cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pro-oxidant shift in glutathione redox state during aging

The GSH:GSSG ratio, which is the primary determinant of the cellular redox state, becomes progressively more pro-oxidizing during the aging process due to an elevation in the GSSG content and a decline in the ability for de novo GSH biosynthesis. The K(m) of glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), the rate-limiting enzyme in de novo GSH biosynthesis, significantly increases during aging, which would adversely affect the ability for rapid GSH biosynthesis, especially under stressful conditions. Experimental studies suggest that age-related accumulation of homocysteine, an intermediate in the trans-sulfuration pathway, may be responsible for causing the loss of affinity between GCL and its substrates. Over-expression of GCL has been shown to prolong the life span of Drosophila by up to 50%, suggesting that perturbations in glutathione metabolism play a causal role in the aging process.
Blending algebraic surfaces

A new definition of geometric continuity for implicitly defined surfaces is introduced. Under this definition, it is shown that algebraic blending surfaces (surfaces that smoothly join two or more surfaces) have a very specific form. In particular, any polynomial whose zero set blends the zero sets of several other polynomials is always expressible as a simple combination of these polynomials. Using this result, new methods for blending several algebraic surfaces simultaneously are derived.
Antithrombin Agents as Anticoagulants and Antithrombotics: Implications in Drug Development

Antithrombin agents of recombinant and synthetic origin are now validated in experimental models as useful an ticoagulant and antithrombic drugs. Several clinical trials in cluding surgical anticoagulation, management of coronary syn dromes, adjunct to thrombolytic agents and treatment of throm boembolism have also shown the comparative efficacy of these agents in reference to heparin. Argatroban and hirudin are now available for specific clinical indications such as thrombotic and ischemic stroke and alternate anticoagulants for heparin- induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) patients in Japan and Euro pean countries, respectively. While these agents produce strong anticoagulant effects, their mechanism of action is distinct from that of heparins, thus these agents should be used carefully using specific guidelines provided for each product. Thrombin inhibitors are effective anticoagulants however, their therapeu tic index is narrower than heparin and as such their nonopti mized use is potentially associated wit...
Evaluation of antimicrobial peptides and cytokine production in primary keratinocyte cell culture from healthy and atopic beagles

Increased secretion of antimicrobial peptides and cytokines is present in atopic skin. The purpose of this study was to compare the production of β-defensin (cBD)3-like, cathelicidin (cCath) and cytokines in atopic and healthy canine keratinocytes. Seven atopic house dust mites (HDMs) sensitive and five healthy age-matched beagles were used. Keratinocytes were stimulated for 24 h, and the supernatant was collected. A significantly higher production of cBD3-like was present at baseline in atopic compared with healthy keratinocytes, but cBD3-like did not increase after stimulation. IL-17 and lipopolysaccharide increased cBD3-like in healthy compared with atopic keratinocytes. cCath increased in both groups after stimulation. Atopic keratinocytes exposed to HDM produced more IL-8 and keratinocyte-derived chemokine-like than healthy keratinocytes. Exposure to HDM induced an increased IL-8 in atopic keratinocytes and a decreased IFN-γ in healthy keratinocytes. These results may suggest an over sensitization of atopic keratinocytes and a possible impairment of the cutaneous defense against micro-organisms.
Determination of a potent urokinase-type plasminogen activator, UK-356,202, in plasma at pg/mL levels using column-switching HPLC and fluorescence detection.

Abstract A rapid, sensitive and selective method using column-switching HPLC with fluorescence detection has been developed for the determination of UK-356,202, a potent urokinase-type plasminogen activator, in human plasma. A structural isomer of UK-356,202 is used as an internal standard. The lower limit of quantification is 20 pg/mL and the method is linear over a 100-fold concentration range. UK-356,202 is extracted from plasma simply through the removal of proteins by precipitation with acetonitrile. The HPLC system comprises three columns and the cycle time is 9.5 min per sample. The eluate from the extraction column is heart-cut onto a trace enrichment cartridge which is then back-flushed onto a narrow-bore Supelco ABZ+ Plus™ analytical column. The method has been used to analyze many thousands of samples from clinical and toxicological studies support. Its ruggedness is demonstrated by the use of a single extraction column for the analysis of over 1200 clinical samples.
Generic Monte Carlo Tool for Kinetic Modeling

Dynamic Monte Carlo methods have become effective tools for studying processes that fall between the time and length scales investigated by molecular dynamics and continuum mechanics. The molecular-level resolution of the technique affords a detailed analysis of complex interactions such as adatom diffusion and catalytic reactions. An efficient Monte Carlo method capable of modeling arbitrarily complex reaction mechanisms has been developed. The current implementation maintains detailed information about the current state of the catalytic surface and only updates the information on a local scale, greatly increasing the efficiency of the algorithm. This allows for facile investigation of large, complex mechanisms with minimal effort and competitive solution times. The implementation is first discussed, and then its application to several model systems is shown, including comparisons to explicit integration solutions.
Giant electro-optic effect in nanodisordered KTN crystals

