cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Crisis We Are Not Talking About: One-in-Three Annual HIV Seroconversions Among Sexual and Gender Minorities Were Persistent Methamphetamine Users.

INTRODUCTION Methamphetamine use is once again on the rise among sexual and gender minorities who have sex with men (SGMSM). METHODS Baseline and 12-month data are taken from an ongoing cohort study of n = 4786 SGMSM aged 16-49 at risk for HIV from across the United States. Participants completed annual online surveys and at-home HIV testing (oral fluid samples returned through mail). RESULTS Overall, 2.47 per 100 persons seroconverted over 12 months. In addition, 13.8% of participants reported any methamphetamine use over the 12-month study period. Nearly three-fourths (74.7%; 422 of 565) of those who reported using methamphetamine at baseline were persistent users at 12 months. In adjusted analyses, compared with those who did not use methamphetamine, incident methamphetamine users (ie, those who indicated use between baseline and follow-up) and persistent methamphetamine users had significantly higher odds of HIV seroconverting (adjusted odds ratio = 3.95, 95% confidence interval: 1.64 to 9.47; and 7.11, 4.53 to 11.17, respectively). Persistent methamphetamine users accounted for one-third of all observed HIV seroconversions (41 of 115). DISCUSSION Among SGMSM at elevated risk for HIV, persistent methamphetamine use was prevalent and associated with substantially amplified risk for HIV seroconversion. Expanded efforts are needed to test implementation strategies for scalable, evidence-based interventions to reduce HIV risk in SGMSM who use methamphetamine.
Abstract P025: Hyperinsulinemia Causes Renal Hyperperfusion And Increases Glomerular Basement Membrane Thickness Independent Of Renal Perfusion Pressure And Glycemic Status: Potential Role Of Connecting Tubule Glomerular Feedback?

Obesity is often associated with hyperinsulinemia (HI) and renal damage. However, the role of HI in Obesity related Renal Damage (ORD) is unclear. Renal hyperperfusion/hyperfiltration plays a major...
Investigation of sorption and diffusion of hydrocarbons into polydimethylsiloxane in the headspace-solid phase microextraction sampling process via inverse gas chromatography.

Abstract Inverse gas chromatography was employed to investigate the sorption and diffusion of hydrocarbons into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in the headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) sampling process. Six hydrocarbons as molecular probes and two types of non-cross-linked PDMS with different average molecular weights as stationary phases were used in this study. Experimental measurements with columns containing a PDMS stationary phase were carried out to obtain specific retention volumes, molar enthalpies of sorption, interaction parameters, diffusion coefficients, and activation energies of diffusion of hydrocarbon probes over temperatures ranging from 60 to 90°C. The primary driving force of the hydrocarbon sorption into the PDMS SPME fibers was found to be the molar enthalpy of sorption, which depended on the molecular size of the hydrocarbons. As the molecular size of the hydrocarbon increased, the molar enthalpies of sorption became more exothermic. Interaction parameters and diffusion coefficients indicated that both n-heptane and n-octane were diffused into the PDMS matrix and localized to form clusters or aggregates, which were responsible for more negative molar entropies of sorption. However, the diffusivities of n-nonane and aromatic probes were limited due to their large molecular size and lack in the structural flexibility, respectively. The molar enthalpies of hydrocarbon sorption were independent of the average molecular weight of PDMS. However, specific retention volumes, interaction parameters, diffusion coefficients, and activation energies of diffusion of the hydrocarbons depended on the molecular weight of PDMS as well as the molecular weights and structures of hydrocarbons, as shown by the results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Assessing the Impact of Targeted Screening and Treatment of Diabetes and Hypertension Among Adults Living with HIV in Nairobi, Kenya

Individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) today are living longer, thanks to expanded access to antiretroviral therapy (ART); however, this population is therefore increasingly at risk for many age-associated comorbidities. The future health of people living with HIV will therefore depend on the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with consideration for integrated approaches to screening and treatment becoming increasingly important. This analysis applies a hybrid simulation of HIV and NCDs to examine the impact of providing screening and treatment for hypertension and diabetes at HIV facilities in Nairobi, Kenya. We combine a compartmental model of the HIV epidemic at a population level with a microsimulation of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and explore the impact of various strategies for targeting eligible individuals on ART, by age and gender, to receive NCD screening and treatment.
Compression of the Right Atrium and Inferior Vena Cava from an Extrahepatic Biloma Following Liver Trauma.

A 26-year-old male presented to a Level 1 trauma center following a motorcycle crash. Workup of his injuries demonstrated a grade 5 liver laceration with active extravasation, grade 5 kidney lacera...
Plans to Vaccinate Children for Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Survey of United States Parents.

In a national survey of 2074 US parents of children ≤12 years of age conducted in March 2021, 49.4% reported plans to vaccinate their child for coronavirus disease 2019 when available. Lower income and less education were associated with greater parental vaccine hesitancy/resistance; safety and lack of need were primary reasons for vaccine hesitancy/resistance.
Early institutional experience using the TracStar Large Distal Platform in endovascular flow diversion.

