cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Select neurotrophins promote oligodendrocyte progenitor cell process outgrowth in the presence of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans

Axonal damage and the subsequent interruption of intact neuronal pathways in the spinal cord are largely responsible for the loss of motor function after injury. Further exacerbating this loss is the demyelination of neighboring uninjured axons. The post-injury environment is hostile to repair, with inflammation, a high expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) around the glial scar, and myelin breakdown. Numerous studies have demonstrated that treatment with the enzyme chondroitinase ABC (cABC) creates a permissive environment around a spinal lesion that permits axonal regeneration. Neurotrophic factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophic factor-3 (NT-3), and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) have been used to promote neuronal survival and stimulate axonal growth. CSPGs expressed near a lesion also inhibit migration and differentiation of endogenous oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in the spinal cord, and cABC treatment can neutralize this inhibition. This study examined the neurotrophins commonly used to stimulate axonal regeneration after injury and their potential effects on OPCs cultured in the presence of CSPGs. The results reveal differential effects on OPCs, with BDNF and GDNF promoting process outgrowth and NT-3 stimulating differentiation of OPCs, while CNTF appears to have no observable effect. This finding suggests that certain neurotrophic agents commonly utilized to stimulate axonal regeneration after a spinal injury may also have a beneficial effect on the endogenous oligodendroglial cells as well.
Noncontact optical assessment of spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations of cerebral blood flow in neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is the most common neurological complication of prematurity. IVH is a bleeding inside or around ventricles, spaces in the brain containing the cerebrospinal fluid, which occurs as a result of the fragility and immaturity of blood vessels in premature brains. Severe IVH disrupts development of structural and functional connectivity networks, leading to impairments of cerebral development and neurologic deficits. Preterm infants with IVH are prone to alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and associated spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations. However, there are no established noninvasive imaging methods for continuous monitoring of CBF alterations at the bedside in neonatal intensive care units. An innovative CCD/CMOS based speckle contrast diffuse correlation tomography (scDCT) technology has been recently developed in our laboratory, which enables noncontact, noninvasive, and high-density 3D imaging of CBF distributions in deep brain cortex. In the present study, the capability of scDCT technique for noncontact 3D imaging of CBF distributions in a neonatal piglet model of IVH was demonstrated. Moreover, power spectral density analyses of scDCT data were performed to assess alterations in spontaneous low frequency fluctuations in the resting brain, before and after inducing IVH. IVH resulted in a CBF decrease in deep brain cortex. Resting-state spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations after IVH showed attenuations in all frequencies (0.009– 0.08 Hz) compared to the baseline before IVH. In conclusion, scDCT is capable of detecting brain hemodynamic disruptions (reduction in CBF and attenuation in spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations) after IVH, which might be useful for instant management of IVH and associated complications.
Developing RT-LAMP Assays for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Saliva

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has killed millions of people worldwide. The current crisis has created an unprecedented demand for rapid test of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) is a fast and convenient method to amplify and identify the transcripts of a targeted pathogen. However, the sensitivity and specificity of RT-LAMP were generally regarded as inferior when compared with the gold standard RT-qPCR. To address this issue, we combined bioinformatic and experimental analyses to improve the assay performance for COVID-19 diagnosis. First, we developed an improved algorithm to design LAMP primers targeting the nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and spike (S) genes of SARS-CoV-2. Next, we rigorously validated these new assays for their efficacy and specificity. Further, we demonstrated that multiplexed RT-LAMP assays could directly detect as low as a few copies of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva, without the need of RNA isolation. Importantly, further testing using saliva samples from COVID-19 patients indicated that the new RT-LAMP assays were in total agreement in sensitivity and specificity with standard RT-qPCR. In summary, our new LAMP primer design algorithm along with the validated assays provide a fast and reliable method for the diagnosis of COVID-19 cases.
TimeCache: using time to eliminate cache side channels when sharing software

Timing side channels have been used to extract cryptographic keys and sensitive documents even from trusted enclaves. Specifically, cache side channels created by reuse of shared code or data in the memory hierarchy have been exploited by several known attacks, e.g., evict+reload for recovering an RSA key and Spectre variants for leaking speculatively loaded data. In this paper, we present TimeCache, a cache design that incorporates knowledge of prior cache line access to eliminate cache side channels due to reuse of shared software (code and data). Our goal is to retain the benefits of a shared cache of allowing each process access to the entire cache and of cache occupancy by a single copy of shared software. We achieve our goal by implementing per-process cache line visibility so that the processes do not benefit from cached data brought in by another process until they have incurred a corresponding miss penalty. Our design achieves low overhead by using a novel combination of timestamps and a hardware design to allow efficient parallel comparisons of the timestamps. The solution works at all the cache levels without the need to limit the number of security domains, and defends against an attacker process running on the same core, on a another hyperthread, or on another core. Our implementation in the gem5 simulator demonstrates that the system is able to defend against RSA key extraction. We evaluate performance using SPEC2006 and PARSEC and observe the overhead of TimeCache to be 1.13% on average. Delay due to first access misses adds the majority of the overhead, with the security context bookkeeping incurred at the time of a context switch contributing 0.02% of the 1.13%.
Effects of a 33-ion sequential beam galactic cosmic ray analog on male mouse behavior and evaluation of CDDO-EA as a radiation countermeasure.

