cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple Genetic Controls on Rhizobium meliloti syrA, a Regulator of Exopolysaccharide Abundance

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are produced by a wide assortment of bacteria including plant pathogens and rhizobial symbionts. Rhizobium meliloti mutants defective in EPS production fail to invade alfalfa nodules. Production of EPS in R. meliloti is likely controlled at several levels. We have characterized a new gene of this regulatory circuit. syrA was identified by its ability to confer mucoid colony morphology and by its ability to suppress the colonial phenotype of an exoD mutant. Here we show that syrA encodes a 9-kD hydrophobic protein that has sequence similarity to two other EPS regulatory proteins: ExoX of Rhizobium NGR234 and R. meliloti, and Psi of R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli. The syrA transcription start site lies 522 nucleotides upstream of a non-canonical TTG start codon. The syrA promoter region is similar to the promoter region of the nodulation regulatory protein, nodD3. We found that in free-living bacteria, syrA expression is activated by the regulatory locus, syrM, but not by nodD3. In planta, syrM is not required for expression of syrA. Instead, expression of the nitrogen fixation (nifHDKE) genes upstream of syrA plays a role. Specific and distinct sets of genetic controls may operate at different times during nodule invasion.
Association of neck circumference with perioperative adverse respiratory events in children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association of neck circumference (NC) with perioperative respiratory adverse events in children undergoing elective noncardiac surgery, a relationship that has not been previously characterized. METHODS: Using a prospective, observational design, we studied children aged 6 to 18 years undergoing elective noncardiac surgeries at our institution. Trained research assistants collected clinical (including perioperative adverse events) and anthropometric data from all subjects. Patients were stratified into 2 classes: high NC versus low NC on the basis of age- and gender-specific receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Subsequently, univariate factors associated with high NC were explored, and odds ratios for the occurrence of perioperative adverse events were then calculated from logistic regression after controlling for clinically relevant cofactors. RESULTS: Among the 1102 patients, the prevalence of high NC was 24.3%. NC was positively correlated with age and other anthropometric parameters. Children with high NC were more likely to be loud snorers and have a history of bronchial asthma, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Composite adverse airway events were more frequent in children with a large NC. There was no significant association between high NC and difficult laryngoscopy in our study population. CONCLUSIONS: NC was positively correlated with other indices of obesity in children, and large NC (indicative of central obesity) was associated with some adverse respiratory events in these children undergoing noncardiac surgery. NC could be a useful clinical screening tool for the occurrence of perioperative adverse respiratory events in children.
Consequences and Therapeutic Implications of Macrophage Apoptosis in Atherosclerosis The Importance of Lesion Stage and Phagocytic Efficiency

Macrophage apoptosis occurs throughout all stages of atherosclerosis, yet new findings in vivo suggest that the consequences of this event may be very different in early versus late atherosclerotic lesions. In early lesions, where phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells appears to be efficient, macrophage apoptosis is associated with diminished lesion cellularity and decreased lesion progression. In late lesions, however, a number of factors may contribute to defective phagocytic clearance of apoptotic macrophages, leading to secondary necrosis of these cells and a proinflammatory response. The cumulative effect of these late lesional events is generation of the necrotic core, which, in concert with proatherogenic effects of residual surviving macrophages, promotes further inflammation, plaque instability, and thrombosis. Thus, the ability or lack thereof of lesional phagocytes to safely clear apoptotic macrophages may be an important determinant of acute atherothrombotic clinical events. Further understanding of the mechanisms involved in macrophage apoptosis and phagocytic clearance might lead to novel therapeutic strategies directed against the progression of advanced plaques.
High-level expression in Escherichia coli of the soluble, catalytic domain of rat hepatic cytochrome b5 reductase.

Abstract A T7 expression system has been produced for the high-level production of the soluble, catalytic domain of rat hepatic cytochrome b 5 reductase in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity using affinity chromatography on 5′-ADP agarose and gel exclusion chromatography and exhibited a molecular mass of approximately 30 kDa by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a molecular mass of 30,588 by mass spectrometry. Direct sequencing of the initial 12 residues of the amino-terminus of the purified domain yielded the sequence MITLENPDIKYP, identical to that predicted from the DNA sequence. The domain incorporated a full complement of FAD with a visible absorption spectrum typical of a flavoprotein exhibiting maxima at 389 and 461 nm and a distinct shoulder at 485 nm. Addition of NADH to the protein resulted in an extensive bleaching of the visible spectrum. The recombinant domain retained both NADH:ferricyanide and NADH:cytochrome b 5 reductase activities with V max of 48 and 26 μmol NADH consumed/min/nmol FAD, respectively, and K m of 6, 7, and 11 μ m for NADH, ferricyanide, and cytochrome b 5 . Comparison of the activities obtained using NADH and NADPH indicated a substantial preference for NADH as the reducing substrate. The results indicate that the recombinant protein retains the physical and catalytic properties of the native protein and represents an excellent system for probing the role of specific amino acid residues using site-directed mutagenesis.
Regression Models for Faulted Structural Surfaces

