cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predator identity more than predator richness structures aquatic microbial assemblages in Sarracenia purpurea leaves

The importance of predators in influencing community structure is a well-studied area of ecology. However, few studies test ecological hypotheses of predation in multi-predator microbial communities. The phytotelmic community found within the water-filled leaves of the pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, exhibits a simple trophic structure that includes multiple protozoan predators and microbial prey. Using this system, we sought to determine whether different predators target distinct microorganisms, how interactions among protozoans affect resource (microorganism) use, and how predator diversity affects prey community diversity. In particular, we endeavored to determine if protozoa followed known ecological patterns such as keystone predation or generalist predation. For these experiments, replicate inquiline microbial communities were maintained for seven days with five protozoan species. Microbial community structure was determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (iTag) and analysis. Compared to the control (no protozoa), two ciliates followed patterns of keystone predation by increasing microbial evenness. In pairwise competition treatments with a generalist flagellate, prey communities resembled the microbial communities of the respective keystone predator in monoculture. The relative abundance of the most common bacterial Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) in our system decreased compared to the control in the presence of these ciliates. This OTU was 98% similar to a known chitin degrader and nitrate reducer, important functions for the microbial community and the plant host. Collectively, the data demonstrated that predator identity had a greater effect on prey diversity and composition than overall predator diversity.
Epipaleolithic human appendicular remains from Ein Gev I, Israel

Abstract The Upper Paleolithic (Early Epipaleolithic/Kebaran; ∼ 19,000 cal BP) human skeleton, from Layer 3 of Ein Gev I on the western flanks of the Golan Heights adjacent to the Sea of Galilee, retains sufficient limb remains to permit assessment of its body size and proportions, as well as diaphyseal reflections of skeletal hypertrophy. The individual was of modest stature but average mass for a later Upper Paleolithic individual, providing it with the body mass-to-stature body proportions characteristic of later Upper Paleolithic and more recent circum-Mediterranean humans. The humeri exhibit unexceptional diaphyseal asymmetry and robustness for an Upper Paleolithic human, and the femur exhibits similar relative diaphyseal hypertrophy. The humeral midshafts are relatively round, but the femoral and tibial midshafts are pronounced anteroposteriorly. As such, Ein Gev 1 provides additional paleobiological data on the appendicular remains of these Southwest Asian humans prior to the increasing sedentism of the terminal Pleistocene.
Tracking and validation techniques for topographically organized tractography

Abstract Topographic regularity of axonal connections is commonly understood as the preservation of spatial relationships between nearby neurons and is a fundamental structural property of the brain. In particular the retinotopic mapping of the visual pathway can even be quantitatively computed. Inspired from this previously untapped anatomical knowledge, we propose a novel tractography method that preserves both topographic and geometric regularity. We make use of parameterized curves with Frenet-Serret frame and introduce a highly flexible mechanism for controlling geometric regularity. At the same time, we incorporate a novel local data support term in order to account for topographic organization. Unifying geometry with topographic regularity, we develop a Bayesian framework for generating highly organized streamlines that accurately follow neuroanatomy. We additionally propose two novel validation techniques to quantify topographic regularity. In our experiments, we studied the results of our approach with respect to connectivity, reproducibility and topographic regularity aspects. We present both qualitative and quantitative comparisons of our technique against three algorithms from MRtrix3. We show that our method successfully generates highly organized fiber tracks while capturing bundle anatomy that are geometrically challenging for other approaches.
A New Electron Gun for the Vacuum Evaporation of Metals and Dielectrics

The production of complex film elements in narrow tolerances requires a better control of the deposition parameters and a lower impurity level than presently obtainable. The use of electron guns as evaporation sources promises a reduction of the sample contamination and an accurate control of the deposition rate. A new electron gun is described which focuses the electron beam by a spherical field between cathode and anode. The advantages of such a design over a conventional gun with grid cylinder are greater ruggedness and simplicity, higher energy output and the possibility of a full analytical treatment of its characteristics. The evaporation of difficult materials such as silicon is possible.
Daptomycin for the treatment of osteomyelitis associated with a diabetic foot ulcer.

