cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanostructures prepared by vacuum-line deposition of organosilanes through a colloidal mask

Vacuum environments provide capabilities for patterning molecularly thin films that are air sensitive, insoluble, or cannot be easily dissolved in solvents. The authors introduce an approach to produce nanopatterns with organotrichlorosilanes using vacuum-line deposition combined with colloidal lithography. In particular, excess water can be problematic for preparing films of organosilanes due to self-polymerization. Three model trichlorosilane architectures were tested: octadecyltrichlorosilane, 4-(chloromethyl)phenyltrichlorosilane (CMPS), and phenyltrichlorosilane. Monodisperse silica mesospheres were used as a surface mask to protect exquisitely small, discrete areas of a silicon surface from reaction with organosilanes. Organosilanes were deposited with a home-built vacuum-line apparatus to form patterns on Si(111) surrounding the surface template of close-packed silica spheres. After removing the mask by solvent rinses, an array of nanoholes within a monolayer film of organosiloxanes was produced. Broad areas of the sample were patterned with regular arrangements of nanoholes, spanning microns. The thickness of the films was measured locally with atomic force microscopy by referencing the exposed sites inside the nanoholes as a baseline. As a comparison, nanostructures of CMPS were prepared at atmospheric pressure with conditions of ambient humidity. The nanostructures that were prepared in ambient pressure without control of even small amounts of residual water on the surface were comprised of cross-linked multilayers to form bowls surrounding the templating spheres of the surface mask. The nanostructured surfaces have precisely regular, reproducible geometries with nanoscale dimensions, which can subsequently furnish a template for successive chemical reactions.Vacuum environments provide capabilities for patterning molecularly thin films that are air sensitive, insoluble, or cannot be easily dissolved in solvents. The authors introduce an approach to produce nanopatterns with organotrichlorosilanes using vacuum-line deposition combined with colloidal lithography. In particular, excess water can be problematic for preparing films of organosilanes due to self-polymerization. Three model trichlorosilane architectures were tested: octadecyltrichlorosilane, 4-(chloromethyl)phenyltrichlorosilane (CMPS), and phenyltrichlorosilane. Monodisperse silica mesospheres were used as a surface mask to protect exquisitely small, discrete areas of a silicon surface from reaction with organosilanes. Organosilanes were deposited with a home-built vacuum-line apparatus to form patterns on Si(111) surrounding the surface template of close-packed silica spheres. After removing the mask by solvent rinses, an array of nanoholes within a monolayer film of organosiloxanes was produced. B...
The Family Medici: The Hidden History of the Medici Dynasty

Renaissance scholar Mary Hollingsworth’s new book, The Family Medici: The Hidden History of the Medici Dynasty, begins with a telling story: the Medici pope’s 1530 siege of his family’s native city...
Impact of Cardiovascular Disease on Health Insurance Coverage and Healthcare Use Under Economic Stress: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2012

Objectives Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has a substantial financial impact on healthcare systems in the US. This study aimed to examine the impact of CVD on health insurance coverage and health service use under economic stress as indicated by the Great Recession in the US (December 2007-June 2009). Methods Data of 26,483 adults aged ≥ 20 years from the 2003-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. There were 9,479 adults assigned to the group "before the Great Recession" (2003-2006), 5,674 adults assigned to "during the Great Recession" (2007-2008), and 11,330 adults assigned to "after the Great Recession" (2009-2012). Results Patients with CVD from low-income families were more likely to have health insurance during the recession (OR:1.57, 95% CI: 1.01,2.45). Those participants without CVD, who were from low-income families or < 65 years, were more likely to use the emergency room rather than primary care facilities to gain access to routine healthcare (p < 0.05). Patients with CVD from high-income families were also more likely to use the emergency room (p < 0.05). Patients with CVD but not those without CVD, who reported a high family income or were ≥ 65 years old, were less likely to use mental health services during the recession than before the recession. Conclusion Effective strategies need to be developed to promote primary care use among the general adult American population. In addition, use of mental health services among patients with CVD needs to be improved when financial stress occurs.
Caregivers of hip fracture patients: The forgotten victims?

Abstract Introduction The burden that family and friends assume when caring for hip fracture patients can negatively impact the caregiver's quality of life, relationships, and the decision to place the patient in a care facility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the burden of caregiving for intertrochanteric hip fractures to better counsel patients and caregivers in order to prevent delayed admission to a care facility. Methods A retrospective analysis of a prospectively gathered elderly hip fracture database identified 29 patients and their caregivers with complete 6 month follow-up. Caregiver burden and depression scales were administered to the primary caregiver in the immediate perioperative period (baseline), at 3 month follow-up, and at 6 month follow-up. At each time point caregivers reported the effects of caregiving on their finances, work hours, relationships, and their willingness to admit the patient to a long-term care facility. Results At 6 month follow-up, Conclusions High degrees of burden were experienced by 20% of caregivers of hip fracture patients. Caregivers with high caregiver burdens were more likely to consider placement of the patient into a long-term care facility. Risk factors for high caregiver burdens should be identified to optimize the quality of caregiving after discharge and to prevent delayed admission to a long-term care facility. Level of Evidence Level IV, case series.
Fermented Vegetables as Vectors for Relocation of Microbial Diversity from the Environment to the Human Gut

