cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A lightweight library for building scalable tools

MRNet is a software-based multicast reduction network for building scalable tools. Tools face communication and computation issues when used on large systems; MRNet alleviates these issues by providing multicast communication and data aggregation functionalities. Until now, the MRNet API has been entirely in C++. We present a new, lightweight library that provides a C interface for MRNet back-ends, making MRNet accessible to a wide range of new tools. Further, this library is single threaded to accommodate even more platforms and tools where this is a limitation.This new library provides the same abstractions as the C++ library, using an API that can be derived by applying a standard translation template to the C++ API.
Effect of Clinical Decision Support–Generated Report Cards Versus Real-Time Alerts on Primary Care Provider Guideline Adherence for Low Back Pain Outpatient Lumbar Spine MRI Orders

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the type of feedback on evidence-based guideline adherence influences adult primary care provider (PCP) lumbar spine (LS) MRI orders for...
Device Therapy in the Heart Failure

In patients with heart failure (HF), the two main causes of death are sudden cardiac death (SCD) and progressive pump failure. In the Framingham Heart Study, HF increased overall and SCD mortality fivefold [1]. In patients with Class II or III HF, the mode of death is more likely be to “sudden” while in patients with Class IV HF, it is more likely to be due to pump failure [2]. The most common cause of SCD is the degeneration of ventricular tachycardia (VT) to ventricular fibrillation (VF), although pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and bradyarrhythmias account for up to one-third of cases [3]. Electrical defibrillation is the only effective approach for terminating VF. Following success with external defibrillation, an implantable defibrillator was developed in the mid-1960s and the first automatic internal defibrillator was implanted in humans in 1980 [4, 5].
Revised treatment of wet scavenging processes dramatically improves GEOS-Chem 12.0.0 simulations of surface nitric acid, nitrate, and ammonium over the United States

Abstract. The widely used community model GEOS-Chem 12.0.0 and previous versions have been recognized to significantly overestimate the concentrations of gaseous nitric acid, aerosol nitrate, and aerosol ammonium over the United States. The concentrations of nitric acid are also significantly overpredicted in most global models participating in a recent model intercomparison study. In this study, we show that most or all of this overestimation issue appears to be associated with wet scavenging processes. The replacement of constant in-cloud condensation water (ICCW) assumed in GEOS-Chem standard versions with one varying with location and time from the assimilated meteorology significantly reduces mass loadings of nitrate and ammonium during the wintertime, while the employment of an empirical washout rate for nitric acid significantly decreases mass concentrations of nitric acid and ammonium during the summertime. Compared to the standard version, GEOS-Chem with updated ICCW and washout rate significantly reduces the simulated annual mean mass concentrations of nitric acid, nitrate, and ammonium at surface monitoring network sites in the US from 2.04 to 1.03, 1.89 to 0.88, and 1.09 to 0.68 µ g m −3 , respectively, in much better agreement with corresponding observed values of 0.83, 0.70, and 0.60 µ g m −3 , respectively. In addition, the agreement of model-simulated seasonal variations of corresponding species with measurements is also improved. The updated wet scavenging scheme improves the skill of the model in predicting nitric acid, nitrate, and ammonium concentrations, which are important species for air quality and climate.
Tree Gradient Coding

Scaling up distributed machine learning systems face two major bottlenecks – delays due to stragglers and limited communication bandwidth. Recently, a number of coding theoretic strategies have been proposed for mitigating these bottlenecks. In particular, the Gradient Coding (GC) scheme was proposed to speed up distributed gradient descent algorithm in a synchronous master-worker setting by providing robustness to stragglers. A major drawback of the master-worker architecture for distributed learning is however, the bandwidth contention at the master, which can significantly deteriorate the performance as the cluster size increases. In this paper, we propose a new framework named Tree Gradient Coding (TGC) for distributed gradient aggregation, which parallelizes communication over a tree topology while providing straggler robustness. As our main contribution, we characterize the minimum computation load for TGC for a given tree topology and straggler resiliency, and design a tree gradient coding algorithm that achieves this optimal computation load. Furthermore, we provide results from experiments over Amazon EC2, where TGC speeds up the training time by up to 18.8× in comparison to GC.
Disentangling the health-crime relationship among adults: The role of healthcare access and health behaviors.

•Few studies have assessed the bidirectional nature of the health-crime link.•Prior violent offending is associated with later negative health behaviors.•Drug use decreases subsequent access to healthcare.•Demographic and ecological covariates often mitigate the health-crime relationship.
MicroRNA immunomodulating therapeutics.

