cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Administering cultured Taxus cells with early precursors reveals bifurcations in the taxoid biosynthetic pathway

Administering Taxus suspension cells with labeled 5alpha-hydroxytaxadiene and 5alpha,10beta-dihydroxytaxadiene, and the corresponding 5alpha-acetate esters, demonstrated that acetylation at C5 of the monool precursor promotes the formation of 14beta-hydroxy taxoids, such as taxuyunnanine C, at the expense of 13alpha-hydroxy taxoids, including Taxol and its congeners, but that the major bifurcation in taxoid biosynthesis, toward 13alpha- or 14beta-hydroxy taxoids, occurs after 10beta-hydroxylation of the taxane core.
Chromatography of Vitamin B1 and Choline

The separation of vitamin B1 and choline has been achieved by means of chromatography on starch. A qualitative determination is described; the quantitative tests are done by the usual methods.
The role of adipose-derived stem cells in endometrial cancer proliferation

AbstractBackground. Obesity has been identified as a key risk factor for the development of endometrial cancer (EC), the most common gynecologic malignancy in the US. We hypothesized that adipose tissue from EC patients secretes higher levels of cancer-promoting factors than healthy adipose tissue and promotes tumor cell growth. Methods. In this study, we generated conditioned media from adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), an important regenerative cell population within adipose tissue. ASCs were isolated from adipose tissue from two EC patients undergoing hysterectomies and four cancer free control patients undergoing elective abdominoplasties. Ishikawa cells were then cultured for 48 hours in ASC-conditioned media (ASC-CM). Study outcomes included cancer cell proliferation rates and angiogenic factor secretion from cancer cells. Results. Our results indicate that ASC-conditioned media significantly increased Ishikawa cell proliferation rate when compared to control Ishikawa culture conditions (p = 0.002)...
Clinical Challenges and Commentaries

“So, that’s my most recent puzzling patient,” said Dr A. “What would you have done with him?” “I think I would have handled it the same way,” Dr B answered, “but it’s not an easy problem to work up or treat.” With a deep sigh, Dr A said, “You know, I often wish I had the time to really research these cases—to do the literature search, get the articles, and really sit down and figure out all the details.” Nodding, Dr B agreed, “Yeah, me too, but the time we’ll have time to do that will be the same time we retire. . . . ” Does this sound familiar? It’s a wish I have several times a week. Now, the ARCHIVES wants to help us busy practitioners make the best use of the time we have for education by providing clinically relevant information about specific patient problems. The new series, “Clinical Challenges in Otolaryngology,” is designed to do what we all wish we had time to do when we encounter a patient with a challenging diagnosis, or when we try to figure out the latest word on the best treatment for a common problem. Each Clinical Challenge will be written by an experienced practitioner about a very specific clinical topic. Each review starts out with a Hypothesis, such as “Antibiotic prophylaxis is the best treatment for recurrent acute otitis media.” This first review, by Michael Stewart from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, discusses this hypothesis: “Partial resection of the middle turbinate during functional endoscopic sinus surgery decreases the incidence of synechia formation and enhances long-term antral patency.” The author of each discussion first succinctly describes the most current data supporting (Pro) this hypothesis, against (Con) this hypothesis, and then sums up the conclusions about the best day-to-day care of such patients in the Bottom Line. Each presentation is accompanied by 1 or 2 “Commentaries” by senior clinicians, pointing out their conclusions based on years of patient experience. Your input is needed! What are the clinical problems that most often trigger your desire for more literature research time? What topics would you like to see discussed? Please send topics or hypotheses (30 words or less), as well as suggestions for clinician-authors.
Multi-phase computations of the semiclassical limit of the Schrödinger equation and related problems: Whitham vs Wigner

Abstract We present and compare two different techniques to obtain the multi-phase solutions for the Schrodinger equation in the semiclassical limit. The first is Whitham’s averaging method, which gives the modulation equations governing the evolution of multi-phase solutions. The second is the Wigner transform, a convenient tool to derive the semiclassical limit equation in the phase space—the Vlasov equation—for the linear Schrodinger equation. Motivated by the linear superposition principle, we derive and prove the multi-phase ansatz for the Wigner function by the stationary phase method, and then use the ansatz to close the moment equations of the Vlasov equation and obtain the multi-phase equations in the physical space. We show that the multi-phase equations so derived agree with those derived by Whitham’s averaging method, which can be proved using different arguments. Generic way of obtaining and computing the multi-phase equations by the Wigner function is given, and kinetic schemes are introduced to solve the multi-phase equations. The numerical schemes, based on multiphase closure of the Liouville equation, are purely Eulerian and only operate in the physical space. Several numerical examples are given to explore the validity of this approach. Similar studies are conducted for the linearized Korteweg–de Vries equation and the linear wave equation.
Democracy on the lam: Crisis, constitutionalism and extra-legality

