cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Maximum Strength of the Chemical Bond between Two Metal Atoms

Over the past 20 years we have measured, at Texas A&M University, a large number of bond energies between two ligand free transition metal atoms, using high temperature equilibrium mass spectrometry. The results of these measurements, together with predictions by empirical models of bonding, permit a definite estimate of the possible maximum strength of the chemical bond between two ligand-free metal atoms of G40 ± 40 kJ moL −1.1
Effect of air- and vacuum-packaged atmospheres on the reduction of Salmonella on almonds by electron beam irradiation

Abstract Commercial almond pasteurization often involves thermal treatments to control Salmonella, and evaluation of non-thermal technologies such as irradiation, is warranted. Direct and indirect effects of irradiation affect pathogens by causing cellular DNA breakdown and further damage via free radicals by hydrolysis of water molecules. The presence of oxygen may participate in the secondary effects, promoting the generation of radicals that intensify the antimicrobial effect of irradiation. In this study, the sensitivity of Salmonella on almonds to electron beam (e-beam) irradiation under air and vacuum packaging was investigated. Almonds inoculated with S. Typhimurium LT2 were air- or vacuum-packaged, and then subjected to e-beam irradiation at different doses. The D10 value (radiation dose needed to reduce 90% of the Salmonella population) on vacuum-packaged almonds (0.46 kGy) was significantly greater (P
For Safety or Profit? How Science Serves the Strategic Interests of Private Actors

Science is central to the regulation of risk. But who provides the science on which risk regulations are based? Through an in‐depth empirical analysis of domestic health and safety standards, this article shows how private actors use scientific information to acquire preferential outcomes. I develop a formal model delineating conditions under which firms will seek stricter standards on their own products, and I reveal how companies can acquire these outcomes through the strategic provision of information. To test the theory, I track changes to U.S. agrochemical standards over a two‐decade period. I also introduce firm‐level petition data and historical evidence to test the mechanism directly. My findings provide new insight into the strategies companies use to benefit from regulations, while also forcing us to reevaluate what it means for regulations to be based on science.
Interpersonal childhood adversity and stress generation in adolescence: Moderation by HPA axis multilocus genetic variation.

Research suggests that childhood adversity (CA) is associated with a wide range of repercussions, including an increased likelihood of interpersonal stress generation. This may be particularly true following interpersonal childhood adversity (ICA) and for youth with high hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis-related genetic risk. In the current study, we applied a multilocus genetic profile score (MGPS) approach to measuring HPA axis-related genetic variation and examined its interaction with ICA to predict interpersonal stress generation in a sample of adolescents aged 14–17 (N = 241, Caucasian subsample n = 192). MGPSs were computed using 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms from HPA axis-related genes (CRHR1, NRC31, NRC32, and FKBP5). ICA significantly predicted greater adolescent interpersonal dependent stress. Additionally, MGPS predicted a stronger association between ICA and interpersonal dependent (but not independent or noninterpersonal dependent) stress. No gene–environment interaction (G×E) effects were found for noninterpersonal CA and MGPS in predicting adolescent interpersonal dependent stress. Effects remained after controlling for current depressive symptoms and following stratification by race. Findings extend existing G×E research on stress generation to HPA axis-related genetic variation and demonstrate effects specific to the interpersonal domain.
Anther culture in the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) callus and plantlet production studies

146 INTRODUCTION 147 MATERIALS AND METHODS 149 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 152 CONCLUSIONS 155 REFERENCES CITED 156 PAPER VII. TOMATO ANTHER CALLUS PRODUCTION; 158 THE EFFECT OF VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS ON THE INDUCTION OF CALLUS ABSTRACT 160
Non-lethal diagnostic methods for koi herpesvirus in koi Cyprinus carpio.

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3, also known as koi herpesvirus (KHV), is a viral pathogen responsible for mass mortalities of carp worldwide. In this study, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA and quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods for the diagnosis of KHV in experimentally infected koi Cyprinus carpio over an 11 mo period. Koi were exposed to KHV at 18 ± 1°C (permissive temperatures for KHV disease) in laboratory-controlled conditions. At 21 d post challenge, the temperature in the system was decreased to 30°C (non-permissive temperature for KHV disease). Finally, KHV ELISA specificity was confirmed using cyprinid herpesvirus 1-exposed koi through a period of 3 mo. This study demonstrates that the combination of ELISA and gill qPCR should be recommended in the diagnosis of KHV exposure of suspected carrier-state fish.
Using quasar X-ray and UV flux measurements to constrain cosmological model parameters

