cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nicotine protects against manganese and iron-induced toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells: Implication for Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) are trace elements that are essential for proper growth and physiological functions as both play critical role in a variety of enzymatic reactions. At high concentrations, however, they can be toxic and cause neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Parkinson-like syndromes. Nicotine, on the other hand, has been shown to have neuroprotective effects against various endogenous or exogenous toxins that selectively damage the dopaminergic cells. These cells include neuroblastoma-derived SH-SY5Y cells which express significant dopaminergic activity. However, practically no information on possible neuroprotective effects of nicotine against toxicity induced by trace elements is available. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effects of nicotine on toxicity induced by manganese or iron in these cells. Exposure of SH-SY5Y cells for 24 h to manganese (20 μM) or iron (20 μM) resulted in approximately 30% and 35% toxicity, respectively. Pretreatment with nicotine (1 μM) completely blocked the toxicities of Mn and Fe. The effects of nicotine, in turn, were blocked by selective nicotinic receptor antagonists. Thus, dihydro-beta erythroidine (DHBE), a selective alpha 4-beta 2 subtype antagonist and methyllycaconitine (MLA), a selective alpha7 antagonist, as well as mecamylamine, a non-selective nicotinic antagonist all dose-dependently blocked the protective effects of nicotine against both Mn and Fe. These findings provide further support for the potential utility of nicotine or nicotinic agonists in Parkinson's disease-like neurodegenerative disorders, including those that might be precipitated by trace elements, such as Fe and Mn. Moreover, both alpha4-beta2 and alpha7 nicotinic receptor subtypes appear to mediate the neuroprotective effects of nicotine against toxicity induced by these two trace metals.
Regulation of Glucose-Dependent Golgi-Derived Microtubules by cAMP/EPAC2 Promotes Secretory Vesicle Biogenesis in Pancreatic β Cells

Summary The microtubule (MT) network is an essential regulator of insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells, which is central to blood-sugar homeostasis. We find that when glucose metabolism induces insulin secretion, it also increases formation of Golgi-derived microtubules (GDMTs), notably with the same biphasic kinetics as insulin exocytosis. Furthermore, GDMT nucleation is controlled by a glucose signal-transduction pathway through cAMP and its effector EPAC2. Preventing new GDMT nucleation dramatically affects the pipeline of insulin production, storage, and release. There is an overall reduction of β-cell insulin content, and remaining insulin becomes retained within the Golgi, likely because of stalling of insulin-granule budding. While not preventing glucose-induced insulin exocytosis, the diminished granule availability substantially blunts the amount secreted. Constant dynamic maintenance of the GDMT network is therefore critical for normal β-cell physiology. Our study demonstrates that the biogenesis of post-Golgi carriers, particularly large secretory granules, requires ongoing nucleation and replenishment of the GDMT network.
Diagnosis of Liver Neoplasms by Computational and Statistical Image Analysis.

Background Distinguishing well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (WD-HCC), hepatocellular adenoma (HA) and non-neoplastic liver tissue (NNLT) solely on morphology is often challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of computational image analysis to distinguish WD-HCC, HA and NNLT. Methods Seventy-seven cases comprising of WD-HCC (n = 26), HA (n = 23) and NNLT (n = 28) were retrieved and reviewed. A total of 485 hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) photomicrographs (× 400, 0.09 µm2) of WD-HCC (n = 183), HA (n = 173), NNLT (n = 129) and nine whole-slide scans (three of each diagnosis) were obtained, color deconvoluted and digitally transformed. Quantitative data including nuclear density, nuclear sphericity, nuclear perimeter, and nuclear eccentricity from each image were acquired. The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey post hoc test, followed by unsupervised and supervised (Chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID)) cluster analysis. Results Unsupervised cluster analysis identified three well defined clusters of WD-HCC, HA and NNLT. Employing the four most discriminating nuclear features, supervised analysis was performed on a training set of 383 images, and validated on the remaining 102 test images. The analysis identified WD-HCC (sensitivity 100%, specificity 98%), HA (sensitivity 71%, specificity 85%) and NNLT (sensitivity 70%, specificity 86%). An analysis of whole-slide images identified WD-HCC with sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Conclusions We have successfully demonstrated that computational image analysis of nuclear features can differentiate WD-HCC from non-malignant liver with high accuracy, and can be used to assist in the histopathological diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Molecular Discordance between Myeloid Sarcomas and Concurrent Bone Marrows Occurs in Actionable Genes and Is Associated with Worse Overall Survival

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare, architecture-effacing proliferation of myeloid blasts localized to an extramedullary site, with or without concurrent bone marrow involvement. Clonal heterogeneity results from acquisition of somatic mutations within different subclones of leukemic cells. It was hypothesized that clonal heterogeneity between myeloid sarcomas and concurrent bone marrow biopsies might be present, given their differing biological features and microenvironment. High-throughput sequencing of the largest series (n = 24) of paired myeloid sarcomas and bone marrow biopsies was performed. One third of myeloid sarcomas (8/24) showed discordant molecular profiles, and 75% (n = 6) of these cases had discordant mutations in genes with prognostic significance or molecularly targeted therapies. Patients with molecularly discordant myeloid sarcoma had significantly worse overall survival (median survival, 195 days versus not reached, hazard ratio, 3.3, P
Relationship Between Newly Established Perioperative DNR Status and Perioperative Outcomes in the Elderly Population: A NSQIP Database Analysis.

