cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EEG Artifact Versus Subclinical Status Epilepticus in a Patient Following Cardiac Arrest

A challenge in ICU EEG interpretation is identifying subclinical status epilepticus versus patterns on the ictal–interictal continuum versus other repetitive patterns. In the electrically noisy intensive care unit, identifying and eliminating interference and artifact allow accurate diagnoses from the EEG, avoiding unnecessary treatment or sedation. We present a case during Impella (Abiomed Inc, Danvers, MA) continuous flow left ventricular assist device use where the EEG artifact was initially misinterpreted as seizure by the resident and treated as status epilepticus because of the “focal” sharply contoured repetitive pattern. During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), an 88-year-old developed ventricular tachycardia followed by ventricular fibrillation requiring chest compressions for 10 min, multiple defibrillations, and treatment with epinephrine, amiodarone, calcium, bicarbonate, and magnesium. The patient had an Impella placed during PCI with therapeutic hypothermia initiated after the cardiopulmonary arrest. His neurological exam demonstrated preserved pupillary, corneal, gag and cough reflexes and spontaneous respirations. Long-term video EEG monitoring is included in our institution’s hypothermia protocol. Initial baseline EEG performed 2 h after PCI showed a persistent rhythmic sharp discharge from the left central temporal region resembling left hemisphere status epilepticus. The sharp waves have an alternating repeating 2:1 relationship with the EKG rhythm strip. This is best seen in the left hemisphere, which we posit is related to the Impella’s positioning across the aortic valve pointing toward the patient’s left side. A chest x-ray confirmed the device’s position immediately before EEG monitoring. Arterial pressure tracings were not available in the chart. There is a low-amplitude spiky artifact; however, there was no pacing at that time. It is possible that synergistic flow with systole/diastole reinforced the pulsatility with movement of the Impella, resulting in the alternating pattern. The patient’s hemodynamic instability precluded extensive troubleshooting with the Impella device, but after EEG repositioning, the artifact was eliminated.
The enteric microbiota regulates jejunal Paneth cell number and function without impacting intestinal stem cells

Paneth cells (PCs) are epithelial cells found in the small intestine, next to intestinal stem cells (ISCs) at the base of the crypts. PCs secrete antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that regulate the commensal gut microbiota. In contrast, little is known regarding how the enteric microbiota reciprocally influences PC function. In this study, we sought to characterize the impact of the enteric microbiota on PC biology in the mouse small intestine. This was done by first enumerating jejunal PCs in germ-free (GF) versus conventionally raised (CR) mice. We next evaluated the possible functional consequences of altered PC biology in these experimental groups by assessing epithelial proliferation, ISC numbers, and the production of AMPs. We found that PC numbers were significantly increased in CR versus GF mice; however, there were no differences in ISC numbers or cycling activity between groups. Of the AMPs assessed, only Reg3γ transcript expression was significantly increased in CR mice. Intriguingly, this increase was abrogated in cultured CR versus GF enteroids, and could not be re-induced with various bacterial ligands. Our findings demonstrate the enteric microbiota regulates PC function by increasing PC numbers and inducing Reg3γ expression, though the latter effect may not involve direct interactions between bacteria and the intestinal epithelium. In contrast, the enteric microbiota does not appear to regulate jejunal ISC census and proliferation. These are critical findings for investigators using GF mice and the enteroid system to study PC and ISC biology.
Effect of constructive rehybridization on transverse conductivity of aligned single-walled carbon nanotube films

Abstract Alignment of densely packed single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) largely preserves the extraordinary electronic properties of individual SWNTs in the alignment direction, while in transverse direction the films are very resistive due to large energy barriers for tunneling between adjacent SWNTs. We demonstrate that chromium atoms inserted between the sidewalls of parallel SWNTs effectively coordinate to the benzene rings of the nanotubes via hexahapto bonds that preserve the nanotube-conjugated electronic structure and serve as a conduit for electron transfer. The atomically interconnected aligned SWNTs exhibit enhanced transverse conductivity, which increases by ∼2100% as a result of the photoactivated organometallic functionalization with Cr. The hexahapto mode of bonding the graphitic surfaces of carbon nanotubes with transition metal atoms offers an attractive route to the reversible chemical engineering of the transport properties of aligned carbon nanotube thin films. We demonstrate that a device fabricated with aligned SWNTs can be reversibly switched between a state of high electrical conductivity (ON) by light and low electrical conductivity (OFF) by applied potential. This study provides a route to the design of novel nanomaterials for applications in electrical atomic switches, optoelectronic and spintronic devices.
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Alters Gastric Myoelectric Activity in Healthy Subjects.

