cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purified chaperonin 60 (groEL) interacts with the nonnative states of a multitude of Escherichia coli proteins.

In vitro experiments employing the soluble proteins from Escherichia coli reveal that about half of them, in their unfolded or partially folded states, but not in their native states, can form stable binary complexes with chaperonin 60 (groEL). These complexes can be isolated by gel filtration chromatography and are efficiently discharged upon the addition of Mg.ATP. Binary complex formation is substantially reduced if chaperonin 60 is presaturated with Rubisco-I, the folding intermediate of Rubisco, but not with native Rubisco. Binary complex formation is also reduced if the transient species that interact with chaperonin 60 are permitted to progress to more stable states. This implies that the structural elements or motifs that are recognized by chaperonin 60 and that are responsible for binary complex formation are only present or accessible in the unfolded states of proteins or in certain intermediates along their respective folding pathways. Given the high-affinity binding that we have observed in the present study and the normal cellular abundance of chaperonin 60, we suspect that the folding of most proteins in E. coli does not occur in free solution spontaneously, but instead takes place while they are associated with molecular chaperones.
Effect of Regularization Parameter and Scan Time on Crossing Fibers with Constrained Compressed Sensing

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an MR imaging technique that uses a set of diffusion weighted measurements in order to determine the water diffusion tensor at each voxel. In DTI, a single dominant fiber orientation is calculated at each measured voxel, even if multiple populations of fibers are present within this voxel. A new approach called Crossing Fiber Angular Resolution of Intra-voxel structure (CFARI) for processing diffusion weighted magnetic resonance data has been recently introduced. Based on compressed sensing, CFARI is able to resolve intra-voxel structure from limited number of measurements, but its performance as a function of the scan and algorithm parameters is poorly understood at present. This paper describes simulation experiments to help understand CFARI performance tradeoffs as a function of the data signal-to-noise ratio and the algorithm regularization parameter. In the compressed sensing criterion, the choice of the regularization parameter beta is critical. If beta is too small, then the solution is the conventional least squares solution, while if beta is too large then the solution is identically zero. The correct selection of beta turns out to be data dependent, which means that it is also spatially varying. In this paper, simulations using two random tensors with different diffusivities having the same fractional anisotropy but with different principle eigenvalues are carried out. Results reveal that for a fixed scan time, acquisition of repeated measurements can improve CFARI performance and that a spatially variable, data adaptive regularization parameter is beneficial in stabilizing results.
Basin geochemistry and isotopic ratios of fishes and basal production sources in four neotropical rivers

We analysed stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), plants, detritus and fishes to estimate the relative importance of dominant production sources supporting food webs of four Venezuelan rivers with divergent geochemical and watershed characteristics. Based on samples taken during the dry season at each site, fishes from two nutrient-poor, blackwater rivers had significantly lower d 13 C values (mean ¼ )31.4& and )32.9&) than fishes from more productive clearwater and whitewater rivers (mean ¼ )25.2& and )25.6& respectively). Low carbon isotopic ratios of fishes from blackwaters were likely influenced by low d 13 C of DIC assimilated by aquatic primary producers. Although floodplains of three savanna rivers supported high biomass of C4 grasses, relatively little carbon from this source appeared to be assimilated by fishes. Most fishes in each system assimilated carbon derived mostly from a combination of microalgae and C3 macrophytes, two sources with broadly overlapping carbon isotopic signatures. Even with this broad overlap, several benthivorous grazers from blackwater and whitewater rivers had isotopic values that aligned more closely with algae. We conclude that comparative stable isotopic studies of river biota need to account for watershed geochemistry that influences the isotopic composition of basal production sources. Moreover, isotopic differences between river basins can provide a basis for discriminating spatial and temporal variation in the trophic ecology of fishes that migrate between watersheds having distinct geochemical characteristics.
Postoperative junctional ectopic tachycardia in children: incidence, risk factors, and treatment

Abstract Background Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) occurs commonly after pediatric cardiac operation. The cause of JET is thought to be the result of an injury to the conduction system during the procedure and may be perpetuated by hemodynamic disturbances or postoperative electrolyte disturbances, namely hypomagnesemia. The purpose of this study was to determine perioperative risk factors for the development of JET. Methods Telemetry for each patient admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit from December 1997 through November 1998 for postoperative cardiac surgical care was examined daily for postoperative JET. A nested case-cohort analysis of 33 patients who experienced JET from 594 consecutively monitored patients who underwent cardiac operation was performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with the occurrence of JET. Results The age range of patients with JET was 1 day to 10.5 years (median, 1.8 months). Univariate analysis revealed that dopamine or milrinone use postoperatively, longer cardiopulmonary bypass times, and younger age were associated with JET. Multivariate modeling elicited that dopamine use postoperatively (odds ratio, 6.2; p = 0.01) and age less than 6 months (odds ratio, 4.0; p = 0.02) were associated with JET. Only 13 (39%) of the patients with JET received therapeutic interventions. Conclusions Junctional ectopic tachycardia occurred in 33 (5.6%) of 594 patients who underwent cardiac operation during the study period. Postoperative dopamine use and younger age were associated with JET. It may be speculated that dopamine should be discontinued in the presence of postoperative JET.
Antibiotic Utilization for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in U.S. Emergency Departments

