cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mammalian fertility preservation through cryobiology: value of classical comparative studies and the need for new preservation options

Human-related fertility preservation strategies have enormous potential for helping sustain and protect other species, especially to assist managing or ‘rescuing’ the genomes of genetically valuable individuals, including endangered species. However, wider-scale applications are limited by significant physiological variations among species, as well as a lack of fundamental knowledge of basic reproductive traits and cryosensitivity. Systematic and comparative cryopreservation studies (e.g. on membrane biophysical properties and resilience to freezing temperatures) are required to successfully recover gametes and gonadal tissues after thawing and eventually produce healthy offspring. Such data are currently available for humans and a few laboratory and livestock animals, with virtually all other species, including wildlife, having gone unstudied. Interestingly, there also are commonalities among taxa that allow a protocol developed for one species to provide useful information or guidance for another. However, when a rare animal unexpectedly dies there is no time for a prospective understanding of that species’ biophysical traits. Because the odds of success will be much lower in such instances, it is essential that more fundamental studies be directed at more species. But also worthwhile is thinking beyond these systematic characterisations to consider the potential of a ‘universal preservation protocol’ for animal biomaterials.
Hail growth hysteresis

Abstract The transition between wet and dry growth for graupel and hail is examined, and new figures are presented illustrating the critical water contents necessary for transitions into or out of the wet-growth regime. These figures are extended to smaller sizes and lower bulk densities than considered in previous studies. In addition, the possibility of hysteresis in the transitions is examined.
Sip2, an N-Myristoylated β Subunit of Snf1 Kinase, Regulates Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Affecting Cellular Histone Kinase Activity, Recombination at rDNA Loci, and Silencing

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has evolved a number of mechanisms for sensing glucose. In the present study we examine the mechanism by which one of these pathways, involving Snf1, regulates cellular aging. Snf1 is a heterotrimer composed of a catalytic alpha subunit (Snf1p) that phosphorylates target proteins at Ser/Thr residues, an activating gamma subunit (Snf4p), and a beta subunit (Sip1p, Sip2p, or Gal83). We previously showed that forced expression of Snf1p or loss of Sip2p, but not the other beta subunits, causes accelerated aging, while removal of Snf4p extends life span (Ashrafi, K., Lin, S. S., Manchester, J. K., and Gordon, J. I. (2000) Genes Dev. 14, 1872-1885). We now demonstrate that in wild type cells, there is an age-associated shift in Sip2p from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm, a prominent redistribution of Snf4p from the plasma membrane to the nucleus, a modest increase in nuclear Snf1p, and a concomitant increase in cellular Snf1 histone H3 kinase activity. Covalent attachment of myristate to the N-terminal Gly of Sip2p is essential for normal cellular life span. When plasma membrane association of Sip2p is abolished by a mutation that blocks its N-myristoylation, Snf4p is shifted to the nucleus. Rapidly aging sip2 Delta cells have higher levels of histone H3 kinase activity than their generation-matched isogenic wild type counterparts. Increased Snf1 activity is associated with augmented recombination at rDNA loci, plus desilencing at sites affected by Snf1-catalyzed Ser(10) phosphorylation of histone H3 (the INO1 promoter plus targets of the transcription factor Adr1p). The rapid-aging phenotype of sip2 Delta cells is fully rescued by blocking recombination at rDNA loci with a fob1 Delta allele; rescue is not accompanied by amelioration of an age-associated shift toward gluconeogenesis and glucose storage. Together, these findings suggest that Sip2p acts as a negative regulator of nuclear Snf1 activity in young cells by sequestering its activating gamma subunit at the plasma membrane and that loss of Sip2p from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm in aging cells facilities Snf4p entry into the nucleus so that Snf1 can modify chromatin structure.
A New Look at the Problem of Tropical Cyclones in Vertical Shear Flow: Vortex Resiliency

A new paradigm for the resiliency of tropical cyclone (TC) vortices in vertical shear flow is presented. To elucidate the basic dynamics, the authors follow previous work and consider initially barotropic vortices on an f plane. It is argued that the diabatically driven secondary circulation of the TC is not directly responsible for maintaining the vertical alignment of the vortex. Rather, an inviscid damping mechanism intrinsic to the dry adiabatic dynamics of the TC vortex suppresses departures from the upright state. Recent work has demonstrated that tilted quasigeostrophic vortices consisting of a core of positive vorticity surrounded by a skirt of lesser positive vorticity align through projection of the tilt asymmetry onto vortex Rossby waves (VRWs) and their subsequent damping (VRW damping). This work is extended here to the finite Rossby number (Ro) regime characteristic of real TCs. It is shown that the VRW damping mechanism provides a direct means of reducing the tilt of intense cyclonic vortices (Ro . 1) in unidirectional vertical shear. Moreover, intense TC-like, but initially barotropic, vortices are shown to be much more resilient to vertical shearing than previously believed. For initially upright, observationally based TC-like vortices in vertical shear, the existence of a ‘‘downshear-left’’ tilt equilibrium is demonstrated when the VRW damping is nonnegligible. On the basis of these findings, the axisymmetric component of the diabatically driven secondary circulation is argued to contribute indirectly to vortex resiliency against shear by increasing Ro and enhancing the radial gradient of azimuthal-mean potential vorticity. This, in addition to the reduction of static stability in moist ascent regions, increases the efficiency of the VRW damping mechanism.
Clinical epidemiology and biostatistics: a primer for orthopaedic surgeons.

