cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene deficiency increases the mortality of sepsis in mice.

Background. Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS or NOS2) has been implicated in the hypotension, organ failure, and death that complicate sepsis. To avoid the confounding effects and limitations of iNOS inhibitors, we used iNOS gene knockout mice to examine the effect of inducible NO production in a model of polymicrobial abdominal sepsis treated with antibiotics. We hypothesized that iNOS gene deficiency would significantly alter outcome. Methods. C57BL6 wild-type (control) and congenic iNOS knockout mice were studied concurrently. Under halothane anesthesia, the ceca were ligated with 4-0 silk suture and punctured twice with a 26-gauge needle (cecal ligation and puncture, CLP). Survival was followed for 7 days, after which necropsies were performed in surviving animals. In an accompanying study examining the acute effects of sepsis, organ injury at 18 hours after CLP as determined by histology and the degree of cell death by apoptosis were examined with the use of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and TUNEL staining and two-channel fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Results. Sham laparotomy produced no lethality in either knockout (n = 3) or wild-type (n = 3) animals. Compared with survival in controls (n = 20), survival after CLP in iNOS knockout mice (n = 21) was significantly decreased (P <.01 at 2 days, P =.080 at 7 days, Mantel-Haenszel log-rank test). CLP-induced apoptotic cell death was significantly less in the thymus of iNOS knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. Conclusions. We conclude that iNOS gene function provides a survival benefit in septic mice and is associated with increased sepsis-induced thymocyte apoptosis. To our knowledge, this is the first survival study examining the effect of iNOS gene deficiency in a clinically relevant model of sepsis.
Differential citizenship in the shadow state

State restructuring through decentralization, privatization, and related processes has prompted the growth of the non-profit sector as a `shadow state' increasingly responsible for social service delivery and community development. In this context, the question arises as to how citizenship, defined as inclusion in a polity through the distribution of rights and resources, is realized within the shadow state. If non-profit organizations are assuming functions of the state but access to the shadow state is unevenly distributed, the result may be selective disenfranchisement or differential citizenship. This paper examines the nature of differential access to citizenship within the shadow state by looking at the practices and contexts of non-profit community development corporations (CDCs) in the city of Newark, New Jersey. The shadow state is affected by structural and contextual influences including financial, policy, and political factors that produce differential organizational capacity, uneven spatial coverage, client selectivity, inadequate program support, unrecognized need, and unconsidered clients' preferences. These contextualized practices in turn result in differential access to citizenship in the shadow state. Solutions to the problem of differential citizenship require improvements in the structural and contextual conditions influencing the scope and capacity of the non-profit sector.
Density dependent recruitment in the reef fish Chaetodon miliaris

Recruitment of reef fish has generally been found to be unrelated to or positively related to adult densities. This paper reports an inverse relationship between the number of recruits of Chaetodon miliaris and the density of conspecific adults. C. miliaris are non-territorial, planktivorous butterflyfish. The study populations occurred on the flanks of patch reefs of about 30 m in diameter. At their peak densities populations consisted of 300–400 C. miliaris. Recruitment (the appearance in the stock of fish less than ∼ 3.5cm in total length) occurred primarily from April to June and corresponded to the new moon period in these months. Populations generally showed a steady decline in numbers during months of the year when recruitment was not occurring: the finite rate of decline was approximately 30% per month. Populations varied in the density of adults at the start of the spring-summer period of recruitment, and the magnitude of recruitment to a reef was inversely related to the density of these conspecific adults. Reduction of the densities of adult C. miliaris through trap fishing, resulted in increased recruitment to the fished stock. These results provide evidence that in some. species of reef fish, benthic processes may play an important role in determining the magnitude of recruitment to an adult stock, in contrast to the widely held view that recruitment is in large part a result of chance events in the plankton or that recruitment is directly related to adult densities.
Model-free stochastic learning in adaptive wireless networks

Three applications in wireless networks where model-free stochastic learning is applicable, are discussed. The learning based optimization problems are formulated and simulation results are presented. Some open issues are also discussed.
Fine structure of the zoospore ofUlothrix belkae with emphasis on the flagellar apparatus

The anterior end of the zoospore ofUlothrix belkae has been examined in detail and is compared toStigeoclonium and other filamentous green algae. The nature of the symmetry of green algal motile cells is discussed and the term, 180° rotational symmetry, is proposed to describe the type of arrangement of anterior end components seen inU. belkae, including the four basal bodies, rootlets and striated fibers. The four microtubular rootlets are cruciately arranged. A striated microtubule-associated component (SMAC) has a periodicity of 6.4 nm and extends with each 2-membered rootlet posteriorly into the cell. One 5-membered rootlet passes very near the eyespot. Phylogeny in green algal motile cells is discussed.
Patterns of immigration and public assistance utilization, 1970-1980

