of the sample station devoid of rooted macrophytes, contained higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than that of the Nymphoides stands. The annual flux of nutrients from Nymphoides to the detritus compartment was estimated to be ca. 1200 mmol nitrogen and 164 mmol phosphorus per m2 of littoral. During breakdown of the detritus there was a relatively fast net conversion of organically bound nitrogen and phosphorus to inorganic forms, especially at higher temperatures. Nymphoides has the potential to function as an important nitrogen and phosphorus pump, which regenerates sediment nutrients.
Training Transfer Design Theories Revisited for Application to Virtual Environments

Training transfer, a dated issue, takes new perspective when considering designing a virtual environment (VE) best suited for application to the real-world. A review of three key design theories is provided. An outline follows of the basic components, limitations, and future directions for Identical Elements Theory, Principles Theory, and Near and Far Transfer Theory. Discussion surrounding theory applicability to a variety of fields including route mapping, medical, and pilot training encourages serious evaluation of the evidence supporting any one theory capable of accounting for all training transfer from VE systems and the probability of training capable of transferring for all fields.
Numerical method to test a theoretical model of the quantum interference effect in layered manganites

A numerical method is provided to fit the experimental conductivity to the complicated conductivity expression for the quantum interference effect of Anderson localization. This method makes the fitting much easier so the theoretical model and experimental data match nicely.
Postoperative complications in obstructive sleep apnea

This study was conducted to determine whether postoperative complications are increased in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to study the impact of the severity of OSA and preoperative use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on the postoperative outcome. This study is retrospective in nature and was undertaken at the VA Medical Center. Three hundred seventy patients who had undergone both a major surgical procedure and a sleep study from 2000 to 2010 were identified. Patients were divided into four groups: OSA negative (apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) < 5/h), OSA positive; mild: AHI 5 to <15/h; moderate: AHI 15 to <30/h; and severe: AHI ≥ 30/h. No intervention was made during the course of the study. Postoperative complications namely respiratory, cardiac, neurological, and unplanned intensive care unit transfers were collected. There were 284 (76.8 %) patients having OSA and 86 (23.2 %) without OSA. The overall incidence of total complications was significantly higher in the OSA patients compared with the control patients (48.9 vs. 31.4 %; odds ratio 2.09, 95 % CI 1.25–3.49). There was no significant difference in total complications between those using and not using CPAP prior to hospitalization. Patients with sleep apnea had a higher incidence of respiratory complications compared to patients without sleep apnea (40.4 vs. 23.2 %; odds ratio 2.24, 95 % CI 1.29–3.90). There was no significant difference in major cardiac complications in the OSA patients compared with the control patients (13.0 vs. 9.3 %; odds ratio 1.46, 95 % CI 0.65–3.26). OSA is associated with a significantly increased rate of postoperative complications.
Some evidence on the accuracy of Phillips-Perron tests using alternative estimates of nuisance parameters

Abstract Simulation evidence is presented on the performance of the Phillips-Perron correction to the Dickey-Fuller tests, using three different spectral windows. The choice of spectral window does not make an important difference. However, knowledge of the true value of the spectrum at zero improves the test considerably.
A protein-based approach to mark arthropods for mark-capture type research

A series of studies was conducted to test methods for marking a wide variety of arthropods with inexpensive proteins for mark-capture dispersal research. The markers tested included egg albumin protein in chicken egg whites and casein protein in bovine milk. The first study qualified the effectiveness of the two marks on more than 50 arthropod species inhabiting cotton via two application procedures. The application methods included: (1) a topical plus residue protein application, and (2) a residue-only protein application. Both protein marks, regardless of the method of application, were readily retained on the arthropod assemblage over the duration of the study. The second study determined how rapidly insects acquire chicken egg albumin protein after contact exposure to cotton tissue sprayed with an egg whites solution. Under laboratory conditions, the vast majority of adult Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Lygus hesperus Knight (Heteroptera: Miridae) acquired the mark after 5 min, and immature Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) acquired the marker after 40 min. The third study determined how rapidly H. convergens and L. hesperus acquire bovine casein protein after contact exposure to either alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. (Fabaceae), or lesquerella, Lesquerella fendleri (Watson) (Brassicaceae), plants sprayed with a bovine milk solution. These insects rapidly acquired the casein mark from the plant residue under field conditions. A final study determined how long H. convergens retain casein protein after 24-h exposure to alfalfa and lesquerella plants containing a 7-day-old residue of bovine milk. Approximately 95% of the H. convergens maintained the casein mark for 2 days after removal from each type of plant.
A study of the far-infrared optical properties of rexolite ™

The far-infrared optical properties of Rexolite™ 1422 were characterized at the University of Lowell Research Foundation using Fourier transform spectroscopy. The spectroscopic transmission measurements were performed on a 0.0236″ thick sample of material over the submillimeter wavelength region from 10 cm−1 to 360 cm−1. Using multiple reflection theory for transmission through an etalon, the frequency dependent complex refractive index of Rexolite™ is reported.
Dynamic Dialysis in Drug-Erythrocyte Interactions

Application of dynamic dialysis to drug binding to erythrocytes was found to be more complex than previously described. Drug molecules located intracellularly in erythrocytes must diffuse through erythrocyte membranes before diffusing through the dialysis membrane to the external sink in dynamic dialysis. One must consider drug within the dialysis sack and within the erythrocyte and their corresponding volumes. When binding occurs in these internal compartments, different equations result for computing Dt, the total drug within the dialysis bag. With these equations and theoretically generated data, the results of “double dialysis” on the data produced in dynamic dialysis studies of drug-erythrocyte interactions were examined. The intracellular binding of drug by the erythrocyte to a single class of preexisting noninteracting sites could be misinterpreted as cooperative binding, or binding to at least two classes of sites, when the data of dynamic dialysis are treated in the Scatchard format.
The concentration behavior of lithium triflate at the surface of polymer electrolyte materials

