cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sample and data sharing: Observations from a central data repository

Abstract Objectives From 2003 to 2013, RTI International served as the data repository for the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). RTI worked closely with two sample repository partners to build and maintain the Central Repository (CR) that made data and samples available to approved requestors. In this paper, we recap aspects of establishing the mechanism; detail the challenges and limitations of data and sample sharing, and explore the future of resource sharing in light of the evolving environment of research funding. Design and methods Effective maintenance required the system to be flexible and dynamic while at the same time compliant with established data standards. Results Our years serving as the CR for NIDDK have yielded a number of observations about the difficulties of running a repository, an operation that is by definition dependent on many outside parties whose degree of expertise and efficiency have a direct impact on repository functioning. Conclusion The bio-banking industry will likely continue to become more globally centralized for studying specific genetic diseases and monitoring the health of our environment. The dynamic relationship between emerging technologies and the infrastructure will be needed to support future research that requires the ability of organizations providing support to remain flexible even while following established standards.
Automated Light- and Dark- Adapted Perimetry for Evaluating Retinitis Pigmentosa

Visual fields and dark-adapted thresholds, essential measurements of visual function in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), are usually performed manually. The authors have modified a computerized perimeter to perform automated light- and dark-adapted static perimetry across the visual field of RP patients. Results permit assessment of the level of visual disability in the light and dark and also help define subtypes of RP.
6-methylpyridyl for pyridyl substitution tunes the properties of fluorescent zinc sensors of the Zinpyr family.

To prepare fluorescent zinc sensors with binding affinities lower than that of the parent 9-(o-carboxyphenyl)-2,7-dichloro-4,5-bis(bis(2-pyridylmethyl)methylaminomethyl)-6-hydroxy-3-xanthenone (ZP1), dimethylated and tetramethylated derivatives were synthesized having either two or four of the pyridyl subunits methylated at the 6-position. Like the parent ZP1, both Me2ZP1 and Me4ZP1 exhibit increased fluorescence in the presence of Zn2+. The integrated emission of Me2ZP1 increases 4-fold in the presence of excess zinc, whereas Me4ZP1 displays 2.5-fold enhanced fluorescence for Zn2+. Methylating the 6-positions of the pyridyl rings raises the dissociation constant of the sensors and lowers the pKa values associated with the tertiary amine ligands in a systematic manner. The properties of the dimethylated Me2ZP1 dye resemble those of ZP1, but the tetramethylated Me4ZP1 differs greatly from ZP1 in terms of its brightness, affinity toward Zn2+, exchange kinetics, and metal sensitivity. Both Me2ZP1 and Me4ZP1 ...
Helical Conformation of Alkanes in a Hydrophobic Cavitand

Alkanes adopt extended conformations in solution that minimize steric interactions and maximize surface area. Folding can reduce the amount of hydrophobic surface exposed to solvent, but sterically unfavorable gauche interactions result. However, we found that the alkyl chains of two common surfactants in aqueous solution adopt helical conformations when bound within a synthetic receptor. The receptor recognizes the helical alkane better than the extended conformation, even though 2 to 3 kilocalories per mole of strain is introduced. The proper filling of space and burial of hydrophobic surface drive the molecular recognition between the receptor and the coiled alkane.
A partially assembled complex I in NAD4‐deficient mitochondria of maize

Summary The proton-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (respiratory complex I) consists of at least 32 subunits in higher plants, nine of which are mitochondrially encoded (NAD 1‐7, NAD4L, NAD9). Complex I (CI) has been analyzed from a mitochondrial mutant of maize, NCS2, that carries a deletion for the 39 end of the nad4 gene. Mitochondria from highly defective, near-homoplasmic mutant plants have only trace amounts of the normal complex I. Instead, a reduced amount of a smaller complex, which also exhibits NADH dehydrogenase activity, is detected on ‘blue-native’ polyacrylamide gels. Subunits of 76 kDa, 40 kDa and 55 kDa, as well as NAD7 and NAD9, have been identified in the subcomplex by their cross-reactivity with heterologous antisera. The corresponding subunits in Neurospora are localized in a ‘peripheral arm’ of CI, which is known to assemble independently of a ‘membrane arm’. The maize NCS2 CI subcomplex is loosely bound to the membrane and is missing several subunits that could be membrane components. Thus, the mutant CI subcomplex may consist of a peripheral arm. A reduction in the steady-state levels of NAD7 and NAD9 in NCS2 mitochondria occurs despite normal rates of biosynthesis and there is a concomitant decrease of the nuclear encoded 76 kDa subunit. The reduction in CI-associated NADH dehydrogenase activity in the nad4-deficient NCS2 mutant mitochondria is not associated with a compensatory increase in the activities or amounts of the putative ‘exogenous’ NAD(P)H dehydrogenases that are found in plant mitochondria.
Enhanced pool-boiling heat transfer and critical heat flux on femtosecond laser processed stainless steel surfaces

