cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Superoxide Levels, HO-1 and Fyn Protein Expression in Bcr/abl Overexpressing Cells: Implications for Adaptation and Survival in an Oxidatively Challenging Environment.

Abstract The bcr/abl oncogene is present in the majority of CML and in a subset of ALL patients. In addition to anti-apoptotic properties, proliferative advantages and growth factor independence, the presence of the Bcr/abl kinase raises intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Increased ROS in CML have been linked to DNA damage and DNA repair deficiencies with implications for promoting genomic instability and secondary mutations associated with disease progression. Here we show that superoxide is the specific ROS entity that is elevated when Bcr/abl is overexpressed in an IL-3 dependent pre-B cell line, BaF3. Strikingly, treatment with classical oxidants, such as hydrogen peroxide or tert-butyl peroxide, demonstrated an inherent resistance to oxidative stress induced apoptosis in Bcr/abl-containing cells, suggesting that antioxidant defenses activated by Bcr/abl as a response to the increased endogenous ROS production may promote survival in Bcr/abl positive populations. In an effort to characterize the redox environment in Bcr/abl containing cells, we examined several antioxidant enzymes that are known downstream substrates of c-abl or bcr/abl, including peroxiredoxin, catalase and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Of these, HO-1 protein expression was three fold higher in Bcr/abl transductants, consistent with a reported role for HO-1 as a Bcr/abl dependent survival factor. Interestingly, the Src family kinase, Fyn, which can be activated by oxidative stress, was increased four fold in Bcr/abl overexpressing cells. This is consistent with reported microarray data in which fyn mRNA levels are higher in Philadelphia positive leukemias than non-Philapdelphia positive leukemias. Other components of ROS responsive signaling pathways were also interrogated including the Mapk pathway and Akt pathway, with no difference noted between parental and Bcr/abl overexpressing cells. Our data suggest a relationship between Bcr/abl-induced superoxide elevation, resistance to oxidative stress, elevation of HO-1 (which has antioxidant properties) and elevated Fyn (a putative downstream target for ROS production). These redox alterations and their consequences may equip Bcr/abl positive cells with a survival and/or proliferative advantage in an oxidatively challenging environment, thus promoting disease progression and blast crisis.
Environment and Global Political Economy

The environment in global political economy (GPE) has not been incorporated as a mainstream component of GPE analysis despite awareness of its ever increasing importance both in resource economic and also social-cultural terms as well as ecological importance. There are no direct environmental approaches to GPE which incorporate the environment in a systemic framework (apart from ecological world systems theory approaches discussed below in the nature-society relations section), which illustrates a clear gap in the literature and this book is one attempt to fill this vacuum from the perspective of one particular industry. There are many empirical accounts of the impact of certain aspects of GPE on the environment or on certain actors. However, an actor-centric view of GPE and environment neglects the relationship between nature and society in the 21st century and the relationship between ecology and social constructs, such as society and economy. In other words, it studies forms of social organization to address environmental degradation rather than the relationship between nature and society from a structural as well as actor-driven perspective. This book attempts to combine both these aspects. Global Environmental Politics (GEP) has been more successful in incorporating an understanding of the global political economy into its analysis as can be found in the works of Dauvergne and Clapp (2005), Clapp (2001), Paterson (2001 and 2007) and Kutting (2000 and 2004) as well as from a more historical perspective, Chew (2006 and 2008).
The Specification of Attribute Structures and Its Effects on Classification Accuracy in Diagnostic Test Design

Diagnostic test has gained attention for its potentiality to produce fine-grained information about examinees. The dependency among attributes (i.e. attribute structure) is one of the most important factors affecting diagnostic test design. This article introduces four types of attribute structures and examines the effects of the attribute number, structure and level on classification accuracy and reliability. Results from the study help researchers and practitioners understand factors that affect classification when specifying attributes, and design diagnostic tests that provide accurate information about examinees.
Indicators of subjective social status: Differential associations across race and sex.

Abstract Background Subjective social status (SSS), or perception of rank on the social hierarchy, is an important indicator of various health outcomes. However, the psychosocial influences on this construct are unclear, and how these influences vary across different sociodemographic groups is poorly understood. Methods Participants were 2077 African-American and Whites (M age=47.85; 57% female; 58% African American, and 58% above poverty) from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. Multiple regression analyses examined (1) hypothesized psychosocial indicators of SSS and (2) the moderating effect of race and sex on the variables associated with SSS. Results In addition to the traditional measures of SES (i.e. income, employment, and education), psychosocial variables (i.e. depressive symptomatology, neighborhood satisfaction, and self-rated health) were significantly associated with SSS. However, some of these indicators varied with respect to race and sex. Three significant interactions were found: sex by employment, race by employment, and race by education, wherein objective measures of SES were more associated with SSS for Whites and men compared to African Americans and women. Conclusion Psychosocial measures may influence individuals’ perceptions of themselves on the social hierarchy. Additionally, SSS may vary by demographic group. When considering the impact of SSS on health, it is important to consider the unique interpretations that various demographic groups have when perceiving themselves on the social hierarchy.
Perinatal Loss and Spirituality: A Metasynthesis of Qualitative Research