﻿ ﻿This report describes a case of Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis associated with a chronic foot ulcer that was successfully treated with surgical debridement and 6 weeks of daptomycin therapy. Daptomycin was chosen because of its excellent activity against the causative organism and the patient's history of penicillin allergy. Its tolerability and ease of administration also facilitated long-term outpatient management. The present case provides further evidence that supports consideration of daptomycin as a treatment for S aureus osteomyelitis, especially in light of reports of methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA) infection recurrence after vancomycin use and safety issues surrounding long-term use of linezolid.
Approximate Distributed Spatiotemporal Topic Models for Multi-Robot Terrain Characterization

Unsupervised learning techniques, such as Bayesian topic models, are capable of discovering latent structure directly from raw data. These unsupervised models can endow robots with the ability to learn from their observations without human supervision, and then use the learned models for tasks such as autonomous exploration, adaptive sampling, or surveillance. This paper extends single-robot topic models to the domain of multiple robots. The main difficulty of this extension lies in achieving and maintaining global consensus among the unsupervised models learned locally by each robot. This is especially challenging for multi-robot teams operating in communication-constrained environments, such as marine robots. We present a novel approach for multi-robot distributed learning in which each robot maintains a local topic model to categorize its observations and model parameters are shared to achieve global consensus. We apply a combinatorial optimization procedure that combines local robot topic distributions into a globally consistent model based on topic similarity, which we find mitigates topic drift when compared to a baseline approach that matches topics naively, We evaluate our methods experimentally by demonstrating multi-robot underwater terrain characterization using simulated missions on real seabed imagery. Our proposed method achieves similar model quality under bandwidth-constraints to that achieved by models that continuously communicate, despite requiring less than one percent of the data transmission needed for continuous communication.
Computer vision for real-time extrusion quality monitoring and control in robotic construction

Abstract In this paper, a vision-based real-time extrusion quality monitoring system is developed for robotic construction. Initially, the details related to the extrusion system, data acquisition and processing unit, and the proposed algorithm are discussed. The reliability and responsiveness of the developed system is then evaluated on six determined levels of material variation. To demonstrate its application, the vision algorithm is used to develop an innovative closed-loop extrusion system. This system is able to automatically adjust the extrusion rate based on the vision system feedback. Such self-regulating extrusion system would be able to continuously print layers of acceptable dimensions using any printable mixture, without the need for prior calibration and despite some mixture rheology variations. All in all, the high precision and responsiveness of the developed system demonstrates the great potential for computer vision as a real-time quality monitoring and control tool for robotic construction.
Starting from Where We Are: The Importance of the Status Quo in James Buchanan

One of the key tenets of James Buchanan’s political thought was the centrality of the status quo, embodied in Buchanan’s frequently heard axiom that “we start from where we are.” There is practical political value in “starting from where we are,” because we are in fact there, and not someplace else. Buchanan’s normative concern is that starting from where “we are” means that changes are more likely to be voluntary, and therefore Pareto-improving. The history of this notion of the status quo in contractarian thought is developed briefly, and then a particular example, the Chilean Constitution and its problematic implementation, is discussed.
Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension in Parkinson Disease: A Primer.

Parkinson disease (PD) is associated with a variety of motor and non-motor clinical manifestations, including cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction. Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH) is a potentially serious manifestation of cardiovascular sympathetic failure that occurs in approximately 30% of patients with PD. Here we review the pathophysiology and effects of the condition as well as treatment considerations for patients with PD and nOH. Screening for nOH using orthostatic symptom questionnaires, orthostatic blood pressure measurements, and specialized autonomic testing is beneficial for the identification of symptomatic and asymptomatic cases because cardiac sympathetic denervation and nOH can occur even at early (premotor) stages of PD. Symptoms of nOH, such as orthostatic lightheadedness, in patients with PD, have been shown to adversely affect patient safety (with increased risk of falls) and quality of life and should prompt treatment with non-pharmacologic and, occasionally, pharmacologic measures. Patients with nOH are also at increased risk of supine hypertension, which requires balancing various management strategies. Lundbeck (Deerfield, IL).
O 17 ( α , d ) F 19 to the 7 2 + and 11 2 + states

The pertinence of the observed features of the $^{17}\mathrm{O}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, d)^{19}\mathrm{F}$ transitions to the first two ${\frac{7}{2}}^{+}$ and first two ${\frac{11}{2}}^{+}$ states in $^{19}\mathrm{F}$ to rotational-model and shell-model descriptions of this nucleus is outlined.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{17}\mathrm{O}(\ensuremath{\alpha}, d)$, $E=47.5$ MeV; measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}({E}_{d}, \ensuremath{\theta})$ for ${\frac{7}{2}}^{+}$ and ${\frac{11}{2}}^{+}$ states; DWBA analysis with ${(s d)}^{3}$ microscopic wave functions.
David Oliver: Covid-19 has shown the value of local and clinical NHS leadership.