ABSTRACT In long-term spaceflight, astronauts will face unique cognitive loads and social challenges which will be complicated by communication delays with Earth. It is important to understand the central nervous system (CNS) effects of deep spaceflight and the associated unavoidable exposure to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). Rodent studies show single- or simple-particle combination exposure alters CNS endpoints, including hippocampal-dependent behavior. An even better Earth-based simulation of GCR is now available, consisting of a 33-beam (33-GCR) exposure. However, the effect of whole-body 33-GCR exposure on rodent behavior is unknown, and no 33-GCR CNS countermeasures have been tested. Here astronaut-age-equivalent (6mo-old) C57BL/6 J male mice were exposed to 33-GCR (75 cGy, a Mars mission dose). Pre-/during/post-Sham or 33-GCR exposure, mice received a diet containing a ‘vehicle’ formulation alone or with the antioxidant/anti-inflammatory compound CDDO‐EA as a potential countermeasure. Behavioral testing beginning 4mo post-irradiation suggested radiation and diet did not affect measures of exploration/anxiety-like behaviors (open field, elevated plus maze) or recognition of a novel object. However, in 3-Chamber Social Interaction (3-CSI), CDDO-EA/33-GCR mice failed to spend more time exploring a holder containing a novel mouse vs. a novel object (empty holder), suggesting sociability deficits. Also, Vehicle/33-GCR and CDDO-EA/Sham mice failed to discriminate between a novel stranger vs. familiarized stranger mouse, suggesting blunted preference for social novelty. CDDO-EA given pre-/during/post-irradiation did not attenuate the 33-GCR-induced blunting of preference for social novelty. Future elucidation of the mechanisms underlying 33-GCR-induced blunting of preference for social novelty will improve risk analysis for astronauts which may in-turn improve countermeasures.
Queering the Discourse

A decade after they penned these lines, Baird (2007) would write that sexual orientation remained a controversial issue in most technologically-developing nations. This could also have been claimed for most of the (so-called) technologicallydeveloped countries as well.
Physical Interaction Design for Music

Teaching physical interaction design for music combines aspects of embedded systems, sensors, electronics, sound synthesis, design and HCI. CCRMA’s courses in this area draw students with a variety of backgrounds in these fields, and expose them to aspects of each. Students learn about technology and design theory, from the instructors and from each other. Multidisciplinary team design projects to create physical interfaces for music have resulted in a broad range of successful devices that can be described by their situation along a
A new perspective on cross-cultural ethical evaluations: The use of conjoint analysis

The present paper compares the ethical perceptions of Americans and Greeks using conjoint analysis. The two samples were presented with 2 scenarios manipulating three factors: gender of the transgressor, organizational status of the transgressor, and the magnitude of the transgression. For each scenario, conventional mean comparisons and conjoint analyses were performed on five ethical measurements. The matrix of means and the relative importances of the American sample were compared with that of the Greek sample. The results showed that Greeks paid more attention to the dollar amount involved and less attention on the organizational status of the transgressor than Americans did. The gender of the transgressor was the least important factor for both samples. The use of relative importance measures derived from conjoint analysis is shown to provide a new dimension in cross-cultural comparisons.
Suture reinforcement of the incompetent cervix. Experience at the Lutheran Hospital of Milwaukee.

Abstract A modified McDonald procedure, used to correct cervical incompetence, was performed on 44 patients after all other conservative methods for the prevention of late abortion had failed. Diagnosis was established by the history of previous reproductive failure in the early second trimester of pregnancy. Before suture reinforcement, these 44 patients had had 174 conceptions with successful outcome of pregnancy in 37. If the first trimester abortions are deleted, successful outcome had occurred in only 25 per cent of this series. Following suture reinforcement, the same 44 patients reported 72 conceptions with 45 successful pregnancies; a success rate of 63 per cent. Suture reinforcement of the incompetent cervix is a useful procedure but should, however, be performed only as a last resort. Emphasis should be placed on the importance of accurate diagnosis, with other causes of abortion and prematurity first being eliminated.
Angle-dependent range sidelobes of MIMO waveforms

MIMO radar systems offer potential in many applications and have been studied intensely in recent years. Waveform design is of particular interest because some applications require low cross-correlation between the waveforms emitted from different apertures. In this paper, we consider how multiple waveforms emitted and received by a linear MIMO array result in different effective waveforms as a function of array angle. For each effective waveform, there is a unique range autocorrelation function, which is the zero-Doppler cut of the ambiguity function. We derive some relationships related to this angle-dependent range ambiguity and demonstrate some simulated examples.
System engineering positions - Honeywell Air Transport Systems Division for the future

Global, economic, and political factors are driving the evolution of the next generation Air Transport System (ATS) to reduce ATS operating cost structures, to provide improved quality services to the ATS consumer, and to increase ATS load carrying capacity. To accomplish these goals, the next generation ATS will utilize modern digital technology and satellite services to build "total" system solutions that are based on a thorough understanding of ATS operations and provide the means to integrate, coordinate, and streamline all categories of ATS operations. Honeywell Air Transport Systems Division (H-ATSD) has adopted an operationally oriented, structured, system development approach, known as the System Engineering Method (SEM), to competitively position Engineering to develop "total" system solutions for the next-generation ATS. >
Nitric oxide modulates bladder afferent nerve activity in the in vitro urinary bladder-pelvic nerve preparation from rats with cyclophosphamide induced cystitis.

