cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minimum inhibitory concentration and killing properties of rifampicin against canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates from dogs in the southeast USA

Background Meticillin-resistant (MR) staphylococcal pyoderma in dogs has led to increased use of alternate antibiotics such as rifampicin (RFP). However, little information exists regarding its pharmacodynamics in MR Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Hypothesis/objectives To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and killing properties of RFP for canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates. Methods The MIC of RFP was determined using the ETEST® for 50 meticillin-susceptible (MS) and 50 MR S. pseudintermedius isolates collected from dogs. From these isolates, two MS isolates (RFP MIC of 0.003 and 0.008 μg/mL, respectively) and two MR isolates (RFP MIC of 0.003 and 0.012 μg/mL, respectively) were subjected to time-kill studies. Mueller-Hinton broth was supplemented with RFP at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 times the MIC for 0, 2, 4, 10, 16 and 24 h. The number of viable colony forming units in each sample was determined using a commercial luciferase assay kit. Results The MIC50 and MIC90 were the same for MS and MR isolates, at 0.004 μg/mL and 0.008 μg/mL, respectively. Rifampicin kill curves were not indicative of concentration-dependency, suggesting time-dependent activity. Two isolates (MS 0.003 and 0.008 μg/mL) exhibited bacteriostatic activity, whereas two others (MR 0.003 and 0.012 μg/mL) exhibited bactericidal activity. Conclusions and clinical importance This study demonstrated that MS and MR S. pseudintermedius isolates were equally susceptible to rifampicin and that dosing intervals should be designed for time-dependent efficacy. These data can support pharmacokinetic studies of RFP in dogs with susceptible infections caused by S. pseudintermedius.
Bone Calcium Dynamics in Women with Declining Estrogen Levels

Since its description by Fuller Albright, osteoporosis has been known as a disease of postmenopausal or oophorectomized women. Available evidence suggests that bone loss is determined by levels of sex hormone activity as well as other chemical alterations [1].
The Evaluation of Voting Technology

The voting technologies in common use today each have distinct strengths and weaknesses. These technologies cannot be evaluated in isolation, but must be evaluated as parts of a larger social and legal system, as demonstrated by a discussion of the problems with the voting technologies in wide use today, the Australian ballot, including punched card and optical mark-sense ballots, and direct recording voting machines, including mechanical lever machines. Alternate models for canvassing and remote voting further complicate the evaluation.
Interdisciplinary Issues and Collaboration in Assessment and Treatment

Issues of communication, core symptom presentation, effects on challenging behaviors and comorbid psychopathology, and school performance are interrelated. This chapter provides professionals with guidance regarding the range of professionals that may be necessary on interdisciplinary teams serving individuals with ASD and CCN. Roles of these team members and of family members and individuals with ASD and CCN are discussed.
Messin' with texas deriving mother's maiden names using public records

We have developed techniques to automatically infer mother's maiden names from public records. We demonstrate our techniques using publicly available records from the state of Texas, and reduce the entropy of a mother's maiden name from an average of close to 13 bits down to below 6.9 bits for more than a quarter of the people targeted, and down to a zero entropy (i.e., certainty of their mothers maiden name) for a large number of targeted individuals. This poses a significant risk not only to individuals whose mothers maiden name can easily be guessed, but highlights the vulnerability of the system as such, given the traditional reliance of authentication by mother maiden names for financial services. While our techniques and approach are novel, it is important to note that these techniques – once understood – do not require any insider information or particular skills to implement. This emphasizes the need to move away from mothers maiden names as an authenticator. Using the techniques described, during testing we were able to deduce the mother's maiden name for approximately 4,105,111 Texans.
Racial disparity in kidney transplant survival relates to late rejection and is independent of steroid withdrawal

Black kidney transplant recipients have more acute rejection (AR) and inferior graft survival. We sought to determine whether early steroid withdrawal (ESW) had an impact on AR and death-censored graft loss (DCGL) in blacks. From 2006 to 2012, AR and graft survival were analyzed in 483 kidney recipients (208 black and 275 non-black). Rates of ESW were similar between blacks (65%) and non-blacks (67%). AR was defined as early (≤3 months) or late (>3 months). The impact of black race, early AR, and late AR on death-censored graft failure was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox models. Blacks had greater dialysis vintage, more deceased donor transplants, and less HLA matching, yet rates of early AR were comparable between blacks and non-blacks. However, black race was a risk factor for late AR (HR: 3.48 (95% CI: 1.87-6.47)) Blacks had a greater rate of DCGL, partially driven by late AR (HR with late AR: 5.6; 95% CI: 3.3-9.3). ESW had no significant interaction with black race for risk of early AR, late AR, or DCGL. Independent of ESW, black kidney recipients had a higher rate of late AR after kidney transplantation. Late AR was highly predictive of DCGL and contributed to inferior graft survival in blacks.
A screen for targets of the Drosophila pseudokinase Tribbles identifies Neuralized and Mindbomb, ubiquitin ligases that mediate Notch signaling