The discovery of yeasts as living cells able to produce ethanol in fermented foods and beverages in the 1920s continues to captivate our imagination with respect to the functionality and role of microbes in food preservation and human health. Mounting evidence confirms the ability of microbes to deliver nutrition, flavor and many bio-functionalities to fermented foods and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of mammals. The microbial diversity found in fermented foods, particulalrly vegetables, can benefit the human GI tract microbiome. Critical functions for microbes associated with fresh vegetables include the contribution to growth, development and defense of host plants. In parallel, plants have evolved to select and maintain beneficial microbes, including those within their tissue. Fermentation then serves as an instrument to pre-adapt beneficial microbes indigenous to fresh vegetables to the acidic pH and high lactic acid concentration characteristic of the colon and to the metabolism of dietary fiber, particularly pectic substances naturally present in the plant material and the gut. Fermented vegetable products enjoy a long-lasting record of safety upon consumption and are an appropriate vector for the translocation of microbial diversity from plants to the gut. Fermented vegetables can enhance prebiotic fiber and beneficial microbes content and consequently augment the catalog of metabolic functions needed in and available to the gut for building resilience in a healthy individual. It is the indigenous microbiota of fermented vegetables and intrinsic chemical composition of substrates, particularly dietary fibers, which can enable beneficial health claims from the consumption of pickles.
Merupa Teater Kemuliaan Allah Sebagai Ruang Publik: Suatu Usaha untuk Mengonstruksi Suatu Ruang Publik Lewat Pemikiran John Calvin dan Ninian Smart di dalam konteks Agama-agama Dunia

This article attempts to conceptualize the notion of ‘public sphere’ from the perspectives of Reformed theology and religious studies. This construction proceeds using a largely forgotten theological concept put forth by Calvin, namely the theater of God’s glory, in tandem with Ninian Smart’s phenomenological scaffold of the seven dimensions of religion. Through this constructive act, the author intends to demonstrate that Calvin’s concept of the theater of God’s glory can become a kind of ‘public sphere’ by means of an integration of thought with the aid of religious studies.
An integrated sleep and anxiety intervention for anxious children: A pilot randomized controlled trial:

Sleep-related complaints hold complex reciprocal relationships with anxiety and are a pervasive, distressing feature of childhood generalized anxiety disorders (GAD). Although evidence suggests pur...
A Single Stage Common Ground Three-Level PV Inverter With Integrated Power Decoupling

In this paper, a T-type common ground transformer-less single phase inverter with dynamic swing of the dc-link voltage is presented for photovoltaic (PV) application. The topology is a combination of a bi-directional, partial-power-processing boost stage and an asymmetric half-bridge inverter stage along with a T-branch. It takes advantage of the three-level switching states with reduced voltage stress on the main switches to achieve lower switching loss and almost one-half the inductor current ripple w.r.t. two level implementation. The double line frequency power decoupling is addressed by a dynamic dc-link approach, which allows a large swing of the dc-link to reduce the decoupling capacitor requirement, enabling an all-film capacitor implementation. This topology also significantly reduces the high-frequency capacitive coupled ground current by directly connecting the PV negative terminal to the grid neutral. Moreover, an adaptive dc-link voltage control scheme that optimally changes the average value of the dc-link voltage as the operating conditions (load and power factor) vary, has been proposed and thoroughly investigated from the perspective of better utilization of passive components and further reduction of switching losses. A SiC MOSFETs-based 1 kVA laboratory prototype has been built to validate the converter's operation at 200 V dc nominal input and 120 V/60 Hz ac nominal output with a wide range of power factor and load operations. Extensive experimental results validate the superior performance of the topology with the adaptive dc-link voltage control implementation showing a peak efficiency of 98.22% and a CEC efficiency of 98.03% at 50 kHz switching frequency.
How will COVID-19 Impact on the Governance of Global Health in the 2030 Agenda Framework? The Opinion of Experts

