cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical-Layer Structures and Mechanisms in Elastoinertial Turbulence

Simulations of elastoinertial turbulence (EIT) of a polymer solution at low Reynolds number are shown to display localized polymer stretch fluctuations. These are very similar to structures arising from linear stability (Tollmien-Schlichting modes) and resolvent analyses, i.e., critical-layer structures localized where the mean fluid velocity equals the wave speed. Computations of self-sustained nonlinear Tollmien-Schlichting waves reveal that the critical layer exhibits stagnation points that generate sheets of large polymer stretch. These kinematics may be the genesis of similar structures in EIT.
Designer illumination for quantitative phase microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Using a coded-illumination LED array microscope and a computational imaging approach to data capture and optical system design, we demonstrate efficient and accurate quantitative phase imaging from minimal measurements with learning-optimized illumination design and reconstruction. In addition, we describe how space-time models for non-rigid sample motion can be used to mitigate sample motion blur in multi-frame phase microscopy.
Carpal Translocation Following Dorsal Bridge Plate Fixation of Distal Radius Fractures: A Cadaveric Study.

Background Dorsal bridge plate fixation is an effective technique for stabilization of highly comminuted, complex distal radius fractures. However, it is unknown whether fixation to the second or third metacarpal is optimal. Given dorsal bridge plating spans the radiocarpal joint, it is unclear if the dorsal spanning plate affects carpal position. This study investigates differences in carpal translocation resulting from bridge plate distal fixation to either the second or third metacarpal. Methods Ten paired cadaveric upper extremities without evidence of gross deformity or prior surgery distal to the elbow were evaluated with three-view wrist fluoroscopic images for baseline radiographic measurements. An unstable distal radius fracture model was created via a volar approach using a 1-cm osteotomy. Following fracture creation, a dorsal bridge plate was applied with random to the second metacarpal on one limb, and the third metacarpal on the contralateral limb. Laterality for distal fixation was chosen randomly. Fluoroscopic images were repeated and radial inclination, radial height, radiocarpal angle, volar tilt, ulnar variance, radiolunate angle, radioscaphoid angle, radial rotation index, and carpal translocation were measured. Results Radial inclination, radial height, radiocarpal angle, volar tilt, ulnar variance, radiolunate angle, and radioscaphoid angle were not statistically different before and after fixation, or when comparing the second or third metacarpal fixation. Additionally, there was no difference in Taleisnik's ulnar translocation index, Chamay's ulnar translation index, or McMurtry's carpal translation index based on which metacarpal was used for distal fixation. Conclusions Dorsal bridge plate fixation of distal radius fractures restores preoperative physiologic measures of the radius, ulna, and carpus. Carpal translocation was similar when comparing distal fixation to the second or third metacarpal in distal radius fractures stabilized with a bridge plate. Level of Evidence This is a Level V, therapeutic study.
Structural analysis of phosphoserine aminotransferase (isoform 1) from Arabidopsis thaliana- the enzyme involved in the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis

Phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 3-phosphohydroxypyruvate (3-PHP) to 3-phosphoserine (PSer) in an L-glutamate (Glu)-linked reversible transamination reaction. This process proceeds through a bimolecular ping-pong mechanism and in plants takes place in plastids. It is a part of the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis, one of three routes recognized in plant organisms that yield serine. In this three-step biotransformation, 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA) delivered from plastidial glycolysis and Calvin cycle is oxidized by 3-PGA dehydrogenase. Then, 3-PHP is subjected to transamination with Glu to yield PSer and α-ketoglutarate (AKG). In the last step of the pathway, serine is produced by the action of phosphoserine phosphatase. Here we present the structural characterization of PSAT isoform 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPSAT1), a dimeric S-shaped protein that truncated of its 71-residue-long chloroplast-targeting signal peptide. Three crystal structures of AtPSAT1 captured at different stages of the reaction: (i) internal aldimine state with PLP covalently bound to the catalytic K265, (ii) holoenzyme in complex with pyridoxamine-5'-phosphate (PMP) after transfer of the amino group from glutamate and (iii) the geminal diamine intermediate state wherein the cofactor is covalently bound to both, K265 and PSer. These snapshots over the course of the reaction present detailed architecture of AtPSAT1 and allow for the comparison of this plant enzyme with other PSATs. Conformational changes of the protein during the catalytic event concern (i) the neighborhood of K265 when the amino group is transferred to the cofactor to form PMP and (ii) movement of the gate-keeping loop (residues 391-401) upon binding of 3-PHP and PSer. The latter conformational change of the loop may likely be one of key elements that regulate catalytic activity of PSATs.
Pushing the Limits of Direct Spectra and Composition Measurements

The recent years saw the implementation and deployment of a new generation of instruments flown in space or on stratospheric balloons. They are targeted at the study of a variety of energetic cosmic particles, including protons and nuclei, electrons, antimatter particles (positrons and antiprotons), secondary nuclei (including isotopes), ultraheavy nuclei, all complementing gamma-ray studies. Thus a new wealth of data is providing fresh insights on high-energy phenomena in the Galaxy. The instruments are large and deployed for long exposures, providing for an energy reach that permits direct cross-comparisons with ground-based measurements. We briefly review the state of the field, focusing on present and near future efforts.
Photoconvertible diazaxanthilidene dyes for live cell imaging.