What does our initial response to the pandemic teach us about the balance, and future rebalancing, of central versus local healthcare leadership? Local clinicians and operational management have led most of the measures that have worked. Specialist medical societies, academic researchers, and journalists in mainstream and healthcare media have also had starring roles. The government, and national arm’s length organisations overseeing healthcare and public health, have lost any contest of competence or reputation. Indeed, many locally and clinically led successes have happened despite central failings. Those failings—from 10 Downing Street, the Cabinet, the Department of Health and Social Care, the now disbanded Public Health England, NHS England, and government communications teams—have been well documented. They include deficiencies in pandemic preparedness, a slow response …
Systematic Review: Sweet Syndrome Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Sweet syndrome [SS] is a dermatological condition associated with both inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] and azathioprine use. We performed a systematic review to better delineate clinical characteristics and outcomes of SS in IBD patients. METHODS Peer-reviewed, full-text journal publications from inception to April 2020 in English language and adult subjects with IBD were included. Skin biopsy was required as SS gold-standard diagnosis. Azathioprine-associated SS required recent azathioprine introduction or recurrence of SS after azathioprine re-challenge. RESULTS We included 89 publications with 95 patients [mean age of SS diagnosis: 44 years; 59% female; 20 with azathioprine-associated SS and 75 without]. SS was diagnosed prior to IBD in 5.3%, at time of IBD diagnosis in 29.5% and after diagnosis in 64.2%. In total, 91% of patients with SS had known colonic involvement and the majority [76%] had active IBD at diagnosis; 22% had additional extra-intestinal manifestations. Successful therapies for SS included corticosteroids [90.5%], anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF]-α inhibitor therapy [14.8%] and azathioprine [11.6%]. Azathioprine-associated SS was distinct, with 85% male patients, mean age of SS diagnosis of 50 years and a lower likelihood to be prescribed corticosteroids for treatment [75% vs 94.7% of non-azathioprine-associated SS, p = 0.008]. All patients with azathioprine-associated SS improved with medication cessation and developed recurrence after re-challenge. CONCLUSIONS SS may precede or occur with IBD diagnosis in almost one-third of cases. Azathioprine and IBD-associated SS present and behave distinctly, especially with regard to gender, age at diagnosis and recurrence risk. Corticosteroids and TNF-α inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in treating SS in IBD.
BIPV/T curtain wall systems: Design, development and testing

Abstract This paper presents the design, development and experimental testing of a Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal (BIPV/T) curtain wall prototype. The main purpose of this study was to address the lack of design standardization in BIPV/T systems, which has been identified as a major factor for the limited number of applications of such systems, by proposing a BIPV/T design approach based on a well-established building practice, incorporating thermal enhancement techniques suitable for building integration. Additionally, this study addressed the applicability of commonly used expressions for convective heat transfer in PV/T modelling. A BIPV/T curtain wall prototype was studied experimentally in an indoor solar simulator facility. Thermal enhancement techniques, including multiple inlets, semi-transparent instead of opaque PV and a newly introduced flow deflector were evaluated. Test results showed a thermal efficiency of up to 33%. A multiple-inlet configuration assisted by a flow deflector behind the PV panel was found to enhance the thermal performance by up to 16% and reduced the peak PV temperatures by 3.5 °C, with a marginal increase in the electrical efficiency. The recorded Nusselt numbers were found to have poor or marginal agreement with the expressions presented in the relevant literature, indicating the need for a more generalized approach for the modelling of convective phenomena in BIPV/T systems. This study provides a foundation for air-based BIPV/T design standardization and incorporation of common building practices, and highlights issues regarding convective heat transfer modelling.
Trauma exposure, social functioning, and common mental health disorders in Somali refugee male and female youth: An SEM analysis.

BACKGROUND Refugee youth often face numerous adversities before and during forced migration. Although experiences vary across settings and subpopulations, common mental disorders are prevalent among refugee youth who are displaced in low- and middle-income countries. It is important to examine how risk factors are intricately linked and contribute to common mental health issues to inform clinical practice and social policy. AIMS This study aims to test the pathways from risk factors previously identified as determinants of Somali refugee youth mental health (i.e. trauma exposure, substance use, social functioning, aggression) to symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and somatic pains. METHOD We collected survey data in 2013, using snowball sampling to recruit Somali refugee youth (15-35 years old) living in Eastleigh, Kenya. We ran three structural equation models to assess paths from trauma exposure to mental health symptoms, through psychosocial factors including substance use, aggression, and functional impairment. We first conducted this analysis with a mixed-gender sample (N = 305) and then assessed gender differences by running one model for male participants (n = 124) and another for female participants (n = 181). RESULTS In the mixed-gender sample, trauma exposure directly predicted substance use and both directly and indirectly predicted aggression, functional impairment, and mental health symptoms. Substance use directly predicted aggression and functional impairment, and substance use both directly and indirectly predicted mental health symptoms. The split-gender models revealed gender differences, with only functional impairment directly predicting mental health symptoms in the male sample and with many significant direct and indirect pathways in the female sample. CONCLUSIONS This study shows the role of trauma exposure, substance use, aggression, and social functioning in determining mental health outcomes among refugee youth and how CMD symptoms are differently manifested across genders in this population.
Physicochemical and microbial quality of coated raw and oleogel-fried chicken

