cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shaping the Embryo: Cellular Dynamics in Development

A major challenge in developmental biology is to understand how large-scale changes in tissue structure are generated on a cellular and molecular level. Two decades of research in molecular genetics have provided insight into the mechanisms that control cell fate and patterning, but the mechanisms that regulate the mechanical forces that shape cells and tissues are not well understood. A conserved feature of tissue architecture in vertebrates and invertebrates is a body axis that is elongated from head to tail. In the embryo of the fruit fly Drosophila, this elongation is achieved through the coordinated movements of hundreds of cells along a common axis. Several molecules that are asymmetrically localized in the plane of the tissue are crucial for planar polarized force generation and junctional remodeling during axis elongation, including components of the contractile machinery and cell-cell junctions. Using quantitative imaging, we found that these asymmetries at the cellular level result in a collective behavior in which groups of cells assemble into multicellular rosette structures that form and resolve directionally (Blankenship et al., 2006). Rosettes form through a mechanical feedback loop in which an initial asymmetry in myosin II localization is selectively stabilized in regions of increased tension to produce higher-order contractile networks (Fernandez-Gonzalez et al., 2009). This positive feedback loop that is predicted to increase the number of cells engaged in contractile behavior, promoting efficient elongation. Rosette formation has since been shown to occur during epithelial elongation in vertebrates and may represent a general mechanism linking cellular asymmetry to tissue elongation. We are currently using biophysical approaches and large-scale genetic screens to identify the machinery that directs polarized cell behavior and components of the mechanotransduction pathway that is required for tension-dependent myosin dynamics during tissue elongation.
Retinoic Acid Inhibition of Chromatin Remodeling at the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Promoter UNCOUPLING OF HISTONE ACETYLATION AND CHROMATIN REMODELING

All-trans retinoic acid (RA) represses HIV-1 transcription and replication in cultured monocytic cells and in primary monocyte-derived macrophages. Here we examine the role of histone acetylation and chromatin remodeling in RA-mediated repression. RA pretreatment of latently infected U1 promonocytes inhibits HIV-1 expression in response to the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA). TSA is thought to activate HIV-1 transcription by inducing histone hyperacetylation within a regulatory nucleosome, nuc-1, positioned immediately downstream from the transcription start site. Acetylation of nuc-1 is thought to be a critical step in activation that precedes nuc-1 remodeling and, subsequently, transcriptional initiation. Here we demonstrate that TSA treatment induces H3 and H4 hyperacetylation and nuc-1 remodeling. Although RA pretreatment inhibits nuc-1 remodeling and HIV-1 transcription, it has no effect on histone acetylation. This suggests that acetylation and remodeling are not obligatorily coupled. We also show that growth of U1 cells in retinoid-deficient medium induces nuc-1 remodeling and HIV-1 expression but does not induce histone hyperacetylation. These findings suggest that remodeling, not histone hyperacetylation, is the limiting step in transcriptional activation in these cells. Together, these data suggest that RA signaling maintains the chromatin structure of the HIV-1 promoter in a transcriptionally non-permissive state that may contribute to the establishment of latency in monocyte/macrophages.
Abstract B35: The role of tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) invasion revealed by species-specific RNA sequencing

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancer. While five-year survival rates have reached 98% in patients treated with anti-ER or anti-HER2 therapies, patients with TNBC have a five-year survival rate of only 24%. Currently, the only form of therapy for these patients is surgery and platinum based chemotherapy. However, patient outcome is generally poor. Additionally, this disease disproportionately affects African-American women and lower income women, with rates seen approximately three times higher in African-American women compared to the rest of the population. An alternative strategy for treating TNBC patients involves targeting the tumor stroma. To better understand interaction between the tumor and stroma necessary for metastasis and invasion, we employed a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) model in which the metastasis suppressor Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP) controls primary tumor invasiveness. RKIP expression, which converts invasive tumors to non-invasive tumors, dramatically inhibits macrophage infiltration. The mechanism, which is dependent on Let-7 suppression of HMGA2, involves decreased expression of the chemokine CCL5. Furthermore, overexpression of CCL5 partially rescued the infiltration of macrophages into the tumor and intravasation of tumor cells into the blood stream. The relationships of the genes in the RKIP, HMGA2, CCL5, and macrophage pathways were observed in multiple sets of expression array data from breast cancer patients. Regulation of macrophage infiltration was observed in tumors from an HMGA2 knockout mouse model. These results show that RKIP regulates macrophage recruitment by tumors and demonstrate for the first time that metastasis suppressor genes can regulate the tumor microenvironment. Citation Format: Daniel C. Rabe, Casey A. Frankenberger, Russell Bainer, Devipriya Sankarasharma, Kiran Chada, Thomas Krausz, Yoav Gilad, Marsha Rich Rosner. The role of tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) invasion revealed by species-specific RNA sequencing. [abstract]. In: Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Cellular Heterogeneity in the Tumor Microenvironment; 2014 Feb 26-Mar 1; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B35. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.CHTME14-B35
The He II Emitting Nebula N44C in the Large Magellanic Cloud: Optical/Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of the Nebula and Its Ionizing Star*