Abstract Within the past two decades, photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (PC-FPs) have emerged as a class of useful proteins for the visualization and tracking of individual cells, complex cellular mechanisms, protein-protein interactions, and other dynamic processes. Despite the utility of these proteins, they are inherently limited by a number of factors including large size and inflexibility of tag location within a protein of interest. The following chapter describes the discovery and use of a small molecule photoconvertible dye based on the novel diazaxanthilidene scaffold. The diazaxanthilidene dye presented in this chapter is shown to be an effective alternative to well-known PC-FPs for spatiotemporally controlled cell labeling experiments.
A Low-cost and Enzyme-free Glucose Paper Sensor

A low-cost and enzyme-free glucose paper sensor is presented as a promising alternative to glucose test strips. This paper-based glucose sensor is prepared with molecularly imprinted (MIP) polyaniline (PANI) electrode. The determination of glucose concentrations was studied by the impedance change of the paper sensor before and after the blood samples dispensing at a low frequency. A comparison of the linear and polynomial regression was applied to analyze the impedance ratio as a function of glucose concentrations. The proposed glucose paper sensor showed a limit of detection (LoD) of 1.135 mM. This novel and non-enzymatic paper sensor suggests a low-cost glucose test assay and can improve the quality of routine testing for diabetic patients.
Theoretical lateral and axial sensitivity limits and choices of molecular reporters for Cherenkov-excited luminescence in tissue during x-ray beam scanning.

Cherenkov-excited luminescence has previously been demonstrated as a method to improve the depth sensitivity of in vivo optical imaging1–4 and could be an alternative to optical imaging with fluorescence in deeper penetrance. An example application of Cherenkov-excited luminescence is to excite an oxygen-sensitive luminescent compound during radiation therapy utilizing only the radiation as an excitation source and a sensitive camera for detection, as shown in Fig. 1(a). In conventional in vivo fluorescence imaging, utilizing an excitation laser or LED light, there is an exponential decay of the source as it propagates into tissue dictated approximately by the effective attenuation coefficient, μeff, defined by diffusion theory as μeff=3μa(μa+μs′) where the latter coefficients are for absorption and transport reduced scattering, respectively.6 In Cherenkov excitation, the excitation light is produced throughout the volume directly proportional to the dose of the radiation beam for electrons above the 220 keV threshold, following the same build up and fall off with depth, as shown in Fig. 1(c). While in both cases, laser or Cherenkov excitation, the light still has to escape the tissue and is therefore attenuated exponentially by μeff on the way out at the emission wavelength bands, there is still a major benefit from having the exciting light within the volume of tissue. Yet, in comparing optical excitation to radiation beam excitation, it is hard to clearly quantify the benefits for Cherenkov, and so in this study, the (i) spatial resolution, (ii) depth sensitivity, and (iii) optimal fluorophores for Cherenkov excitation, are each examined computationally with Monte Carlo simulations. Open in a separate window Fig. 1 Schematic illustration (a) of an in vivo application of Cherenkov-excited luminescence where Cherenkov light is generated at depths into tissue. In this illustration, a mouse with a hypoxic flank tumor and normal muscle tissue are injected with an oxygen-sensitive phosphorescent compound. As the x-ray beam passes through the tissue, Cherenkov emissions occur and excite the luminescent compound. In vivo imaging can resolve the depth-integrated voxels, and the resulting estimates can be tabulated into a histogram to describe the heterogeneous extracellular oxygen concentration.5 The photon energy distribution used in subsequent Monte Carlo simulations is shown in (b) which determine the characteristics of the Cherenkov intensity and depth within the tissue. The percentage depth-dose (PDD) curves for 10 cm×10 cm photon (6 and 18 MV) and electron (6 and 18 MeV) beams in water are shown in (c) where electrons have a higher chance of interaction and deposit dose more superficially, whereas photon beams must first generate a high-energy electron through Compton scattering before Cherenkov emissions can occur. Cherenkov emissions are correlated with dose, so the PDD can be used as an estimate of the depth distribution of the optical emissions.
Genetic analysis of daily milk yield variability in Holstein dairy cattle in an experimental herd