Sheldon S. Wolin's theory of fugitive democracy has been both lauded and criticized for its radical departure from the mainstays of democratic theory: formal institutions, political offices and constitutional arrangements of power. For Wolin, democracy is correctly understood as an ephemeral event that appears unexpectedly when ordinary citizens, united by a shared grievance, collectively interrupt normal political proceedings and reject constitutionalism. This article critically analyzes Wolin's theory in light of a historical phenomenon in which citizens collectively interrupted politics: frontier vigilantism in the American West from 1850 to 1900. Critical of Wolin's wholesale rejection of constitutionalism, the article reveals the potentially legalistic patterns of extra-legal collective action, and it argues for de-fetishizing democratic practice that occurs outside of institutional channels.
Design of Peptidomimetics That Inhibit the Association of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase with Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-β Receptor and Possess Cellular Activity

Phosphorylated tyrosine residues of growth factor receptors that associate with intracellular proteins containing src-homology 2 (SH2) domains are integral components in several signal transduction pathways related to proliferative diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and restenosis. In particular, a phosphorylated pentapeptide [pTyr751-Val-Pro-Met754-Leu (pTyr = phosphotyrosine)] derived from the primary sequence of platelet-derived growth factor-β (PDGF-β) receptor blocks the association of the C-terminal SH2 domain of the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) to PDGF-β receptor with an IC50 of 0.445 ± 0.047 μM. Further evaluation of the structure−activity relationships for pTyr751-Val-Pro-Met-Leu resulted in the design of smaller peptidomimetics with enhanced affinity including Ac-pTyr-Val-Ala-N(C6H13)2 (IC50 = 0.076 ± 0.010 μM). In addition, the phosphotyrosine residue was replaced with a difluorophosphonate derivative [4-phosphono(difluoromethyl)phenylalanine (CF2Pmp)] which...
Cretaceous aquifers in North Carolina: analysis of safe yield based on historical data

The Cretaceous aquifers underlying the central part of the North Carolina Coastal Plain are used extensively as the preferred source of water for municipalities, industries, and agriculture. Regional decline in head in the middle parts of the system (the Upper Cape Fear and Black Creek aquifers) began in the late 1950s to early 1960s. The trends in head during the 1960s, together with data on land subsidence, were analyzed to demonstrate the value of using early data, in conjunction with conceptual models, before collecting additional data. The sources of withdrawals from the Cretaceous aquifers identified in the conceptual model are: (1) movement of water (recharge) across confining beds, (2) reduction in natural discharge, (3) release of water from aquifer storage, (4) drainage of water from fine-grained lenses in aquifers and confining beds, and (5) release of water resulting from advance of the salt-water front. Estimates of the amounts derived from each of these sources resulted in a reduction of the estimated safe yield of the Cretaceous aquifers in the 2,486-mi2 (6,439-km2) area of the central Coastal Plain from 75 mgd (million gallons per day) (284,000 m3/day) to less than 5 mgd (19,000 m3/day).
Health Care Expenditures Associated With Skeletal Fractures Among Medicare Beneficiaries, 1999–2005

Fractures impose substantial burdens, in terms of both costs and health, on individuals and health care systems. This is particularly true for older Americans and the Medicare system. The objective of this study was to estimate the costs of care associated with selected fractures among Medicare beneficiaries. This was a retrospective, person-level, pre/postfracture analysis using administrative data. The study used Medicare claims data from 1999 through 2005 for a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries. The subjects included Medicare beneficiaries, >or=65 yr of age, who had at least 13 mo of both Parts A and B coverage and not enrolled in Medicare Advantage and who experienced a closed fracture of the hip, femur, pelvis, tibia/fibula, ankle, distal forearm, nondistal radius/ulna, humerus, clavicle, spine, or wrist, or any fracture of the distal forearm or ankle during the years 2000 through 2005. The main outcome measures were incremental (greater than baseline) and attributable (directly associated) payments for Medicare-covered services for the first 6 mo after incident fractures. Incremental payments ranged from $7788 (95% CI, $7550-$8025) for distal forearm fractures to $31,310 (95% CI, $31,073-$31,547) for open hip fractures; the attributable payments for distal forearm and hip fractures were $1856 and $18,734, respectively. Fractures are associated with substantial increases in health services utilization and costs among Medicare beneficiaries, but significant proportions of those costs are not directly attributable to fracture treatment. Further research is needed to ascertain other health conditions that are driving costs for Medicare beneficiaries after fractures.
Atmospheric photooxidation of alkylbenzenes—II. Evidence of formation of epoxide intermediates

