cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Feeding Field Pea Diets on Fresh Beef Quality

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding field peas during 2 phases of production (grazing and finishing) on beef tenderness, lipid oxidation, color, and fatty acid profiles of beef.Materials and MethodsA total of 232 crossbred steers and heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial consisting of 3 pasture and 2 finishing supplementations. The pasture phase consisted of 1) no supplement, 2) field peas at 0.5% BW, or 3) dry-rolled corn supplement at 0.5% of BW. The finishing phase consisted of 1) field peas at 20% DM or 2) no field peas. The study was conducted over a 2-yr period (with steers for year 1 and heifers for year 2) and at harvest strip loin samples were obtained and aged for 14 d. After aging, steaks were subject to retail display for a total of 7 d. Analyses included tenderness (WBSF and SSF), objective (L*, a*, b*) and subjective color, lipid oxidation (TBARS) and fatty acid composition.ResultsThere were minimal effects due to diet. Dietary treatment had no effect on tenderness (WBSF or SSF) or content of saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, or polyunsaturated fatty acids (p > 0.05). However, cattle backgrounded with no supplementation had greater content of C18:1v in comparison to cattle backgrounded on peas or corn (151.19 vs. 95.34 and 69.66 mg/100 g, respectively; P = 0.0285). There was an interaction between grazing and finishing diets (P < 0.0001) for total content of fatty acids. For cattle backgrounded without supplementation, those finished with field peas had greater total fatty acid content in comparison those finished with corn. Whereas, for cattle backgrounded with field peas, those finished on corn had greater total fatty acid content in comparison to those finished on field peas. Meat from cattle finished with field peas had slightly greater lipid oxidation than samples from cattle not receiving field peas during finishing (1.56 vs. 1.44 mg malonaldehyde/kg tissue, respectively; p = 0.0541). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances had a significant retail display effect, increasing over time (0d = 0.94, 4d = 1.46 and 7d = 2.11 mg malonaldehyde/kg tissue; p < 0.0001). Discoloration, L* and a* statistically displayed triple interactions for retail display, pasture and finishing diets (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0524 and p = 0.024, respectively). Although these interactions were statistically significant, no consistent patterns due to treatments could be identified.ConclusionThese data indicate field peas may be used as an alternative diet for growing and finishing cattle with minimal to no negative impact on fresh meat quality.
A linked data graph approach to integration of immunological data

Systems biology involves the integration of multiple data types (across different data sources) to offer a more complete picture of the biological system being studied. While many existing biological databases are implemented using the traditional SQL (Structured Query Language) database technology, NoSQL database technologies have been explored as a more relationship-based, flexible and scalable method of data integration. In this paper, we describe how to use the Neo4J graph database to integrate a variety of types of data sets in the context of systems vaccinology. Specifically, we have converted into a common graph model diverse types of vaccine response measurement data from the NIH/NIAID ImmPort data repository, pathway data from Reactome, influenza virus strains from WHO, and taxonomic data from NCBI Taxon. While Neo4J provides a graph-based query language (Cypher) for data retrieval, we develop a web-based dashboard for users to easily browse and visualize data without the need to learn Cypher. In addition, we have prototyped a natural language query interface for users to interact with our system. In conclusion, we demonstrate the feasibility of using a graph-based database for storing and querying immunological data with complex biological relationships. Querying a graph database through such relationships has the potential to reveal novel relationships among heterogeneous biological data.
A sampling of methods to study chromosome and genome structure and function

As a scientist, one’s perspective of the human genome is informed by the way it is studied – at the level of single nucleotides, a single gene, a specific genomic region, an entire chromosome, the complete karyotype, or the nucleus that encompasses both the genome and the nuclear components that support genome structure, function, stability, and inheritance. Experimentally investigating aspects of genome structure and chromosome number and higher order packaging requires different technical approaches that offer varying levels of resolution. This special issue of Chromosome Research provides overviews of a few current methodologies to study chromosome and genome organization and function, with a particular focus on contemporary sequencing-based approaches.
Volatile organic compounds: Potential biomarkers for improved diagnosis and monitoring of diabetic wounds

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emerging as an alternative, efficient method for diagnosing and monitoring wounds. However, conditions, including poor blood circulation, uncontrolled plasma glucose level, and metabolic changes in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), not only hinder wound healing, they also lead to changes in production of VOCs. Methods (sample collection, analytical methods, statistical analysis) used for reliable identification of wound-associated VOCs are described. VOCs produced by bacteria found in wound samples in vitro and in vivo are presented. VOCs linked to DM and plasma glucose fluctuations with their potential impact on wound-related VOCs are explored. Finally, the status of electronic noses (eNoses) used for detection of a wound and its related bacteria is discussed. While the use of VOCs to diagnose wounds is in its infancy, limited results show promise, including early results on the detection of bacterial infections in diabetic foot ulcers using an eNose.
The Humanities and Arts in The Gerontological Society of America.

