cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute cyanotoxin poisoning reveals a marginal effect on mouse gut microbiome composition but indicates metabolic shifts related to liver and gut inflammation

Abstract Freshwater harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a major environmental health problem worldwide. HABs are caused by a predominance of cyanobacteria, some of which produce potent toxins. The most ubiquitous cyanotoxin is microcystin (MC) and the congener MC-LR is the most studied due to its toxicity. Short-term exposure to toxins can cause gut microbiome disturbances, but this has not been well described with MC-LR exposure. This study investigated the gut microbial communities of mice from a prior study, which identified significant liver toxicity from ingestion of MC-LR daily for 8 days. CD-1 mice were divided into three dosage groups: control, low exposure (sub-lethal MC-LR concentration), and high exposure (near-lethal MC-LR concentration). Fecal samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Results revealed that at population level, there were no significant shifts in bacterial diversity or the microbial community structure over the exposure period. However, there were significant differences between male and female mice. Predictive functional gene analysis indicated that several metabolic pathways were significantly different in the high dose group before exposure and following 7 doses of MC-LR, as well as between the control and high dose groups on Day 8. Significant differentially abundant taxa were also identified contributing to these pathways. Several pathways, including superpathway of N-acetylneuraminate degradation, were related to liver and gut inflammation. The outcome of this study suggests a need for in-depth investigation of metabolic activity and other functions in the gut in future studies, as well as potential consideration of the role of sex in MC-LR toxicity.
Microglia, Hormones, and Behavior

The goal of this chapter is to describe brain–immune communication, focusing on microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain, and peripheral immune cells that traffic into and out of the nervous system. We describe how microglia are influenced by circulating hormones across the lifespan. In particular, we focus on the hormones associated with reproduction and stress and how these impact microglia, which in turn influence the establishment and plasticity of neural circuits. We also describe how these interactions between hormones and microglia affect healthy behaviors such as social play and mating and dysregulated behaviors including sickness behaviors, stress, depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.
Comparing immigrant commute travel adaptation across and within racial/ethnic groups

Abstract This research investigates differences in the adaptation process of immigrant commute distance and commute mode across and within three racial/ethnic groups—white, Hispanic, and Asian—in the United States to explore policies that facilitate immigrant travel in an efficient and sustainable way. A two-step analysis is conducted: the first step uses all US-born as the reference group, and the second step uses US-born of the same race/ethnicity as the reference. The second step overcomes a potential problem in existing research on immigrant travel adaptation: When all US-born are used as the reference group, the statistics mainly reflect the travel behavior of US-born white people, masking intrinsic travel differences among US-born racial/ethnic groups. Based on multi-level regression analysis of the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data, our results support existing findings of initial difference but eventual convergence of immigrant commute behavior with US-born, while highlighting white immigrants' persistence and Hispanic immigrants' low propensity in using non-automobile modes. Comparison results based on the two reference groups suggest that segmented assimilation due to racial/ethnic group membership is limited. Still, nuanced findings denote distinctive spatial mechanisms that affect immigrant and US-born Asians and highlight the short time window after immigrants' arrival in the U.S. during which policies might contribute to a continuation of their sustainable travel patterns.
HIV Engage-A randomized controlled efficacy trial of an acceptance-based behavioral therapy intervention to improve retention in care for HIV treatment naïve patients: Study protocol.

Abstract Introduction People with HIV (PWH) who are not consistently retained in medical care, particularly when they are first diagnosed, are at risk for: delayed antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, suboptimal ART adherence, unsuppressed viremia, and mortality. Suboptimal retention means effective ART cannot be leveraged to prevent onward HIV transmission. To address this, we developed and previously pilot tested the HIV Engage intervention—a novel behavioral approach to enhance retention in HIV care using acceptance-based behavioral therapy (ABBT)—and established feasibility and acceptability of this approach. In the current study, we investigate the efficacy of ABBT compared to an attention-matched control condition in a full-scale randomized controlled efficacy trial. Methods Two hundred seventy HIV care naive patients from geographically diverse clinics will be recruited and equally randomized to receive (a) the HIV Engage intervention, consisting of two 20–30 min ABBT sessions delivered in-person or remotely, or (b) an attention-matched HIV education control condition. Primary outcomes are number of HIV care appointments kept and HIV viral load suppression. Secondary outcomes are higher self-reported ART adherence, HIV status disclosure, increased social support, and reductions in perceived HIV stigma. Hypothesized mediators include acceptance of one's HIV diagnosis and willingness to disclose serostatus. We will also assess for epidemiologically-linked moderators of the treatment effect. Conclusions ABBT represents a novel, potentially promising approach to enhance retention in ongoing HIV care among treatment naive PWH. This study will contribute significant actionable data establishing the impact, mediational mechanisms, and effect modifiers of ABBT.
Local power: Understanding the adoption and design of county wind energy regulation