IntroductionThe delivery of flow-diverting stents (FDS) necessitates a degree of catheter support beyond that required for endovascular coiling. The TracStar Large Distal Platform (LDP) is a novel ...
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Changing Practice Patterns and Impact on Recurrence-Free and Overall Survival at a Single Institution and Nationally

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. Our report describes the evolution of management and characteristics associated with recurrence, disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) in the treatment of MCC. A single institution retrospective review of MCC and SEER data to determine factors associated with RFS, DSS, and OS using a multivariable Cox regression on inverse-probability weighted cohorts. One hundred fifty-nine patients were identified with a median age of 75. Of these, 96% were Caucasian and 60% male. Fifty-eight out of 159 (36%) of all patients were deceased with 21/58 (36%) dead from MCC with a median follow-up of 3.1 years. Institutionally, trends over time demonstrated an increased use of immunotherapy with a concomitant decrease in chemotherapy and decreased use of radiotherapy alone. Institutionally and nationally, there has been increased surgical nodal staging. Institutionally, factors associated with shorter DSS included advanced age, active cigarette smoker (p = 0.002), cT2 disease (p = 0.007), and MCC with unknown primary (p < 0.001). Institutionally, factors associated with shorter OS included ages ≥ 75 years (p < 0.001), an immunocompromised state (p < 0.001), truncal primary site (p = 0.002), and cT2 disease (HR 9.59, p < 0.001). Changing practice patterns in MCC management have been driven by the adoption of immunotherapy. Our study highlights that competing risks of mortality in MCC patients likely prevents OS from being an accurate surrogate outcome measure to understand factors associated with DSS.
Entering the Picture : Judy Chicago, The Fresno Feminist Art Program, and the Collective Visions of Women Artists

Jill Fields, Introduction Section I: Emerging--Views from the Periphery 1. Gail Levin, Feminist Class, edited by Melissa Morris 2. Laura Meyer and Faith Wilding, Collaboration and Conflict in the Fresno Feminist Art Program: An Experiment in Feminist Pedagogy 3. Nancy Youdelman and Karen LeCocq, Reflections on the First Feminist Art Program 4. Moira Roth, Interview with Suzanne Lacy, edited by Laura Meyer 5. Paula Harper,The First Feminist Art Program: A View from the 1980s 6. Judy Chicago, Feminist Art Education: Made in California Section II: Re-Centering--Theory and Practice 7. Valerie Smith, Abundant Evidence: Black Women Artists of the 1960s and 1970s 8. Jennie Klein, 'Teaching to Transgress:' Rita Yokoi and the Fresno Feminist Art Program 9. Lillian Faderman, Joyce Aiken: Thirty Years of Feminist Art and Pedagogy in Fresno 10. Phranc, "Your Vagina Smells Fine Now Naturally" 11. Terezita Romo, Collective History: Las Mujeres Muralistas 12. Joanna Gardner-Huggett, The Woman's Art Cooperative Space as a Site for Social Change: Artemisia Gallery, Chicago (1973-1979) 13. Gloria Orenstein, Salon Women of the Second Wave: Honoring the Great Matrilineage of Creators of Culture 14. Katie Cercone, The New York Feminist Art Institute, 1979-1990 15. Nancy Azara and Darla Bjork, Our Journey to the New York Feminist Art Institute Section III: Picturing: Transformation 16. Sylvia Savala, How I Became a Chicana Feminist Artist 17. Lydia Nakashima Degarrod, Searching for Catalyst and Empowerment: The Asian American Women Artists Association, 1989-Present 18. Miriam Schaer, Notes of a Dubious Daughter: My Unfinished Journey Towards Feminism 19. Tressa Berman and Nancy Mithlo, 'The Way Things Are:' Curating Place as Feminist Practice in American Indian Women's Art" 20. Ying-Ying Chien, Marginal Discourse and Pacific Rim Women's Art 21. Jo Anna Isaak, Gaia Cianfanelli and Caterina Iaquinta, Curatorial Practice as Collaboration in the U.S. and Italy 22. Beverly Naidus, Feminist Activist Art Pedagogy
Is Food and Drug Administration policy governing artisan cheese consistent with consumers’ preferences?

Abstract United States government policy prohibits the sale of cheese made from unpasteurized milk aged less than 60 days despite contested science behind the policy. We use experimental auctions for artisan cheese to estimate the value of pasteurization and age as food safety attributes, which is the rationale for the policy. We also look at consumers’ perception of the tradeoff between safety and quality. A survey was conducted with participants at farmers markets including experimental auctions and sensory analysis of pasteurized and unpasteurized cheese and questions concerning attitudes about food safety. There is no evidence of positive demand for pasteurization and there is no evidence of a tradeoff between safety and quality. On average artisan cheese consumers make purchasing decisions based on taste, not their attitude toward food safety. The results of this study raise questions about the possible extension of a minimum aging period for cheese made from unpasteurized milk.
Surgical Approaches to Pediatric Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction

Approximately 10-30% of infants with hydronephrosis are found to have ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction. Technological advances in imaging have allowed physicians to better identify the location of the obstruction. The classic repair is the Anderson-Hynes repair which shows a 90-100% success rate and appears superior to many less complex techniques. Is it best to approach this repair through an open incision or laparoscopically with or without a surgical robot? That question remains to be answered and largely depends on how you define "best."
Orphan elimination in distributed object-oriented systems

The orphan detection and elimination issue has been addressed extensively in the distributed transaction management context and more recently in the distributed systems context with the remote procedure call (RPC) framework. The investigation is extended to a general distributed object-oriented application environment. Orphan objects in a distributed object-oriented application environment correspond to activities which continue to execute on behalf of aborted transactions in a distributed transaction system. A simple and a general model for detecting and eliminating orphans in a distributed object-oriented application environment is considered. A simple example is presented to illustrate how the model would work in a distributed Unix/C+ + application environment. >
A Review of “Representational Style in Congress: What Legislators Say and Why It Matters”

As someone who has a particular interest in presidential communication, and who is not a committed student of Congress, I read Justin Grimmer's new book Representational Style in Congress: What Leg...
Optimal Placement of Piezoceramic Sensors and Actuators

Bonded and embedded piezoceramic sensors and actuators can be used for active vibration control of flexible structures. Development of optimal control procedures require a consideration of design variables such as the size of the piezoceramic devices, types of devices, number of such devices, control gains, signal conditioning options, weights to be used on state and control, decentralization and placement of the transducers. In this paper the effect of the location or placement of the sensors and actuators and the question of centralization and decentralization has been discussed with reference to a selected flexible structure and selected piezoceramic sensors, actuators and a strain rate feedback.
The Bhopal disaster and its aftermath: a review

On December 3 1984, more than 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas leaked from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, immediately killing at least 3,800 people and causing significant morbidity and premature death for many thousands more. The company involved in what became the worst industrial accident in history immediately tried to dissociate itself from legal responsibility. Eventually it reached a settlement with the Indian Government through mediation of that country's Supreme Court and accepted moral responsibility. It paid $470 million in compensation, a relatively small amount of based on significant underestimations of the long-term health consequences of exposure and the number of people exposed. The disaster indicated a need for enforceable international standards for environmental safety, preventative strategies to avoid similar accidents and industrial disaster preparedness. Since the disaster, India has experienced rapid industrialization. While some positive changes in government policy and behavior of a few industries have taken place, major threats to the environment from rapid and poorly regulated industrial growth remain. Widespread environmental degradation with significant adverse human health consequences continues to occur throughout India.
Improving low-income preschoolers mathematics achievement with Math Shelf, a preschool tablet computer curriculum

Low-income preschoolers begin Kindergarten behind their middle and high-income peers in mathematics, and these achievement differences grow as they progress through school. Technology can provide cost effective and scalable solutions to improve young children's mathematics outcomes (Levin, Glass, & Meister, 1987; Slavin & Lake, 2008). The aim of this study was to test Math Shelf, a tablet computer curriculum designed to improve at risk preschoolers' mathematics performance. Two hundred and seventy-three children participated with intervention students playing Math Shelf on tablets for 15 weeks, while comparison students participated in their regular classroom mathematics curriculum. At the end of the intervention, there was a significant and sizable effect on the mathematics posttest for Math Shelf students (Cohen's d?=?1.09, p?<?.001). Math Shelf students learned approximately one year more mathematics than control students. Our results suggest that teachers can significantly increase low-income preschoolers' mathematics knowledge in a relatively short amount of time by implementing evidenced-based tablet software. Low-income children start Kindergarten with inadequate math knowledge.Evidenced-based tablet software can improve at risk preschoolers' math achievement.This study tested Math Shelf, a tablet preschool mathematics curriculum.Math Shelf children learned significantly more (E.S.?=?1.1) than control students.
ULTRASOUND PHASE CONTRAST THERMAL IMAGING WITH REFLEX TRANSMISSION IMAGING METHODS IN TISSUE PHANTOMS

Thermal imaging measurements using ultrasound phase contrast have been performed in tissue phantoms heated with a focused ultrasound source. Back projection and reflex transmission imaging principles were used to detect sound speed-induced changes in the phase caused by an increase in the temperature. The temperature was determined from an empirical relationship for the temperature dependence on sound speed. The phase contrast was determined from changes in the sound field measured with a hydrophone scan conducted before and during applied heating. The lengthy scanning routine used to mimic a large two-dimensional array required a steady-state temperature distribution within the phantom. The temperature distribution in the phantom was validated with magnetic resonance (MR) thermal imaging measurements. The peak temperature was found to agree within 1 degrees C with MR, and good agreement was found between the temperature profiles. The spatial resolution was 0.3x0.3x0.3mm, comparing favorably with the 0.625x0.625x1.5-mm MR spatial resolution.
Apo- and holo-lactoferrin are both internalized by lactoferrin receptor via clathrin-mediated endocytosis but differentially affect ERK-signaling and cell proliferation in Caco-2 cells