Background:Health care practitioners have developed complex algorithms to numerically calculate surgical risk. We examined the association between the initiation of a new do-not-resuscitate (DNR) s...
Recent applications of QCM-D for the design, synthesis, and characterization of bioactive materials:

The clinical translation of bioactive technologies is lacking compared to the number of novel technologies reported in the literature. This is in part due to the difficulties in characterizing bioa...
Recurrent lymphangioleiomyomatosis in a lung allograft with COVID-19: autopsy case report and literature review

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare neoplastic disease of the lung with a characteristic feature of diffuse cystic changes in bilateral lungs. Lung transplantation is considered to be one of the effective treatments in end stage disease. Patients with LAM who underwent lung transplant tend to have more favorable outcome compared to other end stage lung diseases. We report a case of a female patient who was diagnosed with LAM and received bilateral lung transplantation at 45 years of age. Subsequent allograft biopsies were significant for mild acute cellular rejection (Grade A2), for which the immunosuppressive regimen was adjusted accordingly. At 7 years post-transplant, she presented with shortness of breath, cough, and fatigue, and diagnosed with a viral infection. Her chest imaging was unremarkable. However, a transbronchial biopsy was performed to rule out rejection and revealed foci of spindle cells proliferation, with positive HMB-45 and smooth muscle actin immunohistochemical studies, confirming the diagnosis of recurrent LAM. After she was discharged, she was re-admitted 1 week later with severe COVID-19. Her clinical course was complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory failure, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The patient passed away on day 36 of hospital stay. Autopsy was requested and confirmed the pathology of recurrent LAM and diffuse alveolar damage from COVID-19.
U.S. Artificial Intelligence Governance in the Obama–Trump Years

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and the public policies that govern them are both likely to evolve rapidly in the coming years. This essay briefly outlines how AI governance was being formulated in the United States (U.S.) from 2009 to 2020 during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Although these two administrations differed on most policy matters, they shared a common approach to AI governance. Generally speaking, both administrations adopted a “light-touch” regulatory and industrial policy stance toward AI. They highlighted potential areas of policy concern—safety and security issues, in particular—promoting the growth of AI sectors and technologies was prioritized over preemptively restricting them. In doing so, “soft law” mechanisms were typically tapped before hard law solutions. In this sense, the AI policy in the Obama–Trump AI governance approach has been an extension of the governance vision previous administrations applied to the Internet and digital commerce. The U.S. policy approach to these sectors and technologies stood in contrast to the different governance stances adopted by China and the European Union. However, there are indications that the U.S. could be moving closer to adopting elements of policy frameworks adopted in these jurisdictions.
The impact of the apprenticeship of observation on preservice teachers’ perceptions of teaching

First year pre-service teachers’ images of and beliefs about teaching are formed over years of prior educational experiences and these images exert a powerful impact on their developing professional identity. These perceptions are embedded in the apprenticeship of observation that serves as a lens through which they often measure their own ability or inability regarding their knowledge and skills. Acknowledging this impact of the apprenticeship of observation might have on first year pre-service teachers not only poses a great challenge to the students themselves, but also constitutes a critical pedagogical challenge for tertiary institutions. These deeply rooted ways of thinking about teaching and what teachers do should be acknowledged, disrupted and challenged and pre-service teachers should be supported in effort to create their own local knowledge and lived experience that can constitute their dominant discourses about teaching and being a full time teacher.
Mechanistic Probes of Copper Amine Oxidases

The presence of pyrroloquinoline quinone at the active site of copper amine oxidases makes numerous mechanistic predictions, which include the possible formation of covalent adducts between substrate and cofactor, the transfer of nitrogen from substrate to cofactor in the reductive half of the overall reaction, and the oxidation of substrate via a proton activation mechanism. Experimental evidence in support of each of these aspects of catalysis in bovine plasma amine oxidase is presented. Direct spectroscopic evidence was also sought for initial formation of a Schiff base complex, followed by C-H bond cleavage. Rapid scanning stopped flow analysis of the anaerobic reduction of bovine plasma amine oxidase by benzylamine indicates a rapid formation of a species at 340 nm (attributed to Schiff base formation), followed by a slower decrease/increase in peaks at 480/310 nm (attributed to cofactor reduction). These findings lead to a working model for enzyme catalysis.
Changes in the Earth System

The magnitude of biotic and human impacts on ecosystem processes becomes clear when summed at the global scale. This chapter describes changes in the biogeochemical cycles of the Earth System that have occurred during the Anthropocene.
Development and Properties of Cesium Selective Crystalline Silicotitanate (CST) Ion Exchangers for Radioactive Waste Applications