In 2015, the 2030 Agenda was formally adopted by the United Nations, establishing a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 3 seeks to promote Global Health and the quality of public health systems in developing countries. The achievement of these goals requires the commitment of all signing countries, but the COVID-19 crisis is changing the behavior of the main stakeholders in the international arena. What do the experts think about these changes? Could these changes threaten the 2030 Agenda and Global Health? To answer these questions, we conduct a content analysis of 152 documents written by experts from the 15 main think tanks on international development policy. The results point out that the new scenario brought about by the pandemic is hindering the necessary cooperation between countries to achieve global health goals and to guarantee public health coverage in developing countries. To deal with these challenges, more delegation of powers to international organizations and a reform of the international cooperation system are needed. With this analysis, we launch a warning about potential weaknesses of the institutional design of the 2030 Agenda in order for it to survive in a post-COVID-19 world and remain a valid instrument to promote health worldwide.
Identification and Endocardial Ablation of the Ligament of Marshall for Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to establish criteria for identifying ligament of Marshall (LOM) connections that are responsible for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) failure, assess their incidence, and determine if they can be targeted by focal endocardial ablation at the anterior carina of the left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV). Background Wide antral ablation of the left pulmonary veins (PVs) may not achieve PVI, sometimes requiring empirical ablation of the PV carina. The mechanism could be due to epicardial conduction along the LOM, which courses adjacent to the anterior carina. Methods In patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation, if wide ablation of the left PV did not achieve isolation, bidirectional mapping was performed. A presumptive LOM connection was diagnosed if the earliest entrance was mapped to the anterior LSPV, while the earliest exit was mapped inferior to the left inferior PV. Focal ablation at the LSPV anterior carina was performed, even if not at the site of earliest entrance activation. The primary endpoint was successful PVI immediately after ablation. Results The study included 455 consecutive patients who underwent 570 procedures, of which 364 were first-time ablations. Presumptive LOM connections were identified in 48 procedures (8.4%) and in 41 patients (11.2%) undergoing first-time ablation and were successfully ablated at the anterior carina of the LSPV in 47 of 48 procedures (98%). Conclusions LOM connections may be a common cause of PVI failure and can be easily identified and reliably ablated with focal endocardial ablation at the anterior LSPV carina.
Difference-Education Improves First-Generation Students' Grades Throughout College and Increases Comfort With Social Group Difference.

Difference-education interventions teach people a contextual theory of difference: that social group difference comes from participating in and adapting to diverse sociocultural contexts. At two un...
EULERIAN-LAGRANGIAN LOCALIZED ADJOINT METHODS FOR REACTIVE TRANSPORT IN GROUNDWATER"

In this paper, we present Eulerian-Lagrangian localized adjoint methods (ELLAM) to solve convection-diffusion-reaction equations governing contaminant transport in groundwater flowing through an adsorbing porous medium. These ELLAM schemes can treat various combinations of boundary conditions and conserve mass. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the strong potential of ELLAM schemes.
GRANGER CAUSALITY AND U.S. CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRICES

Agricultural economists have recently been attracted to procedures suggested by Granger and others which allow observed data to reveal causal relationships. Results of this study indicate that “causality” tests can be ambiguous in identifying behavioral relationships between agricultural price variables. Caution is suggested when using such procedures for model choice.
A data-driven approach for matching clinical expertise to individual cases

Hospitals are increasingly utilizing business intelligence and analytics tools to mine electronic health data to uncover inefficiencies in care delivery (e.g., slow turnaround times, high readmission rates). Given that the expertise and experience of healthcare providers may vary significantly, an area of potential improvement is optimizing the way patient cases are recommended to clinical experts (e.g., the pathologist who is most adept at diagnosing a rare cancer). In this paper, we propose an expert selection system that automatically matches a given patient case to the best available expert considering both the available contextual information about a patient (e.g., demographics, medical history, signs and symptoms, past interventions) and the congestion of the expert. We prove that as the number of patients grows, the proposed algorithm will discover the best expert to select for patients with a specific context. Moreover, the algorithm also provides confidence bounds on the diagnostic accuracy of the expert it selects. While the proposed system can be applied in many scenarios, we demonstrate its performance in the context of assigning mammography exams to individual radiologists for interpretation. We show that our proposed system can improve current clinical practice by improving overall sensitivity and specificity of screening exams compared to random assignment.Finally, since each expert can only take a certain number of diagnosis decisions on a daily basis, we show how our system can take the experts' workload into account as well as the expertise when deciding how to select experts.
THE PRICE OF MOTHERHOOD: FAMILY STATUS AND WOMEN'S PAY IN A YOUNG BRITISH COHORT

This paper investigates wage differentials among women related to family status (the family gap) as well as wage inequality between men and women (the gender gap) using longitudinal data from the National Child Development Study. In a cross-section, there is a family gap of 20-22 percent. The longitudinal results provide little evidence that this gap is due to unobserved heterogeneity. Rather, the family gap appears to be due to the direct and indirect effects of having children. The paper also finds a large wage premium for using maternity leave and returning to work as well as a large penalty for working part-time. Copyright 1995 by Royal Economic Society.
Large “Pillow” Fullerenes as Graphite without Dangling Bonds

The possibility is considered of a special class of fullerenes which are not spheres but disks, similar in shape to healthy red-blood cells (or erythrocytes). Such a fullerene would consist of two large, nearly parallel, hexagonal arrays of benzenoid rings, each array connected by 12 pentagons (and typically some supplementary benzenoid rings). Different families of such fullerenes are presented, sometimes via more than one construction. They can be considered to approximate graphite without dangling bonds, especially if the central parts of the hexagonal arrays consisting only of hexagonal rings flatten to yield intramolecular Van der Waals attractive interactions between the two parallel faces of the erythrocyte-like pillow-shaped fullerene.
Role of chemokines in the enhancement of BBB permeability and inflammatory infiltration after rabies virus infection