Abstract The availability of daily milk yield (dMY) allows for analyses of additional traits that could be related to cow fitness. The objectives of this study were to determine heritability of day-to-day variation in milk yield and estimate correlations of variability with genomic PTA for commonly measured production, health, and fertility traits. Daily milk yield records were retrieved for 2,377 lactations of 1,190 Holsteins from a single herd and used to derive absolute change (ΔABS) in dMY, residual absolute change (rABS) which was derived by regressing ΔABS on dMY, and the standard deviation of dMY (sdMY). Values from 5 to 200 days in milk were retained and averaged for each trait. Estimated breeding values were merged with official genomic PTA for 464 cows. Heritability estimates were 0.23±0.05, 0.20±0.04, 0.10±0.03, and 0.15±0.04 for dMY, ΔABS, sdMY, and rABS, respectively. Both ΔABS (0.68±0.9) and sdMY (0.61±0.15) were strongly correlated genetically with dMY, whereas dMY and rABS were independent (0.13±0.17). Higher gEBV for dMY, ΔABS, sdMY, or rABS was unfavorably correlated with PTA for health and fertility traits. Daily milk yield variability was heritable and cows with less variability had improved fitness; rABS was more independent of dMY than ΔABS or sdMY.
FAIXID: A Framework for Enhancing AI Explainability of Intrusion Detection Results Using Data Cleaning Techniques

Organizations depend on heavy use of various cyber defense technologies, including intrusion detection and prevention systems, to monitor and protect networks and devices from malicious activities. However, large volumes of false alerts from such technologies challenge cybersecurity analysts in isolating credible alerts from false positives for further investigations. In this article, we propose a framework named FAIXID that leverages Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) and data cleaning methods for improving the explainability and understandability of intrusion detection alerts, which in turn assist cyber analysts in making more informed decisions fueled by the quick elimination of false positives. We identified five functional modules in FAIXID: (1) the pre-modeling explainability module that improves the quality of network traffic’s data through data cleaning; (2) the modeling module that provides explanations of the AI models to help analysts make sense of the model internals; (3) the post-modeling explainability module that provides additional explanations to enhance the understandability of the results produced by the AI models; (4) the attribution module that selects the appropriate explanations for the analysts according to their needs; and (5) the evaluation module that evaluates the explanations and collects feedback from analysts. FAIXID has been implemented and evaluated using experiments with real-world datasets. Evaluation of results demonstrates that the utilization of data cleaning and AI explainability techniques provide quality explanations to analysts depending on their expertise and backgrounds.
Simplified Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 Score by Explainable Machine Learning Algorithm.

Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 is a validated tool including 11 variables for the assessment of mortality risk in PICU patients. With the recent advances in explainable machine learning algorithms, we aimed to assess feasibility of application of these machine learning models to simplify the Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 scoring system in order to decrease time and labor required for data collection and entry for Pediatric Index of Mortality 3. Design Single-center, retrospective cohort study. Data from the Virtual Pediatric Systems for patients admitted to Cleveland Clinic Children`s PICU between January 2008 and December 2019 was obtained. Light Gradient Boosting Machine Regressor (a gradient boosting decision tree algorithm) was used for building the machine learning models. Variable importance was analyzed by SHapley Additive exPlanations. All of the 11 Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 variables were used as input variables in the machine learning models to predict Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 risk of mortality as the outcome variable. Mean absolute error, root mean squared error, and R-squared were calculated for each of the 11 machine learning models as model performance parameters. Setting Quaternary children's hospital. Patients PICU patients. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Five-thousand sixty-eight patients were analyzed. The machine learning models were able to maintain similar predictive error until the number of input variables decreased to four. The machine learning model with five input variables (mechanical ventilation in the first hour of PICU admission, very-high-risk diagnosis, surgical recovery from a noncardiac procedure, low-risk diagnosis, and base excess) produced lowest mean root mean squared error of 1.49 (95% CI, 1.05-1.93) and highest R-squared of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.6-0.86) with mean absolute error of 0.43 (95% CI, 0.35-0.5) among all the 11 machine learning models. Conclusions Explainable machine learning methods were feasible in simplifying the Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 scoring system with similar risk of mortality predictions compared to the original Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 model tested in a single-center dataset.
Microgravity and immune responsiveness: Implications for space travel

To date, several hundred cosmonauts and astronauts have flown in space, yet knowledge about the adaptation of their immune system to space flight is rather limited. It is evident that a variety of immune parameters are changed during and after space flight, but the magnitude and pattern of these changes can differ dramatically between missions and even between crew members on the same mission. A literature search was conducted involving a total of 335 papers published between 1972 and 2002 that dealt with the key words immune response, microgravity and astronauts/cosmonauts, isolation, gravity, and human health. The data from multiple studies suggested that major discrepancies in outcome are due to methodologic differences. However, the data also suggested major factors that affect and modulate the immune response during space travel. In part at least, these discrepancies can be attributed to methodologic differences. In addition, a variety of other features, in particular the types and extent of stressors encountered during space missions, are likely to contribute to the variability of immune responses during and after space flight. That stress plays an important role in the effects of space flight on immunologic parameters is suggested by the frequent findings that stress hormones are upregulated during and after space flight. Unfortunately, however, the existing data on hormonal parameters are almost as varied as those on immunologic changes, and correlations between the two datasets have only rarely been attempted. The functional implications of space flight-induced alterations in immune response largely remain to be elucidated, but the data suggest that long-term travel will be associated with the development of immune-compromised hosts.
Effects of logging on gastrointestinal parasite infections and infection risk in African primates