Abstract Effects of a nitric oxide (NO) donor (SNAP), NO substrate ( l -arginine), and NO synthase inhibitor ( l -NAME) on bladder afferent nerve (BAN) activity were studied in an in vitro bladder–pelvic nerve preparation from untreated or cyclophosphamide (CYP) treated rats. Distension of the bladder induced phasic bladder contractions (PBC) that were accompanied by multiunit afferent firing. Intravesical administration of SNAP (2 mM) which did not change the amplitude of PBC significantly decreased peak afferent firing from 79±15 spikes/s to 44±8 spikes/s in CYP pretreated but not untreated preparations. In CYP treated preparations SNAP also decreased by 33–55% BAN firing induced by isotonic distension of the bladder at 10–40 cm H2O pressures. Electrical stimulation on the surface of the bladder elicited action potentials (AP) in BAN. SNAP significantly increased the voltage threshold by 75% (p l -arginine (50 mM) elicited similar inhibitory effects on the distension evoked BAN firing. The effects of l -arginine were blocked by bath application of l -NAME (20 mM). l -NAME alone did not alter BAN firing. In preparations from normal rats SNAP or l -arginine did not alter BAN activity. These results suggest that exogenous as well as endogenously generated NO depresses the excitability of sensitized but not normal BAN and that NO may have an antinociceptive function and modulate bladder hyperactivity induced by pathological conditions.
Including climate change considerations in Latin American urban transport practices and policy agendas

In this research we sought to understand how actors in urban transportation adopt climate change considerations into their work, including the techniques they use to address it, such as planning, design, analysis and advocacy in project planning and implementation. Through interviews with transportation practitioners at the World Bank, working in Latin America, we found that efforts to include climate change mitigation in the urban transportation policy agenda encountered major challenges such as lack of support for interventions that slow motorisation. In response, these transportation practitioners used relationships, expertise, advocacy and analysis to modify their practices to climate change concerns.
3,7-Di-tert-butyl-1,5-di­nitro-3,7-di­aza­bi­cyclo­[3.3.1]­nonane

The conformation of the title compound, C15H28N4O4, was determined. The tricyclic nine-membered ring has a boat-shaped aza­cyclo­hexane ring on one side of the bridge and a chair-shaped ring on the other side.
Nitroglycerin to Unmask Reversible Asynergy Correlation with Post Coronary Bypass Ventriculography

The value of nitroglycerin in determining the potential reversibility of asynergy was examined in 35 patients with coronary heart disease. Ventriculograms performed at rest and after sublingual nitroglycerin were analyzed for (1) location of asynergy relative to distribution of the 3 major coronary arteries and (2) severity of asynergy. Of the 41 hypokinetic zones, 30(73%) improved following nitroglycerin. Of 28 akinetic zones, 16 (57%) improved (7 of the 16 segments becoming normal) following nitroglycerin. None of 7 dyskinetic zones showed change following nitroglycerin. Twelve patients were restudied following coronary bypass surgery. There was an excellent over-all correlation between the segments that responded to nitroglycerin and bypass surgery in those segments with open grafts. Eighteen segments which improved following nitroglycerin had patent postoperative grafts, and in 15 segments there was a corresponding improvement following bypass surgery. Two segments which were unresponsive to nitroglycerin preoperatively had patent postoperative bypass grafts. Neither segment improved despite graft patency. In summary, sublingual nitroglycerin is useful in unmasking residual contractile ability in asynergic zones. A positive response to nitroglycerin appears to be predictive of corresponding beneficial effect from a coronary bypass graft. The data strongly suggest that the use of nitroglycerin to determine residual contractile ability may be of considerable value in better defining the potential risks and benefits of coronary bypass surgery.
Nanofabrication of electrochemical planar probes for single cell analysis

