cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Effects on Bone and Mechanisms.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with decreased bone mass and alterations in bone geometry from the time of diagnosis, before anti-inflammatory therapy is instituted. Deficits in bone mass can persist despite absence of symptoms of active IBD. The effects of IBD on the skeleton are complex. Protein-calorie malnutrition, inactivity, hypogonadism, deficits in calcium intake and vitamin D consumption and synthesis, stunted growth in children, decreased skeletal muscle mass, and inflammation all likely play a role. Preliminary studies suggest that the dysbiotic intestinal microbial flora present in IBD may also affect bone at a distance. Several mechanisms are possible. T cells activated by the gut microbiota may serve as “inflammatory shuttles” between the intestine and bone. Microbe-associated molecular patterns leaked into the circulation in IBD may activate immune responses in the bone marrow by immune cells and by osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts that lead to decreased bone formation and increased resorption. Finally, intestinal microbial metabolites such as H2S may also affect bone cell function. Uncovering these mechanisms will enable the design of microbial cocktails to help restore bone mass in patients with IBD.
BEE-SMART - A Natural Language Interface For Knowledge Retrieval and Service Execution over the Semantic Web2.

Semantic Web technologies allow for a simplified way to represent machine perishable knowledge over Web and have significant implications in extending Web capabilities beyond our current imagination. However, in order to bring its unprecedented power to Web users, we need an intuitive, easy to use interface to retrieve knowledge and execute services over the Web. In this paper we describe a system BEE-SMART, which provides a natural language interface to sophisticated Semantic Web technologies. Broadly the system facilitates users with a) Simple Chat b) Knowledge Query c) Semantic Service Execution interfaces. The system was developed by the graduate students at University of Missouri under guidance of Dr. Yugyung Lee.
A Case Study of Effective Use of Statistical Experimental Design in a Smoke Stack Industry

In an electric furnace smelting process, there was a large potential for savings in operation costs by switching to a cheaper supply of carbonaceous reducing agent for the furnace. The plant operation staff resisted such a switch for years thinking it w..
Electric Field Effects on Capillary Waves Using Surface Light Scattering Spectroscopy

We report experiments demonstrating an electric field shift of the interfacial tension of SF6 close to critical conditions. Surface fluctuation spectra variations with field (up to 25KV/cm) were measured as a function temperature.
Dynamics of Hydrodynamics

The mathematical description of the states of a fluid is based on the study of three fields defined on the domain occupied by the fluid: the velocity field \(\vec{V }\), the density ρ, and the pressure field P. These three “unknowns” are determined by integrating other five scalar equations, namely the mass conservation (continuity equation), the three components of the equation of momentum balance (Euler or Navier–Stokes), and the energy balance. This last equation needs in addition information about the thermodynamics of the fluid, so it may need to be supplied with some equation of state. In addition to these five equations, we request regularity, asymptotic and, if it is the case, boundary conditions, to provide a unique solution. When we study the dynamics of the fluid confined in a compact domain with free boundaries, the system is slightly more complicated, and we have to add the kinematical equation of the free surface, as well as equations of momentum balance at the surface. If we take into account the nonlinear terms in the dynamical equations, and in the associated curved geometry, some interesting solutions occur. Special nonlinear effects related to fluids on compact domains with free surface could be Gibbs–Marangoni effect, dividing the flow in cells (Benard effect), couplings between different modes, collective effects, separation of flow in layer (boundary layer, turbulence), standing traveling surface waves, etc. In this chapter, we introduce some elements of general hydrodynamics which we will use later on in the book, boundary conditions especially at free surfaces, surface pressure theory, and representation theorems.
Richard E. Bellman

The post-WorldWar II (WWII) development of operations research (OR) owes much to two organizations: Princeton University and the RAND Corporation. Richard (Dick) Bellman’s formative years were spent at both—associations that shaped his research interests and led him to areas of applications that included well-known OR problems. His interest in mathematics developed early; he trained as a mathematician and always regarded himself as one. The Princeton mathematics department offered him an excellent graduate program, his first teaching opportunity, and, especially, a research environment that introduced him to key areas of his future research program. The exceptional group of scientists at RAND exposed him to game theory, optimization theory, and many classical applied problems in OR. Dick’s invention and development of dynamic programming (DP) in the early 1950s marked the beginning of a new era in the analysis and optimization of large-scale systems. His research established him as a towering figure among the contributors to modern optimization, control theory, and systems analysis. Dick was among the first to realize the transformative impact of computers, not just in terms of the computational power required for obtaining numerical solutions, but in the very nature of how decision problems would be approached and solved. He was noted for his prolific output—he published over 600 research papers and over 40 books.
HIV Knowledge, Perceived Risk and Gender as Modulators of Salivary HIV Rapid Testing in African Americans.

