cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lung Transplantation for Severe Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 Respiratory Failure.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in >72 million cases and 1.6 million deaths. End-stage lung disease from COVID-19 is a new and growing entity that may benefit from lung transplant; however, there are limited data on the patient selection, perioperative management, and expected outcomes of transplantation for this indication. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed with searches of MEDLINE and Web of Science databases as well as the gray literature. All manuscripts, editorials, commentaries, and gray literature reports of lung transplantation for COVID-related respiratory failure were included. A case from the University of Virginia is described and included in the review. Results A total of 27 studies were included: 11 manuscripts, 5 commentaries, and 11 gray literature reports. The total number of transplantations for COVID-related lung disease was 21. The mean age was 55±12 years, 16 (76%) were male individuals, and the acuity was high, with 85% on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation preoperatively. There was a 95% early survival rate, with 1 additional late death. There is growing histopathologic evidence for permanent structural damage with no replicating virus at the time of transplantation. Conclusions Bilateral lung transplantation is an effective treatment option with reasonable short-term outcomes for patients with end-stage lung failure secondary to COVID-19. However, specific considerations in this new population require a multidisciplinary approach. As we move into the second wave of the COVID-19 global pandemic, lung transplantation will likely have a growing role in management of these complex patients.
The good and bad of adipose tissue macrophage exosomes in obesity

Adipose tissue macrophages regulate adipose tissue inflammation and systemic insulin-glucose homeostasis. In a recent study by Ying et al. (2021), M2 polarized bone marrow-derived macrophages secreted exosomes containing miR-690 that, when administered to obese mice, improved glucose-insulin homeostasis. miR-690 reduced expression of Nadk, which decreased inflammation and improved insulin signaling.
Epidemiology and Natural History of Inclusion Body Myositis: A 40-Year Population-Based Study.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and natural history of sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) and to test the hypothesis that sIBM patients have higher cancer or mortality rates than general population. Methods: We sought for sIBM patients defined by the 2011 European Neuromuscular Centre (ENMC) diagnostic criteria among Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents in 40-year time period Results: We identified 20 patients (10 clinicopathologically-defined, 9 clinically-defined and 1 probable) according to the ENMC criteria and 1 patient with all features of clinicopathologically-defined sIBM except for symptom onset Conclusion: Olmsted County has the highest prevalence of sIBM reported to date. sIBM patients have similar risk of cancers, but slightly shorter life expectancy compared to matched non sIBM patients. Classification of Evidence: This study provides Class II evidence that patients with sIBM have similar risks of cancers and slightly shorter life expectancy compared to controls.
Performance and pathways of electrochemical cyclohexane oxidation

Abstract Falling costs of electricity from renewable and non-renewable sources have motivated interest in electrochemical production of chemicals and fuels. Among commodity chemicals, the production of KA oil (cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone) from cyclohexane is attractive as selective alkane oxidation remains a major industrial challenge. Although this reaction has been demonstrated in the literature, its fundamental chemistry remains poorly understood. This review identifies possible pathways for the reaction mechanism, their experimental support, and remaining critical gaps in molecular understanding of electrochemical cyclohexane oxidation to KA oil.
The efficacy and safety of thrombopoietin receptor agonists in patients with chronic liver disease undergoing elective procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) can mitigate preprocedural thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) however their effects on procedural outcomes is unclear. In this ...
Hot moments drive extreme nitrous oxide and methane emissions from agricultural peatlands

Agricultural peatlands are estimated to emit approximately one third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from croplands, but the temporal dynamics and controls of these emissions are poorly understood, particularly for nitrous oxide (N2 O). We used cavity ring-down spectroscopy and automated chambers in a drained agricultural peatland to measure over 70,000 individual N2 O, methane (CH4 ), and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) fluxes over 3 years. Our results showed that N2 O fluxes were high, contributing 26% (annual range: 16%-35%) of annual CO2 e emissions. Total N2 O fluxes averaged 26 ± 0.5 kg N2 O-N ha-1 y-1 and exhibited significant inter- and intra-annual variability with a maximum annual flux of 42 ± 1.8 kg N2 O-N ha-1 y-1 . Hot moments of N2 O and CH4 emissions represented 1.1 ± 0.2 and 1.3 ± 0.2% of measurements, respectively, but contributed to 45 ± 1% of mean annual N2 O fluxes and to 140 ± 9% of mean annual CH4 fluxes. Soil moisture, soil temperature, and bulk soil oxygen (O2 ) concentrations were strongly correlated with soil N2 O and CH4 emissions; soil nitrate ( NO 3 - ) concentrations were also significantly correlated with soil N2 O emissions. These results suggest that IPCC benchmarks underestimate N2 O emissions from these high emitting agricultural peatlands by up to 70%. Scaling to regional agricultural peatlands with similar management suggests these ecosystems could emit up to 1.86 Tg CO2 e y-1 (range: 1.58-2.21 Tg CO2 e y-1 ). Data suggest that these agricultural peatlands are large sources of GHGs, and that short-term hot moments of N2 O and CH4 are a significant fraction of total greenhouse budgets.
Gripping, Catching, and Conveying With a Soft, Toroidal Hydrostat