Abstract Photooxidation experiments of six alkylbenzene compounds were conducted under simulated atmospheric conditions. Carbonyl products with their molecular weights matching a series of epoxide carbonyls were observed. This observation supports the supposition formation of epoxide intermediates as suggested by Bartolotti and Edney's theoretical calculations. These epoxide intermediates are also consistent with recently observed prompt HO2 formation upon hydroxyl radical attack on the ring. An alternative origin of the observed epoxides might be from a second OH attack upon the epoxide/oxepin intermediate proposed by Barnes et al. (1996, Air & Waste Management Association 89th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Nashville). Because of the potential toxicity and mutagenicity of the epoxide products, the atmospheric chemistry of these epoxide compounds should be studied in greater detail with indoor and outdoor chamber and in field experiments to assess their role in the urban atmosphere.
A system for digital acquisition and processing of marine seismic profiling data

A shipboard system for the digital acquisition and processing of marine seismic profiling data has been developed and extensively used during the past two years. Deployed at sea for twelve months, the system supported studies of the Eastern Atlantic Continental Margin. The system consists of two computer subsystems of which one is dedicated to data acquisition and storage while the second performs processing operations. Data processing is carried out in a post real-time manner with results generally available writhin 24 hours. The system has shown high reliability and cost effective operation.
Recovery room risk and outcome associated with renal extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

Abstract Study Objectives : To determine (1) the general risk and outcome in the recovery room among 4 different anesthetic techniques associated with 2 different extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) machines and (2) any gender-related differences among patients undergoing ESWL. Design : Retrospective statistical analysis. Setting : University medical center. Patients : 2,203 ASA physical satus I–IV patients undergoing ESWL over a 46-month period. Interventions : A review of the chart records of patients who received 1 of 4 anesthetic techniques (general, spinal, epidural, or monitored anesthesia care) on 1 of 2 ESWL machines. Measurements and Main Results : A positive finding was defined as a complication and/or side effect of such significance as to require a treatment order or recovery room note on the patient's chart. The main complications and/or side effects were nausea and/or vomiting, flank pain, and hypertension. Female patients experienced flank pain and nausea and/or vomiting with general anesthesia and monitored anesthesia care at approximately twice the frequency of males. Conclusions : (1) Overall, ESWL is relatively safe. Both machine types and all anesthetic techniques exhibited a low risk and good outcome. (2) There appear to be gender-related differences during ESWL. Female and male patients may have different pain and nausea and/or vomiting thresholds during ESWL.
A Virial Theorem Investigation of Magnetic Variations in the Sun

The magnetic virial theorem is applied here to a long-standing astrophysical problem, namely, the sign of the Sun's radius change during the solar activity cycle. The solar radius is theoretically found to decrease around the time of maximum magnetic field strength, in agreement with the best available observational evidence. This theoretical prediction, although simply based, instills some confidence by explicitly satisfying the conservation of total energy.
Nitrogen fixation in biological soil crusts from southeast Utah, USA

Biological soil crusts can be the dominant source of N for arid land ecosystems. We measured potential N fixation rates biweekly for 2 years, using three types of soil crusts: (1) crusts whose directly counted cells were >98% Microcoleus vaginatus (light crusts); (2) crusts dominated by M. vaginatus, but with 20% or more of the directly counted cells represented by Nostoc commune and Scytonema myochrous (dark crusts); and (3) the soil lichen Collema sp. At all observation times, Collema had higher nitrogenase activity (NA) than dark crusts, which had higher NA than light crusts, indicating that species composition is critical when estimating N inputs. In addition, all three types of crusts generally responded in a similar fashion to climate conditions. Without precipitation within a week of collection, no NA was recorded, regardless of other conditions being favorable. Low ( 26°C) temperatures precluded NA, even if soils were moist. If rain or snow melt had occurred 3 or less days before collection, NA levels were highly correlated with daily average temperatures of the previous 3 days (r 2=0.93 for Collema crusts; r 2=0.86 for dark crusts and r 2=0.83 for light crusts) for temperatures between 1°C and 26°C. If a precipitation event followed a long dry period, NA levels were lower than if collection followed a time when soils were wet for extended periods (e.g., winter). Using a combination of data from a recording weather datalogger, time-domain reflectometry, manual dry-down curves, and N fixation rates at different temperatures, annual N input from the different crust types was estimated. Annual N input from dark crusts found at relatively undisturbed sites was estimated at 9 kg ha–1 year–1. With 20% cover of the N-fixing soil lichen Collema, inputs are estimated at 13 kg ha–1 year–1. N input from light crusts, generally indicating soil surface disturbance, was estimated at 1.4 kg ha–1 year–1. The rates in light crusts are expected to be highly variable, as disturbance history will determine cyanobacterial biomass and therefore N fixation rates.
An aperture array oscillator in superfluid 4He