Crystalline silicotitanates (CSTs) are a new class of ion exchangers that were jointly invented and refined by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and Texas A&M University. One particular CST, known as TAM-5, is remarkable for its ability to separate parts-per-million concentrations of cesium from highly alkaline solutions (pH>14) containing high sodium concentrations (>5M). It is also highly effective for removing cesium from neutral and acidic solutions, and for removing strontium from basic and neutral solutions. Cesium isotopes are fission products that account for a large portion of the radioactivity in waste streams generated during weapons material production. Tests performed at numerous locations with early lab-scale TAM-5 samples established the material as a leading candidate for treating radioactive waste volumes such as those found at the Hanford site in Washington. Thus Sandia developed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) partnership with UOP, a world leader in developing, commercializing, and supplying adsorbents and associated process technology to commercialize and further develop the material. CSTs are now commercially available from UOP in a powder (UOP IONSIV® IE-910 ion exchanger) and granular form suitable for column ion exchange operations (UOP IONSIV® IE-911 ion exchanger). These materials exhibit a high capacity for cesium in a wide variety of solutions of interest to the Department of Energy, and they are chemically, thermally, and radiation stable. They have performed well in tests at numerous sites with actual radioactive waste solutions, and have been demonstrated in the Cesium Removal Demonstration at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with over 30,000 gallons of Melton Valley Storage Tank waste. It has been estimated that applying CSTs to the Hanford cleanup alone will result in a savings of more than $300 million over baseline technologies.
Pre-election polling and the rational voter: Evidence from state panel data (1986-1998)*

This study examines the role of pre-election perceptions of race closeness, by way of newspaper polls, in motivating citizens to vote on a specific contest while in the voting booth. Results from an error components model (random effects), employing state panel data of concurrent gubernatorial and Senate elections for the period 1986 to 1998, fail to bolster the rational voter hypothesis that perceived closeness matters. The extent to which pre-election perception matters is shown to depend directly on how one measures the likelihood of a close contest. In contrast, few long-standing variables, inherent to the voting literature, have any impact on “within-booth” voting behavior. The majority of within-booth abstention is left unexplained; furthering the notion of Matsusaka and Palda (1999) that the act of voting, indeed, may be random.
Securities Lending After the Financial Crisis (TN)

In April 2009, Wendy Jefferson had just returned to her office following a whirlwind day of meetings with her newest client, Star Advisor. Jefferson, a financial services consultant, was eager to dig into the information provided to her and her team about the Star mutual funds and the income the funds earned from securities lending. Securities lending involved temporarily transferring securities from mutual funds managed by Star Advisor to short sellers and other investors. Income from these loans had been a small but secure component of Star mutual fund returns for decades.Learning Objective:To educate students about financial intermediation through securities lending and government regulation of short selling.
Electroencephalographic Signals Acquisition for the Movement of a Wheelchair Prototype in a BCI System

In this article, we propose a first research about the electroencephalographic signals for supporting in some person whit physical disabilities, for example, the movement of a wheelchair. The brain, along with the heart, are the most important organs of the human being is the center of the nervous system, making complex but important functions such as self-control, planning, reasoning and abstract thinking as well as vision. Addition is the organ lies the mind and consciousness of the person. A BCI system is the technique that allows the control of equipment with a proper interface with the brain once it has received the appropriate signals. The aim of this work is to lay a foundation for the development of complete support systems for mobilization of people with disabilities in Ecuador. That's why a BCI system has been developed, it shows where the reception of a cognitive response of the brain produced by the moving of a limb intention produces the movement of the hardware. In this case an electrical wheelchair, which will have the user's affective responses and visual feedback. This work ends with comments and suggestions for further research process in this line to Ecuador.
Ultrametricity in the externally-induced conformational substates of disordered polymers

We investigate the ergodicity breaking in phase space for biopolymers which fold under the influence of an external field. The polymers have random primary sequences and the interactions among monomeric units are of the volume-excluded type. The replica symmetry breaking is shown to have two distinct sources: the two-body interactions between disordered links and the interaction of the random self-avoiding coil with the localized attractive field.
Climatic controls on diffuse groundwater recharge in semiarid environments of the southwestern United States

