cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction between ventricular expansion and structural changes in the corpus callosum and putamen in males with FMR1 normal and premutation alleles

Abstract Ventricular enlargement (VE) is commonly observed in aging and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder. VE may generate a mechanical force causing structural deformation. In this longitudinal study, we examined the relationships between VE and structural changes in the corpus callosum (CC) and putamen. MRI scans (2-7/person over 0.2–7.5 years) were acquired from 22 healthy controls, 26 unaffected premutation carriers (PFX−), and 39 carriers affected with FXTAS (PFX+). Compared with controls, PFX− demonstrated enlarged fourth ventricles, whereas PFX+ displayed enlargement in both third and fourth ventricles, CC thinning, putamen atrophy/deformation (thinning and increased distance), and accelerated expansions in lateral ventricles. Common for all groups, baseline VE predicted accelerated CC thinning and putamen atrophy/deformation and conversely, baseline CC and putamen atrophy/deformation and enlarged third and fourth ventricles predicted accelerated lateral ventricular expansion. The results suggest a progressive VE within the 4 ventricles as FXTAS develops and a deleterious cycle between VE and brain deformation that may commonly occur during aging and FXTAS progression but become accelerated in FXTAS.
The Use of Alginate to Inhibit Mineralization for Eventual Vascular Development

Bone is a complex tissue with a complex architecture and numerous types of cells. Bone can contain two different architectures (cortical and trabecular) and several cell types (osteoblasts, osteoclasts, osteocytes, neurons, and stem cells to name a few). Nutrient transport is extremely important for a tissue with such complexity in design and cellular population. Therefore, when considering tissue engineering or regenerative engineering, options for bone vascularization must be considered. Along with placement of the vasculature, conditions for vascular development should be of the utmost importance. Optimizing the tissue-engineered scaffold for vascular development can often go overlooked as researchers focus on bone growth and scaffold strength. In this study, we look at scaffold conditions that are best for vascular development in bone scaffolding. Specifically, we investigate how the presence of crystalized calcium phosphate on a scaffold surface affects the ability of vascular endothelial cells to proliferate and differentiate for the eventual production of blood vessels. In addition, we use alginate as a way to maintain a “vascular friendly” surface inside of a mineralized scaffold. The results show that vascular endothelial cells prefer a non-mineralized scaffold and that the presence of alginate on surfaces during mineralization of a scaffold protects that surface from mineralization, making it capable of producing vasculature from seeded vascular endothelial cells. A piece of bone contains many structures, tissues, and cell types. In order to support them all, a bone has an extensive network of blood vessels. This makes the formation of useable blood vessels important for tissue engineering. In this study, we investigate how calcium phosphate formation affects blood vessels inside of bone scaffolds. Specifically, we investigate how calcium phosphate on a scaffold affects blood vessel formation in bone tissue engineering scaffolds. In addition, we use alginate to enhance vessel formation in the scaffolds. The results show that vessel formation is optimal without calcium phosphate on the scaffolds.
RCT of a Comprehensive Outpatient Treatment for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study tested the efficacy of an intensive outpatient psychosocial treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID). Eighty-eight children (ages 7...
Dynamic Panel Estimate-Based Health Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Rates to Inform Public Health Policy: Model Development and Validation.

Background: SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is a global pandemic with higher mortality and morbidity than any other virus in the last 100 years. Without public health surveillance, policy makers cannot know where and how the disease is accelerating, decelerating, and shifting. Unfortunately, existing models of COVID-19 contagion rely on parameters such as the basic reproduction number and use static statistical methods that do not capture all the relevant dynamics needed for surveillance. Existing surveillance methods use data that are subject to significant measurement error and other contaminants. Objective: The aim of this study is to provide a proof of concept of the creation of surveillance metrics that correct for measurement error and data contamination to determine when it is safe to ease pandemic restrictions. We applied state-of-the-art statistical modeling to existing internet data to derive the best available estimates of the state-level dynamics of COVID-19 infection in the United States. Methods: Dynamic panel data (DPD) models were estimated with the Arellano-Bond estimator using the generalized method of moments. This statistical technique enables control of various deficiencies in a data set. The validity of the model and statistical technique was tested. Results: A Wald chi-square test of the explanatory power of the statistical approach indicated that it is valid (χ210=1489.84, P<.001), and a Sargan chi-square test indicated that the model identification is valid (χ2946=935.52, P=.59). The 7-day persistence rate for the week of June 27 to July 3 was 0.5188 (P<.001), meaning that every 10,000 new cases in the prior week were associated with 5188 cases 7 days later. For the week of July 4 to 10, the 7-day persistence rate increased by 0.2691 (P=.003), indicating that every 10,000 new cases in the prior week were associated with 7879 new cases 7 days later. Applied to the reported number of cases, these results indicate an increase of almost 100 additional new cases per day per state for the week of July 4-10. This signifies an increase in the reproduction parameter in the contagion models and corroborates the hypothesis that economic reopening without applying best public health practices is associated with a resurgence of the pandemic. Conclusions: DPD models successfully correct for measurement error and data contamination and are useful to derive surveillance metrics. The opening of America involves two certainties: the country will be COVID-19–free only when there is an effective vaccine, and the “social” end of the pandemic will occur before the “medical” end. Therefore, improved surveillance metrics are needed to inform leaders of how to open sections of the United States more safely. DPD models can inform this reopening in combination with the extraction of COVID-19 data from existing websites.
“You can’t forget our roots anyway”: French College Students’ views on a Racially and Religiously Pluralistic France