Drosophila Tribbles (Trbl) is the founding member of a family of pseudokinases with conserved roles in antagonizing cell division, tissue growth and cell differentiation. In humans, three Tribbles isoforms serve as adaptor proteins, binding targets such as Cdc25 phosphatase, Akt kinase or the transcription factor C/EBP to block their activity or direct their proteosomal degradation. Mutations in Tribbles family members are associated with susceptibility to diabetes and cancer, notably Notch-induced tumor growth. Trbl misexpression in the fly wing disk leads to a block in mitosis associated with decreased levels of String/Cdc25 and increased levels of Cyclin B leading to reduced overall wing size and reduced trichome density. We show these Trbl growth-restricting phenotypes can be suppressed by manipulating levels of known Trbl targets, and use this sensitized wing system to screen a collection of growth regulating open reading frames (ORFs) to search for enhancers and suppressors affecting cell and tissue size. By precisely measuring morphometric changes in wing phenotypes using a computer-based tool, we detected synthetic interactions with several E3 ubiquitin ligases, and focused our analysis on the Notch pathway components Neuralized (Neur) and Mindbomb1 (Mib1). In the wing, notum and egg chamber epithelia, Trbl misexpression suppressed Neur and Mib1 activities and stabilized the accumulation of both proteins. To understand these interactions, we used yeast two-hybrid assays to show Trbl physically bound to both Neur and Mib1. Our data are consistent with published reports that mammalian Tribbles3 modulates Notch responses by binding and stabilizing Mindbomb and indicate that a wing misexpression approach is useful to identify novel components in a conserved Tribbles signaling pathway.
Biological Applications at the Cutting Edge of Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a powerful tool for macromolecular to near-atomic resolution structure determination in the biological sciences. The specimen is maintained in a near-native environment within a thin film of vitreous ice and imaged in a transmission electron microscope. The images can then be processed by a number of computational methods to produce three-dimensional information. Recent advances in sample preparation, imaging, and data processing have led to tremendous growth in the field of cryo-EM by providing higher resolution structures and the ability to investigate macromolecules within the context of the cell. Here, we review developments in sample preparation methods and substrates, detectors, phase plates, and cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy that have contributed to this expansion. We also have included specific biological applications.
Population-Based Assessment of Selective Drain Placement During Pancreatoduodenectomy Using the Modified Fistula Risk Score.

Background Recent studies on postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) prevention suggest that omission of perioperative drains is safe for negligible- or low-risk patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). However, this proposed pathway has not been validated in a nationwide cohort. Study Design The ACS-NSQIP–targeted pancreatectomy database from 2014 to 2016 was queried to identify patients who underwent PD. Using a previously validated modified Fistula Risk Score (mFRS), patients were stratified as negligible/low- or intermediate/high-risk. Multivariate regression models were used to analyze the effect of intraoperative drain placement on relevant perioperative outcomes in both high- and low-risk patients. Results Among 6,730 patients undergoing PD, 3,375 (50%) were high-risk; 3,355 (50%) were low-risk. Among high-risk patients, drain placement (n = 3,093, 92%) was associated with a higher rate of POPF (26% vs 16%, p = 0.0003), clinically relevant (CR) POPF (20% vs 12%, p = 0.0015), and extended hospital length of stay (LOS, 9 vs 7 days, p Conclusions In this population-based cohort, the mFRS was unable to stratify patients relative to the need for selective drain placement during PD. For both high- and low-risk patients, perioperative drain placement was associated with increased rates of POPF, CR-POPF, and extended LOS, but decreased incidence of serious morbidity.
Quantitative trait loci for resistance to Fusarium head blight in recombinant inbred wheat lines from the cross Huapei 57-2 / Patterson

Fusarium head blight (FHB), primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum in North America, often results in significant losses in yield and grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Evaluation of FHB resistance is laborious and can be affected by environmental conditions. The development of DNA markers associated with FHB quantitative trait loci (QTL) and their use in breeding programs could greatly enhance selection. The objective of this study was to identify the location and effect of QTLs for FHB resistance using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. A population of wheat recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross ‘Huapei57-2’/‘Patterson’ was characterized for type II resistance in one field experiment and two tests under controlled conditions in the greenhouse. Bulked segregant analysis followed by QTL mapping was used to identify the major segregating QTLs. Results indicate that ‘Huapei 57-2’ may have the same resistance allele as ‘Sumai3’ at a QTL located on the short arm of chromosome 3B. Other QTLs of lower effect size were identified on the long arm of 3Band on chromosomes 3A and 5B. Our findings along with results from other studies demonstrate that the effect of the QTL on3BS is large and consistent across a wide range of genetic backgrounds and environments. Pyramiding this QTL with other FHB QTLs using marker-assisted selection should be effective in improving FHB resistance in a wheat breeding program.
Calcite and dolomite formation in the CM parent body: Insight from in situ C and O isotope analyses

