cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cigarette, waterpipe, and electronic cigarette use among college fraternity and sorority members and athletes in the United States.

Objective: To examine the association between fraternity/sorority membership and athlete status with tobacco use by tobacco product type. Participants: Undergraduate college students who participat...
Using sufficient direction factor model to analyze latent activities associated with breast cancer survival

High-dimensional gene expression data often exhibit intricate correlation patterns as the result of coordinated genetic regulation. In practice, however, it is difficult to directly measure these coordinated underlying activities. Analysis of breast cancer survival data with gene expressions motivates us to use a two-stage latent factor approach to estimate these unobserved coordinated biological processes. Compared to existing approaches, our proposed procedure has several unique characteristics. In the first stage, an important distinction is that our procedure incorporates prior biological knowledge about gene-pathway membership into the analysis and explicitly model the effects of genetic pathways on the latent factors. Second, to characterize the molecular heterogeneity of breast cancer, our approach provides estimates specific to each cancer subtype. Finally, our proposed framework incorporates sparsity condition due to the fact that genetic networks are often sparse. In the second stage, we investigate the relationship between latent factor activity levels and survival time with censoring using a general dimension reduction model in the survival analysis context. Combining the factor model and sufficient direction model provides an efficient way of analyzing high-dimensional data and reveals some interesting relations in the breast cancer gene expression data.
Safety and Efficacy of CD3 Guided Anti-Thymocyte Globulin Dosing after Pediatric Heart Transplant

Purpose Rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) is the most frequently used induction agent after pediatric heart transplant (pHTx). The ISHLT guidelines suggest guiding ATG dosing by absolute CD3 counts, targeting between 25 and 50 cells/mm3 until post-operative day 7 (POD7). We sought to determine if using CD3 counts to guide ATG dosing after pHTx will result in lower drug usage, cost savings, and decreased incidence of early infections, with similar rejection rates as compared to a fixed dose cohort. Methods Retrospective review before and after implementation of an ATG dosing protocol using absolute CD3 count through POD7 was conducted. Inclusion criteria- pHTx with ATG induction at Primary Children's Hospital from August 2014-September 2019. Exclusion criteria- multi-organ transplants or re-transplants. The primary endpoint was incidence of treated rejection within 90 days of transplant before and after protocol implementation. Secondary endpoints include time to rejection, severity of rejection, average ATG dose, cost, and incidence of infection within 90 days of HTx. Results A total of 41 patients were included in the study, 23 in the pre-implementation period (fixed-dose cohort) and 18 in the post-period (CD3 guided cohort). Patients were predominantly male (71%) and transplanted for congenital heart disease (71%). Rates of rejection within 90 days post pHTx were similar (Table 1); largely treatment for biopsy-negative rejection. Infections in the fixed dose cohort included pneumonia, pneumatosis, and molloscum lesions. Infections in the CD3 group included bacteremia (2), pneumatosis, influenza, and sapovirus. Median cost savings were $2,581.95 per patient. No graft loss occurred in either group within 90 days of transplant. Conclusion Utilizing CD3 counts to guide ATG dosing reduces cost and overall drug exposure after pHTx and may not increase risk of rejection. A large multi-centered study should be conducted to appropriately power for outcomes.
Wearable IMU-based Early Limb Lameness Detection for Horses using Multi-Layer Classifiers

Objective, automated early lameness detection plays an important role for animal well-being. The work in this paper uses horse locomotion data collected by wearable inertial measurement units, extracts gait cycle routines and constructs a multi-layer classifier for horse lameness detection, identification, and evaluation. Multi-layer classifier (MLC) is based on support vector machine and K-Nearest-Neighbors methods. Each layer is independently designed and works as a binary classifier. Horse gait classification and limb lameness detection and evaluation are then handled by each layer successively. Experiment results show that the MLC achieves 94 % detection accuracy and also generates superior performance than a deep convolutional neural network-based multiclass classifier in terms of various assessment criteria.
High-Glucose-Induced Rab20 Upregulation Disrupts Gap Junction Intercellular Communication and Promotes Apoptosis in Retinal Endothelial and Müller Cells: Implications for Diabetic Retinopathy

To investigate whether high glucose (HG) alters Rab20 expression and compromises gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) and cell survival, retinal cells were studied for altered intracellular trafficking of connexin 43 (Cx43). Retinal endothelial cells (RRECs) and retinal Muller cells (rMCs) were grown in normal (N; 5 mM glucose) or HG (30 mM glucose) medium for seven days. In parallel, cells grown in HG medium were transfected with either Rab20 siRNA or scrambled siRNA as a control. Rab20 and Cx43 expression and their localization and distribution were assessed using Western Blot and immunostaining, respectively. Changes in GJIC activity were assessed using scrape load dye transfer, and apoptosis was identified using differential dye staining assay. In RRECs or rMCs grown in HG medium, Rab20 expression was significantly increased concomitant with a decreased number of Cx43 plaques. Importantly, a significant increase in the number of Cx43 plaques and GJIC activity was observed in cells transfected with Rab20 siRNA. Additionally, Rab20 downregulation inhibited HG-induced apoptosis in RRECs and rMCs. Results indicate HG-mediated Rab20 upregulation decreases Cx43 localization at the cell surface, resulting in compromised GJIC activity. Reducing Rab20 expression could be a useful strategy in preventing HG-induced vascular and Muller cell death associated with diabetic retinopathy.
Toward critically compassionate financial literacy: How elementary preservice teachers view the standards