The recent surge in immigration to the United States has re? kindled debate over the economic burden imposed by immi? grants. This article explores the utilization of public assis? tance by immigrants and natives. The analysis goes beyond existing research by utilizing repeated cross-sectional data. Descriptive tables show that despite their higher poverty rates, immigrant families had only minimally higher public assistance recipiency rates compared to natives. Multivariate logistic regression analyses reveal that immigrant families were generally less likely than natives to receive public assis? tance, other things equal. There were exceptions to this gen?
Potential Physiologic Roles for Epidermal Growth Factor in the Kidney

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a 53-amino acid polypeptide that is known to produce a number of biologic effects both in vitro and in vivo. High concentrations of EGF are found in urine, and high concentrations of preproEGF mRNA have been detected in kidney, localized to thick ascending limb of Henle (TALH) and distal convoluted tubule. Specific high-affinity EGF receptors have been demonstrated in mesangial cells, proximal tubule, and cortical and inner medullary collecting duct, as well as in medullary interstitial cells. In the proximal tubule, EGF binding and EGF receptor-associated tyrosine kinase activity are localized to basolateral membrane, and functionbl responses in collecting duct are observed only with basolateral administration of EGF. A number of renal responses to administration of EGF have recently been described, including modulation of glomerular hemodynamics, renal metabolism, tubular transport functions, and eicosanoid synthesis. In addition, EGF has been shown to be a potent mitogen in vitro for a variety of cell types in the kidney and may be an important mediator of renal repair following injury.
Intel® QuickPath Interconnect Architectural Features Supporting Scalable System Architectures

Single processor performance has exhibited substantial growth over the last three decades [1] as shown in Figure 1. What is also desired are techniques which enable connecting together multiple processors in order to create scalable, modular and resilient multiprocessor systems. Beginning with the production of the Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series, (previously codenamed “Nehalem-EP”), the Intel® Xeon® processor 7500 series (previously codenamed “Nehalem-EX”), and the Intel® Itanium™ processor 9300 series (previously codenamed “Tukwila-MC”), Intel Corporation has introduced a series of multi-core processors that can be easily interconnected to create server systems scaling from 2 to 8 sockets. In addition, OEM platforms are currently available that extend this up to 256-socket server designs1. This scalable system architecture is built upon the foundation of the Intel® QuickPath Interconnect (Intel QPI). These Intel micro-architectures provide multiple high-speed (currently up to 25.6 GB/s), point-to-point connections between processors, I/O hubs and third party node controllers. The interconnect features, as well as the capabilities built into the processor’s system interconnect logic (also known as “uncore”), work together to deliver the performance, scalability, and reliability demanded in larger scale systems.
An Action Representation Formalism to Interpret Natural Language Instructions

The focus of this paper is on an action representation formalism that encodes bothlinguistic andplanning knowledge about actions, and that supports the interpretation of complex Natural Language instructions and, in particular, of instructions containing Purpose Clauses. The representation uses linguistically motivated primitives, derived from Jackendoff's work on Conceptual Semantics, and is embedded in the description logic based system CLASSIC. I first motivate the characteristics of the formalism as needed to understand Natural Language instructions. I then describe the formalism itself, and I argue that the integration of a linguistically motivated lexical semantics formalism and of a description logic based system is beneficial to both. Finally, I show how the formalism is exploited by the algorithm that interprets Purpose Clauses. The output of the algorithm is used in theAnimation from NL project, that has as its goal the automatic creation of animated task simulations.
Ultrasonic Debridement of Mitral Calcification

Dense annular calcification to the valve attachment is particularly hazardous during mitral valve replacement because of the difficulty of placing sutures and the risk of atrioventricular rupture. We report 11 patients who underwent decalcification of the mitral anulus with the Cavitron Ultrasound Surgical Aspirator (CUSA) during mitral valve replacement. This resulted in a greatly simplified suture placement and prosthetic valve seating as well as enlargement of the annular orifice. Four other patients underwent CUSA debridement of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve during concomitant aortic valve replacement and CUSA debridement of the aortic anulus. There were no operative deaths or major complications. Ultrasonic debridement is a useful adjunct in the surgical management of the heavily calcified mitral valve.
Developing safety critical software for an unmanned aerial vehicle situational awareness tool

In this paper, we describe our application of the SPARK programming language to the development of flight control software for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The SPARK language was used during a senior-level software engineering course at the US Air Force Academy. This paper uses the year-long project from this course as an example application of SPARK. The process we used to build an interface between C++ and Ada is discussed along with our experiences with using SPARK.
An Analytical Method for Synthesizing the Four-Bar Crank-Rocker Mechanism

An algebraic method is presented for synthesizing the four-bar crank-rocker mechanisms in general, with the offset slider-crank mechanism as a special case, for coordinating the prescribed input and output link extreme positions. Solutions to the equations of constraint are derived for different cases. Among a large number of the available solutions, an optimal design is governed by a given parameter which is determined based on a design criterion. Numerous examples are provided.
Memory predecryption: hiding the latency overhead of memory encryption