Perspectives from the humanities and arts (HA they emerged over the centuries along with concurrent scientific investigations. Provisionally invited into the scientific ranks of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) during the late 1970s, H&A prospered, but grew amid tensions. During 75th-anniversary celebrations, Society members will assess H&A's role in GSA. How can H&A continue to enrich scientific research? How can H&A further advance its own meaningful contributions? Or, should H&A and GSA reconfigure its partnership?
Alexithymia 3.0: Reimagining alexithymia from a medical perspective

Although alexithymia research has greatly expanded in recent decades, our ability to treat it clinically remains limited. This article provides a new perspective on why that may be true and offers a fresh approach to clinical intervention. The recent distinction between the agnosia and anomia subtypes of alexithymia, coupled with the introduction of the three-process model of emotional awareness (consisting of affective response generation, affective response representation and cognitive control), suggests that alexithymia is a phenotype that includes a spectrum of deficits that vary in their underlying neurobiology. This advance creates the opportunity to improve our ability to treat alexithymia. In the history of medicine major advances in the ability to provide effective treatments became possible once the relevant underlying morbid anatomy and physiology were discovered and the different causes of a common clinical phenotype were identified. The author suggests that we may now be entering a new era of this type in alexithymia research and clinical care. According to this perspective, Era 1.0 consisted of the pioneering clinical observations of abnormalities in emotional functioning culminating in the consensus definition of alexithymia in Heidelberg in 1976. Era 2.0 from 1976 to the present has consisted of empirical studies in which sound psychometric measures based on this clinical phenotype have been used in combination with clinical assessments and objective measures such as emotion recognition ability, peripheral physiology and neuroimaging. We may now be entering Era 3.0 in which a new model of an alexithymia spectrum grounded in brain-body interactions can transcend the constraints of a phenotype standard and provide a guide for personalized clinical care targeting the specific deficits present in a given individual. This new approach is meant to supplement rather than replace existing research and clinical practices. This new era constitutes a medical perspective in three ways: 1) a focus on underlying neurobiology and associated clinical manifestations rather than an overarching phenotype; 2) a focus on the mechanisms of brain-body interactions associated with alexithymia that lead to adverse outcomes in systemic medical disorders; 3) clinical treatments directed at the specific deficits present in any given case.
Associations Between Peer Use, Costs and Benefits, Self-Efficacy, and Adolescent E-cigarette Use.

Objective Prior research identified peer use as a salient risk factor of adolescent electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use, but has not expanded on the mechanisms of this association. Methods Participants were 562 adolescents recruited from rural and suburban public high schools and an adolescent medicine clinic in the mid-Atlantic United States. Participants completed a packet of questionnaires that assessed demographics, substance use, expectations about the consequences of e-cigarette use, and perceptions of their own self-efficacy to resist using e-cigarettes. We estimated a series of mediation models using the MODEL INDIRECT command in MPLUS statistical software. In all models, significance of indirect effects from peer e-cigarette use to self-reported e-cigarette use were tested via two variables: (a) expected costs, (b) benefits of e-cigarette use, and (c) the perceived self-efficacy of the individual to refrain from e-cigarette use. Results Adolescents with more peers using e-cigarettes were more likely to have ever used an e-cigarette and perceived greater benefits and fewer costs, which was associated with a reduced self-efficacy to refrain from e-cigarette smoking (Model 1). Those with more peers using e-cigarettes were more likely to be currently using e-cigarettes themselves because they perceived greater benefits and fewer costs, which was associated with a reduced self-efficacy to refrain from e-cigarette smoking (Model 2). Conclusion Peer use, self-efficacy to resist use, and expectations of cost and benefits of e-cigarette use should be considered as possible targets when devising tailored interventions and policies to prevent or reduce negative health consequences of long-term e-cigarette use.
Years of life lost associated with COVID-19 deaths in the USA during the first year of the pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Years of Life Lost (YLLs) measure the shortfall in life expectancy due to a medical condition and have been used in multiple contexts. Previously it was estimated that there were 1.2 million YLLs associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) deaths in the USA through 11 July 2020. The aim of this study is to update YLL estimates for the first full year of the pandemic. METHODS: We employed data regarding COVID-19 deaths in the USA through 31 January 2021 by jurisdiction, gender and age group. We used actuarial life expectancy tables by gender and age to estimate YLLs. RESULTS: We estimated roughly 3.9 million YLLs due to COVID-19 deaths, which correspond to roughly 9.2 YLLs per death. We observed a large range across states in YLLs per 10 000 capita, with New York City at 298 and Vermont at 12. Nationally, the YLLs per 10 000 capita were greater for males than females (136.3 versus 102.3), but there was significant variation in the differences across states. CONCLUSIONS: Our estimates provide further insight into the mortality effects of COVID-19. The observed differences across states and genders demonstrate the need for disaggregated analyses of the pandemic's effects.
How extent of Barrett's metaplasia influences the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma

Purpose of review This review will focus on how the extent of Barrett's metaplasia influences the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). More specifically, this review will discuss the concepts of long and short-segment Barrett's metaplasia and irregular Z line as they relate to EAC risk. Recent findings The Prague classification can standardize reporting of Barrett's metaplasia. Recent literature has found significant associations between the length of Barrett's metaplasia and increased progression risk to EAC in multiple geographically distinct populations. Length of Barrett's metaplasia has been incorporated into the Progression of Barrett's esophagus (PIB) model that can predict individualized life-time risks of progression. The risk of malignant transformation appears to be very low in patients with irregular Z line. Summary Length of Barrett's metaplasia has emerged as an important predictor that can influence the risk of EAC and should be reported using the Prague classification. The PIB model, if further validated, could help a practicing gastroenterologist to inform patients with Barrett's metaplasia about their personal risk of progression to tailor surveillance intervals. Current guidelines do not recommend surveillance in patients with irregular Z line, but careful examination is recommended.
SAT-383 Prevalence of Opioid Induced Adrenal Insufficiency in Patients Taking Chronic Opioids

BACKGROUND: Chronic opioid use may lead to adrenal insufficiency due to central suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Opioid induced adrenal insufficiency (OIAI) is likely under-recognized and its prevalence is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of OIAI in patients taking opioids for chronic pain and to identify predictors of OIAI. METHODS: A prospective study of patients admitted to the Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC) at an academic medical center completed between 2016 and 2018. Inclusion criteria were: 1) age ≥18 years, 2) intermittent or continuous opioid use of at least 90 days, 3) am cortisol measurement on admission. Exclusion criteria were: 1) known pituitary or adrenal dysfunction, 2) exogenous glucocorticoid use within 3 months. Each patient’s opioid daily dose was converted into a morphine mg equivalent (MME). All patients had a functional 5-minute walk test and measurements of quality of life on admission to the PRC. Diagnosis of OIAI was based on the endocrine evaluation. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-two patients (median age of 53.5 years (range 21-84), 67% women, 95 % Caucasian) met inclusion criteria. Patients used opioids daily (141, 87%) or as needed (21, 13.0%) at a median MME of 30 mg (3-840), median duration of 60 months (3-360). In addition to morning cortisol (CORT), 112 (69.1%) patients had measurements of corticotropin (ACTH) and 106 (65.4%) - dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). CORT was directly correlated with both DHEAS (p=0.04) and ACTH (p 20 mg), however specificity of MME cutoff >20 mg to predict OIAI development was only 34%. After opioid discontinuation, 3/8 patients recovered adrenal function when reassessed at 14 months (5-14). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of OIAI based on the endocrine evaluation was 5%, with MME being the only predictor for OIAI development. Patients on MMED of 20 mg and above should be monitored for OIAI. Abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis were frequent, affecting 14-21% of patients taking opioids, possibly contributing to patients’ symptoms, physical performance and well-being.
Controllable phycobilin modification: an alternative photoacclimation response in cryptophyte algae

Cryptophyte algae are well known for their ability to survive under low light conditions through the use of their auxiliary light harvesting antennas, phycobiliproteins. Mainly acting to absorb light where chlorophyll cannot (500-650 nm), phycobiliproteins also play an instrumental role in helping cryptophyte algae respond to changes in light intensity through the process of photoacclimation. Until recently, photoacclimation in cryptophyte algae was only observed as a change in the cellular concentration of phycobiliproteins; however, an additional photoacclimation response was recently discovered that causes shifts in the phycobiliprotein absorbance peaks following growth under red, blue, or green light. Here, we reproduce this newly identified photoacclimation response in two other species of cryptophyte algae, P. sulcata and H. pacifica, and elucidate the origin of the response on the protein level. We compare isolated native and photoacclimated phycobiliproteins for these two species using spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and we report the x-ray structures of the PC577 light harvesting complex and corresponding photoacclimated complex. We find that neither the protein sequences, nor the protein structures are modified by photoacclimation. We conclude that cryptophyte algae change a chromophore in one site of their phycobiliprotein beta-subunits as part of the photoacclimation response to changes in the spectral quality of light. Ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy shows that the energy transfer is weakly affected by the photoacclimation.
Influenza prevention and control. Past practices and future prospects.