The electro-optic (EO) effect in nanodisordered potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) crystal is quantitatively investigated. It is found out that the EO coefficient of nanodisordered KTN crystal depends not only on the cooling temperature but also on the cooling rate. A larger EO coefficient can be obtained by employing a faster cooling rate. A Kerr EO efficient (s11−s12=6.94×10−14 m2/V2) is obtained at a cooling rate of 0.45°C/s. The enhanced EO efficient by employing a faster cooling rate will be greatly beneficial for a variety of applications such as laser Q switches, laser pulse shaping, high-speed optical shutters, and modulating retroreflectors.
Using the Pylons Web Framework for Science Gateways

Science portals and gateways are built using a variety of tools ranging from elementary customized tools to existing frameworks that bring both greater capabilities (authentication, account management, interfaces, logging etc) and more complexity (resulting in long learning curves and complex code bases). For gateways, it is important to identify frameworks that can be easily adapted to the specialized environments needed for accessing the required cyberinfrastructure. In this paper we present our experiences in developing a basic gateway portal using the Pylons Web framework, Python tools, the Globus Core Python Toolkit including pyWSRF (Web Services-Resource Framework) and pyGlobus, developing Web service clients to TeraGrid information services, and Google code tools. We have found that the Pylons Web framework, which utilizes WSGI (WS-gateway interface) and AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript and XML), is easy to use and learn, is very flexible and has the ability to dynamically reload services without restarting the server (which dramatically reduces development and testing time). Additionally, Pylons components can be published as services, widgets and gadgets, and desktop applications.
Development of an evanescent wave fiber optic biosensor

Biosensors are uniquely qualified to meet the need for rapid, inexpensive analytical procedures. The authors' intent was to develop a simple, real-time immunoassay that could process multiple samples in a semi-automated manner, while maintaining maximum versatility to permit its application under various conditions. To achieve this goal, the authors have developed a biosensor which detects antibody-antigen binding within the evanescent wave of an optical biosensor. >
A Novel Way to Characterize the Non-Specific Surface Adhesion of Cancer Cells and Understand Cancer Metastasis

Cancer deaths are mostly caused by the metastasis of the malignant cells, not by the primary tumor itself. During metastasis, cancer cells detach from the primary tumor, spread to different tissues via blood circulation or lymph system, and reattach to invade new tissues and organs. In this project, we hypothesize that cancer cells manage their invasion by changing their surface adhesivity. To study the cell surface adhesivity, a novel and versatile microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) force sensor is developed to quantify the strength of adhesion between living cancer cells and a probe. The Silicon sensors consist of a probe and 2 flexible cantilever beams, while the probe is used to contact the cancer cell and the flexible beams are used to measure the cell force response in the range from nN to uN. The spring constant of the sensor is 14 nN/ μm. Our results demonstrate that the aggressive HCT-8 cells (from human colon adenocarcinoma) show high nonspecific adhesivity when they aggregate into cell islands, and low surface non-specific adhesivity after they disassociate from the cell islands. The surface adhesivity of less aggressive Caco-2 cells (from human colon carcinoma) and normal MA104 cell (from monkey kidney) are found to be lower than that of before-disassociation HCT-8 cells. Furthermore, the adhesion force response of cancer cells is found to show 2-slope force behavior, which is different from previous results of focal-adhesion detachment experiments. The 2-stage force bearing model is proposed to interpret the underlying mechanism.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Therapeutic Recreation in Education: Considerations for Therapeutic Recreation Practitioners, School Systems, and Policy Makers

Although therapeutic recreation (TR) services are provided in many different health and human service sectors, TR struggles with gaining acceptance by other human service fields, demonstrating effi...
Clinical usefulness of 3% hydrogen peroxide in acute upper GI bleeding: a pilot study ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Background: A major problem in the endoscopic management of acute upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is the presence of blood and clots overlying the bleeding source, preventing visualization of the lesion. A simple alternative is to alter the characteristics of blood such that it not only becomes easier to remove but also becomes translucent. We report the results of a pilot study on the use of hydrogen peroxide in patients with acute upper GI bleeding. Methods: Patients with acute upper GI bleeding were studied if the presence of blood or clots obscured the site of bleeding. The potential site of bleeding was initially sprayed with 200 mL water and then with 200 mL 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with simethicone. Results: In 6 patients with acute upper GI bleeding, hydrogen peroxide spray resulted in good to excellent visualization of the bleeding source. Hemostasis occurred in 2 patients who were actively bleeding. There were no adverse effects or complications. Conclusions: Hydrogen peroxide significantly enhanced clot dissolution and endoscopic visualization in patients with acute upper GI bleeding.
Health care and services delivery systems as complex adaptive systems

Alan Turing and John von Neumann pioneered the study of complex systems. In analyzing feedback processes, they were interested in how complex interacting systems can respond to new information. Among other things, they found that some systems with many interactions among highly differentiated parts can produce surprisingly simple, predictable behavior (such as a programmable mechanical routine or process), while others generate behavior that may be impossible to predict, even though these systems feature simple laws and few actors or agents (such as an evolving living organism).
Structure of cyanide methemoglobin.