Background Of more than 1.2 million people in the United States (US) living with HIV infection, almost 1 in 8 (12.8%) are unaware of their infection. The introduction of a rapid HIV test using a saliva sample in 2004 made immediate results possible in community-based settings. Despite use of salivary rapid testing (SRT) over the last ten years, not enough is known about barriers to and acceptability of SRT among African Americans (AAs). Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with SRT for HIV among AAs. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 329 AA men and women recruited from a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic. Results Results of study showed that participants with higher AIDS knowledge (p<0.001) and problem-focused coping (p<0.003) tended to have higher likelihood for participation in testing. In terms of seeking medical help, participants with lower emotional-focused coping, lower risky behavior and higher AIDS knowledge tended to be more likely to seek medical help (p=0.015, p<0.001, p<0.04, respectively). Female participants with higher values of risky behavior tended to be more likely to participate in testing (p=0.001). Conclusions The findings support the need to assess barriers and facilitators to testing decisions in order to increase testing rates. In particular, AIDS knowledge and either problem or emotional-focused coping and risky behaviors, based on gender may be important in making testing and care entry decisions.
The Diminishing Returns of CEO Pay

Building upon labor market theory, we investigate whether under- or over-investing in CEOs (i.e., strategically paying above or below a CEO’s predicted labor market wage) affects long-term firm val...
Ambimodal Dipolar/Diels–Alder Cycloaddition Transition States Involving Proton Transfers

Quantum mechanical computations and molecular dynamics simulations have been used to elucidate the factors that control reaction outcomes in ambimodal transition states leading to both dipolar and Diels–Alder cycloaddition products, which can interconvert via α-ketol rearrangements. The dipolar cycloaddition pathways were found to be disadvantaged due to the persistence of charge separation after the second C–C formation en route to the dipolar cycloaddition adducts. Structural modifications that result in the stabilization of the charge-separated species lead to an increase in the amount of dipolar cycloadducts formed.
With Friends Like These, Wilderness and Biodiversity Do Not Need Enemies

THE HUMAN FOOTPRINT is growing at the expense of other species and the integrity of ecosystems.1 What poet-of-the-wild Gary Snyder called the “Growth-Monster”2 remains not just unchecked but embraced, in theory and practice, by virtually all human societies.3 There is nothing new in this situation—it has been accelerating for several millennia and especially for the last few hundred years; nor is there anything new in the arguments made by those who justify it.4 Although the expression of self-righteous greed is rarer and sounds extreme amidst the claims of business and political leaders that biodiversity is important, human behavior—judged by its consequences— has not changed much: We take more and more, and we continue to squander a heritage that we can never replace. Each loss of species brought about by humans diminishes not only the Earth community but all who remain.
Hierarchical cell type classification using mass, heterogeneous RNA-seq data from human primary cells

Abstract Gene expression-based classification of a biological sample’s cell type is an important step in many transcriptomic analyses, including that of annotating cell types in single-cell RNA-seq datasets. In this work, we explore the novel application of hierarchical classification algorithms that take into account the graph structure of the Cell Ontology to this task. We train these algorithms on a novel curated dataset comprising nearly all human public, primary bulk samples in the NCBI’s Sequence Read Archive. These algorithms improve on state-of-the-art methods and produce accurate cell type predictions on both bulk and single-cell data across diverse and fine-grained cell types.
La preservación de la música como "diplomacia del patrimonio"

Various forms of religious radicalism, extreme nationalism, ethnic expulsions, and ill-conceived policies have provoked armed conflicts in recent years with large-scale destruction of tangible and intangible heritage, making the preservation of this heritage a critically urgent issue. And yet, our international music societies (IMS, ICTM, IAML), and other international music networks, keep pursuing their long-established missions without change or reaction to the changing world around them. This paper proposes a new advocacy role for international societies of music scholars interested in the preservation of endangered musical heritage, borrowing possible models from the art and museum world, and implementing methods developed in heritage diplomacy which has been effectively included in the toolbox of bilateral political diplomacy for a long time.
Converse Section 1983 Suits in Which States Police Federal Agents: An Idea Whose Time Has Arrived

A key question for the country today is: What role, if any, can state and local governments play in shaping the way America prosecutes its war on terror and its wars against those countries — like Iraq — that are alleged to be breeding grounds for terrorists?While federal law imposes some limits on what states can do in the international realm, it does not and cannot cut state and local government out of the picture altogether. States have the power — and perhaps the duty — to speak out on international matters, and to regulate their own citizenries in ways the federal government may disfavor, so long as state regulation is not preempted by valid federal laws. The Constitution sometimes shields state authority from federal interference; however, state governments may use the Constitution as more than a shield for themselves; they may use it to affirmatively shield their citizens from federal laws that trample on individuals’ rights. This essay discusses the converse § 1983 device, i.e., a proposed type of state law designed to provide a remedy for federal constitutional violations committed by federal officials, as one useful example of how states can act affirmatively to counter federal abuses.
The value of ultrasound in diagnosis of neonatal upper and lower gastrointestinal perforation

