cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Revelation of ferrate(VI) unimolecular decay under alkaline conditions: Investigation of involvement of Fe(IV) and Fe(V) species

Abstract The kinetics and mechanisms of self-decay of ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42−, Fe(VI)) over the entire pH range from acidic to basic pH range need to be understood to assess the ability of Fe(VI) to oxidize pollutants at different pHs. Mechanism of self-decay of Fe(VI) has been extensively examined under acidic to neutral pH conditions. However, Fe(VI) self-decay at alkaline pH (e.g., pH 9.0 or higher) is poorly understood. This study performed kinetic and modeling studies of the Fe(VI) decay at pH 9.0 and 10.0. Our research reveals that the decay of Fe(VI) follows first-order kinetics (i.e., unimolecular decay) at pH 9.0 and 10.0 and the order changes to 3/2-order at pH 7.0 due to the different species of Fe(VI) (FeO42− versus HFeO4−). Results of unimolecular decay mechanism through water attack (WA) are supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which indicate unfavorable dimerization of FeO42− through oxo-coupling (OC) under alkaline conditions. The WA on the monomeric FeO42− is proposed due to its lower activation barrier compared to OC. Kinetic simulation of Fe(VI) decay involving Fe(V) and Fe(IV) successfully predicts Fe(VI) disappearance and H2O2 generation (a product) under varied conditions. The decay of FeO42− is different from the second-order kinetics of protonated Fe(VI) species (H2FeO4 and HFeO4−). Our results will aid in comprehending oxidation power of Fe(VI) in degrading pollutants under alkaline conditions.
Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

Polyelectrolyte complex micelles (PCMs), core-shell nanoparticles formed by self-assembly of charged polymers in aqueous solution, provide a powerful platform for exploring the physics of polyelectrolyte interactions and also offer a promising solution to the pressing problem of delivering therapeutic oligonucleotides in vivo. Developing predictive structure-property relationships for PCMs has proven difficult, in part due to the presence of strong kinetic traps during nanoparticle self-assembly. This article discusses criteria for choosing polymers for PCM construction and provides protocols based on salt annealing that enable assembly of repeatable, low-polydispersity nanoparticles. We also discuss PCM characterization using light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and electron microscopy.
Genomically informed longitudinal monitoring of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to predict outcomes of cancer therapy.

3533Background: Short fragments of ctDNA can be detected and quantified from blood samples of patients with cancer. We hypothesize that dynamic changes in quantity of ctDNA in patients with advance...
Hunting, Foraging, and Fishing for Food as Place-Based Learning

This chapter is an introduction to Place-based Learning for the Plate and outlines the purposes, contents, and approach of the volume. The main purpose of this book is to consider hunting, foraging, and/or fishing for food as unique forms of place-based learning. These chapters are written by a range of authors, including individuals who forage and gather, hunt, and/or fish for part of their food, whose lives have been influenced by these practices, and those who are involved in research and advocacy within such communities. A number of the authors identify as place-based educators, and write their stories around themes of intentional living as individuals making connections between everyday life, whole food processes, and relating with the more-than-human world. We hope this book will stir the ecological consciousness of readers and inspire fresh trajectories of thought regarding connections between humans, places, food, hunting, foraging, and fishing, and that it might encourage all of us to lean more deeply into our relationships with our places in the more-than-human world.
A Concise, Enantiospecific Total Synthesis of Chilocorine C Fueled by a Reductive Cyclization/Mannich Reaction Cascade.

Among defensive alkaloids isolated from ladybugs, the heterodimeric member chilocorine C possesses an alluring monomeric unit that combines quinolizidine and indolizidine substructures. Indeed, the...
Metabolic Forest: Predicting the Diverse Structures of Drug Metabolites.

Adverse drug metabolism often severely impacts patient morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, drug metabolism experimental assays are costly, inefficient, and slow. Instead, computational modeling...
Impact of inclusion rates of crossbred phenotypes and genotypes in nucleus selection programs.

