cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Papilledema in an HIV-Positive Patient

A 45-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus infection presented to the Emergency Department from the Ophthalmology Clinic with bilateral papilledema. He reported frontal headaches for the previous month and intermittent bilateral eye redness. At an outside clinic, he had recently been given an unspecified antibiotic ophthalmic solution that he used without relief. He also noted a decrease in his visual acuity during this time despite the use of new prescription glasses. The patient denied nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, fevers, chills, sinus congestion, molar pain, numbness, weakness, change in personality, weight loss, or night sweats.
Rational Generating Function Applications in Maple

Generating function techniques have been used throughout the literature to evaluate summations and recurrences. Rational generating functions are a particularly effective computation tool, as they encode all linear recurrence sequences. These are sequences defined by homogeneous linear recurrences with constant coefficients. There are known generating function techniques for evaluating summations and convolutions that involve linear recurrence sequences. Unfortunately, these methods do not lend themselves well to hand calculation.
Optimizing endocrine therapy in premenopausal ER-positive breast cancer patients.

The optimal endocrine therapy for premenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive early breast cancer remains elusive. Dr. Pritchard presents a thoughtful review of this important topic, including the historic context for the current controversy regarding the utility of ovarian suppression (either by medication or permanent ablation) in the adjuvant treatment of young women with breast cancer.
$h_{PI}$: The Citation Index for Principal Investigators

A new citation index $h_{PI}$ for principal investigators (PIs) is defined in analogy to Hirsch's index $h$, but based on renormalized citations of a PI's papers. To this end, the authors of a paper are divided into two groups: PIs and non-PIs. A PI is defined as an assistant, associate or full professor at a university who supervises an individual research program. The citations for each paper of a certain PI are then divided by the number of PIs among the authors of that paper. Data are presented for a sample of 48 PIs who are senior faculty members of physics and physics-related engineering departments at a private research-oriented U.S. university, using the ISI Web of Science citations database. The main result is that individual rankings based on $h$ and $h_{PI}$ differ substantially. Also, to a good approximation across the sample of 48 PIs, one finds that $h_{PI} = h \,/ \sqrt{ }$ where is the average number of principal investigators on the papers of a particular PI. In addition, $h_{PI} = \frac{1}{2} \sqrt{C_{tot}\,/ }$, where $C_{tot}$ is the total number of citations. Approaches to broadening the scope of $h$ or $h_{PI}$ are discussed briefly, and a new metric for highly cited papers called $h_x$ is introduced which represents the average number of citations exceeding the minimum of $h^2$ in the $h$-core.
Bilirubin, a Cardiometabolic Signaling Molecule.

Mostly considered as a marker for hepatic disease, bilirubin, has been revealed as a cardio and metabolic protective factor that has implications for therapy. Reports of bilirubin date back to ancient Greek medicine with Hippocrates and the four humors of human health, which metabolic agents included Choleric-yellow bile, Melancholic-black bile, Sanguine-blood, and Phlegmatic-phlegm. The yellow bile was associated with the gallbladder and black bile the spleen. These intricacies are still under consideration today. Serum levels of bilirubin are thought to be derived from the breakdown of red blood cells that mostly occurs in the spleen. Bilirubin is a naturally occurring product from the catabolism of heme by heme oxygenase (HO), which releases biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and iron1, 2. Then, biliverdin is reduced to bilirubin via biliverdin reductase (BVR). Bilirubin is released into the blood and binds albumin where it travels to other organs or is deposited in the liver and conjugated with glucuronic acid by the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) enzyme 3, 4 Conjugated bilirubin (CBR) is excreted from the liver to bile in the gallbladder and eventually released into the intestine where it is broken down by the gut microbiota into urobilinoids, mainly stercobilin, which is the predominant pigment in feces 3. High blood levels of unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) is most widely known as the causative agent of jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes. Neonatal jaundice has been described in the medical literature since the late eighteenth century and is a condition reflective of very high levels of UCB in the serum of newborn infants. Severe cases of neonatal jaundice have resulted in a bilirubin-induced neurological condition in newborns known as kernicterus, which can cause brain damage. Despite its role in jaundice, UCB has several beneficial effects on the body 5. The results of numerous large-scale population and epidemiological studies have correlated a protective effect of serum bilirubin levels against cardiovascular and metabolic disease. However, the molecular mechanism by which this occurs is not fully understood. The objective of this review is to highlight and discuss the unique signaling actions of BVR generation of bilirubin and how they signal to protect against cardiovascular and metabolic disease, which may lead to new therapeutics.
NLRP3 inflammasome in NMDA-induced retinal excitotoxicity.

