cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sexual dimorphism and presumed pheromone gland in the rectum of Dacus latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Dacus latifrons (Hendel) is a species of tephritid fruit fly recently introduced into Hawaii. Histological study of the rectum of this species revealed a sexual dimorphism of that organ, and the presence of tissue in the male similar to that which has been described as a pheromone gland in related species. The musculature of the wall of the rectum of the females is much thicker than in the male.
Evaluation of Nutritional State in Hemodialysis Patients by urea Modelling

Objective: To evaluate the nutrition state in hemodialysis patients.Methods:Twenty stable hemodialysis patients were included in this stuly.Urea removal amount(R) in each session was assessed by method of partial dialysate collection (PDC) and protein catabolic rate(PCR) was calculated according to the result of PDC.TACurea was also measured at the same time.Results:R was (13.82±5.48)g,urea generation rate in each week(Gweek) was (41.67±10.08)g PCR was (0.99±0.18) g·kg -1 ·d -1 by Franl method and PCR was (0.92±0.18) g·kg -1 ·d -1 by PDC.TACurea was 12.93± 2.90 mmol/L.Conclusion:It is a simple and accurate methob to calculate urea removal amount and PCR by PDC for better evaluation nutritional states in hemodialysis patients through the combination of PCR and TACurea.
Strobe's Stimulus

According to Brian McHale, the postmodern difference in fiction entails a passage from epistemological uncertainty to ontological plurality: characters and readers are no longer primarily interested in how they can know a fictional world, but Question instead what sort of world, among many alternatives, they have entered. Our attention shifts, as Jean Baudrillard has it, from pursuit of the signified to exploration of "the code"--the broader, ontological implications of language as system. Word games open into world games.
The other side of the human genome.

Wisdom entereth not into a malicious mind, and science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul. — Francois Rabelais (c. 1494–1553) The cascade of genetic discoveries and biotechnological innovations over the past half-century, culminating with the recent completion of the map of the
The responding-rest ratio in the production of gastric ulcers in the rat

Brady (1958) reported that his experimental monkeys developed ulcers only when placed on a schedule of six hours stress followed by six hours of rest, repeated throughout the experiment. The present experiment placed rats in a similar situation and varied the stress-rest time ratio. A peak incidence was found at 5/5 hours and 6/6 hours with the frequency of occurrence of ulcers decreasing on both sides of this peak. The results are interpreted as supporting Brady’s discovery.
When Cancer Cells Are Given Lemo[NH3]s, They Make Lemo[NH3]ade

In normal physiology, end-products of metabolism are excreted from the body. In tumors, these metabolic wastes accumulate due to deregulated metabolism and vascular insufficiency. Spinelli et al. (2017) show that breast cancer cells adapt to ammonia buildup by recycling it for amino acid synthesis, which can support cancer cell growth.
Token Economies: Using Basic Experimental Research to Guide Practical Applications

This paper highlights the applicability of patterns seen within basic experimental research in relation to contemporary application of token economies. Token economies are one of the most widely used interventions to promote behavior change, and this procedure has evolved to be effective across many settings, behaviors, and individuals. Due to this widespread use, casual implementation of the token economy might result in inconsistencies in responding and therefore an overall skepticism in the procedure itself. We present multiple barriers that encumber practical application of token economies, including insufficient conditioning and pairing of tokens, determining quality of backup reinforcers, unforeseen effects of motivating operations, teaching the token exchange, effects of higher-order reinforcement schedules, ratio strain, and use of response cost procedures. To assist practitioners in implementing more effective treatments, for each barrier we revisit the often overlooked basic research involving features of conditioned reinforcement and reinforcement schedules. It is important to translate the often complex implications of basic research so that practitioners can use this information to improve their own practice as well as their confidence in disseminating use of this evidence-based treatment. To further guide practitioners in using this knowledge in everyday settings, we also provide recommendations specific to each barrier as well as relevant applied research and practical examples.
Meteor showers from active asteroids and dormant comets in near-Earth space: A review

Small bodies in the solar system are conventionally classified into asteroids and comets. However, it is recently found that a small number of objects can exhibit properties of both asteroids and comets. Some are more consistent with asteroids despite episodic ejections and are labeled as “active asteroids”, while some might be aging comets with depleting volatiles. Ejecta produced by active asteroids and/or dormant comets are potentially detectable as meteor showers at the Earth if they are in Earth-crossing orbits, allowing us to retrieve information about the historic activities of these objects. Meteor showers from small bodies with low and/or intermittent activities are usually weak, making shower confirmation and parent association challenging. We show that statistical tests are useful for identifying likely parent-shower pairs. Comprehensive analyses of physical and dynamical properties of meteor showers can lead to deepen understanding on the history of their parents. Meteor outbursts can trace to recent episodic ejections from the parents, and “orphan” showers may point to historic disintegration events. The flourish of NEO and meteor surveys during the past decade has produced a number of high-confidence parent-shower associations, most have not been studied in detail. More work is needed to understand the formation and evolution of these parent-shower pairs.
Rare Bone Sarcomas