Abstract To constrain the conditions of aqueous alteration in early planetesimals, we carried out in situ C and O isotope analyses of calcite and dolomite and O isotope analyses of magnetite from the highly altered CM chondrites ALH 83100, ALH 84034, and MET 01070. Petrographic and isotopic analyses of these samples support previous findings of multiple generations of carbonate growth. We observe wide ranges in the C and O isotope compositions of carbonates of up to 80‰ and 30‰, respectively, that span the full range of previously reported bulk carbonate values for CM chondrites. Variations in the Δ17O values indicate that fluid evolution varied for each chondrite. ALH 83100 dolomite-magnetite δ18O fractionation of 23‰ ± 7‰ (2SD) corresponds to dolomite formation temperature of 125 °C ± 60 °C. δ13C vs δ18O values fall into two groups, one consisting of primary calcite and the other consisting of dolomite and secondary calcite. The positive correlation between δ13C and δ18O for primary calcite is consistent with the precipitation of calcite in equilibrium with a gas mixture of CO (or CH4) and CO2. The isotopic composition of calcite in CM1s and CM2s overlap significantly; however, many CM1 calcite grains are more depleted in δ18O compared to CM2s. Altogether, the data indicate that the fluid composition during calcite formation was initially the same for both CM1s and CM2s. CM1s experienced more episodes of carbonate dissolution and reprecipitation where some fraction of the carbonate grains survive each episode resulting in a highly disequilibrium assemblage of carbonates on the thin-section scale.
Nipah virus persists in the brains of nonhuman primate survivors

Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic paramyxovirus that causes highly lethal henipavirus encephalitis in humans. Survivors develop various neurologic sequelae, including late-onset and relapsing encephalitis, several months up to several years following initial infection. However, the underlying pathology and disease mechanisms of persistent neurologic complications remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate persistent NiV infection in the brains of grivets that survived experimental exposure to NiV. Encephalitis affected the entire brains, with the majority of NiV detected in the neurons and microglia of the brainstems, cerebral cortices, and cerebella. We identified the vascular endothelium in the brain as an initial target of NiV infection during the acute phase of disease, indicating a primary path of entry for NiV into the brain. Notably, we were unable to detect NiV anywhere else except the brains in the examined survivors. Our findings indicate that late-onset and relapsing encephalitis of NiV in human survivors may be due to viral persistence in the brain and shed light on the pathogenesis of chronic henipavirus encephalitis.
Pelvic floor muscle strength and the incidence of pelvic floor disorders after vaginal and cesarean delivery

Background Pelvic floor disorders (including urinary and anal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse) are associated with childbirth. Injury to the pelvic floor muscles during vaginal childbirth, such as avulsion of the levator ani muscle, is associated with weaker pelvic floor muscle strength. As weak pelvic floor muscle strength may be a modifiable risk factor for the later development of pelvic floor disorders, it is important to understand how pelvic floor muscle strength affects the course of pelvic floor disorders over time. Objective To investigate the association between pelvic floor muscle strength and the incidence of pelvic floor disorders, and to identify maternal and obstetrical characteristics that modify the association. Materials and Methods This is a longitudinal study investigating pelvic floor disorders after childbirth. Participants were recruited 5–10 years after their first delivery and were assessed for pelvic floor disorders annually for up to 9 years. Stress incontinence, overactive bladder, and anal incontinence were assessed at each annual visit using the Epidemiology of Prolapse and Incontinence Questionnaire. Pelvic organ prolapse was assessed on physical examination, and was defined as descent of the vaginal walls or cervix beyond the hymen during forceful Valsalva. The primary exposure of interest was pelvic floor muscle strength, defined as the peak pressure during a voluntary pelvic muscle contraction (measured with a perineometer). The relationship between pelvic floor muscle strength and the cumulative incidence (time to event) of each pelvic floor disorder was evaluated using lognormal models, stratified by vaginal vs cesarean delivery. The relative hazard for each pelvic floor disorder (among those women free of the disorder at enrollment and thus more than 5–10 years from first delivery), was estimated using semiparametric proportional hazard models as a function of delivery mode, pelvic floor muscle strength, and other covariates. Results Of 1143 participants, the median age was 40 (interquartile range, 36.6–43.7) years, and 73% were multiparous. On perineometry, women with at least 1 vaginal delivery were more likely to have a low peak pressure, defined as Conclusion After vaginal delivery, but not cesarean delivery, the cumulative incidence of pelvic organ prolapse, stress incontinence, and overactive bladder is associated with pelvic muscle strength, but the associations attenuate when adjusting for genital hiatus and body mass index.
Social Media in Primary Care

