cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlations of surface ocean pCO2 to satellite chlorophyll on monthly to interannual timescales

On the mean, ocean carbon uptake is linked to biological productivity, but how biological variability impacts carbon uptake is poorly quantified. Our ability to diagnose past change, understand present variability, and predict the future state of the global carbon cycle requires improving mechanistic understanding in this area. Here we make use of colocated pCO2 and temperature data, a merged surface ocean color product, and physical fields from an ocean state estimate to assess relationships between surface ocean biology and the carbon cycle on seasonal, monthly anomaly, and interannual timescales over the period 1998–2014. Using a correlation analysis on spatial scales from local to basin-scale biomes, we identify the timescales on which ocean productivity could be directly modifying ocean carbon uptake. On seasonal timescales outside of the equatorial Pacific, biome-scale correlations are negative between chlorophyll and pCO2. Though this relationship is pervasive, the underlying mechanisms vary across timescales and biomes. Consistent with previous findings, biological activity is a significant driver of pCO2 seasonality only in the subpolar biomes. For monthly anomalies acting on top of the mean seasonality, productivity and pCO2 changes are significantly correlated in the subpolar North Pacific and Southern Ocean. Only in the Southern Ocean are correlations consistent with a dominant role for biology in the surface ocean carbon cycle on all timescales.
Comparative Toxicity of Two Chemical Dispersants and Dispersed Oil in Estuarine Organisms.

Chemical dispersants can be a useful tool to mitigate oil spills. This study examined potential risks to sensitive estuarine species by comparing the toxicity of two dispersants (Corexit® EC9500A and Finasol® OSR 52) individually and in chemically enhanced water-accommodated fractions (CEWAFs) of Louisiana Sweet Crude oil. Acute toxicity thresholds and sublethal biomarker responses were determined in seven species (sheepshead minnow, grass shrimp, mysid, amphipod, polychaete, hard clam, mud snail). Comparing median lethal (LC50) values for the dispersants, Finasol was generally more toxic than Corexit and had greater sublethal toxicity (impaired embryonic hatching, increased lipid peroxidation, decreased acetylcholinesterase activity). The nominal concentration-based mean LC50 for all species tested with Corexit was 150.31 mg/L compared with 43.27 mg/L with Finasol. Comparing the toxicity of the CEWAFs using the nominal concentrations (% CEWAF), Corexit-CEWAFs appeared more toxic than Finasol-CEWAFs; however, when LC50 values were calculated using measured hydrocarbon concentrations, the Finasol-CEWAFs were more toxic. There was greater dispersion efficiency leading to greater hydrocarbon concentrations measured in the Corexit-CEWAF solutions than in equivalent Finasol-CEWAF solutions. The measured concentration-based mean LC50 values for all species tested with Corexit-CEWAF were 261.96 mg/L total extractable hydrocarbons (TEH) and 2.95 mg/L total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), whereas the mean LC50 values for all species tested with Finasol-CEWAF were 23.19 mg/L TEH and 0.49 mg/L total PAH. Larval life stages were generally more sensitive to dispersants and dispersed oil than adult life stages within a species. These results will help to inform management decisions regarding the use of oil-spill dispersants.
Structural damage assessment using artificial immune systems and wavelet decomposition

In response to the inevitable wear of structures, the development of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems has become an important research field. In recent years, many modern SHM methods have been developed to detect, evaluate, and asses the health of a building. However, most of them require training data that include both “normal” class (i.e. when the building is in its “healthy” status) and “abnormal” class (i.e. when the building is damaged); while the “abnormal” data are usually very difficult to obtain. In this study, a novel NDE (Nondestructive Evaluation) method for SHM based on Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Artificial Immune Systems (AIS) is investigated. Artificial Immune Systems can be trained by the “normal” data of buildings only (i.e., there is no need to tear down or destroy the building to obtain measurements of “abnormal” data for training); however, its performance is often limited by the curse of dimensionality issue. To overcome this problem, we propose to use energy distribution ratio of sub-band frequency decomposed by wavelet transform. The effectiveness of this new method is tested on a four-floor IASC (International Association for Structural Control) — ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) SHM benchmark structure with 120 DOF (degree of freedom). Satisfactory computer simulation results are obtained.
Genetic insights into mammalian heart regeneration

Genetic and functional analyses of 120 mouse strains have identified a heart regeneration candidate gene that modulates the contractile sarcomeric apparatus. This gene, Tnni3k, controls the frequency of the mononuclear, diploid cardiomyocyte population, which affects cardiomyocyte proliferative potential after injury.
4.7.3 Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: Limitations, Pitfalls, and Practical Difficulties

