cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Enactment of State-Level Hate Crime Law in the United States: Intrastate and Interstate Factors:

We examine the processes by which states pass hate crime laws. We argue that states' decisions to enact such legislation are influenced by both state characteristics and the monitoring of the actio...
Effects of 8 different NR1 splice variants on the ethanol inhibition of recombinant NMDA receptors.

Background: N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are glutamate-activated ion channels that are assembled from NR1 and NR2 subunits. These receptors are highly enriched in brain neurons and are considered to be an important target for the acute and chronic effects of ethanol. NR2 subunits (A–D) arise from separate genes and are expressed in a developmental and brain region-specific manner. The NR1 subunit has 8 isoforms that are generated by alternative splicing of a single gene. The heteromeric subunit makeup of the NMDA receptor determines the pharmacological and biophysical properties of the receptor and provides for functional receptor heterogeneity. Although results from previous studies suggest that NR2 subunits affect the ethanol sensitivity of NMDA receptors, the role of the NR1 subunit and its multiple splice variants is less well known. Methods: In this study, all 8 NR1 splice variants were individually coexpressed with each NR2 subunit in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells and tested for inhibition by ethanol using patch-clamp electrophysiology. Results: All 32 subunit combinations tested gave reproducible glutamate-activated currents and all receptors were inhibited to some degree by 100 mM ethanol. The sensitivity of individual receptors to ethanol was affected by the specific NR1 splice variant expressed with receptors containing the NR1-3 and NR1-4 subunits among the least inhibited by ethanol. Conclusions: These results suggest that regional, developmental, or compensatory changes in the expression of NR1 splice variants may significantly affect ethanol inhibition of NMDA receptors.
Device performance of submicrometre MESFETs with LTG passivation

The device characteristics of a submicrometre GaAs MESFET with low-temperature-grown GaAs passivation are reported. The fabricated device has a high gate-drain breakdown voltage of over 20V with a maximum drain current of 340 mA/mm and a transconductance of 200 mS/mm. Microwave measurement of the device yields a cutoff frequency of 32 GHz, and an unusually high maximum frequency of oscillation of 110 GHz. These combined characteristics demonstrate the potential of the device as a viable power amplifier in the millimetre-wave frequency range
New hologram replicator for volume holograms and holographic optical elements

A third generation replication machine has been developed to allow mass production of high quality holograms using DuPont holographic recording films. Improved coupling methods of film to the flat-plate masters are described. The operating features and production capabilities of this machine are discussed. An example of a reflection holographic optical element produced using this machine and associated processing equipment are given.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Low-dose cisplatin administration in murine cecal ligation and puncture prevents the systemic release of HMGB1 and attenuates lethality

Sepsis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The systemic release of the nuclear protein HMGB1 is a late event in endotoxin-related lethality in mice. The platinating chemotherapeutic Cis induces DNA lesions that sequester HMGB1 within the nucleus of cells. We sought to determine if low, nontoxic doses of Cis could be an effective strategy in ameliorating sepsis-related mortality in a mouse model of CLP. In vitro studies with Cis prevented the LPS-induced release of HMGB1 from RAW264.7 cells, limited MAPK signaling, but had no effect on NF-kappaB activation or cytokine production. Low, nontoxic doses of Cis decreased mortality following CLP, whether delivered before or after puncture. Protection was associated with a decrease in the systemic release of HMGB1 and protection from end organ injury and in particular, less acute lung injury. Tissue-specific iNOS expression was markedly reduced. Low, nontoxic doses of Cis sequester HMGB1 effectively inside of the nucleus of LPS-stimulated immune cells and prevent its release in response to CLP. Platinating agents in general and Cis specifically may be a novel approach to the treatment of sepsis.
Characterization of a novel regulatory gene governing the expression of a polyketide synthase gene in Streptomyces ambofaciens

Summary A key step in the biosynthesis of macrolide antibiotics is the assembly of a large macrocyclic lactone ring by a multienzyme protein complex called the polyketide synthase. In the species Streptomyces ambofaciens, the polyketide synthase for the assembly of the 16-membered ring of the macrolide antibiotic spiramycin is encoded by the biosynthetic gene srmG. Here we show that the accumulation of transcripts from the srmG promoter is governed by the regulatory gene srmR, whose predicted product, a 65 kDa polypeptide, is not significantly similar in its deduced amino acid sequence to that of previously reported proteins in the protein databases. The srmR gene product is also required for the accumulation of transcripts from srmX, an additional gene in the vicinity of srmR, but not for the accumulation of transcripts from srmR itself. Interestingly, mutations in srmR prevent the accumulation of transcripts from the spiramycin resistance gene srmB, but this is an indirect consequence of the failure of srmR mutants to produce spiramycin, which is an inducer of its own resistance gene. The possibility that srmR is the prototype for a new class of regulatory genes governing early events in the biosynthesis of macrolide antibiotics is discussed.
Regulation of Interleukin-12 by Complement Receptor 3 Signaling