Abstract Objectives: It is unclear whether osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) affects gastric myoelectric activity (GMA), an index of gastric motility. We hypothesized that OMT significantly ...
PARP1 inhibition selectively radiosensitized malignant gliomas with hyperactive EGFR

428 Despite recent advances in the treatment of malignant gliomas, it remains one of the deadliest of cancers, resulting in lethality in nearly all affected patients. Radiation therapy is a critical component of the treatment regimen for this disease. However, due to tumor resistance, recurrence is a frequent phenomenon. Development of agents aimed to abridge this resistance should augment the efficacy of radiation therapy. Ideally, such an agent should act selectively on the tumor relative to the normal cells. Since the tumor state is defined by genetic changes, including oncogenic activation and tumor suppressor inactivation, tumor specificity translates into targeting cell states imposed by these genetic changes. To this end, we set out to identify SiRNAs that cause selective radiation sensitization of glioma cell lines over-expressing tumor pertinent oncogenes relative to isogenic cell lines without such over-expression. To minimize the likelihood of cell line specific artifacts, two isogenic glioma lines were used: the U87/U87+EGFRvIII pair and the THV/THV+H-Ras V12G pair. EGFRvIII is an oncogenic variant of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) where an in-frame deletion of exons 2-7 results in constitutive receptor activation. This variant is found in 30-50% of high-grade gliomas. The H-Ras V12G oncogene was selected because a significant portion of the aberrant EGFRvIII signaling has been attributed to H-Ras hyper-activation. We screened a commercially available library (QIAGEN) consisting of 712 SiRNAs directed against 356 genes implicated in DNA repair/damage response. We first identified SiRNA that radiosensitized both the U87+EGFRvIII and the THV+H-Ras V12G cell lines. Top SiRNAs were divided into five groups based on the function of the target gene. Representative target genes from each group (PARP1, CDK7, RPA3, FANCF, or HDAC1) were subsequently characterized. These analyses revealed that SiRNA silencing of PARP1 and CDK7, but not of RPA3, FANCF, or HDAC1, preferentially sensitized gliomas over-expressing EGFRvIII or H-Ras V12G relative to their isogenic counterparts without oncogenic over-expression. To exclude “off-target effects”, we showed that treatment with a specific PARP1 inhibitors, 3-aminobenzamide (Sigma) and NU1025 (Sigma), recapitulated the selective radiosensitizing effects of PARP1 silencing. Silencing of CDK7, RPA3, FANCF, and HDAC1, but not PARP1, augmented the radiosensitizing effects of 3-aminobenzamide (Sigma), suggesting rationale for combination therapy. These results offer pre-clinical evidence that PARP1 inhibition may serve to augment the efficacy of radiation therapy in malignant glioma treatment. Moreover, it defines EGFR and H-RAS hyperactivation as molecular determinants of therapeutic response - an observation that must be taken into consideration in clinical trial design.
Pattern Recognition Receptor-reactivity Screening of Liver Transplant Patients: Potential for Personalized and Precise Organ Matching to Reduce Risks of Ischemia-reperfusion Injury.

Objective and Background: Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on immune and parenchymal cells can detect danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released from cells damaged during ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), in heart attack or stroke settings, but also as an unavoidable consequence of solid organ transplantation. Despite IRI being a significant clinical problem across all solid organ transplants, there are limited therapeutics and patient-specific diagnostics currently available. Methods: We screened portal blood samples obtained from 67 human liver transplant recipients both pre- [portal vein (PV) sample] and post-(liver flush; LF) reperfusion for their ability to activate a panel of PRRs, and analyzed this reactivity in relation to biopsy-proven IRI. Results: PV samples from IRI+ orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) patients (n = 35) decreased activation of hTLR4- and hTLR9-transfected cells, whereas PV from IRI− patients (n = 32) primarily increased hTLR7 and hNOD2 activation. LF samples from OLT-IRI patients significantly increased activation of hTLR4 and hTLR9 over IRI− LF. In addition, the change from baseline reactivity to hTLR4/9/NOD2 was significantly higher in IRI+ than IRI− OLT patients. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that TLR4/7/9 and NOD2 are involved in either promoting or attenuating hepatic IRI, and suggest a diagnostic screening of portal blood for reactivity to these PRRs might prove useful for prediction and/or therapeutic intervention in OLT patients before transplantation.
Preclinical efficacy studies using HuMax-Axl-ADC, a novel antibody-drug conjugate targeting Axl-expressing solid cancers.

3066 Background: HuMax-Axl-ADC is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that specifically targets Axl-expressing tumor cells. Aberrant expression of Axl, a receptor tyrosine kinase, has been described i...
Detection of ERBB2 Amplification by Next-Generation Sequencing Predicts HER2 Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma

Objectives ERBB2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]) amplification/overexpression in colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) may predict response to HER2 inhibitors. We correlated ERBB2 amplification by next-generation sequencing (NGS) with HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry. Methods NGS was performed on specimens containing 20% or more tumor. HER2 immunohistochemistry (clone SP3) was scored semiquantitatively by H-score. ERBB2 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to examine copy alterations in one HER2-heterogeneous tumor. Results ERBB2 amplification was detected in 2% of 1,300 CRCs analyzed by NGS. HER2 immunohistochemistry was examined in 15 cases with ERBB2 amplification (six or more copies), 10 with low gain (three to five copies), and 77 copy neutral. ERBB2 amplification and HER2 immunohistochemistry showed perfect concordance at an H-score of 105 or more. FISH confirmed homogeneous ERBB2 amplification in a tumor showing HER2 protein expression heterogeneity. ERBB2 amplification anticorrelated with RAS/RAF mutations (P = .0001). No ERBB2-amplified cases showed mismatch repair deficiency. Conclusions NGS-detected ERBB2 amplification highly correlates with HER2 overexpression in CRC, but immunohistochemistry is required to capture protein-level heterogeneity.
The Large-Firm Wage Premium in Developing Economies