Rare tumors of bone include chordoma, adamantinoma, hemangioendothelioma, hemangiopericytoma, low-grade fibrosarcoma of bone, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). These are distinctive and interesting diseases with unique features. They bear some relationship to a spectrum of different mesenchymal tissues. Chordomas are probably derived from notochordal cells and thus are found primarily in the sacrum and sphenoocciput. Adamantinomas, on the other hand, are found predominantly in the tibia and show a peculiar tendency toward epithelial differentiation. The other tumors are more widely located within the body; hemangioendothelioma and hemangiopericytoma are tumors related to vascular tissue, whereas low-grade fibrosarcoma and MFH are most likely derived from spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like cells.
The US Bond Market before 1926: Investor Total Return from 1793, Comparing Federal, Municipal and Corporate Bonds Part II: 1857 to 1926

US securities markets took root after Alexander Hamilton’s refunding of the Federal debt in the early 1790s. Accordingly, a market in bonds has been in operation in the US for over two centuries. Until recently, however, little was known about bond market returns prior to 1857. This paper focuses on investor holding period returns, using newly compiled data on bond prices, rather than focusing on the movement of yields, as in Homer (1963) and Macaulay (1938). It incorporates the relatively familiar Treasury securities from the years before President Andrew Jackson paid off the debt in 1835, but also includes state and city debt, which ballooned beginning in the 1820s, as well as corporate debt, from its beginnings about 1830 to its explosion after 1850. I find that all three classes of bonds provided investors with similar total returns prior to 1857, excepting a brief period in the 1840s when state securities plunged before recovering. I also find that over the entire 19th century, real bond returns considerably exceeded the long-term average return of 3.6% proposed for bonds in Siegel (2014). In explaining these high bond returns I identify problems with Siegel’s data sources, notably Homer’s mistaken interpretation of Macaulay’s data. I further find that in these early years, bonds sometimes out-performed stocks over periods of several decades, again contrary to Siegel’s thesis. The paper considers the implications of a demonstration that stocks and bonds performed differently in the nineteenth century as compared to the twentieth century. [Some results in this paper have been further revised and better integrated with subsequent work, see revision notes following this Abstract.]
How Much Blood Could a JP Suck If a JP Could Suck Blood

OBJECTIVE Active surgical drains minimize fluid accumulation in the postoperative period. The Jackson-Pratt (JP) system consists of a silicone drain connected by flexible tubing to a bulb. When air in the bulb is evacuated, negative pressure is applied at the surgical site to aspirate fluid. The objective of this study was to determine if the evacuation method and volume of accumulated fluid affect the pressure generated by the bulb. METHODS Bulbs were connected to a digital manometer under various experimental conditions. A random number generator determined the initial evacuation method for each bulb, either side-in or bottom-up. Subsequent evacuations were alternated until data was collected in triplicate for each method. Predetermined amounts of water were placed into the bulb; air was evacuated; and pressure was recorded. The digital manometer was allowed to equilibrate for 1 minute prior to data acquisition. RESULTS The average amount of pressure after a side-in evacuation of a JP bulb was 87.4 cm H2 O compared to 17.7 cm H2 O for a bottom-up evacuation (P < 0.0001). When the drain contained 25 mL, 50 mL, 75 mL, and 100 mL of fluid, the pressure applied dropped to 72.6, 41.3, 37.0, and 35.6 cm H2 O, respectively. CONCLUSIONS JP drains generate negative pressure in order to reduce fluid accumulation at surgical sites. Although its function is frequently taken for granted, this study demonstrates that both the specific method for evacuating the bulb as well as the amount of fluid in the bulb significantly affect the performance of this device. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 129:1806-1809, 2019.
Evaluating Project Proposals

As firms face growing pressure to create value and reduce costs at every stage of the production process, the winners are those that are able to deploy organizational, managerial and technological resources so as to achieve a timely and flexible response to rapidly changing market conditions (1). In many sectors, this has meant a fundamental rethinking of the management and coordination of the RD statistical techniques are often employed to sort out correlation among the various criteria (4). Because many of these techniques are complex, having been developed primarily for use in large firms, it can be a daunting task for managers of small firms to apply them on a sustained basis; many seek assistance from outside supporting institutions (5). Consequently, there is a need for simpler qualitative evaluation techniques better suited to the needs and resources of SMEs (6). In this article we introduce a straightforward method of evaluation based on a survey analysis of SMEs in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is based on the premise that the allocation of management resources has a major impact on the success rate of new RD this benchmark allocation, we surmised, would vary from one firm to the next but would likely be similar for firms in similar industries. Through preliminary discussions with SME managers, we were able to identify a set of eight categories, or "assessment items," by which managers of SMEs typically assess merits and demerits of RD averaging the results across groups of similar firms in the survey yielded a list of "weighting coefficients" for each group. We express the results of the survey in the form of a simple "project proposal assessment equation" that can be used to calculate a comprehensive score for each project proposal. Comparing projects on the basis of their scores provides a simple way to identify and prioritize promising projects. Assessment Equation Suppose that the allocation of management resources corresponds to the relative importance of the project assessment criteria being used in the evaluation process. …
Parallel Partial Reduction for Large-Scale Data Analysis and Visualization