Complement receptor type 3 (CR3, CD11b/CD18) serves as a receptor for a number of endogenous ligands and infectious organisms, and is involved in adhesion and host defense functions. Here, we report that signaling via CR3 plays an important role in regulating production of interleukin-12 (IL-12), a key mediator of cell-mediated immunity (CMI). We demonstrate with a variety of stimuli a dose-dependent, specific downregulation of IL-12 secretion by human monocytes in vitro after exposure to antibodies to CR3 (anti-CD11b and anti-CD18), as well as to the natural CR3 ligands, iC3b, and Histoplasma capsulatum. CR3 antibodies also suppressed interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We determined that one mechanism by which CR3 antibodies may suppress IL-12 production is by the inhibition of IFN-gamma-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Finally, in a murine model of IL-12-dependent septic shock, we provide evidence that administration of CR3 antibodies leads to suppression of IL-12 and IFN-gamma in vivo. Our studies thus define a novel role for CR3 in regulating CMI functions via IL-12.
Offense-Specific Models of the Differential Association Process

This paper attempts to clarify ambiguities and assess the offense-specific nature of Sutherland's differential association theory. We employ two-stage least squares to estimate causal effects in structural equation models specific to six different crimes and two non-criminal deviant acts using data from a large-scale survey of adults. The findings indicate: (1) As Sutherland claimed, excess association with definitions favorable to crime and/or deviance tends to increase crime/deviance (measured here by self-predictions), but this effect is mainly indirect, through increasing motivation to engage in deviant acts; (2) The same differential association process holds for a range of crimes and also for the two non-criminal deviant acts, suggesting that Sutherland's theory is more widely applicable than he himself claimed. Our analysis also suggests one conclusion that is more speculative: Definitions (social messages) favorable to different forms of crime/deviance may form several independent domains rather than a single general domain referring to all crime/deviance.
Phosphorylation of claudin-4 by PKCε regulates tight junction barrier function in ovarian cancer cells

Claudin proteins belong to a large family of transmembrane proteins essential to the formation and maintenance of tight junctions (TJs). In ovarian cancer, TJ protein claudin-4 is frequently overexpressed and may have roles in survival and invasion, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its regulation are poorly understood. In this report, we show that claudin-4 can be phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC) at Thr189 and Ser194 in ovarian cancer cells and overexpression of a claudin-4 mutant protein mimicking the phosphorylated state results in the disruption of the barrier function. Furthermore, upon phorbol ester-mediated PKC activation of OVCA433 cells, TJ strength is decreased and claudin-4 localization is altered. Analyses using PKC inhibitors and siRNA suggest that PKCe, an isoform typically expressed in ovarian cancer cells, may be important in the TPA-mediated claudin-4 phosphorylation and weakening of the TJs. Furthermore, immunofluorescence studies showed that claudin-4 and PKCe are co-localized at the TJs in these cells. The modulation of claudin-4 activity by PKCe may not only provide a mechanism for disrupting TJ function in ovarian cancer, but may also be important in the regulation of TJ function in normal epithelial cells.
S-Nitrosoglutathione reduces oxidative injury and promotes mechanisms of neurorepair following traumatic brain injury in rats

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces primary and secondary damage in both the endothelium and the brain parenchyma, collectively termed the neurovascular unit. While neurons die quickly by necrosis, a vicious cycle of secondary injury in endothelial cells exacerbates the initial injury in the neurovascular unit following TBI. In activated endothelial cells, excessive superoxide reacts with nitric oxide (NO) to form peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite has been implicated in blood brain barrier (BBB) leakage, altered metabolic function, and neurobehavioral impairment. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a nitrosylation-based signaling molecule, was reported not only to reduce brain levels of peroxynitrite and oxidative metabolites but also to improve neurological function in TBI, stroke, and spinal cord injury. Therefore, we investigated whether GSNO promotes the neurorepair process by reducing the levels of peroxynitrite and the degree of oxidative injury. TBI was induced by controlled cortical impact (CCI) in adult male rats. GSNO or 3-Morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1) (50 μg/kg body weight) was administered orally two hours following CCI. The same dose was repeated daily until endpoints. GSNO-treated (GSNO group) or SIN-1-treated (SIN-1 group) injured animals were compared with vehicle-treated injured animals (TBI group) and vehicle-treated sham-operated animals (Sham group) in terms of peroxynitrite, NO, glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation, blood brain barrier (BBB) leakage, edema, inflammation, tissue structure, axon/myelin integrity, and neurotrophic factors. SIN-1 treatment of TBI increased whereas GSNO treatment decreased peroxynitrite, lipid peroxides/aldehydes, BBB leakage, inflammation and edema in a short-term treatment (4-48 hours). GSNO also reduced brain infarctions and enhanced the levels of NO and GSH. In a long-term treatment (14 days), GSNO protected axonal integrity, maintained myelin levels, promoted synaptic plasticity, and enhanced the expression of neurotrophic factors. Our findings indicate the participation of peroxynitrite in the pathobiology of TBI. GSNO treatment of TBI not only reduces peroxynitrite but also protects the integrity of the neurovascular unit, indicating that GSNO blunts the deleterious effects of peroxynitrite. A long-term treatment of TBI with the same low dose of GSNO promotes synaptic plasticity and enhances the expression of neurotrophic factors. These results support that GSNO reduces the levels of oxidative metabolites, protects the neurovascular unit, and promotes neurorepair mechanisms in TBI.
Universal symbolic execution and its application to likely data structure invariant generation

