cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Landsat 8 TIRS-derived relative temperature and thermal heterogeneity predict winter bird species richness patterns across the conterminous United States

Abstract The thermal environment limits species ranges through its influence on physiology and resource distributions and thus affects species richness patterns over broad spatial scales. Understanding how temperature drives species richness patterns is particularly important in the context of global change and for effective conservation planning. Landsat 8's Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) allows direct mapping of temperature at moderate spatial resolutions (100 m, downscaled by the USGS to 30 m), overcoming limitations inherent in coarse interpolated weather station data that poorly capture fine-scale temperature patterns over broad areas. TIRS data thus offer the unique opportunity to understand how the thermal environment influences species richness patterns. Our aim was to develop and assess the ability of TIRS-based temperature metrics to predict patterns of winter bird richness across the conterminous United States during winter, a period of marked temperature stress for birds. We used TIRS data from 2013-2018 to derive metrics of relative temperature and intra-seasonal thermal heterogeneity. To quantify winter bird richness across the conterminous US, we tabulated the richness only for resident bird species, i.e., those species that do not move between the winter and breeding seasons, from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the most extensive survey of birds in the US. We expected that relative temperature and thermal heterogeneity would have strong positive associations with winter bird richness because colder temperatures heighten temperature stress for birds, and thermal heterogeneity is a proxy for thermal niches and potential thermal refugia that can support more species. We further expected that both the strength of the effects and the relative importance of these variables would be greater for species with greater climate sensitivity, such as small-bodied species and climate-threatened species (i.e., those with large discrepancies between their current and future distributions following projected climate change). Consistent with our predictions, relative temperature and thermal heterogeneity strongly positively influenced winter bird richness patterns, with statistical models explaining 37.3% of the variance in resident bird richness. Thermal heterogeneity was the strongest predictor of small-bodied and climate-threatened species in our models, whereas relative temperature was the strongest predictor of large-bodied and climate-stable species. Our results demonstrate the important role that the thermal environment plays in governing winter bird richness patterns and highlight the previously underappreciated role that intra-seasonal thermal heterogeneity may have in supporting high winter bird species richness. Our findings thus illustrate the exciting potential for TIRS data to guide conservation planning in an era of global change.
Indicators to measure the climate change adaptation outcomes of ecosystem-based adaptation

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of a strategy to help people adapt to climate change. Despite the potential of EbA to provide adaptation benefits, there is a lack of consensus on how to measure the success of this approach. This paper reviews the intended adaptation outcomes and indicators used by ongoing and completed EbA projects and addresses the following questions: (a) where have EbA projects been implemented? (b) what activities have been conducted by EbA projects? (c) what adaptation outcomes are EbA projects seeking to achieve? (d) how have the impacts of EbA projects been measured and evaluated? and (e) what is the set of indicators that can capture the diversity of adaptation outcomes achieved by EbA? To identify the adaptation outcomes provided by EbA and the indicators that could be used to measure such outcomes, we reviewed 58 EbA projects implemented globally, and obtained recommendations from experts on what indicators should be measured. We identified 13 adaptation outcomes that could be achieved through EbA, such as reducing the loss of assets of coastal communities due to extreme events. We identified seven indicators to monitor the success of EbA in achieving adaptation outcomes. Our review suggests that there is a strong need to better articulate the adaptation outcomes that EbA projects seek to achieve, to use a common set of specific indicators to track these outcomes, and to fund the monitoring of long-term EbA projects.
Notes on Margin Training and Margin p-Values for Deep Neural Network Classifiers

We provide a new local class-purity theorem for Lipschitz continuous DNN classifiers. In addition, we discuss how to achieve classification margin for training samples. Finally, we describe how to compute margin p-values for test samples.
Models of Pathologies Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Their Utilities in Drug Discovery

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly in the developed world, with an ever-increasing prevalence in the developing world. The complexity of the disease and lack of effective therapies speak to the necessity of further understanding the pathobiology and mechanisms underlying initiation and progression of this retinal neurodegenerative disease, as well as identifying new therapeutic targets. Designing and characterizing cell culture and animal models that promulgate the human AMD condition provide preclinical avenues to address these two unmet needs. Herein we discuss strengths and weaknesses associated with current in vitro and in vivo models available that facilitate testing of potential AMD-targeting drugs and discovery of new pathways involved in disease development.
The role of plasma in plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of crystalline films

