cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetic resonance imaging of pericardial constriction: Comparison of cine MR angiography and spin-echo techniques

Abstract Aim: Spin-echo (SE) MRI detects pericardial thickening in pericardial construction but the validity of extrapolating SE criteria to cine MRA imaging has not been tested. Pericardial thickness measured by SE and cine MRA was compared in patients with and without pericardial thickening to determine if the range of pericardial thickness measured by the two techniques is the same. Patients and Methods: Fourteen patients, investigated for possible pericardial constriction (PC), were compared with 24 subjects without evidence of pericardial disease (controls). Images were acquired using SE and cine MRA. Pericardial thickness was compared with final diagnosis. Results: Pericardial thickening (> 3.5mm) by SE detected pericardial constriction: sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 96%, kappa = 0.91. Cine MRA had a sensitivity = 86%, specificity = 63%, kappa = 0.33. Maximum differences between SE and cine MRA pericardial thickness ranged from +2.5mm to -2.7mm. Conclusion: Spin-echo identifies pericardial thickening with little overlap between measurements in patients with and without pericardial constriction. Pericardial thickness on cine MRA usually exceeds SE thickness, but with considerable overlap of thickness measurements in patients with and without pericardial constriction. Cine MRA cannot be used alone to diagnose pericardial thickening.
Graft-versus-host disease after solid organ transplantation: a single center experience and review of literature.

Background Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an uncommon cause of morbidity and mortality after solid organ transplantation that is most likely under-diagnosed. We describe our single center experience with three cases of GVHD diagnosed over a period of 15 years in a total of 2,271 solid organ transplant recipients. Case reports We describe three case reports: (1) a 3-week old neonate who developed GVHD 16 months after living-related liver transplant, (2) a 14-year old adolescent who developed GVHD 4 months following an unrelated cadaveric pancreas transplant and; (3) a 27-year old male who developed GVHD 18 days after simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant from an unrelated donor. GVHD was confirmed through skin biopsies, engraftment profile from bone marrow biopsy and variable number tandem repeat analysis. Treatment strategies included use of corticosteroids and sirolimus monotherapy, corticosteroids and mesenchymal stromal cell therapy and reduction of immunosuppression. We observed that African-American race, sexual and HLA mismatching and cytomegalovirus infection may be high risk factors for development of GVHD following solid organ transplant. Conclusions GVHD continues to be a rare but fatal complication following solid organ transplantation that demands a high index of clinical suspicion for diagnosis and management. Future approaches may focus on early recognition of risk factors and improving treatment protocols using a combination of mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation with pharmacotherapy.
Photodynamic inactivation and its repair in mycoplasmas

Photodynamic inactivation is the loss in viability observed when organic dye-treated cells are exposed to visible light and molecular oxygen. The photodynamic inactivation of mycoplasmas, the smallest free living cells, has been studied. Depending on the extent of inactivation in Acholeplasma laidlawii, photodynamic induced damage can be repaired if the irradiated cells are incubated in the dark in buffer. Analysis of the DNA of these cells shows that photodynamic inactivation induces single strand breaks which can be repaired during liquid holding. To examine possible damage to the cell membrane, glucose uptake was studied as a permeability measure. Neither acriflavine nor photodynamic inactivation had any measurable effect on membrane permeability.
Mississippi front-line recovery work after Hurricane Katrina: an analysis of the intersections of gender, race, and class in advocacy, power relations, and health

By disrupting the routine practices and social structures that support social hierarchy, disasters provide a unique opportunity to observe how gender, race, and class power relations are enacted and reconstituted to shape health inequities. Using a feminist intersectional framework, we examine the dynamic relationships among a government/corporate alliance, front-line disaster recovery workers, and disadvantaged residents in Mississippi Gulf Coast communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck in August, 2005. Data were collected between January 2007 and October 2008 through field observations, public document analysis, and in-depth interviews with 32 front-line workers representing 27 non-governmental, nonprofit community-based organizations. Our analysis reveals how power relationships among these groups operated at the macro-level of the political economy as well as in individual lives, increasing health risks among both the disadvantaged and the front-line workers serving and advocating on their behalf. Socially situated as outsiders-within, front-line recovery workers operated in the middle ground between the disadvantaged populations they served and the powerful alliance that controlled access to essential resources. From this location, they both observed and were subject to the processes guiding the allocation of resources and their unequal outcomes. Following a brief period of hope for progressive change, recovery workers became increasingly stressed and fatigued, particularly from lack of communication and coordination, limited resources, insufficient capacity to meet overwhelming demands, and gendered and racialized mechanisms of marginalization and exclusion. The personal and collective health burdens borne by these front-line recovery workers--predominantly women and people of color - exemplify the ways in which the social relations of power and control contribute to health and social inequities.
Interaction of conjugated linoleic acid, sphingomyelin, and butyrate on formation of colonic aberrant crypt foci and immune functions in rats.