This work demonstrates that a soft, toroidal hydrostat can be used to perform three functions found in both living and engineered systems: gripping, catching, and conveying. We first demonstrate a gripping mechanism that uses linear motion to drive the inversion of the toroid around objects, encapsulating them within a crumpled elastic membrane under hydrostatic pressure. This mechanism results in gripping forces ranging from 1–80 N, which depend predictably upon the geometric and material properties of the gripper and the object. We next demonstrate a catching mechanism akin to that of a chameleon’s tongue: the elasticity of the membrane is used to store mechanical energy and drive a rapid acceleration and inversion process (≈400 m/s2) to capture flying objects (e.g., a bouncing ball). Finally, we show how the soft topological structure can be implemented in a soft conveying mechanism which continuously inverts and passes objects through its center (~1 cm/s), serving a function like that of esophageal peristalsis (i.e., transporting objects through a tube), while eliminating the requirement of a lubricated interface and the coordinated actuation of a pressure wave. The hybrid hard-soft mechanisms presented here can be applied in the integration of soft functionality into conventional robotic systems for applications including the automation of agricultural and biological research processes. More generally, we show how inflatable structures comprising soft polymeric films arranged in complex topologies provide a promising approach to designing soft robotic systems with novel, bio-inspired functionality.
Interior estimates for the eigenfunctions of the fractional Laplacian on a bounded domain

Abstract This paper is devoted to interior estimates for eigenfunctions of the restricted fractional Laplacian on a bounded domain in R d . We prove that the eigenfunctions satisfy the expected L p bounds analogous to the classical results by Sogge [24] . As the fractional Laplacian is nonlocal, the standard method for Laplacian eigenfunction estimates can no longer work here. In the proof, we mainly reduce L p bounds to a kind of L 2 commutator estimates, which can be handled by the explicit integral expression of the restricted fractional Laplacian and its heat kernel estimates.
Peripheral blood values as predictors of autoimmune status in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract Background Recent literature has highlighted the role of the host in prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Autoimmune (AI) disease represents a macroscopic depiction of host status. The goal of this study was to predict an AI “status” and to analyze the utility of this “status” as a prognostic indicator in OSCC. Methods From a departmental database of OSCC patients (n = 1377), 125 patients with an AI disorder were identified. PBL values were obtained and standardized for analysis. A LASSO regression model was used to determine the best predictors of AI status and an AI score was developed. The score was then analyzed across various survival endpoints. Results When AI score was divided into a binary variable, patients in the highest quartile had a significantly worse overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free (LRFP) and distant recurrence-free probability (DRFP). Survival curves showed significant differences for OS, DSS, LRFP, and DRFP. Conclusions AI diseases are immune dysregulations that could play a role in prognosis. Therefore, development of an AI score is necessary to depict host status in a ubiquitous manner. AI score as a binary variable may be more utilitarian in a clinical setting, compared to the continuous score. This novel tool needs validation and integration into more tumor and host characteristics. This investigation showed utility of such a score, similar to PBL data in OSCC prognosis. Future studies should incorporate other relevant variables known to affect outcome and implement a more comprehensive predictive model.
Hydrogen peroxide assisted endoscopic necrosectomy for walled-off pancreatic necrosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background and aims Endoscopic necrosectomy (EN) is the preferred approach for management of symptomatic or infected walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN). Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been reported to be a good adjunctive therapy for EN. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate effectiveness and safety of H2O2 assisted EN for WOPN. Methods A comprehensive search of multiple databases (through December 2020) was performed to identify studies that reported outcomes of H2O2 assisted EN for WOPN. Outcomes assessed included clinical success, technical success, and adverse events. Results A total of 454 patients with mean age (47.3 ± 7.9 years) and WOPN size (12.4 ± 3.1 cm) were included from 15 studies. The median H2O2 concentration was 3% (range 0.1–3%), with dilution and volume ranging from 1:1 to 10:1 and 20 ml to 1 L, respectively. The rates of technical success, clinical success and adverse events was 97.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 94.8–98.6, I2 = 0), 89.8% (95% CI: 86.3–92.5, I2 = 0) and 17.9% (95% CI: 12.6–24.7, I2 = 38), respectively. The most common adverse event was bleeding (7.1%) followed by stent migration (5.3%). On meta-regression, WOPN size, patient age, use of metal stent, number of necrosectomies and transgastric access were not significant predictor for technical success, clinical success or adverse events. Conclusion H2O2 assisted EN is effective and safe for management of WOPN. Its use may be encouraged, and future randomized controlled studies are needed to study the optimal technique, concentration and best predictors of success.
Sexual politics in The Waste Land: Eliot’s treatment of women and their bodies in «Game of Chess« and «The Fire Sermon»