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a major iron-binding and multi-functional protein in exocrine fluids such as breast milk and mucosal secretions. The functions of Lf appear dependent upon the iron saturation of the Lf protein and are postulated to be mediated through Lf internalization by a Lf receptor (LfR). However, mechanisms by which LfR mediates Lf internalization in enterocytes are unknown. We now demonstrate that a LfR previously cloned from the small intestine mediates Lf endocytosis in a human enterocyte model (Caco-2 cells). LfR was detected at the plasma membrane by cell surface biotinylation; both apo-Lf and holo-Lf uptake were significantly inhibited in cells transfected with LfR siRNA. Treatments of hypertonic sucrose and clathrin siRNA and co-immunoprecipitation of LfR with clathrin adaptor AP2 indicate that LfR regulates Lf endocytosis via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Although both iron-free Lf (apo-Lf) and iron-saturated Lf (holo-Lf) enter Caco-2 cells via a similar mechanism and no significant differences were observed in the binding and uptake of apo- and holo-Lf in Caco-2 cells, apo-Lf but not holo-Lf stimulates proliferation of Caco-2 cells. Interestingly, apo-Lf stimulated extracellular signal-regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK) cascade to a significantly greater extent than holo-Lf and the apo-Lf induced proliferation was significantly inhibited by an ERK cascade inhibitor (U0126) and clathrin siRNA. Taken together, our data suggest that LfR is a major pathway through which Lf is taken up by enterocytes, which occurs independently of iron saturation through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The differential effects of apo- and holo-Lf are not due to differences in cellular internalization mechanisms.
Creation mechanism of pores by ion beam modification of fluoropolymer film membranes

Producing structures in membranes at the nanometer scale can serve several applications such as to localize molecular electrical junctions and switches, and to function as masks. In previous work we demonstrated the fabrication of porous membranes in masked fluoropolymer films using scanned ion beam bombardment. The process dispenses the use of time consuming chemical and etching processes. Here we report on the creation mechanism of pores using ion bombardment. Aspects of the ion beam interaction with matter are explained as well as an analysis of the shape of the fabricated structures. The pores were produced using our feedback controlled ion beam apparatus and were analyzed using optical and atomic force microscopic (AFM) analyses.
Reduction of aggression as a function of related content of humor.

72 female and 72 male subjects in aggression or non-arousal conditions registered preferences between sexual and non-sexual humor. Aggressively aroused subjects rated both types higher than non-aroused subjects, who preferred non-sexual humor while the aroused subjects preferred sexual humor. Exposure to humor led to reduction of aggression for the aroused only when presented the sexual humor. The relevance of the results to Freudian theory and subsequent research dealing with similarities of sex and aggression are discussed.
Contrasting extreme runoff events in areas of continuous permafrost, Arctic Alaska

Spring snowmelt floods in the Arctic are common and can be expected every year, mainly because of the extensive snow cover that ablates relatively quickly. However, documentation of extreme flows (both low and high) in the Arctic is lacking in part because extreme flows are relatively rare and gauging sites are very sparse, with most of short duration. In the nested Kuparuk River research watersheds on the North Slope of Alaska, two large summer floods have been observed (July 1999 and August 2002) in the headwaters; these high flows are contrasted to the low flows (drought conditions) observed in the summers of 2005 and 2007. It is clear that the continuous permafrost and the limited near-surface storage in the shallow active layer are responsible for both the high and low flow responses. Or, stated another way, the active layer is a poor buffer to both floods and droughts. When contrasting summer floods with snowmelt floods, it is clear from flood frequency analyses that the smaller, high-gradient headwater basins will be dominated by summer floods while those watersheds draining the low gradient coastal plain will be dominated by snowmelt floods. The two summer floods in the headwaters had flows that were three to four times greater than the largest measured snowmelt flood, while on the coastal plain the 2002 summer storm for the whole of the Kuparuk River only produced the maximum summer runoff of record that was about 1/4 of the maximum snowmelt flood. So, on the coastal plain and even for the Greater Kuparuk River that drains across the coastal plain, snowmelt floods dominate. Drought conditions prevail in summers when the limited surface water storage in the active layer and surface water bodies is depleted because evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation.
From “weight of evidence” to quantitative data integration using multicriteria decision analysis and Bayesian methods