Memory encryption has become a common approach to providing a secure processing environment, but current schemes suffer from extra performance and storage overheads. This paper presents predecryption as a method of providing this security with less overhead by using well-known prefetching techniques to retrieve data from memory and perform decryption before it is needed by the processor. Our results, tested mostly on SPEC 2000 benchmarks, show that using our predecryption scheme can actually result in no increase in execution time despite an extra 128 cycle decryption latency per memory block access.
Synthesis and structural investigation of biologically active complexes of 4-acetyl-2-(acetylamino)-5-dimethyl-Δ2-1,3,4-thiadiazole with Zn(II), Hg(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II)

Abstract 4-Acetyl-2-(acetylamino)-5-dimethyl-Δ2-1,3,4-thiadiazole (AAT) has been used to obtain the complexes of the general formula [M(AAT)X 2 ]·H 2 O where M(II) = Zn, Hg, Cd and Cu, and X  Cl or 1 2 SO 4 . The complexes have been characterized on the basis of their elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility and spectral data. Probable structures for the complexes have been proposed on the basis of their physico-chemical properties. The fungitoxicity of AAT and the isolated complexes has been tested on pathogenic fungi.
Protein tyrosine phosphatase substrate specificity: size and phosphotyrosine positioning requirements in peptide substrates

The structural requirements of substrates for two recombinant protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) are probed using various-sized synthetic phosphotyrosine (pY)-containing peptides corresponding to the autophosphorylation site in EGF receptor (EGFR) at Y992. The peptide EGFR988-998 (DADEpYLIPQQG) is chosen as a template due to its favorable kinetic constants. The contribution of individual amino acids on both sides of pY to binding and catalysis was assessed by kinetic analysis using a continuous, spectrophotometric assay. For both Yersinia PTPase and a soluble recombinant mammalian PTPase of 323 amino acid residues (rat PTP1), efficient binding and catalysis required six amino acids including the pY residue, i.e., four residues N-terminal to pY and one residue C-terminal to pY. Thus, PTPase substrate specificity is primarily dictated by residues to the N-terminal side of pY. The pY moiety and the rest of the peptide interact with PTPases in a cooperative manner. The presence of pY in the peptide substrate is necessary but not sufficient for high-affinity binding, since phosphotyrosine and other simple aryl phosphates exhibit weak binding, and dephosphorylated peptides do not bind to PTPases. Two variations on the pY moiety are also examined in order to assess their utility in PTPase inhibitor design. It is demonstrated that the thiophosphoryl analog in which one of the phosphate oxygens is replaced by sulfur can be hydrolyzed by PTPases, whereas the phosphonomethylphenylalanine analog in which the tyrosyl oxygen is replaced by a CH2 group is a competitive and nonhydrolyzable inhibitor, with Ki values of 18.6 and 10.2 microM, respectively, for the Yersinia PTPase and the rat PTP1.
From Confederate Overalls to Designer Jeans The Changing Southern Vocabulary

L'A. propose une comparaison de la variation lexicale dans le Linguistic Atlas of the Gulf States (dont le travail de terrain a ete realise depuis le milieu des annees 70 jusqu'au debut des annees 80) et dans le Linguistic Atlas of the Middle and South Atlantic States (dont le travail de terrain a ete realise dans les annees 30 et 40). Les resultats de cette etude indiquent que la distinction entre le vocabulaire rural et le vocabulaire urbain n'est pas un phenomene nouveau et qu'il etait deja manifeste dans les annees 30-40. En outre, cette etude permet de souligner le fait que le vocabulaire populaire du sud est en train de disparaitre pour etre remplace par un modele plus national
Specific heats of the solid-state phases of trimargarin and tristearin

Differential scanning calorimetry is used to obtain specific heats of the α, β′2, β′1 and β phases of trimargarin and tristearin in the temperature range from 190–350 K. Unequal specific heats are observed for β′ phases of the 2 lipids in contrast to nearly coincident values for their respective α and β phases. These results are discussed on the basis of odd vs even chain length triglycerides.
Transporters for Drug Delivery and as Drug Targets in Parasitic Protozoa

Parasitic protozoa cause devastating diseases across large regions of the globe, but a lack of economic incentives has resulted in the limited development of drugs against these "neglected diseases." Transporters expressed in the plasma membranes of these parasites offer potential for the development of new drugs. These permeases could be employed in two distinct strategies for drug development: (i) targeting selective delivery of drugs to the parasite and (ii) developing drugs that inhibit essential parasite permeases.
Single-particle properties from Kohn–Sham Green's functions

Abstract An effective action approach to Kohn–Sham density functional theory is used to illustrate how the exact Green's function can be calculated in terms of the Kohn–Sham Green's function. An example based on Skyrme energy functionals shows that single-particle Kohn–Sham spectra can be improved by adding sources used to construct the energy functional.
Synthesis of new polydimethylsiloxane-ε-caprolactam block copolymers

Poly(dimethylsiloxane-e-caprolactam) block copolymers were prepared from e-caprolactam and anhydride-terminated polydimethylsiloxane oligomers under anionic conditions in the melt.
Factitious sickle cell acute painful episodes : A secondary type of Munchausen syndrome