espanolEl tratamiento de la violacion en The Waste Land (1922) permite establecer una conexion entre la victima traumatizada y el tambien traumatizado mundo moderno. La Primera Guerra Mundial fue un desencadenante de la �literatura del trauma« subsiguiente, un acontecimiento amenazador que llevo a una generacion de escritores a lidiar con el desplazamiento de su nocion del mundo y a reevaluar el estado del mundo de la posguerra. A traves de The Waste Land, se identifican los males sociales de la modernidad, pero el tratamiento que da Eliot a la mujer y a su cuerpo en «A Game of Chess» y «The Fire Sermon» subraya una identificacion femenina asi como un apoyo hacia un sistema de creencias diferente al capitalismo patriarcal. Mediante el estudio de la poetica de Eliot y de su politica sexual, este trabajo propugna la reconsideracion de The Waste Land como obra literaria feminista. EnglishRape in The Waste Land (1922) works on one level to allow for a connection between the traumatized rape victim and the traumatized modern world. World War I was the impetus for the trauma literature that followed it, a life-threatening event that caused a generation of writers to grapple with the displacement of their notions about the world and to reevalulate the state of the postwar world. Throughout The Waste Land, the social ills of modernity are addressed, but Eliot's treatment of women and their bodies in "A Game of Chess" and "The Fire Sermon" underscores a feminine identification, as well as advocacy for a belief system other than patriarchal capitalism. Through an examination of Eliot's poetics and sexual politics, this paper urges for a reconsideration of The Waste Land as a feminist literary work.
Regulating Supply Side Corruption

Abstract Doing corruption-free business in developing countries is not easy. Government officials and politicians in developing countries demand monetary gains from multinational companies interested in seeking business deals in their nations. Multinational firms are willing to oblige them since they need the business in developing countries. Such unsavory business practices are extremely difficult to change. However, today more and more countries are concerned about corruption and are trying to combat it. Sociologists, political scientists, and economists have advanced various methods to combat corruption. Mainly, these methods are geared toward reducing the demand for corrupt practices. This paper using the case of the Republic of Kazakhstan suggests controlling the supply of corruption.
Clinical Applications of Natriuretic Peptides in Assessment of Valvular Heart Disease

Biomarkers such as natriuretic peptides (NPs) have evolving clinical utility beyond the scope of heart failure. The role of NPs in the management of valvular heart disease is a growing area of investigation. NPs have much potential in the assessment of asymptomatic patients with hemodynamically significant valvular lesions who have traditionally been excluded from consideration of surgical intervention. NPs also have a role in the risk stratification of these patients as well as in routine surveillance and monitoring. Together with echocardiographic data and functional status, NPs are being incorporated into the management of valvular heart disease. In this review we examine the evidence for the role of natriuretic peptides in assessment of VHD.
Are scale-free networks robust to measurement errors?

Many complex random networks have been found to be scale-free. Existing literature on scale-free networks has rarely considered potential false positive and false negative links in the observed networks, especially in biological networks inferred from high-throughput experiments. Therefore, it is important to study the impact of these measurement errors on the topology of the observed networks. This article addresses the impact of erroneous links on network topological inference and explores possible error mechanisms for scale-free networks with an emphasis on Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein interaction networks. We study this issue by both theoretical derivations and simulations. We show that the ignorance of erroneous links in network analysis may lead to biased estimates of the scale parameter and recommend robust estimators in such scenarios. Possible error mechanisms of yeast protein interaction networks are explored by comparisons between real data and simulated data. Our studies show that, in the presence of erroneous links, the connectivity distribution of scale-free networks is still scale-free for the middle range connectivities, but can be greatly distorted for low and high connecitivities. It is more appropriate to use robust estimators such as the least trimmed mean squares estimator to estimate the scale parameter γ under such circumstances. Moreover, we show by simulation studies that the scale-free property is robust to some error mechanisms but untenable to others. The simulation results also suggest that different error mechanisms may be operating in the yeast protein interaction networks produced from different data sources. In the MIPS gold standard protein interaction data, there appears to be a high rate of false negative links, and the false negative and false positive rates are more or less constant across proteins with different connectivities. However, the error mechanism of yeast two-hybrid data may be very different, where the overall false negative rate is low and the false negative rates tend to be higher for links involving proteins with more interacting partners.
Silicification and biosilicification - Part 6. Poly- L-histidine mediated synthesis of silica at neutral pH

Biosilicification results in the formation of ornate silica structures, which are seen in diatoms, sponges, grasses and other biological systems. Proteins have been isolated from diatoms, sponges and grasses that are proposed to be responsible for biosilicification and have been sequenced and/or some of the key amino acids identified. Studies of the amino acids primary sequence in these proteins suggest that lysine, histidine, arginine, cysteine, proline and serine probably play a role in biosilicification. Homopolymers of lysine, arginine and proline have been shown to form silica structures in vitro at (or close to) neutral pH. Here we report, for the first time, the ability of poly-L-histidine (PLHis) to form silica structures from a silica precursor at neutral pH. It was observed by scanning electron microscopy that PLHis facilitates the formation of silica spheres in the size range 150–200 nm and interconnected structures make up relatively smaller particles.
Classified transform coding of images using vector quantization