Abstract In this study, oleogels were prepared by mixing canola oil and two concentrations of carnauba wax at 5 g/100 g and 10 g/100 g. Chicken breast samples were deep-fried in either canola oil or oleogels (5 or 10 g/100 g (w/v)) for 3–4 min at 177.7 °C. Fried and raw samples were dipped in sweet potato starch edible coating formulated with thyme essential oil (TEO) at 0, 2, and 4 g/100 g (v/v) concentrations. Consequent to drying, coated samples were bagged and stored in a refrigerator at 4 ± 1 °C for 8 days. Oleogel-fried samples had significantly lower fat contents than canola oil-fried samples but oleogelation did not improve the oxidative stability of the fried chickens. However, the incorporation of 2 g/100 g TEO into edible coating offered better oxidative stability in the oleogel-fried samples (P 0.05). The edible coating did not alter water activity and pH values in raw samples. However, coated samples activated with TEO had lower counts of the microorganisms.
Archaeologically recovered ammonites: Evidence for long-term continuity in Nitsitapii Ritual

Fossilized ammonites have been repeatedly excavated from cultural contexts, often in association with the Old Women 's Phase archaeological culture. Archaeologists usually consider the Old Women 's Phase to represent ancestral Nitsitapii (Blackfoot). The Nitsitapii word for fossilized ammonites is 'Iniskim' or Buffalo Stones. Nitsitapii oral tradition records an ancient origin for the use of Iniskim. Originally, Iniskim were used as part of a pre-hunt ritual that produced the power to insure a successful hunt by charming bison. The power associated with Iniskim resulted in their customary inclusion in Nitsitapii personal, healing, sacred tipi, and ceremonial bundles. Although there are examples of other First Nations possessing similar objects, none exhibit as strong a tradition surrounding these items as the Nitsitapii. The repeated association of ammonites with the archaeological material of the Old Women 's Phase in contexts suggesting bison charming and ceremonial significance, coupled with the evidence for the antiquity and pervasive traditional use ofthese fossils as Iniskim among the Nitsitapii, is argued to support the Nitsitapii (Blackfoot) - Old Women 's Phase correlation.
12 Catalyst Design

Publisher Summary Chemical reaction engineering is a way of integrating chemical and physical phenomena into systematic models of catalyst performance. These models have to contain parameters with physical and chemical meaning; their optimum combination would then yield the optimum design for a catalyst. There are strong economic forces that demand rational methods for the development of new catalysts. Driving forces that demand more efficient methodologies for catalyst development include new business opportunities, the high cost of empirical developments, and the increasing competitiveness in the catalyst industry, which demands speedier routes toward commercialization. Several advances promise to replace certain types of catalytic experimentation by mathematical modeling. Ideally, optimum design requires the identification of the pertinent design variables, the identification of the objective function or functions to be maximized or minimized, and the identification of bounds on the design variables to satisfy a set of constraints, implicit and explicit. This chapter illustrates an example of the catalytic control of NO x emissions from fossil fuel-fired electric power generating facilities that use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process.
The Finite Fractional Zak Transform

We give a matrix form of the Zak transform in the finite setting and show it can be diagonalized with eigenvectors of the two variable time-independent Schroedinger difference equation. Using this diagonalization we produce a fractional Zak transform and illustrate the effect that it has on constant frequencies.
1,3,5-trisubstituted benzenes : I. Synthesis and reactions of 3,5-dibromophenyllithium

Abstract An improved method for the synthesis of 3,5-dibromophenyllithium (I) has been developed. The reactions between I and various substrates leads to a variety of substituted compounds e.g. (3,5-Br2C6H3)nX; when n  1, X  -CO2H, -CHO, -Si(CH3)2Cl, -C(O)C3F7, -C(O)CF2(OCF2CF2)3OC2F5, -C(O)CF(CF3)OC3F7, -C(O)CF(CF3)[OCF2CF(CF3)]2OC3F7, -C(CF3)2OH and C6F5; when n  2, X  p-C6F4; when n  3, X  P. The thermal stability of I is also reported.
Routing Using Messengers in Sparse and Disconnected Mobile Sensor Networks

Sparse mobile sensor networks, such as those in the applications of ecology forest and modern battlefield, can frequently disconnect. Unfortunately, most existing routing protocols in mobile wireless networks mainly address connected networks, either sparse or dense. In this paper, we study the specific problem for dynamic routing in the sparse and disconnected mobile sensor networks utilizing messengers. We propose two routing discovery protocols: Genetic Fuzzy Straight Line Moving of Messengers (GFSLMM) and Genetic Fuzzy Flexible Sharing Policy of Messengers (GFFSPM). A preliminary simulation shows the efficacy of our protocols.
Purification and Properties of Xanthine Dehydrogenase from Micrococcus lactilyticus