Numerous methods have been suggested to incorporate crossbred (CB) phenotypes and genotypes into swine selection programs, yet little research has focused on the implicit trade-off decisions between generating data at the nucleus or commercial level. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of altering the proportion of purebred (PB) and CB phenotypes and genotypes in genetic evaluations on the response to selection of CB performance. Assuming CB and PB performance with moderate heritabilities (h2=0.4), a three-breed swine crossbreeding scheme was simulated and selection was practiced for six generations, where the goal was to increase CB performance. Phenotypes, genotypes, and pedigrees for three PB breeds (25 and 175 mating males and females for each breed, respectively), F1 crosses (400 mating females), and terminal cross progeny (2,500) were simulated. The genome consisted of 18 chromosomes with 1,800 quantitative trait loci and 72k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Selection was performed in PB breeds using estimated breeding value for each phenotyping/genotyping strategy. Strategies investigated were: 1) increasing the proportion of CB with genotypes, phenotypes, and sire pedigree relationships, 2) decreasing the proportion of PB phenotypes and genotypes, and 3) altering the genetic correlation between PB and CB performance (rpc). Each unique rpc scenario and data collection strategy was replicated 10 times. Results showed that including CB data improved the CB performance regardless of rpc or data collection strategy compared with when no CB data were included. Compared with using only PB information, including 10% of CB progeny per generation with sire pedigrees and phenotypes increased the response in CB phenotype by 134%, 55%, 33%, 23%, and 21% when rpc was 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9, respectively. When the same 10% of CB progeny were also genotyped, CB performance increased by 243%, 54%, 38%, 23%, and 20% when the rpc was 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9, respectively, compared with when no CB data were utilized. Minimal change was observed in the average CB phenotype when PB phenotypes were included or proportionally removed when CB were genotyped. Removal of both PB phenotypes and genotypes when CB were genotyped greatly reduced the response in CB performance. In practice, the optimal inclusion rate of CB and PB data depends upon the genetic correlation between CB and PB animals and the expense of additional CB data collection compared with the economic benefit associated with increased CB performance.
Häufigkeit der Elemente

Die chemische Zusammensetzung des Universums ist ziemlich einfach. Etwa 75 % (nach der Masse) der atomaren Materie liegt in Form von Wasserstoff vor und fast der gesamte Rest in Form von Helium.
Double Descent and Other Interpolation Phenomena in GANs.

We study overparameterization in generative adversarial networks (GANs) that can interpolate the training data. We show that overparameterization can improve generalization performance and accelerate the training process. We study the generalization error as a function of latent space dimension and identify two main behaviors, depending on the learning setting. First, we show that overparameterized generative models that learn distributions by minimizing a metric or $f$-divergence do not exhibit double descent in generalization errors; specifically, all the interpolating solutions achieve the same generalization error. Second, we develop a new pseudo-supervised learning approach for GANs where the training utilizes pairs of fabricated (noise) inputs in conjunction with real output samples. Our pseudo-supervised setting exhibits double descent (and in some cases, triple descent) of generalization errors. We combine pseudo-supervision with overparameterization (i.e., overly large latent space dimension) to accelerate training while performing better, or close to, the generalization performance without pseudo-supervision. While our analysis focuses mostly on linear GANs, we also apply important insights for improving generalization of nonlinear, multilayer GANs.
Do emerging adults know what their friends are doing and does it really matter? Methodologic challenges and associations of perceived and actual friend behaviors with emerging adults' disordered eating and muscle building behaviors.

Abstract Disordered eating and muscle building behaviors are common among emerging adults, and friends may be a particularly salient social influence. Epidemiologic research often includes questions about participants' perceptions of their friends. A less common approach, with greater logistical challenges, is to ask for friend nominations and then survey friends about their actual behaviors. The comparability of these different approaches is unknown. This study addresses the following research questions: 1) What is the feasibility of collecting data from emerging adults' friends in epidemiologic research? 2) Do perceptions of friends' weight- and shape-related behaviors align with friends' actual behaviors? and 3) Are perceptions or friends' actual behaviors more strongly and consistently associated with emerging adults' behaviors? Participants (N = 2383) in the EAT (Eating and Activity over Time)-2018 study in Minnesota, USA, were asked to nominate up to three friends and provide data about those friends' weight- and shape-related behaviors (i.e. perceptions); nominated friends were invited to complete an abbreviated survey and report on their own same behaviors (i.e. actual). Among the invited friends, 191 responded and were linked to the 152 EAT 2018 participants who nominated them. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlations, and logistic regression were used to address the research questions. The response rate for nominated friends was very low (9.9%), suggesting this approach may have low feasibility for epidemiologic studies of emerging adults. Emerging adults' perceptions of their nominated friends' weight and shape-related behaviors generally did not align well with the behaviors reported by those friends. Furthermore, analytic models found different associations between friends' behavior and EAT 2018 participant behaviors, depending on the measure of friends' behavior used (perceived or actual). Careful consideration of the pros and cons of each study design is essential to build an evidence base and support interventions regarding emerging adults' weight- and shape-related health.
Executive control deficits and lesion correlates in acute left hemisphere stroke survivors with and without aphasia.