[1] Although there is no diffuse groundwater recharge at many semiarid sites, evidence for diffuse recharge exists at some locations where mean annual precipitation is much less than mean annual potential evapotranspiration , particularly where soils are coarse and rainfall variable is substantial. We investigate the climatic controls on diffuse recharge using a one-dimensional, variably saturated flow model. The model is driven by a stochastic parameterization of climate that includes storm size distribution and seasonality of precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET), constrained by data from 536 weather stations in the southwestern United States. Storm size distribution and seasonality determine the frequency and duration of intervals when P exceeds PET, which controls the flux of water past the root zone. For coarse soils, climates with large, infrequent storms yield recharge when / exceeds 0.4, compared with 0.7 for a typical climate. Recharge through fine soils is insensitive to storm size and occurs at / > 0.8. Seasonality has a stronger influence on recharge than storm size distribution, and the effects are similar for coarse and fine soils. Recharge is relatively insensitive to rainfall seasonality. In contrast, the typical PET annual cycle lowers / of the recharge threshold by 0.3. The relative timing of P and PET maxima is critical: Recharge occurs at / values that are lower by 0.2 when the rainy season occurs during winter instead of summer. Over the range of climate and soils examined, / values at the recharge threshold varied from 0.2 to 0.7. Therefore and alone are insufficient to predict where recharge will occur.
Ultrastructure of Basidiospores and Mycelium of Lenzites saepiaria

Hyde, James M. (University of Mississippi Medical School, Jackson), and Charles H. Walkinshaw. Ultrastructure of basidiospores and mycelium of Lenzites saepiaria. J. Bacteriol. 92:1218-1227. 1966.-Ungerminated and germinated basidiospores and 2-day-old mycelial cultures of Lenzites saepiaria were similar in their fine structure. Fixation with glutaraldehyde, followed by osmium tetroxide, was far superior to permanganate. Cell organelles were seen in cytoplasm of spores and hyphae, and clamp connections were abundant in hyphal elements. Numerous lomasomes, vesicular bodies, and complex concentric membranes occurred in the cytoplasm and were often associated with the cell membrane or the dolipore membrane (parenthesome) of the septum. Endoplasmic reticulum was not found, but numerous ribosomes were seen; polyribosome groupings were frequently noted. The nucleus was bounded by a double membrane which contained few pores. Germinating spores exhibited one or more large osmiophilic bodies in association with a vacuole and membranous elements. Other than possessing a thin wall, the emerging germ tube was similar in structure to the parent spore.
Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and infection-associated alveolar hemorrhage following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: related and high-risk clinical syndromes.

Abstract Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a noninfectious pulmonary complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with unclear pathogenesis and treatment. We reviewed prospectively collected data on 1919 consecutive transplants performed between 1995 and 2004 and compared patients with DAH and infection-associated alveolar hemorrhage (IAH) who presented with similar symptoms of hypoxemia, pulmonary infiltrates, and progressively bloody alveolar lavage but also had microorganisms isolated from blood, bronchoalveolar lavage, or tracheal aspirate within 1 week of alveolar hemorrhage. Overall, 116 patients had alveolar hemorrhage (45 with DAH, 71 with IAH). Older age, allogeneic donor source, myeloablative conditioning regimen, and acute severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were independently predictive of an increased risk of post-HSCT alveolar hemorrhage. The DAH and IAH groups were comparable except for a higher proportion of patients receiving umbilical cord blood as a donor source and total-body irradiation–containing conditioning in the IAH group. The probability of 60-day survival from onset of hemorrhage was 16% (95% CI, 6%–26%) for the DAH and 32% (95% CI, 21%–43%) for the IAH group (P = .08). All except 20 patients were treated with a standard regimen of high-dose corticosteroids. Patients who received corticosteroids had 60-day survival of 26% (95% CI, 18%–34%), compared with 25% (95% CI, 6%–44%) for those who did not (P = .28). The pathogenesis of alveolar hemorrhage after HSCT is multifactorial, and we propose that IAH and DAH in HSCT recipients are related clinical syndromes with similar clinical presentation, risks, and associated high mortality.
The radical feminist manifesto as generic appropriation: Gender, genre, and second wave resistance

This study analyzes radical feminist writers’ generic appropriation of the rhetoric of the historically masculine manifesto genre, which was popular among male‐governed organizations of the New Lef...
Characterization of Protein Fold by Wide-Angle X-ray Solution Scattering

Abstract Wide-angle X-ray solution scattering (WAXS) patterns contain substantial information about the three-dimensional structure of a protein. Although WAXS data have far less information than is required for determination of a full three-dimensional structure, the actual amount of information contained in a WAXS pattern has not been carefully quantified. Here we carry out an analysis of the amount of information that can be extracted from a WAXS pattern and demonstrate that it is adequate to estimate the secondary-structure content of a protein and to strongly limit its possible tertiary structures. WAXS patterns computed from the atomic coordinates of a set of 498 protein domains representing all of known fold space were used as the basis for constructing a multidimensional space of all corresponding WAXS patterns (‘WAXS space’). Within WAXS space, each scattering pattern is represented by a single vector. A principal components analysis was carried out to identify those directions in WAXS space that provide the greatest discrimination among patterns. The number of dimensions that provide significant discrimination among protein folds agrees well with the number of independent parameters estimated from a naive Shannon sampling theorem approach. Estimates of the relative abundances of secondary structures were made using training/test sets derived from this data set. The average error in the estimate of α-helical content was 11%, and of β-sheet content was 9%. The distribution of proteins that are members of the four structure classes, α, β, α/β and α+β, are well separated in WAXS space when data extending to a spacing of 2.2 A are used. Quantification of the information embedded within a WAXS pattern indicates that these data can be used as a powerful constraint in homology modeling of protein structures.
Structure of clean and arsenic-covered GaN(0 0 0 1) surfaces