This study was designed to investigate possible additive or synergistic action among sphingo-myelin (SPH) cis-9 trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and butyrate (BTY) against colon cancer and modulation of immune functions in vivo in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Each of the 5 groups of rats was fed either 35 mg SPH, 100 mg CLA, or 100 mg BTY/kg body weight, a com-bination of the 3 compounds at the same doses, or none of the compounds, for 7 wk. Rats were injected with azoxymethane, a colon carcinogen, to induce the formation of aberrant crypt foci, preneoplastic lesions of colon cancer. Parameters measured included number and multiplicity (number of crypts per focus) of aberrant crypts, immune functions such as innate immunity (natural killer cell cytotoxicity), humoral immunity (development of antibodies), and cell-mediated immunity (delayed-type hypersensitivity). Results show that the groups treated with SPH, CLA, and BTY individually had significantly higher natural killer cell (NK) cytotoxicity tha...
The Zero-Divisor Graph Associated to a Semigroup

The zero-divisor graph of a commutative semigroup with zero is the graph whose vertices are the nonzero zero-divisors of the semigroup, with two distinct vertices adjacent if the product of the corresponding elements is zero. New criteria to identify zero-divisor graphs are derived using both graph-theoretic and algebraic methods. We find the lowest bound on the number of edges necessary to guarantee a graph is a zero-divisor graph. In addition, the removal or addition of vertices to a zero-divisor graph is investigated by using equivalence relations and quotient sets. We also prove necessary and sufficient conditions for determining when regular graphs and complete graphs with more than two triangles attached are zero-divisor graphs. Lastly, we classify several graph structures that satisfy all known necessary conditions but are not zero-divisor graphs.
Just One of the Guys? How Transmen Make Gender Visible at Work

This article examines the reproduction of gendered workplace inequalities through in-depth interviews with female-to-male transsexuals (FTMs). Many FTMs enter the workforce as women and then transition to become men, an experience that can provide them with an “outsider-within” perspective on the “patriarchal dividend”—the advantages men in general gain from the subordination of women. Many of the respondents in this article find themselves, as men, receiving more authority, reward, and respect in the workplace than they received as women, even when they remain in the same jobs. The author argues that their experiences can make the underpinnings of gendered workplace disparities visible and help illuminate how structural disadvantages for women are reproduced in workplace interactions. As tall, white FTMs see more advantages than short FTMs and FTMs of color, these experiences also illustrate how men's gender advantages at work vary with characteristics such as race/ethnicity and body structure.
Health Care Accessibility Modeling: Effects of Change in Spatial Representation of Demand for Primary Health Care Services

Health care accessibility can be measured by the number of prospective patients who could reach a medical facility within a prescribed time limit. The representation of health care demand in estimating accessibility is an important consideration since different spatial aggregations of demand have different consequences with regard to accessibility estimates. This article examines the effects of aggregating population demand for primary health care, ranging from census tract to aggregated census block, on estimates of primary health care accessibility. Spatial representations of aggregated demand were incorporated into a location-allocation model in order to determine a measure of accessibility represented by the unmet demand for primary health care services. The model was implemented for the U.S. State of Idaho, based on the allocation of Idaho residents’ demand for primary health care to the state’s existing primary health care facilities. The results confirm a relationship between the level of demand aggregation and the level of potential accessibility. In case of a rural state such as Idaho the relationship is positive; higher levels of aggregation result in higher measures of accessibility.
Modeling and Detection of Limit-Cycle Oscillations Using Adaptable Linear Models

A method for modeling the flutter response of a thin winged aircraft is presented. A hybrid physical-adaptive modeling framework is proposed to separate the autoregressive and moving average flutter components. Adaptive oscillators set at the structural free-vibration modal frequencies of the wing represent the structure (the autoregressive component). The moving average filters represent signal changes caused by aerodynamic forces encountered during flight. Connected in series, these modules form a hybrid model for wing flutter under changing flight conditions. The moving average component is trained to predict the signal produced by an accelerometer at the wing tip. The residual is segmented using an analysis of variance. The resulting family of linear moving average models provides a synthesis of the wing’s response over time. Our analysis shows that this modeling paradigm performs well with data taken at increasing Mach numbers in level flight. Network parameters are shown to correlate linearly with Mach. Network components can themselves be predicted as functions of Mach number, allowing the accelerometer signals to be predicted with a high degree of accuracy. The paradigm is further validated by using an adapted model with a separate set of data from a different but similar flight condition.
Developments in Gigascale Silicon Optical Modulators Using Free Carrier Dispersion Mechanisms

