cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectral analysis and catalytic activities of the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system of the sea anemone (phylum: Cnidaria).

Abstract Cnidarians are primarily marine organisms with a wide and diverse habitat worldwide. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated the presence of proteins in the molecular mass range of 50–60 KDa that were recognized by several antibodies raised against fish cytochromes P 450 of the CYP 1, 2, and 3 families in microsomes prepared from the columnar regions of 5 species of sea anemones (Heffernan et al. Mar Environ Res 1996;42:353–357). Pursuant to those studies we report herein results of spectral analyses, NAD(P)H-oxidoreductase and ethoxyresorufin O -dealkylase (EROD) of sea anemone microsomal fractions. The predominant feature in the difference spectrum of dithionite (DTN)-reduced, CO-liganded anemone microsomes was a peak with λ max of approximately 418 nm, which slowly increased for about 20 min and decreased after about 40 min. A relatively lower amplitude 450 nm peak was attained within 5 min of CO addition and was stable for up to 90 min. The 450 nm peak did not increase concomitant to the decrease in the 418 nm peak suggesting that the latter is not denatured P 450. A significantly larger 450 nm peak was attained in CO-difference spectra when DTN was added prior to CO. NADPH-dependent cytochrome c ( P 450) reductase of the sea anemones was 1.8–3.9 nmol/min/mg protein, which is at the lower end of the range observed in invertebrates. NADH-cytochrome c reductase was 9–25 nmol/min/mg protein, while the NADH-ferricyanide ( b 5 ) reductase ranged from 73–232 nmol/min/mg protein. When microsomal EROD activity was measured under conditions in which the reaction was linear with respect to protein concentration, a decrease in fluorescence was typically observed for the initial 15 min of the time course and then increased linearly for up to 90 min; initial velocities were determined from the increasing linear region. NADPH was the preferred cofactor for EROD activity and the NAD(P)H-EROD activity was higher in Anthopleura elegantissima than Anthopleura xanthogrammica . The Bunodosoma cavernata NADPH-EROD activity was barely noted at the detection limit of the assay and NADH-EROD activity was not detected. These results are consistent with a functional P 450-dependent MFO system in cnidarians, with characteristics both similar to and unique from other marine invertebrates.
Parallel Process Neural Networks and Its Application in the Predication of Sunspot Number Series

To address the problem of approximation and prediction of complex time-varying system, this paper proposes a parallel process neural networks predication method based on general process neural networks models. Firstly, the whole time-varying process is divided into several small time intervals; then, the process neural networks are constructed respectively in the small time intervals to disperse the load of networks. According to the theory of orthogonal function basis expansion in functional space, the learning algorithm of the above model is deduced; finally, the results of time series predication for sunspots shows that the proposed method can balance the load of networks and improve the approximation and prediction ability of networks.
Reoperative Face and Neck Lifts

The complexity of the reoperative facelift or neck lift is directly related to the way the primary procedure was performed. Regardless of the primary technique used, the secondary procedure should be directed to the specific problems that the patient exhibits, such as scars, earlobe deformity, hair pattern changes, laxity in the upper face or neck, jowling, or deepening of the nasolabial folds. Contour should be restored within the deep layer support via the elevation of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system and platysma rather than rotating skin flaps in an exaggerated manner in a cephalad direction, producing a tight unnatural look.
Stability of the square-wave detonation in a model system

Abstract Using a set of model equations for reactive flow, we study the stability of a “square-wave” detonation, in which each particle of the fluid reacts instantaneously after an induction time which depends on how hard it was shocked. We obtain a differential-difference equation for the shock velocity, valid for small perturbations about the steady solution. This equation is of so-called “advanced” type, in which the velocity at a given time depends on both velocity and acceleration at an earlier time.
Detection of cardiomyopathic changes induced by doxorubicin based on quantitative analysis of ultrasonic backscatter.

Abstract Ultrasonic measurements are valuable in characterizing cardiac dimensions and structure. Recently, analysis of ultrasonic properties of tissue has proved useful in detecting morphologic changes such as those accompanying myocardial infarction. This study was undertaken to determine whether acoustic properties of tissue can be utilized to detect cardiomyopathic changes as well. Cardiomyopathy was induced by prolonged administration of doxorublcin (Adriamycin) (1.2 mg/kg twice weekly) in 25 rabbits and results were compared with those in normal control rabbits, housed identically. The 15 surviving treated animals were killed at selected intervals 10 to 18 weeks after initiation of drug administration and the hearts were analyzed for collagen content based on hydroxyproline. Regional ultrasonic backscatter was assessed with a frequency-averaging procedure to minimize effects of phase cancellation and with an independent method employing spectral display over the frequency range of 1 to 11 megahertz from which an index of backscatter at a single frequency (2.25 megahertz) could be calculated. In hearts from treated animals, collagen content was significantly increased (p These results indicate that alterations in acoustic properties occur in cardiomyopathic tissue and that such alterations can be detected with the use of reflected ultrasound. Accordingly, assessment of integrated backscatter offers a promising approach for early clinical detection and characterization of evolution of cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin or of other causes.
Evidence for high-energy events and shallow-water deposition in the Chattanooga Shale, Devonian, central Tennessee, USA