Perinatal loss is an area of inquiry that has been steadily developing over the past 40 years. Much of the work done in this field of inquiry is qualitative in nature because it is rooted in the co...
“Without being able to read, what's literacy mean to them?”: Situated beliefs about literacy for students with significant disabilities

Abstract Beliefs about students and pedagogical knowledge have been identified as key barriers to accessible general education content and contexts for students with significant disabilities. In this case study of a high school special education literacy class, I examine definitions of literacy, expectations about students, and self-efficacy in the process of teaching literacy to students with significant disabilities. Team members expressed disjointed understandings about the purpose of literacy, lacked pedagogical knowledge, and had poor self-efficacy. Beliefs about “high” and “low” students, defined by students' orality, affected team members’ perceptions about the feasibility and priority of literacy for various groups of students.
History of cervical insufficiency increases the risk of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence in parous women.

Abstract Objective A likely contributor to pelvic floor disorders is injury and degradation of connective tissue components such as collagen and elastin, leading to weakening of the pelvic floor. Prior studies have found similar connective tissue component changes in women with cervical insufficiency (CI). However, the connection between pelvic floor disorders and cervical insufficiency has not previously been evaluated. Our objective was to determine whether a history of cervical insufficiency is associated with an increased risk of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence after controlling for confounders. Study design The study used de-identified clinical data from a large multi-institution electronic health records HIPAA-compliant data web application, Explorys Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio, USA). Women with a history of at least one prior delivery after at least 20 weeks’ gestation between the years 1999 and 2016 were identified. Logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors and adjust for confounders. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was subsequent development of either stress incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. Results A total of 1,182,650 women were identified, of whom 30,890 (2.6%) had a history of cervical cerclage or insufficiency. A history of cervical insufficiency was associated with an increased risk of either pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence (aOR = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.84–2.02). A history of cervical insufficiency was more strongly associated with an increased risk of pelvic organ prolapse (aOR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.91–2.21) than with stress urinary incontinence (aOR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.80–2.02). Conclusion A history of cervical insufficiency is associated with an increased risk of development of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence.
Agent-based model construction using inverse reinforcement learning

Agent-based modeling (ABM) assumes that behavioral rules affecting an agent's states and actions are known. However, discovering these rules is often challenging and requires deep insight about an agent's behaviors. Inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) can complement ABM by providing a systematic way to find behavioral rules from data. IRL frames learning behavioral rules as a problem of recovering motivations from observed behavior and generating rules consistent with these motivations. In this paper, we propose a method to construct an agent-based model directly from data using IRL. We explain each step of the proposed method and describe challenges that may occur during implementation. Our experimental results show that the proposed method can extract rules and construct an agent-based model with rich but concise behavioral rules for agents while still maintaining aggregate-level properties.
Cerebral Palsy with Early-Onset Scoliosis

Although growing spine procedures should be used sparingly in neuromuscular patients, some with severe curves who are skeletally immature may benefit. We present the case of a patient with a 135° curve which was treated with preliminary traction, growing rods distracted over a 5-year interval, and did not need a final fusion at 7 years after insertion. He achieved complete correction of his pelvic obliquity and over 20 cm of T1-S length.
Hunting where the ducks are: activating support for Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican primary

ABSTRACTDonald Trump’s victory in the 2016 Republican primary defied the predictions of many politicians, pundits, and political scientists. Yet, while Trump’s nomination was hard to predict, it is...
Continuous flow rotary left ventricular assist device: mechanical circulatory support 2.0.

Cardiac transplantation provides definitive management of severe heart failure in selected patients who have exhausted all other options. The results of transplantation have improved steadily as a result of improved immunosuppressive strategies, and advances in the therapy of post-transplant
Non-Myeloablative Stem Cell Transplantation for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Nonmyeloablative allogeneic transplantation is a new strategy designed to exploit the graft-versus-leukemia effect of donor immune cells. There is substantial clinical and experimental data demonstrating the potency of graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. The most direct evidence comes from the observation that patients who relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation can achieve remission by infusing additional donor lymphocytes [1, 2]. Also, patients who develop graft-versus-host-disease after allogeneic transplantation have a significantly lower risk of disease relapse, and those receiving T-cell depleted allografts have an increased risk of relapse [3, 4]. These observations propelled several investigators to propose that graft-versus-leukemia effect may be sufficient to induce long-term disease control in patients with hematologic malignancies.
Internalization of bound fibrinogen modulates platelet aggregation