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity is an acute form of experimental retinal injury as a result of overactivation of glutamate receptors. NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-repeat containing family, pyrin domain containing-3) inflammasome, one of the most studied sensors of innate immunity, has been reported to play a critical role in retinal neurodegeneration with controversial implications regarding neuroprotection and cell death. Thus far, it has not been elucidated whether NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity can trigger NLRP3 inflammasome in vivo. Moreover, it is unknown if NLRP3 is beneficial or detrimental to NMDA-mediated retinal cell death. Here, we employed a murine model of NMDA-induced retinal excitotoxicity by administering 100 nmoles of NMDA intravitreally, which resulted in massive TUNEL+ (TdT-dUTP terminal nick-end labelling) cell death in all retinal layers and especially in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) 24 h post injection. NMDA insult in the retina potentiates macrophage/microglia cell infiltration, primes the NLRP3 inflammasome in a transcription-dependent manner and induces the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β). However, despite NLRP3 inflammasome upregulation, systemic deletion of Nlrp3 or Casp1 (caspase-1) did not significantly alter the NMDA-induced, excitotoxicity-mediated TUNEL+ retinal cell death at 24 h (acute phase). Similarly, the deletion of the two aforementioned genes did not alter the survival of the Brn3a+ (brain-specific homeobox/POU domain protein 3A) RGCs in a significant way at 3- or 7-days post injection (long-term phase). Our results indicate that NMDA-mediated retinal excitotoxicity induces immune cell recruitment and NLRP3 inflammasome activity even though inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation is not a leading contributing factor to cell death in this type of retinal injury.
Prolonged ICU stay and its association with 1-year trauma mortality: An analysis of 19,000 American patients.

Abstract Introduction Prior research on patients with traumatic injury suggests high in-hospital survivability. However, little is known about their long-term outcomes, especially in the context of a prolonged ICU length-of-stay (LOS). We sought to determine the association between prolonged ICU-LOS and 1-year survival in trauma patients. Methods TRICARE claims data (2011–2015) were queried for trauma patients with an Injury Severity Score > 9. Risk-adjusted Cox models were used to determine the influence of prolonged ICU LOS on 1-year mortality. Results Of 19,155 patients included, 40% were admitted to the ICU. The overall 1-year mortality was 3.9% and 4.7% in patients with ICU LOS >9 days. In the multivariable model older age (55–64 vs. 18–24 years) (HR: 47.8, CI:20.8–109.9), prior comorbidities (>1 vs. 0) (HR: 2.6, CI: 2.1–3.2), discharge disposition (transfer vs discharge) (HR: 2.3 CI: 1.7–3.1) and ICU-LOS (>7 vs. 1 days) (HR:2.6, CI:1.7–4.0) were associated with 1-year mortality. Conclusion Prolonged ICU-LOS is a risk factor for 1-year mortality in trauma patients. But an overall high survival (>96%) reinforces the justification for such use of the ICU in trauma patients when clinically necessary.
Do modern hunter-gatherers live in marginal habitats?

Abstract Anthropologists often assert that modern hunter-gatherer societies have been relegated to marginal habitats compared to their agricultural neighbors, with the implication that modern social organization and behavior provide little insight into Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. We refer to this idea as the marginal habitat hypothesis (MHH). Despite widespread use of the term ‘marginal,’ there is little consensus as to what comprises a low quality habitat for humans. Here we reassess the MHH by comparing the net primary productivity (NPP) of habitats occupied by, and the population density (PD) of, a sample of 186 pre-industrial societies (foragers, horticulturalists, intensive agriculturalists, and pastoralists). We found that the nature of the NPP-PD relationship varied by subsistence type, and that foragers did not occupy significantly lower net primary productivity habitats compared to other subsistence types. These results do not support the MHH. We conclude by discussing the limitations of using modern ethnographic datasets to address the MHH and suggest alternative ways in which it may still be relevant.
Tunable, Hardware-Based Quantum Random Number Generation Using Coupled Quantum Dots