Summary 1. The impact of habitat disturbance on biodiversity conservation and animal health is poorly understood. Selective logging results in a suite of alterations that may increase infection risk and susceptibility to infection in resident populations. 2. The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of this interplay by examining the effects of logging on infection risk and gastrointestinal parasite infections in three primate species whose populations have responded differently to selective logging in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Populations of redtail guenons Cercopithecus ascanius are declining in logged forest; red colobus Piliocolobus tephrosceles populations are in a state of slow recovery; and black-and-white colobus Colobus guereza populations are increasing in logged forest. 3. We collected faecal samples from these three primate species over a period of 5 years in logged and undisturbed forest, to compare parasite infection prevalence and the magnitude of multiple infections. We also analysed canopy and ground vegetation plots to compare environmental contamination with primate parasites in logged and undisturbed forest. 4. The prevalence and richness of gastrointestinal helminth and protozoan parasite infections, and the magnitude of multiple infections were greater for redtail guenons in logged than undisturbed forest, but these parameters did not differ between forest types for either colobine. Data from the canopy and ground vegetation plots revealed that infective stages of two representative generalist primate parasites occurred at higher densities in logged compared with undisturbed forest, signifying a greater infection risk for all primate species in logged forest. 5. Synthesis and applications . This study demonstrates that selective logging can be associated with changes in an important ecological association between hosts and parasites. Our results indicate that anthropogenic habitat change could influence patterns of parasite infection in primates with associated effects on population performance.
How we recall (or don’t): the hippocampal memory machine and anesthetic amnesia

Purpose The hippocampal formation occupies a central position for the processing of sensory input into learned, remembered, and consciously retrievable information. The mechanisms by which anesthetic drugs interfere with these processes are now emerging. We review the current understanding of the role of the hippocampal formation in the generation of memory traces and how anesthetics might interfere with its function.
The Rising Incumbent Advantage: What's Gerrymandering Got to Do With It?

The probability that an incumbent in the United States House of Representatives is reelected has risen dramatically over the last half-century. It now stands at more than 98%. A number of authors and commentators claim that this rise is due to an increase in bipartisan gerrymandering in favor of incumbents. Using a regression discontinuity approach, we find evidence of the opposite effect. All else equal, redistricting has reduced the probability of incumbent reelection over time. The timing of this effect is consistent with the hypothesis that constraints on gerrymandering, such as the Voting Rights Act, have become tighter over time. Incumbent gerrymandering may well be a contributor to incumbent reelection rates, but it is less so than in the past.
Imaging Science in Art Conservation

Museum professionals regularly apply a variety of imaging technologies to artistic and historic objects. The particular imaging technique applied is determined in part by the intended use of the image. Ordinary photography, for example, is used to illustrate the approximate appearance of objects in a museum collection, and optical microscopy is commonly used to identify pigments in an oil painting. The choice of an imaging technique is also influenced by the anatomic structure of the object. For example, traditional drying oils used as vehicles and varnishes in oil paintings fluoresce more strongly as they age. Thus, a photograph taken under ultraviolet illumination is often used to reveal and document discontinuities between original and restored or altered regions of a painting. On occasion, imaging techniques of this kind have been used to uncover fakes and forgeries, but such applications of imaging to museum studies are rare. By far, the most important use of imaging technologies is to archive information about the object and to extract information about the structure of the object. Archiving preserves information and makes information more readily available to scholars, and structural analysis provides guidance to museum professionals in conserving and restoring objects. This article reviews imaging techniques intended for these two purposes. Museum professionals regularly apply a variety of imaging technologies to artistic and historic objects. The particular imaging technique applied is determined in part by the intended use of the image. Ordinary photography, for example, is used to illustrate the approximate appearance of objects in a museum collection, and optical microscopy is commonly used to identify pigments in an oil painting. The choice of an imaging technique is also influenced by the anatomic structure of the object. For example, traditional drying oils used as vehicles and varnishes in oil paintings fluoresce more strongly as they age. Thus, a photograph taken under ultraviolet illumination is often used to reveal and document discontinuities between original and restored or altered regions of a painting. On occasion, imaging techniques of this kind have been used to uncover fakes and forgeries, but such applications of imaging to museum studies are rare. By far, the most important use of imaging technologies is to archive information about the object and to extract information about the structure of the object. Archiving preserves information and makes information more readily available to scholars, and structural analysis provides guidance to museum professionals in conserving and restoring objects. This article reviews imaging techniques intended for these two purposes. Keywords: archival imaging; scanners; MARC process; radiography; digital image processing; diagnostic imaging; paintings; pigments; microscopy; histogram; ultraviolet energy; infrared energy; imaging techniques; X-rays
Effects of anisosmotic stress on cardiac muscle cell length, diameter, area, and sarcomere length