Risaliti and Lusso have compiled X-ray and UV flux measurements of 1598 quasars (QSOs) in the redshift range 0.036 ≤ z ≤ 5.1003, part of which, z ∼ 2.4 − 5.1, is largely cosmologically unprobed. In this paper we use these QSO measurements, alone and in conjunction with baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) and Hubble parameter [H(z)] measurements, to constrain cosmological parameters in six different cosmological models, each with two different Hubble constant priors. In most of these models, given the larger uncertainties, the QSO cosmological parameter constraints are mostly consistent with those from the BAO + H(z) data. A somewhat significant exception is the non-relativistic matter density parameter Ωm0 where QSO data favour Ωm0 ∼ 0.5 − 0.6 in most models. As a result, in joint analyses of QSO data with H(z) + BAO data the 1D Ωm0 distributions shift slightly towards larger values. A joint analysis of the QSO + BAO + H(z) data is consistent with the current standard model, spatially-flat ΛCDM, but mildly favours closed spatial hypersurfaces and dynamical dark energy. Since the higher Ωm0 values favoured by QSO data appear to be associated with the z ∼ 2 − 5 part of these data, and conflict somewhat with strong indications for Ωm0 ∼ 0.3 from most z < 2.5 data as well as from the cosmic microwave background anisotropy data at z ∼ 1100, in most models, the larger QSO data Ωm0 is possibly more indicative of an issue with the z ∼ 2 − 5 QSO data than of an inadequacy of the standard flat ΛCDM model.
CHAPTER 23 – Technology Transfer

Publisher Summary Technology transfer relates to a process of sharing knowledge. As with many broad concepts, technology transfer takes different forms according to one's motivations and desired outcomes. This chapter discusses the esoteric world of patents and provides insight into the purpose of patents in our commercial society. Patents are a tool and, like many other powerful tools, can be used for noble or lesser purposes. National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers are reassured in the use of this tool to advance this organization's goals and mission. The NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) is proud of its success in advancing technology transfer during its brief lifetime in this endeavor. Reflective of its level of activity are data from fiscal year 2005, when OTT received 388 invention disclosures, executed 307 licenses, and received $98.2 million in royalty income from licensees. In accordance with its royalty policy, $8.9 million of that income was shared with 916 inventors in recognition of their inventive contributions. The remainder was distributed to the institutes/centers to underwrite their technology transfer operations and support new scientific research. The NIH OTT is the proudest of the roster of FDA-approved products to which NIH inventions contributed and were licensed to product developers. The arrays of NIH technologies currently in clinical trials evoke confidence that the next decade's roster of FDA-approved products will eclipse this decade's list. These past and future products would never exist to benefit large numbers of patients were it not for the inventiveness of NIH scientists and the application of its commercial technology process to the outcomes of that research endeavor.
Changes in the Migration Phenology of Massachusetts Birds 1940–2013 in Relation to Temperatures along the Atlantic Flyway

Climate variables affect the phenology of bird migration, and anthropogenic climate change has likely resulted in shifts in these phenological patterns. Warmer springtime temperatures could lead to birds arriving earlier to northerly latitudes in North America. We modeled the effect of temperature with 74 years of data on first arrival for 84 bird species in Worcester County, MA. We found migratory bird species have shifted their arrival to Worcester County an average of 0.11 days per year earlier, with short-distance migrants having stronger shifts (an average of 0.18 days earlier per year) than long-distance migrants (an average of 0.06 days earlier per year). Our results add to a body of literature regarding the potential impacts of climate change on bird migration phenology. We supply support for the notion that some species are temporally shifting their migration in response to warming springtime temperatures. These shifts may be mismatched with resource availability and thus could negatively affect populations and communities. Consequently, it is important to understand patterns in bird migration phenology in order to inform adequate conservation strategies.
Validation of brief symptom indexes among patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (E1302).

Background Patients with advanced head and neck cancer have identified pain, fatigue, and difficulties swallowing, breathing, and communicating as high-priority disease-related symptoms. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck Symptom Index-10 (FHNSI-10) assesses these symptoms. We sought to validate the FHNSI-10, another brief symptom index (FHNSI-7), and individual symptom endpoints representing these high-rated priority disease symptoms among patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Methods Patients (N = 239) were enrolled in a phase III randomized clinical trial (E1302) and completed the FHNSI-10 at multiple time points. We assessed the internal consistencies and test-retest reliabilities of the FHNSI-10 and FHNSI-7 scores, and the known-groups validity, predictive criterion validity, and responsiveness-to-change of the symptom indexes and individual symptom endpoint scores. Results The FHNSI-10 and FHNSI-7 indexes showed satisfactory internal consistencies (Cronbach's alpha coefficient range 0.60-0.75) and acceptable test-retest reliabilities (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.75 and 0.74, respectively). The FHNSI-10, FHNSI-7, and the pain, fatigue, swallowing, and breathing symptom scores showed evidence of known-groups validity by performance status at baseline. The FHNSI-10, FHNSI-7, and the pain, fatigue, and breathing symptom scores at baseline showed evidence of predictive criterion validity for overall survival, but not time-to-progression (TTP). Changes in the symptom indexes and individual symptom scores were not associated with changes in performance status over 4 weeks, though most patients had stable performance status. Conclusions There is initial evidence of validity for the FHNSI-10 and FHNSI-7 indexes and selected individual symptom endpoints as brief disease-related symptom assessments for patients with recurrent or metastatic SCCHN.
COVID-19 in a Patient Treated for Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: Persistent Viral Shedding with No Cytokine Storm.