This paper describes the recent advances made in silicon optical modulators employing the free carrier dispersion effect, specifically those governed by majority carrier dynamics. The design, fabrication, and measurements for two different devices are discussed in detail. We present an MOS capacitor-based modulator delivering 10 Gbps data with an extinction ratio of ∼ 4 dB and a pn-diode-based device with high-speed transmission of 40 Gbps and bandwidth greater than 30 GHz. Device improvements for achieving higher extinction ratios, as required for certain applications, are also discussed. These devices are key components of integrated silicon photonic chips which could enable optical interconnects in future terascale processors.
The one-dimensional elastic wave equation: a finite-difference formulation for animated computer application to full waveform propagation

Abstract A FORTRAN computer program for modeling full waveform propagation through a layered homogeneous one-dimensional medium is presented. The output synthetic seismograms are generated using a finite-difference approximation to the wave equation, as opposed to the more conventional approach of simply convolving the calculated reflection coefficient wavetrains with representative wavelets. The strength of the program in wavefront propagation is screen animated and can be captured on hard copy. The software is user-friendly, and was developed primarily as an instructional tool. Each of the finite-difference input parameters is explained in detail for those unfamiliar with the finite-difference theory.
Uses and complications of isotretinoin therapy

Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) is a retinoid that has been used over the past 2 decades to treat a wide variety of dermatologic conditions, some with great success. Although it is beneficial in many skin conditions, the side effects and toxicities of oral retinoids require careful monitoring by experienced physicians. The clinical applications of oral retinoids continue to expand both within and beyond the field of dermatology.
Integrated PV-thermal system for desalination and power production

A new process configuration for efficient utilization of solar energy for simultaneous production of potable water and electricity is presented. The proposed configuration incorporates photovoltaic/thermal(PVT)collectorstoproduceelectricityandtocollectthermalenergy,whichisusedto drive a low temperature phase-change desalination process to produce potable water. This configuration takes advantage of the fact that PVT collectors operating at lower temperatures are more efficient than the traditional PV panels; and low temperature phase-change desalination processes are more efficient than the traditional ones. Results from the theoretical analysis and mathematical modeling of the integrated system show that the PVT area of 30 m 2 with a cooling mass flow rate of 40–50 kg/h m 2 is adequate to supply the electricity (16–18 kWh) and freshwater needs (120 L) of a household of four. A case study was conducted to study the annual performance of the integrated system to provide the needs of the freshwater and electricity. Based on the economic analysis, additional costs incurred to modify an existing PV system will result in freshwater costs of 12.9$/m 3 which is acceptable for small scale desalination systems.
Assessment of fouling-resistant membranes for additive-free treatment of high-strength wastewaters

Abstract In this contribution, we investigate the use of fouling-resistant and cleanable membranes designed for treatment of oily water in the treatment of high-strength industrial wastewaters that present challenges to classical treatment technologies. Membrane surfaces were characterized by spectroscopy and electron microscopy pre- and post-filtration to determine the extent of fouling. Low molecular weight cutoff membranes showed stable permeate fluxes without the need for intermittent cleaning, characteristic of systems with low degrees of internal fouling. For 100 kDa molecular weight cutoff membranes, flux decline was more severe. While polymer-modified membranes processed ~ 26% more permeate than the unmodified membranes in this case, flux recovery after a membrane cleaning step was low and similar for the unmodified and modified membranes, characteristic of high degrees of internal fouling. All membranes reduced turbidity nearly 100% and chemical oxygen demand was reduced 70–84%. These results indicate that ‘tight’ ultrafiltration membranes designed for treatment of oily waters can be used for primary treatment of other highly impaired wastewaters, and the use of more ‘open’ ultrafiltration membranes will require further development and optimization of cleaning protocols.
A Methodology for the Systematic Evaluation of ANN Classifiers for BSN Applications

While many BSN applications require that sensor nodes be able to operate for extended periods of time, they also often require the wireless transmission of copious amounts of sensor data to a data aggregator or base station, where the raw data is processed into application-relevant information. The energy requirements of such streaming can be prohibitive, given the competing considerations of form factor and battery life requirements. Making intelligent decisions on the node about which data to store or transmit, and which to ignore, is a promising method of reducing energy consumption. Artificial neural network (ANN) classifiers are among several competitive techniques for such data selection. However, no systematic metrics exist for determining if an ANN classifier is suited for a particular resource constrained computing environment of a typical BSN node. An especially difficult task is assessing, at the design stage, which classifier architectures are feasible on a given resource-constrained node, what computational resources are required to execute a given classifier, and what classification performance might be achieved by a particular classifier on a given set of resources. This paper describes techniques for quantifying and predicting the performance of ANN classifiers on wearable sensor nodes using scalable synthetic test data. Additionally, the paper shows a comparison of synthetic data with gait data collected using an inertial BSN node, and classification results of the gait data using a cerebellar model arithmetic computer (CMAC) architecture show excellent agreement with theoretical predictions.
Frequency-dependent interaction of ultrashort E-fields with nociceptor membranes and proteins.