We present HST spectroscopy and imaging, along with new ground-based spectroscopy and ROSAT HRI imaging, of the He II emitting nebula N44C and its ionizing star. A GHRS spectrogram of the ionizing star yields a spectral type of about O7 for the star. The lack of P Cygni profiles for Si IV and C IV indicates that the star is not a supergiant. The nebular abundances in the ionized gas are consistent with average abundances for LMC H II regions, with the possible exception that nitrogen may be enhanced. Enrichment by a former evolved companion star is not evident. A long-slit echelle spectrogram in Hα + [N II] shows no evidence for high-velocity gas in N44C. This rules out high-velocity shocks as the source of the nebular He II emission. A 108 ks ROSAT HRI image of N44C shows no X-ray point source to a 3 σ upper limit LX < 1034 ergs s-1 in the 0.1-2.0 keV band. Based on new measurements of the electron density in the He II emitting region, we derive recombination timescales of ≈20 yr for He+2 and ≈4 yr for Ne+4. If N44C is a fossil X-ray ionized nebula, this places severe constraints on when the putative X-ray source could have turned off. The presence of strong [Ne IV] emission in the nebula is puzzling if the ionizing source has turned off. It is possible the system is related to the Be X-ray binaries, although the O star in N44C does not show Be characteristics at the present time. Monitoring of X-rays and He II emission from the nebula, as well as a radial velocity study of the ionizing star, are needed to fully understand the emission line spectrum of N44C.
Recent progress towards a molecular understanding of Marfan syndrome.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic disorder of the connective tissue that is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and which displays variable manifestations in the ocular, skeletal, and cardiovascular systems. These pleiotropic manifestations are accounted for by mutations in fibrillin-1, the building block of extracellular microfibrils. During the past 10 years, we have witnessed significant progress in delineating the pathological events responsible for the manifestations of MFS. Much of this progress has been based on the creation and analysis of fibrillin-1 mutant mouse lines that faithfully recapitulate the spectrum of clinical severity of MFS. These studies have established the critical contribution of fibrillin-1 deficiency to disease progression through altered cell–matrix interactions and dysregulated TGF-β signaling. As a result, our definition of MFS as the prototypical structural disorder of the connective tissue has changed to that of a developmental abnormality with broad and complex effects on the morphogenesis and function of multiple organ systems. Importantly, new biological targets have emerged that may yield exciting new opportunities for the development of productive treatment strategies in MFS. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Tensile ductility of an Fe–40Al–0.6C alloy

Binary Fe–40Al and ternary Fe–40Al–0.6C alloys were cast, hot-extruded into rods, annealed at low temperatures to reduce the non-equilibrium vacancy concentration and tested in uniaxial tension at room temperature in air, over a range of strain rates from 4.2×10−1 s−1 to 4.2×10−8 s−1. Yield strength, fracture strength, tensile ductility and the work-hardening behavior in the 0.2–1.0% plastic deformation range were monitored. Resulting fracture surfaces were examined at low and high magnifications, and the change in the fraction transgranular cleavage as a function of test strain rate was correlated with the observed mechanical properties. Prior to testing, both alloys exhibited fairly coarse grain size (∼80–100 μm); whereas the binary alloy was single phase, the ternary alloy contained a dispersion of lath-shaped perovskite carbides (Fe3AlC0.5) in the grain interior and at grain boundaries. In the binary alloy, ductility decreases continuously with decreasing strain rate and this behavior has been previously attributed to an environmental effect. For a given strain rate, over the range of strain rates examined, the ternary alloy demonstrates improved ductility over the binary alloy; furthermore, at the extremely slow strain rates (<4×10−7 s−1), the ductility of the ternary alloy increases with decreasing strain rate after reaching a minimum. Whereas in the binary alloy, fracture mode remains completely intergranular over the entire strain rate regime, in the ternary alloy, fracture mode is completely intergranular at the fastest strain rate but gradually transitions to a predominantly transgranular cleavage mode with decreasing strain rate. A maximum in the fraction transgranular cleavage is reached coincident with the ductility minimum, beyond which (i.e. lower strain rates) the fraction transgranular cleavage decreases sharply. These observations are discussed in terms of the possible role of these carbides as hydrogen traps and their consequential effects on mechanical properties.
Interest in political campaigns: The influence of question order and electoral context

A split-ballot experiment shows that, when people are asked how interested they are in following political campaigns, their response depends not only on the order in which the question is asked, but also on the broader electoral context in which it is posed. When asked how interested they were in following the political campaigns immediatelyafter a question about whether or not they voted in the (1982) election, people were more likely to think they were interested in the campaign, especially if they claimed to have voted, than if they were asked about it immediatelybefore the question on whether or not they voted. This order effect, however, appears to depend onwhen the questions are asked. If asked within a few weeks after the election, there is little or no order effect. But later, as the memory of the campaign fades, the order of the questions makes a sizable difference in the results. This order effect also seems to be more pronounced among better-educated respondents, suggesting that they are more likely to feel pressured by a social norm to vote and to express an interest in political affairs, not only in “real life,” but in the survey interview as well. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the implications for the design of the interview schedule used in the American National Election Studies.
Twins, birth weight, cognition, and handedness

