cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
El Niño variability in simple ocean data assimilation (SODA), 1871–2008

[1] A new ocean reanalysis that covers the period from 1871 to 2008 is used to explore the time-evolving characteristics of El Nino. The new reanalysis assimilates all available hydrographic and sea surface temperature data into a model of the global ocean forced with surface boundary conditions from an atmospheric reanalysis that also covers the period from 1871 through 2008. Using traditional measures of El Nino, our reanalysis shows that the timing of El Nino events is in agreement with sea surface temperature reconstructions, but El Nino in the reanalysis is stronger, particularly from 1871 to 1920. A new index based on the first moment of the temperature anomaly is introduced. The new index is used to characterize the strength and location of El Nino events and has the advantage that it is independent of the location of El Nino. Using the new index, El Nino in the reanalysis shows prominent decadal variability of strength but relatively little long-term trend. El Nino events were strong in the last part of the 19th century and first part of the 20th century and again in the latter part of the 20th century, with weak El Nino events in the middle of the 20th century. The location of El Nino also varies considerably, ranging from the western to the eastern Pacific near the coast of South America. However, the null hypothesis that the location of El Nino can be represented as a random distribution about a central longitude of about 140°W cannot be rejected.
Clarifying the neural basis for incentive salience of tobacco cues in smokers

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, smoking cues have been found to elicit increases in brain activity in regions associated with processing rewarding and emotional stimuli. However, most smoking cue studies to date have reported effects relative to neutral control stimuli with no incentive properties, making it unclear whether the observed activation pertains to value in general or the value of cigarettes in particular. The current fMRI study sought to clarify the neural activity reflecting tobacco-specific incentive value versus domain-general incentive value by examining smoking cues, neutral cues, and a third set of cues, monetary cues, which served as an active control condition. Participants were 42 male daily smokers. Compared to neutral cues, significantly greater activation was found in the left ventral striatum in response to tobacco and money cues. Monetary cues also elicited significantly increased activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus and cuneus compared to the other two cue types. Overall, the results suggest that the salience of monetary cues was the highest and, as a result, might have reduced the incentive salience of tobacco cues.
Adaptation to prolonged or repeated stress – comparison between rat strains showing intrinsic differences in reactivity to acute stress

Sprague-Dawley (SD), Fischer 344 (F344) and Lewis (LEW) rats are used in a wide variety of laboratory studies. Compared to SD and LEW rats, F344 rats show significantly greater activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to acute stress, or to immunologic challenge. These differences in HPA axis responsivity have been the basis for numerous studies investigating strain differences in immunological and behavioral parameters. However, strain differences in the adaptation of the HPA axis response to prolonged stress, or to repeated stress, have not been investigated. This series of studies demonstrates that F344 rats maintain significantly higher ACTH and corticosterone levels than SD and LEW rats during a single prolonged stress session. Furthermore, F344 rats show virtually no habituation or adaptation of the corticosterone stress response during a single prolonged (4 h) stress session, or during stress sessions repeated over a period of 10 days. In contrast, SD and LEW rats show habituation both within and across stress sessions. Strain differences in HPA axis responsivity are also reflected in the significant adrenal hypertrophy observed in F344 rats (but not in SD or LEW rats) following repeated stress. These results show that strain differences in HPA axis responsivity, which are observed under conditions of acute stress, are further amplified during prolonged or repeated stress. These differences under prolonged or repeated stress conditions may consequently magnify the behavioral and immunological differences observed between strains under basal as well as challenged conditions.
Two-year-old talk about the past

Children between 29 and 35 months of age were interviewed in order to determine how much they remember about their past experiences, how they organize what they remember, and how long they are able to retain memories of past events. Children readily participated in the conversations, and recalled a great deal of accurate information about events they had experienced both in the recent past (up to 3 months ago) and the distant past (more than 3 months ago). The mean number of conversational turns, the number and type of questions asked (prompts, probes, yes/no), and the amount and type of information provided by the child about the events under discussion did not differ significantly for the two retention intervals. Children organized their recall in one of two ways, in a question/answer form or a narrative form, but this was neither an individual difference nor a function of retention interval. The results are discussed along with other recent findings about young children's memory abilities, and directions for future research are suggested.
Egr-1 is Activated in Endothelial Cells Exposed to Fluid Shear Stress and Interacts With a Novel Shear-Stress-Response Element in the PDGF A-Chain Promoter