Abstract We present studies of superfluid 4 He flow through an array of apertures using a diaphragm-aperture oscillator technique. The apertures, which have diameters of the order of 100 nm and are typically spaced a few microns apart, are made in a 90 nm thick SiN membrane. We have measured the supercritical flow through the array as a function of temperature and oscillator drive. At low temperatures, the critical velocity decreases linearly with increasing temperature. At moderately higher drive levels, the supercritical flow becomes progressively more noisy due to the increasing number of phase slips induced from one half-cycle to the next. Finally, at drive levels of the order of 1000 times higher than the critical drive, large collapses occur which significantly reduce the oscillator's amplitude.
High-resolution image reconstruction of digital video with nonglobal rigid body motion

Many imaging systems utilize detector arrays that are not sufficiently dense to sample the scene according to the Nyquist criterion. As a result of this undersampling, some of the higher spatial frequencies admitted by the optics are aliased to lower frequency representations in the sampled image. This creates undesirable artifacts that decrease the utility of the imagery. Furthermore, the blurring effects of the optics and the finite detector size also degrade the image quality. Several approaches for obtaining a higher sampling rate have been suggested in the literature such as controlled and uncontrolled microscanning or from natural camera platform motion in order to up-sample the scene. Here we extend this work to include the possibility of non-global rigid body motion. In particular, we show that the motion of rigid objects within the scene is in many cases sufficient to allow the up-sampling of the object. We present a method that makes use of optical-flow-based motion segmentation techniques to isolate moving objects from the background in a sequence of digital images. These segmented objects from each frame provide a unique 'look' or set of samples of the object, allowing us to perform a reconstruction of the object. This allows for high resolution image reconstruction of each segmented object independently. The experimental results presented illustrate the breakdown of global reconstruction algorithms in the presence of non-global rigid motion. We also present results using the proposed method that treats individual moving objects and background separately. The results include data from a visible CCD camera.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Some computational and statistical tools for paired comparisons of digital images.

This article is a case-based review that introduces applied statisticians to a number of issues and methods that arise in clinical studies with paired digital images as outcomes. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is the imaging modality used in two examples. The first is a physical simulation of relevant clinical features of SPECT images using a customized head phantom scanned under different experimental conditions. The objective is to demonstrate and compare several current methods for image registration, i.e., image superimposition in some optimal manner to obtain a common frame of reference within which to make pixel-by-pixel comparisons. Image registration together with image normalization to correct for spurious differences in background activity levels enable quantification of differences in paired images. The physical simulation assesses quantification accuracy. The second example involves two SPECT images of the same brain tumour patient taken about two months apart. The objectiv...
Score test for mapping quantitative-trait loci with sibships of arbitrary size when the dominance effect is not negligible.

In the linakge analysis of quantitative traits, an additive model that assumes no dominance effect is often adopted. Intuitively, when the no-dominance-effect assumption does not hold, such a practice does not make efficient use of the data, and its power to detect linkage can be improved. Here we introduce a score statistic for detecting quantitative trait loci when the dominance effect is not neglible or the dominance effect is a concern. This statistic is derived from a normal likelihood function for sibships of arbitrary size. In the derivation, the inherent genetic constraints on model parameters are fully taken into consideration. This score statistic is asymptotically equivalent to the corresponding likelihood ratio statistic, but it is much easier to compute. The asymptotic distribution of this statistic is derived, which is a mixture of chi(0) (2), chi(1) (2), and chi(2) (2). Weights for distribution components are functions of the informativeness of the marker data. The type I error rate and the power of the proposed statistic in finite sample are evaluated via simulations.
A HIGH INTENSITY NANOSECOND PULSED VAN DE GRAAFF ACCELERATOR

Abstract A description is given of a Van de Graaff generator modified for nanosecond pulsing in the terminal. The beam is chopped by sweeping past a limiting aperture by an RF oscillator. A discussion is given for the choice of design parameters. Pulse widths as low as 2 × 10 −9 seconds have been obtained. Typical operating conditions are 3 × 10 −9 seconds pulse width, 1 40 duty cycle, peak currents 0.8-1 mA, with an average current of 17 μA. Measured gamma ray and neutron time spectra are shown.
Differences in life satisfaction among older community-dwelling Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites

Objectives: Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic/racial group of the older adult population in the United States, yet little is known about positive mental health in this group. We examined differences in life satisfaction between demographically matched groups of older Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites, and sought to identify specific factors associated with these differencesMethods: Participants included 126 community-dwelling English-speaking Hispanics aged 50 and older, and 126 age-, gender-, and education-matched non-Hispanic Whites. Participants completed standardized measures of life satisfaction and postulated correlates, including physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning, as well as positive psychological traits and religiosity/spirituality.Results: Hispanics reported greater life satisfaction than non-Hispanic Whites (p < 0.001). Ethnic groups were comparable on most postulated correlates of life satisfaction, except that Hispanics had lower levels of cognitive performance, and ...
Using Open Source Tools to Prevent Write-Only Code