Abstract X-ray difference Fourier analysis at 2.8 A resolution shows that the tertiary structures of horse cyanide methemoglobin and methemoglobin differ significantly. The conformations of the heme groups and their interactions with the globin are altered. Short contacts with globin side chains affect cyanide binding to the hemes, and the changes in globin-ligand contact upon substitution of cyanide for water in turn directly affect globin structure. Although the ligand peaks lie off the heme axes, the atoms FeCN may still lie on a straight line (as they do in small iron cyanide complexes), with this line not normal to the mean heme plane. This linear binding configuration is consistent with the observed motion and deformation of the porphyrin. Although motion of the iron atoms is not directly apparent, there is evidence that some changes in tertiary structure are induced by shortening of the iron-pyrrol nitrogen bond lengths. This and other studies suggest that the structural changes responsible for co-operativity in hemoglobin may be initiated not merely by an alteration in the covalent porphyrin-proximal histidine linkage, but by changes in the noncovalent interactions of the globin with the ligand and porphyrin as well.
ASSOCIATION OF SLC34A2 VARIATION AND SODIUM-LITHIUM COUNTERTRANSPORT ACTIVITY IN HUMANS AND BABOONS

Background Sodium-lithium countertransport (SLC) activity, an intermediate phenotype of essential hypertension, has been linked to a region of baboon chromosome 5, homologous to human chromosome 4p. Human SLC34A2, located at chromosome 4p15.1-p15.3, is a positional candidate gene for SLC. The specific aim of this study was to identify genetic variants of the SLC34A2 gene in both baboon and human, and to examine the relationship of these polymorphisms with SLC activity and blood pressure. Methods Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified by sequencing the SLC34A2 gene in 24 baboon founders and 94 unrelated individuals. All tag SNPs in SLC34A2 were genotyped in 1,856 individuals from 252 pedigrees of mixed European ancestry. Three SNPs in baboon were genotyped in 634 baboons comprising 11 pedigrees. Results In human, one SNP (rs12501856) was found to be significantly associated with SLC individually, though it did not pass multiple testing correction; however, haplotype 2 containing allele C of SNP rs12501856 showed strong evidence of association with SLC (P = 0.0037) after multiple comparison adjustment. This haplotype was also marginally associated with diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure. This finding was confirmed in baboons, where a highly significant association was detected between SLC and baboon SNP Asn136Asn (P = 0.0001). However, the associated SNP did not account for the linkage signal on baboon chromosome 5. Conclusions Consistent results in two different species imply that SLC34A2 is associated with SLC activity and blood pressure.
Coordination of speaking and acting in the second year of life

We offer a conceptual reformulation of the relations between two major psychological functions, speaking and acting. The role of speech in regulating action is traditionally presented in cultural‐historical psychology as a gradual takeover and control of the flow of actions by emerging speech functions. We expand this notion to include a variety of coordinated forms between speaking and acting in which the speech‐controlling‐action model is but one of the possibilities. Human development can be characterized as a constant overproduction of action and speech efforts, which are context‐bound, and from which the constructive selection of surviving speech and action forms emerge. Ontogeny thus entails the selective attrition of speech and action forms that emerge through episodes of individual and individual‐social other activity. Empirical evidence from a short‐term longitudinal study of toddlers' speaking and acting in everyday‐life problem‐solving situations is provided to indicate how different forms of s...
Infra-Red Observations of a Preplanetary System

IR observations of R Monocerotis preplanetary system, reporting on flux density and circumstellar dust
Precise Control over the Individual DMD Micromirror for Volumetric Three-Dimensional Display Applications

Digital light processing (DLP) uses a digital micromirror device (DMD) to control light, effectively acting as an array of optical switching elements. DMDs have been widely used as high-speed spatial light modulators for projection applications. This paper proposes a software tool that converts sketches drawn on the screen of a personal computer (PC) into mirror-copy representations across the DMD micromirror array such that corresponding images of the sketches are projected onto a screen. The software tool continuously monitors the PC screen for any new rendering and updates the projected identical, mirror-copy over the DMD surface. Furthermore, the development enables a user to render a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric image by simply drawing slices of the 3D image over a previously specified number of application windows. Continuous projection of these slices formsa3D image under complete control over the projection speed-up tol3,300 frames/sec. The software tool also provides zooming and scrolling features that allow a user to access individual pixels, or micromirrors, on the DMD surface. The software tool described in this paper successfully demonstrates its applicability for the process of volumetric 3D display by way of data acquisition from a PC screen and the subsequent creation and display of 3D image slices, which can later be assembled into a volumetric image.
Comparative Approaches to Governance and Management of Water Resources in North America