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of anisosmotic stress on adult mammalian cardiac muscle cell (cardiocyte) size. Cardiocyte size and sarcomere length were measured in cardiocytes isolated from 10 normal rats and 10 normal cats. Superfusate osmolarity was decreased from 300 +/- 6 to 130 +/- 5 mosM and increased to 630 +/- 8 mosM. Cardiocyte size and sarcomere length increased progressively when osmolarity was decreased, and there were no significant differences between cat and rat cardiocytes with respect to percent change in cardiocyte area or diameter; however, there were significant differences in cardiocyte length (2.8 +/- 0.3% in cat vs. 6.1 +/- 0.3% in rat, P < 0.05) and sarcomere length (3.3 +/- 0.3% in cat vs. 6.1 +/- 0.3% in rat, P < 0.05). To determine whether these species-dependent differences in length were related to diastolic interaction of the contractile elements or differences in relative passive stiffness, cardiocytes were subjected to the osmolarity gradient 1) during treatment with 7 mM 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM), which inhibits cross-bridge interaction, or 2) after pretreatment with 1 mM ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N, N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), a bivalent Ca2+ chelator. Treatment with EGTA or BDM abolished the differences between cat and rat cardiocytes. Species-dependent differences therefore appeared to be related to the degree of diastolic cross-bridge association and not differences in relative passive stiffness. In conclusion, the osmolarity vs. cell size relation is useful in assessing the cardiocyte response to anisosmotic stress and may in future studies be useful in assessing changes in relative passive cardiocyte stiffness produced by pathological processes.
Shadow Bank Monitoring

We provide a framework for monitoring the shadow banking system. The shadow banking system consists of a web of specialized financial institutions that conduct credit, maturity, and liquidity transformation without direct, explicit access to public backstops. The lack of such access to sources of government liquidity and credit backstops makes shadow banks inherently fragile. Shadow banking activities are often intertwined with core regulated institutions such as bank holding companies, security brokers and dealers, and insurance companies. These interconnections of shadow banks with other financial institutions create sources of systemic risk for the broader financial system. We describe elements of monitoring risks in the shadow banking system, including recent efforts by the Financial Stability Board.
Correlated Firing in Rabbit Retinal Ganglion Cells

Correlated firing in rabbit retinal ganglion cells. A ganglion cell’s receptive field is defined as that region on the retinal surface in which a light stimulus will produce a response. While neigh...
Pyongyang Sees the Nuke Impasse

In order to better understand and explain North Korea's foreign policy strategies and tactics on the controversy surrounding the nuclear program, this chapter examines the perceptions held by Pyongyang about the neighbouring counties including the United States, Japan, and South Korea. These perceptions are formulated in accordance with North Korea's perception about itself that is generally constructed based on the principle of Juche (self-reliance) and the political and security environment surrounding the Korean peninsula as perceived by Pyongyang itself. North Korea is an unconventional country if one looks from outside but it is not irrational in that it has pursued its own national interest rather effectively for which security is first and foremost. This chapter provides an explanation of North Korean conducts from the perspective of North Korea's own mind-set.
Estimates for the sizes of instability zones for the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation with analytic quasiperiodic potential

We consider a one-dimensional stationary quasiperiodic Schrodinger equation with analytic potential. Using methods of the KAM theory, we construct the boundaries of instability zones and solutions corresponding to these boundaries and estimate the sizes of instability zones. In addition, we consider the case where the potential is a trigonometric polynomial of finite degree.
Linewidth analysis of spin labels in liquids. I. Theory and data analysis

We present a method of simulating the EPR spectra of spin labels in liquids using direct convolution of hyperfine splitting with Lorentzian linewidths. The aim is to simulate the experimental lineshape by considering all spectrometer characteristics as well as inhomogeneous and homogeneous linewidth effects. A major advance in this method is the correction for the broadening produced by Zeeman modulation commonly used to obtain EPR signals; this allows experimenters much more freedom to optimize their experimental conditions for the best signal-to-noise ratio. Microwave power broadening (saturation) effects on the EPR lines are significant even at very low observer levels. Successful simulation requires that all contributions from unresolved hyperfine splittings be explicitly included. Inhomogeneous broadening is dealt with by including all spins that interact with the electron (as a set of superhyperfine interactions); there is no "effective Gaussian" to substitute for the correct superhyperfine interactions. The effects of spin exchange on the linewidth and lineshape can be observed and must be taken into account in order to extract the fundamental linewidths.
Pathogenic relevance of Lactobacillus: a retrospective review of over 200 cases