Despite the longstanding presence of Islam in the territory of France, Muslim French must still claim and justify their belonging in the context of widespread public skepticism over Islam’s compatibility with “French” social and cultural values, such as laicite, or secularism. The general public’s skepticism is also, in part, due to the historical and ongoing racialization of Muslim populations. Many French sub - populations, including those who are perceived as more “liberal” such as college students, are a part of this skeptical public. Therefore, how have these students speci cally been shaped by contemporary French discourses and understandings of laicite? There is a lack of scholarly research on French college students in particular and their understandings of French identity, laicite, and Muslims in France. To ll this gap, I conducted nine semi - structured interviews and drew on informal participant observation. In this article, I discuss French college students’ opinions on French identity as well as the desire for widespread assimilation, speci cally regarding Muslim women and their choice to wear a hijab in France. I examine these viewpoints within the framework of dominant French discourse, which often perpetuates the idea of a racialized Islam that is inherently incompatible with French culture. I argue that students on both the left and right sides of the political spectrum still reiterate opinions that t within this dominant French discourse.
Experimental Study with Paraffin Melting

There are still relatively few, but a growing number, of results on the experimental application of the backstepping design for boundary control and observer of PDEs. In Paranjape et al. (IEEE Trans Robot 29:625–640, 2013), the tracking control for flexible articulated wings on a robotic aircraft is designed by combining PDE backstepping for feedback stabilization and feedforward trajectory planning, and the performance of the designed boundary controller is demonstrated by conducting the experiment of bending a long thin beam. The validation of the backstepping boundary observer design using experimental data have been studied in Khosroushahi and Marquez (IEEE Trans Control Syst Technol 23:380–388, 2014) for microfluidic systems, in Hasan et al. (Automatica 68:75–86, 2016) for oil drilling, in Andrade (IEEE Trans Autom Control. Early access, 2020) for thermoacoustic instability in Rijke tube, and in Yu et al. (IEEE Trans Control Syst Technol. Early access, 2020) for congested freeway traffic following their design in Yu and Krstic (Automatica 100:38–51, 2019); Yu et al. (IFAC-PapersOnLine 52:183–188, 2019).
GPOP: a cache and memory-efficient framework for graph processing over partitions

Graph analytics frameworks, typically based on Vertex-centric or Edge-centric paradigms suffer from poor cache utilization, irregular memory accesses, heavy use of synchronization primitives or theoretical inefficiency, that deteriorate overall performance and scalability. In this paper, we generalize the partition-centric PageRank computation approach [1] to develop a novel Graph Processing Over Partitions (GPOP) framework that enables cache-efficient, work-efficient and scalable implementations of several graph algorithms. For large graphs, we observe that GPOP is upto 19× and 6.1× faster than Ligra and GraphMat, respectively. This work is supported by DARPA under Contract Number FA8750-17-C-0086, NSF under Contract Numbers CNS-1643351 and ACI-1339756 and AFRL under Grant Number FA8750-18-2-0034.
Delivering AAV to the Central Nervous and Sensory Systems.

As gene therapy enters mainstream medicine, it is more important than ever to have a grasp of exactly how to leverage it for maximum benefit. The development of new targeting strategies and tools makes treating patients with genetic diseases possible. Many Mendelian disorders are amenable to gene replacement or correction. These often affect post-mitotic tissues, meaning that a single stably expressing therapy can be applied. Recent years have seen the development of a large number of novel viral vectors for delivering specific therapies. These new vectors – predominately recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) variants – target nervous tissues with differing efficiencies. This review gives an overview of current gene therapies in the brain, ear, and eye, and describes the optimal approaches, depending on cell type and transgene. Overall, this work aims to serve as a primer for gene therapy in the central nervous and sensory systems.
O02.1 Cervicovaginal microbiota species distinctly modulate the immunometabolic microenvironment in a human three-dimensional cervical model