In this issue of Blood, Su et al employ an elegant microRNA (miRNA or miR) conjugation strategy to unleash the potential of targeted miRNA therapeutics, and, as a proof of concept, effectively counteract common inflammatory and myeloid disease states.
The Search for Contributors to Low Rates of Recognition of Paternal Alcohol Use Disorders in Offspring From the San Diego Prospective Study

Author(s): Schuckit, Marc A; Clarke, Dennis F; Smith, Tom L; Mendoza, Lee Anne; Schoen, Lara | Abstract: BackgroundThe most efficient approach for establishing family histories (FHs) asks informants about disorders in their relatives (a Family History Method [FHM]). However, FHMs underestimate family diagnoses. We evaluated if accuracies of young adult offspring report of their father's alcohol use disorders (AUDs) related to the age, sex, education, and/or substance-related patterns/problems of either the young adult informants or their AUD fathers.MethodsData from the San Diego Prospective Study (SDPS), a multigenerational 35-year investigation, compared father/offspring pairs where the proband father's alcohol problems were correctly (Group 1) or incorrectly (Group 2) noted by offspring. In the key analysis, Group 1 versus 2 results were entered into bootstrapped backward logistic regression analyses predicting Group 1 membership.ResultsFive proband and one offspring characteristic were associated with correct identification of their father's alcohol problems. None of these related to age, education, or sex. Characteristics associated with correct FHM diagnoses included the father's FH of AUDs, self-report of drinking despite social/interpersonal or physical/psychological alcohol-related problems, spending much time related to alcohol, and his having a religious preference. The single offspring item predicting correct identification of the father's problems was the number of DSM alcohol problems of the offspring.ConclusionsIn the SDPS, FHM sensitivity was most closely related to the father's drinking characteristics, not the offspring characteristics. While unique aspects of SDPS families potentially limit generalizability of results, the data demonstrate how the FHM can offer important initial steps in the search for genetically related AUD risks in a subset of families.
Abstract 14916: Clonal Analysis of the Neonatal Mouse Heart Using Nearest Neighbor Modeling

Introduction: Heart regeneration has been proposed as a treatment for heart failure. However, the challenge of detecting bona fide heart regeneration has complicated the validation of potential reg...
Nanomaterials in Medicine

For decades, man has explored the cures for many diseases and illnesses. Scientists now believe that nanotechnology can perform that miracle. Nanomaterials in medicine are an attempt to limit or reverse pathological processes, and its advantages are due to their specific characteristics, such as the capacity to interact with biological systems with a high degree of specificity. The ultimate goal of nanomedicine is to identify and treat diseases as early as possible at the subcellular level. The application of nanotechnology in medicine ranges from diagnostics to therapeutics. In diagnostic imaging, nanomaterials are used to target a specific type of cancer cell, which would enable radiologists to visualize insignificant features at a better resolution possible. Moreover, nanomaterials are thought to stimulate and interact with target cells and tissues in controlled ways and to induce desired physiological responses with minimal side effects. Nanomedicine researchers developed an assay for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease with better accuracy and sensitivity than conventional methods. This new assay uses gold nanoparticles (NP) and magnetic microparticles (MMP) to bind to the biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. Physicians use nanoparticles to target drugs at the source of the infection, thereby increasing the efficiency and minimizing the side effects. Nanoparticles are also used to stimulate the body’s innate repair mechanisms by artificially activating and controlling the adult stem cells. To promote neuronal repair and regeneration, researchers use bio-reactive nanoscaffolding. In this chapter, we will explore how nanomaterials are used in medicine and its prospects.
Food Insecurity and Diabetes: The Role of Federally Qualified Health Centers as Pillars of Community Health

Food insecurity is a complex public health problem affecting millions of people globally It leads to negative health outcomes in the afflicted population and the society at large There is a self-perpetuating vicious cycle between food insecurity and chronic health conditions like diabetes It is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of its existence, to be able to recognize it, and to work with their patients to find solutions for it Simultaneously, the providers should advocate for their patients and make program administrators, policymakers, and legislatures aware of this crisis During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, when economies have been badly affected and many people have lost their jobs, this subject has arguably assumed much greater importance In this article, we discuss the magnitude of the problem, its relation to diabetes mellitus, and the role that a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) can play in mitigating this problem
Cybersafety Analysis of Industrial Control Systems: Chiller Systems (Revised)

Recent world events and geopolitics have brought the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks by advanced cyber-adversaries to the forefront. While there has been continued and growing attention to vulnerabilities in our energy generation and distribution systems, there are many other types of industrial control systems, ranging from manufacturing facilities to refineries to water treatment plants, that are also at significant risk based on their unique physical characteristics. In this paper, we take a holistic view of one such complex system – the chiller plant – in an archetypal industrial setting to identify vulnerabilities emerging from interactions between technology, operator actions as well as organizational structure and provide recommendations to mitigate resulting loss scenarios.
Impact of Patellar Tendinopathy on Player Performance in the National Basketball Association.