In this paper, we present an experimental investigation of pool boiling heat transfer on multiscale (micro/nano) functionalized metallic surfaces. Heat transfer enhancement in metallic surfaces is very important for large scale high heat flux applications like in the nuclear power industry. The multiscale structures were fabricated via a femtosecond laser surface process (FLSP) technique, which forms self-organized mound-like microstructures covered by layers of nanoparticles. Using a pool boiling experimental setup with deionized water as the working fluid, both the heat transfer coefficients and critical heat flux were investigated. A polished reference sample was found to have a critical heat flux of 91 W/cm2 at 40 °C of superheat and a maximum heat transfer coefficient of 23,000 W/m2 K. The processed samples were found to have a maximum critical heat flux of 142 W/cm2 at 29 °C and a maximum heat transfer coefficient of 67,400 W/m2 K. It was found that the enhancement of the critical heat flux was directly related to the wetting and wicking ability of the surface which acts to replenish the evaporating liquid and delay critical heat flux. The heat transfer coefficients were also found to increase when the surface area ratio was increased as well as the microstructure peak-to-valley height. Enhanced nucleate boiling is the main heat transfer mechanism, and is attributed to an increase in surface area and nucleation site density.
Stochastic analysis of recurrence plots with applications to the detection of deterministic signals

Recurrence plots have been widely used for a variety of purposes such as analyzing dynamical systems, denoising, as well as detection of deterministic signals embedded in noise. Though it has been postulated previously that recurrence plots contain time correlation information here we make the relationship between unthresholded recurrence plots and the covariance of a random process more precise. Computations using examples from harmonic processes, autoregressive models, and outputs from nonlinear systems are shown to illustrate this relationship. Finally, the use of recurrence plots for detection of deterministic signals in the presence of noise is investigated and compared to traditional signal detection methods based on the likelihood ratio test. Results using simulated data show that detectors based on certain statistics derived from recurrence plots are sub-optimal when compared to well-known detectors based on the likelihood ratio.
Comparison of the attractiveness of the human palm and other stimuli to the yellow fever mosquito.

Attractiveness of the human palm to females of the Yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.), was compared with several stimuli in a large-cage dual-port olfactometer. The stimuli tested were heat (34°C + moisture + varying amounts of CO2 The role of CO2 was examined more closely. 1, 5, and 10 ml per minute of CO2 were used. The mosquitoes flying, landing, and probing on either port were counted each minute for 10 minutes. Flight activity was minimum when no CO2 was introduced into the cage. On CO2 introduction flying activity increased. However, it did not increase further when CO2 was increased from 5 to 10 ml per minute. More CO2 did not induce more probing. More mosquitoes did not go to the CO2 port when heat-moisture-CO2 combination was compared with heat-moisture-air combination, confirming the role of CO2 as an activator only. When the palm was compared with heat + moisture + CO2 the mosquitoes ignored the latter stimuli. This fact confirms that the attraction to the palm is due to the different nature of the stimuli emanating from it, and that it is not possible lo confuse A. aegypti with heat-moisture-CO2 combination 10 divert them from the vertebrate host.
If You Want Justice, Work for Peace

Nobel Lectures—Peace—1971–1980 edited by Irwin Abrams Nobel Lectures—Peace—1981–1990 edited by Irwin Abrams
Synthesis and characterization of novel zwitterionic lipids with pH-responsive biophysical properties

We report the synthesis and biophysical characterization of a novel class of zwitterionic lipids (ZL) with head groups containing a 3° or 4° amine and carboxylate. ZL form stable liposomes that exhibit head group dependent, pH-responsive biophysical characteristics. These lipids may be suitable components for drug delivery applications due to their ease of synthesis and unique pH-dependent properties.
The function and organization of postural adjustments during voluntary pulls made by standing humans

Summary form only given. Postural adjustments preceding voluntary arm movements generally are assumed to stabilize standing balance relative to the base of support, body joint configuration, or orientation of one or more segments to the inertial reference frame. While this assumption is reasonable and consistent with much biomechanical data, postural adjustments also can contribute directly to the primary voluntary act. This role of postural adjustments has been demonstrated analytically for abrupt pulls made in the horizontal direction of the sagittal plane by freely standing humans. Under the constraints of the experiment, the biomechanical system has two kinematic degrees of freedom, which can be represented by the vertical and anterior-posterior coordinates of the body's center of mass (CMV and CMAP). A model which treats the CMAP as a point mass at the end of an inverted pendulum that rotates about a fixed axis in a gravitational field is presented. The model has three parameters: stiffness of an elastic cord between the CMAP and the external world; the slack that has to be taken out before the cord exerts force on the CMAP; and the diameter of a weighted pulley centered at the axis of rotation, which generates torque that initiates pendulum motion. >
The social justice agenda.