The inclusion of plasma in atomic layer deposition processes generally offers the benefit of substantially reduced growth temperatures and greater flexibility in tailoring the gas-phase chemistry to produce specific film characteristics. The benefits plasmas provide, however, come at the cost of a complex array of process variables that often challenge the ability to predict, a priori, the influence of any one input parameter. In this work, the authors attempt to provide some clarity as to how plasmas are formed and controlled and how they can most optimally be employed within the framework of atomic layer deposition. To begin, the authors cover some of the fundamentals of plasma generation along with the production of energetic and reactive species and their transport within the plasma. They then focus on how different plasma generation schemes and geometries, often employed in plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), differ in their production of energetic and reactive species. They also address the plasma-surface interactions that are critical for film growth and control of crystallinity. Throughout this work, the authors use both current experimental data and a review of previously published works to describe how variations in the approach to plasma generation and the interactions between plasma-produced species and the growth surface influence the plasma reactant step in PEALD processes. The authors highlight two case studies to demonstrate how these relationships can be used to control the phase purity of crystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) films and grow crystalline growth of semiconducting indium nitride (InN).
Artificial Intelligence Applications to Improve Risk Prediction Tools in Electrophysiology

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an aspect of computer technology that imitates the ability of the human mind to analyze data. Over the last few years, there has been a paradigm shift in the utilization of AI in clinical practice. It is imperative for the clinical electrophysiologist to understand the basics of AI, and its potential applications in the field as new applications are developed and implemented. Multiple investigators have demonstrated various AI algorithms that can be utilized in clinical care. These include applications such as electronic stethoscopes and electrocardiographic prediction of atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure. AI may also be used in cardiovascular imaging, to identify disease patterns and even compose preliminary reports. Herein, we seek to familiarize readers with terms associated with AI, such as machine learning and neural networks. Further, we review the applications of AI in bedside clinical calculators, electrocardiography, and the field of cardiovascular imaging. A critical appraisal of AI is provided with specific review of hurdles in the integration of AI in clinical practice.
Crystalglobulinemia causing cutaneous vasculopathy and acute nephropathy in a kidney transplant patient

We present a rare case of crystalglobulinemia causing cutaneous vasculopathy and acute nephropathy in a 66-year-old female kidney transplant recipient. The patient presented with acute kidney injury (AKI), volume overload, anuria, retiform purpura, and blue-black necrosis of her toes. She received a living kidney transplant 7 months earlier with baseline creatinine of 0.6 mg/dl. Transplant kidney biopsy showed massive pseudo-thrombi filling glomerular capillary lumina. Electron microscopy of thrombi revealed an ultrastructural crystalline pattern of linear and curvilinear bundles with ladder-like periodicity typical of crystalglobulin-induced nephropathy. Similar crystalline pseudo-thrombi were detected ultrastructurally in a skin biopsy specimen, indicating systemic involvement. She required several sessions of hemodialysis. Plasmapheresis was initiated to decrease the number of circulating crystalglobulins. In order to treat the underlying paraproteinemia, the patient was started on bortezomib and dexamethasone. After treatment with five cycles of bortezomib, the patient's free kappa to lambda ratio improved to 2.35 from 5.52. Acute kidney injury (AKI) and the cutaneous vasculopathy gradually improved with treatment. This is an extremely rare occurrence of crystalglobulin in a living kidney transplant recipient.
Diversity of Cardiac and Gastrointestinal Presentations of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Associated with COVID-19: A Case Series

COVID-19 is generally a benign or asymptomatic infection in children, but can occasionally be severe or fatal. Delayed presentation of COVID-19 with hyperinflammation and multi-organ involvement wa...
Using Machine Learning to Score Multi-Dimensional Assessments of Chemistry and Physics

In response to the call for promoting three-dimensional science learning (NRC, 2012), researchers argue for developing assessment items that go beyond rote memorization tasks to ones that require deeper understanding and the use of reasoning that can improve science literacy. Such assessment items are usually performance-based constructed responses and need technology involvement to ease the burden of scoring placed on teachers. This study responds to this call by examining the use and accuracy of a machine learning text analysis protocol as an alternative to human scoring of constructed response items. The items we employed represent multiple dimensions of science learning as articulated in the 2012 NRC report. Using a sample of over 26,000 constructed responses taken by 6700 students in chemistry and physics, we trained human raters and compiled a robust training set to develop machine algorithmic models and cross-validate the machine scores. Results show that human raters yielded good (Cohen’s k = .40–.75) to excellent (Cohen’s k > .75) interrater reliability on the assessment items with varied numbers of dimensions. A comparison reveals that the machine scoring algorithms achieved comparable scoring accuracy to human raters on these same items. Results also show that responses with formal vocabulary (e.g., velocity) were likely to yield lower machine-human agreements, which may be associated with the fact that fewer students employed formal phrases compared with the informal alternatives.
Using mixed treatment comparison meta-analysis to compare interventions in bovine practice