Dans l’ere post-Nafta, le Canada, le Mexique et les Etats-Unis font face a un probleme de gestion de l’eau. Ces defis, incluant la demande croissante de l’eau et les problemes de gestion des ecosystemes, tentent : de balancer les demandes des Etats riverains en amont et en aval, de faire face a l’extraction des eaux souterraines et de la potentielle decouverte d’aquiferes partages (surtout dans les endroits ou il n’y a qu’une seule source aquifere) et finalement de faire face aux problemes persistants de la qualite de l’eau. Nous couvrirons dans cet article une vue d’ensemble des problemes mentionnes ci-haut, le contexte nord-americain et une revision de l’experience des differentes regions nord-americaines principalement en examinant les frontieres Americano-canadiennes et Americano-mexicaine en recherchant des visions qui peuvent etre utile a l’autre. Il s'agit d'une version mise a jour d'un document que nous avons presente a l'Universite Laval en 2005, en s'appuyant sur une experience plus recente.
Multiple degree of freedom object recognition using optical relational graph decision nets.

Multiple-degree-of-freedom object recognition concerns objects with no stable rest position with all scale, rotation, and aspect distortions possible. It is assumed that the objects are in a fairly benign background, so that feature extractors are usable. In-plane distortion invariance is provided by use of a polar-log coordinate transform feature space, and out-of-plane distortion invariance is provided by linear discriminant function design. Relational graph decision nets are considered for multiple-degree-of-freedom pattern recognition. The design of Fisher (1936) linear discriminant functions and synthetic discriminant function for use at the nodes of binary and multidecision nets is discussed. Case studies are detailed for two-class and multiclass problems. Simulation results demonstrate the robustness of the processors to quantization of the filter coefficients and to noise.
How effective is preening against mobile ectoparasites? An experimental test with pigeons and hippoboscid flies.

Birds combat ectoparasites with many defences but the first line of defence is grooming behaviour, which includes preening with the bill and scratching with the feet. Preening has been shown to be very effective against ectoparasites. However, most tests have been with feather lice, which are relatively slow moving. Less is known about the effectiveness of preening as a defence against more mobile and evasive ectoparasites such as hippoboscid flies. Hippoboscids, which feed on blood, have direct effects on the host such as anaemia, as well as indirect effects as vectors of pathogens. Hence, effective defence against hippoboscid flies is important. We used captive Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) to test whether preening behaviour helps to control pigeon flies (Pseudolynchia canariensis). We found that pigeons responded to fly infestation by preening twice as much as pigeons without flies. Preening birds killed twice as many flies over the course of our week-long experiment as birds with impaired preening; however, preening did not kill all of the flies. We also tested the role of the bill overhang, which is critical for effective preening against feather lice, by experimentally removing the overhang and re-measuring the effectiveness of preening against flies. Birds without overhangs were as effective at controlling flies as were birds with overhangs. Overall, we found that preening is effective against mobile hippoboscid flies, yet it does not eliminate them. We discuss the potential impact of preening on the transmission dynamics of blood parasites vectored by hippoboscid flies.
Back to basics: molecular tools in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases.

1. Mohamed Hashem, MD* 2. Marilyn A. Menegus, PhD* 1. *Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY Molecular diagnostic tools and detection methods such as nucleic acid amplification are being used increasingly in the clinical microbiology laboratory to enhance the identification of microbial pathogens and to assist physicians in the diagnosis and management of a variety of infectious diseases. The principle of this technique is to detect and amplify a unique gene of the microorganism. This speeds the identification and reporting of microbial pathogens without reliance on their phenotypic characteristics. Effective clinical management of infectious diseases depends primarily on accurate identification of the causative pathogen. The early recognition of an infectious agent allows clinicians to make sound therapeutic decisions and avoid the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, which ultimately favors the development of antimicrobial resistance. To attempt to make nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs) understandable, we discuss the limitations of conventional diagnostic methods and how NAATs and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in particular, can overcome these limitations. Microbiology laboratories have developed many dependable approaches for detecting and characterizing pathogens within a reasonable time frame. These methods include microscopy, culture, antigen detection, immunoserology, and more recently, nucleic acid probes. Conventional identification of microbial pathogens relies on discerning the phenotypic characteristics of the organisms. Bacterial metabolic characteristics, fungal conidiogenesis, parasitic morphology, and viral cytopathic effect are some of the phenotypic characteristics used commonly. Unfortunately, phenotypic characteristics often are not sufficiently discriminatory for strain differentiation. DNA probes, which identify nucleic acid sequences by hybridization, have replaced biochemical reactions and morphology for definitive identification of some infectious agents. Probes are used to identify slowly growing mycobacteria and to detect fastidious organisms such as Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. DNA probes offer somewhat greater specificity than do immunoassays, although like immunoassays, they are not sufficiently sensitive to replace conventional culture in most cases. Although conventional diagnostic methods are dependable, most approaches have limitations. …
Menthol's potential effects on nicotine dependence: a tobacco industry perspective