The author reflects on a lack of social and health equity which racial and sexual minorities in the U.S. face. She suggests that while research has been conducted to better understand the effects that racism and heterosexism have on health, much more needs to be done to protect the rights and health of all people. She argues that the efforts to pursue health and social equity for all people need to remain steadfast.
Probabilistic assessment for seismic performance of port structures

Abstract Past experience has shown that ports are often susceptible to severe damage during earthquakes. From field damage data of 1995 Kobe earthquake, it is observed that the seismic behavior of port structures shows significant variability. In this study, a 2D numerical model, representing PC1 berth located in Port Island, Kobe and damaged in the 1995 Kobe earthquake, has been developed and used to simulate seismic behavior. It has been found that the uncertainties in the friction angle and the shear modulus of reclaimed soil contribute most to the variability of the residual horizontal displacement (RHD) response of the quay wall of port structures. To investigate the propagation of uncertainties of soil–structure system to the quay wall, a tornado diagram and a first-order second-moment analysis are used. Uncertainty of ground motions has also been investigated. Based on the results, design considerations have been provided.
Robust Extraction of Subcategorization Data from Spoken Language

Subcategorization data has been crucial for various NLP tasks. Current method for automatic SCF acquisition usually proceeds in two steps: first, generate all SCF cues from a corpus using a parser, and then filter out spurious SCF cues with statistical tests. Previous studies on SCF acquisition have worked mainly with written texts; spoken corpora have received little attention. Transcripts of spoken language pose two challenges absent in written texts: uncertainty about utterance segmentation and disfluency.
Detoxifying effect of yellow substance on E. coli in media containing copper.

DISSOLVED yellow organic matter (yellow substance) is ubiquitous in aquatic systems, and is thought to influence the state of ecosystems by affecting the transport and fate of minerals, primary production and, perhaps, the behaviour of aquatic organisms1–4. Although much studied, yellow substance remains chemically and physically ill-defined. It is primarily responsible for the yellow colour of particulate-free natural waters which is generally accepted to be the result of the aqueous extract of decaying plant material. One of the primary constituents of plant material, lignin, is the precursor of a class of stable, yellow-brown, intermediate decay products called humins or humic substance5. Divided into two fractions, humic acid (base soluble) and fulvic acid (acid soluble), these compounds are insoluble in water and are typically analysed as extracts from soil or sediment. Yellow substance is the remaining yellow decay product and is often called soluble humin (dissolved humic acid). There are data, particularly differences in elemental composition and visible and ultraviolet light absorption, however, suggesting that yellow substance is a separate compound with cellulose as its source rather than lignin6.
Surfing the multiverse

The 'many worlds' of quantum mechanics spawned many more of science fiction. Yes, this is Nature. The cover art, by David Parkins, salutes a big year for quantum physics: 50 years ago, Hugh Everett III proposed what came to be known as the 'many worlds' hypothesis. He took quantum physics at face value, and imagined what it really meant. He aimed to resolve the paradoxes of quantum theory by allowing every possible outcome to every event to exist in its own world. In a News Feature, Mark Buchanan reports on modern reactions to the 'many worlds' idea. Although too bizarre for most physicists of the 1950s, many worlds theory now has its followers, including Max Tegmark, who laments in a Commentary that Everett's original paper is not as widely read as it should be. Tegmark also explains why he believes in parallel universes which, as Gary Wolfe illustrates in Books & Arts, are of course meat and drink to science fiction writers. Life sciences also have their place in this fiction-inspired issue and the whole is brought together in an Editorial.
Incidence of Cardiac Arrhythmias in Asymptomatic Hereditary Hemochromatosis Subjects with C282Y Homozygosity

It is not well known whether systemic iron overload per se in hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is associated with cardiac arrhythmias before other signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease occur. In the present study, we examined the incidence of cardiac arrhythmia in cardiac asymptomatic subjects with HH (New York Heart Association functional class I) and compared it to that in age- and gender-matched normal volunteers. The 42 subjects with HH and the 19 normal control subjects were recruited through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored "Heart Study of Hemochromatosis." They completed 48-hour Holter electrocardiography ambulatory monitoring at the baseline evaluation. The subjects with HH were classified as newly diagnosed (group A) and chronically treated (group B) subjects. All subjects with HH had C282Y homozygosity, and the normal volunteers lacked any HFE gene mutations known to cause HH. Although statistically insignificant, the incidence of ventricular and supraventricular ectopy tended to be greater in the combined HH groups than in the controls. Supraventricular ectopy was more frequently noted in group B compared to in the controls (ectopy rate per hour 11.1 ± 29.9 vs 1.5 ± 3.5, p < 0.05, using the Kruskal-Wallis test). No examples of heart block, other than first-degree atrioventricular node block, were seen in any of the subjects. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was not significantly reduced after 6 months of intensive iron removal therapy in the group A subjects. No life-threatening arrhythmias were observed in our subjects with HH. In conclusion, our data suggest that the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias is, at most, marginally increased in asymptomatic subjects with HH. A larger clinical study is warranted to further clarify our observation.
Influence of Sodium Salicylate on Metabolism of Lathyrogen-Treated 3t6 Fibroblasts in Culture