Local data structure invariants are asserted over a bounded fragment of a data structure around a distinguished node M of the data structure. An example of such an invariant for a sorted doubly linked list is "for all nodes M of the list, if M ≠ null and M.next ≠ null, then M.next.prev = M and M.value ≤ M.next.value." It has been shown that such local invariants are both natural and sufficient for describing a large class of data structures. This paper explores a novel technique, called Krystal, to infer likely local data structure invariants using a variant of symbolic execution, called universal symbolic execution. Universal symbolic execution is like traditional symbolic execution except the fact that we create a fresh symbolic variable for every read of a lvalue that has no mapping in the symbolic state rather than creating a symbolic variable only for inputs. This helps universal symbolic execution to symbolically track data flow for all memory locations along an execution even if input values do not flow directly into those memory locations. We have implemented our algorithm and applied it to several data structure implementations in Java. Our experimental results show that we can infer many interesting local invariants for these data structures.
An X-band, high power dielectric resonator oscillator for future military systems

A 9.0-GHz dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO), generating a CW output power of 2.5 W at room temperature, has been designed and fabricated using a high-power GaAs MESFET and a dielectric resonator (DR) in a parallel feedback configuration. The oscillator exhibited a frequency stability of better than 130 ppm, without any temperature compensation, over the range -50 degrees C to +50 degrees C. The output power varied from +35 dBm (3.2 W) at -50 degrees C to +33 dBm (2 W) at +50 degrees C. The single-sideband phase noise levels were measured and found to be -105 and -135 dBc/Hz, at 10- and 100-kHz carrier offset frequencies, respectively. The oscillator output was then fed into a single-stage high-power MESFET amplifier, resulting in a total RF power output of 6.5 W. The overall DC to RF conversion efficiency of the 6.5-W unit was approximately 15.3%. >
Anti-IFN-γ Autoantibodies in Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections

Although many patients with disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial disease have molecular defects in the IFN-gamma/IL-12 axis, recent case reports have shown autoantibodies against IFN-gamma associated with severe nontuberculous mycobacterial infections. To check this finding in an independent population, we screened 35 patients with either disseminated or pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infections for whom no molecular defect was known. We identified high-titer-neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma IgG in the plasma of six patients. All six patients were female, parous, of East Asian descent, and had disseminated infection, predominantly with rapidly growing mycobacteria. The anti-IFN-gamma IgG had in vitro biological activity on the IFN-gamma-dependent phosphorylation of STAT-1 as well as on the IFN-gamma-dependent up-regulation of TNF-alpha and IL-12. In contrast, this anti-IFN-gamma Ab had no effect on IFN-alpha-dependent STAT-1 phosphorylation. These patients confirm a novel syndrome linking autoimmunity and immunodeficiency.
p38 MAPK and NF-κB mediate COX-2 expression in human airway myocytes

We have previously demonstrated that p38 and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are components of proinflammatory induced cytokine expressi...
Prognostic and Therapeutic Relevance of Molecular Subtypes in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Molecular classification of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) using transcriptional profiling has proven to be complex and difficult to validate across studies. We determined gene expression profiles of 174 well-annotated HGSOCs and demonstrate prognostic significance of the prespecified TCGA Network gene signatures. Furthermore, we confirm the presence of four HGSOC transcriptional subtypes using a de novo classification. Survival differed statistically significantly between de novo subtypes (log rank, P = .006) and was the best for the immunoreactive-like subtype, but statistically significantly worse for the proliferative- or mesenchymal-like subtypes (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.89, 95% confidence interval = 1.18 to 3.02, P = .008, and adjusted hazard ratio = 2.45, 95% confidence interval = 1.43 to 4.18, P = .001, respectively). More prognostic information was provided by the de novo than the TCGA classification (Likelihood Ratio tests, P = .003 and P = .04, respectively). All statistical tests were two-sided. These findings were replicated in an external data set of 185 HGSOCs and confirm the presence of four prognostically relevant molecular subtypes that have the potential to guide therapy decisions.
Psychosocial Adaptation of Middle Childhood Boys With Hypospadias After Genital Surgery