Inappropriate use of antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) has decreased in many outpatient settings. For patients presenting to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) with ARTIs, antibiotic utilization patterns are unclear. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of ED patients from 2001 to 2010 using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). We identified patients presenting to U.S. EDs with ARTIs and calculated rates of antibiotic utilization. Diagnoses were classified as antibiotic appropriate (otitis media, sinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and nonviral pneumonia) or antibiotic inappropriate (nasopharyngitis, unspecified upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis or bronchiolitis, viral pneumonia, and influenza).There were 126 million ED visits with a diagnosis of ARTI, and antibiotics were prescribed in 61%. Between 2001 and 2010, antibiotic utilization decreased for patients aged <5 presenting with antibiotic-inappropriate ARTI (rate ratio [RR], 0.94; confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 1.00). Utilization also decreased significantly for antibiotic-inappropriate ARTI patients aged 5 to 19 years (RR, 0.89; CI, 0.85 to 0.94). Utilization remained stable for antibiotic-inappropriate ARTI among adult patients aged 20 to 64 years (RR, 0.99; CI, 0.97 to 1.01). Among adults, rates of quinolone use for ARTI increased significantly from 83 per 1,000 visits in 2001 to 2002 to 105 per 1,000 in 2009 to 2010 (RR, 1.08; CI, 1.03 to 1.14). Although significant progress has been made toward reduction of antibiotic utilization for pediatric patients with ARTI, the proportion of adult ARTI patients receiving antibiotics in U.S. EDs is inappropriately high. Institution of measures to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use in the ED setting is warranted.
Precreation Narratives in the Wisdom of Solomon: Genealogy, Gender, and Genre

AbstractExamines genres and representations of gender in the Wisdom of Solomon and its counterparts in selected works of the Pre-Socratic philosophers, the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly Ecclesiastes, and Paul’s letters to the Romans and Corinthians. Proposes that the Wisdom of Solomon may be understood as a hybrid and transitional rhetorolect created in the context of Hellenistic Jewish movements towards philosophical sophistication. Suggests that the range of styles, genres, and lexica in Paul’s letters present similar dexterity in addressing mixed audiences.
High Risk of QT Interval Prolongation and Torsades de Pointes Associated with Intravenous Quinidine Used for Treatment of Resistant Malaria or Babesiosis

Cardiac toxicity may be associated with drugs used for malaria. Torsades de pointes (TdP) is a well-known adverse effect of quinidine when used for atrial fibrillation. Intravenous quinidine doses for resistant malaria are 2 to 3 times higher than those used for arrhythmias. Among 6 patients receiving quinidine for malaria or babesiosis, 4 developed QT interval prolongation and 2 experienced TdP. Clinicians should be aware that recommended doses of quinidine for malaria carry a high TdP risk.
Structure, odd lines and topological entropy of disorder of amorphous silicon. Correction

Wooten [Acta Cryst. (2002), A58, 346–351] defines cells in amorphous Si as being bounded by irreducible rings of atoms, which can be viewed as distorted polygons. These irreducible rings are, roughly speaking, shortest rings. However, the definition used is incomplete and leads to some large rings being counted as irreducible when close examination reveals they are not. In particular, the incomplete definition counts four ninefold rings (out of a total of 1041 ninefold rings) as being irreducible. Yet a detailed examination reveals that these four rings bound a set of smaller rings, and are clearly not irreducible in any meaningful sense of the word. An extended definition has been given [Rivier & Wooten (2003). MATCH – Commun. Math. Comput. Chem. 48, 145–153], and described at length, that removes the difficulties. It results in a small increase in entropy, approaching slightly closer to the ideal. The first paragraph of Wooten (2002) incorrectly states that the nearest-neighbor distance in Si is 3.5 A, rather than the correct value of 2.35 A. This misprint has no effect on anything else.
Ad Hoc Modeling of Root Zone Soil Water with Landsat Imagery and Terrain and Soils Data