Abstract The Upper Devonian Chattanooga Shale of central Tennessee, a classical black shale, was deposited in an epicontinental setting, west of the Appalachian foredeep. Its finely laminated and highly carbonaceous nature is commonly interpreted to indicate deposition in comparatively deep and stagnant water. Interbeds of bioturbated greenish-gray shale, indicating oxygenated bottom waters, are commonly ascribed to pycnocline fluctuations. However, laminated fine sand and silt and hummocky cross-stratification (HCS) at the base of some of these beds indicates interaction of storm waves with the seabed, and suggests that greenish-gray shale beds are post-storm mud drapes. Other interesting features are inclined-undulose erosion surfaces that are conformably overlain by shale beds, sets of inclined shale beds that suggest low-angle cross-bedding, and clearly and uniformly developed alignment of clay particles (magnetic fabric studies). These observations show that the seabed was at times subject to prolonged erosion by bottom currents (erosion surfaces), agitation and reworking by storm waves (HCS and greenish-gray shale beds), and sediment transport by long-lived bottom currents (particle alignment). The epicontinental sea setting and the presence of HCS and other storm-produced features suggest a relatively shallow water depth (possibly only a few tens of meters). Together with abundant evidence of variably strong bottom currents and bioturbation of black and gray shale beds this suggests that abundant planktonic organic matter production rather than stagnant bottom waters are the primary cause for black shale formation.
Rapid stimulation causes electrical remodeling in cultured atrial myocytes.

Abstract Objective. – Rapid stimulation causes electrical remodeling in the intact atrium, with shortening of action potential duration (APD), down-regulation of L-type Ca2+ currents (ICa,L), and increased vulnerability to atrial fibrillation (AF). The essential elements required for this process are currently unknown. We tested the hypothesis that rapid stimulation of cardiomyocytes in vitro is sufficient to recapitulate the remodeling process, and that atrial cells subjected to rapid pacing in culture would display changes similar to those that occur in vivo. Methods. – Atrial (HL-1) cells were cultured in the presence of rapid field stimulation (300 beats per min) for 24 h. Action potentials and ionic currents were recorded from stimulated cells, as well as control cells cultured in parallel, using whole-cell voltage-clamp techniques. Results. – Rapid stimulation of atrial cells for 24 h significantly shortened APD. HL-1 cells displayed both ICa,L blocked by nimodipine, and T-type Ca2+ currents (ICa,T) sensitive to mibefradil. Rapid activation in culture caused down-regulation of ICa,L, while ICa,T was similarly reduced. Multiple outward currents were present in response to a depolarizing voltage-clamp protocol, and rapid pacing resulted in up-regulation of the rapidly-activating delayed rectifier K+ current, IKr. Conclusions. – Rapid stimulation of atrial cells in culture produces electrical remodeling, recapitulating principal phenotypic features of atrial tachycardia remodeling in vivo. Our results demonstrate that an important component of this process is cell autonomous, given that in vivo conditions are not required for the development of electrical remodeling.
Can large N c equivalence between supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory and its orbifold projections be valid?

In previous work, we found that necessary and sufficient conditions for large N{sub c} equivalence between parent and daughter theories, for a wide class of orbifold projections of U(N{sub c}) gauge theories, are just the natural requirements that the discrete symmetry used to define the projection not be spontaneously broken in the parent theory, and the discrete symmetry permuting equivalent gauge group factors not be spontaneously broken in the daughter theory. In this paper, we discuss the application of this result to Z{sub k} projections of N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions, as well as various multiflavor generalizations. Z{sub k} projections with k>2 yielding chiral gauge theories violate the symmetry realization conditions needed for large N{sub c} equivalence, due to the spontaneous symmetry breaking of discrete chiral symmetry in the parent super-Yang-Mills theory. But for Z{sub 2} projections, we show that previous assertions of large N{sub c} inequivalence, in infinite volume, between the parent and daughter theories were based on incorrect mappings of vacuum energies, theta angles, or connected correlators between the two theories. With the correct identifications, there is no sign of any inconsistency. A subtle but essential feature of the connection between parent and daughter theories involvesmore » multivaluedness in the mapping of theta parameters from parent to daughter.« less
Fructose-1,6-diphosphate and a glucose-free solution enhances functional recovery in hypothermic heart preservation.