The majority of U.S. states have set targets for renewable energy, but the prospects for meeting most of these goals hinge on the willingness of local governments to allow large-scale renewable energy projects in their communities. In this paper, I investigate how exposure to lobbying by wind developers and the actions of neighboring jurisdictions inform the adoption and design of rules for siting commercial wind farms. Using data collected from 1603 counties in 23 states, I find local policymakers are more likely to enact wind ordinances when they have more time to interact with wind developers and when neighboring counties have adopted wind ordinances or approved the construction of wind farms. I also observe that counties tend to adopt more stringent rules when more wind farms have been built in neighboring counties. This evidence suggests that efforts to scale up renewable energy generation may encounter increasing resistance from local governments.
Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Impaired Insight and Self-awareness in Substance Use Disorder

Clinical insight is an emerging interest in substance use disorder research, but is difficult to study empirically. We reviewed recent research examining the behavioral and neural correlates of several psychological processes tapping into self-awareness that may in turn contribute to insight. Individuals with substance use disorder exhibit deficits in self-monitoring (especially self-report/behavior dissociations), metacognition, alexithymia, readiness for behavior change, and interoception. Behavioral impairments have been further linked to neural abnormalities in a diverse network of brain regions encompassing cortical midline areas, insula, and frontal cortex, among others. Various treatment modalities may target these deficits, though corresponding effects on neural circuitry remain to be determined. Compromised insight in substance use disorder may be relevant to a constellation of behaviors that suggest a lack of behavioral awareness linked to drug use. Future work needs to refine and advance the measurements, continuing to investigate insight problems in addiction that may become important therapeutic targets.
The Living Wage: Lessons from the History of Economic Thought

Contents: Preface 1. Introduction: The Living Wage 2. Sustainability: Subsistence, Necessities, and Unions 3. Capability: Work and Wages, Virtue and Skill 4. Externality, Community and Wages 5. Lessons from the History of Economic Thought Bibliography Index
Immobilization of leachable toxic soil pollutants by using oxidative enzymes.

Screening of leachable toxic chemicals in a horseradish peroxidase-H2O2 immobilization system established that immobilization was promising for most phenolic pollutants but not for benzoic acid, 2,6-dinitrocresol, or dibutyl phthalate. The treatment did not mobilize inherently nonmobile pollutants such as anilines and benzo[a]pyrene. In a separate study, an extracellular laccase in the culture filtrate of Geotrichum candidum was selected from five fungal enzymes evaluated as a cost-effective substitute for horseradish peroxidase. This enzyme was used in demonstrating the immobilization and subsequent fate of 14C-labeled 4-methylphenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol in soil columns. When applied to Lakewood sand, 98.1% of 4-methylphenol was leached through with distilled water. Two days after immobilization treatment with the G. candidum culture filtrate, only 9.1% of the added 4-methylphenol was leached with the same volume of water. Of the more refractory test pollutant 2,4-dichlorophenol, 91.6% had leached at time zero and 48.5% had leached 1 day after the immobilization treatment. However, 2 weeks after immobilization, only 12.0% of the 2,4-dichlorophenol was leached compared with 61.7% from the control column that received no immobilization treatment. No remobilization of the bound pollutants was detected during 3- and 4-week incubation periods. Enzymatic immobilization of phenolic contaminants in soil appears to be a promising technique for the reduction of groundwater pollution by such substances.
Is There a Unitary Concept of Discrimination

Is it possible to develop an account of the concept of discrimination that ties together the disparate strands of its reach in a morally cohesive way? In particular, can the various kinds of action that are standardly denominated as legal discrimination be thought to raise a united set of moral concerns? This chapter explores some moral explanations of certain familiar features of the legal notion of discrimination, with a view to investigating whether or how various standard instances of legal discrimination might be regarded as encompassed by a unitary moral concept.
Test method validation requirements under CLIA