Random numbers are a valuable commodity in gaming and gambling, simulation, conventional and quantum cryptography, and in non-conventional computing schemes such as stochastic computing. We propose to generate a random bit using a position measurement of a single mobile charge on a coupled pair of quantum dots. True randomness of the measurement outcome is provided by quantum mechanics via Born's rule. A random bit string may be generated using a sequence of repeated measurements on the same double quantum dot (DQD) system. Any bias toward a “0” measurement or a “1” measurement may be removed or tuned as desired simply by adjusting the detuning between localized states. Device tunability provides versatility, enabling this quantum random number generator (QRNG) to support applications in which no bias is desired, or where a tunable bias is desired. We discuss a metal-dot implementation as well as a molecular implementation of this QRNG. Basic quantum mechanical principles are used to study power dissipation and timing considerations for the generation of random bit strings. The DQD offers a small form factor and, in a metallic implementation, is usable in the case where cryogenic operations are desirable (as in the case of quantum computing). For room-temperature applications, a molecular DQD may be used.
Translation, Cross-cultural Adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese, and Analysis of Measurement Properties of the Consultation and Relational Empathy Measure.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to translate, cross-culturally adapt to Brazilian Portuguese, and analyze the measurement properties of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure and investigate whether empathy can be a predictor of clinical improvement. Methods This psychometric study was divided into 2 stages: the cross-cultural adaptation process included 30 patients, and the evaluation of the measurement properties included 106 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. After the third therapy session with the same physical therapist, the following questionnaires were applied to assess internal consistency, construct validity, and ceiling and floor effects: Pain Numerical Rating Scale, Brazilian Portuguese version of the CARE Measure (CARE-Br), MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Care, and Global Perceived Effect Scale. To assess reliability and measurement error, the CARE-Br was answered 48 hours later. For prediction analysis of the CARE-Br in relation to clinical improvement, the participants answered the Pain Numerical Rating Scale and Global Perceived Effect Scale 2 months after baseline. Results The internal consistency was adequate (Cronbach’s ɑ = 0.88), reliability was substantial (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.77), measurement error was good (standard error of the measurement = 5.16%), and a moderate correlation was found with the MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Care (r = 0.50). A ceiling effect was also found (39.6% of participants). Empathy was not considered a predictor of clinical improvement. Conclusion The Brazilian Portuguese version of the CARE Measure is reliable, adequate, and applicable in clinical settings and research in Brazil. However, it is not capable of predicting clinical improvement in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
A model-based analysis of foliar NO x deposition

Abstract. Foliar deposition of NO2 removes a large fraction of the global soil-emitted NOx . Understanding the mechanisms of NOx foliar loss is important for constraining surface ozone, constraining NOx mixing ratios, and assessing the impacts of nitrogen inputs to ecosystems. We have constructed a 1-D multibox model with representations of chemistry and vertical transport to evaluate the impact of leaf-level processes on canopy-scale concentrations, lifetimes, and canopy fluxes of NOx . Our model is able to closely replicate canopy fluxes and above-canopy NOx daytime mixing ratios observed during two field campaigns, one in a western Sierra Nevada pine forest (BEARPEX-2009) and the other in a northern Michigan mixed hardwood forest (UMBS-2012). We present a conceptual argument for the importance of NO2 dry deposition and demonstrate that NO2 deposition can provide a mechanistic explanation for the canopy reduction of NOx . We show that foliar deposition can explain observations suggesting as much as ∼60 % of soil-emitted NOx is removed within forest canopies. Stomatal conductances greater than 0.1 cm s−1 result in modeled canopy reduction factors in the range of those used in global models, reconciling inferences of canopy NOx reduction with leaf-level deposition processes. We show that incorporating parameterizations for vapor pressure deficit and soil water potential has a substantial impact on predicted NO2 deposition in our model, with the percent of soil NOx removed within one canopy increasing by ∼15 % in wet conditions compared to dry conditions. NO2 foliar deposition was also found to have a significant impact on ozone and nitrogen budgets under both high- and low- NOx conditions.
A trade study on motor types for large hvac systems with integrated motor-compressors

Typically, HVAC systems consume a significant amount of energy in both commercial and domestic buildings. The major part of energy consumed in an HVAC system is consumed by the compressor motor, which operates at high shaft speeds in direct drive systems. The efficiency of the motor and cost effectiveness of the motor drive system are two major factors determining the motor type to be used in HVAC chiller applications. The cost of the motor and electrical drive is a factor decided by motor material cost, manufacturing complexity, power factor and drive switching frequency. Since the HVAC chillers are not continuously run at rated power, the integrated part load value (IPLV)is considered here instead of rated efficiency. This paper presents different trade-offs of using the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), induction motor (IM), switched reluctance motor (SRM), and PM assisted synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM)for designing a 60 Nm, 16500 rpm compressor motor to run in a hermetic refrigerant environment.
Quasi-Newton Optimization Methods for Deep Learning Applications

Deep learning algorithms often require solving a highly nonlinear and non-convex unconstrained optimization problem. Methods for solving optimization problems in large-scale machine learning, such as deep learning and deep reinforcement learning (RL), are generally restricted to the class of first-order algorithms, like stochastic gradient descent (SGD). While SGD iterates are inexpensive to compute, they have slow theoretical convergence rates. Furthermore, they require exhaustive trial-and-error to fine-tune many learning parameters. Using second-order curvature information to find search directions can help with more robust convergence for non-convex optimization problems. However, computing Hessian matrices for large-scale problems is not computationally practical. Alternatively, quasi-Newton methods construct an approximate of the Hessian matrix to build a quadratic model of the objective function. Quasi-Newton methods, like SGD, require only first-order gradient information, but they can result in superlinear convergence, which makes them attractive alternatives to SGD. The limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (L-BFGS) approach is one of the most popular quasi-Newton methods that constructs positive definite Hessian approximations. In this chapter, we propose efficient optimization methods based on L-BFGS quasi-Newton methods using line search and trust-region strategies. Our methods bridge the disparity between first- and second-order methods by using gradient information to calculate low-rank updates to Hessian approximations. We provide formal convergence analysis of these methods as well as empirical results on deep learning applications, such as image classification tasks and deep reinforcement learning on a set of Atari 2600 video games. Our results show a robust convergence with preferred generalization characteristics as well as fast training time.
Oncology pharmacist-led medication reconciliation among cancer patients initiating chemotherapy.