Xanthine dehydrogenase, purified 550-fold from Micrococcus lactilyticus, exhibits a molecular weight of about 250,000 and an absorption spectrum which differs only slightly from that of related molybdo-iron-flavoproteins, and appears to contain 2 g atoms of molybdenum, 8 g atoms of iron, and 2 moles of flavin per mole. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of a wide variety of purines and aldehydes. Ferredoxin is the most effective electron acceptor, but oxygen, various dyes, and ferricyanide can also be utilized, as can cytochrome c, but DPN+ cannot. The reductions of ferredoxin and cytochrome c are not dependent upon the presence of molecular oxygen, but may be correlated with the appearance of a stable flavin semiquinone in enzyme which has been reduced by its substrates. The enzyme catalyzes the reversible dismutation of xanthine to hypoxanthine and urate at 60% of the rate for the aerobic oxidation of xanthine. The enzyme is resistant to inhibition by cyanide, and is extremely susceptible to progressive inhibition by methanol. These latter observations strengthen the hypothesis that molybdenum serves as a hydroxyl acceptor and donor in the normal catalytic function of molybdo-iron-flavoproteins. It is also resistant to arsenite, but is progressively inactivated by borate.
Reactive power limitation due to wind-farm collector networks

Type-3 and Type-4 wind turbines are capable of contributing to the reactive power required by wind-farms for supporting grid voltages. However, characterizing the maximum reactive power capability of a wind-farm by summing the individual generator ratings does not account for the effects of voltage variations over the radial collector network and can significantly overestimate the total reactive power production capacity. This paper considers the reactive power produced by a wind-farm in response to a common reactive power set-point Q set that is broadcast to all wind turbines. Analysis shows that a sustained increase in Q set will result in the wind-farm delivering maximal reactive power. Several examples demonstrate that generator voltage limits can significantly curtail the reactive power output requested by the control strategy. This improved characterization of wind-farm reactive power production capabilities, which takes into account collector network voltages, will enable better design and operation of wind-farm reactive power resources, reducing the need for additional shunt capacitors and static synchronous compensators.
Can anti-spastic medication facilitate robotic-locomotor training?

We aimed to determine whether an anti-spasticity medication (tizanidine) can facilitate the effects of robotic locomotor treadmill training (LTT) to improve gait function. Individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) were recruited and carried out a 4-week intervention of either locomotor treadmill training (LTT) alone (n = 26) or LTT combined with tizanidine (TizLTT) (n = 22). Gait function was evaluated using clinical outcome measures of gait speed, endurance, and mobility. We used two-way mixed design analysis of variance to assess changes over recovery time and due to interventions. We defined the amount of change for the improvement to be considered “clinically” meaningful as the minimal important difference (MID) for clinical scores. Group-averaging analysis indicated that both LTT and TizLTT resulted in significant improvements in walking speed, with no significant differences between them. However, using the MID analysis, a higher proportion of subjects in the TizLTT group achieved the MID for walking speed (40%) compared with LTT alone (13%). Those that achieved the MID for walking speed were significantly higher functioning at baseline than those that did not in the TizLTT group. We concluded that tizanidine can facilitate the effects of LTT on gait function in individuals with SCI that are higher functioning at baseline. This may be due to restoration of inhibitory mechanisms by tizanidine, resulting in greater stretch in the planterflexors during the LTT.
Gold Nanoparticles as Chemical Catalysts

Gold, often known as being chemically inert, has rich inorganic and organic chemistry. In particular, gold nanoparticles, either protected by organic ligands or supported on solid surfaces, have attracted wide attention for their applications in catalysis, electronics, nonlinear optics, and biology. In this article, we summarize some recent advances in the synthesis of supported gold catalysts from the perspective of inorganic materials chemistry. These advances include new methods used to load gold, to prepare functionalized supports, and to postdecorate supported gold catalysts. More recent advances in the use of nanoparticle supports and other ordered nanostructures in making supported gold catalysts are also highlighted, and a critical analysis of the status of the field is presented. From this review, it is hoped that the reader will get an impression that inorganic materials chemistry can contribute to the synthesis of novel gold catalysts with good catalytic performance. Keywords: gold nanoparticles; catalysis; nanotechnology; sol-gel; metal; support; mesoporous materials; modification; promoter
Spectra and structure of organophosphorus compounds. LXI. The structures of trans and gauche ethyldifluorophosphine

Abstract The microwave spectra of several 13 C- and D-substituted species of both conformers of ethyldifluorophosphine were recorded and analyzed. Almost complete r 0 structures were derived for the trans and gauche forms from the rotational constants of 4 and 7 isotopomers, respectively. The CCP bond angle changes from 111.1(3)° for the gauche conformer to 116.6(4)° in the trans conformer. The r 0 structures are compared with each other and to the optimized structures from recent ab initio calculations.
Ab initio study of hydrogen adsorption on Be (0001)