Traditional meta-analysis involves a pairwise comparison of two interventions with one outcome. In this review mixed treatment comparisons (MTC) meta-analysis is discussed, which enables the comparison of multiple treatments using direct and indirect information from a network of trials. Mixed treatment comparisons meta-analysis is also known as network analysis. Although a potentially powerful tool for decision-making, several key assumptions are necessary for validity, and frequently these will not be met. As with any meta-analysis, MTC meta-analysis has the potential to propagate biases that occur at the trial level. Further, because of the assumptions necessary for MTC, bias can be introduced at the meta-analysis level, especially when trial populations compared are not comparable. In this review, we discuss how MTC meta-analysis may be used in bovine practice and raise concerns about its use.
Plasma extracellular vesicles released after severe burn injury modulate macrophage phenotype and function.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as key regulators of immune function across multiple diseases. Severe burn injury is a devastating trauma with significant immune dysfunction that results in an ∼12% mortality rate due to sepsis-induced organ failure, pneumonia, and other infections. Severe burn causes a biphasic immune response: an early (0-72 h) hyper-inflammatory state, with release of damage-associated molecular pattern molecules, such as high-mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1), and proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β), followed by an immunosuppressive state (1-2+ wk post injury), associated with increased susceptibility to life-threatening infections. We have reported that early after severe burn injury HMGB1 and IL-1β are enriched in plasma EVs. Here we tested the impact of EVs isolated after burn injury on phenotypic and functional consequences in vivo and in vitro using adoptive transfers of EV. EVs isolated early from mice that underwent a 20% total body surface area burn injury (burn EVs) caused similar hallmark cytokine responses in naive mice to those seen in burned mice. Burn EVs transferred to RAW264.7 macrophages caused similar functional (i.e., cytokine secretion) and immune gene expression changes seen with their associated phase of post-burn immune dysfunction. Burn EVs isolated early (24 h) induced MCP-1, IL-12p70, and IFNγ, whereas EVs isolated later blunted RAW proinflammatory responses to bacterial endotoxin (LPS). We also describe significantly increased HMGB1 cargo in burn EVs purified days 1 to 7 after injury. Thus, burn EVs cause immune outcomes in naive mice and macrophages similar to findings after severe burn injury, suggesting EVs promote post-burn immune dysfunction.
Transcriptomic evidence for dense peptidergic networks within forebrains of four widely divergent tetrapods.

Abstract The primary function common to every neuron is communication with other neurons. Such cell–cell signaling can take numerous forms, including fast synaptic transmission and slower neuromodulation via secreted messengers, such as neuropeptides, dopamine, and many other diffusible small molecules. Individual neurons are quite diverse, however, in all particulars of both synaptic and neuromodulatory communication. Neuron classification schemes have therefore proven very useful in exploring the emergence of network function, behavior, and cognition from the communication functions of individual neurons. Recently published single-cell mRNA sequencing data and corresponding transcriptomic neuron classifications from turtle, songbird, mouse, and human provide evidence for a long evolutionary history and adaptive significance of localized peptidergic signaling. Across all four species, sets of at least twenty orthologous cognate pairs of neuropeptide precursor protein and receptor genes are expressed in individually sparse but heavily overlapping patterns suggesting that all forebrain neuron types are densely interconnected by local peptidergic signals.
Burkitt’s lymphoma

Burkitt’s lymphoma is one of the few lymphoreticular malignancies for which specific aetiologic hypotheses have been proposed. Furthermore there is general agreement that this tumour has certain cytologic and histologic features which distinguish it from the other lymphomas (Berard et al., 1969). It is the most frequently encountered childhood malignancy in tropical Africa and has an endemic pattern in countries such as Uganda (Burkitt and Davies, 1961) and New Guinea (Booth et al., 1967). This contrasts with the sporadic occurrence of this disorder in Canada, Great Britain, the United States and Brazil (Hoogstraten, 1965 ; Dorfman, 1965 ; Wright, 1966; Besuschio, 1974). In addition to these marked international variations in incidence, other differences have been observed. Cases reported in the United States have a median age of about 10 years (Cohen et al., 1969) and a relatively broad age range. In countries with an endemic pattern, the mean age is 8 years and the age range is considerably smaller (Burkitt and O’Conor, 1967). Interestingly, the age distribution among Africans from non-endemic areas closely approximates that found in America. In areas where this tumour occurs sporadically, there is a low incidence of jaw tumours and abdominal tumours dominate the clinical picture. Peripheral lymphadenopathy has been observed in approximately 30 per cent of American cases (Cohen et al., 1969). In endemic areas the majority of cases have maxillary or mandibular tumours at onset and peripheral lymphadenopathy is rarely present (Burkitt and O’Conor, 1961). These contrasting patterns are most intriguing in view of the histologic similarity of Burkitt’s tumour in endemic and non-endemic areas (Cohen et al., 1969).
Do Majoritarian Electoral Systems Favor Consumers: Identifying Cross-National Consumer Bias

This article builds off of previous work by Rogowski and Kayser (2002) and Chang, Kayser, and Rogowski (2008) in order to determine the effects of democracy styles on trade policy preferences. This work uses the common Stigler–Peltzman Framework of regulation and finds a bias that favors consumers in majoritarian systems and favors producers in proportional representation systems. Their measurement of bias leaves many gaps in the interpretation of their results, a problem that is remedied by using a more direct measurement of bias. This article uses a single policy, agriculture, in order to determine whether this evidence of consumer bias holds. While the results are largely in line with the previous work, the modeling style and the dependent variable of choice strengthens the results and the connection to the theoretical framework of Stigler and Peltzman.
Kinetic properties of hexokinase under near-physiological conditions: Relation to metabolic arrest in Artemia embryos during anoxia