Introduction The coronavirus disease COVID-19 is considered a pandemic disease that has developed rapidly all over the world. As of today, it is unclear whether immunosuppression confers an increased risk for pulmonary complications, or conversely, whether it can be a protective factor with respect to a cytokine storm. Case description We report the case of a 55-year-old male patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis treated with rituximab who was infected with COVID-19 pneumonia. To the best of our knowledge, only 1 case has been reported in the literature with similar characteristics. The patient had a non-classic evolution of clinical symptoms with persistent fever and viral shedding, in addition to a negative serology. Conclusion This case emphasizes the management and immunity response to COVID-19 pneumonia in such patients. Data are still needed regarding patients who have prolonged B-cell depletion, which may put the patient at a higher risk for reinfection. Learning points Demonstration of the immunity response to COVID-19 pneumonia in an immunosuppressed patient.To highlight the management and evolution of such rare cases during this pandemic.
Covid convalescence interrupted

INTRODUCTION: Uncertainty and discovery have been two fundamental processes in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We continue to recognize new manifestations and complications of this syndrome and its respiratory manifestations. Two recently recognized complications of Covid-19 are pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum with the interesting caveat that these diagnoses can be early manifestations, complications of mechanical ventilation, or can develop late in disease course after other clinical signs have long since begun to improve. Here, we present the case of a young man whose Covid-19 convalescence was disrupted by development of a pneumothorax with early tension physiology. CASE: Our patient was a 34-year-old white, nonsmoking male with a history of asthma and morbid obesity. Five weeks before presentation he was diagnosed with an asymptomatic case of Covid-19 after his symptomatic wife tested positive. Seven days later, he required admission to the ICU for worsening respiratory failure and spent a total of eight days in the ICU receiving oxygen via high-flow nasal cannula but did not require intubation. He was weaned to four liters of oxygen via nasal cannula after a ten day hospitalization and discharged home with instructions to follow up with his outpatient pulmonologist. He was convalescing well with reduced oxygen requirements until 18 days later, when he experienced the sudden onset of worsening dyspnea, prompting him to return to the emergency department. Initial imaging revealed a large left-sided pneumothorax with mediastinal shift and early tension physiology, for which emergency chest tube decompression was performed. His left lung re-expanded immediately after chest tube placement and he was able to rapidly tolerate a clamping trial followed by removal three days later. He was subsequently discharged home. DISCUSSION: The lingering sequelae of Covid-19 infection, including radiographic abnormalities, dyspnea, hypoxemic respiratory failure, and fatigue continue to present challenges for patients and providers. In this case, the sudden worsening of the patient's previously improving clinical course was a key clue to a new etiology of his dyspnea and resulted in appropriate treatment after discovery of the cause. Providers should remain vigilant for pneumothorax in patients with Covid-19, even after their discharge from the hospital.
Inactivation of the Hippo Tumor Suppressor Pathway Promotes Melanoma

Human melanomas are commonly driven by activating mutations in BRAF, which promote melanocyte proliferation through constitutive stimulation of the MAPK pathway. However, oncogenic BRAF alone is insufficient to promote melanoma; instead, its expression merely induces a transient burst of proliferation that ultimately ceases with the development of benign nevi (i.e. moles) comprised of growth-arrested melanocytes. The tumor suppressive mechanisms that induce this melanocytic growth arrest remain poorly understood. Recent modeling studies have suggested that the growth arrest of nevus melanocytes is not solely due to oncogene activation in individual cells, but rather due to cells sensing and responding to their collective overgrowth, similar to what occurs in normal tissues. This cell growth arrest is reminiscent of the arrest induced by activation of the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway, which is an evolutionarily conserved pathway known to regulate organ size. Herein, we demonstrate that oncogenic BRAF signaling activates the Hippo pathway in vitro, which leads to inhibition of the pro-growth transcriptional co-activators YAP and TAZ, ultimately promoting the growth arrest of melanocytes. We also provide evidence that the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway is activated in growth-arrested nevus melanocytes in vivo, both from single-cell sequencing of mouse models of nevogenesis and human tissue samples. Mechanistically, we observe that oncogenic BRAF promotes both ERK-dependent alterations in the actin cytoskeleton and whole-genome-doubling events, and that these two effects independently promote Hippo pathway activation. Lastly, we demonstrate that abrogation of the Hippo pathway, via melanocyte-specific deletion of the Hippo kinases Lats1/2, enables oncogenic BRAF-expressing melanocytes to bypass nevus formation, thus leading to the rapid onset of melanoma with 100% penetrance. This model is clinically relevant, as co heterozygous loss of LATS1/2 is observed in ~15% of human melanomas. Collectively, our data reveal that the Hippo pathway enforces the stable growth arrest of nevus melanocytes and therefore represents a critical and previously unappreciated barrier to melanoma development.
Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health in the Era of Artificial Intelligence with Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review