Agricultural producers require knowledge of soil water at plant rooting depths,while many remote sensing studies have focused on surface soil water or mechanisticmodels that are not easily parameterized. We developed site-specific empirical models topredict spring soil water content for two Montana ranches. Calibration data sample sizeswere based on the estimated variability of soil water and the desired level of precision forthe soil water estimates. Models used Landsat imagery, a digital elevation model, and asoil survey as predictor variables. Our objectives were to see whether soil water could bepredicted accurately with easily obtainable calibration data and predictor variables and toconsider the relative influence of the three sources of predictor variables. Independentvalidation showed that multiple regression models predicted soil water with average error(RMSD) within 0.04 mass water content. This was similar to the accuracy expected basedon a statistical power test based on our sample size (n = 41 and n = 50). Improvedprediction precision could be achieved with additional calibration samples, and rangemanagers can readily balance the desired level of precision with the amount of effort tocollect calibration data. Spring soil water prediction effectively utilized a combination ofland surface imagery, terrain data, and subsurface soil characterization data. Rancherscould use accurate spring soil water content predictions to set stocking rates. Suchmanagement can help ensure that water, soil, and vegetation resources are usedconservatively in irrigated and non-irrigated rangeland systems.
Assessing Seasonal Transport and Deposition of Agricultural Emissions in Eastern North Carolina, U.S.A

There is an increasing interest regarding the fate of nitrogenous compounds emitted from agricultural activities in the southeastern United States. Varying climate, topography and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean particularly complicates the problem. An increased understanding of the interaction of synoptic scale flow with mesoscale circulations would constitute a significant improvement in the assessment of regional scale transport and deposition potential. This knowledge is necessary to facilitate current and future modeling attempts in the region as well as for planning future monitoring sites to develop a cohesive regional policy for the abatement strategies. The eastern portion of North Carolina is used as a case example due to its high, localized emission of nitrogen compounds from agricultural waste. Three periods: July 2-7, 1998, October 5-11, 1998, and December 12-19, 1998, corresponding to three different seasons were studied. Surface wind and thermodynamic patterns were analyzed using surface observing stations and archived-model analysis results centered over eastern North Carolina. Diurnal and seasonal patterns were identified for dispersion and concentration values obtained using an air pollution transport and dispersion model. This mesoscale information was used to draw qualitative conclusions regarding the possible trends and deviations in the dynamic trajectories as well as the resulting near-surface concentrations and deposition potential in eastern North Carolina. Results show that highly variable seasonal and diurnal atmospheric circulations characterize the study domain. These variations can significantly impact the transport and fate of pollutants released in this region. Generally, summer provides the highest potential for localized deposition, while fall can provide opportunity for long-range transport. The results also suggest that mean climatological or seasonally averaged flow patterns may not be sufficient for analyzing the fate of the agricultural releases in this region. At the very least, mean and variance based analysis is required to capture the climatology of the dispersion and deposition patterns. These patterns in eastern North Carolina appear to be sensitive to the strength and location of air mass boundaries along the coastal plain, indicating diverse scale interactions affecting the variability and uncertainty in the regional pollutant transport.
Reducing cache traffic and energy with macro data load

This paper presents a study on macro data load, an efficient mechanism to enhance loaded value reuse. A macro data load brings into the processor a maximum-width data value the cache port allows, saves it in an internal structure, and facilitates reuse by later loads. A comprehensive limit study using a generalized memory value reuse table (MVRT) shows the significantly increased reuse opportunities provided by macro data load. We also describe a modified load store queue design as an implementation of the proposed concept. Our quantitative study shows that over 35% of L1 cache accesses in the SPEC2k integer and MiBench programs can be eliminated, resulting in a related energy reduction of 24% and 35% on average, respectively.
Forced and natural convective mass transfer in multicomponent gaseous mixtures

The use of the Chilton-Colburn analogy to obtain an effective film thickness over which the Stefan-Maxwell equations can be integrated was confirmed for binary mixtures and found applicable for ternary, quaternary, and presumably higher order mixtures under conditions of nonequimolal counterdiffusion in a differential convective flow system. A method of averaging binary diffusivities was developed for use in computing the Schmidt number in these multicomponent systems. It was also found necessary to modify the usual Sherwood number, if there was a large molecular weight change across the diffusion barrier when the Chilton-Colburn analogy was employed.
Phase I/II Study of Galiximab, an Anti-CD80 Antibody, for Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma

Purpose This multicenter, dose-escalation study evaluates the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of galiximab (anti-CD80 monoclonal antibody) in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Patients and Methods Patients had follicular lymphoma that had relapsed or failed to respond to primary therapy; the majority (90%) presented with stage III or IV disease. Four weekly intravenous infusions of galiximab were administered at doses of 125, 250, 375, or 500 mg/m2. Results Thirty-seven patients received galiximab treatment and were evaluated for safety; 35 were assessable for response. Antibody infusions were safe and well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities. A total of 22 (60%) of 37 patients experienced adverse events related to galiximab. All but one of the events were grade 1 or 2; the most common were fatigue, nausea, and headache. Cytopenias were rare; only one patient experienced anemia and febrile neutropenia, which were unrelated to galiximab and resolved after treatment. No...
Modeling a distribution of point defects as misfitting inclusions in stressed solids

Abstract The chemical equilibrium distribution of point defects modeled as non-overlapping, spherical inclusions with purely positive dilatational eigenstrain in an isotropically elastic solid is derived. The compressive self-stress inside existing inclusions must be excluded from the stress dependence of the equilibrium concentration of the point defects, because it does no work when a new inclusion is introduced. On the other hand, a tensile image stress field must be included to satisfy the boundary conditions in a finite solid. Through the image stress, existing inclusions promote the introduction of additional inclusions. This is contrary to the prevailing approach in the literature in which the equilibrium point defect concentration depends on a homogenized stress field that includes the compressive self-stress. The shear stress field generated by the equilibrium distribution of such inclusions is proved to be proportional to the pre-existing stress field in the solid, provided that the magnitude of the latter is small, so that a solid containing an equilibrium concentration of point defects can be described by a set of effective elastic constants in the small-stress limit.
Stability of Larger Ferromagnetic Chain-of-sphere Nanostructure Comprising Magnetic Vortices

Chain-of-sphere (CoS) nanostructure containing Permalloy (Fe20Ni80) nanospheres of uniform size (d=50 nm) has been studied using micromagnetic simulation. These large-size Permalloy nanospheres support magnetic vortex structure upon relaxation. The presence of magnetic vortices in CoS architecture affects its magnetic properties significantly. Micromagnetic behaviour of Permalloy CoS system was studied focusing on the magnetization reversal process. The presence of magnetic vortices triggers a vortex creation and annihilation mechanism (VCA) involving the formation and breaking of an inversion symmetry (IS) feature. This VCA mechanism has been studied using 3D micromagnetic simulation and results of coercivity and vortex parameters are presented.
Safety Incentives: Do They Reduce Injuries?

Safety incentives have been employed for many years as a means of keeping worker injuries under control. There are many ways that incentives can be implemented, and little is known about which are most effective. This paper reports on the results of a study in which information was obtained on incentives. The safest firms are not necessarily those using safety incentives. Firms that use incentives with greater success tend to use incentives of low value, but give the awards on a frequent basis. They also emphasize the recognition that goes with the receipt of incentives, and they tend to award entire crews for safe performance, rather than individual workers.
Formal compiler construction in a logical framework

The task of designing and implementing a compiler can be a difficult and error-prone process. In this paper, we present a new approach based on the use of higher-order abstract syntax and term rewriting in a logical framework. All program transformations, from parsing to code generation, are cleanly isolated and specified as term rewrites. This has several advantages. The correctness of the compiler depends solely on a small set of rewrite rules that are written in the language of formal mathematics. In addition, the logical framework guarantees the preservation of scoping, and it automates many frequently-occurring tasks including substitution and rewriting strategies. As we show, compiler development in a logical framework can be easier than in a general-purpose language like ML, in part because of automation, and also because the framework provides extensive support for examination, validation, and debugging of the compiler transformations. The paper is organized around a case study, using the MetaPRL logical framework to compile an ML-like language to Intel x86 assembly. We also present a scoped formalization of x86 assembly in which all registers are immutable.
Carbon nanotubes as electronic interconnects in solid acid fuel cell electrodes

Carbon nanotubes have been explored as interconnects in solid acid fuel cells to improve the link between nanoscale Pt catalyst particles and macroscale current collectors. The nanotubes were grown by chemical vapor deposition on carbon paper substrates, using nickel nanoparticles as the catalyst, and were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The composite electrode material, consisting of CsH2PO4, platinum nanoparticles, and platinum on carbon-black nanoparticles, was deposited onto the nanotube-overgrown carbon paper by electrospraying, forming a highly porous, fractal structure. AC impedance spectroscopy in a symmetric cell configuration revealed a significant reduction of the electrode impedance as compared to similarly prepared electrodes without carbon nanotubes.
Arctic-Alpine Plants Decline over Two Decades in Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A.

Abstract Climate-based models predict global warming will cause mountain plants to migrate upward with local extirpation of species currently restricted to the highest elevations. Alpine monitoring studies have generally documented changes in alpine plant distributions consistent with these predictions; however, relatively few such studies have been reported from North America. I estimated canopy cover in 71 permanent microplots at two alpine moist-turf sites in Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A., three times between 1988 and 2011. Mean annual and summer temperatures were approximately 0.6 and 0.7 °C higher than the previous four decades, respectively. Plants more restricted to high elevations declined more than species with a broader elevational amplitude during this time. Dicots were more likely to have declined than monocots. These data support predictions and provide information that may help refine climate-envelope models.
Hyperoxia and thyroxine treatment and the relationships between reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and cardiolipin in human lens epithelial cell cultures.

Thyroxine-treated human lens epithelial cells, HLE B-3, were grown in either a normoxic or hyperoxic atmosphere as a first step in iden- tifying factors related to their increased viability. Reactive oxygen species, ROS, and the apparent mitochondrial membrane potential, �� m, were measured us- ing fluorescent probes. ROS were significantly higher in HLE B-3 cells grown in a hyperoxic atmosphere for both thyroxine-treated and untreated samples. However, treatment with thyroxine produced 40% lower ROS levels than un- treated cells. A mitochondrial uncoupler concomitantly reduced ROS genera- tion. In cells that were grown in a hyperoxic atmosphere, the �� m was signif- icantly higher for samples treated with thyroxine compared to those that were untreated. ROS generation correlated inversely with the apparent �� m and the amount of cardiolipin, and correlated with the amount of lipid oxidation products. These correlations were valid whether cardiolipin and the �� m were decreased as a result of oxygen or increased as a result of thyroxine treatment. Therapies that protect mitochondria from damage and reduce damaging ROS generation may potentially ameliorate the effects of oxidation that occur in aging tissues and in diseases such as cataract.
The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov

The Black Sea is one of the world’s largest marginal seas, with an area of 432,000 km2 and a volume of 534,000 km3. Most of the basin is deeper than 2000 m (Fig. 1) and the maximum depth reached is 2206 m. It is connected by a narrow passage, the Kerch Strait, to the shallow Sea of Azov which has an area of about 37,500 km2 (excluding the Sivash or Putrid Sea) and a volume of about 470 km3. The average depth of the Sea of Azov is close to 12 m (Fig. 2). Sill depth between the two seas at the Kerch Strait is about 5 m. The Black Sea is connected to the Mediterranean Sea via the shallow Bosporus (sill depth about 50 m). The Sivash or Putrid Sea is a shallow area separated from the Sea of Azov by a 110-km-long sand bar called the Arabatskaya Strelka.
Targeted cellular delivery and improved cytotoxicity of pH sensitive hyaluronic acid-doxorubicin conjugates

C120 Acidic pH sensitive hydrazone bond coupled hyaluronic acid (HA)-doxorubicin (DOX) conjugates (HA-DOX) along with acid non-labile HA-DOX are prepared for targeted delivery of DOX to cancer cells expressing the cell surface protein CD44. The cellular uptake of the HA-DOX conjugate observed by confocal fluorescence microscopy at multiple time points and at different concentrations of HA-DOX and DOX in two human ovarian cancer cell lines revealed that the uptake of HA-DOX conjugate was considerably higher compared to free DOX. However, in the mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, used as a negative control a slightly higher uptake with free DOX compared to HA-DOX was observed, suggesting cell specific delivery of HA-DOX conjugate. Confocal microscopy analysis of uptake and distribution of DOX signal of various HA-DOX conjugates in live cells showed a pattern that is commensurate with the suggestion that hydrazone bonds in acid labile conjugates are hydrolyzed. To determine the cytotoxicity of the different loadings of DOX on HA backbone, multiple HA-DOX conjugates with various DOX loading, containing either acid labile or non-labile linkages were tested. The results demonstrated that a higher loading of DOX on the HA backbone increased the cytotoxic effect, most likely due to an elevated dose of the drug delivered into the cells. Acid-labile HA-DOX conjugate showed better cytotoxicity than non-acid labile HA-DOX in spite of higher DOX loading in the later, and resulted in four fold improvement in GI50 value of acid labile HA-DOX over the non-acid labile conjugate. Direct acid labile hydrazone linkages between drug molecules and the cell specific targeting ligand HA result in enhanced efficacy of the drug, and can be a general strategy for targeted drug development.
A cortical activity localization approach for decoding finger movements from human electrocorticogram signal

A novel approach for decoding the finger flexion and extension from the human electrocorticogram is proposed. First, for different finger movements, we use projected MUltiple SIgnal Classification (projected MUSIC) as a source localization technique to estimate the active areas in the primary motor cortex. Next, in order to distinguish between the flexion and extension, the results of the single-trial-based source localizations are fed as the input features to a classifier for decoding. The performance of different techniques such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), Perceptron, and the k-Nearest-Neighbor (kNN) are investigated and the resulting classification accuracies are 71.59, 79.1, and 86.33 respectively.
Antimicrobial properties of microemulsions formulated with essential oils, soybean oil, and Tween 80

It was previously found that blending soybean oil with cinnamon bark oil (CBO), eugenol or thyme oil, Tween 80, and equal masses of water and propylene glycol could be used to prepare microemulsions. In the present study, the objective was to determine the antimicrobial activity of the microemulsions in tryptic soy broth (TSB) and 2% reduced fat milk. In TSB, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CBO solubilized in microemulsions was up to 625 ppm against cocktails of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica or Escherichia coli O157:H7, which was equal to or higher in concentration than free CBO dissolved in ethanol. However, MICs of eugenol or thyme oil in microemulsions were much higher than that of free antimicrobials. Therefore, microemulsions of CBO were chosen to do further study. Inactivation curves of L. monocytogenes or E. coli O157:H7 in TSB or 2% reduced fat milk were tested and fitted using the Weibull model. In TSB, a gradual decrease in cell viability of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 was observed with the microemulsion treatments at 625 ppm CBO, which was in contrast to the more rapid and greater inactivation by free CBO. Gradual inactivation of L. monocytogenes in 2% reduced fat milk was also observed in the treatment with 10,000 ppm free or microemulsified CBO. When fitted using the Weibull model, the predicted time to obtain a 3-log decrease of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 in TSB or 2% reduced fat milk increased with an increased amount of soybean oil in microemulsions. Additionally, increasing the amount of Tween 80 in mixtures with different mass ratios of Tween 80 and essential oils significantly decreased the log reductions of L. monocytogenes in TSB. Our study showed that microemulsions can be used to dissolve EOs and control the rate of inactivating bacteria, but the composition of microemulsions is to be carefully chosen to minimize the reduction of antimicrobial activities.
Beyond the impact factor: taking a wider view of journal evaluation

Publishers, librarians, funders and researchers are faced with the task of evaluating academic journals. Journals have often been ranked using misapplied metrics or through a single indicator used without appropriate context. The latter usage is controversial as a single indicator only measures one aspect of journal performance and is subject to interpretation. For a more meaningful analysis, a range of different measures should be used, combining both productivity (such as document and citation counts) and also normalized values for wider comparisons and contextualization. Analyses at the journal level should consider the impact of individual published articles. As citation-based measures look at a single aspect of article performance, a more thorough analysis should include a wider set of quantitative and qualitative measures.
Plant cells resembling tumor cells in routine cytology.

Cells with large, dark, clumped nucleus-like bodies are occasionally observed in routine vaginal cytologic preparations. They resemble tumor cells, but often on closer scrutiny are found to have thick cell walls like those of plant cells, and are identical to structures found in gum guar and lubricating jelly which contains gum guar. The composition of every product should be marked clearly on the container. Lubricating jellies which contain cellular material should not be used for cytologic preparations.
A Study of Splenic Contraction in Various Animals

Since Barcroft's1 work, a great number of authors have emphasized the importance of the spleen as a reservoir for red blood cells. Numerous experiments have been performed to visualize the dilatation and contraction of the spleen. Barcroft tried to observe the movements of this organ in the dog through a celluloid window which had been implanted in the upper left abdominal quadrant. Others outlined the spleen with small metal clamps and observed the changes in position of the clamps caused by the dilatation and contraction of the organ, by means of the fluoroscopic screen and roentgenograms. Benhamou, Viallet and Marehioni,2 using special soft tissue technique, tried to visualize the spleen by taking radiograms with the subject in numerous and varied positions. We have not been able to use this method to our satisfaction.The spleens of dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and rats were roentgenographically visualized by means of intravenous administration of colloidal solutions of thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), and ...
Positive Consequences of Negative Attitude: Game-Theoretic Analysis

At rst glance, the world would be a better place if all the people had positive attitude towards each other. It is known that this is not always the case: sometimes, the excess of positive attitude can lead to negative consequences. In this paper, we show that, vice versa, a reasonable amount of negative attitude can make life better for everyone. What is therefore needed is not the exclusive appearance of positive attitude, but rather a balance { titled towards moderately positive attitude. Mathematics Subject Classication: 91A12
Pediatric Pyeloplasty: Is Routine Retrograde Pyelography Necessary?

AbstractTo evaluate the necessity for retrograde pyelography in the preoperative evaluation of children undergoing pyeloplasty, we reviewed the records of 108 consecutive patients (age range 5 days to 18 years, median 1 year) who underwent pyeloplasty at our institution during a 6-year period. The routine preoperative evaluation consisted of a renal/bladder sonogram, furosemide renal scan (99mtechnetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or 99mtechnetium-mercaptoacetyltriglycine) and voiding cystogram. No other imaging studies were obtained in 95 patients (88%). Other upper tract studies usually performed before referral included excretory urography in 9 cases and computerized tomography in 5. Preoperative retrograde pyelography was only performed in 1 symptomatic patient before referral to our institution. Surgical findings confirmed obstruction at the ureteropelvic junction in all patients. Undetected ureteral dilatation, which might suggest undiagnosed distal obstruction, was not encountered. After pye...
Docetaxel (Taxotere) and gemcitabine in combination therapy.

In patients with advanced cancers, gemcitabine and docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Antony, France) can be administered together at 80% to 100% of their single-agent doses on days 1 and 8 of an every-3-week cycle without undue toxicity. In phase 1/11 studies, this combination has demonstrated activity against a range of tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer, and may represent an alternative to cisplatin-based chemotherapy. In advanced cancer, benefits in quality of life are likely to result. The fact that the combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel is generally well tolerated also suggests that the regimen should be assessed in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings.
Application of Optical Fibers for Acoustic Fibers

An analogy between guided wave properties of optical fibers and acoustic fibers is introduced. Cladded glass fibers can be used for either fiber acoustic or fiber optic waveguides or both. Sensor applications are discussed.
Gender Differences in Stroke

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on gender differences in stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery. Some of the observed differences in stroke symptoms in men compared to women may be explained by different types of strokes; women are more likely to have cardioembolic strokes and men are more likely to have lacunar strokes. This pattern may change as risk factors for small vessel ischemic disease become more prevalent in women, and at younger ages. However, there may be differences in localization of some functions, as well. In a functional imaging study, women were found to have more bilateral representation of language than men. In an epidemiologic study, women experienced aphasia more than men, but this difference went away after adjusting for stroke mechanism. Embolic strokes (which are more frequent in women) are much more likely to cause aphasia than are lacunar strokes (more frequent in men). In animal models, estrogen functions both as a neuroprotectant and as an antiatherogenic. This is demonstrated in population studies because of the lower rates of stroke in premenopausal women, and the rapid rise in stroke after menopause, as estrogen levels decline. The neuroprotective role is also demonstrated in vivo in animal studies: female rats have smaller strokes when given the same insult as male rats.
Naturalistic assessment of demand for cigarettes, snus, and nicotine gum

Rationale Behavioral economic measures of demand provide estimates of tobacco product abuse liability and may predict effects of policy-related price regulation on consumption of existing and emerging tobacco products.
Particle-Induced Inflammation and Cardiovascular Diseases

Air pollution exposure associates with significant adverse health effects leading to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cumulative epidemiological studies show that the strongest associations are between exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and cardiovascular diseases of ischemic nature. Experimental data supports that these associations are causal as PM exposures lead to enhanced atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic animal models, and suggests that the smaller particles are more pathogenic, with a greater ability to induce systemic vascular effects. Particle exposures induce a variety of prooxidant and proinflammatory effects in pulmonary and systemic tissues resulting in widespread lipid peroxidation, induction of oxidative alteration of plasma lipoproteins that increase the atherogenicity of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and decrease the protective properties of high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Particle exposures also lead to alteration of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, induction of insulin resistance, and contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome. This chapter reviews the epidemiological, clinical and experimental animal evidence that support the association of air pollutants with systemic pro-oxidant effects resulting in enhanced atherosclerosis and cardiometabolic effects.
A Novel Method of Measuring Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Tracheostomized Ventilator-Dependent Children.

BACKGROUND: The lower airway concentration of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is unknown in children with chronic lung disease of infancy who have tracheostomy for long-term mechanical ventilation. We aimed to evaluate an online method of measuring FENO in a cohort of ventilator-dependent children with a tracheostomy and to explore the relationship between the peak FENO concentration (FENO peak) and the degree of respiratory support using the respiratory severity score. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study in 31 subjects who were receiving long-term respiratory support through a tracheostomy. We measured the FENO peak and FENO plateau concentration from the tip of the tracheostomy tube using a nitric oxide analyzer in subjects during a quiet state while being mechanically ventilated. We obtained 2 consecutive 2-min duration measurements from each subject. The FENO peak, exhaled NO output (equal to the FENO peak × minute ventilation), and pulmonary NO excretion (exhaled NO output/weight) were calculated and correlated with the respiratory severity score. RESULTS: The median FENO peak was 2.69 ppb, and the median FENO plateau was 1.57 ppb. The coefficients of repeatability between the 2 consecutive measurements for FENO peak and FENO plateau were 0.74 and 0.59, respectively. The intraclass coefficient between subjects within the cohort was 0.988 (95% CI 0.975–0.994, P CONCLUSIONS: FENO peak and plateau concentration can be measured online easily with a high degree of reliability and repeatability in infants and young children with a tracheostomy. FENO peak concentration from the lower airway is low and influenced by minute ventilation in children receiving mechanical ventilation.
Colonial Origins and Colonial Transformations in Spanish America

Archaeological data have been critical in articulating the manner by which system-wide structuring elements of Europe’s colonial projects in America were adjusted or transformed in local settings. This paper explores the ways in which certain of these structuring elements in Spanish colonial America were played out in a variety of households and communities, with the ultimate goal of approaching an archaeologically informed, comparative study of American colonialism. Several parameters are offered as examples of potentially fruitful points of comparison among colonial systems through which researchers might assess local agency at both intra- and inter-colonial scales. These include varieties of economic and governmental centrality, forms of labor organization, varieties of religious experience, gender relations, idealized social identities, and frontier-urban dichotomies.
A simulation-based tutor that reasons about multiple agents

