cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gene Therapy in Heart Failure.

Heart failure is a significant burden to the global healthcare system and represents an underserved market for new pharmacologic strategies, especially therapies which can address root cause myocyte dysfunction. Modern drugs, surgeries, and state-of-the-art interventions are costly and do not improve survival outcome measures. Gene therapy is an attractive strategy, whereby selected gene targets and their associated regulatory mechanisms can be permanently managed therapeutically in a single treatment. This in theory could be sustainable for the patient’s life. Despite the promise, however, gene therapy has numerous challenges that must be addressed together as a treatment plan comprising these key elements: myocyte physiologic target validation, gene target manipulation strategy, vector selection for the correct level of manipulation, and carefully utilizing an efficient delivery route that can be implemented in the clinic to efficiently transfer the therapy within safety limits. This chapter summarizes the key developments in cardiac gene therapy from the perspective of understanding each of these components of the treatment plan. The latest pharmacologic gene targets, gene therapy vectors, delivery routes, and strategies are reviewed.
The Role of Adult Learning in Coping with Chronic Illness

This chapter demonstrates the role of learning in coping with chronic illness and provides recommendations for health educators.
Nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy in Women's Hospital.

Objective: To determine if nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy in Women's Hospital at the University of Southern California School of Medicine was associated with increased rates of preterm delivery or spontaneous loss. Preoperative diagnostic accuracy was also evaluated.Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all cases of nonobstetrical abdominal surgery in our institution during a 7-year period from November 1991 to November 1998.Results: One hundred-six cases of nonobstetrical abdominal surgery were identified. Eighty-eight women underwent laparotomy and 18 had laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Seventy-three women had emergent surgery and 31 had elective surgery. Seventy-six percent (80/106) of subjects had the same preoperative and postoperative diagnoses. We obtained delivery data for 62 of 106 (59%) subjects. Eleven of 62 (18%) subjects who had nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy delivered preterm (< 37 weeks' gestation). This was not significantly different from th...
Software tool for FPGA based MIMO radar applications

Direct Data Domain (D3) algorithm is very useful in Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) algorithms to mitigate the effects of multipath and interference. However, the computation of D3 is computationally intensive. A software tool is developed that is capable of auto-generating a fully optimized VHDL representation of D3 with many user input parameters without having to write a single line of VHDL code. It will provide feedback on various performance parameters such as occupied slices, maximum frequency, and dynamic range performance. So, the designer can focus on the overall SoC performance and make adjustments to the D3 as necessary. Many optimization techniques are used to improve throughput and latency.
Dehydration partitioned within core protoplast accounts for heat resistance of bacterial spores

Water distributed unequally within the dormant bacterial spore was quantified for the first time by use of three different lysozyme-sensitive morphotype spores of Bacillus megaterium. The extent of protoplast dehydration (27−29 g water/100 g wet protoplast) was sufficient to account for the heat resistance of such spores.
Spin Structures and Spin Wave Excitations

Electronic spin interactions and the resulting spin structures which give rise to various kinds of magnetism existing in many-electron condensed matter systems are discussed. In most cases, spin structure and excitations in a spin system can be understood in the framework of semiclassical spin-wave theory. Basic examples observed in magnetic neutron diffraction and inelastic magnetic neutron scattering experiments are presented and discussed with reference to such description. Relationship between the structure of the crystal lattice and spin arrangement and energy dispersion of spin excitations in the crystal are discussed and illustrated by some recent experimental results. Keywords: spin structures; ferromagnets; antiferromagnets; spin spirals; incommensurate spirals; spin excitations; spin-waves; magnons; Heisenberg exchange; spin anisotropy; spin-wave theory; neutron diffraction; neutron inelastic scattering
Sporadic model building for efficiency enhancement of hierarchical BOA

This paper describes and analyzes sporadic model building, which can be used to enhance the efficiency of the hierarchical Bayesian optimization algorithm (hBOA) and other advanced estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs) that use complex multivariate probabilistic models. With sporadic model building, the structure of the probabilistic model is updated once every few iterations (generations), whereas in the remaining iterations only model parameters (conditional and marginal probabilities) are updated. Since the time complexity of updating model parameters is much lower than the time complexity of learning the model structure, sporadic model building decreases the overall time complexity of model building. The paper shows that for boundedly difficult nearly decomposable and hierarchical optimization problems, sporadic model building leads to a significant model-building speedup that decreases the asymptotic time complexity of model building in hBOA by a factor of Θ(n 0.26) to Θ(n 0.5), where n is the problem size. On the other hand, sporadic model building also increases the number of evaluations until convergence; nonetheless, the evaluation slowdown is insignificant compared to the gains in the asymptotic complexity of model building.
Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Large T Antigen Has Growth-Promoting and Inhibitory Activities