Summary “Weighing” available evidence in the process of decision-making is unavoidable, yet it is one step that routinely raises suspicions: what evidence should be used, how much does it weigh, and whose thumb may be tipping the scales? This commentary aims to evaluate the current state and future roles of various types of evidence for hazard assessment as it applies to environmental health. In its recent evaluation of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Integrated Risk Information System assessment process, the National Research Council committee singled out the term “weight of evidence” (WoE) for critique, deeming the process too vague and detractive to the practice of evaluating human health risks of chemicals. Moving the methodology away from qualitative, vague and controversial methods towards generalizable, quantitative and transparent methods for appropriately managing diverse lines of evidence is paramount for both regulatory and public acceptance of the hazard assessments. The choice of terminology notwithstanding, a number of recent Bayesian WoE-based methods, the emergence of multi criteria decision analysis for WoE applications, as well as the general principles behind the foundational concepts of WoE, show promise in how to move forward and regain trust in the data integration step of the assessments. We offer our thoughts on the current state of WoE as a whole and while we acknowledge that many WoE applications have been largely qualitative and subjective in nature, we see this as an opportunity to turn WoE towards a quantitative direction that includes Bayesian and multi criteria decision analysis.
Management of penile amputation injuries

Penile amputation is an uncommon injury resulting from self-mutilation, felonious assault, or accidental trauma. Management requires resuscitation and stabilization of the patient with particular attention to underlying psychiatric illness. Amputated tissue can be preserved under hypothermic conditions in preparation for surgical replantation. Current replantation techniques rely on microsurgical approximation of the dorsal structures and cavernosal arteries with uniformly good results. Phallic replacement may be necessary when the amputated segment is lost. Microsurgical free forearm flap phalloplasty is the current mainstay of penile replacement surgery. Although urethral complications remain problematic, the results continue to be acceptable with regard to appearance and function. A unique subset of patients sustaining amputation injury is children. Both replantation and phallic construction have been successful in children and represent an alternative to gender reassignment.
Central Depressant Properties of Uracil and Related Oxypyrimidines

Uracil, thymine, 6-methyluracil and thiouracil were found to potentiate the mouse-hexo- barbital sleeping time. The compounds were inactive against metrazol shock, but protected mice from maximal electroshock seizures. The acute toxicides of the uracils for mice were slight.
Use of autologous auricular chondrocytes for lining artificial surfaces: a feasibility study

Abstract Background . Auricular elastic cartilage is a potential source of autologous cells for lining the luminal surfaces of cardiovascular prostheses. We tested this potential in vitro and in vivo using a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and a calf model. Methods . In vitro, auricular cartilage was harvested from the anesthetized ear of a calf, isolated, and cultured on tissue culture dishes. Primary chondrocytes were typed by immunocytochemistry, transferred into culture media, passaged twice, and seeded onto the blood-contacting luminal surfaces of four LVADs (HeartMate; Thoratec Corporation, Woburn, MA). Seeded cell linings were preconditioned under simulated flow conditions to promote cell adhesion to luminal surfaces. Seeding efficiency and cumulative cell loss under flow conditions were quantitated. In vivo, one of the four autologous chondrocyte-lined and preconditioned LVADs was implanted into the tissue-donor calf; run for 7 days; explanted; and evaluated grossly, by scanning electron microscopy, and by transmission electron microscopy. Results . The efficiency of seeding chondrocytes onto the luminal surfaces of the four LVADs was 95.11% ± 4.23% (n = 4). Cumulative cell loss during preconditioning under flow conditions in vitro did not exceed 12% (n = 4). After 7 days of in vivo implantation, the luminal surfaces of the implanted LVAD demonstrated an intact, strongly adherent cellular lining. Conclusions . Auricular elastic cartilage is a ready and easily accessible source of chondrocytes whose ability to produce collagen II and other important extracellular matrix constituents allows them to adhere strongly to the luminal surfaces of LVADs. The simple method of isolating and expanding auricular chondrocytes presented here could be used to provide strongly adherent autologous cell linings for LVADs and other cardiovascular devices. If and when chondrocytes can be genetically engineered to produce antithrombogenic factors and then used to line the luminal surfaces of LVADs or other cardiovascular prostheses, they may be able to improve the hemocompatibility of the blood–biomaterial interface in such devices. Our successful feasibility study in a calf model warrants further studies of this concept in vivo.
Three-dimensional integrated circuits for lab-on-chip dielectrophoresis of nanometer scale particles

In this paper, we present a mixed-technology micro-system for electronically manipulating and optically detecting virusscale particles in fluids that is designed using 3D integrated circuit technology. During the 3D fabrication process, the top-most chip tier is assembled upside down and the substrate material is removed. This places the polysilicon layer, which is used to create geometries with the process' minimum feature size, in close proximity to a fluid channel etched into the top of the stack. By taking advantage of these processing features inherent to "3D chip-stacking" technology, we create electrode arrays that have a gap spacing of 270 nm. Using 3D CMOS technology also provides the ability to densely integrate analog and digital control circuitry for the electrodes by using the additional levels of the chip stack. We show simulations of the system with a physical model of a Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus, which has a radius of approximately 125 nm, being dielectrophoretically arranged into striped patterns. We also discuss how these striped patterns of trapped nanometer scale particles create an effective diffraction grating which can then be sensed with macro-scale optical techniques.
Does Circadian Disruption Play a Role in the Metabolic-Hormonal Link to Delayed Lactogenesis II?

