cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro bone biocompatibility of poly(anhydride-co-imides) containing pyromellitylimidoalanine

Poly(anhydride-co-imides) are currently under study for applications involving bone. The cytotoxicity of a series of poly(anhydride-co-imides) with osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) was evaluated. The imide component of the copolymers was based on pyromellitylimidoalanine and the anhydride component was based on either sebacic acid or 1,6-bis(carboxyphenoxy)hexane. Cell adhesion and proliferation on the surfaces of the polymer discs were observed by environmental scanning electron microscopy. During the first 24 hours of attachment, the cells showed normal morphology when cultured on copolymers containing 1,6-bis(carboxyphenoxy)hexane. The cells did not adhere to the polymers containing sebacic acid, probably due to the rapid degradation of the polymer surfaces. Concurrently, the effects of polymer breakdown products on osteoblast-like cells were evaluated by studying their proliferation (cell numbers), viability (dye exclusion), morphology (light microscopy), and phenotypic expression. The morphology of osteoblast-like cells cultured in the presence of the polymer breakdown products pyromellitylimidoalanine and pyromellitic acid was found to be similar to that of the same cells grown on tissue culture polystyrene and consisted of a characteristic polygonal shape. With use of a monoclonal antibody to osteocalcin, these cells were shown to demonstrate preserved osteoblast phenotype with growth over a 21-day period. In addition, the cells reached confluency after 3-4 days, similar to cells grown on tissue culture polystyrene. This in vitro evaluation showed that the poly(anhydride-co-imides) evaluated are non-cytotoxic and may be viable biomaterials for orthopaedic applications.
Forbidden Fruit: Transgenic Papaya in Thailand

Dressed in white, hooded “personal protection suits,” Greenpeace activists donned goggles, gloves, and respiratory masks—the kind of dress you expect to see in the clean zone of a nanotechnology laboratory, not in a field in bucolic northeast Thailand. Easily bridging a barbed wire fence with
Pain assessment in cognitively impaired, functionally impaired children: pilot study results.

RECENT PUBLISHED RESEARCH highlights the fact that pain in children is undertreated (Hunt, Mastroyannopoulou, Goldman, Seers, 2003). Because self-report is considered the gold standard for pain assessment, cognitively impaired children (CIC) who are nonverbal are at a greater risk of undertreatment of pain due to the difficulty in communicating pain. CIC are often unable to verbally express feelings of pain or they express pain in different ways when compared with children with normal cognitive function. Assessing pain in nonverbal CIC is a challenge even for the most experienced bedside nurse. This is further complicated by the fact that many facilities use tools that were originally developed for preverbal infants to assess pain in nonverbal CIC. Although little research has focused on pain assessment in CIC, pain tools that were created for CIC are now available. Given the challenges assessing pain in this group, it is important to use pain assessment tools, such as the Non-Communicating Child's Pain ChecklistPostoperative Version (NCCPC-PV), that were developed for and validated in CIC (Breau, Camfield, McGrath, Rosmus & Finley, 2001; Breau, Finley, McGrath, Camfield, 2002). Given that these tools are yet to be widely adopted into clinical settings, this research team desired to generate practice-based evidence to guide decision making regarding improving pain assessment in CIC cared for in our setting.
Is the World Really “Dappled”? A Response to Cartwright’s Charge against “Cross‐Wise Reduction”

Abstract Nancy Cartwright’s charge against horizontal reductionism leads to a claim about how the world is, namely “dappled.” By proposing a simple thought‐experiment, I show that Cartwright’s division of the world into “nomological” machines and “messy” systems for which no law applies is meaningless. The thought‐experiment shows that for a system, having the property of being a nomological machine depends on what kind of questions you ask about it. No metaphysical conclusion about the world being unruly or not can be drawn from a division that is question‐dependent. Moreover, I argue that this predicament undermines Cartwright’s attempt to provide an illustration of how bad metaphysics of science translates into bad scientific methodologies and policies.
Ensuring Privacy and Security for LBS through Trajectory Partitioning

The concept of location k-anonymity has been proposed to address the privacy issue of location based services (LBS). Under this notion of anonymity, the adversary only has the knowledge that the LBS request originates from a region containing at least k people, and therefore cannot individually distinguish the requestor. However, new types of LBS services such as continuous nearest neighbor searches require the knowledge of the user's trajectory, which can lead to a privacy breach. The longer the adversary can track the user's trajectory, the stronger the possibility that the user's sensitive information is revealed. To alleviate this problem, we propose algorithms to optimally partition a continuous request into multiple LBS requests with shorter trajectories. This results in increased privacy due to the unlinking of different requests over time and has the added benefit of improving the overall quality of service since the anonymized regions are now smaller. Our experimental results show that significant privacy and QoS benefits can be achieved with nominal computational overhead.
Numerical Study of Droplet Evaporation in a High-Temperature Stream

Numerical solutions for high-temperature air flowing past water and methanol droplets and solid spheres, and superheated steam flowing past water droplets were obtained in the Reynolds number range of 10 to 100. The coupled momentum, energy, and specie continuity equations of variable thermophysical properties were solved using finite difference techniques. The numerical results of heat transfer and total drag agree well with existing experimental data. Mass transfer decreases friction drag significantly but at the same time increases pressure drag by almost an equal amount. The net effect is that the standard drag curve for solid spheres can be used for evaporating droplets provided the density is the free stream density and the viscosity of the vapor mixture is evaluated at an appropriate reference temperature and concentration. Both the mass efflux and variable properties decrease heat transfer rates to the droplets.
Electrolytes in frog skin secretions.