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer. In at least 80% of all MCC, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) DNA has undergone clonal integration into the host cell genome, and most tumors express the MCPyV large and small T antigens. In all cases of MCC reported to date, the integrated MCPyV genome has undergone mutations in the large T antigen. These mutations result in expression of a truncated large T antigen that retains the Rb binding or LXCXE motif but deletes the DNA binding and helicase domains. However, the transforming functions of full-length and truncated MCPyV large T antigen are unknown. We compared the transforming activities of full-length, truncated, and alternatively spliced 57kT forms of MCPyV large T antigen. MCPyV large T antigen could bind to Rb but was unable to bind to p53. Furthermore, MCPyV-truncated large T antigen was more effective than full-length and 57kT large T antigen in promoting the growth of human and mouse fibroblasts. In contrast, expression of the MCPyV large T antigen C-terminal 100 residues could inhibit the growth of several different cell types. These data imply that the deletion of the C terminus of MCPyV large T antigen found in MCC serves not only to disrupt viral replication but also results in the loss of a distinct growth-inhibitory function intrinsic to this region.
A sheet impedance approximation for electrically thick material shields

This paper describes a simple extension of the sheet impedance concept to treat electromagnetic (EM) shields that may be thick in terms of material shield wavelengths. For magnetic shields, a simple relation between the equivalent electric and magnetic currents representing the shield is obtained, and the electric current is found as the solution of a single surface integral equation that is shown to be a simple perturbation of that for a perfect electric conducting (PEC) surface. Finally, it is shown that the computation of the small interior fields of good shields requires the use of the proper PEC interior equivalent problem.
A Reevaluation of the Intensities of the Northern Illinois Earthquake of 1909

The largest earthquake in northern Illinois is the m b ∼5.2 so‐called “Aurora” earthquake of 26 May 1909. Reports from nearly 500 newspapers yielded intensities for about 400 localities published in the days following the earthquake and indicate that many damage reports (especially in Bloomington, Kenosha, Platteville, and Aurora) were not as severe as previously interpreted. Some early wire reports of damage were exaggerated and later retracted, or were not supported by local newspapers. Conversely, some local accounts of extensive damage (e.g., at Morris, Illinois) were not widely reported by syndicated news media. The felt area extends further than that of previous studies—from the Ohio River to northern Wisconsin, and from Lansing, Michigan, to near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The felt area centers near Sandwich, Illinois; the highest intensity, VII, is assigned to Morris, Illinois. The event was felt over an area of 350,000–400,000 km2 within a maximum radius of approximately 420 km. The distribution of felt area and intensity is similar to the m b 4.2 northern Illinois earthquake (28 June 2004), which has an instrumental epicenter near LaSalle, suggesting that the two events occurred in relatively close proximity. Our preferred epicenter for the 1909 event is near Sandwich, Illinois, based on intensity reports, and is located near the Sandwich fault, as is a potential small aftershock. This places the 1909 event into a tectonic framework and slightly further from the Chicago metropolitan area than previously proposed. Online Material: Tables of intensity reports, a list of newspapers from which intensity reports were extracted, and details of analog records and bulletins.
ngLOC: an n-gram-based Bayesian method for estimating the subcellular proteomes of eukaryotes

We present a method called ngLOC, an n-gram-based Bayesian classifier that predicts the localization of a protein sequence over ten distinct subcellular organelles. A tenfold cross-validation result shows an accuracy of 89% for sequences localized to a single organelle, and 82% for those localized to multiple organelles. An enhanced version of ngLOC was developed to estimate the subcellular proteomes of eight eukaryotic organisms: yeast, nematode, fruitfly, mosquito, zebrafish, chicken, mouse, and human.
Frequency reshaped quadratic control of a low-cost human-level performance belt-driven robot

Abstract Belt-driven robots are desirable for many industrial applications that require a fast response for a relatively large amount of travel in a system. A belt-drive is a simple, lightweight device that is also cost effective in comparison to other methods of arm positioning. The tradeoff of a belt-driven robot is the need for an effective control strategy to reject time-varying disturbances due to the belt stiffness variation and the presence of resonance excited by disturbances of high frequencies. In this paper, we present the dynamic model and control of a low-cost belt-driven robot. We present here the modeling and control of an intelligent integrated belt-driven manipulator (IIBM) developed at Georgia Tech. The belt-driven robot is a low-cost human-level performance robot, specifically meant to meet or exceed the performance of a human taking shrink wrapped packages off a conveyor and placing them in a basket for delivery. Therefore, such attributes as speed and accuracy are dictated by the level of performance a human can achieve. The control design for the IIBM presents a challenge in that a control system for the belt-driven axis must be designed by using a low-order plant model that is robust enough to variations in both the parameter changes and the un-modeled high frequency dynamics. For these reasons, we investigate the use of frequency reshaped linear quadratic (FRLQ)) control in the development of a low-cost IIBM, which combines the time domain linear quadratic optimal control design with classical frequency response methods. The control strategy, based on the FRLQ method, has been implemented on the first axis of an IIBM. The performance has been evaluated analytically by simulation and experimentally, the results of which are compared against the control system originally used by the IIBM designers, a well-tuned PD controller. Experimental implementation has demonstrated that the frequency reshaped linear quadratic control has a potential to significantly improve the performance of the belt-driven robot.
Finite Element Analysis of Lossless Propagation in Surface Plasmon Polariton Waveguides With Nanoscale Spot-Sizes