Given that Lactobacillus has been reported to be the causative pathogen in many types of infection despite debate regarding the organism's clinical significance, a literature review was conducted to investigate the treatments and outcomes of Lactobacillus infections reported to date. In this article, the characteristics of over 200 reported cases of Lactobacillus-associated infections are summarized. Lactobacillus was found to be frequently associated with endocarditis and bacteremia. Lactobacillus was also associated with a variety of other infections including, but not limited to, peritonitis, abscesses, and meningitis. The species casei and rhamnosus were the most common. The isolates tended to be most sensitive to erythromycin and clindamycin and most resistant to vancomycin. The species that was most sensitive to vancomycin was acidophilus. The overall mortality rate was nearly 30%. There was a significant association between mortality and polymicrobial infection (P=0.004). In the subset of patients with bacteremia, increased mortality was associated with inadequate treatment (P=0.001) and polymicrobial bacteremia (P=0.044).
Keyblock: an approach for content-based image retrieval

We propose a new framework termed Keyblock for content-based image retrieval, which is a generalization of the text-based information retrieval technology in the image domain. In this framework, methods for extracting comprehensive image features are provided, which are based on the frequency of representative blocks, termed keyblocks, of the image database. Keyblocks, which are analogous to index terms in text document retrieval, can be constructed by exploiting the vector quantization (VQ) method which has been used for image compression. By comparing the performance of our approach with the existing techniques using color feature and wavelet texture feature, the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework in image retrieval.
The Cardioprotective Actions of Hydrogen Sulfide in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure

It has now become universally accepted that hydrogen sulfide (H2S), previously considered only as a lethal toxin, has robust cytoprotective actions in multiple organ systems. The diverse signaling profile of H2S impacts multiple pathways to exert cytoprotective actions in a number of pathological states. This paper will review the recently described cardioprotective actions of hydrogen sulfide in both myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and congestive heart failure.
Social and psychological challenges of poker.

Poker is a competitive, social game of skill and luck, which presents players with numerous challenging strategic and interpersonal decisions. The adaptation of poker into a game played over the internet provides the unprecedented opportunity to quantitatively analyze extremely large numbers of hands and players. This paper analyzes roughly twenty-seven million hands played online in small-stakes, medium-stakes and high-stakes games. Using PokerTracker software, statistics are generated to (a) gauge the types of strategies utilized by players (i.e. the ‘strategic demography’) at each level and (b) examine the various payoffs associated with different strategies at varying levels of play. The results show that competitive edges attenuate as one moves up levels, and tight-aggressive strategies––which tend to be the most remunerative––become more prevalent. Further, payoffs for different combinations of cards, varies between levels, showing how strategic payoffs are derived from competitive interactions. Smaller-stakes players also have more difficulty appropriately weighting incentive structures with frequent small gains and occasional large losses. Consequently, the relationship between winning a large proportion of hands and profitability is negative, and is strongest in small-stakes games. These variations reveal a meta-game of rationality and psychology which underlies the card game. Adopting risk-neutrality to maximize expected value, aggression and appropriate mental accounting, are cognitive burdens on players, and underpin the rationality work––reconfiguring of personal preferences and goals––players engage into be competitive, and maximize their winning and profit chances.
Redistribution reactions in polymeric alkyl silicates

Abstract Polymeric alkyl silicates have been studied by means of 1 H NMR and structural correlations found. Structural reorganization concepts are applicable to these families of compounds. At equilibrium, a near-random distribution of structural building units occurs. Previous assumptions that certain polymeric alkyl silicates consist of only chain molecules are suggested to be incorrect. Gel point considerations show that ring formation is of importance in reorganization mixtures. The siloxane reorganization reactions are suggested to be catalysed by Na + . The general results indicate that an essentially random equilibrium chemistry may underlie the fundamental chemistry of many silicate systems.
The effects of the carcinogen, 1,2‐dimethylhydrazine, on turnover 3H‐thymidine labeled cells from mucosal glands of mouse colon