Large firms pay higher wages. In developing economies, the large-firm wage premium is comparable to the average gap between male and female wages, or two-thirds of the gap between urban and rural wages. There is substantial variation across countries in the share of the premium that is explained by sorting of human capital into large firms. The average large-firm wage premium declines in national income and has declined over time. Across industries, it is highest in public utilities and commerce. These stylized facts suggest several hypotheses about differences between labor markets in developing and advanced economies.
Chameleon-Inspired Strain-Accommodating Smart Skin

Stimuli-responsive color-changing hydrogels, commonly colored using embedded photonic crystals (PCs), have potential applications ranging from chemical sensing to camouflage and anti-counterfeiting. A major limitation in these PC hydrogels is that they require significant deformation (>20%) in order to change the PC lattice constant and generate an observable chromatic shift (∼100 nm). By analyzing the mechanism of how chameleon skin changes color, we developed a strain-accommodating smart skin (SASS), which maintains near-constant size during chromatic shifting. SASS is composed of two types of hydrogels: a stimuli-responsive, PC-containing hydrogel that is patterned within a second hydrogel with robust mechanical properties, which permits strain accommodation. In contrast to conventional "accordion"-type PC responsive hydrogels, SASS maintains near-constant volume during chromatic shifting. Importantly, SASS materials are stretchable (strain ∼150%), amenable to patterning, spectrally tunable, and responsive to both heat and natural sunlight. We demonstrate examples of using SASS for biomimicry. Our strategy, to embed responsive materials within a mechanically matched scaffolding polymer, provides a general framework to guide the future design of artificial smart skins.
Current Understanding of the Progression and Management of Thyroid Associated Orbitopathy: A Systematic Review

Thyroid associated orbitopathy (TAO) is a common diagnosis encountered by ophthalmologists and oculoplastic surgeons. TAO has a varying clinical presentation that can include upper eyelid retraction, restrictive strabismus, proptosis, exposure keratopathy, and optic neuropathy. In this review, we discuss the most recent literature on and the current understanding of the pathophysiology of TAO. We also review available and potential future treatment options for the management of TAO.
Risk of intracranial hemorrhage associated with pregnancy in women with cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Background Prior studies on rupture risk of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in women undergoing pregnancy and delivery have reported conflicting findings, but also have not accounted for AVM morphology and heterogeneity. Here, we assess the association between pregnancy and the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in women with AVMs using a cohort-crossover design in which each woman serves as her own control. Methods Women who underwent pregnancy and delivery were identified using DRG codes from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases for California (2005–2011), Florida (2005–2014), and New York (2005–2014). The presence of AVM and ICH was determined using ICD 9 codes. Pregnancy was defined as the 40 weeks prior to delivery, and postpartum as 12 weeks after. We defined a non-exposure control period as a 52-week period prior to pregnancy. The relative risks of ICH during pregnancy were compared against the non-exposure period using conditional Poisson regression. Results Among 4 022 811 women identified with an eligible delivery hospitalization (median age, 28 years; 7.3% with gestational diabetes; 4.5% with preeclampsia/eclampsia), 568 (0.014%) had an AVM. The rates of ICH during pregnancy and puerperium were 6355.4 (95% CI 4279.4 to 8431.5) and 14.4 (95% CI 13.3 to 15.6) per 100 000 person-years for women with and without AVM, respectively. In cohort-crossover analysis, in women with AVMs the risk of ICH increased 3.27-fold (RR, 95% CI 1.67 to 6.43) during pregnancy and puerperium compared with a non-pregnant period. Conclusions Among women with AVM, pregnancy and puerperium were associated with a greater than 3-fold risk of ICH.
Effect of Occlusion on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users’ Perception of Captioned Video Quality

While the availability of captioned television programming has increased, the quality of this captioning is not always acceptable to Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) viewers, especially for live or unscripted content broadcast from local television stations. Although some current caption metrics focus on textual accuracy (comparing caption text with an accurate transcription of what was spoken), other properties may affect DHH viewers’ judgments of caption quality. In fact, U.S. regulatory guidance on caption quality standards includes issues relating to how the placement of captions may occlude other video content. To this end, we conducted an empirical study with 29 DHH participants to investigate the effect on user’s judgements of caption quality or their enjoyment of the video, when captions overlap with an onscreen speaker’s eyes or mouth, or when captions overlap with onscreen text. We observed significantly more negative user-response scores in the case of such overlap. Understanding the relationship between these occlusion features and DHH viewers’ judgments of the quality of captioned video will inform future work towards the creation caption evaluation metrics, to help ensure the accessibility of captioned television or video.
Ventral striatal resting-state functional connectivity in adolescents is associated with earlier onset of binge drinking.