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease frequency1. In the fifth century BC, Hippocrates suggested that the development of human disease might be related to the external and internal environment of an individual1. In the 1600s and 1800s in England, John Graunt and William Farr quantified vital statistics on the basis of birth and death records1. In the 1850s, John Snow associated cholera with water contamination in London by observing higher cholera rates in homes supplied by certain water sources1. Epidemiological methods gradually evolved with use of the case-control study to demonstrate an association between smoking and lung cancer, use of the prospective cohort study to determine risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the Framingham Heart Study, and use of the randomized clinical trial for the poliomyelitis vaccine1. The evidence-based medicine and patient-derived outcomes assessment movements burst onto the scene of clinical medicine in the 1980s and 1990s as a result of contemporaneous medical, societal, and economic influences. Pioneers such as Sackett and Feinstein emphasized levels of evidence and patient-centered outcomes assessment2-10. Work by Wennberg and colleagues revealed large small-area variations in clinical practice, with some patients being thirty times more likely to undergo an operative procedure than other patients with identical symptoms merely because of their geographic location11-16. Additional critical research suggested that up to 40% of some surgical procedures might be inappropriate and up to 85% of common medical treatments were not rigorously validated17-19. Meanwhile, the costs of health care were rapidly rising to over two billion dollars per day, increasing from 5.2% of the gross domestic product in 1960 to 16.2% in 199720. Health maintenance organizations and managed care …
Long-Term Outcome of Hyperthyroidism Treated with Antithyroid Drugs

An evaluation was made to determine the incidence of prolonged remission in 355 patients treated for hyperthyroidism with antithyroid drugs. Fifty-four per cent of 176 patients who could be found had experienced remissions which had continued from 10 to 20 yr in three fourths of the group and from 6 to 9 yr in the remainder. Seventy per cent of the recurrences occurred within a year after therapy, and recurrence later than 6 yr after treatment was rare (2.8%). Hyperthyroidism of short duration seemed to correlate with prolonged remission, and complete or moderate reduction in the size of the goiter at the conclusion of treatment compared to initial size indicated the likelihood of prolonged remission.
PERIPATRIC SPECIATION DRIVES DIVERSIFICATION AND DISTRIBUTIONAL PATTERN OF REEF HERMIT CRABS (DECAPODA: DIOGENIDAE: CALCINUS)

The diversity on coral reefs has long captivated observers. We examine the mechanisms of speciation, role of ecology in speciation, and patterns of species distribution in a typical reef-associated clade—the diverse and colorful Calcinus hermit crabs—to address the origin of tropical marine diversity. We sequenced COI, 16S, and H3 gene regions for ∼90% of 56 putative species, including nine undescribed, “cryptic” taxa, and mapped their distributions. Speciation in Calcinus is largely peripatric at remote locations. Allopatric species pairs are younger than sympatric ones, and molecular clock analyses suggest that >2 million years are needed for secondary sympatry. Substantial niche conservatism is evident within clades, as well as a few major ecological shifts between sister species. Color patterns follow species boundaries and evolve rapidly, suggesting a role in species recognition. Most species prefer and several are restricted to oceanic areas, suggesting great dispersal abilities and giving rise to an ocean-centric diversity pattern. Calcinus diversity patterns are atypical in that the diversity peaks in the west-central oceanic Pacific rather than in the Indo-Malayan “diversity center.” Calcinus speciation patterns do not match well-worn models put forth to explain the origin of Indo-West Pacific diversity, but underscore the complexity of marine diversification.
Research on the Elongation Control System of Tension Leveller for Continuous Pickling Line

Elongation control played a vital role for the production of cold-rolled strip. In the production process, especially during tension disturbances or parameter variations, the conventional PID control method can not meet the actual demand well. Therefore, the intelligent control algorithm was introduced in this paper. A fuzzy self-adaptive PID closed-loop control strategy which combines the fuzzy control algorithm with the conventional PID control algorithm was applied to elongation control system. It is proved in the simulation study that the fuzzy self-adaptive PID control system has both high dynamic performance and static performance as well as strong robustness, which can greatly improve control accuracy and anti-jamming capability of elongation control system of the tension leveller.
Fixed-Load Electrolytic Dressing With Bronze Bonded Grinding Wheels

In electrolytic in-process dressing (ELID), a metal-bonded grinding wheel is dressed as a result of anodic dissolution. In this paper we describe experiments to evaluate the potential for ELID on bronze wheels in fixed-load grinding applications. A constant-force grinding apparatus was used to determine appropriate ELID conditions for a 10-20 μm bronze bonded diamond grinding wheel used to machine silicon carbide. A practical implementation of ELID was demonstrated using a low speed bronze bonded diamond wafering saw. Optimum ELID current was determined for different workpiece materials, and the wear rate of the saw blade using ELID was found to be of the same order as the wear rate of the saw blade using intermittent dressing with a porous ceramic stick. Some of the important factors controlling the rate of dressing by ELID (rate of film growth, rate of film wear and rate of diamond wear) and their combined effects are discussed. Successful use of ELID on bronze-bonded wheels in other applications will be facilitated by understanding these phenomena, developing a general process model based on them and being able to predict useful ELID parameters.
Cellular functions of ascorbic acid

It has long been suspected that ascorbic acid is involved in many cellular reactions. This is evident from the multitude of seemingly unrelated symptoms seen in scurvy. However, until recently, our...
Pathogenesis of Zellweger’s Cerebro-Hepato-Renal Syndrome and Related Peroxisome Deficiency Diseases

There are two groups of genetic diseases involving peroxisomes. In the first, a specific peroxisomal activity is defective, but the organelle and the activities of its unaffected enzymes remain intact (e.g., X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy). The second group is comprised of several extraordinary syndromes in which hepatocellular peroxisomes are either absent (Zellweger’s syndrome and infantile Refsum’s disease), or markedly reduced in size and number (neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy). The absence of an operational microenvironment, rather than multiple synthetic defects, is responsible for multiple peroxisomal enzymatic deficiencies. At present, the basic lesion is not known. In Zellweger’s syndrome, the co-existence of defects in mitochondrial electron transport is equally perplexing and the link between the mitochondrial and peroxisomal abnormalities remains a mystery.
pyparty: Intuitive Particle Processing in Python

pyparty complements image processing workflows by providing utilities for drawing, manipulating and quantifying blob features in 2d-images. pyparty is built around the scientific Python stack, designed especially for compatibility with scikit-image. After a brief introduction, characterization and construction of faux nanoparticle images are provided. The source, documentation and more examples are available at https://github.com/hugadams/pyparty. pyparty is released under an open BSD 3-Clause License and support is available through pyparty@googlegroups.com
The contribution of serum opacity factor to group A streptococcal epithelial cell invasion

Abstract Serum opacity factor (SOF) is a bifunctional cell surface protein expressed by 40–50% of group A streptococcal (GAS) strains comprised of a C-terminal domain that binds fibronectin and an N-terminal domain that mediates opacification of mammalian sera. SOF is co-transcribed in a two-gene operon with another fibronectin-binding protein, SfbX. We compared the ability of an SOF(+) wild-type (WT) serotype M49 GAS strain and isogenic mutants lacking SOF or SfbX to invade cultured Hep-2 human pharyngeal epithelial cells. Elimination of SOF led to a significant decrease in Hep-2 intracellular invasion while loss of SfbX had minimal effect. The hypoinvasive phenotype of the SOF(−) mutant could be restored upon complementation with the sof gene on a plasmid vector, and heterologous expression of sof49 in M1 GAS or Lactococcus lactis conferred marked increases in Hep-2 cell invasion. Studies using a mutant sof49 in which the fibronectin-binding domain had been deleted in-frame confirmed that the C-terminal domain of SOF contributes to cellular invasion independent of the fibronectin-binding domain.
Timing of Large Earthquakes during the Past 500 Years along the Santa Cruz Mountains Segment of the San Andreas Fault at Mill Canyon, near Watsonville, California

A paleoseismic investigation across the Santa Cruz Mountains section of the San Andreas fault at Mill Canyon indicates that four surface‐rupturing earthquakes have occurred there during the past ∼500 years. At this site, right‐lateral fault slip has moved a low shutter ridge across the mouth of the canyon, ponding latest Holocene sediments. These alluvial deposits are deformed along a narrow zone of faulting. There is excellent evidence for a 1906 ( M 7.8) and three earlier earthquakes consisting of well‐developed fissures, scarps, and colluvial wedges. Deformation resulting from the earlier earthquakes is comparable to that from 1906, suggesting they also were large‐magnitude events. The earthquake prior to 1906 occurred either about A.D. 1750 (1711–1770) or A.D. 1855 (1789–1904), depending on assumptions incorporated into two alternative OxCal models. If the later age range is correct, then the earthquake may have been a historical early‐to‐mid‐nineteenth‐century earthquake, possibly the A.D. 1838 earthquake. Both models are viable, and there is no way to select one over the other with the available data. Two earlier earthquakes occurred about A.D. 1690 (1660–1720) and A.D. 1522 (1454–1605). Using OxCal, recalculation of the age of the reported penultimate earthquake reported from the Grizzly Flat site, located about 10 km northwest of Mill Canyon, indicates it occurred about A.D. 1105–1545, earlier than any of the past three earthquakes, and possibly correlates to the fourth earthquake at Mill Canyon.
Multiparameter Analysis of CHO AL Mutant Populations Sorted on CD59 Expression after Gamma Irradiation

Abstract Ross, C. D. and Fox, M. H. Multiparameter Analysis of CHO AL Mutant Populations Sorted on CD59 Expression after Gamma Irradiation. Radiat. Res. 170, 628–637 (2008). The flow cytometry mutation assay is based on detecting mutations in the CD59 gene on human chromosome 11 in CHO AL cells with flow cytometry, but the kinetics of mutant expression and the histogram region for mutant selection have not been studied in detail. CHO AL cells were analyzed by flow cytometry for CD59 expression at various times after irradiation. The mutant fraction increased to a maximum at day 6 but decreased to near background levels by day 20. Cells were sorted from six different regions on the CD59 histograms after irradiation. The growth rate was similar for cells from all regions, and the surviving fraction was 50% of that for control cells. By 14 days the CD59 expression of cells from regions 2–5 was reduced to that of region 1. Cells were also analyzed for simultaneous expression of CD59, CD44 and CD90 (all on chr...
Applications of flow cytometric dna analysis to diagnostic cytology

Flow cytometry is a rapid method for measuring DNA content. Its high sensitivity and specificity in detecting transitional cell carcinomas in bladder washings should make it a routinely applied adjunct to cytology once universal laboratory standards are firmly established. Diagnostic and prognostic information on solid tumors can be obtained at least as reliably on fine-needle aspirations as on surgically resected specimens. At the present time, the sensitivity of FCM in the evaluation of effusions, peritoneal washings, and CSF is relatively low, and although in some cases malignant cells in these specimens that are missed by conventional cytology are detected by FCM, the number of such cases is small. Investigation continues into the application of FCM to the screening of cervical specimens.
Cloud Radiation Forcings and Feedbacks: General Circulation Model Tests and Observational Validation

Using an atmospheric general circulation model (the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model: CCM2), the effects on climate sensitivity of several different cloud radiation parameterizations have been investigated. In addition to the original cloud radiation scheme of CCM2, four parameterizations incorporating prognostic cloud water were tested: one version with prescribed cloud radiative properties and three other versions with interactive cloud radiative properties. The authors' numerical experiments employ perpetual July integrations driven by globally constant sea surface temperature forcings of two degrees, both positive and negative. A diagnostic radiation calculation has been applied to investigate the partial contributions of high, middle, and low cloud to the total cloud radiative forcing, as well as the contributions of water vapor, temperature, and cloud to the net climate feedback. The high cloud net radiative forcing is positive, and the middle and low cloud net radiative forcings are negative. The total net cloud forcing is negative in all of the model versions. The effect of interactive cloud radiative properties on global climate sensitivity is significant. The net cloud radiative feedbacks consist of quite different shortwave and longwave components between the schemes with interactive cloud radiative properties and the schemes with specified properties. The increase in cloud water content in the warmer climate leads to optically thicker middle- and low-level clouds and in turn to negative shortwave feedbacks for the interactive radiative schemes, while the decrease in cloud amount simply produces a positive shortwave feedback for the schemes with a specified cloud water path. For the longwave feedbacks, the decrease in high effective cloudiness for the schemes without interactive radiative properties leads to a negative feedback, while for the other cases, the longwave feedback is positive. These cloud radiation parameterizations are empirically validated by using a single-column diagnostic model. together with measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program and from the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Combined Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment. The inclusion of prognostic cloud water produces a notable improvement in the realism of the parameterizations, as judged by these observations. Furthermore, the observational evidence suggests that deriving cloud radiative properties from cloud water content and microphysical characteristics is a promising route to further improvement.
Improvements to the Aladdin synchrotron light source

Aladdin is an IR to soft x-ray synchrotron light source operated by the University of Wisconsin at Madison. As part of the ongoing program of upgrades and improvements, several changes have recently been made to the ring. It had previously been determined that physical apertures (BPMs) at the QF quadrupoles were limiting beam lifetime when the ring was operated in its low emittance configuration. Increasing the size of these apertures has resulted in a significant increase in lifetime. Also as part of the aperture opening process, a number of ring components were redesigned and replaced, lowering the ring impedance. This has led to an increase in the threshold beam current for microwave instability. An insertion device for EUV lithography has been incorporated into one of the Aladdin short straight sections, and an elliptically polarizing undulator will be installed in another short straight section for a new VLS- PGM beamline. An innovative infrared beamline is under construction, which will extract 320 (H) times 25 (V) mrad2 from a bending magnet by as 12 beamlets, which are combined in an IR microscope. Another modification to Aladdin was the design and installation of discrete trim coils on the quadrupole pole-tips to facilitate using the quads as steering correctors. Details of these improvements are presented.
A new robust regime for a dispersion-managed multichannel 2R regenerator.

We study the performance of a multichannel version [M. Vasilyev and T.I. Lakoba, Opt. Lett. 30, 1458 (2005)] of the all-optical Mamyshev regenerator in a practically important situation where one of its key components - a periodic-group-delay device - has a realistic amplitude characteristic of a bandpass filter. We show that in this case, the regenerator can no longer operate in the regime reported in our original paper. Instead, we have found a new regime in which the regenerator’s performance is robust not only to such filtering, but also to considerable variations of regenerator parameters. In this regime, the average dispersion of the regenerator must be (relatively) large and anomalous, in constrast to what was considered in all earlier studies of such (single-channel) regenerators based on spectral broadening followed by off-center filtering. In addition, hardware implementation of a regenerator in the new regime is somewhat simpler than that in the original regime.
Whey utilization in furrow irrigation: effects on aggregate stability and erosion.

Improving soil structure often reduces furrow erosion and maintains adequate infiltration. Cottage cheese whey, the liquid byproduct from cottage cheese manufacture, was utilized to stabilize soil aggregates and reduce sediment losses from furrow irrigation. We applied either 2.4 or 1.9 L of whey per meter of furrow (3.15 or 2.49 L m � 2 , respectively) by gravity flow without incorporation to two fields of Portneuf silt loam (Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid) near Kimberly, ID. Furrows were irrigated with water beginning four days later. We measured sediment losses with furrow flumes during each irrigation and measured aggregate stability by wet sieving about 10 days after the last irrigation. Overall, whey significantly increased aggregate stability 25% at the 0–15 mm depth and 14% at 15–30 mm, compared to controls. On average, whey reduced sediment losses by 75% from furrows sloped at 2.4%. Whey increased the aggregate stability of structurally degraded calcareous soil in irrigation furrows. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Comparison of Collagen Graft Fixation Methods in the Porcine Knee: Implications for Matrix-Assisted Chondrocyte Implantation and Second-Generation Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation

Purpose To evaluate the fixation integrity at time zero of a type I/III collagen patch secured to a chondral defect in the porcine knee using methods typically employed in autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) and matrix-assisted chondrocyte implantation. Methods Twenty-four porcine knee specimens underwent a medial parapatellar arthrotomy. A prefabricated template was used to create cartilage defects of 2 cm 2 in the medial femoral condyle. A size-matched collagen patch was fashioned. Four methods of fixation to the chondral defect were analyzed: group 1—saline, group 2—fibrin glue around the periphery of the patch, group 3—fibrin glue applied to the base of the defect and around the periphery of the patch, group 4—6-0 vicryl suture and fibrin glue around the periphery of the patch. Collagen patch fixation was assessed at intervals of 60, 300, 600, 900, and 1,200 cycles from full extension to 90° of flexion, performed manually without application of axial force. Patch fixation was evaluated by 2 independent observers using a customized scoring scale. Results Mean peripheral detachment of the patch and chondral defect uncovering remained less than 25% for all groups. Area of defect uncovering was significantly increased in group 2 compared with group 4 after 900 and 1,200 cycles ( P = .0014 and P = .0025, respectively). Fibrin glue applied to the base of the defect, or suturing of the patch, reduced deformation significantly after 900 cycles. Conclusions Suture increases the stability of fixation of a type I/III collagen patch to a chondral defect better than fibrin glue alone in the porcine knee after repetitive cycling, with respect to patch detachment and chondral defect uncovering. Application of fibrin glue to the base of the defect, or securing the patch with suture, decreases collagen patch deformation. Clinical Relevance In cases where minimally invasive techniques do not allow suture fixation of the collagen patch, scaffold fixation may be compromised during articular motion protocols typically used after second- and third-generation ACI procedures.
Cognitive Prosthetics for Fostering Learning: A View from the Learning Sciences

This article is aimed at helping AI researchers and practitioners imagine roles intelligent technologies might play in the many different and varied ecosystems in which people learn. My observations are based on learning sciences research of the past several decades, the possibilities of new technologies of the past few years, and my experience as program officer for the National Science Foundation’s Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies program. My thesis is that new technologies have potential to transform possibilities for fostering learning in both formal and informal learning environments by making it possible and manageable for learners to engage in the kinds of project work that professionals engage in and learn important content, skills, practices, habits, and dispositions from those experiences. The expertise of AI researchers and practitioners is critical to that vision, but it will require teaming up with others — for example, technology imagineers, educators, and learning scientists.
Race, Segregation, and Housing in America

Political scientists have never systematically investigated patterns of residential segregation using comprehensive datasets. In response, this paper examines an important research question involving race, segregation, and housing in the United States: were racial minorities in America’s largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in 2000, 2005, and 2010 less likely to receive conventional mortgages than government-insured mortgages if they resided in more segregated metropolitan areas? Relying on a large, rich Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) dataset, these preliminary results indicate that segregation has a significant negative effect on African Americans receiving conventional, but not government-insured mortgages, thereby distinguishing them from Asians, Hispanics, and whites. If blacks are unlikely to receive conventional mortgages in more segregated MSAs, and if large numbers of whites in those same MSAs continue to segregate themselves, this suggests that highly segregated metropolitan areas are likely to remain segregated in the future along black-white lines and that African Americans will continue to be hypersegregated. If correct, these conclusions have important political and policy implications for the United States, but further research is necessary to refine and extend this initial analysis.
The George W. Comstock Center for Public Health Research and Prevention: A Century of Collaboration, Innovation, and Translation

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has been engaged in public health research and practice in Washington County, Maryland, nearly since its inception a century ago. In 2005, the center housing this work was renamed the George W. Comstock Center for Public Health Research and Prevention to honor its pioneering leader. Principles that guided innovation and translation well in the past included: research synergies and opportunities for translation realized through longstanding connection with the community; integration of training with public health research; lifelong learning, mentorship, and teamwork; and efficiency through economies of scale. These principles are useful to consider as we face the challenges of improving the health of the population over the next 100 years.
Use of an antiserum against cerebrospinal fluid in demonstration of trace proteins in biological fluids.

SummaryRabbit antisera to human cerebrospinal fluid, after “absorption” with human serum, have been shown to react with various human biological fluids. The reactions have been studied by immunoelectrophoresis and double diffusion in agar, and have revealed the presence of 2 trace proteins of β and γ electrophoretic mobility. Both proteins, “βtrace”- and “γtrace”-, were found in CSF, urine and ascitic fluid, while the γtrace-protein was also demonstrated in serum and pleural fluid. Exhaustive absorption of the antiserum to CSF with human serum removed the antibody to the γtrace-protein.
Production of Black Carbon-like and Aliphatic Molecules from Terrestrial Dissolved Organic Matter in the Presence of Sunlight and Iron

Photochemical processing of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural waters can alter its composition and structure, supply particulate organic matter (POM) to sediments, and deliver modified terrestrial DOM to the ocean. Our studies show that terrestrial DOM exposed to simulated sunlight is altered to produce POM with a markedly different molecular composition enriched with newly formed aliphatic and condensed aromatic molecules. This process is closely tied to the chemistry of iron, which primarily exists as dissolved Fe(II) and Fe(III)–organic complexes in initial DOM and photochemically matures to Fe(III) oxyhydroxides before coprecipitating out with POM. The newly formed condensed aromatic compounds resemble black carbon, which until now was thought to be produced by only combustion. These new molecules contribute a pool of Fe-rich, aliphatic, and black carbon-like organic matter to sediments as the terrestrial DOM is transported through rivers. We estimate that the annual global flux of this photop...
Procedures, Considerations, and Recommendations for the Development of an Assistive Technology Demonstration and Lending Sites:

The purpose of this article is to provide a description of procedures, considerations, and recommendations for developing an assistive technology demonstration and lending site to serve individuals...
Does technique require theory

In a personal 30-year overview of his analytic career, the author uses extensive case examples to describe how his techniques were influenced first by classical Freudian psychoanalytic theory, then Kleinian theory, object relations theory, and self psychology, respectively. The author concludes that satisfactory results can be achieved with any theoretical perspective, providing the therapist has the ability to become attuned to the patient's central affect states. Therapists who can see the patient's point of view can then interpret that understanding so that the patient can experience being understood, often for the first time in life.
Dimensions of Dignity: The Theory and Practice of Modern Constitutional Law

In an age of constitutional revolutions and reforms, theory and practice are moving in opposite directions. As a matter of constitutional practice, human dignity has emerged in jurisdictions around the world as the organizing idea of a groundbreaking paradigm. By reconfiguring constitutional norms, institutional structures and legal doctrines, this paradigm transforms human dignity from a mere moral claim into a legal norm that persons have standing to vindicate. As a matter of constitutional theory, however, human dignity remains an enigmatic idea. Some explicate its meaning in abstraction from constitutional practice, while others confine themselves to less exalted ideas. The result is a chasm that separates constitutional practice from a theory capable of justifying its innovations and guiding its operation. By expounding the connection between human dignity and the constitutional practices that justify themselves in its light, Jacob Weinrib brings the theory and practice of constitutional law back together.
A versatile stacked storage capacitor on FLOTOX cell for megabit NVRAM applications