This study examined preservice teachers’ agreement with critically compassionate financial literacy standards and the financial literacy standards developed by The Council for Economic Education fo...
Bayesian modeling of skewed X inactivation ingenetically diverse mice identifies a novel Xce allele associated with copy number changes

Female mammals are functional mosaics of their parental X-linked gene expression due to X chromosome inactivation (XCI). This process inactivates one copy of the X chromosome in each cell during embryogenesis and that state is maintained clonally through mitosis. In mice, the choice of which parental X chromosome remains active is determined by the X chromosome controlling element (Xce), which has been mapped to a 176 kb candidate interval. A series of functional Xce alleles has been characterized or inferred for classical inbred strains based on biased, or skewed, inactivation of the parental X chromosomes in crosses between strains. To further explore the function-structure basis and location of the Xce, we measured allele-specific expression of X-linked genes in a large population of F1 females generated from Collaborative Cross strains. Using published sequence data and applying a Bayesian "Polya urn" model of XCI skew, we report two major findings. First, inter-individual variability in XCI suggests mouse epiblasts on average contain 20-30 cells contributing to brain. Second, NOD/ShiLtJ has a novel and unique functional allele, Xcef, that is the weakest in the Xce allelic series. Despite phylogenetic analysis confirming that NOD/ShiLtJ carries a haplotype almost identical to the well-characterized C57BL/6J (Xceb), we observed unexpected patterns of XCI skewing in females carrying the NOD/ShiLtJ haplotype within the Xce. Copy number variation is common at the Xce locus and we conclude that the observed allelic series is a product of independent and recurring duplications shared between weak Xce alleles.
Enterococcus faecalis glutathione reductase purification, characterization and expression under normal and hyperbaric o2 conditions

Glutathione reductase is found ubiquitously in eukaryotes and Gram-negative bacteria, and plays a significant role in bacterial defense against oxidative stress. Glutathione reductase from the Gram-positive bacterium Enterococcus faecalis was purified to homogeneity using anion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and affinity chromatography. The homogeneous 49kDa enzyme contained 1 mol bound FAD per subunit. The determined N-terminal amino acid sequence of the E. faecalis enzyme displays significant identity with glutathione reductases from other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as yeast and human erythrocyte reductases. The kinetic mechanism is ping-pong, and the determined kinetic parameters exhibited by the E. faecalis glutathione reductase are similar to those found for glutathione reductases from yeast, Escherichia coli, and human erythrocyte. A two-fold increased expression of glutathione reductase activity and a three-fold induction of glutathione peroxidase activity were observed under hyperbaric O2 growth conditions without a corresponding change in the total glutathione and soluble thiol content. The difference in the expression of the enzyme, and its cognate substrate's intracellular concentration, under these conditions suggest that the gene encoding glutathione reductase is responsive to oxygen concentration, but that the genes encoding the glutathione synthesizing enzymes are not linked to an oxygen-sensitive promoter. z 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Millennial-scale tropical atmospheric and Atlantic Ocean circulation change from the Last Glacial Maximum and Marine Isotope Stage 3

Abstract Abrupt, millennial-scale climate oscillations, known as Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) cycles, characterized the climate system of the last glacial period. Although proxy evidence shows that D–O cycles resulted in large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation patterns around the planet, an understanding of how Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) varied across these events remains unclear. Here, we take advantage of the fact that both tropical atmospheric circulation changes corresponding to north–south shifts in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and large-scale changes in ocean circulation associated with AMOC variability can be reconstructed in the same sediment core from the Florida Straits to examine the relationship between atmospheric and ocean circulation changes across D–O events. To reconstruct surface water conditions, Mg/Ca-paleothermometry and stable isotope measurements were combined on the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber (white variety) from sediment core KNR166-2 JPC26 (24°19.61′N, 83°15.14′W; 546 m depth) to reconstruct a high-resolution record of sea surface temperature and δ O seawater 18 (a proxy for upper mixed layer salinity) during Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 2 and 3 from 20–35 ka BP. As an additional proxy for upper water column salinity change, we also generate a faunal abundance record of the salinity-sensitive planktonic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina dutertrei. Our results suggest that rapid reductions in sea surface salinity occurred at the onset of D–O interstadials, while stadials are characterized by increased surface salinities. The most likely cause of these salinity changes was variation in the strength and position of the ITCZ across D–O events. Finally, we examine the relationship between millennial-scale atmospheric circulation changes recorded in the planktonic records and ocean circulation changes inferred from the benthic δ O 18 record from our core. Our results provide some of the first evidence that AMOC strength did vary across at least one of the millennial-scale D–O cycles of MIS 3.
Presupposition and Context Sensitivity