We examined the influence of ultrashort pulses (USP) on sensory neurons. Single and high frequency bursts of 12 ns E-fields were presented to rat skin nociceptors that expressed distinct combinations of voltage-sensitive proteins. A single E-field pulse produced action potentials in all nociceptor subtypes at a critical threshold (Ec) of 403 V/cm. When configured into high frequency bursts, USP charge integrated to reduce the action potential threshold in a frequency and burst duration-dependent manner with Ec as low as 16 V/cm (4000 Hz, 25 ms burst). There was no evidence of electroporation at field intensities near the Ec for nociceptor activation. USP bursts activated a late, persistent Ca++ flux that was identified as a dantrolene-sensitive Ca++-induced Ca++ release (CICR). Influx of Ca++ into the cell was required for the CICR and resulted in a reduction of the single pulse Ec by about 50%. Bioelectromagnetics 32:148–163, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Differential effects of designed scaffold permeability on chondrogenesis by chondrocytes and bone marrow stromal cells.

Abstract It has been widely postulated that scaffold permeability has a significant influence on chondrogenesis. However, since permeability has not been rigorously controlled in previous studies, there is no definitive conclusion as to how permeability affects cartilage regeneration by primary chondrocytes or progenitor cells. Here we explored the in vitro effects of scaffold permeability on matrix production and cellular differentiation of chondrocytes and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) using precisely designed poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds in which the high permeability design was 5.25 times more permeable than the lowest permeability design. We found that scaffold permeability affects the chondrogenic performance of chondrocytes and bone marrow stromal cells in opposite ways. Decreased scaffold permeability results in an increase in cartilaginous matrix production by chondrocytes, promoting increases in aggrecan content and collagen 2: collagen 1 gene expression ratios. On the other hand, increased scaffold permeability is more favorable for differentiation of BMSCs down a chondrogenic lineage in this model. The ability to direct cell differentiation and chondrogenesis through a physical design parameter, such as permeability, establishes the capability to incorporate chondrogenic potential into a material design.
A planar rhombic antenna with a broad circular polarization bandwidth for integrated single chip radio transceivers

A planar antenna with a broadband circular polarization is proposed for integrated single chip radio transceivers. The antenna uses a printed dual loop structure with a coplanar strip feed, which is compatible with millimeter wave packaging technology. The concept is verified by the measured results of a prototype antenna. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 1493–1496, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24400
Identifying Zeolite Frameworks with a Machine Learning Approach

Zeolites are microporous crystalline materials with highly regular framework structures consisting of molecular-sized pores and channels. The characteristic framework type of a zeolite is conventionally defined by combining information on its coordination sequences, vertex symbols, tiling, and transitivity information. Here we present a novel knowledge-based approach for zeolite framework type classification. We show the predicting abilities of a machine learning model that uses a nine-dimensional feature vector including novel topological descriptors obtained by computational geometry techniques, together with selected physical and chemical properties of zeolite crystals. Trained on the crystallographic structures of known zeolites, this model predicts the framework types of zeolite crystals with very high accuracy.
Phase II trial of 10 deaza-aminopterin in patients with bladder cancer

Deaza-aminopterin is a folate analog which is transported more rapidly than methotrexate into cells and appears to be more active than methotrexate against human and animal tumor in vitro. Fifteen patients with advanced urothelial tract cancer were given deaza-aminopterin 30–37.5 mg/m2 IV QW. In responding patients drug was given QOW after 4–6 consecutive doses. Doses were escalated or de-escalated by 7.5 mg/m2 depending on toxicity. Twelve patients had received prior chemotherapy which included methotrexate in nine. Three patients achieved a partial remission lasting 1, 3, and 3 months respectively: all responders had previously failed methotrexate after an initial response to a methotrexate containing regimen. None of the six patients who were methotrexate naive responded to deaza-aminopterin; 3 subsequently received methotrexate without response. Mild mucositis was universal and in 5 was severe. Six patients had an increase in liver transaminases probably secondary to anti-folate hepatotoxicity. Other toxicities included diarrhea, nausea, skin rash and fever. Further studies are needed to define the precise efficacy of deaza-aminopterin in patients with urothelial tract cancers.
Weekend effects on binge drinking and homicide: the social connection between alcohol and violence in Russia

Aims and design This study employs unique newly available Russian mortality data to examine the social connection between binge drinking and homicide in the country.
The pupil's response to short wavelength cone stimulation

Abstract Using i.r. pupillometry, we measured the response of the pupil to tritanopic metamers alternating at 0.94 Hz. These are lights that differentially stimulate only the short wavelength (S) sensitive cones. We find a response at the alternation frequency for 5 of 7 observers. This shows, for the 5 observers, that S cone signals can influence pupil size, probably via the traditional retinotectal light reflex pathway. Changing the radiance of just one of the alternating pair of lights causes the two lights to differ in their totalM + L cone stimulation. The pupil's response to this imbalance can antagonize its response to S cone stimulation. By this procedure we find that imbalances inM + L cone stimulation of less than 0.3 log10 unit offset the pupil's response to S cone stimulation of more than 0.8 log10 unit. This suggests that afferent pupillary signals from S cones are weak relative to those fromM + L cones.
Transfer of the feline erythropoietin gene to cats using a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector

Chronic renal failure and the associated erythropoietin-responsive anemia afflicts over 2 million domestic cats in the United States, resulting in morbidity that can affect the owner-pet relationship. Although treatment of cats with recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo) protein can be effective, response to the drug often dissipates over time, probably due to the development of antibodies reactive with the human protein. As an alternate approach to the treatment of this disease, we have developed a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector containing the feline erythropoietin gene (rAAV/feEpo). This vector, when administered intramuscularly to normal healthy cats, caused a dose-related increase in hematocrit over a 7-week period after injection. Thus, the rAAV/feEpo vector holds promise as a simple, safe and effective therapy for the anemia of chronic renal failure in domestic cats.
CSF Somatostatin in Affective Illness

• Somatostatin is a hypothalamic tetradecapeptide with many actions. We investigated a potential role for somatostatinergic neuron dysfunction in affective disorder by measuring somatostatin in the CSF of 47 patients with affective illness and of 39 normal volunteers. Medication-free depressed patients showed significantly lower levels of CSF somatostatin than normal volunteers ( P P
Shifting paradigms: Teaching, Learning and Web 2.0.

Purpose – This paper seeks to re‐conceptualize Web 2.0 tools within the intellectual and theoretical frameworks currently driving changes in academic learning communities and to explore the effect of this paradigm shift on academic libraries.Design/methodology/approach – The paper explores an intellectually rather than technologically driven definition of Web 2.0 and its potential effect on teaching and learning in libraries. Reflections are based on paradigm shifts in learning theories implicit in the adoption and implementation of Web 2.0 technologies. The paper also discusses applications of Web 2.0 designed to improve student and faculty engagement in the research process.Findings – The paper encourages librarians to think beyond the technology and to consider how Web 2.0 can support intellectual teaching and learning objectives in an academic library.Practical implications – The paper discusses applications of Web 2.0 designed to improve student and faculty engagement in the research process.Original...
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Decreases Formation and Severity of Angiotensin II–Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Objective—Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) cleaves angiotensin II (AngII) to form angiotensin-(1–7) (Ang-(1–7)), which generally opposes effects of AngII. AngII infusion into hypercholesterolemic male mice induces formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). This study tests the hypothesis that deficiency of ACE2 promotes AngII-induced AAAs, whereas ACE2 activation suppresses aneurysm formation. Approach and Results—ACE2 protein was detectable by immunostaining in mice and human AAAs. Whole-body deficiency of ACE2 significantly increased aortic lumen diameters and external diameters of suprarenal aortas from AngII-infused mice. Conversely, ACE2 deficiency in bone marrow–derived cells had no effect on AngII-induced AAAs. In contrast to AngII-induced AAAs, ACE2 deficiency had no significant effect on external aortic diameters of elastase-induced AAAs. Because ACE2 deficiency promoted AAA formation in AngII-infused mice, we determined whether ACE2 activation suppressed AAAs. ACE2 activation by admin...
Some effects of sources of nitrogen and biuret on potatoes

1. Sources of N influenced the dry matter production of tops, roots, and tubers of potato plants in greenhouse nutrient culture. The greatest total dry matter yield was obtained with NH4NO3, and a combination of 1/2N from (NH4)2SO4 and 1/2N from CO(NH2)2 gave the highest tuber yield. 2. Ammonium sulfate alone or in combination with CO(NH2)2 increased the percentage of N and reduced the percentage of Ca; whereas, CO(NH2)2 alone or in combination with NH4NO3 tended to increase the K content with very little effect on the Ca and N content. 3. The addition of biuret at a rate of 0.03 per cent to various N sources decreased dry matter production in all instances. 4. Biuret caused many variations in the percentages of N, P, Ca, and K in potato plants grown with various N sources. The NH4+ ion appeared to interact more than NO3 − with biuret in affecting the nutrient contents. 5. Biuret inhibited nitrification in nutrient solutions. 6. Typical plant symptoms are described which were obtained on plants grown with biuret in the nutrient solutions.
Enzyme lesions in galactose non-utilising mutants of Aspergillus nidulans