Mildly deformed structural surfaces with high-angle faults of moderate displacement can be approximated only poorly with standard polynomial regression models. Discontinuities can, however, be introduced into the regression equations and the least-squares criterion used to estimate parameters simultaneously describing the position of a fault, amount and direction of displacement along the fault plane, and coefficients of the polynomial regression model. This paper treats two simple models for such a fault: (1) where the fault plane is vertical and only vertical translation has occurred and (2) where the fault plane is vertical and both vertical and lateral translations have occurred. The models are applied to published structural data from the Ramsey pool, Payne County. Oklahoma, where stratigraphic and other evidence indicates the presence of a high-angle fault in the subsurface. The results show close agreement with the inferred position and amount of vertical displacement associated with this fault, but seem to indicate that the previously inferred amount of lateral translation is overestimated.
Where do we go from here - and who is leading the way?

The effort to develop CALL can be thought of as progressing through three eras. In the first era, the technology itself led the way; constraints on hardware and software dictated the pedagogical uses to which we could put the machinery. In the second era - where we still find ourselves - language teaching leads the way. In the third era - the golden age of CALL - it will be language learning which motivates and controls the development of the whole effort, but we are not there yet. (I shall discuss in more detail why I believe that current developments in ‘learner-centred’ and ‘learner-controlled’ activities on the computer do not as yet really qualify as computer-assisted language learning.)
Perceptual difficulty in source memory encoding and retrieval: Prefrontal versus parietal electrical brain activity

It is well established that source memory retrieval – remembering relationships between a core item and some additional attribute of an event – engages prefrontal cortex (PFC) more than simple item memory. In event-related potentials (ERPs), this is manifest in a late-onset difference over PFC between studied items which mandate retrieval of a second attribute, and unstudied items which can be immediately rejected. Although some sorts of attribute conjunctions are easier to remember than others, the role of source retrieval difficulty on prefrontal activity has received little attention. We examined memory for conjunctions of object shape and color when color was an integral part of the depicted object, and when monochrome objects were surrounded by colored frames. Source accuracy was reliably worse when shape and color were spatially separated, but prefrontal activity did not vary across the object–color and frame-color conditions. The insensitivity of prefrontal ERPs to this perceptual manipulation of difficulty stands in contrast to their sensitivity to encoding task: deliberate voluntary effort to integrate objects and colors during encoding reduced prefrontal activity during retrieval, but perceptual organization of stimuli did not. The amplitudes of ERPs over parietal cortex were larger for frame-color than object–color stimuli during both study and test phases of the memory task. Individual variability in parietal ERPs was strongly correlated with memory accuracy, which we suggest reflects a contribution of visual working memory to long-term memory. We discuss multiple bottlenecks for source memory performance.
Growth and Changes in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Workforce with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Background: From March 2009 through February 2011, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) received a $300 million supplement through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to grant more loan repayment awards to clinicians who agree to work in underserved areas. This study assesses how this unprecedented funding increase affected the size, composition, and location of the NHSC9s workforce. Methods: This was a descriptive, time-linked, observational study using NHSC administrative data. Main outcomes were growth and changes in disciplinary composition of the NHSC9s workforce and in its rural/urban and state-to-state distribution. Results: During the Recovery Act period, the NHSC9s workforce increased by 156%, from 3017 to 7713 clinicians. Mental health clinicians grew most numerically (210%) and as a proportion of the NHSC9s workforce (from 22.7% to 27.4%). Primary care clinicians grew least and decreased as a proportion of the NHSC9s workforce to 58.9%; dental health clinicians remained steady at approximately 13.5%. Among individual disciplines, physicians decreased most as a component of the NHSC9s overall workforce, from 38.6% to 26.7%, whereas the proportion of nurse practitioners grew most, from 10.1% to 16.0%. Proportions of the NHSC9s workforce serving in rural areas changed only modestly. NHSC clinician numbers grew most in states with the lowest NHSC clinician-to-poverty population ratios before the Recovery Act. Conclusions: With Recovery Act funding, the NHSC9s workforce become far larger and more diverse than ever and more evenly distributed across states. The NHSC should now set targets and be more deliberate in managing its growth across disciplines and where its clinicians serve.
Antibacterial Activity of Meropenem and Selected Comparative Agents Against Anaerobic Bacteria at Seven North American Centers