Background. There is growing evidence that social and behavioral determinants of health (SBDH) play a substantial effect in a wide range of health outcomes. Electronic health records (EHRs) have been widely employed to conduct observational studies in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). However, there has been limited review into how to make the most of SBDH information from EHRs using AI approaches. Methods. A systematic search was conducted in six databases to find relevant peer-reviewed publications that had recently been published. Relevance was determined by screening and evaluating the articles. Based on selected relevant studies, a methodological analysis of AI algorithms leveraging SBDH information in EHR data was provided. Results. Our synthesis was driven by an analysis of SBDH categories, the relationship between SBDH and healthcare-related statuses, natural language processing (NLP) approaches for extracting SBDH from clinical notes, and predictive models using SBDH for health outcomes. Discussion. The associations between SBDH and health outcomes are complicated and diverse; several pathways may be involved. Using NLP technology to support the extraction of SBDH and other clinical ideas simplifies the identification and extraction of essential concepts from clinical data, efficiently unlocks unstructured data, and aids in the resolution of unstructured data-related issues. Conclusion. Despite known associations between SBDH and diseases, SBDH factors are rarely investigated as interventions to improve patient outcomes. Gaining knowledge about SBDH and how SBDH data can be collected from EHRs using NLP approaches and predictive models improves the chances of influencing health policy change for patient wellness, ultimately promoting health and health equity.
Plant community response to fuel break construction and goat grazing in a southern California shrubland

Shrub-dominated ecosystems in California are widespread and provide invaluable ecosystem services to surrounding human-dominated communities. Yet shrublands, especially those at the wildland-urban interface, are at risk of degradation due to increasing wildfire frequency. Strategically placed fuel breaks are an important fuel management technique for reducing fire risk to neighboring communities and natural landscapes. Fuel breaks in shrub-dominated ecosystems are typically linear features where woody biomass is reduced, thereby providing fire suppression opportunities that limit fire spread. While fuel breaks are important for tactical response to fire, they can also affect the composition and structure of shrubland habitats. To understand the ecological changes resulting from fuel treatments in southern California chaparral, we measured vegetation change associated with fuel management techniques on a recently created fuel break established around the Lake Morena community on the Cleveland National Forest. The area was initially treated with cut and pile burning, then treated with herbicide, and 2 years later was subjected to short-term grazing by 1200 goats. The purpose of this study is to (1) evaluate the compositional and structural differences associated with fuel break creation and (2) quantify compositional shifts in herbaceous and woody vegetation caused by short-duration goat grazing as a method of fuel break maintenance. Plots on the fuel break and in untreated adjacent chaparral exhibited significantly different species assemblages. Total herbaceous cover (both native and non-native) was 92 times greater on the fuel break than in adjacent chaparral-dominated wildlands, and native shrub cover was 55.3 times greater in untreated adjacent chaparral than on the fuel break. Goats had a significant impact on reducing native and non-native herbaceous cover (87% reduction in cover, 92% reduction in height), but were ineffective at reducing the cover and height of most woody species such as Adenostoma fasciculatum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Quercus berberidifolia, and Artemisia tridentata. Initial fuel break creation was effective at reducing native woody cover and height, simultaneously giving rise to an abundance and diversity of native and non-native herbaceous species. Targeted goat grazing was successful at reducing herbaceous biomass but was ineffective at reducing woody biomass which is often one of the most important goals for fuel management in chaparral ecosystems. In areas where control of woody biomass is the primary objective, land managers should consider grazing duration and plant species composition when contemplating goats as a tool for fuel break maintenance.
Lgr5 Intestinal Stem Cells are More Abundant with Increasing Age and Exposure to Breastmilk

Background/Purpose: Premature neonates are more susceptible to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) than term infants. This may be due to a relative paucity of Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells, which are responsible for promoting intestinal restitution following injury. We hypothesized that age would directly correlate with the abundance of Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells in the duodenum, terminal ileum, and colon. Methods: Transgenic mice with GFP-labelled Lgr5+ stem cells from eight different time points …
Photosynthesis and phage: early studies on phosphorus metabolism in photosynthetic microorganisms with (32)P, and how they led to the serendipic discovery of (32)P-decay suicide of bacteriophage.

During my PhD thesis research (1946–1949), I explored the effects of light on the uptake of 32P-labeled inorganic phosphate (Pi) by cells of photosynthetic bacteria and microalgae, and the dynamics of P turnover between low and high molecular weight cell constituents. The results were interpreted as evidence for the conversion of light energy to the chemical energy of phosphorylated compounds. The experimental results also suggested to me that the precursors of the P in DNA bacteriophages of Escherichia coli must be low molecular weight phosphorylated compounds present within the host cells and led to the design of an experiment to determine the conservation of 32P of an infecting phage particle in its numerous progeny. The experiment envisaged was never conducted because phage labeled with 32P of high specific activity showed unexpected loss of viability. Thus, by serendipity, ‘suicide’ of phage due to 32P-β decay was discovered. 32P-decay ‘suicide’ provided a technique that was useful for analysis of phage genetic structure and replication. This memoir describes the unusual circumstances leading to the decisive role of serendipity in revealing an extraordinary phenomenon.
Arthur Schnitzler and Twentieth-Century Criticism