PL08-01 CLIA Program Congress passed the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in 1988 establishing quality standards for all laboratory testing to ensure the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of patient test results regardless of where the test was performed. A laboratory is defined as any facility which performs laboratory testing on specimens derived from humans for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment of disease, or impairment of, or assessment of health. CLIA is user fee funded; therefore, all costs of administering the program must be covered by the regulated facilities, including certificate and survey costs. The final CLIA regulations were published on February 28, 1992 and are based on the complexity of the test method; thus, the more complicated the test, the more stringent the requirements. Three categories of tests have been established: waived complexity, moderate complexity, including the subcategory of provider-performed microscopy (PPM), and high complexity. CLIA specifies quality standards for proficiency testing (PT), patient test management, quality control, personnel qualifications and quality assurance for laboratories performing moderate and/or high complexity tests. Waived laboratories must enroll in CLIA, pay the applicable fee and follow manufacturers9 instructions. Because problems in cytology laboratories were the impetus for CLIA, there are also specific cytology requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is charged with the implementation of CLIA, including laboratory registration, fee collection, surveys, surveyor guidelines and training, enforcement, approvals of PT providers, accrediting organizations and exempt states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responsible for the CLIA studies, convening the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Committee (CLIAC) and providing scientific and technical support/consultation to DHHS/CMS. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for test categorization. To enroll in the CLIA program, laboratories must first register by completing an application, pay fees, be surveyed, if applicable, and become certified. CLIA fees are based on the certificate requested by the laboratory (that is, waived, PPM, accreditation, or compliance) and, for moderate and high complexity laboratories, the annual volume and types of testing performed. Waived and PPM laboratories may apply directly for their certificate as they aren9t subject to routine inspections. Those laboratories which must be surveyed routinely; i.e., those performing moderate and/or high complexity testing, can choose whether they wish to be surveyed by CMS or by a private accrediting organization. The CMS survey process is outcome oriented and utilizes a quality assurance focus and an educational approach to assess compliance.
Magnetresonanztomographie bei Langzeitbeschwerden nach HWS-Distorsion

HWS-Beschleunigungsverletzungen wurden 1928 erstmals von Crowe [6] als die nach Verkehrsunfallen am haufigsten auftretende Verletzung beschrieben. Noch bis vor kurzem waren die Fortschritte zum Verstandnis der Pathophysiologie dieser Verletzung sehr sparlich. Leider sind die Grunde fur den weltweiten Anstieg der Verunfallten mit HWS-Distorsion und der daraus resultierenden Kosten weitestgehend unbekannt. Man weis, dass sich die meisten Betroffenen innerhalb von einigen Wochen nach dem Unfall erholen, wobei bei einem betrachtlichen Teil (von bis zu 42%) die akuten Schmerzen chronifizieren [2]. Diese Personengruppe mit persistierenden Schmerzen tragen wahrscheinlich zu dem betrachtlichen wirtschaftlichen Schaden dieser schwerwiegenden Verletzung bei. Am haufigsten leiden die Betroffenen nach einer HWS-Distorsion an Nackenschmerzen.
Effects of Various Polyethylenimine Solutions on Desiccation of Na-Montmorillonite

Airborne particulates such as dust can cause human health problems and environmental damage. There is a national search for effective measures for controlling fugitive dust sources at construction ...
Sociodemographic, disease, health system, and contextual factors affecting the initiation of biologic agents in rheumatoid arthritis: a longitudinal study.

Objective To analyze the effect of sociodemographic, disease, and health system characteristics and contextual features about the community of residence on the subsequent initiation of treatment with biologic agents for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods We analyzed data from the University of California, San Francisco Rheumatoid Arthritis Panel Study for the years 1999–2011. Principal data collection was by a structured annual phone survey. We estimated Kaplan-Meier curves of the time until initiation of biologic agents, stratified by age and income. We also used Cox regression to estimate the effect of individual-level sociodemographic and medical factors, contextual-level socioeconomic status measures, and density of health providers in the local community on the probability of initiating therapy with biologic agents for RA. Results In total, 527 persons were included in the panel in 1999, and 229 persons (44%) had initiated therapy with biologic agents by 2011. In multivariable Cox regression models, age <70 years (hazard ratio [HR] for ages 19–54 years 1.89 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.24–2.87] and HR for ages 55–69 years 1.25 [95% CI 0.84–1.87]), Hispanic ethnicity (HR 2.02 [95% CI 1.05–3.86]), household income ≥$30,000/year (HR 1.61 [95% CI 1.12–2.32]), being married or with a partner (HR 1.39 [95% CI 1.00–1.92]), and residence in rural environments (HR 1.96 [95% CI 1.28–2.99]) were associated with a higher probability of initiating biologic agents. Having no (HR 0.18 [95% CI 0.08–0.40]) or only 1–4 rheumatology visits in the year prior to interview (HR 0.60 [95% CI 0.45–0.81]) and living in an area with ≥1 federally qualified health centers (HR 0.63 [95% CI 0.41–0.96]) were associated with a lower probability. Conclusion The probability of initiating therapy with biologic agents is affected by sociodemographic and health system characteristics as well as the nature of the community of residence, resulting in disparities in access to these medications.
An examination of factors that influence suspects' Miranda comprehension and willingness to offer a waiver

