cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of hydrogen sulfide on pulmonary apoptosis induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats

Aim To study the effect of hydrogen sulfide(H2S) on pulmonary apoptosis in the lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute lung injury(ALI) in rats.Methods Fourty-eight ♂ SD rats were randomly divided into six groups(n=8): Control group,LPS group,LPS+NaHS Low-dose group,LPS+NaHS Middle-dose group,LPS+NaHS High-dose group and LPS+PPG group.Model of ALI was reproduced by injection of LPS(5 mg·kg-1) via sublingual vein in LPS group,LPS+NaHS Low,Middle,High dose groups and LPS+PPG group.Different doses of sodium hydrosulfide(NaHS) or DL-propargylglycine(PPG) were administered at 3 h after administering LPS in LPS+NaHS Low,Middle,High dose groups and LPS+PPG group respectively,while normal saline was administered in control group and LPS group.The rats were sacrificed at 6 hours after normal saline or LPS injection via sublingual vein,and the lung tissue was obtained.The apoptosis rate of pulmonary cells was evaluated by flow cytometry(FCM).Meanwhile,the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were respectively detected by immunohistochemisty(IHC),and the expressions of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were analysed by Western blot.Results Compared with those of control group,apoptosis rate of pulmonary cells was markably increased,Caspase-3,Caspase-9 and Bax protein expressions were markably increased,and Bcl-2 protein expression and Bcl-2/Bax were significantly decreased in LPS group(P0.05 or P0.01).Compared with those of LPS group,apoptosis rate of pulmonary cells was significantly decreased in LPS+NaHS Middle and High dose groups,Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly increased and Caspase-3,9 protein expressions were significantly decreased in LPS+NaHS High dose group,Bax protein expression was significantly decreased in LPS+NaHS Middle and High dose groups,Bcl-2/Bax was significantly increased in LPS+NaHS Low,Middle and High dose groups(P0.05 or P0.01).Compared with those of model group,apoptosis rate of pulmonary cells,Bcl-2 protein expression and Bcl-2/Bax were significantly increased,while Bax and Caspase-3,9 protein expressions were markably decreased in LPS+PPG group(P0.05 or P0.01).Conclusion Pulmonary cells apoptosis is increased in early ALI induced by LPS.H2S can decrease pulmonary cells apoptosis through down-regulating Bax and Caspase-3,9 protein expressions,and up-regulating Bcl-2 protein expression.
Evaluation in Appalachian pasture systems of the 1996 (update 2000) National Research Council model for weaning cattle

This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the National Research Council's (2000) Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle computer model when used to predict calf performance during on-farm pasture or dry-lot weaning and backgrounding. Calf performance was measured on 22 farms in 2002 and 8 farms in 2003 that participated in West Virginia Beef Quality Assurance Sale marketing pools. Calves were weaned on pasture (25 farms) or dry-lot (5 farms) and fed supplemental hay, haylage, ground shell corn, soybean hulls, or a commercial concentrate. Concentrates were fed at a rate of 0.0 to 1.5% of BW. The National Research Council (2000) model was used to predict ADG of each group of calves observed on each farm. The model error was measured by calculating residuals (the difference between predicted ADG minus observed ADG). Predicted animal performance was determined using level 1 of the model. Results show that, when using normal on-farm pasture sampling and forage analysis methods, the model error for ADG is high and did not accurately predict the performance of steers or heifers fed high-forage pasture-based diets; the predicted ADG was lower (P < 0.05) than the observed ADG. The estimated intake of low-producing animals was similar to the expected DMI, but for the greater-producing animals it was not. The NRC (2000) beef model may more accurately predict on-farm animal performance in pastured situations if feed analysis values reflect the energy value of the feed, account for selective grazing, and relate empty BW and shrunk BW to NDF.
Jeanette's feast.

Jeanette thought her anorexia was the secret to a happy life. It gave her a sense of security, identity, and control. Having moved to the Midwest from France as a small child, she dreaded the major...
Topical Antimicrobials and the Open Surgical Wound

Abstract Background: Topical antiseptic and antibiotic agents have been used for the prevention of surgical site infections since Joseph Lister's original research on this subject. Although these agents are used extensively in clinical practice, evidence to support the use of topical antimicrobial agents remains limited. Patients and Methods: The world literature on the use of antiseptic and antibiotic agents was evaluated to determine the current status of evidence to support the use of topical antimicrobial agents in the prevention of surgical site infections. Results: Although several techniques of using topical antibiotic solutions, powders, antibiotic gauzes, and beads have some evidence for validation, there are equal numbers of reports that have failed to show benefit. There is little evidence to support the use of antiseptic solutions in the prevention of infections at the surgical site. Conclusions: Additional clinical trials are necessary to provide evidence to support any of the methods for usi...
A conditional frequency distribution test for analyzing 2×c tables

Abstract Proteomics affinity-isolation experiments with c = B bait proteins which are conducted to infer protein–protein interactions produce data that can be summarized in 2 × B tables. We propose a new method for defining “more extreme” tables, the rejection region, and the p -value by considering the frequency range.
Products of Random Variables