The effect of sodium salicylate on the metabolism of 3T6 fibroblasts treated with the lathyrogen β-aminopropionitrile was studied. A 5 mM concentration of the lathyrogen and/or 0.5 mM sodium salicylate was used to study proliferation, collagen synthesis, and mucopolysaccharide synthesis as measured by 35SO4 incorporation. Sodium salicylate was able to reverse all lathyrogen-mediated changes to control or near control values. The diversity of these biosynthetic activities suggests that the influence of sodium salicylate on lathyrogen-treated cells is a result of a general metabolic effect rather than a specific one; the exact mechanism of action remains unknown.
GENETIC ANALYSIS OF SOUTH AMERICAN EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUSES ISOLATED FROM MOSQUITOES COLLECTED IN THE AMAZON BASIN REGION OF PERU

Identifying viral isolates from field-collected mosquitoes can be difficult and time-consuming, particularly in regions of the world where numerous closely related viruses are co-circulating (e.g., the Amazon Basin region of Peru). The use of molecular techniques may provide rapid and efficient methods for identifying these viruses in the laboratory. Therefore, we determined the complete nucleotide sequence of two South American eastern equine encephalomyelitis viruses (EEEVs): one member from the Peru-Brazil (Lineage II) clade and one member from the Argentina-Panama (Lineage III) clade. In addition, we determined the nucleotide sequence for the nonstructural P3 protein (nsP3) and envelope 2 (E2) protein genes of 36 additional isolates of EEEV from mosquitoes captured in Peru between 1996 and 2001. The 38 isolates were evenly distributed between lineages II and III virus groupings. However, analysis of the nsP3 gene for lineage III strongly suggested that the 19 isolates from this lineage could be divided into two sub-clades, designated as lineages III and IIIA. Compared with North American EEEV (lineage I, GA97 strain), we found that the length of the nsP3 gene was shorter in the strains isolated from South America. A total of 60 nucleotides was deleted in lineage II, 69 in lineage III, and 72 in lineage IIIA. On the basis of the sequences we determined for South American EEEVs and those for other viruses detected in the same area, we developed a series of primers for characterizing these viruses.
Quantification of the frequency and multiplicity of infection of respiratory- and lymph node-resident dendritic cells during influenza virus infection.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that DC differentially regulate influenza A virus (IAV)–specific CD8 T cell responses in vivo during high and low dose IAV infections. Furthermore, in vitro infection of DC with IAV at low versus high multiplicities of infection (MOI) results in altered cytokine production and a reduced ability to prime naive CD8 T cell responses. Flow cytometric detection of IAV proteins within DC, a commonly used method for detection of cellular IAV infection, does not distinguish between the direct infection of these cells or their uptake of viral proteins from dying epithelial cells.
Estimation of leafy spurge cover from hyperspectral imagery using mixture tuned matched filtering

Abstract Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L. is an adventive, perennial weed that infests approximately 1.2 million ha of land in North America. It often forms dense stands that displace native vegetation and useful forage plants on rangelands and in riparian habitats. Leafy spurge is a good candidate for detection via remote sensing because the distinctive yellow-green color of its bracts is spectrally unique when compared to co-occurring green vegetation. During 1999, Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) imagery was acquired in northeastern Wyoming and ground cover data were collected. Mixture tuned matched filtering (MTMF), a specialized type of spectral mixture analysis, was used to estimate leafy spurge canopy cover and map leafy spurge distribution. Overall performance of MTMF for estimating percent cover of leafy spurge for all sites was good (r2=0.69) with better performance in prairie areas (r2=0.79) and poorer performance occurring on wooded sites (r2=0.57). However, results demonstrated that in open canopies with leafy spurge in the understory, the spectral signature is sufficiently distinct to be detectable. The techniques presented here could be used for constructing leafy spurge distribution and abundance maps with satellite hyperspectral data for larger regional areas.
Nicotine-induced dendritic remodeling in the insular cortex.

a b s t r a c t The insular cortex has emerged as a novel target for nicotine addiction research. One unresolved question about the insular cortex is whether its neurons exhibit nicotine-induced dendritic remodeling similar to other brain regions implicated in nicotine addiction. To test this question, Long-Evans rats were admin- istered nicotine via osmotic pump for two weeks. Thirty-seven days following the end of nicotine dosing, rats were sacrificed for Golgi-Cox staining and pyramidal neurons from the rostral agranular insular cor- tex were digitally reconstructed in three dimensions. Results from morphometric analyses revealed an increased complexity of dendrites in the insular cortex following nicotine. Increases were found for both total dendrite length and number of bifurcations. Sholl analyses revealed these changes depended on the distance from the soma, with the most prominent changes distributed at distal points along the dendritic tree. A follow-up comparison of length and bifurcation measurements from Sholl analyses suggested that new dendritic branches, rather than growth of existing dendrites, most likely contributed to overall changes in complexity. No change in dendrite morphology was found for apical dendrites. Together, these results show the insular cortex is a target for neuroplasticity following nicotine exposure.
Drought-triggered western spruce budworm outbreaks in the interior Pacific Northwest: A multi-century dendrochronological record