The antibacterial activity of meropenem and comparative agents against approximately 1,000 anaerobes was determined using the disk dilution methods recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). The organisms represented 27 species of six genera and included the most common pathogens. Meropenem and imipenem were the most active drugs and were comparable in overall activity, generally exhibiting an MIC90 of < or = 1 micrograms/mL. In contrast, the MICs of cefoxitin, clindamycin, and metronidazole were 32, 16, and 2 micrograms/mL, respectively. Meropenem was two- to fourfold more active than imipenem against selected Bacteroides species, Clostridium species, and Fusobacterium species. At a concentration of 1 microgram/mL, meropenem was more active than imipenem against cefoxitin-resistant Bacteroides fragilis or Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. At a concentration of < or = 0.5 micrograms/mL, meropenem was more active than imipenem against clindamycin-resistant Bacteroides distasonis. At a concentration of 2 micrograms/mL, meropenem was more active than imipenem against cefoxitin-resistant or clindamycin-resistant Clostridium difficile. Thus, meropenem's high potency and broad-spectrum activity against common, rare, and drug-resistant anaerobes confirms its utility in the treatment of mixed anaerobic and aerobic infections.
Growing Pains for Ecology in the Twenty-First Century

Growing Pains for Ecology in the Twenty-First Century Author(s): Stephanie E. Hampton, Carly A. Strasser and Joshua J. Tewksbury Reviewed work(s): Source: BioScience, Vol. 63, No. 2 (February 2013), pp. 69-71 Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/bio.2013.63.2.2 . Accessed: 04/02/2013 12:56 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. University of California Press and American Institute of Biological Sciences are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to BioScience. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded on Mon, 4 Feb 2013 12:56:22 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Impure or Just Weird? Scenario Sampling Bias Raises Questions About the Foundation of Morality

Moral psychologists have used scenarios of abuse and murder to operationalize harm and chicken-masturbation and dog-eating to operationalize impurity. These scenarios reveal different patterns of m...
Economic Modeling to Improve Estimates of the Benefits of Safety Management Systems

Safety Management Systems (SMS) in aviation have the potential to minimize costs, protect profits, and increase shareholder value. However, a gap exists in SMS research between the acknowledged safety benefits of SMS and the identified economic benefits. In the current competitive marketplace, SMS will need to demonstrate economic viability through modeling before industry leaders are likely to adopt a voluntary process. This paper reviews the literature related to a variety of possible economic models applicable to measuring the benefits of the application and implementation of SMS in aviation organizations. While the ultimate goal is to increase safety, the utilization of a model chosen based on the needs of the organization, could encourage voluntary adoption of SMS before regulations make it mandatory. The model will better inform the adopters of SMS of benefits and the processes themselves so that SMS does not degrade into a focus on following process steps rather than improving safety. Using good models that estimate the benefits of SMS would facilitate decision making as well as support the implementation of SMS.
Foreigners Knocking on the Door: Trade in China During the Treaty Port Era

We employ a new, commodity-level dataset on the flow of goods between fifteen major treaty ports to estimate a general-equilibrium trade model for China around the year 1900. The distribution of welfare effects depends critically on each port's productivity, China's economic geography because it affects trade costs, and the extent of regional diversity in production because this affects the potential gains from trade. We utilize this framework to quantify the size and distribution of welfare effects resulting from new technology and lower trade costs that came with the treaty ports. Findings show that domestic markets resulted in ripple effects which transmitted the effect of the international trade opening beyond the foreign concessions. However, because differences in relative productivity across regions were relatively low, the welfare gains from domestic trade improvements were limited.
Fibroblast growth factor‐23 and chronic allograft injury in pediatric renal transplant recipients: a Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Consortium study

The chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) produces fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) and related circulating pathogenic factors that are strongly associated with vascular injury and declining kidney function in native CKD. Similarly, chronic renal allograft injury (CRAI) is characterized by vascular injury and declining allograft function in transplant CKD. We hypothesized that circulating CKD-MBD factors could serve as non-invasive biomarkers of CRAI. We conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter case-control study. Cases (n = 31) had transplant function >20 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and biopsy-proven CRAI. Controls (n = 31) had transplant function >90 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and/or a biopsy with no detectable abnormality in the previous six months. We measured plasma CKD-MBD factors at a single time point using ELISA. Median (range) FGF23 levels were over twofold higher in CRAI vs. controls [106 (10-475) pg/mL vs. 45 (8-91) pg/mL; p < 0.001]. FGF23 levels were inversely correlated with transplant function (r(2) = -0.617, p < 0.001). Higher FGF23 levels were associated with increased odds of biopsy-proven CRAI after adjusting for transplant function, clinical, and demographic factors [OR (95% CI) 1.43 (1.23, 1.67)]. Relationships between additional CKD-MBD factors and CRAI were attenuated in multivariable models. Higher FGF23 levels were independently associated with biopsy-proven CRAI in children.
The Latest Situation of Edible Oils & Fats

最近, 食糧危機を題材にした本が出版されています。近年の油脂をめぐる状況はどの様になっているのでしょうか? 現在の油脂事情を語るにあたって, 中国とパーム油ぬきに語ることはできません。中国が1994年に大量の買付けを行って以来, パーム油の価格は一段高いレベルとなって現在まで推移しています。世界の油脂の消費量は年々増加しており, 将来更に多くの油脂が必要とされている一方, 耕作地の大幅な拡大は難しいものがあります。将来的に世界の人々が必要とする生産量を達成するには, 反収の増加が必要でありバイオテクノロジーは必須の技術と考えられます。
ABSTRACT CARD TASKS FOR USE IN PROBLEM SOLVING RESEARCH