Abstract Exposure of vascular endothelial cells to fluid mechanical forces can modulate the expression of many genes involved in vascular physiology and pathophysiology. Here, we report that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain gene expression is induced at the level of transcription in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells exposed to a physiologic level of steady laminar shear stress (10 dyn/cm2). 5′ Deletion analysis of the human PDGF-A promoter revealed that a GC-rich region near the TATA box was required for shear-inducible reporter gene expression. This element conferred shear inducibility onto a heterologous promoter-reporter construct that was otherwise unresponsive to shear stress. The induction of PDGF-A expression by shear was preceded by rapid and transient induction in the expression of the immediate-early gene, egr-1 , which binds to GC-rich sequences. Gel shift studies indicated that shear-induced Egr-1 bound to the proximal PDGF-A promoter in a specific and time-dependent manner, displacing Sp1 from their overlapping recognition elements. Overlapping consensus binding sites for Egr-1 and Sp1 also appear in the proximal promoters of several other endothelial genes, including transforming growth factor-β1 and tissue factor, whose expression is modulated by shear stress. These findings define the Egr-1 binding site in the proximal PDGF-A promoter as a shear-stress-responsive element and suggest that shear-stimulated Egr-1 gene expression may be a unifying theme in the induction of various other endothelial genes exposed to biomechanical forces.
The polar coordinate number of a meteoritic fall

The polar coordinate number (PCN) of a meteoritic fall is defined and compared with the previously introduced coordinate number, now called, for distinction, the equatorial coordinate number (ECN). Each variety of number has its own peculiar advantages, which are briefly discussed.
Non-linear dispersion of plane wave in granular media

Abstract A high-gradient elastic stress-strain model that accounts for the effects of gradient of strain and gradient of rigid body rotation is presented. The present model is distinct from its micromechanics approach; the constitutive coefficients are expressed as explicit functions of inter-particle stiffness and particle size. The stress-strain model is then applied to analyze the propagation of plane waves in granular media. The present stress-strain model leads to a phenomenon of non-linear dispersion of waves. The dispersion relations derived from the present high-gradient model for granular media are compared with those from crystal lattice models and non-local models. Links among the present model, crystal lattice model, and non-local model are discussed. According to the derived dispersion relations, the granular material is a natural filter, in which short-length waves and high-frequency waves cannot transmit through. The effects of inter-particle stiffness and particle size on the admissible range of wave lengths and frequencies are also discussed.
Update information on human P450s.

Today much of the information on the characteristics of human P450s presented here is almost taken for granted, but the acquisition of this information was not particularly easy. By 1980, several r...
Utero-ovarian venous concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) following PGE2 intrauterine infusions☆☆☆

Abstract The uterine horns and utero-ovarian veins of nine crossbred mature gilts were bilaterally cannulated on day 9 of the estrous cycle (day 0 - first day of estrus). Each uterine horn in treated gilts (N=5) was infused with 150 μg PGE 2 in 3 ml of saline at 0900 h on day 12, 15 and 18 of the estrous cycle. Control gilts ( N =4) received 3 ml saline intrauterine infusions on the corresponding day. Blood samples were collected from the utero-ovarian veins 15 min before each infusion and for the following 6 h with 15, 30 and 60 min intervals through the first, second and third two-hour periods, respectively. Venous concentrations of PGE 2 and PGF 2 α were determined by radioimmunoassay procedures. Infusion of PGE 2 resulted in an immediate elevation in PGE 2 concentration in utero-ovarian venous drainage. Coincident elevations of PGF 2 α utero-ovarian venous concentrations were observed after PGE 2 infusion. Plasma PGF 2α concentrations in the utero-ovarian veins were elevated (P 2 treated gilts for one hour post-treatment. The duration of PGE 2 and PGE 2 α elevations as well as the peak values were influenced by day of the cycle.
Visualization of time-series sensor data to inform the design of just-in-time adaptive stress interventions

We investigate needs, challenges, and opportunities in visualizing time-series sensor data on stress to inform the design of just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs). We identify seven key challenges: massive volume and variety of data, complexity in identifying stressors, scalability of space, multifaceted relationship between stress and time, a need for representation at multiple granularities, inter-person variability, and limited understanding of JITAI design requirements due to its novelty. We propose four new visualizations based on one million minutes of sensor data (n=70). We evaluate our visualizations with stress researchers (n=6) to gain first insights into its usability and usefulness in JITAI design. Our results indicate that spatio-temporal visualizations help identify and explain between- and within-person variability in stress patterns and contextual visualizations enable decisions regarding the timing, content, and modality of intervention. Interestingly, a granular representation is considered informative but noise-prone; an abstract representation is the preferred starting point for designing JITAIs.
Myocardial infarction during coronary artery bypass surgery — benign event or prognostic omen?

Our observations and experience suggest that an adverse outcome from perioperative infarction occurs predominantly in a defined population of patients. A worsened prognosis and special postoperative interventions need not be anticipated in patients who have simply developed new Q waves after bypass surgery and are free of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and severe degrees of myocardial dysfunction. Furthermore, our data indicates that repeat throacotomy because of bleeding or tamponade early after sustaining a perioperative infarction will adversely affect the outcome of that infarction.
Exploring international multicultural field experiences in educational technology

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore an online field experience between technology facilitator candidates in the USA and K‐12 teachers in Namibia, to improve candidates' understanding of diversity and equity issues in the successful incorporation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning.Design/methodology/approach – A classroom‐based, exploratory action‐research methodology was used. US graduate students in an educational technology course were expected to gain knowledge, skills, and understanding by mentoring (via online communications technologies) Namibian primary and secondary schools teachers in a technology‐integration task.Findings – Through this effective multicultural field experience for technology facilitator candidates, US participants learned about the digital divide as it exists in developing nations, and the impact of socio‐economic and technological inequities on the incorporation of ICTs in teaching and learning.Research limitations/implica...
Flexible Retrospective Phase Stepping in X-Ray Scatter Correction and Phase Contrast Imaging Using Structured Illumination

The development of phase contrast methods for diagnostic x-ray imaging is inspired by the potential of seeing the internal structures of the human body without the need to deposit any harmful radiation. An efficient class of x-ray phase contrast imaging and scatter correction methods share the idea of using structured illumination in the form of a periodic fringe pattern created with gratings or grids. They measure the scatter and distortion of the x-ray wavefront through the attenuation and deformation of the fringe pattern via a phase stepping process. Phase stepping describes image acquisition at regular phase intervals by shifting a grating in uniform steps. However, in practical conditions the actual phase intervals can vary from step to step and also spatially. Particularly with the advent of electromagnetic phase stepping without physical movement of a grating, the phase intervals are dependent upon the focal plane of interest. We describe a demodulation algorithm for phase stepping at arbitrary and position-dependent (APD) phase intervals without assuming a priori knowledge of the phase steps. The algorithm retrospectively determines the spatial distribution of the phase intervals by a Fourier transform method. With this ability, grating-based x-ray imaging becomes more adaptable and robust for broader applications.
Older primary care patients' willingness to consider discontinuation of chronic benzodiazepines☆

Abstract Objective To examine factors related to older primary care patients' willingness to consider tapering/discontinuation of long-term benzodiazepine use. Method Forty-six long-term anxiolytic benzodiazepine users, aged 61–95 years, were assessed over the telephone using a semi-structured qualitative interview and standardized self-report questionnaires for anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), psychological dependence on benzodiazepines (Severity of Dependence Scale), and anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index). Results Frequency of daily benzodiazepine intake and anxiety sensitivity significantly contributed to willingness to attempt taper/discontinuation of benzodiazepines. Conclusion Many older long-term benzodiazepine users and their physicians perceive tapering of use an arduous, low priority, time-intensive task. These findings highlight factors that can help identify a subpopulation of older patients who may be easier to engage in the discontinuation process.
Effect of the new Medicare guideline on patient qualification for positive airway pressure therapy

Abstract Background : New Medicare criteria for prescribing continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) recognize hypopnea as a sleep disordered breathing event. In so doing, hypopnea was redefined as requiring a 4% oxygen desaturation. The criteria omit electroencephalogram (EEG) arousals from the definition. This study was designed to assess how the new Medicare guideline changes CPAP eligibility. Methods : Polysomnograms from 113 consecutive patients with obstructive sleep apnea were scored using both a definition for hypopnea that considered EEG arousals and the new Medicare definition that does not consider EEG arousal. CPAP eligibility was evaluated and compared. Results : Sixteen percent of all patients and 41% of patients apnea+hypopnea index ≤20 did not qualify for CPAP under the new Medicare guidelines. Conclusions : The new Medicare guidelines may underestimate OSA event occurrence and thereby deny CPAP therapy to many patients.
A hybrid population heuristic for the heterogeneous vehicle routing problems

The heterogeneous vehicle routing problem (HVRP) plays an important role in supply chain logistics. Two variants of HVRP are treated in this paper: one with fixed and variable costs (HVRPFD), and the other with only variable cost (HVRPD). A hybrid population heuristic that is able to solve both variants is proposed, in which a population of solutions are progressively evolved by crossovers and local searches. Computational results on a set of eight benchmark test problems from literature show that the proposed heuristic produces excellent solutions in short computing times.
Estimating the finite population versions of mean residual life-time function and hazard function using Bayes method

In this paper we introduce a finite population version of the mean residual life-time (MRL) function and the hazard function, and study Bayesian estimation of these functions. The unknown parameter is the complete set (y1,...;,yN) of lifetimes of the N units which constitute the complete population. A hierarchical type prior is used, where the yi's are assumed conditionally independent given a random parameter θ. The data consists of a random sample of n values of yi. The Bayes estimators of MRL and hazard functions, respectively, are then obtained as the posterior expectations of the unknown functions.
Random Forests and Adaptive Nearest Neighbors