Background:The extent to which patellar tendinopathy affects National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes has not been thoroughly elucidated.Purpose:To assess the impact patellar tendinopathy has...
Immunohistochemical Characterization of a Duodenal Adenocarcinoma with Pulmonary, Hepatic and Parapatellar Metastases in a Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Summary An 11-year-old male common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) presented with chronic, progressive weight loss and diarrhoea. Response to treatment with nutritional supplementation, antibiotics and immunosuppressants was modest and transient, and the animal was humanely euthanized. At necropsy, the proximal 8 cm of small intestine was diffusely pale with transmural thickening. The lungs contained coalescing tan, firm nodules measuring up to 4 mm in diameter. Histological examination revealed infiltrative mucinous adenocarcinoma of the duodenum with extensive metastases to the lungs, liver and left parapatellar adipose tissue. The mucinous matrix secreted by the primary and metastatic lesions was strongly periodic acid–Schiff positive. Warthin Starry staining for spirochaetes was negative. Pancytokeratin expression was attenuated in the primary tumour as well as in the metastases, which correlated to a poorly differentiated phenotype. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of a proximal duodenal adenocarcinoma with extensive metastatic disease in a common marmoset.
Engineering Multivalent and Multispecific Protein Therapeutics

In nature, there are a wide array of proteins that utilize the principles of multivalency and multispecificity to ensure optimal biological function. Their mechanisms of action have served as inspiration for the development of next-generation protein therapeutics with improved efficacy and safety profiles. Protein therapeutics leverage the inherent affinity and specificity of protein–protein interactions, offering an effective approach for targeting and modulating biochemical pathways. An increased molecular understanding of biological processes that underlie disease pathologies, as well as the advent of new protein engineering platforms, has elevated the sophistication of protein therapeutics entering the clinical pipeline. Here, we discuss the main advantages conferred by multivalency and multispecificity as they are related to protein therapeutics, namely increased targeting affinity through avidity effects, and selectivity for a diseased versus normal state. These aspects lead to greater therapeutic control over an intended biological response, with the potential for reduced side effects. In this chapter, we describe the basic biophysical principles underlying multivalency and multispecificity and discuss how they influence protein design parameters. Finally, we consider how one can utilize these concepts to develop protein therapeutics that address challenging biomedical problems.
Creating policies for library publishing in an institutional repository: Exploring purpose, scope, and the library’s role

Purpose – This paper aims to explore questions and concepts encountered when developing policies for an institutional repository with a library publishing component. Design/methodology/approach – The author describes how publishing needs and library vision shape institutional repository policies, and demonstrates that the repository’s guiding policies are determined by the repository’s purpose and scope. Findings – Policies for institutional repositories with publishing components will vary across institutions depending on the intended purpose of the repository, scope of publishing activities and institutional context. Originality/value – The article is useful for those just exploring library publishing with repositories and those looking to revamp their policies to accommodate this new use, the paper explores theoretical and practical questions about this new use of repositories.
Segregation of On and Off Bipolar Cell Axonal Arbors in the Absence of Retinal Ganglion Cells

Retinal cells that respond selectively to light onset or offset are segregated into On and Off pathways. Here, we describe the development of cone bipolar cells whose axonal arbors at maturity synapse onto ganglion cell dendrites confined to On and Off strata of the inner plexiform layer (IPL). In particular, we sought to determine whether the formation of this segregated pattern is dependent on the presence of ganglion cells. Developing bipolar cells were visualized using an antibody against recoverin, the calcium binding protein that labels On and Off cone bipolar cells in the adult rat retina. Recoverin-positive cells were apparent in the ventricular zone on the day of birth [postnatal day 0 (P0)], before bipolar cells begin to migrate to the inner nuclear layer. Two distinct strata were first apparent in the IPL at P8, with the Off pathway maturing earlier than the On pathway. There was no indication of exuberant bipolar cell projections. Throughout development, there were also a small number of recoverin-positive cells of unknown origin in the ganglion cell layer. To assess whether the formation of On and Off cone bipolar cell projections is dependent on the presence of ganglion cells, these target neurons were eliminated by unilateral section of the optic nerve. This was done on the day of birth, resulting in a total loss of ganglion cells 5–6 d before bipolar cell axons innervate the IPL. In retinas with optic nerve sections, On and Off cone bipolar cells were present, albeit at a lower than normal density, and the axonal arbors of these interneurons were organized into two distinct strata. This indicates that ganglion cells are not essential for the formation of segregated On and Off bipolar cell inputs. These results lend support to the hypothesis that specific ingrowth patterns of bipolar cell terminal arbors could regulate the formation of stratified retinal ganglion cell dendrites.
Application of a calibrated tokamak transport model to ITER start-up study