Abstract Background Fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) has been shown to protect tissue during hypoxia under various ischemic conditions, including isolated heart perfusion. We tested the hypothesis that adding FDP to St. Thomas solution can extend hypothermic heart preservation time. Methods Sixteen adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Under general anesthesia, the hearts were removed and preserved at 4°C in St. Thomas solution (30 ml/kg) for 12 hours. FDP (5 mM) was added to the St. Thomas solution in the study group ( n = 8), whereas no FDP was used in the control group ( n = 10). The hearts were reperfused after 12 hours of preservation using a working heart model. Results In the study group, cardiac output ranged from 13.00 ± 2.34 to 17.66 ± 1.71 ml/min, maximum aortic flow was 3.40 ± 1.99 to 9.26 ± 1.72 ml/min, left ventricular stroke volume ranged from 0.074 ± 0.014 to 0.092 ± 0.009 ml, left ventricular stroke work ranged from 6.22 ± 0.39 to 7.95 ± 0.44 ml/mmHg, and maximum left ventricular generated power was 14.38 ± 2.94 to 20.16 ± 2.49 Joules/min. All of these parameters were higher than those in the control group ( p p Conclusions Heart function was better preserved when FDP was added to St. Thomas solution during hypothermic rat heart preservation. The mechanism is not totally clear, but enhancement of high-energy phosphate production during ischemia is possible. Key words: heart, procurement, hypothermia, fructose-1,6-diphosphate.
An Algorithm for Multistage Dynamic Networks with Random Arc Capacities, with an Application to Dynamic Fleet Management

We consider the class of multistage dynamic networks with random arc capacities a framework that is well suited to model dynamic fleet management problems. We propose a successive convex approximation approach that produces an approximation to the expected recourse function which captures the future effects of current decisions under uncertainty. This method decomposes the network in each stage into tree subproblems, whose expected recourse functions are easy to obtain. We also compare this method with two alternative methods on a set of dynamic fleet management problems. The numerical results show that this method is superior to the two alternative methods.
Auxin-Dependent Cell Expansion Mediated by Overexpressed Auxin-Binding Protein 1

To test the hypothesis that auxin-binding protein 1 (ABP1) is a receptor controlling auxin-mediated plant cell expansion, ABP1 complementary DNAs were expressed in a controllable fashion in tobacco plants and constitutively in maize cell lines. Induction of Arabidopsis ABP1 expression in tobacco leaf strips resulted in an increased capacity for auxin-mediated cell expansion, whereas induction of ABP1 in intact plants resulted in leaves with a normal morphology, but larger cells. Similarly, constitutive expression of maize ABP1 in maize cell lines conferred on them the capacity to respond to auxin by increasing cell size. These results support a role of ABP1 as an auxin receptor controlling plant growth.
Mitochondrial sequence variation in African-American primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a major cause of blindness and results from irreversible retinal ganglion cell damage and optic nerve degeneration. In the United States, POAG is most prevalent in African-Americans. Mitochondrial genetics and dysfunction have been implicated in POAG, and potentially pathogenic sequence variations, in particular novel transversional base substitutions, are reportedly common in mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) from POAG patient blood. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the spectrum of sequence variation in mtDNA from African-American POAG patients and determine whether novel nonsynonymous, transversional or other potentially pathogenic sequence variations are observed more commonly in POAG cases than controls. mtDNA from African-American POAG cases (n = 22) and age-matched controls (n = 22) was analyzed by deep sequencing of a single 16,487 base pair PCR amplicon by Ion Torrent, and candidate novel variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. Sequence variants were classified and interpreted using the MITOMAP compendium of polymorphisms. 99.8% of the observed variations had been previously reported. The ratio of novel variants to POAG cases was 7-fold lower than a prior estimate. Novel mtDNA variants were present in 3 of 22 cases, novel nonsynonymous changes in 1 of 22 cases and novel transversions in 0 of 22 cases; these proportions are significantly lower (p<.0005, p<.0004, p<.0001) than estimated previously for POAG, and did not differ significantly from controls. Although it is possible that mitochondrial genetics play a role in African-Americans’ high susceptibility to POAG, it is unlikely that any mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction is due to an abnormally high incidence of novel mutations that can be detected in mtDNA from peripheral blood.
Circulation control airfoils - Past, present, future

This paper presents a review of circulation control technology, its history, status and areas for further research and development. A brief description of the basic performance characteristics of circulation control airfoils are presented together with a more detailed discussion of some of the more important aerodynamic parameters dependencies. The unique capability of the airfoils to develop high lift coefficients independent of incidence over a range of operating conditions is demonstrated. Consideration is also given to the various stall conditions that have been experimentally observed and to the various theoretical formulations that have been attempted to explain these phenomena.
A comparison of young women's actual and assigned timing of use of a microbicide surrogate.