Hydrogen adsorption on the (0001) beryllium surface is modeled using a Be45 cluster containing seven layers. The ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations employ effective core potentials and full D3h point group symmetry. Six low‐lying electron configurations are investigated and the effect of electron spin coupling on the adsorption process is discussed. The adsorption of H on Be is calculated to be stable by 20 kcal/mol and lowers the work function by 1.3 eV.
Mineral balance studies in very low birth weight infants fed human milk

Mineral homeostasis often is disrupted in the very low birth weight (VLBW) infant fed either human milk or commercial formula that contains insufficient quantities of avallable calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). Alterations in mineral homeostasis include abnormal patterns of serum (Ca and P concentrations and alkaline phosphatase activity) and urine (Ca and P) biochemical markers, low net Ca and P retentions in comparison with intrauterine estimates of mineral accretion, and decreased bone mineral content. A two-phase study was conducted in our laboratory to test for these alterations in mineral homeostasls. In phase 1, VLBW infants fed a preparation of fortified human milk (either human milk-derived fortifier I or II or cow milk-derived fortifier) or cow milk-based formula specially designed for VLBW infants were evaluated during their hospitalization. In phase 2, after hospltalization, these infants were evaluated during the first 6 months of life when fed either their mother's milk or routine formula exclusively. The bloavailabllity of Ca and P from the tested preparations varied widely. Although the fortification of human milk resulted in both an improved blochemlcal pattern and net retention of Ca and P, optimal intrauterine mineral accretion was not achieved in any group tested. Longitudinal assessments of bone mineralization, by single photon absorptiometry, demonstrated that human milk-fed former VLBW infants has reduced bone mineral content. These investigations suggest that former VLBW infants fed human milk exclusively may be at risk for Ca and P deficiencies.
New Isolation Strategies: Is There a Need.?

See also pages 329 and 335. Category-specific isolation, body substance isolation, disease-specific isolation, drainage/secretion precautions, enteric precautions, resistant-organism precautions, universal precautions, tuberculosis precautions: Can anybody other than aficionados keep these systems straight without a scorecard? What confusion have we wrought on the ordinary healthcare worker, especially those without special expertise in infection control but on whom we rely to carry out isolation policy? Are we creating isolation systems too complex, specific, and confusing to meet the basic needs of our healthcare system? Indeed, have we even confused ourselves by inventing new isolation systems when a careful reading of existing recommendations suggests that with minor updating, vigilant implementation of those guidelines would be sufficient?
Assimilation and deposition of wax esters in planktivorous seabirds

We have analyzed the lipid composition of meals fed to chicks and determined the ability of chicks to assimilate wax esters in four species of high latitude, plankton-feeding seabirds: one alcid (Aethia pusilla; Alcidae: Charadriiformes) and three petrels (Pelecanoides urinatrix, P. georgicus, and Pachyptila desolata; Procellariiformes). Up to 63% of the estimated digestible energy in chick meals consists of wax esters. Using 14C-labeled cetyl palmitate, we have shown that chicks of the four study species efficiently hydrolyze wax esters, with less than 1% of the ingested label excreted in most cases. Labeled fatty acids were assimilated and deposited primarily as triacylglycerols in storage fat depots. The one study species known to store lipids in the proventriculus retained much of the labeled wax ester unhydrolyzed in stomach oils. However, the capacity to store stomach oils was not a requisite for efficient assimilation of wax esters. This study provides the first direct evidence that seabirds have the inherent ability to digest and assimilate wax esters efficiently.
Branched-chain and unsaturated 1,7-diaminoheptane derivatives as deoxyhypusine synthase inhibitors

Deoxyhypusine synthase catalyzes the first step in the posttranslational biosynthesis of the unusual amino acid hypusine [N epsilon-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)lysine] in eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A). eIF-5A and its single hypusine residue are essential for cell proliferation. Two series of 1,7-diaminoheptane derivatives were prepared and tested as inhibitors of human deoxyhypusine synthase. These include branched-chain saturated derivatives and both branched- and straight-chain unsaturated derivatives providing size and positional variation in branching and different torsional constraints. Of the branched-chain compounds, 7-amino-1-guanidinooctane (39) proved to be the most potent inhibitor in vitro (IC50, 34 nM), while 1,7-diamino-trans-hept-3-ene (20a) displayed the greatest inhibition (IC50, 0.7 microM) among the unsaturated compounds. Compound 39 also provided effective inhibition of hypusine production in Chinese hamster ovary cells in culture. Considerations of the in vitro inhibition data reported here, along with earlier findings, allowed some speculation concerning the conformation of the substrate spermidine during its productive interaction at the active site of deoxyhypusine synthase.
A review of Great Plains dune field chronologies