A calibrated theory-based tokamak transport model is applied to ITER start-up studies. The reference simulation of basic ITER EDA parameters shows that a self sustained thermonuclear burn can be achieved provided that impurity control makes radiative losses sufficiently small. The ignition probabilities of both ITER EDA and CDA parameters are investigated. These results suggest that a significantly lower auxiliary heating power should heat ITER EDA to ignition.
Analytical solutions to low-order spectral systems

A low-order system of spectral equations — representing in some measure the physical properties of the atmosphere — is shown to apply to both barotropic and baroclinic flows. The system allows for an arbitrary zonal flow and one planetary wave with no approximations, for spherical geometry. The analytic solutions in terms of elliptic functions are described and may be used to establish nonlinear exchange properties as functions of initial flow configurations.
Assembling the Past: Studies in the Professionalization of Archaeology

Assembling the Past: Studies in the Professionalization of Archaeology. Alice B. Kehoe and Mary Beth Emmerichs. eds. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1999. 241 pp.
Human herpesvirus 8 – A novel human pathogen

In 1994, Chang and Moore reported on the latest of the gammaherpesviruses to infect humans, human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) [1]. This novel herpesvirus has and continues to present challenges to define its scope of involvement in human disease. In this review, aspects of HHV-8 infection are discussed, such as, the human immune response, viral pathogenesis and transmission, viral disease entities, and the virus's epidemiology with an emphasis on HHV-8 diagnostics.
Estimating the hospitalization burden associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in New York City, 2003–2011

Background Hospitalization burden associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is uncertain due to ambiguity in the inference methodologies employed for its estimation. Objectives Utilization of a new method to quantitate the above burden. Methods Weekly hospitalization rates for several principal diagnoses from 2003 to 2011 in New York City by age group were regressed linearly against incidence proxies for the major influenza subtypes and RSV adjusting for temporal trends and seasonal baselines.
Translocation of ATP into the lumen of rough endoplasmic reticulum-derived vesicles and its binding to luminal proteins including BiP (GRP 78) and GRP 94.

Rat liver and canine pancreas rough endoplasmic reticulum-derived vesicles, which were sealed and of the same topographical orientation as in vivo, were used in a system in vitro to demonstrate translocation of ATP into their lumen. Translocation of ATP is saturable (apparent Km: 3-4 microM and Vmax: 3-7 pmol/min/mg of protein) and protein mediated because treatment of intact vesicles with Pronase, N-ethylmaleimide, or 4,4‘-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2‘-disulfonic acid inhibit transport. The entire ATP molecule is being translocated; this was shown by high performance liquid chromatography analysis and the use of a nonhydrolyzable analog. Control experiments rule out that translocation of ATP attributed to rough endoplasmic reticulum-derived vesicles is due to contamination by mitochondria and Golgi vesicles. Following translocation of ATP into the lumen of the vesicles, binding to luminal proteins including BiP (immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein-glucose-regulated protein 78) and glucose-regulated protein 94 was observed. This binding appeared to be specific because similar experiments with GTP were negative. These studies strongly suggest that translocation of ATP into the rough endoplasmic reticulum lumen may serve as a mechanism for making ATP available in proposed energy requiring reactions within the lumen.
Scale of Operations and Locus of Control in Market‐ Versus Mission‐Oriented Charter Schools*

Objective. The objective of this article is to investigate two distinct strands in the charter school movement: one that emphasizes school-based management and another that emphasizes market efficiency. We were interested in whether charter schools that were founded or co-founded by for-profit education management organizations (EMOs) tend to pursue economies of scale and are less likely than others to implement school-level decision making in key areas. Methods. The analysis uses data drawn from a survey we conducted of the population of charter schools in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. Results. We find that charter schools that were founded or co-founded by EMOs tend to be larger and are less likely to exhibit decision-making control at the school level. Conclusions. Our analysis underscores the importance of disaggregating the charter school phenomenon into its distinct constituent parts in order to draw meaningful lessons from this evolving and significant experiment in alternative education delivery mode.
A social-cognitive perspective on using family-friendly benefits

Abstract To help employees better manage competing life demands, many organizations offer family-friendly benefits to their workers, including flexible scheduling, day care assistance, and leave of absence. Although there is growing evidence of positive effects associated with these benefits, little is known about factors related to their use. Using survey responses from 188 parents employed in a variety of occupations, we examined the use of a broad array of family-friendly benefits from a social-cognitive perspective. More positive work outcome expectancies related to higher rates of benefit use, and more positive family outcome expectancies and higher work–family self-efficacy related to stronger intentions to use the benefits. In addition, gender moderated the relationship between work outcome expectancies and benefit use intentions, such that more positive work outcome expectancies were associated with stronger use intentions for women, but work outcome expectancies were not related to men’s use intentions.
A Simple Change in Process Results in Significant Improvement in the Rate of First Feeding at Breast