Schnitzler, one of the most prolific Austrian writers of the 20th century, ruthlessly dissected his society's erotic posturing and phobias about sex and death. His most penetrating analyses include 'Lieutenant Gustl,' the first stream-of-consciousness novella in German; 'Reigen,' a devastating cycle of one-acts mapping the social limits of a sexual daisy-chain; and 'Der Weg ins Freie,' a novel that combines a love story with a discussion of the roadblocks facing Austria's Jews. Today, his popularity is reflected by new editions and translations and by adaptations for theater, television, and film by artists such as Tom Stoppard and Stanley Kubrick. This book examinesSchnitzler reception up to 2000, beginning with the journalistic reception of the early plays. Before being suspended by a decade of Nazism, criticism in the 1920s and 30s emphasized Schnitzler's determinism and decadence. Not until the early 60s was humanist scholarship able to challenge this verdict by pointing out Schnitzler's ethical indictment of impressionism in the late novellas. During the same period, Schnitzler, whom Freud considered his literary "Doppelganger," was often subjected to Freudian psychoanalytical criticism; but by the 80s, scholarship was citing his own thoroughgoing objections to such categories. Since the 70s, Schnitzler's remonstrance toward the Austrian establishment has been examined by social historians and feminist critics alike, and the recently completed ten-volume edition of Schnitzler's diary has met with vibrant interest. Andrew C. Wisely is associate professor of German at Baylor University.
Altered Structure and Function in Aging Synemin-Null Murine Heart

Heart disease is the most frequent cause of death in man and becomes more common with age. Cardiomyopathies have been linked to changes in structural proteins, including intermediate filament (IF) ...
Microscope Image Formation

The compound light microscope provides a two-dimensional magnified image of the specimen that allows us to resolve and measure fine details of the specimen structure. The specimen can be positioned (oriented) and focused precisely, and the contrast and brightness of the image can be adjusted to bring out desired features of the specimen structure.*
A new hybrid SVPWM strategy to minimize the neutral point voltage ripple of a three-level T-type converter

This paper proposes a new hybrid space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) strategy to minimize the neutral point voltage ripple of a three-level T-type converter. The origin of neutral point voltage ripple is analyzed in detail. Then, the controllability of a nearest three vectors (N3V) based SVPWM on the neutral point voltage balancing is investigated. In the uncontrollable regions of the N3V SVPWM approach, a non N3V based SVPWM is incorporated to balance the neutral point voltage with a switching cycle based profile. The non N3V based SVPWM is realized by replacing the medium voltage vector of the three nearest vectors (NVs) with a large voltage vector in an appropriate way. By introducing an offset vector, the reference voltage vector of the three-level converter can be synthesized in a way similar to that of a two-level converter. The effectiveness and the advantages of the proposed hybrid SVPWM scheme are verified by the simulation results in Matlab @ Simulink.
Tacrolimus as a liver flush solution to ameliorate the effects of ischemia/reperfusion injury following liver transplantation

Abstract The goal of this report is to evaluate in a prospective randomized fashion the effect of flushing hepatic allografts with tacrolimus before transplantation. A prospective, double-blinded, randomized trial was performed. Twenty patients receiving orthotopic liver transplants from October 2000 to October 2001 were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (active) was administered tacrolimus, 20 ng/mL, plus Plasma-lyte A (Baxter Healthcare Corp, Deerfield, IL) liver flush solution; and group 2 (placebo) was administered only Plasma-lyte A. Ischemia/reperfusion injury was assessed in both groups after transplantation by means of serum laboratory values to assess hepatocellular damage, synthetic function, and ion transport capacity. Peak values were recorded for each parameter, and their distributions were compared. There were no statistically significant differences between groups for age, sex, total ischemia time, or cause of liver disease. Global multivariate comparison of peak changes in all measures of liver function indicated liver injury was significantly lower with tacrolimus treatment than placebo (P = .01). The sample median for group 1 was less than for group 2 in all parameters measured. Individual statistical comparison showed that peak changes from baseline aspartate aminotransferase and activated partial thromboplastin time values were significantly improved (P ≤ .05) with tacrolimus treatment than placebo treatment. In this prospective, double-blinded, randomized trial, we show that flushing the liver before transplantation with Plasma-lyte A containing tacrolimus results in superior early graft function and decreased hepatocellular injury after reperfusion compared with flushing with Plasma-lyte A alone. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:144-149.)
Broadband directional antenna on an EBG structure for body-centric wireless communication

A thin broadband textile dipole antenna on an EBG structure is proposed for body-centric wireless communications. The proposed antenna (44 × 44 × 2.5 mm3) leverages a Non-Uniform Aperiodic (NUA) EBG surface as its reflector and reduces the overall thickness to 2.5 mm for operation between 6–9.75 GHz. The proposed antenna has 48% bandwidth, 4–8 dBi of gain and high Front to Back ratio (F/B).
Hi fans! Tell us your story!