An adaptive image coding scheme, called classified transform vector quantization, is proposed. It efficiently exploits correlation in large image blocks by taking advantage of transform coding (TC) and vector quantization (VQ), while overcoming the suboptimalities of TC and avoiding the complexity obstacle of VQ. After local mean luminance values are removed in the spatial domain using two-stage interpolative VQ, the residual errors are encoded in the transform domain by means of perceptual block classification and adaptive subvector construction. This scheme avoids the use of scalar quantization of DC coefficients in the transform domain and yet substantially reduces the blocking effect that tends to arise at low bit rates. Good reconstructed images have been obtained at rates between 0.3 and 0.4 bits/pixel, depending on the nature of the test images. The technique also permits progressive image transmission and reproduces errorless images with compression of about 5.0 bits/pixel. Experimental results indicate that an efficient bit allocation in the coding process produces a substantial improvement in performance. >
Evaluation of Immunological Paradigms in a Virus Model: Are Dendritic Cells Critical for Antiviral Immunity and Viral Clearance?

We have examined the role of dendritic cells (DCs) in the antiviral immune response and viral clearance using a transgenic mouse model (CD11c-diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor GFP) that allows for their conditional ablation in vivo. DT administration systemically ablated conventional and IFN-producing plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in transgenic, but not nontransgenic littermates, without elimination of splenic macrophages. Unexpectedly, early (12 and 48 h postinfection) viral clearance of vesicular stomatitis virus was normal in DC-depleted mice despite markedly reduced serum titers of type I IFN. DC-depleted mice remained virus-free with the exception of a subset (∼30%) that developed overwhelming and fatal brain infections 6 days postinfection. However, DT treatment profoundly inhibited clonal expansion of naive CD8 + vesicular stomatitis virus-specific T cells without altering the primary Th1 and Th2 cytokine response. Optimal clonal expansion required pDCs because selective elimination of these cells in vivo with a depleting Ab also suppressed expansion of tetramer + cells, although Th1/Th2 cytokine production remained unaltered. Collectively, these data indicate that conventional DCs and to a lesser extent pDCs are critical for proliferation of naive antiviral T cells. However, other components of the primary adaptive immune response (Th1/Th2 cytokines) are essentially normal in the absence of DCs, which may account for the efficient viral clearance seen in DC-depleted mice. Thus, sufficient redundancy exists in the immune system to sustain efficient viral clearance despite loss of an APC considered essential for induction of a primary antiviral immune response.
Plasma response to oral beta-carotene in Guatemalan schoolchildren

The response to oral doses of /�-carotene (0 mg, n = 10; 15 mg, n = 20; and 30 mg, n = 21) was studied in 5 1 Guatemalan children aged 8-1 5 y, with mean fasting plasma retinol concentrations of 1.72 ± 0.38 �zmol/L. Beta-carotene was delivered with a chocolate drink containing 8.4 g fat. Serial blood sampling was performed at intervals up to 48 h. Circulating retinol concentrations remained relatively constant. The max- imum increases in plasma /3-carotene after the 30- and 15-mg doses for all subjects occurred at 24 h and were 0.29 and 0.23 �mol/L, respectively. Time ofmaximum increase for individuals varied and average maxima over the 48-h period for individuals were 0. 13 and 0.26 zmol/L for the 15- and 30-mg-treatment groups, respectively. Increased plasma fl-carotene concentra- tions were not predicted by recent intake of dietary vitamin A, fasting plasma concentrations, or anthropometric measure- ments. Am J C/in Nutr 199 l;54:539-47.
The Role of Cooperation in Pre-tumor Progression: A Cellular Population Dynamics Model