A comprehensive study by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) researchers has tied prenatal growth to postnatal brain maturation in 85 monozygotic (MZ, identical) and 54 dizygotic (DZ, fraternal) twin pairs, followed from ages 5 to 25 y (1). MRI scans and intelligence quotient (IQ) data were obtained for the twins and matched nontwins, although age at intellectual assessment was not given. Among the many important findings were that (i) subtle differences in prenatal growth (based on normal birth weight) were linked to brain surface area alterations, (ii) these brain effects seemed to impact late-maturing cortices associated with higher cognitive functioning, and (iii) greater birth …
Olfaction as a Cue for Product Quality

This paper explores the effect of olfaction on product performance judgments. An experiment is conducted to determine (1) the robustness of the olfaction effects observed in early research and (2) the underlying reason why olfaction affects judgments. It appears that cognitions, rather than hedonics, drive the observed olfaction effects.
1226 EFFECT OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS SERUM ON RAT LUNG EPITHELIAI CELLS IN CULTURE

An in vitro system for evaluating the toxicity of serum from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is reported. Rat lung epithelial cells were incubated for 18 hours in medium containing varying concentrations of human serum (HS) from CF patients and patients without cystic fibrosis (non-CF). Twenty-four assays were performed for 4 concentrations of each HS. Attachment efficiency (AE), defined as the number of cells attached to the culture surface divided by the number of cells dispensed per culture, was determined for each concentration of HS. Attachment efficiency was always greater when no human serum was present. As the percentage of serum increased, the AE decreased in all cases. Because the AE varied from day to day, the ratio (RAE) of the AE for 0% HS to the AE for 2% HS was calculated for each serum sample. The RAE value was reproducible within 0.07 over a four-week interval for individual serum samples. The higher the RAE value, the more toxic the serum. There is a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the two populations of patients. The serum from the CF patients was more toxic to rat lung epithelial cells than serum from non-CF patients.
Purification and characterization of gibbon ape leukemia virus DNA polymerase.

Abstract An RNA directed DNA polymerase was purified over 2500 fold from gibbon ape leukemia virus by successive column chromatography on Sephadex G100, DEAE cellulose, phosphocellulose and hydroxyapatite. The purified DNA polymerase has a molecular weight of 68 000, a pH optimum of 7.5, a Mn 2+ optimum of 0.8 mM, and KCl optimum of 80 mM. The purified enzyme transcribes heteropolymeric regions of viral 60–70 S RNA isolated from avian myeloblastosis virus, Rauscher murine leukemia virus and simian sarcoma virus and it is inhibited by antiserum prepared against either gibbon ape leukemia virus or simian sarcoma virus DNA polymerases.
The Microbial Ecology of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Fine Scale Resolution Metagenomic Analysis

The vaginal microbiota play an important protective role in maintaining the health of women. Disruption of the mutualistic relationship that exists between bacterial communities in the vagina and their hosts can lead to bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition in which lactic acid producing bacteria are supplanted by a diverse array of strictly anaerobic bacteria. BV has been shown to be an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including preterm delivery and low infant birth weight, acquisition of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, and development of pelvic inflammatory disease. National surveys indicate the prevalence of BV among U.S. women is 29.2%, and yet, despite considerable effort, the etiology of BV remains unknown. Moreover, there are no broadly effective therapies for the treatment of BV, and reoccurrence is common. In the proposed research we will test the overarching hypothesis that vaginal microbial community dynamics and activities are indicators of risk to BV. To do this, we propose to conduct a high resolution prospective study in which samples collected daily from 200 reproductive-age women over two menstrual cycles are used to capture molecular events that take place before, during, and after the spontaneous remission of BV episodes. We will use modern genomic technologies to obtain the data needed to correlate shifts in vaginal microbial community composition and function, metabolomes, and epidemiological and behavioral metadata with the occurrence of BV to better define the syndrome itself and identify patterns that are predictive of BV. The three specific aims of the research are: (1) Evaluate the association between the dynamics of vaginal microbial communities and risk to BV by characterizing the community composition of vaginal specimens archived from a vaginal douching cessation study in which 33 women self-collected vaginal swabs twice-weekly for 16 weeks; (2) Enroll 135 women in a prospective study in which self-collected vaginal swab samples and secretions are collected daily along with data on the occurrence of BV, vaginal pH, and information on time varying habits and practices; (3) Apply model-based statistical clustering and classification approaches to associate the microbial community composition and function, with metadata and clinical diagnoses of BV. The large body of information generated will facilitate understanding vaginal microbial community dynamics, the etiology of BV, and drive the development of better diagnostic tools for BV. Furthermore, the information will enable a more personalized and effective treatment of BV and ultimately help prevent adverse sequelae associated with this highly prevalent disruption of the vaginal microbiome.
Systemic inflammation in the extremely low gestational age newborn following maternal genitourinary infections.

