cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of epoxyalcohols by a purified allene oxide synthase. Implications for the mechanism of allene oxide synthesis.

The allene oxide synthase (hydroperoxide dehydrase) of flaxseed is a cytochrome P450 that exhibits an exceptionally high catalytic turnover (> or = 1000/s) for hydroperoxy substrates. In a previous study, using a crude extract of flaxseed, we detected a secondary activity that could offer an insight into the mechanism of the enzymatic transformation of hydroperoxides. We observed that the substrate 8R-hydroxy-15S-hydroperoxyeicosa-5,9,11,13,17-pentaenoic acid is converted not only to allene oxide, but also to epoxyalcohol derivatives (Brash, A. R., Baertschi, S. W., and Harris, T. M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6705-6712). The transformation of hydroperoxides to epoxyalcohols has been investigated extensively in other systems, and heterolytic or homolytic cleavage of the hydroperoxide is associated with characteristic rearrangements and stereochemistry of the epoxyalcohol products. Using the purified enzyme, we established that the epoxyalcohols are products of the allene oxide synthase. Their structures were determined by UV, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and NMR. The major epoxyalcohol is 8R,13R-dihydroxy-14R,15S-epoxyeicosa-5Z,9E ,11Z,17Z-tetraenoic acid, a trans-epoxide with an alpha-hydroxyl in the relative threo configuration. Two minor products are the corresponding 11E isomer and a cis-epoxide identified as 8R,13-dihydroxy-14S,15S-epoxyeicosa-5Z,9E,11E,++ +17Z-tetraenoic acid. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of a reaction with [18O2]hydroperoxide substrate indicated complete retention of the hydroperoxy oxygens in the epoxyalcohol products. Mechanistic precedents support a homolytic hydroperoxide cleavage as the initial step in the synthesis of these epoxyalcohols. We suggest that the same process initiates allene oxide synthesis, a conclusion that is also most compatible with the known chemistry of cytochromes P450.
The gradual correction of forearm deformities in multiple hereditary exostoses

Careful preoperative planning, fixator selection and design, surgical technique, and sustained follow-up care are essential for successful gradual correction of pediatric forearm deformities. The sequence of planning gradual deformity correction can be created by establishing a problem list and using this as the basis for design of the gradual correction. Viewing limb length and deformity correction as a "process," rather than a procedure, is of value. Using a hybrid fixation formula that combines half pins with wires can minimize the potential for neurovascular injury. The combination of radial osteotomy, excision of osteochondromas, and gradual ulnar lengthening by distraction osteogenesis improves forearm appearance and function in most patients with multiple hereditary exostoses.
A Study of College Level Academic Courses for Airport Management Personnel

The purpose of this research was to determine and compare the respnnses of public use airport managers in Arizona, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio to an opinionaire developed for the study. Specific areas investigated were academic courses most desirable for a future airport manager, if a college degree was important, and should the airport manager have experience as a pilot or mechanic. A review of the related literature indicated that post-secondary education in aviation and airport management was important to practitioners. It was also found that colleges and universities are becoming more involved in aviation education. The 298 public use airport managers selected for the study included 108 members of the American Association of Airport Executives (A.AP_E) and 109 non-AAAE members. Each potential respondent received a survey packet which included the opinionaire and supporting documents.
Lung Transplantation for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and Achromobacter xylosoxidans in the Lung Allocation Score Era

Purpose Lung transplantation is an accepted therapy for patients with end stage lung disease due to Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Up to ten percent of patients with CF are colonized with Achromobacter xylosoxidans, a gram negative organism that due to its intrinsic resistance to many antibiotics may affect negatively impact post-transplant outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of all patients receiving lung transplantation for CF from 6/2005-2015 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Patients with Burkholderia species were excluded. General and transplant related demographics, pre and post-transplant respiratory cultures, and cause of death were examined. Graft survival was measured through February 2018 or last follow-up. Descriptive statistics were used to compare baseline demographics using parametric and non-parametric tests. Survival was estimated and compared by Kaplan Meier analysis. Results Twenty-nine percent (26/89) of patients had a history of Achromobacter infection prior to transplantation. Pre-transplantation, patients with Achromobacter had a slightly higher FEV1 (25.8 +/- 2.1 vs 22.3 +/- 0.07, p=0.031) but trended towards requiring more mechanical ventilation (42 vs 24%, p=0.081). Compared to patients without Achromobacter, there was not a statistically significant difference in 1 year (0.84 vs 0.94%) and 3 year survival (0.68 vs 0.84%) (Figure 1, p=0.291). Of the Achromobacter patients, forty-two percent (11/26) had positive explant bronchial cultures and forty-six percent (12/26) had Achromobacter isolated after transplantation. Of the 12 patients with recurrent Achromobacter, only 4 had positive explant cultures. Only 1 of 11 deaths was attributable to Achromobacter. Conclusion Lung transplantation is a viable treatment option for patients with end stage CF and a history of infection with Achromobacter and these patients should be considered candidates for transplantation.
Life Choices of Emerging Adults in India