In contrast to the traditional definition of the disorder, many individuals with aphasia exhibit non-linguistic cognitive impairments, including executive control deficits. Classic lesion studies cite frontal lobe damage in executive dysfunction, but more recent lesion symptom-mapping studies in chronic aphasia present mixed results. In this study, we compared executive control abilities of acute stroke survivors with and without aphasia and investigated lesion correlates of linguistic and non-linguistic cognitive tasks. Twenty-nine participants with acute left hemisphere stroke resulting in aphasia (n = 14) or no aphasia (n = 15) completed clinical MRI and testing, including three NIH Toolbox Cognition Batteries (Pattern Comparison Processing Speed, Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention, and Dimensional Change Card Sort Tests) and the Boston Naming Test. We compared performance between groups using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. We used Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Regression to identify neural markers (percent regional damage, hypoperfusion within vascular territories, and total lesion volume) of executive control deficits and anomia. Group performance was comparable on the Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test, but people with aphasia had poorer standard scores, lower accuracy, and slower response times on the Dimensional Change Card Sort Test than people without aphasia. Damage to extrasylvian regions (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, intraparietal sulcus) was related to executive control deficits, whereas language network damage (to inferior frontal and superior and posterior middle temporal gyri) was linked to naming impairments. These results suggest people with aphasia can exhibit comorbid executive control impairments linked to damage outside classic language network areas.
Clostridium difficile Infection Complicated by Transformation of Myelodysplastic Syndrome to Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Leukostasis and Sweet's Syndrome.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a premalignant condition characterized by clonal proliferation and ineffective hematopoiesis. The subtype of MDS associated with deletion in the long arm of chromosome 5 is generally associated with older females and carries a good prognosis as it rarely transforms to acute myeloid leukemia. The mechanisms of leukemic transformation are still poorly understood and likely involve a variety of somatic mutations and epigenetic modifications. We present the case of a 70-year-old female with known MDS with deletion 5(q) who presented with anemia, thrombocytopenia, and guaiac positive stool who was subsequently found to be positive for Clostridium difficile infection. During the course of her treatment, she developed significant leukocytosis, splenic infarction, and acute hypoxic respiratory failure requiring high flow nasal cannula. Flow cytometry returned positive for increased blasts of more than 30%. She was transferred to a tertiary care facility for cytoreductive therapy and developed leukostasis and Sweet's syndrome.
Imaging Elusive Solute Atoms

In 1948, Cottrell developed a theory in which the strength of iron was explained by the formation of "atmospheres" of carbon atoms around dislocations in the crystal lattice. It took more than 50 years for his theory to be verified experimentally. Blavette et al. (page [2317][1]) use a three-dimensional atom probe to determine the distribution of individual boron atoms around a dislocation in FeAl, providing the first full experimental description of a Cottrell atmosphere. The study illustrates the power of three-dimensional atom probes for resolving the properties of materials on an atomic scale. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/286/5448/2317
Regulation of the Th1 Genomic Locus from Ifng through Tmevpg1 by T-bet

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), critical regulators of protein-coding genes, are likely to be coexpressed with neighboring protein-coding genes in the genome. How the genome integrates signals to achieve coexpression of lncRNA genes and neighboring protein-coding genes is not well understood. The lncRNA Tmevpg1 (NeST, Ifng-AS1) is critical for Th1-lineage-specific expression of Ifng and is coexpressed with Ifng. In this study, we show that T-bet guides epigenetic remodeling of Tmevpg1 proximal and distal enhancers, leading to recruitment of stimulus-inducible transcription factors, NF-κB and Ets-1, to the locus. Activities of Tmevpg1-specific enhancers and Tmevpg1 transcription are dependent upon NF-κB. Thus, we propose that T-bet stimulates epigenetic remodeling of Tmevpg1-specific enhancers and Ifng-specific enhancers to achieve Th1-lineage-specific expression of Ifng.
[32] Identifying and isolating fimbrial-associated adhesins of oral gram-negative bacteria

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on identifying and isolating fimbrial-associated adhesins of oral gram-negative bacteria. The use of specific affinity matrices provides a simple approach to purifying adhesive proteins and maximizes their recovery from crude preparations of bacterial cell surface components. The chapter discusses the use of monoclonal—and polyclonal—antibody conjugates, agarose–sugar conjugates, and less conventional supports in the identification and isolation of adhesins from several gram-negative oral bacteria. The time invested in producing antiadhesin antibodies (monoclonal or polyclonal) is considerable. The procedures described in the chapter provide a reliable way to identify and isolate this elusive class of protein molecules. There are numerous benefits to possessing a preparation of adhesin-specific antibodies. For example, when appropriately labeled, they can be used to estimate the number of adhesins present on specific microorganisms. When coated on gold particles, they display the topographic arrangement of the proteins on the cell surface. They are invaluable tools for assaying the cloning of adhesin genes, where they can be used to detect expression of the gene product.
Cell biology. Reeling CASK into the nucleus.

Cells send messages to their neighbours through ‘junctional complexes’, which link molecules on the cell surface to the cytoskeleton beneath. One of the proteins that forms these complexes, CASK, is now shown to travel from the cell surface to the nucleus, where it regulates gene expression by binding to DNA.
Immunizations for international travelers.