Induction of innate immunity, particularly through the induction of interferon and chemokines, by rabies virus (RABV) infection has been reported to be inversely correlated with pathogenicity. To further investigate the association between the expression of chemokines and RABV infection, laboratory-attenuated RABV (B2C) and wild-type (wt) RABV (DRV) were administered to Balb/c mice intramuscularly. Chemokine expression, inflammatory cell infiltration, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability were evaluated at various time points after infection. At day 3 post-infection (p.i.) there was very little inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) and BBB permeability did not change in mice infected with either virus when compared with mock-infected mice. At 6 day p.i., infection with B2C induced the expression of inflammatory chemokines and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the CNS, while these changes were minimal in DRV-infected mice. Furthermore, infection with B2C significantly enhanced BBB permeability comparing to infection with DRV. Among the upregulated chemokines, the expression of IP-10 was best correlated with infiltration of inflammatory cells into the CNS and enhancement of BBB permeability. These data indicate that laboratory-attenuated RABV induces expression of chemokines and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the CNS. Upregulation of chemokines by B2C may have triggered the change in BBB permeability, which helps infiltration of inflammatory cells into the CNS, and thus attenuation of RABV.
Highly Accurate Recognition of Human Postures and Activities Through Classification With Rejection

Monitoring of postures and activities is used in many clinical and research applications, some of which may require highly reliable posture and activity recognition with desired accuracy well above 99% mark. This paper suggests a method for performing highly accurate recognition of postures and activities from data collected by a wearable shoe monitor (SmartShoe) through classification with rejection. Signals from pressure and acceleration sensors embedded in SmartShoe are used either as raw sensor data or after feature extraction. The Support vector machine (SVM) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) are used to implement classification with rejection. Unreliable observations are rejected by measuring the distance from the decision boundary and eliminating those observations that reside below rejection threshold. The results show a significant improvement (from 97.3% ± 2.3% to 99.8% ± 0.1%) in the classification accuracy after the rejection, using MLP with raw sensor data and rejecting 31.6% of observations. The results also demonstrate that MLP outperformed the SVM, and the classification accuracy based on raw sensor data was higher than the accuracy based on extracted features. The proposed approach will be especially beneficial in applications where high accuracy of recognition is desired while not all observations need to be assigned a class label.
Cerebral and umbilical vascular resistance response to vibroacoustic stimulation in growth-restricted fetuses.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that after vibroacoustic stimulation the ratio between cerebral vascular and umbilical vascular resistance in the growth-restricted fetus is different from that in the normal fetus. Methods: The pulsatility index (PI) of the middle cerebral artery and that of the umbilical artery (UA) were measured by pulsed Doppler velocimetry in 30 normal and 14 growth-restricted fetuses before and after vibroacoustic stimulation. The ratios of cerebral PI to UA PI and the changes in PI after vibroacoustic stimulation were calculated. Comparisons were made using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test or signed-rank test. The statistical power of the study was 80%. Results: Mean (± standard deviation) cerebral PI values before vibroacoustic stimulation (1.50 ± 0.29 in normals and 1.29 ± 0.26 in the fetal growth restriction [FGR] group) and UA PI values (1.00 ± 0.18 in normals and 1.15 ± 0.24 in the FGR group) were significantly different between groups (P < .04) and significantly decreased after vibroacoustic stimulation (P < .05). Although the cerebral to UA PI ratios (1.50 ± 0.38 in normals and 1.13 ± 0.33 in the FGR group) were significantly different between groups (P < .008), the values remained the same after vibroacoustic stimulation (P = .39 and .80, respectively). In all fetuses the fetal heart rate accelerated after vibroacoustic stimulation. Conclusion: Cerebral vascular resistance was lower and umbilical vascular resistance higher in the growth-restricted fetuses than in normals. The vascular resistance response after vibroacoustic stimulation in the growth-restricted fetus was not significantly different from the response of the normal fetus, suggesting preservation of regulation of resistance.
Mid-latitude thermospheric plasma physics and electrodynamics: A review

Abstract Although the mid-latitude thermosphere contains both neutral and plasma fluids, most studies of wave dynamics and instabilities in this region of the atmosphere had focused, until recently, on either neutral gravity waves or plasma instabilities to the exclusion of the other. As a result, there was little to draw attention to coupled mid-latitude physics when compared to the auroral and equatorial zones. In the past decade, however, an increasing array of remote sensing and in situ techniques have revealed new phenomena in the mid-latitude ionosphere which are dramatically challenging our current understanding. These experiments have revealed a growing awareness of the interconnections between gravity waves, traveling ionospheric disturbances, elongated bands of raised ionosphere, density depletions, and the recently discovered turbulent upwellings of mid-latitude plasma which, phenomenologically at least, are quite similar to their equatorial spread F cousins. At the same time, a renewed interest in theoretical and numerical investigations of mid-latitude physics is demonstrating the unique interaction of atmospheric dynamics and ionospheric electrodynamics which drives mid-latitude disturbances. In this paper, we describe the basic plasma physics of the mid-latitude ionosphere and its connections to both old and new observations; we end with some suggestions for the near term future of mid-latitude plasma research.
Regulation of beta-tubulin function and expression in Drosophila spermatogenesis.