We present simulation results on the propagation characteristics of active plasmonic waveguides at 1.55 mum wavelength based on semiconductors as the active gain media. Three waveguide structures were investigated: metal rib, metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM), and triangular metal groove. In all three structures, we observed strong plasmon mode confinement with nanoscale spot-sizes and corresponding simulated gain values compatible with existing semiconductor technology. We show the effect of systematic modification of waveguide geometry on the required gain for achieving lossless propagation in all the three plasmonic waveguide structures. We demonstrate that lossless propagation with subwavelength spot sizes well below the diffraction limit of light can be obtained by controlling the geometrical parameters of the proposed waveguides.
Cerebellar cortex of rat and other animals. A structural and ultrastructural study.

Cerebellar cortex was studied in 100 rats and other animals, 15–30 days old, using Golgi, intravitam methylene blue, and ultrastructural methods. Marchi and Nauta provided certain controls. Degeneration of afferent terminals was sought following lesions of pons and olive. In normal material, emphasis was upon the changing field relations between folial summit, side wall, and sulcus, Many previous findings of Fox, Ramon y Cajal and Snider were confirmed, and the effort made to reconcile departures from characteristic axonal and dendritic configuration with cytoarchitectonic pattern. Mossy and climbing terminals were examined in normal and degenerated states, using Golgi and ultrastructural material. Climbing fibers in Golgi are described in detail, including variations in course and sites of branchings. Mossy degeneration was found 3–5 days after lesions of both pons and olive. The clearest evidence thereof was provided in ultrastructural material. Minor evidences of degeneration were also found in climbing fiber strands in both materials, but on gross degeneration was encountered. Corresponding Golgi material was used for visualizing intact fibers in the face of adequate lesions. Ultrastructure also provided evidence concerning the axon cap surround, the initial segment of the Purkinje axon, Comparison with these segmests in other cell types, and cross-identification of synapses between axon types and the different cell profiles of Golgi material.
Cooling of High-Energy Hadron Beams

In this article, I discuss existing and planned techniques for cooling high-energy hadron beams, provide practical formulae for estimating cooling rates, and address difficulties and challenges.
SMDC: an interactive software metrics data collection and analysis system

This paper presents the data and capabilities provided by the Software Metrics Data Collection (SMDC) system. SMDC is an APL-based system that runs on the UNIXTM 4.3BSD system at Purdue University. The data stored in SMDC were collected from hundreds of 1. (1) software products developed at industrial environments and 2. (2)experiments conducted at Purdue University. The largest software product in SMDC has more than 1,000,000 lines of code. SMDC also provides a number of statistical functions and plotting routines that can be used for detailed analysis of existing data. The data and tools in SMDC are available for use by non-Purdue researchers with some limitations.
Thirty-year History of Sympathetic Ophthalmia

A spontaneous corneal perforation followed by granulomatous uveitis occurred in a 10-month-old female infant with bilateral anterior segment anomalies. The histopathologic findings in the enucleated right eye and the 30-year course of intraocular inflammation in her left eye are consistent with sympathetic ophthalmia. This case illustrates that sympathetic ophthalmia can be overlooked for years unless the diagnosis is considered and periodic anterior segment biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy are performed in patients who have had perforating ocular injuries. A lensectomy-vitrectomy procedure was successful in restoring ambulatory vision in this patient.
“Whole Teacher” Crisis: Examining Pre-service Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Professionalism

The changing nature of teacher professionalism presents an important challenge to teacher education programs. Teacher professionalism can be broadly defined as the set of teachers’ professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions. However, with the increased accountability and standards movement, professionalism in education often overemphasizes accountability by prioritizing knowledge and skills over dispositions. The move in the field toward ‘professionalization’ has generally resulted in systematic reform and professional development rather than promoted ‘professionalism.’ This paper explored pre-service undergraduate students’ perceptions of teacher professionalism at a major university in New Jersey. The results indicated that the students focused more on ‘performance’ and ‘external/outward aspects’ and less on recognizing the complexity and dynamics of the teaching and learning process. The study argues that teacher education programs must be redesigned so that pre-service students have the opportunity to discuss and develop proper dispositions, reflect upon their perceptions, and enhance teacher professionalism.
Multiple pregnancies following deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction

Pregnancy following abdominal flap-based breast reconstruction may cause stress to the abdominal wall. These changes may result in weakness and hernia or bulge. We present two patients who previously underwent unilateral deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction and became pregnant twice. Both patients maintained abdominal contour without bulges or hernias. Subjectively, patients reported minor changes to abdominal strength. Therefore, these two patients had minimal abdominal morbidity following pregnancy after unilateral DIEP flap reconstruction.
Performance measures and metrics in logistics and supply chain management: a review of recent literature (1995–2004) for research and applications

Performance measures and metrics are essential for effectively managing logistics operations, particularly in a competitive global economy. The global economy is featured with global operations, outsourcing and supply chain and e-commerce. The real challenge for managers of this new enterprise environment is to develop suitable performance measures and metrics to make right decisions that would contribute to an improved organizational competitiveness. Now the question is whether traditional performance measures can be used and out of them which ones should be given priority for measuring the performance in a new enterprise environment. Some of the traditional measures and metrics may not be suitable for the new environment wherein many activities are not easily identifiable. Measuring intangibles and nonfinancial performance measures pose the greater challenge in the so-called knowledge economy. Nevertheless, measuring them is so critical for the successful operations of companies in this environment. Con...
Alteration in fasting glucose after prolonged treatment with a thiazide diuretic.

Aims Thiazide diuretics are recommended as first line antihypertensive treatment, but may contribute to new onset diabetes. We aimed to describe change in fasting glucose (FG) during prolonged thiazide treatment in an observational setting.
Changes in pest management practice in almond orchards during the rainy season in California, USA

In California, regulatory agencies are concerned about organophosphate (OP) contamination of surface water. OPs originate in part from applications on dormant almond and stone fruit orchards that are washed off during winter rainstorms. Programs conducted by the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project, University of California Cooperative Extension, and the Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS), a coalition of public and private groups, have promoted the replacement of OPs on almonds during the rainy season with alternative practices. Data from individual applicator records from the California Pesticide Use Reports demonstrated that during 1992‐1997, almond growers in all nine major almond-producing counties significantly reduced use of OPs. The area of almond orchards treated with OPs during the dormant season was reduced by 40‐55%, depending upon the region. Similarly, the percentage of growers who used OPs during the dormant season was reduced by 31‐48%, and the mass of OPs applied to almond orchards during the dormant season was reduced by 22‐57%. During the same period, there was a significant increase in the percentage of growers who used “reduced-risk” treatments: the microbial pesticide Bacillus thuringiensisat bloom-time, oil without an insecticide during the dormant season, and no treatment during the dormant or bloom season. In addition to the decrease in OPs during the dormant season, there was a significant decrease in the area treated with OPs during the growing season. However, there was also a significant increase in the use of pyrethroids during the dormant season, a practice that might result in some surface water and sediment contamination. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Perceptual similarity in loanword adaptation: English postvocalic word-final stops in Korean

When an English word with a postvocalic word-final stop is adapted to Korean, a vowel is variably inserted after the final stop. Vowel insertion in this position is puzzling not only because of its variability but also because of the fact that it is not motivated by the native phonology in any obvious way. After providing a thorough description of the vowel-insertion pattern on the basis of a survey of a large body of data, the paper proposes that vowel insertion is motivated to improve the perceptual similarity between the English input and the Korean output as well as to obey a morphophonemic restriction in Korean. The paper provides strong evidence that non-contrastive phonetic details of lending or borrowing languages are relevant in the process of loanword adaptation and at the same time suggests a richer view of loanword phonology, one which involves interaction of phonetic, phonemic and morphophonemic factors.
Psoas:lumbar vertebra index: central sarcopenia independently predicts morbidity in elderly trauma patients

Central sarcopenia as a surrogate for frailty has recently been studied as a predictor of outcome in elderly medical patients, but less is known about how this metric relates to outcomes after trauma. We hypothesized that psoas:lumbar vertebral index (PLVI), a measure of central sarcopenia, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in elderly trauma patients. A query of our institutional trauma registry from 2005 to 2010 was performed. Data was collected prospectively for the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcomes Study (PTOS). Inclusion criteria: age >55 years, ISS >15, and ICU LOS >48 h. Using admission CT scans, psoas:vertebral index was computed as the ratio between the mean cross-sectional areas of the psoas muscles and the L4 vertebral body at the level of the L4 pedicles. The 50th percentile of the psoas:L4 vertebral index value was determined, and patients were grouped into high (>0.84) and low (≤0.83) categories based on their relation to the cohort median. Primary endpoints were mortality and morbidity (as a combined endpoint for PTOS-defined complications). Univariate logistic regression was used to test the association between patient factors and mortality. Factors found to be associated with mortality at p < 0.1 were entered into a multivariable model. A total of 180 patients met the study criteria. Median age was 74 years (IQR 63–82), median ISS was 24 (IQR 18–29). Patients were 58 % male and 66 % Caucasian. Mean PLVI was 0.86 (SD 0.25) and was higher in male patients than female patients (0.91 ± 0.26 vs. 0.77 ± 0.21, p < 0.001). PLVI was not associated with mortality in univariate or multivariable modeling. After controlling for comorbidities, ISS, and admission SBP, low PLVI was found to be strongly associated with morbidity (OR 4.91, 95 % CI 2.28–10.60). Psoas:lumbar vertebral index is independently and negatively associated with posttraumatic morbidity but not mortality in elderly, severely injured trauma patients. PLVI can be calculated quickly and easily and may help identify patients at increased risk of complications.
Odorants as cell-type specific activators of a heat shock response in the rat olfactory mucosa.

Heat shock, or stress, proteins (HSPs) are induced in response to conditions that cause protein denaturation. Activation of cellular stress responses as a protective and survival mechanism is often associated with chemical exposure. One interface between the body and the external environment and chemical or biological agents therein is the olfactory epithelium (OE). To determine whether environmental odorants affect OE HSP expression, rats were exposed to a variety of odorants added to the cage bedding. Odorant exposure led to transient, selective induction of HSP70, HSC70, HSP25, and ubiquitin immunoreactivities (IRs) in supporting cells and subepithelial Bowman’s gland acinar cells, two OE non-neuronal cell populations involved with inhalant biotransformation, detoxification, and maintenance of overall OE integrity. Responses exhibited odor specificity and dose dependency. HSP70 and HSC70 IRs occurred throughout the apical region of supporting cells; ubiquitin IR was confined to a supranuclear cone-shaped region. Electron microscopic examination confirmed these observations and, additionally, revealed odor-induced formation of dense vesicular arrays in the cone-like regions. HSP25 IR occurred throughout the entire supporting cell cytoplasm. In contrast to classical stress responses, in which the entire array of stress proteins is induced, no increases in HSP40 and HSP90 IRs were observed. Extended exposure to higher odorant doses caused prolonged activation of the same HSP subset in the nonneuronal cells and severe morphological damage in both supporting cells and olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), suggesting that non-neuronal cytoprotective stress response mechanisms had been overwhelmed and could no longer adequately maintain OE integrity. Significantly, ORNs showed no stress responses in any of our studies. These findings suggest a novel role for these HSPs in olfaction and, in turn, possible involvement in other normal
Progress in integrated gyroscopes

Fully integrated gyroscopes have some unique advantages in low power, size, weight and cost. The progress in bringing an integrated gyroscope to mass production is described, together with some of the strategies employed to overcome difficulties with this class of device, in particular, the measures to produce shock and vibration immunity. A natural progression for future products is also outlined.
Science of Emergency Medical Dispatch

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOH-CA) claims the lives of almost 300 000 Americans each year,1 a loss of life equivalent to that caused by a September 11 World Trade Center attack on the United States every 3 days! Despite advances in public education on recognition of cardiac arrest, early notification of emergency medical services (EMS) 9-1-1 centers, lay bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator use, and improvements in EMS service delivery, fewer than 8% of adult OOH-CA victims survive to hospital discharge.1 Article p 2096 Most neurologically intact survivors come from the 20% to 38% of OOH-CA patients who have ventricular fibrillation as their first recorded rhythm, and the percentage of cases with a first recorded rhythm of ventricular fibrillation is decreasing nationally despite a near-constant incidence of OOH-CA.1 A sudden cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival decrease 7% to 10% for every minute of delay until defibrillation.2 The “chain of survival” paradigm of the American Heart Association lists the community “links” necessary (early access, early cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defibrillation, early advanced life support) to optimize survival from OOH-CA. The first link, early access, includes public education on recognition of cardiac arrest and notification of the EMS system (“call 9-1-1”) by anyone witnessing the event, as well as rapid dispatch of trained and properly equipped emergency rescuers to the scene. An emergency medical dispatcher must have the training, protocols, experience, and poise to interrogate callers quickly and accurately to determine whether a life-threatening emergency has occurred and, if so, to send the appropriate public safety resources to the scene promptly. In the United States, most 9-1-1 center “public safety answering point” (PSAP) call takers are not medically trained personnel but individuals who must handle police, fire, and medical emergency calls. In a minority of high-performance EMS systems, …
Financial Impact of Information Security Breaches on Breached Firms and their Non-Breached Competitors