Needle shaped probes with a dual electrode system in submicron size have been developed for electrochemical analyses of living single cells. The probe system is designed for local probing of the cytosolic cell environment and cell organelles using amperometric, potentiometric and impedance spectroscopic methods. Silicon nitride cantilevers with an electrode metal layer system are fabricated on four-inch wafers using conventional micro fabrication techniques. The probe needle structures with a tip in sub micron scale are patterned using Focus Ion Beam (FIB) technology. A focused ion beam is utilized to write the probe needle shape into the pre-shaped cantilever and, for a dual electrode system, the probe is divided into two parts to create two separate electrodes. Subsequently, the needle structures are released from the supporting bulk silicon during a wet etching step, and a silicon nitride layer is deposited to isolate and embed the electrode metal layer. Finally, FIB milling is used for a precise exposure of the buried metal layer by cutting the top of the tip. Electrochemical characterization of nano-probes showed full functionality of Ag/AgCl as well as of platinum transducer systems. The sharpness of the probe tip with a radius of smaller than 50nm and the mechanical robustness of the needle structure allow for a reliable penetration of cell membranes. Initial measurements of cell membrane potentials and cell membrane impedances of rat fibroblast cells using Ag/AgCl transducer probes demonstrate the analytical capability of these probes in biological environments.
Conditioned aversion of aluminum sulfate in black ducks

Three experiments were conducted to determine if reduced consumption of foods with elevated Al levels by black ducks (Anas rubripes) was due to taste aversion, conditioned taste aversion or malaise. Black ducks preferred a diet with 1,000 ppm Al over a control diet but ate less of a diet with 5,000 ppm Al. Prior experience with the high Al diet enhanced preference for the control diet. Changes in body weight and food consumption through time suggested that aversion to the high Al diet was a conditioned response to mild malaise.
The dominance of electron plasma waves near a reconnection X‐line region

[1] As previously reported by Oieroset et al. [2000], the Wind spacecraft made a fortuitous near-encounter in April 1999 with an active X-line reconnection region in the geomagnetic tail. The plasma flow signatures included two reversals of bulk flow velocity from earthward to tailward, and then tailward to earthward. We report here on the associated plasma wave observations made concurrently with the near-encounter with the X-line. Specifically, we find that emissions at the local upper hybrid frequency intensify greatly for short periods, with amplitudes exceeding 40 mV/m detected in the region. We discuss the upper hybrid bursts' possible importance in the electron diffusion region.
Propagation of initially plane waves in the region of random caustics

It is assumed that a high frequency plane wave is described by the equations of ray theory with a random, smoothly-varrying, homogeneous and isotropic propagation speed, which is small, O(σ) for 0 < σ ⪡ 1, mean zero perturbation of a constant. In previous work by Kulkarny and one of us, it has been shown that caustics form along every ray, on a large propagation distance scale of order O(σ−23), when angular deviations of the ray are still small but deviations in ray position and raytube area are O(1). Furthermore, the probability of caustic formation is, up to single scale factor, as σ ↓ 0 a universal curve which defines the region of random caustics. In this paper, we derive a forward Kolmogorov (Fokker-Planck) equation for the joint statistics of an arbitrary number of ray positions and associated quantities in the random caustic region. Equations are derived for the two-point correlation function of intensity or energy in a plane orthogonal to the initial propagation direction of the wave. It is shown that for ‘short’ distances on the O(σ−23) scale the solution agrees with that of weak fluctuation theory. The two-dimenasional version of the theory is tested by Monte-Carlo simulations.
Dynamic Stark effect for the Jaynes-Cummings system

We calculate the quasienergies and steady states of a coupled two-level atom and quantized electromagnetic cavity mode with the cavity mode driven by a periodic classical field. The atom, the cavity mode, and the classical field are all on resonance. The quasienergies give shifted Jaynes-Cummings level splittings. These splittings are reduced by the interaction with the driving field and vanish at a threshold value of the driving field strength. Above the threshold, discrete quasienergies and normalizable steady states do not exist. Below the threshold, for weak driving fields, the steady states are squeezed and displaced Jaynes-Cummings eigenstates. We discuss the relevance of these results to work in cavity quantum electrodynamics.
Seismic imaging of hotspot-related crustal underplating beneath the Marquesas Islands

VOLCANISM in active continental rift zones1,2or on rifted continental margins3is frequently associated with unusually high lower-crustal seismic velocities, indicating the presence of large igneous intrusions at the base of the crust. The only comprehensive investigation of crustal underplating at an oceanic hotspot, beneath Hawaii4–6, has yielded controversial results7. Here we report the results of seismic refraction experiments across the Marquesas Islands hotspot trace, which show that the island chain is underlain by crust 15–17 km thick, and that a large lower-crustal region (275 km wide and 2–8 km thick) has seismic velocities (7.3–7.75 km s−1) indicative of crustal underplating. Wide-angle reflections occur near the base of the normal lower-crustal velocities and at the base of the underplating complex; we interpret these reflectors as the relict pre-hotspot Moho and the current post-hotspot Moho, respectively. The high-velocity material may be purely intrusive or may consist of a mixture of intrusive and preexisting rocks. The volume of the high-velocity body is impressive, amounting to nearly twice the volume of volcanics erupted at the surface.
Trolling for Useful Data in an Automated Information Management System: Experiences of Kansas Community Mental Health Managers