Objective To compare the psychosocial adaptation of boys with hypospadias after genital surgery to a community sample. Methods Boys (6 to 10 years) with a history of hypospadias repair (n = 175) were compared with a community sample (n = 333) in a postal questionnaire survey using the Child Behavior Checklist. Results Few significant differences between cases and controls emerged. Boys with hypospadias were (slightly) lower in social involvement but did not perform more poorly in school. Boys with hypospadias displayed fewer externalizing behavior problems than controls, but a significant difference in nocturnal enuresis was not detected. Level of behavior problems did not differentiate hypospadias severity subgroups, but greater surgical and hospitalization experiences were associated with increased internalizing problems. Poorer cosmetic appearance of the genitals was associated with worse school performance. Conclusions Surgically corrected hypospadias should not be considered a risk factor for poor psychosocial adaptation in childhood, but emotional problems increase with the number of hospital-related experiences.
Epigenetics in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most commonly diagnosed nonskin malignancy and the second most common cause of cancer death among men in the United States. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequences. Two common epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation and histone modification, have demonstrated critical roles in prostate cancer growth and metastasis. DNA hypermethylation of cytosine-guanine (CpG) rich sequence islands within gene promoter regions is widespread during neoplastic transformation of prostate cells, suggesting that treatment-induced restoration of a “normal” epigenome could be clinically beneficial. Histone modification leads to altered tumor gene function by changing chromosome structure and the level of gene transcription. The reversibility of epigenetic aberrations and restoration of tumor suppression gene function have made them attractive targets for prostate cancer treatment with modulators that demethylate DNA and inhibit histone deacetylases.
A sensor selection approach for target tracking in sensor networks with quantized measurements

This paper extends our earlier work on sensor selection [1]. We are now focusing on a more challenging problem of how to effectively utilize quantized sensor data for target tracking in sensor networks by considering sensor selection problems with quantized data. A subset of sensors are dynamically selected to optimize the tracking performance. The one-step- look-ahead posterior Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) on the state estimation error is proposed as the sensor selection criterion. Particle filtering method is employed to compute the posterior CRLB, as well as to estimate the target state. Simulation results show that the proposed posterior CRLB based method outperforms the one based on information theoretic measures.
Differences in sucrose metabolism relative to accumulation of bird-deterrent sucrose levels in fruits of wild and domestic Vaccinium species

We examined variability in sucrose levels and metabolism in ripe fruits of wild and domestic Vaccinium species and in developing fruits of cultivated blueberry (V. ashei and V. corymbosum). The objective was to determine if sufficient variability for fruit sucrose accumulation was present in existing populations to warrant attempts to breed for high-sucrose fruit, which potentially would be less subject to bird predation. Threefold differences in fruit sucrose concentration were found among Vaccinium species, ranging from 19 to 24 mg (g fresh weight)−1 in V. stamineum and V. arboreum to approximately 7 mg (g fresh weight)−1 in cultivated blueberry (V. ashei and V. corymbosum) and V. darrowi. Hexose levels were similar among species, ranging from 90 to 110 mg (g fresh weight)–1, and glucose and fructose were present in equal amounts. Soluble acid invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) activity was negatively correlated with fruit sucrose concentration. There was no apparent correlation between fruit sugar concentration and either sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13) or sucrose phosphate synthase (EC 2.4.1.14) activities, both of which were low for all species studied. Developmental increases in fruit sugar levels of cultivated blueberry followed a pattern similar to that observed in fruit fresh weight accumulation. Hexose concentrations ranged from 6 to 30 mg (g fresh weight)−1 during the first 60 days after anthesis. Between 60 days and fruit ripening (80 days), hexose levels rose from 30 to 80 mg (g fresh weight)−1. Sucrose was not detected in fruits until ripening, when low levels were found. Insoluble acid invertase activity was relatively high early in fruit development, decreasing as soluble acid invertase activity increased. Between 60 days and fruit ripening, soluble acid invertase activity increased from 3 to 55 μmol (g fresh weight)–1 h–1. Both sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase activities were low throughout development. The extent of sucrose accumulation in fruits and the degree of variability for this trait among Vaccinium species support the feasibility of developing high sucrose fruits, which would be a potentially valuable addition to current strategies of minimizing crop losses to birds.
Real-Time High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

A detailed description of the performance of a computer-coupled, high-resolution mass spectrometer system is presented. The results obtained from this system, which consist of accurate mass and intensity measurements for all ionic species present in a mass spectrum, are presented and discussed in the context of both system evaluation and application to organic analysis. The results indicate that mass measurement accuracies of 1 ppm or better are routinely obtainable through the use of the fouraverage technique, and that intensity measurement accuracy is limited only by ion statistics. Furthermore, system performance remains the same over a wide range of scan rates and mass spectrometer resolutions. Applications of such a system to organic analysis permits rapid acquisition and analysis of spectra and drastically reduces elemental composition ambiguities. A method for resolution of unresolved multiplets based on the mass measurement performance of the system is presented.
PbMn(IV)TeO6: A New Noncentrosymmetric Layered Honeycomb Magnetic Oxide.