Competition among cells has long been recognized as an important part of the evolutionary process of tissue leading up to the development of cancer. However, the role of cellular cooperation in cancer has been largely ignored. In this work, we investigated the role of cooperation in early tumor progression using a mathematical and agent-based modeling approach. We hoped to learn whether cooperation between cells in spatially organized tissue has a significant role in hastening tumor development, and to uncover general principles governing such cooperation. We focused on the early stages of tumor development given the critical importance of this time period and since we hypothesized that cooperation will have its greatest influence during these early phases. In our model, stem cells were placed into an array of 50 x 20 cell patches, with each patch carrying a maximum of 64 cells. The stem cells' potential to replicate or leave the stem cell compartment through apoptosis or differentiation were governed by modified versions of the Lotka-Volterra equation of ecology. The cells could also acquire mutations in two oncogenes and three tumor suppressor genes. We explored two different cooperation strategies, one in which a cell could acquire the ability to send a cooperative signal that improved the fitness of its immediate neighbors, and one in which a cell could acquire the ability to take advantage of a cooperative signal already in the environment. Cooperation could be acquired through mutation or assigned in advance. We ran simulations of the model in MATLAB. We found that cooperation is a very robust property. Once a small number of cooperative cells is introduced into a cell population, they rapidly proliferate to the point of being the major constituent of the cell population. Cooperation leads to an increased growth rate of the aggregate cell population, with the growth rate rising in parallel with the cooperative cell fraction. Interestingly, cooperation does not seem to have an effect on cell heterogeneity, counter to what we initially suspected. We also found that cooperative cells have a wider spatial influence than non-cooperating cells. The cooperative cells or their descendant are, on average, present in more patches than corresponding non-cooperative cells at each point in time. Further analysis showed that cooperation is particularly important in the very early pre-tumor stage, when tissue is morphologically and histologically normal, and during times of extensive cell death, such as when tissue experiences necrosis, repeated bouts of inflammation, or cancer treatment. In conclusion, we found that cooperation may play an important role in early tumor progression that is complementary to the competitive interactions among cells that are driven by mutations in tumor suppressors and oncogenes. Cooperation may also be a critical force during later stages of tumor progression when there is significant cell turnover. Our results have implications for cancer prevention and tumor therapeutic strategies.
Predictive factors of seizure control in childhood onset epilepsy

Background: Prediction of the long-term outcomes of childhood-onset epilepsy remains crucial for the future well-being of the affected children and their families and for planning proper therapeutic and educational programs. Objective: To identify and analyze the early predictive factors of seizure control in childhood-onset epilepsies referred at the age of 1 month up to the age of 18 years to the Epilepsy Service at the Meyer Children Hospital, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. Materials and Methods: In this study, children who were newly diagnosed with epileptic disorders and treated with antiepileptic drug therapy - who became either completely controlled for at least twelve months or those remaining intractable - were included. Partially responding children were excluded from the analysis. The etiology was segregated into either symptomatic or nonsymptomatic epilepsy, referred to as idiopathic epilepsy. Results: Overall, 74 children (mean age: 4.27 ± 4 years at the first seizure) were found eligible for analysis followed for a mean period of 4.5 years. Fifty-three (72%) children became seizure-free for a mean period of 20 months on antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy and 21 (28%) remained uncontrolled. Sixty out of 74 children (81%) had idiopathic epilepsy and 14 (19%) had symptomatic epilepsy. In those with idiopathic epilepsy, 46 (77%) children gained complete seizure control in comparison to 7 out of 14 (50%) children in the symptomatic group ( P < 0.01). Thirty-nine out of 47 (83%) children who had normal cognition became seizure-free, and 14 (52%) out of 27 mentally retarded children also became seizure-free ( P < 0.01). The outcome of seizure control was not affected by age at onset and seizure type itself during the presentation. Conclusion: The present study reveals that the single most predictive factor of a favorable seizure control is preserved cognitive function in accordance with idiopathic epilepsy. However, a fairly high number of children with impaired cognition may also achieve satisfactory seizure control.
Early Life History of Yellow Perch in Two South Dakota Glacial Lakes

ABSTRACT The early life history of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) was studied during 1995 and 1996 in two glacial lakes. Pelican Lake contained a yellow perch population with fast growth and desirable size structure, while Pickerel Lake contained a slow-growing yellow perch population dominated by individuals less than 20-cm TL. The first food of perch larvae in Pickerel Lake was copepod nauplii, with a switch to adult copepods by 7-mm total length (TL). However, in 1995, copepod nauplii density was low and larvae began feeding on adult copepods at a smaller length. The 1995 diets of Pelican Lake larvae were similar to those found in Pickerel Lake, where first food was adult copepods. In 1996, Pelican Lake larvae fed on copepod nauplii until 7-mm TL, followed by a switch to adult copepods and increasing numbers of cladocerans. In August juvenile perch in Pickerel Lake were eight times more abundant in 1996 then in 1995, while catches were similar between years at Pelican Lake. Juvenile perch diets in Pic...
The Riemann problem for certain classes of hyperbolic systems of conservation laws

is called a Riemann problem. The classical method of solution of the Riemann problem is based on the construction of the shock and wave curves of (1.1). However, these curves can be constructed only if the shock admissibility conditions are known a priori. For this reason, the method has been applied so far only for genuinely nonlinear systems [I, 2J and the system generated by the second order wave equation [3,4]. (For results published after the completion of this work, see [9].) Our investigation here is based on a different approach, which was intro-
Effects of nephron reduction and dietary protein content on renal ammoniagenesis in the rat