The State of Kansas community mental health system uses an automated information management system for state and federal accountability and for local quality improvement. Researchers interviewed 25 of the state's 28 directors of children's community-based mental health services to learn about the automated system's local applications. Two-thirds of the directors used the automated system for either programmatic decision making or staff supervision, when they were supported by time and personnel for looking at data and an organizational culture of trust in data-informed decisions. Directors additionally wanted technology that allows local access to their data.
Seafloor Asymmetry in the Atlantic Ocean

Measurements of seafloor asymmetry at about 360000 pairs of conjugate points along 1250 profiles across the mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) provide new constraints on models for the upwelling of the buoyant asthenosphere. The sign and amplitude of the asymmetry vary systematically and are functions of the distance between the spreading center and the location of the inferred location of maximum regional buoyancy (LMRB) in the asthenosphere. The LMRB is a smooth line derived from the observed asymmetry and is more centered at the regional topographic high than the spreading center. These observations are best explained by active upwelling of the underlying buoyant asthenosphere rather than by pressure-release melting.
The Mean, the Right and Archery

Both Confucian and Aristotelian theories of virtue characterize virtue as the mean. Why does each, independently from each other, develop a doctrine of the mean? Is it purely coincidental, or is there a deep philosophical and historical reason for this striking similarity? This paper seeks to develop a new understanding of Aristotle's mean as well as Confucius's mean, and to show that there is deep philosophical reason for their similarity. I argue that, for both ethics, the mean is not a notion of quantity or proportionality, but is identified with what is right. Calling what is right the “mean” happens because both sides follow the model of archery in their effort to explicate the nature of virtue. For both, the doctrine of the mean is meant to show that virtue should be conceived as an archery like quality, and that a virtuous agent who is disposed to act or live rightly is likened to an excellent archer who has the skill to hit the target. A virtuous agent forms and exercises his virtue, just as an archer develops and exercises his archery. Both Confucius and Aristotle characterize virtue as the mean. For Aristotle, virtue is a mean between two vices (Nicomachean Ethics NE 1107a2), and a disposition “laying in a mean mesotēti relative to us.” (NE, 1106b36) Clearly, the mean is essential to what virtue is. For Confucius, “Supreme indeed is the mean as virtue.” (Analects, 6:29) The mean is the supreme virtue (de). Since Confucius's theory of ren (excellence, usually translated as “benevolence” or “humanity”) is his version of the theory of de (virtue), to say that de is the mean amounts to saying that excellence (ren), as virtue in general, is the mean. The statement in Analects 6:29 is repeated in The Doctrine of Mean (Zhongyong, chap. 3), which, as one of the Confucian Four Books, can be read as an elaboration of this idea of Confucius. Why do Aristotle and Confucius, independently from each other, each develop a doctrine of the mean? Is it purely coincidental, or is there a deep philosophical and historical reason for this striking similarity? This paper seeks to develop a new understanding of Aristotle's mean as well as Confucius's mean, and to show that there is deep philosophical reason for their similarity. Section one shows that for both, the mean is divided into inner mean and outer mean. The inner mean manifests itself by hitting the outer mean. In section two, I argue that, for both ethics, the mean is not a notion of quantity or proportionality, but is identified with what is right. Calling what is right the “mean” happens because both sides follow the model of archery in their effort to explicate the nature of virtue. Section three further suggests that, for both, the doctrine of the mean is meant to show that virtue should be conceived as archery like quality, and that a virtuous agent who is disposed to act or live rightly is likened to an excellent archer who has the skill to hit the target. A virtuous agent forms and exercises his virtue, just as an archer develops and exercises his archery.
Chemical synthesis of cholesta-5,7,24-trien-3β-ol and demonstration of its conversion to cholesterol in the rat

The chemical synthesis of cholesta-5,7-24-trien-3β-ol, a possible intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis, is described. Also, conversion of cholesta-5,7,24-trien-3β-ol-3α- 3 H to cholesterol in both the intact rat and a cell-free preparation of rat liver is described.
The cyclic groups and the free loop space

Let A(X) denote the space of unbased (or free) loops on a space X, A(X) = Maps (S 1, X). Notice that the circle group S ~ acts on A(X) by rotating the loops. The topology of A(X) as an SLequivariant space has been of interest to topologists and geometers for over sixty years, primarily because of its applications to the problem of finding closed geodesics on a Riemannian manifold. In particular the topology of the homotopy orbit space
Optimal financial education

Abstract When agents first invest in financial markets, they are relatively inexperienced. The agents best positioned to educate the inexperienced stand to earn trading profits at the expense of inexperienced agents. Owing to this phenomenon, we show that the equilibrium amount of financial education does not fully correct the biases of the inexperienced agents. In a dynamic setting, large levels of uninformed trading volume may be generated by the inexperienced agents. This is because, in equilibrium, the experienced intermediaries may delay educating the inexperienced in order to earn commissions in earlier rounds of trade.
Effect of Feeding Escherichia coli to Turkey Poults and Chicks in the Presence of Certain Antibiotics