We present a novel partial reduction algorithm to aggregate sparsely distributed intermediate results that are generated by data-parallel analysis and visualization algorithms. Applications of partial reduction include flow trajectory analysis, big data online analytical processing, and volume rendering. Unlike traditional full parallel reduction that exchanges dense data across all processes, the purpose of partial reduction is to exchange only intermediate results that correspond to the same query, such as line segments of the same flow trajectory. To this end, we design a three-stage algorithm that minimizes the communication cost: (1) partitioning the result space into groups; (2) constructing and optimizing the reduction partners for each group; and (3) initiating collective reduction operations for all groups concurrently. Both theoretical and empirical analyses show that our algorithm outperforms the traditional methods when the intermediate results are sparsely distributed. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm for flow visualization, big log data analysis, and volume rendering.
Ruptured Persistent Trigeminal Artery-Basilar Artery Junction Aneurysm: Case Report and Review of Literature

Background The persistent trigeminal artery is the most common type of persistent fetal carotid-basilar anastomosis. Patients who are found to have a persistent trigeminal artery are more likely to harbor intracranial aneurysms, both along the persistent trigeminal artery and elsewhere in the cerebral vasculature. Case Description We report the case of a 48-year-old male who presented with a ruptured persistent trigeminal artery aneurysm arising at the trigeminal artery-basilar junction. In this patient, the trigeminal artery was the primary blood supply to the internal carotid artery due to an absent common carotid artery. He was treated successfully with balloon-assisted coil embolization and occlusion of the persistent trigeminal artery. Conclusions Although several variations of the persistent trigeminal artery describe blood flow from the internal carotid to the posterior circulation, this is the first case to describe a persistent trigeminal artery that is the primary supply of the internal carotid artery due to an absent common carotid artery. Successful treatment of aneurysms of the persistent trigeminal artery may require occlusion of the artery.
Views from within and without: youth from Marseille’s housing projects enact belonging through Marseillais French and Arabic

This article examines the social dynamics of inclusion and exclusion that a group of youth born in the working-class, culturally Muslim milieu of Marseille’s northern housing projects navigates on ...
Design Principles to Govern Electrode Fabrication for the Lithium Trivanadate Cathode

A full depth of discharge mathematical model for the lithium trivanadate cathode, considering lithiation of the layered α-phase, phase change, and lithiation of the rock-salt like β-phase at lower potentials, is developed. The coupled electrode-scale and crystal-scale model is fit to electrochemical data, and additionally validated with operando EDXRD. There is good agreement between the simulated and measured spatial variation of the volume fraction of the β-phase. This mathematical model is used to guide electrode fabrication, accounting for both ionic and electronic transport effects. Values of three design parameters – electrode thickness, porosity, and volume fraction of conductor – are identified, and the sensitivity of the energy density to these design parameters is quantified. The model is also used to investigate electrode design to create electrodes that deliver the maximum achievable energy density under the constraint that the α to β-phase transition is avoided, since phase change has been demonstrated to reduce cycle life. The energy density sacrificed to avoid phase change decreases at higher discharge rates, but the target values for electrode fabrication remain the same as those when optimizing the electrode for the full depth of discharge.
Collective Rationality and Creative Synthesis in Corporate Governance

In this article, we explain the potential benefits of implementing Hegelian notions of collective rationality and synthesis in corporate governance and suggest strategies for achieving this. Change...
Plasma Levels of Proresolving and Prophlogistic Lipid Mediators: Association With Severity of Respiratory Failure and Mortality in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Objectives Acute respiratory distress syndrome is characterized by an overly exuberant inflammatory state in the lung. Specialized proresolving mediators are endogenous agonists for the resolution of lung inflammation and injury in health, yet their association with acute respiratory distress syndrome severity and outcomes remains to be defined. In the current study, we investigate associations between plasma levels of specialized proresolving mediators and acute respiratory distress syndrome severity and mortality. Design Translational pilot study nested within a large prospective cohort of patients with risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Setting ICU from a large medical center. Patients Twenty-six Caucasian patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and available plasma from early in critical illness. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Here, in samples from 26 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients, we examined plasma levels of select specialized proresolving mediators that promote lung injury resolution in preclinical systems, namely lipoxin A4 and maresin 1, and select prophlogistic lipid mediators linked to acute respiratory distress syndrome pathogenesis, namely cysteinyl leukotrienes and thromboxane B2. These mediators were detected by sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: lipoxin A4 (assay range) (8.2-5,000 pg/mL), maresin 1 (7.8-1,000 pg/mL), cysteinyl leukotrienes (7.8-1,000 pg/mL), and thromboxane B2 (15.6-2,000 pg/mL). Lower plasma levels of specialized proresolving mediators were associated with increased duration of ventilatory support and ICU length of stay. Even in this small sample size, trends were evident for increased cysteinyl leukotrienes to specialized proresolving mediator ratios (cysteinyl leukotrienes/maresin 1 and cysteinyl leukotrienes/lipoxin A4) in acute respiratory distress syndrome nonsurvivors. Conclusions Lower specialized proresolving mediator levels in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients may disrupt timely resolution of lung inflammation and/or injury and contribute to clinical severity and mortality.
Mono- and bi-allelic protein truncating variants in alpha-actinin 2 cause cardiomyopathy through distinct mechanisms