The 2002 Winter Olympics women's figure skating competition is used as a case study to illustrate some of the limitations, pitfalls, and practical difficulties of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). The paper compares several widely used models for synthesizing the multiple attributes into a single aggregate value. The various MCDA models can provide conflicting rankings of the alternatives for a common set of information even under states of certainty. Analysts involved in MCDA need to deal with the following challenging tasks: (1) selecting an appropriate analysis method, and (2) properly interpreting the results. An additional trap is the availability of software tools that implement specific MCDA models that can beguile the user with quantitative scores. These conclusions are independent of the decision domain and they should help foster better MCDA practices in many fields including systems engineering trade studies.
Antifungal Agents п

Although the regimens are given for specific organisms, the major differentiation is between ulcers caused by yeast—for which amphotericin B is the drug of choice—or mold (most commonly Fusarium)—for which natamycin is generally the preferred agent.Voriconazole is also often effective for yeasts and molds.Mechanical debridement of superficial lesions removes necrotic tissue and may aid with antifungal medication penetration.Therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty should be considered for progressive disease or deep penetration to prevent development of endophthalmitis.
Assessing Microcomputer Applications

Computer installations have been widely heralded as the tools required for the belt tightening operations induced by expensive energy, expensive labor and expensive money. The intent of this discussion is to provide a beginning basis for evaluation of the potential of micro and mini computer system applications. These general areas of discussion emerge:1. When are computers likely to be appropriate?2. What is the technical feasibility of the application?3. Is there a history for such applications?4. What will be the cost of the application and what benefits are already identifiable?Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2018 ASME
Drag-perturbed bounded relative trajectories in low Earth orbit: A semi-analytical approach

Abstract Although recent numerical studies have demonstrated the possibility to obtain entire families of bounded relative trajectories in the Earth zonal problem, it is still unclear whether such initial conditions can cope with mismodeled dynamics such as atmospheric drag, luni-solar attraction, and solar radiation pressure. In the attempt to deal with the dynamical perturbations caused by the Earth's atmosphere, this paper offers a semi-analytical approach that combines previous work developed by the authors with newly found analytical relationships describing the effects of drag on the nodal and sidereal periods of a satellite. It is shown that both of these quantities change in a secular fashion due to the variations in the semi-major axis of spacecraft. Nevertheless, bounded relative motion can be guaranteed over the course of several days by either initializing the satellites on the same invariant curve of a stroboscopic mapping or by design of appropriate ballistic coefficients. These conclusions are supported by numerical simulations that prove the feasibility of our approach for spacecraft formations in low Earth orbit.
Endoscopic Drainage of Pancreatic Fluid Collections

Endoscopy has emerged as a mainstay in the management of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), representing an important advance in clinical medicine that has significantly improved the risk-benefit ratio of treating this complex patient population. While endoscopic pseudocyst drainage has generally supplanted surgical and percutaneous approaches, the optimal strategy for walled-off necrosis remains variable and multi-disciplinary despite an emerging trend from randomized trials favoring endoscopy. Although several issues pertaining to endoscopic drainage appear to have been settled – such as the use of endoscopic ultrasound – other pressing questions – including the optimal prosthesis and debridement strategy – remain unanswered, and rigorous investigation is needed. This review aims to provide an evidence-based but practical appraisal of the endoscopic drainage of PFCs through the perspective of the author, with an emphasis on relevant clinical and endoscopic considerations and important research questions.
Identifying underlying constructs of childhood adversity in a low-income population.

Abstract Background Extensive research has documented the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and poor outcomes later in life, as well as the high prevalence of ACEs in the American population. Studies consistently find that over half of American adults have experienced at least one ACE. Despite this, research on the long-term impacts of ACEs is challenging due to the complex nature of adversity. Objective Our study aimed to define underlying constructs of adversity, and explore how they changed throughout childhood, in a low-income population. Participants and Setting We fielded a survey to Medicaid-enrolled adults in the Portland, OR metropolitan area. Methods Our survey captured different experiences in childhood, including relationships and support, educational challenges, housing and employment stability, neighborhood environment, discrimination, abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction; questions were asked for 6–12 and 13–18 years of age. We then used factor analysis to identify underlying constructs of adversity in the two age ranges. Results We identified two factors - Inadequate Emotional Support and Instability – in each age range. Inadequate Emotional Support remained consistent in both time periods while the Instability factor changed, expanding from household-centric experiences in childhood to a wider variety of experiences in adolescence. Additionally, a number of variables did not load on either factor in either age range. Conclusions These results underscore the importance of expanding how we think about instability specifically, and childhood adversity in general.
Speech Markers for Clinical Assessment of Cocaine Users

One of the main foci of addiction research is the delineation of markers that track the propensity of relapse. Speech analysis can provide an unbiased assessment that can be deployed outside the lab, enabling objective measurements and relapse susceptibility tracking. This work is the first attempt to study unscripted speech markers in cocaine users. We analyzed 23 subjects performing two tasks: describing the positive consequences (PC) of abstinence and the negative consequences (NC) of using cocaine. We perform two main experiments: first, we analyzed whether acoustic and semantic features can infer clinical variables such as the Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment; then, we analyzed the main problem of interest: to see if these features are powerful enough to infer if the subjects remains abstinent. Our results show that speech features have potential to be used as a proxy to monitor cocaine users under treatment to recover from their addiction.
[OII] Emission, Eigenvector 1 and Orientation in Radio-quiet Quasars