In agonist-stimulated platelets, the integrin alpha IIb beta 3 (glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) is converted from an inactive to an active fibrinogen receptor, thereby mediating platelet aggregation. With time after agonist addition, at least two events occur: fibrinogen becomes irreversibly bound to the platelet and, when stirring is delayed, platelets lose the ability to aggregate despite the presence of maximally bound fibrinogen. Because we previously identified an actively internalized pool of alpha IIb, beta 3 in platelets, we explored the possibility that both of these events might result from the internalization of fibrinogen bound to active alpha IIb beta 3. Under conditions of irreversible fibrinogen binding, fluorescence microscopy showed that biotinylated fibrinogen is rapidly internalized by activated platelets to a surface-inaccessible, intracellular pool. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the observed loss in accessibility to extracellular probes immediately precedes a loss in ability to the platelets to aggregate. Moreover, prevention of irreversible fibrinogen binding results in a prevention of internalization and a retention of aggregation capacity. Thus, the internalization of fibrinogen from the activated platelet surface appears to contribute not only to the irreversible phase of fibrinogen binding, but also to the downregulation of platelet adhesiveness. Fibrinogen internalization is therefore likely to represent a fundamental regulatory mechanism that modulates platelet function.
Collision Effects on Zeeman Coherences Using Nearly Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing

Recently, we have shown that the nearly degenerate four-wave mixing (NDFWM) process can provide a direct and simultaneous measurement of the longitudinal (1/T1) and transverse (1/T2) relaxation rates of a resonant two-level atom. Furthermore, we observed that in the presence of buffer gases, the linewidth of the resonance describing the longitudinal relaxation process experiences a significant narrowing, belowo that of the natural width. Using a theoretical model, the narrowing was accounted for as arising from collisional effects in the ground-state population. 1 These observations were made for the case where the radiation fields are co-polarized, and we concluded that NDFWM offers a unique technique for the measurement of the ground-state velocity-changing cross section.2
Lymphoid-Biased Hematopoietic Stem Cells Are Maintained with Age and Efficiently Generate Lymphoid Progeny

Summary Current models propose that reductions in the number of lymphoid-biased hematopoietic stem cells (Ly-HSCs) underlie age-related declines in lymphopoiesis. We show that Ly-HSCs do not decline in number with age. Old Ly-HSCs exhibit changes in gene expression and a myeloid-biased genetic profile, but we demonstrate that they retain normal lymphoid potential when removed from the old in vivo environment. Additional studies showing that interleukin-1 inhibits Ly-HSC lymphoid potential provide support for the hypothesis that increased production of inflammatory cytokines during aging underlies declines in lymphocyte production. These results indicate that current models proposing that lymphopoiesis declines with age due to loss of Ly-HSCs require revision and provide an additional perspective on why lymphocyte development in the elderly is attenuated.
Phenolic Compounds and Ginsenosides in Ginseng Shoots and Their Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Capacities in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Mouse Macrophages.

We conducted this study for the first time to evaluate changes in the composition and contents of phenolic compounds and ginsenosides in ginseng shoot extracts (GSEs) prepared with different steaming times (2, 4, and 6 h) at 120 °C, as well as their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages (RAW264.7 cells). The results show that total phenol and flavonoid contents were both significantly higher in steamed versus raw GSEs, and the same trend was found for 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2′-azobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) scavenging capacities. Among the 18 ginsenosides quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with the aid of pure standards, polar ginsenosides were abundant in raw GSEs, whereas less-polar or rare ginsenosides appeared after steaming at 120 °C and increased with steaming time. Furthermore, steamed GSEs exhibited a greater ability to inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells at the same concentration. Relative expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-6, TNF-α, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNAs were attenuated by the GSEs, probably due to the enrichment of less-polar ginsenosides and enhanced antioxidant activity in steamed GSEs. These findings, combined with correlation analysis, showed that less-polar ginsenosides were major contributors to the inhibition of the overproduction of various inflammatory factors, while the inhibitory effects of total phenols and total flavonoids, and their antioxidant abilities, are also important.
Early Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children Born to Fertile, Subfertile, and ART-Treated Women