This research examined whether factors present during police interrogations reduce the effectiveness of the prophylactic safeguards afforded to suspects through their Miranda rights. Specifically, this research tested whether stress interacted with other factors present during the Miranda administration process to influence individuals’ Miranda comprehension and willingness to sign a waiver. Whereas Experiment 1 tested whether the way Miranda was administered could exacerbate the effect of stress on suspects’ ability to comprehend Miranda, Experiment 2 examined whether stress could interact with the way a waiver was described to influence suspects’ willingness to sign a waiver. During Experiment 1, participants either were or were not accused of cheating and then administered four Miranda comprehension instruments in either an oral or a written fashion. Although the finding that stress undermined participants’ ability to comprehend Miranda was replicated, there was no evidence that stress and the way Miranda was administered interacted to influence participants’ ability to comprehend Miranda. During Experiment 2, participants were told that their behavior of sharing answers was either a serious or not a serious violation and then were given a waiver to sign that was described as being either a formality or important. Results indicated that participants who were told the waiver was a formality were more willing to sign the waiver compared to participants who were told the waiver was important. However, there was no evidence that stress and the way the waiver was described interacted to influence participants’ willingness to sign the waiver. Potential reasons for why an interaction effect was not observed in either experiment are offered. The dissertation ends with a discussion of the implications of these findings and limitations of the two experiments.
Nerve growth factor in Alzheimer's disease: increased levels throughout the brain coupled with declines in nucleus basalis

The current study analyzed NGF protein levels in the brains of patients with Alzheimer9s disease (AD) as compared with aged neurologically normal individuals. An established two-site ELISA was used to measure NGF-like immunoreactivity in the hippocampus, superior temporal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, frontal and occipital cortical poles, cerebellum, amygdala, putamen, and nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM). ChAT activity was assayed in adjacent tissue samples. NGF levels were also evaluated in Parkinson9s disease for comparison with both AD and age-matched control cases. Regardless of the brain bank (University of Cincinnati, Rush Presbyterian St. Luke9s Medical Center in Chicago, or University of Alabama at Birmingham), NGF-like activity was at least moderately increased with AD in virtually every brain region examined except for the nbM, in which significant declines were observed. NGF levels were also increased when compared with age- matched Parkinson9s cases (frontal cortex). NGF-like activity was not related to age at onset or disease duration in AD cases, nor did NGF levels correlate with age at death in the control or AD groups. Correlations between ChAT and NGF-like activity across brains varied considerably and were generally not significant. The present findings indicate that AD is characterized by a widespread increase in cortical and subcortical NGF. Although a correlation with ChAT activity was not observed in cortex, the AD-related decline in NGF found in nbM is consistent with the possibility of impaired retrograde transport of NGF to this region.
Atomic Resolution Of Cytoskeletal Protein By Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) can image and manipulate atomic and molecular surfaces. STM applications to biomolecules have proven difficult. We have been able to image cytokeratin protein to reveal atomic surfaces of amino acid residues, as well as alpha helical secondary structure. STM may be useful in characterizing and manipulating biomolecules relevant to Molecular Electronics.
Live-cell imaging

It would be hard to argue that live-cell imaging has not changed our view of biology. The past 10 years have seen an explosion of interest in imaging cellular processes, down to the molecular level. There are now many advanced techniques being applied to live cell imaging. However, cellular health is often under appreciated. For many researchers, if the cell at the end of the experiment has not gone into apoptosis or is blebbed beyond recognition, than all is well. This is simply incorrect. There are many factors that need to be considered when performing live-cell imaging in order to maintain cellular health such as: imaging modality, media, temperature, humidity, PH, osmolality, and photon dose. The wavelength of illuminating light, and the total photon dose that the cells are exposed to, comprise two of the most important and controllable parameters of live-cell imaging. The lowest photon dose that achieves a measureable metric for the experimental question should be used, not the dose that produces co...
Scintigraphic comparison of intra-arterial injection and distal intravenous regional limb perfusion for administration of mesenchymal stem cells to the equine foot

†‡ Summary Reasons for performing study: Intra-arterial (i.a.) and intravenous (i.v.) regional limb perfusions (RLP) through the median artery and cephalic vein, respectively, have been previously investigated for administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the equine distal limb. Limitations due to thrombosis of the arteries after i.a. RLP and poor distribution of MSCs to the foot with i.v. RLP were observed. These techniques need to be modified for clinical use. Objectives:Evaluate the distribution, uptake and persistence of radiolabelled MSCs after i.a. injection through the median artery without a tourniquet and after i.v. RLP through the lateral palmar digital vein. Study design: In vivo experimental study. Methods: 99m Tc-HMPAO-labelled MSCs were injected through the median artery of one limb and the lateral palmar digital vein of the other limb of 6 horses under general anaesthesia. No tourniquet was used for the i.a. injection. A pneumatic tourniquet was placed on the metacarpus for i.v. injection. Scintigraphic images were obtained up to 24 h after injection. Results: Intra-arterial injection resulted in MSCs retention within the limb despite the absence of a tourniquet and no thrombosis was observed. Both i.a. injection and i.v. RLP led to distribution of MSCs to the foot. The i.a. injection resulted in a more homogeneous distribution. The MSC uptake was higher with i.v. RLP at the initial timepoints, but no significant difference was present at 24 h. Conclusions:Both i.a. injection through the median artery without a tourniquet and i.v. RLP performed through the lateral palmar digital vein under general anaesthesia are safe and reliable methods for administration of MSCs to the equine foot. The i.a. technique is preferred owing to the better distribution, but is technically more challenging. The feasibility of performing these techniques on standing horses remains to be investigated.
Regulation of gluconeogenesis by glutamine in normal postabsorptive humans.