Abstract Background Earlier engagement in heavy drinking during adolescence is a risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorders later in life. Longitudinal studies in adolescents have linked brain structure and task-evoked function to future alcohol use; however, less is known about how intrinsic network-level interactions relate to future substance use during this developmental period. Methods In this prospective longitudinal study, resting-state functional connectivity of the ventral striatum, risky decision making, and sensation seeking were measured in 73 adolescents at baseline. Participants were between the ages of 14 and 15 and had no substantial history of substance use upon study entry. Follow-up interviews were conducted approximately every 3 months to assess the initiation of binge drinking (≥ 5 or ≥ 4 drinks per occasion for males or females, respectively). Results Adolescents who began binge drinking sooner exhibited greater connectivity of the ventral striatum to the left precuneus, left angular gyrus, and the left superior frontal gyrus. Greater connectivity of the ventral striatum to the right insula/putamen was associated with longer duration to the onset of binge drinking. Resting-state functional connectivity in these regions was not associated with baseline assessments of risky decision making or sensation seeking. Conclusions Findings provide novel information about potential risk factors for early initiation of heavy alcohol use. Interventions that target relevant resting-state networks may enhance prevention efforts to decrease adolescent substance use by prolonging onset to heavier levels of alcohol consumption.
Studies of steroid myopathy. Examination of the possible effect of triamcinolone on mitochondria and sarcotubular vesicles of rat skeletal muscle.

Abstract Weight loss, muscle atrophy and weakness induced by triamcinolone (9α-fluoro-11β, 16α, 17α, 21-tetrahydroxy-l,4-pregnanediene-3,20-dione) could be due to uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. To test this possibility, reliable techniques were developed for isolation of skeletal muscle mitochondria. Mitochondria with apparently normal biochemical properties were isolated from skeletal muscle of rats with severe weight loss induced by triamcinolone. Sarcotubular vesicles (fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum) isolated from the same animals showed no evidence of steroid-induced abnormalities. These data suggest that mitochondria and sarcotubular vesicles are not the site or a steroid-induced defect in muscle biochemistry. The fundamental abnormality of steroid myopathy should be sought in other aspects of muscle biochemistry.
The terrestrial ring current - From in situ measurements to global images using energetic neutral atoms

Electrical currents flowing in the equatorial magnetosphere, first inferred from ground-based magnetic disturbances, are carried by trapped energetic ions. Spacecraft measurements have determined the spectrum and composition of those currents, and the newly developed technique of energetic-neutral-atom imaging allows the global dynamics of that entire ion population to be viewed from a single spacecraft.
Enzymatic synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid. XXXII. Replication of duplex deoxyribonucleic acid by polymerase at a single strand break.

Abstract Double stranded DNA serves as a template primer for Escherichia coli DNA polymerase when the DNA contains a single strand break (a nick) with a 3'-hydroxyl terminus. Initiation of replication entails covalent extension of the 3'-hydroxyl terminus and a concurrent 5' → 3' nuclease action by the enzyme. The primer strand is hydrolyzed at the 5' side of the nick while the synthetic activity catalyzes the addition of nucleotides to the 3' side. The ability of the enzyme to promote hydrolysis and synthesis simultaneously results in the translation of the nick along the DNA duplex in the 5' to 3' direction. The mechanism for conserving the 5'-strand and providing net synthesis of DNA in later phases of the reaction has not yet been clarified.
A Schumpeterian View of the Great Merger Movement in American Manufacturing, 1895-1904

This paper offers a Schumpeterian view of the Great Merger Movement in the American manufacturing industries, 1895-1904. From this perspective, the Great Merger Movement was a response to competitive pressures associated with a number of significant technological innovations which occurred at the end of the nineteenth century. Because the implementation of these innovations required large capital investments, and because the returns to the investments would have been highly uncertain if they had been made competitively, firms at turn of the nineteenth century sought to restrain competition. Since the uncertainty precluded cooperating at arms length, cooperation was internalized through horizontal consolidations. The consolidations in turn increased the size of the capital investments undertaken to implement the technological innovations. The theory is supported with historical evidence about the technological environment and industry conditions at the turn of the nineteenth century, and an econometric model is tested using data from the Twelfth and Thirteenth Censuses of Manufactures.
The impact of oral health literacy on periodontal health status.