THE MATERIALS used to study problem solving have varied so greatly (5) that it has been difficult to collate many of the findings. It has been espe cially difficult to bridge the vast chasm between problem solving research in the classroom and in the laboratory. Much of this difficulty stems from a scarcity of suitable research materials. The purpose of this article is to present some
Competition in a Posted-Salary Matching Market under Private Information

We study a posted-salary labor market in which firms engage in salary competition. Firms’ preferences over workers are private information, creating uncertainty about competitive pressure for different workers. We consider a baseline 2-firm, 2-worker model, then extend the analysis to larger markets by replicating the baseline. We characterize the unique Bayesian- Nash equilibrium, in which each firm type chooses a distributional strategy with interval support in the salary space. The main result shows that competition is localized, in the sense that firm types with a common most preferred worker choose non-overlapping, adjacent supports. We also provide numerical results to show that the equilibrium strategies in finite replicated markets converge to the corresponding equilibrium strategies in a market with a continuum of firms and workers.
A User-Oriented Model for Sales Force Size, Product, and Market Allocation Decisions:

A simple-to-understand and easy-to-implement model is developed to handle decisions on sales force size, product, and market allocations. One firm's experience in using the model for tactical alloc...
Effects of Nonspecific Cell/Surface Interactions on Cell Affinity Chromatographic Separations

Exploitation of specific cell membrane receptor molecules is a promising avenue for the separation and purification of particular cell populations for biomedical and biotechnological purposes. Cell affinity chromatography is a technique which uses this principle to separate cells. In it, ligand molecules with a high binding affinity for specific receptors on targeted cell populations are immobilized on surfaces over which mixed cell populations are passed. These targeted populations are preferential retained, affecting a separation. Often, the resulting separation is not as selective or efficient as the receptor/ligand biochemistry would promise. We present a theoretical analysis which elucidates the role of physical factors, such as van der Waals, electrostatic, and fluid mechanical forces, in affecting cell adhesiveness and hence selectivity. We demonstrate that only fairly narrow ranges of parameters characterizing these forces permit the selectivity inherent in the receptor/ligand biochemistry.
CONFERENCE CIRCUIT: The challenge to change: Creating diversity in libraries

Compte-rendu du congres tenu les 1 et 2 octobre 1999 au State College, Pennsylvanie: inegalites dans le recrutement de noirs dans les bibliotheques universitaires, groupes de haine dans les sites Internet et discussion sur le theme: une bibliotheque doit-elle retenir des sites de cette nature, developpment des collections concernant les homosexuels et transsexuels
How Shall we Power Tomorrow’s Automobile?

The thrust toward further gains in the fuel-utilization efficiency of the passenger-car engine, without sacrificing its many other desirable attributes, is continuing. The search for an attractive alternative powerplant has always been included in such efforts, but so far none has emerged. Prominent on the list of contenders today are the Stirling engine, the gas turbine, and the advanced diesel, including uncooled versions incorporating structural ceramics. Large-scale production of none of these is projected for passenger cars in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, improvements continue to be made to indicated thermal efficiency, mechanical efficiency, and volumetric efficiency of the spark-ignition engine. Supercharging and variable engine geometry are additional options, and the advent of electronic controls has proven beneficial. The spark-ignition engine promises the ability to operate on the leading alternative fuels. Given the evolving scenario, that engine is expected to remain dominant in passenger cars to the end of this century.
Massive Hemorrhage From Multiple Hepatic Artery Aneurysms

A 66-year-old man, with an abnormal porta hepatis, consistent with tumor or inflammation, developed massive bleeding from one of numerous hepatic artery aneurysms, and coil embolization achieved control of bleeding. He died of subsequent multisystem organ failure, and the most likely diagnosis was either polyarteritis nodosa or segmental arterial mediolysis. Although the dual hepatic blood supply allows a degree of arterial embolization, this case demonstrates the risks associated with large territory hepatic arterial embolization in the presence of hemodynamic instability. We discuss the management issues related to massive hepatic bleeding when no surgical approach is possible.
Designing games to help train children to use Prosthetic Arms

Prosthetic Arms are often financially out of reach for children. A single prosthetic can cost upwards of $40,000 USD and as children grow they may need multiple new arms throughout a single year. Further, high end prosthetics can be incredibly complicated allowing for articulated wrists and individual finger movements, leading to a complex learning curve that leaves many adults frustrated leading to lack of use of the prosthetics. Limbitless Solutions, however, has applied low cost 3D printing to the task and has developed a simple to control prosthetic arm for kids and the emerging world. This work explores the use of video games combined with a custom controller to train kids to use their new prosthetic arms before they get them.
CREATING AN ACCOUNTING CULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM

Numerous critics of accounting education have suggested that students graduating from accounting programs are well-trained but poorly educated. One reason that this may be occurring is that accounting education has become increasingly rule-oriented, focusing more on training future accountants rather than on educating those individuals. It is suggested here that accounting educators should spend more time developing an awareness in students of the culture of accounting. Two methods for accomplishing this change are suggested: (1) Focusing on the issues instead of the rules, and (2) providing students with a historical perspective of the events which have developed and shaped the practice of accountancy. By adding culture to the accounting curriculum, students will be better educated and thus be better prepared for their future careers.
The Role of the Sinonasal Epithelium in Allergic Rhinitis

The sinonasal epithelial barrier is comprised of tight and adherens junction proteins. Disruption of epithelial barrier function has been hypothesized to contribute to allergic disease such as allergic rhinitis through increased passage of antigens and exposure of underlying tissue to these stimuli. Several mechanisms of sinonasal epithelial barrier disruption include antigen proteolytic activity, inflammatory cytokine-mediated tight junction breakdown, or exacerbation from environmental stimuli. Mechanisms of sinonasal epithelial barrier stabilization include corticosteroids and nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) cytoprotective pathway activation. Additional studies will aid in determining the contribution of epithelial barrier function in allergic rhinitis pathophysiology and treatment.
Evaluation of the silicon isotopes for ENDF/B-VI

Isotopic evaluations for 28,29,30Si performed for ENDF/B-VI are briefly reviewed. The evaluations are based on analysis of experimental data and results of model calculations. Evaluated data are given for neutron induced reaction cross sections, angular and energy distributions, and gamma-ray production cross sections. All necessary data are given to allow KERMA (Kinetic Energy Released in Materials) and displacement cross sections to be calculated directly from information available in the evaluations. These quantities are fundamental to studies of neutron heating and radiation damage.
Hemochromatosis: A “Simple” Genetic Trait

With the discovery of the causative gene, the disorder stands revealed as America's single most common mendelian disease. Unlike other genetic diseases, it is already curable. Indeed, genetic screening makes it potentially preventable. Yet a finding of disease-related genotype can also lead to stigmatization. Hemochromatosis therefore presents the issues surrounding genetic testing in especially stark form.
Interpretation of piezocone penetration and dissipation tests in sensitive Leda clay at Gloucester test site

A modified piezocone penetration test (CPTu) analytical solution based on spherical cavity expansion and critical state soil mechanics (SCE–CSSM) is employed for assessing yield stress, undrained s...
Show and Tell

This short essay pushes back against one of the most oft-repeated pieces of writing advice: "Show, don't tell."
The Legal Status of Brain-Based Determinations of Death

The simple answer to the question posed in this volume—What is the legal status of brain death?—is that determinations of death based on the complete and irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain are legally sanctioned by statute or judicial decision in 47 jurisdictions in the United States. Furthermore, there is no reason to think that they would be found invalid in any of the remaining four. Thus, were one addressing his subject solely from the view of the practicing lawyer, the answer to a client’s question “What is the legal status of brain death?,” would be easy and noncontroversial. Why, then, does interest in this topic persist? There are several reasons. Prime among these is the confusion in nomenclature that has led to a conceptual or philosophical confusion, which is to be discussed below.
Rainfall–runoff, flood inundation and sensitivity analysis of the 2014 Pakistan flood in the Jhelum and Chenab river basin

The major flood of 2014 in the two eastern, transboundary rivers, the Jhelum and Chenab in Punjab, Pakistan, was simulated using the two-dimensional rainfall–runoff model. The simulated hydrograph ...
Spreading the Good News: Analyzing Socially Shared Inspirational News Content:

Past research indicates that people often share awe-inspiring news online. However, little is known about the content of those stories. In this study, more broadly defined “inspirational” articles ...
Computational screening of electrolyte materials: status quo and open problems

Development of novel approaches for designing advanced energy storage devices generally requires a fundamental understanding of the atomic structure of and processes in constituent materials. Correspondingly, the modern-day frameworks for computational design of electrolyte materials extensively employ either quantum calculations or atomistic simulation methods, or often, a combination thereof. Within the frameworks of recently devised approaches, these two computational methods are augmented by advanced machine learning techniques. Here, we focus on the recent developments in electrolyte materials design, with the emphasis on the computational design of liquid electrolytes. A particular attention is paid to the recent progress in building a unified framework for large-scale and high-throughput screening of liquid electrolyte material systems for battery applications. We address the status quo in the area and present a perspective on essential further efforts that have to be undertaken to construct realistic paradigms for intelligent design of electrolyte materials by testing physical and chemical properties of large sets of candidate chemical compounds and their combinations. The issues of further improvements in quantum calculations and atomistic simulation are also briefly addressed in the context of energy storage device applications.
Small bowel obstruction exacerbated by barium sulfate administration