Previous analyses of glycolytic metabolites in Artemia embryos indicate that an acute inhibition of glucose phosphorylation occurs during pHi-mediated metabolic arrest under anoxia. We describe here kinetic features of hexokinase purified from brine shrimp embryos in an attempt to explain the molecular basis for this inhibition. At saturating concentrations of cosubstrate, ADP is an uncompetitive inhibitor toward glucose and a partial noncompetitive inhibitor toward ATP (Kis = 0.86 mM, Kii = 1.0 mM, Kid = 1.9 mM). With cosubstrates at subsaturating concentrations, the uncompetitive inhibition versus glucose becomes noncompetitive, while inhibition versus ATP remains partial noncompetitive. The partial noncompetitive inhibition of ADP versus ATP is characterized by a hyperbolic intercept replot. These product inhibition patterns are consistent with a random mechanism of enzyme action that follows the preferred order of glucose binding first and glucose-6-P dissociating last. We propose that inhibition by glucose-6-P (Kis = 65 microM) occurs primarily by competing with ATP at the active site, resulting in the formation of the dead-end complex, enzyme-glucose-glucose-6-P. Versus glucose, inhibition by glucose-6-P is uncompetitive at pH 8.0 and noncompetitive at pH 6.8. Over a physiologically relevant pH range of 8.0 to 6.8 alterations in Km and Ki values do not account for the reduction in glucose phosphorylation, and no evidence suggests that Artemia hexokinase activity is modulated by reversible binding to intracellular structures. Total aluminum in the embryos is 4.01 +/- 0.36 micrograms/g dry weight, or, based upon tissue hydration, 72 microM. This concentration of aluminum dramatically reduces enzyme activity at pH values less than 7.2, even in the presence of physiological metal ion chelators (citrate, phosphate). When pH, aluminum, citrate, phosphate, substrates, and products were maintained at cellular levels measured under anoxia, we can account for a 90% inhibition of hexokinase relative to activity under control (aerobic) conditions.
Reduction of nonlinear inter-channel crosstalk penalty for DQPSK signal in carrier phase locked WDM

This paper shows reduction of nonlinear inter-channel crosstalk penalty for DQPSK signal in carrier phase locked WDM. Experimental results show that carrier phase locking successfully suppresses the OSNR penalty caused by four-wave-mixing crosstalk.
Fractionated Strands of Bacterial Deoxyribonucleic Acid III. Transformation Efficiencies and Rates of Phenotypic Expression

Abstract Preferential binding of guanine-rich ribopolymers to one of the complementary strands of denatured deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of Diplococcus pneumoniae permitted the fractionation of the complements in CsCl density gradients. Phenotypic expression of the newly acquired genes for four drug resistances was more rapid in cells transformed by the heavy fractions than in those transformed either by light fractions or by unfractionated DNA. The efficiencies of transformation with the two complements were nearly equal for the four markers tested. Both efficiency and expression results were the same whether we assayed the residual activity or the activity obtained by annealing the fractions with excess recipient DNA.
Analysis of 24,444 surgical specimens accessioned over 55 years in an ophthalmic pathology laboratory

Purpose: To summarize the pathologic diagnoses of a large number of surgically-obtained specimens over an extended time period in a single ophthalmic pathology laboratory. Methods: We analyzed the records of 24,444 surgically obtained specimens accessioned in the L.F. Montgomery Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory, Emory University, Atlanta, GA between May 1941 and December 1995. Age, sex, topography,clinical procedure, and histologic diagnosis were entered into a database using the modified SNOMED coding system. The diagnosis of the surgically enucleated eyes were analyzed with respect to years of enucleation. Results: The most common topographic area associated with a histologic diagnosis was the cornea (39.3%), followed by lens (16.0%), vitreous (12.0%),uvea (9.8%), eyelids (8.0%), conjunctiva(7.7%), retina (7.7%), and orbit(2.1%). The relative proportion of vitreous specimens has continuously increased and became the most common surgical specimen in 1995. The most common underlying disease of surgically enucleated eyes is trauma (40.9%), followed by ocular neoplasia (24.2%), ‘surgical‘ diseases of the cornea,lens and retina including glaucoma (17.3%), vascular diseases(6.7%), and inflammatory conditions (6.7%). The relative frequency of trauma and ocular inflammation as a cause of enucleation decreased significantly (p < 0.05) over the time of the study period while the relative proportion of ocular neoplastic processes increased (p < 0.0001).Conclusions: The availability of new surgical techniques has caused a change in the relative frequencies of different ocular specimens submitted for histologic examination.
Empirical Work in International Law: A Bibliographical Essay