In this article we study random forests through their connection with a new framework of adaptive nearest-neighbor methods. We introduce a concept of potential nearest neighbors (k-PNNs) and show that random forests can be viewed as adaptively weighted k-PNN methods. Various aspects of random forests can be studied from this perspective. We study the effect of terminal node sizes on the prediction accuracy of random forests. We further show that random forests with adaptive splitting schemes assign weights to k-PNNs in a desirable way: for the estimation at a given target point, these random forests assign voting weights to the k-PNNs of the target point according to the local importance of different input variables. We propose a new simple splitting scheme that achieves desirable adaptivity in a straightforward fashion. This simple scheme can be combined with existing algorithms. The resulting algorithm is computationally faster and gives comparable results. Other possible aspects of random forests, such...
Analytical Performance Simulation of Special Concentrically Braced Frames

The properties of special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) enable them to be designed to meet performance-based seismic design (PBSD) criteria. SCBFs have large stiffness and strength to meet serviceability performance states. Life-safety and collapse-prevention PBSD limit states are controlled by inelastic postbuckling and tensile yield deformation of the brace. In SCBF construction, the braces are connected to the frame using gusset plates. Inelastic deformation of the brace places severe inelastic demands on gusset-plate connections. To improve the understanding and design of the seismic performance of SCBF connections, a coordinated analytical and experimental research study was undertaken. This paper describes the analytical component and includes a brief description of the experimental results, which were used in the development and validation of the model. The validated model was used to evaluate the inelastic performance of structural elements and to determine the frame ductility and concentration of plastic strains at potential locations of member or weld tearing or fracture. Detailed comparisons between experimental observations and computed results show that the analyses provided good correlation to actual behavior. The results were used to develop a methodology to predict tearing or cracking of key elements in the frame.
A Failure of HIV Education: Sex Can Be More Important than a Long Life

Abstract Recent studies have found that most young people are knowledgeable about AIDS and safer-sex practices, yet many continue to practice high-risk sexual behaviors. This study proposes that AIDS prevention programs have underestimated young persons' motivation for sex. To determine the importance of sex to young adults, university undergraduates and nightclub patrons were asked if they would accept an opportunity to engage in sex with unlimited sexual partners as frequently as desired if they knew it would result in death by AIDS after two or 10 years. Of 1247 individuals in the sample, 22.7, percent responded other than “definitely no.” There was no significant difference between the form offering two years of unlimited sexual partners and that offering 10 years. Responses other than “definitely no” were most frequent for individuals who reported already having had more than 10 lifetime sexual partners. Sexuality and HIV education only slightly reduced the percentage of non-negative responses. It is...
Opportunities for oral cancer screening among older African-American women.

Abstract Background Older persons with smoking histories are important targets for oral cancer screening. Although older persons in low-income communities often lack regular dental care, little is known about the characteristics of groups at greatest risk for poor screening. Methods Survey data from 576 African-American women aged 45–93 were used to identify predictors of smoking and recency and type of dental care. Results Fifty-nine percent of respondents were current or former smokers, and 62% reported dental care within the past 3 years. Among smokers, no recent dental care was associated with older age, worse health, not working, no regular medical provider, and no recent mammography. Conclusions These results suggest that episodic visits to nondentist providers offer opportunities for oral screening in high-risk populations.
Hydrovolcanism: Basic considerations and review

Abstract Hydrovolcanism refers to natural phenomena produced by the interaction of magma or magmatic heat with an external source of water, such as a surface body or an aquifer. Hydroexplosions range from relatively small single events to devastating explosive eruptive sequences. Fuel-coolant interaction (FCI) serves as a model for understanding similar natural explosive processes. This phenomena occurs with magmas of all compositions. Experiments have determined that the optimal mass mixing ratio of water to basaltic melt for efficient conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy is in the range of 0.1 to 0.3. For experiments near this optimum mixture, the grain-size of explosion products is always fine (less than 50 μm). The particles generated are much larger (greater than 1–10 mm) for explosions at relatively low or high ratios. Both natural and experimental pyroclasts produced by hydroexplosions have characteristic morphologies and surface textures. SEM micrographs show that blocky, equant grain shapes dominate. Glassy clasts formed from fluid magma have low vesicularity, thick bubble walls, and drop-like form. Microcystalline essential clasts result from chilling of magma during or shortly following explosive mixing. Crystals commonly exhibit perfect faces with patches of adhering glass or large cleavage surfaces. Edge modification and rounding of pyroclasts is slight to moderate. Grain surface alteration (pitting and secondary mineral overgrowths) are a function of the initial water to melt ratio as well as age. Deposits are typically fine-grained and moderately sorted, having distinctive size distributions compared with those of fall and flow origin. Hydrovolcanic processes occur at volcanoes of all sizes ranging from small phreatic craters to huge calderas. The most common hydrovolcanic edifice is either a tuff ring or a tuff cone, depending on whether the surges were dry (superheated steam media) or wet (condensing steam media). Hydrovolcanic products are also a characteristic component of eruption cycles at polygenetic volcanoes. A repeated pattern of dry to wet products (Vesuvius) or wet to dry products (Vulcano) may typify eruption cycles at many other volcanoes. Reconstruction of eruption cycles in terms of water-melt mixing is extremely useful in modeling processes and evaluating risk at active volcanoes.
Sensitive Determination of Triacetone Triperoxide Explosives Using Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence

Sensitive and selective detection and quantification of high explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP) with electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) at a glassy carbon electrode in water–acetonitrile solvent mixture were reported. In the presence of ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine), TATP or hydrogen peroxide derived from TATP via UV irradiation or acid treatment produced ECL emissions upon cathodic potential scanning. Interference from hydrogen peroxide on TATP detection was eliminated by pretreatment of the analyte with catalase enzyme. Selective detection of TATP from hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD, another common peroxide-based explosive) was realized by comparing ECL responses obtained from the anodic and the cathodic potential scanning; TATP produced ECL upon cathodic potential scanning only, whereas HMTD produced ECL upon both cathodic and anodic potential scanning. The hydroxyl radical formed after the electrochemical reduction of TATP was believed to be the key intermediate for ECL production...
Getting to the guts of NOD2.

Mutations in NOD2, encoding an intracellular bacteria-sensing protein, have been associated recently with Crohn disease. Two studies in mice investigate how these mutations may affect innate immunity to microbes in the intestine and progression of disease.
Human Rights Education and the Performing Arts

On December 10, 2010, thirty East Oakland students performed to a rapt audience of their fellow students, teachers, administrators and parents. “I am Oscar Grant,” “E. 14th/Wrong Color,” “Driving W...
Enzymatic studies on the exsheathment of Haemonchus contortus infective larvae: the role of leucine aminopeptidase.

Abstract 1. 1. Metabolic fluid of infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus and its role in the exsheathment phenomenon was investigated. Metabolic fluid and somatic extract of two different nematodes were tested for both enzymatic and exsheathing activiteis on H. contortus second stage sheaths. The data clearly indicate that leucine amonopeptidase is not involved in the exsheathment process as reported by other workers. 2. 2. Activators and inhibitors of leucine aminopeptidase were found to have little effect, if any, on the exsheathing activity of metabolic fluids. Exsheathing factor(s) was found to require no metal ion activation. 3. 3. The factor(s) which is responsible for exsheathment in H. contortus is thermostable and active over a broad pH range. 4. 4. The evidence for and against the view that leucine aminopeptidase is involved in this phenomenon is reviewed.
Ultraviolet light output of compact fluorescent lamps: comparison to conventional incandescent and halogen residential lighting sources

Patients with photosensitive dermatologic and systemic diseases often question the ultraviolet light (UVL) output of household lighting sources. Such individuals have increasing concern about potential UVL exposure from energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), as little data have been presented concerning their UVL output. The objective was to compare, via pilot study, the levels of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) leak between residential lighting sources. Equivalent wattage CFL, incandescent and halogen bulbs were purchased from local retailers in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. The UVA and UVB outputs of these sources were measured under controlled conditions at 10, 25, 50, 100 and 150 cm away from the light source using an IL-1700 research radiometer equipped with UVA and UVB detectors. Negligible UVB and UVA was detected at 100 and 150 cm. Therefore, data were analysed from measurements at 10, 25 and 50 cm only. The results demonstrated UVA leak highest from incandescent and halogen bulbs, and UVB leak highest from CFL. The overall UVA/UVB leak was lowest from CFL shielded during the manufacturing process. In conclusion, patients with photosensitivity have choices depending on their relative risk from different UVL wavelength spectra. UVB exposure risk may be reduced the greatest by utilising CFL with manufacturer-provided shields.
Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Lessons Learned From Epidemiological Studies Across Age, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity

In 1953, Morris et al1,2 published the findings from a study showing that bus conductors in London, who spent their working hours walking the length of the buses as well as climbing up and down the stairs of the English double-decker buses to collect fares, experienced half the coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates of their driver counterparts, who spent their day sitting behind the wheel. Investigators hypothesized that it was the physical activity of work that protected the conductors from developing CHD, at the same time realizing that other factors may also play a role because the conductors were smaller in size, as evidenced by their smaller uniform sizes. Thus was born the field of “physical activity epidemiology”: formal epidemiological investigations into the associations of physical activity with many health outcomes.4 Since the initial observations of Morris et al, many other studies have been conducted, yielding similar results: Active people have lower rates of CHD and cardiovascular disease (CVD) than inactive ones.5–7 These findings have been supported by plausible biological mechanisms, which are detailed in other articles in this review series. The collective body of evidence led the American Heart Association in 1992 to recognize physical inactivity as a risk factor for CHD and CVD8 and led the Surgeon General in 1996 to conclude that “regular physical activity or cardiorespiratory fitness decreases the risk of CVD … and CHD.”9 The basis for these conclusions was derived primarily from studies in men and in white populations; for example, in a 1990 meta-analysis of physical activity in the prevention of CHD10 that included 33 studies, women were subjects in 5 studies, and racial/ethnic minorities were the focus of 2 studies. In 2008, the federal government issued its first-ever physical activity guidelines for Americans11 based …
Solubilization, electrophoretic characterization and in vitro digestibility of almond (Prunus amygdalus) proteins

ABSTRACTThe major U.S. marketing varieties of almonds contained moisture, protein, fat, and ash in the range 4.35–5.86%, 16.42–22.17%, 53.59–56.05%, and 2.69–2.93%, respectively. Two fatty acids, oleic (range 52.44–67.07%) and linoleic (range 22.05–38.67%) accounted for up to 90% of the total fat. The majority of almond proteins (≥ 95%) are water soluble with a minimum solubility at pH ≤ 4.0. Sodium chloride (1.0 M) decreased the almond protein solubility in aqueous medium. Electrophoretic analyses indicated that one water soluble protein dominates the almond protein composition. This oligomeric major protein is made up of two kinds of polypeptides (molecular weight range 20,000–22,000 and 38,000–41,000) linked via disulfide bonds. Among the proteases tested, pepsin was the most efficient in hydrolyzing the almond proteins.
A high-performance liquid chromatography assay with ultraviolet detection for olanzapine in human plasma and urine

Olanzapine is a commonly used atypical antipsychotic medication for which therapeutic drug monitoring has been proposed as clinically useful. A sensitive method was developed for the determination of olanzapine concentrations in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with low-wavelength ultraviolet absorption detection (214 nm). A single-step liquid-liquid extraction procedure using heptane-iso-amyl alcohol (97.5:2.5 v/v) was employed to recover olanzapine and the internal standard (a 2-ethylated olanzapine derivative) from the biological matrices which were adjusted to pH 10 with 1 M carbonate buffer. Detector response was linear from 1-5000 ng (r2>0.98). The limit of detection of the assay (signal:noise=3:1) and the lower limit of quantitation were 0.75 ng and 1 ng/ml of olanzapine, respectively. Interday variation for olanzapine 50 ng/ml in plasma and urine was 5.2% and 7.1% (n=5), respectively, and 9.5 and 12.3% at 1 ng/ml (n=5). Intraday variation for olanzapine 50 ng/ml in plasma and urine was 8.1% and 9.6% (n=15), respectively, and 14.2 and 17.1% at 1 ng/ml (n=15). The recoveries of olanzapine (50 ng/ml) and the internal standard were 83 +/- 6 and 92 +/- 6% in plasma, respectively, and 79 +/- 7 and 89 +/- 7% in urine, respectively. Accuracy was 96% and 93% at 50 and 1 ng/ml, respectively. The applicability of the assay was demonstrated by determining plasma concentrations of olanzapine in a healthy male volunteer for 48 h following a single oral dose of 5 mg olanzapine. This method is suitable for studying olanzapine disposition in single or multiple-dose pharmacokinetic studies.
The erythrocyte transport and transfer of methylmercury to the tissues of the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

Abstract Methylmercury (MeHg) was found to be taken up rapidly and almost completely by trout red blood cells (RBC) both in vitro and in vivo. The binding of MeHg within the RBC was freely reversible both in vitro, as shown by the efflux of MeHg from RBCs suspended in protein solutions, and in vivo following intracardial (i.c.) injection of RBC-bound MeHg. Hemoglobin (Hb) appeared to be the main MeHg transport protein in trout blood since it bound 90% of whole blood Hg following an intragastric dose of Me203HgCl. MeHg, injected i.c. as MeHgS-cysteine, was found to be present in blood bound almost completely to hemoglobin 10 days post-injection. This suggests an ability of hemoglobin to compete for and bind MeHg bound to other sulfhydryl (—SH) compounds. The number of reactive —SH groups per molecule of trout Hb was determined to be 4 by amperometric titration with MeHgCl. The concentration of Hb reactive —SH groups in the trout RBC was calculated to be at least 20 mM. This accounts for the high affinity of the RBC for MeHg.
Opportunities for Business Intelligence and Big Data Analytics in Evidence Based Medicine

Evidence based medicine (EBM) is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. Each year, a significant number of research studies (potentially serving as evidence) are reported in the literature at an ever-increasing rate outpacing the translation of research findings into practice. Coupled with the proliferation of electronic health records, and consumer health information, researchers and practitioners are challenged to leverage the full potential of EBM. In this paper we present a research agenda for leveraging business intelligence and big data analytics in evidence based medicine, and illustrate how analytics can be used to support EBM.
Cell-surface associated proteins of corneal fibroblasts: dissection with monoclonal antibodies.

It is now generally accepted that the cell surface is involved in the interaction of the cells with the extracellular matrix. To identify and characterize cell-surface-associated components of corneal fibroblasts, several monoclonal antibodies were developed. Hybridomas were developed by fusing mouse myeloma cells SP2/OAg14 with spleen cells from mice immunized with membrane fractions of corneal fibroblasts grown in culture. Twenty-five hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies to cell-surface components were selected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using corneal fibroblasts grown in microtiter plates as the substrate. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the antigenic determinants recognized by these antibodies were not present on corneal epithelial cells, but were present on skin fibroblasts. The antigenic deteminants recognized by two of these antibodies, designated 10D2 and 716, were matrix components of the corneal stroma. Immunochemical characterization of the antigens was carried out by indirect precipitation of the radioactively labeled cellular proteins with the monoclonal antibodies and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of the precipitates. Four antibodies were able to precipitate antigens from cell extract in detectable amounts. Antibodies designated 5E2, 9G2, and 10D2 recognized antigens consisting of polypeptides of approximate molecular weights 105K and 110K, while antibody 716 recognized an antigen of 100K molecular weight. However, based on the tissue distribution and cell-surface distribution, these antibodies reacted with different antigenic determinants. The antigen recognized by 716 was also secreted by cells in culture but consisted of 220K and 200K polypeptide chains. It was tentatively identified as cellular fibronectin, based on the reaction of this antigen with polyclonal antibodies to plasma fibronectin.
The demographic and socioeconomic factors predictive for populations at high-risk for La Crosse virus infection in West Virginia.

Although a large body of literature exists for the environmental risk factors for La Crosse virus (LACV) transmission, the demographic and socioeconomic risk factors for developing LACV infection have not been investigated. Therefore, this study investigated the demographic and socioeconomic risk factors for LACV infection in West Virginia from 2003 to 2007, using two forward stepwise discriminant analyses. The discriminant analyses were used to evaluate a number of demographic and socioeconomic factors for their ability to predict: 1) those census tracts with at least one reported case of LACV infection versus those census tracts with no reported cases of LACV infection and 2) to evaluate significantly high-risk clusters for LACV infection versus significantly low-risk clusters for LACV infection. In the first model, a high school education diploma or a general education diploma or less and a lower housing density were found to be predictive of those census tracts with at least one case of LACV infection. A high school or a general education diploma or less, lower housing density, and housing built in 1969 and earlier were all found to be predictive of those census tracts displaying high-risk clusters versus census tracts displaying low-risk clusters in the second model. The cluster discriminant analysis was found to be more predictive than the census tract discriminant analysis as indicated by the Eigenvalues, canonical correlation, and grouping accuracy. The results of this study indicate that socioeconomically disadvantaged populations are at the highest risk for LACV infection and should be a focus of LACV infection prevention efforts.
Advances in high-power diode-pumped ultraviolet lasers

In the past five years diode-pumped Q-switched vanadate and YAG lasers with 355 nm and 266 nm output have advanced in power level and reliability and are now qualified in many industrial processes. In this paper we will discuss the design and performance of these lasers with consideration of available power and wavelength of laser diodes, selection of materials for the non-linear crystals, trades offs for end-pumped and side-pumped designs, and scaling of such lasers to higher power levels. Performance characteristics to be discussed include power and efficiency, ramping behavior, beam quality, and pulse-to-pulse stability.
Stabilizing effects of D2O on the microtubular components and needle-like form of heliozoan axopods: A pressure-temperature analysis

A systematic study of the resistance of heliozoan axopodia to pressure-induced disintegrational changes has shown that progressively higher concentrations of D2O in the environing medium produce a progressively greater stability, not only as to the needle-like form of the whole axopodia, but also as to their microtubular components. Also it was found that a higher temperature (25°C) yielded significantly higher stability values with identical degrees of deuteration, as compared with experiments performed at a lower temperature (20°C).
Effects of xapA and guaA Disruption on Inosine Accumulation in Escherichia coli

