cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Redox regulation of hepatic NLRP3 inflammasome activation and immune dysregulation in trichloroethene-mediated autoimmunity.

Abstract Trichloroethene (TCE) exposure is associated with the development of various autoimmune diseases (ADs), including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), potentially through the generation of excessive reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS; oxidative stress). However, the mechanisms by which oxidative stress contributes to these TCE-mediated ADs are not fully understood, and are the focus of current investigation. Female MRL+/+ mice were treated with TCE along with or without antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for 6 weeks (TCE, 10 mmol/kg, i. p., every 4th day; NAC, 250 mg/kg/day via drinking water). TCE-treated mice had elevated antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE)-specific circulating immune complexes, suggesting the association of TCE-induced oxidative stress with autoimmune response. In addition, TCE exposure led to prominent lobular inflammation with sinusoid dilation, increased sinusoidal cellularity and increased staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), confirming inflammatory and hepatocellular cell proliferation. Importantly, TCE exposure resulted in the activation of hepatic inflammasome (NLRP3 and caspase-1) and up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, and these changes were attenuated by NAC supplementation. TCE treatment also led to dysregulation of hepatic immune response as evident from markedly increased hepatic lymphocyte infiltration (especially B cells) and imbalance between Tregs (decreased) and Th17 cells (increased). Interestingly, TCE-mediated dysregulation of various hepatic and splenic immune cells was also effectively attenuated by NAC. Taken together, our findings provide evidence for TCE-mediated inflammasome activation, infiltration of various immune cells, and skewed balance of Treg and Th17 cells in the liver. The attenuation of TCE-mediated hepatic inflammasome activation and immune responses by NAC further supports a critical role of oxidative stress in TCE-mediated inflammation and autoimmunity. These novel findings could help in designing therapeutic strategies for such ADs.
Extra-Axial Inflammatory Signal in Parameninges in Migraine with Visual Aura.

Objective Cortical spreading depression (CSD) underlies the neurobiology of migraine with aura (MWA). Animal studies reveal networks of microvessels linking brain-meninges-bone marrow. CSD activates the trigeminovascular system, evoking a meningeal inflammatory response. Accordingly, this study examines the upregulation of an inflammatory marker in extra-axial tissues in migraine with visual aura. Methods We used simultaneously acquired 11 C-PBR28 positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging data of 18kDa translocator protein (an inflammatory marker) in MWA patients (n = 11) who experienced headaches and visual aura in the preceding month. We measured mean tracer uptake (standardized uptake value ratio [SUVR]) in 4 regions of interest comprising the meninges plus the adjacent overlying skull bone (parameningeal tissues [PMT]). These data were compared to healthy controls and patients with pain (chronic low back pain). Results MWA had significantly higher mean SUVR in PMT overlying occipital cortex than both other groups, although not in the PMT overlying 3 other cortical areas. A positive correlation was also found between the number of visual auras and tracer uptake in occipital PMT. Interpretation A strong persistent extra-axial inflammatory signal was found in meninges and calvarial bone overlying the occipital lobe in migraine with visual auras. Our findings are reminiscent of CSD-induced meningeal inflammation and provide the first imaging evidence implicating inflammation in the pathophysiology of migraine meningeal symptoms. We suspect that this inflammatory focus results from a signal that migrates from underlying brain and if so, may implicate newly discovered bridging vessels that crosstalk between brain and skull marrow, a finding of potential relevance to migraine and other neuroinflammatory brain disorders. ANN NEUROL 2020;87:939-949.
An Internal Dial for Sensitivity and Gain of Rapid Mechanotransduction

Piezos are ion channels that are activated by mechanical force. Now, 10 years after their initial discovery, Geng et al. (2020) reports, in this issue of Neuron, a novel Piezo1 variant with distinct functional properties, providing key insights into Piezo's structure and function that were fully unexpected.
Chapter 61 – Mammary Gland

The development of breast cancer, the most common malignancy of women, is clearly influenced by environmental factors, particularly during key developing periods or “windows of susceptibility.” With a better understanding of this important interplay, there is heightened awareness and increased implementation of more rigorous methods for hazard identification in in vitro and in vivo models. This chapter provides details about mammary gland biology, development, species comparisons, approaches to hazard identification and study design, morphologic evaluation and diagnosis, and mechanisms of mammary toxicity and carcinogenicity in order to provide necessary background for thorough and appropriate evaluations.
Rates of levoglucosanol hydrogenolysis over Brønsted and Lewis acid sites on platinum silica-alumina catalysts synthesized by atomic layer deposition

Abstract Nanoscale coatings of AlOx were deposited onto SiO2 using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to synthesize amorphous silica-alumina (SiAl) catalysts, and these catalysts were investigated for levoglucosanol (Lgol) hydrogenolysis. With decreasing Al2O3 loading, the ratio of Bronsted to Lewis acid sites, measured by NH3-TPD and pyridine-FTIR, systematically increases, while the Al coordination, measured by solid state 27Al NMR, decreases. These structural changes correspond to an increasing mass-normalized rate of Lgol hydrogenolysis. We model the mass-normalized reaction rate as the sum of independent contributions from Bronsted and Lewis sites, showing that Bronsted acid sites on ALD-AlOx/SiO2 catalysts have a 6-times higher turnover frequency (TOF) than Lewis acid sites on these catalysts. Additionally, Lewis acid sites on ALD-AlOx/SiO2 catalysts (potentially related to Al(V) species) have a 4-times higher TOF than Lewis acid sites on bulk γ-Al2O3. The overall mass-normalized reactivity of ALD-AlOx/SiO2 catalysts is due to Lewis acid sites at the highest Al2O3 loading, while it is predominantly due to Bronsted acid sites at the lowest Al2O3 loadings. This work provides a new approach to synthesize amorphous SiAls with tunable Bronsted/Lewis acid site ratio and reveals differences in the reactivity of Bronsted and Lewis acid sites on these materials.
The origin of channels on lower Taylor Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, and their implication for water runoff

Well-developed surface channels on Taylor Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, begin as medial moraines incised as shallow, narrow surface depressions, and retain this geometry for tens of km. Over a distance of 1100 m, the channel geometry dramatically changes, reaching depths >20m and widths >100 m. After rapidly enlarging, the channels appear to evolve toward a new equilibrium geometry. Compared to the glacier surface, the air temperature in the channels is warmer by ∼1.7˚C, wind speed is reduced by ∼2.4ms–1 and net shortwave radiation is greater by ∼14Wm–2. The microclimate in the channel shifts the energy balance towards enhanced melt. Field evidence and energy-balance modeling indicate ablation in the deep channels is ∼4.5 times greater than the local horizontal glacier surface and that melt accounts for ∼99% of the summer ablation, compared to ∼75% on the adjacent horizontal glacier surface. Melt in these channels supplies 65% of the unaccounted water discharge into the neighboring lake. In large part, the channels generate the water they carry, rather than merely route water generated elsewhere.
‘Hombres de otra raza y hasta de otra edad más lejana parecían’: Masculinity and Imperial Nostalgia in Eduardo López Bago’s El separatista (1895)

This essay argues that Eduardo Lopez Bago’s 1895 novel El separatista underscores that Cuba should remain a Spanish colony by constructing the Cuban male separatists as deviant to reinforce Spain’s...
Interval Likelihood Ratios and the Diagnostic Process

* Abbreviations: ILR — : interval likelihood ratio LE — : leukocyte esterase UA — : urine analysis UTI — : urinary tract infection In this issue of Pediatrics , Liang et al1 apply the concept of interval likelihood ratios (ILRs) to the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children under the age of 2 years. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of a cohort of children <2 years of age who had a urine culture and urine analysis (UA) simultaneously obtained from their emergency department. Their analysis, in contrast to most previous reports, derives ILRs for the scaled results of the UA relative to the diagnosis of UTIs. Most readers will be familiar with the terms sensitivity and specificity. ILRs are closely related to sensitivity and specificity but have at least 2 advantages. First, a separate ILR can be derived for each value of a test result when there can be more than just positive or negative results. For example, a urine dipslide can quantify the presence of leukocyte esterase (LE) as trace, 1+, 2+, or 3+. Liang et al1 showed 3+ LE increases the probability a child has … Address correspondence to Stephen M. Downs, MD, MS, Center for Biomedical Informatics, Wake Forest Baptist Health, 486 N Patterson Ave, Winston Salem, NC 27101. E-mail: sdowns{at}wakehealth.edu
Statistical Learning of IC Models for System-Level ESD Simulation

To enable accurate system-level electrostatic discharge (ESD) simulation, this article applies statistical learning to obtain I/O port models of the victim integrated circuits (ICs). A quasi-static I–V model derived using kernel regression can capture the circuit board dependency of the behavior observed at the I/O pin, regardless if there is snapback. The non-parametric kernel model can be reduced to a system-specific parametric model, which has smaller requirements for computing time and memory. In some cases, transient system-level ESD simulation may require the IC model to replicate the dynamic behavior of the nonlinear circuit. A recurrent neural network is demonstrated to be a suitable model in such cases. This article provides a detailed RNN training flow for IC pin modeling, and presents a Verilog-A implementation of the RNN for use with Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE)-type simulators.
250-OR: Higher Genetic Risk Score Predicts Smaller Waist Circumference Change over One Year across Five Lifestyle Intervention Clinical Trials

Lifestyle intervention, combining calorie restriction and physical activity to induce weight loss, is the frontline treatment for overweight or obesity and well-known to reduce waist circumference (WC). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with WC adjusted for body mass index (WCadjBMI), but it remains unclear whether these SNPs relate to the change in WCadjBMI with lifestyle intervention. Here, we examined whether 59 SNPs previously associated with WCadjBMI in GWAS predicted change in WCadjBMI at one year in 5 lifestyle intervention trials and at 8-10 weeks in two lifestyle intervention trials. Look AHEAD, Diabetes Prevention Program, Diabetes Prevention Study, DIETFITS, and PrediMed Plus contributed one-year data, and NUGENOB and DiOGenes contributed 8-10 week data. Genetic risk scores (GRS) combined associated alleles for each SNP weighted by association with WCadjBMI from Shungin et al, 2015 and meta-analyses with random effects for each trial were used to pool results. Among White participants, higher GRS related to smaller year one change in WCadjBMI in the lifestyle intervention arms, and thus predicted poorer response (p=0.009). With a point estimate of 0.002 (SE=0.001) across trials, for a person with an initial BMI of 34 and a year 1 reduction in BMI of 2.5, each weighted risk allele in the GRS contributed to a 0.06 cm (SE=0.03) higher WC at year 1. With a 25th%ile, median, and 75th%ile GRS of 42.77, 46.75, and 50.48, this translates to 0.46 cm less change in WC between the 25th%ile and 75th%ile. No significant findings emerged in men and women separately, in the African-American subset, for the 8-10 week outcomes, or for the individuals SNPs after correcting for multiple comparisons. These results may help to define the molecular pathways through which lifestyle intervention impacts central adiposity. Disclosure J. Mccaffery: None. T. Hansen: None. T. O. Kilpelainen: None. D. Corella: None. W. H. M. Saris: Advisory Panel; Self; Friesland Campina International, Consultant; Self; Nutrition et sante. T. I. A. Sorensen: None. J. Tuomilehto: None. R. R. Wing: None. T. Agurs-collins: None. K. A. Jablonski: None. Q. Pan: None. A. Astrup: Consultant; Self; Groupe Ethique et Sante, France, Employee; Self; Novo Nordisk Foundation, Other Relationship; Self; Flaxslim ApS, Denmark, Gelesis, Personalized Weight Management Research Consortium ApS (Gluco-Diet. dk). M. R. Christiansen: None. L. M. Corso: None. J. C. Florez: Consultant; Self; Goldfinch Bio, Inc., Other Relationship; Self; Novo Nordisk. P. W. Franks: Advisory Panel; Self; Zoe Global Limited, Consultant; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk. C. D. Gardner: None. Funding WESTAT/National Cancer Institute
Choosing Ultrasound Equipment

Choosing an ultrasound system for musculoskeletal work involves a review of many vendors, models, features, and price points. At one level, the choice between a portable system and a console system must be made. Thereafter, consideration of the various features of each model, the level of technical support offered by the company, and the price of the system all play a role in making a purchasing decision. Finally, intended use (such as for diagnostic purposes only, for injection guidance only, or a mix of the two) and the degree to which the physician wishes to become more proficient with musculoskeletal ultrasound also factor into choosing a system. In fact, price should be among the least important considerations.
Conclusion: Lessons Learned – Pedagogical and Theoretical Strategies for Teaching Race

Two challenges facing instructors in the twenty-first century are the social discourse of colorblindness and the fact that many teachers do not have adequate tools with which to educate students on this issue. As a result, courses about race often reinforce notions of colorblindness rather than providing students with the tools to challenge contemporary ideologies and position it and themselves within a cultural and historical context. To that end, the scholars included this book highlight and present solutions for some of the major challenges facing instructors of race and inequality.
Where is the truth? A cross-cultural comparison of Chinese and American newspaper coverage

On the third day of the UN's Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995, the Beijing-based Xinhua News Agency lashed out against the Western media' coverage of the affair as ‘strongly biased and prejudiced against China and against developing countries.’ Is there evidence to support that contention? This study analyses the :China Daily's and the New York Times' coverage of the Fourth World Conference on Women as well as the Non-Governmental Organisations Forum on Women held in tandem with it. Issues were content analysed between 17 August and 10 September 1995. Complete articles, hard news or features, were the units of analysis. Analysing both manifest and latent content, this qualitative analysis focuses on how the two papers framed these two concurrent events. Results indicate that the agendas of both conferences were overshadowed by topics tangential to the real issues affecting the status of women.
Experiencing interior environments: New approaches for the immersive display of large-scale point cloud data

This document introduces a new application for rendering massive LiDAR point cloud data sets of interior environments within highresolution immersive VR display systems. Overall contributions are: to create an application which is able to visualize large-scale point clouds at interactive rates in immersive display environments, to develop a flexible pipeline for processing LiDAR data sets that allows display of both minimally processed and more rigorously processed point clouds, and to provide visualization mechanisms that produce accurate rendering of interior environments to better understand physical aspects of interior spaces. The work introduces three problems with producing accurate immersive rendering of Li-DAR point cloud data sets of interiors and presents solutions to these problems. Rendering performance is compared between the developed application and a previous immersive LiDAR viewer.
Gathering statistics to aspectually classify sentences with a genetic algorithm

This paper presents a method for large corpus analysis to semantically classify an entire clause. In particular, we use cooccurrence statistics among similar clauses to determine the aspectual class of an input clause. The process examines linguistic features of clauses that are relevant to aspectual classification. A genetic algorithm determines what combinations of linguistic features to use for this task.
An approach for using modified nucleotides in aqueous DNA computing

The concept of aqueous computing involves the use of large numbers of initially identical molecules to serve as memory registers in a fluid environment. Here, we consider a new approach to aqueous computing where modified nucleotides are used to 'write' on double-stranded DNA molecules to establish the logical values of true or false for a set of clauses. We introduce an implementation scenario where binding proteins specific to each modification can be used to selectively isolate DNA fragments with these modified nucleotides. In addition, we present initial results showing successful incorporation and detection of modifications as well as separation of modified molecules using binding proteins. As there are millions of molecules with corresponding binding proteins, this approach has the potential to yield unlimited computing power as compared with other aqueous computing methods.
CONGENITAL CUTANEOUS CANDIDIASIS.

A case of congenital cutaneous moniliasis is described. The infection occurred without known rupture of the fetal membranes. It is of interest that such extensive congenital infection occurred without gross evidence of placental infection.
Rupture of an aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva into the right atrium: Observations using a catheter-tip micromanometer-microphone

Abstract Rupture of an ancurysm of a sinus of Valsalva into a right heart chamber is classically associated with a continuous murmur. This was heard in the present case with rupture into the right atrium. Hemodynamic data suggest that shunt flow was largely diastolic, systolic shunt flow being impaired by a Venturi effect in the aortic root and by a mechanical occlusive or kinking effect of ventricular systole upon the fistula tract. Right atrial pressure was normal despite the large shunt; this may be related to increased right atrial compliance permitting this chamber to dilate and still maintain normal pressures. The localized continuons murmur heard externally was probably a direct transmission of the continuous murmur in the mid and distal portions of the aortico-right atrial communication. However, accentuation of certain phases of this murmur and the systolic and diastolic murmurs heard at other precordial locations are probably related to other factors, including phasic changes in shunt flow and increased blood flow across the pulmonic and aortic valves.
Proof diagrams: a graphical tool for assisting set proofs

The traditional way of carrying out a set proof is to write it in English combined with set notations. This linearform description of logical reasoning can cause many difficulties in the process of learning set proofs for students with insufficient mathematics and English background. Furthermore, teaching these students to write set proofs in such a style can be a frustrating task. Toward solving this learning-teaching problem, a graphical approach for constructing set proofs is presented in this paper. We first identify some common learning difficulties of students when dealing with set proofs written in the tradition style. Then, we introduce the notion of proof diagrams and provide two examples to illustrate how a set proof can be constructed using proof diagrams. Finally, we compare our new graphical approach with the traditional one to summarize its contributions.
Apriori algorithm and game-of-life for predictive analysis in materials science

Experimental data in many domains serves as a basis for predicting useful trends. If the data and analysis are available over the Web this promotes E-Business by connecting clientele worldwide. This paper describes such a predictive tool "QuenchMiner™" in the domain "Materials Science". Data mining, more specifically the "Apriori Algorithm", is used to derive association rules that represent relationships between input conditions and results of domain experiments. This enables the tool to answer questions such as "Given cooling medium and agitation during material heat treatment, predict cooling rate". This allows users to perform case studies on the Web and use their results to optimize the involved processes, thus increasing customer satisfaction. Another interesting aspect is predicting material microstructure during heat treatment. Microstructure controls material properties such as hardness. Hence its prediction helps in making decisions about materials selection. Microstructure prediction has similarities to an artificial intelligence process called "Game-of-Life". Some challenges in our work are incorporating domain expert judgement while mining association rules, simulating microstructure evolution under different conditions, and dealing with uncertainty. These challenges and associated research issues are outlined here. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first tool performing Web-based predictive analysis in Materials Science.
RECIPIENT AS CANNIBAL:JAPANESE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ETHICS OFORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

Because organ transplantation involves the literal taking into one body of another body’s parts, Japanese commentators on modern biotechnology have, at least in comparison to their Western counterparts, been willing to see parallels between such a practice and cannibalism. This survey of that difference in sensitivity suggests that it is part of the reason why Japan has been less willing to grant social acceptance to such a medical procedure. Differences between Buddhism and Christianity – since in the latter a central ritual involves the symbolic ingestion of flesh and blood – also appear to be involved in the differing ways in which organ transplantation from “brain-dead” persons has been evaluated not only by the bioethicists but also by the general populace in these two constituencies.
A review of Motivational Interviewing to enhance adherence to antipsychotic medication in patients with schizophrenia: Evidence and recommendations

Background: Non-adherence with treatment is a serious concern for many behavioral health problems, and nowhere is this issue more acute than among patients with schizophrenia who are non-adherent to antipsychotic medications.Aims: Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a psychotherapeutic intervention which has been demonstrated to be effective at increasing adherence to behavioral health regimens. The aim of this article was to review the empirical literature on the use of MI to increase adherence to antipsychotics among patients with schizophrenia.Method: A literature review utilizing PubMed and PsycINFO from 1965 to 2006 was conducted.Results: The literature review produced only five empirical studies which utilized MI to increase antipsychotic adherence. Two studies found an increase in antipsychotic adherence following the MI-based intervention, while the other three found no change in adherence.Conclusions: The small sample of studies and the methodological limitations of each made it difficult to draw a...
A controversy in scaling of subjective states: magnitude estimation versus category rating methods

Measurement issues surrounding the quantification of subjective states such as sensations and attitudes have received increasing attention in nursing in recent years. It has sometimes been argued that magnitude estimation (ME) procedures are superior to category rating (CR) methods for scaling of subjective states which require judgments of intensity or strength of perception. A critique of the two scaling methods is presented. In contrast to arguments first proposed by Stevens and others for the superiority of ME procedures and the ability to attain "direct" ratio level measurement with ME scaling, there is evidence to suggest that ME procedures do not in fact produce ratio level scales. The "characteristic" exponents associated with ME scaling are not necessarily intrinsic to particular subjective states. CR scales neither necessarily constrain nor lack the requisite sensitivity needed to produce valid responses. It is concluded that ME is not necessarily superior to the commonly used CR method for scaling of subjective states in nursing research. Implications of the controversy for selection of scaling methods for nursing research are discussed. Greater attention to the ordinal or rank-order properties of data is encouraged. A small set of data is used to illustrate the importance of rank order properties in scaling subjective states in nursing.
Aerial triangulation with auxiliary data

Abstract This report describes progress made in the field of aerial triangulation with auxiliary data since the Eighth International Congress of Photogrammetry held in Stockholm, 1956. To make this report as complete as possible a questionnaire concerning this matter was mailed to twenty-one photogrammetric organizations in various countries. Answers were obtained from fourteen different reporters. From these answers follows that the significance of aerial triangulation has considerably increased since 1956. New systems of producing auxiliary data are under investigation with special emphasis on electronic measuring devices.
An Increased γδ T Cell Population in the Intestine of Thymus-Leukemia Antigen Transgenic Mice☆

In an approach to study thymic leukemia antigen's (TL's) function, we have developed transgenic mice that express T18d on virtually all somatic cells; in such mice, we initially observed changes in T cells within the thymus and lymph nodes as well as the ability of TL to undergo recognition by splenic T cells. As phase II of our study, we now present the results on the composition of gut T cell populations which may be a better measure of TL's true function. We have demonstrated an increase in the number of gamma delta T cells as well as the increase in gamma delta T cells expressing the V gamma 2 chain. These cells appear to be both CD4 and CD8 negative. This suggests that TL may select for a subset of gamma delta T cells within the gut and bolsters earlier reports implicating an H-2T regional gene product as the major histocompatibility complex ligand for gamma delta T cells.
MSXα calculations of octahedral clusters in titanium and vanadium oxides

Abstract Using the spin-polarized MSXα method in the muffin-tin approximation, calculations of the electronic structure of VO 10− 6 and TiO 10− 6 clusters in vanadium and titanium monoxides have been carried out. The effects of exchange polarization in these compounds are studied and appear to be quite small, the largest energy difference between corresponding α and β spin-orbitals not exceeding 1 eV for VO 10− 6 and 0.8 eV for TiO 10− 6 . The molecular orbital diagrams calculated are compared with the full sets of X-ray emission spectra of the compounds and an interpretation of experimental spectra bands is given. A comparison between the MSXα and semiempirical MO LCAO results shows reasonable agreement. The stabilization of energy levels of VO 10− 6 and TiO 10− 6 clusters in the crystal lattice of oxides with higher oxidation number of metal is studied. The results of these calculations are in good agreement with the experiments and demonstrate the applicability of cluster MSXα methods for the study of electronic structure not only for dielectrics but also for compounds possessing metallic conductivity such as the vanadium and titanium monoxides.
Derivatives of the annuity function assuming makeham-gompertz mortality; and the n-ages method

Assuming Makeham-Gompertz mortality a general expression for the r-th derivative ax: with respect to x is obtained. This expression includes an incomplete Gamma function, which may be evaluated by a computer program. It can be used in assessing the error made with the n-ages method when approximating integrals and sums of products of ax with another function of x.
Repression of toxin production by tryptophan in Clostridium botulinum type E

Of the seven amino acids required by Clostridium botulinum type E, tryptophan is the most essential and may provide the cell with nitrogen. The addition of excess tryptophan (10-20 mM) or other nitrogenous nutrients to minimal growth medium markedly decreased toxin formation but did not affect growth in C. botulinum type E. On the other hand, the addition of an enzymatic digest of casein (NZ Case) stimulated toxin formation and overcame repression by tryptophan. Immunoblots of proteins in culture fluids using antibodies to type E toxin indicated that tryptophan-repressed cultures produced less neurotoxin protein. Inhibitors of neurotoxin did not accumulate in cultures grown in minimal medium supplemented with high tryptophan. The results suggest that tryptophan availability in foods or in the intestine may be important for toxin formation by C. botulinum type E.
Forces for rolling and asymmetric pinching of pressurized cylindrical tubes

The space application of inflatable structures makes desirable a better understanding of how membranes inflate from tightly packed arrangements. Two experiments determined the static forces and moments induced by internal pressure in a partially deployed membrane. The first experiment examined the forces at a fold or crease line. The second characterized the torque on a rolled-up membrane. In both experiments regions of nearly constant curvature dominated the deformed tube, which is consistent with general considerations of thin-shell behavior. This observation permits a simple approximation for the calculation of the volume of the deformed configuration. The volume can then be used in a potential energy formulation. The results from this formulation agree with the experimental measurements. Therefore, this formulation shows promise for simulating the inflation process with minimal computational effort. Nomenclature A = cross-sectional area of membrane a = semimajor axis of elliptical section of membrane E = Young's modulus of Mylar (measured value), 855 MPa F = downward force on the blade h - gap height between blade and base board hb = vertical distance from the bottom edge of the poly vinyl chloride (PVC) pipe to the roll, 14 mm h i = contact height on left side of blade hi = contact height on right side of blade L = horizontal distance between the end of the PVC pipe and the center of the axle or blade L i = axial distance between the centers of curvature of the top and bottom cross cylinders L2 = axial distance from the center of the top cross cylinder to the axle
Energy-efficient cache design in emerging mobile platforms: the implications and optimizations

Mobile devices are quickly becoming the most widely used processors in consumer devices. Since their major power supply is battery, the energy-efficient computing is highly desired. In this paper, we focus on the energy-efficient cache design in emerging mobile platforms. We observe that more than 40% of L2 cache accesses are OS kernel accesses in interactive smartphone applications. Such frequent kernel accesses cause serious interferences between the user and kernel blocks in the L2 cache, leading to the unnecessary block replacements and high L2 cache miss rate. We propose to partition the L2 cache into two separate segments which can only be accessed by the user code and kernel code, respectively. Meanwhile, the overall size of the two segments is shrunk, which greatly reduces the energy consumption by 15% while still maintains the similar cache miss rate. We further find completely different access behaviors between the two separated kernel and user segments in our novel L2 cache design, and explore the multi-retention STT-RAM based user and kernel segments to maximize the cache energy savings. The experimental results show that our techniques significantly reduce the cache energy consumption (e.g. 75%) with only 2% performance loss in emerging smartphones.
Generating symmetric causal Markov random fields

A method for generating symmetric causal Markov random fields (MRFs) is proposed. A simple way to parameterise this random field is also presented. To show its effectiveness, several realisations of the proposed random field are simulated and compared to the well-known causal MRF model.
Comparison of psychometric measures of fatigue

Many psychometric instruments have been developed to measure various components of fatigue. In this study the factor structure of the scales included in nine psychometric instruments developed to measure different components of fatigue were investigated. One hundred and thirty-four research participants completed the nine instruments in groups of approximately 30 each. Factor analysis of the scores obtained on these scales yielded a two-factor solution with 11 scales loading 0.40 or greater on the first factor and 10 scales loading 0.40 or greater on the second factor. These two factors, Distress-Fatigue and Vigor, accounted for 48 percent of the total variance and approximated simple structure. The results reveal that the different psychometric measures of fatigue are really measuring only two different factors rather than the many different factors specified by the different instruments.
Kindling in the frog: Development of spontaneous epileptiform activity☆☆☆

Abstract The present report is the first demonstration of the kindling phenomenon in a non-mammalian, poikilothermic species. Brief (2 sec) localized electrical stimulation was delivered to the hippocampal cortex of one hemisphere of the partially paralyzed bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana , at current levels just sufficient to elicit brief after-discharge (AD) on first application. Succeeding stimulations, once per hour, gave rise to more and more prolonged AD involving first the side stimulated (1° focus) and secondly the opposite hemisphere (2° focus). In addition to these stimulus-dependent alterations, after several hours spontaneous, paroxysmal discharges occured in inter-stimulus intervals. They appeared first in the stimulated hemisphere, then as evoked spikes in the secondary hemisphere, and finally independently on the two sides. The wave-shape of the spontaneous epileptiform potentials exhibited an extraordinary constancy from complex to complex which was specific to each animal. Such wave-shape coherence implies a constancy to both the anatomical substrate and the sequence of synaptic engagement each time spontaneous paroxysmal activity invades the network. The model is especially suitable for analysis of temperature-dependent biochemical events responsible for this functional transformation.
Capillary fracture of soft gels

A liquid droplet resting on a soft gel substrate can deform that substrate to the point of material failure, whereby fractures develop on the gel surface that propagate outwards from the contact line in a starburst pattern. In this paper, we characterize (i) the initiation process, in which the number of arms in the starburst is controlled by the ratio of the surface tension contrast to the gel's elastic modulus, and (ii) the propagation dynamics showing that once fractures are initiated they propagate with a universal power law $L\ensuremath{\propto}{t}^{3/4}$. We develop a model for crack initiation by treating the gel as a linear elastic solid and computing the deformations within the substrate from the liquid-solid wetting forces. The elastic solution shows that both the location and the magnitude of the wetting forces are critical in providing a quantitative prediction for the number of fractures and, hence, an interpretation of the initiation of capillary fractures. This solution also reveals that the depth of the gel is an important factor in the fracture process, as it can help mitigate large surface tractions; this finding is confirmed with experiments. We then develop a model for crack propagation by considering the transport of an inviscid fluid into the fracture tip of an incompressible material and find that a simple energy-conservation argument can explain the observed material-independent power law. We compare predictions for both linear elastic and neo-Hookean solids, finding that the latter better explains the observed exponent.
Criteria for oscillations in closed isothermal reacting systems

Criteria required for oscillations to occur in concentrations of species reacting via either the Lotka or Frank-Kamenetskii kinetic schemes hut in a closed homogeneous system are developed analytically using perturbation expansions, and the results are substantiated by comparison with exact numerical solutions. It is found that damped oscillatory behavior can occur in a closed system if certain functions containing rate coefficients and initial concentrations of species have appropriate. magnitudes.
Correlating pharmacokinetics and teratogenic endpoints

The use of pharmacokinetics can improve the extrapolation of animal teratology data for human risk evaluation. Before one can extrapolate between species, however, the pharmacokinetic model must be predictable within the species for which it was developed. This article summarizes an approach being used for correlating pharmacokinetics and teratology endpoints in the same animal and predicting the teratogenic outcome for other animals of the same species. With the aid of micro-sampling procedures, and sensitive and rapid analytical techniques, blood, urine and feces samples are obtained from individual animals following dosing and the data are simulated using a hybrid computer to develop a pharmacokinetic model. The model is validated in other animals by measuring the parent compound and metabolites in various "compartments" predicted by the model. Then the pharmacokinetic model is tested by predicting the teratogenic outcome in single ani-analyses indicated the most predictive pharmacokinetic parameters to be two maternal blood concentration values. Prediction of the teratogenic outcome based on these parameters was accurate for 74% of the litters in the 95% confidence interval. This approach is discussed as it relates to its utility for other exposure routes and for extrapolation to other species.
Mechanical relaxations and 1/f noise in Bi, Nb, and Fe films

Anelastic piezoresistance and 1/{ital f} noise were measured in the same samples to compare mechanical relaxations with 1/{ital f} noise. In bismuth below 200 K, both effects could be fitted to a model invoking one class of mobile defects. In niobium, both the anelastic piezoresistance and the noise scaled with the concentration of dissolved hydrogen. A well-defined peak in noise versus temperature was observed without any peak in the anelastic response. In iron, noise apparently from a carbon Snoek relaxation was observed at 220 K in a sample with high impurity concentration and at 300 K with low impurity concentration. No anelastic feature was found at 220 K in the high-impurity-concentration sample. The broad nature of 1/{ital f} noise appears to arise not from a fundamental source but from the generally poor quality of thin films.
Whole-Genome Draft Sequences of Three Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Available from the American Type Culture Collection

ABSTRACT Infection with multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is a significant problem worldwide, requiring a better understanding of how various strains are able to defeat current antibiotic therapies and cause disease. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three K. pneumoniae strains harboring the SHV-18, KPC-2, or NDM-1 β-lactamases.
Kinetic Modeling of Large‐Scale Reaction Systems

This review gives a brief account of basic ideas underlying approaches to analysis and modeling of large‐scale reaction systems. The emphasis is on model simplification and mechanism/dimension reduction via heuristic concepts and formal mathematical techniques. Among the key topics discussed are: top‐down and bottom‐up modeling approaches, graph/matrix representation of chemical reactions, mechanistic vs. pathways models, quantitative structure‐reactivity relationships, mathematical reduction of dimensionality, high‐fidelity surrogate models, continuum approximation, lumping of nonlinear kinetics, overall behavior/kinetics of many reactions, effect of pore diffusion, steady state multiplicity and stability. Some common features of dimension reduction methodologies are noted. Areas where further work will be valuable are identified.
Possible disagreements and defeat

Conciliatory views about disagreement with one’s epistemic peers lead to a somewhat troubling skeptical conclusion: that often, when we know others disagree, we ought to be (perhaps much) less sure of our beliefs than we typically are. One might attempt to extend this skeptical conclusion by arguing that disagreement with merely possible epistemic agents should be epistemically significant to the same degree as disagreement with actual agents, and that, since for any belief we have, it is possible that someone should disagree in the appropriate way, we ought to be much less sure of all of our beliefs than we typically are. In this paper, I identify what I take to be the main motivation for thinking that actual disagreement is epistemically significant and argue that it does not also motivate the epistemic significance of merely possible disagreement.
Effect of the mGluR5 antagonist 6-methyl-2-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) on the acute locomotor stimulant properties of cocaine, D-amphetamine, and the dopamine reuptake inhibitor GBR12909 in mice.

Recent evidence suggests that, in addition to ascending monoaminergic systems, glutamate systems also play a role in psychostimulant-induced locomotor activity. The present study was conducted to examine the effects of the selective type-5 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR5) antagonist 6-methyl-2-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) on the acute locomotor stimulant effects of cocaine, d-amphetamine, and the dopamine reuptake inhibitor GBR12909. Male DBA/2J mice were treated with saline or MPEP (1, 5, 20 or 30 mg/kg i.p.) 10 min prior to the administration of cocaine (15 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg i.p.), d-amphetamine (3 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg i.p.) or GBR12909 (10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg i.p.). Locomotor activity was then monitored in an open-field environment for 30 min. The effects of MPEP alone (1, 5, 20 and 30 mg/kg i.p.) on locomotor activity were also examined. MPEP dose dependently inhibited the acute locomotor stimulant effects of cocaine, d-amphetamine, and the 10-mg/kg dose of GBR12909. However, MPEP had no effect on the locomotor stimulant effects of the higher (20 mg/kg) dose of GBR12909. When tested alone, MPEP increased locomotor activity at doses of 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg. Our data suggest that mGluR5 receptors not only mediate spontaneous locomotor activity in DBA/2J mice but also the acute locomotor stimulant effects of cocaine, d-amphetamine and lower doses of GBR12909. However, the fact that MPEP did not attenuate the locomotor stimulant effects of the high (20 mg/kg) dose of GBR12909 suggests complex interactions between metabotropic glutamate receptors, dopamine transporters and possibly other monoamines in the regulation of psychostimulant-induced locomotor activity.
Uniqueness, existence, and optimality for fourth-order Lipschitz equations

for each (t, y,, y,, y,, y4), (t, zi, z2, z3, Z~)E (a, 6) x R4. In particular, we will characterize optimal length subintervals of (a, b), in terms of the Lipschitz coefficients k,, i= 1, 2, 3, 4, on which certain two, three, and four point boundary value problems for (1) have unique solutions. The techniques we employ here involve applications of the Pontryagin Maximum Principle [ 14, p. 3141 in conjunction with uniqueness implies existence results for solutions of boundary value problems for (1). These techniques are motivated by works of Melentsova [15], and Melentsova and Mil’shtein [ 16, 171, and most notably by the two papers by Jackson [ll, 121. Furthermore, the results contained herein can be considered as extensions of a recent paper by Henderson [6] dealing with boundary value problems for third-order equations. In relating the results of this paper to previous works, we will formulate the boundary value problems in terms of the nth-order differential equation
Cold-sensitive conditional mutations in Era, an essential Escherichia coli GTPase, isolated by localized random polymerase chain reaction mutagenesis

Conditional cold-sensitive mutations in Era, an essential Escherichia coli GTPase, were isolated. Localized random polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mutagenesis employing Taq and T7 DNA polymerases under error prone amplification conditions was exploited to generate mutations in the era gene. A plasmid exchange technique was used to identify conditional cold-sensitive mutations in Era that give rise to defective cell growth below 30 °C. Three recessive missense mutations in Era, N26S, A156D, and E200K, were isolated. All three mutations are located at residues conserved in Era homologues from Streptococcus mutans and Coxiella burnetii.
Role of emergency intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography

Abstract Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has a definitive role in the diagnosis and management of critically ill patients with cardiovascular disease and patients undergoing cardiac operations. The diagnostic role of emergency intraoperative TEE and the impact on clinical outcome have not been evaluated. We reviewed the indications, findings, and impact of emergency intraoperative TEE in 66 patients over a 4-year period. The indications for emergency TEE were unexplained hemodynamic instability (36 patients), preoperative evaluation of patients having emergency surgery (19 patients), cardiac evaluation of trauma cases (6 patients), and unexplained intraoperative hypoxemia (5 patients). New findings were disclosed in 53 (80%) patients, with an alteration of the planned surgical procedure in 15 (23%). Despite the therapeutic impact, 24 patients (36%) did not survive to hospital dismissal. We recommend that TEE be considered as the diagnostic tool of choice when surgical patients have unexplained hemodynamic instability, when time does not permit complete preoperative evaluation, when cardiovascular injury is suspected in a trauma patient, and to evaluate unexplained hypoxemia. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998;11:972-7.)
Interpolation of virial coefficients

The paper presents a method for interpolation of the temperature dependence of the coefficients appearing in the virial equation of state. Regression of available data for a virial coefficient at high and low temperatures is used to formulate an approximant that captures the order-of-magnitude behaviour in these extremes. This behaviour is factored out of the data, and the resulting residual is subject to spline interpolation. The value of the virial coefficient at an interpolated temperature is recovered by multiplying by the approximant evaluated at the temperature of interest. The scheme is demonstrated through application to virial data for several model systems, and is shown to provide much more reliable results than direct interpolation performed on the unscaled virial-coefficient data.