In this study we examined two aspects of β-tubulin function in Drosophila spermatogenesis: 1) β-tubulin structural requirements for assembly of different categories of microtubules and 2) regulatory requirements for production of the correct tubulin protein level. In normal Drosophila spermatogenesis, the testis-specific β2-tubulin isoform supports multiple microtubule functions. Our previous work showed that another Drosophila isoform, β3, cannot support spermatogenesis, whereas a carboxyl-truncated form of β2, β2ΔC, can at least to some extent provide all of β2′s normal functions, save one: β2ΔC cannot support organization of axonemal microtubules into the supramolecular architecture of the axoneme. Here, to test whether β2 carboxyl sequences can rescue the functional failure of the β3 isoform in spermatogenesis, we constructed a gene encoding a chimeric protein, β3β2C, in which β3 sequences in the carboxyl region are replaced with those of β2. Unlike either β3 or β2ΔC, β3β2C can provide partial function for both assembly of axonemal microtubules and their organization into the supramolecular architecture of the axoneme. In particular, the β2 carboxyl sequences mediate morphogenesis of the axoneme doublet tubule complex, including accessory microtubule assembly and attachment of spokes and linkers. However, our data also reveal aspects of β2-specific function that require structural features other than the primary sequence of the isotype-defining variable regions, the C terminus and the internal variable region. Tests of fecundity in males that co-express Δ2 and the chimeric Δ3Δ2C protein showed that in Drosophila there are differential requirements for sperm motility in the male and in the female reproductive tract. Since some aspects of microtubule function in spermatogenesis are sensitive to the tubulin pool size, we examined the mechanisms for control of tubulin protein levels in the male germ cells. We found that both Δ2-tubulin mRNA accumulation and protein synthesis are dependent on gene dose, and that the level of expression is regulated by 3′ noncoding sequences in the Δ2 gene. Our data show that the regulatory mechanisms that control tubulin pool levels in the Drosophila male germ line differ from those observed in cultured animal somatic cells. Finally, expression of transgenic constructs is consistent with early cessation of × chromosome expression in Drosophila spermatogenesis. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Generating genetically modified mice using CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome engineering

Mice with specific gene modifications are valuable tools for studying development and disease. Traditional gene targeting in mice using embryonic stem (ES) cells, although suitable for generating sophisticated genetic modifications in endogenous genes, is complex and time-consuming. We have recently described CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome engineering for the generation of mice carrying mutations in multiple genes, endogenous reporters, conditional alleles or defined deletions. Here we provide a detailed protocol for embryo manipulation by piezo-driven injection of nucleic acids into the cytoplasm to create gene-modified mice. Beginning with target design, the generation of gene-modified mice can be achieved in as little as 4 weeks. We also describe the application of the CRISPR/Cas technology for the simultaneous editing of multiple genes (five genes or more) after a single transfection of ES cells. The principles described in this protocol have already been applied in rats and primates, and they are applicable to sophisticated genome engineering in species in which ES cells are not available.
AC Impedance Investigation of Flooding in Micro Flow Channels for Fuel Cells

The paper presents a study on the transport phenomena related to gas flow through fuel cell micro-channels, specifically the impact of dimensional scale on the order of 100 microns and below. The use of structural photopolymer (SU-8) enabled the direct fabrication of functional fuel cell micro-channels. Previous experimental observation has revealed that if flow channels are too small, they may reduce the performance of fuel due to flooding (Cha et al., 2003). For further investigation, AC Impedance technique has been employed to measure the mass transfer resistance. The result confirmed that in smaller channels, mass transportation resistance increases due to the flooding.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
ORGANIZATION OF BIODIVERSITY RESOURCES BASED ON THE PROCESS OF THEIR CREATION AND THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL ORGANISMS AS RESOURCE RELATIONSHIP NODES

Abstract. - Kinds of occurrences (evidence of particular living organisms) can be grouped by common data and metadata characteristics that are determined by the way that the occurrence represents the organism. The creation of occurrence resources follows a pattern which can be used as the basis for organizing both the metadata associated with those resources and the relationships among the resources. The central feature of this organizational system is a resource representing the individual organism. This resource serves as a node which connects the organism's occurrences and any determinations of the organism's taxonomic identity. I specify a relatively small number of predicates which can define the important relationships among these resources and suggest which metadata properties should logically be associated with each kind of resource.
Activated fluid transport regulates bacterial-epithelial interactions and significantly shifts the murine colonic microbiome