1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), administered weekly to mice for 20 weeks, induces tumors in the distal segment of colon. Tumors are preceded by enlargement of the mucosal glands resulting from increases in the number of total cells and 3H-thymidine labeled cells/crypt. Cells located in the crypt base normally undergo 2–3 divisions as they migrate toward the lumen, and they become post-mitotic in the upper crypt. It is not known if cells in these eniarged crypts have rates of turnover similar to cells in normal crypts. Groups of w/s female mice were treated with DMH (20 mg/kg body wt) for 3,8, or 16 weeks; controls were given 0.001 M EDTA. After treatment, the animals were injected with 3H-thymidine and killed one hour or 1,2,4,7 or 17 days later. Autoradiographs were prepared from sections of distal colon. The total cells/crypt column in 30 crypts/animals were counted. Crypts were divided into 10 equal segments based on the crypt length and the labeled cells/segment were counted. The relative number of labeled cells and the distribution of these cells within crypts were similar in DMH-treated and control animals after one hour. However, as the cells migrated toward the lumen, the number of labeled cells doubled after 2 days and tripled after 4 days in DMH-treated animals but only doubled during the 4 days in controls. This difference was caused by retention of an increased number of dividing cells in the lower 4 segments of the crypts and suggests an increase in those cells that divide twice. In addition, increased numbers of labeled cells were retained in the upper 3 segments of DMH-treated animals after 4 days. These findings indicate that the crypt cells of DMH-treated animals are generally more immature than those of controls and this immaturity contributes to the enlargement of mucosal glands during carcinogenesis.
Preparation and crystal growth of ThF4

Abstract ThF4 powder is hygroscopic but the uptake of H2O does not lead to hydration or hydrolysis at ordinary temperatures. The crystal hydrolyzes at ∼350°C making congruent growth from the melt at 1120°C sensitive to the presence of H2O in the vapor phase. The crystal grown under HF yields a melting point which is ten degrees higher than the highest value reported in the literature.
Superoxide radicals and phagocytosis.

Abstract Escherichia coli B , grown in iron-rich media, were more resistant toward the aerobic bactericidal action of the formed elements of blood than were comparable iron-deficient cells. The iron replete cells contained 2.5 times more ferrisuperoxide dismutase, 12 times more peroxidase, and 1.5 times more catalase than did the iron-deficient cells. The iron-deficient cells were more susceptible to exogenous O 2 − and to H 2 O 2 than were iron-replete cells. Cyanide permitted a differentiation between ferrisuperoxide dismutase and catalase or peroxidase since it inhibited the latter peroxide-consuming enzymes but had no effect on the superoxide-utilizing enzyme. In the presence of 2 m m cyanide, the iron-replete E. coli were much more resistant toward phagocytic kill than were the iron-deficient cells even though this level of cyanide completely inhibited catalase and peroxidase. It can be concluded that a large part of the enhanced resistance toward phagocytic kill, exhibited by iron-replete E. coli B , was due to their increased content of the periplasmic ferrisuperoxide dismutase. It follows that O 2 − is probably an important agent in the killing of phagocytized E. coli B .
Acute and late effects of multimodal therapy on normal tissues.

The increasing use of combined radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery has led to an increased incidence of acute and late complications. The complications are, in general, similar to those seen with each modality alone, but occur with increased incidence. Enhanced effects of combined radiation and surgery are modest in number and consist primarily of problems with wound healing and fibrosis, as well as late gastrointestinal damage. Combinations of radiotherapy and chemotherapy have shown a greater degree of enhanced acute and late reactions. Drugs, such as actinomycin-D and Adriamycin, are particularly dangerous if the marked enhancement of radiation effects caused by the drugs in almost all organs is not appreciated and the radiation dose not adjusted accordingly. Proper selection of drugs can lead to enhanced local control by radiotherapy and/or surgery, as well as eradication of microscopic distant metastases, without increased normal tissue injury. Late induction of malignancy can occur with either radiation or chemotherapy alone and, in some cases, this appears to be enhanced when they are combined. Cancer 40:489–494, 1977.
Matter correlations induced by coupling to quantum light

Correlations between uncoupled particles induced by the interaction with different types of light are investigated using a superoperator formalism. We derive compact expressions for the doubly-excited-state distributions of noninteracting multilevel atoms excited by classical laser light, classical stochastic light, and quantum light. We find that the g2 function of the incoming light can be directly related to its ability to induce correlations in the matter. Unlike coherent light, quantum light can induce entanglement between the atoms. The photon coincidence signal created by classical fields may be factorized into a product of single photon counting rates. This is not the case for quantum light. © 2014 American Physical Society.
Cell-Surface Antigen Expression in Early and Term Gestation Fetal Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