There is evidence that glutamine may act as a regulator of protein, free fatty acid, and glycogen metabolism. To test the hypothesis that glutamine may act as a physiological regulator of gluconeog...
Positive scalar curvature and odd order abelian fundamental groups

If a smooth manifold has a Riemannian metric with positive scalar curvature, it follows immediately that the universal covering also has such a metric. The paper establishes a converse if the manifold in question is closed of dimension at least 5 and the fundamental group is an elementary abelian p-group of rank 2, where p is an odd prime. A conjecture of J. Rosenberg [Rs3] states that a closed smooth manifold with odd order fundamental group and dimension ≥ 5 admits a Riemannian metric with positive scalar curvature if and only if its universal covering admits such a metric. Standard considerations involving transfers (cf. [KS1]) reduce the conjecture to the special case of p-groups (where p is an odd prime). Results of Rosenberg [Rs1]– [Rs3] and S. Kwasik and the author [KS1] prove the conjecture if the fundamental group G is a cyclic p-group. In this work we study the conjecture when G is a finite abelian p-group. The following interim conclusion reflects many of the basic ideas and disposes of the first examples not covered by [KS1], [Rs1]–[Rs3]. Theorem. Let p be an odd prime, and let M be a closed smooth manifold of dimension n ≥ 5 with fundamental group Zp × Zp. Then M admits a Riemannian metric with positive scalar curvature if and only if its universal covering M does. In [RsS] J. Rosenberg and S. Stolz prove a stable result that yields a weaker conclusion for G ∼= Zp × Zp but applies to all finite groups. In particular, if G is a finite group of odd order and M is a closed smooth manifold with fundamental group G, their result states that the universal covering M has a Riemannian metric with positive scalar curvature if and only if some product M ×X × · · · ×X does, where X is an 8-dimensional Bott manifold; i.e., it is a spin manifold whose Â-genus is equal to 1. Although the methods should yield quantitative information on the number of factors of X that are needed, it is not clear how precise such estimates would be. Our result implies that if G ≈ Zp×Zp, then no copies of X are needed if n ≥ 5 and at most one copy of X is needed if n < 5. A more geometric proof of this result in dimensions ≤ 2p− 2 was obtained independently by Stolz (unpublished). It seems likely that the methods of this paper can be combined with the multiple Kunneth formula decomposition of [Hn] and finite induction to prove at least a semistable version of Rosenberg’s conjecture for all elementary abelian p-groups Received by the editors February 13, 1995 and, in revised form, September 13, 1995. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 53C21, 55N15, 57R75; Secondary 53C20, 57R85. c ©1997 American Mathematical Society
Screening colonoscopy in the initial workup of bariatric surgery patients: guidelines are needed.

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death among morbidly obese individuals. Obese individuals have a well-documented increased risk of colon cancer. No guidelines are available for the workup of bariatric surgery patients in relation to colon cancer. The indications for screening colonoscopy at the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute Abu Dhabi (BMI Abu Dhabi) include all patients older than 50 years [40 years if patients are United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals] with unexplained abdominal symptoms, anemia of unknown cause, or a family or personal history of colonic pathology. This study retrospectively reviewed the charts of all the patients who had colonoscopy during the period January 2009 to January 2013. The patients were divided into two groups: group A [patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2] and group B (patients with a BMI 0.05). The overall prevalence of adenomatous polyps was 6.74 % and that of cancer was 1.75 %. Further analysis showed that the prevalences of adenomatous polyps and cancer were respectively 12.4 and 2.1 % for the patients with a BMI higher than 30 kg/m2, whereas the prevalences were respectively 2.9 and 0.9 % for the patients with BMI lower than 30 kg/m2 (P < 0.001). The risk for the development of colonic adenomatous polyps and cancer is high among young obese individuals in the Middle East. Guidelines are needed to establish criteria for screening in this group of individuals.
Liver diffusivity in healthy volunteers and patients with chronic liver disease: comparison of breathhold and free-breathing techniques.