Background Bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria (BVAB) have been linked to gynecologic and obstetric sequalae, including an increased risk of STI acquisition and pre-term birth. However, there is a fundamental gap that exists in understanding the function of these microorganisms in the local microenvironment that contribute to disease. Hence, our objective was to identify immunometabolic signatures of cervicovaginal microbiota species in the context of cervical epithelium that can relate to clinical findings. Methods Human three-dimensional (3D) cervical epithelial cell models were infected under anaerobic conditions with Gardnerella vaginalis, Prevotella bivia, Atopobium vaginae, Sneathia amnii, a polymicrobial community of BVAB, or health-associated Lactobacillus crispatus. Cell culture supernatants were collected 24 h post infection and analyzed using multiplex cytometric bead arrays and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Results Lactobacillus and BVAB effectively colonized the surface and crevices of human 3D cervical model visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Immunoproteomics analysis (28 targets) revealed that A. vaginae, S. amnii and polymicrobial community exert the greatest proinflammatory potentials, whereas G. vaginalis and P. bivia mostly altered epithelial barrier targets. S. amnii also induced proteins related to cellular stress and angiogenesis. The metabolomics analysis yielded 418 known metabolites. Random Forest analysis of metabolic profiles highlighted excellent prediction (93.75%) of infections. Furthermore, A. vaginae, S. amnii and the polymicrobial community profiles clustered separately from G. vaginalis, P. bivia, L. crispatus and controls. BVAB induced production of biogenic amines in a species-specific manner. A. vaginae and S. amnii impacted arginine/citrulline metabolism, leading to pro-inflammatory signaling, and induced production of oxidative stress-related metabolites. In contrast, G. vaginalis and P. bivia altered epithelial barrier through mucin and collagen degradation and potential ammonia production. Conclusions We demonstrated the utility of our 3D model to recapitulate the cervicovaginal microenvironment and identified unique and species-specific mechanisms by which BVAB contribute to pathophysiological changes favorable for STIs.
Congenital Heart Disease is a Risk Factor for the Success of Catheter Ablation in Children < 15 kg

Catheter ablation has been successful for small children (≤15 kg) in selected cases, however there is a paucity of data comparing the effect of congenital heart disease in this population. We sought to describe the experience at our center with catheter ablation in children <15 kg and compare the safety and efficacy of this procedure as it related to the presence of congenital …
Energy Efficient QoS Based Access Point Selection in Hybrid WiFi and LiFi IoT Networks

Ensuring Quality of Service (QoS) in next-generation networks would be challenging because of the expected manifolds increase in network traffic volume and the massive number of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The increased resources on end-devices have made it possible to make decisions on the client-side for Access Point (AP) selection. On the other hand, due to power constraints on the client-side, energy efficiency is also essential. This paper presents a client-side energy-efficient AP selection approach for QoS provisioning in hybrid Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and Light Fidelity (LiFi) networks. Compared to conventional WiFi and LiFi approaches, the proposed technique outperforms them in energy efficiency at any data rate and in QoS provisioning at data rates higher than 10 Mbps for a network of 50 nodes. It is also shown that adapting the uplink transmission power improves the IoT node’s energy efficiency by transmitting at minimal transmission power required to satisfy the throughput QoS constraint. This paper’s contributions include the proposed algorithm, complexity and convergence analyses of the algorithm, simulation-based evaluation, and analysis of the uplink transmission power adaption. The results show that the presented technique could be integrated into next-generation networks for QoS provisioning and improving energy efficiency.
Plane Strain Formulation for Elastic-Plastic Behavior

The finite element technique has a high level of sophistication and versatility and further progress in expanding analytical capabilities in soil mechanics depends upon a consistent mathematical formulation of general and realistic constitutive relationships. Until the present time proposed formulations used in numerical analyses have been mainly on an incremental use of elasticity theory. Experimentally it is observed that: 1. Many soils are inelastically deformed almost immediately upon application of stress; 2. there is a coupling between volume changes and changes in shear stress; 3. the deformations are stress path dependent; 4. dense soils expand in volume during pore shear; and 5. many soils, drained or undrained, experience a decrease in strength with further straining after a peak strength has been reached.
Caspase cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein modulates amyloid β‐protein toxicity

The amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP) is proteolytically cleaved to generate the amyloid beta-protein (Abeta), the principal constituent of senile plaques found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, Abeta in its oligomeric and fibrillar forms have been hypothesized to induce neuronal toxicity. We and others have previously shown that APP can be cleaved by caspases at the C-terminus to generate a potentially cytotoxic peptide termed C31. Furthermore, this cleavage event and caspase activation were increased in the brains of AD, but not control, cases. In this study, we show that in cultured cells, Abeta induces caspase cleavage of APP in the C-terminus and that the subsequent generation of C31 contributes to the apoptotic cell death associated with Abeta. Interestingly, both Abeta toxicity and C31 pathway are dependent on the presence of APP. Both APP-dependent Abeta toxicity and C31-induced apoptotic cell death involve apical or initiator caspases-8 and -9. Our results suggest that Abeta-mediated toxicity initiates a cascade of events that includes caspase activation and APP cleavage. These findings link C31 generation and its potential cell death activity to Abeta cytotoxicity, the leading mechanism proposed for neuronal death in AD.
Diseases of the Mind and Brain