Abstract The Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP) recommends annual influenza vaccination for elderly and high-risk persons [1]. This policy reflects continued recognition of influenza as an important cause of serious morbidity and excess mortality. Despite advances in medical care, there is little evidence to suggest that the impact of influenza is declining [2]. On the contrary, because the number of elderly persons is increasing, influenza appears destined to remain a significant health problem. The traditional approach to the prevention and control of influenza has focused on influenza vaccine, and particularly on its use by office-based physicians. It is widely acknowledged, however, that current immunization efforts are inadequate and that newer approaches to vaccine delivery are required. This report begins with a historical review of the use of influenza vaccine in the United States. Next, three methods of improving immunization practice are discussed. Finally, future prospects for improving influenza immunization are presented.
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF EARLY-ONSET FUCHS CORNEAL DYSTROPHY IN THREE CASES WITH THE SAME L450W COL8A2 MUTATION

Purpose A rare, familial early-onset form of Fuchs corneal dystrophy (FCD) is caused by mutation in the COL8A2 gene. This study describes the aberrant pattern of distribution of collagen type VIII and basement membrane components in Descemet’s membrane (DM) and endothelium of three individuals with the same L450W mutation that represent different stages of early-onset FCD.
The contemporary US digital divide: from initial access to technology maintenance

As US Internet penetration rates have climbed, digital divide researchers have largely shifted attention to differences in Internet skills. Interviews with 72 low-income US residents from both a large metropolitan city and a medium-sized Midwestern town, however, reveal that many people still struggle to maintain physical access, supporting technology maintenance theory. Technology maintenance theory argues that although most of the US poor now use digital technology, access is unstable and characterized by frequent periods of disconnection. As a result, low-income users must work to maintain access, often experiencing cycles of dependable instability. In these interviews, nearly all used the Internet, but technology maintenance practices were widespread, including negotiation of temporarily disconnected service, broken hardware, and logistic limitations on public access. As a result, participants had limited access to health information and employment, and biased attitudes toward technology. That is, in ...
TU-C-330D-02: Digital Breast Tomosynthesis

Both film‐screen and digital mammography are subject to a number of fundamental limitations related to the projection process, whereby 2D images are produced of the 3D breast anatomy.Mammography can produce artifactual densities from the superposition of normal tissues that are separated in space; although only visible in a single view, these often appear sufficiently suspicious to necessitate a biopsy, leading to a loss in specificity. Furthermore, true lesions in mammograms can be masked by superimposed normal tissue and thereby rendered undetectable; this reduces the sensitivity of mammography. Numerous tomographic methods have been proposed to overcome these limitations, including digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). DBT is a tomographic imaging technique in which a set of tomographic images can be reconstructed from a limited number of x‐ray projection images. DBT has the potential to mitigate against both the superposition of non‐adjacent tissue (false positive densities) and the masking of real lesions (false negatives) observed in projection mammography, while also providing a simple means of localizing lesions in 3D. A preliminary retrospective study of breast tomosynthesis by Rafferty et al. has demonstrated a 16% increase in sensitivity and 85% decrease in false positives as compared to digital mammography. Our own experience at the University of Pennsylvania with 51 patients has provided supported anecdotal evidence. DBT also offers the potential for functional imaging. Breast tumor growth and metastasis are accompanied by the development of new blood vessels. We have used a modified GE 2000D under IRB approval, to gain initial experience in contrast‐enhanced DBT (CE‐DBT). To date we have acquired 13 CE‐DBT clinical cases. Suspicious enhancing lesions were demonstrated with CE‐DBT in 10 of 11 cases of pathology‐proven breast cancer. The cases illustrated that CE‐DBT could provide information in concordance with multimodality imaging evaluation. The pre‐contrast tomosynthesisimages demonstrated lesion morphology and border characteristics in greater detail than the digital mammographyimages, and the CE‐DBT data sets demonstrated vascular characteristics of the breast lesions of interest that were consistent with the vascular information provided by MR. In addition, quantitative evaluation of contrast uptake is anticipated to be more easily standardized with CE‐DBT due to the linear relationship between attenuation and contrast concentration compared to MRI. In this presentation, the following education objectives will be addressed: 1. Review the development and design of digital breast tomosynthesis systems. 2. Evaluate the results of the existing DBT clinical trials. 3. Examine advanced applications of DBT including contrast‐enhanced DBT and CAD. 4. Compare DBT to other x‐ray tomographic imaging modalities.
An electrophoretic analysis of plasma proteins from juvenile Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum)

The plasma proteins of juvenile spring chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, were examined as a function of development. Two-way gel electroprioresis of plasma proteins was conducted on samples taken from fish before initiation of downstream migration, from fish classified as actively migrating and from fish that were prevented from migrating. Analysis of the samples indicated that plasma proteins of fish changed depending on the migratory status of the fish. The results were consistent with the notion that some of the factors normally associated with smoltification in species such as steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri, and coho salmon, O. kisutch, may well be temporally separated in Idaho O. ishawytscha.
Some eastern thoughts for northeastern surgeons.