Abstract Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a commonly encountered medical condition, typically a result of extrinsic causes, including post-operative adhesions. Less frequently, intrinsic and intraluminal factors may cause obstruction. Barium sulfate is a widely used contrast agent for radiography of suspected SBO, though it is rarely encountered in histologic sections and is an uncommon cause of SBO. Here, we present a case of a patient with several risk factors for SBO who received routine diagnostic imaging. Surgical resection revealed gross adhesions and histology showed intraluminal foreign material, determined to be barium sulfate by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.
Dialogues: Contours of Practice in Colonial Artworks

Each of the four articles in this Dialogues draws on recent conservation and/or material analysis of a single work created in colonial Latin America, specifically New Spain, to explore the self-image of the artist as manifest through practice—that is, the techniques of manipulating a range of materials to achieve a desired aesthetic effect. The four foci are a featherwork miter and infulae, the Codex Mendoza, the Adoration of the Magi by Cristobal de Villalpando, and a casta painting by Miguel Cabrera. The introductory essay argues that examining artistic practice is one avenue to ascertaining artists’ own choices about self-presentation. RESUMEN Cada uno de los cuatro ensayos se basa en la conservacion reciente o el analisis material de una unica obra creada en la America Latina colonial, especificamente en la Nueva Espana, para explorar la autoimagen del artista tal como esta se manifiesta a traves de la practica, es decir, el conjunto de tecnicas desarrolladas por artistas para poder manipular diversos materiales a fin de lograr el efecto deseado. Los cuatro focos son una mitra e infulas de plumas, el Codice Mendoza, la Adoracion de los Reyes Magos de Cristobal de Villalpando y una pintura de casta de Miguel Cabrera. El ensayo introductorio sostiene que asignar un papel principal a la practica de los artistas permite entender las propias decisiones de los artistas sobre la auto-presentacion. RESUMO Cada um destes ensaios baseia-se em analises de conservacao ou material recentes de um unico trabalho criado na America Latina colonial, especificamente na Nova Espanha, para explorar a auto-imagem do artista como manifesta atraves da pratica, isto e, o conjunto de tecnicas que artistas desenvolveram para manipular os efeitos desejados de uma variedade de materiais. Os quatro focos sao uma mitra e infulas em arte plumaria, o Codex Mendoza, a Adoracao dos Magos por Cristobal de Villalpando e uma pintura de casta por Miguel Cabrera. O ensaio introdutorio argumenta que atribuir um papel primario a pratica dos artistas e chegar as proprias escolhas dos artistas sobre a auto-apresentacao.
Update of the Modified Hyper-CVAD Regimen with or without Rituximab in Newly Diagnosed Adult Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

Abstract Hyper-CVAD is effective therapy for adult ALL [Kantarjian et al, JCO 18:547, 2000; Kantarjian et al, Cancer 101:2788, 2004]. Intensive chemotherapy with hyper-CVAD (fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine [VCR], doxorubicin and dexamethasone) was alternated with high dose methotrexate and cytarabine every 21 days for 8 courses with G-CSF and prophylactic antibiotics, followed by maintenance with POMP (6-MP, methotrexate, VCR, prednisone). Complete response (CR) rate was 92% with 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates 38% overall. A modified hyper-CVAD regimen was developed to address the following: (1) higher induction mortality in patients (pts) aged 60 or older (17% versus 3%); (2) longer DFS reported with early anthracycline intensification; (3) worse survival with CD20 expression (excluding Burkitt's [BL] and lymphoblastic lymphoma [LL] subtypes); (4) CNS relapse rate of 6% and 1% in low and high risk pts, respectively and (5) late relapses after completion of therapy. Modifications to Hyper-CVAD Parameter Hyper-CVAD Modified Hyper-CVAD Laminar air flow rooms No For age ≥ 60 yrs or poor PS Dose-intensive anthracycline No C2 Liposomal DNR & cytarabine Rituximab No For CD20 ≥ 20 Intrathecal treatments 4–16 6–8 Maintenance (POMP) 2 years 3 years Intensifications (MTX, asparaginase) Months 7 & 11 Months 6,7 & 18,19 with hyper-CVAD Newly diagnosed or primary refractory (1 course only) pts were eligible. BL and Ph+ ALL pts were excluded. From May 2000 to December 2001, 77 pts were treated with the modified regimen detailed above (9 courses of intensive chemotherapy). The program was then modified further with elimination of course 2 anthracycline intensification. An additional 80 pts were treated with hyper-CVAD with or without rituximab (8 courses of intensive chemotherapy). The median age for these 157 pts was 40 yrs (range, 15–83) with 20% aged ≥ 60 yrs; 57% were males. Overall response rate was 94% in the evaluable pts (8 too early) with no difference by CD20 expression (49% were CD20+). No induction deaths were observed in the elderly subgroup (2 younger pts with induction deaths). Outcome with anthracycline intensification appeared worse, particularly in the CD20 negative group. The addition of rituximab appeared to improve DFS in CD20 positive group (with or without anthracycline intensification) compared with hyper-CVAD alone (2 yr DFS 90% versus 65%, p=.03); however, overall survival in the CD20 positive group was influenced by deaths in CR (10%) in elderly patients related to GNR sepsis or pneumonia during the intensive phase. Additional accrual and follow-up is needed to further define the role of rituximab in non-Burkitt's adult ALL.
Yellow, Reddish Brown Skin Lesions