Abstract Aeolian dune fields of the North American Great Plains are sensitive indicators of past climate change given their activation during periods of drought. For the last 40 years, researchers have used a combination of geomorphic interpretations and radiometric dating to develop chronologies of prehistoric dune activity, which in some cases span the last 20,000 years. These chronologies are significant to the region, particularly in the central Great Plains where they and their associated loess records are the only long-term record of drought. Despite an abundance of published chronologies, correlating regional periods of dune activity among individual dune fields is difficult, which in turn makes interpreting prehistoric climate challenging. Contributing to the difficulty in correlating dune activity across the region are inconsistencies in current chronological data sets, which result from unintentional biases in sampling, a tendency for chronologies to record only the most recent episode of dune activity, and an incomplete understanding or appreciation of non-climatic controls on dune activity. Future research on Great Plains dune fields should strive to produce new activation chronologies with systematic sampling strategies that inherently address temporal and spatial issues found in existing data sets. Spatial correlation may be further resolved with more precise mapping of aeolian features, such as that possible with county-level soil distribution data currently available for the United States. Finally, additional non-dune paleoclimatic records from the Great Plains, particularly those which span several millennia, need to be derived for comparison to the dune activation record.
Fentanyl effects on breath generation in C57BL/6J and A/J mouse strains.

Abstract We examined the effect of fentanyl on chemoresponsiveness in mouse strains divergent in the expression of spontaneous and post-hypoxic pauses. Frequency and tidal volume were recorded with plethysmography in A/J and C57BL/6J (B6) male mice. Mice selected at random received an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of either saline, low dose fentanyl (LDF = 0.04 mg/kg), or high dose fentanyl (HDF = 0.4 mg/kg) under hypoxia (8% O 2 ) or hyperoxia (100%O 2 ). LDF produced a decrease in frequency during hypoxia in B6, but not A/J, mice. HDF significantly decreased frequency and tidal volume in both strains under hypoxia and hyperoxia ( p
Thermophysical Phenomena Associated With Nano-Droplet Impingement on a Solid Surface

The thermophysical properties pertaining to the impingement of a nano-droplet onto a solid surface were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD simulations used data collection for an entire group of molecules to investigate the propagation of energy in the system. Simulations of a moving nano-droplet colliding with a stationary solid were performed to determine the heat transfer between the droplet and the surface. It was discovered that the droplet-substrate collision caused the droplet temperature to rise significantly upon impact. The substrate also experiences a temperature jump with a slower response time. A theoretical relation for the substrate temperature jump is also developed that shows reasonable agreement with the MD simulations for small droplet diameters. Increasing the diameter of the droplet from 2.0 nm to 4.5 nm showed a gain in the total added substrate kinetic energy. Varying the initial speed of the droplet from 10 m/s to 40 m/s showed no significant difference in the applied kinetic energy onto the substrate, suggesting that the acceleration of the droplet toward the surface due to intermolecular interactions produces an impact speed relatively independent of the initial droplet bulk speed. These trends were also reflected in a thermodynamically based simple theoretical prediction of collision energy, which was shown to be accurate for droplet diameters up to 3.5 nm. The collision energy was estimated to be on the order of 1–10 eV, and the applied heat flux is on the order of GW/m2 .
Effect of particle size on lignite devolatilization in a fixed-bed reactor

Abstract A fixed-bed coal gasification reactor was set up which specifically simulated the devolatilization zone in a gasifier. Samples (100 g) of lignite coal in three size ranges; −2+1 mm, −3+2 mm and −4+3 mm, were devolatilized in the temperature range 350–550 °C with a steam-oxygen mixture, at 1 atm. The effect of these operating variables on tar yield and composition, melting point, viscosity, specific gravity, and molecular weight distribution was determined. A first-order reaction model was fitted to the experimentally observed total loss in weight of the lignite.
Loss of ATM Impairs Proliferation of Neural Stem Cells Through Oxidative Stress-Mediated p38 MAPK Signaling

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation of the Atm gene, which controls DNA repair, cell cycling, and redox homeostasis. Even though oxidative stress has been implicated in the neurological anomalies in A-T, the effects of ATM loss on neural stem cell (NSC) survival has remained elusive. In this study, we investigated the effects of oxidative stress on NSC proliferation in an animal model for A-T neurodegeneration. We found that cultured subventricular zone neurosphere cells from Atm(-/-) mice show impaired proliferation, as well as intrinsic elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, compared with those from Atm(+/+) mice. We also show that increasing the levels of ROS by H(2)O(2) treatment significantly reduces Atm(+/+) neurosphere formation and proliferation. In Atm(-/-) neurosphere cells, the Akt and Erk1/2 pathways are disrupted, together with enhanced activity of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Treatment of these cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) or with a p38 MAPK inhibitor restores normal proliferation and reduced expression of p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) in the Atm(-/-) NSCs. These observations indicate that ATM plays a crucial role in NSC proliferation, by activating Akt and Erk1/2 pathways and by suppressing ROS-p38 MAPK signaling. Together, our results suggest that p38 MAPK signaling acts as a negative regulator of NSC proliferation in response to oxidative stress. These findings suggest a potential mechanism for neuronal cell loss as a result of oxidative stress in NSCs in progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as A-T.
Mapping Burn Severity of Mediterranean-Type Vegetation Using Satellite Multispectral Data