Abstract Each year more than 45 million Americans travel abroad for work or pleasure, and over 20 million of these travel to rural areas or developing countries. While the major medical risks of international travel are often exaggerated, the incidence of minor illness is not. Persons going to Asia, Africa, or Latin America for one month run a 65% to 75% chance of becoming ill, although only 1% will require hospitalization. The two most common illnesses that affect travelers, which do have immunizations and are often overlooked by physicians, are influenza and hepatitis A. The risk of illness to the traveler varies by health and age status, by the region to be visited, by the time of year, and by the length of the journey. Immunization advice for the traveler, therefore, is complicated and is best approached in a systematic manner. This article outlines six steps to sound immunization advice. These steps include ascertaining the traveler's special individual needs, routine immunization status, and routine travel immunization status, as well as the entry requirements for the country to be visited, geographically indicated vaccines, and immunizations as indicated for extended stays abroad.
Glacial-interglacial dynamics of the eastern equatorial Pacific cold tongue-Intertropical Convergence Zone system reconstructed from oxygen isotope records

record mean late Holocene (LH)-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) d 18 O amplitudes ranging between 1.0 and 1.3%. We estimate that mean sea surface temperatures (SST) in this region during the LGM were on average 1.5 ± 0.5� C lower than the LH. Larger d 18 O amplitudes are observed in sites north of the equator, indicating a spatial pattern of reduced meridional SST gradient across the equator during the LGM. This result is supported by comparison of Mg/Ca SST reconstructions from two sites straddling the equator. We interpret the reduction of this gradient during the LGM as evidence for a less intense cold tongue-Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) frontal system, a more southerly position of the ITCZ, and weaker southeast equatorial trades in the EEP. INDEXTERMS: 1620 Global Change: Climate dynamics (3309); 3339 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Ocean/atmosphere interactions (0312, 4504); 3344 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Paleoclimatology; 4231 Oceanography: General: Equatorial oceanography; 4267 Oceanography: General: Paleoceanography; KEYWORDS: cold tongue, ITCZ, oxygen isotopes, tropical Pacific
Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotic Organisms

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the regulation at the level of gene expression. The structural genes for what the transcription frequency can be regulated have been the subject of intensive investigation over the past two decades. There are many steps in the process of transcription of a given gene that finally results in a change, in a specific cellular function; some of these steps that are capable of being regulated are defined. Binding of ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase to the promoter involves a number of different proteins that modify the activity and specificity of the polymerase, allowing gene expression to be regulated. The effects of the regulatory proteins may be negative, restricting transcription, or positive, facilitating transcription. The activities of the regulatory proteins are themselves regulated by specific small molecules that communicate the metabolic needs of the cell to the sites at which gene expression is controlled. Gene expression could be modulated by alterations in the stability of the mRNA, in the frequency with what specific portions of a polycistronic mRNA are translated, in the availability of the various species of tRNA or their synthesis, or in any of the many catalytic events involved in the translation process. The activity of a protein may be modified by specific small molecules through noncovalent interactions, such as those involved in “feedback” inhibition, or through covalent changes, such as adenylylation. By describing the mechanisms of modulating gene expression, the basic principles involved and to indicate how complex is the total story of gene regulation, and how extensively interlocking are its parts are elucidated.
Strategies in multi-agent systems

This paper addresses the interaction of agents in a multi-agent system with their environment and with each other. The central notion is that of a strategy. We consider how this notion is handled by game theory, especially evolutionary game theory, and how some of the issues that arise are handled by deontic logic.
Competing 1,3- and 1,2-Hydrogen Shifts in Gaseous Fluoropropyl Cations

An initial 1,2-hydrogen shift versus a 1,3-deuterium shift in emerging FCD2CH2CH2+ ions lead to differing patterns of deuteration in the neutral products that are recovered following reaction with a Bronsted base. Transient dideuterated fluoropropyl ions have been produced in [C3H4D2F+ PhO•] ion−neutral complexes by 70 eV electron impact on FCD2CH2CH2OPh and the resulting fluoropropenes collected in a specially designed electron bombardment flow (EBFlow) reactor. Under these conditions ion−neutral complexes greatly predominate over free fluoropropyl cations. Free ions afford products that are easily distinguished from those that result from ion−neutral complexes, in which the phenoxy radical serves as the Bronsted base. 1,2-Hydrogen shift yields ions containing CH3-groups, while the ions from 1,3-shift have CDH2-groups. Allyl fluoride and 1-fluoropropene arise from ion−neutral complexes, and the extent and positions of deuteration have been determined by 19F NMR. Six deuterated variants of trans-1-fluorop...
Correlation-function method for the evaluation of plasma transport coefficients: the self-diffusion coefficient

The density dependence of the viscosity coefficient of a dilute fully-ionized plasma is obtained. We associate the viscosity coefficient $\ensuremath{\eta}$ with the autocorrelation function of the off-diagonal elements of the stress tensor. The technique used is essentially equivalent to that used in a previous paper by the authors. The result of our analysis is $\ensuremath{\eta}=\ensuremath{\Sigma}{m=1}^{\ensuremath{\infty}}{U}_{m}(T)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{(\mathrm{ln}\ensuremath{\rho})}^{\ensuremath{-}m}$, where the ${U}_{m}(T)$ are the solutions to well-defined algebraic equations. If one Sonine polynomial is used, the shear viscosity is given by $\ensuremath{\eta}={[{d}_{1}(T)\mathrm{ln}\ensuremath{\rho}+{d}_{2}(T)]}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Clinical characteristics and management responses in 85 HIV-infected patients with oral candidiasis