Urticaria pigmentosa lesions are cutaneous manifestations of mastocytosis and appear as small yellowish-tan to reddish-brown macules or slightly raised papules and plaques Rubbing of the skin lesions in urticaria pigmentosa usually leads to urtication and erythema over and around the macules, known as Darier’s sign Diagnosis should be confirmed by skin biopsy
Prevention of Implant-Associated Infection in Neuromodulation: Review of the Literature and Prototype of a Novel Protective Implant Coating.

Background: Implanting hardware into surgical sites increases the rate of infection associated with these sites. Without novel efforts to reduce this rate of infection, we can expect to see an incr...
Database resources for cyanobacterial research

Abstract Cyanobacteria are a group of photosynthetic bacteria consisting of over 1600 species with various species-specific characteristics such as cell movement, cell differentiation, and nitrogen fixation. These species live in a wide range of ecological habitats, including extreme cold, extremely hot, marine, freshwater, and terrestrial, with symbiotic associations with other living organisms. This oxygen-releasing Gram-negative bacterium is an attractive model organism for exploring the mechanism of carbon fixation as well as endosymbiotic theory as these are considered as the origin of the chloroplast. Since these ancient life forms play a significant role in the ecological system, they serve as a study material in diverse fields of life science research. Cyanobacteria form toxic water blooms, which are of vital ecological concerns. However, in recent times, these organisms have got the attention of the researchers around the globe because of their capability of producing bioactive natural products as secondary metabolites, which have considerable economic and medicinal importance. Available cyanobacterial genomes are useful for studying the metabolic organization of the cyanobacterial species in diverse environments. Several database resources that contain the genomic and proteomic information of sequenced cyanobacterial genomes along with tools for sequence analysis have been developed by the researchers worldwide. This chapter discusses these databases dedicated to cyanobacteria in detail which play an essential role in cyanobacterial research in recent times.
Tuning Extracellular Electron Transfer by Shewanella oneidensis Using Transcriptional Logic Gates

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways, such as those in the bacterium Shewanella oneidensis, interface cellular metabolism with a variety of redox-driven applications. However, designer control over EET flux in S. oneidensis has proven challenging because a functional understanding of its EET pathway proteins and their effect on engineering parametrizations (e.g., response curves, dynamic range) is generally lacking. To address this, we systematically altered transcription and translation of single genes encoding parts of the primary EET pathway of S. oneidensis, CymA/MtrCAB, and examined how expression differences affected model-fitted parameters for Fe(III) reduction kinetics. Using a suite of plasmid-based inducible circuits maintained by appropriate S. oneidensis knockout strains, we pinpointed construct/strain pairings that expressed cymA, mtrA, and mtrC with maximal dynamic range of Fe(III) reduction rate. These optimized EET gene constructs were employed to create Buffer and NOT gate architectures that predictably turn on and turn off EET flux, respectively, in response to isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). Furthermore, we found that response functions generated by these logic gates (i.e., EET activity vs inducer concentration) were comparable to those generated by conventional synthetic biology circuits, where fluorescent reporters are the output. Our results provide insight on programming EET activity with transcriptional logic gates and suggest that previously developed transcriptional circuitry can be adapted to predictably control EET flux.
Measurements of the absorption coefficient of various liquids at a wavelength of 0.119 mm

Measurements were taken of the transmission of 0.119 mm radiation through 22 liquids using a variable length absorption cell for the preparation of the design of an acousto-optic modulator. Seven of these liquids were then selected to be tested at wavelengths of 0.185 mm, 0.307 mm, and 0.447 mm. It was found that a light grade of mineral oil proved to have excellent transmission in the far-infrared (FIR) spectrum. We were able, from the data collected, to estimate the index of refraction of these liquids at wavelengths longer than 0.3 mm.
Fouling reduction and recovery during forward osmosis of wastewater using an electroactive CNT composite membrane

Abstract A thin carbon nanotube (CNT) and carbon black (CB) composite electroactive layer was cast-coated on a commercial forward osmosis (FO) membrane surface. The FO fouling rate reduction and fouling reversibility of several cathodic CNT membranes were evaluated under relatively severe fouling conditions using synthetic wastewater containing 107-109 P. fluorescens (PF) mL−1 as feed in zero-flushing and long-interval-flushing modes over 84 h. The mechanically pressed p(CNT + CB) had the best antifouling performance with ~40% fouling rate reduction and ~1–2 times fouling resistance recovery (FRR) as compared to the control. The p(CNT + CB) membrane was then selected to evaluate the cathodic membrane antifouling performance in a more realistic scenario using short-interval-flushing (2 min every 40 min) with either PF or actual wastewater (WW) as the FO feed solution. Experimental results suggest different primary fouling mechanisms for PF and WW due to differences in the feed solution matrix. Even so, the p(CNT + CB) cathode at 2 V reduced the initial immediate fouling flux loss by 63% for WW as well as the fouling rate by ~50% for both the PF and WW relative to the control. Application of an electric potential was necessary to achieve antifouling performance, which confirmed an electroactive fouling mitigation mechanism.
How to Manage a Patient with Weight Regain