This chapter describes an algorithm for computing the PDF of the product of two independent continuous random variables. This algorithm has been implemented in the Product procedure in APPL. The algorithms behind the Transform and BiTransform procedures from the two previous chapters differ fundamentally from the algorithm behind the Product procedure in that the transformation algorithms are more general whereas determining the distribution of the product of two random variables is more specific. Some examples given in the chapter demonstrate the algorithm’s application.
Can “Cleaned and Greened” Lots Take on the Role of Public Greenspace?:

Cities are increasingly greening vacant lots to reduce blight. Such programs could reduce inequities in urban greenspace access, but whether and how greened lots are used remains unclear. We surveyed three hundred greened lots in Philadelphia for signs of use and compared characteristics of used and nonused lots. We found physical signs of use that might be found in yard space, such as barbeques, picnic benches, and swings, on approximately 10 percent of lots. Logistic regression showed that population density was the only statistically significant predictor of lot use. Findings suggest that greened lots could provide direct use benefits to neighbors.
Randomized controlled trial of neurofeedback on chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy: A pilot study

BACKGROUND Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a significant problem for cancer patients, and there are limited treatment options for this often debilitating condition. Neuromodulatory interventions could be a novel modality for patients trying to manage CIPN symptoms; however, they are not yet the standard of care. This study examined whether electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback (NFB) could alleviate CIPN symptoms in survivors. METHODS This was a randomized controlled trial with survivors assigned to an NFB group or a wait-list control (WLC) group. The NFB group underwent 20 sessions of NFB, in which visual and auditory rewards were given for voluntary changes in EEGs. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) worst-pain item was the primary outcome. The BPI, the Pain Quality Assessment Scale, and EEGs were collected before NFB and again after treatment. Outcomes were assessed with general linear modeling. RESULTS Cancer survivors with CIPN (average duration of symptoms, 25.3 mo), who were mostly female and had a mean age of 62.5 years, were recruited between April 2011 and September 2014. One hundred percent of the participants starting the NFB program completed it (30 in the NFB group and 32 in the WLC group). The NFB group demonstrated greater improvement than the controls on the BPI worst-pain item (mean change score, –2.43 [95% confidence interval, –3.58 to –1.28] vs 0.09 [95% confidence interval, –0.72 to –0.90]; P =·.001; effect size, 0.83). CONCLUSIONS NFB appears to be effective at reducing CIPN symptoms. There was evidence of neurological changes in the cortical location and in the bandwidth targeted by the intervention, and changes in EEG activity were predictive of symptom reduction. Cancer 2017;123:1989–1997. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Schrödinger’s Equation with Potential Energy: Introduction to Operators

The wave equations of electromagnetism are a natural consequence of Maxwell’s equations. The time and spatial derivatives of the fields are found to be connected in a simple manner. But what physical interpretation can be given to the quantity ∇2ψ(r, t) that appears in Schrodinger’s equation? To understand the physical significance of this term, I have to introduce the concept of operators. Operators play a very important role in quantum mechanics but can be a bit confusing; specifically a distinction must be made between operators and functions. The plan is to look at the free particle Schrodinger equation and to show that the \(-\left ( \hbar ^{2}/2m\right ) \nabla ^{2}\) term can be represented as \(\hat {p}^{2}/2m=\mathbf {\hat {p}\cdot \hat {p}}/2m\), where \(\mathbf {\hat {p}}\) is an operator. I will then be able to generalize Schrodinger’s equation to account for situations in which an external potential is present. To simplify matters, I work with the Schrodinger equation in one dimension; in the appendix, an analogous development is given for the Schrodinger equation in three dimensions.
A framework for cognitive skill acquisition and spreadsheet training in end-users

It is well documented that electronic spreadsheet models utilized in many professions to enhance decision-making frequently contain errors that have negative effects on the ultimate quality of decisions. Limited research has been published that systematically identifies potential reasons for the causes of these errors, and what procedures can be taken to minimize or eliminate them. Our research provides initial evidence concerning this problem area by investigating how several important cognitive skills are affected by formalized spreadsheet training. Results indicate that one cognitive skill, logical reasoning, significantly increases after a six-week training period. Importantly, the greater the increase in logical reasoning skill, the more effectively the subject performed developing competent spreadsheet models. These findings provide a meaningful step in more perceptibly understanding and defining important cognitive changes that occur in individuals as they undergo formalized spreadsheet development training. Further extensions of this research should more clearly refine our understanding of the cognitive changes that occur in spreadsheet developers and eventually cultivate the development of more efficient and effective training methods for spreadsheet model designers.
Categorifying induction formulae via divergent series

Abstract We show how to get explicit induction formulae for finite group representations, and more generally for rational Green functors, by summing a divergent series over Dwyer's subgroup and centralizer decomposition spaces. This results in formulae with rational coefficients. The former space yields a well-known induction formula, the latter yields a new one. As essentially immediate corollaries of the existing literature, we get similar formulae in group cohomology and stable splittings of classifying spaces.
The power of popular opinion in everyday primary care provision in urban India