Objective To examine what the tobacco industry knows about the potential effects menthol may have on nicotine dependence. Methods A snowball strategy was used to systematically search the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/) between 22 February and 29 April, 2010. Of the approximately 11 million documents available in the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, the iterative searches returned tens of thousands of results. We qualitatively analysed a final collection of 309 documents relevant the effects of menthol on nicotine dependence. Results The tobacco industry knows that menthol overrides the harsh taste of tobacco and alleviates nicotine’s irritating effects, synergistically interacts with nicotine, stimulates the trigeminal nerve to elicit a ‘liking’ response for a tobacco product, and makes low tar, low nicotine tobacco products more acceptable to smokers than non-mentholated low delivery products. Conclusion Menthol is not only used in cigarettes as a flavour additive; tobacco companies know that menthol also has sensory effects and interacts with nicotine to produce tobacco products that are easier to smoke, thereby making it easier to expose smokers, especially those who are new and uninitiated, to the addictive power of nicotine.
Potential for selection bias with tumor tissue retrieval in molecular epidemiology studies

Molecular epidemiological studies of cancer generally require tumor tissue to evaluate somatic genetic alterations. Frequently this requires retrieval of fixed tissue blocks from hospital pathology archives. The availability of this material may be associated with disease severity, diagnostic practices, hospitals, or risk factors for disease. Tumor material is not available when the diagnosis is made clinically without histological confirmation. These characteristics create difficulties in defining the study base population. Incomplete access to tumor tissue has implications for description of the natural history of disease, estimates of the prevalence of mutation in the population, and evaluation of environmental exposures and critical target gene mutations. Differential diagnostic practices by age groups or across hospitals may create a biased population with respect to potential risk factors. However, this will not bias case-case comparisons unless the mutation of interest is associated both with the exposure of interest and the presence of a tumor block. When subjects with less severe disease are more likely to have biopsies, information regarding the natural history of the disease will be obscured. Investigation of the interaction of environmental agents and critical target gene mutations may be limited if, for example, an environmental agent is associated with a more aggressive form of the disease. Using an ongoing pancreatic cancer case-control study as an example, we discuss the potential for bias associated with differential availability of tumor blocks including consideration of tumor, patient, and hospital characteristics. Due to incomplete retrieval of tissue, the determinants of selection should be described in all studies using tumor tissue, and the implications for generalizability, power, and interpretation of findings in population-based studies should be considered.
Embolisation of the external carotid artery in the treatment of carotid cavernous sinus fistulae

A review of treatment methods used to control carotid cavernous sinus fistulae is presented. Three cases are described in which embolisation of the external carotid artery was done along with intracranial vascular procedures in the management of carotid cavernous fistulae.
Ring-Related Defects in MCZ Wafer Comparison by Electrical, Structural, and Device Properties

Thermal cycles in advanced CMOS processing can nucleate an annular ring of oxygen precipitate-induced stacking faults (OSF-ring) via activation of bulk nuclei grown-in during the crystal pulling process. Because the OSF-ring can adversely affect device characteristics, it is important that substrates with OSF-ring characteristics be detected early in the process. Results are presented in this paper from a typical DRAM device which show that the ring can act either in a beneficial gettering mode or as a device-degrading zone, depending on the depth distribution of the OSF-ring defects and the background iron impurity concentration.
Temperature‐Dependent Indentation Behavior of Transformation‐Toughened Zirconia‐Based Ceramics

Indentation behavior of Ce-TZP, Y-TZP, and Mg-PSZ between room temperature and 1300 C was investigated. Hardness decreased with increasing temperature for all three materials, but indentation cracking increased with increasing temperature. The opposing temperature dependences are discussed in terms of dislocation and transformation plasticity.
Costs, Consequences and Feasibility of Strategies for Achieving the Goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in the United States: A Closing Window for Success?

Three key policy questions are explored here: Is it still epidemiologically feasible to attain the incidence and transmission rate reduction goals of the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) by 2015? If so, what costs will be incurred in necessary program expansion, and will the investment be cost-effective? Would substantial expansion of prevention services for persons living with HIV (PLWH) augment the other strategies outlined in the NHAS in terms of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness? Eight policy scenarios were constructed based on three factors (two levels each): expansion (or not) of HIV diagnostic services; assumptions regarding levels of effectiveness of HIV treatment in achieving suppressed viral load; and possible levels of expansion of prevention services for PLWH. All scenarios assumed that the NHAS goal of 85 % linkage to HIV care would be fully achieved by 2015. Standard methods of economic evaluation and epidemiologic modeling were employed. Each of the eight policy scenarios was compared to a flat transmission rate comparison condition; then, key policy dyads were compared pairwise. Without expansion of diagnostic services and of prevention services for PLWH, scaling up coverage of HIV care and treatment alone in the U.S. will not achieve the incidence and transmission rate reduction goals of the NHAS. However, timely expansion of testing and prevention services for PLWH does allow for the goals to still be achieved by 2015, and does so in a highly cost-effective manner.
Factors affecting lactate and malate utilization by Selenomonas ruminantium