BackgroundPharmacist-led medication reconciliation (PMR) ensures adequate recording and use of medications by patients. PMR may be important for cancer patients initiating new therapies, as they ha...
29.8 THzID: A 1.6mm2 Package-Less Cryptographic Identification Tag with Backscattering and Beam-Steering at 260GHz

Energy-autonomous wireless tags have been adopted in authentication and supply-chain management. At present, their size and cost, limited by packaging, prevent the tagging for small or inexpensive industrial/medical components. At the same time, pervasive electronic tagging raises serious privacy concerns related to inadvertent and malicious tracking of the tagged assets. In order to enable secure and ubiquitous asset tagging, fully passive particle-sized cryptographic chips without external packaging are highly desired. Recent prototypes [1]–[4] that aim to address this challenge face either size, energy, communication, or security limitations. [1] demonstrates a 9mm2 sensor node, which requires a stacked packaging of multiple functionality layers for photovoltaic powering, battery, antenna, etc. In [2], a 116×116µ m2 radio chip is demonstrated, but its operating range of 1mm is limited by the near-field coupling at 5.8GHz for power delivery and communication. Using far-field downlink/uplink at 24 and 60GHz, the package-less chip in [3] boosts the range to 50cm, but the chip size also increases to 4 4 mm2 to accommodate two antennas at 24 and 60GHz. Additionally, [1]–[3] do not support cryptographically secure identification. [4] demonstrates a 0.77 mm secure authentication tag that requires an 8 mm2 external antenna, but the size and the energy constraints limit it to symmetric-key cryptography. In this paper, we present a package-less, monolithic tag chip with built-in photovoltaic powering and a compact elliptic-curve-cryptography (ECC) processor. Using far-field backscatter communication at 260GHz, the CMOS tag, while integrating a 2×2 antenna array with beam-steering capability, has a size of only 1.6 mm2.
Effects of firm-, industry-, and country-level innovation on firm performance

Marketing strategists seek to identify drivers of firm performance and their relevant boundaries. To date, most research evidence would tell them that competition is a negative force, but this study challenges that conventional wisdom by drawing on network externalities theory and related strategy research. In particular, resources that exist outside the organization may benefit the performance of firms in a network, through positive spillover effects. For example, innovation efforts at the industry and country levels can have positive impacts on a focal firm’s performance, with influences that are even more prominent than the effect of its firm-level innovation. Due to their distinctions from firm-level innovation, these innovation efforts should be leveraged strategically and uniquely, according to the specific business environment. This research therefore broadens understanding of drivers of firm performance beyond the firm level; it also provides important implications for marketing practice.
The Year in Review: Economics at the Antitrust Division, 2009–2010

This paper covers the activities of the Economic Analysis Group of the Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, during 2009–2010. It describes the economic analysis undertaken by EAG in several important investigations and other activities as an advocate for competition.
Upland burning and grazing as strategies to offset climate-change effects on wetlands

Wetland ecosystems perform a multitude of services valued by society and provide critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Despite their importance, wetlands have been lost to different local, regional, and global drivers. Remaining wetlands are extremely sensitive to changing temperature and precipitation regimes. Management of grassland areas in wetland catchments may be an effective strategy for counteracting potentially negative impacts of climate change on wetlands. Our objective was to estimate the effects of climate changes on wetland hydrology, and to explore strategies for increasing surface-water inputs to wetlands. We coupled a field study with process-based simulation modeling of wetland-water levels. We found that climate change could decrease the number of wetlands that hold ponded water during the waterfowl breeding season by 14% under a hot wet scenario or 29% under a hot dry scenario if no upland-management actions were taken. Upland burning reduced pond losses to 9% (hot wet) and 26% (hot dry). Upland grazing resulted in the smallest loss of ponded wetlands, 6% loss under the hot-and-wet scenario and 22% loss under the hot-and-dry scenario. Overall, water inputs could be increased by either burning or grazing of upland vegetation thereby reducing pond losses during the waterfowl breeding season. While field results suggest that both grazing and burning can reduce the vegetative structure that could lead to increases in runoff in grassland catchments, our model simulations indicated that additional actions may be needed for managers to minimize future meteorologically driven water losses.
Rethinking your purification procedure.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the factors that need to be taken into consideration to streamline protein purification procedures. Researchers should ensure whether they are using the best source of material and whether the source is readily available in large quantities. Researchers should also consider whether they extract most of the available activity and whether any steps lead to unnecessarily large losses or relatively poor purifications. They should know whether they can avoid a concentration or dialysis step by changing the order of steps. They should ensure whether the solution conditions of the last step in the procedure are compatible with storage of the protein. They should consider whether they are using the best assay for their protein considering speed, cost, and accuracy.
In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Streptomycin-Dependent Cholera Vibrios