Studies of power in health care settings in low- and middle-income countries largely describe providers’ exercise of discretionary power in frontline roles, leaving under-specified the macro-instit...
Anew Medium for Isolation and Diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans

Melanin produce by Cryptococcus neoformans yeastwas used to characterize this yeast.In present study,we used red onion extract in prepared a new medium.The isolates of yeast were cultivation. After 48 hours results show,the isolates of C.neoformans were appear in dark brown colonies while the colonies on SDA not produce any pigment.Also analysis resultsof red onion extract by usedUV-Spectometerand FT-IR appear this extract content phenolic compounds which causes to produce brown pigment.thus, this medium Red Onion Agar (RO A) useful for rapid identification of yeast C.neoformans
Development and MPI tracking of novel hypoxia-targeted theranostic exosomes.

Treating the hypoxic region of the tumor remains a significant challenge. The goals of this study are to develop an exosome platform that can target regions of tumor hypoxia and that can be monitored in vivo using magnetic particle imaging (MPI). Four types of exosomes (generated under hypoxic or normoxic conditions, and with or without exposure to X-ray radiation) were isolated from MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Exosomes were labeled by DiO, a fluorescent lipophilic tracer, to quantify their uptake by hypoxic cancer cells. Subsequently, the exosomes were modified to carry SPIO (superparamagnetic iron oxide) nanoparticles and Olaparib (PARP inhibitor). FACS and fluorescence microscopy showed that hypoxic cells preferentially take up exosomes released by hypoxic cells, compared with other exosome formulations. In addition, the distribution of SPIO-labeled exosomes was successively imaged in vivo using MPI. Finally, the therapeutic efficacy of Olaparib-loaded exosomes was demonstrated by increased apoptosis and slower tumor growth in vivo. Our novel theranostic platform could be used as an effective strategy to monitor exosomes in vivo and deliver therapeutics to hypoxic tumors.
From Hometown to Battlefield in the Civil War: Middle Class Life in Midwest America

Review of: "From Hometown to Battlefield in the Civil War: Middle Class Life in Midwest America", by Timothy R. Mahoney.
Monte Carlo model-space noise adaptation for speech recognition.

We describe a Monte Carlo method for model-space noise adaptation of Gaussian mixture models (GMMs). This method combines a single-Gaussian noise model with the GMM speech model to produce an adapted model. It is similar to Parallel Model Combination or model-space Joint, except that it applies to spliced and projected MFCC features rather than to MFCC plus dynamic features. We demonstrate the necessity of reestimating the noise using both the silence and speech frames rather than just estimating it from silence frames, and obtain improvements on a matched test set without added noise using a system that includes all standard adaptation techniques.
SOME EFFECTS OF PURIFIED COMPONENTS OF JELLYFISH TOXIN ON ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE ACTIVITIES

Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that toxin from the jellyfish Stomolophus meleagris contains components which both activate and inhibit sodium transport processes. At low toxin concentrations, both Na + , K + and mitochondrial Mg 2+ ATPases were stimulated, while higher toxin concentrations (greater than 0.2 mg/ml) inhibited these two activities. Partial purification of these activities resulted in six components which affect these ATPase activities. Of these six fractions, one strongly activated while the remaining five inhibited mitochondrial Mg 2+ ATPase. The Na–K ATPase activity was stimulated by two of the fractions while the remaining four inhibited this activity. It was thus concluded that the ability of Stomolophus meleagris toxin to alter membrane permeability to Na + is due, at least in part, to components in the toxin which act directly on ATPase. The isolation of an inhibitor of a + –K + ATPase was accomplished by discontinuous membrane partition chromatography followed by CMC ion exchange chromatography. The purified inhibitor had a mol. wt. of 83,750 and an isoelectric point of 3.50. Chemical characterization showed the inhibitor to be a nucleoprotein with just over 50% due to nucleotides. In addition to the four ribonucleotides AMP, GMP, CMP and UMP, a fifth, as yet unidentified nucleotide was also present. Amino acid analysis showed that serine was in highest concentration, while cysteine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tryrosine were all absent. Kinetic analysis suggested that the inhibitor worked by competitive binding with ATP at the nucleotide binding site of ATPase.
The role of ideas in defense planning: revisiting the revolution in military affairs

Which ideas shape defense planning and why? The following paper builds on over 80 interviews with senior defense officials to dissect the origin, evolution, and fall of the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), a major post-Cold War US defense innovation paradigm. In studying the emergence and diffusion of the RMA concept, my research suggests a central role for collective actors sharing constitutive ideas about practice and competing for legitimate authority and influence in the defense establishment. The rise of the RMA as an organizing idea in U.S. defense planning is thus not reducible to bureaucratic competition, technological determinism, or strategic culture as an external set of norms. Rather, it can be portrayed as a social process involving boundary activation by bureaucrats and soldiers (re)interpreting their key tasks and core missions for future war.
Personal Sense of Uniqueness Mediates the Relationship Between Compassion for Others and Subjective Well-Being