Objective The objective of this study was to describe oral health literacy (OHL) among periodontal patients and to examine its association with periodontal health status. Methods This cross-sectional study included new and referred patients presenting to the University of North Carolina Graduate Periodontology Clinic. Sociodemographic and dental history information were collected. OHL was measured using a dental word recognition instrument, Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy-30 (REALD-30). Clinical periodontal examinations were completed. Results One hundred and twenty-eight participants enrolled and 121 completed all study examinations and instruments. Despite a high level of education among participants in our study, low levels of OHL were found in one-third (33 percent) of the study population. Thirty-one percent had moderate OHL (score of 22-25), 37 percent had high OHL (score ≥ 26). The mean REALD-30 score was 23. Fifty-three percent of participants had severe periodontitis, 29 percent had moderate periodontitis, and 18 percent had mild or no periodontitis. Bivariate analysis showed a significant association between OHL and periodontal status (P < 0.05). The effect of OHL on periodontal health status remained statistically significant (P < 0.002) even after controlling for smoking, race, and dental insurance. Conclusion Lower OHL was associated with more severe periodontal disease among new and referred patients presenting to the University of North Carolina Graduate Periodontology Clinics.
AUTONOMY FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF TELEOLOGICAL BEHAVIORISM

I will argue that the autonomy of a particular act of a particular person depends on the pattern of behavior in which it is embedded. I call this conditional autonomy . A person's act is conditionally autonomous or not, relative to other acts at other times. Consider an example of a person crossing the street. On the one hand, this act might not be done for its own sake, but may fit into some ongoing long-term behavioral pattern that is personally beneficial to the person crossing the street—such as regularly buying groceries in the supermarket (which happens to be across the street). On the other hand, crossing the street might be done simply for its own sake. If such an act were considered to be autonomous, regardless of its temporal context, its autonomy would be unconditional . However, I will argue that whereas conditional autonomy is a highly useful social concept, indeed a necessary concept, for any human society, unconditional autonomy is a useless concept that actually impedes our efforts to understand and explain human behavior.
Effect of Rice Hemicelluloses on Pancreatic Lipase Activity In Vitro

The influence of rice bran water-soluble hemicellulose on hydrolysis of fat by pancreatic lipase with and without bile salts was examined in vitro. Bile salts are required for emulsification of the oil. Three of the major salts found in human bile (sodium cholate, glycocholate, and taurocholate) were tested for emulsifying properties with and without rice hemicellulose. The lipase activity decreased with increased addition of hemicellulose to the bile salt-enzyme reaction mixture. The results suggest that rice hemicellulose affects lipase activity indirectly by rendering the bile salts less available for emulsification of the oil and subsequent hydrolysis by the lipase.
Hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in nodular and bedded cherts

Abstract Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of cherts (δD for hydroxyl hydrogen in the chert, δ 18 O for the total oxygen) have been determined for a suite of samples from the central and western United States. When plotted on a δD-δ 18 O diagram, Phanerozoic cherts define domains parallel to the meteoric water line which are different for different periods of geologic time. The elongation parallel to the meteoric water line suggests that meteoric waters were involved in the formation of many cherts. The existence of different chert δ-values for different geologic times indicates that once the granular microcrystalline quartz of cherts crystallizes its isotopic composition is preserved with time. An explanation for the change with time of the isotopic composition of cherts involving large changes with time in the isotopic composition of ocean water is unlikely since δ 18 O of the ocean would have had to decrease by about 3‰between Carboniferous and Triassic time and then increase about 5%.` from Triassic to Cretaceous time. Such isotopic changes cannot be accounted for by extensive glaciation, sedimentation of hydrous minerals, or input of water from the mantle into the oceans. The variation with time of the chert δ-values can be satisfactorily explained in terms of past climatic temperature fluctuations if the chert-water isotope fractionation with temperature is approximated by 1000 ln α = 3.09 × 10 6 T −2 – 3.29. Crystallization temperatures so inferred suggest that the average climatic temperatures for the central and western U.S. decreased from about 34 to 20°C through the Paleozoic, increased to 35–40°C in the Triassic, and then decreased through the Mesozoic to Tertiary values of about 17°C. A few data for the Precambrian suggest the possibility that Earth surface temperatures may have reached about 52°C at 1.3 b.y. and about 70°C at 3 b.y.
School-aged children born preterm: review of functioning across multiple domains and guidelines for assessment

Children born preterm are at risk for developmental deficits across multiple functional domains. As the rate of survival for preterm infants increases due to medical advancements, a greater understanding is needed for how to meet the needs of this growing population in schools. Because approximately 50–70% of children born preterm require additional services in school, evidence-based assessments that appropriately identify children and guide intervention strategies must be conducted. In addition, the education system must be prepared to provide appropriate support when these children encounter developmental, cognitive, and academic difficulties in the school setting. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the research on children born preterm and delineate guidelines for assessment in the areas of cognitive, academic, and psychosocial functioning.
Failure of lungworm-larvae-infected earthworms to transmit mycoplasmal pneumonia to swine

Abstract Two herds of swine, believed to be free from mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) based upon negative Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae microtiter complement fixation test (CFT) results, subsequently exhibited clinical signs of MPS. Lungworms ( Metastrongylus spp.) were common to both herds. The possibility that lungworms could serve as a reservoir for M. hyopneumoniae was investigated. Lungworm-larvae-infected earthworms, collected from each of the farms, were fed to swine free of lungworms and MPS. This procedure resulted in lungworm infection in the recipient pigs, but failed to produce pneumonic lesions or CFT antibody titers against MPS.
Photoacoustic signal enhancement at visible and X-ray wavelengths