Newborn Care Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program To increase the number of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) newborns discharged on maternal breast milk (MBM). Pumping to establish and maintain a milk supply requires tremendous dedication. Many NICU mothers pump for weeks or even months before their infants are physically and developmentally ready to attempt oral feedings. In 2009 to 2011 at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, 85% of NICU mothers initiated breast pumping and were still supplying MBM for their infants on day 7 of life. However, by the newborns' discharge, this rate fell to less than 40%. The NICU's Breast is Best Committee implemented a First Feeding at Breast initiative as a nursing measure to improve rates of newborns who received MBM at discharge. Proposed Change As a department, the NICU prioritizes the first oral feeding to be a breast feeding for all NICU infants whose mothers desire to breastfeed. NICU policy states a nipple feeding can be a bottle nipple or a breast feeding. Individual nursing care practice ultimately determines route of initial oral feeding. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation Mothers who were pumping were asked if they would like for their infants' first oral feeding to be a breast feeding. If the mother agreed (and most did), then a small sign was attached to the crib indicating the mother's desire to breastfeed for her newborn's first nipple feeding. This visual cue reminded the mother of her ultimate goal and encouraged staff to support her efforts. When this initiative began, the rate of first feeding at breast was zero and the portion of newborns who received MBM at discharge was approximately 40%. Within 6 months of implementation, the rate of first feed at breast was up to 92% and within this cohort, 92% were discharged on MBM. In contrast, during this same period, the rate of MBM at discharge for newborns whose first oral feeding was not a breast feed was 40% before the initiative and 36% after. Implications for Nursing Practice This nurse-driven initiative essentially costs nothing other than interest and a willingness to alter individual practice routines. The collaboration between the nurse and mother regarding a first oral feeding also highlighted the mother's expanding role in the daily care of her infant. The NICU experience by its very nature robs parents of so many facets of parenting, at least for a time. The First Feeding at Breast initiative returned one big first to the mother.
Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems

Abstract Intermittent fasting (IF; reduced meal frequency) and caloric restriction (CR) extend lifespan and increase resistance to age-related diseases in rodents and monkeys and improve the health of overweight humans. Both IF and CR enhance cardiovascular and brain functions and improve several risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke including a reduction in blood pressure and increased insulin sensitivity. Cardiovascular stress adaptation is improved and heart rate variability is increased in rodents maintained on an IF or a CR diet. Moreover, rodents maintained on an IF regimen exhibit increased resistance of heart and brain cells to ischemic injury in experimental models of myocardial infarction and stroke. The beneficial effects of IF and CR result from at least two mechanisms — reduced oxidative damage and increased cellular stress resistance. Recent findings suggest that some of the beneficial effects of IF on both the cardiovascular system and the brain are mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling in the brain. Interestingly, cellular and molecular effects of IF and CR on the cardiovascular system and the brain are similar to those of regular physical exercise, suggesting shared mechanisms. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which IF and CR affect the blood vessels and heart and brain cells will likely lead to novel preventative and therapeutic strategies for extending health span.
Backface culling snags (rendering algorithm)

A potential problem in a common implementation of backface culling, a simple trick used in some polygon-based rendering algorithms to reduce the number of polygons that must be considered, is discussed. A solution to this problem and the solution's benefits are presented. >
A practical chemoenzymatic synthesis of (R)-isovaline based on the asymmetric hydrolysis of 2-ethyl-2-methyl-malonamide

Abstract ( R )-Isovaline has potential applications in drug development, and therefore the development of an efficient method for the production of ( R )-isovaline is desired. Herein we have investigated the asymmetric hydrolysis of 2-ethyl-2-methyl-malonamide into ( S )-2-ethyl-2-methyl-malonamic acid, a useful synthetic intermediate in the production of ( R )-isovaline, using Cs AM, which is a recombinant amidase originally derived from Cupriavidus sp. KNK-J915. The produced ( S )-2-ethyl-2-methyl-malonamic acid (98.6% ee) could be easily converted into ( R )-isovaline by the Hofmann rearrangement. Starting from diethyl 2-methylmalonate, we obtained ( R )-isovaline (99.1% ee) in 58.6% yield over eight steps, including the Cs AM-catalyzed asymmetric hydrolysis of 2-ethyl-2-methyl-malonamide.
Adverse effects of anabolic steroids.