Research has found that both compassion for others (CfO) and personal sense of uniqueness (PSU) are positively associated with subjective well-being (SWB). We conducted two studies, one with an emerging adult sample (N = 470), and the other with another emerging adult sample (N = 300) and a middle-aged adult sample (N = 169), investigating whether PSU mediated the relationship between CfO and SWB. In addition to utilizing different age groups for each study, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule were used as a measure of SWB for Study 1 and 2, respectively. The proposed mediation model was supported within both studies: PSU was a significant mediator of the relationship between CfO and both components of SWB in emerging adults and the affective component of SWB in middle-aged adults. The implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are highlighted.
Avatrombopag increases platelet count but not platelet activation in patients with thrombocytopenia resulting from liver disease.

Essentials Thrombopoietin (TPO) lowers the threshold for platelet activation. TPO receptor agonists (RAs) may therefore also lead to platelet activation. Patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia participated in a randomized trial. The TPO-RA avatrombopag did not increase platelet activation in vivo or reactivity in vitro. Background The thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist (TPO-RA) avatrombopag has recently been Food and Drug Administration-approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) scheduled for a procedure. The TPO receptor c-mpl is expressed on the platelet surface, and TPO lowers the threshold for platelet activation. TPO-RAs may therefore also lead to platelet activation. Objectives To evaluate the effects of avatrombopag on platelet activation. Patients/methods CLD patients with thrombocytopenia participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. No patient received a platelet transfusion within 10 days of study blood draws. Platelet activation was evaluated with whole blood flow cytometry (which, unlike other methods, is accurate in thrombocytopenic samples). Results Avatrombopag, but not placebo, increased platelet counts. As measured by platelet surface P-selectin and activated glycoprotein IIb-IIIa: (i) the numbers of circulating activated platelets were not increased in avatrombopag-treated patients as compared with placebo-treated patients; and (ii) platelet reactivity to low and high concentrations of ADP and thrombin receptor-activating peptide was not increased in avatrombopag-treated patients as compared with placebo-treated patients. Conclusions In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of CLD patients with thrombocytopenia, avatrombopag increased platelet counts but did not increase platelet activation in vivo or platelet reactivity in vitro.
ToyBox: Better Atari Environments for Testing Reinforcement Learning Agents

It is a widely accepted principle that software without tests has bugs. Testing reinforcement learning agents is especially difficult because of the stochastic nature of both agents and environments, the complexity of state-of-the-art models, and the sequential nature of their predictions. Recently, the Arcade Learning Environment (ALE) has become one of the most widely used benchmark suites for deep learning research, and state-of-the-art Reinforcement Learning (RL) agents have been shown to routinely equal or exceed human performance on many ALE tasks. Since ALE is based on emulation of original Atari games, the environment does not provide semantically meaningful representations of internal game state. This means that ALE has limited utility as an environment for supporting testing or model introspection. We propose ToyBox, a collection of reimplementations of these games that solves this critical problem and enables robust testing of RL agents.
Vietnam Provincial Competitiveness Index 2008

The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) is an effort to explain why some parts of the country perform better than others in terms of private sector dynamism, job creation and economic growth. Using new survey data from 8,000 businesses that describe their perceptions of their local business environments, as well as credible and comparable data from official and other sources regarding local conditions, the PCI rates provinces on a 100-point scale.
Hydrothermal oxidation of Os

Abstract A series of hydrothermal diamond anvil cell experiments was conducted to investigate the mobility of Os and Ir in saline and oxidizing hydrothermal fluids as function of fluid pH at temperatures ranging from 500 °C to 1000 °C and pressures resembling upper mantle/lower crust environments (29–1343 MPa). The composition of reactant fluids was monitored in real time and at in situ conditions by Raman vibrational spectroscopy. Results revealed the formation of Os O volatile aqueous species under oxidizing redox conditions (∼+5 ΔFMQ) and at temperatures exceeding 850 °C. These species were detected in an immiscible phase separated from the homogeneous fluid at low pressure conditions (
Macro-prudential taxation in good times

Abstract We analyze the optimal macroprudential policy under the presence of persistent permanent shocks, which convey information about future growth. In this context, crises are characterized by long periods with positive shocks that eventually revert, rendering the collateral constraint binding and triggering deleveraging. In this environment it is optimal to tax borrowing during good times, and let agents act freely leaving the allocations undistorted, including borrowing and lending, when the economy reverts to a bad state. We contrast our findings to the case of standard shocks to the level of income, where it is optimal to tax debt in bad times, when agents need to borrow the most for precautionary savings motives. Also, taxes are used much less often and are around one-tenth of those under level shocks.
Total Hip Arthroplasty Outperforms Hemiarthroplasty in Patients Aged 65 Years and Older: A Propensity-Matched Study of Short-Term Outcomes:

Introduction:Displaced femoral neck fractures in the elderly individuals may be treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hip hemiarthroplasty (HHA). However, it is unclear what the short-term m...
Some rarely reported deep-water macroalgal species from Bonaire, Caribbean Sea, including Verdigellas discoidea sp. nov. (Palmophyllaceae, Chlorophyta) based on submersible collections

Two rarely reported and one newly described species of benthic marine algae are herein recognized from deep-water habitats at Bonaire, representing the first Caribbean reports of each. Archestenogramma profundum is previously known only from its type collection in Bermuda at 17 m depth and the rarely reported Halymenia integra is known originally from its type locality at Cabo Frio, Brazil. Verdigellas discoidea is newly described on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence. It forms flat circular thalli to 6.5 cm in diameter, measuring to 390 μm thick. The disc-like algae are attached by several small holdfasts on the ventral surface, but the margins are mostly free from their substrata.
Determining Fingerprint Age with Mass Spectrometry Imaging via Ozonolysis of Triacylglycerols

Despite the common use of fingerprints as a trusted means of identification, no method currently exists to reliably establish the time since deposition of latent fingerprints. A reproducible method of establishing latent fingerprint age would allow forensic personnel to determine if a latent fingerprint was relevant to a crime. This work investigates the ambient aging of triacylglycerols (TGs) and other lipids in latent fingerprint residue utilizing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging. Unsaturated TGs were found to undergo ambient ozonolysis resulting in a decrease over time. At the same time, two series of compounds related to the degradation of unsaturated TGs due to ambient ozonolysis emerged with time and were detectable within a single day of aging. Tracking the degradation of unsaturated TGs over time proved to be relatively reproducible in multiple individuals and is suggested as a means of establishing latent fingerprint age.
Factors Influencing on the Usage of Internet Banking in Puttalam District of Sri Lanka

The research was carried out to identify the factors influencing the usage of internet banking in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, awareness, security perception, and perceived risk were selected as variables to measure the influencing factors of internet banking and measured the usage of internet banking as satisfaction and intention. A convenient sampling method was used to collect the primary data from the respondent. Data were collected by using a structured questionnaire that was distributed among 150 sample respondents from five banks in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, awareness, security perception, and perceived risk are at high level toward the usage of internet banking among customers in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka. The usage of internet banking services among customers in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka was at a high level. The study identified that the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, security perception, and perceived risk of internet banking significantly predicted the usage of internet banking. Awareness was not a significant variable on the usage of internet banking in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka. Four factors had perfect positive relationships influencing the usage of internet banking in the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka. There was a moderate positive relationship between awareness and usage of internet banking in the study area.
LanguageARC - a tutorial

LanguageARC is a portal that offers citizen linguists opportunities to contribute to language related research. It also provides researchers with infrastructure for easily creating data collection and annotation tasks on the portal and potentially connecting with contributors. This document describes LanguageARC’s main features and operation for researchers interested in creating new projects and or using the resulting data.
The Phase Shift Correlation function uncovers periodic Ulcerative Colitis microbiome relationships without temporal sampling

Correlation analysis is a fundamental technique to determine potential relationships within biological processes. However, many biological processes have been shown to function in a periodic manner. When modeling correlations, the fluctuations that are associated with periodicity cause significant issues. We have implemented a Phase Shift Correlation (PSC) algorithm, with a corresponding value PSCrho, to address the periodicity and phase variance associated with features that vary with the same frequency -- but are phase shifted. The phase shift could well indicate causality with one features quantitative change leading to the change in the other feature. We applied the PSC algorithm to Ulcerative Colitis (UC) microbiome data and compared the resulting feature relationships with the equivalent Spearman correlation function results. PSC located many instances of higher phase shifted correlations, where the corresponding Pearson correlation was low.
Ultrafast Exciton Dynamics in Two Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks Reveals Size Dependence to Exciton Diffusion

Large singlet exciton diffusion lengths are a hallmark of high performance in organic based devices such as photovoltaics, chemical sensors, and photodetectors. In this study, exciton dynamics of a two-dimensional covalent organic framework, COF- 5, is investigated using ultrafast spectroscopic techniques. Following photoexcitation, the COF-5 exciton decays via three pathways: 1) excimer formation (4 ± 2 ps), 2) excimer relaxation (160 ± 40 ps), and 3) excimer decay (>3 ns). Excitation fluence-dependent transient absorption studies suggest that COF-5 has a relatively large diffusion coefficient (0.08 cm2/s). Furthermore, exciton-exciton annihilation processes are characterized as a function of COF-5 crystallite domain size in four different samples, which reveal domain- size dependent exciton diffusion kinetics. These results reveal that exciton diffusion in COF-5 is constrained by its crystalline domain size. These insights indicate the outstanding promise of delocalized excitonic processes available in 2D COFs, which motivate their continued design and implementation into optoelectronic devices.
Ventricular pacing and myocardial function in patient with congenital heart block