Breastfeeding improves maternal and child health. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, with continued breastfeeding for at least one year. However, in the US, only 18.8% of infants are exclusively breastfed until six months of age. For mothers who initiate breastfeeding, the early postpartum period sets the stage for sustained breastfeeding. Mothers who experience breastfeeding problems in the early postpartum period are more likely to discontinue breastfeeding within two weeks. A major risk factor for shorter breastfeeding duration is delayed lactogenesis II (i.e. onset of milk "coming in" more than 72 h postpartum). Recent studies report a metabolic-hormonal link to delayed lactogenesis II. This is not surprising because around the time of birth the mother’s entire metabolism changes to direct nutrients to mammary glands. Circadian and metabolic systems are closely linked, and our rodent studies suggest circadian clocks coordinate hormonal and metabolic changes to support lactation. Molecular and environmental disruption of the circadian system decreases a dam’s ability to initiate lactation and negatively impacts milk production. Circadian and metabolic systems evolved to be functional and adaptive when lifestyles and environmental exposures were quite different from modern times. We now have artificial lights, longer work days, and increases in shift work. Disruption in the circadian system due to shift work, jet lag, sleep disorders and other modern life style choices are associated with metabolic disorders, obesity, and impaired reproduction. We hypothesize delayed lactogenesis II is related to disruption of the mother’s circadian system. Here we review literature that supports this hypothesis, and describe interventions that may help to increase breastfeeding success.
Expression of I-region gene products on mouse tail epidermis cells.

Abstract Mouse epidermal cells express Ia antigens. Epidermal cells from C3H and B10. A mice express I-A and I-E region gene products. Products associated with I-B and I-J were not detectable. A weak reaction was seen with anti-I-C sera. Products of the I-A region appear to be preferentially expressed when compared to I-E-region gene products. Ten percent of epidermal cells possess IgG-specific Fc receptors and 15% of epidermal cells can phagocytize latex particles. Our studies suggest that Ia-positive epidermal cells in mice are not necessarily limited to Langerhans cells.
A British Empire for the twentieth century: the inauguration of New Delhi, 1931

The inauguration of New Delhi in 1931 represented a complex vision of the late colonial state where liberal political reforms intended to pacify Indians simultaneously bound them more closely to the British Empire. These conciliatory reforms focused Indian attention on provincial local self-government while the centre remained firmly in British hands. New Delhi, as the pre-eminent symbol of this imperial centre, crucially disseminated this double narrative of promised liberation and continued colonial dependency. The new capital may have projected imperial power and permanence, as many scholars have noted, but it also symbolized the underlying strands that connected British political reform with the reinforcement and reaffirmation of continued British rule.
Sedimentation characteristics of vesicles associated with insulin-sensitive intracellular glucose transporter from rat adipocytes

Abstract The sedimentation characteristics of vesicles associated with the insulin-sensitive intracellular glucose transporter from rat adipocytes were studied. The method used was sucrose density gradient centrifugation, which was carried out under non-equilibrium and equilibrium (isopycnic) conditions. The glucose transport activity was determined by the reconstitution method. As reported previously, the sedimentation velocity of the intracellular glucose-transport activity was considerably slower than that of the counterpart in the plasma membrane. It was found, however, that the specific gravity of the slow-sedimenting glucose-transport activity was almost identical to that of the activity in the plasma membrane (d = 1.118−1.122). It is concluded that the intracellular glucose transport activity is associated not with low-density microsomal vesicles, but with unidentified slow-sedimenting vesicles that have a specific gravity similar to that of the plasma membrane.
Single Ca2+-activated nonselective cation channels in neuroblastoma.

Recent work suggests an important role for intracellular agents in controlling ion channels in the membranes of nerve cells and other excitable tissues. Calcium ions1,2, cyclic nucleotides3 and protein kinases4,5 can all act on the inner surface of the membrane to influence ion channel activity. Earlier studies of these effects on intact cells could not, however, effectively control or measure conditions on the inner membrane surface. The technique of recording from detached membrane patches6,7permits free access to the intracellular face of ion channels and makes it possible to study them in isolation from the many components of the cytoplasm. With this technique, I have studied the response of membrane patches from neuroblastoma cells to intracellular Ca2+ ions, and have found a class of nonselective cation channels activated by micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ on the intracellular face of the membrane. These channels are almost equally permeable to Na+, K+, Li+ and Cs+ ions, but are practically impermeable to Ca2+ ions. Similar channels were first found recently in cultured heart cells8, where they probably account for the previously reported ‘transient inward’ current9. Their discovery in neuronal cells as well as heart cells suggests that this hitherto scarcely recognized channel species may be more widely distributed than previously supposed.
Pharmacy Syringe Purchase Test of Nonprescription Syringe Sales in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2010