Purpose: To compare liver ADC obtained with breathhold and free-breathing diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in healthy volunteers and patients with liver disease. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight subjects, 12 healthy volunteers and 16 patients (9 NAFLD, 7 chronic active HCV), underwent breathhold (BH) and free-breathing (FB) DWI MRI at 1.5 Tesla. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine correlation while paired t-tests assessed differences between BH and FB ADC. Estimated bias was calculated using the Bland-Altman method. Results: Liver ADC (×10−3 mm2/s) was lower on BH for all groups (mean difference 0.36 ± 0.20; P < 0.01). ADC was higher in healthy volunteers (BH 1.80 ± 0.18; FB 2.24 ± 0.20) compared with NAFLD patients (BH 1.43 ± 0.27; FB 1.78 ± 0.28) (P < 0.001) and HCV patients (BH 1.63 ± 0.191; FB 1.88 ± 0.12). Overall correlation between BH and FB ADC was (r = 0.75), greatest in NAFLD (r = 0.90) compared with the correlation in HCV (r = 0.24) and healthy subjects (r = 0.34). Bland-Altman plots did not show agreement in mean absolute difference and estimated bias between subjects. Conclusion: Correlation between BH and FB liver ADC is moderate indicating that BH and FB should not be used interchangeably. Additionally, the lower ADC values in BH versus FB should be accounted for when comparing different liver DWI studies. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:103-109. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Association of Sleep Disordered Breathing and Cognitive Deficit in APOE ε4 Carriers

STUDY OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine whether apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 genotype (APOE4) modifies the association of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) with cognitive function in a middle-aged population. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis of a community-dwelling cohort. SETTINGS Sleep laboratory at the Clinical Research Unit of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. PARTICIPANTS There were 755 adults from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort who provided a total of 1,843 polysomnography and cognitive evaluations (most participants were assessed multiple times at approximately 4-y intervals); 56% males, average age 53.9 years (range 30-81 years). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS In-laboratory overnight polysomnography was used to assess SDB. Cognition was evaluated by a battery of six neurocognitive tests assessing memory and learning, attention, executive function, and psychomotor efficiency. The APOE4 genotype (e3/e4 or e4/ e4) was identified in 200 participants. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, accounting for multiple observations per participant. Cognitive test scores were regressed on SDB categories (AHI < 5, 5 ≤ AHI < 15, AHI ≥ 15); APOE4 and their interaction; and age, education, sex, and body mass index. There was no statistically significant association between SDB and cognitive performance among APOE4-negative individuals. However, in APOE4-positive individuals, those with AHI ≥ 15 had significantly worse performance on the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. CONCLUSIONS In APOE4-positive individuals, moderate to severe sleep disordered breathing (AHI ≥ 15) was associated with poorer performance on cognitive tests that require both memory and executive function engagement.
Evidence for room temperature delignification of wood using hydrogen peroxide and manganese acetate as a catalyst.

Abstract Manganese acetate was found to catalyze the oxidative delignification of wood with hydrogen peroxide at room temperature. The delignification reaction was monitored by optical and Raman microscopy, and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. When exposed to H 2 O 2 and Mn(OAc) 3 in aqueous solution, poplar wood sections were converted into a fine powder-like material which consisted of individual wood cells within 4 days at room temperature and without agitation. Optical and Raman microscopy provided the spatial distribution of cellulose and lignin in the wood structure, and showed the preferential oxidation of lignin-rich middle lamellae. Raman spectra from the solid residue revealed a delignified and cellulose-rich material. Glucose yields following enzymatic hydrolysis were 20–40% higher in poplar sawdust pretreated with Mn(OAc) 3 for 2, 4, and 7 days at room temperature than those in sawdust exposed to water only for identical durations, suggesting the viability of this mild, inexpensive method for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass.
Statistical considerations in evaluating pharmacogenomics-based clinical effect for confirmatory trials.

Background The current practice for seeking genomically favorable patients in randomized controlled clinical trials using genomic convenience samples.Purpose To discuss the extent of imbalance, confounding, bias, design efficiency loss, type I error, and type II error that can occur in the evaluation of the convenience samples, particularly when they are small samples. To articulate statistical considerations for a reasonable sample size to minimize the chance of imbalance, and, to highlight the importance of replicating the subgroup finding in independent studies.Methods Four case examples reflecting recent regulatory experiences are used to underscore the problems with convenience samples. Probability of imbalance for a pre-specified subgroup is provided to elucidate sample size needed to minimize the chance of imbalance. We use an example drug development to highlight the level of scientific rigor needed, with evidence replicated for a pre-specified subgroup claim.Results The convenience samples evalua...
Methane hydrate — A major reservoir of carbon in the shallow geosphere?