Abstract 1. 1. Skin secretions were collected from Rana pipiens sitting in moist air. Experimental frogs treated with 1 mg epinephrine/frog, subcutaneously, were compared with control frogs. Analytical data were obtained on: pH; Na + ; Cl − ; HCO − 3 ; inorganic and esterified SO 4 2− and P, and protein. The data show that under the influence of epinephrine there occurred an increased loss of electrolytes and protein via the skin. 2. 2. The results suggest active transport of SO 4 2− , partly in esterified form. The K + in the secretions was always above plasma K + , especially in secretions of control frogs. 3. 3. Electrophoretic studies on secretions indicate presence of peptides that may explain an observed apparent anion deficit. 4. 4. Epinephrine did not significantly increase the respiratory CO 2 output.
Real time monitoring of reticle etch process tool to investigate and predict critical dimension performance

As mask pattern feature sizes shrink the need for tighter control of factors affecting critical dimensions (CD) increases at all steps in the mask manufacturing process. To support this requirement Intel Mask Operation is expanding its process and equipment monitoring capability. We intend to better understand the factors affecting the process and enhance our ability to predict reticle health and critical dimension performance. This paper describes a methodology by which one can predict the contribution of the dry etch process equipment to overall CD performance. We describe the architecture used to collect critical process related information from various sources both internal and external to the process equipment and environment. In addition we discuss the method used to assess the significance of each parameter and to construct the statistical model used to generate the predictions. We further discuss the methodology used to turn this model into a functioning real time prediction of critical dimension performance. Further, these predictions will be used to modify the manufacturing decision support system to provide early detection for process excursion.
Bond Order and Chemical Properties of BF, CO, and N2

The traditional chemical approaches, Lewis electron dot structures and molecular orbital theory, predict the relative bond orders of boron monofluoride, carbon monoxide, and dinitrogen to be BF < CO < N2. This is quantified by quantum mechanical, theoretical studies that show the bond orders to be ∼1.4, ∼2.6, and ∼3.0, respectively. These results also confirm the chemical intuition that the change in bond order is primarily due to the π component. The differences in bond order have a dramatic effect on the ligand behavior of the three molecules, particularly the propensity of BF to function as a bridging ligand.
Direct detection of proteolytic enzymes that have been separated by zone electrophoresis

Abstract A method is described for the direct detection of proteolytic enzymes that have been separated by zone electrophoresis. The method employs an algal chromoprotein medium on which cellulose acetate electrophoresis strips are placed, and proteolytic activity is detected by observing decolorization of the chromoprotein in the area of the active zones. The method has been used for identification of active proteins and the determination of enzyme purity and activity.
Penetration of Tungsten Alloy Rods into Shallow-Cavity Steel Targets

Abstract This paper presents a combined numerical and experimental study on penetration of tungsten heavy alloy long rods (length-to-diameter ratio of 10) into thick RHA (rolled homogeneous armor) steel plates. The main objective of this study was to establish the effects of a shallow cavity at the front of the steel plate on the penetration process. Three experiments were performed at 1.5 km/s on target plates with a shallow-cavity of 19 mm diameter. These results were compared to existing penetration data obtained for flat plates over a range of 1.1–1.7 km/s. In the code simulations three target configurations were considered: a flat target surface without a cavity and two target plates with different cavity diameters (19 and 11.54 mm). The effect of the target’s free surface on the characteristic time that the penetrator takes to reach quasi-steady-state penetration into the target was investigated for three configurations. Based on the experimental results the effect of the shallow-cavity wall constraint on the penetration process was found to be insignificant. The code results matched the measured depths of penetration within the limits of the experimental accuracy for all configurations examined.
Physical bounds and limitations of cloaking and invisibility using passive metamaterials