We examined the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in Massachusetts (MA) comparing children born via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and children born to women with indicators of subfertility but no ART (Subfertile), to children born to women with neither ART nor indicators of subfertility (Fertile). We assessed the direct, indirect, and total effects of ART and subfertility on ASD among singletons. This study included 10,147 ART, 8072 Subfertile and 441,898 Fertile MA resident births from the MA Outcome Study of ART (MOSART) database linked with Early Intervention program participation data. ART included fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF), fresh intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and frozen embryo transfer. We estimated the prevalence of ASD by fertility group. We used logistic regression to assess the natural direct effect (NDE), natural indirect effect (NIE) through preterm birth, and total effects of each fertility group on ASD. The NDE indicated that, compared to the Fertile group, the odds of ASD were not statistically higher in the ART (ORNDE 1.07; 95% CI 0.88–1.30), Subfertile (ORNDE 1.11; 95% CI 0.89–1.38), IVF (ORNDE 0.91; 95% CI 0.68–1.22), or ICSI (ORNDE 1.13; 95% CI 0.84–1.51) groups, even if the rate of preterm birth was the same across all groups. The total effect (product of NDE and NIE) was not significant for ART (ORTotal Effect 1.08; 95% CI 0.89–1.30), Subfertile (ORTotal Effect 1.11; 95% CI 0.89–1.38), IVF (ORTotal Effect 0.92; 95% CI 0.69–1.23), or ICSI (ORTotal Effect 1.13; 95% CI 0.84–1.52). Compared to children born to Fertile women, children born to ART, ICSI, or IVF, or Subfertile women are not at increased risk of receiving an ASD diagnosis.
Ferroelectric thin films of bismuth-containing layered perovskites : Part II, PbBi2Nb2O9

Ferroelectric thin films of bismuth-containing layered perovskite PbBi 2 Nb 2 O 9 have been prepared by a metalorganic decomposition (MOD) method. Random and highly c-oriented films of the same starting composition have been obtained under different intermediate- and high-temperature heat treatments. A comparison of their crystallization and properties with those of Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 films reveals similar trends that are common to bismuth-containing Aurivillius compounds. Heterogeneous nucleation of the perovskite phase either on the pyrochlore (444) plane because of lattice matching or on the substrate surface because of lower interfacial energy is proposed as the cause of orientation selection during crystallization. The different thickness of the pseudoperovskite subunits in these layered compounds may be responsible for the systematic difference in the anisotropic ferroelectric properties. Smaller polarization and higher coercive field are expected for PbBi 2 Nb 2 O 9 , which has thinner pseudoperovskite units than Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 .
Eugen Bleuler's Views on the Genetics of Schizophrenia in 1917.

In 1917, Eugen Bleuler published an article (Mendelismus bei Psychosen, speziell bei der Schizophrenie [Mendelism in the Psychoses, especially Schizophrenia]) in response to the recently published first systematic family study of dementia praecox (DP) by Ernst Rudin, then working under Kraepelin in Munich. Although briefly commented upon by David Rosenthal in 1978, this article has never been thoroughly reviewed or translated. Of the many themes addressed, four are especially noteworthy. First, Bleuler argues that understanding the transmission patterns of schizophrenia in families requires definitive knowledge about the boundaries of the phenotype which he argues are unknown. Rudin's choice-Kraepelin's concept of DP-is, he asserts, too narrow. Clarifying the genetics of schizophrenia is inextricably bound up with the problem of defining the phenotype. Second, Bleuler argues for the importance of "erbschizose" (literally "inherited schizoidia") wondering whether his "4 As" or other "brain-anatomical, chemical, [or] neurological characteristics" might underlie the genetic transmission of schizophrenia. Third, Bleuler was deeply interested in the nature of the onset of schizophrenia, suggesting that environmental adversity could provoke "latent illness to become manifest." It was important, he argued, to identify such risk factors and incorporate them into genetic models. Fourth, although not optimistic that current knowledge would permit a resolution of the transmission model for schizophrenia, he finds single-locus models implausible and at several points wonders whether polygenic models might better apply. A complete translation of the article is provided.
Catastrophic expenditures in California trauma patients after the Affordable Care Act: reduced financial risk and racial disparities.

Abstract Background Hospital charges due to major injury can result in high out-of-pocket expenses for patients. We analyzed the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) among trauma patients. Methods We identified trauma patients aged 19-64 admitted to a safety-net Level 1 trauma center in California from 2007 to 2017. Out-of-pocket expenditures and income were calculated using hospital charges, insurance status, and ZIP code. CHE was defined using the World Health Organization definition of out-of-pocket spending exceeding 40% of inflation-adjusted income minus food and housing expenditures. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess odds of CHE post-ACA (2014–2017) vs. pre-ACA (2007–2013). Results Of 7519 trauma patients, 20.6% experienced CHE, including 89.0% of uninsured patients. There was a 74% decrease in odds of CHE post-ACA (aOR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.22–0.30), with greater decreases among Black (aOR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.04–0.18) and Hispanic (aOR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.19–0.29) patients. Conclusions ACA implementation was associated with markedly decreased odds of catastrophic expenditures and decreased racial disparities in financial protection among trauma patients in our study.
A Study on the Optimum Design of Non-linear Cam Profiles in Weft Knitting Machines.

With the aid of a computer-aided design system, the acceleration characteristics of cam profiles and the characteristics of reaction forces between the cam and the needle are compared and analyzed in this paper, and the fundamental principles of the design of non-linear cam profiles in weft-knitting machines have been established. It is hoped that the principles will contribute to the optimum design of non-linear cam profiles.
Modifications in an Emergency: The Role of N1-Methylpseudouridine in COVID-19 Vaccines

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, has inspired one of the most efficient vaccine development campaigns in human history. A key aspect of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines is the use of the modified nucleobase N1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ) to increase their effectiveness. In this Outlook, we summarize the development and function of m1Ψ in synthetic mRNAs. By demystifying how a novel element within these medicines works, we aim to foster understanding and highlight future opportunities for chemical innovation.
Characterization and Applications of Colloidal Systems as Versatile Drug Delivery Carriers for Parenteral Formulations

Preparing a suitable formulation for parenteral administration is already a difficult task; this, coupled with poor water-soluble new chemical entity (NCE), complicates this situation even further. There are several methodologies available to enhance water solubility, but this alone does not entail successful formulation. Making a micro/nano emulsion with a suitable surfactant not only increases the drug solubility but also the cell membrane permeability. Thus, not only biopharmaceutic classification system (BCS)-II (low solubility compounds) but also BCS-III (low permeability) and BCS-IV drugs (low solubility and low permeability) can be further exploited. Those drug candidates otherwise will not move further in NCE evaluation or clinical trials. This succinct review article delves into various aspects of biphasic micro/nano emulsion systems for parenteral drug delivery including the structure of the biphasic colloidal systems, characterization parameters, stability issues, regulatory considerations, and applications in life sciences.
IgG4-Related Neuromyopathy Associated With Recurrent Pleural Effusion.

AbstractObjective:Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an increasingly recognized idiopathic systemic disorder associated with elevated serum IgG4 level and tissue infiltration by IgG4-positive plasma cells. Multiple neurological manifestations, including peripheral neuropathy, have been d
A Role for Hydrogen Sulfide in Obesity-dependent Microvascular Remodeling

Remodeling of the microvasculature occurs with obesity. Based on recent observations that impaired H2S signaling is associated with cardiovascular pathologies, the current study was designed to test the hypothesis that altered H2S homeostasis is involved in driving the remodeling process in a diet-induced mouse model of obesity. The structural and passive mechanical properties of mesenteric arterioles isolated from 30 week-old lean and obese mice were assessed using pressure myography. Vessels were loaded with the H2S indicator SF7-AM and imaged confocally to determine H2S levels in the smooth muscle layer. Remodeling gene expression was assessed using qRT-PCR and histological staining approaches used to quantify vessel collagen and elastin. Obesity was associated with increased arteriolar wall to lumen ratio, decreased compliance and a loss of elasticity. In addition, the vessel walls from obese animals contained more collagen and less elastin, as well increased expression of matrix metalloproteinases; c...
Characterization of the Hurwitz Region for Systems with Parametric Uncertainty

The paper considers stability issues for linear, time-invariant, single-input, multi-output systems which are affected by parametric uncertainty. Our objective is to completely characterize in parameter space, the stability region of a system for a given feedback compensator that stabilizes the nominal part. It is shown that in the case when parameters affect the closed loop characteristic polynomial in a linear manner, this region is the intersection of two sets. One is generated by a finite number of linear constraints. The other in general has a nonlinear boundary (in parameter space) which can be expressed as a function of frequency. It is also shown that if certain shaping conditions are satisfied the stability region is generated solely by a finite number of linear constraints.
Consequences of heterogeneity in survival probability in a population of Florida scrub-jays

1. Using data on breeding birds from a 35-year study of Florida scrub-jays Aphelocoma coerulescens (Bosc 1795), we show that survival probabilities are structured by age, birth cohort, and maternal family, but not by sex. Using both accelerated failure time (AFT) and Cox proportional hazard models, the data are best described by models incorporating variation among birth cohorts and greater mortality hazard with increasing age. AFT models using Weibull distributions with the shape parameter > 1 were always the best-fitting models. 2. Shared frailty models allowing for family structure greatly reduce model deviance. The best-fitting models included a term for frailty shared by maternal families. 3. To ask how long a data set must be to reach qualitatively the same conclusions, we repeated the analyses for all possible truncated data sets of 2 years in length or greater. Length of the data set affects the parameter estimates, but not the qualitative conclusions. In all but three of 337 truncated data sets the best-fitting models pointed to same conclusions as the full data set. Shared frailty models appear to be quite robust. 4. The data are not adequate for testing hypotheses as to whether variation in frailty is heritable. 5. Substantial structured heterogeneity for survival exists in this population. Such structured heterogeneity has been shown to have substantial effects in reducing demographic stochasticity.
Purification and Properties of β-1,4-Oligoglucan:Orthophosphate Glucosyltransferase from Clostridium thermocellum

Abstract β-1,4-Oligoglucan:orthophosphate glucosyltransferase from Clostridium thermocellum has been purified nearly 450-fold by a procedure which removes all known interfering enzymes. The enzyme catalyzes the phosphorolysis of cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, and cellohexaose. Although cellobiose is an excellent glucosyl acceptor, the enzyme is unable to catalyze either the synthesis or the phosphorolysis of this disaccharide. The product formed in a reaction mixture with α-d-glucose-1-P as the glucosyl donor and cellobiose as the glucosyl acceptor has been isolated and identified as cellotriose. The enzyme is active on the following glucosyl acceptors: cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, cellohexaose, cellobiitol, 4-O-β-d-glucosyl-d-altrose, 4-O-β-d-glucosyl-2-deoxy-d-glucose, 4-O-β-d-glucosyl-d-mannose, 4-O-β-d-glucosyl-d-xylose, and laminaritriose. The enzyme catalyzes the arsenolysis of cellotriose; however, no exchange occurs between glucose-1-P and Pi or arsenate. The apparent Km values are 1.2 mm for cellobiose and 4.7 mm for glucose-1-P. The apparent Km value is about 1.0 mm for cellotriose, cellotetraose, and cellopentaose, and the apparent Km value is 0.37 mm for cellohexaose. The apparent Km value for Pi, determined during the phosphorolysis of different cellodextrins, is 0.13 mm with cellotriose, 0.19 mm with cellotetraose, 0.24 mm with cellopentaose, and 0.26 mm with cellohexaose. The pH optimum for the synthesis of cellotriose is about 7.5. The purified enzyme is inactive in the absence of thiol compounds such as cysteine or dithiothreitol. Sodium sulfite activates the enzyme, but it is not as effective as cysteine or dithiothreitol. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate, adenine nucleotides, sugar phosphates, and d-glucose had no effect on the activity of the enzyme. There appears to be no requirement for any dissociable cofactors.
Nasal foreign bodies in children: considerations for the anesthesiologist.

Summary The combination of a curious young child exploring his/her nasal cavities, with the abundance of small inert and natural objects in our society, culminates in a significant number of nasal foreign bodies (NFBs). Usually NFBs are benign entities, yielding relatively simple resolutions and mild morbidities. However, their presence can lead to much more serious consequences if they are inserted unwitnessed, grow asymptomatically for several months or years, and significantly affect surrounding tissues. Moreover, if these substances become displaced posteriorly and enter the lower respiratory tract, dire circumstances may occur. This article discusses the different types of NFBs, various clinical presentations, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and pertinent considerations for the anesthesia care provider. Increasing one’s awareness of the implications of NFBs, can optimize the safe treatment of patients harboring this development.
Building software environments for research computing clusters

Over the past two years, we have built a diverse software environment of over 200 scientific applications for our research computing platform at Brown University. In this report, we share the policies and best practices we have developed to simplify the configuration and installation of this software environment and to improve its usability and performance. In addition, we present a reference implementation of an environment modules system, called PyModules, that incorporates many of these ideas.
Photoacoustic microscopy with a tunable source based on cascaded stimulated Raman scattering in a large-mode area photonic crystal fiber

Conventional tunable pulsed lasers for photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) are bulky and expensive. We have previously demonstrated a compact tunable source using cascaded stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in an ordinary single-mode fiber. In this paper we report an improved tunable source with both higher pulse energy (over 200 nJ), repetition rate (30 kHz), and extended tuning range (532 - 610 nm). The key feature is a large mode area photonic crystal fiber (LMA-PCF). The large mode area, pure silica composition, and honeycomb cladding of the LMA-PCF produce a much higher optical damage threshold than ordinary fiber. We have found that cascaded SRS with very high Raman gain occurs in the LMA-PCF to produce both discrete and a continuum of wavelengths between 560 and 610 nm, offering the possibility of rapid tunability within this physiologically important wavelength range. Our Q-switched Nd:YAG laser produces 2 ns duration pulses at 532 nm with 10 uJ of energy at a 30 kHz repetition rate. The laser pulses are coupled into a 30 meter long LMA-PCF. The multi-color fiber output goes through a band pass filter (10 nm width), where the selected wavelength is sent to a 50 MHz photoacoustic microscopy system employing optical focusing. The individual pulse energy is 270, 360, 520, 530, and 400 nJ at wavelengths of 532, 546, 568, 589, and 600 nm, respectively. Test imaging experiments are performed on a silicone tube phantom containing red and blue ink. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a tunable pulsed optical source using a LMA-PCF. The pulse energy and wavelength range of our system are suitable for oxygenation measurements. We believe these results can significantly benefit the development of functional PAM systems.
Enhancing trauma skills

homas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH), T Philadelphia, a 7 17-bed tertiary care facility, is a level I regional trauma resource center accredited by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation. To maintain its status as a regional resource trauma center, the hospital must fulfill certain requirements annually. One such requirement is that personnel on all trauma-designated units attend eight hours of trauma-related continuing education per year. A specific requirement for the OR is that two unassigned nursing personnel must be available at all times to staff emergency surgical procedures. To meet these requirements, we have developed an innovative orientation and in-service program designed to aid nursing personnel in becoming prepared and knowledgeable about trauma.
Osteochondral Lesions About the Ankle

Osteochondral lesions (OCLs) about the foot and ankle often manifest clinically as prolonged joint pain after trauma, often an ankle sprain, which is refractory to conventional, conservative therapeutic treatment. Noncontrast MR imaging is the standard of care imaging modality for diagnosing and classifying osteochondral lesions, but equivocal or difficult lesions can be assessed more specifically with direct MR arthrography or in conjunction with multidetector CT. Once an OCL has been identified, the imager should make every effort to determine whether it is stable or potentially unstable.
Nitrogen fixation by a Rhizobium sp. in association with non-leguminous plant cell cultures

THE genus Rhizobium is characterised by its ability to elicit nodule formation and fix dinitrogen in roots of legumes and its species or groups are classified according to their legume host range. There is only one non-legume association reported, that of Trema aspera with a ‘cowpea-type’ strain of Rhizobium1. Dinitrogen fixation by Rhizobium in the absence of a host plant has not yet been demonstrated. I report the production of nitrogenase (C2H2) activity in Rhizobium sp. ‘cowpea strain’ growing in association with callus cultures of non-legumes as well as with cultures of legume species which do not form nodules with the cowpea bacteria.
Light affects neonatal rat pineal gland N-acetyltransferase activity by an extra-retinal mechanism

To determine whether extra-retinal mechanisms mediate photoperiodic changes in neonatal rat pineal gland N-acetyltransferase activity, 4-day-old intact or bilateral orbital enucleated rats were killed during the dark phase of the lighting cycle, either in darkness or following 4 hr exposure to fluorescent light. Light suppressed the high nighttime N-acetyltransferase activity equally in intact and enucleated pups. Subsequent studies showed that at least 0.5 hr exposure and nocturnal illuminances of 109 ΜW/cm2 or greater were required to cause statistically significant reductions in the activity of the enzyme in 4-day-old rats. Taken together, these data indicate that relatively intense environmental light can affect neonatal rat pineal gland biochemistry via extra-retinal mechanisms.
Reference beam apodization in angularly multiplexed volume holography

Bragg selectivity in volume holography can be exploited to store many holographic pages within the same physical volume. The detailed character of this Bragg selectivity is also responsible for the crosstalk among stored pages and is governed by the 3D envelope function of the volume hologram. Other workers have discussed these crosstalk effects in detail. In this paper we discuss the effect of reference beam apodization on the angular selectivity of photorefractive volume holograms. Apodization using phase-only beam forming is studied and we focus on the use of apodization during hologram retrieval. The trade-offs among storage capacity, information density, and noise are discussed for both the apodized and unapodized configurations. The presence of conventional hologram crosstalk as well as effects due to material absorption and recording angle jitter are included.
Diverse cytoprotectants prevent cell lysis and promote recovery of respiration and ion transport.

Abstract Numerous agents have been reported to prevent cell lysis. However, little information is available concerning the ability of cytoprotectants to promote the return of physiological functions. The goal of this study was to determine whether a diverse group of cytoprotectants prevent cell lysis and promote the recovery of respiration and ion transport following anoxia (60 min)/reoxygenation (60 min) in rabbit renal proximal tubule (RPT) suspensions. Cell lysis (LDH release) was determined immediately following the anoxic and reoxygenation periods. Mitochondrial function (basal respiration) and active Na+transport (ouabain-sensitive respiration) was determined after the reoxygenation period. LDH release increased to 75 ± 11% after the anoxic period and did not increase further during the reoxygenation period. LDH release in controls was 6 ± 1% and did not vary over time. Glycine (2 mM), strychnine (1 mM), nifedipine (100 μM) and niflumic acid (100 μM) added immediately prior to the anoxic period completely blocked LDH release. All cytoprotectants increased basal respiration from 39 ± 7% of controls in the anoxic samples to 65–77% of controls. Glycine, strychnine and nifedipine increased ouabain-sensitive respiration from 10 ± 3% of controls in anoxic samples to 51–77% of control. Niflumic acid did not increase ouabain-sensitive respiration. These results demonstrate that glycine, strychnine and nifedipine are ‘true’ cytoprotectants preventing both cell lysis and promoting the recovery of mitochondrial function and ion transport after an anoxic insult.
A note on monetary policy effectiveness, the correspondence principle, and the positively sloped is curve☆