Empirical work in international law is rapidly increasing in quantity and sophistication. This trend reflects the expansion in number and importance of international organizations and courts, as well as developments in legal scholarship and the social sciences. This bibliographical essay forms the basis for a forthcoming chapter in the Oxford Handbook on Empirical Legal Studies (forthcoming 2010). It surveys empirical work on international tribunals, treaties and many substantive areas of law. Some of these areas, such as trade, investment and human rights, are the subject of burgeoning empirical literatures. Others, particularly private international law, have received less attention to date, but good work is beginning to emerge, as is the case with criminal law and investment law. We see the field continuing to expand and diversify in years to come, as many outstanding questions beg for analysis.
Defining, designing, and evaluating peripheral displays: an analysis using activity theory

Peripheral displays are an important class of applications that improve our ability to balance multiple activities. However, peripheral display innovation and development has suffered because much of the past work has been technology driven: There exists little theoretical understanding of how they operate in relation to people's everyday lives. In response to this, we present a framework for understanding, designing, and evaluating peripheral displays based on Activity Theory. We argue that peripheral displays are information displays that become unobtrusive to users. As this quality depends on the context of use, we present a framework for describing peripheral displays based on the number and types of activities they support. Furthermore, we argue that different types of displays require different approaches to evaluation. From our own work and a review of related literature we derive a set of general evaluation criteria for peripheral displays (appeal, learnability, awareness, effects of breakdowns, and distraction). We then describe approaches for evaluating these criteria for different types of peripheral displays and present a case study to illustrate the value of our Activity Theory evaluation framework in practice.
Count sir Luigi Preziosi and his glaucoma operation: the development of early glaucoma filtering surgery.

Abstract Count Sir Luigi Preziosi (1888–1965) was a famous ophthalmologist from the island Republic of Malta. He received his ophthalmic training in Rome and the United Kingdom. He practiced ophthalmology in Malta for 45 years and was a professor at the University of Malta. Like many physicians in Malta, he was active in the politics and governance of his country, serving as president of the Senate, president of the National Congress to draft a new constitution, and, finally, as president of the National Assembly of Malta. His most important ophthalmologic contribution was the development of the thermal sclerostomy filtering operation for glaucoma, which he first described in 1924. He referred to this operation initially as electro-cautery puncture and later simply as Preziosi’s operation. Many surgeons considered this procedure an advance over the other available filtering operations such as sclerectomy, iridencleisis, and trephination. The operation was then further developed in 1957 by Harold G. Scheie of the University of Pennsylvania. Scheie referred to his procedure as peripheral iridectomy with scleral cautery, and it was a standard filtering operation for glaucoma for many years until the development of trabeculectomy.
Structure-based design of a periplasmic binding protein antagonist that prevents domain closure.

Many receptors undergo ligand-induced conformational changes to initiate signal transduction. Periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) are bacterial receptors that exhibit dramatic conformational changes upon ligand binding. These proteins mediate a wide variety of fundamental processes including transport, chemotaxis, and quorum sensing. Despite the importance of these receptors, no PBP antagonists have been identified and characterized. In this study, we identify 3-O-methyl-D-glucose as an antagonist of glucose/galactose-binding protein and demonstrate that it inhibits glucose chemotaxis in E. coli. Using small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray crystallography, we show that this antagonist acts as a wedge. It prevents the large-scale domain closure that gives rise to the active signaling state. Guided by these results and the structures of open and closed glucose/galactose-binding protein, we designed and synthesized an antagonist composed of two linked glucose residues. These findings provide a blueprint for the design of new bacterial PBP inhibitors. Given the key role of PBPs in microbial physiology, we anticipate that PBP antagonists will have widespread uses as probes and antimicrobial agents.
The Effect of Nucleosome Stability on Gene Expression Level

Nucleosomes, which are the basic packaging units of chromatin, are stably positioned in promoters upstream of most stress-induced genes. These promoter nucleosomes are generally thought to repress gene expression due to exclusion; they prevent transcription factors from accessing their binding sites on the DNA. Some promoter nucleosomes, however, do not directly occlude transcription factor binding sites, and therefore their role in gene expression remains unknown. To understand the non-exclusive role of nucleosomes in gene expression, we designed a model promoter in budding yeast where a nucleosome intervenes between a transcription factor binding site in nucleosome depleted region and the transcription start site. To vary nucleosome stability, we constructed promoter variants with several different GC contents in the nucleosomal DNA sequence. We then measured the downstream gene expression level from these promoter variants at different induction levels using a fluorescent protein reporter. Our preliminary data show that relatively high nucleosome stability does not always correlate with relatively low gene expression level. This result suggests that nucleosomes might contribute to gene expression in a cooperative manner either by bringing otherwise distant DNA sites close together or by anchoring the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex for efficient removal of adjacent nucleosomes.
Analysis of physiologic E-selectin-mediated leukocyte rolling on microvascular endothelium.