Summary form only given. One of the most exciting applications of metamaterials is based on their anomalous and often counterintuitive scattering properties, which may allow the realization of invisibility devices, or cloaks, capable of drastically suppressing the scattering from a given object. After several years from the first theoretical proposals for metamaterial cloaks, several proof-of-concept realizations have been presented, highlighting relevant challenges associated with suppressing the scattering over a reasonable bandwidth and with a robust design. The exploration of the cloaking performance has so far been mostly limited to monochromatic signals and idealistic geometries. Bandwidth is however a fundamental issue in any practical application, and recent experiments have highlighted the significant constraints of current cloaking technology. A better understanding of the fundamental limits of these concepts is of vital importance to transform ideal cloaks into practical devices. A few recent papers have pointed out that broadband invisibility may pose serious problems in terms of causality [D.A.B. Miller, Opt. Expr. 14, 12457 (2006); H. Hashemi, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 253903 (2010)], but with simplified analysis limited to ideal geometries and specific cloaking techniques, which appear too restrictive in the general sense. In our talk we will establish fundamental bounds on the bandwidth of cloaking, fundamentally based on causality, passivity and linearity, and applicable to any passive cloaking scheme. We apply Bode-Fano theory of broadband matching, well established in microwave engineering, to the reflection and scattering coefficients of planar and spherical scatterers, in both the quasi-static and dynamic regimes. These theoretical limitations only depend on the size and electromagnetic properties of the scatterer to be hidden. Therefore, given the object to be cloaked, our approach provides fundamental limits on the realizability of given cloaking specifications in terms of bandwidth and total scattering reduction. Our results fundamentally prove important and general theorems, such as: ideal cloaking can only be achieved over a zero-measure bandwidth; the overall available bandwidth for given level of scattering suppression gets severely limited when the object to be cloaked becomes electrically large; the total scattered cross-section of a cloaked object integrated over all frequencies is necessarily larger than in the uncloaked case. We also discuss how absorption can come into the picture and the fundamental constraints on performance of cloaked sensors and receiving antennas. Our results represent a pivotal achievement to understand the applicability of cloaking devices to real-world applications, such as camouflaging, non-invasive sensing and energy.
Seasonal pattern of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in watershed sources: influence of hydrologic flow paths and autumn leaf fall

Seasonal patterns of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were evaluated for multiple watershed sources and stream water during baseflow and stormflow to investigate the influence of hydrologic flow paths and key phenological events. Watershed sources sampled were throughfall, litter leachate, soil water, and deep groundwater. DOM data for a 4-year period (2008–2011) included: DOC concentrations and spectrofluorometric indices such as a254, humification index, protein-like and humic-like DOM. Seasons were defined as—winter (December–February), spring (March–May), summer (June–September) and autumn (October and November). Seasonal differences in DOM were most pronounced for surficial flow paths (e.g., stormflow, litter leachate, throughfall and soil water) but muted or absent for groundwater and baseflow. This was attributed to the loss of DOM by sorption on mineral soil surfaces and/or microbial breakdown. DOM in summer stormflow had higher DOC concentrations and was more humic in character versus DOM in spring and winter runoff. Storm events in early autumn produced a sharp increase in DOC concentrations and % protein-like DOM for stream waters and litter leachate. Elevated DOC concentrations for early spring throughfall were attributed to leaching of organic exudates associated with leaf emergence. Our results underscore that watershed and ecosystem studies need to pay a greater attention to surficial flow paths and runoff sources (including stormflow) for understanding seasonal patterns of DOM. Understanding the influence of phenological episodes such as autumn leaf-fall for DOM is important considering that these transitional events may be especially affected by climate change.
γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and related enzyme activities in the reproductive system of the male rat

Abstract The γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity of the epididymis is much higher than that of the several other organs of the reproductive system of the male rat. The epididymal caput has much more activity than the epididymal cauda. Relatively low activity was found in spermatozoa. The enzyme is present in the epididymal fluid in a particulate form suggesting that it originates from membranes of epididymal epithelial cells. The epididymal caput exhibits high γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity indicating an active γ-glutamyl ycle in this tissue, which plays an important role in transport phenomena.
Reciprocity and post-trial access for participants in antiretroviral therapy trials.

Rationing antiretroviral therapy (ART) when need exceeds available supply raises many important and challenging questions [1–8]. Here, we focus on a particular ethical question that faces research sponsors, investigators, and policy-makers in various settings. Should research participants in ART trials have preference for further treatment over compatriots who have not participated, but who have a similar need and clinical eligibility for ART?
Kinetics of Immunological Responses, Resistance to Reinfection, and Pathological Reactions to Infection with Trichinella spiralis

Changes in immune responses, resistance to reinfection, and pathological reactions were studied serially in mice that had been infected for four to 40 weeks with 150 larvae of Trichinella spiralis. Immediate footpad hypersensitivity reactions to antigens of Trichinella were present throughout the period of observation. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions 48 hr after injection of antigen were first seen in mice infected for 14 weeks and gradually increased in size thereafter. Intestinal adult worm burdens were determined one week after challenge with 500 larvae. There was resistance to reinfection and accelerated expulsion of worms in animals challenged three weeks after the primary infection; this resistance waned at seven and 13 weeks but reappeared in mice infected for 20 weeks or longer. Counts of larvae in muscle were determined four weeks after challenge with 500 larvae. Marked resistance was present four weeks after the primary infection and was maintained for the duration of the study. Most investigations of the immunology of trichinosis have been concerned only with the early stages of infection with Trichinella spiralis. Although both adult intestinal worms and clinical illness are transient [1], trichinosis must be considered a chronic infection because living worm larvae persist in the muscles for a long time. One of the few long-term studies of a chronic primary infection due to Trichinella revealed transformation of lymphocytes after exposure to specific antigens for the first few weeks after infection but a decline in the cellular responses thereafter [2]. The present investigations have attempted to delineate further the kinetics of the immunological responses in a chronic primary infection with T. spiralis. Responses were assessed by measurements of footpad reactions to antigens of Trichinella as an index of the presence of reaginic antibodies, precipitating antibodies, and cellmediated immunity. Furthermore, the ability of the T cell mitogen, concanavalin A (con A), to stimulate spleen cells was determined. We examined the influence of duration of infection on
Fundamental limits to superresolution fluorescence microscopy