Purpose: Microbicide effectiveness for HIV/STI prevention may require specific timing of application in relationship to coitus. We examined actual timing of use of a microbicide surrogate (vaginal moisturizer [VM]) compared to assigned timing condition among young women.
Polyphonic/Pseudo-synchronic: Animated Writing in the Comment Feed of Nicovideo

Nicovideo is a popular video-sharing site in Japan that incorporates several aspects of social media into its design. Key among these is the projection of user-made comments into the video display by having text scroll across the screen like an animated subtitle-track. The movement of comments across the screen and the ‘pseudo-synchronicity’ created by the way they are projected produces a feeling of ‘live’ viewing via a sense of virtual time shared between users. In this article I argue that the feeling of movement and time on the site directs users toward a certain kind of vision that, when considered alongside the modes of counter-transparent communication taken up by its user base through things like orthographic ‘mistypes’, is part of a shift between denotational and pictorial forms of text production that troubles the distinction between reading and other modes of vision. The article conceptualizes what kind of vision Nicovideo’s interface suggests and its relationship to a distinct kind of polyphon...
Directed evolution of enzyme catalysts

Directed enzyme evolution has emerged in the past few years as a powerful alternative to rational approaches for engineering biocatalysts. Prerequisites for successful directed evolution are functional expression in a suitable microbial host, a rapid screen for the desired feature(s) and a well-thought-out working strategy for navigating protein landscapes. The rapidly growing body of literature on enzyme evolution in vitro includes techniques for creating and searching combinatorial enzyme libraries, as well as several successful examples of different evolutionary strategies being used.
The Presolvated Electron in Water: Can It Be Scavenged at Long Range?

Femtosecond transient absorption measurements were carried out to investigate the scavenging effect, at low concentration, of the radiosensitizing molecule 5-bromo-2‘-deoxyuridine (BrdU) on presolvation states of the hydrated electron. Hydrated electrons were generated by two photon absorption of bulk water at 267 nm, and transient absorption at 1200 nm was monitored. Results from experiments performed with the sample in a 5-mm cell showed a dramatic BrdU concentration dependence strongly suggestive of dynamic scavenging of the presolvated electron observable at concentrations as low as 0.2 mM, but no scavenging was detected in experiments on a thin sample jet with BrdU concentrations of up to 10 mM. Further analysis reconciled these results, confirming the absence of scavenging and attributing the concentration effect in the cell measurements to a group-velocity-dispersion-induced concentration dependence of the temporal response function. However, low concentrations of BrdU were seen to enhance the generation of hydrated electrons for excitation at both 267 and 310 nm.
Religions Resources and Church Growth

Cet article modelise la croissance des organisations religieuses en tant que « produit » derive des intrants en temps et en argent. Considerant les mesures de l'assistance a la messe et des donations comme des gages de ressources en temps et en argent, les AA. predisent la croissance de l'appartenance aux niveaux de l'assistance individuelle comme de celle de l'ensemble de la confession. Les donnees rendent compte egalement de l'enorme variation dans les taux de mobilisation des ressources entre les differentes confessions. Au cours de chacune des deux dernieres decennies, le declin de la voie principale/liberale des confessions et la montee de leurs repliques plus strictes et plus conservatrices peuvent etre modelises largement en termes de quantite de temps et d'argent qu'elles reclament et recoivent de leurs membres
Integrating massage, chiropractic, and acupuncture in university clinics: a guided student observation.

Background: Several studies have reported on the health benefits of applying an integrated complementary health care model. Purpose: This paper presents the results of pilot research focusing on the observations massage therapy students made about complementary health care education and integration during massage, chiropractic, and acupuncture treatments at two university clinics. Setting: Observations took place at Northwestern Health Sciences University’s associated clinics that offered massage, chiropractic, and acupuncture. Research Design: Students directly observed how clinicians and interns educated their patients and integrated other forms of complementary health care into their practice. Participants: chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists, and their patients. All participants were English-speaking and 18–65 years old. Main Outcome Measures: Observations recorded by students in journals about education and integration during massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture treatments were coded and counted. Results: Qualitative observations showed that clinicians and interns educated patients to some degree, but the clinicians were less apt to integrate other modalities than the interns. Conclusions: Observations support that professional integrity may limit clinicians in their ability to integrate multiple modalities of health care while treating patients. Since it is well established that integration of multiple health care modalities is beneficial to patient health, it is recommended that clinics assist their clinical staff in applying an integrative approach to their practice.
Orthogonal Rotation-Invariant Moments for Digital Image Processing

Orthogonal rotation-invariant moments (ORIMs), such as Zernike moments, are introduced and defined on a continuous unit disk and have been proven powerful tools in optics applications. These moments have also been digitized for applications in digital image processing. Unfortunately, digitization compromises the orthogonality of the moments and, therefore, digital ORIMs are incapable of representing subtle details in images and cannot accurately reconstruct images. Typical approaches to alleviate the digitization artifact can be divided into two categories: (1) careful selection of a set of pixels as close approximation to the unit disk and using numerical integration to determine the ORIM values, and (2) representing pixels using circular shapes such that they resemble that of the unit disk and then calculating ORIMs in polar space. These improvements still fall short of preserving the orthogonality of the ORIMs. In this paper, in contrast to the previous methods, we propose a different approach of using numerical optimization techniques to improve the orthogonality. We prove that with the improved orthogonality, image reconstruction becomes more accurate. Our simulation results also show that the optimized digital ORIMs can accurately reconstruct images and can represent subtle image details.
Leitlinien in der Chirurgie der Leber- und Gallenwege