Streptomycin-dependent cholera vibrio strains were derived from Inaba, Ogawa, and NAG vibrios by the method of Mel. These phenotypes grew more slowly and attacked fermentable substances after a longer period of time than the streptomycin-sensitive parent strains. Rabbits injected with streptomycin-sensitive strains and their streptomycin-dependent forms showed homologous agglutinin production. Patas monkeys fed with 10(9) streptomycin-dependent strains shed them for 1 to 2 days without ill effect, whereas the same number of streptomycin-independent organisms caused disease. The possibility of the application of multiple doses of streptomycin-dependent organisms in oral immunization against cholera was considered.
Data Search Engine

This article provides an overview of the key technologies used to implement various types of search engines, including document search engines, database search engines, document metasearch engines, and database metasearch engines. Keywords: search engine; metasearch engine; information retrieval; world wide web
Navigation on a Micron Scale

E. coli is a bacterium 1 µm in diameter. It swims in a nutrient medium, counting molecules of interest as it goes along. On the basis of these counts, it accu- mulates in regions that it deems more favorable. How does nature design, construct, and operate such a nanomachine?
Physico-chemical phenomena in comets—IV: The C2 emission of comet Burnham (1960 II)

Abstract The new model of the cometary head proposed in papers I–III is developed to explain the photometric profiles of the molecular emission bands observed in comets. The model assumes that the icy grains, present in a halo around the nucleus, vaporize ‘emitters’ isotropically at a thermal speed. The ‘emitters’ can be, either the free radicals observed in the spectra, or precursor molecules if their lifetime is much shorter than 104 sec. The observed deviations from the point source model can then be understood as coming only from the presence of a halo of icy grains, acting as an extended source of emitters around the nucleus. The model, used to explain the photometric profile of C2 in comet Bumham (1960 II) points to the existence of a halo of icy grains of the same approximate size as independently deduced in paper III from the shape of comet Burnham's continuum.
Defects and Disorder in Magnetoresistive Double Perovskite A 2 FeMoO 6 (A = Sr,Ba)

A2FeMoO6 (A = Sr, Ba) is a double perovskite having an ordered ferrimagnetic structure of Fe and Mo magnetic superlattices. The Fe and Mo atoms are ordered on alternating, corner-shared octahedral sites, however, the ordered array can have imperfections that are dependent upon synthesis conditions. Mossbauer spectroscopy was used to examine the local magnetic and structural environment around the Fe atoms giving insight into what type of imperfections were present in the Fe magnetic superlattice. Transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy was performed on polycrystalline samples with varying degrees of disorder using magnetic fields of 0 and 70 kOe. We were able to clearly resolve the iron nuclei with flipped magnetic moments (iron having a magnetic dipole moment parallel to the Mo magnetic dipoles), and associate the disorder in the structure with the different sites observed in the Mossbauer spectrum. The amount of disorder induced by various synthesis conditions was consistent with magnetization measurements that consistently show a lower than expected average magnetic dipole moment.
Predicting the emergence of antibiotic resistance by directed evolution and structural analysis

Directed evolution can be a powerful tool to predict antibiotic resistance. Resistance involves the accumulation of mutations beneficial to the pathogen while maintaining residue interactions and core packing that are critical for preserving function. The constraint of maintaining stability, while increasing activity, drastically reduces the number of possible mutational combination pathways. To test this theory, TEM-1 β-lactamase was evolved using a hypermutator E. coli-based directed evolution technique with cefotaxime selection. The selected mutants were compared to two previous directed evolution studies and a database of clinical isolates. In all cases, evolution resulted in the generation of the E104K/M182T/G238S combination of mutations (∼500-fold increased resistance), which is equivalent to clinical isolate TEM-52. The structure of TEM-52 was determined to 2.4 A. G238S widens access to the active site by 2.8 A whereas E104K stabilizes the reorganized topology. The M182T mutation is located 17 A from the active site and appears to be a global suppressor mutation that acts to stabilize the new enzyme structure. Our results demonstrate that directed evolution coupled with structural analysis can be used to predict future mutations that lead to increased antibiotic resistance.
X-ray Sensitivity and Repair Capacity of a polA1 exrA Strain of Escherichia coli K-12