We present supportive evidence that the Boroson and Green eigenvector 1 is not driven by source orientation. Until recently it was generally accepted that eigenvector 1 does not depend on orientation as it strongly correlates with [OIII]5007 emission, thought to be an isotropic property. However, recent studies of radio-loud AGN have questioned the isotropy of [OIII] emission and concluded that [OII]3727 emission is isotropic. In this paper we investigate the relation between eigenvector 1 and [OII] emission in radio-quiet BQS (Bright Quasar Survey) quasars, and readdress the issue of orientation as the driver of eigenvector 1. We find significant correlations between eigenvector 1 and orientation independent [OII] emission, which implies that orientation does not drive eigenvector 1. The luminosities and equivalent widths of [OIII] and [OII] correlate with one another, and the range in luminosities and equivalent widths is similar. This suggests that the radio-quiet BQS quasars are largely free of orientation dependent dust effects and ionization dependent effects in the narrow-line region. We also conclude that neither the [OIII] emission nor the [OII]/[OIII] ratio are dependent on orientation in our radio-quiet BQS quasar sample, contrary to recent results found for radio-loud quasars.
Effect of high-fat diet on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and adipose tissue in early stages of diet-induced weight gain

Subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) play a significant role in obesity-associated systemic low-grade inflammation. High-fat diet (HFD) is known to induce inflammatory changes in both scAT and PBMC. However, the time course of the effect of HFD on these systems is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the time course of the effect of HFD on PBMC and scAT. New Zealand white rabbits were fed HFD for 5 or 10 weeks (i.e. HFD-5 and HFD-10) or regular chow (i.e. control (CNT)-5 and CNT-10). Thereafter, metabolic and inflammatory parameters of PBMC and scAT were quantified. HFD induced hyperfattyacidaemia in HFD-5 and HFD-10 groups, with the development of insulin resistance in HFD-10, while no changes were observed in scAT lipid metabolism and inflammatory status. HFD activated the inflammatory pathways in PBMC of HFD-5 group and induced modified autophagy in that of HFD-10. The rate of fat oxidation in PBMC was directly associated with the expression of inflammatory markers and tended to inversely associate with autophagosome formation markers in PBMC. HFD affected systemic substrate metabolism, and the metabolic, inflammatory and autophagy pathways in PBMC in the absence of metabolic and inflammatory changes in scAT. Dietary approaches or interventions to avert HFD-induced changes in PBMC could be essential to prevent metabolic and inflammatory complications of obesity and promote healthier living.
Socioeconomic characteristics versus density changes: the operational effects of population dynamics on water systems

While population density can change the overall water demand of a neighborhood, socioeconomic shifts can change the temporal distribution of daily peak demands. This study seeks to determine the c...
Modeling and Control of Fuel Cell Power System with Varying Load and Temperature

In this paper, we develop proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm to examine the dynamic behavior of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) power generation system in the presence of thermal and load variation. The model is based on empirical equations combining three complex dynamics as electrochemical, reactant flow dynamics and hydrogen gas reformer. We first model the fuel cell power system dynamics along with the hydrogen gas reformer. The fuel cell dynamical model is based on empirical equation of the cell electrochemistry and reactant flow dynamics. The hydrogen gas reformer is modeled by using second order transfer function. The PID controller is employed to control the hydrogen, oxygen and water vapor flow rate by regulating the methane flow rate of the gas reformer. We then examine dynamic phenomenon of PEMFC power system in the presence of the sudden changes in the load and stack temperature. Finally, we evaluate the proposed model and controller on a 5KW PEMFC power system to analyze the impact of the load and temperature variation on the output voltage.
Exploring Green Chemistry with Aerobic Hypervalent Iodine Catalysis

The demand for sustainable synthetic methods has motivated the development of a myriad of strategies for substrate oxidation chemistry that reflect the goals of green chemistry. Here we present a t...
Relating the Empirical Foundations of Attack Generation and Vulnerability Discovery

Automatically generating exploits for attacks receives much attention in security testing and auditing. However, little is known about the continuous effect of automatic attack generation and detection. In this paper, we develop an analytic model to understand the cost-benefit tradeoffs in light of the process of vulnerability discovery. We develop a three-phased model, suggesting that the cumulative malware detection has a productive period before the rate of gain flattens. As the detection mechanisms co-evolve, the gain will likely increase. We evaluate our analytic model by using an anti-virus tool to detect the thousands of Trojans automatically created. The anti-virus scanning results over five months show the validity of the model and point out future research directions.
The Importance of Family Factors

The chapter includes a great deal of meta-analytic research examining the relationship between family factors, such as family structure and parental involvement, and student behavioral outcomes. This chapter examines the role of the family so thoroughly because of an interesting relationship that appears to exist between mass shootings and each shooter’s family situation. That is, if one examines CNN’s list the 27 deadliest shootings in modern American history, from 1949 to present, 26 were committed by a male from a fatherless- or dysfunctional- home. This reality appears to substantiate the statement by former Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman’s that, “It begins with the home.” The meta-analyses in this chapter include the examination of family structure, parental involvement, and father involvement, and key components of each of these variables, to better understand how various family dynamics can play a major role in understanding these school shootings.
Surgical Management of Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.

Treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), imatinib is the standard first-line treatment for metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Unfortunately, acquired c-kit mutations cause secondary resistance to imatinib in a median of 18–24 months. Sunitinib and regorafenib are multi-kinase inhibitors that can be used as second-line or third-line therapy in imatinib-resistant or -intolerant GISTs, respectively. Ripretinib (a switch-control tyrosine kinase inhibitor) has recently been approved for fourth-line treatment in metastatic GIST. The TKI avapritinib has been approved for metastatic GIST harboring the imatinib-resistant PDGFRA exon 18 mutation. Although TKI therapies have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic GISTs, they cannot cure metastatic GISTs. Therefore, cytoreductive surgery is of considerable interest and has been accordingly investigated. Retrospective non-randomized studies demonstrated the feasibility and safety of continuous TKI therapy and surgical resection. Most studies demonstrate response to TKI therapy, completeness of resection, extent of disease, and surgical complexity as predictors of outcomes. Most TKIs can be stopped shortly before surgery and restarted shortly after. There is no known survival benefit from debulking operations or R2 resections and this should not be considered. However, debulking/palliative surgery may be necessary for patients with complications of hemorrhage, pain, or intestinal obstruction. SDH-deficient GISTs have an indolent natural history despite metastatic disease and may be another uncommon subgroup that would benefit from surgical debulking (R2 resection). At the time of operation, care should be taken to avoid tumor rupture. After surgical resection, patients should resume tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy as soon as possible and be monitored for disease progression. In all patients with metastatic GIST, the decision to pursue metastasectomy for GIST should be made in a multidisciplinary setting and be individualized according to patient age, comorbidities, functional status, symptoms, mutation status, extent of disease, completeness of resection, TKI response, and goals of the patient.
On Trans-Saharan Trails: On Trans-Saharan Trails

This study is the first of its kind to examine the history and organization of trans-Saharan trade in western Africa using original source material. It documents the internal dynamics of a trade network system based on a case study of 'Berber' traders from the WA d NA«n region, who specialized in outfitting camel caravans in the nineteenth century. Through an examination of contracts, correspondence, fatwas and interviews with retired caravaners, Professor Lydon shows how traders used their literacy skills in Arabic and how they had recourse to experts of Islamic law to regulate their long-distance transactions. The book also examines the strategies devised by women to participate in caravan trade. By embracing a continental approach, this study bridges the divide between West African and North African studies. The work will be of interest to historians of Africa, the Middle East, and the world and to scholars of long-distance trade, Muslim societies and Islamic law.
Mechanisms linking socioeconomic status and academic achievement in early childhood: Cognitive stimulation and language.

Abstract There is a strong positive association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and academic achievement. This disparity may, in part, be explained by differences in early environmental experiences and language development. Cognitive stimulation—including language exposure, access to learning materials, caregiver involvement in children’s learning, and variety of experiences—varies by SES and may link SES to language development. Childhood language development in turn is associated with academic achievement. In the current longitudinal study of 101 children (60–75 months), SES was positively associated with cognitive stimulation and performance on language measures. Cognitive stimulation mediated the association between SES and children’s language. Furthermore, children’s language mediated the association between SES and academic achievement 18 months later. In addition to addressing broader inequalities in access to resources that facilitate caregivers’ abilities to provide cognitive stimulation, cognitive stimulation itself could be targeted in future interventions to mitigate SES-related disparities in language and academic achievement.
Optical transmittance of 3D printing materials

The increasing prevalence of three-dimensional (3D) printing of optical housings and mounts necessitates a better understanding of the optical properties of printing materials. This paper describes a method for using multithickness samples of 3D printing materials to measure transmittance spectra at wavelengths from 400 to 2400 nm [visible to short-wave infrared (IR)]. In this method, 3D samples with material thicknesses of 1, 2, 3, and 4 mm were positioned in front of a uniform light source with a spectrometer probe on the opposing side to measure the light transmittance. Transmission depended primarily on the thickness and color of the sample, and multiple scattering prevented the use of a simple exponential model to relate transmittance, extinction, and thickness. A Solidworks file and a 3D printer file are included with the paper to enable measurements of additional materials with the same method.
ZeNose/GO hybrid composite for detection of clinically relevant VOCs in lower respiratory tract (Case study using Carene)