Within the intestinal mucosa, epithelial cells serve multiple functions to partition the lumen from the lamina propria. As part of their natural function, intestinal epithelial cells actively transport electrolytes with passive water movement as a mechanism for mucosal hydration. Here, we hypothesized that electrogenic Cl(-) secretion, and associated mucosal hydration, influences bacterial-epithelial interactions and significantly influences the composition of the intestinal microbiota. An initial screen of different epithelial secretagogues identified lubiprostone as the most potent agonist for which to define these principles. In in vitro studies using cultured T84 cells, lubiprostone decreased E. coli translocation in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.001) and decreased S. typhimurium internalization and translocation by as much as 71 ± 6% (p < 0.01). Such decreases in bacterial translocation were abolished by inhibition of electrogenic Cl(-) secretion and water transport using the Na/K/Cl(-) antagonist bumetanide (p < 0.01). Extensions of these findings to microbiome analysis in vivo revealed that lubiprostone delivered orally to mice fundamentally shifted the intestinal microbiota, with notable changes within the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla of resident colonic bacteria. Such findings document a previously unappreciated role for epithelial Cl(-) secretion and water transport in influencing bacterial-epithelial interactions and suggest that active mucosal hydration functions as a primitive innate epithelial defense mechanism.
The Adverse Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Left Ventricular Remodeling and Function in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis

Background—The diabetic heart exhibits increased left ventricular (LV) mass and reduced ventricular function. However, this relationship has not been studied in patients with aortic stenosis (AS), a disease process that causes LV hypertrophy and dysfunction through a distinct mechanism of pressure overload. The aim of this study was to determine how diabetes mellitus (DM) affects LV remodeling and function in patients with severe AS. Methods and Results—Echocardiography was performed on 114 patients with severe AS (mean aortic valve area [AVA], 0.6 cm2) and included measures of LV remodeling and function. Multivariable linear regression models investigated the independent effect of DM on these aspects of LV structure and function. Compared to patients without diabetes (n=60), those with diabetes (n=54) had increased LV mass and LV end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions, and decreased LV ejection fraction (EF) and longitudinal systolic strain (all P<0.01). In multivariable analyses adjusting for age, se...
A longitudinal examination of earnings inequality and mobility among young, full-time workers in the United States

Abstract This paper analyzes longitudinal data on earnings inequality and mobility for young, year-round full-time wage and salary workers in the United States. In general, we find that although real earnings across quintiles increased during the 1990s, earnings inequality continued to grow and upward earnings mobility declined slightly during the decade.
The connected cutset connectivity of a graph

Abstract The connected cutset connectivity (connected edge-cutset connectivity) of a nontrivial connected graph G is the minimum cardinality of a set S of vertices (edges) of G such that the subgraph induced by S is connected and G - S is either disconnected or trivial. The connected cutset connectivity and the minimum degree of a graph are compared, as are the connected cutset connectivity and connected edge-cutset connectivity. The connected edge-cutset connectivity is bounded below by its edge-connectivity and above by its minimum degree, and these bounds are shown to be sharp. A sufficient condition is established for the connected edge-cutset connectivity of a graph to equal its minimum degree that does not imply its edge-connectivity equals its minimum degree.
What are the top-circulating magazines in the United States telling older adults about cognitive health?

There is growing evidence that healthy behaviors may promote cognitive health. The behaviors include physical activity, heart-healthy diets, and social engagement. Popular print media helps disseminate health information. This study examines the content focused on cognitive health in 5 top—circulating magazines marketed to older people in the United States. All pages (29 881 pages) of each magazine published in 2006 and 2007 were searched. There were 84 articles on cognitive health. Few were by health or science writers. Of the 58 articles on prevention, the contents focused primarily on diet and multiple behaviors, with less on physical activity or social engagement. Less than 20% provided resources to help readers obtain further information. Articles focused on physical activity, with information directing readers to credible resources, and by writers with health or science backgrounds, could enhance the quality of cognitive health communication in popular media.
DILATATION OF THE PULMONARY TRUNK IN STENOSIS OF THE PULMONARY VALVE AND OF THE PULMONARY ARTERIES IN CHILDREN.

Abstract The presence and degree of dilatation of the pulmonary trunk in 88 children with pulmonary valvular stenosis, and in 15 children with bilateral stenosis of the pulmonary arteries, was studied angiocardiographically. No obvious correlation was found between poststenotic dilatation and right ventricular pressure in patients with mild to moderate severity of the valvular stenosis. However, 4 out of 10 patients with severe stenosis had very marked dilatation of the pulmonary trunk. Our data appear to suggest that there is only a slightly higher incidence of poststenotic dilatation in older children than in infants. Nevertheless, the passage of time may play an important role in individual patients; thus, serial angiocardiograms obtained in 7 patients demonstrated some progression of the poststenotic dilatation in 5. Enlargement of the pulmonary trunk appeared to be enhanced by the presence of a left-to-right shunt, and appeared to be partly restricted by associated stenosis of the pulmonary arteries.
Rifampin-resistant RNA polymerase in spirochetes