This paper describes how the open-source tools Checkstyle, PMD, FindBugs, and Jupiter have been incorporated into the beginning programming course at Adams State College. The tools have helped students develop better software development skills and have improved the performance of the instructor in the code evaluation process which in turn helps students become better software engineers.
Growth of Escherichia coli DL41(DE3) in enhanced chemically defined media in the presence of L-telluromethionine (778.7)

In analyzing the three-dimensional structure of a protein, the x-ray crystallography endeavor can be improved by incorporating unnatural amino acids into that protein. Most naturally occurring atoms do not have sufficient mass to diffract electrons. Using unnatural amino acids containing a metalloid provides a solution to this problem. Bioincorporation of L-Telluromethionine can provide residues with sufficient mass for electron scattering when incorporated serendipitously. However telluromethionine has cytotoxic effects which reduce cell growth and uptake. A proteomic analysis of telluromethionyl Escherichia coli was carried out using the methionine auxotroph E. collie DL41(DE3) (pCock) expression system. Both telluromethionyl and methionyl exposed cultures were analyzed with the objective of identifying differentially expressed proteins. The biological roles of differentially expressed proteins was elucidated and have been applied to improving methods for the bioincorporation of telluromethionine via th...
Stereophonic acoustic echo cancellation system using time-varying all-pass filtering for signal decorrelation

This paper describes a novel technique for decorrelating the stereo signals in stereophonic acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) systems. At present, most teleconferencing systems use a single full-duplex audio channel for voice communications. However, in order to introduce spatial realism, future teleconferencing systems are expected to have more than one channel (at least stereo with two channels). However, in stereophonic AEC systems, the correlation between the stereo signals does not allow correct identification of the echo path responses. We develop a signal decorrelation technique based on time-varying all-pass filtering of the individual stereo signals. Experiments show that this technique does not effect the perception of the stereo signals, but identifies the echo path responses correctly.
Cigarette smoking and the risk for alcohol use disorders among adolescent drinkers.

Background: Cigarette smoking and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are closely linked, but it is not clear whether higher rates of AUD among smokers are solely attributable to heavier drinking or, alternatively, whether smokers are more vulnerable to alcohol abuse and dependence than nonsmokers who drink comparable quantities. We sought to address this issue using data from a nationally representative U.S. sample of adolescents and young adults. Specifically, we analyzed the relationship between cigarette smoking, drinking, and AUDs. Methods: Data were from the aggregated 2002 through 2004 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Participants were randomly selected, household-dwelling adolescents and young adults (ages 12-20) from the noninstitutionalized, civilian population of the United States (N=74,836). Measurements included current DSM-IV alcohol abuse or dependence, number of drinks in the past 30 days, and past-year cigarette smoking, defined as having smoked more than 100 cigarettes across the lifetime and having smoked during the past year. Results: Past-year smokers (prevalence=16.0%) drank in higher quantities than never-smokers, but were also at elevated risk for AUD when compared with never-smokers who drank equivalent quantities. The effect was observed across age groups, but was more prominent among younger adolescents. After adjusting for drinking quantity and sociodemographic variables, smokers had 4.5-fold higher odds of AUD than never-smokers [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 3.1-6.6]. Youths who reported smoking but did not cross the 100-cigarette threshold were at intermediate risk [odds ratio (OR), 2.3; 95% CI, 1.7-3.3]. Differences in AUD between smokers and never-smokers were most pronounced at lower levels of drinking. Conclusions: The results are consistent with a higher vulnerability to AUDs among smokers, compared with nonsmokers who drink equivalent quantities. Language: en
Integrity checker for wireless sensor networks in health care applications

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) for health care systems are used to transmit large amount of data collected from several physiological and environmental sensors. Because the information regarding the health of an individual is highly sensitive, it must be kept private and secure. It is of paramount importance to defend the network against any illegal access, as well as malicious insertion of data that would alter the integrity of the entire system. In this paper, we propose solutions to ensure robustness, integrity, and privacy of sensor networks in health care systems. In addition, we define new metrics for determining the integrity of the sensory data. These metrics are defined based on specific characteristics of the health care systems.
The SLAC damped detuned structure: concept and design

The SLAC Damped Detuned Structure (DDS) is an accelerator structure designed to suppress the long range transverse wakefields which limit the performance of high current multibunch accelerators. We discuss the conceptual considerations which have led to its development and discuss the steps involved in arriving at a design.
REGRESSION COMPONENT ANALYSIS

Regression component decompositions (RCD) are defined as a special class of component decompositions where the pattern contains the regression weights for predicting the observed variables from the latent variables. Compared to factor analysis, RCD has a broader range of applicability, greater ease and simplicity of computation, and a more logical and straightforward theory. The usual distinction between factor analysis as a falsifiable model, and component analysis as a tautology, is shown to be misleading, since a special case of regression component decomposition can be defined which is not only falsifiable, but empirically indistinguishable from the factor model.
Racial and ethnic differences in childhood asthma treatment in the United States.