Rett’s syndrome is a childhood neuropsychiatric disorder that represents one of the most common causes of mental retardation in young girls. In boys, the disease leads, with few exceptions, to death in utero. Individuals with the disorder are born with normal mental function, but they begin to show behavioral, cognitive, and neurological abnormalities by 6 to 18 months of age and deteriorate mentally thereafter. The disease results in reduced life expectancy but shows considerable variation in severity. Many girls with Rett’s syndrome stabilize by puberty and survive into their third decade. The etiology of Rett’s syndrome is a family of deletion or missense mutations of the X-linked gene encoding a protein called methyl-CpGbinding protein 2 (MECP2). This protein is located in the nucleus of many types of CNS neurons and binds to cytosine residues on genomic DNA. MECP2 functions as a general transcriptional repressor by associating with chromatin-remodeling complexes, and, as such, it modulates the expression of genes. Loss of function of the MECP2 protein may result in an imbalance between gene transcription and gene silencing, thus critically interfering with gene expression and protein products in many different neurons in the CNS. This defect results in a characteristic pathological picture of smaller brain weight, greater cell packing, and neuronal dystrophy but not frank cell death or neurodegeneration. This syndrome is an example of a neuropsychiatric disorder where large-scale cell death does not occur but cellular dysfunction is nonetheless profound and widespread throughout the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. It used to be assumed that Rett’s disease was a prenatal developmental disorder with postnatal expression, but it is now thought that the cellular and functional defects may be due to the absence of a continuous function of MECP2 in neurons rather than abnormal brain development. Theoretically, therefore, Rett’s syndrome may be amenable to therapeutic intervention at the time of symptom expression if a selective treatment can be found.
Self-Identity Theory and Research Methods

Identity disturbances are common in clinical conditions and personality measures need to extend to assessment of coherence in underlying levels of self-coherence. The problem has been difficult to solve because self-organization is a complex unconscious set of mind/brain processes embedded in social roles and values. Theory helps us address this problem and suggests methods and limitations of interpretation that involve self-reports of subjects, observers who rate subjects, and narrative analyses of verbal communications from subjects.
Effect of glaucoma medications on 24-hour intraocular pressure-related patterns using a contact lens sensor.

© 2015 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. Background: The aim of this article was to study the circadian intraocular pressure (IOP)-related effects of ocular hypotensive medications using a contact lens sensor (CLS). Design: This is a university-based prospective, randomized, crossover trial. Participants: A total of 23 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma participated. Methods: Patients underwent ambulatory recording of IOP-related patterns for 24h in one eye during 3 monthly sessions using a CLS. Patients were untreated in session 1 (S1), were randomized to one of four classes of glaucoma drops for S2 and had a prostaglandin analogue add-on for S3. Main Outcome Measures: Changes in IOP-related patterns were defined using (i) slopes from wake/sitting to sleep/supine; (ii) cosinor rhythmometry modelling; and (iii) area under receiver operating curve (AUC) of sleep period. Results: Mean patient age was 63.8±11.8 years. Positive linear slopes were seen from wake/sitting to sleep/supine at S1 (17.1±14.2mVeq/h) and S2 (5.5±23.9mVeq/h) and negative slopes at S3 (-1.9±29.4mVeq/h) (S1-S2, P=0.01; S1-S3, P=0.02). In the prostaglandin group, slopes changed significantly with introduction of drops (S1-S2, P<0.024), whereas they did not in a mixed group combining the three other classes (S1-S2, P=0.060). Overall, cosinor amplitudes were 98.4±46.5mVeq (S1), 113.0±35.6mVeq (S2) and 109.6±58.3mVeq (S3) (S1-S2, P=0.23; S1-S3, P=0.66; S2-S3, P=0.93). AUC were 91.8±63.0mVeq (S1), 76.3±102.7mVeq (S2) and 19.9±135.8mVeq (S3). Differences between sessions were not statistically significant (S1-S2, P=0.541; S1-S3, P=0.083; S2-S3, P=0.092). Conclusions: Prostaglandin analogues, but not other medications, seem to flatten the IOP-related increase at transition of the wake/sitting to the sleep/supine period, but do not seem to have an effect on acrophase and amplitude.
Redistribution algorithms for censored data

Abstract Efron (Proceedings of the Fifth Berkeley Symposium, Vol. 4, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, pp. 831–853) and Dinse (Amer. Statist. 39, 1985, 299–300) proposed redistribution of mass algorithms for survivor function estimation from right censored data. Dinse's algorithm is easily extended to survivor function estimation from interval censored data and is further extended to incorporate information on disease markers.
Phytic Acid Determination in Soybeans

Several established methods of phytic acid determination in soybeans were evaluated. Iron analysis methods, which rely on a 4:6 molar ratio of Fe:P, were eliminated because this ratio was not dependable. Three assay methods relying on phosphorus analysis were then compared. The anion-exchange method was considered most accurate but not convenient for routine analysis. Analysis of the ferric phytate precipitate and a new method, analysis of the supernatant before and after ferric chloride precipitation, were judged against the anion-exchange method under different extraction conditions. Based upon good agreement with anion-exchange column results and acceptable reproducibility, the best methods were (1) precipitate analysis of phosphorus after extraction with 3% TCA + 10% sodium sulfate, or (2) the supernatant difference method after extraction with 1.2% HCl.
Phosphatidylethanolamine at the Luminal Endothelial Surface—Implications for Hemostasis and Thrombotic Autoimmunity:

Objective: Accumulating evidence suggests that phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is physically present at the luminal endothelial surface, where it tentatively functions as a critical anticoagulant. The goal of the current investigation was 3-fold: to characterize the distribution profile of PE at the luminal endothelial surface; to examine the immunoreactivity to the vascular endothelium by anti-PE (aPE) sera from patients presenting with thrombosis; and to discuss the potential mechanism of PE upregulation by endothelial cells. Methods: The rat aortic arch was selected as major conduit vessel under significant hemodynamic burden. The presence of PE and the antigenic profile of aPE sera at the luminal endothelial surface were examined using duramycin as a PEbinding probe and immunohistochemistry. Phosphatidylethanolamine upregulation at endothelial cell surface was investigated using cultured monolayer subject to laminar shear stress or thrombin treatment. Results: High levels of PE were detected at the lumi...
Multi-ion diffusiophoresis.

Abstract The movement of charged particles occurs in a salt concentration gradient by the mechanism of diffusiophoresis. Current analytical models for diffusiophoresis have been developed for a gradient generated by a symmetric Z:Z electrolyte at steady state. Recently, our lab has reported diffusioosmotic flows due to dissolving calcium carbonate (CaCO3) which generates three ions (Ca2+, HCO 3 - , and OH−), and this fluid motion cannot be described by current analytical models. In this communication, we derive an expression for the diffusioosmotic flow in a gradient involving multiple ions of different valences, assuming infinitesimally thin double layers. We also solve numerically the time-dependent concentration profiles for the three-ion case and find that the concentration profile of HCO 3 - is non-monotonic in solution. Finally, we examine quantitatively the assumption of electroneutrality in solution, finding that electroneutrality is a good approximation even for the multi-ion case, indicating that our electric field derived from the ion migration equation is quite accurate.
Morphogenetic responses of tomato plants to combined and individual applications of gibberellic acid, Phosfon and B-nine

Two growth retardants, B-nine (N-dimethylamino succinamic acid) and Phosfon (2,4-dichlorobenzyl-tributyl phosphonium chloride) were applied to tomato plants, either singly or in combination with gibberellic acid (GA), in order to determine various morphogenetic responses. GA (5 ml of 10−M4 per plant) and B-nine (5 ml of 1.56×10−2M per plant) were applied as foliar spray whereas Phosfon (1.5×10−3M in 10 ml of water per plant) was applied as soil amendment. Growth retardation by Phosfon persisted through the time of harvest and was somewhat neutralized by GA. Fruit set and extent of seediness of fruits were the maximum in Phosfon-treated plants compared to others. Plants receiving B-nine, however, recovered from the initial growth retardation and indicated no residual action at harvest. GA in combination with B-nine produced significantly greater vegetative growth and dry weight accumulation than did GA alone. This indicated that applied and endogenous GA responded differently to different growth retardants. None of the treatments had any noticeable effect on the time of flowering.
Quantitative PK–PD Model-Based Translational Pharmacology of a Novel Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonist Between Rats and Humans

Pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK–PD) modeling greatly enables quantitative implementation of the “learn and confirm” paradigm across different stages of drug discovery and development. This work describes the successful prospective application of this concept in the discovery and early development of a novel κ-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist, PF-04455242, where PK–PD understanding from preclinical biomarker responses enabled successful prediction of the clinical response in a proof of mechanism study. Preclinical data obtained in rats included time course measures of the KOR antagonist (PF-04455242), a KOR agonist (spiradoline), and a KOR-mediated biomarker response (prolactin secretion) in plasma. Clinical data included time course measures of PF-04455242 and prolactin in 24 healthy volunteers following a spiradoline challenge and single oral doses of PF-04455242 (18 and 30 mg). In both species, PF-04455242 successfully reversed spiradoline-induced prolactin response. A competitive antagonism model was developed and implemented within NONMEM to describe the effect of PF-04455242 on spiradoline-induced prolactin elevation in rats and humans. The PK–PD model-based estimate of K i for PF-04455242 in rats was 414 ng/mL. Accounting for species differences in unbound fraction, in vitro K i and brain penetration provided a predicted human K i of 44.4 ng/mL. This prediction was in good agreement with that estimated via the application of the proposed PK–PD model to the clinical data (i.e., 39.2 ng/mL). These results illustrate the utility of the proposed PK–PD model in supporting the quantitative translation of preclinical studies into an accurate clinical expectation. As such, the proposed PK–PD model is useful for supporting the design, selection, and early development of novel KOR antagonists.
Protective action of selenium against mercury in northern creek chubs

We found selenium dioxide an effective antagonist to the toxic effects of mercuric chloride in the nor-thern creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). Selenium pretreatment increased the whole body accumulation of mercury at lower environmental Hg concentrations. It decreased mercury accumulation in survivors at higher, acutely toxic concentrations.
Noncovalent cell surface engineering: incorporation of bioactive synthetic glycopolymers into cellular membranes