PbMnTeO6, a new noncentrosymmetric layered magnetic oxide was synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure is hexagonal, with space group P62m (No. 189), and consists of edge-sharing (Mn4+/Te6+)O6 trigonal prisms that form honeycomb-like two-dimensional layers with Pb2+ ions between the layers. The structural difference between PbMnTeO6, with disordered/trigonal prisms of Mn4+/Te6+, versus the similar chiral SrGeTeO6 (space group P312), with long-range order of Ge4+ and Te6+ in octahedral coordination, is attributed to a difference in the electronic effects of Ge4+ and Mn4+. Temperature-dependent second harmonic generation by PbMnTeO6 confirmed the noncentrosymmetric character between 12 and 873 K. Magnetic measurements indicated antiferromagnetic order at TN ≈ 20 K and a frustration parameter (|θ|/TN) of ∼2.16.
Race and Badge: Free-Colored Soldiers in the Colonial Mexican Militia

The question of identity has been one of considerable importance to the study of race in Latin America. Particularly for the multitude of racially mixed offspring produced by miscegenation, it has been debated, what exactly was the degree of consciousness that race could produce? What degree of strength, if any, should be attributed to the caste boundaries created in the colonial period, and how did the reins of “caste” contribute to the 19th and 20th century heritage of the region? With the new and emerging research on the African Diaspora in Latin America, the question has often been asked: did the free mulatto, moreno, or pardo ever feel a specific identity, especially during colonial times, and especially when racial discourse was apparently created by, and served the interests of those who held the supreme positions of power?
Carbon Nanotubes with Special Architectures for Biomedical Applications

In this chapter, we focus on the special architectures of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for biomedical applications including biosensors, gene delivery, cell/tissue culture, and neural stimulation/recording. Besides the unique long fiber-like structure with ultrasmall diameter and high-aspect ratio, the biomedical applications also rely on the physical properties of CNTs, including high electrical conductivity, chirality-dependent electronic structure, characteristic optical properties, and high mechanical strength. The optimum performance depends on both the intrinsic CNT microstructures and the architectures into which the CNTs are organized. We illustrate the potential of these applications with an emphasis on the utilization of various CNT architectures based on their electrical properties.
Bottom Line: Why Should I Exercise?

This chapter relates the technical matters covered in the preceding chapters and provides a summation of the key scientific and practical rationales for the benefits of engaging in an exercise program. In section “What to Expect When Everything Goes Right,” specific positive effects are reviewed: control of body weight, treatment and avoidance of major diseases, improvement of mood, increase in energy, improvement of sex life, enhancement of social life, and increase in life expectancy. In section “What to Expect When Everything Goes Wrong,” specific negative effects are reviewed: incidence of injury associated with various exercises, and the types of injuries and their causes. The final section offers advice on injury avoidance.
Clinical Comparison of Latex Agglutination and Cytotoxin Assay for Detection of Clostridium difficile Toxin in Feces

To determine if a latex agglutination (LA) test (Marion Scientific, Kansas City, MO) could be used to diagnose antibiotic-associated colitis, 206 stool specimens submitted for detection of Clostridium difficile toxin were tested by both LA and cytotoxin assay (CTA). Five specimens, all negative by CTA, gave nonspecific results by LA; these specimens were excluded from analysis. Of the remaining 201 specimens, 33 (16%) were positive and 161 (80%) were negative by both test methods, three were CTA positive and LA negative, and four were negative by CTA but LA positive. The sensitivity, specificity,and positive and negative predictive values of LA were 89%, 98%, 92%, and 98%, respectively. There was no significant difference between LA and CTA results. When materials and technologist's time were considered together, the cost of LA and CTA were comparable. Although we found that LA offered a rapid alternative to CTA, because the kit has recently been shown not to be specific for toxin A, we do not believe that LA should replace CTA. LA, however, could be used as a screening procedure, confirming stools yielding nonspecific and positive LA results with CTA.
Reply to Barrett, et al.

Author(s): Freeman, Michael L; Mudd, Joseph C; Shive, Carey L; Younes, Souheil-Antoine; Panigrahi, Soumya; Sieg, Scott F; Lee, Sulggi A; Hunt, Peter W; Calabrese, Leonard H; Gianella, Sara; Rodriguez, Benigno; Lederman, Michael M
Distribution of bacitracin in the body.