Three adult patients with factitious acute sickle cell painful episodes are presented and the literature is reviewed. The prevalence of this disorder among patients with sickle cell disease in our program was found to be about 0.9%. The patients described to date were all young adults who demonstrated pathological lying (pseudologico fantastico) and most of them had an underlying authentic medical illness to which the feigned signs and symptoms of sickle cell disease were added, thus making the diagnosis more plausible. It is recommended that all patients who present themselves with the signs and symptoms of sickle cell painful episodes be carefully studied in order to confirm the diagnosis. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
De‐alation, flight muscle histolysis, and oocyte development in the striped ground cricket, Allonemobius fasciatus

. Removal of hindwings from long-winged females of the striped ground cricket, Allonemobius fasciatus, DeGeer (Gryllidae), induces flight muscle histolysis and oocyte development. Such females develop oocytes as rapidly as do short-winged forms, while intact long-winged females retain their flight muscles and develop few oocytes. Flight muscle histolysis occurs in starved long-winged females when they are de-alated. However, such females fail to mature oocytes. Implantation of corpora allata (CA) into long-winged females results in flight muscle histolysis as well as oocyte maturation even if their hindwings remain intact, indicating that flight muscle histolysis can take place without de-alation. It is likely that the CA are responsible for both flight muscle histolysis and oocyte development, and that CA activity is enhanced by de-alation.
The impact of politics on exchange rate fluctuations: The untold story

Exchange rate fluctuations send the wrong message to economic agents, affect the credibility of the government and result in loss of welfare for the whole society. Therefore, the optimal economic and political scenario revolves around stable equilibrium exchange rates. This paper is concerned with long term trends and builds up on balance of payment explanations of exchange rates fluctuations but adds a political perspective. It contends that effective governments will provide trust in their capacity of managing and implementing the necessary policies to avoid misalignments, especially recurrent devaluations. Using cross‐pooled time series analysis for 90 countries during 1960–1985, I find that while the economic explanation is straight forward, politics provides a nonlinear interpretation. Higher level of reserves provides governments with flexibility to intervene in the foreign exchange market; high levels of indebtedness are counterproductive to maintain a strong domestic currency but, the current acco...
Transverse-Longitudinal Coupling in Intense Beams

The coupling between transverse and longitudinal perturbations is studied self-consistently by considering a beam of K-V distribution. The analysis is carried out within the context of linearized Vlasov-Maxwell equations and electrostatic approximation. The perturbation is assumed to be azimuthally symmetric but axially non-uniform (kz ? 0). It is shown that the coupling affects both the longitudinal and transverse modes significantly in the high density and low frequency region. Two new classes of longitudinal modes are found which would not exist if the transverse motions of particles are neglected. The effect of resistive wall impedance on beam stability is also studied. It is found that the longitudinal impedance can cause the transverse modes also to be weakly unstable.
Clickers and metacognition: A quasi-experimental comparative study about metacognitive self-regulation and use of electronic feedback devices

The purpose of this study was to establish whether electronic response systems (clickers) influence student metacognition in large lecture settings more than low-technology polling devices. In this first part of a two part mixed methods study inquiry was made into whether student metacognition was influenced and how metacognition was influenced. This quasi-experimental study was performed with students from three sections of the same undergraduate educational psychology course taught by the same instructor. Participants totaled 198: 33 in the summer section, 87 in the fall experimental (clickers) group, and 78 in the fall (paddles) comparison group. Because metacognition is associated with higher academic outcomes, we hypothesized that the response device which elicited higher levels of metacognition would also demonstrate higher performance outcomes. While results from the study indicate that metacognitive processes are influenced more so by paddles than by clickers, clicker use produced significantly higher performance outcomes. Results of this study support recent research findings indicating that higher performance outcomes result when clicker use is combined with instructional strategies; furthermore, findings suggest metacognition from clicker use was a more productive influence on the learning process.
Semantic codes are not used in integrating information across eye fixations in reading: Evidence from fluent Spanish-English bilinguals

The question of whether meaning can be extracted from unidentified parafoveal words was examined using fluent Spanish-English bilinguals. In Experiment 1, subjects fixated on a central cross, and a preview word was presented to the right of fixation in parafoveal vision. During the saccade to the parafoveal preview word, the preview was replaced by the target word, which the subject was required to name. In Experiment 2, subjects read sentences containing the target word, and, as in the naming task, a preview word was replaced by the target word when the subject’s saccade crossed a boundary location. In both experiments, preview words were identical to the target word, translations, orthographic controls for the translations, or unrelated words in the opposite language. In both experiments, the preview benefit from the translation conditions was no greater than would be predicted by the orthographic similarity of the preview to the target. Hence, the data indicated that subjects obtained no useful semantic information from words seen parafoveally that enabled them to identify them more quickly on the subsequent fixation.
Temperature dependence of the shock-induced reversal of martensite to austenite in an iron-nickel-carbon alloy