Abstract DURING the past few years, great importance has been ascribed to shifts in bacterial population of the gut as a major factor in explaining the growth-stimulating action of antibiotics. Supporting this theory is the fact that zinc bacitracin, a complex polypeptide molecule, is not absorbed into the blood stream, so any improvement in growth must result from its action in the digestive tract. Tetracycline-type antibiotics, on the other hand, are absorbed into the blood stream to some extent and so could act systemically as well as enterically. Furthermore, “broad-spectrum” antibiotics, such as the tetracycline-type inhibit both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms; whereas, “narrow-spectrum” antibiotics, such as penicillin and bacitracin, act more specifically against the common, disease-producing, gram-positive forms. The bacteriological approach has appealed to many workers since it was demonstrated early (Coates et al., 1951, 1952; Bird et al., 1952; Hill et al., 1953; Jacobs et al., 1953; and Waibel et …
Entanglement, decoherence, and dynamics of a two-state system

Entanglement and decoherence arguably define the central issues of concern in present day quantum information theory. Decoherence occurs when a system interacts with its environment in an irreversible way; this prevents the quantum superposition of the system + environment's wavefunction from interfering with each other. A better understanding of environment-induced destruction of coherent superposition states is needed, as well as a clear description of the degree of entanglement between the quantum system and its environment. We quantitatively establish a correspondence between entanglement, decoherence, and spin dynamics for a two-state system coupled to a bath of harmonic oscillators, resulting in the celebrated spin-boson model. Applications to solid-state and cold atomic systems are also discussed.
Quantitative studies on the mixed lymphocyte interaction in rats. V. Tempo and specificity of the proliferative response and the number of reactive cells from immunized donors.

These studies were designed to determine what influence prior immunization with homologous H isoantigens might have on the subsequent proliferative activity of lymphocytes from these animals in the mixed lymphocyte interaction. The results demonstrate the following: (a) Subcutaneous immunization with splenic cells from donors differing at the major H locus accelerates the tempo of the proliferative response to F1 cells bearing these same antigens in the MLI, whereas antigen given systemically reduces the proliferative response. (b) The altered proliferative behavior is specific for the immunizing antigens. (c) The period after immunization during which the MLI displays an altered tempo is a short one, lasting not longer than 3 wk. (d) Whether they are derived from previously immunized or from normal donors, the proportion of lymphocytes responsive in the MLI is the same, even though the response profiles are different. These results suggest that in comparison to immune responses to other types of antigens, immunologic reactivity to the major H isoantigens already involves a large number of antigen-reactive cells in normal animals and that the proportion of these cells is not increased as a result of immunization. Rather, lymphocytes from immunized animals respond more rapidly to the presence of these antigens.
Control and performance of a class d audio power converter under sliding-mode control with variable hysteretic bands

A hysteretic controller is used to control a class D amplifier and the performance is compared with that of an open-loop PWM class D amplifier. The effect of control loop gains on THD is explored, as well as the effect of the hysteresis bandwidth. Investigation into the dependency of the switching frequency on the input reference frequency and amplitude is also performed. Additionally, the output spectrums of the amplifiers are simulated and compared with the expected results from the analytical treatment of the spectrum of PWM signals. The proposed amplifier has superior THD over most of the audio range when compared to that of a typical open-loop PWM class D amplifier, and the switching frequency is lower in all cases.
The Galerkin method for singular integral equations revisited

Abstract In an earlier work, the author has obtained error bounds for the Galerkin method for solving Cauchy singular integral equations, discovering that the usually neglected constants contain the Riemann zeta function, when evaluated in the supremum norm. The aim of this investigation is twofold: to show that the occurrence of the Riemann zeta function in the error bound for the Chebyshev norm is sharp; and secondly to use this result to obtain a class of forcing functions for which the method does not yield an approximate solution differing from the analytical one by at most a prescribed error tolerance. These counterexamples indicate that in practical situations, for functions exhibiting a behavior similar to the one presented here, Galerkin's method might not lead to an acceptable solution.
Productivity, Real Wages and Worker Rights: A Cross‐National Comparison

: High unemployment in Europe has led many economists to recommend labour market deregulation — the removal of obstacles to labour market flexibility. These “obstacles” include union power, employment protection legislation and income security arrangements. We argue that such worker rights promote productivity and real wage growse effects. Policy-makers should be aware of these positive effects on productivity and real wage growth when considering curtailing worker rights in order to reduce unemployment.
Closing the treatment gap: In the community and at hospital discharge

Although most physicians agree on the value of risk reduction in patients with cardiovascular disease, preventive strategies are not being implemented as widely as they should be in current practice. Several obstacles may account for this trend: Preventive medicine is not widely encouraged or expected; urgency takes precedence over long-term severity; physicians' time per patient is severely limited; preventive services can be considered the responsibility of other healthcare professionals; and positive feedback is generally absent. Strategies for overcoming these obstacles include the systematic identification of appropriate candidates for preventive care, adequate communication with patients to increase their understanding of the need for therapy, clarification of how to take action, assistance in doing so, and reinforcement of preventive behaviors already being practiced by patients. The case-manager approach provides one effective method for implementing these strategies: Nurses assume responsibility for preventive services, working in concert with a multidisciplinary team of physicians and other specialists. Such an approach redefines risk management as a primary treatment goal, rather than an afterthought.
Acute alcohol activates STAT3, AP-1, and Sp-1 transcription factors via the family of Src kinases to promote IL-10 production in human monocytes