Abstract The exhaled human breath profile offers immense potential for non-invasive disease diagnosis and biomarker discovery as it provides mechanistic insights of endogenously produced volatile organic compounds and metabolic pathways affected due to disease prognosis. We have developed a ZIF-8/GO hybrid composite for sensing carene vapor levels, which vary because of respiratory infections. The developed electrochemical sensor platform uses ZIF-8/GO for detection of the target analyte and offers advantage for gas sensing due to high electrochemical activity, surface area and porosity for diffusion. The ZIF-8/GO-modified sensor platform demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity for carene detection up to 100 parts-per-billion. The results led to the development of breathomics-enabled electrochemical strategy that can be used for Point-of-Care diagnostics. We envision that our platform for sensing carene can be used for the detection of lower respiratory tract-related infections such as ventilator associated pneumonia.
Guest Editor’s Note: “Nietzsche’s Philosophy and Values”

What is philosophy? What are values? What is the relation between philosophy and values? These are the principal questions introduced by Plato and taken up by Nietzsche in his bid to overthrow Plato’s legacy. Under the influence of Socrates, Plato prioritizes reason and goodness as the keys to answering these questions, but the “Darwinist” Nietzsche responds by emphasizing instead the instincts and the struggle for power. No one has done more to illuminate this response than John Richardson, and in this issue, we celebrate the publication of his third monograph on Nietzsche, entitled Nietzsche’s Values (Oxford University Press, 2020). In line with Nietzsche’s own agonistic conception of philosophical activity, we have asked three leading scholars who have been especially interested in Richardson’s work to examine, discuss, and interrogate the ideas in this new book: Tsarina Doyle, Robert Guay, and Paul Katsafanas. John has graciously agreed to offer some replies to their commentaries and evaluations.
Proteolytic Processing of ß-Amyloid Protein-Related Synthetic Peptides and the ß-Protein Precursor by a Protease Purified from Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

In Alzheimer’s disease, Down’s syndrome, Hereditary Cerebral Hemorrhage with Ayloidosis of Dutch origin and normal aging, amyloid accumulates in the brain parenchyma and blood vessels. The major protein in the deposits is the s-protein, a 4Kd peptide possibly generated by an abnormal degradation of its precursor, the β-protein precursor (s-PP). We found, as a second component of the brain amyloid, the serine protease inhibitor alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT). Since ACT is tightly associated with the β-protein and is never found in other amyloidoses, we hypothesize a role for ACT in the degradation of the s-PP. We used synthetic peptides made according to the sequence flanking the N-terminus of the β-protein to screen brain fractions for protease activity. Following several purification steps, a protease fraction was found that can cleave the peptide between methionine and aspartic acid, aspartic acid being the N-terminus of the β-protein. The protease is activated by calcium and inhibited by ACT, s-PP containing the Kunitz-type inhibitory domain and diisofluorophosphate, all three inhibitors being serine protease inhibitors. The protease fraction is also able to degrade the s-PP in vitro.
From the Editor: Dear Peace Corps, I'm Finally Here, Almost...

AALL Spectrum Editorial Director monthly column reflects on change and managing career opportunities in fluid work environments.
Green’s Functions for an Anisotropic Elliptic Inclusion under Antiplane Deformations

The Green’s functions for an elliptic inclusion due to a dislocation located outside or inside the inclusion are given in [1–3] for isotropic materials and in [4–6] for anisotropic materials. The solutions contain infinite series. The infinite series may diverge or converge slowly if the terms that represent image singularities are not properly accounted for, as can be seen in [6]. Moreover, it is not obvious from [1–6] whether the solutions for the dislocation located outside, inside, or at the interfacial boundary of the elliptic inclusion are identical in the limit that the dislocation is at the elliptic boundary. To resolve these difficulties, we consider special anisotropic materials that can support antiplane deformations. We present Green’s functions due to a prescribed singularity which is in the form of an antiplane force and a screw dislocation.
EVALUATION OF BIOMOLECULAR DAMAGE BY OZONE

Publisher Summary Ozone (O 3 )—an important toxic component of photochemical air pollution—is believed to exert its toxic effects via its strong oxidizing capacity. The respiratory tract lining fluids (RTLFs) represent the first biological substances coming into contact with inhaled O 3 . RTLFs are difficult to obtain and variable in composition. To examine the spectrum of reactions that can occur when complex biological fluids (such as RTLFs) are exposed to O 3 , plasma is used as a target. Plasma is easier to obtain than RTLFs and contains a wide range of antioxidants (both aqueous and in the lipid phase). However, it is not an ideal model (for example, mucin and surfactant are missing). Injury to the lung, for example, by high concentrations of oxidants, however, can be expected to cause transudation of plasma constituents into the RTLFs—that is, they become closer to plasma in composition. This transudation, often used as a marker of injury, is also beneficial in that it increases the total antioxidant capacity of the RTLFs. Hence, exposure of plasma to O 3 , followed by measurements of consumption of antioxidants in relation to oxidative protein modification and the appearance of lipid hydroperoxides, provides important clues in understanding O 3 reactions with other complex biological fluids (such as RTLFs) and cell culture media. Often, cells in culture are exposed to O 3 without considering the reactions of O 3 with constituents of the culture medium.
Adenylyl cyclase localization to the uropod of aggregating Dictyostelium cells requires RacC.