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to establish an understanding of what components of the stewardship model (reciprocity, responsibility, reporting and relationship nurturing) were present on Toyota's corporate Facebook page through communicative patterns and themes in the wake of the 2010‐2011 vehicle recall crisis: and what comments/posts by the social media team – who act as “admins” of the social networking site to communicate with stakeholders and fans – indicate components of the stewardship model.Design/methodology/approach – Using Kelly's stewardship model as the theoretical framework, the study incorporated qualitative methods – specifically, a textual analysis to review the recall‐related conversation on the Toyota corporate Facebook page from January 2010 until the end of the first quarter in March 2010. The Facebook page was reviewed two to three times per day to monitor the discussion. In conducting the actual analysis, Toyota's Facebook page “Wall” was reviewed for words and phrases that re...
Abstract 302: Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Poor Neurological Outcome After Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be related to various cardiovascular diseases, including sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This study investigated the association of vitamin D deficiency with neurologic outcome after SCA. Methods: We prospectively analyzed clinical data from all unconscious patients resuscitated from a SCA of presumed cardiac cause. Neurologic outcome was assessed by Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score at 6 months after discharge. Good neurologic outcome was defined as CPC score of 1 or 2, whereas poor one as CPC scores of 3 through 5. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D Results: A total of 65 patients [51 men (79%), mean age 59 ± 14 years] were included from May 2012 to October 2013 in this study. First monitored rhythm was shockable rhythm, including ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia, in 44 (68%) and non-shockable rhythm, including pulseless electrical activity or asystole, in 21 (32%). Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed in 51 (79%) and mean arrest time and CPR time were 26 ± 20 min and 22 ± 18 min, respectively. The mean vitamin D level was 10.5 ± 5.3 ng/mL and vitamin D deficiency was observed in 39 (60%) patients. Vitamin D level was significantly lower among patients with poor neurologic outcome than in those with good outcome (8.0 ± 3.8 vs. 12.1 ± 5.6 ng/mL, p=0.001). Patients with vitamin D deficiency were likely to have more poor neurologic outcome (59 vs. 18%, p=0.001) and mortality (28 vs. 0%, p=0.002). In multivariate logistic analysis, vitamin D deficiency (OR 6.72, 95% CI 2.03-22.26, p=0.002) was the significant independent predictor of poor neurologic outcome after SCA with absence of bystander CPR, first monitored non-shockable rhythm, and baseline renal dysfunction. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is the important independent predictor of poor neurologic outcome following SCA.
Fate of bacteria, Aeromonas caviae, in the midgut of the housefly, Musca domestica

. The role of houseflies as agents in the spread of bacterial diseases has been thoroughly investigated, yet the fate of bacteria ingested by flies has not. We examined the physical location of the bacterial enteropathogen Aeromonas caviae in the midgut of laboratory-reared adult houseflies. Food ingested by houseflies was separated from the midgut epithelium by a double-layered peritrophic matrix (PM). The inner PM intimately enveloped the food as fecal pellets (food boluses), while the outer PM appeared as a long continuous tube. In flies fed a suspension of A. caviae, live bacteria were not observed within the inner PM, but were compartmentalized between folds of the PM in the inter-PM space. Similar observations were made for flies fed a suspension of Serratia liquefaciens and for highly contaminated feral flies. Isolates of both A. caviae and S. liquefaciens were chitinolytic (as demonstrated by clearing zones on chitin agar), but the potential role of bacterial enzymes in the alteration of PM morphology or formation needs further investigation.
Crafting and evaluating Broader Impact activities: a theory‐based guide for scientists

To secure research funding from grant-awarding agencies such as the US National Science Foundation, scientists – despite not typically being trained in non-technical communication or public engagement – must competitively formulate so-called Broader Impacts activities. Dissemination activities are often proposed as Broader Impacts of research, but what characteristics of these activities truly indicate their potential to be “broad” or “impactful”? How can the “impacts” of very different activities be fairly compared during peer review? Combining the experiences of successful practitioners with communication theory, I have synthesized a five-point framework that could help both proposers and reviewers craft and compare Broader Impacts dissemination activities. This “Broader Impacts Impact Framework” summarizes best practices in communication and outreach, and can be easily used by scientists during proposal writing and review. This framework focuses on five main factors: who, why, what, how, and with whom.
Shifting habitats, morphology, and selective pressures: Developmental polyphenism in an adaptive radiation of Hawaiian spiders