Objective. To examine racial–ethnic differences in asthma controller medication use among insured U.S. children. Data Sources. Linked nationally representative data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2005–2008), the 2000 Decennial Census, and the National Health Interview Survey (2004–2007). Study Design. The study quantifies the portion of racial–ethnic differences in children's controller use that are attributable to differences in need, enabling and predisposing characteristics. Principal Findings. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children were less likely to use controllers than non-Hispanic white children. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition results indicated that observable characteristics explain less than 40 percent of the overall differential in controller use between non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks. In contrast, observable characteristics explain more than two-thirds (71.3 percent) of the overall non-Hispanic white-Hispanic differential in controller use. For non-Hispanic blacks, a majority of the explained differential in controller use were attributed to enabling characteristics. For Hispanics, a significant portion of the explained differential in controller use was attributed to predisposing characteristics. In addition, a larger portion of the differential in controller use was explained by observable characteristics for publicly insured non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children. Conclusions. The large observed differences in controller use highlight the continuing challenges of ensuring that all U.S. children have access to quality asthma care.
Atomic Scale Force Mapping with the Atomic Force Microscope

The ability to recognize differences between atoms in topographically similar positions has been a long-standing goal in Atomic Force Microscopy, especially in a biological context. Mapping of forces (often attractive) at very small (<5 A) tip-sample separations is one plausible way to achieve this. We have measured these types of forces above crystalline surfaces in water. Atomic resolution on attractive forces is demonstrated on the cleavage planes of calcite and muscovite mica. Atomic scale variations in the force between the tip and sample as a function of lateral position are observed on calcite.
Repair of DNA double-strand breaks within the (GAA•TTC)n sequence results in frequent deletion of the triplet-repeat sequence

Friedreich ataxia is caused by an expanded (GAA•TTC)n sequence, which is unstable during intergenerational transmission and in most patient tissues, where it frequently undergoes large deletions. We investigated the effect of DSB repair on instability of the (GAA•TTC)n sequence. Linear plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli so that each colony represented an individual DSB repair event. Repair of a DSB within the repeat resulted in a dramatic increase in deletions compared with circular templates, but DSB repair outside the repeat tract did not affect instability. Repair-mediated deletions were independent of the orientation and length of the repeat, the location of the break within the repeat or the RecA status of the strain. Repair at the center of the repeat resulted in deletion of approximately half of the repeat tract, and repair at an off-center location produced deletions that were equivalent in length to the shorter of the two repeats flanking the DSB. This is consistent with a single-strand annealing mechanism of DSB repair, and implicates erroneous DSB repair as a mechanism for genetic instability of the (GAA•TTC)n sequence. Our data contrast significantly with DSB repair within (CTG•CAG)n repeats, indicating that repair-mediated instability is dependent on the sequence of the triplet repeat.
A Big Data Approach to Analyzing Market Volatility

Understanding the microstructure of the financial market requires the processing of a vast amount of data related to individual trades, and sometimes even multiple levels of quotes. Analyzing such a large volume of data requires tremendous computing power that is not easily available to financial academics and regulators. Fortunately, public funded High Performance Computing (HPC) power is widely available at the National Laboratories in the US. In this paper we demonstrate that the HPC resource and the techniques for data-intensive sciences can be used to greatly accelerate the computation of an early warning indicator called Volume-synchronized Probability of Informed trading (VPIN). The test data used in this study contains five and a half year's worth of trading data for about 100 most liquid futures contracts, includes about 3 billion trades, and takes 140GB as text files. By using (1) a more efficient file format for storing the trading records, (2) more effective data structures and algorithms, and (3) parallelizing the computations, we are able to explore 16,000 different ways of computing VPIN in less than 20 hours on a 32-core IBM DataPlex machine. Our test demonstrates that a modest computer is sufficient to monitor a vast number of trading activities in real-time -- an ability that could be valuable to regulators.Our test results also confirm that VPIN is a strong predictor of liquidity-induced volatility. With appropriate parameter choices, the false positive rates are about 7% averaged over all the futures contracts in the test data set. More specifically, when VPIN values rise above a threshold (CDF > 0.99), the volatility in the subsequent time windows is higher than the average in 93% of the cases.
Living Arrangements, Employment Status, and the Economic Well-Being of Mothers: Evidence from Brazil, Chile, and the U.S

Using data from Brazil, Chile, and the U.S., we estimate country specific models of household income that characterize mothers according to their marital status, living arrangement, and employment status. We assess the predicted economic well-being of each type of mother relative to a benchmark of married mothers in the same country, and at various points in the income distribution. We find dramatic cross-country differences in the distribution of mothers across categories, but few differences in each type's relative economic status. In all three countries and at all points in the income distribution, mothers who are the only adults in their households have the lowest levels of predicted income, while married mothers—followed closely by cohabitors—have the highest levels.
Biochemicals Associated With Pain and Inflammation are Elevated in Sites Near to and Remote From Active Myofascial Trigger Points