Good agreement between theory and experiment is found for photoacoustic (PA) signal enhancement by volatile liquids adsorbed on solid samples in a microphonic cell illuminated with visible light. When the same solid samples are illuminated with synchrotron X-radiation significantly smaller PA signal enhancements are observed than are predicted by theory because of radiolysis of the liquid vapors. The introduction of the volatile liquids is nevertheless valuable for the X-ray photoacoustic measurements because it raises the signal above the threshold for detectability.
SU(3) violations in the nonleptonic decay of charmed hadrons

Abstract We examine the leading SU(3) violating effects of the quark mass matrix upon the weak decay of charmed hadrons. The apparently large violation of SU(3) in the Cabibbo-suppressed decays of the D0 can be explained by a relatively small SU(3) violating amplitude transforming as a 3 . Such an amplitude can arise naturally from long-distance penguin type graphs in the matrix element of four-quark operators. An estimate of the magnitude of other SU(3) violating representations, the 42 , 24, 15 and 6 can be extracted from relations that are unbroken by the 3 .
Dimensional mapping of the active site of cholesterol esterase with alkylboronic acid inhibitors

Abstract The cholesterol esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the water-soluble substrate p -nitrophenyl butyrate occurs via an acylenzyme mechanism, and is competitively inhibited by boronic acid transition state analog inhibitors. Accordingly, we undertook to dimensionally map the enzyme's active site via synthesis and characterization of a series of n -alkyl boronic acid inhibitors. The most potent of these is n -hexaneboronic acid, with a K i = 13 ± 1 μ M,since inhibitor potency declines for both longer and shorter boronic acids. No inhibition is observed for methaneboronic acid and n -octaneboronic acid inhibits poorly, with a K i of 7 mM. These results indicate that the ability of the enzyme to form tight complexes with boron-containing transition state analog inhibitors is sensitive to alkyl chain length. The trend in inhibitor potency is discussed in terms of substrate specificity of and transition state stabilization by cholesterol esterase, and has important implications for the design of optimal reversible inhibitors of the enzyme.
[Re2(CO)9]2- on Hydroxylated MgO: Formation from [Re2(CO)10] and Evidence of Ion Pairing at the Surface

[Re2(CO)10] is physically adsorbed on almost fully dehydroxylated MgO powder, but it is chemisorbed on hydroxylated MgO, forming [Re2(CO)9]2-, as demonstrated by the infrared spectra of the surface species and by extraction of the adsorbed anion into solution by cation metathesis. By comparison with the analogous solution chemistry, the chemisorption on MgO is inferred to involve nucleophilic attack of surface OH groups on CO ligands of [Re2(CO)10] to give [HRe2(CO)9]-, which is deprotonated on the basic surface to give [Re2(CO)9]2-. Comparison of the infrared spectra of the surface species with those of salts of [Re2(CO)9]2- in various solvents, combined with ultraviolet−visible spectra of salts of [Re2(CO)9]2- in various solvents, demonstrates that [Re2(CO)9]2- is strongly ion paired with the MgO surface.
Beyond Average Treatment Effects: Distribution of Child Nutrition Outcomes and Program Placement in India’s ICDS

Summary The Indian Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) aims to improve child nutrition by providing nutritional supplements and pre- and post-natal services to targeted villages. However, previous evaluations find that ICDS fails to reduce malnutrition, and program placement does not uniformly target vulnerable areas. I use new data to reevaluate ICDS on several dimensions; in contrast to previous studies, I find significant treatment effects particularly for the most malnourished children. However, results suggest targeting does not work uniformly well: ICDS effectively targets poor areas, but fails to target areas with low levels of average education or those with unbalanced sex ratios.
Torsion of a rigid disc in a half-space

Abstract A mathematical treatment is presented for the torsional response of a rigid disc embedded in a semi-infinite elastic medium. By means of the theory of Hankel transforms, an exact formulation for the mixed boundary value problem is obtained in the form of dual integral equations. On reduction of the dual integral equations to a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind, solutions to the problem are computed. In addition to providing a unified view of past solutions for surface and infinite embedments, the present analysis reveals a severe boundary-layer phenomenon which is apt to be of relevance to inclusion problems in general. As illustrations, selected numerical results on the torque-rotation relationship, the stress and displacement fields, as well as the contact distribution are provided.
The General Clinical Pharmacology “Bias Elimination” Method: Special Workshop—Clinical

The analysis of causality between an adverse event and a medication must include an examination of the sources of bias which may interfere with an appropriate attribu-*** Possible uncontrolled, confusing, or confounding aspects include: patient characteristics (age, gender, nutritional status, and so on), the disease, the medication (over-the-counter as well as alcohol and prescription medications, excipients, colorants, and fillers), the physician observer, and finally, the data about adverse events and the confounding factors. We must also consider the pharmacology of the medication as well as the time factors. The causality of adverse events is best assigned through examination of these data and looking at the concurrence of evidence for or against the causal relationship.
Coordination chemistry of scandium. X. Macrocyclic polyether complexes of scandium(III)