Douglas-fir forests in the interior Pacific Northwest are subject to sporadic outbreaks of the western spruce budworm, a species widely recognized as the most destructive defoliator in western North America. Outbreaks of the western spruce budworm often occur synchronously over broad regions and lead to widespread loss of leaf area and decrease in growth rates in affected stands. In spite of the ecological and economic significance of this defoliator, the mechanisms controlling this species’ population dynamics are still not fully understood. We used dendrochronological methods to reconstruct three centuries of western spruce budworm outbreaks at thirteen sites along a transect running from central Oregon to western Montana and compared the outbreak reconstructions with regional drought history. The reconstructions reveal repeated western spruce budworm outbreaks that sometimes persisted more than a decade and were significantly synchronous among sites. Synchrony was higher in the second half of the record, possibly due to changes in forest composition and structure brought about by land use practices. Across stands and regions, there was a moderately strong relationship between initiation of synchronous outbreaks and periods of transitional climate conditions in which moisture availability was below average prior to outbreak initiation, but above average in the first few years of an outbreak. There was a weak relationship between cessation of outbreaks and one or more years of high moisture availability. Outbreaks tended to occur near the end of droughts. The association between climatic variability and outbreak dynamics observed across this transect indicates that climate is an important driver of western spruce budworm outbreaks. Other factors that we did not test, but that may influence outbreak dynamics include stand structure, forest composition, predation, and phenological synchrony between larvae and host trees. Future changes in western spruce budworm outbreak dynamics will be determined by a combination of changing climate, interactions with other disturbance agents, and changing forest composition and structure. Our results suggest that western spruce budworm outbreaks will likely intensify if drought frequency increases in the future.
Interaction of glucocorticoids and activity patterns affect muscle function.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of glucocorticoids on muscle mass and contractile properties of muscles of similar fiber composition but differing in activity patterns. Rats were divided into two groups and administered prednisolone (5 mg/kg per day) (P; N = 9) or served as controls (C; N = 10) for 10 days. Contractile properties were then determined in the left gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus (GPS) muscle complex and a strip of costal diaphragm (D). An index of fatigue was also determined in both muscle preparations. Whole-body, GPS, and D weights decreased (P 0.05) between groups in either the GPS or the D. While the index of fatigue was not different (P > 0.05) between groups in the D, there was a 30% increase (P < 0.05) in the rate of fatigue in the GPS. These data indicate that, although glucocorticoids cause decreased muscle mass in both D and GPS, a change in muscle architecture may prevent a decrease in force-generating ability in some limb muscles. However, glucocorticoids do not increase D fatigability as seen in the GPS.
Spin dependent photoinduced absorption in a-Si: H

The authors have studied photoexcitation dynamics in undoped a-Si:H from 80 K to 300 K by the techniques of photoluminescence (PL), photoinduced absorption (PA) and their respective versions of optically detected magnetic resonance, namely PLDMR and PADMR. Both PL and PA spectra are composed of low and high energy bands, respectively. Using their respective temperature dependences they correlate the low energy PA band ({approximately}0.4 eV) to the high energy PL band ({approximately}1.3 eV) and the high energy PA band ({approximately}1 eV) to the low energy PL band ({approximately}0.8 eV). They also found that the PADMR spectrum is composed of three main contributions: a narrow resonance at g {approximately} 2 (FWHM = 15 G), a broad resonance at g {approximately} 2 (160 G) and a narrow asymmetric resonance at g {approximately} 4 (20 G). By measuring their photon energy spectrum they found that the g {approximately} 4 and the broad g {approximately} 2 resonances are correlated with each other and therefore are due to trapped electron-hole pairs in the triplet spin configuration.
Simultaneous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and therapeutic plasma exchange procedures are tolerable in both pediatric and adult patients

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used in patients with pulmonary and/or cardiac disease. In rare circumstances, some patients may have to undergo simultaneous therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). We sought to characterize simultaneous ECMO and TPE procedures at our institution. Study Design and Methods Retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for patients who underwent simultaneous ECMO and TPE. Patient demographics, diagnoses, TPE indications and variables, procedural complications, blood use, laboratory data, and outcomes were collected. Results Seventy-six patients underwent 293 simultaneous ECMO and TPE procedures; the majority involved pediatric patients, and most patients weighed less than 15 kg. In children, the two most frequent reasons for ECMO were congenital cardiac disease and sepsis; in adults, they were congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy and severe pulmonary disease. In children, the two most frequent indications for TPE while on ECMO were multisystem organ failure and coagulopathy; in adults, they were humoral rejection of cardiac and pulmonary allografts. Blood product utilization during simultaneous ECMO and TPE was substantial in all patients. The complications of simultaneous ECMO and TPE were hypocalcemia (47 and 27.6% in children and adults, respectively) and hypotension (22.1 and 34.2% in children and adults, respectively). Approximately 45% of children and adults had resolutions of their apheresis indications after completing their TPE regimen. Conclusions Despite the hypocalcemic and hypotensive reactions that occurred during simultaneous ECMO and TPE, apheresis treatment regimens were successfully completed in all patients. With clear communication between ECMO and apheresis teams, along with close patient and instrument monitoring, simultaneous ECMO and TPE is tolerable and can be performed in critically ill children and adults.
Effects of Source of Energy on Performance, Ultrasonic, Carcass, and Economic Characteristics of Early-Weaned Steers