The two main legal sources of clean needles for illicit injection drug users (IDUs) in California are syringe exchange programs (SEPs) and nonprescription syringe sales (NPSS) at pharmacies. In 2004, California became one of the last states to allow NPSS. To evaluate the implementation of NPSS and the California Disease Prevention Demonstration Project (DPDP), we conducted syringe purchase tests in San Francisco (SF) and Los Angeles (LA) between March and July of 2010. Large differences in implementation were observed in the two cities. In LA, less than one-quarter of the enrolled pharmacies sold syringes to our research assistant (RA), and none sold a single syringe. The rate of successful purchase in LA is the lowest reported in any syringe purchase test. In both sites, there was notable variation among the gauge size available, and price and quantity of syringes required for a purchase. None of the DPDP pharmacies in LA or SF provided the requisite health information. The findings suggest that more outreach needs to be conducted with pharmacists and pharmacy staff. The pharmacies' failure to disseminate the educational materials may result in missed opportunities to provide needed harm reduction information to IDUs. The varied prices and required quantities may serve as a barrier to syringe access among IDUs. Future research needs to examine reasons why pharmacies do not provide the mandated information, whether the omission of disposal options is indicative of pharmacies' reluctance to serve as disposal sites, and if the dual opt-in approach of NPSS/DPDP is a barrier to pharmacy enrollment.
Nucleotide sequence of barley stripe mosaic virus RNAα: RNAα encodes a single polypeptide with homology to corresponding proteins from other viruses

Abstract The complete nucleotide sequence of RNAα from the Type strain of barley stripe mosaic virus has been determined. The RNA is 3768 nucleotides long and contains a single open reading frame which codes for a polypeptide of 1139 amino acids (mw 129,634). The open reading frame is flanked by a 5′-terminal sequence of 91 nucleotides and a 3′-nontranslated region composed of a short poly(A) tract followed by a 238-nucleotide tRNA-like structure. The amino acid sequence of the polypeptide (αa) encoded by the open reading frame has homology with the TMV 126K protein and with related polypeptides from other viruses. The carboxy-terminal portion of the as polypeptide also has limited homology with the 58K (βb) protein encoded by BSMV RNAβ and includes a consensus sequence found in mononucleotide-binding polypeptides.
Circuit enumeration in an undirected graph

In his paper J. T. Welch [7] presents an algorithm for determining the circuits of a graph in a mechanical manner. Unfortunately, when an implementation of this procedure was attempted by N. E. Gibbs a very large class of counter examples was discovered. Gibbs rectified this situation in his algorithm [1]. However, a close study of Gibbs' algorithm shows that it is essentially an enumerative case considering all possible combinations. Hsu and Honkanen [3] developed a set of algorithms which used Welch's Concept where it applied and then examined the remaining circuits essentially in a manner like Gibbs' algorithm but did not require examining all possible combinations. R. Tarjan [6] pointed out several flaws in these algorithms which are corrected in this paper.
The nuclear fragmentation phase transition and rare isotope production

Of all phase transitions in nuclear matter, the fragmentation phase transition is perhaps the one for which there is the best experimental evidence as of now. In addition, theoretical models have been developed to a degree where detailed comparisons are possible. With the advent of rare isotope production facilities using projectile fragmentation techniques (NSCL, GSI, ..., and hopefully RIA in the coming decade), the main interest in this field is beginning to shift towards the exploration of the isospin degree of freedom in the nuclear equation of state. Here we employ a statistical multifragmentation model and discuss the connection between the width of the isotope distribution and the isospin term in the nuclear equation of state.
Automation for copper, iron, and zinc in mixtures

Summary A procedure has been described for the flow spectrophotometric determinations of copper, iron, and zinc when these metals were present in mixtures. A high resolution monochromator attached to a sensitive multi-range recorder through a simple log converter served as the detection device for the three colored complexing reactions. Graphic exemplication of the accuracy of the determination of copper, iron, and zinc is shown for each metal in the presence of the other two metals.
A requirement for MCM7 and Cdc45 in chromosome unwinding during eukaryotic DNA replication.

In vertebrates, MCM2–7 and Cdc45 are required for DNA replication initiation, but it is unknown whether they are also required for elongation, as in yeast. Moreover, although MCM2–7 is a prime candidate for the eukaryotic replicative DNA helicase, a demonstration that MCM2–7 unwinds DNA during replication is lacking. Here, we use Xenopus egg extracts to investigate the roles of MCM7 and Cdc45 in DNA replication. A fragment of the retinoblastoma protein, Rb1−400, was used to neutralize MCM7, and antibodies were used to neutralize Cdc45. When added immediately after origin unwinding, or after significant DNA synthesis, both inhibitors blocked further DNA replication, indicating that MCM7 and Cdc45 are required throughout replication elongation in vertebrates. We next exploited the fact that inhibition of DNA polymerase by aphidicolin causes extensive chromosome unwinding, likely due to uncoupling of the replicative DNA helicase. Strikingly, Rb1−400 and Cdc45 antibodies both abolished unwinding by the uncoupled helicase. These results provide new support for the model that MCM2–7 is the replicative DNA helicase, and they indicate that Cdc45 functions as a helicase co-factor.
Optical processing of wire-frame models for object recognition