Knowledge of the spatial distribution of burn severity immediately following a fire is needed to locate areas requiring management for environmental impacts and timber salvage, and for validation of fire risk and fire behavior models. We evaluated methods for mapping post-fire burn severity in southern California Mediterranean-type ecosystems using satellite images calibrated and validated by field-collected data. The effects of spectral transforms, temporal dimensionality, classifiers, and sensor type on the accuracy of burn severity classification were analyzed. We mapped and analyzed the distributions of five categories of burn severity or land cover for two southern California wildfires based primarily on classification of Landsat TM/ETM+ data, with IKONOS MS data also being evaluated. Map accuracy was assessed relative to field-based classification of burn severity of randomly located plots, using the Composite Burn Index approach. Maps based on the multi-temporal Kauth Thomas transform of Landsat TM...
Cybernetics of blood sugar and fat in health and disease

It is the Author's view that obesity, atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus represent complications of a disturbance in the feedback control systems involved in the area of carbohydrate metabolism. Inappropriate insulin secretion causes counter regulatory release of growth hormone and the catecholamines, noradrenaline and epinephrine. Resulting is a disturbance in fat metabolism and hyperlipemia. Over the span of a lifetime these disturbances result in increasing frequency of diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis with the aging process. The cybernetics of this derangement is discussed.
Remission in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Current Facts

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic inflammatory arthritic disease affecting children. Despite the availability of potent disease-modifying antirheumatic medications, most children still experience a chronic course with long periods of active disease. Goals of treatment should include achievement of disease remission with optimal physical functioning that allows children to lead normal lives with no structural joint damage. The term remission implies a complete lack of disease activity. This article focuses on recently developed preliminary criteria for inactive disease and remission in JIA. Recent studies using these new definitions demonstrate only modest rates of achievement of remission favoring children with persistent oligoarticular JIA. Children with rheumatoid factor-positive polyarticular JIA are least likely to achieve remission. Therapeutic strategies to achieve remission are also discussed.
“Doing Race” Latino Youth’s Identities and the Politics of Racial Exclusion

For most Latino youth, Latinos constitute a separate, while diverse, racial group. Our study demonstrates that, when asked about their identities, Latino youth do not follow conventional U.S. racia...
Novel Microfabrication Techniques for Highly Specific Programmed Assembly of Nanostructures

Chemically synthesized nanostructures such as nanowires1 , carbon nanotubes2 and quantum dots3 possess extraordinary physical, electronic and optical properties that are not found in bulk matter. These characteristics make them attractive candidates for building subsequent generations of novel and superior devices that will find application in areas such as electronics, photonics, energy and biotechnology. In order to realize the full potential of these nanoscale materials, manufacturing techniques that combine the advantages of top-down lithography with bottom-up programmed assembly need to be developed, so that nanostructures can be organized into higher-level devices and systems in a rational manner. However, it is essential that nanostructure assembly occur only at specified locations of the substrate and nowhere else, since otherwise undesirable structures and devices will result. Towards this end, we have developed a hybrid micro/nanoscale-manufacturing paradigm that can be used to program the assembly of nanostructured building blocks at specific, pre-defined locations of a chip in a highly parallel fashion. As a prototype system we have used synthetic DNA molecules and gold nanoparticles modified with complementary DNA strands as the building blocks to demonstrate the highly selective and specific assembly of these nanomaterials on lithographically patterned substrates.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
On the existence of probe effect in multi-threaded embedded programs

Software instrumentation has been a convenient and portable approach for dynamic analysis, debugging, or profiling of program execution. Unfortunately, instrumentation may change the temporal behavior of multi-threaded program execution and result in different ordering of thread operations, which is called probe effect. While the approaches to reduce instrumentation overhead, to enable reproducible execution, and to enforce deterministic threading have been studied, no research has yet answered if an instrumented execution has the same behavior as the program execution without any instrumentation and how the execution gets changed if there were any. In this paper, we propose a simulation-based analysis to detect the changes of execution event ordering that are induced by instrumentation operations. The execution model of a program is constructed from the trace of instrumented program execution and is used in a simulation analysis where instrumentation overhead is removed. As a consequence, we can infer the ordering of events in the original program execution and verify the existence of probe effect resulted from instrumentation.