Effects of nephron reduction and dietary protein content on renal ammoniagenesis in the rat. Urinary ammonium excretion, in vitro ammoniagenesis and the activities of renal cortical phosphate-dependent glutaminase (PDG) and glutamic dehydrogenase (GLDH) were measured in rats with a reduced renal mass. Following contralateral nephrectomy, ammonium excretion per nephron, ammonia production and the activities of PDG and GLDH were all increased significantly in remnant kidneys of rats fed high protein diets. In rats fed low protein diets, although PDG activity increased, GLDH activity and ammonia production and excretion did not increase in remnant kidneys following contralateral nephrectomy. Ammonia production and excretion were greater in rats fed high than low protein diets, a difference that was corrected by the addition of mineral acid to the diets of low protein-fed rats. Acid supplementation to the low protein group did not result in enhanced ammonia production or GLDH activity following a reduction in renal mass. The data indicate that the increased rate of ammoniagenesis which occurs following nephron reduction is markedly influenced by dietary protein content. A lack of enhanced GLDH activity may underlie the lack of increased ammonia production of low protein-fed rats following nephron reduction. Effets de la reduction nephronique et du contenu en proteines de l'alimentation sur l'ammoniogenese renale du rat. L'excretion urinaire d'ammoniaque, l'ammoniogenese in vitro et les activites de la glutaminase phosphate dependente (PDG) et de la dehydrogenase glutamique (GLDH) corticales ont ete mesurees chez des rats dont la masse renale avait ete reduite. Apres nephrectomie controlaterale l'excretion d'ammoniaque par nephron, la production d'ammoniaque et les activites de PDG et GLDH augmentent significativement dans le rein restant de rats soumis a un regime riche en proteines. Chez les rats alimentes avec un regime pauvre en proteines l'activite de GLDH, la production et l'excretion d'ammoniaque n'augmentent pas, bien que l'activite de PDG soit accrue, apres la nephrectomie controlaterale. La production et l'excretion d'ammoniaque sont plus grandes chez les animaux soumis a un regime riche en proteines par comparaison a ceux recevant un regime pauvre, cette difference est corrigee par l'addition d'acides mineraux au regime pauvre en proteines. Le supplement d'acide au groupe recevant le regime pauvre en proteines n'a pas pour consequence une augmentation de la production d'ammoniaque ou de l'activite de la GLDH apres reduction de la masse nephronique. Ces resultats indiquent que l'augmentation de l'ammoniogenese qui survient apres reduction nephronique est notablement influencee par le contenu alimentaire en proteines. L'absence d'augmentation de l'activite de GLDH peut etre le phenomene sousjacent a l'absence d'augmentation de la production d'ammoniaque apres reduction nephronique chez les rats soumis a un regime pauvre en proteines.
A Tri-Part Model for Genetics Literacy: Exploring Undergraduate Student Reasoning about Authentic Genetics Dilemmas.

Genetics literacy is becoming increasingly important as advancements in our application of genetic technologies such as stem cell research, cloning, and genetic screening become more prevalent. Very few studies examine how genetics literacy is applied when reasoning about authentic genetic dilemmas. However, there is evidence that situational features of a reasoning task may influence how students apply content knowledge as they generate and support arguments. Understanding how students apply content knowledge to reason about authentic and complex issues is important for considering instructional practices that best support student thinking and reasoning. In this conceptual report, we present a tri-part model for genetics literacy that embodies the relationships between content knowledge use, argumentation quality, and the role of situational features in reasoning to support genetics literacy. Using illustrative examples from an interview study with early career undergraduate students majoring in the biological sciences and late career undergraduate students majoring in genetics, we provide insights into undergraduate student reasoning about complex genetics issues and discuss implications for teaching and learning. We further discuss the need for research about how the tri-part model of genetics literacy can be used to explore students’ thinking and reasoning abilities in genetics.
Egg fertilisation in a freshwater mussel: effects of distance, flow and male density

SUMMARY 1. Small or sparse populations can experience Allee effects if egg fertilisation is reduced because of a shortage of sperm. 2. Freshwater mussels are spermcasters that often occur as sparse, patchy populations. Previous studies suggested that sperm shortage limits these populations unless facultative hermaphroditism and selffertilisation occur at low density. We conducted experiments in ponds to examine fertilisation in the mussel, Lampsilis straminea, in response to flow, presence of and distance from males, male density, and the presence of upstream females that could compete for sperm with downstream females. 3. Self-fertilisation in the absence of males did not occur in either experiment. Female fertilisation success was uniformly high in most treatments and was not related to flow or distance from males (1–25 m). Fertilisation success was significantly lower at low male density (0.02 m 2 , compared with 0.16 m 2 ) but remained relatively high even in most low male density treatments. The proportion of females that became gravid was higher in the presence of upstream females, but fecundity was significantly lower when upstream females were present; these conflicting results made it difficult to assess the role of competition among females for sperm. 4. Overall, high fertilisation success occurred at densities three orders of magnitude lower than previously proposed thresholds for mussels. Sperm dispersal and acquisition and egg fertilisation appear to be complex processes associated with adaptations for spermcasting. These adaptations are likely to facilitate persistence at low population density and buffer mussels from reproductive Allee effects.
Social System Effects on Local Level Morbidity and Adaptation in the Rural Peruvian Andes