We argue there is a clash between the standard treatments of context sensitivity and presupposition triggering. We use this criticism to motivate a defense of an often-discarded view about how to represent context sensitivity, according to which there are more lexically implicit items in logical form than has been appreciated.
Simulation-Based Definitions Of Emergence

One approach to characterizing the elusive notion of emergence is to define that a property is emergent if and only if its presence can be derived but only by simulation. In this paper I investigate the pros and cons of this approach, focusing in particular on whether an appropriately distinct boundary can be drawn between simulation-based and non-simulation-based methods. I also examine the implications of this definition for the epistemological role of emergent properties in prediction and in explanation.
On Quantizing Teichmüller and Thurston theories

In earlier work, Chekhov and Fock have given a quantization of Teichm\"uller space as a Poisson manifold, and the current paper first surveys this material adding further mathematical and other detail, including the underlying geometric work by Penner on classical Teichm\"uller theory. In particular, the earlier quantum ordering solution is found to essentially agree with an ``improved'' operator ordering given by serially traversing general edge-paths on a graph in the underlying surface. Now, insofar as Thurston's sphere of projectivized foliations of compact support provides a useful compactification for Teichm\"uller space in the classical case, it is natural to consider corresponding limits of appropriate operators to provide a framework for studying degenerations of quantum hyperbolic structures. After surveying the required background material on Thurston theory and ``train tracks'', the current paper continues to give a quantization of Thurston's boundary in the special case of the once-punctured torus, where there are already substantial analytical and combinatorial challenges. Indeed, an operatorial version of continued fractions as well as the improved quantum ordering are required to prove existence of these limits. Since Thurston's boundary for the once-punctured torus is a topological circle, the main new result may be regarded as a quantization of this circle. There is a discussion of quantizing Thurston's boundary spheres for higher genus surfaces in closing remarks.
George J. Borjas: Immigration economics

In the introduction to Immigration Economics, George Borjas identifies two themes for his book. One, that immigration has economically significant costs and benefits; two, that neither theory nor empirics have proven to be very robust to changes in assumptions and methods. He states the book’s premise as: ‘‘What does economics have to say about immigration, and what do we have to assume to get it to say what we think it says’’ (p. 4)? While he does effectively summarize much of a particular subset of both the theoretical and empirical economics literature on immigration, the book is woefully limited in the scope of questions it even considers, steering well clear of political economy issues in order to focus on labor market effects. Unfortunately, the book fails to do more than present a subset of the literature. Borjas makes no claims about the balance of the evidence other than to say more research in the field is needed. Each chapter tackles a major element of the labor economics of immigration. After an introduction defining the book’s scope, Chapter 1 deals with the selection of immigrants. Who immigrates and why? Borjas relies on the classic Roy (1951) model of immigrant selection and subsequent extensions. After explaining the model in depth, he attempts to reconcile some empirical literature with the model and make the case that the typical worker who emigrates from a country differs dramatically from the type of worker moving in. Chapter 2, a particularly strong chapter, covers much of the work on immigrant assimilation into the work force. The papers that Borjas chose to discuss all point toward a very high degree of assimilation for foreign born workers in the U.S. He closes the chapter by warning that U.S. census microdata have some drawbacks and therefore we should show caution when interpreting these findings. Chapter 3 is a full theory chapter concerning the effect of immigration on wages. It explains many important concepts, chiefly that immigrant and native labor are not perfect
An Electronically Focused Two-Dimensional Acoustic Imaging System,

We described a new type of electronically focused and scanned acoustic imaging device in last year’s conference. This device made use of a surface acoustic wave delay line to provide the necessary phase references and time delay for the imaging system and for scanning; it employed mechanical scanning in one direction and electronic scanning in the other, and was only focused electronically in one direction. Since that time, we have developed a two-dimensional electronically focused C-scan device operating in a transmission mode using a separate electronically focused receiver and transmitter. The receiver is focused and scanned in the X direction and the transmitter focused and scanned in the y direction. By using this combination of transmitter and receiver, it is possible to scan out a raster and obtain M × N resolvable spots with only M + N elements in the transmitter and receiver arrays.
Mechanism for Control of Synthesis of Semliki Forest Virus 26S and 42S RNA