A xapA-disrupted mutant was studied to minimize hypoxanthine production and to improve inosine productivity in mutants of Escherichia coli. The xapA-disrupted mutant accumulated 5.6 g/l of inosine from 40 g/l of glucose, while the parent strain accumulated 4.6 g/l. This result indicates that xapA is activated in xapA-positive inosine-producers and that xapA disruption might be useful for improving inosine productivity.
Kindling and associated mossy fibre sprouting are not affected in mice deficient of NGFI-AINGFI-B genes

Kindling is an animal model of epileptogenesis, whereby repeated administration of an initially subconvulsive electrical stimulation eventually leads to the development of generalized motor seizures. Once established, the kindling effect is permanent. Although the molecular basis of kindling remains incompletely understood, emerging lines of evidence suggest that the induction of immediate-early genes could represent a link between periodic short-term stimuli and the long-lasting functional and structural alterations in the brain associated with the development of seizures. A recent study showed that null mutation of the immediate-early gene c-fos impairs the structural and functional plasticities in kindling. In the present study, we examined whether two other seizure-inducible immediate-early genes--NGFI-A (also termed EGR-1, zifl268, and Krox-24) and NGFI-B (also termed Nur77)--play requisite roles in kindling. We found that neither the rate of kindling nor seizure-induced granule cell axonal sprouting was affected in mice carrying a null mutation of NGFI-A. Furthermore, double knock-out of NGFI-A and NGFI-B genes does not result in detectable changes in kindling development and associated mossy fibre sprouting. Taken together, our observations indicate that neither constitutive nor seizure-induced expression of NGFI-A or NGFI-B is uniquely required for the establishment of kindling. These findings underscore the specificity of the immediate-early genes whose transcriptional activation contributes to kindling epileptogenesis.
Surface wave control using nonperiodic parasitic strips in printed antennas

A scheme for controlling the surface wave behaviour on printed planar antennas is presented. The approach is to add conducting strips both on top and, if necessary, the bottom of the substrate. The scheme is applied to a rectangular microstrip antenna with electrically thick (~0.1λd) substrate. An optimisation algorithm is employed to design the strip parameters in order to obtain the best performance of the antenna, namely, low side and back lobe levels and a main beam without ripples. The optimal design is then fabricated and tested. Measured results are presented to assess the validity of the proposed scheme.
A force field for virtual atom molecular mechanics of proteins

Activities of many biological macromolecules involve large conformational transitions for which crystallography can specify atomic details of alternative end states, but the course of transitions is often beyond the reach of computations based on full-atomic potential functions. We have developed a coarse-grained force field for molecular mechanics calculations based on the virtual interactions of Cα atoms in protein molecules. This force field is parameterized based on the statistical distribution of the energy terms extracted from crystallographic data, and it is formulated to capture features dependent on secondary structure and on residue-specific contact information. The resulting force field is applied to energy minimization and normal mode analysis of several proteins. We find robust convergence in minimizations to low energies and energy gradients with low degrees of structural distortion, and atomic fluctuations calculated from the normal mode analyses correlate well with the experimental B-factors obtained from high-resolution crystal structures. These findings suggest that the virtual atom force field is a suitable tool for various molecular mechanics applications on large macromolecular systems undergoing large conformational changes.
Interactive dynamic graphical techniques for the exploration of functional data.

Abstract Introduction. The use of interactive dynamic graphics has become a common practice for the exploration of multidimensional data sets. The availability of powerful and inexpensive hardware and software for graphical computing makes the use of such techniques feasible for the examination of complex forms of data. This paper describes some simple techniques, which were implemented in the LISP-STAT environment, for the visualization of functional data arising from studies of optical technologies used for the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or squamous intraepithelial lesions. Materials and methods. The methods demonstrated have been implemented in software coded in LISP-STAT, a free statistical computing package available for most computer systems. The data used in this paper are drawn from a previous study in which fluorescence spectroscopy was measured from cervical sites at 337 nm, 380 nm, and 460 nm excitation in cervical screening patients. The goal of the project is to explore biographical variables to better understand the biology of fluorescence. Results. 199 measurements were taken in 55 women with normal Pap smears. The data are recorded as spectra showing the intensity of emission excitation versus emission in nanometers. Covariate variables available for analysis are current smoker vs. nonsmoker premenopausal vs. postmenopausal, tissue type (columnar, squamous, and transition zone), and age in years. Although the optical measurements show consistent changes between normal and abnormal tissue in individual patients, there is wide variation in the intensity of the measurements between patients, even for normal tissue. Patient age affects the fluorescent spectrum showing increasing intensity with increasing age. Menopausal status affects the fluorescent spectra coincidentally with age. Smoking and race do not appear to affect the spectra in this sample of patients. Conclusions. The use of interactive graphical techniques permits the data analyst to examine multidimensional data in intuitive ways. These explorations allow non-statisticians to explore the data in a perceptive manner that may lead to new approaches in algorithm development for optical technologies.