Abstract Various free-living and host-associated spirochetes isolated by methods not involving rifampin were resistant to relatively high concentrations of this antibiotic. The lowest concentrations of rifampin that were inhibitory for the spirochetes ranged from 50 to more than 200 μg/ml, depending on the species. The spirochete strains examined were at least 10-fold more resistant to rifampin than Escherichia coli and 10 000-fold more resistant than Staphylococcus aureus . The results support the conclusion that rifampin resistance is a general characteristic of spirochetes. Resistance of Spirochaeta aurantia to rifampin was not the result of detoxification of the antibiotic in the culture medium. The activity of spirochete DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in vitro was completely resistant to 10 μg of rifampin per ml, a concentration that totally inhibited E. coli RNA polymerase. Higher concentrations decreased the spirochetal activity. Thus, rifampin resistance may be due to a low affinity of spirochete RNA polymerase for the antibiotic.
A new filamentous phage cloning vector: fd-tet

We have constructed a hybrid chromosome composed of the genome of wild-type fd (a filamentous, male-specific bacteriophage) and a segment of transposon Tn10 coding for tetracycline resistance but not including the Tn10 insertion sequences. The hybrid phage infects male E. coli, thereby transducing the infected cells to tetracycline resistance. The phage DNA can also be propagated in F- cells after transfection. This new phage, fd-tet, may be used as a cloning vector to produce large quantities of cloned DNA in single-stranded form. Its usefulness has been demonstrated by cloning of a fragment from bacteriophage lambda. Some unexpected sequence alterations have been identified in lambda cloning experiments.
After Bhopal and Valdez: Rethinking the Semanticsof Public Affairs

Has the public affairs function significantly changed the way major U.S. corporations meet the growing external challenge to traditional corporate practices? Examining in detail the actions of Exxon (Valdez) and Union Carbide (Bhopal), this paper raises some questions as to whether the difference between public affairs and traditional public relations is a real one or merely a matter of semantics. Then, utilizing an unpublished corporate public affairs survey conducted by Central Michigan University, the writer argues that the problem with the public affairs function lies not with the function itself, but in its implementation by corporations.
Phase-locked semiconductor laser array with separate contacts

A new monolithic phase‐locked semiconductor laser array has been fabricated. Employing two‐level metallization, each of the eight elements in the array has a separate contact, thus making it possible to compensate for device nonuniformities and control the near‐field and far‐field patterns. Threshold currents are approximately 60 mA for each 5‐μm‐wide laser in the array. Phase locking has been observed via the narrowing of the far‐field pattern. Experimental results are compared to those obtained from the same arrays operated with all the lasers connected in parallel.
Anisotropy in the Microwave Sky at 90 GHz: Results from Python II

The third year of observations with the Python microwave background experiment densely samples a 55 × 22° region of sky that includes the fields measured during the first 2 years of observations with this instrument. The sky is sampled in two multipole bands centered at l ≈ 87 and l ≈ 170. These two data sets are analyzed to place limits on fluctuations in the microwave sky at 90 GHz. Interpreting the observed fluctuations as anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background, we find flat-band power estimates of δTl ≡ [l(l + 1)Cl/(2π)]1/2 = 60−13+15 μK at l = 87−38+18 and δTl = 66−16+17 μK at l = 170−50+69. Combining the entire 3 year set of Python observations, we find that the angular power spectrum of fluctuations has a spectral index m = 0.16−.18+.20 and an amplitude δT le = 63−14+15 μK at le = 139−34+99 for the functional form δTl = δT le(l/le)m. The stated uncertainties in the amplitudes and spectral index represent 1 σ confidence intervals in the likelihood added in quadrature with a 20% calibration uncertainty and an estimate of the effects of a ±005 uncertainty in the measured beamwidths. The limits of l are determined from the half-maximum points of the window functions.
FERMENTATION AND RELATIVE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF RICE MEAL AND CHIPS

A natural lactic acid fermentation of rice meals produced a significant (P < 0.05) increase in isoleucine, lysine, relative nutritive value and riboflavin content of the meals. Niacin and thiamin decreased significantly (P < 0.05) during fermentation. Although the levels of isoleucine, lysine and riboflavin decreased during making of rice chips, the chips still contained more of these nutrients than the control chips made from unfermented meal. Chips made from fermented rice meal and control rice meal were generally acceptable, thus showing that acceptable foods could be made from fermented rice meal.
Effect of polymorphism on the CH stretching region of the infrared spectrum of polyethylene

A complex fine structure in the CH stretching region of the infrared spectrum of deformed polyethylene single crystals is reported. The deformed crystals are shown to be transformed from the orthorhombic crystal form to a monoclinic structure. The previously deduced C2/m monoclinic structure does not account for the appearance of the new bands. An alternative but similar monoclinic structure is proposed. The symmetry of this structure is consistent with the Fermi resonance interactions required for the observation of these bands.
Singular Superpotentials and Explicit Breaking of Supersymmetry