I have watched with fascination the emerging dominance of the Eastern nations in the political and economic spheres, and I agree with the majority opinion that we must credit hard work, good schooling, and a greater concern for society than for the individual for much of their competitive edge. However, it is not of capitalism vs socialism that I wish to speak today, but rather of certain cultural values that distinguish West from East, values that may have some pertinence to the way we practice medicine. I have no valid credentials for talking about Eastern values. I have spent a total of slightly less than 4 months on four different trips to the Orient, and much of that time was in the countryside. However, I have read and thought a bit in the 2 years that you give your president elect to choose and to mature a topic. The Eastern
Submitochondrial localization and characteristics of thymidine kinase molecular forms in parental and kinase-deficient HeLa cells.

Although HeLa (BU25) cells are deficient in cytosol dT kinase activity, they contain two mitochondrial dT kinases with disc PAGE mobilities (Rm) of 0.4 and 0.6 and isoelectric points (pI) of 8.4 and 5.6, respectively. Mitochondrial extracts of parental HeLa S3 contain the two HeLa (BU25) activities, but also a cytosol-like enzyme (0.25 Rm, pI 9.8). The 0.6-Rm (pI 5.6) mitochondrial activity utilizes ribonucleoside 5′-triphosphates other than ATP (dATP) as phosphate donors and is sensitive to dCTP inhibition. The predominant HeLa S3 cytosol (0.25 Rm) enzyme and the 0.4 Rm mitochondrial enzymeefficiently utilize only ATP as a phosphate donor and are relatively insensitive to dCTP inhibition. Submitochondrial fractionation studies have shown that (1) 74–98% of the mitochondrial dT kinase is located in the matrix plus inner membrane fractions; (2) the matrix fraction has the highest specific activity, contains all the 0.6-Rm activity, most of the HeLa S3 0.25-Rm activity, and some 0.4-Rm activity; (3) the inner membrane fraction is the major site of the 0.4-Rm activity but the outer membrane fraction also contains the 0.4 Rm activity; and (4) all HeLa S3 submitochondrial fractions contain the 0.25-Rm dT kinase activity.
Protecting against peroxynitrite-mediated cytotoxicity in vascular smooth muscle cells via upregulating endogenous glutathione biosynthesis by 3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione.

Peroxynitrite (ONOO−) is critically involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Reaction with glutathione (GSH) was proposed to be a major detoxification pathway of ONOO− in the biological system. This study was undertaken to determine if chemically elevated intracellular GSH affords protection against ONOO−-mediated toxicity in vascular cells. Incubation of aortic smooth muscle A10 cells with 3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T) led to a concentration- and time-dependent elevation of cellular GSH. Treatment of the cells with D3T also augmented protein and gene expression of γ-glutamylcysteine ligase. To examine the effects of D3T-induced GSH on ONOO−-mediated toxicity, we pretreated A10 cells with D3T and then exposed them to either authentic ONOO− or the ONOO− generator, 3-morpholinosydnonimine. We observed that D3T pretreatment of A10 cells resulted in a significant protection against ONOO− cytotoxicity. Conversely, depletion of cellular GSH by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) caused a marked potentiation of ONOO− cytotoxicity. To further demonstrate the causal involvement of GSH induction in D3T cytoprotection, we cotreated A10 cells with BSO to abolish D3T-induced GSH elevation. BSO cotreatment was found to greatly reverse the protective effects of D3T on ONOO−-elicited cytotoxicity. Taken together, our results demonstrate that upregulating GSH biosynthesis by D3T results in a marked protection against ONOO−-induced toxicity in vascular cells.
The polarization of 3He particles elastically scattered from 9Be, 12C and 16O

Abstract The polarization of 3He particles scattered from 9Be, 12C and 16O has been measured at 18 MeV (and 20 MeV for 12C) over an angular range θc.m. = 20°–60°. Cross-section angular distributions out to 170° have also been obtained. The polarization distributions for the three nuclei appear similar and compare reasonably well with optical-model calculations. A spinorbit well epth greater than 3 MeV is required in the calculations to predict polarizations having the magnitudes of the measured values. Comparisons are made between the data and predictions which use optical-model parameter families related by the discrete and continuous ambiguities.
Single-molecule motility: statistical analysis and the effects of track length on quantification of processive motion.

In vitro, single-molecule motility assays allow for the direct characterization of molecular motor properties including stepping velocity and characteristic run length. Although application of these techniques in vivo is feasible, the challenges involved in sample preparation, as well as the added complexity of the cell and its systems, result in a reduced ability to collect large datasets, as well as difficulty in simultaneous observation of the components of the motility system, namely motor and track. To address these challenges, we have developed simulations to characterize motility datasets as a function of sample size, processive run length of the motor, and distribution of track lengths. We introduce the use of a simple bootstrapping technique that allows for the quantification of measurement uncertainty and a Monte Carlo permutation resampling scheme for the measurement of statistical significance and the estimation of required sample size. In addition, we have found that, despite conventional wisdom, the measured characteristic run length is directly coupled to the characteristic track length that describes the microtubule length distribution. To be able to make comparisons between motility experiments performed on different track populations as well as make measurements of motility when motors and tracks cannot be simultaneously resolved, we have developed a theoretical framework for the determination of the effect that track length has on observed characteristic run lengths. This shows good agreement with in vitro motility experiments on two kinesin constructs walking on microtubule populations of different characteristic track lengths.
Measurement of the Entanglement of Two Superconducting Qubits via State Tomography