The controlled addition of structurally defined components to live cell membranes can facilitate the molecular level analysis of cell surface phenomena. Here we demonstrate that cell surfaces can be engineered to display synthetic bioactive polymers at defined densities by exogenous membrane insertion. The polymers were designed to mimic native cell-surface mucin glycoproteins, which are defined by their dense glycosylation patterns and rod-like structures. End-functionalization with a hydrophobic anchor permitted incorporation into the membranes of live cultured cells. We probed the dynamic behavior of cell-bound glycopolymers bearing various hydrophobic anchors and glycan structures using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Their diffusion properties mirrored those of many natural membrane-associated biomolecules. Furthermore, the membrane-bound glycopolymers were internalized into early endosomes similarly to endogenous membrane components and were capable of specific interactions with protein receptors. This system provides a platform to study cell-surface phenomena with a degree of chemical control that cannot be achieved using conventional biological tools.
Computational Fluid Dynamics to Evaluate the Management of a Giant Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysm

Background Giant intracranial aneurysms are rare lesions that present uniquely complex therapeutic challenges. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to simulate the hemodynamic environments of developing and ruptured cerebral aneurysms. In this study, we use CFD to examine retrospectively hemodynamic changes during the complicated clinical course of a giant carotid aneurysm. Objective To take an innovative, CFD-based approach to retrospective analysis of the surgical management and clinical course of a giant carotid aneurysm. Methods Pre- and posttreatment image data were first segmented to produce computational aneurysm models. Flow within the models was then simulated using CFD. Simulated flow and wall shear stress (WSS) profiles were analyzed and used to examine hemodynamic changes during the clinical course of the patient, after 2 independent treatments. Results Greater WSS magnitudes and a more localized flow impingement region were observed at the distal portion of the aneurysm after both clinical interventions. These relative, acute changes in hemodynamic features at the distal aneurysm wall were greatest after the second intervention and may have preceded rupture of the aneurysm in that region. Conclusions The application of CFD to the management of a giant intracranial aneurysm showed unexpected posttreatment changes in flow and WSS profiles. The simulation results offer a viable explanation for the observed clinical course. This study demonstrates potential for the use of CFD preoperatively for decision-making in the surgical and endovascular management of intracranial aneurysms.
The influence of tip mass offset on the stability of Beck's column

Abstract In this paper, the stability of a slender cantilever carrying a tip mass at its free end and subjected there to a follower force is investigated. The centroid of the tip mass is offset from the free end of the beam and is located along its extended axis. The associated boundary value problem is solved and the exact frequency equation is derived. The frequency equation is solved numerically for the case in which both the beam and the tip mass have circular cross-sections. The numerical computations indicate that the system loses stability only through flutter. The variation of the values of the critical flutter load Q cr with the tip mass offset parameter ξ is shown graphically for four values of the tip mass density to beam density ratio p . These calculations reveal that, at sufficiently small values of ξ, Q cr decreases sharply for increasing values of p . For values of ξ sufficiently large, however, the situation is reversed as the value of Q cr increases with increasing p .
Heavy Exotica Mini Review

Abstract A brief review of theoretical ideas concerning mesons with exotic structure is presented. In particular, we survey ideas for multiquark states including 'molecular' dynamics, tetraquark models, chiral soliton models, hybrids, and glueballs.
Ethnomedical, Biological, and Clinical Support for Medicinal Plant Use on Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast

ABSTRACT The use of medicinal plants on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua was compared with the use of these plants worldwide. Similar medical usage was documented for 66 species in dozens of countries on several continents. Additionally, medicinal uses of 34 plants in eastern Nicaragua were noted to have applications consistent with biological or clinical activity. The similarities in ethnomedicinal applications and the evidence from biomedical investigations support the concept that the use of medicinal plants by indigenous peoples of Nicaragua is not haphazard, but rather a consistent and perhaps legitimate system of medical treatment.
Crises in Forager Studies, Ethnographic and Archaeological

Burch, Ernest S. and Linda J. Ellanna, eds. Key Issues in Hunter‐Gatherer Research. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 1994. x + 534 pp. including references and index. $75 cloth. Kelly, Robert L. The Foraging Spectrum: Diversity in Hunter‐Gatherer Lifeways. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1995. xvi + 446 pp. including notes, references and index. $60 cloth.
Price discovery in strategically-linked markets: the case of the gold-silver spread

Using 15 minute intraday data, we analyse the price discovery process among the strategically-linked gold and silver futures contracts and examine the role of the intermarket spread in their price dynamics. The multivariate model employed allows for intermarket volatility spillover and asymmetric-spread effects on the variance and covariance of the two contracts. The data suggest that the silver contract bears the majority of the burden of convergence to the gold-silver spread. This evidence is noteworthy since the silver contract was by far the more volatile of the two contracts over the period studied.
Late pleistocene to holocene fluctuations in bottom-current speed in the Argentine Basin mudwave field