A polA1 exrA strain of Escherichia coli K-12 was constructed. It was found to be more sensitive to aerobic or anoxic X irradiation than were mutants containing either polA1 or exrA alone. The ability of polA1 exrA and related strains to repair X-ray-induced single-strand breaks in deoxyribonucleic acid DNA was examined. The polA1 strain was deficient in type II (buffer) repair but not in type III (growth medium-dependent) repair. The exrA strain was not deficient in type II repair but was deficient in type III repair (similar to rec strains). The double mutant polA1 exrA was deficient in both type II and type III repair. Thus, the increased X-ray sensitivity of the polA1 exrA double mutant was correlated with its decreased ability to repair X-ray-induced single-strand breaks in DNA. We have tested the hypothesis that polA rec double mutants are not viable because they lack the types II and III systems for the repair of DNA single-strand breaks. Since the polA1 exrA strain is viable and is deficient in both of these repair processes, this hypothesis seems not to be correct.
Bone morphogenetic protein signaling protects against cerulein-induced pancreatic fibrosis.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have an anti-fibrogenic function in the kidney, lung, and liver. However, their role in chronic pancreatitis (CP) is unknown. The aim of this study was to define the anti-fibrogenic role of BMP signaling in the pancreas in vivo under CP induction. Mice with a deletion of BMP type II receptor (BMPR2+/−) were used in this study in comparison with wild-type mice. CP was induced by repetitive cerulein injection intraperitoneally for 4 weeks, and the severity of CP was evaluated. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) were isolated from the mice and treated with BMP2 and TGF-β in vitro, and extracellular matrix protein (ECM) production was measured. Smad and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling was also evaluated. BMPR2+/− mice revealed a greater pancreatic fibrosis, PSC activation and leukocyte infiltration after CP induction compared to wild-type mice (P<0.05). Under CP induction, phospho (p)Smad1/5/8 was elevated in wild-type mice and this effect was abolished in BMPR2+/− mice; pSmad2 and pp38MAPK were further enhanced in BMPR2+/− mice compared to wild-type mice (P<0.05). In vitro, BMP2 inhibited TGF-β-induced ECM protein fibronectin production in wild-type PSCs; this effect was abolished in BMPR2+/− PSCs (P<0.05). In BMPR2+/− PSCs, pSmad1/5/8 level was barely detectable upon BMP2 stimulation, while pSmad2 level was further enhanced by TGF-β stimulation, compared to wild-type PSCs (P<0.05). BMPR2/Smad1/5/8 signaling plays a protective role against cerulein-induced pancreatic fibrosis by inhibiting Smad2 and p38MAPK signaling pathways.
In-process regressions and adaptive multicriteria neural networks for monitoring and supervising machining operations

The authors develop a monitoring and supervising system for machining operations using in-process regressions (for monitoring) and adaptive feedforward artificial neural networks (for supervising). The system is designed for: (1) in-process tool life measurement and prediction; (2) supervision of machining operations in terms of the best machining setup; and (3) catastrophic tool failure monitoring. The monitoring system predicts tool life by using different sensors for gathering information based on a regression model that allows for the variations between tools and different machine setups. The regression model makes its prediction by using the history of other tools and combining it with the information obtained about the tool under consideration. The supervision system identifies the best parameters for the machine setup problem within the framework of multiple criteria decision making. The decision maker (operator) considers several criteria, such as cutting quality, production rate and tool life. To make the optimal decision with several criteria, an adaptive feedforward artificial neural network is used to assess the decision maker's preferences. The authors' neural network approach learns from the decision maker's complex behavior and hence, in automatic mode, can make decisions for the decision maker. The approach is not computationally demanding, and experiments demonstrate that its predictions are accurate.
Diagnosis of neonatal infection with herpes simplex virus.

In the JAMA Clinical Challenge presenting an infant with neonatal infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV), Dr Ladizinski and colleagues1 recommended performing rapid direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) testing from a vesicle to establish the diagnosis. Ladizinski et al1 stated that DFA should be chosen over alternative diagnostic techniques, including viral cultures and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, because DFA provides results most rapidly.
Food4kids: Use of a Food Safety World Wide Web Site for Promoting Healthy Behavior Changes in Children