We describe a method of generating a family of supersymmetric quantum mechanics models depending on two positive integers (l,j), l>j. All of them exhibit singular superpotentials, explicit breaking of supersymmetry, a normalizable zero mode and j eigenstates with negative energy. We discuss the nodal structure of the solutions to the two supersymmetric partner Schrodinger equations. If we fix j=1, the two Hamiltonians H− and H+ include Poschl-Teller potentials and under these circumstances the problem is solvable. Maintaining j=1, but now letting l ∈ (−∞, ∞), we find a model similar to the ones which have been considered in the literature.
Methodology for evaluating mental health case management

Abstract The evaluation methodology outlined in this paper produces a detailed description of the structure and process of a case management system. Using a theory-based model, a checklist has been developed to describe the attributes of a high-quality case management system, incorporating multiple value frames. Items on the list describe proximal outcomes logically necessary for effective case management as identified by various stakeholder groups.
Polymorphism at Codon 72 of p53 Is Not Associated with Cervical Cancer Risk

P53 allelic polymorphism at codon 72 has been studied as a possible predisposing factor for cervical carcinogenesis with inconsistent results. Storey and colleagues recently published the interesting finding of a 7-fold increased risk for cervical cancer in women homozygous for the arginine allele at codon 72. This stimulated a number of independent investigations, the majority of which found no association of cervical cancer and arginine homozygosity. With the use of a modified Storey method for determining codon 72 allelotypes, DNA was examined from 431 microdissected, formalin-fixed, archival cervical conization specimens ranging from low-grade squamous lesions to invasive cancer. An alternative independent method using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed on all arginine homozygotes and all indeterminate cases for confirmation and final allelotype assignment. With the use of Storey’s method alone, logistic regression suggested an association (odds ratio, 1.42) between arginine homozygosity and invasive disease. However, with the use of the combined method for accurate allelotyping, this trend disappeared (odds ratio, 1.00), the discordance was clearly resolvable as being due to methodologic variables. With the use of two separate methods for codon 72 allelotyping and accounting for a number of the issues raised in previously published reports, there is no increased risk for invasive cervical cancer associated with arginine homozygosity at codon 72 of p53.
Quantitative determination of sulfur compounds in the gas phase of cigarette smoke.

Abstract Flame photometric detection ga chromatography affords a reliable approach for the determination of sulfur compounds in smokes. Reliable quantitative data can only be generated if the analytical system allows a minimum of time to elapse between smoke generation and the onset of analyses. Contact with stainless-steel surfaces must be minimized and the chromatographic column must be conditioned to avoid irreversible adsorption. Typical cigarettes deliver approximately 85 μg of H2S, 35 μg of COS, 2 μg of CS2, and 3 μg of SO2 when smoked under standard conditions. The gas phases of smokes contain at least 28 sulfur components. Quantitative distribution of these components is highly sensitive to sampling methodologies.
Adventures in Wonderland

For the last several decades, there has been little debate over the origins of central and peripheral glia. Central nervous system (CNS) glia, including oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and radial glia, are specified from CNS neural precursors[1], whereas peripheral nervous system (PNS) glia, including Schwann cells and satellite glia, are derivatives of the neural crest [2]. However, this strict delineation of central versus peripheral glia is being challenged, and the implications could revolutionize human medicine. In the February issue of PLOS Genetics, Weider and colleagues report that a cell population with characteristics very similar to CNS oligodendrocytes can arise from satellite glia in the periphery with only the overexpression of a single transcription factor [3]. This work, in conjunction with several other recent papers [4–7], has us not only peering through Alice’s looking glass but also crossing straight through.
In vivo loss of heterozygosity in T-cells of B6C3F1 Aprt(+/-) mice.

We have used B6C3F1 mice heterozygous at Aprt (adenine phosphoribosyltransferase) as a model to study in vivo loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in normal splenic T-lymphocytes. APRT-deficient T-cells were selected in medium containing 50 μg/ml 2,6-diaminopurine (DAP), an adenine analog that is toxic only to cells with APRT enzyme activity. DAP-resistant (DAPr) T-cell variants were recovered at an average frequency of 3 × 10−5 from 21 B6C3F1 Aprt+/− mice. Allele-specific PCR of Aprt showed that about 70% of 122 DAPr colonies were caused by loss of the nontargeted Aprt allele (Aprt+). Analysis of microsatellite markers along the length of chromosome 8 suggested that mitotic recombination, or chromosome loss, with or without duplication of the remaining chromosome are the predominant mechanisms resulting in loss of Aprt+. DNA sequencing of Aprt RT-PCR products from the DAPr variants that retained Aprt+ indicated that point mutation as well as other mechanisms could cause this second class of variants. The high spontaneous frequency of in vivo Aprt LOH in mouse T-cells, mediated by LOH mechanisms that are also known to produce human cancers, suggests that the Aprt heterozygous mouse is a valid model for studying the diversity of mechanisms for in vivo somatic mutagenesis. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 35:150–157, 2000 © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.