Surface tension measurements were made on tetraglyme-lithium triflate complexes of varying concentrations. The surface tensions of the liquid glymes were found to initially decrease with respect to the pure glyme. This was attributed to a surface excess concentration of the free triflate ion. These results prompted the investigation of poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium triflate films by the use of ATR FT-IR for the film surface and FT-IR transmission for bulk film studies. These data indicated that the free ion is the dominant species at the surface while ion pairs are more prevalent in the bulk.
On the Phonology of Icelandic Prespiration

This paper presents a new phonological analysis of preaspiration in Icelandic. Its purpose is to get as close to the phonetic facts as possible while capturing at the same time the regular phonological character of Icelandic preaspiraton.The paper is organized as follows: Section 1 briefly reviews some phonetic descriptions of preaspiration. Section 2 shows why preaspiration must be considered an active phonological rule in Modern Icelandic. Section 3 presents an informal description of what the preaspiration rule has to do. Section 4 gives both an autosegmental and a more conventional generative phonological statement of the rule. Section 5 gives arguments for the autosegmental analysis. Section 6 is a Conclusion, followed by an Appendix on preaspiration in other languages.
Pre-transplant elevations of interleukin-12 and interleukin-10 are associated with acute rejection after renal transplantation.

Abstract: Background: Methods for predicting patients at higher risk for rejection before transplantation may help improve outcomes. We hypothesized that pre-transplant elevations of serum interleukin-12 (IL-12), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, would predict acute rejection, while pre-transplant IL-10, an immunoregulatory cytokine, would be down-regulated in patients subsequently experiencing acute rejection. Materials and methods: Thirty patients experiencing acute rejection after cadaveric renal allograft transplantation and a control group of 30 patients, undergoing the same procedure but without the occurrence of rejection, were identified. Serum samples taken before transplantation from each patient were then analyzed quantitatively for IL-12 and IL-10 using ELISA assays. Results: The mean pre-transplant serum IL-12 level was higher in patients who subsequently underwent acute rejection vs. those who did not (181 ± 143 pg/mL vs. 81.2 ± 71.5 pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.007). Unexpectedly, pre-transplant serum IL-10 levels were also elevated in patients who underwent rejection (559 ± 293 pg/mL vs. 332 ± 163 pg/mL, respectively, p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that elevations of IL-12 and IL-10 were independent risk factors for rejection when adjusted for confounding variables. Conclusions: Pre-transplant elevations of IL-12 and, unexpectedly, IL-10 are associated with acute rejection after cadaveric renal transplantation and may be useful in predicting which patients are at increased immunological risk at the time of transplantation. Further studies are necessary to assess the role of occult systemic inflammation in contributing to poor outcomes after transplantation.
Novel Diketopiperazine Enhances Motor and Cognitive Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats and Shows Neuroprotection In Vitro and In Vivo

The authors developed a novel diketopiperazine that shows neuroprotective activity in a variety of in vitro models, as well as in a clinically relevant experimental model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. Treatment with 1-ARA-35b (35b), a cyclized dipeptide derived from a modified thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analog, significantly reduced cell death associated with necrosis (maitotoxin), apoptosis (staurosporine), or mechanical injury in neuronal-glial cocultures. Rats subjected to lateral fluid percussion-induced TBI and then treated with 1 mg/kg intravenous 35b thirty minutes after trauma showed significantly improved motor recovery and spatial learning compared with vehicle-treated controls. Treatment also significantly reduced lesion volumes as shown by magnetic resonance imaging, and decreased the number of TUNEL-positive neurons observed in ipsilateral hippocampus. Unlike TRH or traditional TRH analogs, 35b treatment did not change mean arterial pressure, body temperature, or thyroid-stimulating hormone release, and did not have analeptic activity. Moreover, in contrast to TRH or typical TRH analogs, 35b administration after TBI did not alter free-magnesium concentration or cellular bioenergetic state. Receptor-binding studies showed that 35b did not act with high affinity at 50 classical receptors, channels, or transporters. Thus, 35b shows none of the typical physiologic actions associated with TRH, but possesses neuroprotective actions in vivo and in vitro, and appears to attenuate both necrotic and apoptotic cell death.
New cardiovascular risk factors exist, but are they clinically useful?

There is substantial interest in identifying new risk factors for cardiovascular disease, to improve our understanding of disease biology and to account for the cases of heart disease that cannot be explained by known risk factors. Investigation of putative risk factors frequently involves the study of circulating biomarkers. In recent years, a spirited debate has arisen regarding the validity and usefulness of these new measures. A careful assessment of the evidence suggests that most newer biomarkers are not ready for routine clinical use in the primary prevention setting. The good news is that traditional risk factors perform quite well with regard to the prediction of future cardiovascular risk. Inadequate recognition and control of the ‘classic’ risk factors continues to account for a large number of avoidable cardiovascular events. At the same time, new insights into disease mechanisms should lead to the development of novel preventive therapies, regardless of how well biomarkers themselves perform in risk stratification. Furthermore, state-of-the-art technologies that allow the profiling of large panels of genes, transcripts, proteins, or small molecules should facilitate the discovery of newer biomarkers capable of providing both mechanistic insight and true prognostic utility.
Where Sea Meets Sky

The Sea Surface and Global Change. PETER S. LISS and ROBERT A. DUCE, Eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997. 519 pp. $95. ISBN 0-521-56273-2.