Anabolic steroids are used therapeutically for various disorders and as ergogenic aids by athletes to augment strength, muscular development, and to enhance performance. There is a wide range of concomitant temporary and permanent adverse effects with steroid administration. Several well-documented adverse actions of these hormones may develop rapidly within several weeks or less (i.e. altered reproductive function) or require up to several years of steroid intake (i.e. liver carcinoma). More recent studies indicate that glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, increased cardiovascular disease risk profiles, cerebral dangers, musculoskeletal injuries, prostate cancer, psychosis and schizophrenic episodes, among others, accompany anabolic steroid intake. There is, at present, no evidence to support the claim that athletes are less susceptible to adverse effects than those individuals receiving hormone treatment in a clinical setting. Based on the available information which has accumulated primarily from cross-sectional, short term longitudinal, and case studies, there is a need: (a) to develop a comprehensive battery of specific and sensitive markers of adverse effects, particularly those that would be able to detect the onset of adverse actions; and (b) to conduct controlled long term longitudinal studies in order to fully understand the extensiveness and mechanisms involved in the occurrence of adverse effects.
The larval morphology of the marine bryozoan Bowerbankia gracilis (Ctenostomata: Vesicularioidea)

The larval morphology of the marine bryozoan Bowerbankia gracilis has been investigated by light and electron microscopy. The barrel-shaped larva (200 μm long and 150 μm in diameter) is light yellow without any apparent eyespots, although it is positively phototactic during its brief free-swimming existence. The primary morphological characteristics of the larva are: (1) a large corona that forms most of the larval surface, (2) a small apical disc without blastemas, (3) a deep pallial sinus lined by an extensive pallial epithelium, (4) an internal sac without regional specializations, and (5) a polypide rudiment in the oral hemisphere. This organization is characteristic of larvae of the ctenostome superfamily Vesicularioidea, and differs radically from the organization of all other bryozoan larvae examined. The major morphological differences occur in the size and organization of the apical disc, the pallial epithelium, and the internal sac. In most bryozoans, these regions of the larval epithelium represent rudiments of the polypide and the body wall epidermis of the ancestrula. The oral polypide rudiment, the extensive pallial epithelium, and the reduced internal sac in vesicularioid larvae indicate that their pattern of metamorphosis also differs radically from the metamorphoses of other bryozoans.
Combination of Amperometry with TIRFM Imaging through a Transparent Electrode Reveals False Fluorescent Transmitter Release Precedes Release of the Granule Core

We have developed transparent nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon electrochemical electrodes on glass coverslips for amperometric measurement of exocytosis from an adjacent cell. Since the electrodes are transparent, the bottom of the cell that is adhered to the electrode can be imaged using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM). We labeled vesicles in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells using the fluorescent catecholamine analog FFN 511 such that distinct fluorescent puncta were observed using TIRFM. Upon stimulation with a high K+ solution, fluorescence spots abruptly disappeared presumably due to exocytosis of the FFN dye. Of 45 events analyzed from 12 cells, 43 were accompanied by an amperometric spike measured in the underlying electrode due to oxidation of exocytosed catecholamine. The loss of fluorescence preceded the amperometric spike for 38/43 (88%) of these events, 15 of which had no apparent pre-spike “foot” signal. The interval between the loss of fluorescence and the peak of the amperometric spike was 97 + 9 ms. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that FFN dye is located in the granule halo and is released through a fusion pore before the granule core containing the bulk of the catecholamine is released. In addition, fusion events lacking foot signals presumably still have fusion pores that precede the amperometric spike by tens of milliseconds in order to allow dye escape. Supported by the University of Missouri Research Board.
Improved method for dispersing clay in a monomer or bis(2-hydroxyl ethyl terephthalate) before in situ polymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Natural montmorillonite (MMT) clay nanomaterials were successfully dispersed in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) through two new and enhanced in situ polymerization methods. In the case of PET/MMT nanocomposites prepared through the esterification (ES) reaction clay-addition method, unmodified MMT clays were dispersed in water and, then, the ethylene glycol monomer of PET before the preparation of bis(2-hydroxyl ethyl) terephthalate (BHET) nanocomposites, which later underwent in situ polymerization. For nanocomposites prepared through the polycondensation (PC) reactor method, selected amounts of clay were dispersed in ethanol, with stirring inside the reactor. A portion of crushed BHET was then added to the PC reactor, and the combined mixture was stirred to achieve dispersion. The remaining BHET was added and mixed, the ethanol was evaporated by heating, and in situ polymerization was initiated. Morphological analysis by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of exfoliated and intercalated clay structures in the nanocomposites prepared through both ES and PC clay-addition methods. Nanocomposites containing lower concentrations of clay showed increases in the oxygen barrier properties in comparison to values obtained for the unmodified PET. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Killing ofLegionella pneumophila by human serum and iron-binding agents