Emerging adulthood is marked by important decisions about life choices. These life choices have their roots in sociocultural and historical contexts. The present study used a mixed methodology, con...
Interpretation in American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine practice guideline for the performance of neurosonography in neonates and infants (2014)

This guideline was published by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, which has been developed to assist physicians performing sonographic studies of the brain in neonates and infants.Neurosonography should be performed only when there is a valid medical reason, and gain the necessary diagnostic information.Although it is not possible to detect every abnormality, adherence to the following guideline will maximize the detection of most abnormalities of the brain in neonates and infants that can be imaged with ultrasound. Key words: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine; Brain; Ultrasound
Epidemiological Trends in the Timing of In-Hospital Death in Acute Myocardial Infarction-Cardiogenic Shock in the United States.

Background: There are limited data on the epidemiology and timing of in-hospital death (IHD) in patients with acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS). Methods: Adult admissions with AMI-CS with IHDs were identified using the National Inpatient Sample (2000–2016) and were classified as early (≤2 days), mid-term (3–7 days), and late (>7 days). Inter-hospital transfers and those with do-not-resuscitate statuses were excluded. The outcomes of interest included the epidemiology, temporal trends and predictors for IHD timing. Results: IHD was noted in 113,349 AMI-CS admissions (median time to IHD 3 (interquartile range 1–7) days), with early, mid-term and late IHD in 44%, 32% and 24%, respectively. Compared to the mid-term and late groups, the early IHD group had higher rates of ST-segment-elevation AMI-CS (74%, 63%, 60%) and cardiac arrest (37%, 33%, 29%), but lower rates of acute organ failure (68%, 79%, 89%), use of coronary angiography (45%, 56%, 67%), percutaneous coronary intervention (33%, 36%, 42%), and mechanical circulatory support (31%, 39%, 50%) (all p < 0.001). There was a temporal increase in the early (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for 2016 vs. 2000 2.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.22–2.78)) and a decrease in mid-term (aOR 0.75 (95% CI 0.71–0.79)) and late (aOR 0.34 (95% CI 0.31–0.37)) IHD. ST-segment-elevation AMI-CS and cardiac arrest were associated with the increased risk of early IHD, whereas advanced comorbidity and acute organ failure were associated with late IHD. Conclusions: Early IHD after AMI-CS has increased between 2000 and 2016. The populations with early vs. late IHD were systematically different.
Pediatric skeletal diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, part 2: current and emerging applications

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) complements the more established T1, fluid-sensitive and gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance pulse sequences used to assess several pediatric skeletal pathologies. There is optimism that the technique might not just be complementary but could serve as an alternative to gadolinium and radiopharmaceuticals for several indications. As a non-contrast, free-breathing and noninvasive technique, DWI is especially valuable in children and is readily incorporated into existing MRI protocols. The indications for skeletal DWI in children include distinguishing between benign and malignant skeletal processes, initial assessment and treatment response assessment for osseous sarcomas, and assessment of inflammatory arthropathies and femoral head ischemia, among others. A notable challenge of diffusion MRI is the dynamic nature of the growing pediatric skeleton. It is important to consider the child's age when placing DWI findings in context with potential marrow pathology. This review article summarizes the current and evolving applications of DWI for assessing the pediatric skeleton, rounding off the discussion with evolving directions for further research in this realm.
Assessing the maintenance of savings sufficiency over the first decade of retirement

The goal of securing adequate resources in retirement dominates the ongoing debate regarding social security reforms designed to accommodate the demographic transformation and to provide minimum income security to retired workers. Policy proposals concerned with the implication of future public sector costs emphasize greater individual responsibility for meeting retirement resource goals. Proposals seeking minimum living standards imply expansion of public fiscal liabilities. We contribute to this discussion by examining the extent to which a cohort of US retirees were able to meet resource adequacy standards at the time of retirement, and to maintain initial levels of resources over the first decade of retirement. We compare annuitized wealth, including social security and pension wealth, to two adequacy standards—a household’s preretirement earnings (reflecting the goal of maintaining preretirement consumption) and the US poverty threshold (reflecting the goal of meeting minimum consumption standards). We analyze the relationship of individual characteristics to changes in resource adequacy over time, and identify the characteristics of those who gain and lose resources over the first decade of retirement. Finally, we simulate the effects on adequacy and public sector benefit costs of four social insurance policy proposals.
What Is Literary Anthropology