Die Chirurgie der Gallenwege und malignen Lebertumore wird exemplarisch in Leitlinien formuliert, um dem Arzt und auch uninformierten Patienten bei der Orientierung in diagnostischen, therapeutischen und prognostischen Fragen Hilfestellung zu geben. Besonders beachtet wird die DD-Untersuchungssequenz, die auf rationalen und durch die Empirie bestatigten Argumenten aufbaut. An den prasentierten Beispielen wird auch gezeigt, das Leitlinien nur formuliert werden konnen, wenn ein bestatigtes, umfassendes Wissen vorhanden ist; fur seltene und erst wenig bekannte Krankheiten konnen (noch) keine Leitlinien formuliert werden.
Reaction-Diffusion-Delay Model for EPO/TNF-α Interaction in articular cartilage lesion abatement

Background Injuries to articular cartilage result in the development of lesions that form on the surface of the cartilage. Such lesions are associated with articular cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis. The typical injury response often causes collateral damage, primarily an effect of inflammation, which results in the spread of lesions beyond the region where the initial injury occurs.
Children with Fevers: IV

In a recent review article by Dr. T. E. Cone, Jr., (Pediatrics,43:290, 1969), the author referred to Familial Mediterranean Fever as an example of one of the periodic fevers. The early descriptions of this disease referred to it as a "periodic disease." However, more comprehensive studies from 1955 to the present clearly indicate that this disease is characterized by episodes of irregular (non-periodic) recurrent attacks of fever and serositis. Thus, the reference to Familial Mediterranean Fever as a periodic disease is misleading.
Hippocampal subregions are differentially affected in the progression to Alzheimer's disease.

Atrophy within the hippocampus (HP) as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a promising biomarker for the progression to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Subregions of the HP along the longitudinal axis have been found to demonstrate unique function, as well as undergo differential changes in the progression to AD. Little is known of relationships between such HP subregions and other potential biomarkers, such as neuropsychological (NP), genetic, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) beta amyloid and tau measures. The purpose of this study was to subdivide the hippocampus to determine how the head, body, and tail were affected in normal control, mild cognitively impaired, and AD subjects, and investigate relationships with HP subregions and other potential biomarkers. MRI scans of 120 participants of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were processed using FreeSurfer, and the HP was subdivided using 3D Slicer. Each subregion was compared among groups, and correlations were used to determine relationships with NP, genetic, and CSF measures. Results suggest that HP subregions are undergoing differential atrophy in AD, and demonstrate unique relationships with NP and CSF data. Discriminant function analyses revealed that these regions, when combined with NP and CSF measures, were able to classify by diagnostic group, and classify MCI subjects who would and would not progress to AD within 12 months. Anat Rec, 295:132–140, 2012. V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Parallel implementation of the wideband DOA algorithm on the IBM Cell BE processor

The Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm is a powerful technique for determining the Direction of Arrival (DOA) of signals impinging on an antenna array. The algorithm is serial based, mathematically intensive, and requires substantial computing power to realize in real-time. Recently, multi-core processors are becoming more prevalent and affordable. The challenge of adapting existing serial based algorithms to parallel based algorithms suitable for today's multi-core processors is daunting. One multi-core processor will be focused on, namely the IBM Cell Broadband Engine Processor (Cell BE). The process of adapting the serial based MUSIC algorithm to the Cell BE will be analyzed in terms of parallelism and performance for DOA determination.
Steady-State, Hemoglobin-Facilitated O2 Transport in Human Erythrocytes

We measured the rate of oxygen transport through thin (165 µ) films of packed erythrocytes (Hb concentration = 30 g/100 ml). Under optimal conditions steady-state O2 diffusion was nearly three times that found when the hemoglobin was prevented from acting as a carrier molecule by carbon monoxide binding or high oxygen back pressure. After each experiment we measured hemolysis and found that it averaged less than 1%. Hemolysis could not account for the facilitation, thus proving that facilitated transport of O2 by hemoglobin can occur in red blood cells. The rate of facilitated transport was identical for Hb solutions of equal concentration to the cells. We interpret this to mean that under the conditions of our experiments the red cell membrane offers no detectable diffusion resistance to O2 and that the mobility of Hb in intact red cells is the same as in concentrated Hb solution.
Vertical Load Path Under Static and Dynamic Loads in Concrete Crosstie and Fastening Systems