Abstract Particle-size analyses of core-top samples from traverses across two large asymmetrical mudwaves in the Argentine Basin were used to test a model that predicted slower bottom-current speeds on the steep, upstream (depositional) side and higher speeds on the downstream (erosional or non-depositional) side of the waveform. Consistent with the model, the silt mean particle-size of sediment on the upstream side of both mudwaves was finer than on the downstream side. Downcore analyses of the particle-size of box cores on each side of the two mudwaves were used to identify temporal trends in bottom-current speed. AMS14C dates of box core samples revealed unconformities on the downstream side of each mudwave (22−4.2 kya and 9−4 kya in cores 10 and 24, respectively). Particle sizes in samples above the unconformities were consistently coarser than those on the upstream side of each mudwave, revealing periods of high bottom-current speed from 4 to 2.5 kya. Below the unconformities the period 37 to 22 kya was characterized by high bottom-current speed in core 10 while low speeds were inferred for the period 13−9 kya in core 24. The inferred paleospeed in the cores from the depositional side of the two mudwaves reveals a trend of decreasing speed for the past 3.5 kya with short intervals of increased speed in each core.
Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus of the oral cavity: Report of two cases

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus is a depigmenting mucocutaneous disease most frequently affecting the female genitalia. Genital lesions are symptomatic and may be functionally debilitating. Oral lesions are of little significance other than the esthetic concerns of perioral lesions. In view of the rarity of reported cases, one lesion of the labial mucocutaneous area and a second of the palate are presented along with a description of the disease's clinical and histopathologic findings and a brief review of the literature. The lip lesion was partially resolved with topical corticosteroids and was then fully eliminated with topical testosterone. Histologic verification and examination for the simultaneous occurrence or absence of oral and the more common genital-cutaneous lesions is essential if meaningful information in the medical-dental literature is to be obtained in the future.
Global, conventional and warring movements and the suppression of contention. Themes in contentious politics research. doi:10.5007/2175-7984.2011v10n18p25

Contentious events often come in waves, but they are seldom homogeneous. A series of contentious events over the past two years were the result of the global financial crisis that began in the United States in 2008 and ultimately diffused around the world. But it was in Greece and the European Union that the crisis hit hardest. There, conventional protest, violence, and political contention combined. The Greek/Euro crisis has three lessons to teach us about the current themes in social movement research. The first lesson has to do with the nature of the capitalist crisis that triggered these events. The second lesson is that there are limits to globalization and internationalization. The third lesson is that while the financial crisis sparked a great deal of contention, it was differently affected by the political opportunity structure of each country. This article investigates three meanings of the term “social movement society” that became popular in the North in the 1990s: global movements; contained movements; and warring movements. It closes with some speculations about the relationship between the movements of recent years and protest policing and the increasing danger of suppression of all movements as the result of the fear of terrorism.
A comparison of stereology and segmentation techniques for volumetric measurements of lateral ventricles in magnetic resonance imaging

Lateral ventricular volumes were measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans by independent raters in 18 subjects (11 psychotic patients and 7 healthy control subjects) with two different approaches: a point-counting stereological (PCS) technique and a computerized technique based on segmentation algorithms. The correlation between the two techniques was very high (r = 0.96), and phantom studies showed good validity for both approaches. These findings and the technical simplicity of the PCS technique support its potential use for MRI morphometric measurements.
A review of the role of enhanced apoptosis in the pathophysiology of cystinosis

Abstract The role of lysosomal cystine in development of the phenotype in cystinosis is problematic, in that the cystine is effectively isolated from the rest of cellular metabolism. Several models have been proposed, but most do not provide a mechanism for such an interaction. During early apoptosis the lysosomes are permeablized, providing such access. We have shown that lysosomal cystine enhances apoptosis in cultured normal and cystinotic fibroblasts and cultured renal proximal tubule epithelial cells, that the process occurs via mixed disulfide (cysteinylation) formation, and that PKC δ is involved. Further, the “swan neck” deformity of proximal renal tubules, long a hallmark of cystinosis, is explicable via this model, as is the renal failure that results from progression of tubule cell loss to atubular glomeruli. Modification of this process by other genes may explain the milder forms of the disease.
House flies delay fungal infection by fevering: at a cost

1. Many ectothermic species have evolved the ability to invoke a ‘behavioural fever’ when infected with a pathogen. The relative costs and benefits of this response, however, have rarely been quantified. 2. The aim of this study was investigate the nature and consequences of behavioural fever in the house fly, Musca domestica L., in response to infection with a possible biocontrol agent, the fungal entomopathogen, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin. 3. It was found that infected flies preferred higher temperatures and allocated more effort to thermoregulation than uninfected flies. Flies could not overcome infection but the altered thermal behaviour allowed infected flies to extend their survival and to lay more eggs relative to infected flies maintained under constant conditions. However, flies allowed to fever had lower egg viability suggesting a possible cost. 4. Under the present experimental conditions, the putative costs and benefits fever balanced one another resulting in no net change in fitness. Fever did not, therefore, limit the control potential of the fungus. We discuss whether the costs and benefits of behavioural fever might differ in other ecological contexts.
Asylum seekers seeking mental health services in the United States: clinical and legal implications