ways that assumptions about who the Ipili are, how they live and organize their social networks, and who, in different contexts, might be a legitimate personation of the leviathan. The intricacies of Ipili kinship, residence, intermarriage, and claims of descent defy bureaucratic attempts to limit or restrict workable definitions that fit neatly into contractual relations between a mining corporation and a group of “landowners.” Indeed, such are the complexities that “the Porgera case is one in which the ambiguity of the local resource frontier has created a discursive space for descent claims without creating a hegemonic account of what those descent groups are or how they operate” (115). In some respects, the Ipili appear more like another mythical monster—the many-headed hydra. Throughout the book, Golub uses the notion of feasibility as a way of exploring the possibilities and practicalities of the different agents and their projects in Porgera. In the final chapters he shifts his analysis of the problem of feasible identity to the national level, scrutinizing the myths of “the Melanesia Way,” the idealized rural villager, and the “grassroots” communities who live “traditionally.” Here the full force of his argument is expressed, for just as the Ipili pursue dreams of modernity and the transformation of their villagers into modern towns with urban-style housing and amenities, so too do other rural Papua New Guineans who hope that a gold mine might be established on their land. Environmental destruction, social discord, widespread corruption, and new inequalities have been the legacies of every mining project in Papua New Guinea to date. Mining companies don’t want to abandon mines so long as the shareholders are benefiting from the profits; more surprisingly, neither do local people want mines to close. They continue to hope that they will find some feasible way of gaining more of the spoils. Golub pronounces the Porgera experiment a failure and places his hope for the valley in the post-mine era. But after decades of waste dumping in the river, vast areas of land rendered unsuitable for farming, and thousands of migrants now settled in the valley, the prospects seem grim.
Spherically Symmetric Scatterers

An important tool in the calculation of scattering amplitudes is expansion on the basis of spherical harmonics or vector spherical harmonics. In this section we define these and list some of their properties.
Risks of Antibiotic Exposures Early in Life on the Developing Microbiome

During birth, a relatively sterile unborn child becomes a newborn coated with microbes on every surface. This collection of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi found in and on the human body is called the microbiota. The collective genomes of the microbiota are considered to be the metagenome, and the totality of the microbiota, metagenome, and their interactions is the microbiome. The microbiota has many critical functions including protection from pathogens, development and maintenance of the immune system, and helping the host access nutrients in food. The gut microbiota has been of particular interest, as perturbations of this community have been linked to disease states including autoimmune disease and neurological disorders. Antibiotics have consistently been shown to change the gut microbiome in humans and animals. We briefly review the importance of the early-life gut microbiome and the risks of disturbing it with antibiotics. Each method used to measure changes in the microbiota and microbiome has advantages and disadvantages. Culturing provides reliable results but is labor intensive and limited in the number of identifiable taxa. 16S rRNA gene (16S) sequencing can efficiently identify taxa; however, the results depend on the accuracy of 16S sequence databases. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is prohibitively expensive for most experiments; however, it can describe both taxa identity and genes available in the community. Predictive metagenomics based on 16S sequencing can estimate genes available in the community, but they are not directly measured. Metabolomics examines which molecules are changing in the bacterial community that could impact the host. These methods are all currently in use and those changes most important for host physiology and susceptibility to disease are not known.
Effects of Disturbance on Populations of Marine Mammals

Abstract : Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.
RECONSIDERATION OF THE UTERINE PACK IN POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE.

Abstract One hundred and sixty-three cases are reviewed in which uterine tamponade was employed for postpartum bleeding; the incidence of its use was once in 66 deliveries. The efficacy of uterine packing for atony depends upon its proper application and its employment early in the course of postpartum hemorrhage. Dry gauze packing placed with a mechanical packer from the uterine fundus to the introitus is recommended. No death from hemorrhage due to atony occurred and hysterectomy was not required for atony in 10,833 consecutive cases. No serious complications followed packing and future childbearing did not seem to be affected. It is concluded that judicious use of the uterine pack is of continuing value in modern obstetrics.
Irgm1 regulates the pulmonary innate immune response (MUC5P.864)

Irgm1 is an IFN-inducible GTPase that mediates host resistance to a variety of intracellular pathogens, and also modulates the LPS response in cultured macrophages. Whether Irgm1 regulates innate immune lung responses and controls host defense against extracellular pathogens is undetermined. We hypothesized that Irgm1 would regulate host defense against extracellular bacteria that cause pneumonia. Compared to wildtype, naive Irgm1-/- mice had elevated expression of cytokines and chemokines in the lung parenchyma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, consistent with steady state inflammation. Moreover, naive Irgm1-/- lungs displayed abnormal bronchiolocentric lymphocytic infiltration. Compared to wildtype, Irgm1-/- mice had increased influx of PMNs into the airspace after exposure to LPS and S. pneumoniae, but not K. pneumoniae. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid chemokines, cytokines, and protein concentration (marker of microvascular injury) were all higher in Irgm1-/- mice after LPS and S. pneumonia. Irgm1-/- mice had lower lung CFUs after infection with S. pneumoniae, indicating enhanced pathogen clearance. Irgm1-/- mice also had increased survival after lung infection with S. pneumoniae but not K. pneumonaie. In conclusion, Irgm1-/- mice have an enhanced lung response to LPS and S. pneumoniae, but not K. pneumonaie, implicating a selective role for Irgm1 in host defense. Whether these responses derive from the Irgm1-/- basal lung phenotype is yet to be determined.
Implementing application frameworks: object-oriented frameworks at work

BUSINESS FRAMEWORKS (M. Fayad). Domain Framework for Sales Promotions (A. Dalebout, et al.). A Reflective and Repository-Based Framework (M. Devos & M. Tilman). ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AGENT APPLICATION FRAMEWORKS (M. Fayad). Speech Recognition Framework (S. Srinivasan & J. Vergo). Neural Network Components (F. Beckenkamp & W. Pree). A Framework for Agent Systems (E. Kendall, et al.). A Model for Reusable Agent Systems (D. Brugali & K. Sycara). Experimentation with an Agent-Oriented Platform in JAVA (P. Marcenac & R. Courdier). SPECIALIZED TOOL FRAMEWORKS (M. Fayad). CSP++: A Framework for Executable Specifications (W. Gardner & M. Serra). Applying Inheritance beyond Class-Based Languages (G. Banavar & G. Lindstrom). Luthier: Building Framework-Visualization Tools (M. Campo & R. Price). Scalable Architecture for Reliable, High-Volume Datafeed Handlers (R. Kannan). LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC FRAMEWORKS (M. Fayad). Hierarchical and Distributed Constraint Satisfaction Systems (D. Brugali). Modeling Collections of Changing Interdependent Objects (A. Ahmed, et al.). Oberon with Gadgets: A Simple Component Framework (J. Gutknecht & M. Franz). Inheritance Management and Method Dispatch Framework (W. Holst & D. Szafron). Constraint Satisfaction Problems Framework (P. Roy, et al.). Developing Frameworks to Support Design Reuse (H. Erdogmus & O. Tanir). Language Support for Application Framework Design (G. Hedin & J. Knudsen). SYSTEM APPLICATION FRAMEWORKS (M. Fayad). Tigger: A Framework Supporting Distributed and Persistent Objects (V. Cahill). The Deja Vu Scheduling Class Library (J. Dorn). A Framework for Graphics Recognition (L. Wenyin & D. Dori). A JavaBeans Framework for Cryptographic Protocols (P. Nikander & J. Parssinen). Dynamic Database Instance Framework (D. Janello, et al.). Compound User Interfaces Framework (C. Szyperski & C. Pfister). EXPERIENCES IN APPLICATION FRAMEWORKS (M. Fayad). Framework Developing Using Patterns (B. Woolf). Experiences with the Semantic Graphics Framework (A. Rosel & K. Erni). Enterprise Model-Based Framework (J. Greenfield & A. Chatterjee). Appendices. Index.
Influence of enteric bacteria conditioned media on recovery of Escherichia coli O157:H7 exposed to starvation and sodium hypochlorite.

Aims: To examine the effect that starvation and sodium hypochlorite stress have on virulence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and the influence of conditioned media on recovery of stressed cells. Methods and Results: Escherichia coli O157:H7 was starved for 5 days then exposed to 1 μg ml−1 sodium hypochlorite, suspended in defined media Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium supplemented with conditioned media, sampled over a 12-h period; and assayed for growth, production of Shiga toxin (Stx), and attachment to HCT-8 cells. During recovery, stressed and control cells grown in conditioned media exhibited greater attachment efficiencies to HCT-8 cells then cells in DMEM alone. Production of Stx by treated cells mimicked Stx production by control cells suggesting that components of conditioned media assist in recovery. Results showed that levels of autoinducer-2 fluctuate during recovery and growth suggesting involvement of a quorum sensing mechanism during the recovery of stressed E. coli O157:H7. Conclusions: The recovery of stressed E. coli O157:H7 exposed to starvation conditions and HOCl is positively affected by the presence of autoinducer-2 thereby influencing virulence factor production. Significance and Impact of the Study: Food-borne pathogens in a stressed state prior to ingestion can rapidly recover in the presence of bacterial by-products; exhibiting virulence characteristics and presenting a microbial food safety hazard.
En torno a Abén Humeya: Aproximaciones literarias

The article covers several literary works which deal with the historical figure of Aben Humeya, the leader of a thwarted Moorish revolt against Philip II of Spain in the XVI century. Aben Humeya in literature embraces both political symbolism and aesthetic pageantry. On the one hand, for the Romantic liberals of the 19th century he serves as an antecedent of the struggle against a repressive government, both in the peninsula and in the colonies (Martinez de la Rosa; Fernandez y Gonzalez). On the other hand, he accommodates well the inclination of Romantics and Modernists to Orientalism (Villaespesa). The rise of the historical novel in the past few decades also found in Aben Humeya a valuable fount to revive the Moorish chronicles (Acosta Montoro, Asenjo Sedano, Salvador, Villena, Falcones).
Cohen v. California - and the Captive Audience Doctrine

This brief Article discusses Cohen v. California, where the Supreme Court gave constitutional protection to the public display of a four-letter expletive used to protest the Vietnam War, even though expletive may be offensive to many who would be involuntarily exposed to it, including children. In refusing to apply the captive audience doctrine, the Cohen Court found that those unwilling viewers could effectively avoid the offensive speech simply by averting their eyes.
UhpT, the Sugar Phosphate Antiporter of Escherichia coli, Functions as a Monomer*

We have characterized the minimal functioning unit of UhpT, the secondary carrier that mediates exchange of phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate in Escherichia coli. Membranes of a UhpT overproducing strain were solubilized with 1.25% octyl beta-D-glucopyranoside, in the presence of 0.1% E. coli phospholipid and with 20% glycerol as the osmolyte stabilant. That soluble UhpT could bind its natural substrates was indicated by the protections afforded by sugar phosphates against thermal inactivation or chemical modification with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Moreover, the degree of protection correlated with the strength of interaction between UhpT and the test substrate (2-deoxyglucose 6-phosphate = glucose 6-phosphate greater than galactose 6-phosphate = glucose 1-phosphate much greater than glucose 6-sulfate). Other experiments demonstrated that soluble UhpT existed as a monomer. For example, during both high performance liquid chromatography and conventional gel permeation chromatography, the elution pattern of UhpT activity was measured directly by a rapid reconstitution technique. In both cases, and in the presence and absence of substrate, UhpT activity traveled as a single component of Mr 53,000, corresponding closely to the sequence prediction of 50,600. Finally, reconstitution was studied at protein to lipid ratios low enough to achieve between 0.075 and 1.5 UhpT monomers/proteoliposome. Specific activity was constant throughout this range, a finding consistent with the idea of a functional monomer. Mitochondria and chloroplasts provide the only other anion exchange carriers described at this level of biochemical resolution, and these organelle antiporters function as dimers. By contrast, work summarized here places their bacterial counterpart, UhpT, in the same class as the lactose carrier of E. coli and the glucose carrier of the human erythrocyte, both of which function as monomers. Consideration of this pattern in conjunction with the known hydropathy profiles of these proteins suggests a novel scheme for the classification of all secondary carriers, with implications for both the structure and origin of these transport proteins.
Sequence of Bovine Liver Glutamate Dehydrogenase II. SEQUENCES OF TRYPTIC PEPTIDES

Abstract The present investigation describes the sequence determinations on 54 tryptic peptides obtained from carboxymethylated bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. The peptides range in size up to 44 residues and account for 461 residues of the 506 in the subunit polypeptide chain.
Contact sensing: a sequential decision approach to sensing manipulation contact features

This paper describes a new statistical, model-based approach to building a contact state observer. The observer uses measurements of the contact force and position, and prior information about the task encoded in a graph, to determine the current location of the robot in the task configuration space. Each node represents what the measurements will look like in a small region of configuration space by storing a predictive, statistical, measurement model. This approach assumes that the measurements are statistically block independent conditioned on knowledge of the model, which is a fairly good model of the actual process. Arcs in the graph represent possible transitions between models. Beam Viterbi search is used to match measurement history against possible paths through the model graph in order to estimate the most likely path for the robot. The resulting approach provides a new decision process that can be use as an observer for event driven manipulation programming. The decision procedure is significantly more robust than simple threshold decisions because the measurement history is used to make decisions. The approach can be used to enhance the capabilities of autonomous assembly machines and in quality control applications.
The Chinook at Calgary (Canada)

Since Chinook winds have been shown to be generated by large amplitude lee waves, certain characteristics of this type of air flow are chosen as dynamic criteria in analysis of the winds at Calgary. A number of periods with winds from the directions WNW, W, and WSW (the preferred directions for the Chinook at Calgary) are classified as either Chinooks or Non-Chinook winds on the basis of these criteria. Although the mean surface characteristics of these two groups are significantly different, the discriminant analysis of several combinations of surface parameters yields functions which misclassify over 20 per cent of the cases examined. Analysis of an example of a Non-Chinook shows that not all warm, dry winds in the lee of the Rocky Mountains are caused by mountain waves but may be the result of a forced flow of air out of an upper anticyclone.
Not Another Trend: Secondary-Level Literacy Coaching

Abstract Literacy coaching on the secondary-level offers new strategies for teachers across academic disciplines. In their own words, teachers describe their experience with working with literacy coaches over a two year period in a Pennsylvania school district.
The Communication of Wisdom The Nature and Impact of Communication and Language Change Across the Life Span

Wisdom has played a central role in the attempt to understand the positive nature of human behavior for more than 4,000 years. Neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists, and life span developmental ...
Topographic mapping of VMH → arcuate nucleus microcircuits and their reorganization by fasting

In the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons inhibit feeding and neuropeptide-Y (NPY) neurons stimulate feeding. We tested whether neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), a known satiety center, activate anorexigenic neuronal pathways in the ARC by projecting either excitatory synaptic inputs to POMC neurons and/or inhibitory inputs to NPY neurons. Using laser scanning photostimulation in brain slices from transgenic mice, we found that POMC and NPY neurons, which are interspersed in the ARC, are nevertheless regulated by anatomically distinct synaptic inputs. POMC neurons received strong excitatory input from the medial VMH (mVMH), whereas NPY neurons did not and, instead, received weak inhibitory input only from within the ARC. The strength of the excitatory input from the mVMH to POMC neurons was diminished by fasting. These data identify a new molecularly defined circuit that is dynamically regulated by nutritional state in a manner consistent with the known role of the VMH as a satiety center.
Strategies for the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy

Strategies for the early detection and diagnosis of cerebral palsy include multiple measures of the underlying brain abnormalities and their neurodevelopmental consequences. These measures can be grouped into the categories of pathogenesis, impairment, and functional limitation. Neuroimaging techniques are the most predictive measures of pathogenesis of cerebral palsy in both the preterm and term infant. Measures of neurological impairment focusing on muscle tone, reflexes, and other features of the neurological examination are poorly predictive in the first months of life. Detection of functional limitations manifested by motor developmental delay is sensitive and specific for later cerebral palsy, but not until well into the second 6 months of life. Abnormal spontaneous general movements in the infant 16 to 20 weeks postterm and earlier reflect functional limitations in the first months of life and have been shown to predict later cerebral palsy. Recognition of abnormal spontaneous general movements may improve early detection and diagnosis of cerebral palsy if these techniques can be successfully incorporated into organized follow-up programs and developmental surveillance.
Combining acoustic and electrical hearing

There are numerous advantages for patients who can add residual acoustic hearing to the electric stimulation of a cochlear implant. When cochlear implantation was first becoming accepted, patients were typically profoundly deaf in both ears, so any possible advantages of also using acoustic hearing were non-existent. However, as time progressed and the range of patients considered for implantation was expanded to include those with more and more residual hearing, this remaining acoustic hearing became a factor to consider. The residual acoustic hearing was at first most often located in the non-implanted ear, especially since the trend has been to place the implant in the poorer ear if there was any aidable hearing. In recent years, residual acoustic hearing has been preserved even in the implanted ear, whereby acoustic and electric hearing are combined in the same ear. It turns out that the acoustic hearing that remains in either ear after cochlear implantation can still contribute to overall performance in some very significant ways, including cases where, by itself, the acoustic hearing produces only minimal or no word recognition.
Effects of altered carbon dioxide tension on hemoglobin oxygenation in hamster cheek pouch microvessels.

Abstract Simultaneous determinations of percentage HbO2 and PO2 were made at various sites moving progressively downstream from large to small arterioles in the suffused hamster cheek pouch microcirculation. A new video densitometric technique was employed to measure intravascular percentage oxyhemoglobin (% HbO2), and oxygen tension (PO2) was determined polarographically with oxygen microcathodes. Microvascular diameter and red cell velocity were also measured. The above measurements were made under conditions of sustained maximal vasodilation with with 10−4M adenosine in the suffusion solution. The pairs of values for % HbO2 and PO2 at each of the measurement sites were used to construct apparent in vivo HbO2 saturation curves. Lateral shifts of the saturation curve were produced by altering the carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) of the suffusion solution from 32 to 10 mm Hg, and from 32 to 75 mm Hg. Hill's equation for the HbO2 saturation curves was used to analyze the % HbO2 and PO2 data pairs. For each value of suffusion solution PCO2, P50 was determined and yielded values of 25 ± 3, 30 ± 3, and 41 ± 4 mm Hg for solution PCO2's of 10, 32, and 75 mm Hg, respectively. The in vivo values are qualitatively in agreement with predictions from published HbO2 saturation curves, although the predicted P50 during suffusion with the hypocapnic solution (PCO2 = 10 mm Hg) was somewhat higher than expected. The sustained vasodilation produced by adenosine did not in itself lead to a statistically significant change in P50 between normal and dilated arterioles. A pronounced longitudinal decrease in PO2 from large to small arterioles with an accompanying fall in % HbO2 was observed in all experiments. This longitudinal gradient in arteriolar oxygen content confirms and extends the previous reports of a progressive decline in precapillary PO2. In addition, evidence is presented which suggests the existence of a precapillary longitudinal gradient in PCO2.
Arthroscopic Lysis of Adhesions for the Stiff Total Knee Arthroplasty

The management of the stiff knee after total knee arthroplasty is controversial. Manipulation under anesthesia and open lysis of adhesions are techniques that can theoretically address the fibrous scar tissue, but their efficacy has been shown to be variable. We describe the technique of arthroscopic lysis of adhesions for the stiff knee after total knee arthroplasty. The advantages of this technique include minimally invasive debridement of scar tissue within defined compartments of the knee and evaluation for the presence and treatment of focal lesions (e.g., loose bodies or impinging synovial or soft tissue). The total arc of motion can be improved with a systematic arthroscopic approach.
Reliable Lung and Esophageal Cancer Web Sites

A diagnosis of cancer of any type is frightening, stressful, and potentially life-changing. Cancer can impact a person's physical, social, and emotional well-being. Therefore, cancer patients, their families, and caregivers need a broad range of resources. This article will review Internet resources for lung and esophageal cancers, including resources for all aspects of the cancer journey.
Atrophie blanche: a review from the perspective of a 31 patient cohort

: This article combines review of the distinctive healing pattern most commonly known as atrophie blanche with some previously unpublished observations from perhaps the largest patient cohort reported. A pragmatic approach to this painful, chronic, ulcerative and scarring disorder of the lower limbs is taken. Emphasis is placed on examination of the patient once the clinical pattern is diagnosed. Treatment is also from a very practical approach, with literature references given for the various strategies.
Energy-selective reconstructions in X-ray computerized tomography.

All X-ray computerised tomography systems that are available or proposed base their reconstructions on measurements that integrate over energy. X-ray tubes produce a broad spectrum of photon energies and a great deal of information can be derived by measuring changes in the transmitted spectrum. It is shown that for any material, complete energy spectral information may be summarised by a few constants which are independent of energy. A technique is presented which uses simple, low-resolution, energy spectrum measurements and conventional computerised tomography techniques to calculate these constants at every point within a cross-section of an object.
Targeted therapies: Pazopanib: carving a niche in a crowded therapeutic landscape

Encouraging data have been reported from a randomized, double-blind, phase III trial comparing pazopanib therapy to placebo in treatment-naive and cytokine-refractory patients with advanced renal-cell carcinoma. The challenge that lies ahead is determining where pazopanib fits into the crowded therapeutic algorithms for this disease.
Chemistry of sulfonylurea herbicides

The discovery of the sulfonylurea class of herbicides is one of the most dramatic breakthroughs in herbicide research in several decades. Sulfonylureas possess unprecedented levels of herbicidal activity–as low as 1 g ha−1–very low mammalian toxicity, and very desirable environmental properties. This review will discuss the structure-activity relationships of sulfonylureas, their physical and chemical properties, and their methods of synthesis.
Influence of capture stress, salinity and reproductive status on zinc associated with metallothionein-like proteins in the livers of three marine teleost species

The influence of capture stress, salinity and reproductive status on zinc associated with the metallothionein-like (MT-like) proteins in the livers of three marine teleost species was investigated. In striped mullet, Mugil cephalus L., the zinc associated with the MT-like protein, as determined by gel-permeation HPLC, increased significantly from approximately 102 to 1162 nmol zinc bound/g wet wt 7 days following capture in the field, handling, transportation to the laboratory and transfer to holding tanks. Significant increases were also observed following exposure to reduced salinity for 7 days. Smaller increases were observed in cultured red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, livers following exposure to reduced salinity and physical trauma for 7 days. Finally, there was approximately a 2·5-fold increase in the zinc associated with the MT-like protein in livers of female spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, collected during the reproductive season compared to regressed animals. These findings emphasize the need for establishing the natural fluctuations in MT levels as well as the response to common physical environmental variables before measurement of MT can be used reliably as a biochemical indicator of environmental contamination.
Review of Global Change Research Program plan

The draft 10-year strategic plan for the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which proposes broadening the scope of the program from climate change only to climate change and climaterelated global changes, “is an important step in the right direction,” according to a 5 January review of the plan by a committee of the U.S. National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies. However, the committee also said that the program's legislative mandate is even broader in allowing USGCRP to address many aspects of global change including climate change, the global hydrological cycle, and widespread land use changes. “The Program's legislative mandate is to address all of global change, whether or not related to climate. The Committee concurs that this broader scope is appropriate, but realizes that such an expansion may be constrained by budget realities and by the practical challenge of maintaining clear boundaries for an expanded program,” the report states. “We encourage sustained efforts to expand the Program over time, along with efforts to better define and prioritize what specific topics are included within the bounds of global change research.”
Implicit theories about teaching skills predict university faculty members' interest in professional learning

Abstract Implicit theories about the malleability of skills/abilities predict people's willingness to participate in learning opportunities. In a prior study, we applied the implicit theory framework to the domain of teaching skills and found that implicit theories of teaching skills (i.e., beliefs about whether teaching skills can change with effort) predicted university instructors' self-reported interest in professional development (PD). The current study extended these findings by including a behavioral measure of PD interest and examining whether the association between implicit theories of teaching skills and PD interest held up after teaching self-efficacy—a widely-studied self-belief variable—was taken into account. Findings showed that the implicit theories of teaching measure was a strong predictor for both self-report and behavioral outcomes, even when teaching self-efficacy and other control variables were taken into account. Implications for professional learning contexts, in which educators are positioned as learners, are discussed.
Morphine metabolism in acutely ill preterm newborn infants

To examine the manner in which morphine is metabolized in acutely ill premature infants, we measured the levels of morphine, morphine-3- and -6-glucuronides, and codeine in timed urine specimens and paired plasma specimens at 4 hours and 24 hours after a single dose of morphine in 16 preterm infants (
The oxygen sensitivity of organic macromolecule sorption by activated carbon : Effects of solution chemistry

Abstract The influence of solution chemistry (pH, ionic strength and calcium concentration) on the oxygen sensitivity of natural and synthetic dissolved organic macromolecule sorption by granular activated carbon was investigated. Sorption sensitivity to the presence of oxygen was found to decrease with decreasing pH, with increasing ionic strength and with increasing calcium concentration. The influence of oxygen on the extent of sorption by a basic GAC (pH PZC = 8.5) appears to be enhanced by increasing phenolic acidity and/or decreasing macromolecule size. The results suggest that open, flexible molecular configurations of organic macromolecules and the direct interactions of these substances with carbon surfaces are important factors with respect to the effects of oxygen on their sorption from aqueous phase. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Observational studies of atmospheric aerosols in the lower troposphere using multiple sensors

Atmospheric aerosols play a large role in the Earth's radiation budget, but their specific radiative forcing effects vary wildly depending upon species, altitude and geographic location. A suite of instruments has been developed and deployed at Montana State University in Bozeman for the purpose of conducting altitude-resolved atmospheric aerosol studies.
Cucurbituril complexes of viologens bound to TiO2 films.

Methylviologen (1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride, MV2+, 1) and a newly synthesized viologen derivative (1-methyl-1′-p-tolyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride, MTV2+, 2) were encapsulated in a macrocyclic host, cucur[7]bituril, CB[7]. The complexes MV2+@CB[7] and MTV2+@CB[7] were physisorbed on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles films. Viologens 1 or 2, which do not have anchoring group substituents, did not bind to the films in the absence of CB[7]. The complexation into CB[7] was monitored by 1H NMR spectra in D2O solutions, which showed an upfield shift of the viologen protons upon encapsulation. TiO2 films functionalized with the complexes were studied by FT-IR-ATR and UV−vis absorption. The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of MV2+@CB[7] and MTV2+@CB[7] were studied in solution and in electrochromic windows, where the complexes were bound to TiO2 films cast on FTO. The windows prepared from MV2+@CB[7]/TiO2/FTO and MTV2+@CB[7]/TiO2/FTO electrodes showed reversible, sharp (colorl...
Source apportionment of molecular markers and organic aerosol. 3. Food cooking emissions.

The chemical mass balance model is applied to a large dataset of organic molecular marker concentrations to apportion ambient organic aerosol to food cooking emissions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ambient concentrations of key cooking markers such as palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, and cholesterol are well correlated, which implies the existence of well-defined source profiles. However, significant inconsistencies exist between the ambient data and published source profiles. Most notably, the ambient ratio of palmitoleic-acid-to-oleic-acid is more than a factor of 10 greater than essentially all published source profiles. This problem is not unique to Pittsburgh. The reason for this discrepancy is not known but it means that both acids cannot be fit simultaneously by CMB. CMB analysis is performed using three different combinations of food cooking source profiles and molecular markers. Although all three solutions have high statistical quality, the amount of OC apportioned to food cooking emissions varies b...
Color order systems and architectural color design

In its first part, this article traces some outlines of the history of color order systems which bear upon the question of aesthetic color combinations (syntactic aspect). The second part defines the position of color in the field of architectural design (psychological, contextual, and structural aspect). The function and usefulness of color order systems in the process of architectural color planning and realization (pragmatic aspect) are discussed in the third and last part.
Invariant density, Lapunov exponent, and almost sure stability of Markovian-regime-switching linear systems

This paper is concerned with stability of a class of randomly switched systems of ordinary differential equations. The system under consideration can be viewed as a two-component process (X(t), α(t)), where the system is linear in X(t) and α(t) is a continuous-time Markov chain with a finite state space. Conditions for almost surely exponential stability and instability are obtained. The conditions are based on the Lyapunov exponent, which in turn, depends on the associate invariant density. Concentrating on the case that the continuous component is two dimensional, using transformation techniques, differential equations satisfied by the invariant density associated with the Lyapunov exponent are derived. Conditions for existence and uniqueness of solutions are derived. Then numerical solutions are developed to solve the associated differential equations.
Colonic immune stimulation by targeted oral vaccine.

Background Currently, sufficient data exist to support the use of lactobacilli as candidates for the development of new oral targeted vaccines. To this end, we have previously shown that Lactobacillus gasseri expressing the protective antigen (PA) component of anthrax toxin genetically fused to a dendritic cell (DC)-binding peptide (DCpep) induced efficacious humoral and T cell-mediated immune responses against Bacillus anthracis Sterne challenge.