Abstract The effect of trace arsenic on the growth and surface structure of GaN(0 0 0 1) has been studied. We find that a partial pressure of only 10 −9 Torr of arsenic during molecular beam epitaxial growth significantly modifies the growth kinetics. Such a small background pressure of arsenic leads to an arsenic-terminated surface displaying a 2×2 reconstruction during growth which is absent for the clean surface. First-principles theoretical calculations show that As-terminated surfaces are energetically more favorable than Ga-terminated surfaces for arsenic pressures of 10 −9 Torr, and structural models for the As-adatom 2×2 reconstruction are presented.
The implications of demographic change for recreational fisheries management in the United States

Abstract Projected decreased rates of population growth, increased immigration, an aging population, and increased numbers and proportions of minority residents will impact the demand for recreational fishing and fisheries management in the United States. Recent age and race/ ethnicity specific population projections and data on participation in, and expenditures for, fishing were used to examine the impacts of future demographic trends on angler numbers, characteristics, and expenditures from 1990 to 2050. Results suggest that the projected rate of increase in the angler population will not keep pace with population growth and there will be older and larger minority components. Minority growth will account for the majority of net growth in angler numbers and expenditures with immigration playing a major role in such increases. Increased diversity will require better understanding of the benefits anglers seek from fishing and groups with low participation rates should be recruited to participate in recrea...
CRAC Channel Function Through ORAI1, STIM1 and STIM2 is Required for Proinflammatory Effector T Cell Function in Autoimmunity

ORAI1 constitutes the pore forming subunit of the Ca2+ release activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel, which is responsible for store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in many cell types. ORAI1 is activated by stromal interaction molecules (STIM) 1 and 2 following immunoreceptor triggering and depletion of ER Ca2+ stores. ORAI1, STIM1 and also STIM2 are essential mediators of SOCE and CRAC channel function in human and murine T lymphocytes. A role for ORAI1 and STIM1 in T cells in vivo has been inferred from in vitro studies of cells from human immunodeficient patients with mutations in ORAI1 and STIM1 and mice with targeted deletion of Orai1, Stim1 and Stim2 genes. Investigating the role of SOCE in T cells in the context of autoimmunity and inflammation, we find that mice with T-cell specific deletion of Stim1 or Stim2 are protected from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. T cells lacking STIM1 or STIM2 failed to produce the proinflammatory cytokines IL-17 and IFNγ, which are crucial for the induction of EAE. SOCE is also required for the proliferation and homeostasis of IL-17 producing Th17 cells. ORAI1 is similarly critical for several aspects of T cell mediated immunity in vivo. Immune responses that depend on Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells were severely attenuated in Orai1-deficient mice expressing a non-functional form of the CRAC channel. Orai1-deficient mice tolerated skin allotransplants significantly longer than wildtype littermates. Furthermore, T cells from Orai1-deficient mice failed to induce colitis in a T-cell dependent adoptive transfer model of inflammatory bowel disease as they lacked production of IL-17, IFNγ and TNFα. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that ORAI1, STIM1 and STIM2 are critical mediators of proinflammatory T cell function and autoimmunity.
Intimate Partner Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Implications for Disability Service System Case Management Practice

Violence against women is a top human rights issue for women with disabilities, a population that is more at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). Existing research on violence against women with disabilities has pointed to the need for population-based sampling, the inclusion of women of non-White descent, and the use of literature-based definitions of IPV, conditions all met by this study. Women with disabilities were less likely to report past-year IPV in the form of verbal abuse, but more likely to report threats and physical violence. Case management implications relate to the need for disability-sensitive IPV assessment training at all state disability offices and the need to facilitate the accessibility of traditional IPV systems.
Scaling properties of probability distributions in disordered systems

Abstract Probability distributions of resistances in disordered electronic systems are studied, by means of a real-space scaling transformation, and scaling properties of the distributions are discussed. In the weak scattering limit the results confirm single-parameter scaling in the sense that any initial distribution scales, under change of scale, towards a universal distribution characterized by one parameter only.
Collagen-GAG Substrate Enhances the Quality of Nerve Regeneration through Collagen Tubes up to Level of Autograft