Social media has become a standard part of the day for the majority of people in the United States, and reciprocally has become an effective platform and tool for patient engagement within health care. This review provides context for its place in patient education, communication, and treatment, combined with a review of general operational and ethical principles for social media platforms within a primary care practice.
Central Place Foraging: Delivery Lanes, Recruitment and Site Fidelity

Central Place Foraging is a behavior in which many agents search an unknown environment for resources and then collect the resources to return them to a central location. We seek to emulate this behavior using a multi-agent system of wheeled mobile robots. Many attributes of this system, such as inter-agent congestion, inter-agent communication, and the use of memory, can impact the efficiency of the system. This study seeks to evaluate the impact that each of these mechanisms play on the rate of resource collection in Central Place Foraging. Three mechanisms were evaluated including the use of delivery lanes around the central depot, site fidelity, and recruitment. Delivery lanes are claimable points around the central collection depot meant to alleviate inter-agent congestion. If an agent has claimed a delivery lane, then other agents avoid this area until the claiming agent has delivered the resource and left the area. Agents utilizing site fidelity use memory to return to the last known resource location before resuming its search after delivering a resource to the collection depot. Lastly, recruitment uses inter-agent communication to alert other agents to assist with resource collection when resources are found. The behaviors were implemented and evaluated using a high-fidelity simulation environment built with ROS and Gazebo. Each behavior included the same randomized search algorithm which is intended to provide uniform coverage of the environment. Simulations were conducted using three robots across twenty-six randomly generated environments while collecting data on the rate of resource collection. The results show that site fidelity has the largest effect on overall performance of the system. Recruitment has a positive but marginal effect while delivery lanes did not show an increase in overall performance.
Electrophysiological Properties of Genetically Identified Histaminergic Neurons

Histaminergic neurons of the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) are important regulators of behavioral and homeostatic processes. Previous work suggested that histaminergic neurons exhibit a characteristic electrophysiological signature, allowing for their identification in brain slice preparations. However, these previous investigations focused on neurons in the ventral subregion of the TMN of rats. Consequently, it remains unclear whether such electrophysiological properties extend to mice, including other subregions of the TMN, and the potential for differences between males and females. To further characterize the electrophysiological properties of histaminergic neurons, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings on transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase in histidine decarboxylase (HDC)-expressing cells; the sole enzyme for histamine synthesis (Hdc-cre::tdTomato). Despite similarities with the electrophysiological properties reported in rats, we observed considerable variability in mouse HDC neuron passive membrane properties, action potential firing, and intrinsic subthreshold active membrane properties. Overall, the electrophysiological properties of HDC neurons appeared similar across subregions of the TMN, consistent with a lack of topographical organization in this nucleus. Moreover, we found no obvious sex differences in the electrical excitability of HDC neurons. However, our data reveal a diversity in the electrophysiological properties of genetically identified histaminergic neurons from mice not previously appreciated from rat studies. Thus, these data highlight the utility of mouse genetics to target the widespread histaminergic neuronal population within the TMN and support the idea that histaminergic neurons are a heterogeneous neuronal population.
NEUROCOGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN ALCOHOL USE DISORDER USING THE NIH TOOLBOX: ROLE OF SEVERITY AND SEX DIFFERENCES

Abstract Aims Sustained heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a range of neurocognitive deficits. Yet, past research centers on a severe profile of alcohol use disorder (AUD), with persons recruited from in-patient settings. The current project aims to compare neurocognitive performance between individuals seeking AUD outpatient treatment with healthy comparisons while considering the association between performance, disorder severity, and sex. Methods Enrollment included two matched groups (N = 125; 34 % female): 77 treatment-seeking individuals with AUD; 48 healthy comparison individuals with low drinking patterns. Neurocognitive performance on NIH Toolbox subtests measuring attention, inhibition, episodic memory, working memory, language, and processing speed were compared across groups. Within the AUD group, analyses examined the relationship between performance, disorder severity, recent alcohol consumption, and sex. Results AUD group did not perform significantly lower than healthy comparisons on neurocognition subtests assessed. Within AUD group, females displayed significantly higher processing speeds than males (p = .007). Disorder severity and alcohol consumption were not significantly related to performance. However, a significant interaction between disorder severity and sex emerged (p = .010), with higher severity associated with poorer performance in males but not females, on a subtest measuring attention and inhibition. Conclusions Effect of heavy alcohol use on neurocognitive performance was not detected in this outpatient AUD sample. Weaknesses in domains of attention and inhibition may be correlated with AUD severity among males, but not females. Further research on AUD severity and sex in understanding individual differences in neurocognition is warranted, particularly using novel tools for large scale phenotyping, such as the NIH Toolbox.
Moderately Inducing Autophagy Reduces Tertiary Brain Injury after Perinatal Hypoxia-Ischemia.