The objective of this study was to compare the expression of primitive cell-surface antigens on CD34+ cells from early in gestation to those from term gestations. Fetal blood samples were obtained from 10 early gestation (21.0+/-0.8 [SE] weeks) and 12 term gestation (39.3+/-0.4 weeks) fetuses. The mononuclear cell population was separated by red cell lysis. Two-color flow cytometry was used to assess cell surface antigen coexpression of CD34 with CD33, CD38, and HLA-DR as well as staining by a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies for lineage-associated (Lin) antigens (CD2, CD10, CD11b, CD19, CD20, CD33, CD36, 7B9, and Glycophorin-A). The frequency of CD34+ cells (5.5+/-0.9 versus 1.5+/-0.2, p < 0.001) was significantly higher in the early gestational age group. Within the CD34+ population, the frequency of CD34+/CD38- cells (81.8+/-9.9 versus 51.3+/-7.7, p = 0.02) and CD34+/DR- cells (15.3+/-7.4 versus 8.2+/-2.7, p = 0.05) was also higher in the early gestational age group. In contrast, CD34+/CD33- (51.8+/-10.1 versus 83.0+/-6.1, p = 0.02) and CD34+/Lin- cells (15.9+/-7.0 versus 51.8 +/-6.9, p < 0.01) were higher in the term gestation group. The high percentage of CD34+, CD34+/CD38-, and CD34+/DR- cells supports our hypothesis that early gestational age fetal blood has a higher frequency of primitive hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells than does umbilical cord blood at term. This suggests that hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells in early fetal blood may be a desirable target for in utero gene therapy. However, further studies to characterize the functional properties of CD34+ cell subsets at different stages of fetal development will be necessary to determine the appropriateness of targeting fetal hematopoietic cells for in utero gene therapy. The higher frequency of CD34+/CD33- and CD34+/Lin- cells from term gestational age fetuses was unexpected, and the significance of this finding is unclear at this time.
Reduced Intensity Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation using Fludarabine-Melphalan conditioning for Treatment of Mature T-cell Lymphomas

Among non-Hodgkin's lymphoma subtypes, T-cell phenotype confers a poor clinical prognosis. For more aggressive histologies, patients frequently present with advanced disease that is inherently chemoresistant. For cutaneous histologies, disease progresses less rapidly, but is debilitating and often incurable in the long term. Here we report the retrospective analysis of data from 27 patients with mature T-cell lymphoma treated with salvage allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation at the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA, using a reduced-intensity fludarabine/melphalan conditioning regimen between the years 2001 and 2008. Eleven of the twenty-seven patients had cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The majority of patients had advanced disease at the time of transplant (17/27 or 63%). Median follow-up was 36 months. We observed a 2-year OS of 55%, a PFS of 47% and a cumulative incidence of relapse/progression and non-relapse mortality (NRM) of 30 and 22%, respectively. For CTCL, patients had a 2-year PFS of 45% and NRM of 27% compared with patients with other histologies, who had a PFS of 62% and NRM of 19%. Overall, our results suggest that meaningful long-term survival rates and disease control can be achieved with acceptable non-relapse mortality in patients with mature T-cell lymphomas, including CTCL using reduced-intensity conditioning with melphalan and fludarabine.
Bodies in flowing plasmas: Laboratory studies

Abstract A brief review of early laboratory investigations of bodies in flowing, rarefied plasmas is given together with a discussion of more recent parametric studies carried out at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), which include the effects of the ion acoustic Mach number and the normalized test body potential. Good agreement is found between the experimental results and theoretical calculations which omit ion thermal motion. The relation between laboratory investigations and the results of satellite-borne measurements is addressed. This relationship has led to an appreciation for the benefits of applying the methods and techniques of laboratory plasma physics to investigations in space, where several limitations inherent to the laboratory can be circumvented. These types of investigations, conducted in Earth orbit, can enhance our understanding of space plasma physics and have direct application to certain types of solar system phenomena.
Effect of a 125 mT static magnetic field on the kinetics of voltage activated Na+ channels in GH3 cells

Voltage activated Na(+) channels were examined in GH3 cells, using the whole cell patch clamp method. Channel currents were recorded before, during, and after a 150 s exposure to a 125 mT static magnetic field. There was a slight shift in the current-voltage relationship and a less than 5% reduction in peak current during magnetic field exposure. More pronounced, however, was an increase in the activation time constant, tau(m), during and for at least 100 s following exposure to the field. This change in tau(m) was seen primarily at lower activation voltages. No change was noted in the inactivation time constant, tau(h). Changes were clearly temperature dependent, being evident only at and above 35 degrees C. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that reorientation of diamagnetic anisotropic molecules in the cell membrane are capable of distorting imbedded ion channels sufficiently to alter their function. The temperature dependence of this phenomenon is probably due to the greater ease with which a liquid crystal membrane can be deformed.
Volumetric calibration of experimental apparatus by xenon gas transfer.

The volumes of interconnected sections of large, irregular, or inaccessible apparatus can be measured by quantitative cryogenic transfer of a xenon gas fill to weighing bottles. Tests with eight containers from 75 to 10 000 cm3 using relatively simple equipment, showed that: (1) absolute volumes of 250 cm3 or larger can be measured with a reproducibility on the order of 0.02% and with an accuracy on the order of 0.05% and (2) the ratios among two or more volumes can be determined with a reproducibility of 0.01%–0.001%, depending on volume.