Angus × Simmental heifers (n = 192; BW = 253 ± 2 kg) were utilized to evaluate the effects of source of energy on performance, ultrasonic, carcass, and economic characteristics of early-weaned heifers. Treatments investigated were 1) high starch (HS); 2) intermediate starch (IS); 3) low starch (LS); and 4) pasture (PAST). The experimental growing period was 73 d. The finishing period was 103 d for the HS, IS, and LS heifers and 131 d for the PAST heifers (fed the IS diet). Gain and intake during the growing, finishing, and overall period increased linearly (P < 0.01) as the level of starch decreased. During the finishing period, PAST heifers gained faster (P < 0.01), ate more feed (P < 0.01), and were more efficient (P = 0.04) than IS heifers. The IS heifers had more back fat, larger ribeye areas, and greater marbling scores (P < 0.01) than PAST heifers after the growing period. The IS heifers also deposited more (P < 0.01) marbling per day than PAST heifers during the growing, finishing, and overall period at the end of the trial. The IS heifers had greater (P < 0.01) marbling scores than PAST heifers. Total cost, carcass value, and profit increased linearly (P < 0.01) as starch level decreased. The IS heifers had greater (P < 0.01) carcass values and were more (P < 0.01) profitable than PAST heifers. This study implies that when utilizing long-fed (322 d) heifers in an accelerated finishing program, by-products can be effectively fed during the final (103 to 131 d) finishing period with no reduction in QG. Placing heifers on pasture reduced the ability of the heifers to marble in the feedlot despite faster gain.
Cerebral phosphoinositide, triacylglycerol, and energy metabolism in reversible ischemia: origin and fate of free fatty acids.

: Levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol (DAG), triacylglycerol (TAG), and free fatty acids (FFAs), as well as their fatty acid composition, were determined in rat forebrain during ischemia and postischemic recirculation. Cerebral energy state and electroencephalograms (EEGs) were also studied. Fifteen minutes of ischemia resulted in a decrease in PIP2 and PIP contents but not in PI content, concurrent with an enlargement of the FFA and DAG pools. The latter were enriched in stearate and arachidonate. Prolongation of ischemia did not produce further changes in content of any of the inositol phosphalipids, but the increase in levels of FFAs and DAG continued. At the end of 45 min of ischemia, levels of both PIP2 and PIP decreased by 45–50%, and the total phosphoinositide content (PIP2+ PIP + PI) decreased by 21%, whereas levels of FFAs and DAG increased to 14– and 3.6-fold of control levels, respectively. During ischemia, the TAG-palmitate level decreased, but the TAG-arachidonate level increased; the tissue energy state deteriorated severely; and the EEG was suppressed. A 30-min recirculation period after 15 or 45 min of ischemia led to increases in PIP2, PIP, and total phosphoinositide contents, whereas levels of FFAs and DAG promptly decreased toward control values. The TAG-arachidonate level peaked and the TAG-palmitate level returned to a low control value during early recirculation. The ischemic changes in tissue lipids were completely reversed within 3 h of recirculation after both periods of ischemia. Adenylates were fully phosphorylated with as little as 30 min of reflow. The EEG activity partially recovered during reflow after 15 min of ischemia, whereas it remained depressed after prolonged ischemia. Thus, phosphodiesteric cleavage of PIP2 and PIP followed by deacylation of DAG is likely to contribute to the production of FFAs in early ischemia. Deacylation of undetermined lipids plays a role for the increment in levels of FFAs in the later period of ischemia. The rapid postischemic increase in levels of PIP2 and PIP indicates active synthesis not only from existing PI, but probably also by means of accumulated FFAs and DAG. These results indicate that the impaired resynthesis of inositol phospholipids cannot be a cause of the poor EEG activity after prolonged ischemia. Degradation and resynthesis of polyphosphoinositides and formation of TAG-arachidonate may be important for modulation of free arachidonic acid levels in the brain during temporary ischemia.
Experimental test of the role of ion-ion instability in determining ion loss from a two-species plasma

Summary form only given. Recent experiments have shown that ions in plasmas containing two ion species reach a common velocity at the sheath-presheath boundary. A new theory suggests that collisional friction between the two ion species enhanced by two stream instability dominates the drift velocity of each ion species near the sheath edge but also suggest that there are differences in ion the velocity at the sheath-presheath boundary given by [2/α(v2th1 + v2th2)]½. This suggests that significant differences in velocity will occur as the relative concentration varies and that when the concentrations are very different, each species velocity approaches the individual Bohm velocities. We report the first experimental test of this model. We measure ion velocity distribution functions (ivdfs) near sheath edge in an Argon/Xenon plasma as a function of the concentration ratios. The relative concentration of the two ion species is determined by the Ion Acoustic Wave phrase velocity measurements, the ivdfs are determined by Laser Induced Florescence, the electron temperature is measured by Langmuir probe and the plasma potential is measured by emissive probe.
I'll be a monkey's uncle: a moral challenge to human genetic enhancement research