Abstract Alpha-actinin 2 (ACTN2) anchors actin within cardiac sarcomeres. The mechanisms linking ACTN2 mutations to myocardial disease phenotypes are unknown. Here, we characterize patients with novel ACTN2 mutations to reveal insights into the physiological function of ACTN2. Patient-derived iPSC-cardiomyocytes harboring ACTN2 protein-truncating variants were hypertrophic, displayed sarcomeric structural disarray, impaired contractility, and aberrant Ca2+-signaling. In heterozygous indel cells, the truncated protein incorporates into cardiac sarcomeres, leading to aberrant Z-disc structure. In homozygous stop-gain cells, affinity-purification mass spectrometry reveals an intricate ACTN2 interactome with sarcomere and sarcolemma-associated proteins. Loss of the C-terminus of ACTN2 disrupts interaction with ACTN1 and GJA1, two sarcolemma-associated proteins, that may lead to the clinical arrhythmic and relaxation defects. The causality of the stop-gain mutation was verified using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Together, these data advance our understanding of the role of ACTN2 in the human heart and establish recessive inheritance of ACTN2 truncation as causative of disease.
Multi-factorial pharmacokinetic interactions: unraveling complexities in precision drug therapy.

Introduction: Precision drug therapy requires accounting for pertinent factors in pharmacokinetic (PK) inter-individual variability (i.e., pharmacogenetics, diseases, polypharmacy, and natural prod...
Same Day Discharge is a Successful Approach for the Majority of Patients Undergoing Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate

Abstract Background Limited research has focused on success with hospital discharge on the same day of surgery after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). Objective To determine the success of same-day discharge in our HoLEP cohort and factors associated with this approach. Design, setting, and participants A retrospective review of our prospectively maintained HoLEP database demonstrated that 473 adult males underwent HoLEP from July 2018 to December 2019 at a tertiary referral center and high-volume HoLEP hospital. Patients were divided into groups according to planned inpatient admission (PIA), successful same-day discharge (SDD), or unplanned admission (UA). Outcome measurements and statistical analysis The PIA, SDD, and UA groups were assessed for differences in preoperative demographic data, perioperative surgical data, and postoperative follow-up data. SDD and UA were then compared to determine if any specific factors predicted UA, including univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results and limitations Age (p = 0.0049), use of anticoagulation (p = 0.037), American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3–4 (p = 0.0017), and enucleation time (p=0.0178) were significantly higher in the PIA group. Morcellation time (p = 0.0059) and the rate of bedside catheter irrigation (p = 0.04) were higher in the UA group. The SDD group had the highest rate of successful voiding trial (p = 0.0001). Among the three groups, there was no difference in the rate of postoperative complications (p = 0.141). In a comparison of the SDD and UA groups, morcellation time (p = 0.041), the rate of bedside clot evacuation (p = 0.004), and successful voiding trial (p = 0.003) all favored SDD. There was no difference in 90-d complications (p = 0.536). A limitation is the retrospective nature of this study. Conclusions HoLEP can be successfully performed as day surgery without an increase in postoperative complications. HoLEP as day surgery is possible for any patient who does not require admission for medical comorbidities. Patient summary Same-day discharge (SDD) after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is possible and is successful in 87.4% of patients. Patients with longer morcellation times and with post-procedure hematuria with clots are more likely to have an unplanned admission. Use of a 120-W modulated-pulse laser resulted in a higher rate of SDD success. The culture change to day surgery is time-intensive owing to education of the postsurgical care units and clinic staff, and in our experience took approximately 9 mo to seamlessly integrate SDD as our HoLEP standard of care.
Pakistan China relations in the Emerging Dynamics of Power in South Asia