This paper examines the problem of modeling multiple agents within an intelligent simulation-based tutor. Multiple agent and planning technology were used to enable the system to critique a human agent's reasoning about multiple agents. This perspective arises naturally whenever a student must learn to lead and coordinate a team of people. The system dynamically selected teaching goals, instantiated plans and modeled the student and the domain as it monitored the student's progress. The tutor provides one of the first complete integrations of a real-time simulation with knowledge-based reasoning. Other novel techniques of the system are reported, such as common-sense reasoning about plans, reasoning about protocol mechanisms, and using a real-time simulation for training.
Delayed Seismicity Rate Changes Controlled by Static Stress Transfer

On 15 June 2010, a M_w5.7 earthquake occurred near Ocotillo, California, in the Yuha Desert. This event was the largest aftershock of the 4 April 2010 M_w7.2 El Mayor-Cucapah (EMC) earthquake in this region. The EMC mainshock and subsequent Ocotillo aftershock provide an opportunity to test the Coulomb failure hypothesis (CFS). We explore the spatiotemporal correlation between seismicity rate changes and regions of positive and negative CFS change imparted by the Ocotillo event. Based on simple CFS calculations we divide the Yuha Desert into three subregions, one triggering zone and two stress shadow zones. We find the nominal triggering zone displays immediate triggering, one stress shadowed region experiences immediate quiescence, and the other nominal stress shadow undergoes an immediate rate increase followed by a delayed shutdown. We quantitatively model the spatiotemporal variation of earthquake rates by combining calculations of CFS change with the rate-state earthquake rate formulation of Dieterich (1994), assuming that each subregion contains a mixture of nucleation sources that experienced a CFS change of differing signs. Our modeling reproduces the observations, including the observed delay in the stress shadow effect in the third region following the Ocotillo aftershock. The delayed shadow effect occurs because of intrinsic differences in the amplitude of the rate response to positive and negative stress changes and the time constants for return to background rates for the two populations. We find that rate-state models of time-dependent earthquake rates are in good agreement with the observed rates and thus explain the complex spatiotemporal patterns of seismicity.
Finite groups with three rational conjugacy classes

We show that if a finite group G has exactly three rational conjugacy classes, then G also has exactly three rational-valued irreducible complex characters. This generalizes a result of Navarro and Tiep (Trans Amer Math Soc 360:2443–2465, 2008) and partially answers in the affirmative a conjecture of theirs. We also give a family of examples of non-solvable groups with exactly three rational conjugacy classes.
The Flaws in Sen’s Case Against Paretian Libertarianism

Every society is characterized by a system of social institutions. We regard some of these systems as superior to others. But no one who thinks very long about social institutions believes that any currently existing system is optimal. When we try to explain why existing systems are deficient, we usually appeal to normative principles that formulate conditions which we think any fully adequate social system should satisfy. There are, of course, differences of opinion over these principles. Some social and political philosophers advocate adequacy conditions that others dispute. However, such disagreements usually take place in the context of a shared assumption that it is possible (at least in principle) for some system of social institutions to meet all of the adequacy conditions that need to be imposed on such systems.
The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Atrial Natriuretic Factor

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of physiological, biochemical, and methodological considerations concerning two hormonal systems that appear to play opposing roles in the physiological regulation of the circulation. Emphasis is placed on those issues pertinent to the needs of investigators involved in cardiovascular and behavioral research, in terms of selection of methods, adequacy of experimental design, and interpretation of data. The bulk of the information presented is directed toward assessment of hormone levels in blood or urine, but brief consideration is also given to measurements in other tissues which might be entertained in certain experimental studies. In addition, a description is given of available pharmacological probes which can be used to assess the functional significance of these hormones.
Various design approaches to achieve electric field-driven segmented folding actuation of electroactive polymer (EAP) sheets

Electroactive polymer (EAPs) based technologies have shown promise in areas such as artificial muscles, aerospace, medical and soft robotics. In this work, we demonstrate ways to harness on-demand segmented folding actuation from pure bending of relaxor-ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) based films, using various design approaches, such as ‘stiffener’ and ‘notch’ based approaches. The in-plane actuation of the P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) is converted into bending actuation using unimorph configurations, where one passive substrate layer is attached to the active polymer. First, we experimentally show that placement of thin metal strips as stiffener in between active EAPs and passive substrates leads to segmented actuation as opposed to pure bending actuation; stiffeners made of different materials, such as nickel, copper and aluminum, are studied which reveals that a higher Young’s modulus favors more pronounced segmented actuation. Second, notched samples are prepared by mounting passive substrate patches of various materials on top of the passive layers of the unimorph EAP actuators. Effect of notch materials, size of the notches and position of the notches on the folding actuation are studied. The motion of the human finger inspires a finger-like biomimetic actuator, which is realized by assigning multiple notches on the structure; finite element analysis (FEA) is also performed using COMSOL Multiphysics software for the notched finger actuator. Finally, a versatile soft-gripper is developed using the notched approach to demonstrate the capability of a properly designed EAP actuator to hold objects of various sizes and shapes.