The inhibitory effect of serum on the growth and survival ofLegionella pneumophila Bloomington 2 was investigated. When incubated in the presence of 20%–50% normal human serum for 10 h, viability was decreased by >99%. Heat-inactivated or <40% normal serum supplemented with 50 μM iron was not inhibitory. The addition of guinea pig complement to heat-inactivated serum resulted in killing of approximately 98% of the cells. Growth in buffered yeast extract broth was inhibited by the addition of ferric iron-binding compounds. Minimum bactericidal concentrations at 37°C were 10 μM apotransferrin, 35 μM 1,10-phenanthroline, and 50 μM deferoxamine. Addition of iron chelators to normal serum did not accelerate killing. Egg yolk-passaged “virulent” strains and agar-grown “avirulent” strains exhibited similar serum sensitivity. Results of this study indicate that complement and serum transferrin are antagonistic to the growth ofLegionella in serum.
BIRTH ORDER OF VOLUNTEERS FOR GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS : A NEGATIVE NOTE

Summary.-The effect of birth order on rate of volunteering for a ptential group or individual psychological experiment was investigated. Subjects were 286 undergraduates (87 firstborns and 197 later borns). Volunteering was not significantly related to ordinal position. Controls for family size and alternative classification schemes for ordinal position did not indiczte any Kith order-volunteering relationships. The data were discussed in terms of recent studies which also reported null results. Of particular interest to social scientists is the apparent over-representation of firstborns in studies drawn from volunteer populations (Altus, 1966; Capra & Dittes, 1962; Warren, 1966). Rosenthal and Rosnow (1975), however, in cheir review noted that the evidence on volunteering and birth order is not at all clear. They reviewed seven studies which supported the finding that fiistborns volunteered more often for research investigations and also identified four studies which found last borns more likely to be volunteers. In addition they reviewed four studies which did not report any relationship between birth order and volunteering. Schooler (1972) has suggested that in fact many birth-order relationships typically reported in earlier studies have become difficult to replicate in more recent investigations. He hypothesized that by the middle 1960's changing population trends had already tempered much of the previous research. Roodin and Vaught (1974) provided recent support for his contention that birth-order relationships and volunteering are difficult to find. It should be noted, however, that many failures to replicate birth order and volunteering relationships have not clearly specified for potential subjects the nature of the experiment in which they are to participate. Roodin and Vaught (1974), for example, implied that the research would involve small groups in each experimental session. Small-group situations should arouse the supposedly stronger affiliative needs of firstborns (Schachter, 1959). Suedfeld ( 1964) has criticized such explanations since he reported an equally high proportion of firstborns volunteering for studies involving sensory deprivation. Thus the adequacy of earlier accounts of higher affiliative needs of firstborns is in question. The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between birth order and volunteering as a function of type of experiment (group vs individual participation) described to potential subjects. Following Suedfeld (1964), since affiliation needs have not seemed to account for volunteering among firstborns for single-subject participation an alternative explanation was
In vitro studies with combinations of 5-fluorocytosine and amphotericin B.

Synergistic antifungal activity of 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) and amphotericin B was studied using an abbreviated checkerboard titration scheme. 5-FC was titrated in twofold increments (100 to 0.05 μg/ml) in the absence and presence of graded increments of amphotericin B (1.0. 0.5, 0.1, 0.05, and 0.01 μg/ml) in buffered yeast nitrogen base. A limited number of experiments were performed using expanded dual titration checkerboard schemes and growth curve studies. Forty-eight isolates of yeastlike organisms were tested; two were inhibited by the buffer system. Evidence of synergy, as indicated by a fourfold or greater reduction of the minimal inhibitory concentration of 5-FC in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of amphotericin B, was seen with 11 of 46 isolates, or 24%, at the fungistatic level and with three isolates, or 7% at the fungicidal level. Indifferent results were obtained for 44 and 74% of the isolates, respectively, at the fungistatic and fungicidal levels. Antagonism was observed with three isolates.
Towards a predictive model for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dimerization propensity

Abstract Soot particles are a significant pollutant formed as the result of incomplete combustion. Particle nucleation significantly impacts the formation and morphology of soot particles, yet remains a key knowledge gap. To elucidate the process of nucleation, we have investigated the thermodynamic stability of dimers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), towards developing a more comprehensive model for PAH clustering behavior. Using a computational methodology based on molecular dynamics and well-tempered Metadynamics, we quantified the impact of morphological parameters on homo-molecular dimerization, as well as the relative size of monomers on the stability of hetero-molecular dimers. The results illustrated the substantial impact of PAH mass and geometry on the stability of homo-molecular and hetero-molecular dimers at flame temperatures. In particular, dimer stability was found to depend most strongly on monomer mass, followed by solvent-accessible surface area. Additionally, hetero-molecular dimer stability was found to be largely determined by the size of the smallest monomer. Identifying relationships between PAH morphology and thermodynamic stability is a significant step towards a more comprehensive understanding of the physical interactions between PAHs. Altogether, this work presents a framework for elucidating the clustering behavior of arbitrary PAHs and will greatly impact understanding and modeling of particle nucleation and growth.
Surface analysis by laser ionization