This research paper highlights and review the strategic relationship amongst Pakistan and China as emerging economic states and power balanced countries in South Asia. The region has always been in the news since many decades, starting from “Khyber Pass” which was a route to conquer the “Golden Bird”, to the Union Jack, needs to trade for their economic resilience. The existence of Pakistan changes the dynamics of this region, as Pakistan is known as its strategic location which further helps the world in trade. The routes are key factual economic indicators for many countries, as sea routes for traders are enjoyed by the middle Eastern countries like United Arab Emirates, and Iran they mark accomplishments, not only in trade but in foreign relations also. Their strategic alliance and visionary leadership had made them the strongest country amongst all. Despite, they were dwelled in many tribal fights, which by the time made them learned to have their existence as United Republic of China. The main purpose of this research is to highlight and bring strategically importance geopolitical stance exercised by both the countries. We use qualitative research model to explore the reason of ties and through reviewed papers draft the conclusions to understand the value in this regard. The study found mutual benefit for both the countries and reveals the footprints of Sino-British relations amongst China and East India Company in midst of 1600 – 1640. Mao Zedong and Zhou En-Lai were the brains behind the revolution and strategic routes were devised to bring the economic stability for the Republic of China.
Proof-of-concept of a reinforcement learning framework for wind farm energy capture maximization in time-varying wind

In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept distributed reinforcement learning framework for wind farm energy capture maximization. The algorithm we propose uses Q-Learning in a wake-delayed wind farm environment and considers time-varying, though not yet fully turbulent, wind inflow conditions. These algorithm modifications are used to create the Gradient Approximation with Reinforcement Learning and Incremental Comparison (GARLIC) framework for optimizing wind farm energy capture in time-varying conditions, which is then compared to the FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State (FLORIS) static lookup table wind farm controller baseline.
Unicondylar Phalangeal Fractures

Condylar fractures result from jammed fingers and may involve one or both condyles of the distal portion of either the proximal or middle phalanx. The patient may often have very little loss of motion, and a high Degree of suspicion is necessary to make the diagnosis (Figs. 27-1 A, B). Oblique roentgenographs of the finger must be obtained to properly demonstrate the fracture and its Degree of displacement (Fig. 27-1 C).
Clinical Supervision: A Systems Approach

The Essence of Supervision Tasks and Functions of Supervision The Relationship of Supervision Contextual Factors of Supervision Uncovering the Words of Supervision Supervising the Consultation Group
Transplantation of immature and mature astrocytes and their effect on scar formation in the lesioned central nervous system.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the scar reduction mechanism mediated by astroglia by comparing the behavior of highly purified populations of immature vs. mature astrocytes, when transferred on Millipore filters into the brains of adult rodents. Immature astrocytes, which are enriched in culture for four days and seeded onto nitro-cellulose, can reduce scar formation when implanted into P60 acallosal mice. However, cultured astrocytes are somewhat less effective in reducing scar formation than their direct donor to host counterparts. Mature cultured astrocytes have been shown to produce neurotrophic and outgrowth promoting factors. Upon reaching the implant, the young astrocyte acts as a kind of cellular suture, knitting the cortex to the filter by extending processes into both. Myelin debris itself has been implicated to reduce axon outgrowth, but not the migration of fibroblasts. These factors all conspire to produce an adversive environment to the regenerating axon that is distinctly different from that observed during development. Thus, the only permanent sanctuary for the regenerating axon may be the formation of inappropriate synaptic connections.
A new block algorithm for solving the Sylvester-observer equation

A new block algorithm for computing a full rank solution of the Sylvester-observer equation is proposed. The algorithm is structure preserving and rich in BLAS-3 computations and thus suitable for high performance computing. Furthermore, the results on numerical experiments on benchmark examples show that the algorithm has better accuracy than that of some of the existing block algorithms for this problem.
The DNET Starter Kit

This chapter contains sections titled: DNET-SKIT Overview DNET-SKIT Design Overview Summary Glossary Reference Exercises
Low swing signaling using a dynamic diode-connected driver

In this paper, we propose a novel low swing driver using a Dynamic Diode-Connected Driver (DDCD) architecture. The receiver can be a simple inverter since the line swing is around Vdd/2 (from Vtn to Vdd- |Vtp|). The simulation results shows a reduction of the energy-delay product between 27% and 54% when compared with the full swing CMOS buffer for a 0.5µm and 0.18 µm process. Unlike most alternatives, no extra power supplies, nor a multi-threshold process, are required.
Simulations of a nonlinear optical loop mirror demultiplexer using random birefringence fiber

Summary form only given. Demultiplexing channels of data at rates in the 100-Gbit/s range will require that advanced all-optical devices be designed and developed. Computer simulations will become increasingly useful in prototyping these devices. We have developed a computer code that accurately predicts the switching characteristics of a demultiplexer operating in the picosecond range. The technique used for the simulations is the split step Fourier method. Randomly varying birefringence is modeled by introducing a random rotation of the birefringence axis /spl Theta//sub i/ at the beginning of each step. The polarization controller is implemented numerically by multiplying the field by the appropriate Jones matrix for a linear retarder (wave plate) of orientation /spl alpha/ and retardance /spl phi/. Values for /spl alpha/ and /spl phi/, are found by allowing the control pulse to propagate around the loop in the absence of the signal pulse.
Dietary fish oil increases neutrophil development and recruitment to the colon in colitis-prone mice (638.1)