Alcohol consumption is associated with an imbalance in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and immunosuppression, partially as a result of enhanced IL-10 production. The mechanisms of IL-10 induction by alcohol remain poorly understood. We identified that increased IL-10 production in human monocytes after acute in vivo alcohol consumption or in vitro alcohol treatment was associated with increased STAT3 activation. Alcohol alone induced and in combination with LPS augmented STAT3 phosphorylation at tyrosine 705 (tyr705) and serine 727 (ser727) residues and increased STAT3 binding to DNA. Upstream, alcohol activated the Src kinases, as indicated by an increase in phosphorylated and a decrease in nonphosphorylated Src proteins. STAT3 activation by Src kinases occurred directly at the tyr705 residue and indirectly at the ser727 residue via JNK MAPKs. Using specific Src (PP2), JNK1/2 (SB600125), or p38 (SB203580) inhibitors, we determined that alcohol treatment alone induced and together with LPS, augmented the DNA-binding capacity of the specificity protein-1 (Sp-1) and AP-1 transcription factors involved in IL-10 production via Src-mediated activation of p38 MAPK and JNK, respectively. Our data suggest that acute alcohol activates Src/STAT3 and Src/MAPK/STAT3, AP-1, and Sp-1 pathways as important mechanisms for IL-10-mediated immunomodulation after acute alcohol use.
Compensating for the effects of site and equipment variation on delphinid species identification from their echolocation clicks

A concern for applications of machine learning techniques to bioacoustics is whether or not classifiers learn the categories for which they were trained. Unfortunately, information such as characteristics of specific recording equipment or noise environments can also be learned. This question is examined in the context of identifying delphinid species by their echolocation clicks. To reduce the ambiguity between species classification performance and other confounding factors, species whose clicks can be readily distinguished were used in this study: Pacific white-sided and Risso's dolphins. A subset of data from autonomous acoustic recorders located at seven sites in the Southern California Bight collected between 2006 and 2012 was selected. Cepstral-based features were extracted for each echolocation click and Gaussian mixture models were used to classify groups of 100 clicks. One hundred Monte-Carlo three-fold experiments were conducted to examine classification performance where fold composition was d...
Simulations of the 2.5D inviscid primitive equations in a limited domain

The primitive equations (PEs) of the atmosphere and the oceans without viscosity are considered. These equations are not well-posed for any set of local boundary conditions. In space dimension 2.5 a set of nonlocal boundary conditions has been proposed in Chen et al. [Q. Chen, J. Laminie, A. Rousseau, R. Temam, J. Tribbia, A 2.5D Model for the equations of the ocean and the atmosphere, Anal. Appl. 5(3) (2007) 199-229]. The present article is aimed at testing the validity of these boundary conditions with physically relevant data. The issues tested are the well-posedness in the nonlinear case and the computational efficiency of the boundary conditions for limited area models [T.T. Warner, R.A. Peterson, R.E. Treadon, A tutorial on lateral boundary conditions as a basic and potentially serious limitation to regional numerical weather prediction, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 78(11) (1997) 2599-2617].
Folding defects caused by single amino acid substitutions in a subunit are not alleviated by assembly.

Significant stabilization of a protein often occurs when it is assembled into an oligomer. Bacteriophage P22 contains 420 monomers of coat protein that are stabilized by the assembly and maturation processes. The effects of eight single amino acid substitutions in coat protein that each cause a temperature-sensitive-folding defect were investigated to determine if the conformational differences previously observed in the monomers could be alleviated by assembly or maturation. Several techniques including differential scanning calorimetry, heat-induced expansion, urea denaturation, and sensitivity to protease digestion were used to explore the effects of the amino acid substitutions on the conformation of coat protein, once assembled. Each of the amino acid substitutions caused a change in the conformation as compared to wild-type coat protein, observed by at least one of the probes used. Thus, neither assembly nor expansion entirely corrected the conformational defects in the monomeric subunits of the fol...
Agroecology of tropical underground crops for small-scale agriculture

Abstract The important tropical root and tuberous crops cassava (Manihot esculenta), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), yams (Dioscorea spp.), and the aroids (especially Xanthosoma and Colocasia spp.) represent an important source of relatively inexpensive carbohydrates to large sectors of the population in tropical areas. One or more tropical root crops are normally a staple in rural communities and are typically grown on small-scale subsistence farms. The current status of the agroecology research on these crops, including productivity under polyculture systems, resource (water, nutrients, light, space) utilization, tolerance to environmental stress, pest dynamics response to habitat manipulation, and alternative cultural practices, is reviewed in this paper as they relate to the performance of these crops in small-scale tropical agricultural systems. The development of technological recommendations to improve the productivity of tropical root crops in the tropics is dependent on an understanding of import...
IL-6 Negatively Regulates IL-11 Production in Vitro and in Vivo