The potential for genetic engineering of enhancements to complex human traits has been the subject of vigorous debate for a number of years. Most of the discussion has centered on the possible moral consequences of pursuing enhancements, especially those that might affect complex behaviours and components of personality. Little has been written on the actual process of implementing this technology. This paper presents a ‘thought experiment’ about the likely form of final preclinical testing for a technology to enhance intelligence as a prototypical multiplex trait. The significance and the potential dangers of implementing enhancements in humans, especially to highly valued traits such as intelligence, would mandate a thorough programme of testing in animals, including non-human primates such as chimpanzees. The implications this would have for researchers, society and, most importantly, the animals themselves are discussed, and the paper concludes with a suggestion for a morally justifiable approach to resolve the tragic question of what to do with research animals who have a cognitive capacity that is close to that of humans.
Performance Evaluation and Comparison of Multicast Feedback Control Mechanisms

In reliable multicast applications, packet loss needs to be reported by having group members send feedback messages. This results in the well-known feedback implosion problem. The available feedback control mechanisms can be classified as timer based, hierarchy based, and router assisted, among which the timer-based approach is more preferable due to its simplicity and flexibility. This article compares a set of feedback suppression schemes--namely, the traditional timer-based feedback control and a combination of the traditional timers and some representatives. The authors analyze the performance of these schemes in standard star and chain topologies and then evaluate them using more realistic network topology through simulation studies. They investigate how the use of representatives and deterministic timers improves feedback control performance.
Book Essays and Reviews

The editors of Psychiatry are committed to reviewing books of interest to the community of professionals that deal with the human condition and its biology, psychology, anthropology and sociology. Reviewers are encouraged to develop points of interest to the interdisciplinary community of the readership of Psychiatry. Harry C. Holloway, M.D. Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Book Review Editor, Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes
Reduction of single particles and packed beds of hematite with carbon monoxide

Sintered spheres of reagent grade hematite and particles of vermilion ore were reduced by carbon monoxide-carbon dioxide mixtures over the temperature range 820° to 920°C. If all the weight loss were assumed to occur at a single hematite-iron interface, then the early stages of reduction could be correlated by a series combination of the individual resistances due to boundary-layer transport, transport through the reduced iron shell, and interfacial chemical reaction. Sintering and cracking affected the reduction at later stages. Particle reducibility, measured as rate of weight loss, was independent of particle porosity. Packed beds of similar sized vermilion ore particles were reduced with carbon monoxide-carbon dioxide mixtures at temperatures between 820° and 920°C. Barner's and Spitzer's methods of estimating fixed-bed reduction rates and exit gas compositions were modified to include the multiple-step, single-particle kinetic models. The resulting predictions of fractional reduction agreed closely with the present data; however, theoretical and experimental exit gas compositions differed considerably.
Orthopedic pitfalls in the ED: tibial plafond fractures

Fractures of the tibial plafond, or distal tibial articular surface, are usually associated with a high-force mechanism, which frequently can involve associated injuries and prolonged disability. Because of distracting injury and variations in clinical findings, tibial plafond fractures may be initially missed or misdiagnosed. This review examines the clinical presentation, diagnostic techniques, and management of tibial plafond fractures applicable to the emergency practitioner.
RAD54 family translocases counter genotoxic effects of RAD51 in human tumor cells

The RAD54 family DNA translocases have several biochemical activities. One activity, demonstrated previously for the budding yeast translocases, is ATPase-dependent disruption of RAD51-dsDNA binding. This activity is thought to promote dissociation of RAD51 from heteroduplex DNA following strand exchange during homologous recombination. In addition, previous experiments in budding yeast have shown that the same activity of Rad54 removes Rad51 from undamaged sites on chromosomes; mutants lacking Rad54 accumulate nonrepair-associated complexes that can block growth and lead to chromosome loss. Here, we show that human RAD54 also promotes the dissociation of RAD51 from dsDNA and not ssDNA. We also show that translocase depletion in tumor cell lines leads to the accumulation of RAD51 on chromosomes, forming complexes that are not associated with markers of DNA damage. We further show that combined depletion of RAD54L and RAD54B and/or artificial induction of RAD51 overexpression blocks replication and promotes chromosome segregation defects. These results support a model in which RAD54L and RAD54B counteract genome-destabilizing effects of direct binding of RAD51 to dsDNA in human tumor cells. Thus, in addition to having genome-stabilizing DNA repair activity, human RAD51 has genome-destabilizing activity when expressed at high levels, as is the case in many human tumors.
Reproductive Performance of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Exposed to the Minimum Heat Treatment Temperature as Pupae and Adults