Fish oil, containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, is generally considered to have anti-inflammatory and immune suppressing properties. We have previously shown that dietary fish oil rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) resulted in exacerbated colon inflammation and progression to adenocarcinomas in Helicobacter hepacticus infected colitis-prone mice. The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of dietary fish oil on colon inflammation and immune cell changes in the absence of infection in genetically colitis-prone mice. We employed immunohistochemistry and flow cytometric analysis to characterized inflammatory cell development and infiltration in the colon of mice fed either 6% menhaden oil (MO) or a soy-based control diet (CON). We observed increased neutrophil development in the bone marrow and spleen in MO compared to CON fed mice. Neutrophil percent in the colon increased from 1.6% in CON fed mice to 4.2% in MO fed mice. In addition, MO consumption altered the activation state and fun...
A 19th Century French Observer Sheds Light on America's Unstable Politics

The French observer of the United States in the 1830s, Alexis De Tocqueville, is often celebrated for identifying “American exceptionalism,” i.e. a set of national characteristics not found in any of the nations from which immigrants came. Positive traits that De Tocqueville described are well known. However, De Tocqueville also described less well-known unflattering characteristics. Recent developments support the idea that these traits remain hard wired in American society and help account for political dysfunctions that are unique among advanced nations.
Susceptibility of Anaerobes to Cefoxitin and Other Cephalosporins

The in vitro susceptibility of 155 strains of anaerobic bacteria to five cephalosporin antibiotics was tested. Cefoxitin was the most active against 33 isolates of Bacteroides fragilis; 82% of the strains were sensitive at 16 mug/ml. At 64 mug/ml cefazolin and cephaloridine were also generally effective. Cephalothin and cephalexin were relatively inactive versus B. fragilis. Cefoxitin, cephaloridine, cefazolin, and cephalothin showed comparable activity against 122 strains of anaerobes other than B. fragilis. More than 90% of the strains were sensitive to each of these antimicrobials at 16 mug/ml. Cephalexin was the least effective cephalosporin against all species tested.
Effect of DL-α-lipoic acid on the citrate concentration and phosphofructokinase activity of perfused hearts from normal and diabetic rats

Abstract Perfusion of the rat heart with lipoic acid inhibited the rise in acetyl-CoA and citrate normally induced by octanoate. With glucose as substrate, lipoic acid reduced cardiac muscle citrate and stimulated phosphofructokinase activity; glucose utilization and glycogenolysis were likewise increased. These effects were observed in normal hearts and in hearts from alloxan diabetic rats. It is suggested that lipoic acid stimulates glycolysis through the lowering of citrate, a known inhibitor of phosphofructokinase.
Evidence for hopping conduction in amorphous chalcogenide films

Abstract The conductivity of amorphous chalcogenide films was found to increase nearly linearly with increasing frequency above about 105Hz. A mechanism involving carriers hopping between localized states is used to explain the results.
Intratumour temperature distributions during hyperthermia

Abstract Temperature gradients as high as 2.2°C/cm were observed within Walker 256 mammary carcinoma in vivo , when the tumours were heated at one end by a diathermic lamp. When the blood supply to the tumour was interrupted, the temperature gradients increased as expected, due to lack of cooling effect caused by blood. A mathematical model described these data adequately.
Next generation sequencing provides rapid access to the genome of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, the causal agent of wheat stripe rust.

Author(s): Cantu, Dario; Govindarajulu, Manjula; Kozik, Alex; Wang, Meinan; Chen, Xianming; Kojima, Kenji K; Jurka, Jerzy; Michelmore, Richard W; Dubcovsky, Jorge | Abstract: BackgroundThe wheat stripe rust fungus (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, PST) is responsible for significant yield losses in wheat production worldwide. In spite of its economic importance, the PST genomic sequence is not currently available. Fortunately Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has radically improved sequencing speed and efficiency with a great reduction in costs compared to traditional sequencing technologies. We used Illumina sequencing to rapidly access the genomic sequence of the highly virulent PST race 130 (PST-130).Methodology/principal findingsWe obtained nearly 80 million high quality paired-end reads (g50x coverage) that were assembled into 29,178 contigs (64.8 Mb), which provide an estimated coverage of at least 88% of the PST genes and are available through GenBank. Extensive micro-synteny with the Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (PGTG) genome and high sequence similarity with annotated PGTG genes support the quality of the PST-130 contigs. We characterized the transposable elements present in the PST-130 contigs and using an ab initio gene prediction program we identified and tentatively annotated 22,815 putative coding sequences. We provide examples on the use of comparative approaches to improve gene annotation for both PST and PGTG and to identify candidate effectors. Finally, the assembled contigs provided an inventory of PST repetitive elements, which were annotated and deposited in Repbase.Conclusions/significanceThe assembly of the PST-130 genome and the predicted proteins provide useful resources to rapidly identify and clone PST genes and their regulatory regions. Although the automatic gene prediction has limitations, we show that a comparative genomics approach using multiple rust species can greatly improve the quality of gene annotation in these species. The PST-130 sequence will also be useful for comparative studies within PST as more races are sequenced. This study illustrates the power of NGS for rapid and efficient access to genomic sequence in non-model organisms.
Self-selection versus Socialization Revisited: Military Service, Racial Resentment, and Generational Membership