SummaryOne, 2 or 3 hours after a large single intravenous injection of bacitracin, the concentration of the drug in the different tissues of rabbits was found in decreasing order as follows, subject to some individual variation: urine, kidney, blood, bile, lung, bone marrow, skin, large intestine, pancreas, heart muscle, skeletal muscle, liver, spleen, small intestine, cerebrospinal fluid and brain.In the chest and peritoneal exudates produced by aleuronat-starch injection, the titres of bactiracin one hour after an intravenous administration approximated those in the blood.
The Impact of Iroquoian Populations on the Northern Distribution of Pawpaws in the Northeast

The North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is found in Michigan, southern Ontario, Ohio, and New York. It is the only indigenous tropical tree species found as far north as the Great Lakes region. The purpose of this article is to ascertain whether or not Iroquoian populations were directly responsible for the northernmost distribution of pawpaw trees. Pawpaw populations located in southern Ontario and in isolated pockets in New York are conspicuous because of their extreme northern location and their isolation from pawpaw populations to the south. Ethnohistoric and archaeological information is analyzed in an attempt to discover how coincidental it is that these isolated pawpaw populations correspond with the former habitation areas of several Iroquoian speaking groups. It is argued that trade and warfare between Iroquoian groups located in southern Ontario, New York, and the southern Lake Erie area were responsible for the spread of pawpaws from the Ohio and Michigan regions northward and eastward.
Inhaled cigarette smoke and treadmill-exercised dogs.

Seven dogs received daily treadmill exercise and a daily period of chamber exposure to cigarette smoke for approximately one year. Enlargement of the right and left ventricle was demonstrated by ECG measurements. Post-exercise lactate showed a gradual increase following exposure to smoke. Depression of activity of the enzymes, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase, and creatine phosphokinase, was observed in serum. Of the hematologic variables measured there was an increase in monocyte numbers and a decrease in red blood cell, white blood cell, lymphocyte, and segmented neutrophil numbers. Histopathologic examination showed warying degrees of terminal bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia with extension in one dog into adjacent alveoli to produce adenomatous structures. Also, slight thickening of the coronary arteriole walls occurred in five of the seven dogs.
SU-F-T-466: An Enhanced Daily Quality Assurance Process for a Six Degrees of Freedom Robotic Table

Purpose: A Varian PerfectPitch six degrees of freedom robotic table necessitates daily quality assurance (QA). Therapists were credentialed for this QA procedure which was easily incorporated into the existing daily warmup process. This procedure adds depth to TG-142 requirements without additional morning time costs. Methods: This PerfectPitch table QA introduces a consistent rotation of the QUASAR™ Penta-Guide phantom and requires automatic table corrections through image fusions. Rotational offsets are generated by inserting a platform tool under a specified corner of the phantom; then a conebeamCT is performed. This conebeamCT image is fused with a planned reference CT image set and the table is auto-adjusted to correct for induced translational and rotational offsets. After executing table shifts, a second conebeamCT verifies the table movement and the phantom's return to isocenter. Results: Pre-shift and post-shift table corrections were recorded daily. It was discovered that due to slight variations in the setup, it took three performances of the QA for each therapist to have consistent induced rotations. Four therapists performed this QA and after the initial training period, the inter-user variability was minimal. Consistency of the induced rotation was evaluated by the variation of the pre-shift table corrections. Excluding the first three attempts of each therapist, the pre-shift table correction standard deviations were ≤ 0.67mm for the translational axes and ≤ 0.49° for the rotational axes. Accuracy of the automatic table movement was confirmed by the post-shift table corrections. The average post-shift table corrections for the translational axes were ≤ 0.15mm and for the rotational axes were ≤ 0.42°. Using our clinic's existing table corrections tolerance of <1mm and <0.5°, these results were deemed acceptable. Conclusion: Therapists successfully and rapidly adopted daily QA procedures using the PerfectPitch table; automated rotational robotic table motions were confirmed through image fusions. This procedure enhances existing TG-142 recommendations.
Reducing business complexity with toys.

Education is an enabler of change, but it needs to be delivered in a manner that really increases individual talent, skills, and abilities to think "outside the box."
Development and Validation of the Masculine Attributes Questionnaire.

The present study describes the development and validation of the Masculine Attributes Questionnaire (MAQ). The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretically and empirically grounded measure...
Estimating the ambulatory center of mass during load carriage using a geometric approach

Research of load carriage effect on center of mass(CoM) behavior during human and robot locomotion has been driven by the prevalence of everyday tasks requiring load bearing or transfer. More recently, this has been accentuated in the design of exoskeletons and military backpack systems aimed at assisting with weighty load handling. Despite this importance, complicated body dynamics has stymied the study of CoM and locomotion behaviors that arise under heavy load carrying. Current approaches have focused mostly on force sensor use, video motion analysis or accelerometer data, constraining the methods to expensive and clumsy external sensors. In this work, a direct and accessible geometric approach is used and extended to produce CoM estimates of natural walking locomotion with carried loads over rough planar terrains. The approach makes use of an Optimized Geometric Hermite(OGH) curve and relies only on essential body kinematic knowledge, the terrain geometry, and load weight information. To validate the accuracy of the approach, comparisons using motion capture video of human subjects were performed. The results demonstrate an accurate estimate of the CoM position path and behavior during loaded natural walking over rough planar terrains.
Smart Ship System Design (S3D) integration with the leading edge architecture for Prototyping Systems (LEAPS)

The Navy's early-stage design tools are integrated with the Leading Edge Architecture for Prototyping Systems (LEAPS) data repository, thus enabling a streamlined, cohesive approach to the creation, storage and access of data pertinent to a ship design. The Smart Ship System Design (S3D) design environment currently under development within the Electric Ship Research and Development Consortium (ESRDC) recently completed development of S3D as a LEAPS application and is extending its capability to include the LEAPS application framework, multi-platform compatibility, and added functionality.
Let's talk real talk: An argument to include conversation in a D-COS for aphasia research with an acknowledgment of the challenges ahead.