Managing stored-product insect pests by heating the ambient air of a food-processing facility to high temperatures (50–60°C), also referred to as heat treatment, is an effective technology that has been used since the early 1900s. The minimum temperature during heat treatment for effective disinfestation is 50°C. The effect of sublethal exposures to 50°C on the reproductive performance of stored-product insects associated with food-processing facilities is unknown. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), is a pest commonly found in food-processing facilities worldwide. The adverse effects on fecundity, egg-to-adult survival, and progeny production of T. castaneum exposed as 1-d-old pupae and 2-wk-old adults to 50°C for 60 and 39 min, respectively, were determined in the laboratory. Pupae and adults exposed for the same time periods at 28°C served as the control treatment. Four possible reciprocal crosses were carried out among adults from the heat-treated (50°C) and control (28°C) treatments. The number of eggs produced during the first 2 wk of adult life, survival of these eggs to adulthood, and adult progeny production after 2 and 8 wk of oviposition in treatments representing all four reciprocal crosses were determined. Fecundity, egg-to-adult survival, and adult progeny production decreased by 17–63, 52–63, and 66–78%, respectively, when males, females, and both males and females were exposed to 50°C. These effects were relatively more pronounced in treatments in which pupae were exposed to the high temperature compared to adults, and in exposed females than in males. The impaired reproductive performance in T. castaneum pupae and adults surviving sublethal exposures to the minimum heat treatment temperature is valuable for understanding population rebound following a heat treatment intervention.
Retreat of lakeshore Bluffs

From a qualitative descriptive approach of the analysis of retreat of lakeshore bluffs, the key factors in failure and retreat are determined to be wave action, currents, wind, surface runoff, subsurface flow and sapping, raindrop impact, frost action, gouging by ice, chemical weathering, composition of materials, vegetation, lake levels, and shore protective structures. It is concluded that failure of bluffs need not lead immediately to retreat, but usually does so ultimately. In fact, retreat need not result solely from failure; i.e., from landslides. Cumulative resistance of glacial tills to all types of erosion is shown to be intermediate between that of bedrock and lacustrine materials, although in many areas, particularly where wave attack is dominant and the tills develop nearly vertical faces, the retreat of till bluffs does not differ significantly from that of shale bluffs. The cumulative resistance to erosion of a bluff in which a combination of materials is exposed is shown to depend, in most instances, on the resistance to wave attack and ice push of the material exposed at lake level. Quantitative data on soil and rock properties, available only in small quantities, are consistent with the behavior of corresponding materials in lakeshore bluffs.
Temperature distribution and melt geometry in laser and electron-beam melting processes – A comparison among common materials

Abstract Due to the relative youth of metallic powder bed additive manufacturing technologies and difficulties with monitoring the process in situ, there is little consensus in the user community on how to optimize user variable parameters to ensure the highest quality and most cost effective build. Temperature distribution is the critical factor that dictates melting, microstructure and eventually the final part quality. Monitoring or measuring the temperature during the process is extremely difficult due to the ultra-high speeds and microscale size of the laser or electron beam. Therefore, other tools such as finite element modeling can be utilized to optimize these processes and predict the behavior of the system for different materials. This research presents transient, dynamic finite element model of the build process for both laser and electron beam melting techniques. The model includes melting and solidification of the powder as well as different thermal aspects such as conduction and radiation. Diffusivity of the powder is modeled and phase change is modeled such that latent heat of fusion is considered. Melt pool geometry and temperature distribution was obtained for different heat sources and different materials such as Ti6Al4V, Stainless Steel 316, and 7075 Aluminum powders. It was determined that heat accumulation is most consolidated within titanium powder beds, with steel being the second most consolidated, and aluminum powder beds having the most heat dissipation. As a result, titanium was seen to exhibit the highest local temperatures and largest melt pools, followed by steel and aluminum in decreasing order. Naturally, laser models showed smaller melt pool sizes and depths due to lower power. The beam speed and power used for Ti were found inadequate for creating a sustained and continuous melting of Al and Steel. Therefore, adjustments were made to these parameters and presented in this research.
The Geology of Canaan Valley

Abstract Canaan Valley (hereafter, the Valley) is located in the Folded Plateau Physiographic Province of the Appalachian Mountains. The Province features broad, gentle folds and low, structural dips. The Valley lies over the Blackwater Anticline, one of three structures that characterize the high plateau in which the Valley is set. The Anticline plunges northward, creating a broad amphitheater at the Valley's northern end. Southward, the Anticline truncates against a zone of discordance. The cause of the discordance is unknown. South of this zone, the Plateau is more deeply dissected, and the Anticline cannot be traced. In its place, there are three structures that terminate northward against the zone. Local stratigraphy controls the Valley's landscape. Six stratigraphic units—the Pennsylvanian Kanawha Formation, New River Formation, Mississippian Mauch Chunk Formation, Greenbrier Limestone Formation, Price Formation, and Devonian Hampshire Formation—outcrop in the Valley. The ridges in the Valley are su...