Abstract Shock compression experiments have been used to measure the temperature dependence from 25 to 390°C of the transition pressure associated with the reversal of martensite to austenite in an Fe-28.4 at. % Ni-0.5 at. % C alloy. The transition pressure decreases nonlinearly from 67 kbar at 45°C to about 6 kbar at 390°C. Above 300°C the slope of the phase line is −0.25 kbar/°C, whereas below 250°C the slope is − 0.14 kbar/°C. These data are analyzed by two thermodynamic procedures; 1. (i) by assuming the reversal is an isothermal transformation, and 2. (ii) by assuming that the reversal is an adiabatic transformation. The latter procedure provides the better fit to the data. Previous hydrostatic pressure measurements of the transition from 300° to 380°C are compared with the shock compression data. Although the temperature coefficients determined in the two separate experiments are the same, the transition pressure determined in the hydrostatic experiments is about 10 kbar lower than the transition pressure determined in the shock experiments. This discrepancy is caused by a partial reversal of martensite due to the presence of shear stresses in the shock compression experiments.
The federal environmental health workforce in the United States

This paper summarizes existing data on the size and composition of the federal environmental health workforce, delineates the major categories of activities carried out by its members, identifies current and emerging issues that are likely to affect workforce activities, and makes qualitative inferences about future trends and directions. Findings suggest that there is a current and future need for more and better qualified professionals in the federal environmental health workforce.
Prophet regions for independent [0,1]-valued random variables with random discounting

Abstract Let X 1, X 2… and B 1, B 2… be mutually independent [0, 1]-valued random variables, with EB j = β > 0 for all j. Let Y j = B 1 … sB j−1 X j for j ≥ 1. A complete comparison is made between the optimal stopping value V(Y 1,…,Y n ):=sup{EY τ:τ is a stopping rule for Y 1,…,Y n } and E(max 1≤j≤n Y j ). It is shown that the set of ordered pairs {(x, y):x = V(Y 1,…,Y n ), y = E(max 1≤j≤n Y j ) for some sequence Y 1,…,Y n obtained as described} is precisely the set {(x, y):0 ≤ x ≤ 1, x ≤ y ≤ Ψ n, β(x)}, where Ψ n, β(x) = [(1 − β)n + 2β]x − β−(n−2) x 2 if x ≤ β n−1, and Ψ n, β(x) = min j≥1{(1 − β)jx + β j } otherwise. Sharp difference and ratio prophet inequalities are derived from this result, and an analogous comparison for infinite sequences is obtained.
Utility of the Proximal Margin Frozen Section for Resection of Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A 7-Institution Study of the US Gastric Cancer Collaborative

The proximal gastric margin dictates the extent of resection for gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). The value of achieving negative margins via additional gastric resection after a positive proximal margin frozen section (FS) is unknown. The US Gastric Cancer Collaborative includes all patients who underwent resection of GAC at seven institutions from 2000–2012. Intraoperative proximal margin FS data and final permanent section (PS) data were classified as R0 or R1, respectively; positive distal margins were excluded. The primary aim was to evaluate the impact on local recurrence of converting a positive proximal FS-R1 margin to a PS-R0 final margin by additional resection. Secondary endpoints were recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Of 860 patients, 520 had a proximal margin FS and 67 were positive. Of these, 48 were converted to R0 on PS by additional resection. R0 proximal margin was achieved in 447 patients (86 %), PS-R1 in 25 (5 %), and converted FS-R1-to-PS-R0 in 48 (9 %). The median follow-up was 44 months. Local recurrence was significantly decreased in the converted FS-R1-to-PS-R0 group compared to the PS-R1 group (10 vs. 32 %; p = 0.01). Median RFS was similar between the FS-R1-to-PS-R0 and PS-R1 cohorts (25 vs. 20 months; p = 0.49), compared to 37 months for the PS-R0 group. Median OS was similar between the FS-R1-to-PS-R0 conversion and PS-R1 groups (36 vs. 26 months; p = 0.14) compared to 50 months for the PS-R0 group. On multivariate analysis, increasing T-stage and N-stage were associated with worse OS; the FS-R1-to-PS-R0 proximal margin conversion was not significantly associated with improved RFS (p = 0.68) or OS (p = 0.44). Conversion of a positive intraoperative proximal margin frozen section during gastric cancer resection may decrease local recurrence, but it is not associated with improved RFS or OS. This may guide decisions regarding the extent of resection.
Contamination of Atlantic coast commercial shellfish with Cryptosporidium.