E-selectin is a type-1 membrane protein on microvascular endothelial cells that helps initiate recruitment of circulating leukocytes to cutaneous, bone and inflamed tissues. E-selectin expression is constitutive on dermal and bone microvessels and is inducible by pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1α/ and TNF-α, on microvessels in inflamed tissues. This lectin receptor mediates weak binding interactions with carbohydrate counter-receptor ligands on circulating leukocytes, which results in a characteristic rolling behavior. Because these interactions precede more stable adhesive events and diapedesis activity, characterization of leukocyte rolling activity and identification of leukocyte E-selectin ligands have been major goals in studies of leukocyte trafficking and inflammation and in the development of anti-inflammatory therapeutics (1-5). The intent of this report is to provide a visual, comprehensive description of the most widely-used technology for studying E-selectin E-selectin ligand interactions under physiologic blood flow conditions. Our laboratory in conjunction with the Harvard Skin Disease Research Center uses a state-of-the-art parallel-plate flow chamber apparatus accompanied by digital visualization and new recording software, NIS-Elements. This technology allows us to analyze adhesion events in real time for onscreen visualization as well as record rolling activity in a video format. Cell adhesion parameters, such as rolling frequency, shear resistance and binding/tethering efficiency, are calculated with NIS-Elements software, exported to an Excel spreadsheet and subjected to statistical analysis. In the demonstration presented here, we employed the parallel-plate flow chamber to investigate E-selectin-dependent leukocyte rolling activity on live human bone marrow endothelial cells (hBMEC). Human hematopoietic progenitor KG1a cells, which express a high level of E-selectin ligand, were used as our leukocyte model, while an immortalized hBMEC cell line, HBMEC-60 cells, was used as our endothelial cell model (6). To induce and simulate native E-selectin expression in the flow chamber, HBMEC-60 cells were first activated with IL-1 . Our video presentation showed that parallel-plate flow analysis is a suitable method for studying physiologic E-selectin-mediated leukocyte rolling activities and that functional characterization of leukocyte E-selectin ligand(s) in the flow chamber can be ascertained by implementing protease or glycosidase digestions.
Ca2+ signaling microdomains:platforms for the assembly and regulation of TRPC channels.

The transient receptor potential canonical family (TRPC1–TRPC7) of ion channel proteins, which are activated in response to agonist-stimulated phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5) P 2 ] hydrolysis, are proposed components of the elusive store-operated Ca 2+ (SOC) channel. TRPC channels display distinct properties and interact to form homomeric or heteromeric channels that differ in their function and regulation. Although the exact function of TRPC channels and how they are regulated has not been established, increasing data suggest that they are localized and regulated within Ca 2+ signaling microdomains. TRPC channels contribute to store-operated and store-independent Ca 2+ entry mechanisms, both of which are activated by agonist-stimulated PtdIns(4,5) P 2 hydrolysis. Elucidation of how cells achieve specificity and precise temporal and spatial coordination of channel activation is crucial for understanding the molecular basis of agonist-mediated stimulation of Ca 2+ entry and identifying downstream physiological functions. This review will address the assembly and localization of TRPC channels and how these processes impact their function.
Lessons from trying to develop a robust documentation exemplar

Software system documentation has been an integral part of the development process since the first efforts to design and implement large and robust systems. However, the focus of this documentation typically has been limited to the production of discrete artifacts, despite the richness of data and genres that surround it. Efforts to develop a robust documentation exemplar - Della - have not been completely successful, mainly because the provided documentation was largely ignored by many students for simpler but less effective alternate designs. This paper will present, in addition to the lessons learned from the Della project, some insights into the direction software system documentation now should be taking in support of large and long-lived systems.
Childbirth in the 1980s: What are the options?

The author presents a historical review of childbearing practices and the factors that have led to the present demand for change in maternity care by consumers. Present options available for labor and delivery and methods for increasing family‐centered care in the traditional hospital setting are discussed.
Monocarboxylic acid production by lactococci and lactobacilli

Branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs), such as isobutyric and isovaleric acid, contribute positively to cheese flavor at low concentrations and negatively at high concentrations. The source of these compounds in Cheddar cheese is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the capability of lactococci and lactobacilli to produce BCFAs from amino and α-keto acids. In the assay conditions used in this study, α-keto acids spontaneously degraded to monocarboxylic acids (MCAs) without any organisms added. When lactococci and lactobacilli were assayed with individual α-keto acids, they produced MCAs above the level of spontaneous degradation and above the flavor thresholds associated with positive Cheddar cheese flavor. Similar results were observed using amino acids as the substrate. Assays with equimolar mixtures of amino acids led to lower concentrations of MCAs than from individual amino acids and the flavor thresholds associated with positive Cheddar cheese flavor. Catabolism of amino acids or α-keto acids yielded similar MCAs types, but different total concentrations of MCAs. This study demonstrated that lactococci and lactobacilli were capable of converting amino acids and α-keto acids to MCAs at concentrations associated with positive and negative effects on Cheddar cheese flavor.
Did the antioxidant trials fail to validate the oxidation hypothesis