Abstract 1. 1. Accumulation of D -galactose from the medium by intact mycelium and the enzymes of the Leloir pathway for galactose metabolism have been investigated in wild type and galactose non-utilising mutants of Aspergillus nidulans. 2. 2. Accumulation of D -galactose is a reversible energy dependent process, antagonised by D -glucose, and is a constitutive property of the organism. No mutants were found to lack this function. 3. 3. The activity of galactokinase, galactose- I -phosphate uridyl transferase and UDP galactose-4-epimerase were measured in galactose grown organisms and in non-induced (glycerol grown) or induced (glycerol + galactose grown) organisms. All three enzymes are readily detectable in non-induced in non-induced organisms and icnrease 3–5 fold on induction when activities are comparable to those in galactose grown organisms. D -Fucose is not an inducer. 4. 4. Mutants at the gal9 locus lack galactokinase and those at the unlinked gal5 locus lack transferase. 5. 5. Recessive mutants at a third non-linked locus, gal1, contain normal constitutive enzyme activities, but there is no induction of galactokinase or transferase, though to epimerase increases normally, in cultures grown in the presence of galactose (up to 0.55 M). The mutants are permeable to galactose. 6. 6. Evidence is presented for two systems of galactose utilisation in A. nidulans regulated by pH of the medium. The wild type grows on media at pH 4.0–7.5 with galactose as carbon source. The following suggest that the Leloir pathway operates at pH 4.0–6.5 but some other route at Ph 7.5 (a) Wild type grown on galactose or induced at pH 4.0–6.5 contains all three enzymes, but when grown or induced at pH 7.5 no galactokinase activity can be detected though transferase and epimerase are present. (b) Mutants lacking galactokinase or transferase do not grow on galactose at pH 4.0–6.5, but grow normally at pH 7.5.
Characterization of pressure‐sensitive adhesives. II. Water vapor permeation studies

The permeability of water vapor in a composite film [a Mylar (trademark of DuPont, Inc.) film coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on both sides] and a Mylar film (type D) have been determined at 23°C. The water vapor permeability in the pressure sensitive adhesive, Flexbond 150 (a trademark of Air Products and Chemicals), and the Mylar film have been found to be 3.23 × 10−7 and 2.30 × 10−8 cm3 (STP) cm · cm−2 · s−1 · (cm Hg)−1, respectively, at 23°C.
A nonlinear property of the renal autoregulation.

Die A. renalis von Hunden wurde mit arteriellem Blut mittels einer peristaltischen Pumpe durchstromt. Wir fanden hierbei eine bemerkenswerte Druckantwort auf kurze Stromungspulse, die spezifisch fur die Niere zu sein scheint. Eine anschauliche Deutung der Reaktion konnte mit Hilfe einer einfachen Analogsimulation gegeben werden.
Laser science: Suckers for light.

An optical device has been designed that performs a function exactly opposite to that of a laser. It perfectly absorbs incoming coherent radiation and turns it into thermal or electrical energy.
Inoculation with Lactobacillus plantarum of alfalfa, corn, sorghum, and wheat silages

Abstract Alfalfa, corn, sorghum, and wheat forages were harvested for ensiling. Effects of inoculation of the forages with Lactobacillus plantarum (10 7 /g silage) were studied in small experimental 55-kg drum silos. Control and treated silages were prepared, and drums from each treatment were opened on days 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 33. Proximate analysis, pH, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, soluble carbohydrate, lactic acid, and volatile fatty acid contents were measured. Total faculative anaerobic microflora were increased in all silages by addition of L. plantarum , and numbers of lactobacilli, were increased in all but corn silage. Yeasts and molds were lower only in inoculated alfalfa and wheat silages. The effect of the inoculum was observed on chemical composition only for alfalfa and wheat silages. These treated silages had a lower pH, higher lactic acid content, and great recovery of dry matter, crude protein, and detergent fiber (alfalfa) and nitrogen-free extract (wheat). Inoculation has an effect on microflora in all silages and a positive beneficial effect on nutrient recovery in alfalfa and wheat silages.
Differential ion transport induced electroosmosis and internal recirculation in heterogeneous osmosis membranes.

Water and ion transport through a heterogeneous membrane separating two electrolyte solutions at different concentrations is investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. The membrane features pairs of oppositely charged pores with identical diameters. Simulation results indicate that the differential transport of K+ and Cl- ions through the membrane pores creates an electrical potential difference across the membrane, which then induces an electroosmotic water flux. The induced electroosmosis creates an internal recirculation loop of water between adjacent pores. The implications of these new observations are discussed.
Integrating testing and design methods for undergraduates: teaching software testing in the context of software design

Software testing is a challenging topic for undergraduates, but when integrated into a software design course provides many opportunities to enhance student learning in both testing and design. This paper describes an innovative approach to integrating testing into an introductory software design course for computer science and engineering undergraduates. The paper outlines the rational and benefits of the approach.
Fast evaluation of scaled opposite spin second-order Møller–Plesset correlation energies using auxiliary basis expansions and exploiting sparsity