In this article I argue for the desirability of linking data, methods, and theoretical perspectives from sociocultural and biological anthropology, and provide methodological examples for conducting this type of research. I specifically examine the utility of the adaptation paradigm for understanding the health consequences of rural Peruvian social relations. Long-term historical trends in the Nunoa District in the rural Peruvian highlands reveal that large-scale political-economic and other social forces helped shape a local social structure that creates ongoing adverse living conditions for many segments of the population. Biological manifestations of social stressors are seen in the form of high mortality and poor child growth, especially among economically marginalized populations. Analysis of household morbidity and social characteristics demonstrates strong links between health status and factors such as informal interhousehold social support networks, education, and family demographic composition.
Stock Identification of Naturalized Brown Trout in Lake Superior Tributaries: Differentiation Based on Allozyme Data

Abstract Eight collections of brown trout Salmo trutta from four Lake Superior tributary systems in Wisconsin (the species' principal range in the Lake Superior drainage) were analyzed electrophoretically for enzyme expression at 15 polymorphic loci. Collections included site-specific samples from the Brule River, as well as anadromous and resident fish from the Brule and Sioux Rivers. Significant differences occurred among the eight samples at 6 of 12 possible locus comparisons (P < 0.01). Hierarchial analysis indicated that significant differences also occurred among the four drainages and among samples within drainages. Average genetic fixation values Fst indicated that the genetic variation observed among the four drainages represented approximately 1.9% of the total variation and was similar to the variation observed among samples within the Brule and Sioux drainages (1.6%). The average sample of brown trout contained about 96.5% of the genetic variation observed. Comparisons between anadromous and r...
Resolution of VISION, a crystal-analyzer spectrometer

We present both analytic and Monte Carlo calculations of the resolution of VISION, which is a crystal-analyzer spectrometer based on the TOSCA design. The analyzer crystal in VISION is configured to focus in time, radial, and transverse directions (“triple focused”). Previously published analytical results have two serious flaws in the handling of the statistics, which gave misleading results. First, Gaussian distributions were assumed for all resolution components, so that full-width-half-maximum could be used. Not only is this a very poor approximation for most terms, it is also completely unnecessary because standard deviations can be combined in quadrature for any shape distribution (except Lorentzian). The second flaw was the choice of variables that are not independent, so that significant correlations were ignored. An example of the effect of including correlations is that the mosaic spread of the analyzer crystals does not contribute to the resolution in first order. Monte Carlo simulation is not limited to first order, and we find a mild optimum value for mosaic spread. A complete set of six independent variables is: neutron emission time, incident flight-path variation (due to moderator tilt), sample thickness, mean path in the analyzer (due to multiple reflections), sample-to-detector radial distance, and detector thickness. We treat separately the resolution contributions from histogramming and rebinning during data acquisition and reduction, and describe a scheme for VISION that minimizes the effect on resolution. We compare the contributions of the six variables to the total resolution, both analytically and by Monte Carlo simulations of a complete VISION model using the Neutron Instrument Simulation Package (NISP).
The efficacy of bromocriptine in benign prostatic hypertrophy. A double-blind study.

Summary— The efficacy and the safety of bromocriptine 7.5 mg daily were investigated in a double-blind versus placebo trial in 32 patients with troublesome symptoms from benign prostatic hypertrophy. Differences between the treatments in respect of uroflowmetry, residual urine and safety parameters were not statistically significant. Differences in respect of nocturia, daytime frequency and overall efficacy were statistically significant in favour of bromocriptine. There could be a place for bromocriptine in the palliative treatment of the functional disability caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy when surgery is refused or contraindicated.
Greenhouse and Field Cage Tests with Systemic Insecticides for Control of Tarnished Plant Bugs on Cotton

Greenhouse and field cage tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of selected systemic inscticides, Temik® (2-methyl-2-(methylthio) propionaldehyde O -(methylcarbamoyl)oxime), Azodrin® (3-hydroxy- N -methyl- cis -crotonamide dimethyl phosphate), Stauffer B-10497 (O,O -dimethyl [ethyl(2-hydroxyproyl)thiocarbamoyl]phosphoramidothioate), Niagara NIA-10242 (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate), and American Cyanamid CL-47031 (cyclic ethylene (diethoxyphosphinyl). dithioimidocarbonate) against the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois). The insecticides were applied to cotton stems in a lanolin formulation and to the soil in which plants were grown in a granular formulation. Temik and Azodrin were more effective than the other insecticides. In field cage tests, Temik applied to the soil was slightly more effective than Temik or Azodrin applied to the stems. Temik reduced hatch of tarnished plant bug eggs when the insecticide was applied to the plant after the eggs were laid in various plant parts.
Effects of an ATP site affinity analog on some conformational and enzymatic properties of the canine kidney (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