Abstract This note considers the implications of a positively sloped IS curve subject to Samuelson's correspondence principle. Explicit derivation of the stability conditions leads to the conclusion that the less interest elastic is the demand for money, the faster is the speed with which monetary and fiscal policies operate.
Poset graphs and the lattice of graph annihilators

Abstract In this paper, the concept of a zero-divisor graph is extended to partially ordered sets with a least element 0. A notion of an annihilator set in a graph is introduced, and it is observed that the annihilator sets in a graph form a complete lattice under inclusion. It is proved that a simple connected graph G with at least two vertices is realizable as the zero-divisor graph of a partially ordered set if and only if the annihilator sets in G form a Boolean algebra. The special cases of atomic posets and atomic Boolean algebras are also examined.
Otoacoustic estimation of cochlear tuning: validation in the chinchilla.

We analyze published auditory-nerve and otoacoustic measurements in chinchilla to test a network of hypothesized relationships between cochlear tuning, cochlear traveling-wave delay, and stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs). We find that the physiological data generally corroborate the network of relationships, including predictions from filter theory and the coherent-reflection model of OAE generation, at locations throughout the cochlea. The results support the use of otoacoustic emissions as noninvasive probes of cochlear tuning. Developing this application, we find that tuning ratios—defined as the ratio of tuning sharpness to SFOAE phase-gradient delay in periods—have a nearly species-invariant form in cat, guinea pig, and chinchilla. Analysis of the tuning ratios identifies a species-dependent parameter that locates a transition between “apical-like” and “basal-like” behavior involving multiple aspects of cochlear physiology. Approximate invariance of the tuning ratio allows determination of cochlear tuning from SFOAE delays. We quantify the procedure and show that otoacoustic estimates of chinchilla cochlear tuning match direct measures obtained from the auditory nerve. By assuming that invariance of the tuning ratio extends to humans, we derive new otoacoustic estimates of human cochlear tuning that remain mutually consistent with independent behavioral measurements obtained using different rationales, methodologies, and analysis procedures. The results confirm that at any given characteristic frequency (CF) human cochlear tuning appears sharper than that in the other animals studied, but varies similarly with CF. We show, however, that the exceptionality of human tuning can be exaggerated by the ways in which species are conventionally compared, which take no account of evident differences between the base and apex of the cochlea. Finally, our estimates of human tuning suggest that the spatial spread of excitation of a pure tone along the human basilar membrane is comparable to that in other common laboratory animals.
Initiation of dendrites by crystal imperfections

The development of dendrites from an initially flat, stationary solid/liquid interface in a transparent material was observed and photographed. It was found that the dendrites originated from preferred areas on the interface immediately adjacent to grain boundaries, subboundaries, and trapped foreign particles. The built-in large-amplitude distortions of the interface adjacent to these imperfections initiated dendritic growth under conditions which did not produce dendritic growth on imperfection-free regions of the interface. It is concluded that considerations of the stability of planar interfaces must take into account the influence of the imperfections which are present in almost all solids.
Turbulent and accelerating dust flames

Industrial dust explosions kill and severely injure workers as well as destroy property. While the hazards of gaseous explosions are well recognized, the same degree of care has not been exercised with regard to combustible dust. The agricultural industry has been especially plagued by this problem. The research results reported here give data such as the turbulent burning velocity for a suspended dust mixture and the minimum thickness of a dust layer capable of supporting an accelerating flame. To obtain this data two special facilities have been constructed. The first is a premixed turbulent combustion bomb, in which a spatially and temporally uniform dust cloud of known concentration and turbulence intensity is established. The cloud is ignited at the center and the burning velocity is calculated from the measured parameters. The second is a flame acceleration tube in which a uniform dust layer is spread along the bottom. Combustion is initiated at the closed end and the propagation of the flame with the accompanying pressure, velocity, and temperature is monitored as it moves toward the open end. In both facilities runs are made using different kinds, sizes, moisture contents, and mass loadings of dust, and humidity of the air. Much data, heretofore unavailable, is presented. These results should be useful in establishing standards for the prevention of dust explosions, forming strategies to alleviate dust explosions, predicting damage produced by dust explosions, and developing analytical models of premixed and layered dust flames.
Studies of auditory-visual differences in human time judgment. 2. More transmitted information with sounds than lights.

11 experiments are reported which confirmed the presence of a striking auditory-visual difference in the judgments of short durations. There was more information transmitted with auditory durations than with visual durations using the methods of pair-comparison and absolute judgment. Variations of several stimulus properties and aspects of the psychophysical context did not alter this intersensory difference.
Is the standard abdominoplasty obsolete

The “standard” abdominoplasty operation has been refined over the past couple of decades. However, long-term results have fallen short of ideal when examining them from established abdominal aesthetics. The high lateral tension abdominoplasty addresses the practical and theoretical faults of the standard abdominoplasty and offers a technique to improve results.