Eighty-five consecutively seen HIV-positive persons with oral candidiasis were evaluated for clinical characteristics, staging of HIV disease, quantitation of candidal colony formation, and response to systemic antifungal treatment with Nizoral (ketoconazole). Fifty-five had CD4 counts less than 200. There was an inconsistent association between clinical signs, patient symptoms, CD4 counts, and candidal colony-forming units. However, there was a trend toward higher colony-forming unit counts (> 500) in patients with lower CD4 cells (< 200). Sixty-five patients had a complete clinical response to the ketoconazole treatment (200 mg daily for 7 days), even though 81% of posttreatment cultures remained positive. Nonsmokers were more likely to respond to antifungal treatment when compared with smokers, and there was a slight tendency for complete responses when colony-forming unit counts were low. The most common lesion presentation was a combination of the white (pseudomembranous) and red (erythematous) forms. Forty-nine percent had complaints of pain. The variable responses indicated the importance of flexible dose-time and drug considerations in antifungal management. Candida albicans was the predominant species.
Analyzing the Self-Organizing Mechanism of Lysozyme Amyloid Fiber Formation

The formation of amyloid fibers involves a number of different intermediates. By using separation techniques and analysis methods such as dielectric spectroscopy, AFM, and TEM, the aggregation steps of fiber formation were analyzed. An Agilent 4294A impedance analyzer and an Agilent 16452A liquid test fixture over a frequency range of 40Hz to 30MHz was used for dielectric spectroscopy. We approach amyloid fiber formation using the newly introduced colloidal model [1]. This model suggests that proteins aggregate into uniformly sized nano-spheres, driven by surface energy minimization. The uniform spheres then behave like a mono-dispersed colloidal suspension. Once the spheres have reached their critical diameter it is observed from microscopy that the colloidal growth stops. At this point the attractive forces that favor agglomeration are balanced by the barrier potential forces that retard agglomeration. The fully developed nucleation units then assemble in a linear fashion before finally evolving into mature amyloid fibers. The model postulates that the linear assembly arises from dipole-dipole interaction between nano-spheres. We analyze this assembly process in vitro using lysozyme from chicken egg whites in an acidic environment. In vivo, lysozyme has a propensity to form amyloid fibers in systemic amyloidosis diseases. Lysozyme amyloid fibers are synthesized in vitro and separated into samples according to particle size. Our separation techniques yielded three samples: 1. a solution with a high concentration of monomeric lysozyme and small oligomers, 2. a solution composed of colloidal spheres and short fibers, and 3. a solution with a high concentration of mature amyloid fibers. The existence of these species in the three samples was confirmed with AFM, TEM, and Thioflavin-T binding assays. Results of dielectric analysis indicate intermediate sized aggregates have a higher dipole moment than small aggregates.[1] S. Xu, Amyloid, 14, 119 (2007).
Simple-opponent receptive fields are asymmetrical: G-cone centers predominate

For quantitative models of color vision, the R-cone contribution to the r–g channel is less than half of the R-cone contribution to the Vλ channel. There is currently no explanation of how this different contribution of R cones to the two channels comes about. We propose an asymmetrical receptive-field arrangement to explain the difference in weighting. Because cones in receptive-field surrounds are weighted less than cones in centers, placing R cones predominantly in surrounds and G cones in centers provides a simple differential weighting mechanism. Electrophysiological and psychophysical evidence substantiates such an asymmetry of simple-opponent fields.
The "New World of Sciences". The temporality of the research agenda and the unending ambitions of science.

ABSTRACTLists foreground multiplicity: both of objects to be pursued and, for distant objects, of far-flung networks enabling their pursuit. The future-oriented or projective list stretches such networks not only around the world but forward through time. Research agendas are one kind of future-oriented, projective list. Sketching how such lists have functioned over time, from Francis Bacon's “The New World of Sciences, or Desiderata” to today's desiderata lists, suggests how an early modern model of imperial expansion has shaped, in unintended ways, a scientific rhetoric of collaborative advance on shared targets.
Interpretation and Validity Assessment in Qualitative Research: The Case of H.W. Perry’s Deciding to Decide

Over the past two decades, empirical research on the Supreme Court's certiorari process has been dominated by quantitative analyses that initially employed public records' and moved on to take advantage of information contained in the personal files of former justices.2 This research has provided important insights into the factors that might be connected with those cases that are accepted by the Court for plenary review. Now H. W. Perry, Jr., has taken a very different approach to research on the certiorari process: He spent many hours talking to the actors involved in the internal
Severe soft tissue infections.