Lactate utilization by Selenomonas ruminantium is stimulated in the presence of malate. Because little information is available describing lactate-plus-malate utilization by this organism, the objective of this study was to evaluate factors affecting utilization of these two organic acids by two strains of S. ruminantium. When S. ruminantium HD4 and H18 were grown in batch culture on DL-lactate and DL-malate, both strains coutilized both organic acids for the initial 20 to 24 h of incubation and acetate, propionate, and succinate accumulated. However, when malate and succinate concentrations reached 7 mM, malate utilization ceased, and with strain H18, there was a complete cessation of DL-lactate utilization. Malate utilization by both strains was also inhibited in the presence of glucose. S. ruminantium HD4 was unable to grow on 6 mM DL-lactate at extracellular pH 5.5 in continuous culture (dilution rate, 0.05 h-1) and washed out of the culture vessel. Addition of 8 mM DL-malate to the medium prevented washout on 6 mM DL-lactate at pH 5.5 and resulted in succinate accumulation. Addition of malate also increased bacterial protein, acetate, and propionate concentrations in continuous culture. These results suggest that 8 mM DL-malate enhances the ability of strain HD4 to grow on 6 mM DL-lactate at extracellular pH 5.5.
Rethinking the Relation of Labor to the Politics of Urban Social Reform in Late Nineteenth-Century America: The Case of Chicago

In the past decade many "new ?abor historians" have shifted their emphasis away from a narrowly focused social and cultural history and, without abandoning social historical insights, have reengaged vigorously with polit ical history. In addition to their earlier interest in defining a "working-class politics" and tracing how it fared within the electoral system, labor histo rians recently have begun to reassess the larger periodizing concepts in political history, including those relating to party formation, political mo bilization, political language and ideology, and political culture.1 The result has been significant progress toward the goal first articulated by Herbert Gutman: to rethink the basic building blocks of American history in such a way as to take full account of the experiences, aspirations, and movements of working people and other subordinate groups studied by social histo rians.2
Chemistry of the Natural Atmosphere

Chemistry of the Natural Atmosphere fills an important gap in the literature of atmospheric chemistry. While local and regional air pollutions have been o f concern for a long time and many books discuss the chemistry, physics and engineering of urban air pollution, there are few texts that treat atmospheric chemistry in broad interdisciplinary terms. The available literature typically deals with localized problems and is usually written for a limited scientific audience, mainly chemists or meteorologists. The natural global background atmosphere has been neglected, despite the fact that without such knowledge it is impossible to assess the impact of human activity on the atmosphere.
The effect of solvent polarity on the rate of rearrangement of 9-(trans-2,3-dimethylcyclopropylmethyl)-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane

The rate of the ring-opening rearrangement of the borane derived from hydroboration of trans-2,3-dimethylmethylenecyclopropane with 9-BBN was measured in hexane, tetrahydrofuran, and methylene chloride. The modest increase in rate which was observed with increasing polarity is interpreted to imply a transition state only slightly more polar than the reactant.
Design and optimization of LC oscillators

We present a method for optimizing and automating component and transistor sizing for CMOS LC oscillators. We observe that the performance measures can be formulated as posynomial functions of the design variables. As a result, the LC oscillator design problems can be posed as a geometric program, a special type of optimization problem for which very efficient global optimization methods have recently been developed. The synthesis method is therefore fast, and determines the globally optimal design; in particular the final solution is completely independent of the starting point (which can even be infeasible), and infeasible specifications are unambiguously detected. We can rapidly compute globally optimal trade-off curves between competing objectives such as phase noise and power.
New telechelic polymers and sequential copolymers by polyfunctional initiator-transfer agents (inifers). XXX: Synthesis and quantitative terminal functionalization of α,ω-diarylpolyisobutylenes

Novel aromatic-telechelic polyisobutylenes were prepared and characterized: α,ω-diphenylpolyisobutylene, α-phenyl-ω-tolylpolyisobutylene, and α,ωditolylpolyisobutylene. The syntheses involved the preparation of asymmetric telechelic prepolymers (α-phenyl-ω-tert-chloropolyisobutylene and α-tolyl-ω-tert-chloropolyisobutylene) by the minifer method and quantitative alkylation of benzene and toluene by the prepolymer. The terminal aromatic rings of these telechelic polyisobutylenes were quantitatively nitrated, acetylated, and chlorosulfonated and a series of further novel telechelic products was obtained. Characterization of these derivatives provided additional proof for the telechelic structure of the starting prepolymers. The quantitative reduction of nitroaryl-telechelic polyisobutylene by SnCl2/HCl led to aminoaryl-telechelic polyisobutylene which was used to cure bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether. These new flexible epoxy networks exhibited outstanding heat and hydrolytic stability combined with satisfactory mechanical properties.
Demography and Families