Abstract The complexes Sc(NCS) 3 (benzo-15-crown-5]·1.5- THF·2H 2 O: (ScCl 3 ) 3 (benzo-15-crown-5) 2 ·H 2 O: Sc-(NCS) 3 (dibenzo-18-crown-6) 2 · 3THF: SeCl 3 (dibenzo- 18-crown-6)·1.5THF: ScCl 3 (dibenzo-18-crown-6)· 1.5CH 3 CN have been synthesized by reaction of Sc(NCS) 3 or ScCl 3 with the appropriate polyether. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, conductance measurements, and infrared, ultraviolet and 1 H NMR spectroscopy; they exhibit weak bonding between the scandium(III) ion and the polyether. Structures are proposed and discussed with reference to the ionic size-cavity size relationship; some “unusual” coordination environments for the Sc(III) ion are suggested.
Optimal structural design considering flexibility

A topology optimization method based on the homogenization method (the homogenization design method) has been successfully applied to a variety of optimization problems such as the stiffness maximization problem and the eigen-frequency maximization problem. In this study, a methodology to obtain the optimal structure design considering flexibility is developed as a new extension of the homogenization design method. First, flexibility is formulated using the mutual energy concept. Second, a new multi-objective function is proposed to obtain optimal solutions incorporating flexibility and stiffness. Next, the topology optimization procedure is constructed using the homogenization method and sequential linear programming (SLP). Finally, some examples are presented to confirm that the methodology presented here can provide flexible structures satisfying the problem specifications.
Patient's medical status—A factor in dental treatment

Abstract A review of the medical questionnaires of 4,785 patients seen at Temple University School of Dentistry from March 1973, through January 1974, revealed that chronic illnesses affect all ages. The problems and complexities found in our patients are never-ending entities. The dentist must be cognizant of all these medical aberrations so that, where indicated, consultations with other members of the health sciences can be obtained prior to providing definitive treatment. With this knowledge of the patient's medical status and medications being taken, the dental practitioner can now individualize his treatment prescription. The profession must accept this responsibility, so that the patient can be aided in maintaining and sustaining his general health.
Senescence is accelerated, and several proteases are induced by carbon feast conditions in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves

Leaf senescence is characterized by nitrogen remobilization to developing seeds of annual plants, or surviving organs of perennial species. It has been demonstrated that high carbohydrate levels (carbon “feast”) are associated with the onset of the senescence process. Therefore, the development of model systems allowing the manipulation of leaf carbohydrates constitutes a logical first step in the investigation of processes important during early phases of senescence, such as plastidial protein degradation. In this study, sugar accumulation was induced either by the incubation of excised, mature barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves under relatively strong light, or by the interruption of sieve tubes at the base of the leaf lamina by “steam-girdling”. Accelerated chlorophyll degradation and net proteolysis confirmed successful senescence induction in both model systems, but suggested that girdled leaves are more useful than excised leaves to study proteolysis. Activities or transcript levels of several proteolytic enzymes, including plastidial (aminopeptidases, Clp protease), cytosolic (proteasome) and vacuolar (thiol proteases, an aspartic protease and a serine carboxypeptidase) proteases were clearly induced under these conditions; some of these genes also reacted to other stimuli such as leaf excision. The most interesting finding was the specific induction of a carboxypeptidase gene (cp-mIII) in girdled leaves accumulating high carbohydrate levels. As a previous study from our laboratory, using a genetic approach, has indicated that one or several carboxypeptidases are involved in leaf N remobilization, the detailed characterization of cp-mIII (and, possibly, closely related genes) may considerably improve our understanding of whole-plant N recycling.
Experimental trophic ecology of juvenile largemouth bass,Micropterus salmoides, and blue tilapia,Oreochromis aureus

The potential for feeding competition between largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, and blue tilapia, Oreochromis areus, in Lake Fairfield, Texas was evaluated experimentally. Largemouth bass and blue tilapia were grown in cages alone and in combination with each other. The fish were allowed to feed on the natural food within the lake. Largemouth bass grown in combination with blue tilapia were significantly shorter and weighed less than largemouth bass grown alone. Blue tilapia grown in combination with largemouth bass were statistically significantly longer and heavier than blue tilapia grown alone. Largemouth bass grown alone had diets (volume and number of food items) significantly different than the largemouth bass grown with the blue tilapia. Largemouth bass fed primarily on chironomid larvae and pupae, and odonates, whereas blue tilapia consumed vegetable matter, detritus, and chironomid larvae. Length and weight differences between large-mouth bass grown alone and in combination with blue tilapia, in conjunction with the largemouth bass diet shift, support the theory that these two species compete for food resources.
Towards project management 2.0