Abstract When cells infected with the Semliki Forest virus (SFV) mutant ts-4 were shifted to the nonpermissive temperature, synthesis of 26S RNA ceased, whereas synthesis of 42S RNA continued normally. These two single-stranded SFV RNAs are synthesized in two types of replicative intermediate (RI), 26S RNA in RIb and 42S RNA in RIa. Cessation of 26S RNA synthesis after shift up in temperature was accompanied by loss of RIb. When infected cells were shifted back down to 27°C, 26S RNA synthesis resumed, coincident with the reappearance of RIb. In both types of RI, the 42S minus-strand RNA is template for synthesis of plus-strand RNA. In pulse-chase experiments, we obtained RIs labeled only in their minus-strand RNA, and thus could follow the fate of RIs assembled at 27°C when they were shifted to 39°C. Our results show that, after shift up to 39°C, there was a quantitative conversion of RIs in which 26S RNA had been synthesized to RIs in which 42S RNA was synthesized. This conversion of RIb to RIa was reversible, since RIs in which 26S RNA was synthesized reappeared when the infected cultures were shifted back down to 27°C. We propose that, associated with RIb, in which 26S RNA is synthesized, there is a virus-specific protein that functions to promote initiation of 26S RNA transcription at an internal site on the 42S minus-strand RNA and to block transcription on the minus strand in this region by the SFV RNA polymerase that had bound and was copying the minus-strand RNA from its 3′ end. A ribonuclease-sensitive region would thus result in the sequence adjacent to the one that was complementary to 26S RNA. This virus-specific protein is not a component of the SFV RNA polymerase that continues to transcribe 42S RNA, and it is temperature sensitive in ts-4 mutant-infected cells. When this virus-specific protein is not present on RIs, the SFV polymerase transcribes the whole 42S minus-strand RNA and yields 42S plus-strand RNA.
Design considerations for combustion stability.

The aim of this paper is to stimulate the application of the results of combustion instability research. The problem of acoustic instability in solid-propell ant rocket motors is treated from an engineering point of view. Stability predictions are shown to be made most easily by considering the factors that determine the oscillating pressure growth constant, a. The important additive contributions to a are associated with the burning surface (afc), the chamber walls (ac), the nozzle (an), and particles in the gas (ap). Methods are discussed for evaluating afc,ac,ttn, and 'ap both empirically and by the use of correlations of existing data. Justification for the methods based on correlations is provided by comparing predicted results with available quantitative experimental data. A c D,d F / A/ J Kn k L I M m,n p pQ
BACTERIAL COUNTS ON SURFACES OF CARCASSES AND IN GROUND BEEF FROM CARCASSES SPRAYED OR NOT SPRAYED WITH HYPOCHLOROUS ACID

Bacterial counts were compared for samples from three groups of beef from two different sources. Group 1 samples were from choice forequarters as received, then sprayed with HOC1 (200 mg/L, pH 6.0–6.5, 7.03 kg/cm2, 12 set at 16°C). Group 2 samples served as controls and were from choice forequarters from the same lot as group 1 but not sprayed. Group 3 samples were from frozen boneless lean domestic and imported beef, Surface strip and ground beef samples from groups 1 and 2 had aerobic plate counts (APC) and lactic acid bacteria counts (LABC) that were not significantly different, P 0.001, than those for the control, group 2, samples. Also, the coli-form and coagulase positive S. aureus counts were also significantly higher for the group 3 ground beef samples. Thus, the hypochlorous acid spray treatment of beef forequarters did not appear to yield ground beef with better bacteriological quality than the unsprayed forequarters from the same source, perhaps because the initial bacterial count was already so low. The higher surface APC of the lean boneless beef, group 3, was reflected in the higher initial APC of the ground beef prepared from that source.
Multi-agent testbed for emerging power systems

Controls in power systems such as national utility grids, microgrids, and shipboard electrical infrastructures are evolving and conventional testbeds are inadequately outfitted for effective design, development, and testing. In particular, conventional power system control testbeds typically lack appropriate computational and data communication tools to quickly and accurately represent advanced control architectures. In this paper, we discuss experiences with a distributed control testbed by incorporating general purpose computational platforms and a more extensive data communications infrastructure. These components enhance the testbed by providing access to key technologies expected to be prevalent in emerging power systems and also simplify the implementation of sophisticated control architectures. Evaluation of the improved capabilities of the testbed is provided through two studies. The first explores the control capabilities for a shipboard power system through the use of hierarchical and distributed control structures. The second investigates the effect of data communication latencies on a control algorithm through a test case involving synchronization of multiple generators.
Mammalian cell protein expression for biopharmaceutical production

Mammalian cell expression has become the dominant recombinant protein production system for clinical applications because of its capacity for post-translational modification and human protein-like molecular structure assembly. While expression and production have been fully developed and Chinese hamster ovary cells are used for the majority of products both on the market and in clinical development, significant progresses in developing and engineering new cell lines, introducing novel genetic mechanisms in expression, gene silencing, and gene targeting, have been reported in the last several years. With the latest analytical methods development, more attention is being devoted towards product quality including glycol profiling, which leads to better understanding the impact of culture condition during production. Additionally, transient gene expression technology platform plays more important role in biopharmaceutical early development stages. This review focused on the latest advancements in the field, especially in active areas such as expression systems, glycosylation impact factors, and transient gene expression.
Day/night variations of high-molecular-weight adiponectin and lipocalin-2 in healthy men studied under fed and fasted conditions