Dietz and Boyle (this issue) present a compelling argument for the development of a core outcome set for discourse (D-COS) in aphasia research. As has been demonstrated repeatedly in other medicall...
A High-Resolution Geophysical Survey of Jenny Lake: Using Lake Sediments to Construct a Continuous Record of Tectonic Activity and Earthquake-Triggered Disturbances at Grand Teton National Park

The Teton Range, WY contains a legacy of late Cenozoic uplift and periodic Quaternary glaciations. Well-preserved fault scarps along the Teton fault displace glacier deposits from the most recent (Pinedale) glaciation and provide evidence for high fault activity during the past ~15,000 years. Observations of these scarps and previous field investigations indicate that postglacial fault offset occurred through a series of major, scarp-forming earthquakes. However, the postglacial paleoseismic record of the Teton fault remains incomplete. The goal of this project is to use lake sediments, contained in lake basins positioned on the fault, to construct a history of the timing and frequency of past earthquakes at Grand Teton National Park, and assess seismic impacts on diment erosion (e.g., landslides, debris flows, slope failures) and future hazard potential. Here, we report on multibeam sonar bathymetry and seismic reflection images from Jenny Lake, collected as part of an effort to identify glacial and tectonic landforms and to characterize infill stratigraphy. Our overarching objective is to combine these datasets with lake sediment cores from Jenny Lake and other nearby lakes to construct a continuous, accurately-dated record of past earthquakes and earthquake-generated slope failures in the Tetons.
Minimum Energy Path Model Calculation for Several Fast Ionic Conductors

The structurally-explicit minimum energy path model for fast ionic conductors, initially applied to the cubic silver iodide structure, has been extended to treat the tetragonal rutile and cubic fluorite structures. The results of these calculations and their relevance to experimental observations in a number of fast ionic conductors will be discussed.
Evidence-Based Assessment: Best Practices, Customary Practices, and Recommendations for Field-Based Assessment

The purpose of the current review is to examine three frequently employed types of assessment: (a) standardized tests, (b) screening, and (c) behavioral assessment. The aims are to advocate for best practices with evidence-based assessments (EBAs) and provide guidance to implement EBAs within applied settings. Information regarding the current best practices, customary field-based practices, and recommendations for improved practices are provided for each assessment type. Further, a framework is provided for using standardized tests, screening, and behavioral assessment within best practices to determine student intervention needs and potential for disability.
Assessment of Obstetric and Gynecologic Food and Drug Administration Device Approvals and Recalls.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare the recall rates of obstetric and gynecologic devices approved via the Food and Drug Administration's 510(k) and premarket approval (PMA) processes. DESIGN A retrospective observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING Clinical settings in the United States that use obstetric and gynecologic devices. SUBJECTS Two thousand two hundred forty-nine Food and Drug Administration-approved obstetric and gynecologic devices that were recalled between November 1, 2002, and December 31, 2017. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The class of device, class of recall, date of recall, and original approval process were obtained for each device. These were compared against the total number of approved devices during this time period in the PMA and 510(k) processes. Recall proportions of each process were calculated and compared. A total of 685 devices were approved via the PMA process, and 1564 devices were approved via the 510(k) process in the observed time period. Of these, 1.17% of the PMA-approved devices and 15.98% of the 510(k)-approved devices were recalled (p < .001). There was an overall increase in absolute device recall numbers over time in the 510(k) process, whereas the number of recalls in the PMA process did not change with time. CONCLUSION The recall event rate for the 510(k) approval process is 13.6 times the rate for the PMA approval process for obstetric and gynecologic devices. Analysis of the results suggests improper device risk classification, inappropriate assignment of the approval process, increased device malfunctions, recalls by the 510(k) process and, therefore, increased risk to patients by these devices. This warrants a call for improvement and increased scrutiny in the 510(k) approval process for devices used in obstetrics and gynecology.
Sample Truncation for Scenario Approach to Closed-loop Chance Constrained Trajectory Optimization for Linear Systems

This paper studies closed-loop chance constrained control problems with disturbance feedback (equivalently state feedback) where state and input vectors must remain in a prescribed polytopic safe region with a predefined confidence level. We propose to use a scenario approach where the uncertainty is replaced with a set of random samples (scenarios). Though a standard form of scenario approach is applicable in principle, it typically requires a large number of samples to ensure the required confidence levels. To resolve this drawback, we propose a method to reduce the computational complexity by eliminating the redundant samples and, more importantly, by truncating the less informative samples. Unlike the prior methods that start from the full sample set and remove the less informative samples at each step, we sort the samples in a descending order by first finding the most dominant ones. In this process the importance of each sample is measured via a proper mapping. Then the most dominant samples can be selected based on the allowable computational complexity and the rest of the samples are truncated offline. The truncation error is later compensated for by adjusting the safe regions via properly designed buffers, whose sizes are functions of the feedback gain and the truncation error.
"What Shall We Do?": Kathy Change, Soomi Kim, and Asian Feminist Performance on Campus