Shellfish (oysters and/or clams) were obtained from 37 commercial harvesting sites in 13 Atlantic coast states from Maine to Florida and one site in New Brunswick, Canada. Gill washings from each of 25 shellfish at each site were examined by immunofluorescence microscopy (IFA) for oocysts of Cryptosporidium. Gill washings from another 25 shellfish at each site were grouped into five pools of five shellfish each. DNA from each pool was utilized for PCR and genotyping. Oocysts were found in 3.7% of 925 oysters and clams examined by IFA in shellfish from New Brunswick and 11 of 13 states. Cryptosporidium DNA was detected by PCR in 35.2% of 185 pools. Cryptosporidium parvum genotypes 1 and 2, and Cryptosporidium meleagridis, all of which have been identified in infected humans, were identified at 37.8% of the sites. Gill washings from every site were tested for the presence of infectious oocysts by biological assay in neonatal BALB/c mice but no mice were found infected, suggesting that either the oocysts were no longer infectious or infections in mice were below the level of detection. Collectively, these findings indicate that Cryptosporidium species, indicative of pollution from human and animal feces and potentially infectious for humans, were found in commercial shellfish from 64.9% of sites examined along the Atlantic coast by either microscopy or molecular testing. Previous reports link periods of high rainfall with the elevated numbers of pathogen contaminated shellfish. Because shellfish in the present study were examined during a period of exceptionally low precipitation, the data are thought to underestimate the number of Cryptosporidium contaminated shellfish likely to be found during periods of normal or above normal precipitation.
Before I Forget: From Personal Memory to Family History

This article presents findings from a field study of 8 persons older than 50 who were undertaking a range of activities with the intention of “recording their memories for posterity.” We describe practices associated with dealing with inherited family archives; the creation of new artifacts (such as scrapbooks and collections of letters) out of repurposed archived materials; and the recording of one's memoirs. Our analysis leads us to emphasise a distinction between “personal” memory and memory “for family,” noting that although memory is used in the construction of a sense of one's own history, and in enabling personal reflection on the past, the work that is bound up with processing archives and producing new artifacts is heavily influenced by a desire to make them accessible and relevant to children and grandchildren, both now and in the future. The tending to, and crafting of, these materials can be understood as a means of creating a “joint” past and reinforcing a wider family narrative. We conclude ...
Two Inward Currents in Frog Atrial Muscle

The double sucrose-gap voltage-clamp technique was applied to frog atrial tissue to investigate the ionic currents responsible for the action potential in this tissue. Membrane depolarization elicited two distinct components of inward current when the test node was exposed to normal Ringer solution: a fast inward current and a slow inward current. The fast inward current appeared to be carried by sodium ions, since it was rapidly abolished by exposure of the fiber to Na+-free solution or tetrodotoxin but persisted on exposure to Ca++-free solution. In contrast, in the majority of the preparations the slow inward current appeared to be primarily carried by calcium ions, since it was abolished on exposure of the fiber to Ca++-free solution but persisted on exposure to Na+-free solution. Action potential data supported the voltage-clamp findings. The normal action potential shows two distinct components in the upstroke phase: an initial rapid phase of depolarization followed by a slower phase of depolarization reaching the peak of the action potential. Abolition of the fast inward current resulted in abolition of the initial rapid phase of depolarization. Abolition of the slow inward current resulted in abolition of the slow phase of depolarization. These data support the hypothesis that two distinct and different ionic mechanisms contribute to the upstroke phase of the action potential in frog atrial tissue.
A multigrid upwind strategy for accelerating steady-state computations of waves propagating with curvature-dependent speeds

A multigrid strategy using upwind finite differencing is developed for accelerating the steady state computations of waves, [14] propagating with curvature-dependent speeds. This will allow the rapid computation of a “burn table.” In a high explosive material, a burn table will allow the elimination of solving chemical reaction ODEs by feeding in source terms to the reactive flow equations for solution of the system of ignition of the high explosive material. Standard iterative methods show a quick reduction of the residual followed by a slow final convergence to the solution at high iterations. Such systems, including a nonlinear system such as this, are excellent choices for the use of multigrid methods to speed up convergence. Numerical steady-state solutions to the eikonal equation on several test grids are conducted. Results are presented for these cases in 2D and a cubic grid in 3D using a Runge-Kutta time iteration for the smoothing operator until steady state is reached. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 18: 179–192, 2002; DOI 10.1002/num.1002
Exploiting Sparsity in Direct Collocation Pseudospectral Methods for Solving Optimal Control Problems

Inadirectcollocationpseudospectralmethod,acontinuous-timeoptimalcontrolproblemistranscribedtoa finitedimensional nonlinear programming problem. Solving this nonlinear programming problem as efficiently as possible requires that sparsity at both the first- and second-derivative levels be exploited. In this paper, a computationally efficient method is developed for computing the first and second derivatives of the nonlinear programming problem functions arising from a pseudospectral discretization of a continuous-time optimal control problem. Specifically,in thispaper, expressions arederivedfor theobjective function gradient, constraint Jacobian, and Lagrangian Hessian arising from the previously developed Radau pseudospectral method. It is shown that the computation of these derivative functions can be reduced to computing the first and second derivatives of the functions in the continuous-time optimal control problem. As a result, the method derived in this paper reduces significantly the amount of computation required to obtain the first and second derivatives required by a nonlinear programming problem solver. The approach derived in this paper is demonstrated on an example where it is found that significant computational benefits are obtained when compared against direct differentiation of the nonlinear programming problem functions. The approach developed in this paper improves the computational efficiency of solving nonlinear programming problems arising from pseudospectral discretizations of continuous-time optimal control problems.
Pairwise Markov chains

We propose a model called a pairwise Markov chain (PMC), which generalizes the classical hidden Markov chain (HMC) model. The generalization, which allows one to model more complex situations, in particular implies that in PMC the hidden process is not necessarily a Markov process. However, PMC allows one to use the classical Bayesian restoration methods like maximum a posteriori (MAP), or maximal posterior mode (MPM). So, akin to HMC, PMC allows one to restore hidden stochastic processes, with numerous applications to signal and image processing, such as speech recognition, image segmentation, and symbol detection or classification, among others. Furthermore, we propose an original method of parameter estimation, which generalizes the classical iterative conditional estimation (ICE) valid for a classical hidden Markov chain model, and whose extension to possibly non-Gaussian and correlated noise is briefly treated. Some preliminary experiments validate the interest of the new model.
Echocardiographic diagnosis of right aortic arch with a retroesophageal segment and left descending aorta.

I wo-dimensional echocardiography has been used extensively to assess aortic arch anatomy in infants and children. Echocardiographic techniques for examination of left and right aortic arch, coarctation and interruption of the aorta, aortic aneurysm and double aortic arch have been well described.lp2 Right aortic arch with retroesophageal segment and left descending aorta, an unusual form of vascular ring, has been described using angiography, barium swallow and computed axial tomography.3-5 In this report, we describe a-dimensional (2-D) echocardiographic findings in an infant with this unusual form of vascular ring. A Y-month-old, 7%kg boy with the clinical diagnoses of CHARGE association, dextrocardia, pulmonary valve stenosis and recurrent pulmonary infections was evaluated by Z-D echocardiography, barium swallow and cardiac catheterization, The aortic arch was visualized by positioning the transducer in the
Syndecan-4 core protein is sufficient for the assembly of focal adhesions and actin stress fibers

The formation of focal adhesions and actin stress fibers on fibronectin is dependent on signaling through (β)1 integrins and the heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-4, and we have analyzed the requirement of the glycosaminoglycan chains of syndecan-4 during these events. Chinese hamster ovary cells with mutations in key enzymes of the glycanation process do not synthesize glycosaminoglycan chains and are unable to assemble actin stress fibers and focal contacts when cultured on fibronectin. Transfection of the mutant cells with a cDNA that encodes the core protein of chicken syndecan-4 leads to the production of unglycanated core protein. The overexpression of syndecan-4 core protein in these mutant cells increases cell spreading and is sufficient for these cells to assemble actin stress fibers and focal adhesions similar to wild-type cells seeded on fibronectin and vitronectin matrices. Syndecan-4 core protein colocalizes to focal contacts in mutant cells that have been transfected with the syndecan-4 core protein cDNA. These data indicate an essential role for the core protein of syndecan-4 in the generation of signals leading to actin stress fiber and focal contact assembly.
Investigation of NMR signal-to-noise ratio for RF scroll microcoils

Although NMR has the ability to investigate biological systems non-destructively, it suffers from low sensitivity compared to other analytical techniques. Therefore, optimizing radio frequency (RF) coils to improve sensitivity is an area of significant focus in NMR Sensitivity can be improved for mass- and volume-limited samples by reducing, coil diameter, and adding sensing layers to the coil. This paper demonstrates that around skin depth, coil sensitivity can be increased with additional sensing layers, by using multilayered scroll coil geometries. While solenoids have demonstrated increased sensitivity over conventional coils (Helmholtz, Saddle, and Birdcage), their dimensions are limited by wire diameter, and difficulty in fabrication at reduced dimensions. The novel scroll geometry avails of microfabrication techniques to provide flexibility in manufacturing coils at very reduced dimensions.
Protective Properties of 2-Acetylcyclopentanone in a Mouse Model of Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity

Our previous research showed that enolates formed from 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, such as 2-acetylcyclopentanone (2-ACP), could provide protection in cell culture models from electrophile- or oxidative stress-induced toxicity. In the present study, we evaluated the protective abilities of 2-ACP in a mouse model of acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Results show that oral APAP overdose (500 mg/kg) was nearly 90% lethal within 72 hours and that the resulting hepatotoxicity was associated with substantial changes in plasma liver enzyme activities, histopathological indices, and markers of hepatocyte oxidative stress. 2-ACP administered intraperitoneally 20 minutes before APAP completely prevented lethality over a 7-day observation period. This effect was dose-dependent (0.80–2.40 mmol/kg) and was correlated with normalization of measured parameters. Nearly complete protection was afforded when 2-ACP was administered 20 minutes post-APAP, but not 60 minutes after intoxication. Although intraperitoneal administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was not effective over a broad dose range (2.40–7.20 mmol/kg), temporal studies indicated that intraperitoneal NAC was hepatoprotective when injected 60 minutes after APAP intoxication. Because of a loss of function in stomach acid, oral administration of 2-ACP was associated with modest APAP protection. In contrast, NAC administered orally provided dose-dependent (0.80–2.40 mmol/kg) protection against APAP hepatotoxicity. In chemico studies and quantum mechanical calculations indicated that 2-ACP acted as a surrogate nucleophilic target for the reactive electrophilic APAP metabolite N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine. Our findings suggest that 2-ACP or a derivative might be useful in treating acquired toxicities associated with electrophilic drugs and metabolites or environmental toxicants.
Primary lateral sclerosis as progressive supranuclear palsy: diagnosis by diffusion tensor imaging.