Aims/hypothesis Adiponectin and lipocalin-2 are adipocyte-derived plasma proteins that have been proposed to have opposite effects on insulin sensitivity. Given the epidemiological, physiological and molecular links between sleep, the circadian timing system and glucose metabolism, the aim of this study was to assess effects of the sleep/wake cycle and the fasting/feeding cycle on high-molecular-weight adiponectin (HMW-adiponectin; the biologically active form) and lipocalin-2. We also aimed to compare the 24 h rhythms in the levels of these proteins with those of cortisol, leptin, leptin-binding protein and total adiponectin.
Environmental Physiology of the Jumbo Squid, Dosidicus gigas (d'Orbigny, 1835) (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae): Implications for Changing Climate*

Abstract: Dosidicus gigas (d'Orbigny, 1835) is a large, active squid that undergoes a diel vertical migration in the Eastern Tropical and Temperate Pacific. It is a voracious predator on zooplankton and micronekton and supports a large fishery. It is further preyed upon by large vertebrate predators, including whales. Its horizontal distribution is closely tied to productive upwelling regions that are characterized by strong oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). The apparent association with extreme hypoxia is surprising given its large size and high oxygen demand. As part of its daily vertical migration, D. gigas experiences daily temperature changes of 15–20°C, oxygen partial pressures ranging from near anoxia (< 0.8 kPa) to air-saturation (21 kPa) and pH changes from ∼8.1 to < 7.6 at depth. Oxygen minimum zones are believed to be expanding due to climate change, with minimum oxygen levels in the core of the OMZ declining and the low oxygen horizon shoaling. Simultaneously, surface waters are becoming more acidi...
What the papers say: Metabolic compartmentation and ‘soluble’ metabolic pathways

Studies on individual enzymes in dilute solutions have largely provided the basis for many of the current views on metabolism and its control in intact cells. An increasing body of evidence from studies made on intact cells suggests that this approach may require re-evaluation. One recent example of this evidence is briefly reviewed and related to other work that bears on the matter.
Endothelin-1 decreases postcapillary fluid efflux via prostacyclin release.

Background. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) decreases water efflux across the endothelial barrier (Lp). ET-1 may exert this permeability-decreasing effect by stimulating prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) release. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the effect of PGI 2 on L p , (2) measure L p after inhibition of PGI 2 synthesis, and (3) determine the effect of ET-1 on L p during inhibition of PGI 2 production. Methods. After microscopic cannulation of mesenteric venules, Lp was measured during PGI 2 infusion (0.1 μmol/L, 1 μmol/L, and 10 μmol/L; n = 6 in each group). L p was also measured after 100 μmol/L of the PGI 2 synthase inhibitor, tranylcypromine (TCPN) (n = 6). Finally, the influence of ET-1 on L p during PGI 2 synthase inhibition was assessed (n = 6). Results. Compared to baseline Lp of 1.05 ± 0.06, PGI 2 decreased L p at 1μmol/L (L p = 0.63 ± 0.03, P <.003) and 10 μmol/L (Lp = 0.52 ± 0.04, P <.0001). TCPN increased Lp compared to baseline (P <.0001). Compared to ET-1 alone, venules perfused with TCPN + ET-1 increased L p (P <.005). Units for Lp are 10 -7 cm-sec -1 .cmH 2 O -1 . Conclusions. We found that (1) PGI 2 decreases L p , (2) inhibition of PGI 2 synthesis increases L p , and (3) permeability-decreasing effects of ET-1 can be blocked by inhibiting PCI 2 synthesis. These data suggest that constitutive production of PGI 2 modulates basal microvessel permeability and that ET-1 may exert its permeability-decreasing effect via the stimulation of PGI 2 release.
The effects of calories and taste on habituation of the human salivary response

The present study examined the effects of calories on salivary habituation. The rate of habituation to lemon taste was studied over 10 trials in 24 normal weight, nondieting, 18-35-year-old females. Between each of the trials, half the subjects ate low calorie, lemon gelatin, total Kcal = 32, and the others ate high calorie, lemon gelatin, total Kcal = 320. A dishabituating, novel chocolate taste was presented on trial 11 and recovery of salivation was assessed by presenting lemon flavor on trial 12. Subjective ratings were taken before and after salivary habituation for hunger levels and hedonics for lemon taste. Results show that high- and low-calorie groups both habituated to the repeated presentation of lemon taste, but with no significant differences as a function of calories in salivation volume, rate of habituation, hunger level decreases, and hedonic decreases. Subjects in both groups perceived equal caloric intake. These results suggest that salivary habituation may be affected more by the sensory characteristics of the food than by differences in caloric intake. The generalization of these data to the development of satiety are discussed.
Photothermal characterization of optical thin films

Abstract This paper presents the salient features of the mirage technique for thermal characterization of thin films. Experimental results are given for thin films with various thicknesses and of various materials, including tens-of-nanometer metallic films and submicron dielectric optical coatings. While the emphasis is on the experimental technique, the heat conduction mechanisms in these thin films are also discussed.
Diagnostic value of human cytomegalovirus DNA PCR regarding different clinical specimens

In transplant recipients, a positive HCMV PCR in PBLs is a sign of the possible development of HCMV disease which should be confirmed by further diagnostic approaches. However, detection of HCMV DNA in the CSF appears to be a specific marker of pathological processes, exemplified in a case of HCMV encephalitis.
Effect of chronic vanadate ingestion on amino acid and water absorption in rat intestine.