Severe skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) frequently require management in the ICU, in part related to associated septic shock or toxic shock syndrome or associated organ failure. Four fundamental management principles are key to a successful outcome in caring for patients who have severe SSTIs, including (1) early diagnosis and differentiation of necrotizing versus nonnecrotizing SSTI, (2) early initiation of appropriate empiric broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy with consideration of risk factors for specific pathogens and mandatory coverage for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), (3) source control (ie, early aggressive surgical intervention for drainage of abscesses and debridement of necrotizing soft tissue infections), and (4) pathogen identification and appropriate de-escalation of antimicrobial therapy. MRSA has emerged as the most common identifiable cause of severe SSTIs; therefore, initiation of empiric anti-MRSA antimicrobials is warranted in all cases of severe SSTIs. In addition, appropriate critical care management—including fluid resuscitation, organ support and nutritional support—is a necessary component in treating severe SSTIs.
Virtually fibred Montesinos links of type SL2

Abstract We find a larger class of virtually fibred classic Montesinos links of type SL 2 ˜ , extending a result of Agol, Boyer and Zhang.
Replication of R-factors in Proteus mirabilis: Replication under relaxed control

Abstract The replication of the R-factor NR1 in Proteus mirabilis has been examined by monitoring the percentage of the R-factor satellite DNA (1.718 g/cm3) relative to the host chromosomal DNA (1.700 g/cm3) in a cesium chloride density gradient. The percentage of R-DNA is constant throughout the exponential growth phase and represents 16% of the chromosomal DNA. This percentage of R-DNA corresponds to approximately ten R-factors per host chromosome. After entry of the culture into stationary phase, the percentage of R-DNA increases and reaches a value in late stationary phase which is 2.5 times the percentage R-DNA observed during previous exponential growth. DNA density-labeling experiments using 5-bromouracil have shown that the increase in the percentage of R-DNA during stationary phase is due to continued R-factor replication after host chromosomal replication has ceased. After restoration of a stationary phase culture to exponential growth, the percentage of R-DNA is diminished to the original exponential phase value. The kinetics of this process are consistent with a model in which only the determined number of rounds of R-factor replication characteristic of exponential phase cultures take place each generation after exponential growth is restored. The remainder of the R-factor DNA which has accumulated due to continued replication in stationary phase, appears to be diluted passively with each cell doubling. DNA density-labeling experiments have shown that R-factors are selected at random for replication when the pool size is increased due to replication in stationary phase or is decreased when a stationary phase culture is restored to exponential growth. In the latter situation R-factors are selected at random for replication from the entire stationary phase pool of episomes.
Active shape control of gossamer apertures

The present topic discusses the shape control of gossamer apertures. Once the aperture is deployed on orbit, final shape refinement has to be done to achieve the desired surface. This shape refinement could be achieved through active seams incorporating active elements like shape memory alloys and piezoelectric polymers like PVDF. Numerical simulation of the shape refinement of the gores of the aperture through active seam is reported. Experimental investigation of extensional PVDF actuators is presented. The theoretical extension of PVDF actuators is compared with the experimental values and the effect of seam adhesive is discussed. A simple prototype of an active seam is also presented.
Bayesian filtering to improve the dynamic accuracy of electromagnetic tracking

Tracking systems are essential components for many computer assisted interventions because they enable the doctor to visualize anatomical information, derived from preoperative or intraoperative images, registered with respect to the actual patient anatomy. This paper presents two applications of Bayesian filters: Particle Filter (PF) and Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to obtain accurate dynamic tracking performance from an electromagnetic tracking (EMT) system, even if the EMT cannot provide the full measurement state at each sampling interval (for example, when transmit coils are driven sequentially and/or receive coils are not sampled simultaneously). Experiments are performed with a custom EMT system, consisting of a transmitter coil array and one or more receiving coils, to demonstrate that the proposed method provides good dynamic tracking accuracy at different velocities.
Management of acid-related disorders in patients with dysphagia

Dysphagia affects a large and growing number of individuals in the United States, particularly the elderly and those who are neurologically impaired. Swallowing difficulties may be due to age-related changes in oropharyngeal and esophageal functioning as well as central nervous system diseases such as stroke, Parkinson disease, and dementia. Among institutionalized individuals, dysphagia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. An appreciation of the physiology of swallowing and the pathophysiology of dysphagia is necessary for proper patient management. Careful history, physical examination, and evaluation of radiologic and endoscopic studies should differentiate oropharyngeal and esophageal etiologies of dysphagia and distinguish mechanical (anatomic) disorders from functional (motor) disorders. A significant percentage of patients with dysphagia have concomitant acid-related disorders that are managed best with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Three of the currently available PPIs are manufactured as capsules containing enteric-coated granules that may be mixed with soft foods or fruit juices before oral administration to those with swallowing difficulties. In addition, omeprazole and lansoprazole may be administered via gastrostomy or nasogastric feeding tubes as suspensions in sodium bicarbonate. Novel dosage formulations of lansoprazole that may be appropriate for patients with dysphagia include the commercially manufactured lansoprazole strawberry-flavored enteric-coated granules for suspension and lansoprazole orally disintegrating tablets.
Pinnock’s Pneumatology: A pentecostal Appreciation