Objective To explore the value of ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of neonatal upper and lower gastrointestinal tract(GIT)perforation. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the ultrasound findings of 42 neonates of surgery-confirmed neonatal GIT perforation in our hospital from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018.The accuracy of ultrasound for detecting GIT perforation and the ultrasound features of upper and lower GIT perforation were evaluated. Results (1)Of the 42 neonates with GIT perforation, 1 case didn′t undergo ultrasound, 2 cases were missed, and 1 case was misdiagnosed.Thirty-eight neonates were diagnosed of GIT perforation by ultrasound preoperatively, with a detection rate of 92.7%(38/41). The locations of GIT perforation were identified by ultrasound in 30 cases(78.9%, 30/38), including 11 cases of upper GIT perforation and 19 cases of lower GIT perforation.(2)A common sonographic finding of GIT perforation in 38 cases was pneumoperitoneum, which appeared as an echogenic line with posterior reverberation artifact under diaphragm or anterior to hepatic/splenic surface and a "stratosphere" sign in M-mode sonography.Free gas changed position when the patient′s position was changed, and didn′t change due to respiratory change.Besides, free gas dispersed with compression on abdomen, and gathered without compression.(3)Upper GIT perforation was showed that poor filling of the stomach cavity, and the abdominal free gas sharply increased.Lower GIT perforation was characterized by collapsed bowel, blurred and interrupted intestinal wall structure, and more accompanied with intestinal obstruction.(4)There was no significant difference of detection rate between ultrasound and X-ray in diagnosing GIT perforation[92.7%(38/41)vs.83.3%(35/42)](P>0.05), whereas ultrasound more sensitive for a very small amount of free gas in the early stage of perforation.(5)Helicobacter pylori infection was found in two cases of GIT perforation. Conclusion Ultrasound can be used for differential diagnosis of upper and lower GIT perforation, and could be recommended as the first choice for detecting GIT perforation in neonatal patients. Key words: Ultrasound; Upper gastrointestinal tract perforation; Lower gastrointestinal tract perforation; Intestinal obstruction
KATP Channel Openers Inhibit Lymphatic Contractions and Lymph Flow as a Possible Mechanism of Peripheral Edema

Pharmacological openers of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are effective antihypertensive agents, but off-target effects, including severe peripheral edema, limit their clinical usefulness. It is presumed that the arterial dilation induced by KATP channel openers (KCOs) increases capillary pressure to promote filtration edema. However, KATP channels also are expressed by lymphatic muscle cells (LMCs), raising the possibility that KCOs also attenuate lymph flow to increase interstitial fluid. The present study explored the effect of KCOs on lymphatic contractile function and lymph flow. In isolated rat mesenteric lymph vessels (LVs), the prototypic KATP channel opener cromakalim (0.01-3 µmol/l) progressively inhibited rhythmic contractions and calculated intraluminal flow. Minoxidil sulfate and diazoxide (0.01-100 µmol/l) had similar effects at clinically relevant plasma concentrations. High-speed in vivo imaging of the rat mesenteric lymphatic circulation revealed that superfusion of LVs with cromakalim and minoxidil sulfate (0.01-10 µmol/l) maximally decreased lymph flow in vivo by 38.4% and 27.4%, respectively. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry identified the abundant KATP channel subunits in LMCs as the pore-forming Kir6.1/6.2 and regulatory sulfonylurea receptor 2 subunits. Patch-clamp studies detected cromakalim-elicited unitary K+ currents in cell-attached patches of LMCs with a single-channel conductance of 46.4 pS, which is a property consistent with Kir6.1/6.2 tetrameric channels. Addition of minoxidil sulfate and diazoxide elicited unitary currents of similar amplitude. Collectively, our findings indicate that KCOs attenuate lymph flow at clinically relevant plasma concentrations as a potential contributing mechanism to peripheral edema. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel openers (KCOs) are potent antihypertensive medications, but off-target effects, including severe peripheral edema, limit their clinical use. Here, we demonstrate that KCOs impair the rhythmic contractions of lymph vessels and attenuate lymph flow, which may promote edema formation. Our finding that the KATP channels in lymphatic muscle cells may be unique from their counterparts in arterial muscle implies that designing arterial-selective KCOs may avoid activation of lymphatic KATP channels and peripheral edema.
8 Immune correlates associated with clinical outcomes in patients with advanced malignancies treated with avelumab and OX40 agonist

Background We evaluated immune correlates of avelumab in combination with PF-04518600 (OX40 agonist) in a phase I/II study (NCT03217747) in patients with advanced malignancies. Methods Eligible patients received intravenous avelumab 10 mg/kg and PF04518600 100 mg every 2 weeks in a 4-week cycle. Initially, patients received avelumab from cycle3 day1 (C3D1), later from cycle1 day15 (C1D15). Response was assessed per RECIST 1.1 and irRECIST. Peripheral blood and tumor tissue were obtained from patients at pre-treatment, post-OX40, and post-combo for correlative studies. Translational assays include immunohistochemistry (IHC: PD-L1, OX40 and CD139), multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF: PD-L1/P-1 axis and T-cell activation/regulatory panels), and Nanostring (panCancer Immune Panel) for tumor tissues, and flow cytometry performed on peripheral blood. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare response between the two treatment schedules. Log-rank test was performed to test the difference in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between groups. Linear mixed-effect model was used to estimate the effect of schedule and treatment (time) effects on flow and IHC mIF biomarkers. Results Twenty-eight patients were treated, 12 received avelumab from C3D1 and 16 from C1D15. Patient characteristics are summarized in table 1 and response data in table 2. The median follow-up time was 17.8 months. The median OS was 7.9 months and PFS was 3.2 months. Patients on C3D1 schedule had superior PFS than patients on C1D15 schedule (4.6 months vs 2.5 months; P=0.032). The biomarkers associated with survival were investigated in the C3D1 group. Patients with following baseline biomarker characteristics had superior PFS (table 3): lower density of total cells expressing CD137 (6.0 vs 3.2 months, P=0.047) and lower percentage of malignant cells expressing OX40+ (5.8 vs 3.2 months, P=0.024). Patients with superior OS had higher frequencies of CD86+HLA-DR+CD141 dendritic cells and CD3+ cells in circulation at baseline (17.2 vs 7.9 months, P=0.012) (table 4). This combination was not found to expand circulating T regulatory cells. Early data suggests that while higher neutrophil score correlates with PD, higher exhausted CD8+ T cell score correlates with SD. More translational data will be presented at the conference. Conclusions With limited data, there is evidence that patients receiving avelumab from C3D1 in combination with PF-04518600 have better response. Antigen presentation machinery showed changes but remained overall intact within the tumor with baseline circulating CD141+CD86+HLA-DR+ DCs positively correlating with OS. Additional studies to evaluate the effect of T-cell agonist on their receptors on malignant cells are needed. Trial Registration NCT03217747 Ethics Approval The study was approved by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Review Board (FWA #: 00000363).
The effect of cluster magnetic field on the Sunyaev Zeldovich power spectrum

Precision measurements of the Sunyaev Zeldovich (SZ) effect in upcoming blank sky surveys require theoretical understanding of all physical processes with $\ga 10%$ effects on the SZ power spectrum. We show that, observed cluster magnetic field could reduce the SZ power spectrum by $\sim 20%$ at $l\sim 4000$, where the SZ power spectrum will be precisely measured by the Sunyaev Zeldovich array (SZA) and the Atacama cosmology telescope (ACT). At smaller scale, this effect is larger and could reach a factor of several. Such effect must be considered for an unbiased interpretation of the SZ data. Though the magnetic effect on the SZ power spectrum is very similar to that of radiative cooling, it is measurable by multi-band CMB polarization measurement.
Dynamic Adverse Selection in Flood Insurance

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been criticized for setting rates that inaccurately reflect flood risk, while on the other side of the market, studies have shown that homeowners typically hold inaccurate beliefs about their own risk. Despite cataloguing these sources of incomplete information, no research to date has studied asymmetric information in flood insurance. In this paper, I find evidence of adverse selection that emerges through dynamic changes in demand. I first show that experienced flood policy holders have higher claims conditional on rating factors relative to new purchasers. Initial buyers who drop their coverage have lower average costs than those that keep it. I show how this phenomenon can be understood as a form of dynamic adverse selection. To explore the possible sources and implications of dynamic adverse selection, I incorporate my empirical estimates into a model of insurance with learning to illustrate how much of flood insurance demand is driven by consumer-side risk type uncertainty. My findings suggest that 80% of initial take-up and two-thirds of consumer surplus stem from buyers’ uncertainty over their own risk relative to their knowledge after maintaining coverage for up to 15 years. In addition to their implications for flood insurance, my methods can be applied to understanding other markets that feature learning and dynamic demand processes.
Large eddy simulations of high Reynolds number turbulence based on interscale energy transfer among resolved scales

We show that the task of subgrid scale (SGS) modeling can be split into computing the total SGS energy transfer and determining its distribution among scales of motion. The former can be computed from energy transfers involving only resolved scales, providing a physical constraint on any proposed SGS model. The latter can be prescribed through classical spectral SGS modeling expressions shown in the figure or computed directly from resolved fields, allowing self-contained large eddy simulations.
Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes of 19 Patients Undergoing Clitoral and Labial Reconstruction After Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.

Background Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is the intentional alteration, removal, or injury of female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Approximately 200 million females have been victims of FGM/C, and genital reconstructive procedures are increasing in demand. Objectives The objectives of this study were to assess clinical and patient-reported outcomes after FGM/C reconstruction to help guide treatment practices. Methods Adult patients undergoing anatomic reconstruction after FGM/C were retrospectively identified. Outcomes included clitoral, labial, and donor site surgical site occurrences (SSO) and the need for revision operations. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed using an adapted version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated outcomes instrument that assesses sexual function through 6 domains, with each domain having a maximum score of 6. Results Nineteen patients were identified in our review. Patients presented for reconstruction due to dyspareunia, inability to orgasm, chronic infections, to normalize appearance, and/or to "feel normal." There were no SSOs and two revision operations for adhesions. 74% of patients completed the FSFI postoperatively. Despite most patients seeking repair for inability to orgasm and/or dyspareunia, the median scores for these domains were 4.6 and 5.2. Patients' desire to engage in sexual activity scored lowest (3.9), and patients reported concerns over the appearance of their genitalia (50%) that affected self-confidence (85.7%). Conclusion FGM/C reconstruction is safe and contributes to improvements in physical sexual health. Psychological trauma may contribute to lessened sexual desire and self-confidence even after reconstruction. Multidisciplinary treatment is important to address the long-term psychological effects of this practice. Level of evidence iv This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Dual Career Ladders in Organizations

Organizations with dual career ladders provide technical employees with alternative opportunities for organizational advancement. Technical professionals may choose to advance through one of two ladders – the management ladder or the technical ladder. Ideally, both ladders provide similar career advancement opportunities and organizational rewards. It has been suggested that providing technical professionals with career advancement alternatives can benefit employees as well as organizations. Individuals who work for organizations with dual ladder systems should experience increased job satisfaction and motivation as they are able to pursue the career path that best suits their skills, talents, and desires. Moreover, organizations that successfully implement dual-ladder systems should be better able to attract and retain key technical professionals. However, dual-ladder systems have also received criticism. It has been said that in some organizations, dual ladders may indeed be available, however, they are often less than equal in status and rewards. In addition, advancing on the technical side often takes significantly longer than advancing through managerial ranks. Keywords: dual career ladders; dual-ladder systems; technical ladder; technical advancement; managerial advancement
Material Properties of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

The sections in this article are Introduction Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Molecular Structure Chemical Bonding Localization of Electronic States Electronic Structure and Localized States Band Tail States Doping and Dopant States The Doping Efficiency Dopant States Native Defects and Defect States Microscopic Character of Defects Dependence of the Defect Concentration on Doping Distribution of Defect States Dependence of the Defect Concentration on Growth Conditions Surfaces and Interfaces Surface States Oxidation Interfaces Alloys Electronic Transport Electrical Conductivity, Thermopower and Hall Effect The Drift Mobility Defect Equilibrium and Metastability The Hydrogen Glass Model Thermal Equilibration of Electronic States The Defect Compensation Model of Doping The Weak Bond Model The Distribution of Gap States Defect Reaction Kinetics Stretched Exponential Decay Hydrogen Diffusion Metastability Defect Creation by Illumination Defect Creation by Bias and Current Devices and Applications Thin Film Transistors P-i-n Photodiodes and Solar Cells The Photodiode Electrical Characteristics Matrix Addressed Arrays Summary
Hyperpotassemia and body water distribution in an anuric child.

A patient with anuria in whom a rising plasma potassium concentration was associated with progressive signs of potassium intoxication exhibited a decrease in the intracellular compartment and increase of the extracellular compartment without significant change in plasma volume, while total body water remained essentially normal.
An avian basal ganglia pathway essential for vocal learning forms a closed topographic loop.

The mammalian basal ganglia–thalamocortical pathway is important for motor control, motor learning, and cognitive functions. It contains parallel, closed loops, at least some of which are organized topographically and in a modular manner. Songbirds have a circuit specialized for vocal learning, the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP), forming a basal ganglia loop with only three stations: the pallial (“cortex-like”) lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (lMAN), the basal ganglia structure area X, and the medial portion of the dorsolateral thalamic nucleus (DLM). Several properties of this pathway resemble those of its mammalian counterpart, but it is unknown whether all projections in the loop are topographically organized, and if so, whether topography is maintained through the entire loop. After small single- or dual-tracer injections into area X and/or the lMAN of adult zebra finches, we found that the area X to DLM projection is topographically organized, and we confirmed the topography for all other AFP projections. Quantitative analysis suggests maintained topography throughout the loop. To test this directly, we injected different tracers into corresponding areas in lMAN and area X. We found somata retrogradely labeled from lMAN and terminals anterogradely labeled from area X occupying the same region of DLM. Many labeled somata were tightly surrounded by tracer-labeled terminals, indicating the microscopically closed nature of the AFP loop. Thus, like mammals, birds have at least one closed, topographic loop traversing the basal ganglia, thalamus, and pallium. Each such loop could serve as a computational unit for motor or cognitive functions.
Celastrol protects against MPTP- and 3-nitropropionic acid-induced neurotoxicity.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD). Celastrol is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound extracted from a perennial creeping plant belonging to the Celastraceae family. Celastrol is known to prevent the production of proinflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase and lipid peroxidation. Mice were treated with celastrol before and after injections of MPTP, a dopaminergic neurotoxin, which produces a model of PD. A 48% loss of dopaminergic neurons induced by MPTP in the substantia nigra pars compacta was significantly attenuated by celastrol treatment. Moreover, celastrol treatment significantly reduced the depletion in dopamine concentration induced by MPTP. Similarly, celastrol significantly decreased the striatal lesion volume induced by 3-nitropropionic acid, a neurotoxin used to model HD in rats. Celastrol induced heat shock protein 70 within dopaminergic neurons and decreased tumor necrosis factor-α and nuclear factor κ B immunostainings as well as astrogliosis. Celastrol is therefore a promising neuroprotective agent for the treatment of PD and HD.
Assessing the likely value of gravity and drawdown measurements to constrain estimates of hydraulic conductivity and specific yield during unconfined aquifer testing