Scholarship on racial attitudes has found that white veterans of World War II and the Korean War had more positive views of blacks than white civilians. However, more recent studies have argued tha...
Formation of high loading flexible carbon nanofiber network composites

Abstract Functional nanofiber network composites (FNNCs), which consist of high loading of carbon nanofiber (CNF) within a flexible silanol terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) matrix, were produced and characterized. Loadings up to 50 wt.% CNF were used to ensure the formation of a nanofiber network that combined the high conductivity of the CNF with the flexibility of the PDMS matrix. The CNF were functionalized with PDMS groups (CNF–PDMS) which were designed to (i) enhance compatibility between the matrix polymer and the CNF to improve processability and surface wetting and/or (ii) participate in polymerization reaction with oligomeric silanol terminated PDMS. Mechanical testing showed that composites produced with CNF–PDMS at 30 wt.% loading exhibited 2–18-fold increases in modulus, tensile strength and toughness compared to composites produced with pristine CNF. The inclusion of CNF resulted in decreases in strain relative to base PDMS. While the electrical conductivity of the FNNC decreased when using functionalized relative to pristine CNF, in all cases the conductivity was sufficient for many applications of interest.
Effects of glimepiride on insulin secretion and sensitivity in patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background: The exact mechanism of the efficacy of glimepiride in the achievement of glycemic control has not yet been clearly defined. Objective: This study was conducted to examine the influence of glimepiride on insulin secretion and sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) of recent onset. Methods: This 24-week, open-label, controlled trial was conducted at the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Phoenix, Arizona). Study participants were aged 32 to 75 years and had recent-onset (established by a short duration of symptoms 6 weeks to 6 months prior to the study) type 2 DM, or were age-matched healthy volunteers (control group). In the diabetic patients, glimepiride tablets were administered orally, initially at 2 mg once daily in the morning, with the dosage increased by 1 mg every 2 weeks until fasting plasma glucose (FPG) decreased to 6.7 mmol/L; the dosage was then maintained for the remainder of the 24-week study period. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) were conducted in the control group and before treatment and at 24 weeks after the achievement and maintenance of glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin Results: Fourteen diabetic men (mean [SEM] age, 50 [6] years; range, 32–75 years) and 10 male healthy controls (mean [SD] age, 48 [5] years; range, 30–68 years) were enrolled. In the DM group, FPG decreased significantly after treatment ( P P P P P P P Conclusions: In this study, glimepiride achieved desirable glycemic control in patients with recent-onset type 2 DM through improvement in insulin secretion and sensitivity.
Effects of the pineal and melatonin on thyroid activity of male golden hamsters

Abstract The effects of blinding and pinealectomy in normal and gonadectomized hamsters were studied. Blinding was associated with depressed thyroxin levels and free thyroxin index in normal but not in gonadectomized animals. Pinealectomy, by itself, had no effect on thyroxin levels but reversed the effects of blinding. Pinealectomy of gonadectomized animals had no effect on thyroxin levels but was associated with increased thyroxin levels and free thyroxin index in gonadectomized hamsters that were blinded. Different effects of blinding and thiourea treatment suggested different sites of action. Melatonin injections, like blinding, were associated with a depression of thyroxin levels and free thyroxin index. Similar effects of the pineal and melatonin on gonad weights and on thyroxin levels suggest a common site of action of the pineal gland in regulation of pituitary-gonadal and pituitary-thyroid axes. Another interpretation of these data is that the effects of the pineal and melatonin on thyroid function are secondary to their effects on the reproductive system.
Influence of Humidity on Ultraviolet Injury

High humidity enhances the injurious effect of ultraviolet radiation. This was demonstrated in experiments in which hairless mice were irradiated with Westinghouse FS-40-T-12 sunlamps while maintained in an environmental chamber allowing controlled conditions of relative humidity and temperature. Hairless mice given 10 MED (minimal erythemal dose) while maintained at 80% relative humidity had markedly greater exfoliation, crusting, and erosion of skin than did mice maintained at 5% and 10% relative humidity. Animals kept at 50% humidity had damage intermediate to those kept at high and low humidity. These morphologic observations were confirmed histologically. Additionally, water immersion enhances ultraviolet injury. Animals immersed in water for 6 hr prior to irradiation with 3 MED had more damage than animals irradiated but not immersed. Similarly, albino rabbits irradiated with 300 nm radiation from a xenon arc grating monochrometer had lower erythemal energy requirements on that part of their skin that had been hydrated with wet packs compared to nonhydrated skin.
The Potential Energy Curve for the B3∑−u State of Oxygen and Accurate Franck-Condon Factors for the Schumann-Runge Bands