Peripheral nerve regeneration was studied across a tubulated 10-mm gap in the rat sciatic nerve using histomorphometry and electrophysiological measurements of A-fiber, B-fiber, and C-fiber peaks of the evoked action potentials. Tubes fabricated from large-pore collagen (max. pore diameter, 22 nm), small-pore collagen (max. pore diameter, 4 nm), and silicone were implanted either saline-filled or filled with a highly porous, collagen-glycosaminoglycan (CG) matrix. The CG matrix was deliberately synthesized, based on a previous optimization study, to degrade with a half-life of about 6 weeks and to have a very high specific surface through a combination of high pore volume fraction (0.95) and relatively small average pore diameter (35 μm). Nerves regenerated through tubes fabricated from large-pore collagen and filled with the CG matrix had significantly more large-diameter axons, more total axons, and significantly higher A-fiber conduction velocities than any other tubulated group; and, although lower than normal, their histomorphometric and electrophysiological properties were statistically indistinguishable from those of the autograft control. Although the total number of myelinated axons in nerves regenerated by tubulation had reached a plateau by 30 weeks, the number of axons with diameter larger than 6μm, which have been uniquely associated with the A-fiber peak of the action potential, continued to increase at substantial rates through the completion of the study (60 weeks). The kinetic data strongly suggest that a nerve trunk maturation process, not previously reported in studies of the tubulated 10-mm gap in the rat sciatic nerve, and consisting in increase of axonal tissue area with decrease in total tissue area, continues beyond 60 weeks after injury, resulting in a nerve trunk which increasingly approaches the structure of the normal control.
Chemical reactions in aerosols. I. bromination of octadecene droplets

Abstract A monodispersed aerosol of 1-octadecene, produced in a falling film generator was reacted with bromine vapor at constant vapor pressure. The reaction time was controlled by changing the length of the glass tube through which the 1-octadecene aerosol and bromine vapor passed at a fixed flow rate. The particle size distribution of the aerosol was measured before and after bromination by light scattering and no significant changes were observed. The reaction products were collected using a thermal gradient precipitator and analyzed for the degree of bromination by infra-red spectroscopy. The factors that may control the kinetics of the aerosol-vapor reaction, such as gas or liquid phase diffusion, or the liquid phase reaction, are discussed. It is concluded that the liquid phase reaction between the 1-octadecene and the bromine dissolved in the droplet controls the rate of bromination under the conditions of these experiments.
Robust H ℮ consensus on directed networks with quantized communication

We study average consensus for directed graphs with quantized communication. In the presence of quantization errors, average consensus cannot be accurately reached. We develop robust consensus algorithms to reduce the effect of quantization. Linear matrix inequalities are used as design tools. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method.
A study of the ribonucleic acid of normal and chloromycetin-inhibited bacteria by zone electrophoresis

Abstract 1. 1. Bacterial RNA migrates in only two bands on starch electrophoresis. The major band consists of the two kinds of nucleoprotein particles previously found by ultracentrifugation. RNA in the two bands is bound with different affinities to protein; these two forms of RNA have different base ratios and molecular sizes, and do not appear to be metabolically related. 2. 2. Most of the RNA of rapidly growing E. coli or B. megatherium is in the form of nucleoproteins. Less than 15%, if any, is present as protein nucleates. 3. 3. RNA made in the presence of chloromycetin is bound to protein but has a different mobility than does most of the RNA of normal E. coli. In contrast to normal RNA it is readily freed from protein by sonic treatment. During exposure to chloromycetin one of the two kinds of normal nucleoprotein particles disappears. 4. 4. The mobility of DNA in the starch electrophoresis apparatus depends on molecular size. Conclusions regarding the attachment of DNA to proteins could not be made in these experiments. 5. 5. The effects of variables such as methods of preparation of extracts, pH, buffers, and age of cells upon the starch electrophoresis patterns of bacterial extracts have been investigated.
Geometric Resistance and Microvascular Network Architecture of Human Colorectal Carcinoma

Objective: To measure the geometric resistance to blood flow in human colorectal carcinoma. Although tumor blood flow is of central importance in both the detection and the treatment of cancer, the determinants of blood flow through the neoplastic circulation are poorly understood.Methods: Human colorectal carcinomas (tissue weight = 272 g ± 43 g (SD), n = 6) were perfused ex vivo with a buffered physiological salt solution of known viscosity at flow rates ranging from 2.5 to 40 ml/min and perfusion pressures from 8 to 100 mm Hg. The geometric resistance was determined from the slope of the pressure-flow curve. For examination of the principal determinant of geometric resistance, the vascular architecture, one of the tumors was perfused with Batson's No. 17 polymer and macerated in KOH to produce a positive vascular cast that was used for measurement of vascular branching patterns and dimensions.Results: The pressure-flow relationship was linear at perfusion pressures above 40 mm Hg, and the geometric res...
Formation of triple-helical structures by the 3′-end sequences of MALAT1 and MENβ noncoding RNAs