[1] Pumping of an unconfined aquifer can cause local desaturation detectable with high-resolution gravimetry. A previous study showed that signal-to-noise ratios could be predicted for gravity measurements based on a hydrologic model. We show that although changes should be detectable with gravimeters, estimations of hydraulic conductivity and specific yield based on gravity data alone are likely to be unacceptably inaccurate and imprecise. In contrast, a transect of low-quality drawdown data alone resulted in accurate estimates of hydraulic conductivity and inaccurate and imprecise estimates of specific yield. Combined use of drawdown and gravity data, or use of high-quality drawdown data alone, resulted in unbiased and precise estimates of both parameters. This study is an example of the value of a staged assessment regarding the likely significance of a new measurement method or monitoring scenario before collecting field data.
Skull roentgenograms in pediatric head trauma: a vanishing necessity?

"Doctor, my child fell off his bicycle and was knocked out for a few minutes. What should I do?" "Dr Ferry, this is the pediatric resident in the emergency room. I have just examined an 8-year-old boy who fell off the monkey bars at school and was unconscious for five minutes. He is fine now. Should I order skull roentgenograms? Or a computed tomography (CT) scan? Should he be admitted for observation?" Pediatric head trauma continues to present a mangement dilemma. The above questions are not uncommon, and with advances in neuroradiologic technology, major questions frequently arise concerning the necessity for skull roentgenograms or, more recently, a CT head scan.
Interpretations of Messages: The Influence of Equivocation, Face Concerns, and Ego-Involvement.

This research examined interpretations of messages as a function of whether they are equivocal or unequivocal, whether they protect self-face or other-face, and whether the perceivers of the messages are directly involved in the conversation or overhear it. The role of self-monitoring and gender were also assessed. Results of Study 1 (N=463) revealed that equivocation is perceived as more polite but less honest and less competent than unequivocal criticism. Equivocation addressing other-face is the most polite, and criticism of the other is the least polite. Females perceive equivocation as more polite than do males. Ego-involvement influences perceptions independently and through its interaction with equivocation. No support was found for the role of self-monitoring or the notion that equivocation conveys a more positive meaning than unequivocal criticism. Study 2 (N = 496) replicated the findings concerning the politeness, honesty, self-other differences, gender differences, self-monitoring, and meaning associated with equivocation.
Amniotic fluid absorbance at 650 nm: Its relationship to the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio and neonatal pulmonary sufficiency

In the present study, we sought to assess the clinical efficacy of the optical density of amniotic fluid at 650 nm (A650) to predict lung maturity in the human fetus. The A650 of 113 samples of amniotic fluid obtained from 16 to 45 weeks' gestation was determined. Mature values (A650 greater than or equal to 0.11) were not observed until 35 weeks' gestation but were always present after 39 weeks' gestation. In those infants delivered within 48 hours of amniocentesis, the absence rates of respiratory distress syndrome were the same with a mature lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio (97.9%) and a mature A650 (97.3%). However, immature values in both tests were poor prognosticators of respiratory distress syndrome, with a rate of 37.5% with the immature L/S ratio and 15.8% with the immature A650. A mature A650 may be substituted for the L/S ratio, but an immature A650 is less reliable. In addition, we found that differences in centrifugation altered the A650 value, whereas exposure to light and cold storage did not.
Gender differences in the presence of drugs in violent deaths.

AIMS: To investigate differences in the presence of drugs, by gender, when considering deaths attributable to homicides and suicides. DESIGN: Logistic regression analysis of mortality data collected by the Colorado Violent Death Reporting System. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 5,791 Colorado decedents who died of violent causes from 2004 through 2009. MEASUREMENT: Forensic pathologist autopsy data on drug presence at time of death, coded as present, not present, or missing. FINDINGS: Postmortem presence of drugs is strongly associated with the specific cause of violent death. Compared with suicide decedents, homicide decedents are significantly more likely to test positive for amphetamines (odds ratio (OR) 1.79; CI 1.34, 2.39), marijuana (OR 2.03; CI 1.60, 2.58), and cocaine (OR 2.60; CI 2.04, 3.31), and are less likely to test positive for opiates (OR 0.27; CI 0.18, 0.39) and antidepressants (OR 0.17; CI 0.10, 0.28). When other drugs are controlled for the influence of alcohol is abated dramatically. The patterns of drug prevalence associated with homicide (particularly marijuana) are stronger among males; the patterns of drug prevalence associated with suicide are stronger among females. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide and homicide decedents are characterized by varying patterns of licit and illicit drug use that differ by gender. Drugs associated with homicide (marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines) are stronger among males; while drugs associated with suicide are stronger among females (antidepressants and opiates). Taking these differences into consideration may allow for targeted interventions to reduce violent deaths. Language: en
Incorporation of L Cell Sterols into Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

The incorporation of host cell sterol into vesicular stomatitis virus can be effectively studied in an L cell system. The end product of de novo sterol synthesis in the L cell is desmosterol, and as the concentration of cholesterol in the medium is increased the cells incorporate the exogenous cholesterol and the synthesis of desmosterol decreases. L cells which contained desmosterol as their sole sterol produced virus whose sterol content was similarly composed of only desmosterol. Virus grown in L cells which had a constantly changing sterol ratio also contained a mixture of cholesterol and desmosterol, but the virus was found to be more enriched in cholesterol than in the L cells in which it was grown. Viral stability, growth, and plaquing efficiency were tested and found not to be affected by the alteration of its sterol composition, i.e., by partially or completely replacing cholesterol with desmosterol.
Distributed EZ (string processing language)

EZ is a system that integrates traditional operating systems and programming languages into a very-high-level persistent string processing language. The authors describe the design and initial implementation of a distributed memory manager that distributes EZ's virtual address space transparently among a network of homogeneous computers. The design adapts the techniques used in recent implementation of shared virtual memory for use in EZ's persistent environment. Unlike most implementations of shared virtual memory, control information is distributed and migrates. This memory manager works in concert with a distributed mark-and-sweep garbage collector, which is also concurrent and real-time. This collector trades time for space and minimal disruption of mutators, which reduces communication costs. >
MICROWAVE LOSSES IN STRONTIUM TITANATE ABOVE THE PHASE TRANSITION

The microwave losses in both pure and doped SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ have been investigated as a function of frequency and temperature. It is found that the loss tangent is proportional to frequency in the range 3-36 kMc/sec. Above the phase transition at 112\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, the temperature dependence of the loss tangent is well represented by $tan\ensuremath{\delta}={(T\ensuremath{-}{T}_{c})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}(\ensuremath{\alpha}+\ensuremath{\beta}T+\ensuremath{\gamma}{T}^{2})$, where the Curie temperature, ${T}_{c}=37\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K. The parameter $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ is shown to be determined by lattice imperfections and vanishes for pure single-crystalline material. The parameters $\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$, which are related to third-and fourth-order anharmonic terms in the interionic potential, are shown to be intrinsic properties of the perfect lattice and are unaffected by imperfections.
The delivery of social services in northern Thailand

EnglishThis article describes parallel professional secular and traditional religious social service delivery systems in northern Thailand within global trends towards secular provision. It locates these systems in their cultural, historical context and raises questions about the future directions of these parallel service delivery models.FrenchCet article met en parallele les systemes des services sociaux professionnel laic et religieux traditionnel dans le nord de la Thailande dans le cadre des tendances globales de developpement des services laics. Il situe ces systemes dans leur contexte culturel et historique et fait emerger des questions sur les orientations futures de ces modeles paralleles de mise a disposition de services.SpanishEste ensayo describe los sistemas paralelos de provision de servicios sociales en el norte de Tailandia, profesionales seculares por un lado y tradicionales religiosos por el otro, dentro de las tendencias globales hacia la provision secular. Estos sistemas son ubicados e...
Observational Estimates for the Mass-Loss Rates of α Centauri and Proxima Centauri Using Hubble Space Telescope Lyα Spectra*

We study H I Lyα absorption observed by the Hubble Space Telescope toward the nearby binary system α Centauri (G2 V + K0 V) and its distant companion star Proxima Centauri (M5.5 Ve). Absorption from heliospheric H I heated by the solar wind/interstellar medium interaction is observed toward both α Cen and Proxima Cen. Absorption from analogous "astrospheric" material surrounding the stars is detected toward α Cen but not Proxima Cen. The nondetection of astrospheric absorption toward Proxima Cen suggests that the stellar wind of Proxima Cen must be significantly weaker than that of the α Cen system. We compute several hydrodynamic models of the astrospheres assuming different mass-loss rates in order to predict astrospheric Lyα absorption for comparison with the observations. The model that best matches the α Cen data has a mass-loss rate of = 2 ☉, and the models suggest an upper limit of ≤ 0.2 ☉ for Proxima Cen. Finally, we note that the heliospheric absorption observed toward Proxima Cen in 2000 May is identical to the heliospheric absorption observed toward α Cen in 1995 May, implying that the structure of the outer heliosphere does not change significantly during the solar activity cycle.
Biosynthesis of growth hormone in ribosomal preparations of bovine anterior pituitary tissue

Abstract A ribosomal-pH 5 enzyme system prepared from bovine anterior pituitary glands was found to be active in the incorporation of isotopic amino acids into growth hormone and mixed proteins. A small scale modification of an existing procedure was employed for isolation of the labeled hormone, following incubation of the cell-free biosynthetic system in the presence of required cofaetors. The radioactive product was indistinguishable from authentic growth hormone standards by three physical criteria: Sephadex gel filtration, polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. In addition, it displayed immunological activity by binding specific antibody.
Increased inflammatory signaling and lethality of influenza H1N1 by nuclear thioredoxin-1.

Background Cell culture studies show that the antioxidant thiol protein, thioredoxin-1 (Trx1), translocates to cell nuclei during stress, facilitates DNA binding of transcription factors NF-κB and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and potentiates signaling in immune cells. Excessive proinflammatory signaling in vivo contributes to immune hyper-responsiveness and disease severity, but no studies have addressed whether nuclear Trx1 mediates such responses. Methodology/Principal Findings Transgenic mice (Tg) expressing human Trx1 (hTrx1) with added nuclear localization signal (NLS) showed broad tissue expression and nuclear localization. The role of nuclear Trx1 in inflammatory signaling was examined in Tg and wild-type (WT) mice following infection with influenza (H1N1) virus. Results showed that Tg mice had earlier and more extensive NF-κB activation, increased TNF-α and IL-6 expression, greater weight loss, slower recovery and increased mortality compared to WT. Decreased plasma glutathione (GSH) and oxidized plasma GSH/GSSG redox potential (EhGSSG) following infection in Tg mice showed that the increased nuclear thiol antioxidant caused a paradoxical downstream oxidative stress. An independent test of this nuclear reductive stress showed that glucocorticoid-induced thymocyte apoptosis was increased by NLS-Trx1. Conclusion/Significance Increased Trx1 in cell nuclei can increase severity of disease responses by potentiation of redox-sensitive transcription factor activation.
Evolving core networks from GSM to UMTS R4 version

More than 217 UMTS licenses have been issued by June 2007. Mobile operators, especially those with GSM legacy networks, prefer UMTS R4 technique to evolve their existing 2G GSM networks. UMTS R4 technique provides a smooth path to bridge legacy TDM-based network to an IP-based soft-switched network. This paper describes the basic architecture and topology of UMTS R4 core network and introduces two options in network planning: flat structure or layered structure. To propose an evolution path, the paper then suggests a 'threelayer structure' solution to seamlessly converge UMTS R4 core network with legacy GSM core network. The proposed solution approach achieves the all-IP vision and is capable of convergence with IMS and EPC.
Forested-wetland trends in the United States: An economic perspective

Abstract Forested wetlands are a valuable resource - they provide habitat for a wide variety of fish and wildlife, play a role in flood control, have a positive effect on water quality, serve as the setting for many forms of outdoor recreation, and are a source of various commercially important products such as timber. In spite of these numerous benefits, however, the area of such lands in the United States has substantially declined. To a large degree, these wetland losses have resulted from differing public and private perspectives of the benefits and costs associated with retaining such lands as opposed to converting them to other uses. Past public policies, particularly at the federal level, have also tended to encourage wetlands development. In looking to the future, several factors seem to suggest that further forested-wetland losses will be significantly curtailed.
Two-dimensional analysis of stacked geosynthetic tubes on deformable foundations

Stacked geosynthetic tubes resting on a deformable foundation such as soil are analyzed. The tubes contain a slurry which applies hydrostatic pressure. The material of the tubes is assumed to act like an inextensible membrane and to have negligible weight, and the foundation is assumed to exert a normal upward pressure which is proportional to the downward deflection. Friction is neglected between tubes and at the foundation interface. Two configurations are considered: (a) one tube on top of another and (b) one tube straddling two tubes underneath it. For the latter formation, the case of external fluid acting on one side is analyzed, to simulate an application as a dike, and rigid blocks are utilized to prevent sliding of the tubes. Equilibrium shapes of the tubes are obtained numerically from a closed-form integral formulation, and the tension in each tube is computed.
Local and gross deformations in cracked metallic plates

The local deformation near a crack tip were investigated when a cracked specimen was stressed beyond general yielding. Crack opening displacements, and near tip strains were measured by the moire technique. The gross elongation in the cracked-section was also measured. These three quantities were found to be linearly related to each other. Surface strain distributions near a crack are influenced by the local necking at the crack tip, which is controlled by the plate thickness.