Soomi Kim performed as Asian political radical Kathy Change in the Staging Asian America performance/lecture series at Harvard University in spring 2017. Kim’s performance provokes timely political questions about stereotypes of gendered Asian docility and suggests that the ephemerality of Asian and feminine dissidence is all but erased in official institutional spaces. Performance, then, is the medium through which Asian feminine presence persists and survives.
Ergebnisplanung und -kontrolle in Ländern mit hohen Inflationsraten

Viele deutsche Unternehmen besitzen Tochtergesellschaften in sogenannten Weichwahrungslandern mit hohen Inflationsraten. Auch diese Tochtergesellschaften brauchen, wenn sie zielorientiert im Konzernverbund gefuhrt werden sollen, eine ausgebaute Planungs- und Kontrollrechnung. Bei der Erstellung dieser Planungs- und Kontrollrechnung (PuK) treten durch die hohe Inflation und die daraus resultierenden wirtschaftspolitischen Masnahmen dieser Lander zusatzliche Probleme auf. Diese mochte ich am Beispiel Brasiliens aufzeigen.
Nutritional Palliative Care Issues

Food and nutrition have social, spiritual, and cultural overlaying meanings beyond their importance to the biological integrity of human beings. The balance of benefit and burden with natural and artificial nutrition and hydration is complex and dynamic. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may be helpful if the GI tract is not working and the illness and/or the complication is reversible and there is a reasonable likelihood of significant recovery. Oral, gastrointestinal (GI), or intravenous (IV) intake can be a net harm to the actively dying person who is not always capable of taking in or utilizing nutrients and water. Medical nutrition and hydration should cease before net harm occurs, but defining the moment of net harm remains a challenge to healthcare providers. The goals of nutrition should be considered in a patient with poor functional status and prognosis. Artificial nutrition and hydration should only be used as a bridge to attain a functional or quality of life goal as defined by the patient with a life-limited diagnosis. Artificial nutrition and hydration are optional at the end of life and the burdens and benefits must be considered. The perspectives of various stakeholders regarding the role of food and water, nutrition and hydration at the end of life are important to consider. Issues surrounding artificial nutrition elicit strong emotional responses, making effective communication with the patient/family unit about food and nutrition and fluid essential.
Methodological Considerations in Exercise Endocrinology

The intent of this chapter is to provide an overview of the background information on methodological factors that influence and add variance to endocrine outcome measurements typically used in exercise studies. It is well established that numerous factors such as ambient temperature, age, and training status can influence hormonal responses to exercise, but measurements can also be dramatically influenced by simply the means chosen to sample specimens (e.g., venipuncture vs. catheterization). Lack of knowledge and experience with such influence factors can compromise the accuracy and validity of exercise endocrinology research. Our purpose in doing this chapter is to aid and improve the quality of exercise science research of investigators inexperienced in endocrinology. For the purpose of this review we categorized into those influencing factors into that are “physiological” and those that are “procedural-analytical” and address steps and actions researchers can take to account for their influence. It is recommended that researchers should design their studies to monitor, control, and adjust for the physiological and procedural-analytical factors discussed within this chapter. By doing so, they will find less variance in their hormonal outcomes and thereby will increase the validity of their physiological data. These actions can assist the researcher in the interpretation and understanding of endocrine data and, in turn, make their research more scientifically rigorous.
Bulk Viscosities of MBBA from Ultrasonic Measurements

The propagation of ultrasound in oriented nematic liquid crystals has been shown to be anisotropic.1–6 The attenuation and, to a lesser extent, the velocity of sound depend on the direction of propagation relative to the preferred molecular orientation direction. The hydrodynamic theory of Forster, et al.
Sodium channels and the molecular basis for pain

Primary sensory neurons (dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal neurons) initiate the nociceptive (pain) response. These neurons extend a single process that bifurcates, sending an axon to peripheral targets (i.e., skin, muscle, viscera) and also centrally to enter the ascending pathways that carry information to the brain. The thinly-myelinated (Aδ-type) and unmyelinated (C-type) nociceptive DRG and trigeminal neurons normally have a high threshold for firing and are relatively quiescent unless activated by noxious stimuli. When stimulated, these neurons produce a highly-modulated series of action potentials that convey graded information about pain and temperature sensation to the brain. Following peripheral nerve or tissue injury, however, primary sensory neurons can become hyperexcitable, and can give rise to spontaneous action potential or abnormal high-frequency activities which may contribute to chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain [1-4].