Chronic administration of a relatively low concentration of vanadate to rats causes inhibition of water, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and l-alanine absorption. The mechanism responsible for this inhibition was tested by studying the uptake of alanine in isolated rat intestinal cells. The studies suggest that the vanadate inhibition of amino acid transport is primarily caused by a decreased activity of the Na=-K= pump, an action that is similar to what is observed when the rat intestine is acutely exposed to vanadate. Vanadate appeared to have no direct effect on the entry of amino acids into the intestinal cell. This was evident by the fact that amino acid uptake by enterocytes of control rats was not different from the uptake by cells of vanadate-treated animals that have an inwardly directed Na gradient artificially created across them. Furthermore, 86RB influx and efflux into and out of intestinal tissues of the vanadate-treated animals were, respectively, decreased and increased as compared to normal control tissues and they were similar to what is observed when the intestine is acutely exposed to ouabain, a known specific inhibitor of the Na=-K= pump.
The artificial pancreas: are we there yet?

“Are we there yet?” How many parents have heard this phrase time and time again when traveling with young children eager to arrive at a much-anticipated vacation spot, but who are clearly tiring of the travel. The response from the parents is always a reassuring “no, but we are getting very close.” As parents, we then think about how we can use this as a teaching moment to have our children understand that they should enjoy the moment at hand. So, we then reflect on quotes we have heard in the past such as life being a journey, not a destination, and then tell our children they should focus on the travel itself and that getting there is half the fun. We think this is a perfect analogy of the status for closed-loop technology and the artificial pancreas. But, now, it is not the children asking “are we there yet?” but the parents who can only dream that such a technology will be available for their children with diabetes who have to face the ever-present threat of severe hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis, while struggling to incorporate advances in technology, such as continuous glucose monitoring, into the management of their children’s diabetes. This is where many want the “journey” to end and hope we, as a medical community, finally arrive at the “destination,” which is indeed the commercial availability of a truly effective artificial pancreas. There has been remarkable progress made to date in regard to closed-loop technology as the safety and efficacy have been reported in …
The Establishment of Identity in a Social Nexus: The Special Case of Initiation Ceremonies and Their Relation to Value and Legal Systems

IN A series of articles on some of the correlates of initiation ceremonies, Whiting and his students have presented a completely new approach to these customs (Whiting, Kluckhohn, and Anthony 1958; Burton and Whiting 1961; Whiting 1962). Their work marks a radical departure from the interpretation first published in 1909 by Van Gennep, who saw initiation rites as marking three steps in the individual's formal removal from one social status to another: separation from the first status, transition to the new one, and incorporation into the new status (1960:65-115). Van Gennep also established for puberty ceremonies that "physiological puberty and 'social puberty' are essentially different and only rarely converge" (1960:65). So thoroughly were Van Gennep's formulations integrated into anthropological thought that their explicit use without reference to their author became customary in the discipline. The radical departure represented by the work of Whiting and his students is from Van Gennep's Durkheimian functionalism to a set of modified psychoanalytic hypotheses. Apparently in sympathy with the Freudian notion that cultural institutional behavior is best understood in terms of conflict between the individual and his society, Whiting and his students have attempted to ascertain the extent to which initiation ceremonies may be related to unconscious conflicts in masculine identity as these conflicts stem from the mother-son relationship during the first year of life. Specifically, they assume that "insofar as male initiation rites are designed to curb disruptive emotions it is those emotions arising from a male youth's conflict as to his sex identity and his consequent need to prove himself a man by exhibiting aggressive and antisocial behavior" (Whiting 1962:392). This assumption was an elaboration on an earlier premise that "boys tend to be initiated at puberty in those societies in which they are particularly hostile toward their fathers and dependent upon their mothers" (Whiting, Kluckhohn, and Anthony 1958:361). Such hostility and dependency arise under certain insitutional conditions. "We assume," write Whiting, Kluckhohn, and Anthony (1958:361), "that a long and exclusive relationship between mother and son provides the conditions which should lead to an exceptionally strong dependence on the mother. Also, we assume that if the father terminates this relationship and replaces his son, there should be strong envy and hostility engendered in the boy which, although held in
Mechanistic analysis of ammonium cation stability for alkaline exchange membrane fuel cells