Particularly intriguing examples of adaptive radiation are those in which lineages show parallel or convergent evolution, suggesting utilization of similar genetic or developmental pathways. The current study focuses on an adaptive radiation of Hawaiian "spiny-leg" spiders in which diversification is associated with repeated convergent evolution leading to similar sets of ecomorphs on each island. However, two species on the oldest islands in the archipelago exhibit variability, occurring as two different ecomorphs. More derived species on the younger islands show much less variability, any one species displaying a single ecomorph. We measured ecomorphological features within individuals over time to determine the nature of the variability. Then, using transcriptomes, we conducted lineage-based tests for selection under varying models and analyses of gene tree versus species tree incongruencies. Our results provide strong evidence that variability in color in Tetragnatha kauaiensis and T. polychromata is associated with development within individuals (polyphenism). Moreover, a total of 28 loci showed a signature of selection associated with loss of the color-changing phenotype, and 37 loci showed a signature of selection associated with the colonization of a new environment. The results illustrate how developmental polyphenism might provide an avenue for the repeated evolution of ecomorphs during adaptive radiation.
Role of the K88 Antigen in the Pathogenesis of Neonatal Diarrhea Caused by Escherichia coli in Piglets

The role of the K88 antigen of Escherichia coli in neonatal diarrhea of piglets was studied by comparing a K88-positive strain with three K88-negative strains derived from the K88-positive strain. K88 antigen was produced by the K88-positive strain in the intestinal tract of gnotobiotic piglets, whereas K88-negative strains did not regain the ability to synthesize K88 antigen. Synthesis of the antigen conferred different colonization characteristics on the four strains; K88-positive bacteria adhered to the mucosa of the small intestine, whereas K88-negative bacteria did not attach and were distributed throughout the lumen. Adhesion of K88-positive bacteria to tissue from the small intestine of gnotobiotic piglets was demonstrated in vitro and was inhibited by antisera that contained K88 antibodies. Attachment did not occur with bacteria grown at 18 C. Adhesion of cell-free K88 antigen was also demonstrated. The K88-positive strain and one of the K88-negative strains were equally virulent in gnotobiotic piglets. In contrast, the K88-positive strain killed 50% of conventionally reared piglets, whereas the K88-negative strain killed only 3%. Adhesion of the K88-positive strain, but not of the K88-negative strain, to the mucosa of the small intestine was demonstrated. Our results show that K88 antigen is responsible for attachment of K88-positive bacteria to the wall of the small intestine, and that adhesion is essential for the virulence of K88-positive bacteria in conventionally reared piglets.
Hysteresis in cross-bridge models of muscle

A dynamical system is said to exhibit hysteresis if its current state depends on its history. Muscle shows hysteretic properties at constant length, such as residual force enhancement after stretch. There is no generally accepted explanation for residual force enhancement. Here we examine a very simple kinetic model for the interaction between actin and myosin, the two main proteins involved in muscle contraction. We demonstrate that this model shows hysteresis at constant force. Since muscle is not a continuum but rather a group of repeating elements, called sarcomeres, arranged in series, we perform simulations of three sarcomeres. These simulations show hysteresis at constant length. This result is the first time that residual force enhancement has been demonstrated using an experimentally motivated kinetic model and multi-sarcomere simulations without passive elastic elements, damping and/or force-length relationships. We conclude by suggesting some experiments to test the model's predictions. If these experiments support the model, it becomes important to understand multiple sarcomere systems, since their behavior may be very different from most current simulations that neglect the coupling between sarcomeres.
Hertzian fracture of Pyrex glass under quasi-static loading conditions

Hertzian fracture tests were conducted using an Instron on Pyrex glass specimens with various surface conditions, including lubricants, employing steel, Al2O3, WC and Pyrex glass indentors of 0.79 to 12.7 mm radius under ambient air and high vacuum environments at cross-head speeds of 8.5×10−6 to 2.1×10−4m sec−1. The results were not in strict accord with Auerbach's law, nor any of the existing energy-balance Hertzian fracture theories. Rather, they indicated that surface roughness and friction modified the Hertz stress field so that the maximum tensile stress at the surface occurred outside the contact circle. Further, they indicated that Hertzian fracture occurred by the direct, unstable growth into a cone crack of a pre-existing flaw at the displaced site of the maximum tensile stress, the flaw size responsible for the fracture decreasing with decrease in ball size (contact radius). Once a cone crack occurred, its length and growth were described reasonably well by Roesler's theory; however, his constant appears to be too high by a factor of about 5. A surface energy of @ 4 J m−2 was derived from bend tests on specimens similar to those used in the Hertzian fracture tests. Using this value, the crack sizes which lead to fracture were estimated to range between 0.6 and 3.5 μm for the conditions investigated here. The increase in the critical load for Hertzian fracture with indentation velocity was concluded to be due to kinetic effects of water vapour acting at the tip of the crack.
Modeling signals, background and noise in flame laser-induced ionization spectroscopy

Abstract We present a method for modeling the noise in laser-induced ionization (LII) experiments. The method can be used to optimize signal-to-noise ratios for ionization measurements. A simple model for LII signals is developed and from this a model for the noise in an LII signal is derived. By modeling the noise in an LII experiment as a function of laser power, we have been able to calculate the laser power for maximum signal-to-noise ratio and the effect of various experimental variables on the signal-to-noise ratio. Two noise models are presented to cover linear and partially saturated ionization signals.
Degradation of oxidatively denatured proteins in Escherichia coli.

Abstract When exposed to oxidative stress, by oxygen radicals or H 2 O 2 , E. coli exhibited decreased growth, decreased protein synthesis, and dose-dependent increases in protein degradation. The quinone menadione induced proteolysis when cells were incubated in air, but was not effective when cells were incubated without oxygen. Anaerobically grown cells also exhibited significantly lower proteolytic capacity than did cells that were grown aerobically. Xanthine plus xanthine oxidase (which generate O 2 − and H 2 O 2 ) caused a stimulation of proteolysis which was inhibitable by catalase, but not by superoxide dismutase: Indicating that H 2 O 2 was responsible for the increased protein degradation. Indeed, H 2 O 2 alone was effective in inducing increased intracellular proteolysis. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of [ 3 H]leucine labeled E. coli revealed greater than 50% decreases in the concentrations of 10–15 cell proteins following H 2 O 2 or menadione exposure, while several other proteins were less severely affected. To test for the presence of soluble proteases, we prepared cell-free extracts of E. coli and incubated them with radio-labeled protein substrates. E. coli extracts degraded casein and globin polypeptides at rapid rates but showed little activity with native proteins such as superoxide dismutase, hemoglobin, bovine serum albumin, or catalase. When these same proteins were denatured by exposure to oxygen radicals or H 2 O 2 , however, they became excellent substrates for degradation in E. coli extracts. Studies with albumin revealed correlations > 0.95 between the degree of oxidative denaturation and proteolytic susceptibility. Pretreatment of E. coli with menadione or H 2 O 2 did not increase the proteolytic capacity of cell extracts; indicating that neither protease activation, nor protease induction were required. Our results indicate that E. coli contain an active, soluble proteolytic system which can recognize and degrade oxidatively denatured proteins. This proteolytic system could protect cells against the accumulation of oxidized proteins and peptide fragments, and may thus play an important role in the defenses against oxidative stress.
Educating for intelligent belief in evaluation

We are facing a rather worrying brew of developments affecting practical intellectual life in modern society and the very well-being of society itself. These developments threaten to degrade the ce...
Propagation of hadrons in the QCD vacuum

Abstract We use a mean-field approximation to describe the propagation of nontoplogical solitions in the QCD vacuum. The basis of our approach is the assumption that QCD exhibits a Bose-Einstein condensation phenomenon, with macroscopic occupation of the zero-momentum mode. Within the context of approximations made here, we find that only color-singlet solitons propagate in the vacuum.
Beginning Teacher Programs

This article reports the findings from the conduct of a 50- state survey to determine the status of state requirements and state components of beginning teacher programs instituted from 1983 to 1992. The article discusses the implementation of beginning teacher programs during the 1980s reform movement and describes the methodology used for the study. An analysis of seven state policy issues derived from an interpretation of the information about beginning teacher programs is provided, and four major themes identified in beginning teacher programs are presented. Appendices include detailed state-by-state information about beginning teacher programs and an annotated reference list of state materials and publications related to these programs.
The Two-Dimensional Kinetics of Binding and Unbinding are Both Regulated by Myosin's Actin-Binding Loop

Binding of myosin to actin is a multi-step, ionic strength-sensitive process for which the kinetic properties of bond formation and rupture have been studied in solution. However, the solution (three dimensional) environment is a poor model of the pseudo-two dimensional geometry in which myofilament proteins interact in vivo. We therefore investigated the rate of actomyosin bond formation and rupture in a two-dimensional setting using dynamic force spectroscopy at physiological and reduced ionic strength. We previously showed that catch bond rupture is slowed at physiologic ionic strength (145 mM KCl) when compared to low ionic strength (25 mM), and that bond lifetime is maximal at the isometric force generated by a single myosin molecule. In the current study we confirmed this result and sought to determine whether this difference is mirrored in the rate of actomyosin bond formation. A laser trap was used to measure the time to bond formation (tb) between actin filaments and nucleotide-free heavy meromyosin (HMM) over a range of compressive loads. Two dimensional on-rates were determined from tb and were increasingly force-dependent with decreasing ionic strength. We examined the effect of ionic strength on the initial long-range ionic interaction constituting the first step of actomyosin binding by targeted tryptic digestion of HMM’s actin-binding loop. Our data at physiologic ionic strength suggest that the actin-binding loop contributes to the decreased 2D rate and load-dependence of bond formation. This is matched by reduced rates of actomyosin unbinding. These data provide useful parameters for modeling studies and suggest that the actin-binding loop of myosin contributes to both the binding and unbinding of myosin from actin.
An inverse spectral problem

Abstract In this article an infinite periodic Jacobi matrix is under consideration. It is shown that the spectrum of the matrix consists of a single finite interval if and only if the period of the matrix is equal to unity.
The Relation between Incorrect Option Choice and Estimated Ability

The relation between incorrect option choice and estimated ability level was examined for two widely used aptitude tests, the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the Graduate Record Examination. Incorrect...