This article responds to Clark Pinnock’s address on the ‘Promise of Pentecostal Ecclesiology’ in the context of appreciation for his long and mutually enriching interaction with Pentecostals. The response proceeds to take up Pinnock’s specific ecclesiological proposals by proposing an even fuller way to relate the Spirit with justification and by offering further thoughts on how to develop a theology of the charismatic structure of the church.
A randomized algorithm for finding a path subject to multiple QoS requirements

Abstract An important aspect of quality-of-service (QoS) provisioning in integrated networks is the ability to find a feasible route that satisfies a set of end-to-end QoS requirements (or constraints) while efficiently using network resources. In general, finding a path subject to multiple additive constraints (e.g., delay, delay-jitter) is an NP-complete problem. We propose an efficient randomized heuristic algorithm to this problem. Although the algorithm is presented as a centralized one, the idea behind it can also be implemented in a distributed manner. Our algorithm initially computes the cost of the best path from each node to a given destination with respect to individual link weights and their linear combination. In this initialization step, Reverse–Dijkstra's algorithm is used K +1 times per path request, where K is the number of additive constraints. The algorithm then randomly traverses the graph, discovering nodes from which there is a good chance of reaching the final destination. This randomized search is a modification of the breadth-first search (BFS). Using extensive simulations, we show that the proposed algorithm provides better performance than existing algorithms under the same order of computational complexity.
Forms of Control and Leader Behavior

Viewing leadership as the process of selecting an appropriate means (or control strategy) to reach a desired goal, this paper investigates the underlying structure of supervisory control. Using a multidimensional scaling procedure, four leader behavior dimensions are extracted and identified: obtrusive vs. unobtrusive control, situ-ational vs. personal control, professional vs. paternalistic control, and process vs. output control. The implications of the findings for past and future research are then considered.
Hazardous Air Pollutants and Asthma

Asthma has a high prevalence in the United States, and persons with asthma may be at added risk from the adverse effects of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Complex mixtures (fine particulate matter and tobacco smoke) have been associated with respiratory symptoms and hospital admissions for asthma. The toxic ingredients of these mixtures are HAPs, but whether ambient HAP exposures can induce asthma remains unclear. Certain HAPs are occupational asthmagens, whereas others may act as adjuncts during sensitization. HAPs may exacerbate asthma because, once sensitized, individuals can respond to remarkably low concentrations, and irritants lower the bronchoconstrictive threshold to respiratory antigens. Adverse responses after ambient exposures to complex mixtures often occur at concentrations below those producing effects in controlled human exposures to a single compound. In addition, certain HAPs that have been associated with asthma in occupational settings may interact with criteria pollutants in ambient air to exacerbate asthma. Based on these observations and past experience with 188 HAPs, a list of 19 compounds that could have the highest impact on the induction or exacerbation of asthma was developed. Nine additional compounds were identified that might exacerbate asthma based on their irritancy, respirability, or ability to react with biological macromolecules. Although the ambient levels of these 28 compounds are largely unknown, estimated exposures from emissions inventories and limited air monitoring suggest that aldehydes (especially acrolein and formaldehyde) and metals (especially nickel and chromium compounds) may have possible health risk indices sufficient for additional attention. Recommendations for research are presented regarding exposure monitoring and evaluation of biologic mechanisms controlling how these substances induce and exacerbate asthma.
Diurnal Variations of Precipitation, Deep Convection, and Lightning over and East of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract Diurnal cycles of total rainfall, precipitation features, mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), deep convection, precipitation vertical structure, and lightning over the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) and eastward through China are investigated using 11 yr of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) measurements. Diurnal cycles of rainfall and precipitation features present apparent phase propagation eastward from the eastern TP for about 1000 km. The phase propagation is most evident during the pre-mei-yu and mei-yu seasons. However, it weakens with the northward progress of the East Asian monsoon and ceases in midsummer. During the pre-mei-yu season, diurnal cycles of storm population, total rainfall, deep convection, and lightning over the central and eastern TP foothills are in phase, peaking during the early morning. Another striking feature of the pre-mei-yu season is that nocturnal rainfall and MCSs prevail over the southeastern TP foothills following the deep convection and lightning maxim...
Microspectrophotometric measurement of pH and pH effect on color of petal epidermal cells

Abstract A microspectrophotometric method has been developed for calorimetric pH determination using indicator dyes. Tissue samples as small as five cells were used. Measurements of standard buffered solutions of known pH were within a standard error of less than ± 0.04 pH units. Validity of the technique has previously been established by matching the pH values and absorption spectra of several model systems to that of living cells. A method for spectrophotometric pH determination of single cells is suggested. The pH change seemed to be the major factor in the color change in aging flowers. The epidermal pH, the absorption spectra of living tissue, the anthocyanidins, flavonols, and flavones present in more than 250 plants of many families were determined. These data indicate that pH is only one of numerous parameters determining flavonoid color in the living cell.
Storage of Pedigreed Hatching Eggs in Cryovac