Abstract Shah JP, Danoff JV, Desai MJ, Parikh S, Nakamura LY, Phillips TM, Gerber LH. Biochemicals associated with pain and inflammation are elevated in sites near to and remote from active myofascial trigger points. Objectives To investigate the biochemical milieu of the upper trapezius muscle in subjects with active, latent, or absent myofascial trigger points (MTPs) and to contrast this with that of the noninvolved gastrocnemius muscle. Design We used a microanalytic technique, including needle insertions at standardized locations in subjects identified as active (having neck pain and MTP), latent (no neck pain but with MTP), or normal (no neck pain, no MTP). We followed a predetermined sampling schedule; first in the trapezius muscle and then in normal gastrocnemius muscle, to measure pH, bradykinin, substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, serotonin, and norepinephrine, using immunocapillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography. Pressure algometry was obtained. We compared analyte concentrations among groups with 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Setting A biomedical research facility. Participants Nine healthy volunteer subjects. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Preselected analyte concentrations. Results Within the trapezius muscle, concentrations for all analytes were higher in active subjects than in latent or normal subjects ( P P P P Conclusions We have shown the feasibility of continuous, in vivo recovery of small molecules from soft tissue without harmful effects. Subjects with active MTPs in the trapezius muscle have a biochemical milieu of selected inflammatory mediators, neuropeptides, cytokines, and catecholamines different from subjects with latent or absent MTPs in their trapezius. These concentrations also differ quantitatively from a remote, uninvolved site in the gastrocnemius muscle. The milieu of the gastrocnemius in subjects with active MTPs in the trapezius differs from subjects without active MTPs.
Regulation of the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) gene by mycobacterial components and lipopolysaccharide is mediated by two nuclear factor-IL6 motifs.

Abstract The cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) are released by mononuclear phagocytes in vitro after stimulation with mycobacteria and are considered to mediate pathophysiologic events, including granuloma formation and systemic symptoms. We demonstrated that the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall component lipoarabinomannan (LAM) is a very potent inducer of IL-1 beta gene expression in human monocytes and investigated the mechanism of this effect. We localized the LAM-, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-, and TNF-alpha-inducible promoter activity to a -131/+15 (positions -131 to +15) DNA fragment of the IL-1 beta gene by deletion analysis and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay. Within this DNA fragment, there were two novel 9-bp motifs (-90/-82 and -40/-32) with high homology to the nuclear factor-IL6 (NF-IL6) binding site. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that the two NF-IL-6 motifs could be independently activated by LAM, LPS, or TNF-alpha and that they acted in an orientation-independent manner. DNA mobility shift assay revealed specific binding of nuclear protein(s) from LAM-, LPS-, or TNF-alpha-stimulated THP-1 cells to the NF-IL6 motifs. We conclude that the two NF-IL6 sites mediate induction of IL-1 beta in response to the stimuli LAM, LPS, and TNF-alpha.
Fetus in fetu associated with an undescended testis.

Fetus infetu is an extremely uncommon cause of an abdominal mass in the neonate; fewer than 30 generally accepted cases are recorded in the literature. We report a case of intraabdominal fetus infetu, with a unique location within an undescended left testicle. Chromosomal studies of cells from the fetus infetu and the surviving infant revealed identical 46, XY karyotypes.
Drones, Robots, and Sushi!

This installment of Notes from the Community covers new drones and robots, ways to protect ourselves from bad drones, tracking mood disorders, opening up urban traffic planning to the public, and new methods to obtain a fish dinner.
Strain Energy as a Criterion for Stress Softening in Carbon-Black-Filled Vulcanizates

Abstract Stress softening of vulcanizates of SBR 1500 containing different blacks possessing the same “structure” but varying in surface activity, and effects of different black loadings, of black structure levels, and of particle size, were investigated. It was concluded: 1. Strain-energy loss can be used as a quantitative measure of stress softening, and initial strain-energy input as a measure of prestress severity. 2. The effects of carbon black and polymer variables can be normalized in a single general relationship by plotting per cent strain-energy loss as a function of initial strain-energy input for filled vulcanizates. 3. With the exception of natural rubber, gum vulcanizates studied showed no stress softening. The stress softening of natural rubber gum vulcanizates is attributed mainly to stress-crystallization. 4. Stress-softening of filled vulcanizates is not a completely reversible process. Rates of stress recovery are reasonably rapid. 5. The degree of stress softening can be predicted from...
The Metamorphosis of the Nervous System of Aedes Dorsalis Meigen (Diptera: Culicidae)

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the histological and morphological changes occurring in the nervous system of Aedes dorsalts during metamorphosis. It is similar to that of Richins (1938) on the digestive tract of this species.
Implementing the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Heart Team: Complementary, Not Competitive, to Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Volume and Outcomes.