Methane hydrates are solids composed of rigid cages of water molecules that enclose methane. Sediment containing methane hydrates is found within specific pressure-temperature conditions that occur in regions of permafrost and beneath the sea in outer continental margins. Because methane hydrates are globally widespread and concentrate methane within the gas-hydrate structure, the potential amount of methane present in the shallow geosphere at subsurface depths of < ∼2000 m is very large. However, estimates of the amount are speculative and range over about three orders of magnitude, from 2 · 103 to 4 · 106 Gt (gigatons = 1015 g) of carbon, depending on the assumptions made. The estimate I favor is ∼ 1 · 104 Gt of carbon. The estimated amount of organic carbon in the methane-hydrate reservoir greatly exceeds that in many other reservoirs of the global carbon cycle — for example, the atmosphere (3.6 Gt); terrestrial biota (830 Gt); terrestrial soil, detritus and peat (1960 Gt); marine biota (3 Gt); and marine dissolved materials (980 Gt). In fact, the amount of carbon may exceed that in all fossil fuel deposits (5 · 103 Gt). Because methane hydrates contain so much methane and occur in the shallow geosphere, they are of interest as a potential resource of natural gas and as a possible source of atmospheric methane released by global warming. As a potential resource, methane hydrates pose both engineering and production problems. As a contributor to a changing global climate, destabilized methane hydrates, particularly those in shallow, nearshore regions of the Arctic Ocean, may have some effect, but this effect will probably be minimal, at least during the next 100 years.
Coccidioidomycosis: Evaluation of parameters used to predict outcome with amphotericin B therapy

A literature review of case histories describing the use of amphotericin B for the treatment of disseminated coccidioidomycosis was performed to detect parameters that were predictive of therapeutic outcome. Several factors were significantly different between patients who were well during prolonged follow-up versus those with active or recurrent disease: 1) mean complement fixation (CF) titer before treatment was lower in patients who were well; 2) well patients had a greater magnitude fall in CF titer during amphotericin B therapy; 3) mean CF titer after amphotericin B treatment was lower in patients who were well; and 4) patients with a positive coccidioidin skin test before therapy were more likely to be well at 6 months. There was no correlation between total amphotericin B dose or duration of therapy and therapeutic outcome.
Adaptive nulling with a deformable mirror in the near-IR

Deep, stable starlight nulls are needed for the direct detection of Earth-like planets and require careful control of the intensity and phases of the beams that are being combined. We are testing a novel compensator based on a deformable mirror to correct the intensity and phase at each wavelength and polarization across the nulling bandwidth. We have successfully demonstrated intensity and phase control using a deformable mirror across a 100nm wide band in the near-IR, and are in the process of building the phase 2 experiment operating at mid-IR wavelengths. This paper covers the results of our demonstration in the near-IR, as well as our current progress in the mid-IR.
The orientation of bovine adrenal cortex cytochfome P-450 in submitochondrial particle multilayers

Angular electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of cytochrome P-450 in oriented multilayers from bovine adrenal cortex Submitochondrial particles have been obtained. Both high- and low-spin forms are present. Analysis of the spectra allows the orientation of the cytochrome P-450 to be determined relative to the membrane plane. The quality of the orientation of the cytochrome P-450 is estimated by use of a computer simulation program. Cytochrome P-450, unlike other cytochromes and porphyrins previously studied, has its heme plane parallel to the membrane plane.
Tumores anexiales en pacientes embarazadas

Resumen Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo donde se analizaron 104 casos de pacientes embarazadas con tumoraciones anexiales en el Saint Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston, New Jersey, USA), entre el 1 de enero de 1982 y el 31 de diciembre de 1998 Esta serie fue comparada con las que ya han sido publicadas, analizando ademas las caracteristicas histologicas y el manejo de dichas pacientes
Mixed-Mode Fracture in Plastically Deforming Materials

A finite element method was developed for evaluating an angled crack in a thin plate. In the spirit of the Dugdale and Barenbaltt damage zone models, the method superposes cohesive stresses in a damage zone onto a linear elastic fracture analysis. The method uses incremental changes in the boundary conditions along the damage zone to model loss in stiffness due to yielding and stable crack growth. A crack tip opening displacement criterion is used for predicting stable crack growth and unstable crack growth. The resulting nonlinear analysis is used to predict the applied loads at failure. Numerical results compared favorably with experimental values.
Experience of meaning in suffering.

Occasionally one observes a phenomenon in the clinical setting that appears to be unique and important enough to warrant exploration. The first stages of that exploration are the transformation of the phenomenon into a concept through the assignment of meaning to it and the listing of what is known or believed about the concept in the form of assumptions. Later stages of exploration might include developing descriptive research questions and perhaps at some point propositions and hypotheses. However, the first stages of the process—from observation of the phenomenon to the list of assumptions—are sufficient to create scholarly discussion and debate that will serve to guide the later stages of inquiry.
Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults with work-related and non-work-related asthma.