Background—Evaluating the integrity of white matter tracts with diffusion tensor imaging may differentiate primary lateral sclerosis from progressive supranuclear palsy. Methods—Thirty-three prospectively recruited subjects had standardized evaluations and diffusion tensor imaging: 3 with primary lateral sclerosis who presented with features suggestive of progressive supranuclear palsy, 10 with probable or definite progressive supranuclear palsy, and 20 matched controls. We compared fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract, superior cerebellar peduncle and body of the corpus callosum between groups. Results—Both the primary lateral sclerosis and progressive supranuclear palsy subjects showed reduced fractional anisotropy in superior cerebellar peduncles and body of the corpus callosum compared to controls, but only primary lateral sclerosis subjects showed reductions in the corticospinal tracts. A ratio of corticospinal tract/superior cerebellar peduncle best distinguished the disorders (p<0.02). Conclusions—The corticospinal tract/superior cerebellar peduncle ratio is a marker to differentiate primary lateral sclerosis from progressive supranuclear palsy.
A deteriorating state of affairs: How endogenous and exogenous factors determine plant decay rates

Summary Woody plants store large quantities of carbon (C) and nutrients. As plants senesce and decay, these stores transfer to the soil or other organisms or are released to the atmosphere. Exogenous factors such as topographic position and microclimatic and edaphic conditions tied to locations affect decay rates; however, we know less about how exogenous relative to endogenous factors such as morphological, anatomical and chemical construction tied to plant species affect these rates, especially across different tissue types. We monitored stem, fine branch and leaf decay over 1 year in ‘rot plots’ distributed across four watersheds in ridge top and valley bottom habitats in a temperate deciduous oak-hickory forest at Tyson Research Center, MO, USA, in the Ozark Highlands for 21 species of woody plants that vary in their constructions. We found poor coordination across tissues in construction and decay, which likely reflects how functional constraints on living tissues influence recalcitrance to decay. Additionally, for all three tissues, species membership and construction were better predictors of decay than was location. Of the construction traits, chemical composition including total fibre, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose and concentrations of multiple microelements were the best predictors of decay, although the strength of these relationships differed among tissues. Synthesis. We have long known that rates of biogeochemical cycling are influenced by exogenous factors, such as climatic and edaphic factors. Here, we show across plant tissues that endogenous factors, including species identity and tissue construction, can have stronger controls on rates of decay within our study system than do exogenous factors. However, it is likely that the relative strengths of these different controls change through time and among tissues. We predict that anatomical and morphological controls may be more important at early stages and exogenous factors may be more important at later stages of decay.
Supine Position Is Ideal for Manipulation and Pinning of All Types of Supracondylar Fractures Compared with the Prone Position

Venkatadass K, Balachandar G, Rajasekaran S. Is Prone Position Ideal for Manipulation and Pinning of Displaced Pediatric Extension-type Supracondylar Fractures of Humerus?: A Randomized Control Trial. J Pediatr Orthop. 2014 Nov 12. ### Question: In children with displaced supracondylar humeral fractures, is there an advantage to prone versus supine positioning while performing a closed reduction and pinning of the fracture? ### Design: Randomized (allocation concealed), unblinded, controlled trial with 1 year of follow-up. ### Setting: The Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. ### Patients: 52 children between 3 and 14 years of age (mean age, 7 years; 79% boys) with acute Gartland type-III fractures. Exclusion criteria were Gartland type-I and II fractures, closed physis, associated vascular injury, or open fracture. 50 patients (96%) completed the study. ### Intervention: Patients were allocated to undergo surgery in the prone (n = 26) or supine position (n = 26). One surgeon experienced in both techniques performed the surgeries. Patients in the prone group were positioned with the arm over a board and a cushion supporting the elbow. The reduction in both …
Spiritual and religious beliefs and practices and social support's relationship to diabetes self-care activities in African Americans.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among spiritual and religious beliefs and practices, social support, and diabetes self-care activities in African Americans with type 2 diabetes, hypothesizing that there would be a positive association.MethodThis cohort study used a cross-sectional design that focused on baseline data from a larger randomized control trial. Diabetes self-care activities (Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities) and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed, in addition to spiritual and religious beliefs and practices and social support based on the Systems of Belief Inventory subscales I (beliefs and practices) and II (social support).ResultsThere were 132 participants: most were women, middle-aged, obese, single, high school educated, and not employed. Based on Pearson correlation matrices, there were significant relationships between spiritual and religious beliefs and practices and general diet. Additional significant relationships were found fo...