A versatile stacked storage capacitor on FLOTOX (SCF) cell is proposed for full featured megabit nonvolatile DRAMs (dynamic RAMs). The SCF cell structure achieves a cell area of 35.02 mu m/sup 2/ with 0.8- mu m features and permits an innovative flash store/recall (DRAM to EEPROM/EEPROM to DRAM) operation that does not disturb the original data in DRAM or EEPROM. This store operation is completed in less than 10 ms and store endurance for a single cell is greater than 10/sup 6/ cycles. In addition, data retention time sufficient for megabit DRAMs (greater than 10 s at RT) is obtained by use of a stacked capacitor structure. >
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Management in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Purpose This article discusses why the management of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) cases leads to some oral and maxillofacial surgeons to actively avoid attracting such patients to their practices, offers some evidence-based explanations, and provides recommendations for resolution that will benefit not only the specialty, but more importantly the patients it serves. Materials and Methods A review of the reasons some surgeons state they do not wish to manage TMD cases is presented, followed by an updated review of the TMD and orthopedic literature discussing not only the importance of a proper diagnosis but also the impact of comorbid conditions, genetics, clinical experience, and patient expectations important to achieving good TMD management outcomes. Results The literature shows that the frustration clinicians and TMD and orthopedic patients have had in the past are related to initial misdiagnosis leading to multiple failed procedures, failed materials and devices, failure to understand the impact of comorbid conditions and genetic features on outcomes, clinicians' experience in complex cases, and unrealistic outcomes expectations by the clinician and the patient. Conclusion Although it is not reasonable to believe that every graduate of an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency will have an interest in management of TMD cases in their future practices, those who will must understand the importance of the issues of proper diagnosis, the relation of TMD patient comorbidities and prior management to final outcomes, honest awareness of their experience and ancillary support to manage complex cases, and how essential a realistic prognosis is to a successful outcome for the clinician and the patient.
Mystery behind low specific activity of 11C-PIB produced from 11CH3I

1816 Objectives As a “Gold Standard” imaging agent for detecting beta-amyloid plaque using positron emission tomography (PET), carbon-11 labeled Pittsburgh Compound B (11C-PIB) is routinely produced in radiochemistry facility at Weill Cornell Medicine over the years for various clinical studies1. The statistical results of this radiotracer, however, showed that its decay-corrected specific activity at end of bombardment (SA, 11.95 ± 4.47 Ci/μmol, n = 143) is clearly much lower than another carbon-11 labeled tracer 11C-PK11195 (49.17 ± 40.05 Ci/μmol, n = 160), although both of them were produced from the same radio-precursor 11CH3I. In this research, we aim to unveil the mystery of the lower SA of 11C-PIB and give a plausible explanation for the formation of extra mass of 12C-PIB(cold PIB). Methods Numerous syntheses of PIB, with or without involvement of 11CH3I were conducted. The semi-prep HPLC purification was performed to quantify the mass of PIB formed in each experiment. Deuterated DMSO was also employed as a solvent for PIB reactions and mass spectrometric analysis of “cold” PIB was examined. Results In most experiments, the formation of cold PIB was detected even when no 11CH3I and/or 12CH3I was introduced to the reaction system. When methanol was replaced by dioxane in the second acid hydrolysis step, even more mass of PIB was detected. Replacement of DMSO with D6-DMSO in the reaction, and mass-spectral analysis results of isolated cold PIB showed it contained one or two deuterium atoms Conclusions We speculate that the MOM- protecting group from precursor (6-MOMO-BTA-0), in addition to the 12CH3I formed in the production process of 11CH3I, is the other carbon source for the formation of 12C-PIB. During acidic deprotection, removal of this protecting group could generate formaldehyde, which could react with the amino group to form enamine intermediate. The following proton transfer from the solvent DMSO provided the cold PIB resulting in decreased SA of the final product. 1. Mathis CA, Wang Y, Holt DP, Huang G.-F, Debnath ML and Klunk WE. J.Med. Chem., 46, 2740(2003).
National Archives: Teaching with Documents

The National Archives website is often visited by people researching the nation's historical documents, photographs, and records. However, it is more like a vault of various resources that is kept ...
Aligning Customer Needs: Business Process Management (BPM) and Successful Change Management in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections

In 2004 the L. Tom Perry Special Collections in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University began investigating the feasibility of automating many of the workflows used to manage the manuscript and archival collections in its holdings. This article examines the role that business process management (BPM) played in that effort. BPM is a field of management focused on aligning organizations with the needs and wants of their customer bases. The department identified its customer bases as its curatorial staff and its patrons. It was recognized that enabling our curatorial staff to more efficiently prepare manuscript collections for research use would also enable better customer service. We used several different BPM techniques to gain an understanding of the needs of our curatorial as the department automated its workflows. This enabled the department to successfully simplify and streamline its workflows during the course of automating them. The end result has been more efficient processing of archival collections and better service for our patrons.
Complement activation in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy with interleukin-2 (IL-2): binding of complement and C-reactive protein by IL-2-activated lymphocytes.