Most clinical trials on antioxidants using vitamin E or β-carotene have failed to note any significant change in cardiovascular endpoints. The results of these studies have been interpreted as a setback for the oxidation hypothesis. An analysis of the hypothesis and the trials, however, points out major misconceptions about the hypothesis and unjustified outcome expectations. Wrong selection of patient population, endpoints that are incompatible with the hypothesis, poor choice of antioxidants, and lack of inclusion of biochemical markers of oxidative stress and markers of vascular response are some of the contributors to the “failure” of these trials.
Transforming Practice Knowledge into Nursing Knowledge—A Revisionist Analysis of Peplau

Nursing practice typically has been viewed as applying knowledge. However, currently, there is increasing awareness that nursing practice is also a process of knowledge development. Still, research and practice are not always connected. Analysis of Peplau's works illuminates a scholarship of nursing practice that is relevant today. This paper focuses on a specific strategy and philosophic perspective, as derived from Peplau, for integrating nursing practice more fully into today's knowledge development. Emphasis is on the need for nursing practice-based theory, as well as nursing theory-based practice.
Discriminating tastes: Physiological contributions of the Hfq-binding small RNA Spot 42 to catabolite repression

Hfq-binding small RNAs (sRNAs) are critical regulators that form limited base-pairing interactions with target mRNAs in bacteria. These sRNAs have been linked to diverse environmental responses, yet little is known how Hfq-binding sRNAs participate in the regulatory networks associated with each response. We recently described how the Hfq-binding sRNA Spot 42 in Escherichia coli contributes to catabolite repression, a regulatory phenomenon that allows bacteria to consume some carbon sources over others. Spot 42 base pairs with numerous mRNAs encoding enzymes in central and secondary metabolism, redox balancing, and the uptake and consumption of non-preferred carbon sources. Many of the corresponding genes are transcriptionally activated by the Spot 42-repressor CRP, forming a regulatory circuit called a multi-output feedforward loop. We found that this loop influences both the steady-state levels and dynamics of gene regulation. In this article, we discuss how the CRP-Spot 42 feedforward loop is integrated into encompassing networks and how this loop may benefit enteric bacteria facing uncertain and changing nutrient conditions.
Effect of radiation on topopah spring tuff mechanical properties

The effect of radiation on the mechanical properties of Topopah Spring tuff was investigated by performing uniaxial compressive tests on irradiated and control samples of the tuff from the potential repository horizon at Yucca Mountain. Test results are presented, including stress-strain curves and peak strength and Young`s modulus values. These results show that for homogeneous uncracked samples of Topopah Spring tuff, exposure to gamma radiation had no discernible effect on the unconfined partially healed subvertical caracks indicate that exposure may reduce the strength and Young`s modulus significantly. This is attributed to weakening of the cementing materials in the cracks and fractures of the samples that were irradiated. These results are preliminary, and additional studies are warranted to evaluate whether radiation weakens cementing materials in welded tuff.
Impermissibility and Kantian Moral Worth

Samuel Kerstein argues that an asymmetry between moral worth and maxims prevents Kant from accepting a category of acts that are impermissible, but have moral worth. Kerstein contends that an act performed from the motive of duty should be considered as a candidate for moral worth, even if the action’s maxim turns out to be impermissible, since moral worth depends on the correct moral motivation of an act, rather than on the moral rightness of an act. I argue that Kant cannot consistently maintain that there are morally forbidden, though good, acts since one of the conditions of acting from the moral law should be that one has a true belief about what the moral law requires. My project, then, rejects the possibility of morally impermissible, worthy acts for Kant, and qualifies the conditions for moral worth Kerstein gives with an epistemological constraint on moral worth.
Effects of Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis on Thyroid Function Tests

Peritoneal dialysis is associated with large losses of protein. In order to quantify thyroid hormone excretion in the dialysate and to examine the possibility that peritoneal dialysis may result in clinical hypothyroidism, nine endstage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing either continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) or chronic intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD) were studied. Total protein excretion in the peritoneal fluid was 21.5 ± 2.1 g/24 h and did not vary with the mode of peritoneal dialysis. Thyroid binding globulin (TBG) excretion was 6.4 ± 1.3 mg/24 h, higher than the values reported in the literature for urinary TBG excretion in patients with the nephrotic syndrome. Despite the higher TBG losses, serum TBG remained in the normal range. Mean peritoneal total T 4 and T 3 were 8.1 ± 1.6 μg/24 h and 89.5 ± 14.6 ng/24 h, and there was a significant correlation between peritoneal T 4 and TBG ( r = 0.69; P 4 ( r = 0.80; P 4 and T 3 losses were relatively modest and remained below their daily production rates, and none of the patients were overtly hypothyroid. Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was mildly elevated in three of nine patients and was consistent with early thyroid failure. The patients' serum iodine levels were higher than normal but did not predict the patients' thyroid status. We conclude that major protein losses could predispose patients undergoing CAPD to thyroid failure and that long-term follow-up of thyroid function is warranted in these patients.
Linear augmented-Slater-type-orbital method for electronic-structure calculations. II. bcc, fcc, and hcp W.