Abstract More children have access to the Internet in schools and at home than ever before. The Internet can serve as a useful tool for teaching children the knowledge and skills needed for good health. Food4Kids was developed by University of Missouri Extension to give elementary school children the knowledge and skills needed for safe food handling. The site includes several components. Two interactive games are designed to teach children safe food handling skills in various settings. When playing the Dinner Dilemma, children try to accumulate the least number of germs as they help their mom prepare a family meal. In The Family Picnic, children try to identify the unsafe food handling practices taking place at an outdoor barbecue. Children can also increase their food safety knowledge by searching a food safety database, sending questions to a food safety expert, and linking to other food safety and nutrition sites. We are currently evaluating Food4Kids to determine (1) the acceptability of the site by third grade students; (2) the impact of the site on changing knowledge and intended behaviors related to food safety; and (3) the need for formal guidance when using WWW sites to significantly improve the knowledge and skills of users. The program will be evaluated using 100 third grade students in Columbia, Missouri. A pre-test and post-test will be used to assess changes in students knowledge and intended behaviors related to food safety before and after using Food4Kids. Web tracking software will allow us to determine how much time the children spend on the site, which paths they take to find information, and what pages they liked and disliked the most. Observations of students using the site will help to assess interest level, ability to move around the WWW site, and emotions the children have while using the site. Results from the evaluation will be discussed, as well as suggestions for how to best evaluate and disseminate educational WWW sites designed to promote healthy behavior changes in children.
Urbach tail and gap states in hydrogenated a-SiC and a-SiGe alloys

Abstract By combining photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) and transmission measurements, the localized-state distribution inside the mobility gap has been optically investigated in amorphous silicon based alloys. For both silicon-carbon and silicon-germanium alloys, a rigid shift of the [seudo-gap is observed with increasing deviation from pure a-Si:H. The effect is accompanied by a significant broadening of the Urbach edge. We explain the latter in terms of potential fluctuations due to compositional disorder. For Ge-rich a-SiGe:H, the large density of defect states in the upper half of the gap makes this analysis less quantitative. In the carbon-based alloy, compositional disorder does not bring about additional defect related states throughout the range of compositions explored. This indicates that a-SiC:H, is a promising material for optoelectronic applications.
Milankovitch rhythms in the Cretaceous: A GCM modelling study

Abstract A major feature of the Cretaceous sedimentary record is the presence of cyclical bedding in carbonate sequences, many of which have periodicities similar to those of the Milankovitch rhythms of the earth-sun orbit. We used an atmospheric general circulation model, the NCAR CCM1, to investigate changes in the modeled Cretaceous atmospheric climate resulting from imposed Milankovitch orbital insolation changes. We extend a previous study using a 100 Ma mid-Cretaceous reconstruction to include perpetual-season (January and July) effects due to changes in obliquity as well as changes in precession. A total of eighteen pairs of insolation states have been examined. We perform a regression for linear sensitivity coefficients appropriate to precession and obliquity insolation changes, as well as compute a jackknife estimate of the coefficient uncertainty. Comparison of the regression residual to inherent model variability allows an estimate of any systematic but nonlinear model response to orbital insolation changes. Of particular importance is the response of the atmospheric hydrologic cycle. Changes in this cycle are consistent with at least three examples of Cretaceous bedding cycles: (1) The South Atlantic, where cyclical changes in the E-P balance with precession and, to a lesser extent, obliquity may account for regional oxic versus anoxic cycles observed in Cretaceous marine sediments cored from this region. (2) Regional changes in E-P over the east Tethys and adjacent continents with changes in insolation, which could induce changes in the production of oceanic deep water, possibly accounting for global occurrences of cyclic anoxic conditions. (3) Our simulations show a significant response of the hydrologic cycle to obliquity in July over western North America. This response, however, is smaller and more localized than those observed in low-latitude regions, and may not be robust to small changes in model boundary conditions. For most regions and modeled quantities the response due to precessional changes is considerably larger than that due to obliquity changes. The response to obliquity, though generally small, can be important at low latitudes as well as at high latitudes. There is no clear indication of any significant nonlinear response to either orbital parameter. This means that the mean component of the plane fit to the model response to the two orbital parameters can serve the same purpose as the mean of an extended model control simulation. Zonal averages of the model response are typically small relative to zonal averages of the control simulations. This suggests that the net poleward transport of latent heat by the atmosphere in our set of simulations is only weakly sensitive to orbital cycles, and is instead dominated by the meridional sea-surface temperature gradient. A necessary next step will be the use of seasonal-cycle simulations with interactive soil moisture and beyond that the interactive computation of sea-surface temperatures.
A model of local‐minima distribution on conformational space and its application to protein structure prediction

A quantitative two-parameter model is developed to describe local energy minima distribution. On a conformational space measured by least-square-fitting root-mean-squared distance (RMSD), the number of local minima in a r RMSD region is proposed to be proportional to exp(-1/r). As part of the model derivations, the minimum RMSD of decoys from the largest cluster, the number of decoys in the largest cluster, and the RMSD distribution of the decoys have inner connections with each other. The model is successfully verified on a 49 helix-packing decoy set and a 30 loop-prediction decoy set, as well as both knowledge-based potential (DFIRE) and physical force-fields (OPLS and CHARMM). One of the model's applications is predicting behaviors of a large amount of decoys (e.g., minimum RMSD of 40,000 decoys) by generating only a small number of decoys (e.g., 500). It may be applied to structure predictions guided by any Lennard-Jones-like potential functions and can be extended to other sampling methods guided by simple energy terms.
Identification of abrasive waterjet nozzle wear based on parametric spectrum estimation of acoustic signal