Asylum seekers flee their countries in search of safety due to persecution at home. Characteristics were assessed of 134 consecutive asylum seekers who sought mental health services at a program caring for survivors of torture and refugee trauma, using a chart review of patients seen between January 1999 and December 2002. Two-thirds of the sample were female, and 82% came from Africa. Eighty-four percent of the sample reported a history of torture, and one-half experienced rape or attempted rape. Most common diagnoses included posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Predictors of torture included: posttraumatic stress disorder [odds ratio (OR) = 4.93, p = 0.03], rape (OR = 4.23, p = 0.035), and political persecution (OR = 9.28, p = 0.006). Most common self-reported health problems were headaches (29.9%), sexual dysfunction (26.1%), chronic pain (12.7%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (11.2%).
Novel pitch-based carbons with bimodal distribution of uniform mesopores

A new method is proposed for the synthesis of pitch-based carbons with bimodal distribution of uniform mesopores formed by co-imprinting of spherical silica colloids and hexagonally ordered mesoporous particles of SBA-15 into mesophase pitch particles and subsequent silica dissolution.
Thin-skinned extensional tectonics on a salt detachment, northern Kwanza Basin, Angola

Abstract Thin-skinned extension on a salt detachment, of a style known as raft tectonics, characterizes deformation of the late Aptian to Recent section in the northern Kwanza Basin, Angola. Large rafts and intervening grabens are interpreted to have developed as a result of gravity gliding (increased dip) and gravity spreading (asymmetrical loading of a sedimentary wedge). Major raft movement occurred primarily from the Middle Tertiary, but some deformation appears to have started as early as late Cenomanian or early Turonian times. Individual grabens measure up to 70 km in length, 15 km in width and nearly 3 km in depth, and show switching polarities in the sense of thickening of the Tertiary sedimentary infill. Graben geometries were controlled by syndepositional extension and the local availability of salt. From the data examined, which includes both seismic and well data, the grabens appear to become younger from east to west, reflecting basinward progression of the deformation. As the age relationships could be related to insufficient sampling of strata deposited in complex sedimentation patterns, they may have no relevance to the timing of the deformation; the diachronous deformation is therefore speculative. Extension in the northern Kwanza Basin is estimated at 60%; the outermost raft is translated ≈55 km westwards. In addition to the extensional structures, compressional folds, thrust faults and salt structures mark the toe of the gravity gliding and spreading system. All of the rafts lie within the African portion of the Aptian Salt Basin, on rifted continental crust, and they are generally unrelated to structures below the salt. Biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy indicate that the grabens formed on the shelf and upper slope from the Middle Eocene. Associated compressional features developed near the slope rise. The unusual expression of raft tectonics is attributed to a combination of: (1) the presence of a salt layer; (2) a stable basement configuration that allowed quiescent accumulation of the raft sequence; and (3) an increase in basin dip and sediment supply.
The New EventStore Data Management System For The CLEO-c Experiment

We discuss the new CLEO-c EventStore: a pluggable system that scales from personal needs up to collaboration-wide managed data. Its indexing and versioning features allow physicists to quickly access raw, reconstructed and MC data. It does simple bookkeeping of desired datasets and guarantees the reproducibility of various details of physics analysis. A wide range of physics queries and a variety of file formats are supported.
A laser augmented reaction: SF 6 + SiH 4 &#8594;S * 2 + SiF 4 + HF + H 2 &#183; retention of isotopic selectivity during detonation

A single unfocused pulse of a free running CO 2 laser, area ∼ 8 cm2, initiates an explosive reaction between SF 6 and SiH 4 . This occurs at a minimum energy of 4 J [full width at half maximum (FWHM) \sim 1.5 /mu s] of which about one half is absorbed in an 8 cm long cell; total pressure 12 torr; 0.65 p (SiH 4 )/ p (SF 6 ) 2 ( B^{3}\Sigma-_{u} \rightarrow X^{3}\Sigma-_{g} ). Transitions \upsilon' (0-4) \rightarrow \upsilon" (2-15) were recorded. In the3 \Sigma-_{u} state, vibrational temperatures range from 3000-13000 K. The luminosity peaks sharply at (SiH 4 )/(SF 6 ) = 1.0 ± 0.05. On each side of the maximum of the emission versus composition curve [at (SiH 4 )/(SF 6 ) ≈ 0.95 and 1.22, for a 12 J pulse] the residual SF 6 (0.2-0.5 percent of initial amount) is enriched in34SF 6 ; the observed fractionation factors at these two compositions are 8 ± 2. The separation between the two sharply peaked optimum compositions appears to increase with increasing pulse energy. Preliminary results with other fuels suggest that the concurrent absorption of CO 2 laser radiation by the fuel, as well as a highly exothermic reaction, are pre-requisite for fine tuning of composition, injected power, and total pressure for optimum isotope fractionation.