Abstract The localization of adenylyl cyclase A (ACA) to uropod of cells is required for the stream formation during Dictyostelium development. RacC is a Dictyostelium orthologue of Cdc42. We identified a streaming defect of racC− cells as they are clearly less polarized and form smaller and fragmented streams. ACA-YFP is mainly associated with intracellular vesicular structures, but not with the plasma membrane in racC− cells. racC− cells have a slightly higher number of vesicles than Ax3 cells, suggesting that the defect of ACA trafficking is not simply due to the lack of vesicle formation. While the ACA-YFP vesicles traveled with an average velocity of 9.1 μm/min in Ax3 cells, a slow and diffusional movement without direction with an average velocity of 4 μm/min was maintained in racC− cells. Images acquired by using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis revealed that a significantly decreased number of ACA-YFP vesicles appeared near the cell membrane, indicating a defect in ACA-YFP vesicle trafficking. These results suggest an important role of RacC in the rapid and directional movements of ACA vesicles on microtubules to the plasma membrane, especially to the back of polarized cell.
The supply chain crisis and disaster pyramid: A theoretical framework for understanding preparedness and recovery

Purpose – The research on supply chains concerning disaster and crisis situations is in its infancy, but rapidly expanding on the backs of top researchers in the field. As with most young research streams there is very little theoretical grounding in extant studies. The purpose of this research is to integrate four prominent existing theoretical perspectives to provide a concise yet holistic framework for grounding future research.Design/methodology/approach – The development of the disaster recovery pyramid is completed following an extensive review of the resource, risk and crisis/disaster recovery, and preparedness literature. Additionally, literature from the resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm, communication theory, competing values theory, and relationship management theory are canvassed. Business professional and academics are also interviewed to validate the pyramid.Findings – The proposed framework is a call for future studies in the supply chain management and logistics disaster, and crisis ma...
Promethazine hydrochloride: Use in patients with Rh isoimmunization

Abstract Twenty-two babies born to 21 mothers were treated prenatally for varying periods of time with promethazine hydrochloride in doses of 150 mg. per day. Seven of the 22 babies required intrauterine transfusions. With the exception of positive clinical impressions in some cases, specific amellorating effects of the drug in this group could not be demonstrated.
Appendiceal abscess in cystic fibrosis. A diagnostic challenge.

A patient with cystic fibrosis who developed appendicitis, rupture, and a periappendiceal abscess is presented. A retrospective chart review revealed 5 other cases that demonstrate a spectrum of clinical presentation of periappendiceal abscess in patients with cystic fibrosis. Three patients were symptomatic for
Medicinal plants used in Peru for the treatment of respiratory disorders.

Las infecciones del sistema respiratorio continuan siendo un desafio en sistemas de salud, en particular porque ellas desarrollan resistencia a los antibioti...
Tropical cyclone rainfall over Puerto Rico and its relations to environmental and storm-specific factors

Although tropical cyclone rainfall (TCR) is common over Puerto Rico, the factors that cause this rain to vary from one storm to another have not been studied. The aim of this article is to understand how storm-specific characteristics including storm location, duration, storm centre proximity to land, intensity, horizontal translation speed (HTS) and environmental factors like moisture and vertical wind shear affect TCR variability over Puerto Rico. TCR was determined at rain gauge locations for days when storms were within a 500 km radius of Puerto Rico. The station data were then used to calculate an island-averaged total rainfall value for 86 storms during 1970–2010. The maximum observed rainfall was also examined. Correlation analyses of the individual predictors, principal component regression (PCR) procedures and Mann–Whitney U tests identified precipitable water, storm centre proximity to land, mid-level relative humidity (MRH), duration, HTS and longitude as the predictors with the strongest influence on rainfall. The PCR showed that a component comprised of precipitable water, MRH and longitude accounted for more than 60% in TCR variability. When an additional component comprised of storm duration, storm centre proximity to land and translation speed was considered, the PCR model explained 70% (52%) of the variability in mean (maximum) TCR. Key threshold values for high rainfall across Puerto Rico are a storm centre distance of 233 km or less and moisture exceeding 44.5 mm of precipitable water and 44.5% of relative humidity with forward speeds of 6.4 m s−1 or less. Extreme rainfall at a single location can occur when a TC's centre is over 450 km away.
Reversible impairment of the adherence of alveolar macrophages from cigarette smokers.