Project management approaches derived from best practices in the defence/aerospace, construction and pharmaceutical industries during the early 1970s have proven effective for managing small numbers of large projects in the relatively stable political, economic and technological context of the post-World War II period. However, the detailed, centralized planning, decentralized execution and centralized control of large projects that are the basis of these ‘PM 1.0’ methods and tools have proven burdensome and unresponsive for a new generation of workers who have grown up in a Web 2.0 world and who are now working on cutting-edge projects with rapidly evolving technologies in today's extremely dynamic global markets and political economies. A new set of ‘PM 2.0’ methods, tools and governance arrangements were pioneered for rapid product development and have recently been adapted for agile software development. They are based on a radically different project management philosophy for dealing with these new c...
In vivo functional photoacoustic tomography of traumatic brain injury in rats

In this study, we demonstrate the potential of photoacoustic tomography for the study of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats in vivo. Based on spectroscopic photoacoustic tomography that can detect the absorption rates of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobins, the blood oxygen saturation and total blood volume in TBI rat brains were visualized. Reproducible cerebral trauma was induced using a fluid percussion TBI device. The time courses of the hemodynamic response following the trauma initiation were imaged with multi-wavelength photoacoustic tomography with bandwidth-limited spatial resolution through the intact skin and skull. In the pilot set of experiments, trauma induced hematomas and blood oxygen saturation level changes were detected, a finding consistent with the known physiological responses to TBI. This new imaging method will be useful for future studies on TBI-related metabolic activities and the effects of therapeutic agents.
The Path of Carbon in Photosynthesis: The carbon cycle is a tool for exploring chemical biodynamics and the mechanism of quantum conversion

The conversion of light energy into chemical energy in the form of carbohydrate and oxygen in photosynthesis is examined in detail. The historical development of this area of research is described. The kinds of tracer experiments using Carbon-14 which were used in developing initial understandings of the pathways which make up the photosynthesis process are described. The biochemical pathways which make up the photosynthetic process are diagrammed. The organisms used in these experiments (Chlorella) and the rationale for their use are described. 24 references, 23 figures.
Preparation and properties of several indium thiospinels

Indium thiospinels of the type AB2X4 have been prepared by direct combination of the elements. Four of these compounds have the composition MIn2S4 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni). Selenium has also been substituted into indium thiospinels of the type MIn2S4 − xSex (M = Mn, Fe, Ni and O ⩽ x ⩽ 1.0). Electrical resistivity measurements, at room temperature, on pressed bars indicate that all of these compounds are semiconductors with resistivities greater than 105 Ω cm. The moments obtained from paramagnetic measurements were found in many cases to be equivalent to the values calculated from the spin only moments of the paramagnetic ions. However, the observed paramagnetic moment is lower for Mn+2 compounds and CoIn2S4 shows a larger moment than expected for Co+2. Compounds of the type MIn2S4 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) and MIn2S4 − xSex (M = Mn, Fe, Ni) are paramagnetic down to 4.2°K. The magnetic interactions that occur in compounds of the series MIn2S4 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni), MIn2S4 − xSex (M = Mn, Fe, Ni) are primarily antiferromagnetic with negative (θ) Weiss constants. However, their magnetic properties cannot be interpreted by the simple exchange rules if nearest-neighbor interactions are dominant.
Agricultural Economists as World Leaders in Applied Econometrics, 1917–33

During the 1920s, U.S. agricultural economists and their close associates led the world in the creation and application of what are now known as econometric techniques. The most important single figure in this development was Mordecai Ezekiel. Howard R. Tolley, Holbrook Working, Frederick V. Waugh, Louis H. Bean, and E. J. Working made substantial contributions. W. J. Spillman and John D. Black helped prepare the way for Tolley and Ezekiel. Henry A. Wallace was the first agriculturist to pay attention to H. L. Moore's seminal work on demand analysis. Sewall Wright, a geneticist in the U.S. Bureau of Animal Industry during 1915-25, interacted with Wallace and Ezekiel on problems of statistical method. Henry Schultz, Moore's one disciple, remained somewhat aloof from the agricultural economists; but they were continually aware of each other's work as Schultz, like Moore, did virtually all of his empirical research on agricultural commodities. During the period of most intense activity in "agricultural econometrics," from 1922 to 1930, most of the contributors were in their twenties or early thirties. They made a dazzling impression on some slightly younger contemporaries who would later be among the first recipients of the Nobel Prize in economic science. In a 1985 letter to the author, Tinbergen said that his own early heroes included "Henry Schultz and several agricultural economists." Leontief (p. 5), in his 1970 presidential address to the American Economic Association, praised agricultural economists for providing "an exceptional example of a healthy balance between theoretical and empirical analysis. . . . They also were the first among economists to make use of the advanced methods of mathematical statistics." Formal recognition of the professional quality of the agricultural econometricians came from the American Statistical Association and the Econometric Society. Ezekiel became a vice-president of the ASA in 1929 (at age 30) and a Fellow by 1935; Tolley, Waugh, H. Working, and Wright became ASA Fellows in the 1940s. The Econometric Society elected its first group of Fellows in 1933; Ezekiel was included in the second group (1935), and Waugh and the two Workings became Fellows in the 1940s. Moore and Henry Schultz also became Fellows of both associations.