An improved understanding of the vertical load path is necessary for improving the design methodology for concrete crossties and fastening systems. This study focuses on how the stiffness, geometry, and interface characteristics of system components affect the flow of forces in the vertical direction. An extensive field test program was undertaken to measure various forces, strains, displacements and rail seat pressures. A Track Loading Vehicle (TLV) was used to apply wellcalibrated static loads. The TLV at slow speeds and moving freight and passenger consists at higher speeds were used to apply dynamic loads. Part of the analysis includes comparison of the static loads and the observed dynamic loads as a result of the trains passing over the test section at different speeds. This comparison helps define a dynamic loading factor that is needed for guiding design of the system. This study also focuses on understanding how the stiffness of the components in the system affects the flow of forces in the vertical direction. The study identifies that the stiffness of the support (ballast) underneath the crossties is crucial in determining the flow of forces. The advances made by this study provide insight into the loading demands on each component in the system, and will lead to improvements in design.
Sparse and explicit FETD via approximate inverse Hodge (mass) matrix

Finite-element time-domain (FETD) simulations of Maxwell equations in irregular simplicial grids require the solution of a sparse linear system involving the Hodge (mass) matrix at each time step. This can be avoided by mass lumping techniques that approximate the mass matrix by a diagonal matrix, but not without shortcomings. In this communication, we propose an alternative approach to yield a conditionally stable, fully explicit, and sparse FETD by using a sparse approximate inverse of the mass matrix.
Inactivation of erythropoietin leads to defects in cardiac morphogenesis

Erythropoietin is an essential growth factor that promotes survival, proliferation, and differentiation of mammalian erythroid progenitor cells. Erythropoietin(-/-) and erythropoietin receptor(-/-) mouse embryos die around embryonic day 13.5 due, in part, to failure of erythropoiesis in the fetal liver. In this study, we demonstrated a novel role of erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor in cardiac development in vivo. We found that erythropoietin receptor is expressed in the developing murine heart in a temporal and cell type-specific manner: it is initially detected by embryonic day 10.5 and persists until day 14.5. Both erythropoietin(-/-) and erythropoietin receptor(-/-) embryos suffered from ventricular hypoplasia at day 12-13 of gestation. This defect appears to be independent from the general state of hypoxia and is likely due to a reduction in the number of proliferating cardiac myocytes in the ventricular myocardium. Cell proliferation assays revealed that erythropoietin acts as a mitogen in cells isolated from erythropoietin(-/-) mice, while it has no effect in hearts from erythropoietin receptor(-/-) animals. Erythropoietin(-/-) and erythropoietin receptor(-/-) embryos also suffered from epicardium detachment and abnormalities in the vascular network. Finally, through a series of chimeric analysis, we provided evidence that erythropoietin acts in a manner which is non-cell-autonomous. Our results elucidate a novel role of erythropoietin in cardiac morphogenesis and suggest a combination of anemia and cardiac failure as the cause of embryonic lethality in the erythropoietin(-/-) and erythropoietin receptor(-/-) animals.
Unprotected by the Swedish welfare state revisited: assessing a decade of reforms for battered women.

Abstract In the mid-1980s, Swedes often regarded the relative absence of assistance for abused women as evidence that it was unnecessary. The Swedish state no longer dismisses the prevalence of abuse. Instead, it rigorously emphasizes the actions it has taken against it. This follow-up study, completed nearly a decade after the first nation-wide survey of battered women, examines the character of Sweden's policy shift by exploring its consequences. The principal question of this project is: What changes, if any, have resulted from the increased expenditures and additional reforms the state has pursued in its recent efforts to prevent violence against women? The results of this survey of battered women in shelters suggest that while police and prosecutors appear to be somewhat more responsive to abused women, social workers have not improved. In general, significant obstacles remain for women in need of assistance and protection from the men who abuse them.
Long-term outcomes of cardiac transplantation for peri-partum cardiomyopathy: a multiinstitutional analysis.

Background Outcomes of patients with a prior diagnosis of peri-partum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) undergoing heart transplantation are not well described but may be worse than for women who undergo transplantation for other etiologies. Methods Between 1999 and 2005, 69 women aged younger than 40 underwent transplantation for PPCM in 29 institutions participating in the Cardiac Transplant Research Database. Patients with PPCM were compared with 90 female recipients of similar age with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) and history of pregnancy (P+), 53 with no prior pregnancy (P−), and with 459 men of a similar age with IDC. Rejection, infection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and survival were compared. Results Recipients with PPCM accounted for 1% of all transplants and 5% of transplants in women. Comparisons of the 4 patient groups were made. The risk of cumulative rejection was higher in the PPCM Group compared with the P− Group ( p p p = 0.9), and there was a trend toward improved survival compared with the P + Group ( p = 0.07) and improved survival compared with the P− Group ( p = 0.05). Conclusions Heart transplantation for PPCM remains relatively infrequent. Survival and freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy in patients who receive a transplant for PPCM are no worse than in women who require a transplant for other indications, regardless of parity.
Electron microscopic demonstration of neural connections using horseradish peroxidase: a comparison of the tetramethylbenzidine procedure with seven other histochemical methods.:

Eight methods for the electron microscopic demonstration of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeling have been compared in adjacent series of vibratome sections of mouse lumbar spinal cord. The tracer, a HRP-wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugate, was injected into the gastrocnemius muscle complex. Following retrograde axonal transport to the lumbar motor neurons and transganglionic anterograde transport of the tracer to the dorsal horn, the HRP activity was demonstrated in eight series of adjacent sections of lumbar spinal cord using eight methods. These included procedures using tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), benzidine dihydrochloride (BDHC), o-tolidine, paraphenylenediamine-pyrocatechol (PPD-PC), and 4 methods using 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB). All eight methods were able to demonstrate both retrograde labeling of motor neurons and transganglionic anterograde transport into the dorsal horn. However, there were differences in the appearance of the various reaction products under the electron microscope. In add...
Stability of multipacket slotted Aloha with selfish users and perfect information

Aloha is perhaps the simplest and most-studied medium access control protocol in existence. Only in the recent past, however, have researchers begun to study the performance of Aloha in the presence of selfish users. In this paper, we present a game-theoretic model of multipacket slotted Aloha with perfect information. We show that this model must have an equilibrium and we characterize this equilibrium. Using the tools of stochastic processes, we then establish the equilibrium stability region for some well-known channel models.
Effect of Metallic Additives on the NO^-Emissions From a Small Oil Burner

Abstract This paper presents results—based on stack gas composition—of the effect of additives in a No. 2 oil on NOx-emissions. The most effective additives were manganese compounds which lowered the measured stack concentration by about 20%. The data were obtained from a small oil burner and reported as a NOx-emission ratio. This ratio was studied both as a function of additive concentration and oxygen index.
Pre-hospital intubation is associated with increased mortality after traumatic brain injury.

Background Early endotracheal intubation in patients sustaining moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered the standard of care. Yet the benefit of pre-hospital intubation (PHI) in patients with TBI is questionable. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-hospital endotracheal intubation and mortality in patients with isolated moderate to severe TBI. Methods The Los Angeles County Trauma System Database was queried for all patients > 14 y of age with isolated moderate to severe TBI admitted between 2005 and 2009. The study population was then stratified into two groups: those patients requiring intubation in the field (PHI group) and those patients with delayed airway management (No-PHI group). Demographic characteristics and outcomes were compared between groups. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the relationship between pre-hospital endotracheal intubation and mortality. Results A total of 2549 patients were analyzed and then stratified into the two groups: PHI and No-PHI. There was a significant difference noted in overall mortality (90.2% versus 12.4%), with the PHI group being more likely to succumb to their injuries. After adjusting for possible confounding factors, multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that PHI was independently associated with increased mortality (AOR 5, 95% CI: 1.7–13.7, P = 0.004). Conclusions Pre-hospital endotracheal intubation in isolated, moderate to severe TBI patients is associated with a nearly 5-fold increase in mortality. Further prospective studies are required to establish guidelines for optimal pre-hospital management of this critically injured patient population.
Compact Sets and Bolzano-Weierstrass Sets

A set K in a topological space X is said to be compact if and only if any collection [G] of open sets covering K (i.e., ∪G ⊃ K) has a finite subcollection also covering K.
The Correction of Aphakia: Xxxvi Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture

Major advances in the correction of aphakia have been made in the past few years. Extended-wear contact lenses constitute one advance, if not a perfect one. Intraocular lenses are now safer to use, and new research is seeking ways to improve their safety through protection of the corneal endothelium during surgery and stimulation of endothelial healing where damage does occur. Altering the refractive power of the cornea offers another possible approach to the correction of aphakia. Modifications of Barraquer's keratomileusis procedure using preserved, preground corneas may have definite indications for certain types of aphakia, such as monocular aphakia in children and in individuals who would otherwise require secondary implants. We have experimented with a "living contact lens" of shaped donor tissue attached to the de-epithelialized surface of the eye. Such a lens of preground, preserved cornea tissue can be sutured to the patient's cornea with its central Bowman's membrane intact. A peripheral trephine mark is made, but the central cornea is untouched and the attachment of the living lens is simple. The procedure is apparently safe, and should be usable by any competent ophthalmic surgeon if the long-term results continue to be as encouraging as our early experience now suggests.
Out of Our Hands: Securing Expert Accountability Through Precautionary Decision Criteria

Given the need for deliberative democratic institutions to cede some decision-making authority and the desirability of having such decisions made by knowledgeable administrators, I look at how trust can be built between administrators and those to whom they are accountable. I argue that employing the precautionary principle as a criteria for environmental administration offers a comprehensible standard against which agency actions may be judged and that informational costs are reduced and transferred from citizens seeking to hold agencies accountable. This paper illuminates the ways in which the precautionary principle is effective for promoting cohesion between citizens and government while exploring the normative question of who should be responsible for bearing the burden of proof in regulating environmental risk.
MIX and match: mobile T6SS MIX-effectors enhance bacterial fitness