Stability of the long noncoding-polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is conferred by an expression and nuclear retention element (ENE). The ENE protects PAN RNA from a rapid deadenylation-dependent decay pathway via formation of a triple helix between the U-rich internal loop of the ENE and the 3'-poly(A) tail. Because viruses borrow molecular mechanisms from their hosts, we searched highly abundant human long-noncoding RNAs and identified putative ENE-like structures in metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) and multiple endocrine neoplasia-β (MENβ) RNAs. Unlike the PAN ENE, the U-rich internal loops of both predicted cellular ENEs are interrupted by G and C nucleotides and reside upstream of genomically encoded A-rich tracts. We confirmed the ability of MALAT1 and MENβ sequences containing the predicted ENE and A-rich tract to increase the levels of an intronless β-globin reporter RNA. UV thermal denaturation profiles at different pH values support formation of a triple-helical structure composed of multiple U•A-U base triples and a single C•G-C base triple. Additional analyses of the MALAT1 ENE revealed that robust stabilization activity requires an intact triple helix, strong stems at the duplex-triplex junctions, a G-C base pair flanking the triplex to mediate potential A-minor interactions, and the 3'-terminal A of the A-rich tract to form a blunt-ended triplex lacking unpaired nucleotides at the duplex-triplex junction. These examples of triple-helical, ENE-like structures in cellular noncoding RNAs, are unique.
The Effect of a Period of Non-Milking on the Leucocyte Count of Milk

Summary Interruption in the milking of normal cows in the middle of their lactation cycles increased the leucocyte count of the milk about 27-fold.
A DESCRIPTION OF INTENSIVE CULTURE SYSTEMS FOR THE AMERICAN LOBSTER (Homarus americanus) AND OTHER CANNIBALISTIC CRUSTACEANS1

The high rates of cannibalism which have been documented for H. americanus reared communally dictate that for a majority of the culture period the lobsters should be reared individually, in order to eliminate these losses. Criteria essential to the development of culture systems for the intensive rearing of lobsters and other cannibalistic crustacean species in individual holding compartments are considered. These include the necessity for holding large numbers of individuals in a minimal amount of space, delivery of oxygenated water evenly to each rearing compartment, and removal of wastes. Considerations of space utilization, capital construction costs, and associated components for automatic feeding, maintenance, and harvesting also are discussed.
On the formation of etch grooves around stress fields due to inhomogeneous impurity distribution in KH2PO4 single crystals

Abstract It is shown that planar strain fields in potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) single crystals, can be made visible as macroscopic etch grooves by etching polished {100}, {101} and {001} slices. These planar strain fields are due to inhomogeneous impurity distributions in the crystal, for instance at the boundary of two growth sectors with different impurity contents or at the boundaries of the growth bands within a single growth sector. The sensitivity of this method is similar as for X-ray diffraction topography, but by etching a higher resolution (less than 1μm) can be obtained. The formation of the etch grooves and the increasing sensitivity of the etch method for the {100}, {101} and {001} plates successively is explained analogous to the thermodynamic dislocation theory of dissolution of crystals as formulated by Cabrera and Levine, combined with a consideration of some nucleation models for the initial opening up of the groove.
The effect of negative ions on the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a magnetized potassium plasma

Abstract The effect of negative ions on the excitation of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KH) driven by a relative drift between ions in adjacent layers is investigated. The plasma is generally more unstable when negative ions are present. However, for relatively large negative ion concentrations, enhanced radial diffusion associated with the KH oscillations tends to have a stabilizing effect due to a “mixing” of ion flows in adjacent layers.
The design of wavelets for limited-angle tomographic hyperspectral imaging systems

A number of hyperspectral (x, y, λ) imaging systems work on the principle of limited angle tomography. In such systems there exists a region of spatial and spectral frequencies called the "missing cone" that the imaging system cannot recover from data using any direct reconstruction algorithms. Wavelets are useful for imaging objects that are spatially and in many cases also spectrally compact. However wavelet expansion functions have three-dimensional frequency content intersecting the missing cone region; this means the wavelets themselves are altered thus compromising the corresponding datacube reconstructions. As the missing cone of frequencies is fixed for a given imaging system, it is reasonable to adjust parameters in the wavelets themselves in order to reduce the intersection between the wavelets' frequency content and the missing cone. One wavelet system is better than another when the frequency content of the former has a smaller amount of overlap with the missing cone. We will do this analysis with a couple of classic wavelet families, the Morlet and the Difference of Gaussian (DOG) for an existing hyperspectral tomographic imaging system to show the feasibility of this procedure.
Enzymatically enantioselective hydrolysis of prochiral 1,3-diacyloxyglycerol derivatives.

An enzymatically enantioselective ester hydrolysis of prochiral 1,3-diacyloxy-2-substituted-2-propanol to chiral 1-acyloxy-2,3-propanediol was studied. The (R)-monoester was prepared by selection of a suitable lipase and alkyl chain length of the substrate diester. Lipase D from Rhizopus delemer gave (R)-1-isobutyryloxy-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2,3-propanediol with 97%ee and 87% yield at 15°C and pH 5.5. The (R)-monoester is a key intermediate of azole antifungal agents.
SU-FF-I-25: Optimizing Dose and Image Quality in Pediatric Computed Tomography