In recent years, the demography of families has drawn increasing attention from a number of disciplines, including sociology, history, anthropology, economics, psychology, and family studies. This chapter aims, first, to summarize the major empirical themes of family demography. Second, it aims to place these themes within a conceptual and explanatory framework..
Asymmetric Error Correcting Codes

Non-linear but cyclic codes capable of correcting asymmetric errors are described. For these codes the syndromes directly give the symmetric functions of the error locations and so these codes are much easier to decode. The hardware implementation of the decoding algorithm is given. In many cases the information rate of these codes is as good as or better than the corresponding BCH codes.
Global policy construction in modular reinforcement learning

We propose a modular reinforcement learning algorithm which decomposes a Markov decision process into independent modules. Each module is trained using Sarsa(λ). We introduce three algorithms for forming global policy from modules policies, and demonstrate our results using a 2D grid world.
Inhibition of constriction-induced reactive hyperemic edema.

SummaryReactive hyperemic edema (RHE) was induced in hind paws of rats by application of a constriction band for 2, 5, 15, 30, or 60 min; 1 or 3 hr after removal of the band, swelling of the hind paws was measured. RHE was completely reversible within 2 to 4 days; none of the animals died. Attenuation of RHE was produced by the vasoconstrictor, α-sympathomimetic activity of norepinephrine, phenylephrine, or epinephrine; phentolamine antagonized this attenuation completely, but sotalol, a β-adrenergic receptor blocking agent, did not. Tripelennamine and methdilazine produced slight inhibition of RHE at much higher dose levels than those needed to reduce histamine-induced edema in hind paws; cyproheptadine (50 mg/kg, sc) was ineffective. Methysergide maleate (50.0 mg/kg) caused only a slight reduction of RHE (27%). Classical anti-inflammatory steroids were ineffective but indomethacin and phenylbutazone induced a small degree of reduction of RHE at high dosage. Narcotic analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs, mo...
Optimizing Energy Efficiency of a Flapping Robotic Bird Through Application of Evolutionary Algorithms

Recent advances in servo motors have enabled construction of a new low cost class of flapping wing robots. These robotic, bird-sized flapping wing vehicles are capable of independently controlling wing position. In contrast, most previously-developed flapping wing mechanisms rely on mechanical linkages to oscillate the wings and can only control the flapping frequency. This new class of servo-based robotic birds allows for minimization of the number of necessary actuators and can provide for more degrees of freedom, eliminating the need for additional control surfaces. As with many other flapping wing vehicles, power consumption is of great concern, since it is the limiting operational factor of flight duration. In this paper, we investigate the use of evolutionary algorithms to optimize the flapping and gliding patterns of a robotic bird. For gliding, we maximize the lift to drag ratio while minimizing the aerodynamic moments and side force. For flapping, we maximize the lift while minimizing the drag and power consumption by modulating the frequency of the up and down wing strokes. In order to allow on-board learning, we modify an existing design to have similar aero-surface area and significantly reduced weight, accommodating an increased computational payload.
Mechanism of the protective effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in hemorrhagic shock.

SummaryAnesthetized cats subjected to hemorrhage were treated with captopril, a CEI (0.5 μg/kg/hr) alone or in conjunction with angiotensin II (10 μg/kg/hr). Angioten-sin II administration significantly reduced survival time (110 vs 64 min) and lowered superior mesenteric artery flow (SMAF) immediately after reinfusion (8.5 vs 2.2 ml/kg/ min). These results suggest that blockade of angiotensin II formation is a prominent aspect of the beneficial actions of captopril in hemorrhage. Furthermore, captopril potentiated the vascular effects of bradykinin at normal blood pressures but not in hemor-rhagic hypotension. In the same experiments, captopril blocked the vascular effects of angiotensin I at both pressures. Thus, bradykinin potentiation is not essential for the beneficial actions of captopril in hemorrhagic shock, since hypotension abolishes the bra-dykinin-potentiating effects of captopril. Reduction of angiotensin II formation appears to be a major mechanism of captopril action in prolonging survival ...
Is prostate cancer screening responsible for the negative results of prostate cancer treatment trials