Background. The prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among adults with current asthma has been estimated to be 40%. To our knowledge, there is no information on the preval...
Toward a comprehensive HIV prevention program for the CDC and the nation.

THE CENTERS for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, Ga, has a well-deserved reputation for making clear analyses of health problems and taking rapid action to improve the public's health. The CDC's success has been marked by its ability to keep science first. It has learned from experience that organizations that base their actions primarily on scientific findings rather than political considerations survive as effective entities, while those that do the opposite lose credibility and enter a spiral of decay. The CDC is known worldwide for its frankness and honesty, for its ability to scientifically assess the extent of a disease problem, evaluate the tools available to limit the damage it may cause, develop methods to apply those tools, and evaluate the effectiveness of their application. Despite its reputation, with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, CDC has been soundly criticized for ineptness. Why is this? In search of an answer, I
Suppression of cellular and humoral immunity to T-dependent antigens by calorie restriction

Calorie restriction is known to preserve the immunologic function and prolong the life span of autoimmune-susceptible mice. In order to determine the influence of calorie restriction on cellular and humoral immunity, we tested lymphocyte proliferative response and antibody response to T-dependent antigens in C57Bl/6 mice maintained on restricted diets. C57Bl/6 mice fed a low-calorie diet demonstrated a marked reduction in T-dependent-antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation and antibody response when compared to mice fed ad libitum. The depressed lymphocyte response seen in calorie-restricted animals is attributed to a defect in both the macrophages and T cells in antigen processing, presentation, and/or proliferation.
Ecological Significance of Temperature Tolerance and Preference of Some Inshore California Fishes

Abstract Dwarf perch Micrometrus minimus, shiner perch Cymatogaster aggregata, blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis, black perch Embiotoca jacksoni, rainbow seaperch Hypsurus caryi, and calico rockfish Sebastes dalli were collected in a vertical thermal gradient at the breakwater of King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California. Fish were acclimated at the field temperature. Acute preferred temperatures and avoidance temperatures determined in the laboratory were compared with temperatures in the field gradient at which the species were collected or observed by divers. Dwarf and black perch preferred temperatures significantly lower than their field temperatures. Preferred temperatures of the other four species were consistent with temperatures at their positions in the harbor. Although the field distributions of the six species are thermally differentiated, those of two species appear to be determined by factors other than temperature.
Empathic accuracy and translator training: helping students imagine other minds

Whether explicitly or implicitly, translation-competence models recognise translators’ ability to imagine the expectations of different audiences. In addition to imagining audiences’ perspectives, translators imagine the expectations of colleagues and clients. This ability to imagine others’ perspectives is known in psychological literature as empathic accuracy. If empathic accuracy is indeed essential to translation competence, then translation instructors have a responsibility to help students develop this imaginative capacity. Instructors can help students improve their empathic accuracy by employing collaborative-translation activities and teaching students how to engage in perspective-taking.
Multipurpose Heat-Exchanger Networks for Heat Integration Across Plants

The synthesis of multipurpose heat-exchanger networks that are capable of operating two plants stand-alone as well as integrated is presented. Designs for direct integration using process streams and indirect integration using intermediate-fluid circuits are obtained. The mathematical models proposed in the synthesis of these designs account for unassisted and assisted forms of integration, and they rely on results previously obtained in a targeting phase. Finally, an economic comparison between the two types of integration for a realistic case of a crude unit and a FCC unit is performed. The analysis also reveals that the widely accepted statement that indirect integration using steam can achieve most of the energy savings in the total site is not valid when compared with an intermediate-fluid circuit.
Satellite imagery as a tool to evaluate ecological scale

Methods for detecting scale and dispersion of plant cover developed by Carilieet al. (1989,Landscape Ecology 2: 203–213) were adapted to information obtained from satellite imagery. Scales were found to be on the order of 100 m in the shrub-steppe area of southeastern Washington. General agreement between the remotely sensed data and plant cover using the variance and correlation methods of Carlileet al. indicate that remote sensing information can be used in the design of field studies for measuring the processes controlling plant cover in semi-arid areas; the agreement also suggests that the methods have broad applicability in the determination of scale and dispersion.
High efficiency cell-free synthesis of proteins: Refinement of the coupled transcription/translation system

Two modifications are introduced to convert the Escherichia coli cell-free extract ("S30") into a high efficiency system for coupled transcription/translation of exogenously added genes. (a) The ribosome fraction collected from the S30 by ultracentrifugation is used. It contains all the proteins necessary for gene expression but has lost the vast majority of soluble proteins that might interfere with purification and enzymatic activity of product formed. (b) Plasmids containing coding sequences to be expressed are not linearized thus enhancing their stability by avoiding their degradation. These two modifications not only improve protein synthesis in a static system but allow gene expression over 20-40 h in the continuous-flow cell-free system. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins have been synthesized in this system.