Abstract Recent developments have been made in the novel surface analysis technique, surface analysis by laser ionization, in the area of quantitative surface and material elemental analysis. A breakthrough made during 1995 used high intensity, high-order, nonresonant, multiphoton ionization to saturate photoionization of all elements involved and thus achieved uniform detection sensitivity.
EFFECT OF ESTROGEN ON THE METABOLISM OF PROTEIN-BOUND IODINE*†

A RELATIONSHIP between gonadal and thyroidal functions has longbeen suspected and frequently studied, with conflicting or inconclusive results. The present investigation was, therefore, initiated to examine more thoroughly the effect of estrogen on thyroidal function and protein - bound iodine. The results indicated that estrogen increased the proteinbound iodine content of the thyroid and its hormonal turnover. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male rats (Holtzman) were castrated 10 to 20 clays before use for these studies. Four experiments were done.
Control of Southern Stem Rot of Peanuts With PCNB Plus Fensulfothion1

Abstract Previous tests with PCNB for control of Southern stem rot in Georgia have not usually increased peanut yields. Tests were conducted with PCNB, fensulfothion and PCNB plus fensulfothion to determine if increased nematode damage with the use of PCNB might offset disease control with this fungicide. The results showed that PCNB had no effect on nematode numbers, but significantly increased yields only one year out of three. PCNB plus fensulfothion increased yields every year of the three. Field disease counts indicated that PCNB alone and PCNB plus fensulfothion both significantly controlled Southern stem rot. A laboratory test showed that PCNB plus fensulfothion is more toxic to Sclerotium rolfsii than PCNB alone. Fensulfothion plus PCNB may increase yields by delaying disease infection, providing better disease control, which was not measurable with dead plant counts, or a combination of these.
Regulation of ΔFosB stability by phosphorylation

The transcription factor DeltaFosB (also referred to as FosB2 or FosB[short form]) is an important mediator of the long-term plasticity induced in brain by chronic exposure to several types of psychoactive stimuli, including drugs of abuse, stress, and electroconvulsive seizures. A distinct feature of DeltaFosB is that, once induced, it persists in brain for relatively long periods of time in the absence of further stimulation. The mechanisms underlying this apparent stability, however, have remained unknown. Here, we demonstrate that DeltaFosB is a relatively stable transcription factor, with a half-life of approximately 10 h in cell culture. Furthermore, we show that DeltaFosB is a phosphoprotein in brain and that phosphorylation of a highly conserved serine residue (Ser27) in DeltaFosB protects it from proteasomal degradation. We provide several lines of evidence suggesting that this phosphorylation is mediated by casein kinase 2. These findings constitute the first evidence that DeltaFosB is phosphorylated and demonstrate that phosphorylation contributes to its stability, which is at the core of its ability to mediate long-lasting adaptations in brain.
Isotensor Hadronic Parity Violation

Weak interactions between quarks give rise to hadronic parity violation which can be observed in nuclear and few-nucleon systems. We study the QCD renormalization of the isotensor component of parity violation at next-to-leading order accuracy. The renormalization group is employed to evolve the interaction down to hadronic scales. As the results are renormalization scheme dependent, we compare various schemes, including 't Hooft-Veltman dimensional regularization, and several regularization independent-momentum subtraction schemes.
Practical breast carcinoma cell kinetics: review and update.

The S-phase fraction (SPF) measured by flow cytometry of DNA and the thymidine labeling index (TLI) measured autoradiographically indicate the proportion of carcinoma cells currently synthesizing DNA and reflect the rate of proliferation. The TLI and SPF are lognormally distributed. The median TLI performed to maximize precursor uptake is near 5% (5 labeled carcinoma cells per 100), the mean near 7%, and the range from less than 1% to near 40%. Corresponding values for the SPF measured by DNA flow cytometry are slightly higher when appropriate measures are taken to reduce background debris counts and other artefacts. Residual elevation of SPF above TLI may result from S-phase arrested cells. Flow cytometric histograms show that clearly aneuploid cell lines exist in 50–80% of primary breast carcinomas. Aneuploid breast carcinomas have higher mean TLI than diploid breast carcinomas, and therefore proliferate more rapidly. They also more frequently lack estrogen receptor (ER). Carcinomas with minimal nuclear anaplasia, particularly those of tubular, mucinous, infiltrating lobular and adenocystic types have low TLI and SPF, whereas carcinomas with highly anaplastic nuclei, including medullary carcinomas, have high TLI and SPF. TLI and SPF correlate inversely with ER and PgR content, have no relationship to axillary lymph nodal status, and have a weak positive correlation with tumor size and a weak negative correlation with age. High TLI predicts a high risk of early relapse after primary therapy for both node-negative and node-positive carcinomas. Carcinomas that produce brain metastases have particularly high TLI. Current evidence suggests that high SPF and aneuploidy may prove to have prognostic significance like TLI.