INTRODUCTION Pacing-induced cardiomyopathy (PICM) is a potential complication of chronic right ventricular (RV) pacing, but its characterization in adult patients is often complicated by pre-existing cardiomyopathy. This study investigated the incidence of PICM in patients with congenital heart block (cHB) who have conduction disease from birth without confounding pre-existing cardiac conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS This retrospective cohort analysis included 42 patients with cHB and baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50%. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess freedom from cardiomyopathy (defined as LVEF <50%) between paced and nonpaced patients. Patients were 26 ± 3 years old at first presentation, 64% were women and baseline LVEF was 60.0 ± 0.2%. Median follow-up from birth was 35 (interquartile range [IQR]: 20-42) years with a median of 6.7 years (IQR: 3.6-9.2) at our institution. Thirty-two patients received pacing at mean age 21 ± 3 years. Patients receiving a pacemaker (PM) were significantly more likely to develop a cardiomyopathy (p = .021) and no patient developed a cardiomyopathy in the absence of a PM. Four patients who developed a new cardiomyopathy were upgraded to biventricular pacing, leading to stabilization or improvement of LVEF. CONCLUSION In a relatively young and healthy cHB cohort, RV pacing is associated with a higher risk of developing a cardiomyopathy. These data confirm the deleterious effects of RV pacing on myocardial function in patients without pre-existing structural cardiac disease and has clinical implications to the management of patients with cHB.
Symbolic Configurations and Two-Dimensional Mathematical Notation

In this paper a mathematical model is presented for defining the morphology and syntax of displayed mathematical expressions -- two-dimensional mathematical notation such as matrices, stacked fractions, and summation notation that are not usually written on a single line but displayed in text. A mathematical object, called a configuration, is used to model the spatial patterns or shapes in displayed mathematics. A rewriting system, called a configuration grammar, enables the description of the syntactic structure of displayed mathematics. Parsing procedures can be used with context-free configuration grammars and automatic character recognizers to interpret two-dimensional notations appearing in digitized images.
The molecular architecture of human complement component C6.

Abstract The molecular architecture of human complement component C6 was elucidated at several levels of structural organization. The entire primary structure of C6 was determined by sequencing C6 cDNA that was cloned from a human liver lambda gt11 library. The polypeptide chain of C6 contains 913 amino acids. The protein is homologous with the other terminal components of complement, C7-C9. Specifically, C6 has 29% of its residues identical with C7, and 55 of the 56 cysteines found in C7 match those in C6. The C6 polypeptide chain is cross-linked by 32 disulfide bonds, and most of the cysteines are located in short (34-77 amino acids) discrete segments that exhibit homology with a wide variety of other proteins such as thrombospondin, the low density lipoprotein receptor, epidermal growth factor, and complement factors H and I. C6 is a glycoprotein, and it has two oligosaccharide groups attached to asparagines located near the amino and the carboxyl termini of the molecule. The organization of secondary structural elements in C6 was elucidated using circular dichroism spectroscopy and an empirical method based on sequence analysis. C6 has an estimated 12% alpha-helix, but is comparatively richer in beta-sheet (29%) and beta-turns (21%). Most of the predicted alpha-helical structure resides in a portion of the polypeptide chain that is free of cysteine and which shares homology with C9 and perforin. The tertiary structure of the C6 molecule was visualized by transmission electron microscopy; it has a sickle shape with dimensions of 144 x 66 A. The combined results are discussed and comparisons made with the other late acting components of complement and perforin.
Energy metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Effect of progressive starvation on respiration and pyridine nucleotide reduction linked to ethanol oxidation in intact cells.

Abstract The progressive effects of aerobic starvation on endogenous and ethanol-linked respiration and pyridine nucleotide reduction have been studied in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three distinct phases of pyridine nucleotide reduction were observed when ethanol was added to unstarved yeast: an initial phase of rapid reduction and accelerating respiration (A); a steady-state phase of reduction with maximal respiration (B); a final phase of rapid reduction at anaerobiosis (C). During the first 5 hr of aeration, the steady-state Phase B was replaced by a phase of slow pyridine nucleotide reduction, while Phases A and C were unaffected. During this period, both endogenous pyridine nucleotide reduction and endogenous respiration decreased sharply. Between 5 and 22 hr of aeration, the endogenous level of reduced pyridine nucleotide declined further, while endogenous respiration remained unchanged. Concurrently, the extent of the Phase A reduction doubled. The addition of ethanol to aerobic, unstarved yeast stimulated a rapid pyridine nucleotide reduction, with further reduction occurring at anaerobiosis. Under anaerobic conditions, the addition of ethanol to unstarved yeast caused little further reduction of pyridine nucleotide. Two hours of starvation decreased the extent of the endogenously supported anaerobic reduction and correspondingly increased the ethanol-induced reduction. These results suggest that, in unstarved yeast, reducing equivalents derived from ethanol under aerobic conditions and those derived from endogenous carbohydrate under anaerobic conditions have access to the same pool of pyridine nucleotide. With starvation, this pool becomes accessible to ethanol-derived (or ethanol-mobilized) reducing equivalents under anaerobic conditions.
Development of Turbulent Biological Closure Parameterizations