The scaled opposite spin Moller–Plesset method (SOS-MP2) is an economical way of obtaining correlation energies that are computationally cheaper, and yet, in a statistical sense, of higher quality than standard MP2 theory, by introducing one empirical parameter. But SOS-MP2 still has a fourth-order scaling step that makes the method inapplicable to very large molecular systems. We reduce the scaling of SOS-MP2 by exploiting the sparsity of expansion coefficients and local integral matrices, by performing local auxiliary basis expansions for the occupied-virtual product distributions. To exploit sparsity of 3-index local quantities, we use a blocking scheme in which entire zero-rows and columns, for a given third global index, are deleted by comparison against a numerical threshold. This approach minimizes sparse matrix book-keeping overhead, and also provides sufficiently large submatrices after blocking, to allow efficient matrix–matrix multiplies. The resulting algorithm is formally cubic scaling, and requires only moderate computational resources (quadratic memory and disk space) and, in favorable cases, is shown to yield effective quadratic scaling behavior in the size regime we can apply it to. Errors associated with local fitting using the attenuated Coulomb metric and numerical thresholds in the blocking procedure are found to be insignificant in terms of the predicted relative energies. A diverse set of test calculations shows that the size of system where significant computational savings can be achieved depends strongly on the dimensionality of the system, and the extent of localizability of the molecular orbitals. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2007
Descriptions of the Female and Nymphal Instars of Decarloa darlingtoni La Rivers (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Naucoridae)

Abstract The genus Decarloa (Naucoridae: Laccocorinae) is monotypic and endemic to the island of Hispaniola. Other than its inclusion in a catalog of the Naucoridae, nothing concerning it has been published since the original description. Recently, adults and second through fifth instars of Decarloa darlingtoni La Rivers were collected from Armando Bermudez National Park in the Dominican Republic. All specimens were collected from submerged rocks near the margin of a stream. Females have forelegs with a one-segmented tarsus and paired, articulated pretarsal claws; a pronounced lobe at the middle of the posterior margin of laterosternite V; and a subgenital plate with paired longitudinal carinae near the apex. The nymphal instars can be distinguished from one another based on overall size and relative length of the mesonotal wing pad compared with the exposed part of the metanotal lateral margin.
On Comparing Classifiers: Pitfalls toAvoid and a Recommended Approach

An important component of many data mining projects is finding a good classification algorithm, a process that requires very careful thought about experimental design. If not done very carefully, comparative studies of classification and other types of algorithms can easily result in statistically invalid conclusions. This is especially true when one is using data mining techniques to analyze very large databases, which inevitably contain some statistically unlikely data. This paper describes several phenomena that can, if ignored, invalidate an experimental comparison. These phenomena and the conclusions that follow apply not only to classification, but to computational experiments in almost any aspect of data mining. The paper also discusses why comparative analysis is more important in evaluating some types of algorithms than for others, and provides some suggestions about how to avoid the pitfalls suffered by many experimental studies.
Role of NF-κB in transcriptional regulation of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase by tumor necrosis factor-α

Macrophages play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disease. Activation of these phagocytes induces the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1 and TNF-alpha and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion (O2*-). Recently, we found that TNF-alpha treatment of human monocytic cells (MonoMac1) and isolated human monocytes resulted in up-regulation of the NADPH oxidase gene, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2 (NCF2). These results suggested that TNF-alpha, produced by activated macrophages, could serve as an autocrine/paracrine regulator of the oxidase, resulting in increased and/or prolonged production of O2*-. To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in NADPH oxidase regulation by TNF-alpha, we evaluated transcriptional regulation of oxidase genes in MonoMac1 cells and human monocytes. We show that TNF-alpha-treated cells have increased levels of mRNA and up-regulated expression of NADPH oxidase subunits p47(phox), p67(phox), and gp91(phox), as well as increased oxidase activity. Pharmacological inhibitors of NF-kappaB activation blocked TNF-alpha-induced up-regulation of NCF1, NCF2, and CYBB message, which correlated with a reduction in expression of the corresponding oxidase proteins and decreased O2*- production. These data demonstrate that the increase in and/or maintenance of O2*- production in TNF-alpha-treated MonoMac1 cells and monocytes are a result, in part, of transcriptional up-regulation of three essential NADPH oxidase genes via the NF-kappaB pathway. This novel finding supports a model, whereby TNF-alpha-dependent activation of NF-kappaB up-regulates phagocyte NADPH oxidase activity, leading to enhanced ROS production and further NF-kappaB activation, potentially contributing to sustained oxidant production in chronic inflammation.
Holistic Query Transformations for Dynamic Web Applications

A promising approach to scaling Web applications is to distribute the server infrastructure on which they run. This approach, unfortunately, can introduce latency between the application and database servers, which in turn increases the network latency of Web interactions for the clients (end users). In this paper we introduce the concept of source-to-source holistic transformations---transformations that seek to optimize both the application code and the database requests made by it, to reduce clientlatency. As examples of our concept, we propose and evaluate two source-to-source holistic transformations that focus on hiding the latencies of database queries. We argue that opportunities for applying these transformations will continue to exist in Web applications. We then present algorithms for automating these transformations in asource-to-source compiler. Finally, we evaluate the effect of these two transformations on three realistic Web benchmark applications, both in the traditional centralized setting and a distributed setting.
Dose sparing enabled by skin immunization with influenza virus-like particle vaccine using microneedles.