Problem Gestational genitourinary infections are associated with life-long disabilities, but it is unknown if neonatal inflammation is involved.
Laser therapy of cancer of the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts

Endoscopic laser therapy for the palliation of malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has rapidly gained widespread acceptance by the medical community. This form of therapy can offer significant tumor palliation in a relatively noninvasive manner to patients who have few other therapeutic options. Since its initial use for the treatment of esophageal cancer it has been extended to the treatment of a number of other GI, tract malignancies and has in fact been utilized for the palliation of intra- as well as extrahepatic bile duct tumors. A number of advances have occurred, including improvements in lasers and laser delivery systems, refinement of treatment techniques, development of new wavelengths, and refinement of drugs that allow more specific therapy of cancer. With continued laboratory and clinical investigations, laser therapy should realize its full potential, ultimately becoming a curative treatment modality that will offer patients benefits that are equal to or greater than more invasive and disfiguring surgery without its attendant morbidity and mortality.
Further Evidence of Heterozygosity in Parthenogenetic Turkeys

IT has been reported that first and second set skin grafts from parthenogenetic Beltsville Small White turkey sires to some of their progeny by unrelated turkey females are rejected by typical homograft reactions. The finding that skin from any one parthenogenetic sire can be compatible with some of his progeny and incompatible with others was interpreted as evidence of segregation having occurred at one or more of his genetic loci assumed to control histocompatibility. On this basis it was concluded that a detectable degree of heterozygosity can exist in male turkey parthenogens1.
Bridging the Gap Between Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Liquid Extraction Techniques: Alternative Approaches to the Extraction of Solid and Liquid Environmental Matrices

Abstract Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) sometimes yields poor recoveries as the result of inefficient analyte collection. Methods of collection and the important parameters for optimization are briefly discussed. The extraction of polar and/or high molecular weight analytes with (common??) supercritical fluids is frequently difficult and therefore, Conventional liquid extraction techniques are not obsolete. Many of the methods that are developing as alternatives to SFE for polar analytes are reviewed herein. The approaches are classified based on whether the analytes, extraction fluid, matrix, or experiment/instrumentation were varied. Advantages and disadvantages of each technique are described.
Immobilization of Cellulase and Hemicellulases on Porous Glass Beads

Experiments on immobilization of cellulase complex (cellulase, Novozymes) and enzyme complex (cellulases and hemicellulases, Novozymes) were performed on porous Siran™ beads using covalent and non-covalent bonding methods. Free enzyme complex was used for hydrolyzing various pretreated biomass such as corn stover, distillers dried grain with solubles, switch grass and blue stem grass. Maximum activity of enzyme complex was found with corn stover and was used as a substrate for measuring cellulase and hemicellulases activities. Protein loading for immobilized cellulase complex and enzyme complex on Siran™ carriers was found in the range of 10.776–18.000 % and 19.932–23.082 %, respectively. Activity loading for immobilized cellulase complex with avicel was in the range of 16.610–22.026 %. For enzyme complex, activity loading was found in the range of 43.558–61.222 %, 8.274–19.124 %, and 7.180–14.114 % with avicel, xylan, and corn stover as substrates, respectively. Recycling experiments for immobilized cellulase complex and enzyme complex were carried out using various substrates, and the residual enzyme activity was measured after the third cycle. Carbodiimide bonded cellulase complex retained more residual enzyme activity with avicel (49.460 %), which indicates a good cross linker for cellulase immobilization. The enzyme complex bonded to carbodiimide, and glutaraldehyde retained residual activity of 44.160 % with xylan and 73.230 % with corn stover, respectively. Recycling studies showed greater retention in residual enzyme activity with covalent bonded enzymes than non-covalent bonded enzymes. Glutaraldehyde and carbodiimide were found to be effective cross linkers for immobilizing both cellulase and hemicellulases in covalent bonding method.
The balanced likelihood ratio method for estimating performance measures of highly reliable systems

Over the past several years importance sampling in conjunction with regenerative simulation has been presented as a promising method for estimating reliability parameters in highly reliable systems. Existing methods fail to provide benefits over crude Monte Carlo for the analysis of systems that contain significant component redundancies. The paper presents refined importance sampling techniques along with a generalized regenerative model. The proposed methods have solid theoretical properties and work well in practice.
Sample processing pressure-dependence of weak links in polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7

Abstract We have studied the sample processing pressure dependence of AC susceptibility of polycrystalline YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 in different applied AC magnetic fields and at different temperatures.
A comparative study of microspines in the alimentary canal of five families of Orthoptera (Saltatoria)

Abstract Microspines in the alimentary tract in five families of grasshoppers and crickets (Orthoptera: Saltatoria) were studied to determine their structures and correlate them with patterns of distribution for potential use in taxonomy and future physiological studies. Short microspines were found in all sections of the foregut of each family, with the caeliferan Acrididae being the most unique, and the ensiferan families forming another group with similarities. Among the Ensifera, the Gryllacrididae and Gryllidae were the most distinctive, especially Stenopelmatus . The hindgut demonstrated another set of relationships, although less distinctive, with the Acrididae, Tettigoniidae, and Gryllacrididae appearing to be one grouping, whereas the Gryllidae and Gryllotalpidae formed another group with similarities.
Downstream sequences augment transcription from the essential initiation site of a baculovirus polyhedrin gene

A series of recombinant baculoviruses containing linker-substituted polyhedrin promoters attached to a reporter gene encoding chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) were constructed and tested for expression of the gene. The major determinant for promoter activity was narrowed to within eight nucleotides, TAAGTATT, at the start point of polyhedrin mRNA transcription. Mutations within TAAGTATT blocked initiation of transcription from this site and resulted in a 2000-fold decrease in CAT activity. Linker mutations from 12 to 22 bases upstream from the TAAGTATT sequence increased the steady-state levels of RNAs initiated within TAAGTATT and increased CAT expression by up to 50%. Mutations downstream from TAAGTATT and within the region specifying the untranslated RNA leader diminished transcriptional initiation at TAAGTATT and decreased CAT activity two- to 20-fold. The half-lives of CAT RNAs were not noticeably affected by mutations in the untranslated RNA leader region and thus RNA turn-over was not responsible for the reduced levels of these CAT RNAs. Nuclear run-on analysis of two mutant viruses showed that these mutations decrease the rate of transcriptional initiation. Transcriptional initiation thus appears to be the major means of polyhedrin gene regulation. The data define promoter-related roles for TAAGTATT and the sequences specifying the untranslated mRNA leader in transcriptional initiation. A model by which the viral-induced RNA polymerase distinguishes late and very late initiation sites is proposed.
Comment on ‘‘Binary formation of NaNe quasibound molecules observed in spin relaxation of Na’’

A factor of about ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}6}$ has been omitted from a key formula of the recent paper of F. A. Franz and A. Sieradzan [Phys. Rev. A 29, 1599 (1984)]. The arguments of the paper are also inconsistent with the principle of detailed balance.
Focal Small Bowel Perforation: An Adverse Effect of Early Postnatal Dexamethasone Therapy in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

OBJECTIVE We tested the hypothesis that early postnatal dexamethasone (EPD) increases the risk of focal small bowel perforation (FSBP) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. STUDY DESIGN The techniques of meta-analysis were applied to studies evaluating EPD, which we identified through a systematic literature search. Studies were included if they were randomized, placebo-controlled trials of EPD, enrolled infants with birth weights < or =1000 g, and reported FSBP as an outcome variable. The Breslow-Day test was used to assess for homogeneity and a summary odds ratio was calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel exact method. RESULTS Four studies, with a pooled sample of 1383 infants, were included in the primary analysis. The Breslow-Day test showed a p-value of 0.61, indicating homogeneity among the studies. FSBP was significantly higher in EPD treated infants [odds ratio 1.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21, 3.07; p=0.004]. CONCLUSION EPD increases the risk of FSBP in ELBW infants.
Sol−Gel-Derived Sensor Materials That Yield Linear Calibration Plots, High Sensitivity, and Long-Term Stability

Novel O2-sensing materials based on spin-coated n-octyltriethoxysilane (Octyl-triEOS)/tetraethylorthosilane (TEOS) composite xerogel films have been synthesized and investigated. These sensors are based on the O2 quenching of tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) ([Ru(dpp)3]2+) sequestered within the xerogels. Scanning electron microscopy and luminescence measurements (steady state and time resolved) have been used to investigate the structure of these films and their analytical figures of merit and determine the underlying reasons for their observed performance. The results show that certain [Ru(dpp)3]2+-doped Octyl-triEOS/TEOS composites form uniform, crack-free xerogel films that can be used to construct high-sensitivity O2 sensors that have linear calibration curves and excellent long-term stability. For example, an 11-month-old sensor based on 50 mol % Octyl-triEOS exhibits more than 4-fold greater sensitivity in comparison to an equivalent sensor based on pure TEOS. Over an 11-month ti...
Effects of cold acclimation and 6-OHDA sympathectomy on cold tolerance of bilaterally adreno-demedullated rats

Abstract 1. 1.Cold tolerance (−10°C) was evaluated in cold-acclimated (5°C) and non-cold acclimated (23°C), bilaterally adreno-demedullated rats with and without 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) sympathectomy. 2. 2.Cold acclimation enhanced the cold tolerance of demedullated rats similar to that observed in intact rats. 3. 3.Demedullated, c-a 6-OHDA-treated rats were able to maintain their colonic temperature better than saline-treated rats while the non-c-a 6-OHDA-treated rats were unable to maintain their colonic temperature to the same extent as the saline rats. These observations indicate that intact and adrenodemedullated animals have similar responses.
Ultrafast observation of isomerization and complexation in the photolysis of bromoform in solution.

Ultrafast photolysis of bromoform (CHBr3) with a 267 nm pulse of light followed by broadband transient electronic absorption identifies the photoproducts and follows their evolution in both neat bromoform and cyclohexane solutions. In neat bromoform, a species absorbing at 390 nm appears promptly and decays with a time constant of 13 ps as another species absorbing at 495 nm appears. The wavelength and time evolution of the first absorption is consistent with the formation of iso-bromoform (CHBr2−Br) by recombination of the fragment radicals within the solvent cage. The presence of an isosbestic point in the transient spectra indicates that this isomer is the precursor of the second absorber. The excess internal energy remaining in iso-bromoform permits release of the weakly bound Br atom to form a complex, CHBr3−Br, with other bromoform molecules. The features in the transient spectra are qualitatively similar in cyclohexane solutions of bromoform. The wavelength of the transition of iso-bromoform does n...
Single-Pixel Eye Tracking via Patterned Contact Lenses: Design and Evaluation in HCI Domain

This paper presents a preliminary study of an eye tracking technique suitable for use in devices with low-power consumption demands, e.g. Google Glass. The method uses a patterned contact lens and a single-pixel imaging sensor. Its applicability is explored via a semi-simulated user study, where real eye movements from 50 subjects are used to animate a 3-D graphics replica of an eye wearing a patterned contact lens. An accurate single-pixel camera simulator is used to perform gaze estimation via capturing of the imprinted pattern. The results show the promising potential of the technique in the field of eye tracking and eye gesture recognition.
Metal ion complexes of 2-pyridylcarbinol N-oxide

Abstract Transition metal ion complexes of the potentially bidentate ligand 2-pyridylcarbinol N-oxide have been prepared. They are characterized and identified by chemical analysis and physical measurements. Their IR and electronic spectra are discussed with regard to monodentate or bidentate bonding of the ligand. The Cr(III) and Fe(III) complexes each contain two 2-pyridylcarbinol N-oxide ligands and a conjugate base of the carbinol in their coordination spheres. The remaining metal ions crystallized with either four (Mn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II)) or six (Co(II)) neutral ligands.
Visible and near — infrared reflectance of beach sands: A study on the spectral reflectance/ grain size relationship

Abstract The general theory which relates how the grain sizes of particulates influences spectral reflectance has been extended to account for such environmental factors as variable moisture content and iron staining. Utilizing regression analysis, a preliminary grain size predictor model has been developed from the visible and near-infrared reflectance of iron stained quartz beach samples. The model achieved a multiple correlation coefficient squared ( R 2 ) of 0.950. It was found to be independent of moisture content and was in complete agreement with the theory. When samples from a non-iron stained beach were used, regression analysis failed to find any significant correlations. This failure can be partly attributed to the lack of an adequate grain size distribution for the non-iron stained samples collected.
Nucleotide sequencing of a polyurethanase gene (pulA) from Pseudomonas fluorescens

Nucleotide sequencing of a gene (pulA) encoding an extracellular polyurethanase/esterase from Pseudomonas fluorescens revealed an open reading frame encoding a 48 kDa protein of 451 amino acid residues. The deduced polypeptide sequence contained a serine-hydrolase consensus sequence GXSXG. The polypeptide lacked an N-terminal signal peptide, but did contain a short region toward the C-terminus that has been observed in secreted lipases, EXXXGXTFIIGSXGNDXIXGGXGXDXXEXXXGXD. The most closely related proteins to the polyurethanase had amino acid sequence homologies of 71%, 67%, 69%, 67% for lipases from P. fluorescens, and 51% for lipases from Serratia marcescens.
Incidence and predictors of supraventricular dysrhythmias after pulmonary resection

Abstract Background . Patients undergoing pulmonary resection were evaluated prospectively in an effort to determine the incidence of and predictors for the development of postoperative supraventricular dysrhythmias. Specifically, we wished to test the hypothesis that the incidence of postoperative supraventricular dysrhythmias is dependent on the magnitude of pulmonary resection. Methods . One hundred sixteen patients undergoing pulmonary resection had continuous Holter monitoring preoperatively, the day of operation, and the second postoperative day, as well as continuous cardiac monitoring throughout hospitalization. Holter interpretation was blinded to extent of resection. Results . Twenty-six patients underwent pneumonectomy, 7 bilobectomy, 47 lobectomy, and 36 wedge resection. Twenty-six patients (22.4%) had supraventricular dysrhythmias, all atrial fibrillation ± flutter. The incidence of atrial fibrillation with pneumonectomy, bilobectomy, single lobectomy, and wedge resection was 46.1%, 14.3%, 17.0%, and 13.8%, respectively ( p p = 0.03). The peak incidence of onset of atrial fibrillation occurred on postoperative days 2 and 3 and lasted for less than 1 to 7 days, average 2.5 days. The average age of patients with dysrhythmias (64 years) was greater than those without (58 years) ( p = 0.039). Thirty pre- and postoperative variables tested were not found to be significant predictors for development of postoperative atrial fibrillation. Conclusions . Atrial fibrillation occurs commonly after pulmonary resections but is not predictable. Development of atrial fibrillation is not dependent on the magnitude of pulmonary resection but is associated with the procedure pneumonectomy for reasons not elucidated.
5:00 Management of pharyngeal perforation related to cervical surgery

Abstract Purpose of study: Pharyngeal perforation is uncommon in cervical surgery. Prompt recognition is imperative to prevent abscesses and sepsis. A classification system based on a series of patients with this complication is proposed to guide treatment. Methods used: Since 1989, six patients with pharyngeal perforation and cervical surgery were identified (four prospectively studied). Three time courses of recognition were identified. An acute perforation is recognized intraoperatively, a subacute is recognized within days after surgery and chronic perforation is recognized months later. Minimum follow-up is 1 year. of findings: All were NPO and received broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics until radiographs demonstrated leak closure. Subcutaneous emphysema prompted diagnosis in three. One with acute recognition after instrumented corpectomy underwent primary closure and prevertebral drainage. Esophogram demonstrated closure within 1 week. Three had the perforation recognized within 2 days after cervical surgery (two anterior, one posterior). Two underwent anterior cervical drain placement without pharyngeal repair, and the third already had a drain in place. All had spontaneous closure of the leak within 6 weeks. Two had abscess and disc infections recognized months to years after cervical surgery. One died of sepsis 2 weeks after debridement with reconstruction and drainage, whereas one underwent anterior discectomy and transdiscal drainage of the abscess. Esophogram demonstrated closure within 3 months. Relationship between findings and existing knowledge: Pharyngeal perforation is an underreported complication associated with the anesthetic and surgical management of cervical surgery. The management of this complication may be influenced by the timing of identification. Overall significance of findings: Treatment of pharyngeal perforation may be influenced by the timing of recognition. Intraoperative recognition should prompt primary closure and drainage, resulting in rapid healing. Subacute recognition should be treated with exploration and drainage. The site of perforation may not be identified and heals more slowly with drainage alone. Chronic perforations are associated with abscess formation and sepsis and require prolonged drainage for months. Disclosures: No disclosures. Conflict of interest: No conflicts.
Sedative use and misuse in the United States

Objective To determine the prevalence and correlates associated with sedative use and misuse in the general population. Method Data were drawn from the National Comobidity Survey (n = 8098), a representative sample of adults in the community. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify correlates of sedative use, non-prescription use and self-perceived dependence. Results The life-time prevalence of self-perceived sedative dependence was 0.5%, 7.1% reported non-prescribed sedative use and 17.0% had been prescribed sedatives and denied misuse. Individuals who used sedatives without a prescription were more likely to be male (OR = 0.61 (0.44, 0.86)), have lower income (OR = 0.71 (0.54, 0.94)), more education (OR = 1.51 (1.17, 1.96)), major depression (OR = 1.47 (1.04, 2.08)), agoraphobia (OR = 1.59 (1.09, 2.32)), ASPD (OR = 5.29 (3.42, 8.20)) and suicide ideation (OR = 1.91 (1.23, 2.94)), compared with those who did not use sedatives. Individuals with self-perceived dependence on sedatives were older (OR = 1.05 (1.02, 1.08)), had less education (OR = 0.2 (0.1, 0.7)) and were more likely to have a parent who abused prescription medications (OR = 4.3 (1.03, 18.03)), compared with those without sedative dependence. Conclusions Almost one in 10 adults report misuse of sedatives in their life-time. Sedative use and misuse are associated with high levels of psychopathology and suicide risk, and show a specific association with parental abuse of prescription medications in the general population. Future work to understand more effectively the nature of these associations may ultimately lead to improved effectiveness of preventive interventions.
Expanded lattice ruthenium pyrochlore oxide catalysts II. Catalyst surface investigations by electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction and oxidation