Abstract : The long-term goal of this project is to understand and represent the dynamical role of planktonic fluctuations induced by physical turbulence. Additionally, this work is intended to be the basis of an efficient representation and methodology which will allow their inclusion in real ocean mean field dynamical models. I. Extend Goodman and Robinson (2007) statistically based theory to include a greater variety of fundamental biophysical dynamical processes; II. Development of turbulent subgrid scale parameterizations for non linear biophysical interaction; III. Application of the PDF theory and the parameterized Advective Diffusive Reaction (ADR) model to oceanographically relevant processes.
Polymer films on electrodes: Part XII. Chronoamperometric and rotating disk electrode determination of the mechanism of mass transport through poly(vinyl ferrocene) films

Abstract Chronoamperometry was used to discriminate between two models describing mass transport of a solution species to an electrode surface through an electroinactive polymer layer. At potentials where poly(vinyl ferrocene) is not electroactive, a platinum disk modified with this polymer was used to examine the first reduction of methyl viologen dication (MV 2+ ) and of benzoquinone (BQ) in acetonitrile. The membrane model, as opposed to the pinhole model, was shown to be consistent with the chronoamperometric data; XPS and SEM results support this conclusion. Rotating disk electrode measurements were also consistent with the membrane model. A method to determine the thickness of the solvent-swollen polymer is discussed, and estimates of the redox couples' diffusion coefficients and extraction coefficients into the polymer based on this thickness were: D m (MV 2+ )=4×10 −8 cm 2 /s; D m (BQ)=1×10 −7 cm 2 /s; K (MV 2+ )=6; and K (BQ)=4.
Morbidity and Mortality

The frequency of overall or cause-specific morbidity and mortality is used in national and global statistics to characterize the health status of a population. Summary measures of population health combine the frequency of morbidity and mortality into one measure of burden of disease using disability weights or quality of life measures. Keywords: morbidity; mortality; prevalence; incidence rate; incidence proportion; DALY ; HALE ; QALY
Concomitant Helper Response Rescues Otherwise Low Avidity CD8+ Memory CTLs to Become Efficient Effectors In Vivo

This report seeks a means of maximizing memory CD8 T cell responses to peptide immunization. Delivery of the CD8 peptide epitope by stress protein, heat shock protein (hsp)70, results in excellent immunogenicity at the acute phase but memory responses were poor both in terms of the number of responding cells as well as their functional avidity. We demonstrate for the first time that hsp70 can also be used as a vehicle to achieve CD4 T cell responses to loaded peptide epitopes and that coimmunization with hsp70 loaded with both CD8 and CD4 peptide epitopes may increase memory up to 3-fold. Furthermore, CD8+ T cell memory responses were of higher avidity measured both by in vitro cytotoxicity assays and a new methodology that measures the avidity of CTL activity in vivo in mice. Our results emphasize that peptide immunization remains a viable approach to induce long-term CD8+ T cell function, providing steps are taken to assure appropriate stimulation of Th cell responses.
Subadditive Separating Maps

Let X and Y denote compact Hausdorff spaces and let K = R (real numbers) or C(complex numbers). C(X) and C(Y) denote the spaces of K-valued continuous functions on X and Y, respectively. A map H : C(X) → C(Y) is separating if fg = 0 implies that HfHg = 0. Results about automatic continuity and the form of additive and linear separating maps have been developed in [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [7], [8], and [10]. In this article similar results are developed for subadditive separating maps. We show (Theorem 5.11) that certain biseparating, subadditive bijections H are automatically continuous.
Lectin-binding specificities of hemocytes from two strains of Biomphalaria glabrata as determined by microhemadsorption assays.

Abstract The effect of eleven lectins on the attachment of human erythrocytes (hrbc) to hemocytes of two strains of Biomphalaria glabrata with differing susceptibilities to Schistosoma mansoni was examined. Con A, RCA-120, and WGA strongly enhanced hemadsorption. RCA-120 and Con A enhancement were restricted to type A hemocytes. HPA, LCA, TPA, and UEA-60 weakly enhanced hemadsorption. BSA, DBA, PHA-E, and SBA did not enhance hemadsorption. LCA more strongly enhanced hemadsorption with hemocytes from NIH albino strain snails than with hemocytes from 10R-2 strain snails. These findings suggest that gastropod hemocytes with different origins differ quantitatively in their arrays of cell surface oligosaccharides capable of lectin binding.
Redox conditions on small bodies, the Moon and Mars