Imagery from actual sensors was used for automatic object recognition with a binary phase- only filtering (BPOF) optical correlator. The correlator was primarily tested for applications that involve objects with a nonrepeatable signature. Digital image processing techniques were used to threshold gray-level images and approximate their boundaries with polygons to limit variations of input imagery before correlation. Correlation responses increased and worked best when relatively short line segments were used in the approximation. The best results were obtained when a convex polygon was drawn to the outward-most points of the object. This is equivalent to extracting specific shape features of the object. The method presented here reduced the sensitivity of a BPOF to changes in an object's appearance when an object varied in different or unknown ways.
Multifractal subgrid-scale modeling for large-eddy simulation. II. Backscatter limiting and a posteriori evaluation

¯ iu ¯ j evaluated by an explicit filter. It is shown that the corresponding subgrid and resolved contributions P * and P R to the resolved-scale energetics produce extremely accurate results for the combined subgrid energy production field Px, t. A separate backscatter limiter is developed here that removes spurious energy introduced in the resolved scales by including physical backscatter, without sacrificing the high fidelity in the stress and energy production fields produced by the multifractal subgrid-scale model. This limiter makes small reductions only to those components of the stress that contribute to backscatter, and principally in locations where the gradients are large and thus the energy introduced by numerical errors is also largest. Control of the energy introduced by numerical error is thus accomplished in a manner that leaves the modeling of the subgrid-scale turbulence largely unchanged. The multifractal subgrid-scale model and the backscatter limiter are then implemented in a flow solver and shown to provide stable and accurate results in a posteriori tests based on large-eddy simulations of forced homogeneous isotropic turbulence at cell Reynolds numbers ranging from 160 Re10 6 , as well as in simulations of decaying turbulence where the model and the limiter must adjust to the changing subgrid conditions. © 2005 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.1965094
Pair bonding and "the widow effect" in female prairie voles.

Abstract We conducted field and laboratory experiments with the well-studied monogamous prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster, to distinguish among three hypotheses for the failure of females that lose their mates to bond with a new male (“the widow effect”). The reproductive value hypothesis predicts that males prefer young to older females because they potentially have a longer reproductive lifespan. The mate rejection hypothesis predicts that females will prevent repairing by aggressively deterring males that might harm their current offspring. The misdirected paternal care hypothesis assumes that females will mate during postpartum estrus and thus will be pregnant and/or nursing young throughout the breeding season; males will avoid pairing with older females to avoid providing care to unrelated offspring and/or because of a delay to the next breeding opportunity. Males associated and bred more with older than young females, allowing us to reject the reproductive value hypothesis. Our results were consistent with the male rejection hypothesis in that females were aggressive toward unfamiliar males. Our results were most consistent with the misdirected paternal care hypothesis in that once females started breeding, they continued to become pregnant and nurse young throughout the study period. Thus, our findings suggest that the potential of misdirected paternal care and delayed mating opportunity in conjunction with the aggressive behavior of females toward unfamiliar males are likely explanations for the lack of repairing for widow females.
Extracting cellular automaton rules directly from experimental data

Abstract We outline a method for extracting two-dimensional cellular automaton (CA) rules directly from experimental data. The data consist of discrete-space patterns evolving in discrete time. We employ a learning algorithm, the genetic algorithm, to search efficiently through a space of probabilistic CA rules for a local rule that best reproduces the observed behavior of the data. Included are the results of an analysis of patterns generated by the dendritic solidification of NH 4 Br from a supersaturated acqueous solution.
Prospective, Longitudinal Study of Tic, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders in an Epidemiological Sample

ABSTRACT Objective Understanding the interrelatedness of tics, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been complicated by studying only cross-sectional samples of clinically referred subjects. The authors report the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of these disorders in an epidemiological sample of children followed prospectively into early adulthood. Method Structured diagnostic interview information was acquired on 976 children, aged 1 to 10 years, who were randomly selected from families living in upstate New York in 1975. Reassessments were acquired in 776 of these subjects 8, 10, and 15 years later. Diagnostic prevalences were estimated at each time point. The associations among tics, OCD, and ADHD were assessed within and across time points, as were their associations with comorbid illnesses and demographic risk factors. Results In temporal cross-section, tics and ADHD symptoms were associated with OCD symptoms in late adolescence and early adulthood after demographic features and comorbid psychiatric symptoms were controlled. In prospective analyses, tics in childhood and early adolescence predicted an increase in OCD symptoms in late adolescence and early adulthood. ADHD symptoms in adolescence predicted more OCD symptoms in early adulthood, and OCD in adolescence predicted more ADHD symptoms in adulthood. The associations of tics with ADHD were unimpressive in temporal cross-section and were not significant in prospective analyses. Tics, OCD, and ADHD shared numerous complex associations with demographic and psychopathological risk factors. ADHD was associated with lower IQ and lower social status, whereas OCD was associated with higher IQ. Conclusions Tics and OCD were significantly associated in this sample, as were OCD and ADHD. These findings are in general consistent with those from family studies, and they help to define the natural history, comorbid illnesses, and interrelatedness of these conditions.