To address the limitations of conventional influenza vaccine manufacturing and delivery, this study investigated administration of virus-like particle (VLP) influenza vaccine using a microneedle patch. The goal was to determine if skin immunization with influenza VLP vaccine using microneedles enables dose sparing. We found that low-dose influenza (A/PR/8/34 H1N1) VLP vaccination using microneedles was more immunogenic than low-dose intramuscular (IM) vaccination and similarly immunogenic as high-dose IM vaccination in a mouse model. With a 1 μg dose of vaccine, both routes showed similar immune responses and protective efficacy, with microneedle vaccination being more effective in inducing recall antibody responses in lungs and antibody secreting cells in bone marrow. With a low dose of vaccine (0.3 μg), microneedle vaccination induced significantly superior protective immunity, which included binding and functional antibodies as well as complete protection against a high dose lethal infection with A/PR/8/34 virus, whereas IM immunization provided only partial (40%) protection. Therefore, this study demonstrates that microneedle vaccination in the skin confers more effective protective immunity at a lower dose, thus providing vaccine dose-sparing effects.
When is simple good enough: a comparison of the Gompertz, Baranyi, and three-phase linear models for fitting bacterial growth curves

Abstract The use of primary mathematical models with curve fitting software is dramatically changing quantitative food microbiology. The two most widely used primary growth models are the Baranyi and Gompertz models. A three-phase linear model was developed to determine how well growth curves could be described using a simpler model. The model divides bacterial growth curves into three phases: the lag and stationary phases where the specific growth rate is zero (gm=0), and the exponential phase where the logarithm of the bacterial population increases linearly with time (gm=constant). The model has four parameters: N o (Log 8 of initial population density), N MAX (Log 8 of final population density), t LAG (time when lag phase ends), and t MAX (time when exponential phase ends). A comparison of the linear model was made against the Baranyi and Gompertz models, using established growth data for Escherichia coli 0157:H7. The growth curves predicted by the three models showed good agreement. The linear model was more ‘robust' than the others, especially when experimental data were minimal. The physiological assumptions underlying the linear model are discussed, with particular emphasis on assuring that the model is consistent with bacterial behavior both as individual cells and as populations. It is proposed that the transitional behavior of bacteria at the end of the lag phase can be explained on the basis of biological variability.
Modeling superposition of 3- and N-polarized beams on an isotropic photo detector

In a previous paper [SPIE Proc.Vol.7063, paper #4 (2008)], we have attempted to model possible modes of excitations that detecting dipoles carry out during the interaction process with EM waves before absorbing a quantum cupful of energy out of the two simultaneously stimulating EM waves along with experimental validations. Those experiments and analyses basically corroborate the law of Malus. For these two-beam cases, the cosθ-factor, (θ being the angle between the two polarization vectors), is too symmetric and too simple a case to assure that we are modeling the energy absorption process definitively. Accordingly, this paper brings in asymmetry in the interaction process by considering 3-beam and N-beam cases to find out whether there are more subtleties behind the energy absorption processes when more than two beams are simultaneous stimulating a detector for the transfer of EM energy from these multiple beams. We have suggested a possible experimental set up for a three-polarized beam experiment that we plan to carry out in the near future. We also present analyses for 3-beam and simplified Nbeam cases and computed curves for some 3-beam cases. The results strengthen what we concluded in our two beam experimental paper. We also recognize that the mode of mathematical analyses, based upon traditional approach, may not be sufficient to extract any more details of the invisible light-dipole interaction processes going on in nature.
Circulating TNF alpha receptor levels identify older adults who fail to regain weight after acute weight loss

Objective Some healthy older adults have difficulty regaining weight after acute weight loss, and the reason for this failure to regain weight is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if elevated leptin or pro-inflammatory cytokine levels are associated with failure to regain weight over two years after an acute weight loss intervention.
Patterns of arthritis medication use in a community sample.

Background: Although arthritis is disabling, highly prevalent, and often treated without health professional input, little is known about the treatments selected by affected individuals. Such information is important because of the toxicity associated with some arthritis treatments. Objective: To describe the pattern of drug treatment use in a sample of persons with arthritis. Method: The authors distributed an 11-item survey to veterans attending veterans’ organization post meetings in southeastern Wisconsin during November and December 2009. Of 32 posts, 26 (81%) returned surveys from 446 persons; survey count and attendance figures suggest that the majority of attendees completed surveys at participating posts. Most respondents were older (75% aged 60 years or older) men (90%). Respondents with arthritis reported whether they had used each of seven drug therapies in the past year. Results: Almost all members of participating posts responded to the survey, increasing the likelihood that this was a repre...