The current state of knowledge regarding redox conditions of rocks from asteroidal bodies (as represented by various classes of meteorites), the Moon and Mars is discussed here. In the case of the differentiated meteorite parent bodies, the redox conditions range over at least six orders of magnitude (from ~5 log units below the Iron-Wustite buffer to slightly above it) and are determined in large part by the compositions of the undifferentiated precursor materials that accreted to form these parent bodies. Lunar basalts record oxygen fugacities ranging from close to the Iron-Wustite (IW) buffer to ~2 log units below it. The current best estimate of the oxygen fugacity of the lunar mantle is ~1 log unit below IW. Martian crustal rocks represented by the Shergottite-Nakhlite-Chassignite group of meteorites record a wide range of oxygen fugacities. The basaltic shergottites range from slightly below the IW buffer to ~2 log units above it, whereas the cumulate nakhlites (and chassignites) are relatively oxidized (~3–4 log units above the IW buffer). Following early metal-silicate and crust-mantle differentiation on Mars, the depleted martian mantle is likely to have been reduced (close to the IW buffer or slightly lower). Metasomatism and secondary (hydrous) alteration are likely to have produced silicate reservoirs on Mars that are relatively more oxidized (most likely ≥3 log units above the IW buffer). The redox conditions on the other terrestrial planets (Mercury and Venus) are not well constrained. Based on the limited information from remote spacecraft and telescopic observations of surface rocks on these planets, it is inferred that silicate reservoirs on Mercury are highly reduced; those on Venus are likely to be somewhat more oxidized than on Mercury, possibly similar to the lower mantle of Earth.
Galilean Satellites: Anomalous Temperatures Disputed

Anomalous averaged infrared brightness temperatures of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter reported by Gross (1975) are rejected as falsely conceived and lacking physical reality. It is argued that the calculations of equilibrium temperatures should be corrected, whereupon predictions would be in satisfactory agreement with observations, in conformity with the radiometric method of determining the diameters of asteroids and satellites. The IR irradiance and the related disk-averaged brightness temperature for the spectral band are recommended as more relevant. Attention is drawn to some interesting discrepancies between calculated and observed temperatures of the Jovian satellites which merit further investigation.
Localization and Release of Glutamic Acid in Relation to the Hippocampal Mossy Fibre Pathway

ABUNDANT clinical and experimental evidence indicates that the hippocampus is involved in temporal lobe epilepsy1,2. Some of the symptoms of excitation associated with the disease may be related to the marked tendency of the hippocampus to produce seizures in response to mechanical, electrical and chemical stimuli3. Focal discharges in the temporal lobe could spread through direct afferents to the nearby entorhinal cortex4. Excitatory projections from entorhinal neurones form the final link in the chain between the sensory neocortex and the hippocampus by making synaptic contact with granule cells of the dentate gyrus. Axons arising from the granule cells synapse, in turn, on the apical dendrites of CA3–4 hippocampal pyramidal cells. These axons comprise the mossy fibre pathway5.
X-ray crystal structure of the trifluoroacetylcobalt complex CF3COCo(CO)3(PPh3) – Implications for the relationship between structure and reactivity toward migratory insertion of carbon monoxide in cobalt alkyl complexes

Abstract In order to gain insight into the bonding in perfluoroalkyl and perfluoroacyl complexes of transition metals, the X-ray crystal structure of CF 3 COCo(CO) 3 (PPh 3 ) has been determined. Comparison of this structure with that previously reported by us for CF 3 Co(CO) 3 (PPh 3 ) and several other acyl/alkyl pairs reported by others highlights the cobalt–carbon bond contraction in the perfluoroalkyl complex and provides an explanation for why such complexes do not undergo migratory insertion of CO. Comparisons of cobalt–carbon bond lengths in hydrocarbon alkyl and acyl complexes show that the acyl complexes exhibit uniformly shorter bonds than the alkyl complexes, consistent with their ability to undergo CO insertion under mild conditions, and in contrast to the shorter Co–C bond length in the CF 3 complex relative to that in the COCF 3 species. Several other unique features of the bonding in the CF 3 complex become evident upon comparison with the CF 3 CO complex and several hydrocarbon alkyl and acyl complexes. Other interesting comparisons include carbonyl stretching frequencies in the IR spectra of these complexes.
A latent attractors model of context selection in the dentate gyrus–hilus system

Abstract Primary neurons in all parts of the rodent hippocampus show location-specific patterns of activity called place fields, thus forming a distributed representation of place. Paradoxically, environments with very similar sensory cues can produce distinct place representations. The origin of this context dependence is not known. In this paper, we speculate that the dentate gyrus–hilus (DGH) system, with its disynaptic recurrent connectivity plays a central role in creating context-dependent place representations. We show that a simple system architecture can support distinct and consistent place representations for similar environments.
Wind resource estimates with an analog ensemble approach

Abstract The wind resource and energy assessment is key to a wind farm development project. It allows for establishing the feasibility and economic viability of the project over the typical 10- to 30-year lifetime of a wind farm. Recent studies show that the accuracy of assessments has substantial room for improvement. Estimating and reducing uncertainty is important to secure financing and ensure the confidence of investors. A new method is proposed and demonstrated for the long-term estimation of the wind speeds at a target site, a key step in assessments. The method is based on ensembles made of analogs between a short-term observational record from the target site and a long-term historical record from a nearby site or an atmospheric model. It provides a high-quality long-term wind resource estimate, characterized by an accurate wind speed time series and frequency distribution. It also provides a reliable estimate of the uncertainty based on the actual physical processes determining the current atmospheric flow rather than the climatological wind distribution.