See related article on pages 353-360. Since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become widely accepted as efficacious for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) who are either inoperable or at high surgical risk for open surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). To date, greater than 100,000 TAVRs have been performed worldwide at an ever-growing number of centers. However, questions have been raised on how this transformative therapy would influence patient selection and SAVR volume. In particular, there remains concern for “indication drift” in the patient selection process whereby patients with lower Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk scores will receive TAVR instead of SAVR; this may in turn significantly reduce SAVR volumes. To respond to these concerns and to better optimize resource allocation, a heart team consisting of cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, imaging specialists, and advanced patient providers, among others, have been proposed as the new standard of practice. In fact, a multidisciplinary approach in the comprehensive assessment and management of patients with severe AS is now a Class IC recommendation in the 2014 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines on valvular heart disease as well as European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery/European Association for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions guidelines. It has also been mandated by regulatory and reimbursement agencies including the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In their timely single-center study, Ad et al describe the influence of a formal TAVR program and heart team on SAVR
Therapeutic hypothermia protects against ischemia-induced impairment of synaptic plasticity following juvenile cardiac arrest in sex-dependent manner

Pediatric cardiac arrest (CA) often leads to poor neurologic outcomes, including deficits in learning and memory. The only approved treatment for CA is therapeutic hypothermia, although its utility in the pediatric population remains unclear. This study analyzed the effect of mild therapeutic hypothermia after CA in juvenile mice on hippocampal neuronal injury and the cellular model of learning and memory, termed long-term potentiation (LTP). Juvenile mice were subjected to cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR) followed by normothermia (37°C) and hypothermia (30°C, 32°C). Histological injury of hippocampal CA1 neurons was performed 3days after resuscitation using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Field excitatory post-synaptic potentials (fEPSPs) were recorded from acute hippocampal slices 7days after CA/CPR to determine LTP. Synaptic function was impaired 7days after CA/CPR. Mice exposed to hypothermia showed equivalent neuroprotection, but exhibited sexually dimorphic protection against ischemia-induced impairment of LTP. Hypothermia (32°C) protects synaptic plasticity more effectively in females, with males requiring a deeper level of hypothermia (30°C) for equivalent protection. In conclusion, male and female juvenile mice exhibit equivalent neuronal injury following CA/CPR and hypothermia protects both males and females. We made the surprising finding that juvenile mice have a sexually dimorphic response to mild therapeutic hypothermia protection of synaptic function, where males may need a deeper level of hypothermia for equivalent synaptic protection.
Canopy dynamics and aboveground production of five tree species with different leaf longevities

Canopy dynamics and aboveground net primary production (ANPP) were studied in replicated monospecific and dual-species plantations comprised of species with different leaf longevities. In the monospecific plantations, leaf longevity averaged 5, 6, 36, 46 and 66 months for Quercus rubra L., Larix decidua Miller, Pinus strobus L., Pinus resinosa Ait. and Picea abies (L.) Karst., respectively. Specific leaf area, maximum net photosynthesis per unit mass (A/mass), leaf N per unit mass (N(leaf)/mass) and maximum net photosynthesis on a leaf N basis (A/N(leaf)) were inversely correlated to leaf longevity (r(2) = 0.92-0.97, 0.91, 0.88 and 0.80, respectively). Maximum net photosynthesis per unit area (A/area) was not correlated to leaf longevity, whereas leaf N per unit area (N(leaf)/area) was positively correlated to leaf longevity (r(2) = 0.95). For a similar-diameter conifer, species with long-lived foliage supported a greater foliage mass than species with short-lived foliage; however, Quercus rubra did not follow this pattern. At the stand level, total foliage mass ranged from 3.3 to 30.5 Mg ha(-1) and was positively correlated (r(2) = 0.97) to leaf longevity. Leaf area index (LAI) was also positively correlated (r(2) = 0.82) to leaf longevity. Production efficiency (ANPP/LAI) was inversely related to leaf longevity and positively related to A/mass. Aboveground biomass and net primary production differed significantly (P < 0.05) among the five species but were not correlated to leaf longevity, total foliage mass or leaf area. In monospecific plantations, stem NPP for Larix decidua was 17% greater than for Pinus strobus and 14% less than for Picea abies, but in mixed-species plantations stem NPP for Larix decidua was 62 and 85% greater than for Pinus strobus and Picea abies, respectively. Similar aboveground net primary production rates can be attained by tree species with different leaf longevities because of trade-offs resulting from different structural and physiological leaf and canopy characteristics that are correlated to each other and to leaf longevity.