Demonstration of quantum entanglement, a key resource in quantum computation arising from a nonclassical correlation of states, requires complete measurement of all states in varying bases. By using simultaneous measurement and state tomography, we demonstrated entanglement between two solid-state qubits. Single qubit operations and capacitive coupling between two super-conducting phase qubits were used to generate a Bell-type state. Full two-qubit tomography yielded a density matrix showing an entangled state with fidelity up to 87%. Our results demonstrate a high degree of unitary control of the system, indicating that larger implementations are within reach.
Recent pollen spectra and zonal vegetation in the western USSR

Abstract The relationship of modern pollen spectra to present-day vegetation is critical to the reconstruction of vegetation and climate from fossil pollen spectra. This study uses isopoll maps to illustrate the pollen-vegetation relationships in the Soviet Union west of 100°E and presents descriptive statistics for 544 modern samples of arboreal pollen and for 370 samples of herb pollen obtained from the Soviet palynological literature. Data are assembled from this large geographic region and presented in a standardized form on a scale which can be used to relate quantitative pollen data to zonal vegetation and climatic variables and to make comparisons with other regions. In order to show the relationship between pollen types and major ecotones in forested and non-forested areas, the pollen data are presented as percentages of a sum including both arboreal and non-arboreal pollen. Major pollen types which attain values of 10% or more in at least one vegetation zone include Betula (birch), Cyperaceae (sedges), Picea (spruce), Pinus (total pine), Pinus sibirica, Ericaceae (heath family), Gramineae (grasses), Artemisia (sage), and Chenopodiaceae (i.e., saltbush, Russian thistle, pigweed family). Samples from the tundra and forest-tundra have high values of Ericaceae (heath family), birch, alder, and sedge pollen. In the boreal forest, pine, spruce, and birch pollen predominate. In the mixed and deciduous forests, Tilia (linden), Quercus (oak), Ulmus (elm), and Corylus (hazel) pollen attain maximum values. In the forest-steppe and steppe zones, arboreal pollen decreases in importance and is replaced by non-arboreal pollen types. Pollen of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae predominates in the semi-desert zones. In spite of variation in the pollen spectra arising from the use of different sediment types (soil, peat, and river sediments), and human disturbance of vegetation, the pollen spectra are clearly related to zonal vegetation. Pollen spectra from the western USSR show geographical patterns similar to those in North America, although Betula and Ericaceae are more important in pollen spectra in the Soviet Union. Picea pollen is less important and Pinus pollen is more widespread in the USSR. Deciduous pollen types such as Quercus, Tilia, and Ulmus are less important than in North America.
Charge quantization of wormholes and the finiteness of Newton's constant

Abstract We derive, from first principles, the equations of Lee which exhibit wormhole solutions. The interpretation of such solutions becomes more transparent: they are local extrema of the action which contribute to transition amplitudes between states of definite charge. Hence the charge carried by the wormhole is quantized. We briefly review Coleman's mechanism for the vanishing of the cosmological constant, with emphasis on the problem of the vanishing of Newton's constant G . A mechanism is proposed that could naturally make 1/ G a bounded function of the wormhole parameters.
Pfaffian labelings and signs of edge colorings

We relate signs of edge-colorings (as in classical Penrose's result) with "Pfaffian labelings", a generalization of Pfaffian orientations, whereby edges are labeled by elements of an Abelian group with an element of order two. In particular, we prove a conjecture of Goddyn that all k-edge-colorings of a k-regular Pfaffian graph G have the same sign. We characterize graphs that admit a Pfaffian labeling in terms of bricks and braces in their matching decomposition and in terms of their drawings in the projective plane.
Sources of Variation in Computer Imaging of Electrophoretic Gels

Electrophoresis is commonly used in agricultural sciences and industries to evaluate protein constituents of plant and animal tissue for cultivar or species identification. Visual analysis of polymorphic bands is effective, but comparison of electrophoretic banding patterns containing common bands of differing optical densities is difficult and subjective. A reliable and reproducible objective means of evaluation is needed. The purpose of this study was to test computer-assisted image analysis for quantitative evaluation of electrophoretic bands. Seed protein was extracted from mixtures and blends of turfgrass species and cultivars, separated on isoelectric focusing gels, and stained for esterase activity. Banding patterns were scanned and computer-assisted evaluation of band densities performed. Statistical evaluation of repetitive scans of varying band densities revealed that significant variation occurred among gels, scans, and among gel positions. However, when multiple bands from the same sources were averaged across a single gel and evaluated from a single scan, computer-assisted image analysis proved accurate for discriminating bands with minor density variation. Computer-assisted image analysis is an effective quantitative method for evaluation of electrophoretic gels when techniques are used to minimize variation.
Use of an expert system to predict thunderstorms and severe weather