Abstract BECKER et al. (1963, 1964) and Becker (1964) obtained improved hatchability from storing hatching eggs of chickens, quail and turkeys in Cryovac (polyvinylidene chloride copolymer) bags. Proudfoot (1964) also found that hatchability was improved by preincubation storage of eggs in Cryovac. Warren et al. (1965) used Cryovac bags as liners for egg cases and suggested that unless storage extends beyond two weeks, with poor holding conditions, or the eggs are shipped long distances, this procedure is unnecessary. Krueger et al. (1965) compared storage in Cryovac with shelf storage on open egg flats, and in sealed cases. With chicken eggs the hatch differences between storage in Cryovac bags and in sealed cases were minor, but both of these methods were superior to storage on open flats, even after only seven days of storage. Turkey eggs held in egg cases, hatched slightly better than when stored in Cryovac bags. Since Cryovac containers …
Reliability of measurements of pressures applied on the foot during walking by a computerized insole sensor system

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the reliability of measurements of foot pressures while walking using the F-scan computerized system with various insole sensors. Design: Ten healthy subjects were studied. Each used four different pairs of insoles while walking for three 6-second epochs per insole. Peak pressures were recorded at the hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot and analyzed. Each insole was made of pressure-sensitive 25mm 2 cells, embedded in protective backing, and scanned electronically every to 50 to 100msec. Setting and Participants: Conventional tile floor in a gait laboratory on 10 consecutive normal subjects. Results: The mean ± standard deviation peak pressure recorded at the hindfoot was 11.1 ± 2.0psi; at the midfoot, 3.5 ± 1.5psi; and at the forefoot, 11.3 ± 2.6psi. The intrasubject mean differences were 0.2psi at the hindfoot, 0.4psi at the midfoot, and 0.3psi at the forefoot. The data suggest that variability between different insoles is not significant. Conclusion: The pressure data show these insoles to be sufficiently reliable for use in patients when knowledge of foot pressure distribution is important for the relief of pain, and for designing and assessing appropriate corrective measures to relieve excessive pressure on the foot and to prevent development of pressure ulcers.
Some solutions to on-line radiological monitoring of difficult streams

On-line monitoring for radiological contamination of dirty, but normally not radioactive, streams is considered to be difficult. Several low-fouling units are described that are intended to replace the existing sensors that monitor both beta and gamma activity. A sensor was designed, using a thin-wall Geiger-Muller tube for beta and gamma sensitivity, to monitor the influent of the sanitary sewage treatment plant. The design eliminates dead volumes inherent in the old unit by use of a double-layer, helically wound solenoid made of 5/16-in-OD thin-wall (0.02-in) Teflon tubing. A 4-L Marinelli breaker-based system that used a 3*3 NaI(Tl) scintillator was replaced with a multilayer solenoid of 5/8-in-OD Teflon. Two units for the detection of beta radiation are also described. >
Why systems science

During the past decade the notion of systems has received new emphasis in business, the military, industry and education. This emphasis can be attributed in part to the increasing technical complexity of many systems; to unusually short and demanding time schedules for their conception, development, and implementation; and to the recognition of common techniques and understanding that pervade a wide variety of systems applications.
The relation between apparent extent and alignment in the Poggendorff illusion: A response to “No evidence for apparent extent between parallels as the basis of the Poggendorff effect,” by Day, Jolly, and Duffy

Les auteurs critiquent la position de Day, Jolly et Duffy (1987) selon laquelle la sous-estimation et le non-alignement sont des effets apparentes dans l'illusion de Poggendorff. Les arguments presentes sont en faveur d'une base commune a cette illusion et a celle de Muller-Lyer
Enzymatic synthesis of polyuridylic acid containing modified bases

5'Mercaptouridine-5'-diphosphate (hs5UDP) has been synthesized and investigated as a substrate of the polynucleotide phosphorylase of Micrococcus luteus. While hs5UDP is not utilized alone, it can be copolymerized with UDP; however, unusually for this enzyme, the ratio of 5'mercaptouridylate vs. uridylate residues in the polynucleotide product (MPU) is always lower than the ratio of hs5UDP v. UDP in the substrate mixture. Furthermore, hs5UDP decreases the rate of the enzymic polymerization reaction. The MPU product forms two-stranded and three-stranded complexes with poly(A). The circular dichroic spectra of these complexes are similar to those formed between poly(U) and poly(A), but their melting profiles indicate somewhat lower stability. The physicochemical and biochemical properties of the enzymic product are qualitatively similar to those of MPU prepared by chemical modification; both are potent inhibitors of a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase.