cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human lens enzyme alterations with age and cataract: Glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase and triose phosphate isomerase

The isoelectric point distribution of G-3-P DH and TPI from human lenses was examined as a function of age and cataract formation. Both enzymes exhibited progressive heterogeneity with age and a shift towards an acidic charge. Little qualitative differences in the pI profiles of G-3-P DH and TPI were found to distinguish mixed cataracts from age comparable normal lenses. While the most alkaline form of G-3-P DH required less HAsO4= for optimal activity, no other kinetic property, i.e. Km substrate, cofactor and inhibitors distinguished any of the charge forms of G-3-P DH. All metaor isozyme forms of TPI had the same Km substrate in the forward and reverse reaction direction. The most acidic forms of G-3-P DH and TPI were less stable to increased temperatures than their more alkaline counterparts suggesting a decreased stability.
EFFECT OF RADIO‐FREQUENCY ENERGY AT 60 MHz ON FOOD ENZYME ACTIVITY

SUMMARY— The effect of radio-frequency (R-F) energy at 60 MHz on peroxidase, polyphenolase, pectinesterase, catalase and alpha-amylase activity was determined in water solutions of purified enzymes as well as in apple juice, milk and sweet potato extract. The apparatus used consisted of an R-F generator coupled to an evaporator and condenser. Temperature was kept constant at a desired level by evaporating water from the system. Results showed that while the enzymes were partially or totally inactivated by heat at 70°C. or 65°C (149°F) in the instance of milk, exposure to R-F energy at 20°C caused essentially no loss of enzyme activity. Within the limits of the experimental conditions, pH and enzyme concentration were not factors in relation to lack of effect of R-F energy on enzymes. Overall, the results indicate that per se, R-F energy at 60 MHz does not have any significant effect on the enzymes studied, aside from that caused by the heat effects of R-F energy.
Use of multibeam bathymetry in the study of middle RN shelf morphology, NE Brazil

This paper presents the stages of acquisition and processing of multibeam bathymetry data of an area on the middle continental shelf adjacent to Diogo Lopes (RN), Potiguar Basin. Were acquired and processed 60 lines arranged parallel to the coast and distant 25 km from the coast, each with approximately 11 km long and spaced every 40 m, with a total area of 29 km2. The system used was a Reson echo sounder, model SeaBat 8124, operated at a frequency of 200 kHz. With the use of automatic and manual filters was possible many unwanted noise attenuation, making it thus possible the future interpretations of the shelf geomorphology.
Analysis of 2-acetylaminofluorene: residues in laboratory chow and microbiological media.

Abstract Analytical methods are described for determining residues of 2-AAF in lab chow and microbiological growth media by FID-GC and SPF. Solubility values for 2-AAF in 14 solvents were determined. Ancillary data concerning p-values, GC and SPF characteristics, and adsorption liquid chromatographic properties of 2-AAF, 2-AF, and fluorene are also presented.
Bundles: end-grafted polymer layers in poor solvent

The structure factor for a system of end-grafted neutral polymers is computed self-consistently in a random phase approximation. Both single-end-grafted, "brushes", and twice-grafted layer are considered. We find that the polymer brush collapses uniformly, density variations in the direction parallel to the grafting plane being smoothed out by the positive osmotic pressure in the layer. The twice-grafted layer cannot collapse like a brush, and an instability in the mean-field solution to a novel "bundled" state is found. The characteristic bundle size is set by the amplitude of transverse fluctuations of individual stretched chains in the layer.
Equilibrium composition of interphase boundaries

Two modeling approaches have been used to investigate segregation effects at interphase boundaries. The first approach is based on the nearest neighbor bond model, used in conjunction with the regular solution approximation, and is an extension of an earlier framework developed to address segregation phenomena at free surfaces. In order to model a semicoherent interphase boundary, we have employed a second modeling approach, based on Monte Carol simulation, in conjunction with the embedded atom method (EAM). The EAM is a powerful new method for describing interatomic interactions in metallic systems. It includes certain many-body interactions that depend on the local environment of an atom. The Monte Carol approach has been applied to semicoherent interphase boundaries in Cu-Ag-Au alloys dilute in Au. These alloys consist of coexisting Cu-rich and Ag-rich phases, which differ in lattice constant by about 12%, such that good matching across in interface occurs when nine structural units of the Cu-rich phase are opposed to eight structural units of the Ag-rich phase. Thus far, interfaces with two different orientations have been studied: {l brace}001{r brace}-Cu//{l brace}001{r brace}-Ag, {l angle}110{r angle}-Cu//{l angle}110{r angle}-Ag; and {l brace}111{r brace}-Cu//{l brace}111{r brace}-Ag, {l angle}110{r angle}-Cu//{l angle}110{r angle}-Ag. These two interfaces will bemore » referred to as the (001) and (111) interphase boundaries, for short. 18 refs.« less
Animal models of preterm birth

Preterm birth continues to pose a significant clinical dilemma and contributes to both acute and long-term neonatal morbidity. Despite efforts, the incidence of preterm birth has not decreased, partly because of our lack of understanding of the mechanisms that trigger parturition. Animal models are essential research tools for investigating the pathways that promote preterm parturition and for testing therapeutic interventions. Growing evidence correlates infection or inflammation with preterm birth. Consequently, many investigators have created animal models that reflect these findings. Current models of preterm parturition include diverse species, varying means of inducing an inflammatory or infectious state, and different routes of administration. Although each of these models can advance our knowledge, it is important to understand their advantages, disadvantages and unique characteristics. An understanding of such models will hopefully promote continued research that will ultimately lead to a decrease in preterm birth and an improvement in neonatal outcome.
Power in Performance: The Creation of Textual Authority in Weyewa Ritual Speech.

Power in Performance: The Creation of Textual Authority in Weyewa Ritual Speech. Joel C. Kuipers. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990. 198 pp. $24.95 (cloth)
Monitoring the evolution of PET branching through chemorheology

There is a high interest in modifying the rheological properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) through structural modifications while maintaining its thermoplastic nature. This article reports real-time spectroscopic and rheological monitoring of the effects of reactive melt modification of PET with a multi-functional epoxide—triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC)—that lead to chain extension/branching and subsequently formation of gel-like structures. An infrared spectroscopic technique to monitor the simultaneously occurring degradation and chain extension/branching reactions was evaluated. The effects of reaction temperature, shear rate, and residence time were also investigated. Frequency scans at various time intervals on the reacting samples provided information on changes in the degree of branching and melt elasticity. The effect of method of sample preparation for chemorheological testing was also evaluated in this study. A 50% excess of the stoichiometric amount of TGIC for complete reaction with terminal carboxyl groups resulted in a self-similar polymeric structure of PET near the sol-gel transition point or a critical gel formation whose linear viscoelastic properties obey scaling law. An estimated fractal dimension from the experimental results was used to quantify the evolution of the branched network structure during the reactive melt modification. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:474–486, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Intracellular ATP binding is required to activate the slowly activating K+ channel I(Ks).

Gating of ion channels by ligands is fundamental to cellular function, and ATP serves as both an energy source and a signaling molecule that modulates ion channel and transporter functions. The slowly activating K+ channel IKs in cardiac myocytes is formed by KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits that conduct K+ to repolarize the action potential. Here we show that intracellular ATP activates heterologously coexpressed KCNQ1 and KCNE1 as well as IKs in cardiac myocytes by directly binding to the C terminus of KCNQ1 to allow the pore to open. The channel is most sensitive to ATP near its physiological concentration, and lowering ATP concentration in cardiac myocytes results in IKs reduction and action potential prolongation. Multiple mutations that suppress IKs by decreasing the ATP sensitivity of the channel are associated with the long QT (interval between the Q and T waves in electrocardiogram) syndrome that predisposes afflicted individuals to cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. A cluster of basic and aromatic residues that may form a unique ATP binding site are identified; ATP activation of the wild-type channel and the effects of the mutations on ATP sensitivity are consistent with an allosteric mechanism. These results demonstrate the activation of an ion channel by intracellular ATP binding, and ATP-dependent gating allows IKs to couple myocyte energy state to its electrophysiology in physiologic and pathologic conditions.
Determination of the genera of cyst-forming coccidia

The following heteroxenous and cyst-forming coccidian genera, Besnoitia, Cystoisospora, Frenkelia, Hammondia, Neospora, Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma have been compared biologically, and a key to determine their tissue cysts is provided.
Nondestructive Dynamic Evaluation of a Concrete Reaction Wall—Numerical and Experimental Studies

Proper identification of the modes of vibration of a structure is crucial in order to avoid the condition of resonance under dynamic loading conditions. A combination of numerical simulation, physical experimentation, and waveform analysis was employed in order to obtain a dynamic evaluation of the reaction wall for the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) large scale testing laboratory at Cornell University. The first four modes of vibration of the structure were identified, and this information is now available to researchers who design experiments that utilize the NEES facility. This paper presents the numerical (finite element) studies and a description of the impact test procedure used to excite and record the response of this massive, posttensioned, reinforced concrete structure. It also illustrates how numerical modeling aided in the design of experiments and how waveform analysis proved essential for the proper characterization of the dynamic behavior of this unusual structure.
Glutathione reductase activity with an oxidized methylated glutathione analog

The activity of glutathione reductase with an unnatural analog of oxidized glutathione was explored. The analog, L-γ-glutamyl-2-methyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine disulfide, places an additional methyl group on the alpha position of each of the central cysteine residues, which significantly increases steric bulk near the disulfide bond. Glutathione reductase was completely unable to catalyze the sulfur-sulfur bond reduction of the analog. Additionally, enzyme kinetics experiments indicated that the analog acts as a competitive inhibitor of glutathione reductase. Computational studies confirm that the methylated analog fits within the active site of the enzyme but its disulphide bond geometry is altered, preventing reduction by the enzyme. The substitution of (R)-2-methylcysteine in place of natural (R)-cysteine in peptides constitutes a new strategy for stabilizing disulphide bonds from enzyme-catalyzed degradation.
Integration of voice and data traffic in CDMA networks using dynamic spreading gain control

We consider a direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) network consisting of a single base station and a collection of mobile wireless terminals. There are two classes of traffic: voice and data. We provide a spectrally efficient multiple access protocol based on the dynamic control of the spreading gain of the data terminals. We also obtain expressions for key quality of service (QOS) metrics in terms of the number of active voice and data terminals. This work contributes to a better understanding of the relationships between the QOS, number of active terminals, and the allocation of radio resources in DS-CDMA networks.
Cardiac transplantation in the rat. I. The effect of histocompatibility differences on graft arteriosclerosis.

The development of arteriosclerosis is the most serious and common complication in long-term survivors of cardiac transplantation. We have used a variety of inbred rat strains with selected histocompatibility differences to examine the influence of prolonged, mild rejection reactions on the development of pathological changes in long-term cardiac allografts. Heterotopic cardiac allografts were exchanged between rat strains that differed for MHC class I (RT1.A and/or RT1.E) antigens or groups of minor, non-MHC antigens in MHC-compatible congenic combinations. Our results demonstrate that in strain combinations in which the allograft reaction is mild and prolonged, the donor hearts exhibit pathological changes that include a diffuse, interstitial myocardial fibrosis, perivascular fibrosis, and intimal proliferation in arteries of the graft myocardium. The lesions were less prominent in animals with more active rejection and infrequent in strains that differ for class I histocompatibility antigens or syngeneic controls. These results suggest that the comparable pathological changes seen in long-term human cardiac survivors may reflect low-level, persistent allograft reactions rather than factors associated with graft anoxia or effects of immunotherapy to prevent graft rejection.
The Significance of the Economic Summits

It is argued here that the summits should not be transformed or elevated to some system of global economic governance. Rather, global economic stability depends on good domestic economic policymaking and, thus, the economic summits cannot substitute for effective and effcient policymaking within sovereign nations. The summits, therefore, should be seen first and foremost as a means for improving and generating better domestic policies via cooperation as opposed to delivering packages of coordinated policies. By focusing on international economic policy cooperation, the summits can contribute much to improving domestic economic policymaking. The protest at the Genoa summit and the events of September 11 provide a well-timed opportunity to rethink the format of the summits, to streamline the process, and to return to the European or Rambouillet model of summitry. Perhaps this is the path the summits are on following the i?½secluded and intimatei?½ 2002 summit in Kananaskis (Bayne, 2002). The world was a very uncertain place in 1975. There were oil shocks, an unsettled foreign-exchange system, and a global recession. The original summit was formed to deal with these uncertainties. The world is again an uncertain place, with financial crises, the emergence of Russia and China as political and economic forces, terrorist attacks on the United States, an economic downturn among the advanced economies, and turbulence in the worldi?½s equity markets. The annual summits remain as a significant forum for sharing information and reducing this uncertainty.
Strong consistency of the LAD (L/sub 1/) estimator of parameters of stationary autoregressive processes with zero mean

Strong consistency (almost sure convergence to the true parameters) of the LAD (least absolute deviations) AR (autoregressive) parameter estimator has been proven by S. Gross and W.L. Steiger (1979) under the condition that i.i.d. noise driving a stationary autoregressive process has zero median. This work extends their proof to include the case when the driving noise has zero mean. Thus, when the noise PDF (probability density function) is asymmetric with distinct mean and median, the LAD estimator will be strongly consistent with the PDF centered with either mean or median at the origin. The results of this work extend computer simulations which further indicate that under these conditions, the LAD estimator is MS consistent (mean-squared convergence to the true parameters). The importance of these results in LAD signal processing applications is discussed. >
New Developments in Agricultural and Industrial Plant Biotechnology

New developments in agricultural and industrial plant biotechnology are quite noteworthy and deserve special mention in this chapter.
Role of the endocannabinoid system in management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk factors.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the role of the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) in the peripheral and central regulation of food intake, appetite, and energy storage and discuss the potential for the ECS to be an important target for lowering cardiovascular risk. Methods Materials used for this article were identified through a MEDLINE search of the pertinent literature (1975 to present), including English-language randomized controlled, prospective, cohort, review, and observational studies. We summarize the available experimental and clinical data. Results The ECS is composed of two 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled cannabinoid receptor subtypes, CB1 and CB2, endogenous cannabinoid ligands (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol), and the enzymes that synthesize and break down the ligands. Understanding the role of the ECS in central and peripheral metabolic processes related to the regulation of food intake and energy balance as well as the endocrine role of excess adipose tissue, particularly visceral adipose tissue, and its promotion of global cardiometabolic risk has led to the development of pharmacologic agents with potential for blockade of CB1 receptors. In several studies, rimonabant (20 mg daily) demonstrated a favorable effect on various risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, blood pressure, and measures of inflammation. Conclusion The ECS has been shown to have a key role in the regulation of energy balance, and modulation of this system may affect multiple cardiometabolic risk factors. Clinical studies involving pharmacologic blockade of CB1 receptors in overweight patients with and without type 2 diabetes have demonstrated effective weight loss and improvements in several risk factors for cardiovascular disease. (Endocr Pract. 2007;13:790-804)
Applied Creativity: The Creative Marketing Breakthrough Model:

Despite the increasing importance of personal creativity in today's business environment, few conceptual creativity frameworks have been presented in the marketing education literature. The purpose of this article is to advance the integration of creativity instruction into marketing classrooms by presenting an applied creative marketing framework. The theoretical basis for the creativity framework, referred to as the creative marketing breakthrough model, is discussed along with its pedagogical implications for marketing education. Furthermore, an illustrated instructional example is provided to highlight the impact of the creative marketing breakthrough model constructs on individual creative performance.
Efficacy of a Sensory Integration Program on Behaviors of Inpatients With Dementia

Objectives Dementia is the disease most frequently leading to admission in long-term care institutions, primarily because persons with this disease exhibit several behavioral problems. The objective of this study was to measure the efficacy of the sensory integration program developed by Ross and Burdick in improving the functioning of persons with dementia. Method Forty subjects with dementia (28 women, 12 men, mean age of 78.4 years) in three different institutional settings in Quebec City, Canada, were randomly assigned to the study (n = 22) or control (n = 18) group. Subjects in the study group participated in three 45-min sessions of a sensory integration program per week for 10 weeks. Outcomes were measured using the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist and the Psychogeriatric Scale of Basic Activities of Daily Living. Results The sensory integration program had no significant effect on the behaviors of the study group. Conclusion Before this type of program is labeled inefficacious, other studies are necessary to determine whether modifying the frequency of sessions, the number of subjects, and the measuring instruments would lead to similar results.
System model identification of a Fabry-Perot fiber optic sensing system

A Fabry-Perot fiber optic temperature sensing system is presented in this paper. It uses a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) to transform the environmental temperature into modulated reflected light. This light is directed to a patented light cross-correlator that locates the position of the maximum interference fringe intensity, which is detected by a linear CCD array. Therefore, the actual observed data is the position of the CCD pixel detecting the maximum interference fringe intensity rather than the light intensity itself. Consequently, this sensing mechanism is tolerant to the loss of light power that may result from external effects. Based on an analysis of the entire sensing system, a theoretical dynamic model was developed, which shows that the system dynamic response depends on the heat transfer process in the sensor head and the signal processing in the signal conditioner. An experimental method was developed to validate the theoretical model. Two empirical dynamic models are also obtained from the experimental data. Comparing the theoretical model with the empirical models, the poles result from the heat transfer process in the sensor head.
Modeling correlates of low bone mineral density in patients with phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency

Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency is an inherited metabolic disorder requiring life-long restriction of dietary protein and phenylalanine-free medical food. Low bone mineral density (BMD) is reported, but factors associated with BMD Z-score (standard deviations from normal) are unknown. We examined associations between clinical and dietary parameters and total BMD Z-score in PAH deficiency patients, and developed models to predict Z-score. Data collected from patients >4 years of age (n = 88; mean age = 18.8 y; 61 % female) included demographic, clinical, laboratory, and dietary intakes. Adjusted Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between parameters and TBMD Z-score, measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Parameters approaching significance (p-value < 0.10) were candidate predictors for four linear regression models predicting TBMD Z-score. To validate, model-predicted Z-scores were compared to DXA Z-scores. Mean TBMD Z-score was -0.326; 18 (20.4 %) had Z-score < -1. Z-scores were positively correlated with dietary vitamin D, calcium, and medical food intake and compliance with prescription, and negatively with dietary carbohydrate, sugar, caffeine intake, glycemic load, and prescribed medical food (grams protein/day; p-value < 0.05). The best model included medical food compliance, medical food intake, caffeine intake, and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (r-square = 0.364). This model predicted Z-score category [normal or low (<-1)] with sensitivity = 66.7 %, likelihood ratio = 14.7, and AUC = 0.83 compared to DXA Z-score. No subjects had low BMD for chronological age (Z-score ≤ -2). Compliance with medical food prescription was the strongest predictor of TBMD Z-score. One model, if validated in a separate sample of patients with more cases of low BMD, showed potential to estimate TBMD Z-score using routine clinical patient parameters.
Challenges and Experience with Implementing Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation in a Veterans Administration (VA) Health System To Prevent Surgical Site Infections

ISSUE: Nurses at a VA health system had difficulty educating patients on preoperative skin preparation, and use of a chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) formulation available only via the pharmacy. Challenges of educating patients on preoperative skin preparation fell to pharmacy staff. The surgical site infection (SSI) rate for 2005 was 0.2%, and the health system recognized the importance of proper preoperative skin preparation and education in prevention of SSIs, as well as the effective role appropriate skin preparation plays in SSI prevention. It was noted education may be more effective if provided by nursing staff. Process improvement was aimed at enhancing education of patients without access to showers, who were often homeless, and had difficulty getting into a shower due to poor health (20,524 patients age $60; 9,558 living in poverty and qualify for free care; 1,421 housebound). The preoperative protocol was rewritten and implemented.
Recurrence and risk of progression to lower genital tract malignancy in women with high grade VAIN.

Abstract Objective High-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) II–III has a variable clinical course. Due to the rarity of VAIN, existing data on the efficacy of treatment, risk of recurrence and progression to carcinoma is limited. Our objective was to evaluate predictors of recurrent disease and describe the risk of progression to carcinoma. Methods Under an IRB-approved protocol 42 patients with biopsy-proven VAIN II–III from 1995 to 2015 were retrospectively identified. Demographics, treatment, and clinical course were abstracted from medical records. Patients were followed with semi-annual colposcopy and biopsies at physician discretion. Standard statistical analyses were applied. Results Median patient age was 58years old (range 20–81). Median follow-up time was 45months (range 9–195). Management included excision (31%), laser ablation (33%), topical agents (19%), and observation (10%), with the following rates of recurrence: 38%, 43%, 75%, and 50% (p=0.26). 20 patients (48%) had recurrent or persistent disease during treatment follow-up. No specific primary treatment was significantly more effective in preventing recurrence. Recurrence of VAIN II–III occurred at a median of 17.4months (7–78months) from time of initial diagnosis. Five (12%) patients developed invasive cancer of the lower genital tract. Median time to cancer diagnosis was 64months (30 to 101months). Conclusions Patients with VAIN II–III are at high risk of recurrence and progression, suggesting the need for ongoing evaluation with cytology and comprehensive colposcopy by a skilled specialist. There were no clear risk factors or histopathologic criteria which predicted recurrence or progression to cancer.
The Role of Stimulation Techniques

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common, under-recognized, and undertreated in patients with epilepsy (PWE), and have a profound impact on quality of life. Effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatments are urgently needed for patients whose neuropsychiatric symptoms do not respond to pharmacological or behavioral therapies. Some of the brain stimulation modalities that are effective for seizure control in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy may also be effective for neuropsychiatric symptoms of comorbid psychiatric disorders. This chapter first provides an overview of comorbid psychiatric disorders that have shown symptomatic improvement in brain stimulation studies. Next, the effects of different stimulation techniques on symptoms of these psychiatric disorders in PWE as well as in patients without epilepsy are reviewed. Limitations of our current understanding are then outlined with suggested directions for future research. The role of stimulation techniques in the care of PWE is only beginning to be understood and their potential application to the amelioration of neuropsychiatric symptoms in PWE should be actively pursued.
Early catheter removal and reduced length of hospital stay following transurethral prostatectomy: a retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive patients.

AbstractWe reviewed the charts of 100 consecutive patients who underwent transurethral prostatectomy between January 1986 and April 1987. Average length of hospital stay was 2.9 days, which was considerably shorter than that reported previously in the literature. We usually hospitalize patients on the day of the operation and remove the catheters the following morning. A total of 15 patients required reinsertion of the catheter for hemorrhage or retention. Of these patients 13 had 1 or more of 3 predisposing risk factors (preoperative total urinary retention, preoperative gross hematuria or resected prostatic specimen weight greater than 30gm.). We conclude that early removal of the catheter and reduced lengths of hospitalization will be safe for the majority of patients.
Immunoglobulin G genotypes and the risk of schizophrenia.

Genes of the immune system are relevant to the etiology of schizophrenia. However, to our knowledge, no large-scale studies, using molecular methods, have been undertaken to investigate the role of highly polymorphic immunoglobulin GM (γ marker) genes in this disorder. In this investigation, we aimed to determine whether particular GM genotypes were associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia. Using a matched case-control study design, we analyzed DNA samples from 798 subjects-398 patients with schizophrenia and 400 controls-obtained from the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health Repository. GM alleles were determined by the TaqMan(®) genotyping assay. The GM 3/3; 23-/23- genotype was highly significantly associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia (p = 0.0002). Subjects with this genotype were over three times (OR 3.4; 95 % CI 1.7-6.7) as likely to develop schizophrenia as those without this genotype. Our results show that immunoglobulin GM genes are risk factors for the development of schizophrenia. Since GM alleles have been implicated in gluten sensitivity and in immunity to neurotropic viruses associated with cognitive impairment, the results presented here may help unify these two disparate areas of pathology affected in this disorder.
Prologue: Nitric oxide–hormones, metabolism, and function

as we set out to find an interesting new direction as a Special Topic for papers for the AJP: Heart and Circulatory Physiology , nitric oxide (NO) was an obvious choice. Since the seminal work of Furchgott and Zawadski, who first defined endothelium-derived relaxing factor ([8][1]), to defining the
Instrumental texture characteristics of broiler pectoralis major with the wooden breast condition

Abstract The objective was to characterize texture properties of raw and cooked broiler fillets (Pectoralis major) with the wooden breast condition (WBC) using the instrumental texture techniques of Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (MORS) and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA). Deboned (3 h postmortem) broiler fillets were collected from a commercial plant and categorized as normal, moderate, or severe WBC based on the incidence and severity of diffuse hardened areas throughout fillets and the degree of palpable hardness. The fillets were then either stored at 4°C overnight or in a −20°C freezer. The MORS and TPA of the raw samples were determined at 24 h postmortem for fresh samples and after thawing overnight for frozen samples. The same measurements were also taken after the samples were cooked to 78°C. Regardless of freshness (fresh vs. frozen-thawed), cooking (raw vs. cooked), and degree of WBC, both MORS force and energy of the WBC samples were higher than that of the normal samples (P 0.05). However, average TPA hardness and chewiness measurements of the fillets with WBC were higher than the normal fillets (P 0.05). These results demonstrate that there are significant differences in instrumental texture properties between normal fillets and those exhibiting the WBC. The WBC fillets required more force to cut through, harder, and chewier than normal breast muscles. These results suggest that cooked WBC meat would likely be tougher than cooked normal meat.
Complete Genome Sequences of Campylobacter hyointestinalis subsp. hyointestinalis Strain LMG 9260 and C. hyointestinalis subsp. lawsonii Strain LMG 15993.

ABSTRACT Campylobacter hyointestinalis is isolated primarily from ruminants and swine, but is also occasionally isolated from humans. C. hyointestinalis is currently divided into two subspecies, C. hyointestinalis subsp. hyointestinalis and C. hyointestinalis subsp. lawsonii. This study describes the first closed whole-genome sequences of C. hyointestinalis subsp. hyointestinalis isolate LMG 9260 and C. hyointestinalis subsp. lawsonii isolate LMG 15993.
Mass and low-lying energy levels of Cu 69

The ($d$, $^{3}\mathrm{He}$) reaction on $^{64,66,68,70}\mathrm{Zn}$ was investigated at ${E}_{d}=23.3$ MeV and angular distributions measured for low-lying states. The mass excess of $^{69}\mathrm{Cu}$ is found to be -65.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 MeV, about 190 keV less stable than tabulated mass values. A partial level scheme for $^{69}\mathrm{Cu}$ based on the systematics of the ($d$, $^{3}\mathrm{He}$) reaction and the energy levels of the lighter odd mass Cu isotopes is suggested. Spectroscopic factors for proton pickup from the zinc isotopes are also presented.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{64,66,68,70}\mathrm{Zn}(d, ^{3}\mathrm{He})$ ${E}_{d}=23.3$ MeV; measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\theta})$, deduced $l$ DWBA analysis. $^{69}\mathrm{Cu}$ mass measured, level scheme suggested.
Role of Neuropeptides in the Bidirectional Communication Between the Immune and Neuroendocrine Systems

Vertebrates respond to infection and inflammation with a complex series of intercellular communication signals involving the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. Recent investigations have shown that the immune system is subject to neural and endocrine control, and that it exerts in turn a reciprocal effect on the nervous system. In addition, the immune system is capable of producing neuropeptides, and the nervous system is able to secrete cytokines. This chapter summarizes the evidence for the production and function of neuropeptides in this regulatory relationship. The neuropeptides discussed here include corticotropin (ACTH), β-endorphin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM), and substance P. Overall, a rapidly expanding body of evidence indicates that neuropeptides and cytokines are the common signal molecules that mediate bidirectional communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems.
Increasing Incidence of Melanoma in the Elderly: An Epidemiological Study in Olmsted County, Minnesota

Abstract Objective To estimate the age- and sex-adjusted incidence of melanoma in adults 61 years or older in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1970 through 2009. Patients and Methods Using Rochester Epidemiology Project resources, 397 patients were identified who were 61 years or older and who received a first lifetime diagnosis of melanoma from January 1, 1970, through December 31, 2009, in Olmsted County. The incidence of melanoma and the overall and disease-specific survival rates were compared by age, sex, year of diagnosis, and stage of disease. Results From 1970 through 2009, age- and sex-adjusted incidence increased significantly ( P P P P P =.90). The dramatic increase in the incidence of melanoma was observed mainly for stages 0 and I tumors in both men and women (>55-fold increase). Disease-specific survival increased across the decades ( P P =.010) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.98; P =.006) for men and women, respectively. Conclusion The incidence of melanoma in older men and women increased significantly over the past 4 decades in Olmsted County, with men experiencing higher rates of increase than did women.
Manganese Vanadate Chemistry in Hydrothermal BaF2 Brines: Ba3Mn2(V2O7)2F2 and Ba7Mn8O2(VO4)2F23

Manganese vanadate fluorides were synthesized using high-temperature hydrothermal techniques with BaF2 as a mineralizer. Ba3Mn2(V2O7)2F2 crystallizes in space group C2/c and consists of dimers built from edge-sharing MnO4F2 trigonal prisms with linking V2O7 groups. Ba7Mn8O2(VO4)2F23 crystallizes in space group Cmmm, with a manganese oxyfluoride network built from edge- and corner-sharing Mn2+/3+(O,F)6 octahedra. These octahedra form alternating Mn2+ and Mn2+/3+ layers separated by VO4 tetrahedra. This latter compound exhibits a canted antiferromagnetic order below TN = 25 K.
Preserving Strong Connectivity in Directed Proximity Graphs

This paper proposes a method to maintain the strong connectivity property of a mobile robot ad hoc network in the presence of disturbances or additional control goals. Each robot has a communication range modeled by an $n$ -dimensional sphere centered at the robot. The spheres for different robots may have different radii, resulting in a directed communication network. This paper is based on two concepts. The first is the structure of the Perron vector for reducible stochastic matrices. The second is the design of nonlinear controllers that ensure that two robots remain within a certain distance of each other despite disturbances. The results are supported by analysis and simulations.
Comparing prognosis estimates of patients with cancer and their oncologists.

e16548 Background: Authors have reported a discrepancy between patient (pt) and physician survival estimates in pts with advanced malignancies. Methods: Oncology pts receiving chemotherapy at Thoma...
Mechanics and Physics of Lipid Bilayers

In this chapter we review recent work by the writer and coworkers on various aspects of the mechanics and physics of lipid bilayers. A framework for lipid bilayer surface, based on a dimension reduction procedure applied to three-dimensional liquid crystal theory, is reviewed in Sect. 1. This accommodates the non-standard effects of lipid distension and tilt. A special case of the general model in which tilt is suppressed but distension, and accompanying surface dilation, are permitted, is also derived. This is further specialized, in Sect. 2, to obtain a model of the classical type, due to Canham and Helfrich. Our approach facilitates understanding of the place of the classical theory, and its logical extensions, in a larger context. Section 3 provides a further development of the theory with surface dilation—reported here for the first time—to accommodate dissipative effects, including intra-membrane viscous flow and the diffusion of trans-membrane embedded proteins. This may be viewed as a theory of generalized capillarity, accounting for various higher order gradient effects of the Cahn–Hilliard type in the constitutive equations. A simpler variant of this model is described in Sect. 4, in which non-standard gradient effects are suppressed. This furnishes the simplest thermodynamically consistent extension of the classical theory to cover diffusion and viscosity. Finally, Sect. 5 is devoted to the electromechanical theory. This is limited to the simplest extension of the classical model to accommodate surface flexo-electricity and the coupling of surface shape with a polarization field. Restrictions on the latter, consistent with the three-dimensional electromechanical theory for liquid crystals, yield a relatively simple generalization of the classical theory appropriate for analyzing membrane response to a remote applied electric field.
Intracranial elastance is increased in idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To date, no pathophysiological model has sufficiently accounted for all the findings encountered in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Intracranial elastance is an index of volume-buffering capacity known to play a role in certain disorders of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, which has not been previously investigated in relation to IIH patients. METHODS This was a single-center retrospective cohort study from 1 July 2011 to 1 July 2016. Values for opening pressure (PO ), closing pressure (PC ) and volume (V) of CSF removed were collected, as well as demographic and clinical covariates. Intracranial elastance (E) and pressure-volume index (PVI) were calculated according to established equations: E = (PO -PC )/V and PVI = V/log10 (PO /PC ), respectively. Those with an alternative central nervous system pathology, including meningitis, encephalitis and normal pressure hydrocephalus were excluded. Eligible patients were subdivided into two groups based on final diagnosis: a control group and an IIH group. RESULTS In our cohort (n = 49), a significant association of both E (P < 0.0001) and PVI (P = 0.005) with a diagnosis of IIH was observed. Median E was 0.45 [interquartile range (IQR) 0.29-0.63] in the control group and 1 (IQR 0.59-1.29) in the IIH group, and median PVI was 98.07 (IQR 59.92-135.86) in the control group and 64.1 (IQR 42.4-91.7) in the IIH group. Neither E nor PVI were significantly associated with age, gender or body mass index. PVI was independent of opening pressure. CONCLUSIONS As calculated by clinically accessible indices, our study provides evidence that intracranial elastance is increased in IIH, reflecting a novel insight into disease pathogenesis.
Glimmers in illuminating the druggable genome

Much biomedical research continues to focus on a small proportion of the human genome that has already been studied intensively. The Illuminating the Druggable Genome programme, initiated as a pilot project by the US National Institutes of Health Common Fund in 2014, is now being implemented to accelerate the investigation of subsets of understudied proteins that have potential therapeutic relevance.
Compressive sensing with energy constraint

In many sparse sensing applications, it is desirable to limit not only the number of non-zero variables but also the amplitude or energy of the signal, i.e., the non-zero variables are expected to be in a certain range. One approach to incorporate the energy constraint is using objective functions such as IIxII2 + λ||χ||ο In this paper, we consider minimizing this objective function, given the linear sensing system y = Ax. As this optimization problem is not convex, we first find the convex envelope of the objective function and then analyze the relation between the uniqueness of the solution and the required number of sensors. Further, we show that the sparsity of the measurement matrix A has negative effects on the required number of sensors.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Deformability and Implications for Microvascular Sequestration.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received considerable attention in regenerative medicine, particularly in light of prospects for targeted delivery by intra-arterial injection. However, little is known about the mechanics of MSC sequestration in the microvasculature and the yield pressure (PY), above which MSCs will pass through microvessels of a given diameter. The objectives of the current study were to delineate the dependency of PY on cell size and the heterogeneity of cell mechanical properties and diameters (DCELL) of cultured MSCs. To this end the transient filtration test was employed to elucidate the mean filtration pressure (〈PY〉) for an ensemble of pores of a given size (DPORE) similar to in vivo microvessels. Cultured MSCs had a log-normal distribution of cell diameters (DCELL) with a mean of 15.8 ± 0.73 SD μm. MSC clearance from track-etched polycarbonate filters was studied for pore diameters of 7.3–15.4 μm. The pressure required to clear cells from filters with 30–85 × 103 pores rose exponentially with the ratio λ = DCELL/DPORE for 1.1 ≤ λ ≤ 2.2. The clearance of cells from each filter was characterized by a log-normal distribution in PY, with a mean filtration pressure of 0.02 ≤ 〈PY〉 ≤ 6.7 cmH2O. For λ ≤ 1.56, the yield pressure (PY) was well represented by the cortical shell model of a cell with a viscous interior encapsulated by a shell under cortical tension τ0 = 0.99 ± 0.42 SD dyn/cm. For λ > 1.56, the 〈PY〉 characteristic of the cell population rose exponentially with λ. Analysis of the mean filtration pressure (〈PY〉) of each sample suggested that the larger diameter cells that skewed the distribution of DCELL contributed to about 20% of the mean filtration pressure. Further, if all cells had the same deformability (i.e., PY as a function of λ) as the average cell population, then 〈PY〉 would have risen an order of magnitude above the average from fivefold at λ = 1.56 to 200-fold at λ = 2.1. Comparison of 〈PY〉 to published microvascular pressures suggested that 〈PY〉 may exceed microvessel pressure drops for λ exceeding 2.1, and rise 14-fold above capillary pressure drop at λ = 3 leading to 100% sequestration. However, due to the large variance of in vivo microvascular pressures entrapment of MSCs may be mitigated. Thus it is suggested that selecting fractions of the MSC population according to cell deformability may permit optimization of entrapment at sites targeted for tissue regeneration.
Positive Aspects of Cane Sugar and Sugar Cane Derived Products in Food and Nutrition

Recently, as previously for fat and protein, there has been negative discussion about carbohydrate, including blaming it for the rise of obesity and related metabolic conditions, even though overconsumption and sedentary lifestyles are more defined contributors. In many parts of the world, natural sugar (sucrose) from sugar cane is the main dietary source of carbohydrate. Considerable misinformation about sugar is in the public domain with the average consumer being unaware of (i) the critical need of body cells, particularly brain cells, for sugar to function, (ii) the multitude of functionalities other than sweetening that sugar imparts, and (iii) micronutrients delivered with many sugar products.
SRAM based opportunistic energy efficiency improvement in dual-supply near-threshold processors

Energy-efficient microprocessors are essential for a wide range of applications. While near-threshold computing is a promising technique to improve energy efficiency, optimal supply demands from logic core and on-chip memory are confiicting. In this paper, we perform reliability analysis of 6T SRAM and discover imbalanced minimum voltage requirements between read and write operations. We leverage this imbalance property in near-threshold processors equipped with voltage boosting capability by proposing an opportunistic dual-supply switching scheme with a write aggregation buffer. Our results show that proposed technique improves energy efficiency by more than 18% with approximate 8.54% performance speed-up.
The Writing Preferences of Young Adults

(1992). The Writing Preferences of Young Adults. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 245-252.
Safety of PPAR Agonists

Because activation of PPARs alters the transcription of a myriad of genes in various organs, a variety of adverse effects may arise as a consequence of activation or inhibition of some of these genes. Therefore, drugs modulating PPAR activity require careful monitoring, through extensive preclinical and clinical studies, in order to determine benefits and risks of using these drugs in disease management. In this section, safety issues of some PPARs agonists will be presented in light of available clinical data.
Optical Studies of the Morphology of Polymer Films

It is a truism that the properties of a film are a consequence of its structure. This structure may be considered at different levels of size ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic. Various properties depend differently on these structural manifestations. The thermodynamic properties, density and electrical properties depend upon the molecular organization, whereas transparency, surface smoothness and some mechanical properties depend upon larger structures. The ductility of crystalline polymers, for example, depends to a great extent upon the size, perfection and organization of the crystals.