Recent studies of cerebral hypoxia-ischemia (HI) have highlighted slowly progressive neurodegeneration whose mechanisms remain elusive, but if blocked, could considerably improve long-term neurological function. We previously established that the cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)β1 is highly elevated following HI and that delivering an antagonist for TGFβ receptor activin-like kinase 5 (ALK5)—SB505124—three days after injury in a rat model of moderate pre-term HI significantly preserved the structural integrity of the thalamus and hippocampus as well as neurological functions associated with those brain structures. To elucidate the mechanism whereby ALK5 inhibition reduces cell death, we assessed levels of autophagy markers in neurons and found that SB505124 increased numbers of autophagosomes and levels of lipidated light chain 3 (LC3), a key protein known to mediate autophagy. However, those studies did not determine whether (1) SB was acting directly on the CNS and (2) whether directly inducing autophagy could decrease cell death and improve outcome. Here we show that administering an ALK5 antagonist three days after HI reduced actively apoptotic cells by ~90% when assessed one week after injury. Ex vivo studies using the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine confirmed that SB505124 enhanced autophagy flux in the injured hemisphere, with a significant accumulation of the autophagic proteins LC3 and p62 in SB505124 + chloroquine treated brain slices. We independently activated autophagy using the stimulatory peptide Tat-Beclin1 to determine if enhanced autophagy is directly responsible for improved outcomes. Administering Tat-Beclin1 starting three days after injury preserved the structural integrity of the hippocampus and thalamus with improved sensorimotor function. These data support the conclusion that intervening at this phase of injury represents a window of opportunity where stimulating autophagy is beneficial.
Identifying the insured and uninsured in rural America: an empirical discriminant analysis.

Purpose This present study sought to investigate whether there were factors that could discriminate insured from uninsured rural Americans. Methods Data for four groups were used: 34 uninsured, 102 government-insured (GP), 324 private- or employer-insured (PEP), and 96 both government- and private- or employer-insured (GPEP). A discriminant analysis was conducted on the four groups, using group membership as the dependent variable; age, education, income, attitude to insurance, emergency room visit, chronic disease prevalence were the independent variables. Findings The analysis yielded three discriminant functions, however the only significant function was the one that discriminated the PEP-insured individuals from the other groups. About 48% of the cases were classified correctly with the significant discriminant function. Conclusion The findings of this study can serve as a baseline for future research seeking to eradicate barriers to getting health insurance among the uninsured in rural America.
Absorption properties of graphene quantum dots under ultrashort optical pulses

We study the interaction of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with ultrashort and strong optical pulses theoretically. An important characteristic of such interaction is the energy accumulated by GQDs after the pulse. We show that the GQD absorbance has a highly nonlinear dependence on the field amplitude. At small-field amplitudes, the absorbance strongly depends on the frequency of the pulse and the band gap of a QD, i.e., its size. At large-field amplitudes, $\ensuremath{\sim}1$ V/\AA{}, the absorbance has a weak nonmonotonic dependence on the size of the dot with its maximum value of $\ensuremath{\approx}4.5$% realized for GQD consisting of $\ensuremath{\approx}60$ atoms. As a function of the field amplitude, the absorbance also has a maximum, the position of which depends on the size of the dot.
On the identification of power-law creep parameters from conical indentation

Load and hold conical indentation responses calculated for materials having creep stress exponents of 1.15, 3.59 and 6.60 are regarded as input experimental responses. A Bayesian-type statistical a...
"I Felt I Was Screaming Under the Water": Domestic Violence Victims' Experiences in Iran's Police Departments and Criminal Courts.

This exploratory study, the first attempt at capturing the experiences of victims of DV with the criminal justice system in Iran, explores their plight in the absence of legislation that defines an...
Resistance of single domain walls in half-metallic CrO2 epitaxial nanostructures

Magnetic domain structures are active electron transport agents and can be used to induce large magnetoresistance (MR), particularly in half-metallic solids. We have studied the excess resistance induced by a single magnetic domain wall in a one-dimensional half-metallic CrO2 nanoscale conductor with a built-in constriction whose channel width (d) ranges from 30 to 200 nm. We observed that the domain wall-induced MR is enhanced by 70 fold when d decreases from 200 nm to 30 nm. We speculate that the enhancement is due to the increased domain wall resistance (DWR) and the extra contribution of ballistic magnetoresistance (BMR). We have uncovered a large size effect of d on the MR induced by the domain wall, which scales with d as d−1.87±0.32. Accordingly, we predict that the MR ratio of a simple CrO2 nanowire impregnated with a constriction at a 150 nm2 cross-section could reach 100%. This large MR far exceeds that of a conventional ferromagnetic nanowire, confirming the role of half metallicity on enhanced magneto-transport.
Does national moral context make a difference? A comparative test of Situational Action Theory

This study examines whether Situational Action Theory (SAT) can explain variation in delinquent offending between countries grouped along shared moral values. Thirteen countries were categorised in...
The Viscosity Of Macromolecules In Relation To Molecular Conformation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the theoretical and experimental aspects of both Newtonian and non-Newtonian viscosities of polymer solutions. To protein chemists, one of the interesting developments is no doubt the re-examination of the (Newtonian) viscosity treatments of protein solutions. There are many assumptions involved in the effective use of the intrinsic viscosity measurements for evaluating the asymmetry of the protein molecules, however attractive, the conventional treatment may have appeared for the past two decades. It explores that viscometry has been one of the most powerful tools for detecting the conformational changes or “denaturation” of proteins, but intimate details of the process cannot be deduced from the viscosity alone. The use of a combination of hydrodynamic measurements, such as those involved in the evaluation of the β-function may enable us to deduce, whether such changes are primarily due to the changes in shape or in effective volume of the protein molecules, even though the inferences are only of a semiquantitative nature. The chapter also discusses that the theories of non-Newtonian viscosity for rigid particles are all in good agreement and are satisfactorily established by experimental data. This recent development offers a new measure of the rotary diffusion coefficient and also the degree of polydispersity of the macromolecules.
Deterministic Signal Processing

In this chapter we review some basic concepts for purposes of establishing the notation used in the remainder of the book. In addition, we cover in more detail several specific topics that some readers may not be familiar with, including complex signals and systems, the convergence of bilateral Z-transforms, and signal space geometry. The latter allows simple geometric interpretation of many signal processing operations, and demonstrates relationships among many seemingly disparate topics.
A high-performance microfabricated gas chromatography column

This paper presents the theory, fabrication, and experimental results for a microfabricated gas chromatography column capable of performing multi-component separations using air as a carrier gas and vacuum at the outlet. These features are necessary to the realization of a wristwatch-size gas chromatograph (/spl mu/GC), but pose significant challenges in the design of a high-performance column. Columns 0.9 m and 3.0 m long were fabricated using a deep reactive ion etch (DRIE) and were sealed with a glass cap. The 3.0 m-long non-polar column occupies 3.2 cm/spl times/3.2 cm, has separated 16 gaseous components in 75 seconds, and achieves approximately 4900 plates (about 45% of theoretical predictions). The fabrication process has been extended to minimize the mass of the columns and facilitate low-power operation.
Stochastic Volatility as a Simple Generator of Financial Power-Laws and Long Memory

There has been renewed interest in power-laws and various types of self-similarity in many financial time series. Most of these tests are visual in nature, and do not consider a wide range of possible candidate stochastic models capable of generating the observed results. This paper presents a relatively simple stochastic volatility model which is able to display power laws and scale invariance similar to actual financial data even though it is constructed to have none of these properties. The primary mechanism is that volatility is assumed to have a driving process with a half life that is long relative to the tested aggregation ranges. It is argued that this might be a reasonable feature for financial, and other macroeconomic time series.
A broker for tracking, delivering and using regulations over the World Wide Web

It is expected in the near future that ISO 14000 registered companies will have to comply with all environmental regulations and respond quickly to changes in these regulations. With the advent of ISO 14000, there is a potentially critical need for a mechanism to assist companies in finding, tracking and determining compliance with all applicable environmental regulations. This paper discusses a World Wide Web-based broker for environmental regulations. The broker is a virtual centralized location where companies could go to search for environmental regulations applicable to their business activities. Because the broker operates over a distributed wide-area network, national and international regulatory agencies would be able to access the broker to register regulations. A prototype broker exists, but further work is needed to make it an effective ISO 14000 support tool.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHORION GENES OF BOMBYX MORI, A MULTIGENE FAMILY. I. EVIDENCE FOR LINKAGE TO CHROMOSOME 2

The chorion genes of silkmoths comprise a multigene family that codes for 50 or more highly specialized structural proteins found in the eggshell. A detailed study of the chromosomal organization of these genes was initiated, using inbred stocks of Bombyx mori as a source of electrophoretic variants for genetic markers. Chorion protein patterns were screened on thin-slab polyacrylamide isoelectric focusing gels. A wide range of polymorphism was observed between stocks. However, isoelectric focusing patterns obtained within a stock were nearly homogeneous, indicating that inbreeding has produced a high degree of homozygosis. Testcrosses were carried out to examine the linkage relationships between electrophoretic markers in four inbred stocks. One race (C108) was selected as a standard against which to compare the inheritance of the variants found in the other three stocks. Chorion markers behaved like codominant Mendelian traits in F1 crosses. A total of 15 out of 16 C108 markers cosegregated in subsequent testcrosses, indicating that they are linked. These genes were mapped to the second chromosome, using markers Gr and Y.
Convection Zones and Coronae of White Dwarfs

Outer convection zones of white dwarfs in the range 5800 K≤T eff≤30000 K have been studied assuming that they have the same chemical composition as determined by Weidemann (1960) for van Maanen 2. Convection is important in all these stars. In white dwarfs T eff< 8000 K the adiabatic temperature gradient is strongly influenced by the pressure ionization of H, Hei and Heii which occurs within the convection zone. Partial degeneracy is also important.
Municipal Bankruptcy, Essential Municipal Services, and Taxpayers' Voice

When a municipality is the debtor, as is the case in chapter 9 municipal bankruptcies, one might assume that the law recognizes community/taxpayer interests at all stages of chapter 9 proceedings. That assumption would be incorrect. Unlike bondholders, public employees (active and retired), and other creditors affected by municipal insolvency, all of whom have a voice in chapter 9 proceedings, a municipal debtor’s residents — taxpayers who pay for and rely upon municipal services — do not have a clear statutory right to participate in a chapter 9 case. In this article, I argue that taxpayers should have a voice at every stage of a chapter 9 proceeding, as taxpayers are directly and profoundly impacted by municipal insolvency and by chapter 9 plans of adjustment. Citing Stockton and Detroit municipal bankruptcy cases, I argue that taxpayers ought to be considered a type of creditor, owed a debt of at least minimally acceptable essential services, and that taxpayers therefore should have a voice alongside other creditors whenever an insolvent municipality seeks chapter 9 relief.
Low P-wave velocity at the base of the mantle

A tool for investigating P-wave (VP) structure at the base of the mantle is presented. SKS waves at distances around 107° are incident upon the core-mantle boundary (CMB) with a slowness that allows for coupling with diffracted P-waves (Pd) at the base of the mantle. The P-wave diffraction occurs at both the SKS entrance and exit locations of the outer core. The resulting phase, SPdKS, arrives slightly later in time than SKS, having a wave path through the mantle and core very close to SKS. The difference time between SKS and SPdKS most strongly depends on VP at the base of the mantle near SKS core entrance and exit points. Digitized long-period (5-15s) observations from deep focus Tonga events recorded by North American WWSSN and Canadian Seismographic Network stations, and South American events recorded by European and Eurasian WWSSN stations exhibit anomalously large SPdKS-SKS difference times. SKS and the later arriving SPdKS are separated by several seconds more than predictions made by the global average PREM model. Models having a pronounced low-velocity zone in VP at the base of the mantle best predict the observations. These models are perturbations of the PREM model, whereby the lowermost 50–100 km of the D″ layer has a negative VP gradient, with the mantle-side CMB VP reduced from PREM by 5% (to 13.0 km/s) at the base of the mantle.
A Lifetime of Dedication to the Old in His Kentucky Home

He spent tens of thousands of hours peering through the oculars of a microscope at stained brain tissue sections from thousands of patients who died with or without a neurodegenerative disorder; most of those patients he had himself cared for and had removed and processed their brain tissues upon their death. His discerning mind, humble demeanor, optimism and patience were fundamental features of his character. Through his research discoveries and advocacy, Dr. William R. Markesbery fought for those millions of elderly Americans with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their families and friends. For over a decade, my laboratory was located directly above Dr. Markesbery’s in the Sanders-Brown Research Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. In this article, I first provide several examples of how he moved research on AD forward on multiple fronts, not only by building one of the best AD Research Centers in the world, but also by providing a helping hand to the tens of thousands of Kentuckian’s and their families to ease their suffering as best he could. Also described below are the results of several research projects on which I had the good fortune of collaborating with Dr. Markesbery.
Raman-shifted eye-safe aerosol lidar.

The design features of, and first observations from, a new elastic backscatter lidar system at a wavelength of 1543 nm are presented. The transmitter utilizes stimulated Raman scattering in high-pressure methane to convert fundamental Nd:YAG radiation by means of the 1st Stokes shift. The wavelength-converting gas cell features multipass operation and internal fans. Unlike previous lidar developments that used Raman scattering in methane, the pump beam is not focused in the present configuration. This feature prevents optical breakdown of the gas inside the cell. Additionally, the gas cell is injection seeded by a diode to improve conversion efficiency and beam quality. The receiver uses a 40.6-cm-diameter telescope and a 200-μm InGaAs avalanche photodiode. The system is capable of operating in a dual-wavelength mode (1064 and 1543 nm simultaneously) for comparison or in a completely eye-safe mode. The system is capable of transmitting an energy of more than 200 mJ/pulse at 10 Hz. Aerosol backscatter data from vertical and horizontal pointing periods are shown.
800-4 Coronary Calcification by Ultrafast Computed Tomography is an Independent Predictor of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Multivariate Risk Factor Analysis

Coronary calcification (CC) as detected by ultrafast computed tomography (UFCT) is associated with obstructive coronary artery disease. We compared CC to cardiac risk factors as independent predictors of angiographically significant coronary artery disease (CAD). Cardiac risk factors were obtained in 263 patients which included age, gender, family history of CAD in a first degree relative, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, tobacco use, and diabetes mellitus. All 263 patients underwent UFCT coronary scanning as well as coronary angiography within three months. Coronary calcification score was derived using Agatston's method and obstructive CAD was defined as greater than 50% luminal diameter stenosis in 1 or more coronary vessels. Using chi square analysis, male gender, hypercholesterolemia, coronary calcium score, and age were all found to be statistically significant predictors of obstructive CAD. However, the strongest predictor of obstructive CAD was coronary calcium score (p l 0.00001). Hypertension and tobacco use were not predictive. Multivariate logistical regression was also employed which revealed significant associations between obstructive CAD and coronary calcium score, age, male gender, and hypercholesterolemia. Coronary calcium score determined by UFCT, when compared to all other risk factors, is the most predictive factor of obstructive CAD.
Multidisciplinary Systems Approach to Chemotherapy Safety: Rebuilding Processes and Holding the Gains

PURPOSE: The problem of medication safety came to public attention largely through a chemotherapy error, and the high toxicity and low therapeutic index of anticancer medications make safety in their prescription and administration critical. We have undertaken a thorough revision of our systems for inpatient chemotherapy. METHODS: We participated in a multi-institutional collaborative effort of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and used their rapid cycle change method. Particularly powerful systems change concepts were driving out fear, “trapping” errors and learning from them, focusing on outcome rather than on input, simplifying and standardizing, using constraints and “forcing functions,” reducing handoffs, and paying attention to human factors. RESULTS: Applying these concepts to our chemotherapy delivery system, we have achieved an 84% decrease in the number of chemotherapy errors that actually reach patients per 1,000 chemotherapy doses, and have sustained that improvement for 5 years. CONCL...
Handling unpredicted motion in industrial robot workcells using sensor networks

Purpose – Aims to show how sensor networks can be used to effectively allow industrial robots to handle unpredicted movements within their workcells.Design/methodology/approach – Presents the concept of using sensor networks, using off‐the‐shelf technologies, to sense in real time movements within the workcell, and to feed this information, in real time, to the industrial robot controller, to allow adaptation of the robot to the movements. Results of numerous experiments in intercept and grasp of moving objects using a prototype of the system are reported.Findings – Finds that the prototype system operates effectively and in a robust fashion in over 1,000 trials.Research limitations/implications – Provides new insight and understanding for engineers working in the area of visually guided robots.Practical implications – Results are of significant value to practitioners seeking to expand the markets of industrial robots by showing how to expand the capabilities of current systems with off‐the‐shelf technolo...
Remote two-photon emission from dendritic silver nanoclusters

Silver nanoparticles have been known to enhance local electromagnetic fields and therefore many optical processes, including surface-enhanced Raman scattering, second harmonic generation and multiphoton photoemission [1]. Dendritic silver nanoparticle clusters, which have a fractal nature, can behave as antennas that focus the electromagnetic field into “hot-spots” – extremely localized regions of enhanced electromagnetic fields (see Fig. 1). Recent theoretical work indicates that patterned silver nanoparticle structures could be created to enhance a field with nanometer resolution [2].
High-order neural models for error-correcting code

The decoding and error-correction of data transmitted over a noisy channel is in principle equivalent to the operation of a neural network performing as a content-addressable memory. For a successful application, however, the neural network has to be capable of storing arbitrary words, and it has to be guaranteed that the stored words represent the only stable attractors of the memory. This paper presents a novel high-order neural network architecture that has these characteristics. The analog nature of the network can be used to perform soft-decision decoding with any block code. The performance in terms of postdecoding bit error rate versus SNR is demonstrated for two exemplary block codes. The comparison with a conventional decoding algorithm for a (15,5) cyclic redundancy code shows, for example, that the bit error rate at 7dB SNR can be decreased by two orders of magnitude.
The Rochester checkers player: multimodel parallel programming for animate vision

It is maintained that to exploit fully the parallelism inherent in animate vision systems, an integrated vision architecture must support multiple models of parallelism. To support this claim, the hardware base of a typical animate vision laboratory and the software requirements of applications are described. A brief overview is then given of the Psyche operating system, which was designed to support multimodel programming. A complex animate vision application, checkers, constructed as a multimodel program under Psyche, is also described. Checkers demonstrates the advantages of decomposing animate vision systems by function and independently selecting an appropriate parallel-programming model for each function. >
What options do we have for induction therapy for Crohn's disease?

The first goal of Crohn’s disease treatment is to induce a response. The choice of induction therapy depends on a number of factors. First, disease severity will dictate the level of intensity of trea
Static Friction Model for Rough Surfaces With Asymmetric Distribution of Asperity Heights

The CEB static friction model is extended to include asymmetricdistributions of asperity heights, using the normalized one-parameter Weibull distribution. The normal contact, tangential(friction), and adhesion forces are calculated for different skew-ness values, and are used to obtain the static friction coefﬁcient. Itis predicted that surfaces with negative skewness experiencehigher static friction coefﬁcient compared to the Gaussian case,under the same external normal load, which agrees with pub-lished data. This effect is magniﬁed for lower external loads, as iscommonly encountered in microtribological applications.@DOI: 10.1115/1.1739406#