To assist the battlefield commander, the U.S. Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory has developed a rule-based expert system that can advise weather forecasters on the possibility of thunderstorm activity and other severe weather phenomena. This expert system, the Thunderstorm Intelligence Prediction System (TIPS), provides expedient conclusions about the weather that are derived from a large sum of data. During the spring and summer thunderstorm season of 1990 TIPS was tested at 14 different sites across the United States© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A retrospective review of patients with atypical femoral fractures while on long-term bisphosphonates: including pertinent biochemical and imaging studies.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effects of prolonged bisphosphonate (BP) exposure on the development of atypical fragility fractures, and to define the associated risk factors. METHODS: Approval was obtained from the institutional review board, and a retrospective chart analysis was performed on 51 patients who had been on BPs for at least 3 years and had complete subtrochanteric or diaphyseal femoral fracture(s) between January 2005 and April 2011. All relevant data were available for 25 patients (mean age, 67.52 years). All fractures included in the study were low- or no-energy. Relevant clinical and demographic data were collected regarding age, gender, ethnicity, height, weight, and comorbid medical conditions. Imaging and laboratory data collected on all patients included: calcium, alkaline phosphatase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), intact parathyroid hormone, serum c-telopeptide, and urine n-telopeptide levels, bone mineral density, radiography, and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Most of the patients in this study were Caucasian, were on alendronate, had bilateral findings, and almost half had prodromal symptoms. The 25-OHD level was suboptimal (<30 ng/mL) in 45.8% of the patients. Mean BP duration was 9.84 years, and mean bone density was in the osteopenic, not osteoporotic, range. CONCLUSION: Characteristics of patients with atypical BP-related fracture include relatively young age, long duration of BP use, suboptimal 25-OHD level, and bone density in the nonosteoporotic range. All of these may be significant risk factors for insufficiency fracture development.
Modeling fast neutron irradiation damage accumulation in tungsten

Abstract Due to its advantageous physical properties, tungsten (W) is being considered as a candidate structural material in fusion applications. In this paper, we perform stochastic cluster dynamics calculations of irradiation damage accumulation in pure W under fast neutron spectra up to doses of 1.5 dpa in the 400–600 °C interval. Our calculations suggest that He bubbles and dislocation loops accumulate under fusion conditions, but not under fast fission spectra. We study the temperature dependence of swelling and find that it is maximum in the 550–590 °C temperature range, falling precipitously above 600 °C. Swelling levels are very low, never surpassing a fraction of a percentage point. We also provide hardening estimates based on the accumulation of sessile dislocation loops under fusion conditions and show that they are moderate, ranging between 70 and 137 MPa at 400 °C.
Changes in the apparent quantum efficiency for photolysis of Hb(CO)1.

Recent studies suggest that the allosteric state of the protein surrounding the hemes in hemoglobin affects both geminate recombination of CO and the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) for photolysis (Rohlfs, R.J., J.S. Olson, and Q.H. Gibson, 1988, J. Biol. Chem. 263: 1803–1813. We report combined flow/flash experiments in which the AQE for photolysis of Hb(CO)1 was measured as a function of time delay after its formation. Experiments were carried out at 20 degrees C in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 with CO saturations of 10% or less. The AQE was observed to decrease from a value close to 1.0 at short times to approximately 0.6 after 2 s. The fundamental photolysis step for carboxyhemoglobin is known to have a quantum efficiency of nearly 1.0, whereas the lower AQE values we observe result from competition between rapid geminate recombination and a rapid reaction step leading to escape of the CO to the solution phase. Changes in AQE values reflect changes in these rapid reaction steps which presumably result from conformational change in Hb(CO)1. The change in AQE is consistent with conversion of one or more hemes to an R-like state but these changes could not be even approximately described in terms of a simple two-state allosteric model.
Computer-administered individualized psychological testing: a feasibility study