The nylon fiber adherence in vitro of alveolar macrophages (AM) from cigarette smokers was uniformly decreased. The mean adherence of AM from 16 cigarette smokers was 53 ± 3.0 per cent, compared to a mean adherence of 77.2 ±1.7 per cent for AM from control nonsmokers. The defect was not present after the subjects quit smoking, was not a result of factors in lavage fluids from smokers, and was not apparent in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The morphologic features of the surface of AM were examined with scanning electron microscopy to determine whether morphologic changes paralleled the decreased adherence of AM from smokers. Marked alterations in the surface of AM from cigarette smokers, which could affect the ability of AM to adhere optimally, were demonstrated before attachment to the fiber. In summary, there exists a reversible, intrinsic defect in the structure and adherence of AM from cigarette smokers that may influence their function and may account, in part, for the increased yield of AM from the l...
The structure and thermal behavior of Cu on ultrathin films of SiO2 on Si(111)

Abstract A study of the structure of thin Cu coatings on ultrathin SiO 2 films grown on Si(111) is reported. Cu growth takes place in islands, and after annealing to 625 K or above, the Cu overlayer diffuses into the substrate. These results are similar to recently reported results for Ni overlayers. Unlike Ni, however, the Cu atoms occupy interstitial sites in the Si lattice.
Dictyosome formation during reproduction in colchicine-treatedPediastrum boryanum (Hydrodictyaceae)

Colchicine treatment ofPediastrum colonies at the time they are undergoing asexual reproduction results in the release of one to several usually undifferentiated cells, many of which are multinucleate, instead of the usual 2n swarming zoospores. The stage at which the colonies are exposed to the drug determines the number of cells within the discharge vesicle and the extent of their differentiation. Without colchicine treatment a single dictyosome occurs in each cell, associated with the nucleus. In some of the multinuclear colchicine-treated cells dictyosomes are apparently seen in the process of replication. Some treated nuclei are associated with two separate dictyosomes and the nuclear envelope appears to be contributing vesicles to the forming face of both dictyosomes. One dictyosome of a pair adjacent to recently divided nuclei may receive vesicles from both nuclei. Dictyosome replication inPediastrum apparently precedes mitosis and involves separation of the inner forming face cisternae into two segments. This presumably leads to division of the initial dictyosome.
Effects of Helicobacter pylori infection and smoking on gastric cancer incidence in China: a population-level analysis of trends and projections.

Objective Although gastric cancer incidence is declining in China, trends may differ from historical patterns in developed countries. Our aim was to (1) retrospectively estimate the effects of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and smoking on past gastric cancer incidence and (2) project how interventions on these two risk factors can reduce future incidence.
Model cortical association fields account for the time course and dependence on target complexity of human contour perception.

Can lateral connectivity in the primary visual cortex account for the time dependence and intrinsic task difficulty of human contour detection? To answer this question, we created a synthetic image set that prevents sole reliance on either low-level visual features or high-level context for the detection of target objects. Rendered images consist of smoothly varying, globally aligned contour fragments (amoebas) distributed among groups of randomly rotated fragments (clutter). The time course and accuracy of amoeba detection by humans was measured using a two-alternative forced choice protocol with self-reported confidence and variable image presentation time (20-200 ms), followed by an image mask optimized so as to interrupt visual processing. Measured psychometric functions were well fit by sigmoidal functions with exponential time constants of 30-91 ms, depending on amoeba complexity. Key aspects of the psychophysical experiments were accounted for by a computational network model, in which simulated responses across retinotopic arrays of orientation-selective elements were modulated by cortical association fields, represented as multiplicative kernels computed from the differences in pairwise edge statistics between target and distractor images. Comparing the experimental and the computational results suggests that each iteration of the lateral interactions takes at least ms of cortical processing time. Our results provide evidence that cortical association fields between orientation selective elements in early visual areas can account for important temporal and task-dependent aspects of the psychometric curves characterizing human contour perception, with the remaining discrepancies postulated to arise from the influence of higher cortical areas.
Escherichia coli O157:H7 detection limit of millimeter-sized PZT cantilever sensors is 700 cells/mL.

A composite self-excited millimeter-sized lead zirconate titanate (PZT) glass cantilever (2 mm × 1.8 mm; sensing area of 6 mm2) was fabricated for the detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. The fundamental and second mode resonance in air was 10.95 ± 0.05 kHz and 43.45 ± 0.05 kHz, respectively. Affinity purified monoclonal antibody (anti-E. coli O157:H7) specific to the pathogen E. coli O157:H7 was immobilized at the cantilever glass tip, and then immersed in liquid containing the pathogen (70 to 7 × 107 cells/mL). The resonant frequency showed a reduction and reached a steady state shift of 0 ± 5, 46 ± 5, 260 ± 5, and 1010 ± 5 Hz corresponding to 0, 700, 7000, and 7 × 107 cells/mL. From the experiments conducted, the detection limit of the sensor was 700 cells/mL.
Immunomodulatory nonablative conditioning regimen for B-cell lymphoid malignancies.

Twenty-six patients with recurrent CD20+ B-cell lymphoid malignancies received fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab–based nonablative conditioning followed by either matched related (n = 18) or unrelated (n = 8) donor allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) between March 2008 and May 2011. Median age of patients at transplantation was 59 years (range, 41–64 years). At diagnosis, 20 (77%) had stage IV disease; 23 (88%) received ≥3 regimens, 14 (54%) received ≥4 regimens, and 4 (15%) had earlier autologous-SCT. All patients had either chemosensitive or stable disease and nine (35%) were in complete remission before transplantation. At the time of analysis, 17 patients were alive with an estimated 2-year overall survival and progression-free survival rate of 63% and nonrelapse mortality of 25%. Grade II to IV acute graft-vs-host-disease occurred in 8 (31%) and chronic graft-vs-host-disease in 6 (23%) patients (extensive, n = 3). Causes of death include progressive disease in four, acute graft-vs-host-disease in two (both after receiving donor lymphocyte infusion for mixed chimerism with residual disease), infection in one, and other (e.g., substance abuse, leukoencephalopathy) in two. Six patients required rehospitalization within 100 days of SCT (mean = 10 days; range, 3–18 days). Our data support fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab–based nonablative conditioning allo-SCT in CD20+ B-cell lymphoid malignancies and it is time to compare this regimen with an alternative reduced-intensity conditioning regimen in B-cell malignancies.
Nonsurgically Treated Terrible Triad Injuries of the Elbow: Report of Four Cases

This case series describes 4 patients with terrible triad injury of the elbow (dislocation with fractures of the radial head and coronoid) who were treated nonsurgically. Following nonsurgical treatment in this select group of patients, the elbow was well aligned, and the patients regained good elbow function. Three of these 4 patients had good results. One patient had surgery for residual stiffness, ulnar neuropathy, and a radial head deformity. We conclude that, in selected terrible triad cases, when the elbow is well aligned and the radial head and coronoid fractures are relatively small and minimally displaced after closed reduction and there is no mechanical block to motion, patients might regain good elbow function without surgery.
Sensitivity of serum bile acid assay for detection of liver damage in viral hepatitis type B. Prospective study in five patients.

When determined by a radioimmunoassay that measures conjugates of cholic acid, serum bile acid values were as sensitive as serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) values for detecting impaired liver function in 5 children in whom mild, spontaneously remitting viral hepatitis was induced by exposure to the MS-2 strain of hepatitis B virus. Both were more sensitive than serum bilirubin values; 4 of the 5 children remained anicteric during the entire illness.
Forms of ceruloplasmin in developing piglets

Abstract Ceruloplasmin was purified and resolved into two forms, ceruloplasmin I and ceruloplasmin II, according to the order of elution by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite and Sephadex G-150 from pigs ranging in age from 2 days to 10 weeks. The sera of the 2-day-old pigs contained only one form of ceruloplasmin, ceruloplasmin II. As the pigs grew older and the overall level of ceruloplasmin increased, the amount of ceruloplasmin II remained relatively constant, while the level of ceruloplasmin I increased dramatically. The two forms of ceruloplasmin differed in their specific enzymatic activity towards p- phenylenediamine and in their copper content, with ceruloplasmin I being the greater in both cases.
The Impact of Widowhood on the Social Relations of Older Persons

The impact of widowhood on family, friend, and neighbor relations of the elderly is examined. A review of the pertinent literature indicates that most studies analyze information concerning social relations after widowhood without explicit knowledge of such characteristics before widowhood. In order to assess the social impact of widowhood on older persons, this study utilizes panel data from a national survey of the low-income aged. Widows are classified into three categories, according to the amount of time since the death of their spouse, and compared to married persons on measures of family, friend, and neighbor interaction. Regressing time two on time one measures and several personal characteristics reveals that those widowed from one to four years have more frequent contact with neighbors than married persons do. One of the most important findings is the general stability of the recently widowed in regard to family relations. However, for those persons who have been widowed more than four years, lo...
Unified theory on the basic mechanism of normal mitotic control and oncogenesis

Abstract A large number of experimental observations suggests that a significant correlation may exist between the level of the electrical transmembrane potential difference in somatic cells and the intensity of their mitotic activity. The present paper, after review of pertinent experimental background data, assumes that a functional relationship between potential level and mitotic activity does in fact exist and, invoking the precepts of classical membrane potential theory, proceeds with the formulation of a basic theory of mitosis control wherein the intracellular ionic conditions associated with various levels of the potential difference act to regulate preparation for DNA synthesis and other essential mitotic preparations. The theory links the activity of the potential-generation mechanisms of the cell surface complex, and hence mitogenic activity, with cellular metabolism and with external environmental influences through an explicit system of interacting feedback circuits. Inherent in the overall theoretical development is the formulation of a unified theory of the cytogenetic etiology and maintenance of the malignant state. Additional specific experimental evidence is cited in support of the theoretical concepts developed.