Abstract Five expanded lattice ruthenium pyrochlore oxide powders with the general formula A 2+ x Ru 2− x O 7− y ( A = Pb: x = 0.06, 0.15, 0.62; y = 0.5 and A = Bi: x = 0.39, 0.86; 0 y ≤ 0.5) were investigated using high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and temperature-programmed reduction/oxidation (TPR/TPO) to ascertain factors that contribute to their low-temperature catalytic oxidation activity toward 1,2-diols and alcohols in aqueous alkaline solution. HREM data find small crystallites that vary from about 25 to 200 A in diameter. Image analysis techniques applied to one 100-A crystallite of Pb 2.62 Ru 1.38 O 6.5 reveal a 5% range of lattice spacings about the exterior portions of the particle. XPS data were collected in both the valence-band and core-level regions. XPS valence-band spectra for samples with higher levels ( x > 0.15) of Ru-site substitution by the A -site atoms display a less intense band near the Fermi energy level indicating a reduced Ru 4 d character compared to the more stoichiometric analogues. Core level XPS bands contain contributions from two different valence states for each of the Pb, Bi, and Ru atoms in the A 2+ x Ru 2− x O 7− y series. XPS-derived compositions show a higher A /Ru ratio for Pb 2.62 Ru 1.38 O 6.5 than the bulk whereas the other four oxides have A /Ru ratios that are similar in the surface (XPS) and bulk (XRD) compositions. TPR using H 2 of the A 2 + x Ru 2 − x O 7 − y oxides reveals remarkable reactivity below 200°C that is in line with loosely bound oxygen in these oxides. A sample of Pb 2.62 Ru 1.38 O 6.5 with a lead-rich surface shows markedly less reactivity toward H 2 below 100°C than the other oxides. No distinct differences are seen in TPR data for all five expanded lattice ruthenium pyrochlore oxides between the surface and bulk oxygen. Reduced oxides reoxidize reversibly with oxygen after up to 20 mol% reduction (based on oxygen content) but at rates that are slow compared to H 2 reduction. The lack of a correlation between the TPR/TPO data and the liquid-phase catalytic activities toward 1,2-diols and alcohols is explained through differences in the active site preferences by the various substrates.
Compositional complexity of Boolean functions

Abstract We define two measures, γ and c , of complexity for Boolean functions. These measures are related to issues of functional decomposition which (for continuous functions) were studied by Arnol'd, Kolmogorov, Vituskin and others in connection with Hilbert's 13th Problem. This perspective was first applied to Boolean functions in [1]. Our complexity measures differ from those which were considered earlier [3, 5, 6, 9, 10] and which were used by Ehrenfeucht and others to demonstrate the great complexity of most decision procedures. In contrast to other measures, both γ and c (which range between 0 and 1) have a more combinatorial flavor and it is easy to show that both of them are close to 0 for literally all “meaningful” Boolean functions of many variables. It is not trivial to prove that there exist functions for which c is close to 1, and for γ the same question is still open. The same problem for all traditional measures of complexity is easily resolved by statistical considerations.
Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) is defined as bleeding within the brain parenchyma, and occurs twice as commonly as subarachnoid hemorrhage, but is equally as deadly. Risk factors for sICH include hypertension, advanced age, leukoaraiosis, prior ICH, renal failure, use of anticoagulant drugs, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. When a patient is clinically suspected of having sICH, head computed tomography scan is the standard diagnostic tool. However, newer magnetic resonance neuroimaging techniques may aid in determining the underlying pathology and aid in prognosis. Supportive care and blood pressure management are important in the care of patients with sICH. Ongoing research is aimed at determining a safe blood pressure goal that may also prevent expansion of hemorrhage. Hemostatic medications and neuroprotectants have thus far not shown clinical improvement. Although several neurosurgical trials have failed to demonstrate benefit for surgical evacuation of sICH, multiple research trials are ongoing investigating acute blood pressure control, deep or basal ganglionic hemorrhage evacuation via minimally invasive approach (MISTIE; http://mistietrial.com/default.aspx), lobar ICH evacuation (STICH; II http://research.ncl.ac.uk/stich/), and intraventricular thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) (CLEAR III; http://biosgroup-johnshopkinsmedicine.health.officelive.com/default.aspx).
A Utility-Maximizing Mechanism for Vicarious Reward Comments on Julian Simon's "Interpersonal Allocation Continuous with Intertemporal Allocation"

Julian Simon correctly argues that people discount what happens to their future selves in a curve more bowed than an exponential curve. His radical assertion that we relate to other people in the same way that we relate to future selves is also supportable, but his equation of social distance with temporal distance is an oversimplification. To show that empathic satisfactions can be treated like conventional economic goods, it is necessary to explain how emotional rewards, although available without fixed stimuli, are actually constrained by some kind of scarce condition. That scarce condition exists precisely because of highly bowed discount curves: maximal satisfaction from emotional rewards depends on their deferral and the consequent buildup of appetite for them; highly bowed discount curves create a relentless urge to harvest these rewards prematurely. Therefore, unless people peg their emotions to occasions that are both optimally unresponsive to their current wishes and optimally surprising, their ...
Probing the Universe with the Ly α forest — II. The column density distribution

I apply the well controlled hydro-PM (HPM) approximation of Gnedin &38; Hui to model the column density distribution of the Ly α forest for 25 different flat cosmological scenarios, including variants of the standard cold dark matter (CDM), tilted CDM, CDM with a cosmological constant, and cold + hot dark matter (CHDM) models. I show that, within the accuracy of the HPM approximation, the slope of the column density distribution reflects the degree of non-linearity of the cosmic gas distribution and is a function of the rms linear density fluctuation at the characteristic filtering scale only. The amplitude of the column density distribution, expressed as the value for the ionizing intensity, is derived as a function of the cosmological parameters (to about 40 per cent accuracy). The observational data are currently consistent with the value for the ionizing intensity being constant in the redshift interval z ∼ −4.