A 50-year-old patient, M.W., successfully reached their goal weight by losing 15 lb (6.8 kg) over six months on a Mediterranean diet. After maintaining the weight loss for more than a year, my patient is now 30 lb (13.6 kg) over their ideal body weight of 140 lb (63.5 kg).
On Active Region Emergence Precursors

I present intriguing results from a systematic look at possible indicators of active region emergence precursors using both acoustic power mapping and time distance travel time anomalies. I analyzed a set of active regions that have emerged at low latitudes and close to the central meridian, and were observed with HMI. Such regions, since they emerged near disk center, could be tracked for days before and after their emergence. Data cubes of tracked surface observable were analyzed, using time-series of various length, using HMI’s intensity, velocity and magnetic field data. While each active region displays its own particularities, this systematic approach allowed me to pick some interesting statistical properties that will be summarized. Using different time-series length allowed me to investigate the trade-off between precision and resolution, whether temporal or spatial. It also revealed to which extent one sees a tight correlation between various metric of surface activity and its effect of the measured acoustic signal, whether seen in raw of filtered power map or travel time anomalies.
Non-Financial Performance Measures and Physician Compensation

This study utilizes a national survey of physicians in the United States, administered four times between 1996 and 2005, to examine the use of non-financial performance measures in physician compensation contracts. Consistent with agency theory, we find that non-financial measures are used more frequently when the measures are more informative, when alternative control mechanisms are complements rather than substitutes, and when external pressures for quality of care and cost-containment are greater. Further, we find that contractual relationships in the healthcare value chain are inter-related; non-financial measures are more likely to be used to evaluate physician performance when the physicians’ practice is compensated based on fixed rate payments (i.e., capitation). We also find that physicians’ compensation contracts are more likely to incorporate non-financial performance measures when productivity in revenue generation is also used to evaluate performance. Taken together, the results suggest that non-financial performance measures play a significant role in physician compensation, acting to balance incentives tied to individual physician productivity.
Punishment, Proportionality, and Aggregation

Criminal theorists struggle to account for the “totality principle”—the idea that no matter how many small crimes you commit, your punishment should not exceed that for a more serious offense. Andrew Ashworth, for instance, argues that “overall proportionality” should be preserved but that this is a “pragmatic” solution. This paper argues that a retributivist can accept overall proportionality without abandoning her retributivism. I offer two lines of defense. The first is to show that the unit that we are aggregating may be more complex than first appears. The second relies on insights from the headaches versus lives literature, and how we should rescue one person dying before preventing one million people from headaches. The harms that we impose on others, and the harms that defendants suffer because of punishment, do not exist on one single scale. Hence, the true problem, I maintain, is not how culpability functions, but how our particular mode of punishment does. When we only have one primary mechanism to punish (particularly once we start aggregating)—put people in prison—then aggregating offenses appears as though it must quickly lead to numerous acts of littering being punished more than arson. With a more nuanced punitive response, we can punish minor offenses every time without surpassing the kinds of punishment we impose on more significant offenses.
“Just Invite Us”: Autistic Adults' Recommendations for Developing More Accessible Physical Activity Opportunities

Background: Autistic adults engage in lower levels of physical activity (PA) than their nonautistic peers, and over 60% do not meet national guidelines for PA. In addition, autistic adults face myr...
A simple mechanistic explanation for Barth syndrome and cardiolipin remodeling.

Barth syndrome is a multisystem disorder caused by an abnormal metabolism of the mitochondrial lipid cardiolipin. In this review, we discuss physical properties, biosynthesis, membrane assembly, and function of cardiolipin. We hypothesize that cardiolipin reduces packing stress in the inner mitochondrial membrane, which arises as a result of protein crowding. According to this hypothesis, patients with Barth syndrome are unable to meet peak energy demands because they fail to concentrate the proteins of oxidative phosphorylation to a high surface density in the inner mitochondrial membrane. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Environmental Imperialism of the Roman Empire in Northwestern Europe

The Roman Empire had a significant and sustained impact on the landscapes of northern Europe from the time of conquest to the end of the imperial period. A repeated process of deforestation and land clearance for agricultural exploitation led to a rapid onset of environmental change evident in a number of different archaeological, historical, and geomorphological datasets. This paper investigates how Rome caused environmental changes in the provinces of Germany and Britain and how these changes, in turn, affected patterns of settlement, economy, and frontier defence over the first five centuries CE.