Plasma samples from cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy with high- dose recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) were obtained over a 5-day course of treatment and assayed by radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the complement degradation products, C3a, iC3b, Ba, Bb, C4d, and SC5b-9. In the majority of patients, pretreatment C3a, Ba, Bb, and SC5b-9 plasma levels were comparable with those measured in normal donor plasma. However, by the end of the 5-day treatment course, C3a levels had increased 15.6-fold. In several patients, peak concentrations of C3a were as high as those reported in patients with sepsis or burn injury. Plasma levels of alternative pathway components Ba and Bb also increased, 8.0- and 5.0-fold, respectively, during IL-2 treatment. Likewise, levels of one of the terminal complexes, SC5b-9, increased 5.0-fold and the plasma C4d and iC3b concentrations increased 4.8- and 2.9-fold, respectively, by the fifth day of treatment. To determine whether activated lymphocytes participate in IL-2-induced complement activation, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from IL-2 recipients before and 5 days after beginning therapy were reacted with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against C3c and the terminal complement complex SC5b-9. Dual-color cytofluorographic analysis showed that within the CD3(+) population, the percentage of cells binding the anti-C3c and anti-SC5b-9 MoAbs increased 6.2-fold and 5.1-fold, respectively, by day 5. The anti-C3c MoAb also bound to CD3(+) cells stimulated in vitro with IL-2 and then exposed to serum. Moreover, fluid-phase iC3b was generated from purified C3 by PBMC activated in vitro with IL-2, but not by unstimulated cells. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are markedly elevated in patients undergoing IL-2 immunotherapy. This hepatic acute phase reactant has been shown to activate the classical pathway when bound to cell surfaces. Because levels of the classical component C4d increase markedly during IL-2 treatment, we sought to determine if CRP became bound to PBMC during IL-2 treatment and found that during therapy, the percentage of CD3(+) cells reactive with an anti-CRP MoAb increased from less than 2% to greater than 18%. When PBMC were activated with IL- 2 in vitro and then exposed to exogenous CRP, greater than 20% of the CD3(+) cells reacted with the anti-CRP MoAb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Protective Effect of Met12, a Small Peptide Inhibitor of Fas, on the Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Photoreceptor After Sodium Iodate Injury.

Purpose A major problem in macular degeneration is the inability to reduce RPE and photoreceptor death. These cells die by necroptosis and apoptosis, respectively, but the upstream activator(s) of these death pathways is unknown. In this study, we use the sodium iodate (NaIO3) model of oxidative stress to test the hypothesis that activation of the Fas receptor contributes to the death of the RPE and photoreceptors. Methods Sodium iodate was injected in Brown-Norway rats via femoral vein injection. Both in vivo (fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography) and ex vivo (histology, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and RT-PCR) analyses of the RPE and retina were conducted at baseline, as well as at various times post NaIO3 injection. The ability of intravitreal injection of Met12, a small peptide inhibitor of the Fas receptor, to prevent RPE and photoreceptor cell death was assessed. Results Injection of NaIO3 led to Fas-mediated activation of both necroptosis and apoptosis in the RPE and photoreceptors, respectively. This was accompanied by a significant increase in the number of microglia/macrophages in the outer retina. Met12 significantly reduced the activation of the Fas-mediated death pathways, resulting in reduced RPE and photoreceptor death and a decreased immune response. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that NaIO3 activates Fas-mediated cell death, both in the RPE and photoreceptor, and that a small peptide antagonist of the Fas receptor, Met12, significantly reduces the extent of this cell death. These findings suggest a role for Fas inhibition to protect the RPE and photoreceptors from death due to oxidative stress.
Seasonal Reproduction: Patterns and Control

The great diversity of reproductive tactics among and within vertebrate species is a testament to the many levels of biological organization at which selection acts to shape the reproductive process. In this chapter, we define seasonal reproduction as the occurrence of breeding in an individual at a specific time of year. Populations exhibit seasonal reproduction insofar as the individuals of the population breed synchronously. Seasonal reproductive cycles are not necessarily synonymous with annual reproductive cycles; for example, an individual that breeds in the spring every two or three years has a seasonal cycle, but not an annual one. Aseasonal (or nonseasonal) reproduction includes reproductive patterns in which individuals breed continuously or year around. Aseasonal reproduction may also include reproductive patterns in which individuals of species breed in response to specific yet erratic environmental cues; for example, species living in the deserts of mid-western Australia may breed only when occasional and unpredictable rains inundate an area.
Disputing: The Challenge of Adversative Discourse to the Cooperative Principle

Since the mid-1960s, most researchers concerned with the analysis of conversational discourse have embraced the proposals of Grice (1967, 1975) as adequately characterizing the principles underlying verbal interaction.1 Simply stated, Grice argues that there is a theory of how people ordinarily use language, that this theory contains a set of assumptions about conversation that guide the interaction, and that these guiding assumptions arise from basic rational considerations about how one could go about engaging in efficient and effective use of language to further cooperative ends.2