We have applied the linear augmented-Slater-type-orbital method to study the cohesive energy and structural energy difference for the bcc, fcc, and hcp phases of tungsten at the experimental volume. We have made a careful study of the convergence of the total energy with basis-set size and with the number of special points used in sampling the Brillouin zone. We find that the fcc phase lies 19 millihartrees above the bcc in good agreement with other calculations and the hcp 24 millihartrees above. We present projected densities of states for the bcc and fcc phases.
Orientation structure in transverse sections of carbon fibers from dehydrated polyvinyl alcohol

Abstract Transverse sections of carbon fibers prepared from two different lots of dehydrated polyvinyl alcohol fibers, with and without graphitizing treatment, were observed by both polarized light and scanning electron microscopy. Several different types of transverse layer plane preferred orientation were found in the graphitized fibers: layers aligned parallel with the section major axis in the central zone of elliptical cross sections; parallel with the fiber surface in concave regions of an irregular cross section shape; and parallel with the fiber surface in a highly crystallized fiber with an irregular cross section shape. These graphitic layer plane configurations are considered in connection with the lamellar structure in crystalline regions of the dehydrated polyvinyl alcohol fibers.
Rapid isolation of long cDNA clones from existing libraries

Obtaining full-length or even near full-length cDNA clones has been a time-consuming and labor-intensive step in the analysis of cloned genes. Recent methods which use PCR as a preparative tool for cloning (1,2) have made this step considerably more rapid, but may introduce sequence errors in the resulting clones due to numerous sequential rounds of in vitro replication. We describe a method for identifying long cDNA clones from existing cDNA libraries using PCR purely as a diagnostic tool.
Selective androgen receptor modulators for the prevention and treatment of muscle wasting associated with cancer

Purpose of reviewThis review highlights selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) as emerging agents in late-stage clinical development for the prevention and treatment of muscle wasting associated with cancer.Recent findingsMuscle wasting, including a loss of skeletal muscle, is a cancer-relat
Double‐Robust Semiparametric Estimator for Differences in Restricted Mean Lifetimes in Observational Studies

Restricted mean lifetime is often of direct interest in epidemiologic studies involving censored survival times. Differences in this quantity can be used as a basis for comparing several groups. For example, transplant surgeons, nephrologists, and of course patients are interested in comparing posttransplant lifetimes among various types of kidney transplants to assist in clinical decision making. As the factor of interest is not randomized, covariate adjustment is needed to account for imbalances in confounding factors. In this report, we use semiparametric theory to develop an estimator for differences in restricted mean lifetimes although accounting for confounding factors. The proposed method involves building working models for the time-to-event and coarsening mechanism (i.e., group assignment and censoring). We show that the proposed estimator possesses the double robust property; i.e., when either the time-to-event or coarsening process is modeled correctly, the estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal. Simulation studies are conducted to assess its finite-sample performance and the method is applied to national kidney transplant data.
Evaluation of risk factors for luxation after total hip replacement in dogs.

Objective To identify risk factors for luxation after canine total hip replacement (THR). Study design Retrospective study. Sample population 256 client-owned dogs that underwent THR. Methods Patient data surveyed included signalment, body weight, diagnosis, prior hip surgery, implant size, intraoperative complications, and angle of lateral opening of the acetabular component. Results Postoperative complications were recorded in 20 cases (7.8%). The most common complication was dorsal luxation which occurred in 12 dogs (4.7%). The interval between joint replacement and luxation ranged from 1 to 116 days (mean, 44 days). In 1 case, luxation was attributable to failure of the repair of an intraoperative fracture of the greater trochanter. Excluding this case, the mean angle of lateral opening in those dogs that sustained luxation was 62 degrees (range, 46 degrees - 75 degrees). The mean angle of lateral opening overall was 48 degrees (range, 18 degrees - 76 degrees). The angle of lateral opening was the only factor that had a statistically significant effect on whether luxation occurred (P = .035). Acetabular revision, performed primarily to reduce the angle of lateral opening, was performed in 8 dogs and successfully prevented subsequent luxation. Conclusion Luxation of the prosthesis is substantially under the control of the surgeon. It is recommended that the acetabular cup be inserted at an angle of lateral opening of 35 degrees to 45 degrees. In those cases of THR luxation in which an inappropriate angle of lateral opening is identified, acetabular revision arthroplasty generally results in a good clinical outcome.