Superresolution fluorescence microscopy techniques such as PALM, STORM, STED, and Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) enable imaging of live cells at nanometer resolution. The common theme in all of these techniques is that the diffraction limit is circumvented by controlling the states of fluorescent molecules. Although the samples are labeled very densely (i.e. with spacing much smaller than the Airy distance), not all of the molecules are emitting at the same time. Consequently, one does not encounter overlapping blurs. In the deterministic techniques (STED, SIM) the achievable resolution scales as the wavelength of light divided by the square root of the intensity of a beam used to control the fluorescent state. In the stochastic techniques (PALM, STORM), the achievable resolution scales as the wavelength of light divided by the square root of the number of photons collected. Although these limits arise from very different mechanisms (parabolic beam profiles for STED and SIM, statistics for PALM and STORM), in all cases the resolution scales inversely with the square root of a measure of the number of photons used in the experiment. We have developed a proof that this relationship between resolution and photon count is universal to techniques that control the states of fluorophores using classical light. Our proof encompasses linear and nonlinear optics, as well as computational post-processing techniques for extracting information beyond the diffraction limit. If there are techniques that can achieve a more efficient relationship between resolution and photon count, those techniques will require light exhibiting non-classical correlations.
Competitiveness and changing patterns of embeddedness in Romania

Purpose – Strategies of embedding into the local environment are considered critical for multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Central and Eastern Europe. The purpose of this paper is to analyze such strategies in Romania.Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical framework draws on social network theory to investigate the extent, structure, and features of embedding in the context of four case studies.Findings – The results suggest a shift in how MNCs respond to a changing competitive landscape in Romania. The findings indicate that, contrasting proficient strategies of establishing numerous connections at entry, the most valuable approaches are currently aimed at building a diverse but non‐redundant network of relationships that gives the company access to information and flexibility to react quickly to changes. Direct relationships with the government are found to be potentially detrimental, even if they may have been important at market entry.Research limitations/implications – The limitation...
Intergroup relations in South Los Angeles – Combining communication infrastructure and contact hypothesis approaches

Abstract Amidst widespread demographic change in South Los Angeles, the issue of African American and Latino relations has become a frequent topic of discussion among local residents, media and researchers. However, little academic research has empirically assessed residents’ own perceptions of “Black-Brown” relations in this community, nor have researchers investigated behavioral or communicative factors that might influence perceptions of intergroup relations. Drawing from discrete yet complementary theoretical frameworks – Allport's (1954) contact hypothesis, and Communication Infrastructure Theory ( Kim & Ball-Rokeach, 2006 ) – this study uses data from a survey of over 800 South Los Angeles residents to explore intergroup dynamics. The introduction of communication theory into intergroup contact research responds, in part, to those who have called for work that situates intergroup contact research within a broader social context. Findings of the study suggest support for the influence of interpersonal contact on intergroup perceptions, with these effects more pronounced for Latinos than African Americans. In addition, several communication-related variables – including a measure of neighborhood belonging and residents’ connections to local storytellers (interpersonal networks, local media, and community organizations) – demonstrated a significant, and in some instances negative, influence on intergroup perceptions. While the findings are specific to the community of South Los Angeles, this research has implications for the growing number of multiethnic urban communities across the United States and around the world.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 autoantibodies: further evidence for a role of the renin-angiotensin system in inflammation.

Traditionally viewed as important in the regulation of blood pressure, the renin-angiotensin system - and specifically the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-angiotensin (Ang) II-AT1 receptor axis - may play a prominent role to promote inflammation and fibrosis. ACE2, a new component of the renin-angiotensin system, has emerged as a key enzyme that selectively degrades Ang II and generates Ang-(1-7), a bioactive peptide with anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic actions. Takahashi and colleagues demonstrate circulating titers of inhibitory autoantibodies against ACE2 in patients with systemic sclerosis. The current study reveals a potentially novel mechanism to attenuate the catalytic activity of ACE2, thereby promoting the actions of Ang II.
Care and outcome of out-of-hospital deliveries.