Clinical guidelines continue to move away from routine prostate specific antigen screening (PSA), once a widespread medical practice. A curious difference exists between early prostate cancer and early breast cancer. While randomized trials of therapy in early breast cancer continue to show overall survival benefit, this is not the case in prostate cancer, where prostatectomy was no better than observation in a recent trial, and where early androgen deprivation is no better than late androgen deprivation. Here, I make the case that prostate cancer screening contributes so greatly to over diagnosis that even treatment trials yield null results due to contamination with non-life threatening disease.
Hydrocodone-acetaminophen for pain control in first-trimester surgical abortion: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective Although hydrocodone-acetaminophen is commonly used for pain control in first-trimester abortion, the efficacy of oral opioids for decreasing pain has not been established. Our objective was to estimate the effect of hydrocodone-acetaminophen on patient pain perception during first-trimester surgical abortion. Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Patients (before 11 weeks of gestation) received standard premedication (ibuprofen and lorazepam) and a paracervical block with the addition of 10 mg hydrocodone and 650 mg acetaminophen or placebo 45-90 minutes before surgical abortion. A sample size of 120 was calculated to provide 80% power to show a 15-mm difference (α=0.05) in the primary outcome of pain with uterine aspiration (100-mm visual analog scale). Secondary outcomes were pain at additional time points, satisfaction, side effects, adverse events, and need for additional pain medications. Results There were no significant differences in demographics or baseline pain between groups. There were no differences in pain scores between patients receiving hydrocodone-acetaminophen compared with placebo during uterine aspiration (65.7 mm compared with 63.2 mm, P=.59) or other procedural time points. There were no differences in satisfaction or need for additional pain medications. Patients who received hydrocodone-acetaminophen had more postoperative nausea than those receiving placebo (P=.03) when controlling for baseline nausea. No medication-related adverse events were noted. Conclusion Hydrocodone-acetaminophen does not decrease pain during first-trimester abortion and may increase postoperative nausea. Clinical trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01330459. Level of evidence I.
Police and the Administration of Justice in Medieval India

The policing system of India went through various models during the process of conquest by foreign rulers. The Aryan system was supplanted by the Muslim legal system after the Muslim rulers embarked on a more permanent stay in India. The Muslim legal system could not be implemented in its original orthodox form. In order to be incorporated into the Indian setting, the Mughal emperors had to adapt the Muslim law to the Indian environment. The Panchayati system of India in combination with the Arab and Persian systems of the Delhi sultanates and the Mughal emperors, respectively, created a very versatile and unique administrative blend. This chapter examines the system of policing and administration of justice during the Mughal period (1526–1707). It postulates that the Perso–Arab system that the Mughals inherited through the Delhi sultanates was in turn transformed when this system came into contact with the multiracial and multireligious Indian environment. The new system went through a profound change when coming into contact with Indian society, institutions, and culture. The legal system and the policing system employed by the Mughals incorporated elements of Indian law and administration. The resulting system ended up as one that can be more accurately characterized as a blend of the Arab-Persian-Indian system of administration. The system was forced to adopt a very liberal and tolerant interpretation of the Muslim law. Mughal power began to wane when the policy changed to a more orthodox Sunni model under Aurangzeb.
Change in Seizure Pattern and Menopause

A 46-year-old woman is starting to undergo menopause. She has a history of secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures which started at age 14 coinciding with the onset of her menstrual periods. In the past her seizures were more intense and frequent around the time of her ovulation. Her seizures were also particularly challenging to control during her two pregnancies. She is in your office for a follow-up visit and is asking for your advice regarding what to expect to happen to her seizures in the next few years and whether her seizures will improve or worsen?
OR24 Recipient FCGR3A-158V homozygous genotype is associated with an increased risk of chronic lung allograft dysfunction

Aim Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is a major obstacle in the long-term success of lung transplantation. Recipient natural killer (NK) cells substantially influence the immune response to the allografts. NK cells can respond to allograft via three distinct mechanisms: missing-self, induced-self, and antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC). NK cell ADCC is regulated by CD16 (FcRIIIa), a low-affinity cell-surface receptor for the Fc portion of IgG antibodies. CD16 is encoded byFCGR3A, which carries a functional single nucleotide polymorphism that substitutes phenylalanine (F) for valine (V) at residue 158. Despite identical levels of CD16 expression, 158V homozygotes have higher binding affinity for IgG compared with 158F homozygotes. We hypothesized that the recipients carrying high binding FCGR3A-158V variants would have worse outcome compared to the weakly binding FCGR3A-158F carriers. Methods We developed a melting curve based q-PCR method to analyze FCGR3A-V158F variants in a cohort of 252 lung transplant recipients. CLAD was determined by date of FEV1 or FVC drop to Results Numbers of recipients with FCGR3A-158 FF, VV, and VF genotypes are 107 (42%), 30 (12%) and 115 (46%), respectively. CLAD-free survival was shorter in the 158VV group (3.0 median years) than the 158FF group (6.0 median years, HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.7, P = 0.05) and VF group (5.3 median years, ns) (Figure). Conclusions We observed an association between theFCGR3A-158 VV genotype and worse CLAD-free survival. Recipients with this genotype would presumably have more NK cell-mediated ADCC activity and could be at increased risk of graft dysfunction in the context of donor-specific antibodies. Mechanistic studies and validation in other cohorts will be needed to determine the significance of this finding to lung transplant outcomes. Download : Download high-res image (64KB) Download : Download full-size image