Abstract A single potential energy curve for the B3∑−u state of oxygen has been determined using the Rydberg-Klein-Rees method with spectroscopic constants of 16O2, 16O, 18O and 18O2. Accurate Franck-Condon factors (FCFs) of the Schumann-Runge system (B3∑−u − X3∑−g) of oxygen have been calculated, which cover 16 vibrational levels for the upper B3∑−u state and 19 for the lower X3∑−g state. Agreement between this study and earlier results for the potential energy curve and the FCFs is excellent.
Clinical studies with dopamine-receptor stimulants.

Oral administration of ET-495 was found to cause worsening of psychiatric status in 4 out of 7 schizophrenic patients, and to induce a paranoid state and a syndrome of auditory hallucinosis in 2 non-schizophrenics. These observations were compatible with the hypothesized role of dopamine in schizophrenia. However, these psychotogenic effects were far less dramatic than those noted in other studies with amphetamine, methylphenidate or l-Dopa. Possible explanations for this differing psychotogenic potency of receptor stimulators versus presynaptic agonists are presented. Intravenous ET-495 and apomorphine did not show psychotogenic effects.
Esther Thelen's Legacy: A Dynamic World That Continues to Reach Out to Others

On December 29, 2004 the field of developmental psychology lost one of its most prominent and influential scholars. Esther Thelen was known for her leading work on infants' perceptual motor develop...
Immunohistochemical studies of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons in Fischer 344 and Lewis rats

Abstract Previous work has shown that the inbred Lewis and Fischer 344 rat strains differ in several behavioral measures related to mesolimbic dopamine function. Moreover, the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the Lewis rat has been shown to contain higher levels of tyrosine hydroxylase compared to that of the Fischer rat by blot immunolabeling procedures. To investigate structural correlates of this biochemical difference, an immunohistochemical study of VTA dopaminergic neurons in these two strains was undertaken. Results show that the density and total number of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the VTA of the Lewis rat is about 50% of that found in the Fischer rat. In contrast, examination of the substantia nigra in the same sections revealed no differences in the density and number of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells between these strains. Fischer-Lewis strain differences were also evident for cholecystokinin immunoreactivity in the VTA, with much lower levels seen in the Lewis rat, consistent with the known colocalization of this neuropeptide in many VTA dopamine neurons. The finding of 50%v fewer tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the VTA of the Lewis rat, along with our earlier results showing 45% higher levels of tyrosine hydroxylase by blot immunolabeling, would suggest much higher levels of tyrosine hydroxylase per VTA neuron in this strain. However, no obvious strain difference in the cellular intensity of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity could be detected by immunohistochemistry. Finally, the density of VTA dopamine neurons was assessed in 1-week-old Fischer and Lewis rats. In contrast to the results obtained for adult animals, no difference in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons was apparent in these young animals, indicating that the Fischer-Lewis strain difference in VTA dopamine neurons appears later in postnatal development. These anatomical findings shed new light on the differences in the mesolimbic dopamine system between Fischer and Lewis rats that may contribute to the behavioral differences exhibited by these animals.
Isolation and characterization of phytotoxic compounds from asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) roots

Potential allelochemicals from aqueous extracts of dried asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) roots were isolated and characterized. Active fractions separated by HPLC included ferulic, isoferulic, malic, citric, and fumaric acids. Soxhlet extraction of the residues also produced phytotoxic caffeic acid. Although none of these compounds, when applied singly, was active enough to account for the phytotoxicity of asparagus extracts, their combined effect might be additive or synergistic. An extract from lyophilized fresh root tissues contained a fraction that was one order of magnitude more toxic than any compound obtained from the dried roots. The most active component was isolated by TLC and characterized by [1H]NMR as methylenedioxycinnamic acid (MDCA). This compound provided severe inhibition of curly cress (Lepidium sativum L.) root and shoot growth at concentrations of 25 ppm or above.
Design and Application of Antibody Cysteine Variants

Antibodies are multidomain proteins that are extensively used as a research tool in molecular biology and as therapeutics in medicine. In many cases, antibodies are engineered to contain surface cysteines for the site-specific conjugation of payloads. These antibodies can serve as payload vehicles in targeting a diseased cell to which the conjugated molecules exercise their activity. Here, we design and analyze a set of fourteen new IgG1 cysteine variants, with at least one variant per immunoglobulin fold domain. The cross-linking propensity of these mutants correlates very well with a tool we have developed for measuring aggregation propensity in silico, called spatial aggregation propensity (SAP). Our results indicate the utility of the SAP technology in selecting antibody cysteine variants with desired properties. Moreover, the different oligomerization propensity of the variants suggests a variety of applications in molecular biology and medicine, such as payload delivery, structural analysis, electro...