Abstract. Objectives: To identify interventions by paramedics in out-of-hospital deliveries and predictors of neonatal outcome. Methods: A prospective case series of consecutive out-of-hospital deliveries at Yale-New Haven Hospital from January 1991 to January 1994. Data describing out-of-hospital interventions, demographics, maternal risk factors, and neonatal outcomes were collected from out-of-hospital, emergency department (ED), and hospital records. Subgroups defined by source of prenatal care were compared using a multiple logistic regression model to determine predictors of poor neonatal outcome. Results: Ninety-one patients presented to the hospital after delivery. Paramedics attended 78 (86%) of the cases. Paramedics performed endotracheal intubation in one neonate and supported ventilation in four others. Suctioning and warming of the neonate were documented in 58% and 76%, respectively, and hypothermia was common (47%) in the paramedicattended deliveries. There were 9 neonatal deaths. Eight (89%) of the neonatal deaths were in the group with no prenatal care (p < 0.0001). Lack of prenatal care (RR 304, 95% CI = 5.0 to 18,472) and history of poor prenatal care (RR 22.5, 95% CI = 1.19 to 427) were significant predictors of poor neonatal outcome. Sixteen percent of all study patients and 43% of those with no prenatal care were treated in the ED during their pregnancies. Eighteen percent of the patients had had no prenatal care during previous pregnancies. Conclusions: Paramedics manage labor and delivery of a high-risk population. Fundamental aspects of care were not universally documented. Lack of prenatal care was associated with high neonatal morbidity and mortality. Nearly half of the mothers who went on to deliver without prenatal obstetric care saw emergency physicians during their pregnancies.
Variable Preservation of Middle Tertiary, Coarse-Grained, Nearshore to Outer-Shelf Storm Deposits in Southern California

ABSTRACT The middle Tertiary (Oligocene-Early Miocene) strata of the San Emigdio Range in southern California were deposited along a shoreline oriented north-northeast to south-southwest, adjacent to a tectonically active highland that formed the southern margin of the San Joaquin Basin. Abundant storm deposits (sandstone and conglomerate) are preserved in the San Emigdio, Pleito, and lower Temblor Formations. Extensive lateral exposures allow recognition of fair-weather and storm-dominated facies in contemporaneous nearshore, inner-shelf, and outer-shelf deposits. The nearshore deposits consist of coarse-grained progradational sequences that are similar to those described by Clifton (1981) in Miocene rocks of the nearby Caliente Range. Each complete sequence consists of, in ascending order, a basal transgressive lag, followed by inner-shelf, surf-zone, longshore-trough, and beach-foreshore facies. The inner-shelf deposits consist of fair- and foul-weather deposits. The former deposits comprise massive, locally pebbly, very fine-grained sandstone, whereas the latter deposits consist of alternating intervals of cross-stratified (landward-oriented) conglomerate and hummocky cross-stratified fine-grained sandstone. The outer-shelf deposits are composed of massive, very fine-grained to silty sandstone, and sequences of mollusk beds and hummocky cros -stratified sandstone. The massive outer-shelf sandstones were deposited during periods of dominantly fair weather. The sequences of hummocky cross-stratified sandstone were deposited during and immediately after storms. The outer-shelf storm deposits apparently were preserved on an event-by-event basis, whereas the inner-shelf storm deposits were preserved in amalgamated packages. Unmodified storm deposits are rare in the nearshore deposits, owing to the reworking capabilities of high-energy nearshore processes. Reconstructions of wave conditions based on Airy wave theory, paleogeographic constraints, and storm facies suggest that peak storm waves were more than 5 m high, with periods of 7-9 seconds. The study area was situated at the end of a long fetch, in a favorable position to receive the full brunt of northwesterly wind-driven waves.
Relationship between race and interval to treatment in endometrial cancer

Objective: To determine whether the poor prognosis of black women with endometrial adenocarcinoma is due to racial differences in the interval between the onset of abnormal uterine bleeding and hysterectomy. Methods: Clinical records of all 219 patients (176 white, 39 black, four other) who underwent surgical treatment of endometrial cancer during 1990–1993 at our institution were reviewed to obtain information regarding clinicopathologic features. In addition, the interval between the onset of abnormal uterine bleeding and hysterectomy was noted. Results: Compared with white patients, black women with endometrial cancer had a significantly higher incidence of unfavorable features, including non-endometrioid histology (38 versus 12%), stage III or IV disease (51 versus 19%), grade 3 differentiation (49 versus 18%), and poor survival ( P = .003). There was no significant difference in the median interval from onset of abnormal uterine bleeding to hysterectomy between blacks (11.1 weeks) and whites (13.7 weeks), nor was the interval to treatment related to stage, grade, histologic type, myometrial invasion, or survival. In contrast, patients with a history of hormone use had a longer median interval from the onset of abnormal bleeding to treatment compared with patients who had not used hormones (19 versus 10 weeks) ( P P Conclusion: This study confirms that black women with endometrial cancer have a poorer outcome than white women; however, this does not appear to be due to a difference in the interval from onset of abnormal uterine bleeding to hysterectomy.
Factors regulating ethylene biosynthesis in etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings

ethylene in other plant tissues. Auxin, cytokinin, brassinosteroid and cupric ion were found to highly elevate ethylene show that the synergism between cytokinin and auxin in production in these seedlings, but several other signaling com- Arabidopsis is due to an enhancement of the effects of auxin, pounds, as well as wounding and mechanical stimulation, had but not by increased elevation of ACS4 mRNA levels. These little or no effect. A mutant that disrupts the ACS5 gene results suggest that cytokinin acts post-transcriptionally to (cin5) was partially defective in the induction of ethylene in increase ACS4 function, which, coupled with the observation that auxin elevates ACS4 mRNA levels, accounts for the the presence of brassinosteroids, suggesting a role for this synergistic interaction. isoform in mediating this response. Cytokinin displayed a synergistic interaction with both brassinosteroid and auxin,
p47phox Directs Murine Macrophage Cell Fate Decisions

Macrophage differentiation and function are pivotal for cell survival from infection and involve the processing of microenvironmental signals that determine macrophage cell fate decisions to establish appropriate inflammatory balance. NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2)–deficient chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) mice that lack the gp91 phox (gp91 phox−/− ) catalytic subunit show high mortality rates compared with wild-type mice when challenged by infection with Listeria monocytogenes ( Lm ), whereas p47 phox -deficient (p47 phox−/− ) CGD mice show survival rates that are similar to those of wild-type mice. We demonstrate that such survival results from a skewed macrophage differentiation program in p47 phox−/− mice that favors the production of higher levels of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMacs) compared with levels of either wild-type or gp91 phox−/− mice. Furthermore, the adoptive transfer of AAMacs from p47 phox−/− mice can rescue gp91 phox−/− mice during primary Lm infection. Key features of the protective function provided by p47 phox−/− AAMacs against Lm infection are enhanced production of IL-1α and killing of Lm . Molecular analysis of this process indicates that p47 phox−/− macrophages are hyperresponsive to IL-4 and show higher Stat6 phosphorylation levels and signaling coupled to downstream activation of AAMac transcripts in response to IL-4 stimulation. Notably, restoring p47 phox protein expression levels reverts the p47 phox -dependent AAMac phenotype. Our results indicate that p47 phox is a previously unrecognized regulator for IL-4 signaling pathways that are important for macrophage cell fate choice.
Does wealth increase affect school enrolment in ultra-poor households: evidence from an experiment in Bangladesh

Access to education is usually found to be highly correlated with household income and wealth. This correlation often instigates an expectation that increasing income of the poor households will lead to greater human capital accumulation. This paper exploits randomized roll-out of a large-scale livelihood development programme for the ultra-poor in Bangladesh to measure the effect of asset transfer and livelihood supports on children’s schooling. We find limited impact on enrolment although this programme has been extremely successful in transforming the economic lives of the ultra-poor and causing substantial increases in their income and productive assets. The beneficiary households are also found to have increased their expenditures on education. This increase in educational investment, however, has not affected educational attainment during the evaluation period. We also find that the programme increased the extent of child labour immediately after asset transfers. The level of this impact on children’s work declines two years after the interventions ended. The increases in child labour are concentrated in activities related to livestock rearing, which is the primary type of asset transferred in this programme. However, we do not find evidence indicating a trade-off between children’s enrolment and work. The evidence suggests that asset transfer programmes can be more effective by including additional components focusing on improvement in educational outcomes instead of relying primarily on spillover effects through income gain.
Ginger DNA transposons in eukaryotes and their evolutionary relationships with long terminal repeat retrotransposons.

In eukaryotes, long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons such as Copia, BEL and Gypsy integrate their DNA copies into the host genome using a particular type of DDE transposase called integrase (INT). The Gypsy INT-like transposase is also conserved in the Polinton/Maverick self-synthesizing DNA transposons and in the 'cut and paste' DNA transposons known as TDD-4 and TDD-5. Moreover, it is known that INT is similar to bacterial transposases that belong to the IS3, IS481, IS30 and IS630 families. It has been suggested that LTR retrotransposons evolved from a non-LTR retrotransposon fused with a DNA transposon in early eukaryotes. In this paper we analyze a diverse superfamily of eukaryotic cut and paste DNA transposons coding for INT-like transposase and discuss their evolutionary relationship to LTR retrotransposons. A new diverse eukaryotic superfamily of DNA transposons, named Ginger (for 'Gypsy INteGrasE Related') DNA transposons is defined and analyzed. Analogously to the IS3 and IS481 bacterial transposons, the Ginger termini resemble those of the Gypsy LTR retrotransposons. Currently, Ginger transposons can be divided into two distinct groups named Ginger1 and Ginger2/Tdd. Elements from tshe Ginger1 group are characterized by approximately 40 to 270 base pair (bp) terminal inverted repeats (TIRs), and are flanked by CCGG-specific or CCGT-specific target site duplication (ssTSsD) sequences. The Ginger1-encoded transposases contain an approximate 400 amino acid N-terminal portion sharing high amino acid identity to the entire Gypsy-encoded integrases, including the YPYY motif, zinc finger, DDE domain, and, importantly, the GPY/F motif, a hallmark of Gypsy and endogenous retrovirus (ERV) integrases. Ginger1 transposases also contain additional C-terminal domains: ovarian tumor (OTU)-like protease domain or Ulp1 protease domain. In vertebrate genomes, at least two host genes, which were previously thought to be derived from the Gypsy integrases, apparently have evolved from the Ginger1 transposase genes. We also introduce a second Ginger group, designated Ginger2/Tdd, which includes the previously reported DNA transposon TDD-4. The Ginger superfamily represents eukaryotic DNA transposons closely related to LTR retrotransposons. Ginger elements provide new insights into the evolution of transposable elements and certain transposable element (TE)-derived genes.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging for bicuspid aortic valve syndrome: the time is now

A bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital heart defect in adults. The defect often has a heterogeneous phenotypic expression involving the heart as well as the vasculature; the constellation of pathologies has recently been termed the bicuspid aortic valve syndrome.1 Common components of the syndrome include aortic valve stenosis or regurgitation, aortic root or ascending aortic dilation, and aortic coarctation. Other associations of a bicuspid aortic valve include patent ductus arteriosus, supravalvular aortic stenosis (Williams syndrome), ventricular septal defect, and congenital coronary anomalies.2 The expression of these defects varies significantly and can only be characterized with the use of cardiovascular imaging. While echocardiography has been the traditional modality used for the imaging of patients with bicuspid aortic valves, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has, in the last decade, emerged as a powerful modality for these patients. Wassmuth et al. 3 present their experience with CMR in 242 patients with a bicuspid aortic valve. They describe the valvular and vascular features of the bicuspid aortic valve syndrome, noting a 51% frequency of aortic stenosis without regurgitation, a 17% frequency of aortic regurgitation without stenosis, and a 9% frequency of both aortic stenosis and regurgitation. Aortic dilation was noted in 39% of the patients, with the ascending aorta being the level that was most dilated. It is noteworthy that only 35% of the study cohort had 3-dimensional (3D) CMR angiography, and aortic dimensions were measured from axial localizer images in the other 65%. Measurements from 2D axial images may overestimate the size of an obliquely oriented or tortuous aorta.4 Nevertheless, the authors have to be commended for their efforts in collecting aortic dimensions in a relatively large number of patients and in highlighting the utility of CMR in the evaluation of the bicuspid aortic valve syndrome. Additional data …
Siderophore production and membrane alterations by Bordetella pertussis in response to iron starvation.

Abstract Bordetella pertussis was grown in iron (Fe)-free defined medium to limit the growth of the organism. Doubling times of the Fe-starved organism increased by approximately 1 h, and a 40% reduction in the final extent of growth in Fe-depleted medium was observed. Under these conditions, a hydroxamate siderophore named bordetellin was secreted by B. pertussis. Lactoferrin and transferrin supported growth of B. pertussis even when the protein was sequestered inside dialysis tubing. This suggested that binding of lactoferrin and transferrin to B. pertussis was not essential and that bordetellin production plays a major role in Fe uptake. Solid-phase dot blot assays indicated weak binding of lactoferrin to the cell surface, consistent with previous reports of a lactoferrin receptor. Three new proteins of 97, 77, and 63 kDa were synthesized in response to Fe starvation. Fe-inducible proteins of 103, 72, 24, 21, and 18 kDa were also observed. The synthesis of lipopolysaccharide was also altered by Fe availability.
Impact of cancer therapies on ovarian reserve

Objective To determine whether measures of ovarian reserve differ between females exposed to cancer therapies in a dose-dependent manner as compared with healthy controls of similar age and late reproductive age. Design Cross-sectional analysis of data from a prospective cohort study. Setting University medical center. Patient(s) Seventy-one cancer survivors aged 15–39 years; 67 healthy, similarly aged unexposed subjects; and 69 regularly menstruating women of late reproductive age (40–52 years). Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Early follicular-phase hormones (FSH, E 2 , inhibin B, antimullerian hormone [AMH]) and ovarian ultrasound measurements (ovarian volume and antral follicle counts [AFC]) were compared using multivariable linear regression. Result(s) In adjusted models, FSH, AMH, and AFC differed between exposed vs. unexposed subjects (FSH 11.12 mIU/mL vs. 7.25 mIU/mL; AMH 0.81 ng/mL vs. 2.85 ng/mL; AFC 14.55 vs. 27.20). In participants with an FSH Conclusion(s) Measures of ovarian reserve are impaired in a dose-dependent manner among cancer survivors compared with unexposed females of similar age. Reproductive hormone levels in menstruating survivors exposed to high-dose therapy are similar to those in late-reproductive-age women. The predictive value of measures for pregnancy and menopause must be studied. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01143844.
Predicting pressure distribution between transfemoral prosthetic socket and residual limb using finite element analysis