Improving long-term cation stability is crucial for adopting anion exchange membrane fuel cells as a commercially viable technology in clean energy conversion applications. To reliably identify the most stable cation structures, we analyzed the cation stability of various synthetically prepared quaternary ammonium organic molecules via a silver oxide ion exchange reaction. This method enabled us to compare the stability of various structures of quaternary ammonium hydroxide in pure form in water without excess alkaline solution or inconsistencies faced in the presence of polymer backbones. By quantitatively comparing cation degradation via NMR, we were able to identify three cation structures with greater cation stability than the most well-known benzyltrimethylammonium. In addition, we were able to elucidate byproduct formation and degradation mechanisms as a result of hydroxide attack. From this study we concluded that alkyl-substituted cations seem to impart greater stability than benzylic-substituted cations in the presence of hydroxide anions in aqueous solution.
Postpartum home visits by maternity nursing students.

A program in which third-year nursing students in a baccalaureate program make postpartum home visits is described. Parents were assisted in adjusting to the postpartum experience by a student nurse who had cared for them during pregnancy or labor and delivery. The program was found to be beneficial by both families and nursing students.
Isothermal relaxation of specific volume and density fluctuation in poly(methyl methacrylate) and polycarbonate

Abstract Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was utilized to measure the density fluctuation, in two samples of poly(methyl methacrylate) and a sample of polycarbonate, as a function of temperature on a constant rate cooling and heating; and also as a function of time on isothermal annealing. For the purpose of comparison, measurements were also made on the specific volume of poly(methyl methacrylate) under comparable conditions. In the transition region of 20°–40° interval around Tg both the specific volume and the density fluctuation decreased with time on isothermal annealing. At temperatures below the transition region, however, the density fluctuation showed no observable change, while the specific volume continued to decrease linearly with the logarithm of time. In order to interpret the density fluctuation in terms of the concept of free volume, a simple model is presented in which holes of various sizes are randomly distributed in the continuous medium, and an equation is then derived to correlate the observed density fluctuation to the free volume fraction and the weight-average size of the holes.
Biomolecularly capped uniformly sized nanocrystalline materials: Glutathione-capped ZnS nanocrystals

Micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeasts form CdS to detoxify toxic cadmium ions. Frequently, CdS particles formed in yeasts and bacteria were found to be associated with specific biomolecules. It was later determined that these biomolecules were present at the surface of CdS. This coating caused a restriction in the growth of CdS particles and resulted in the formation of nanometre-sized semiconductors (NCs) that exhibited typical quantum confinement properties. Glutathione and related phytochelatin peptides were shown to be the biomolecules that capped CdS nanocrystallites synthesized by yeasts Candida glabrata and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Although early studies showed the existence of specific biochemical pathways for the synthesis of biomolecularly capped CdS NCs, these NCs could be formed in vitro under appropriate conditions. We have recently shown that cysteine and cysteine-containing peptides such as glutathione and phytochelatins can be used in vitro to dictate the formation of discrete sizes of CdS and ZnS nanocrystals. We have evolved protocols for the synthesis of ZnS or CdS nanocrystals within a narrow size distribution range. These procedures involve three steps: (1) formation of metallo-complexes of cysteine or cysteine-containing peptides, (2) introduction of stoichiometric amounts of inorganic sulfide into the metallo-complexes to initiate the formation of nanocrystallites and finally (3) size-selective precipitation of NCs with ethanol in the presence of Na+. The resulting NCs were characterized by optical spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), x-ray diffraction and electron diffraction. HRTEM showed that the diameter of the ZnS-glutathione nanocrystals was 3.45?0.5 nm. X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction analyses indicated ZnS-glutathione to be hexagonal. Photocatalytic studies suggest that glutathione-capped ZnS nanocrystals prepared by our procedure are highly efficient in degrading a test model compound.
Correlations between creep, shrinkage, and dynamic mechanical characteristics of magnetic tape materials

Creep compliance, shrinkage, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results are presented and discussed for developmental magnetic tapes made from PEN and metalized PET (Spaltan®) substrates as well as PEN substrate samples cut from wide-stock in the machine and transverse directions. Curve fit parameters from the Kelvin-Voigt model are discussed to shed light on the creep-compliance characteristics, particularly the roll-off characteristics observed at elevated temperatures and long time periods. Characteristic peaks observed in storage and loss moduli measured using DMA that correspond with molecular movement provide information that assists with the understanding of creep-compliance and shrinkage behavior for these materials. Such movement corresponds with dimensional instabilities that need to be understood for future generations of advanced digital magnetic tapes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Managing myeloma kidney.

Renal insufficiency is a challenging clinical problem in patients with multiple myeloma. The standard therapy has been plasma exchange, which reduces serum light chain levels while chemotherapy red...
Breast-specific gamma imaging in the detection of atypical ductal hyperplasia and lobular neoplasia.