Purpose: The goal of this work was to accurately quantify the doses delivered to pediatric patients during computed tomography(CT) exams while simultaneously evaluating the image quality of images obtained with the same protocols, and thus identify potential dose‐saving protocols that maintain adequate image quality. Method and Materials: A tomographic newborn physical phantom was constructed from tissue‐equivalent materials for use in evaluating the doses delivered to pediatric patients as a result of diagnosticimaging. Fiber optic‐coupled (FOC) dosimeters were used along with the physical phantom to measure average organdoses during CT exams across a wide range of protocol parameters (80–120 kV, 50–150 mAs, 12 mm and 24 mm collimated beam widths, pitches of 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25, for both head and body protocols). Then, images of the Catphan CTP515 low contrast module were acquired using the same protocols, and scored automatically with a custom‐written scoring routine with threshold contrast‐to‐noise ratios (CNR) based on radiologists' scoring of similar phantom images.Results:Measured effective dose values for head exams ranged from 0.33 mSv to 4.3 mSv, depending on protocol selection. These effective dose values are driven by doses to the bone marrow, bone surface, brain, and thyroid gland. Measured effective doses for CAP exams ranged from 1 mSv to 14.3 mSv, depending on protocol selection. A collimated beam width of 24 mm (16 × 1.5) was determined to be the optimal setting for both head and CAP imaging in terms of both image quality and dose.Conclusions: Tube potential and tube current‐time product are the two major contributors to both dose and image quality. However, the use of pitch values less than 1.0 does involve a substantial dose penalty (approximately 30 percent greater dose) without providing any significant gains in image quality for general imaging tasks.
Methamphetamine Users in a Community-Based Drug Court: Does Gender Matter?.

Abstract This paper examines men and women methamphetamine (meth) users who participated in a community-based drug court. The treatment of female drug users is a particularly salient issue because of the concerns with relapse and recidivism. For the current study, we studied the impact of the drug court by gender on a group of high-risk/high-need meth users. The results of the multivariate analysis models indicate that men have a higher probability of failure over an 18-month follow-up period. These findings suggest that a comprehensive drug court can be an effective strategy for women meth users even with an assortment of needs.
A pragmatic approach to infants with Robin sequence : a retrospective cohort study and presence of a treatment algorithm

Objectives Initial approaches to and treatments of infants with Robin sequence (RS) is diverse and inconsistent. The care of these sometimes critically ill infants involves many different medical specialties, which can make the decision process complex and difficult. To optimize the care of infants with RS, we present our institution’s approach and a review of the current literature.
A 2.7GHz 3.9mW Mesh-BJT LC-VCO with −204dBc/Hz FOM in 65nm CMOS

Standards with narrow channel spacing have stringent requirements for in-band phase noise of oscillator, which is dominated by up-converted flicker noise. In this paper, we propose a LC-tank voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that utilizes novel Mesh-BJT structure to suppress in-band phase-noise while maintaining low power consumption. The proposed 2.7GHz LC-VCO consumes 3.9mW from a 1.5V supply and the figures of merit (FOM) at 10KHz and 100KHz offsets are −222dBc/Hz and −204dBc/Hz in 65nm CMOS. The Mesh-BJT is compatible with standard CMOS and no extra masks are required. To our best knowledge, this is the best FOM ever reported at low offsets (<100KHz) for VCO in standard CMOS.
Uncovering the V(D)J recombinase.

As any good high school student can tell you, normal developmental processes give rise to individuals in which each cell contains an identical copy of the genome present in the original, fertilized egg. This comfortable image of a static and inviolate genetic blueprint was shattered in the late 1970s, however, when Susumu Tonegawa and colleagues showed that the genes that encode immunoglobulin heavy and light chains have a different structure in embryonic cells from that found in tumors derived from B cells (see accompanying Commentary by Tonegawa, 2004). Over the next decade, it would emerge that developing B lymphocytes assemble immunoglobulin genes from widely scattered gene segments, using a somatic DNA rearrangement process known as V(D)J recombination (Figure 1), and that developing T cells play the same trick to assemble functional T cell receptor genes.
Geographic systems and human diversity in the North Solomons.

Abstract The remarkable diversity of the Melanesian islanders of the south‐west Pacific has been conventionally explained by attributing it to a long, involved history of migrations out of Asia. Taking the islands of Buka and Bougainville in the North Solomons as a microcosm of Melanesian variability in biology, language and culture, it is argued that problems concerning the origins, growth, maintenance and possible obliteration of patterns of diversity among these islanders are best studied in light of the concept of geographic systems. Explanations for geographic variation among human populations derived from this concept can be subjected to partial testing against the archaeological record.
Arterial and prosthetic graft infection.

Primary arterial infections continue to be one of the most challenging clinical problems encountered by vascular surgeons, and postoperative graft infection one of the most feared complications. As vascular infections present grave risks to life and limb, vascular surgeons must be fully informed concerning prevention, early diagnosis and prompt vigorous treatment. Much new information is available in recent years about arterial infection. New culture techniques have forced us to examine the prospect that a disturbingly high percentage of diseased arteries routinely harbor bacteria. Additionally, chronic intraaneurysmal thrombus is culture-positive in a