A static implicit nonlinear finite element model (FEM) was created and analysed to determine the pressure distribution between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket of a transfemoral amputee. This analysis was performed in an attempt to develop a process allowing healthcare providers and engineers to simulate the fit and comfort of transfemoral prosthetics to reduce the number of re-fittings. The FEM considered the effects of donning and body weight and included geometric nonlinearity due to large deflections, nonlinear contacts due to friction, and nonlinear hyper-elastic material properties for the residual limb's soft tissue. The results attained can provide prosthetic fitting clinicians customised information on where the prosthetic fits too tight, and how stress concentrations would change as a result of geometric modifications to the prosthetic. This knowledge can improve patients' comfort levels by providing well targeted and more accurate modifications to the prosthetic, minimising the need for numerous refittings.
Determination of acid-detergent fiber and crude protein in forages by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy : collaborative study

A collaborative study was conducted to determine the standard error of difference among laboratories for near-infrared reflectance spectroscopic (NIRS) determination of acid-detergent fiber (ADF) and crude protein in forages. The 6 participating laboratories were members of the USDA/ARS National Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Forage Research Project. The NIRS calibration equations were developed in the Associate Referee's laboratory for crude protein and ADF and were transferred to the instrument in each of the other collaborating laboratories. The calibration set included over 650 diverse forage samples with crude protein and ADF calibration data; the validation set included 94 samples of bermudagrass. Among-laboratory reproducibility for the NIRS method, calculated as the relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR), was 1.14% for ADF and 0.42% for crude protein. The variance component for among-laboratory variation (coefficient of variation) was 2.54% for ADF and 2.89% for crude protein. These results confirm that it is possible to calibrate, validate, and transfer (NIRS) equations and data among laboratories for the accurate determination of ADF and crude protein, and thereby demonstrate that NIRS can be used as a standard method for the analysis of forages. The method has been adopted official first action.
The Next Next Greatest Thing: An Electric Cooperative Manifesto

Electric Cooperatives are in crisis, owing to management scandals and environmental controversies. This paper argues that a return to fundamental cooperative principles is in order and can be accomplished without compromising the independence and flexibility enjoyed by management at these utilities. Suggested reforms include transparency and good-governance initiatives.
Solar emission at 10-cm wavelength

The significance of 10-cm radio observations for studying the physical conditions in the lower corona of the solar atmosphere and for providing an index of solar activity comparable with the Zurich sunspot number is now well established. This radio emission from the solar disk has been observed daily at the Laboratories of the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa since 1947, and the results interpreted in terms of a daily level of flux (near 17 h U.T.) and of bursts of noise that may appear during the day.
Effect of carbamazepine on dolutegravir pharmacokinetics and dosing recommendation.

Purpose Dolutegravir (DTG) is primarily metabolized by UGT1A1 with CYP3A as a minor route. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a potent inducer of these enzymes; thus, the effect of oral extended-release CBZ on DTG pharmacokinetics (PK) was evaluated to provide dose recommendation when co-administered.
Analysis of real-time RT-PCR detection for influenza samples from 2009 to 2013 in Pingxiang city

Objective To analyze the data from surveillance of influenza virus in Pingxiang city over the years and to explore the epidemic situation of influenza and incidence trend of influenza so as to provide scientific evidence for prevention and control of influenza credentials. Methods The relevant informations and throat swab specimens were collected from influenza-like patients at the Pingxiang City People's Hospital,which is a national influenza surveillance hospital.The influenza virus nucleic acid was detected by using real-time RT-PCR method and statistical analysis was performed. Results In Pingxiang city, the positive rate of nucleic acid of influenza virus was 22.09%, but in 2009 the positive rate was 59.75%,which was the highest and then declining year by year. The positive rates of new influenza A(H1N1) virus and influenza B virus were close, which were 33.74% and30.89% respectively. 166 samples were positive for new influenza A(H1N1), of which 143 samples were positive from September to December in 2009, the highest peak in November 2009, the positive rate was(75/143) 52.45%, a small number of cases was detected after 2010. The positive rate of B influenza and H3 influenza were increasing year by year. The positive rate in male were23.19%(291/1255) and 20.68%(201/972) in female respectively. Conducting statistical analysis according to the age of five groups, the positive rate was 37.25%, 30.59%, 19.40%, 18.69% and 13.00%, respectively. Conclusions In Pingxiang influenza virus was mainly new influenza A(H1N1) and B influenza. The H3 influenza was increasing, but the new influenza A(H1N1) was effectively controlled after December 2009. The population susceptible to influenza virus was mainly school children and teenagers,there was no gender differences.
Determination of Nickel in Urine by GF-AAS

0.5mL urine was digested by 0.2% nitric acid,then automatically introduced with matrix modifier,and measured by PE AA600 atomic absorption spectrometer.The detection limit is 1.5μg/L with relative standard deviation(RSD)of 0.952%—6.329% and recovery rate of 87.6%—106.9%.The method is satisfactory for the determination of nickel in urine.