Rationale and Objectives Atypical lesions such as atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and lobular neoplasia are nonmalignant lesions that are associated with significant increased risk of developing breast cancer. Atypical lesions have been reported to present with focal increased radiotracer uptake on breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) examination, a novel physiologic tool for the detection of breast cancer. To date the sensitivity of BSGI in the detection of atypical lesions has not been reported. The purpose of this study is to determine the sensitivity of BSGI in detecting ADH and lobular neoplasia. Materials and Methods A total of 1316 patients who received a BSGI exam between January 2006 and July 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients who underwent minimally invasive biopsy and subsequent surgical excision where the highest pathology was solely ADH or lobular neoplasia (reported as ALH, lobular carcinoma in situ or lobular neoplasia), according to the pathology database were included ( n = 15). The sensitivity was determined as the percentage of positive BSGI exams out of all patients diagnosed with ADH or lobular neoplasia who received a BSGI. Results Patient ages ranged from 39 to 67 (mean, 52). Eight of 15 patients had ADH, 6/15 lobular neoplasia, and 1/15 ADH and lobular neoplasia in one lesion. Fifteen of the 15 (100%) patients with surgically confirmed ADH or lobular neoplasia had a positive BSGI, with focally increased radiotracer uptake at the site of the verified high-risk lesion. Conclusion BSGI has a high sensitivity for the detection of atypical, high-risk breast lesions. A diagnosis of an atypical lesion is concordant with focal increased radiotracer uptake with BSGI and can identify women at increased risk for breast cancer.
Standardized capture rates of the endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus Olivier (Coleoptera: Silphidae) using different trap protocols

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has adopted two different pitfall trap protocols to survey the endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. One protocol uses a transect of eight pitfall traps that prohibit bait contact over the course of three trap nights. The other protocol uses buckets that allow for bait contact over a five night trapping period. A trap night is defined as one trap open for one night, and the transect protocol has historically been calculated as eight trap nights per calendar night while; the bucket protocol has been calculated as one trap night per calendar night. This study examined the effectiveness of each protocol based on the number of beetles (Nicrophorus spp.) captured per trap night (BTN) in field and laboratory trials. When each transect was considered as a single trap instead of eight separate traps, no significant difference in BTN was detected between the protocols in any year. Laboratory trials were conducted using Nicrophorus marginatus to determine differences in capture efficiency based on protocol, time after release, and feeding status. The proportion of beetles captured after 5 days was greater when compared to 3 days for either protocol. Our results indicate that cup transects used to sample the American burying beetle should be considered as a single trap when calculating trap night and that the use of five trap nights rather than three would increase the likelihood of capturing beetles.
Quantitative autoradiography of muscarinic and benzodiazepine receptors in the forebrain of the turtle, pseudemys scripta

The distribution of muscarinic and benzodiazepine receptors was investigated in the turtle forebrain by the technique of in vitro receptor autoradiography. Muscarinic binding sites were labeled with 1 nM /sup 3/H-quinuclidinyl benzilate (/sup 3/H-QNB), and benzodiazepine sites were demonstrated with the aid of 1 nM /sup 3/H-flunitrazepam (/sup 3/H-FLU). Autoradiograms generated on /sup 3/H-Ultrofilm apposed to tissue slices revealed regionally specific distributions of muscarinic and benzodiazepine binding sites that are comparable with those for mammalian brain. Dense benzodiazepine binding was found in the anterior olfactory nucleus, the lateral and dorsal cortices, and the dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR), a structure with no clear mammalian homologue. Muscarinic binding sites were most dense in the striatum, accumbens, DVR, lateral geniculate, and the anterior olfactory nucleus. Cortical binding sites were studied in greater detail by quantitative analysis of autoradiograms generated by using emulsion-coated coverslips. Laminar gradients of binding were observed that were specific for each radioligand; /sup 3/H-QNB sites were most dense in the inner molecular layer in all cortical regions, whereas /sup 3/H-FLU binding was generally most concentrated in the outer molecular layer and was least dense through all layers in the dorsomedial cortex. Because pyramidal cells are arranged in register in turtlemore » cortex, the laminar patterns of receptor binding may reflect different receptor density gradients along pyramidal cell dendrites.« less
Chemicals from Methanol

Abstract For good reasons, there has been a spate of articles, much thinking, and a fair amount of industrial action on making chemicals and fuels from methanol, Only methane and methanol are made commercially in over 99% yields from synthesis gas.
Comes a time

The circadian clock is a selfsustaining oscillator with an endogenous period of ∼24 hours. The Arabidopsis clock is composed of a set of interlocking negative feedback loops entailing transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational, particularly regulated proteolysis, control. Clock control of the transcriptome is widespread; up to 90% of the transcriptome cycles in at least one condition in seedlings exposed to a variety of environmental cycles. Clock control extends to the metabolome, though diurnal oscillations in enzyme activities and metabolites are less dramatic than oscillations in cognate transcripts. Metabolites, including organic nitrogen intermediates, feed back to modulate clock function, consistent with the view of the circadian clock as a key integrator of metabolic signals to coordinate metabolism and physiology with the environment.