We have shown previously that the canine kidney Na+, K+ pump ((Na+ + K+)-ATPase) reacts with the ATP affinity analog p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (FSBA). At 20°C, we find the time-course of this reaction to be that predicted for a first-order reaction accompanied by competing solvolysis of the reagent. The FSBA-inactivated (Na+ + K+)-ATPase retains the ability to move between the E1 and E2 conformations that predominate in Na+ and K+ medium, respectively. Therefore, FSBA reaction with the enzyme does not interfere significantly with either its alkali metal cation binding or its conformational freedom. The ability of ATP to influence the enzyme's conformation by binding to the high-affinity nucleotide site is decreased, however, in proportion to the degree of inhibition of enzyme activity by FSBA. In addition, the ability of the enzyme to shift from the E1 to the E2 conformation through the (ATP + Na+)-dependent phosphorylation cycle is inhibited by FSBA treatment, as shown by the decreased ability of these substrates to stimulate the K+-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity. Both of these effects are consistent with specific reaction of FSBA with the ATP binding site of the enzyme. An additional effect of FSBA treatment is that it causes loss of p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity, but to a lesser extent than (Na+ + K+)-ATPase or Na+-ATPase activity. Binding of p-nitrophenylphosphate to the enzyme is apparently unaffected by FSBA treatment, since the Km for p-nitrophenylphosphate is not changed.
Analytic improvements to the atmospheric turbulence optical transfer function

The standard method used for modeling optical turbulence effects on imaging uses an optical transfer function (OTF). To model this function the short- and long-exposure limiting cases exist. The short-exposure case is handled by modifying the long-exposure case to remove wavefront tilt assessed at the sensor entrance pupil. Then, depending on whether one is in the "near-field" or the "far-field," one of two subcases is used. These evaluations require a model of the refractive index spectrum. Typically this model is assumed to be the Kolmogorov spectrum where an inner scale is set to zero and outer scale is infinite. However, for real atmospheres the inner and outer scales affect turbulence predictions through a modified spectrum. The difficulty using non-limiting values for these parameters is that double integrals must then be assessed. However, in this paper analytic forms are developed to describe the spectrum, permitting analytic solutions to these integrals. The result is that we can express quantities such as the Fried coherence diameter in closed form accounting for both inner and outer scale effects. Also, expressions for the inner and outer scales of turbulence can be written as functions of the atmospheric surface layer stability. Lastly, it is shown that the near/far-field effect does not easily subdivide into two cases. In fact, the distance dependence of the tilt effect is shown to span a range of 107 in the governing dimensionless parameter. To model this continuum a unified treatment is considered.
DECREASED EXPRESSION OF SMOOTH MUSCLE α-ACTIN RESULTS IN DECREASED CONTRACTILE FUNCTION OF THE MOUSE BLADDER

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Smooth muscle α-actin (SMαA) is an important actin isoform for functional contractility in the mouse bladder. Alterations in the expression of SMαA have been associated with a variety of bladder pathological conditions. Recently, a SMαA-null mouse was generated and differences in vascular tone and contractility were observed between wild-type and SMαA-null mice suggesting alterations in function of vascular smooth muscle. We used SMαA-null mice to explore the hypothesis that SMαA is necessary for normal bladder function.Materials and Methods:: Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining were used to confirm the absence of SMαA transcript and protein in the bladder of SMαA-null mice. In vitro bladder contractility compared between bladder rings harvested from wild-type and SMαA-null mice was determined by force measurement following electrical field stimulation (EFS), and exposure to chemical agonists and antagonists including KCl, ca...
Alveolar process fractal dimension and postcranial bone density.

Abstract Objectives: Our goal was to determine whether the radiographic fractal dimension of the maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes is related to bone density of the alveolar processes, spine, hip, and radius in healthy women. Study Design: Thirty-seven dentate healthy white women aged 20 to 78 years underwent assessment of systemic and alveolar process bone. After a periodontal examination, D-speed vertical bite-wing and periapical radiographs with aluminum stepwedges and a density correction algorithm were used to make alveolar process fractal dimension and density calculations within regions of interest that avoided crestal bone and intrabony defects. Anteroposterior (L1–L4) and lateral (L2–L4) lumbar spine, total hip, and total wrist densities were determined by means of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results: Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between maxillary alveolar process fractal dimension and maxillary alveolar process density (r = 0.47, P ≤.01), mandibular alveolar process density (r = 0.48, P ≤.01), and mandibular alveolar process fractal dimension (r = 0.44, P ≤.05); and between mandibular alveolar process fractal dimension and maxillary alveolar process density (r = 0.54, P ≤.01) and mandibular alveolar process density (r = 0.58, P ≤.001). No significant relationships were found between the maxillary alveolar process or the mandibular alveolar process fractal dimension and the density of any postcranial regions. Conclusions: In healthy women, the alveolar process radiographic fractal dimension is significantly related to the alveolar process density but is not related to the density of the spine, hip, or radius. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2001;91:486-91)