The advent of microcomputers promises to open up a new era in psychometrics. In order to tap the full potential of the computer, it should do more than simply administer and score psychological tests, generate interpretations and graph the results. Psycho-metricians should tap the decision-making capacity of the computer, so that the most information can be generated from the fewest questions necessary accurately to assess, diagnose and treat the patient. This exploratory study explores the feasibility of converting the full-length Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (566 items) into a shorter form using a computer to individualize the number of items needed to reproduce a full-scale MMPI. 499 subjects from Kaiser Permanente (Southern California Region) who had taken the MMPI-566 in the paper and pencil format were used for the norming group, and 489 subjects from the same population were used for the comparison group. Multiple regression equations were produced for each step, and the computer generated a new equation for each item until criterion (matching two consecutive predictions, accurate to the first decimal place) was reached. The mean of the correlations comparing the predicted raw scores against the actual raw scores (scales across subjects) was r = 0-95, with a range of 0·88 to 0·98. The mean of the correlations comparing the predicted profiles (subjects across scales) was r=0·98 for the norming group and r=0·97 for the comparison group. The mean number of items needed for the comparison group was 187 (after adjusting for item overlap), and the profile correlation by subject for number of items needed was r=0·20. It was concluded that (1) psychological tests can be developed that will allow for individualized computer administration and (2) scores on these tests can accurately predict the scores on tests from which they were derived. Implications for use of computers in psychometrics are discussed.
Misgivings about smart giving: Some complications of the Robin Hood model of philanthropy

How do you decide which good causes should receive your money? Two economists suggest relentless logic; but Michael A. Lewis raises some statistical questions about their argument.
INTRODUCTION TO THE SYMPOSIUM ON RESEARCH IN INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD

The symposium that follows was organized in order to provide a forum for those who were actively engaged in the study of the development of the young human being. People convened who, in the preceding ten or fifteen years, had undertaken systematic development studies, physiologic or characterologic, cross-sectional or longitudinal, of the infant or preschool child. A number of researchers who recognize the importance of the biological level of human functioning as well as the psychological, neurological patterning as well as psychological mechanisms, were invited to meet with each other. It was important to us that all those who participated have a thorough grasp of psychoanalytic concepts and hypotheses, although their contributions might spring from only tangentially related fields. We envisioned two days of mutual exchange which would permit us to extend our field of conscious awareness, and advisedly did not include some investigators to whom one or another level of human functioning is so important that all others have constantly to be derogated. Since it was our purpose to bring together only people who were presently engaged in observations and examinations of this age group, the already definitive contributions of Myrtle McGraw, Nancy Bayley, L. W. Sontag, Margaret Ribble, Margaret Fries, Edith Jackson, Sylvia
Alison: statified cooperative storytelling in dissociative identity disorders

In the Alison installation, different plot elements are presented based on the viewer's movement within a physical space. The space works as both a form of interaction and another method of presenting story elements.
Relative Energetics at the Semiconductor/Sensitizing Dye/Electrolyte Interface

Chemical oxidation, spectro-electrochemical reduction, and potential-dependent photoluminescence were employed to investigate changes in the redox potential of eight different adsorbed sensitizing dyes relative to the potentials of the semiconductor and the electrolyte solution. The redox potentials of the investigated dyes were pH-independent in solution but developed a pH dependence that varied between 21 and 53 mV per pH unit upon adsorption to an oxide surface. Electrochemical experiments show that the apparent redox potential of the dye could also be influenced by an external bias applied to the electrode. The adsorption-induced potential changes were found to depend on both the dye structure and the electrolyte composition. A proposed model that considers the position of the specifically adsorbed dye relative to the ionic double layer at the electrode/electrolyte interface explains these results qualitatively. When the dye is mostly inside the double layer, its potential will tend to follow changes ...
Intimacy versus privacy

When you talk to a person, it's safe to assume that you both share large bodies of "common sense knowledge." But when you converse with a programmed computer, neither of you is likely to know much about what the other one knows. Indeed, in some respects this is desirable - as when we're concerned with our privacy. We don't want strangers to know our most personal goals, or all the resources that we may control. However, when we turn to our computers for help, we'll want that relationship to change - because now it is in our interest for those systems to understand our aims and goals, as well as our fears and phobias. Indeed, the extents to which those processes "know us as individuals". Issues like these will always arise whenever we need a new interface - and as one of my teachers wrote long ago, "The hope is that, in not too many years, human brains and computing machines will be coupled together very tightly, and that the resulting partnership will think as no human brain has ever thought and process data in a way not approached by the information-handling machines we know today."1 Indeed, the '60s and '70s saw substantial advancestowars this but it seems to me that then progress slowed down. If so, perhaps this was partly because the AI community moved from semantic and heuristic methods towards more formal (but less flexible) statistical schemes. So nowI'd like to see more researchers remedy this by developing systems that use more commonsense knowledge.
An Extended Discrete Ricker Population Model with Allee Effects

Based on the classical discrete Ricker population model, we incorporate Allee effects by assuming rectangular hyperbola, or Holling-II type functional form, for the birth or growth function and formulate an extended Ricker model. We explore the dynamics features of the extended Ricker model. We obtain domains of attraction for the trivial fixed point. We determine conditions for the existence and stability of positive fixed points and find regions where there exist no positive fixed points, two positive fixed points one of which is stable and two positive fixed points both of which are unstable. We demonstrate that the model exhibits period-doubling bifurcations and investigate the existence and stability of the cycles. We also confirm that Allee effects have stabilization effects, by different measures, through numerical simulations.