Protein secretion systems that mediate interbacterial competition secret a wide repertoire of antibacterial toxins. A major player in these competitions is the newly discovered bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS). We recently found that a subset of polymorphic MIX-effectors, which are a widespread class of effectors secreted by T6SSs, are horizontally shared between marine bacteria and are used to diversify their T6SS effector repertoires, thus enhancing their environmental fitness. In this commentary, I expand on the ideas that were introduced in the previous report, and further speculate on the possible mobility of other MIX-effectors. In addition, I discuss the possible role of horizontal gene transfer in the dissemination of MIX-effectors through bacterial genomes, as well as its possible role in diversifying the T6SS effector repertoire.
P3.393 Iknowmine.org - a Comprehensive Wellness Website For Alaska Native Youth

Background Alaska has some of the highest rates of Chlamydia and gonorrhoea in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranked Alaska #1 for Chlamydia and #3 for gonorrhoea in 2010. When iknowmine.org first launched in December 2009, Alaska was experiencing a gonorrhoea outbreak and endemic rates of Chlamydia. Alaska Native people, especially youth and women, shouldered the largest burden. Evidence from a focus group project with Alaska Native youth suggested that sexual health initiatives need to use the internet to reach adolescents with STD/HIV education and testing messages. Methods To help Alaska Native youth on their wellness journey, iknowmine was recreated as a culturally appropriate, readily accessible and comprehensive youth health resource addressing many issues that matter to youth – relationships, emotional health, nutrition, safety, drug and alcohol use and sexual health. On iknowmine.org youth can find accurate health information on a variety of topics, text to ask health questions and order free condoms and at-home STD testing kits, download educational materials, watch digital storeys and more. The website also incorporates social media like Facebook and Twitter to reach a larger audience. Results Between January 2010 and January 2013, 23,887 new visitors frequented iknowmine.org. Since its inception, 514 visitors have registered as iknowmine users. Iknowmine.org has received 226 condom orders, which equals about 4,520 condoms that were mailed to rural and urban Alaska residents. Free at-home STD testing is offered through a partnership with the Johns Hopkins University’s I Want the Kit (IWTK) programme. In 2012, 342 testing kits were ordered and 132 returned with an overall return rate of 39%. Among returned kits, 14 participants tested positive for Chlamydia, two for gonorrhoea and Chlamydia and four for trichomonas. Conclusion Iknowmine.org has been successful in reaching a large audience with HIV/STD education and resources.
Indices for Projecting Emergence of Corn Rootworm Adults in Michigan

The 1st day that adults are seen in the field is a more reliable index of cumulative emergence for western, Diabrotica virgifera LeConte, and northern corn rootworm, D. longicornis (Say), than is date or physiological time based on air temperature.
Pollen heteromorphism is pervasive in Thalictrum (Ranunculaceae)

Among the angiosperms, features of pollen morphology such as grain size, aperture number and surface ornamentation display striking variation. It is less well appreciated that pollen morphology may vary within and among populations of the same species as well as within individual plants. In some species, individual plants produce multiple types of fertile pollen grains (called pollen heteromorphism). Aspects of pollen morphology, such as aperture number, are likely to affect fertilization success with different morphologies favored in different local competitive and ecological environments. This study surveys variation in pollen grain morphology among species throughout the genus Thalictrum. Pollen from individuals of 36 species was rehydrated from herbarium specimens, and light microscopy was used to quantify pollen grain aperture number and size. I find that pollen aperture-number heteromorphism is present within all Thalictrum species studied, and distributions of aperture-number morphs vary both within and among species. This study provides an example of significant pollen heteromorphism within a genus that also varies widely for pollination mode and sexual system.
High-density platinum nanoparticle-decorated titanium dioxide nanofiber networks for efficient capillary photocatalytic hydrogen generation

Aldehyde-functionalized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were applied to synthesize Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on CNF surfaces via on-site Pt ion reduction and achieve high concentration and uniform Pt NP loading. ALD could then selectively deposit TiO2 on CNFs and keep the Pt NPs uncovered due to their drastically different hydro-affinity properties. The high-temperature ALD process also simultaneously improved the crystallinity of Pt NPs and decomposed the CNF template leaving a pure anatase phase TiO2 nanofiber network decorated with high-density Pt NPs (up to 11.05 wt%). The as-prepared fibrous Pt–TiO2 network photocatalyst was integrated with CNF strips to develop a capillary setup for photocatalyzed hydrogen generation. Better reaction kinetics and higher efficiency were achieved from the capillary design compared to conventional in-electrolyte reactions. The initial H2 generation rates were 100.56–138.69 mmol g−1 h−1 from the capillary setup based on different Pt NP loadings, which were 123.3–288.6% larger than those of the in-electrolyte setup (25.88–62.11 mmol g−1 h−1). This 3D nanofibrous Pt–TiO2 capillary photocatalyst offers a brand new solution for improving the throughput of photocatalytic hydrogen production.