Information security breaches pose a growing threat to organizations and individuals, particularly those that are heavily involved in e-business/e-commerce. An information security breach can have wide-ranging impacts, including influencing the behaviors of competitors and vice versa within the context of a competitive marketplace. Therefore, there is a need for further exploration of implications of information security breaches beyond the focus of the breached firm. This study investigates the financial impact of publicly announced information security breaches on breached firms and their non-breached competitors. While controlling for size and the industry the firm operates in, the authors focus on specific types of information security breaches Denial of Service, Website Defacement, Data Theft, and Data Corruption. Unlike previous studies that have used event study methodology, the authors investigate information transfer effects that result from information security breaches using the matched sampling method. The study reveals statistically significant evidence of the presence of intra-industry information transfer for some types of security breaches. The authors also found evidence of contagion effects, but no similar evidence concerning competition effect.
Uterine Contractions and Electrical Activity in Ewes Treated with Selenium and Vitamin E

The effects of selenium (Se) and vitamin E (E) on uterine contractions and electrical activity were investigated in 40 yearling Dorset ewes. Control ewes were deficient in Se and E, while remaining ewes received periodic injections of Se, E or Se + E. The number of contractions of the uterine horns was recorded for a 10 mm interval in anesthetized estrous ewes. Contractions recorded as moving were visible as constrictions that moved lengthwise along the horn toward the oviduct, cervix, or in neither direction (to be defined later). Number of contractions migrating toward the oviduct was greater (P<0.01) in Se- and Se + E-treated ewes (41.6 and 43.2, respectively). Total number of contractions was greater (P<0.05) in Se- and Se + E-treated ewes (75.7 and 73.5, respectively) than in control ewes (58.5). In estradiol-17#{216}(E2-17#{216})-treated ovariectomized ewes, number of contractions migrating toward the oviduct was twofold greater (P<0.01) in Se- and Se + E-treated ewes (30.6 and 30.4, respectively) than in control and E-treated ewes (15.8 and 12.2, respectively). An eleetromyographic record was constructed for each uterine horn of E2-170-treated ovariectomized ewes for the determination of mean amplitude of electrical activity, number of electrical spikes per minute, and velocity of uterine contractions. Mean amplitude for the two hours combined was greater (P<0.01) in Se- than in E-treated ewes; however, mean amplitude in these groups was not different from mean amplitude of control ewes. Velocity of contractions was greater (P<0.05) in Se- and Se + E-treated ewes (17.9 and 18.9 mm/see, respectively) than in control and E-treated ewes (11.0 and 8.0 mm/see, respectively). These results indicate that selenium is more important than vitamin E in influencing uterine motility and contraction velocity but does not appear to influence the number of electrical spikes per minute or the mean amplitude of these spikes.
Ishemia-Reperfusion enhances GAPDH nitration in aging skeletal muscle

Aging and skeletal muscle ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury leads to decreased contractile force generation that increases severely with age. Our studies show that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein expression is significantly decreased at 3 and 5 days reperfusion in the young mouse muscle and at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days in the aged muscle. Using PCR, we have shown th at GAPDH mRNA levels in young and old muscle increase at 5 days reperfusion compared to control, suggesting that the protein deficit is not transcriptional. Furthermore, while total tyrosine nitration did not increase in the young muscle, GAPDH nitration increased significantly at 1 and 3 days reperfusion . In contrast, total tyrosine nitration in aged muscle increased significantly at 1, 3, and 5 days of reperfusion, with increases in GAPDH nitration at the same time points. We conclude that GAPDH protein levels decrease following I/R, that this is not transcriptionally mediated, that the aged muscle experiences greater oxidative stress, pr otein modification and GAPDH degradation, possibly contributing to decreased muscle function. We propose that tyrosine nitration enhances GAPDH degradation following I/R and that the persistent decrease of GAPDH in aged muscle is due to the prolonged increase in oxidative modification in this age group.
Molecular Phylogenetic Reconstructions of the Marchantioid Liverwort Radiation

Abstract Molecular phylogenies of the complex-thalloid liverworts (Marchantiales) were reconstructed using independent nuclear and plastid data sets to explore relative age, relationships, and character evolution in this ancient group. The sample includes 10 carpocephalate taxa and 24 acarpocephalate taxa (emphasizing Riccia) within Marchantiales sensu stricto. In addition, Monoclea, Sphaerocarpos, Riella, three Metzgeriales (Fossombronia, Pellia, and Blasia), the hornwort Anthoceros, four mosses, and outgroup Coleochaete are also sampled. Two nucleotide sequence alignments were used 1) partial nuclear-encoded Large Subunit rDNA (LSU rDNA) for all 48 taxa and 2) the plastid-encoded trnL-F region for the marchantioids and outgroup Blasia. Alignment-ambiguous regions of each alignment were culled. A combined matrix consisting of concatenated nuclear and plastid culled alignments was assembled for marchantioids and Blasia. The two alignments were utilized in four analyses: 1) nuclear LSU rDNA for all taxa, 2...
The Human Life Span: Present, Past, and Future

This chapter considers the evolution of the human life span from shorter-lived great ape ancestors that ate much less meat and lived in low density populations. Human longevity may have evolved through “meat-adaptive genes” that allowed major increases of animal fat consumption and increased exposure to infection and inflammation not experienced by the great apes. Many outcomes of aging result from the irreplaceability of molecules and cells that are generated during development, under the control of gene regulatory programs. For molecules and cells that are replaced, aging damage may occur depending on turnover rate (life span). The loss of elasticity during arterial aging is a consequence of accrued damage to its irreplaceable elastin through inflammation and oxidative damage. Both changes contribute to the loss of arterial compliance and increased systolic pressure with aging, which is a major mortality risk factor. Fetal origins of adult vascular disease are seated in three intrinsic aging processes observed in optimal environments: aging of irreplaceable elastin; oxidation and cross linking of collagen and elastin from irreducible exposure to essential levels of glucose; and accumulation of lipids and activated macrophages in fetal aortas. Brain, kidney, muscle, ovary, and the adaptive immune system have limited cell regeneration in adults. Stem cells that can repair or regenerate arteries, brain, and muscle are attenuated by inflammation. Humans in particular have a remarkable range of behavioral, physiological, and pathological phenotypes throughout life.The chapter closes by discussing environmental trends and obesity, which may influence future longevity.
Biochronological significance of Amynodontidae (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) from the Paleogene of Kazakhstan

Five taxa of amynodontid rhinoceroses have been named from Kazakhstan. We consider only two of these valid, and recognize three amynodontid taxa from Paleogene deposits in Kazakhstan: Cadurcodon ardynensis (=Cadurcodon zaisanensis; =Amynodon tuskabakensis) from the upper Eocene (Ergilian)-lower Oligocene (Shandgolian) of the Zaysan basin, Zaisanamynodon borisovi, from the Ergilian of the Zaysan basin and Cadurcodon kazakademius, from Shandgolian strata in the vicinity of the Chelkar-Teniz lake basin. Gigantamynodon akespensis, from the upper Oligocene north of the Aral Sea is a rhinocerotid, not an amynodontid. Close similarity of the amynodontids of Kazakhstan to those of Mongolia and China supports direct correlation of Ergilian and Shandgolian strata across Asia.
Use of DWI in the Differentiation of Renal Cortical Tumors.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to differentiate clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from other common renal cortical tumors by use of DWI. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study included 117 patients (mean age, 60 years) with 122 histopathologically confirmed renal cortical tumors who underwent 1.5-T MRI that included DWI before they underwent nephrectomy between 2006 and 2013. For each tumor, two radiologists independently evaluated apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values on the basis of a single ROI in a nonnecrotic area of the tumor and also by assessment of the whole tumor. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was calculated to assess interreader agreement. The mean ADC values of clear cell RCC and every other tumor subtype were compared using an exact Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS. Interreader agreement was excellent and higher in whole-tumor assessment (CCC, 0.982) than in single-ROI analysis (CCC, 0.756). For both readers, ADC values for clear cell RCC found on single-ROI asses...
Public Attitudes about Inflation: A Comparative Analysis

This article analyses public opinion in advanced economies to assess what individual citizens think about inflation. Opinion surveys suggest that the general public is inflation averse, but that there is significant variation across countries and over time. Evidence is presented that average inflation aversion is sensitive to factors affecting the expected costs of inflation.
Noble gases preserve history of retentive continental crust in the Bravo Dome natural CO2 field, New Mexico

Abstract Budgets of 4He and 40Ar provide constraints on the chemical evolution of the solid Earth and atmosphere. Although continental crust accounts for the majority of 4He and 40Ar degassed from the Earth, degassing mechanisms are subject to scholarly debate. Here we provide a constraint on crustal degassing by comparing the noble gases accumulated in the Bravo Dome natural CO2 reservoir, New Mexico USA, with the radiogenic production in the underlying crust. A detailed geological model of the reservoir is used to provide absolute abundances and geostatistical uncertainty of 4He, 40Ar, 21Ne, 20Ne, 36Ar, and 84Kr. The present-day production rate of crustal radiogenic 4He and 40Ar, henceforth referred to as 4He⁎ and 40Ar⁎, is estimated using the basement composition, surface and mantle heat flow, and seismic estimates of crustal density. After subtracting mantle and atmospheric contributions, the reservoir contains less than 0.02% of the radiogenic production in the underlying crust. This shows unequivocally that radiogenic noble gases are effectively retained in cratonic continental crust over millennial timescales. This also requires that approximately 1.5 Gt of mantle derived CO2 migrated through the crust without mobilizing the crustally accumulated gases. This observation suggests transport along a localized fracture network. Therefore, the retention of noble gases in stable crystalline continental crust allows shallow accumulations of radiogenic gases to record tectonic history. At Bravo Dome, the crustal 4He⁎/40Ar⁎ ratio is one fifth of the expected crustal production ratio, recording the preferential release of 4He during the Ancestral Rocky Mountain orogeny, 300 Ma.
Plasma vitamin D and 25OHD responses of young and old men to supplementation with vitamin D3.

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine whether there are age differences in the plasma parent vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) responses to eight weeks of supplementation with 20 μg/day of vitamin D3.Methods: Twenty-five healthy young men (age 18–35) and 25 healthy older men (62–79) were randomly assigned to supplementation with 20 μg/day of vitamin D3 or to no intervention and followed for eight weeks. Plasma vitamin D3 was measured by high performance liquid chromatography and 25OHD was measured by competitive protein binding.Results: Both young and old men in the supplemented group had pronounced, rapid and similar increases in plasma vitamin D3, whereas vitamin D3 concentrations were stable in the control group. By the end of the eight-week adaptation period, plasma vitamin D3 of young and old men had increased by 4.3 and 6.2 nmol/L respectively. In the supplemented group, mean 25OHD concentrations of both the young and old men increased during the study, and the magnitude of the c...
Robust Contact Generation for Robot Simulation with Unstructured Meshes

This paper presents a numerically stable method for rigid body simulation of unstructured meshes undergoing forceful contact, such as in robot locomotion and manipulation. The key contribution is a new contact generation method that treats the geometry as having a thin virtual boundary layer around the underlying meshes. Unlike existing methods, it produces contact estimates that are stable with respect to small displacements, which helps avoid jitter or divergence in the simulator caused by oscillatory discontinuities. Its advantages are particularly apparent on non-watertight meshes and can easily simulate interaction with partially-sensed and noisy objects, such as those that emerge from low-cost 3D scanners. The simulator is tested on a variety of robot locomotion and manipulation examples, and results closely match theoretical predictions and experimental data.
Rhetoric, Literacies, and Narratives of Sustainability, Peter N. Goggin, ed.

Over the last two decades, environmental rhetoric, ecocomposition, and related work in scientific and technical communication have developed at a steady, if overall unimpressive rate compared to th...
A Genetic Algorithm (GA) based rational approach for design of discrete microfluidic networks

Abstract Droplet based microfluidic devices are widely used in protein crystallization, high throughput screening and biochemical assays. These devices are complex with even a simple loop device exhibiting varied nonlinear behavior. Therefore, any approach for engineering optimal multi-functional devices has to deal with the vast design space that has to be potentially explored for a solution. As a result, there is a need for efficient algorithms that can handle this complexity. In this paper, GA is proposed as a promising solution approach for this problem. We demonstrate the power of the proposed GA methodology in designing multi-functional ladder devices that are extremely difficult to uncover using expensive experimental trial-and-error loops. The GA methodology can be further enhanced for designing other complex microfluidic systems.
Revisiting Dodd-Frank

Dodd-Frank is a sprawling law, many pieces of which are unrelated to any financial crisis — past or future. What unifies the disparate pieces is an unquestioning faith in regulatory omniscience and broad grants of power to these infallible regulators. The law calls on regulators to step in where the rest of us — individuals, firms, and nongovernmental institutions — are supposedly destined to fail, namely, to identify and address all systemic and a wide array of nonsystemic risks. In giving such heavy responsibilities to regulators, Dodd-Frank’s drafters overlooked the fact that precrisis regulators missed risks and that precrisis regulatory design contributed to the buildup of risk. By giving regulators an outsized role, Dodd-Frank suppresses the market’s intrinsic disciplining mechanisms and builds bailout expectations. Revisiting Dodd-Frank thus requires a marked change in perspective — a shift away from the comforting but ineffective “entrust the financial system to the skilled hands of the all-knowing regulators” approach to financial regulation, as well as a piece-by-piece substantive overhaul.
Misrepresentations: Deleuze and Guattari

The theories of Deleuze and Guattari reveal a restrictive view of the Oedipus complex, as well as the role of the family in the psychoanalytic understanding of human culture. Their separation of Marxism and psychoanalysis into production and representation, respectively, needs to be reexamined, as does their bracketing of defense mechanisms—especially displacement, condensation, and sublimation—from the Marxist perspective, a bracketing that suppresses an understanding of the symbolic function of commodities and fetishes. Multiple defense mechanisms serve to support exceptional American capitalism, and dreamwork provides the best techniques for understanding the production of the American political system.