The abrasive waterjet nozzle is one of the most critical parts that influences the technical and economical performance of an abrasive waterjet system. In order to control the uniformity of cutting results in milling and cutting, it is necessary to devise a sensing system that can sense on-line the nozzle wear. This paper presents an on-line technique for monitoring the nozzle wear which is based on monitoring the acoustic signals generated by the abrasive waterjet. The autoregressive moving average (ARMA) spectra are used to estimate the nozzle wear. It has been shown that the ARMA spectra can reveal more features of the nozzle wear than the conventional fast Fourier transform (FFT) method. It was found that the amplitude of the spectra and the frequency of the spectra peaks of ARMA models have a high sensitivity to a small variation of the nozzle exit geometry. A method based on on-line acoustic signals is proposed for identification of the nozzle inside diameter.
Rat brain and blood gluconeogenic metabolic changes in neonatal starvation

Summary Newborn rats fasted for 24 h immediately after birth lost about 80% of their brain free alanine and 50% of glutamate plus glutamine per cell unit as compared with their fed littermates. These changes occurred simultaneously with a pronounced decline in the same circulating amino acids. Exhaustion of these brain free gluconeogenic amino acids paralleled a marked hypoglycemia (glucose
Selenoprotein P protects cells from lipid hydroperoxides generated by 15-LOX-1

Reactive lipid hydroperoxides formed by lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenases can contribute to disease through cellular oxidative damage. Several selenoproteins have lipid hydroperoxidase activity, including glutathione peroxidase 4, thioredoxin reductase, and selenoprotein P (SelP). SelP is an extracellular glycoprotein that functions both in selenium distribution and has an antioxidant activity. The major objective of this study was to determine if an SelP, at physiological concentrations and in selenium replete media, possessed hydroperoxidase activity directed at lipid hydroperoxides generated from the metabolism of arachidonic acid by 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15-LOX-1). An SelP displayed in vitro lipid hydroperoxidase activity of 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HpETE), attenuated 15-HpETE oxidation in cellular assays, and in transcellular assay when 15-LOX-1 is metabolically active. These results suggest that an SelP can function as an antioxidant enzyme against reactive lipid intermediates formed during inflammation, but an SelP has modest activity. Nevertheless, this effect may help protect cells against the oxidative damage induced by these lipid metabolites.
Serratia marcescens surgical wound infection following breast reconstruction

Surgical wound infections due to gram-negative bacilli have been rarely reported following breast implant surgery. From April to November 1989, four patients from one plastic surgeon's practice developed Serratia marcescens surgical wound infection (SWI) following breast reconstruction procedures with implantation of six expandable mammary implants. All six implants were removed for unabated S. marcescens SWI. Symptoms developed 13-161 days (median, 66 days) after surgery. When compared with nonexpandable silicone breast implants used during the period November 1, 1988, to October 31, 1989, expandable implants were associated with a greater risk of S. marcescens SWI (4/10 versus 0/11 patients, p = 0.04). Epidemiologic studies revealed that infection was associated with saline expansion of the implants performed in the surgeon's office. S. marcescens was cultured from a bag of commercial saline used on at least two of the four patients with SWI; the isolate from the saline and the three available patient isolates had identical serotype (O-undetermined:H4) and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Review of office procedures revealed that hands were not routinely washed before and aseptic technique was not used during the expansion procedure. Cultures of unopened bags of saline and an unused expandable implant were sterile. We hypothesize that multiple use of saline bags and nonsterile expansion technique extrinsically contaminated saline solutions and resulted in implant and/or surgical site infection. This investigation underscores the importance of avoiding multiple use of solutions intended for single use and of using aseptic technique when manipulating prosthetic devices.
Independent domains of the Sdc-3 protein control sex determination and dosage compensation in C. elegans

Abstract sdc-3 is an early-acting regulatory gene that controls both sex determination and X chromosome dosage compensation in C. elegans. It is unique among sdc genes in that its sex determination and dosage compensation functions act independently. The molecular analysis reported here demonstrates that separate domains of the Sdc-3 protein control these two developmental processes. Sequence analysis of 16 sdc-3 alleles reveals that the dosage compensation mutations specifically eliminate a pair of zinc finger motifs at the carboxyl terminus of Sdc-3, while the sex determination mutations alter a region with limited homology to the ATP-binding domain of myosin. Null mutations, which disrupt both processes, abort translation of Sdc-3 prior to both domains. Analysis of site-directed changes confirms the functional significance of the two separate regions in sex determination and dosage compensation and reveals that an additional region, undetected by genetic analysis, is also required for proper dosage compensation.