IL-6 and IL-11 are two cytokines that increase osteoclast formation and augment bone resorption. PTH stimulates the production of both cytokines by human osteoblast-like cells. Circulating levels of IL-6 are elevated in patients with states of PTH excess and correlate strongly to markers of bone resorption. In contrast, serum levels of IL-11 were significantly reduced in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism compared with values in euparathyroid controls. Further, after successful parathyroid adenomectomy, circulating levels of IL-6 fell, whereas IL-11 levels increased. Five-day infusions of human PTH-(1–84) in rodents resulted in a significant decline in mean circulating levels of IL-11, whereas IL-6 levels significantly increased. Pretreatment of cells and mice with neutralizing serum to IL-6 enhanced PTH-induced IL-11 production compared with the effect of pretreatment with nonimmune sera. These data indicate that IL-6 negatively regulates IL-11 production in vivo and in vitro. Analysis of steady s...
“These Dark Woods Yet Again”: Rewriting Redemption in Lee Smith's Saving Grace

Abstract Lee Smith recently commented, “In a way my writing is a lifelong search for belief. I have always been particularly interested in expressions of religious ecstasy, and in those moments when we are most truly ‘out of ourselves’ and experience the Spirit directly” (“Notes,” Saving). In more than ten novels and short story collections, Smith has explored aspects of Southern life, history, and culture—its oral traditions, sacred and secular music, class divisions and race relations, mountain customs, Appalachian folklore, and the spiritual life and beliefs of white Southern fundamentalist churches.1 Some of her characters, like Ivy Rowe in Fair and Tender Ladies, resist the salvation offered by the church. Others, like country star Katy Cochran in The Devil's Dream, are “saved” and realize they have been “starving for God's love” all their lives (295).
Subfascial perforator vein ablation: comparison of open versus endoscopic techniques.

PURPOSE To compare the outcomes and complications of open (OSPS) versus endoscopic subfascial perforator surgery (SEPS) for treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. METHODS Data were retrospectively collected on 25 patients who underwent 27 SEPSs from February 1996 to August 1997 and from 22 patients who underwent 29 OSPSs between March 1978 and May 1993. Outcomes were evaluated for postoperative complications, ulcer healing, recurrence, and venous dysfunction scores on the last follow-up for the SEPS group and at 1-year follow-up for the OSPS group. RESULTS The 2 groups were similar in age, sex, history of previous venous surgery, healed or active ulcers, etiology, deep venous incompetency, pathophysiology, and venous refill times. Eighteen (90%) of 20 active ulcers in the SEPS group healed with recurrences in 5 (28%) limbs at 7.5 +/- 5.4-month follow-up. All 19 ulcers in the OSPS group healed, with recurrences in 13 (68%) limbs at 35 +/- 35-month follow-up. Clinical venous dysfunction scores showed significant improvement following SEPS (10.0 +/- 3.6 to 5.4 +/- 4.1, p < 0.001) and OSPS (10.0 +/- 3.2 to 6.7 +/- 3.6, p < 0.001) with no significant difference between groups. Both groups also had significant improvement in anatomical and disability scores. There was no postoperative mortality in either group. The OSPS group had significantly more wound complications (45%) than the SEPS group (7%) (p < 0.005). The hospital stay and readmission rate for wound problems were also higher in the OSPS group. CONCLUSIONS The early outcome showed equal improvement in clinical venous dysfunction scores in the 2 groups, but with significantly fewer complications in the SEPS group. Although the long-term durability of the endoscopic approach has not been determined, the short-term results would favor SEPS for treatment of severe venous insufficiency when perforator incompetence is a significant component.
“The Saints Go Marching”: Black Pentecostal Critical Consciousness and the Political Protest Activism of Pastors and Leaders in the Church of God in Christ in the Civil Rights Era

AbstractAlthough black Pentecostal leaders are known for their emphasis on holiness and spiritual empowerment, they are not renowned for having led and spearheaded political protest struggles during the Civil Rights movement. In this paper I discuss black Pentecostals’ postures toward political protest struggles, and I analyze reasons why some black Pentecostals participated in the Civil Rights movement while others did not. My central argument is that critical consciousness formation played an integral role in motivating a minority of Church of God in Christ (COGIC) clergy and leaders to engage in Civil Rights protest struggles. That is to say, many black Pentecostals who took part in the movement reconciled their strivings for spiritual empowerment against evil with critical reflection upon complex social, political, and economic realities. They recognized the utility of opposing structures of oppression through direct, nonviolent means.
Alpha-keto acid chain elongation reactions involved in the biosynthesis of coenzyme B (7-mercaptoheptanoyl threonine phosphate) in methanogenic Archaea.

The biochemistry of the 13 steps involved in the conversion of α-ketoglutarate and acetylCoA to α-ketosuberate, a precursor to the coenzymes coenzyme B (7-mercapto heptanoylthreonine phosphate) and...